Cheryl Ann

Well...I have to admit that I often wonder if I'm losing fast enough, and am fearful that things will slow down to the point that I never make my goal. I don't exercise (like, at all), and am not exactly conscientious about Protein (or snacking), so all things considered, I suppose I can't expect a faster pace of weight loss than that which I have been experiencing -- which seems to be the "right" pace, from what I've been told. SueAZ, I was wondering -- when was your surgery?

I'm not sure if bladder problems are considered a co-morbidity (unless you count the chance of dying from embarrassment!), but I would imagine that is one more thing to document. It certainly couldn't hurt, and I believe that stress incontinence was, in fact, one of the more "minor" things listed on my submission papers. I guess my major co-morbidities were my high blood pressure, and to a lesser extent, my sleep apnea (which was mild to moderate). Besides the stress incontinence, they also noted joint issues, but also my hiatal hernia (a major source of GERD for some). The hiatal hernia was repaired during my Lap band surgery, and was a separate charge, but also covered 100% (as was the Lap band surgery) by my plan. The only cost incurred was a $35 hospitalization co-payment. I was very lucky. I could not have afforded to self-pay, so this was the equivalent of hitting the lottery, IMO!

48 lbs. as of today -- five months and three days after my surgery. I lost 14 lbs. pre-op, and another seven (if I remember correctly) on the post-op diet, and the rest has come off at a rate of 1-2 lbs. per week.

Just wondering if you've heard anything yet. My own UHC experience was great. However, as it has been pointed out, not every plan is the same. My husband's plan, which was specific to his company, had no exclusions, no need for five years' documentation, and I was approved on the first try -- and my BMI was 38.3, plus documented morbidities. It's a good thing I was approved on the first try, because I found out on a Friday, and my surgery was scheduled for that upcoming Monday!

I had cankles even when I was in the 170s, and my feet grew with each pregnancy (luckily, I only had two children!) from a not-quite-eight, up to a 10 (and sometimes 10.5). No chance I'll be fitting into Cinderella's glass slipper any time soon!

Hairyday (heh!), I just had my fourth fill yesterday -- by Dr. Ren -- and went from 5.5 to 5.9 with this fill. This morning, I could taste my medication for a good half-hour or more until everything dissolved and finally went down. I've been drinking an iced -- very cold, in fact -- latte, and so far, so good. So to be having issues with saliva and pbing sounds like a red flag. I am curious and concerned (I'm sure we all are) to know what happened, now that three days have passed since your first post. Did you get a slight unfill? Have things gotten better on their own? I had my surgery a month before you did, also with Dr. Ren, so I almost feel I know you personally, lol! For all we know, we may have seen each other in her office. I'm the fat one, by the way. :crying:

So glad I logged on today and searched using the word, "plateau" -- because what I'm reading here is exactly what I'm going through. I'm 48 (close enough to 50), and for the past two or three weeks have been going back and forth with the same three pounds. I lost 41 pounds, but then go back to 38, down one to 39, back up again...so frustrating! I definitely have restriction, and have been PBing a whole lot, to the point that I fear that I've done damage. I will be seeing Dr. Ren on Tuesday, so will ask her about this. Even though I feel I have restriction -- what with stuff getting stuck left and right -- is it possible that I actually need another fill?

My experience since reaching restriction (about seven weeks ago) is virtually identical to yours. I guess old habits die hard -- eating too quickly, taking larger-than-recommended bites, not chewing until food is liquified -- which will take a while to become accustomed to. I do worry that I will dislodge the band with this often daily (and sometimes more than once daily) occurance. How can you tell if the band has slipped? Are there clear-cut signs?

I was banded by Dr. Ren at NYU on April 7. Although I live on Long Island -- very close to North Shore Manhasset -- I had heard wonderful things about Dr. Ren (and Dr. Fielding), so the choice was easy.

