Debra McDermott

Today I tried Northern beans blended smooth with some canned carrot slices, chicken broth seasoned with garlic and onion powder and then simmered with a TB of butter to add some creaminess...yum!

I am 1 week post-surgery tomorrow and sick of sweets already. Last night I blended a rinsed can of pinto beans with chicken broth and seasonings (garlic powder and onion powder) to a thin soup consistency. I added a TB of sour cream after heating in the microwave. It was really good! I'm planning on trying black beans and northern beans in the future.

I live in Claremont and was banded on 4/2. Would love to have a local sleeve buddy! I attended the March meeting and can hardly wait to attend the next one! btw how do you get that weight ticker on your profile page? I'm not the quickest when it comes to techie stuff and can't figure it out!

I have to admit that I had pain when I woke up from surgery. I remember croaking "help me" but then I remember the pain getting better shortly after. I remember throwing up a couple of times in recovery, but it got better pretty quickly. I remember being able to move from the gurney to my hospital bed without too much discomfort. I was up pretty quickly using the bathroom and then walking the hallway about 6 hours after surgery. Don't be too afraid of the initial discomfort.

Hi! I was sleeved on April 2! I'm home from the hospital and feeling pretty good. I'm not hungry most times, but am getting pretty sick of sweet drinks like smoothies and tea latte's using protein. Cream soup going down ok but in smaller quantities of course. I am looking forward to being on soft foods like eggs. Pain is not bad, although I notice more acid reflux discomfort. I'm trying to use the pain meds less than prescribed because of the strange way it makes me feel. All in all I feel better than I thought I would. Would I do it again? of course I would! Things started off a little rough when I woke up from surgery but having getting much better all the time! Keep your eye on the prize sleeve brothers and sisters! Remember: this too shall pass! I can hardly wait to do all those things I couldn't do because of the extra weight I was carrying! Don't stop believin'!

I finished Kaiser's Options classes on February 28th and was ready to wait months to just see my surgeon. But I got a big surprise on March 9th when his office called and gave me an appointment for March 19th. Dr. Zane surprised me even further with a surgery date of April 2nd! Less than 2 weeks away! Allan and I have a cruise booked for May to celebrate the big 50, but who needs to eat to have a good time! I'm excited and nervous, but really positive! For whatever reason, I didn't think I was going to survive the lap band surgery back in "08, but feel really good this time! I am determined that this is going to be successful!

I'm home from the hospital and doing better than I thought I would. In fact I was stunned at how good I was feeling at the hospital. Wasn't feeling so great when I woke up, but once the pain meds kicked in I was up going to the bathroom, etc.! Surgery was Monday morning and I went home Tuesday afternoon. The challenge now is to keep sipping, not laying down too much which aggravates the acid reflux and making myself move around, etc. My twins are driving me a little batty with their energetic, loud chaos, but reminding myself how much I love them. Do pretty well, still have some pain, but doing pretty well.

I'm home from the hospital and the surgery went fine. I was eager to get home because I wasn't able to sleep much in the hospital, but now miss that lovely pain med button. I'm trying to get the liquids down and fighting the urge to stay in bed all day. I've been told moving around will help. All in all I'm doing better than I thought I would. Did great in the hospital, got up and used the bathroom soon after surgery and did some walking around the hospital floor.

Hi! I found out Monday that I will be sleeved on April 2 in Southern California. I was pretty successful with my lap band, but it had to be removed last year and I have gained much of the weight I lost. I hope you have an easy time of it! We are going to embark on a fantastic journey!

What do you mean we don't absorb all 42 grams of protein?

I mix my tubes with crystal light. For example I mix the grape tube with grape crystal light (actually I buy the walmart or other store brand). It makes it taste a lot better!

I had my surgery on August 15, 2008. At first I did well, losing 26 pounds, but now I have gained 3 pounds in the last week. I feel like I spent $7,000 dollars and endured pain to put on weight! I could have done that myself and enjoyed it a lot more! I am scheduled for a fill tomorrow, but am not sure that it is going to help. I just feel like crying! What have I done????

Hey thanks everybody!!! I guess the frustration stems from not having enough information, learning to live with the band, and feeling deprived from the food and not getting the desired "benefit. I am also living with the stress of working, taking graduate classes and raising two beautiful, health twin 10 month old daughters. I don't get much sleep!!! I am finding loads of wonderful information here, but I wish my doctor had shared it with me! I am going to give the program feedback as to the kind of information I wished I had been given. They probably won't change what they do, but who knows?! Again, thank you!! :confused: I am wondering though, when I can/should have a second fill. I don't have enough restriction with the 2.6 cc they gave me last time. I am guessing that it will take multiple fills to get to the "sweet spot".

