luchay

Hi ya'll, I really love this site just for bandsters. I was banded Feb 25th 09 in Mexico. i live in austin. i am going to dr stephanie eisjsink in bryan college station. i was also considering dr ganta in austin, but i would have to wait four weeks for him and i cant wait to get my first fill. anyone have any experience with either of these docs? dr stephanie? THANKS

Greetings fellow bandsters. I am so happy to find this site. I have read so many sucess stories-which are awesome- i was really feeling like a loser. I to did not realize the band was only a tool and not a majic pill. Head hunger and emotional eating has been my downfall, just like before i got the band. (banded 2/11/9). today i take diet pills to try to control the head hunger and the band does control the amount i eat. i cant pig out like i used to and i am very grateful for that. i have lost about 25 lbs since my surgery. My issue-i can not eat most protein very easily, it gives me acid reflux, but i can easily eat anything with sugar, like cookies, ect...i mean it goes down easy. i got banded in mexico, had a great surgeon, but no support back home in texas. i have had numerous fills and unfills till i am sick of that. right now i am at about 7.1 on a 10cc band and just want to stay here for a while and try to retrain my self to eat the protein i can manage. i always worry i have slipped my band. i eat to fast, to much and get acid reflux. prilosec and alka seltzer are my daily friends. over all i still would not trade my band for anything, i am holding out hope i can get on track and use the band properly. thank you for your posts-really encouraging. i plan on staying in touch now that i have found you all! God bless you and all of us who struggle with addiction. it is like a rabbit trying to contain a lion! luchay

Hi Indigo and other friends! I have been going this band experience alone, really alone, since I was banded in Mexico Feb 28, 2009. Have lost 20 lbs and I dont think it is because I am 52. I had a great surgeon and he did a great job on my band, I have a really good fill doc here in the austin area, but no real support. I want to be part of this wonderful discussion group. I have 8.1 cc in my 10 cc band. I have alot of trouble eating protein. Why does stuff with sugar in it go down so much easier? I am baffled by that. I want to get serious about my food program and stay on high protein diet, but when i eat protein, i burp, have pain and sometimes pb. i get so hungry cause i am not able to eat much at a sitting unless i eat soft stuff, am trying to eat slow and take small bites, but not helping. I am wondering if i need an unfill... i do exercise on a regular basis. So hard to know what to do. Is it me or is the band to tight? I have to say I love my band! I want it to work for me and I am ready to take this program seriously-since I have been banded I have been sliding by , losing a little weight because i dont eat at much, but now i am ready to do my part, and find i cant. Thanks for your feedback- I look forward to hearing from you and all the ladies. Happy Monday! Luchay

Hi Indigo, I have enjoyed reading your posts and say "way to go" getting on the other side of the fence. You are where I want to be. I was banded 2/28/9 and have lost about 18 pounds, just by eating less cause i eat all the wrong foods. I seem to feel sick if i eat healthy and the Protein gets stuck cause i still havent learned to chew and take small enough bites. I am going to try to turn over a new leaf tomorrow. If it were not for the band i would be hopeless, so no regrets about getting it- i now weigh about 198. i exercise but not consistently. i am always amazed at people like you who can make these changes and wonder why i have not, except for they seem hard to make and i am still looking for an easier fix. i love tough love cause that is all that works for most of us in the boat i am in. just reading your posts helps, but if you have a word for me, that would be great. i have been sober for over 5 years and that is a miracle, but have not been able to" get with the program" with the food. thanks for caring and being a light in the tunnel! blessed in texas-

