abrenner

Hi! I got my first fill last week. I'm down almost 4 pounds since then, but I think it is a fluke because I had a PB the other day & was too scared to eat for a day after that, LOL. I only weigh in once a week on Mondays. So, if I use yesterday's weight, I've lost 15 pounds (I didn't adjust my ticker yet - need some help with that feature). Here's hoping to see more come off over the next several months!

This is why I come to you who have gone before me. I needed this advice. I actually had my first (and G-d willing ONLY) PB yesterday. Nothing dramatic, but just enough to really shake me up. I discovered today that I needed to go back to the full liquid and very smooth pureed food to stay comfortable. I did have some smooth whitefish salad for lunch, but only about two tablespoons worth in VERY small bites. I felt a touch of pressure, but it all went down. I am able to get my pudding down straight from the container (I have to use that to take one of my meds that doesn't come in a chewable or liquid, and the little things inside the capsules don't EVER melt, I swear, LOL). Thanks so much to everyone. I do appreciate your responses. I'd also heard that the effects of the fill may not be fully felt for a few days, so now I know. For a while I wasn't even sure I had a band in, but man do I know now! And I've lost a couple pounds since it was filled on Thursday, and that was the idea behind all this after all! Blessings and best to everyone here.

Hi, I'm so disappointed in myself. I had my first PB late this afternoon. I'd come close once or twice since my first fill on Thursday, but this time it wasn't even a choice. I'm bummed. I thought I had my portions and textures under control. It was Water that did me in. Oh well. I suppose this is important for the learning curve. I have to forgive myself. I'd eaten about 1/2 an omelette at noon, and had a few (really - like four) crackers I've managed with before around 4:00 after finishing my Protein shake at 3:00. Then water at 5:00, and it just wouldn't pass through. I feel yukky still. I know it will pass and I'll be fine soon, but I'm not happy with myself. Thanks everyone for your support on this. I know it is normal, but I just hate it.

Thanks. I live up near Jenkintown so PA hospital is a bit far for me on a work night, but I will certainly keep it in mind!

Hi everyone! I just had my first fill this morning at around 11:00 a.m. (4 cc into a 10 cc band). I can tell you this - I was nervous. I think that is probably normal, given that none of us has every experienced anything like this before in our lives. I do have a slight point of reference - I had a port before for chemo. But it was in my shoulder, and I knew that the belly would be more sensitive. I never felt the chemo nurses access the port in my shoulder and never had numbing. My Dr. had me lie flat on a table and then had me do a mini-crunch. He then injected a numbing med (which I just barely felt for one second - and I'm a MAJOR needle phobe, so I wouldn't underplay this if it hurt, believe me). I kept my eyes closed because I've read here that the needles look intimidating. Smart advice! I felt him feeling around and he told me that he was injecting the saline. He asked if I had any taste in my mouth. Nothing. I didn't even realize it was over until he told me to lie back and relax because he was done. I think it took less than two minutes from the time they wiped the site off with sterilizing solution to the time he was done. Now, having said all that, I must say I am surprised and how much restriction I am now aware of. I can barely get down any Water. Some, in very small amounts, but I feel a good bit of pressure just above the spot between my breasts, like I need a good burp. They told me that as long as I can swallow my own saliva it is ok. That there is some immediate swelling that can get worse about four hours after the fill (as in right about now!), but I am not bringing anything up - so far. I was told that as long as I could swallow my own saliva and some water that I was going to be ok. Full liquids for two days, then onto pureed food for two days (I read how many people here call them mushies), then as I feel ready I can progress to soft foods. I'm both annoyed and excited. Annoyed because the ONE THING I didn't realize is that I wouldn't be able to eat today - and because I was being weighed I didn't have Breakfast before going to the Dr. this morning - so I'm really hungry!!! I'm so dopey - I can't believe I didn't get that from all the advice I've read in advance of today. DUH me, LOL. I'll be fine. I think that if I take it really slowly, like I did the few days after I got home from the surgery, I'll be able to get some soup into me tonight. Oh, and the spot where the needle went in is a bit sore. I think that is probably normal as well. I didn't have any pain when he touched my belly to see how I was healing, not even when he was feeling around the port area to be sure he could locate the best spot. But I do feel it now - like I'm a little bruised. I'm hoping that only lasts a day, and that in time it won't even feel like this. I'm only seven weeks out, and still do feel some bruising from the surgery now and then... Thanks to everyone. I'm hoping I continue to respond normally to this and get to eat again without needing an unfill. Then I hope to really be able to put up weight LOSS on my ticker, instead of nothing or a pound or two up, as it has done the last two weeks. Good luck, and especially to you Lisafitz! Congrats on your fills, all of you. This is some wild ride, I must say.

