trubleu

Hi, I was banded a week ago and I am so happy and hopeful. Today I weighed myself for the first time. I had no idea what to expect. I lost 12 &1/2 lbs in a week! I am thrilled. I realize this will undoubtedly be my biggest leap and that's fine. It is a great jump-start. I need help with my ticker.:thumbup: I went to tickerfactory .com and created it but I can't figure out how to get it to this website. Any and all guidance is appreciated. Thanks, and my best to all banders, Barbara:thumbup:

Hello fellow Oregonians, I live in Medford and I was banded in Sept. '08 by Dr. Mirande in K.Falls. Getting to the "sweet spot" has been the most frustrating for me, without restriction almost no weight loss. I finally got there after my 3rd fill in Jan '09. Now it's all up to ME!! There are several support groups thru RVMC in Medford, some for bandsters, some for bypass patients and some for all. These groups really help me and I always learn something. I am blessed, it's only a few miles from my home. I hope you all find a group or start one. We all need each other. Barbara

I weigh once a week, for me that is on Tuesday. That's the day I had my surgery. There are too many variables to weigh every day and then there's the going crazy part too. To give myself a jump start, I have only liquids every Monday..... juice, protein shake, soup, etc. That cleans me up a bit for weigh day. I'm not necessarily advocating this, it's just my thing. Barbara

Boy, I am the queen in this department. Previously I was able to "blame" the lack of proper fill for my very limited success. Then, with my third fill I got meaningful restriction. Now I know in my heart that the surgery along with proper fills are in place and the rest is UP TO ME and me alone. No more excuses. Now I have to admit that I screwed up, usually the quantity of food, and that only I can do better. There is a balance between the restriction of the tool and my personal contribution to the process. I can tell you many ways to defeat the band if that is the goal. Like someone else said.... we didn't have brain surgery.... too bad, huh? Good luck all. trubleu

I just had my 3rd fill and finally got good restriction for the 1st time. All of it doesn't mean much until that restriction kicks in, at least for me. I couldn't do it on willpower alone or on a liquid diet either. I need portion control and now I have it. The fills don't bother me {except for the $$$$} They are just a necessary means to an end.

I just had my 3rd fill and.....WOW!!.... do I have restriction for the first time. Now I need to sort out fullness from being "stuck". As mentioned above, now I must really practice discipline in small bites, eating slowly and chewing extremely well. I didn't get past my first bite tonight at dinner. So I know I wasn't full but I sure was stuck. It took over an hour and several barfs to get beyond the really uncomfortable feeling. Every time I took a breath, it got worse. Please understand, I am not complaining. This is what I wanted, the very reason I did this. I just hope my experience helps others so they don't experience this intense discomfort. This is serious stuff, not to be taken lightly. Since this is the 1st restriction I have had in over 4 months I needed to learn the hard way. Good luck everyone.

Hey Big Jim, Thanks for sharing about doing your own fill. I have heard of people doing this but I am wondering if you are willing to share about exactly how you go about it. I have always maintained that it is NOT brain surgery even though the docs try to treat it that way. I would be happy to hear from you either on this forum or privately. Thanks, trubleu noflyzone@q.com

At the risk of sounding defensive..... I am looking for an AFFORDABLE fill, not the best price necessarily. I don't know what each person's budget allows but I thought that @$12,000 would buy me the tool I paid for, not a bottomless pit of future fills. Please share your experience. I hope to make everyone here a better consumer.

I had my band surgery 09-02-08 by Dr. Mirande in Klamath Falls. He has a package price of $9,999 which includes 2 fills and overnight at Sky Lakes Medical Center. He and his staff are highly professional and I reccommend them. I am very frustrated right now because I have almost no restriction after 2 fills and he charges $450 per fill using floroscope. I'm not placing blame but I think any doc should include fills til we hit the "sweet spot" so we get what we paid for in the 1st place.:hurray:

Thank you Kim, I appreciate your help. I haven't contacted him yet. Is that where you went? Barbara