Greetings I was banded 02/25/09 and just had my third fill 5/30/9. I am now (finally) feeling real restriction and I am so thrilled. I have not been compliant with eating properly and had felt the band was not going to work for me. Actually that is why I got the band, I was not strong in the will power area. Now that I have restriction (8.1 in 10 cc band) I find I am getting motivated to eat right and exercise-to really try to lose weight. I am learning what to eat, not to drink with meals. So far i have been indulging in the little bit of fast food i could eat since i couldnt eat much of it- make sense? i know this is still not going to promote weight loss. My goal is to stay away from fast food, eat three protein meals a day with no liquid and begin to exercise. Doesnt seem that impossible now that my band is working. I am finally able to see maybe I can do my part-which before i was not willing to do or thought i could do. Wanted to share for anyone that may have felt like me. My first goal is under 200. I lost 5 lbs since last fill and i am close. 202.4 this morning. Now i want to get on with it! Thank you all for your helpful postings, especially about nutrition. I was banded in Mexico and have not had local support, so I have appreciated these forum. Good Luck to all, Luchay

please register me for this teleseminar. my username is luchay. thanks

please register me for this Teleseminar. Thank you

Hi EF, Just wondering if you made a choice yet and how you are doing...... Luchay

Thanks for your post Zilly, and all the replies. I got banded on 2/25/9 and up until recently was aggravated at myself for not staying on a stricter diet to lose weight and upset because I have had to wait 6 weeks for 1st fill and 5 weeks till next fill and I am in a HURRY to get down to the next size in my closet. I have come to realize from reading post from others with more experience that I have to do my part and dont have to do it perfectly, and for most of us the restriction will come and the band will do the work for which it was made -later if not sooner. I am a little more patient now, grateful I can not binge like I used to, although I can eat enough to keep from loosing weight. Thank God I stay around the same weight while I am waiting for the next fill. I can see how finally feeling enough restriction is very helpful in becoming more motivated to exercise and eat better. I am not where I want to be, but i AM NOT where I was before the surgery and I am so grateful for that. Keep on trudging the road of happy destiny! Luchay

.....I would'nt need the band. I didnt chose the band because i thought i could make life style changes and good choices while i was going thru this process, I chose the band in hopes it would work so well it would force me to eat less and want better food. That is still my hope, but i get the feeling alot of folks feel if you cant change significantly, the band wont work. i got banded 2/25/9 and have had one fill and have had very little restriction. I am sorry to say i am still a sugar junkie, but eat much less of it. i have always exercised moderatly, so that helps. somehow i have lost 7 lbs since the surgery and pretty much stay right at 207. I applaud all the folks who have made life style changes and lose weight before they get restriction, but I have not so far...i get my second fill middle of May and it cant come soon enough.....anyone have any experience feeling like i do but eventually had success because the band does eventually work and do the job? If not, I sure hope I am one in a million! all you winners- keep up the good work, i am happy for you and encouraged despite my bad habits. luchay (thinlizzie)

Every one has encouraged me and it has really helped. I know it was radicle and a little obnoxious to put my post out there but I am glad I did. Havent had any sugar today and it is looking like I am gonna make it for today. One day at a time, make small changes, keep moving, dont beat myself up but begin again. Yea, I get it...thanks to you! ps- I am feelin pretty good!!! second fill- May 9th....

I am grateful for you who took the time to reply to my post. It makes a difference when I get your feedback. I want to get on track and make some of the changes that i can now while I wait for my second fill. Reading about your experiences has made me want to change. Thank You-Maybe it is time to post a pic and finish my profile...God bless You!

so i assume many people are like me- or they wouldnt be getting the band. how have you done it spinner? you sound like a winner...

hey josephine, i would like to email you and hear about your experience. who can i do that? thanks-luchay

Thank you ladies for your input. I am the kind of person who likes to hear it like it is and not sugar coated (pun?). hearing it straight gives me hope, so, I am going to be more positive and tomorrow not eat sugar. Josephine, thanks- i would love to email you. You have the band but never any fills...um- how come? LETS go for it jenni! just for tomorrow.... i am still holding out hope that after a couple more fills, the band will do the hard work...how wonderful the sweet spot must be, or even the kinda sweet spot. luchay-

Hi KC, girl, you need to hook up wth dr stephanie. her number is 903-520-8847. you will speak with her husband-Hans. He does the scheduling for her and assists with the fill. I really like Dr S alot and cant wait till my next fill on May 9th. compared to the other fill docs around here, she is very reasonable. i found out scot and white in temple also does fills if you were not banded in Mexico, and i think they are even cheaper...good luck, let me know what you think of Dr S if you go...I have only had one fill and cant wait ( i mean really) till my second fill... luchay

