Miki

I know it was suggested that we get Medic ID alert jewelry - although I haven't as of yet. I did put no NG tube on the back of my license though. Anyone get theirs? What did you put on it? Think I may go with an anklet so I do not have to where the same bracelet everyday...

I had surgery on March 25th and started at 241.2 lbs. I'm a little over 5'4" tall. As of this morning, I am down 64.7 lbs (176.5 lbs.) I have been having a lot of problems since the summer with my band - a lot of throwing up, fills, unfills, making sure the band isn't prolapsed - still experiencing lots of issues right now - I think that's what's been responsible for such a "good" weight loss - I can't eat:frown:

I've lost 55 lbs to date - banded March 25th. There's been a lot of back and forth this summer with fills/unfills. I thought the summer would be very difficult and challenging as I was spending the summer back at "home" - on vacation, going out with friends, etc. - I still managed to lose almost 20 lbs in that period - but as I said, lots of problems. So, unfortunately, while I am thrilled with the weight loss - a lot of it was because I could barely eat. When I saw my dr back here he told me I was getting too skinny:rolleyes2: I will say it was a lot of fun coming back to school after summer break and so many people noticing - fellow teachers, my students - one of them called me "slim Jim" yesterday:laugh: Keep up the great work, Shamrocks!

Today is my birthday:biggrin:I was hoping to hit Onederland today - I am so close!!! Today - I saw 200 lbs on the scale!!!! So, as of today, I am down 41.2 lbs!!

I am 202.5 right now! So anxious to get to onederland - last week I gained a 1.5 lbs and was up to 206.5 due to be unfilled too much from a too tight fill. Sooo frustrating to go be going in the wrong direction, but have gotten it back down to 202.5 - so close but feels so far!!! My birthday is in 10 days and my goal and supreme birthday wish is to be in onederland for it!!

Congratulations Lonestar!!! I am 2.6 lbs away from onederland and am eager and anxious to get there too!!!

Hey date buddy! Can I ask what you put on your dog tag? Thanks!

Hi Karri! Saw your post and I am looking for a mentor. I also work with crazy high schoolers (guidance counselor), live in South Florida, and am 34 years old and married, no kids. I was banded 3/25/08 and have been doing decently with the weight loss. These past two weeks have been difficult - I'm up in NY for summer vacation (my hometown) and needed an unfill right before I left due to issues. You guessed it - no restriction, weight gain, and I had to see a doctor up here in NY. I am just feeling at a loss right now and need to get back on track. I feel like this is so hard to "get right" and would love to feel like I'm not doing it on my own. If you're interested, I would love to buddy up with you!:ohmy: ETA - My birthday is July 3, so I will send birthday wishes for a successful surgery!!!

Hey fellow New-Yorkers! I moved to Florida from LI last August and had my surgery done in March in FL. I am now up in NY for the summer and it looks like I am going to have to get a fill. I thought I would not be able to find a dr up here to do a fill on someone they hadn't done surgery on, but luckily, that doesn't seem to be a problem though - however it is $$$$ to get it done up here - consult visit fee, fill fee, etc. Actually cheaper to fly back to FL to get it done, surprisingly, but certainly easier to get it done up here. Does anyone have any info/reviews for Dr Galadeta who is out of North Shore? His seems to be the best price so far. I've seen reviews on other doctors I've called - Geiss, Garber, Ren - but no info on Galadeta. Any info you could share or any info regarding cheaper fills in the area would be greatly appreciated!!

Hey all - Tell me what you think... I had my third fill under flouro on Monday. My last fill before that was in the doctor's office on May 14th and only 0.2 cc. My surgeon probably wouldn't have filled me so soon, but I am going to NY for the summer next week... Anyhow - he put in 1 cc so now I am at 5.2 cc total. Under the flouro, you could see the liquid slowly going seeping through the band. Since Monday, there have been two days where it seems that I could eat anything I wanted - everything went down fine (Dr only wants us on liquids day of fill and then back to normal). The rest of the week has been everything getting stuck and I am in agonizing pain - the food eventually goes down, but the pain is horrendous, brings tears to my eyes, and takes a long time to subside - I've never had pain like this. I have not tried anything different than foods that I was already eating successfully. Also, for the first time yesterday, I had to throw up twice in one meal - the food just would not go down at all. I made an appt to see my surgeon this Monday, but do you think that's what this is? That I am too tight and need to take some Fluid out? I have not lost any weight because I don't think I've been getting enough food in to keep my metabolism going and I am constantly hungry, because I can barely get food down at a meal. Any thoughts? Thank you!!

I love all of the progress pics - you ladies look amazing!!!!!

One of my girlfriends bought me a cute tank top back in the fall that she thought I would like. It is a cotton/lycra blend so it is stretchy and form-fitting! I tried it on when she gave it to me and said to myself, "No way!" I've tried it on once or twice since then - still no go! So - I had a concert last night and decided to try it on and it looked so different!! I wore it to the concert!:leaving:

Hey March bandsters - hope you're all hanging in there and getting through the journey. I had my first fill (4 cc) Wed the 30th - was doing ok after some initial problems - actually had been feeling that maybe I was too tight because I would get the tight feeling in my chest only after a few bites of food. Well - as of yesterday morning, it seems that I have NO restriction!!!!:thumbup: I have been beyond starving, everything things to be going down no problem, there are things I've eaten that I know I have not chewed enough and they are going down no problem, I am not really getting the tight feeling, and as I said, I am STARVING!!! Don't know what to do!! Has this happened to anyone? I was hoping that yesterday was some sort of fluke, but it's the same today. Plus, I am eating more, and still not feeling full. Feel like I did pre-surgery! I'm going to call my dr's office on Monday - could I have a leak and Fluid be coming out? A girl in my office said she dealt with this for six months. I just can't understand why these sudden and very severe changes would happen!!! Any advice? Thoughts? Thanks!!!

