LindaLouRN

I didn't really have restriction until fill #3, which I just got yesterday and the restriction was instantaneous. I currently have 6.4cc in my band and have true restriction and I love it and now I can also say I love my band. Before this last fill I was able to eat everything and did because I could, but now I get sick - and it feels horrible so I just don't even go there - because it is not worth the pain. And I am not hungry all the time anymore - HALLELUJAH!! I agree with you - I paid for the band and I want it to work!! I REFUSE to diet, I did that before the band and it obviously didn't work. I felt like some people on here were very judgmental and I almost hit the door. But, I did find a support system in others on here - and that makes it all worth it. Everyone will have their opinion, but you will have to form your own. I personally have discovered that I am someone who has to live on the tighter side of the band, because if I CAN eat it I probably will. I had started to get frustrated too. Especially when there were so many who started losing lots of weight after surgery with little to no Fluid in their band. But stay optimistic and stay on top of your fills - YOUR TIME WILL COME and YOUR BAND WILL WORK FOR YOU. Find out how much you have in your band and how much they are giving you with each fill. I see we were both banded in May and are both from the great state of Texas, if you need a lap band buddy I am here! Good Luck to you!!

Compare Adjustable Gastric Bands - LAP-BAND vs. REALIZE Band The link above may help!

Hiccups are one of my "full" signals. When I get hiccups I know I have eaten enough or even too much and need to stop. It could be different for you, but this is how they work for me. Good Luck.

I was banded 5-27-08. The evening after my surgery, I was starving. I had clear liquids for a couple days, then was supposed to be on full liquids until my 2-week follow-up appointment. Well, I was starving pretty much all the time and felt as though I needed nourishment - so I advanced my diet, yes I am a noncompliant patient (most nurses are, LOL). So at my 2 week follow-up appointment I got my first fill, 4cc's. But nothing changed. It was like I had never even gotten a lap band. I could eat everything - in large quantities, and I always felt HUNGRY, which is so frustrating!! Yesterday I went in for my second fill, 1.8cc's. I am feeling a little different now, but am not sure if this is restriction or not. I haven't tried chicken or steak or anything like that yet, but this morning I had a ham & cheese omelet. While eating I felt chest tightness, in the epigastic area. It almost hurt at times and I knew I had to stop eating. After a minute it would be okay and I could take another bite. I probably had 3/4-1 c. serving in about 10-15 minutes. I have not been able to stop drinking while eating yet, so I had orange juice with my meal, which seemed to make the chest even tighter and it felt like the O.J. sat in my throat just for a moment before going down. So far, I am not feeling hungry all the time and I am not always looking for food, like I was doing just 2 days ago. I have never burped, coughed, or vomited anything up. I was also thinking I should not be able to eat that large a serving. So, I am thinking that I am having a little restriction, but not optimal restriction, does that sound right? This whole process can be so frustrating at times! Any advice is greatly appreciated!!

I have already gained 3 pounds back. I had lost 12 pounds right after surgery, but with no restriction I started gaining. I know I have to give it a little more time, but if this is restriction - I have to say I will need more restriction than this. I just finished off about a half a bag of cheetoes, a large bag - family sized. I was hoping that overeating would be something my band simply would not allow me to do. And I pray that is what the band will do for me, I am just not there. The first fill did not hurt at all, I only felt the pressure of the needle going in. Strange feeling, but no pain. The second fill hurt a little as the needle went in. They spray a numbing agent on the site before the needle punctures the skin, so it is no big deal. The needle is inserted below the port incision site, I was worried about my healing incision, but the port was accessed a good 2 inches below the port incision. I have another appointment in 2 weeks, so if I don't get good restriction between now and then, I'll be getting another fill at that time. My surgeon does free check-ups/fills for 90 days after surgery, so I am trying to find my sweet spot before Aug 27.

You def. need protein - drink protein supplements - and start NOW!

Lexy, I was on liquids for 24 hours after my fill. Good luck with your fill tomorrow! Linda

My hardest habit to break is drinking while I eat. I have yet to have a meal where I am not drinking. I am working on this one, but it is turning out to be more of a process than an instantaneous success. So what about you all?

VegasGrace - Did you have any restriction after your first fill, or did the restriction come after your second fill? I have had the band for almost 3 weeks now, have already had one fill and still no restriction. Am hoping for some restriction soon!!

