emmylou

Alright. I've started going back to Curves. I continue to lose weight. Right after my last post mentioning that I wasn't going to get a fill right then, my mojo left and I realized I needed to get one. LOL It was very interesting since the feeling of satiety to hunger without long term satiety literally came overnight. So, I waited until my appt. today to have it done. First fill wasn't as bad as I thought it "could" be. It was pretty straight forward and quick. I had to lie flat on a table, she got everything ready, felt for the port and asked me to raise both of my legs as she pushed the needle in. She got it dead on. I didn't feel anything after the initial poke (which wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, kinda a little more than the poke for giving blood). I still had the needle in there as they did a quick barium swallow to check everything out. I love watching that stuff. My band and pouch looked just fine. She then had me drink some water to see how it felt. I believe I have around 3ccs in there as she said it appears that I already had 1 cc. The water went down fine, though it seemed to back up a little if I drank quickly. She then pulled it out while I was standing (you could opt for either lying or standing). It didn't hurt but was weird to have her twist that sucker outta there! Once that needle is in that port, that sucker is in! LOLOL Depending on which side you speak to, I've lost 25-34lbs to date. I'm feeling well. I will be getting another fill in two weeks and hope that maybe I'll find myself in the green zone and experience what I was feeling before as far as long term satiety.

Alright. I've started going back to Curves. I continue to lose weight. Right after my last post mentioning that I wasn't going to get a fill right then, my mojo left and I realized I needed to get one. LOL It was very interesting since the feeling of satiety to hunger without long term satiety literally came overnight. So, I waited until my appt. today to have it done. First fill wasn't as bad as I thought it "could" be. It was pretty straight forward and quick. I had to lie flat on a table, she got everything ready, felt for the port and asked me to raise both of my legs as she pushed the needle in. She got it dead on. I didn't feel anything after the initial poke (which wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, kinda a little more than the poke for giving blood). I still had the needle in there as they did a quick barium swallow to check everything out. I love watching that stuff. My band and pouch looked just fine. She then had me drink some water to see how it felt. I believe I have around 3ccs in there as she said it appears that I already had 1 cc. The water went down fine, though it seemed to back up a little if I drank quickly. She then pulled it out while I was standing (you could opt for either lying or standing). It didn't hurt but was weird to have her twist that sucker outta there! Once that needle is in that port, that sucker is in! LOLOL Depending on which side you speak to, I've lost 25-34lbs to date. I'm feeling well. I will be getting another fill in two weeks and hope that maybe I'll find myself in the green zone and experience what I was feeling before as far as long term satiety.

Tomorrow I'll be six weeks post op. I started going back to Curves today and did everything slowly and carefully as to test whether I would dislodge anything. Nope, still intact as far as I know. :cursing: I lost 7 lbs from 7-30 to 8-10 even being on soft chew which was interesting but hey I'm not complaining. I opted not to get a fill and the psych lady disagreed with my decision but the PA was like do as you like! I'm eating until I'm not hungry and feeling ok with it. I may get a small fill just to say I did? :thumbup: I'm fitting nicely into clothes I bought, wore, and quickly grew out of the last time I lost 40 lbs, which is interesting since I haven't lost 40 lbs yet. What else? I feel pretty good about myself at the moment. Sexy or something.... I don't know. Just something new. :thumbup:

Tomorrow I'll be six weeks post op. I started going back to Curves today and did everything slowly and carefully as to test whether I would dislodge anything. Nope, still intact as far as I know. :wub: I lost 7 lbs from 7-30 to 8-10 even being on soft chew which was interesting but hey I'm not complaining. I opted not to get a fill and the psych lady disagreed with my decision but the PA was like do as you like! I'm eating until I'm not hungry and feeling ok with it. I may get a small fill just to say I did? :thumbup: I'm fitting nicely into clothes I bought, wore, and quickly grew out of the last time I lost 40 lbs, which is interesting since I haven't lost 40 lbs yet. What else? I feel pretty good about myself at the moment. Sexy or something.... I don't know. Just something new.

They began to die down for me around week 2 as far as intensity. I took Xanax (sp?) and the pain killers to try to help relax them. I still had them, though not at all nearly as intense, up to a week and 1/2 ago. Seems the need to burp would trigger them. I discovered that if I took quick steady mouth breaths that the burp would sometimes ease on out. I couldn't force them anymore. They suck badly and I feel for you. I guess it just takes time for everything to loosen up a bit? I hope they pass for your quickly.

