rottie69

Hi, I was banded in Sept. 09. Doing good so far, ive lost 30+ pounds. I have had 4 fills and am very close to my sweet spot but havent quite hit it. Hopefully next times the charm. I had to do 6 months of preperation BEFORE i could even get an appoitnment with the surgeon. 1. Refferal fomr my Doc 2. orientation class. 3. Support group meeting 4. nutrition class 5. Nutrition consult (1 on 1) 6. Phsycological consult Finally I was able to get in and see the surgeon. SO after all that I had very very few questions about food and the like. How long did it take you from start to finish for your surgery? I was 7 months then my insurance denied me. SO it was another7 months and I tried again due to some changes my insurance company made. I was apporved the second time. It doesnt sound liek you had alot of WLS education. Protein drinks will fill you up because the fill everything above and below the band, plus its harder for your body to breakdown protein and you stay satisfied longer. Slider foods, I agree with ya, if you chew chew chew,,,it all gets minced up, BUT, in chewing sooooooo much you eat slooooooooow and realize you are full sooner and tend not to eat as much. Thats how it works for me anyway. Potatoe chips are slider food, imagine that. I eat anything, I dont know if that makes me lucky or one of the ones that has to work a little harder. The only thing I have any trouble with at all are boiled eggs. I eat meat, steak, pork chicken, bread, toast, eggs, fuit and veges. I cant imagine living on chicken and veges. I loooove to slow cook ribs, I trim any fat I see off and then rub a little barbeque sauce on them and roast them,,,meat falls off the bone. I cant eat as much as my eyes want but its all good I have a salad with it and its oooohhhh so good. I cant eat anywhere near what I use to eat but its ok, ill make do and take that as a very good sign. Im not sure if this helped at all. Have fun and beware of bandster hell, try to stay focused, and it will come off. Take care!

I was off for 2 weeks, BUT I lug bricks, mix cement, install pipes (culverts) shovel and rake and bounce up and down in a truck all day,lol. After my 2 weeks was up I had another 4 weeks of not being able to lift over 20 pounds. Due to my job She wouldnt let me go back any sooner. I say that if your comfortable and your Doc gives you the go ahead then go back. Just dont push it. Its amazing how hard just bending over is a few weeks after surgery.

Hi everyone, I agree with "it clicked",:crying: my surgeon and allllll the people involved with my banding preached that this is only a tool. Hee hee, I tihnk I had selective hearing also. I knew I had to eat better and make better choices,,BUT sometimes, here and there, I conveniently FORGOT:blink: those rules. I havent gained any of my lost weight back but im not losing either. SO at my last Doc visit and my 4th fill my DOc blasted :cursing:me and blasted me good:blushing:. She said I need to start working the band, not wait for my sweet spot to work it for me. I go back in the first week of March for another fill and im worried she wont give it to me unless I lose some weight so guess what? "CLICK" :tt2:im working it, no weight loss but my pants are looser in 3 weeks,,,somethings happening:biggrin:. Eating better and working out YAY!!!!! Finally getting into a routine. I wont say I went through bandster hell, bacause I was perfectly content being able to eat what I was eating and NOT gain any weight,,,but now Im working and liking the results.:scared2:

Hi, Banded on sept. 16th. 09. Total lost all together 32.5 pounds. Stalled at the moment, I need another fill, but holding my own. I started out walking but 3 weeks ago bumped it up to P90X, its a series of 12 DVD's, very very hard, beachbody.com puts it out. Its an incredibel workout I absolutely love it. When im done I know ive done a workout. 45 to 60 minutes a day for 6 days and then day off. I have to get up early to do it because if I wait until the end of the day im too tired to do it,:scared2:lol. I get another fill in early march, and im soooooo very close to the sweet spot:thumbup:! Hopefully this is it.

Patience, you are going to need patience. Support you can get here and at home but most of all patience. Its not a quick fix. If you feel down or like you shouldnt have done this,,PLEASE dont let it consume you, its temporary, those feelings, if you have them, will go away. Hang in there! Take care and congrats!

UGH, my poor husband! At my 2 week post-op visit I asked the Doc if it was normal to have NO sex drive. She said sometimes surgery will affect ppl that way but I should be back to normal in no time. It was 3 weeks before I had any desire to have sex, my poor hubby was about out of his tree. LOL, I felt so bad for him. I didnt have any pain at all. BUT after 3 weeks ,LMAO it didnt last that long. Poor hubby.:redface:

How can your employer dictate what the insurance company will cover? My employer doesnt even know I had the surgery. IM lost on this one.