Yeah - I'm going to call on Monday- but my surgeon seems very conservative from what I hear...don't know if he'd want to do anything yet... Do you know how they can tell if there's a leak?

My fave pair of Levi's did not fit in December. I was trying on winter clothes to go visit NY (I live in So FL now) and I couldn't get them up over my butt - I was very upset - size 16. Tried them on a few days ago - went right up, zipped, snapped - wore them out last night to celebrate a friend's bachelorette party and I felt good! The legs are actually getting a lil loose!!!:thumbup:

OK - sorry if this is long - I am just so confused and unhappy right now because I feel like I don't know how this whole thing is supposed to work... I had my first fill yesterday - just had liquids all day yesterday and ate just yogurt today - went down fine - had a work dinner tonight and it was at a banquet hall - didn't choose the food - you were served it - was hungry and wanted to "test" out some foods a little - even though I wasn't sure I should - so - I ate a few really mushy croutons that had soaked in the salad dressing, a few pieces of lettuce (small) - had the serving of mashed potatoes that came with the dinner and tried half a string bean. By this point, I had a really tight pain all the way up in my chest but I kept eating through it because I didn't feel full. I never felt full, but stopped eating soon after. The tightness/pain was pretty bad, so I wasn't sure if that meant that something was stuck and I needed to try and throw it up. I couldn't really leave the table though. So - I waited until I got home to try and throw up - mind you - now it's 1.5 hours since I last ate but still have this tightness/pain. I tried to make myself throw up, but nothing came up - only very foamy saliva. I tried for about 5 minutes, but that's all that kept coming up. I feel like something is stuck high in the back of my throat - but it won't come out. I spoke to a girl who I met in the support group and first she said the tightness/pain was definitely the sign that something got stuck but since I couldn't get it out - that it just has to go down by itself. Now - this is where I am all confused - she told me that when I felt the tightness while I was eating - that it meant I was full and I should stop. She told me that since I didn't stop - that's when it turned into pain. Now, my stomach was still hungry which is why I kept eating. She told me she no longer feels hunger or fullness in her stomach - but will feel the tightness when she is full so she knows to stop. This is just so confusing to me - is this true? So you stop when you feel a tightness? That means you've had enough? Even if your stomach is still hungry? And if this is true, how do you know that the tightness means that you are done eating, and not that something is stuck? I am so sorry that I'm rambling, but I am so confused and feeling like I don't know how this works. It is now 3.5 hours since I last ate, the tightness is still in my chest, but my stomach is grumbling. Does anyone have any advice or answers or how this "works?" Thank you thank you thank you

Hello everyone - Had my first fill this morning and I have some questions if you so will indulge me! First of all, I am beyond starving - I didn't anything before my fill this morning because I wasn't sure if I was supposed to. I know he put 4cc in a 10cc band - he put more in first, but then saw under the flouro that I was obstructed. So - the liquids are completely not doing it for me and I don't have any sort of feeling of being tight. Am I only going to feel tight and full when I start eating real food again? Also - how long did you remain on liquids and then purees after your (first) fill - Doc really didn't clarify:sad: Thanks so much!!!

Thanks for all your help and information!

Fenton - if I streched my pouch:ohmy: does that mean it can't go back now? or the fill I just had won't be as successful? What exactly are the ramifications of that? TIA!

Thank you so much for your replies! It definitely helps to know I'm not going through this alone! Woke up still feeling pretty tight and not great in the chest. I called the nurse practitioner at the dr's office to ask about it. feeling full, etc - she said that I have to get used to my "new stomach" being "between my boobs" - her words - lol - because that's where the pain was going to be...I still can't tell if I was full or something stuck, she said it was something I would learn in time. It's weird though - lunch today - went back to mushies after last night - ate about 4 small spoonfuls of refried Beans and that was it - got the feeling - so I stopped eating, but my stomach was still hungry and growling...oy! Guess it's baby steps and I have to ignore the hunger - but I thought the point was we wouldn't be hungry anymore... You all definitely made me feel better though - thanks!!!!!

Hi March 25th-ers - if that's a word:biggrin: How's everyone doing? Had my first fill today and I am STARVING on just liquids! Hope some restriction kicks in when I start eating food again? I know there were a few of us who were also having first fills today? How'd it go? How long are you staying on liquids?

Had my first fill this morning - 4 cc - nothing in the band before this. I am STARVING on the liquids and just hope I will start feeling restriction once I start eating solids again...

Don't know if he will do your fills - but my surgeon is Dr. Paul Wizman in Margate, FL - Coral Springs area - (954) 969-1355

Hi Everyone!:smile:Another March 25th bandster here! I have lost 17.7 lbs to date, and am supposed to start solids tomorrow after two weeks on liquids and two weeks on mushies! My stomach growls a LOT now and I've definitely been eating more mushies than I'm supposed to...very very nervous about starting solids though and not sure what to eat - any suggestions? My first fill is set for April 30 and nervous about that too!! Looking forward to chatting with all of you!

:frown: I had my surgery two weeks ago and am beginning pureed protein stage tomorrow. I am down 15.7 lbs from surgery date (no pre-op diet) Anyone else scared of gaining? I know the reality is that I shouldn't, being that I am only adding 1 oz of pureed protein each meal, but the thought it just scaring me right now. I guess I'm hoping that I'm not the only one who's gone through this/felt this way...