Thank you sooooooo much for your post!!!!! I have been very stressed worrying about why I stopped losing after the initial loss and how the whole band thing works. I am still looking to find out how often I need to get a fill. I was banded on 8/15 and had my fill on 9/13 (2.6). I am still quite hungry and don't have enough restriction. I had my surgery in mexico and although the surgery went well, I don't feel like they give me enough information. Your information was exactly what I needed to read today! I know that you have made quite a few bandsters feel better!!! :confused:

I had my surgery on 8/15 and my first fill on 9/13. It hurt quite a lot and was done with fluoroscopy. They inserted 2.6. I wish they would share more information with me. I am guessing that the aim is to get approximately 6-7 in the lap band, but that it has to be done gradually...is this right? I was really hungry before the fill and still feel pretty hungry. I am not losing after the initial 26 pound loss and a 3 pound gain. I am trying not to get discouraged, but it is hard. When do you know when to go back for another fill?

I had my surgery in Tijuana and they do their fills with fluoroscopy. I just had my first fill of 2.6 last Saturday after having my surgery on 8/15. It doesn't feel tight enough to me as I still get pretty hungry and I think it takes too much to make me feel satisfied. I don't want to go back so soon for another fill though. They charge $100 for fills with fluoroscopy during the first year.

I was banded on 8/15/08 and just got my first fill on 9/13/08. I don't think that I got a big enough fill. She said it was 2.6 and that the typical was 1.8. Does that sound right? I still get really hungry between meals and think that I need too much in order to be satisfied. The hospital does their fills with fluoroscopy, so I thought they would be more accurate than fills that are done blind. I lost well initially, about 26 pounds and gained 3 pounds back. I also have been having problems eating. I have been eating soft foods like cottage cheese, yogurt, bean puree, and soft scrambled eggs. I have tried to start introducing regular foods like small pieces of chicken rather than chicken puree, but I get severe pain and throw up. When is it ok to move away from purees and start eating "normal" foods?

That would be great! What subjects do you teach? I have 6 preps which means I an crazy busy planning!!! I teach at Pomona High.

Hi! I had the lap band surgery on August 15, 2008 in Mexico. I have not found a support group in my area and sure could use a buddy or mentor. I am a special education teacher and mother of infant twins. I am back to work and am trying to learn how to function with my new dietary restrictions. I started off badly, trying to eat something I wasn't supposed to! I sure was punished quickly with lots of pain and vomiting! Now I am a bit nervous about eating. My daughter has been trying to mentor me, but she had the RNY a little over a year ago. Some experiences and restrictions are similar, but there are enough differences to make finding a lap band mentor meaningful! I look forward to discussing life with lap band with others who have had the surgery and those contemplating it. I actually didn't spend much time in contemplation. I started searching for a doctor since Kaiser doesn't cover it and withing two weeks set a surgery date two weeks from then! I had only one day to eat my "last meal" before starting the pre-surgery diet! I am definitely in the newbie "what have I done stage?"! :scared2: I have lost 26 pounds, but can't "see" it yet. :biggrin: I will begin to know I have done the right thing when I begin dropping sizes! I am in a 22 now, so 20 here I come! Debra

I was a self-pay and decided to have it done in Tijuana primarily out of cost. Mexico was about half the cost...$7,000. I went through worldmedassist.com. My liaison, Janet, has been wonderful as was the doctor. I can give you more info if you want it.

As I understand it, a fill is done from time to time to adjust the band. When you have the surgery, a port is placed under the skin on the left side so that saline can be either inserted or withdrawn from the band to adjust how narrow the band is. As time goes on, the band usually needs to be adjusted smaller as after the surgery there is swelling which eventually goes away. Many doctors do blind fills, which have to be adjusted more frequently. Fills done with fluroscopy, which is more expensive, is supposed to be more accurate and done with less frequency.

Hi everybody! I was banded on August 15, 2008, which was also my twin daughters truned nine months old! My 23 year old daugher had the RNY surgery a year ago July and is doing great! I decided to get the surgery because my twins will be walking soon and I know I won't be able to keep up with them carrying so much weight. I am doing o.k. and have lost 22 pounds so far. I am nervous about eating "real food" but am starting to make the move from full liquids to purees and soft foods. I had my surgery in Mexico and will probably go back for my fills since they do fills with fluroscopy rather than blind fills. I look forward to learning more about living with the band!