Candice

I have experienced tightening and loosening every since my third fill. This is when I experienced my first REAL restriction and learned what foods work and what foods don't work. My band is extremely tight during that time of the month and somewhat tight on and off again during the month. I believe that if you eat something that doesn't go down very well, you may experience some swelling around the band that will cause some tighteness that is percieved as restriction and until the swelling goes down, it's hard to eat some of the foods your used to eating. I also believe that during the night all of the saline settles back into the band and during the day some of the saline travels back into the tubing leading to the port causing less restriction later in the day. Breakfast is very hard for me. I really just listen to my body and chose my menu carefully.

To let you know what to expect, a little poke with a small needle right in to the port and they will tape the attached tubing with a suringe to your belly. Then they put you in front of the exray machine (standing upright) and have you swallow a small amount of barium while they inject the saline into the band. This is just to make sure they don't tighten it too tight. It's very simple, in fact, the last fill I had they put a little novicane under the skin to deaden the area so I wouldn't even feel the needle. I didn't have that with my first three fills and I was fine. However, it seems that after being poked there several times kind of makes the skin a little tough. Don't worry, it's over before you know it.

I am alomost to my one year anniversary and have had great results. I am about 30-35 pounds from goal but would be perfectly happy if I didn't lose another pound because I feel great. However, the therapist that did my insurance required psychiatric evaluation leading up to my surgery told me that day "I'll see you after the weight loss". Wasn't sure what she meant by that, but now I know. I can't get the 294 pound woman I was out of my head. I don't recognise myself when I look in the mirror. When I get those size 14 jeans out of the closet, my mind says "those will neeeever go over your fat butt"!!! My rational mind knows that I just had them on three days ago but my critical mind doesn't get that. When I look in the mirror, I can see the results, but weirdly enough when I look at pictures of me I can barely tell the difference from the size 28 I was and the size 14 I am now. These are some of the tricks my mind is playing on me. My DH is affraid that my mind is not catching up with my body and I won't stop the weight loss until I look sick. I know that at 5'5" with two kids, I probably shouldn't weigh less than 135 or I will be too thin. Will I know when enough is enough? How long will it take for my critical mind to accept the new me like my rational mind does:help:

I am also a fellow Texan, but I have not heard of this Dr. I used Dr. Spivak and loved him. My surgery was done at Herman Hospital and I was treated like I was the only patient there that day. It was great. Surgery was done at about 10:00 in the morning and my husband and I drove up in the driveway at 5:30 that afternoon. And I live exactly one hour from Houston. Recovery was easy, but I had 2 Csections to compare this to, so it was really easy for me. I hope recovery will be as easy for you. Had mine on Wednesday, went WalMart shopping on Friday, grocery shopping on Saturday and went back to work on Monday. They barely new I was gone from work and most of the people had no idea I even had the surgery until the first 50# came off and people got curious.

I am a patient of Dr. Spivak's and my port is about width of my hand under my bra. I can feel it but I forget it's even there. Really the only time I notice it is when I am getting clothes out of the bottom of the washing machine. Other than that, I don't notice it. I don't think it's a low profile port, it does seem kinda big, but then I did weigh 294 when I had the surgery. I am currently 169 as of this morning. I had my surgery at Herman Hospital but I get my fills at the Surgical Center on Main Street. I will have my one year anniversary on Oct. 12th and I have lost 125 pounds. I went from January 26th to September 25 on my third fill and got the fourth only to get me to goal. They are wonderful at the Surgical Center, you would love the professionalism there.

It will be a HUGE learning experience, so embrace it with open arms. Use this tool to really learn how got where you are in the first place and you will do great. Lord knows my eyes are wide open now. I have no regrets. Your surgery will go just great and it will be behind you before you know it. I had mine on a Wed and went back to work on Monday feeling good. Little gassy from the surgery, but that went away completely after a few days.:clap2:

I drink 2 cups of coffee in the morning with sweet n low and half n half. Then I basically stay on a healthy diet of more organic foods. I don't eat a lot of processed foods.

Your hair naturally falls out in cycles and when you put your body through any kind of trauma....for example surgery, diet changes, stress, the hair cycles will change around and several of the patches of hair will get on the same cycle and fall out together causing panic when you see that blob in the drain. Not getting enough protien causes a lot of this too, but I found that upping my protien really didn't help a whole lot. It's not a lot different from your period lasting longer or not showing up at all when you have a great weight loss. The body just has to adjust and that's is just the way it is. I was sooooooo scared I would lose enough to see my scalp, but by the time it got thin, it stopped and grew back. It's normal and will stop over time. I lost @ 20% of my hair over a four month period but it is coming back and coming back healthier.

I was banded on October 12, 2005, so it has not been a year yet. I have lost 120 lbs, and that's great. However, I have been experiencing frequent yeast infections in the last 6-8 months. It comes and goes in a matter of 2-3 days, so by the time the signs are there, it is already going away. I am aware that my better half may be giving it back to me, but how would I know and what would they treat him with? I have read on the internet that extreme changes in diet are one of the causes and I would like to know if there is a more natural way to control this. I know about yogurt, but what other foods might I be lacking that may be giving me this flare up every few weeks?

Thank you for the replies. I had another lady in town tell me to use the acidophilus but wasn't sure. We have Carol Bond Health food store right here in town, so you know where I am going TODAY!!!!!

I am 11 months in and have lost 120 pounds. Still have 35 to lose, but still dropping between 6 and 9 pounds a month. I will get to my goal by February 2007 if it kills me.