I was banded 2 weeks ago, 5-27-08. I have been eating everything - bread, chicken, steak, you name it - I've been able to eat it. So, I got my first fill today at my post-op check-up. What a weird experience. Not at all painful, only took a few minutes, but just weird. The whole process is pretty cool when you just sit and think about it. Now I am on liquids for the next 24 hours. I did eat some summer sausage and cheese earlier though. Everything seems to be going down just as easily as it did before. I have heard others say that a fill can take up to 4 weeks to be in full effect. I was just wondering why, or how that is possible. If the Fluid is injected into the band then it is there the instant it is injected, so why the wait?

I got my first fill 15 days after surgery. Still no restriction from it. Have another appt on July 1.

Mandi is correct. If you had health insurance coverage for the past 12 months and your lapse in coverage when you changed from Aetna to Oxford was less than 63 days - you do not have a pre-existing condition and they have to cover it just as they would for any other participant. Even if you changed insurance companies more than once in the past 12 months - as long as your lapse between coverage was less than 63 consecutive days each time you changed you are covered. I have dealt with insurance jerks more times than I care to count when it comes to pre-existing conditions, but stand your ground and don't let them push you around, because they will do everything they can to not have to pay. Your previous health insurance company should have sent you a letter proving previous coverage. You probably would have gotten this letter with your cobra offer/information. If you did not pay for the cobra coverage - no big deal - just remember less than 63 days. Fax or mail a copy of the proof of previous coverage to your new insurance company. Stay strong and don't let the insurance company win!

Hey Stephanie!! I am Linda. I am also an RN from Texas. I live nearby in College Station. My in-laws live in a small town outside of Waco - Hubbard, TX. I was banded a few weeks ago on 5-27. Don't know if I can be much of a mentor, since I am a newbie too, but I'd love to try. If not, we just just be banded buddies. I am 32, I have 3 kids, ages 13, 3, and my baby will be 1 on the 25th. My hubby didn't think I needed the band either, but I convinced him that I did. I had to pay for it, because my BMI was just at the acceptable BMI for surgery. But, I was and am still sick of the weight struggle. I hear that having weight loss surgery can cause problems with an already struggling relationship. Most strong realtionships can weather the storm. If this is what you really want to do, stay strong and don't let anyone get you down. If it is meant to be it will all work out! People who have had WLS and look tired and sick usually are not getting enough daily Protein. I try to get all my protein in the form of food because I hate protein drinks/shakes, they make me gag. Just thinking about them right now makes me want to gag, LOL! Although, the New-Whey liquid Protein vials are okay if you mix them with Water and sugar free kool-aid mix, then you can hardly taste the Protein Drink. I get them really cheap on e-bay too, just make sure you ask when the expiration date is if ordering them on e-bay. Let me know how your pre-op appointment goes. I'll say a little prayer for you. Feel free to message me with any questions/concerns or if you just need to chat!!

Hello everyone! I am new to this site and have a question: What does pb stand for? Any other LBT slang I may need to know - please share. Thanks all in advance for your responses!!

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!

Susan - Thanks for the grape idea. I will def. have to give that a try. Will let you know how it goes! Linda