Had a third fill on Friday (6/13), and was able to drink liquids and eat mushies (even some not entirely mushy) this weekend...but this morning, things aren't going so well. Upon sipping Water shortly after waking up, I found it wouldn't stay down. I do know that often one's band can be tighter in the morning, so knowing that I had three capsules and one small tablet to take, I waited until after my shower and took them with a few sips of warm water. Things seemed fine. Since it is my fourth day after my fill (I went from 4.5 cc to 5.5 cc), I am still on soft foods. I had some palak paneer (which is an Indian dish featuring cubes of cheese in pureed spinach, often with rice). I started off with just the spinach, with a few grains of rice mixed in, chewed thoroughly...and had a couple more tiny spoonfuls. It quickly became apparent that the food was going no where -- except up. It is now about an hour and a half since that "experiment", and I am still sliming. In fact, even now, my saliva comes back up -- still with bits of spinach in it. Taking a sip of water, needless to say, results in the same thing. Could food that is stuck stay stuck? Is this something I should wait out, or should I make an appointment for a slight unfill? Will the band loosen up a bit over the next week? (I will only have liquids -- IF they will go down at all -- for the next few days, to give myself time to heal, if swelling is the possible problem). Or is this a sign that it will only become tighter? So, the question is: Wait and see, or go for an unfill?

ccc0206, a bit over a week has passed since I first had that fill, and I can assure you that I felt, and had the same thoughts and fears, as you do right now. I am convinced that until we got to restriction (which we seem to have reached), we didn't really know what to expect, no matter how much we've read and "practiced" chewing and eating. Now that we know what the real thing feels like, there definitely is "on-the-job" learning that we couldn't have possibly experienced before this point. I, too, have learned from taking too-large bites, and am adjusting bit by bit to different foods, textures, and size of bites, and amount of chewing. I've also experienced the horror of finding out that Cookies and popcorn go down WAY too easily -- and it scares the hell out of me, just like you. However, I try and take a step back, and think to myself -- just like you are doing -- that without this restriction, an entire sleeve of cookies would be gone (rather than one or two -- or, yes, three). I also cannot concentrate on, or participate in, any discussions at the table. Tomorrow night we are getting together with friends for dinner, luckily at their house, and not in public -- which I honestly fear tremendously. Since I know what it's like to slime seemingly endlessly, how in the world could I do so discretely in a public place? But the more I read here on this forum, the more I learn that these fears are shared by virtually everyone -- and that we will learn and adjust. I don't know how long ago you had this fill, but if it was fairly recently, sit tight (as long as you are able to swallow Water, you're probably okay). Then again, everyone's experience is unique, as well as comfort level. Keep us informed! I definitely want to know how you're doing!

...and then slap the shit out of her! :biggrin2:

I also have never "seen" myself as fat...but then would catch my reflection in a shop window and be shocked by it. I mean, I know I'm fat, hate being fat, but still perceive myself, somehow as normal. I am now down about 32 lbs., and of course this warped self-image I hold doesn't change. This weekend I was walking down Broadway in NYC, and saw a reflection of myself in a window -- and was even more shocked than ever to see how fat I am. That's when it hit me of how fat I must have been, still am, and still will be for quite some time. I look forward to the day when my warped self-image will finally be in sync with reality!

Having had my third fill last week, bringing me up to 5.5 cc, I am definitely feeling restriction. The problem is I don't know how much may be too much. I can swalloe Water just fine, except first thing in the morning. I was wondering, though: How much is our new "mouthful"? Whereas before this fill I could eat things by the teaspoonful and not really have to chew all that excessively, since this last fill, I pretty much just put a bit of food at the tip of the spoon, chew thoroughly (even chicken salad, which is already chopped and most), swallow, and then wait a bit between bites. Is this normal?

So then what I'm experiencing is proper restriction?

Today has continued to be a good one. I had a bit of chicken salad for lunch, and a nice piece of flounder for dinner. I even had some cheesecake. I was wondering, though: How much is our new "mouthful"? Whereas before I could eat things my the teaspoonful, since this last fill, I pretty much just put a bit of food at the tip of the spoon, chew thoroughly (even chicken salad, which is already chopped and most), swallow, and then wait a bit between bites. Is this normal?

I'm a couple of months out, and my periods have been rather "messier" than before; heavier at the outset, but getting lighter sooner and ending earlier. It could be coincidental, as I'm not exactly a spring chicken.