This band is interesting. Here's an example of what I could eat for lunch prior to surgery: Wendy's double stack, med. fry, med. drink, large frosty. Now: A grilled chicken sandwich. I'm assuming the band has made me fearful to overeat, so I don't. I eat until I'm no longer hungry and then stop. I have not experienced fullness, only satiety. Satiety it pretty neat. So why couldn't I stop at satiety before?! Why did it take getting the band to be fearful of stuffing myself???? Why am I now ok with NOT stuffing myself? I plan on asking the shrink this week. My incisions are still on the mend, but doing well. I've lost weight but I don't know how much since I'm not weighing myself, but I'm now able to fit back into clothes I was wearing last time I lost 40 lbs, which is pretty cool. My self confidence is rising and I've started to care about what I look like. I'm wearing jewelry and makeup again, I'm going out just to go out where before I would rather sit at home and not have people see me. I hope to continue doing well and I hope that once I'm cleared for more vigorous exercise that I will continue to rock. I do not plan on getting a fill until after I see what additional excercise can do for me. I eat when I'm hungry, and that's it. I stop when I'm not, and that's it. Fairly simple, but wasn't so simple before the band. I'm happy for now, I hope it continues.

This band is interesting. Here's an example of what I could eat for lunch prior to surgery: Wendy's double stack, med. fry, med. drink, large frosty. Now: A grilled chicken sandwich. I'm assuming the band has made me fearful to overeat, so I don't. I eat until I'm no longer hungry and then stop. I have not experienced fullness, only satiety. Satiety it pretty neat. So why couldn't I stop at satiety before?! Why did it take getting the band to be fearful of stuffing myself???? Why am I now ok with NOT stuffing myself? I plan on asking the shrink this week. My incisions are still on the mend, but doing well. I've lost weight but I don't know how much since I'm not weighing myself, but I'm now able to fit back into clothes I was wearing last time I lost 40 lbs, which is pretty cool. My self confidence is rising and I've started to care about what I look like. I'm wearing jewelry and makeup again, I'm going out just to go out where before I would rather sit at home and not have people see me. I hope to continue doing well and I hope that once I'm cleared for more vigorous exercise that I will continue to rock. I do not plan on getting a fill until after I see what additional excercise can do for me. I eat when I'm hungry, and that's it. I stop when I'm not, and that's it. Fairly simple, but wasn't so simple before the band. I'm happy for now, I hope it continues. :sad:

I think I was back somewhat in the saddle around 2 weeks post op and very carefully. LOL It's in full great swing now at almost 6 weeks post op. I continue to lose weight and gain confidence and it seems to spur the libido right along.

Mine covered: Preop psych eval, dietitian pre op class and one post op, two years post op fills and office visits, surgery (the outpatient center, anesthesia, the band, etc.), lifetime support group and some other stuff that I can’t think of now. My package was $17k. I did the pre op blood work, sleep study, barium swallow, and other testing through my insurance, but they didn’t cover WLS.

I've wondered the same thing. I've read people here say they're full, but I wonder if it's satiety? I'm curious to see in the future. I'm on purees at the moment and I eat when hungry just until I'm not hungry. I have not experienced what I would consider fullness as experienced before surgery. I just get this nice ok I'm not hungry anymore and stop. I get hungry often and wonder if I'm eating too much. If I eat something thicker, like hummus, I stay satisfied a few hours. I think that most of my mushies are just sliding on through. I guess next week it will get better once I begin soft foods as far as satiety.

Restorative Obesity Surgery, Endolumenal and they go through your mouth so no external incisions. Your stomach pouch or stoma (the connection between the pouch and small intestine) may have stretched in the years since your original surgery, reducing the feeling of fullness after you eat. This incisionless surgical procedure restores the size of the pouch and stoma similar to the original post-surgery proportions. Using a new advanced and specialized technology called EOS (EndoSurgical Operating System) that uses very precise surgical instruments, we can create and suture folds into the pouch to reduce its size (in volume) and at the stoma to reduce its size (in diameter). We perform the procedure entirely through the mouth without making any skin incisions. Because of the lack of external incisions, the ROSE procedure is expected to provide significant advantages to the patient including: Less risk than more invasive traditional open or laparoscopic surgery No postoperative abdominal pain No significant recovery time Absolutely no scarring Outpatient surgery (patients go home the same day)

I'm still healing and not so concerned about gaining or losing right now. My weight in my signature is from my first post op on 7/16 when they took my weight. I have another 7/30 and will post the new weight then. I won't get obsessive about losing until I'm on regular food and have been cleared to kick arse and take names exercise wise. Right now, I'm just walking and enjoying mushies. They'll be time to scale obsess later I reckon. LOL

