Buttsy84

Hey Anya. Did your husband come home yet? How long is going to be back for? Has your fill made a difference that you can tell? I feel like I am failing. I am not eating the right things and I have gained some weight back. I think a lot of it is water weight.(I have been on water pills for a year, and I switched to a new medicine that doesn't seem to be working half as well.) I think I could use another fill also. For lunch, I am eating 1 to 1.5 cups of food, and for dinner, sometimes close to 2. I went to the store tonight and I am trying to refocus on healthy foods, even when they may not be convenient. Longtime bandsters aren't lying when they say every day is a struggle. I have my next fill with Dr. H on July 9th. I am going to try to do my best to follow "the program" until then. I hope you are doing better than I am. What do you think of this heat? Our AC broke, our house is 92 right now, and I am MISERABLE. Doesn't help with my swelling issue either. Take Care.

Rachel

Hey Anya. I am having a MUCH better time now. I have restriction. I am having a hard time eating in the morning, as I've said. My protein shake holds me until lunch time. For lunch I find that I can only eat about a cup of food.This holds me until dinner time. In the evening I feel like I can eat a little more.Great job on the weight loss! With almost 40 lbs gone, I would be surprised if your husband can't tell. It is hard to explain what the tightness felt like. It felt like whatever I swallowed went half way down my throat but then it was stopped by a HUGE bubble of air. Sometimes it did feel like when something gets stuck. I didn't get to see Dr. H. I think they said he was coming in the following day.I can't wait to see him again. I feel more comfortable with him I think. And you are right... he does give better shots. Have you noticed any difference with this new fill? Do you go to any support meetings or do you have any friends that are banded? Keep up the good work!

Rachel

Hi Anya. I didn't have too much luck with my third fill. I was having trouble with liquids and I threw up for the first time on Sunday when trying solid foods. It was horrible. The only thing I can try and think of to describe what I was feeling was every time I swallowed, even water, it felt like it went half way down and then a huge air bubble came up at the same time. It was like the liquid and the air bubble were playing tug of war for a few before it finally passed either way. I went and had .5cc removed and I felt MUCH better immediately. Rachel or Nikki (can't remember which) told me that this is one of the most common symptoms of being too tight. So I believe now, according to my paperwork, I have 4.5cc. I have planned my meals better this week, so hopefully, with my current fill restriction, and eating right, the scale will start moving. How is your restriction? Have you had any problems? When is your husband supposed to be coming home?

Rachel

Hi Anya. How are you doing? Do you have more restriction with the second fill? I just had my third today with Karen again. I haven't gained or lost a single pound since the last fill. (I have gained a few pounds of water weight the last few days). She only put 0.8cc in this time. I know that I am losing inches though, because my clothes are fitting MUCH looser, and she was able to do the fill without flouro this time. I just wish the numbers would show it! Anyway, they said Dr. Hitchcock is supposed to come back maybe next week, but by the week after for sure. I like Karen, but I just wish I could talk to Dr. Hitchcock about things too. It just seems like he gives more info/answers. Megan is gone on maternity leave also. I believe they said she is being induced on Monday. Oh well.. hope all is well with you.

Rachel

Hi Anya. I don't feel like I have too much restriction. I had a good time camping, but we were rained out of half of it. Tomorrow we are going to an all day rock concert at Liberty Memorial. Its gonna be hot but it will be fun. I have not been eating right and I sure haven't been getting enough water either. It is still way to easy to eat out, which we have been doing a lot of. I need to get with the program. I haven't lost anymore since about the first 4-5 days after my second fill, but my clothes are getting looser. I have caught myself eating too fast or not chewing enough too often. I get that stuck feeling sometimes. It doesn't last long but it hurts like hell. I seem to always have trouble with food in the morning though. That first meal is just a no-go for me. Keep up the good work! I am so happy for you that you get to see your husband!

Rachel

PS - Have you been going to any support group meetings?

