momcof3

I received a .5 cc fill on Sept 9 and apparently it made my band too tight as I couldn't keep food down, so I had a 1 cc unfill on Sept 15 - she took out 1 cc to be safe due to the swelling that comes from pbing. Dr. Im just e-mailed me and said I could call and get an appt to get filled back to my 7 cc. Pat - they don't worry about the protein the first few weeks after surgery. They just want to make sure you stay hydrated - it is a time for healing - but you can eat things that are nutritional as long as they are in the stage you are in. I'm needing to see my girls this Saturday - I need a pep talk.

The surgeon typically requires you to lose 10%, but depending on the surgeon and your body type, health issues etc. it can be more or less. I was 285 at orientation and was required to lose 20 lbs - which is less than 10%. I feel absolutely no restriction now that I am at 6.5 cc - the 1 cc unfill feels like everything was taken out. I ate 1/2 c steak for breakfast at 7 am today and was hungry by 11 am - just ate another 1/2 cup steak for lunch at 11:15. I didn't even get the "my band is full" feeling. I sent an e-mail to Dr. Im to ask if maybe Dr. Park took out more than 1 cc, but he responded no that the 1 cc she took out would make me significantly looser. I just sent him an e-mail asking when I can get another .5 cc to get me back to 7 cc. I feel like I am going backward - I ate some steak and mac and cheese for dinner and didn't feel uncomfortable at all - I was upset with myself for eating it so what did I do but eat a Drumstick icecream. Maybe I need to get an appt with my therapist to see what the heck my problem is.

Afternoon all - boy what a boring day. I went to Curves at 9 am -I had an appt to get weighed and measured before I worked out. I didn't get my printout as she was signing up a new member. Did some laundry - went to the library for a few minutes, walked around Target for a while and have been fighting sleep since then. I just taught my daughter how to make Hamburger Helper - we made Wholesome Helper. I had the fake crab stuff for breakfast and a few nacho chips with cheddar cheese and refried beans on it for lunch. Going to do the fake crab stuff for dinner. Robin said it was okay to eat it as it is actually just fish (I knew it wasn't crab). I am losing hair again - the hair loss doesn't have anything to do with how much protein you get each day - I always get 50-60 grams of protein a day - everyone one at Kaiser has told me it has to do with losing a lot of weight -it causes stress on your body. I am up to walking before the meeting on Saturday like last time Nicole - want to meet at 10 am in the parking lot? Are you going to make it Candra and Jess? You both are doing so well post-op. Seems like eons ago since I was post-op. Why is it I can't wait for the weekend to come and then once it is here it is never what I was anticipating? Work sucks lately so I don't want to be there - can't figure out what is missing in my life - ? Gotta go - kids are squabbling -

April - have you talked to your nutritionist since your fill? I would give him/her a call and run your food log by him/her - although you are losing about a pound a day, it doesn't sound like a healthy way to go about it - from my own experience, once you go back to eating per the plan, some of that weight will come back on. I just don't want you to do damage to your body. Now, I will shut up and leave you alone. I don't am not trying to be mean with any of this, just concerned.

I took my binder to all of my appointments just to be on the safe side. I stopped taking it on my second fill.

Welcome Canolie. Where is your orientation at?

Boy you guys were chatty last night. Smilin_Apple - I have been banded a long time and I am concerned about you - you aren't eating any real food - you definitely need an unfill - if you keep up the way you are your band is going to slip and you will have a real problem. You should be able to eat at the very minimum 1/4 cup dense protein three times a day. If you can't do that at this point in your journey, you are too tight. Please contact your surgeon. Candra - your incisions look pretty normal to me - mine looked like that too. I couldn't see Jess' picture. I bruise easy now too - I have a bruise on my lower left calf that is about 5 inches long and 3 inches wide where my son's bike fell on me - it is now about 4 different colors and is really ugly and painful. I asked Robin about my many bruises and she said it is because now that I have lost weight and don't have all the padding, the bruises show more. I put my bag of clothes in the trunk for next Sat's support meeting. I got teriyaki chicken for my daughter, myself, and her teacher for lunch today. I had about 1/4 cup chicken and 1/3 cup sticky rice - no problems. So nice to not be pbing, but I can really tell I have less restriction - I wonder if Dr. Park took out more than 1 cc? The syringe she showed me seemed kind of fat. Nicole - how is Auds doing with the potty training? Tina - hope the news you get is not as bad as you are anticipating. Riley, Donna, Maria, Heather, and anyone else I have missed - hi - and keep up the good work. Here's to making good choices this weekend - I am going to try really hard.

Tina - I went to the Elk Grove Kaiser, but the South Sacramento one works the same. It is hard to tell if the Celexa is working as I was on Prozac and switched so I can't tell the difference. Go Heather - I had an appt not too long ago at 7:30 at the Elk Grove Kaiser to see my therapist - I arrived at 7:20 like they tell you to and the door was locked - I could see the receptionist in there and she could see me - but no she didn't come let me in until 7:30 - I was pissed -so by the time my therapist comes and gets me it was already 7:40 - I told her about it and said hey I'm here to reduce my stress and you guys are causing stress - of course the appt ends at 8:30 even though I started late. geez. I went out to lunch with my project mates - 4 of us - I took my little 1/2 c of refried beans in my pocket, but ended up ordering bean and cheese nachos - I am starting to wonder if Dr. Park took more than 1 cc out of my band as I was able to eat about 1 cup of nachos with no pain or pressure. What?