I'm not sure where you are located, but my surgeon does perform BOB's and ROSE. I accidentally attended their free webinar on BOB & ROSE when I was checking them out for banding. More BOB info from their site Advanced Weight Loss Solutions :: Weight Loss Surgery :: Types Of Procedures :: Band Over Bypass

My surgeon's office said no lifting over 10lbs for first 6 weeks, nothing too strenuous for the first 6 weeks but walking, riding a bike, resistance bands, etc. were ok, but not to over do it. I totally appreciate the need and the want to jump on it and get it going, but I'm gonna wait it out until I'm all the way healed up and cleared before I go back to Curves and bust arse again. I'd rather take the time now than to start early and possible screw something up! :smile2:

Mine is about 3-4" above my belly button in the center. I was expecting it to be more upper mid section toward the side like in the diagrams, etc.

I too noticed that the left side of my port incision was red and mine was actually infected. First I emailed a pic to the PA (trying to save an office visit LOL) and she called me and told me to just keep an eye on it since sometimes sutures want to come out of one end of the port incision for some reason. If it got worse after a day to come in so they could take a look and prescribe anitbiotics. After a day or so the redness around the area got better and there was less drainage, but the incision itself is still red. I have a suture sticking out and can see it. If it's still there this coming Thrusday, I'll have them take care of it at my second post op appt. I ain't pullin' nothing out! LOL I would call your surgeons office, that's what they're there for. :tongue2:

I am fearful and having anxiety about beginning full time mushies Tuesday. I did mess around yesterday with a tablespoon of mushed up fries and ketchup and stopped once my belly wasn't rumbling (though it began again 30 minutes later and I had a shake.) Even though my belly wasn't by any means feeling full, I wasn't hungry either and I stopped. I wanted to continue to eat though just because it was sooooooooooo freakin' good. My fear is that I will push it and experience pain or stretch my pouch. I'm also afraid that I will not be able to get all the liquids in between eating puree's. I went shopping today and got all kinds of stuff that will probably last a damn month though purees are for 2 weeks. I'm excited to taste something OTHER than chocolate Protein shakes again but fearful of screwing up too. Is this normal? LOL

I began Chantix to stop smoking this past Monday 7-20. The pills can have side effects like crazy dreams, suicidal thoughts, depression, etc. I've been feeling down that last few days and want to contribute my feelings to the pills. I would love it if they actually make not smoking easier. Quit date is supposed to be 7-28, here's hoping I stay on this band wagon as well! I have been having weird thoughts, not suicidal ones. These poll type questions pop into my mind. One that keeps playing is "If you found yourself suddenly single (whether married or dating) would you go right out and start dating again?" My answer to myself was yes, but for sex only. lol No rolling around in misery for me, just give me no strings attached sex to drown my sorrows. I've been up since 4am and couldn't go back to sleep. It's now 15 minutes before I would normally get up and NOW I feel sleepy again. Purees are cool. I thought they would be gross, but they taste the same as if I were chewing stuff up. The processor just saves me the time of actually chewing it up. lol I'm now afraid that I'm eating too much. If the food is liquidy, it seems I could keep on eating forever if I wanted. I'm eating when hungry and until I'm not hungry. I'm not sure what full feels like and am not sure if I wanna find out. If I eat hummus it seems to stick to my ribs and keep me satisfied for a while, which I like. So, is satisfied the new full?

I began Chantix to stop smoking this past Monday 7-20. The pills can have side effects like crazy dreams, suicidal thoughts, depression, etc. I've been feeling down that last few days and want to contribute my feelings to the pills. I would love it if they actually make not smoking easier. Quit date is supposed to be 7-28, here's hoping I stay on this band wagon as well! I have been having weird thoughts, not suicidal ones. These poll type questions pop into my mind. One that keeps playing is "If you found yourself suddenly single (whether married or dating) would you go right out and start dating again?" My answer to myself was yes, but for sex only. lol No rolling around in misery for me, just give me no strings attached sex to drown my sorrows. I've been up since 4am and couldn't go back to sleep. It's now 15 minutes before I would normally get up and NOW I feel sleepy again. Purees are cool. I thought they would be gross, but they taste the same as if I were chewing stuff up. The processor just saves me the time of actually chewing it up. lol I'm now afraid that I'm eating too much. If the food is liquidy, it seems I could keep on eating forever if I wanted. I'm eating when hungry and until I'm not hungry. I'm not sure what full feels like and am not sure if I wanna find out. If I eat hummus it seems to stick to my ribs and keep me satisfied for a while, which I like. So, is satisfied the new full?