Call the bariatric center at Abington Hospital or Einstein Hospital. Temple University also has a good bariatric center. Good luck!

I chew one or two Citrucel soft chews per week. More often if I am constipated, less often if I am going too much. I am VERY gassy all the time, but I think it is my way of digesting my Protein, even though I use rice or almond milk and it says there is no lactose in it.

Hi! I started out with constipation after my surgery (and after the narcotic pain meds cleared out of my system), but since then I've added soluable fiber in a chewable to my diet about once a week. What soluable fiber does is harden you if you are going too often or the poos are too soft, or softens you if they are too hard and you get constipated. It is like a substitute for cruciferous veggies. I also am VERY gassy (and I'm six weeks today!). I think it is because even though I am using rice or sugar free almond milk in my whey Protein (and it is lactose free), I still am having some issues with digesting it. I'm guessing in about six months things will have settled down and gotten normal again. Before you do anything, even cutting back on sugar substitutes or adding fiber chewables, always check with your bariatric team first. Then if they have no objections, try one thing and then another to see whether that helps. Good luck!

Hi! I was banded on 8/13. I am constantly amazed when I read about how quickly some people are allowed to progress through food stages. My bariatric center wants us to go two full weeks at each stage. I am getting to week 6 now, which means I will be ready for "unrestricted" textures, including, at long last, raw veggies, fruits and veggies with skin, and nuts. I'm not in such a hurry to have them, but it is nice to reach this stage. I'm pretty contented with the soft food stage as I can eat almost everything I want anyway. But a good salad - oh yum! I've been craving it for weeks now. I have to say I cannot say thank you enough to everyone who posts and replies here. I was beginning to worry early last week as my weight went up another pound. Then someone reminded me (duh me) that I haven't had a fill, and with each new food stage I'm likely taking in more calories again. I am due to see the Dr. on 10/2 and find out how much he wants to do for my first fill. Because of thinning in my abdominal wall from previous abdominal surgeries I've had, he's sending me to a radiologist to have my first fill done under the fluoroscope. I can feel the outline of my port, but have NO problem with this. It may even mean less time for me to wait for a fill - the average is about 1 1/2 hour right now if you go to the office. My point is, right now my pouch is unrestricted, and I'm clearly healing well. I can eat MUCH more quantity of food than I thought in a meal. Still less than before I was banded, but much more than the nurses led me to believe. So I was getting concerned about it. Now I feel much more relaxed and am lightening up on myself. I did feel, for the first time, the sensation of food getting stuck yesterday. I think I took too big a bite & didn't chew it small enough before swallowing. I didn't bring any back up, but there was a minute there when I was quite uncomfortable. Lesson learned! One reason (in my top 10) for choosing banding was because of the low purge incidence. I am not a purger. So PB's are not something I want to experience - EVER. Compliant little brown-noser, that's me! LOL. Thanks to all. I really appreciate your willingness to share your experiences and support one another. It makes me feel quite pleased that I chose this route to help me lose weight.

