mcb2009

Oh Bobbie, That just sucks! I'm so sorry this has happened. Fingers crossed they sort it out and that you recover quickly and are able to get back on track. Thinking of you my friend. Mary

Hi everyone, I've been struggling and to be honest avoiding this forum because I was in "avoidance" mode. I was banded on July 6th and didn't get a fill until August 24. I have a 14cc band - and I now have had 4 fills. On Monday I was given .5mL and now am up to 7mL and am definately feeling restriction. I'm still on a liquid diet until tomorrow and then soft foods only. I had a bit of a scare a couple of weeks ago with really bad chest tightness and pain radiating up my neck. It seemed to come on after eating and so initially I thought it was reflux but I've had bad reflux in the past and the pain wasn't the same. My family doctor thought it was likely paricarditis (swelling of sac around heart - caused by a virus)...who knows. The pain was relieved with lots of advil and losec to protect my stomach from the advil. When I saw the surgeon on Monday she read me the riot act because I have been eating bread. Oh god...she ranted on and on about the fact that I should not have been eating bread. I dont' recall getting that message...I was told that it may be difficult to eat bread but the only thing I was told to absolutely avoid is carbonated drinks. Anyway...long winded message but I realize I need to pay more attention to "working the band" and not just sit back idly with the hope that the band will magically melt away the pounds. My weight loss has stalled over the past month and I'm hoping that his latest fill will kick start the loss. Cheers, Mary

Hi everyone, I was banded on July 6 with a 14mL band...had to wait about 7 weeks post-op for my first fill of 4 mL. Since then I've had an additional 3 fills...1mL, 1mL and yesterday .5mL. I'm really feeling restriction now which is odd considering she only put in .5mL. Has anyone out there experienced something similar? That is, getting a small fill but noticing a big difference in restriction? I'm on liquids for 2 days and tomorrow start soft food. I'm getting liquids down but I feel this constand pressure in my neck/throat area which I'm sure is from the band. I'm now wondering if it is too tight and I need to get a small de-fill? Or stick with it for a few days and wait and see what happens. What do you think? Mary

Hey Texas Mommy: I had a very similar experience. I was banded on July 6 and had my first fill on Aug. 24. I have a 14cc band and got 4cc. No zylocaine and only one puncture - she too had my lie down flat, put my hands above my head, do a crunch and voila - it was all done. She didn't think I would have any restriction and I didn't. I was instructed to go on a 2 days of liquid followed by one day of pureed food. I had my second fill this Wednesday (Sep 2) and got another 1.5cc - still no restriction. The surgeon and the nutritionist at the clinic said that it may take 3-4 fills before I feel a restriction. The surgeon at our clinic likes to go very slowly and give patients the time to adjust to the new way of eating. I think I may have a slight restriction because I am eating less and in less than 2 weeks I've finally started to lose again. I'm down 6 lbs in less than 2 weeks so I'm happy! I'm scheduled for my next fill in 2 weeks. Mary

Hey Bobbi, I was banded the day before you and I also have a noticable lump over the port side. Otherwise swelling has all but gone - just the lump over my right side. I'm feeling OK but not enjoying my mother-in-laws cooking. ahhhh...oh well...I only have 2 more days of mushies before I move on to soft regular food. Hope you are well. Cheers, Mary

Hi there, I will be just about 3 weeks post-op when I travel to Ireland (from Toronto) for vacation (8 hr flight). The team at the clinic said no problems at all. Just take my Protein powder with me. The good thing is that when I arrive in Ireland I start the pureed diet for one week and then during the second week I can start on soft food (oh ya!!!). The surgeon at my clinic does not put any saline in the band so I was told that once I've healed there will be no restriction. I was given the 14cc band too...not sure why? Geez...even with band surgery I needed the "plus-size" band! Ahhhhhh! Maybe that's a good thing though - not sure. I don't see the surgeon until late August but I'm going to ask what her criteria is for choosing the 10cc vs the 14cc band. Anyone out there know? Good luck on your flight. Mary

Hi Arb, I'm nearly 2 weeks post-op and for the first week I was sore and so gasy that I too was only able to drink small amounts. I don't recall that I felt "restricted" but I know that I could only drink 1/4 - 1/2 cup of any liquid at one time. Over the first week when everything started to settle down I was able to drink more at a time - albeit, slowly. You will have some swelling which should begin to decrease with each day. If you are worried, give your clinic/surgeon a call to check. Good luck and a speedy recovery to you. Mary

If I were in your shoes I would have lied. Kindness, compassion, encouragment and motivation by acknowledgin her loss is what may help her to keep going. I also agree with some of the other posters that she may have lost those pounds and it may not be obvious. Even what she was wearing could have had an affect on how she looked. Mary