Okay, I knew this was coming, but what exactly is the scientific/medical reason for losing your hair with weight loss? I wouldn't be so worried about it if I knew why it's falling out. Will it stop soon, it's been reeaalllly falling out for about three weeks. Any ideas what I can do to help it stop falling out.

Kim, it is very important to try and move as much as you can to get rid of the gas. I was even told to rock in the recliner....that also helped a bunch. GasEx helped a little, but just to let you know I had gas pains for up to two weeks after, but they got less painful each day and then they just stopped. So, don't freak out if your still having pains two weeks later. I had my surgery on a Wednesday, drove to WalMart and shopped by Saturday and went back to work on Monday. I felt sore and bruised, but getting out and moving really helped. Good Luck, you'll do great. It's been three months for me and I have lost 50 and fixing to go for my third fill. Learning how to cook for a banster has been a challenge, but a fun challenge.

Almost banded three months and have lost a considerable amount of weight. However, now I am seeing changes in my clothes, but not changes on the scale. What is going on metabolically that make you lose inches and not pounds?:ermm

I walk about a mile three to four times a week, but I have found a new work out toy you wouldn't believe. For those who own a Playstation 2, there is a accessory called an Eyetoy that hooks up to the playstation. It is an interactive webcam thing that hooks up to the playstation with a multigame disc that came with it. It has a boxing game on there and you actually box a animated character. You can punch, kick, or head butt him. And you have to duck his punches too. You get a great cardio workout in no time and you won't believe how well it works on the abs to duck his punches. Not to mention what a great stress reliever it is to hit someone that really doesn't exist. It's really cool. I bought it for my kids and it was about $60.00 (game included), at Toys R Us.

I had my second fill on December 15th totalling 2cc. However, I am just now feeling restriction. Is it normal to have the restriction show up some days later? Maybe, I was subconsiously chewing my food more just after the fill and just really started feeling it. I don't know! Maybe I'm just crazy.

I broke down the insurance monster after 10 months of having one hissy fit after another. My policy (BCBS self funded policy) was sitting on my paper work trying to put me off until after December 31st, you know, so they could add an exclusion to the policy. I got the Labor Board of Texas and the companies Insurance Policy Administrator involved. Trust me, the insurance company didn't like the Labor Board snooping around thier procedures. BCBS wouldn't give the Labor Board any answers because of HIPAA, but they knew they were on to them. Simultaneously to them getting involved, my husband called the appeals department (without my knowledge) and talked to the lady I'd been dealing with all those months and kept her 45 minutes after hours pleading with her to help. He told her lots of sweet things like "he could not raise our two boys by himself and he can not live without me". I know, he's kinda cheezy, but that really is how he is. Three days later, I was approved.

I had pain for about twelve day afterword. I thought it would never go away. I was told to walk it off or try to rock in a rocking chair if you can. The constant movement will help work some of that out quicker. After the twelve days, I realized I wasn't having the pains anymore. Boy was I happy! I had my surgery on a Wednesday and went back to work on Monday, so I even experienced it at work. Hang in there, you should start feeling some relief soon.

I do try to eat eggs for breakfast and some meat for the protein, but I have a hard time getting meat down. I try and showtime rotissaire my chicken so it is moist enough to slide down. I really can't seem to get any red meat or pork down so I try to stay away from that as much as possible. I do eat fish quite a bit as well. Any suggestions on how to get more protein in my diet?

I was banded on Wednesday and returned back to work on Monday feeling great. Bruised but felt great. I wish you the best of luck, you'll do fine!!!!!

Thank you for explaining that to me. I feel stupid. I have not had any PB's yet, but I am only seven weeks in. I think I am paranoid and still kinda stay on foods that can be mushed up with a fork and foods that don't clump up. I'm sure my day is coming because I have only had one fill (1.2cc) and don't have a lot of restriction yet. My husband says I am turning into a health freak, but he kinda likes it because it makes him eat better too. I really stay on vegetables most of the time because they go down easily. I have also started experimenting with a totally organic diet, however, that is not the easiest thing to do because I live in a small town and organic items are hard to come by. I have to grocery shop about 30 miles away for my organic things. I started using organic because I am prone to miagraines and processed foods have preservitives and additives that are major miagraine triggers for me. After being banded and trying to stick to a semi-vegetarian/organic diet I haven't had a single miagraine. I am so glad I have been able to treat my headaches with a diet change. I had tried it before, but not to this extent.

Okay, I was banded on October 12th and am very new at this. What does PB stand for?

I was banded on October 12th and have lost 8 pre op and 21 post op, however, now I am at a sudden stop and worried I'll start gaining before my first fill on November 17th. Is this normal? And, how do I put a weight loss ticker at the bottom of my profile, those are cool?

Well, tomorrow is the big day! I am from Southeast Texas (Liberty), and was banded on October 12th. I have lost 29 pounds and am schedules for my first fill on Nov 17th. I had my surgery done at Herman Memorial in Houston by Dr. Spivak. Recovery was great. Had it done on Wednesday and was back at work on Monday feeling great. I have ankles again and my clothes are starting to get a little big, but not falling off yet. Anyway, good luck, you will do great. I'll be thinking about you.

Thank you for the words of optimism. I really wanted to lose more before my fill, but I guess I should stop complaining and start walking more to try and get atleast 3 more off before I go back. I know it is different for everyone, but I (like everyone else) wanted a drastic change before Christmas, when my sister comes in and sees me for the first time post op. I really don't see huge change in my clothes yet, but I guess I will with the next 29 pounds. Candice LB-10/12/05