Nicole - your baby is growing up. I found a second dvd so I'll bring both for you on the 26th. Tina - I take Celexa too. Why is it taking so long to get into see a therapist at Kaiser? I called one day and went into Quicktrack the next day and saw someone and then was able to see my actual therapist the next week. Which Kaiser are you going through? Two months is too long to wait. That is horrible what CPS is putting you through. I had 1/2 c refried beans with salsa for breakfast and I'm having the same for lunch. I feel yucky today - not sure why just don't feel well. I really need to get my eyes checked as even with my glasses on my vision is a little blurry. Candra and Jess - how are you feeling today?

Donna - can you pm me the details on the walk - I didn't really read about it the first time, but I am now interested. Nicole - I just found a Wiggles dvd "Top the Tots" I will give you on the 26th if you want for Auds. Don't know why I still have it, but it's yours if you want it. I will also have a few clothes items for the exchange - the red shirt I wore yesterday is just too big in the chest and shoulders now - it is a XL from Costco. Glad to hear you're home and banded Jess. Walking really helps expel the gas - rocking in a recliner or rocking chair helped me too. I am going to move to soft foods tomorrow - refried beans - hope it goes down ok. I talked to someone I know who was at the orientation in Vacaville yesterday with Dr. Park and Liz. I invited her to come on the 26th to meet our group of lovely ladies. Getting ready to go for a bike ride with my daughter as soon as she finishs her math.

I didn't even think to take my phone in with me - but then I didn't know you guys then so who would I have called. Dr. Im called my dad on his cell phone (he was reading somewhere) and my dad called my mom. Nicole - my kids loved Barney - I knew all the songs. I've actually seen the Barney Live show three times at Arco Arena - and the Wiggles twice. Lucky me. I just finished my lunch - protein shake - actually tasted yummy to me. I was really starting to feel droopy before drinking it. I've had 32 oz of water so far and am starting my third bottle of water - no need to wait since nothing in my pouch anyway.

I never wrapped my incisions - I just let water run over them and patted them dry with the towel after the shower and I never had any problems. I think I am having empathy port pain with you Candra - the big bruise I have from yesterday is causing me pain by my port while I am sitting at my desk.

Jess is sitting in her comfy pre-op recliner about now. Go Jess it's your Band Day! I feel so much better today. I am on protein drinks today and will ease back into softs tomorrow. The scale was back down to 207 today. Nicole - I take a generic Tylenol PM a couple of times a week and I have found it doesn't work as well after a while - maybe our body gets used to it? But I am afraid to take two as I don't want to not wake up in the morning. Can't wait to see everyone on the 26th. How you doing today Candra? Take advantage of the time off and rest, rest, rest. I'd better do some work.

That was Riley with the hot 35 year not me. My cashier at the grocey store today was yummy - but I bet he wasn't even 30. I e-mailed Dr. Im about the air bubble and this is what he responded-"Sometimes an air bubble can get trapped when we initially place the band since the tubing is open to air or sometimes air may be introduced when the band is accessed during fills. Anyways, it has no consequence" I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to be able to guzzle water - who would have thought I would miss that? Boy I have a huge bruise from the unfill today - about the size of a half dollar. Must of been the angle she had - Dr. Park is short, the table was high and not flat. Did you know they make Hamburger Helper with whole grain noodles - it is called Wholesome Helper - ok not the healthiest thing for my kids to eat, but I added salad and a whole grain bread roll and it was dinner for them - at $1.18 a box it was a cheap meal and they loved it - even have leftovers. It smelled so good - no I didn't even have any of the sauce. Gosh I hope I have some restriction still.

Robin just called me - returning my call from yesterday - she saw I had been seen but wanted to make sure I was okay. Gotta love the staff in Richmond. I e-mailed Dr. Im to see how an air bubble got in my band. Robin said that may have been causing my band to be tighter than intended.

Dr. Im called me at work at 9:30 am and said I had an appt at Vacaville Kaiser with Dr. Park today at 11 am. So off I drove to Vacaville - only took me 1/2 hour from Rancho Cordova. They took me in at 10:40 - it was the short lady from Richmond who had the baby (the baby is 10 mths old now). Dr. Park and her were doing an orientation there today and also a 3 mth post op class for RNYers. I had never met Dr. Park before. She was really nice. She took 1 cc out of my band plus an air bubble. I wonder if it was the air bubble causing the problem. So now I have 6.5 cc. The whole thing only took 10 minutes. Where she put the needle in is about an inch above where my mark and bruise from last Wed is - hers is only about 1/4 inch below my port scar. I feel better already. I left there at 11:10, but decided against going back to work - came home to rest instead. I'm on liquids for 24 hours. I asked her about the pound I gained from yesterday - she said sometimes when your body is in distress it holds on to every ounce you have. She also said it was good I came in so soon because if I kept pbing for a few more days, she would have had to take out almost all the fluid or my band could have slipped. So now I join the "unfill" club - me, Tina, and Christine(although Christine has a different reason) - so ladies don't wish for fill after fill - be careful. BTW Dr. Park said she has the same protocol as Dr. Im - less frequent fills, but bigger fills.

