Mim

Thank you everyone. I have to say....seeing that 199 show up on the scale this morning was wonderful. Six looooooong months to break through the 200s. My weight loss has been so slow that even my closest friends have stopped asking "how are things going?" I hope this feeling sustains my determination for a while!

Thank you for posting this. It was exactly what I needed to hear! I got my third fill about 1-1/2 weeks ago. For several days after that, I finally got a sense of what this band is capable of. I could feel restriction, my portion size dropped and I lost 2.5 pounds. Now, the initial swelling has subsided and I don't feel the same restriction (sometimes in the morning, but not all day.) I feel certain that my next fill is going to kick my weight loss into gear. Patience is NOT my strength!

My favorite meal is actually a cooking method, not a particular food -- my George Foreman Grill. Everything comes out crispy on the outside, moist and tender on the inside. Some of my favorites are salmon, tilapia, cod, chicken, hamburgers, zucchini, broccoli, carrots. Nothing takes more than 10 minutes to cook. It's been a life-saver that's prevented more than one trip out for "fast-food" when I'm tired.

I also had 4cc for my first fill. I really felt no difference at all. My weight pretty much hit a plateau during that period. However, my fill last week to 4.6cc has made a huge difference and I've lost 2.5 pounds already. I definitely feel restriction, although I don't think I've hit my sweet spot yet. I know patience with this process is so difficult, but you will get more restriction with each fill.

I have a bad habit of snacking at night. I've done it for years, and although I'm working on it, it's going to take a while to break that habit. Last week I had my third fill. I've definitely felt a difference with this one. I eat less and stay full for a lot longer. Last night I wanted to munch so badly, so I decided to at least make it a healthy snack. I grabbed a 1-ounce cheddar cheese stick and started nibbling. About half-way through, I got a definite signal from my band that I should stop. But my brain kept saying: "it's only a little cheese stick, don't waste it, it's low calorie, just finish it." Bad Brain. Big Mistake. I don't know if I swallowed too big a bite or simply ate too much, but suddenly I was in pain. I didn't PB, but I slimed a bit. I managed to chew on a couple of papaya enzyme tablets and in a few minutes, everything relaxed and just as suddenly, I felt fine again. I think that episode may have cured my late-night snacking for at least a day or two. Just a word of caution to everyone else. Listen. To. Your. Band!

Three weeks ago, my second fill did not go very well. At 4.2cc, I couldn't keep Water down. I ended up leaving the doctor's office with less in my band than I went in with. I was very discouraged, and I did the worst possible thing in response -- I ate! Not only did I gain 5 pounds, but I really felt physically miserable. My ankles swelled and I felt all-around achey. So about a week ago, I got back on track (even without restriction) and I feel so much better already. Today my doctor added 1cc. I drank the water very hesitantly, but I felt it go down with no problem. I was ecstatic! So here I sit, slowly drinking a Protein drink and all is well. It amazes me how not only does everyone have a different experience with their band, but even my own body reacts differently from fill to fill. Hopefully, next time I have a setback, I won't overreact the way I did before. I feel reenergized and motivated to get on with my weight loss!

I was so excited about my second fill this morning. I really felt ready for it. I had no restriction at all from my first fill and I've been struggling. I wanted that 2nd fill. I needed that 2nd fill. So, my surgeon put in an additional 1cc (found my port easily, no pain), sat me up and handed me a bottle of Water. The first three sips felt fine, but by the fourth sip I felt something that I hadn't experienced before. I was STUCK....on water! In a matter of seconds, I got a terrible pain in my upper chest, I broke out in a sweat, my eyes watered, I began producing saliva at an alarming rate.....and you guessed it.....I leaned over and threw up into the trash can! He laid me back down, stuck me again and pulled out .6cc. Immediately, I felt better. He sat me back up and told me to wait for a couple of minutes, but not to drink any more water. Then he went next door to fill his next patient. For about 10 minutes I felt pretty good, but then I started getting that tight feeling in my chest again (along with all the other lovely symptoms listed above.) Just as my surgeon opened the door saying "How are you doing?", I yacked up all the saliva that had been collecting in my pouch. He made a U-turn, said "I'll get a needle." and walked right back out the door. At this point, he completely unfilled me and let me rest on the table for a few minutes (with that giganto-needle sticking out of my belly.) Then he slowly put back 3.6cc. I whined "That's less than I came in with!", but he said that since my esophogus was spasming and my stomach was probably swollen, he didn't want to risk putting back the entire 4cc. Well, that was not how I thought today would turn out.....luckily, I'm not the least bit hungry and won't be trying anything more than liquids for a day or two. He said I can come in for another try in 3 weeks. Sigh.