Hi! I had my band surgery on 8/13/08 & joined this site yesterday. I haven't had the time to really look around to see everything, but wanted to be sure I posted on the intro board asap. So far I think I'm healing really well. Actually, too well. I can really eat, gang. I mean quantity. I don't feel full until I've eaten much more than 1/2 a cup of food, and I haven't lost more than 12 pounds. I lost 3 more pounds but gained that back when I started on pureed food a couple weeks ago, but thought that was normal. Am I responding normally? Would this be a pretty good indicator that I'll be ready for my first fill when I see the doctor in a few weeks? I sure hope so. I want to lose more weight, and also be cleared to exercise. So far there are only two things that I'm still slightly struggling with. One is some pain where the port is in my belly (just under the left rib). That is intermittent, but still around. The other is I'm still pretty gassy for five weeks out. I was having constipation issues long after the narcotics were out of my system so I chew a couple of Citrucel as needed (it is soluable Fiber & either tightens you up or softens you up as needed). I don't take it more than every five days and it seems to keep me "regular" for about three -five days. But the gas seems to be never ending! I mean I'm over 50 so I'm already somewhat gassy, that comes with the age. But this is really more and it is uncomfortable, like I used to feel if I ate too much cruciferous food at a time. Like it aches under both ribs for a while. And it doesn't always occur after I eat. This can happen any time of the day. I take whey Protein that has no lactose in it, so I can't figure out what might be causing this. Does anyone have some guidance? Is it just too soon for me to really worry? Thanks for any help and support. Amy

Hi! I was banded the day before you! I also cheated a little, but not as much as some people. I healed well, so I started some pureed foods a few days early, and soft foods almost a week early. So far I tolerate EVERYTHING! Looking forward to my first fill so that I feel as if this band is really there & working. Cheers to everyone for their courage. This is NOT for the faint hearted, is it?

Re: Walking: I'm sorry, I meant Power walking. I am allowed and encouraged to walk a lot, but more like a stroll than an aerobic exercise. I didn't mean to suggest don't walk. You are correct - walking is very good for you. I was just told not to walk aerobically yet or use my treadmill yet. I think my bariatric center tends to be overly cautious, but then they do more bypasses and DS surgeries than bandings.

Hi! I'm now five weeks post-op, and I am amazed to hear how you are doing! I followed my instructions and was VERY careful not to eat anything before I was allowed to. I'm now on soft foods, and eat virtually everything but not yet raw veggies or hard fruits like apples, etc. I haven't tried beef yet, but will be in the next week. I was told not to "push the envelope" with the eating only because the experience of the bariatric center is that people have hurt themselves. I tend to heal well from surgery, so while I did some minor pushing of envelope, I didn't go all out. I wasn't even on pureed food until week three. I had to go from two days of Clear Liquids to two weeks on "full" liquids. Then I went onto pureed food for two weeks, and just got to the soft food stage. Pureed eggs are actually not bad, gang. I also am able to eat nearly as much quantity wise as I did before I was banded, and then I feel full. I do notice I don't get hungry as quickly, but thought I was weird for eating so much so soon. The people at the bariatric center said I would feel full with less intake right away, but I don't. I'm so relieved! I am now nearly certain it just means I'll be ready for a fill when I go in on 10/2 to see my doctor about it. The only other thing I would say to you who are just out of surgery is not to overdo it with walking or exercise or lifting yet. You don't want to risk hurting yourself, even if you can't feel it. Amy (no signature yet - have to learn how to do that!)

Hi I'm Amy and I had my surgery 8/13/08! I'm able to eat so much more than I thought I would at this stage, and I've regained about 3+ pounds of the 15 I lost in the pre and post op liquid diet stage. I suppose this is normal. I am not yet allowed to exercise (I can walk but not "power walk" and am not yet allowed on my treadmill and cannot do most of my aerobic housecleaning yet). I am adjusting to this fine, and it kind of worries me. LOL, I suppose it is just an indication that my body knows how to heal and that when I see the Dr. on 10/2 he will determine that I'm ready for my first fill. Hope to meet people in my area (Northern/Northeastern suburbs of Philly). I went to my hospital's support group last night, as I usually do, but I seem to be the only bander in the bunch. Not much of what is asked relates to me. Thanks to all. Amy