Julia - So far I have not made any changes to my eating habits. I have experienced no restriction from the band yet. I will return to the doc in 3 weeks and will probably get my second fill, since I am still eating anything and everything. I look forward to actually having some restriction soon. I do feel full sooner than I did before surgery and therefore am eating less, but I can still consume a decent amount of food, none of this couple of teaspoon business I had heard about pre-surgery. I have also heard that the band is tighter just before and during your period, but I have not experienced that either - maybe next month, when my band is tighter. I have heard of increased tightness in the mornings, but nope, don't have that one neither. One of my friends can actually feel her food moving through the band. I think I may have slightly felt this earlier tonight, kind of strange, but not at all uncomfortable. At first, I regretted my decision, the port site hurt more than I thought it would. But now that I am feeling better the regret is gone. I have already lost some weight even without restriction - mostly due to the liquid phases. I look forward to getting some restriction soon and working WITH my band to get down to the weight I want to be. Now I just have to work on not drinking while I eat - that is the absolute hardest thing for my at this point. I didn't even ask how much Fluid he was putting in my band, but I will ask at my next appt so I know all my info. I have a low-profile port. My surgeon suggested it d/t my low BMI. Liz - I didn't burp when I sipped the Water. I NEVER burp though, I think I may have burped like once in my life and that is it. Dunno why. The spray was cold and wet, I actually expected my capris to be soaked, but they weren't. The water I drank was really cold too, and I felt the coldness going all the way down. I saw the needle, but didn't pay too much attention to what was being done with it. I had my youngest child, an infant, with me and one of the nurses was holding her while I got the fill so I was mainly watching her, hoping she wouldn't scream since a stranger was holding her. But she did great, didn't scream until the nurse tried to sit down, LOL, same thing she does to me too!! I did feel a lot of pressure when the needle was inserted into the port, but no pain. Have you had any restriction yet? I was on liquids for 24 hours, but am done with that now. I had roast with gravy, mashed potatoes and green Beans for supper, with brownies for dessert, no problems with any of that going down at all. I pray that I am not one of those people that the band just does not work on. I know it is early, so I have to be patient - I have just never been a patient person, LOL! But I guess I am forced to be patient now. Brandy - How did your first fill go? Are you feeling any restriction yet? Let us know how it went and how things are going for you!! Mike - Your message gives me hope, since you had no restriction in the beginning either. Hopefully my restriction will come with my next couple of fills. The 90 days following my surgery includes free apponitments and fills so I am really trying to take advantage of that. I would like to have some restriction before the free fills are done. How many fills have you had to date? Yukiko - Did you call your doc? What did he/she say? My friend, who works at my doc's office said he usually does not do fills this early, but would probably make an exception for me since I was eating like my same old self. I had eaten do-nut holes and a sausage & cheese kolache for Breakfast the morning of my appointment, LOL! I am a nurse and nurses usually make the worst patients. I know I do, noncompliant, should be my middle name! But I am working on that. Anyway, let us know how you are and what your doc said. Everyone - I am so glad to have found this site. I have learned so much just from the short amount of time I have been able to spend on here. I really look forward to getting to know you guys/gals and supporting each other every step of the way. Best of Luck and Lots of Love. God Bless you all.

Yes, I still have some discomfort at the port site. It even radiates through to my lower back at times. It will feel fine for a while then I'll be carrying my 11 month old (20 pounds) and she'll drop her pacifier or toy and when I bend to to pick it up with her in my arms I'll have a shooting pain at the port site. Then it will be pretty sore for a day or two. Since the port is stitched to a muscle, it will hurt longer. We use those muscles more often than we realize. The actual port that was accessed for my fill today was about 2 inches below the port incision. I am hoping we both will be pain-free soon!

I too work 12 hour shifts, but I work nights. I work weekends, get my three days in a row and I'm done. Having the same 3 in a row every week helps me a lot. While at work I eat mainly Protein meals/snacks. I will make a large pot of pinto Beans and eat on them all weekend while at work. I always have bacon at the beginning of my shift. I know these are not low fat foods and the bacon is certainly not healthy. But, as a nurse I work hard and the protein foods taste good help me feel nourished and stay with me longer than any other foods. I never go to the gym, I'm just not ready for that yet. I do walk 3-4 times a week. Hubby and I walk the kiddos to the park, it is great family and exercise time. I do not do this on the weekends when I work though. I am too tired to even consider it. Hope you find what works for you.

Hello Everyone! My name is Linda. I have been an RN for about 3 years. I have worked in hospice, PACU, and now in Med/Surg. I LOVE my job - I work at the best hospital in the world! I feel so blessed to be a nurse!!! I have three children. I was having a very hard time finding adequate childcare for my two smallest kiddos, so I changed jobs - I now work weekend nights and am able to keep the girls at home with me during the week. I have the best of both worlds - a full-time income and the joy of being a stay at home mom. I am just so blessed, the options that we have as nurses are awesome!! I was banded last week, Tuesday 5-27. I self-paid a little over $11,000 and had it done here in my hometown, in the great state of Texas! I hated every minute of the liquid diet and advanced myself to regular foods. I chew everything very well, to liquid consistency and am feeling much better now that I am getting some real nutrition. I am 5'1" tall and started at 172 pounds. One week after surgery I am at 163.5 pounds. I really just want to be at a healthy weight again. Of course, looking great would be a big BONUS!! LOL!! I am very glad to have found a thread for banded nurses - I look forward to getting to know all of you and supporting each other through this lifelong, life changing journey. Much success and happiness to all, Linda

I too have been wanting something more than just liquids. I was banded on 5-27-08. I have found that the Protein drinks help greatly with with curving hunger. Although I hate to drink them because they are simply not tasty - I have found a way to tolerate them. I use the New whey liquid Protein vials - as advised by a friend and coworker I take one vial (42g) and mix it with Water and sugar-free kool-aid mix - I can't even taste the Protein Drink this way. I have noticed more energy with the protein supplements - so make sure you make them a priority. I wish everyone great success!!