I went off the deep end and now I'm trying to pull myself back up out of the pool (of junk food)! I'm almost 3 months post-op and have been doing very well with my food choices and exercise. But last week I went in for my 2nd fill and ended up leaving with -.4cc. 2nd Fill details: coffee and a bowl of oatmeal hoping to get back on track today. Anyone who has had trouble with their fills, please reassure me that I will eventually get restriction. :tongue:

During the pre-op meeting, my surgeon showed me what type of band he installs. I think each surgeon has a size and type he is most familiar with. I found out that I have an Allergan AP band which holds 10cc of liquid. I don't think you have to "pick"!:wink2: Good Luck!

Yes, it happened to me this week. I tolerated my 1st fill well (4cc on 12/10/2008). I went back for my 2nd fill on Wednesday and left with .4cc less than I came in with! While I was in the office, Water would not go down. Multiple episodes of vomiting and 3 needles later, I left with 3.6cc. It was very disappointing. My surgeon plans to take my fills in very small increments from now on. Although I don't want a repeat of that last episode, it is incredibly frustrating to be almost 3 months post-op without any restriction. I'm still losing slowly, but I'm not getting any help from my (very expensive) "tool"! I hope it goes better for both of us next time.

Thanks everybody. I was really bummed this morning. My doctor is pretty conservative with his fills. Neither of us thought that 1cc would produce such a dramatic reaction. He said he will take it "very slow" from now on. I just feel like I'm still in a "holding" pattern. I'm nearly 3 months post-op and still no restriction. I will continue to make healthy food choices, but I could sure use some help with portion control.....

My surgeon also did not require a pre-op diet, but I was so determined to do this "right" that I put myself on a liquid Protein diet 10 days prior to my surgery. Even so, I found out that my liver bled a bit, and the surgery was longer than usual to observe my liver. However, I made a fast, uneventful recovery. In retrospect, I'm glad I did the liquid diet before surgery, because it really made compliance after surgery pretty easy for me. I was all set for the post-op diet. Good Luck!

Okay, in the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that my "skinny" jeans are 1x with an elastic/drawstring waist. At my heaviest, I would only admit to a size 2x, but honestly, even those were getting snug. When I lost my first 20 pounds, I tried on these 1x jeans and they were still uncomfortably tight in the thighs and caboose area. So, I've been reluctant to try on anything smaller in the past month. Even though I only lost 2 pounds in December, I've added pilates to my walking routine. When I tried on the "skinny" jeans today, not only did they slide easily over my hips, but I actually had to tighten the drawstring to keep them up! I guess my body has become smaller even though the scale hasn't reflected a dramatic loss. I was beginning to lose some of my enthusiasm recently, but this small NSV has given me renewed hope. Happy New Year Everybody!

I was banded 10/29/2008 and just returned from my first fill. I was a bit nervous, having read some reports of multiple sticks and watching graphic youtube images. I'm happy to report that mine was a complete non-event. The doctor pushed around under my scar, located the port, stuck the needle once and he was in. He pulled back on the syringe to take out any residual Fluid from the surgery, which wasn't much. Then he started filling slowly and told me to let him know when I felt pressure in my chest. At first I felt nothing at all and I panicked for a moment wondering "oh, great have I sprung a leak already?". Then suddenly I felt it! Not pain, just a pressure right behind my breastbone. He told me that was 4.2cc. So he backed off .2cc and the pressure went away completely. Now, after my first fill I'm at 4cc in a 10cc band. The entire procedure took less than 3 minutes! I haven't tried to eat yet, but Water goes down well. I will proceed cautiously. I hope this reassures any of you approaching your first fill soon. Don't let the big needle scare you. It wasn't any more painful than a pinprick!

