mattie7632

Got my first fill Thursday, 5 days ago. Since then I have much decreased appetite and can consume very little at a time. I definitely feel like I must chew carefully now. My question is, is this restriction or just from swelling still? Can I expect this feeling to last me for the next few weeks until I get another fill? Thanks!!!

That is so awesome! I do expect this restriction to wear off, but I hope it doesn't! I would be thrilled with 57 lbs! It might be slower, but as long as the scale is going down right???

Wow thanks everyone for letting me know I'm not alone! And ElfiePoo, your quote just made a lightbulb go off in my head. Of course, that's it! Since my fill last week I've felt restriction...and even experienced some stuck episodes, so I've been avoiding foods I must chew and eating more carbs! DUH! That makes all the sense in the world! The more carbs we eat, the more we crave!! THANKS a million, now I know what to do!

I'm with ya girl! I even think I have restriction and I've been so bad lately! Somehow I expected to be on track all the time and magically lose 2 pounds a week! Not so, it's going to take awhile, just as everyone says, and just like you, I'm going to have to learn to eat right even while incorporating cheating! Bandsters Hell Be Gone!!

Just because there is such thing as Family Medical Leave Act does not mean someone can't be fired. Furthermore, outside of a written contract, most states laws say one can be fired for any reason, or no reason at all. She most certainly could be fired for stopping into the office and telling them she was taking time off. There obviously were other reasons they wanted to do away with her or her position and this just made it easier for them. To the poster: So sorry to hear about this, but most likely there is a better job waiting for you elsewhere. Remember lots of successful people have gotten fired before. Best of Luck to you!

All fish/krill oil is not created equal. Especially when you need a therapeutic dose for anti-inflammatory reasons, most of them will not cut it. It's extremely important that you get the highest EPA from a quality brand so your body can absorb it. Krill oil might be awesome (I don't know) but I would check the EPA first then find out if your body will actually get it all

Yes I had the psyche eval. It was pretty much un-eventful and mostly just an insurance requirement. My doctor only wanted to know that his patients didn't have any serious psyche problems that might cause them to be suicidal following surgery.

Well I soaked in the tub after a couple weeks and I think it was too soon. Once I started bathing my belly button got irritated inside and was obviously getting infected. It took the next 5 weeks to clear up so in hindsight, I would wait a whole month to soak unless you have your b-button water proofed!

I drank a lot of broth so that kept me pretty hydrated

You sound so much like me! I get so angered also about the "will-power" thing and people will say "just exercise", just do this, just do that because it's so simple according to them. People don't understand that many of us have long engrained, eating habits that likely started in childhood. When it comes to other destructive behaviors, society accepts and pushes you towards counseling. This is no different, simple will power cannot undo how we've learned to live and eat. That is why I value the band so much, it puts me in a place where it's easier for me to change the habits that I have lived with for 43 years. We can all lose weight on WW, diet pills, whatever, but the band helps us learn to reverse our habits and when we get weak and cheat....for most of us, the band gets in the way and stops us from completely messing up.

Let me know if you find it! I'd be interested in that myself!

"bury" your food. Place your napkin over your plate when you think you've eaten enough. Out of sight = out of mind! Nah, it doesn't work all the time, but every little trick helps in the end!

I didn't vomit either until I got my first fill. Now I'm testing the waters and learning what I can and can't eat, etc. therefore I have vomitted a few times. By all means, I don't consider myself a "vomitter" but I am still learning that if I do certain things that food might get "stuck" which might cause it to come back up!

I wore jeans with no problem. The needle stick feels just like a needle stick, a pinch, minor pain. I did however, get faint. If you are one who tends to get woozy from certain things, I would caution the doctor/nurse first just so you don't stand up afterwards and then pass out--!!

Actually, yes. Not terrible pain, but I have noticed that it is was sore by the port where it wasn't before. That was a week ago though, it seems to be fine now. I guess it's just from the needle and them moving it around there causing soreness....I don't know

Yes I had it also, it goes away.....

Read my post about the fish oil......especially if you can hardly walk it will help you for sure--

Posted twice - had to delete

I was bad today. We have bad days, I guess we have to just carry on tomorrow. One thing I've figured out is that I have to eat something that keeps me full....while the band does it's part--certain foods like some soups make me want to snack more and then I do bad. If I eat something like oatmeal and tuna, filling protein stuff, I do better. It's a learning experience and I'm pretty sure I've just started

I take 8000 iu of quality fish oil in lieu of NSAIDS or steroids. They work amazingly well for painful conditions like arthritis, joint pain, plantar fasciitis, carpal tunnel, and excema, etc. I have all these conditions and am symptom free-- So far, no problem taking the gelcaps, all 9 at a time before bed. They must dissolve quick enough so it hasn't been problematic, but if so I would just span the dose at a few 3 times a day. The key is QUALITY fish oil. The only brand I've found so far is from Spectrum Organics FISH OIL 1000 units...you can get 240 for about $20 and it lasts about a month at this dose. Everything else, even liquid, doesn't seem to have enough EPA (the anti-inflammatory agent) or else the gelcap is crappy so it can't be absorbed properly.

Tell me about it. I heard all about how it "didn't work" and everybody had a horror story or two.....Funny, now that I have the band and have lost 20 pounds, the formerly negative-nellies seem to have changed their tunes!! LOL. My motto: Don't listen to anybody except those closest to you, and then listen, but still make your own decision

3 weeks post op???? Ughhhh, I'm pretty sure I did far worse than that, had my x-ray and it was FINE! Dont' take my bad advice, but chances are....YOU'RE FINE!

Seriously, so are my jeans! Not as much fat to squeeze around and pull them up I guess! LOL

Tell them this: "Well I could risk dying from a remote complication of the band, or risk dying of heart disease or some other obesity related condition, which do you think I should choose since you are the expert?" Maybe they'll get the hint then!

What it doesn't do: The band does not stop you from consuming fattening lattes, sucking on candy, eating sugary ice creams and sodas or pouring sugar into your drinks. You can do all these things along with the band, but then you might not lose weight! The band doesn't necessarily stop the urge to snack. This is not real hunger so if you give into it, you might not lose weight! What it does: Makes you feel fuller quicker--I can't eat as much. I stay fuller longer, on smaller amounts of food than before. It curves my appetite--I don't have the desire to snack AS MUCH. Bottom line--The band helps you control how much you put in there, but WHAT you put in there is up to you! Hope this helps!