Tina - Robin or Dr. Baggs can look it up in the computer and tell you who was attending physician - that's how I found out Dr. Baggs was the attending physician with Dr. Im. I don't know if they actually help out or if they are there just in case.

You're a tough cookie Candra. Glad it went well. Dr. Im was my surgeon - he is a guy. Don't overdo it even if you feel fine - it will come back to kick you. I was able get and keep my Protein drink down. Dr. Im e-mailed me about an hour ago and said since I can keep Fluid down it is not an emergency - he is operating this morning, but will get me an appointment in Vacaville or Richmond. He did remind me that once I get the .5 cc removed - we know that 7 cc is the max for me. I e-mailed him back and asked for an appt in Vacaville even if it is with another surgeon as I am short on funds and need to save gas. Yes, I think the panic attack made it worse Tina. Once I got to my desk and did some breathing I felt better. I thought I was going to pass out in the car. I still don't get that I gained a pound since yesterday morning when all I kept down yesterday was 1 cup of ice cream and that was at 9 pm last night - maybe it is from swelling?

Good Morning all - I sent Dr. Im an e-mail last night to see if I could go to Vacaville on Thursday when Dr. Baggs is there and get a small unfill. I ate 1/8 cup of sweet and sour chicken last night for dinner and it came back up. Finally at 8:30 pm I went to the store to get some ice cream - I was feeling light headed as nothing had stayed down all day. I had to let the ice cream melt as it was giving me problems - I think I am swollen from pbing. I am sipping a protein drink right now. I drank some water in the car as I left my house and had to pull over a few minutes later and the water came back up. I think I drank it too fast and too much. I am now willing to go to Richmond even this morning if I can. I am gurgling and all I have had is liquid today. I started to have a panic attack in the car. Not sure how long I am going to be at work today. I was 208 today on the scale and 207 yesterday - how the heck did I gain a pound eating nothing?

I called and left a message for Robin this afternoon - I fear my band is too tight. I pbd my 1/2 hardboiled egg w/mayo at lunch and just ate 1/4 cup sweet sour chicken and pbd it up too. Maybe I can get .5 cc out on Thursday in Vacaville? I don't care which surgeon takes it out, I just want it out. I gurgled for about 1/2 hour after eating my eggs at lunch and then up it came. I am having protein drinks tomorrow. I think I will e-mail Dr. Im tonight - I am miserable. You might try sleeping in a recliner tonight Candra - turning over and getting out of bed was painful for me - slept much better in the recliner with my Lortab dose. Gosh why do they keep showing food commercials - first it was Sonic and now Sizzler.

Richmond has always released lapband patients the same day -it is considered out patient surgery- we had to stop halfway home to Sacto so I could walk around a couple of minutes. You don't have to walk tons when you get home as long as you are faithfully using your spirometer. I was at home alone and I would get up to go the bathroom or get water or sugar free jello.

Congratulations Candra! You are now officially banded. Take care of yourself and take the pain meds if you need them. You're up next Jess - try to not to stress too much before hand - it'll be over before you know it.

Thanks for the update Nicole. My dad ate lunch while I was in recovery - doubt it would have bothered me if he at on the way home though - I was kind of out of it and the last thing I felt like doing for the next couple of days was eating

I have Candra on my mind this morning too- her surgery is almost over - I left her a voice mail last night at 8 pm - must have gone to bed early. I was down another pound this am 207.0 - that's three since my fill last Wednesday. My band is really tight in the morning - I'm hoping it will loosen up a bit this week. I brought egg salad for lunch - I'm a little afraid to eat it after pbing it all up on Saturday. I have a protein drink too so may just have that. My son's girlfriend broke up with him this weekend - his first girlfriend. Poor guy. So yesterday was emotionally trying for him and me. He cried on and off all day and I was having flashbacks of me being 15 and having to move away from my boyfriend. One of life's hard lessons.

Boy what a lazy day. I went to Curves this morning when I woke up and did two loads of laundry. My parents are coming over for dinner - having tri tip in the crockpot and potato salad. Hopefully I can eat some of the tri tip. I tried to eat two hardboiled eggs with mayo at 11 am today (didn't have anything for breakfast). Well I was able to eat almost one egg and then ended up pbing most of it up. A couple of hours later I tried a kid size ice cream sandwich - ended up pbing it up too. I hope this band loosed up a little soon. I have only had one bottle of water so far today so I will concentrate on that. It is hot outside now - weird weather. I took a long nap this afternoon. Nothing planned for tomorrow. Boy I feel blah.