I had my first fill with dr stephanie today and she is great-fantastic. i would recommend her to anyone in the area. worth the 1.5 hour drive to bryan college station.... 4cc in my 10 cc band...she does every fill with floroscopy and it didnt hurt at all. luchay

Thank G there are banders out there that feel like I do. I was banded 2/23/9 and get my first fill 4/4. i was pretty good for three weeks then the same bad eating habits, hunger and obsession returned. It has been discouraging the last week or so. Thank you everyone for responding and giving us hope. As long as this is normal I dont feel so bad, like maybe i am just not going to make it! Hang in there iwanabeskinny and i will too. i am hoping i am one of the rare birds that gets some restriction after the first fill. Hangin on in Austin, Luchay :smile2:

i have lost about 9 pounds since the surgery on 2/25/9. i get my first fill 4/4/9. for the first 2.5 weeks i didnt eat much as i had gas and my stomach was still swollen. now i can eat more and just about anything i want. i still can not eat like i used to before the band. big difference. i am not losing weight at this point but i'm not gaining. from what i understand, the time between recovery from surgery and the first time we start to experience restriction is hard. called bandster hell-but not that bad. i try to stick to high protein, and when i do eat sugar or bread, is just a small portion of what i used to eat. i am so happy i have the band, and so glad i went w dr natera. he is very reasonable compared to other mexico docs and of course us docs.today i have hope and i wouldnt trade it for anything! please just remember everyone is different. i am not advocating dr natera for anyone but myself. i was a sceptic and now i trust him as a surgeon based on my experience.. good luck- liz

I am doing just great. i had post op gas for a week after the surgery, but that is normal. He is an excellent surgeon. my incision sites are minimal. port site is very normal and not sensitive. he put a 10cc band in with no restriction at the surgery. i know this because i got my operative report. he sent a letter with me to tell the US doctor i use for fills to make my first fill 3cc. i would go to him again in a heartbeat. only suggestion, discuss pain medication with his staff before hand. they dont give narcotics in mexico unless you have a serious surgery and i did not care for the type pain meds they gave. i was not in alot of pain, but have a low threshold.....good luck to you and let me know how it goes....if you chose dr natera, please tell him and irene- his nutritionist i gave him a great recomendation.... luchay

I was banded by dr natera in juarez on 2/25/9. he is a very good surgeon, has a very good anesthesiologist and staff is very friendly and accommodating. i did well with the surgery and feel good now 5 days later. i will have my fills in the us. only drawbacks are the nursing staff do not usually speak any english but dr natera and the surgical team and staff do speak pretty good english. second, i did not care for the pain meds, not as good as the us and of course juarez is in unrest, but i did not feel afraid. we were picked up at the el paso airport taken directly to the hospital. had surgery same day. next day taken to holiday inn next door and next day driven back across the border to el paso airport. the hospital is very clean, nice and new and holiday inn was great. so, i would do it again with dr natera unless the situation in juarez digressed further, and would take my own pain meds with me i think... luchay

Hi, i am four days out from the band surgery and find i can eat soft foods in small amounts with no problem. i am a little disapointed. i am sure there is no or very little restriction. i cant wait till my first fill so i can start the weight loss process, that is in 5 weeks. so, is it normal to be able to eat soft foods with no problem and not really lose weight untill i start the fills? just want some confirmation i am ok and this is normal. thanks-liz

Hi all february bandsters, i was banded feb 25th. i am hungry, but starting to eat soft small meals. as i understand it, i will be hungry till my first fill in 5 weeks and this is called banster hell! i fell like the band was placed but no or very little restriction. i have had no trouble with soft foods and little discomfort. i cant wait till my first flouroscopy so i can make sure i have the band in there-(joking) is this true? is it normal to be hungry till your first fill? is this how it works? i have been told the first 6 weeks are about healing and the weight loss really begins after the first fill. i am the same weight as the day of my surgery, ??? oh well- happy in texas!! liz

i am 4 days post op band and today is a good day. feel sore but much better, not much gas. i am eating soft foods and on the mend. hope you feel better soon! liz