I was banded a few weeks before you, but I remember being very tired well into my third week. I'm not a nap person at all, but after surgery I couldn't seem to sit down without falling asleep! Sometimes I'd wake up 20 minutes later, sometimes 45 minutes. It was very odd...completely out of my control. I decided those little cat naps were when my body was doing some major healing and didn't want to be interrupted by my activity! By the one month mark, I was back to my normal non-napping self. Good Luck!

For me, the fifth week after surgery was when I noticed my old habits whispering in my ear. I had physically recovered completely, I was hungry again, and I could eat a lot more than 1/2 cup of food and still not feel satisfied. It terrified me. I felt like I was going back down that familiar slippery slope. Today, at six weeks, I had my first fill (4cc in a 10cc band). I just ate lunch of 1/2 cup of tomato Soup and about 4 spoonfuls of sugar-free yogurt and I'm definitely full. (That would not have been the case yesterday!) I am so happy that my tummy feels satisfied again with a small amount of food. It reassures me that this band will work! If you haven't had a fill yet, just be patient with yourself. Try not to overdo it, but know that you're eating more because your stomach is telling you you're hungry. When you get some restriction, it will be much easier to eat less again. Hang in there!

Hi Everybody. This is my first post, although I've been reading this board for months and feel that I've gotten to know a lot of you already. I was banded on 10/29/2008. I followed the pre and post diet instructions to the letter and am down 23 pounds. I've been making healthy food choices and walking for 30 minutes every day. Then, last night.....I snapped. I don't know what happened. I had a normal day, no unusual stress, but at about 9:00pm, I became ravenous! I tried eating some some cottage cheese, but that didn't help. Then I moved on to pita chips and hummus. Finally I broke open a box of Christmas Cookies and ate more than I care to admit. I went to sleep feeling miserable. This morning I decided to go back on liquids for 24 hours. I had a Protein shake for Breakfast and feel pretty much back in control of things for the moment. But last night really scared me. After nearly two months of eating reasonably, I couldn't believe how quickly I fell back into my old eating habits. I want to lose this weight for the last time and keep it off. I want to have a healthy relationship with food. I want to live to see my grandchildren! Will binge eating always be a struggle I have to fight? Does it get easier? My first fill is coming up next next Wednesday. I hope that will help. I really appreciate this forum and all the support it offers. Thanks! Mim

I'm thrilled to report that last night went great! I had a cup of (sugar-free) cocoa with my son at about 8:00pm while we were watching TV. That left me feeling satisfied and comfy. I didn't need anything else. TheGirlNextDoor - I think you may be onto something about confusing thirst for hunger. I've never been good at keeping hydrated. I rarely "feel" thirsty and usually forget to drink Water during the day. When I was on liquids I was much more aware of it and I always had a Protein drink late in the evening before I went to bed. I think I will go back to doing that for a while. LaurieGee - I'm so sorry that you experience this too, although it's reassuring that in spite of it, you have lost 105 pounds! What an accomplishment! When I've told close friends about bingeing, they usually say something along the lines of "well, just stop." (As if it were that easy!) I believe there is truly a physiological imbalance going on. The terrifying part for me is not knowing how long it's going to last.....1 night, 1 week, 1 month? After all, that's how I got to 231 pounds in the first place. Slim-n-TN - I'm sure there are underlying anxiety issues about food that cause me to binge - being poor and underfed as a child, death of a parent, abuse. I really thought I had recognized and dealt with these issues, but obviously they are still there. Has counseling taught you specific techniques for moving on once and for all? Again, I'm so grateful for this forum. Reading about other people's journey has been incredibly helpful. Thank you all for your encouragement and advice.

Thank you for your responses. I stayed on liquids all day and had Soup for dinner yesterday. That same impulse to binge came back again last night, but I just went to bed early and tried to ignore it. I wish I could get back to that comfortable place I was in before where I wasn't even thinking about a binge. Hopefully that will come with time. Mim