I live in Port Washington, bordering Manhasset -- and still chose to go to Dr. Ren at NYU. I wouldn't have had it any other way (and luckily didn't have to test that out), and cannot recommend her enough. Her husband, Dr. Fielding, is equally excellent from what I've heard, and himself is a lap band patient.

I live in Port Washington, bordering Manhasset -- and still chose to go to Dr. Ren at NYU. I wouldn't have had it any other way (and luckily didn't have to test that out), and cannot recommend her enough. Her husband, Dr. Fielding, is equally excellent from what I've heard, and himself is a lap band patient.

Today was my third fill, this time with Dr. Ren (she filled me the first time, and her PA, Anne Finger, filled me the second time). All fills, including today, were quick and painless. On my last (2nd fill), I went up from 3 cc to 5, but it was clearly too tight. So 1/2 cc was removed (a few minutes later, after drinking some water), leaving me at 4.5 cc. Today I was given 1 cc more, bringing me up to 5.5 cc. I was able to swallow Water just fine, and am now home and having a SlimFast. I notice, however, that I can feel the SlimFast "gurgling" down my esophagus, much like I felt the water last time. However, last fill, even water was being burped up, which is why 1/2 cc was removed at that time. Today, nothing is coming back up, so I guess so far, so good. I'm definitely taking time between sips. Is this gurgling sensation normal after a fill? Is it a sign of too much? Or will it calm down once any swelling subsides (I understand the swelling is the reason for liquids and mushies following each fill).

Today was quite a bit better. I took my pills with tiny sips of warm Water. I had a cup of coffee, and some very thin oatmeal -- and everything went down fine. I took tiny bites, enough to fit the tip of a teaspoon, and chewed even that. I could sense things going down (even liquid), but it was without any discomfort. At one point I felt a bit of pressure, and slowed things down some. I guess this is my time for figuring things out, now that I have some restriction. Even though I thought I was "practicing well" during the time I experienced little in the way of restriction, nothing prepares you for the real thing. Little by little and more and more, I am sure I will begin to sense the cues my body gives me.

Even though I had read that rice is one of those foods that is possibly a problem, it wasn't an issue for me until this last fill. Unbelievable that a few well-chewed grains of rice could get stuck -- but it happens, and now I know it too. I'm going to stay away from foods for the next couple of days, except for smooth things like yogurt and pudding (but not rice pudding, lol!) I had no trouble with smooth things yesterday, but today could be a different story altogether, since this little episode took place.

I was also in the city this past Saturday, doing only a bit of walking. I drank a good 24 oz. of Water before I left my home (on Long Island), took a train to the city, walked 10 blocks to the theater, sat through the entire play, including intermission, walked back to Penn Station and took the train home -- and only then finally went to the bathroom. Actually, no -- right after I walked in, I took the dog out first, changed the cat's litter...and then went. I'm the type of person who can't make it through the night without a trip (or two) to the bathroom, so yes, definitely, water loss through perspiration can really throw one for a loop! By the way, lexy, you really should consider revising your name to SexyLexy -- you are GORGEOUS!

So sorry I failed to mention my band size...it's an APS (10cc capacity). Right now I'm at 5.5 cc. Now that another hour or so has passed, I have attempted to take small sips of something warm -- coffee -- and so far, so good. I can feel it gurgling, but it is definitely passing through. I will stay on liquids for the next few days to give my body some time to heal from this bit of trauma, and will test things out again then. Meanwhile, should liquids continue to pass through -- and in greater volume, not just tiny sips -- I will wait it out. Then, if I encounter this problem again, I will definitely call for an appointment. Thanks so much, everyone. I don't know what I'd do without all of you.

This morning -- the day after my fill -- I took my usual medications...and my capsules all came back up, out of my mouth, and into the bathroom sink. They were already partially dissolved, but I was able to scoop them up and take them again. This time, they stayed. (Thankfully, my bathroom sink was clean!) I've heard that one is often tighter in the morning, but this is the first time this has happened. Perhaps I should take my pills/capsules with warm Water.