Happy Christmas everyone, I was banded 09-02-08 and I share many of your frustrations, early weight loss, no restriction especially. I've had 2 fills with fleuroscope which makes it look like only a trickle getting thru but, guess what? I have almost no restriction except for bread. I lost 15 lbs. on all liquids too but only 5 lbs more in 3 months. That's less than 2 lbs. a month! Here's what I know..... we didn't fail, OUR DOCTORS DID!! Don't ever forget that. There is no reason to wait for fills, to wait for restriction. This isn't some kind of holy grail, it's just a medical procedure that isn't being very well managed by these doctors. If I knew then what I know now I don't think I would have done it. I have called around trying to find an affordable fill and they almost all discriminate. If they didn't do your surgery, they will make you pay big-time now. I am self-pay and so far I have spent app. $12,000 out of my own pocket and have not much to show for it. If I had that kind of willpower I wouldn't have needed this in the 1st place. My package included 2 fills, $450 each after that. I am now reminding my doc that his fills didn't help me. If he's so great, why don't I have restriction? I'm not giving up. Please don't you give up either..... Barbara

Well, It's still really slow but I made it thru Thanksgiving week {with friends} and lost 1/2 lb. Maybe not much weight but, to me, a great triumph! Barbara

My doc does the fluro fill too, I just had my 1st fill on 10-02-08. I strongly believe in the technology in theory, but I must say that I had no restriction before or after the fill. I am very discouraged right now. The only weight I have lost is when I was on straight liquids. My doc charges $450 for a fill so I can't afford to do lots of trial and error. His package price was $9999 including 2 fills. He only put in 1.2cc the 1st time. I hope to talk to him about this next week. I feel he is being too conservative. I don't feel any different than before I was banded. I realize it is only a tool but I NEED the tool. Do any of you convince your doc to add more, give you what YOU want instead of what they want? Please share. Thanks, Barbara

For sure, DO NOT weigh yourself every day. You will do better if you aren't a slave to the scales. Even though I'm tempted, I weigh myself once a week. Also, it's supposed to come off slowly. And, it's not easy either. I know I had very lax eating habits and change is hard. Just having surgery didn't change my old habits and I fight those every day. This process asks a lot of us, more than a few temporary changes. This is for life and I'm just beginning to accept that a month after my banding. I need to create my own success. Thanks to all of you for being there. Barbara

Hi, I've had the same desires to keep this news to myself, at least for now. I told one friend that I was just thinking about the lap band and she begged me not to do it. After that I decided that I just didn't want to expend the energy to explain and defend myself. I have only told 2 well-chosen friends so far and they have been very supportive,and naturally my husband who is totally supportive. I also asked this question at a support group meeting and got a variety of responses. Some wanted everyone to know because they didn't want people to think that anyone could lose these large amounts of weight without a powerful tool like this. Some were sorry that they told friends. One woman said that her best friend hasn't spoken to her since her surgery. Some people may think that it is "cheating" or laziness. Maybe a little part of me thinks I may fail too. :tongue2: So I'm waiting for success first. I may change my mind eventually. For now I'm happy with my secret. Barbara P.S. Don't feel that you have to over explain.

I have been told no alcohol as well. Maybe eventually ONE glass of wine now and then. I have had 1-3 glasses of wine in an evening since my banding {9-02-08} even though I know better. I have never felt any restriction so it didn't upset my new tiny tummy. I can eat anything and swallow large pills too. I am trying to schedule my first fill now. The doc wants me to wait 6 weeks but I just gained a pound in the last week :thumbdown: so I want a fill yesterday. I need to feel the restriction......fast! And Gary, in case your doc didn't mention it, beer is carbonated and my understanding is that ANY carbonation is a no-no, forever. The bubbles can stretch your pouch and defeat your whole purpose. Maybe find another libation to love. Best of luck to all. Barbara

Thanks everyone for the support and sharing. I was banded 9-02-08 and my weight loss decreased dramatically after the 1st week. I weigh myself every Tuesday. First week, 12 1/2 lbs, second week, 2 1/2 lbs., third week, only 1/2 lb. I don't feel any restriction and I can swallow large pills whole. I'm waiting to see how next Tuesday goes then I'll decide about my first fill. My doc uses the fleuroscope for every fill so it's not done on a set schedule. Thanks to you I know that my experience is a normal one. Barbara

I am posting this to see if I was successful with creating my ticker......, it seems I am.......YEAH! Barbara

Hi, I just joined the group today. Your experiences are really helpful to me. My banding is 09-02-08, less than a week from today. Barbara