I must admit that purees do rock. I'm not sure why I was nervous. Perhaps I was looking at my new stomach as this tiny thing in which nothing will fit anymore? Now my concern is eating too much. I'm not sure how much to eat. I've been eating when hungry and until I'm not hungry, but not until full. I don't know what full is and don't wanna push it. I have noticed that if I eat something thicker like hummus, I get satisfied and do not feel hungry as quickly as I do if I eat green Beans and mashed potatoes. I'm still supplementing with shakes, but am enjoying purees. Thanks everyone!

Ditto neighbor. Thankfully my "burp spasms" ended last week. I guess I just needed to let the hernia sutures "loosen up" a bit? I'm now able to burp without pain. I had the trouble breathing deep for a few days, and then the spasms. I would take a combo of xanax and lortab and would relax the spasms and me (since they were painful and freakin' me out!). The pain (for me) was bad enough to make me regret having surgery! You never believe it while it's happening to you but it will get better! Try to walk or get out. I did circles in my house just to move some. Also, the surgeon told my husband that I may not even notice the hernia repair. I think if you have suffered with the hernia prior to surgery, you just may well feel great after it's repaired. I didn't know I had one and wasn't suffering other than controlled heartburn. My midsection muscle soreness went away last Wednesday. My only pain now is incision tenderness. Other than that, I don't feel like I've really had anything done to me. :thumbup: I'm able to sleep on my belly just fine too for the last few days.

Down 20 since beginning liquids 6-23. :thumbup: We'll see what happens now that I'm doing purees.

Ahhhhh, groovy man........ I wasn't supposed to start purees until tomorrow, but I thought 12 hours won't make that big of a difference right? I became a puree machine this evening. I've got mashed potatoes, tuna salad, egg salad, green beans, and hummus. Weird collection, but hey what can I say? I did my eating by tasting the purees as I made them and then waiting to see what happened. Man it was awesome after a month of liquids........heaven. I don't know why I was so apprehensive about beginning purees as far as being in pain or causing damage. I stopped when I wasn't hungry, but I wasn't by any means full either. Right now, I'm blissfully NOT HUNGRY for the first time in a month. I swear to you that I started to feel a little dizzy and just happy after cleaning up my processor. I just wonder if it has anything to do with me starting Chantix (to stop smoking) today? I'm feeling no pain and am actually a little drowsy, ahhhhhhh, I feel relaxed and well. Let's see what happens tomorrow....:thumbup:

Ahhhhh, groovy man........ I wasn't supposed to start purees until tomorrow, but I thought 12 hours won't make that big of a difference right? I became a puree machine this evening. I've got mashed potatoes, tuna salad, egg salad, green beans, and hummus. Weird collection, but hey what can I say? I did my eating by tasting the purees as I made them and then waiting to see what happened. Man it was awesome after a month of liquids........heaven. I don't know why I was so apprehensive about beginning purees as far as being in pain or causing damage. I stopped when I wasn't hungry, but I wasn't by any means full either. Right now, I'm blissfully NOT HUNGRY for the first time in a month. I swear to you that I started to feel a little dizzy and just happy after cleaning up my processor. I just wonder if it has anything to do with me starting Chantix (to stop smoking) today? I'm feeling no pain and am actually a little drowsy, ahhhhhhh, I feel relaxed and well. Let's see what happens tomorrow....:smile:

It's soo much tougher to do when people around you are eating regular stuff. I can only imagine trying to do it with kids as well! I went on strike as far as cooking for the last month, I cooked only what I could eat (wasn't much). DH either cooked stuff I didn't like (but the smells would make me want it sometimes) or eat out. Check online for some broth recipes. I decided I'd had enough plain chicken broth early on and made hot and sour Soup broth. I lived on that stuff for two weeks preop and postop in addition to my muscle milke shakes, Diet V8 Splash, Diet Decaf Tea (Turkey Hill is good), Diet Snapple, boxed soups by Imagine (found 'em cheaper at Whole Foods). I don't know how long you've been on liquids, since surgeons directions vary wildly, but I think being on a 14 day preop liquid diet prepared me for the 14 days post op liquids. I went through my "crazy woman" stage at days 4 and 5 preop and cheated when the stakes weren't as high. I've been on liquids for a month, but that ended tonight though wasn't supposed to until tomorrow). :smile: I'm about to post to my blog about how stoned I am on purees right now. LOL Hang in there! Preop liquids was hell for me, post op wasn't so bad until the last few days. Keep your eyes on the prize that is only days ahead of you! Purees baby!! LOL Even though I was nervous to begin purees, I'm all for it now! LOL