Hi Anya. I have lost somewhere between 5 and 8 pounds since last Thursday. It is still hard to eat first thing in the morning. I have to be up and moving for atleast 2 hours before I am okay to eat something. I do not find that I am "hungry", but I find myself eating because it is "lunch time" or "dinner time". I need to break myself of that. I haven't had any problems with this fill, but I do notice restriction. Not a whole lot, but some. Maybe #3 will be good for a while. The last two days I have worked more than 14 hours a day, so I am looking forward to my vacation! Still waiting on the weather man to make up his mind on whether or not it is going to rain though! Glad to hear you are doing better with will power. Have a good holiday weekend. Take care.

Rachel

PS - I found that the liquid-mushy-regular phase was not nearly as hard the second time around. I was very rarely hungry during the stages of transition this time.

Hi Anya. I had my second fill today. I lost a few pounds since the first one, but I think I can attribute that to my allergy-head cold that I have had for the last few days. Anyway, Karen just put in 1cc this time. Don't feel too much of a difference yet but I will give it a week before I decide if it made one. I found out that Dr. Hitchcock had open heart surgery on Tuesday for a condition he had. They hope he will be back in within 4 weeks or so, but I don't know about that. My next fill is supposed to be on June 4th. The last week of May, my boyfriend and I are going camping for a week. It will be interesting to try and plan my meals for that! Hope all is going well. When do you have your next fill?

Rachel

Hi Anya. I totally understand. I have a little restriction. It is getting very hard to eat solid food too early in the morning. I can't eat until I am up for atleast 2 hours and at work already. I was supposed to go in today to get my second fill, but like you said, he is out of the office for a few weeks. So.. I see the nurse pract. this Thursday. I have not lost any weight from the first fill, but I have not gained either. I am pretty sick right now though. My allergies have turned into a full blown upper respiratory infection. I am bound to lose a few pounds from this just because food is NOT appetizing at all. I can't taste anything!!! I am sorry you are having a hard time. Just do your best but don't be too hard on yourself. The weight loss and restriction will all come in due time. Good luck. Take Care.

Rachel

Hi Anya. Glad your fill went good. LoL.. I told you that going on this 3 days of transitioning seems to be harder than the preop for some reason. Did you get yours under flouro? Just be careful. If you don't feel restriction right away, it can sneak up on you. I have read where it takes up to two weeks for the fill to "kick in" sometimes. It seems like it took about a week for me to finally feel some restriction. I had a horrible episode of something this morning. Not sure what you could call it. I think I didn't chew well enough and I was eating too fast. Felt like a golf ball in my throat/chest. Felt like I couldnt breathe, couldnt swallow, and I was teary eyed for about 5 minutes. I thought I was going to die!!! Definitely learned my lesson. Let me know how the next couple of days go.

Rachel

Anya,

The 3cc's helped a little... but not much at all. I can still eat quite a bit more than I want to. I have not had any problems with anything. I go back in on the 12th for another fill. Eat normal that morning, and until you go in. After the fill, the rest of that day will be clear liquids. The first full day after will be full liquids. The second full day after will be mushies. On the third full day, you should be able to start solids again. Just introduce them slowly incase you might have problems with something. You will follow that eating schedule for all of your fills. I would suggest eating something REALLY good before you go get your fill. After being able to eat normal, going on liquids and mushies for those days were worse than the pre-op for me! I have no idea why. Let me know how everything goes. Mine was a piece of cake. How much weight have you lost now?

Rachel

Anya,

I have some restriction, but not much. Maybe I will feel a little more when I go back to solids. Was on liquids yesterday and today, so that's just going straight through. Doing mushies tomorrow, so we will see.I go in for a second fill on the 12th. I thought I could feel my port too.. I have no idea what I was feeling around on though! It wasn't even close to the surface like I thought it was. You'll have to let me know how yours goes. Maybe we'll meet up in the office one of these days!

Rachel

Hi Anya. So I went for my first fill today. Very Interesting to say the least. He had to do the fill under flouro because he couldnt feel my port. BARELY felt the needle and I havent had any problems at all. He filled me with 3cc in a 10cc band. Sounds a little aggressive to me, especially after reading about some other peoples experiences. I am NOT complaining though. The sooner I can get this show on the road the better! When do you go in for yours?

Rachel