I have Cigna also. I was denied surgery in January 09 because I didnt have a 2 year documented history of obesity. THANK GOD they changed that in June 09. I went back to see the advocate in august and she found the good news and I was approved and had surgery 28 days late on september 16th 09. Good luck.

Can I ask why you were denied? I was denied the firest time too (january 09) In August 09 I decided to try again and see what heppens, I was approved. Whe I was denied the first time Cigna said it was because I hadnt been over weight fro 24 consecutive months. OMG WHO WERE THEY KIDDING???? I had been overweight for 12 plus years!!!!!!!!! I just didnt have official domcumentation. In June of 09 they changed the rules to 12 months of documented obesity. So I was approved.

OMG!!!! ROFLMAO @ ass draggin on the floor. I have a Rat Terrier, HER name is Max ( I know I know) you are so lucky. When Max drags her ass its a trip to the vet for a MOST disgusting ANAL GLAND squeeze to relieve the ,,,ummmmm, pressure. Congrats on being so close to the 100's. Im 12 pounds away but will get there hopefully before christmas.

I was banded on sept. 16th 09, and I was so excited about getting the band. I hadnt discovered this site at that time. I was a day out and was in a near panic at what I had done, I had been working on getting this done for 1 YEAR, ugh. I was terrified that i had put this thing in my body and I was stuck with it. I thought it was the wrong decision, I didnt want it in and I was litterally panicking at the thought I had done it. Those thoughts and feelings only lasted a very very short time. I tihnk it was a week out that the feelings went away and I was fine. Now almost 2 months out I wouldnt even know I have a badn in me, I cant eat quite as much but im still not at my sweet spot, another fill in december should bring a closer to that spot. I have lost some weight and feel very good about what I have done and wouldnt change it for anything now. Hang in there and it will get better. You will be eatign solids soon. And then the journey to your sweet spot begins, I wont tell you thats pretty but you will get there, or should I say, WE will get there.

My first request for the surgery was denied and it took 10 days to hear that. That was in Janyuary of 09. My second request was in August of 09 and it took 7 days and I was approved. Surgery was a mere 28 days later, banded on september 16th 09!!!!! Doing well, down 23 pounds!

I hear ya. Oh boy do I feel your pain. I was banded on Sept. 16th 09. I lost 10 lbs on pre op diet, and another 12 lbs within the first 8 days post-op, since then I gained 3 lbs back and lost them plus 1/2 lb. Ugh, thats it. No more. I have had one 2cc fill and am not sceduled for another until Dec. 8th 09. Im hanging in there, but whoever says its headhunger is full of it. If my belly GROWLS its not coming from my head, and it usualy growls within 1.5 to 2 hours after eating. I am really good allllll week long but on the weekends it goes to hell in a handbasket, and in that basket are goodies I shouldnt eat,lol. Kepp walking and working out as best ya can, keep your head up. I have resigned myself to the fact that im enjoying some stuff I wont be able to enjoy when I hit my sweet spot, until then ill keep pluggin away and lose 1/2 pound at a time. Then LOOK OUT fat your out the back door!

Hi. I agree on not telling ppl. My husband knows and my mother knows, thats it. My son has no idea and my co-workers dont know either. I havent even told my best friend of 20+ years. People look at WLS in very very different ways. I dont want their crap, I will not be told im a lazy dieter and had to cheat to lose it. This is not easy and I still need to watch what I eat and I need to work out to make this work for me. I just dont need people raining on my parade, and im not going to explain to anyone why I did things MY WAY. Good luck to you and I hope you become a BIG LOSER !!!! I know im trying to get that name. LOL.:wink2:

I had my band on Sept.16th 09. I agree with the different guidelines for different docs, frustrating. Heres how I went with my diet befroe and after surgery. 235 lbs. b4 2 week pre-op high Protein liquid diet. 225 lbs. Day of surgery, Water only after the surgery for 24 hours. Mushies for 2 weeks post-op. PROBLEM, pureed foods made me GAG! I mean gag like I would vomit, PAIN! I went to no carb, high protein food (meat) cooked until it feel off the bone. I lost 12 pounds in the first 8 days of post-op. I told the nutritionist that I see about the mushies and she said as long as I ate slowly and took my time chewing it I was good AND I lost weight. I have only lost 1/2 pound since then because the swelling went down and ive only had one 2cc fill. I get another one on Dec. 8th. I am currently 212 pounds and happy with that I will lose more when im at my sweet spot unitl then I just watch what I eat.

1 cup of food and then your good for 4 hours. AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!! Im hoping for the same feeling with my fill on tuesday. But im guessing it willbe more like 2 or 3 fills before im where you are. Good for you to be at a 4 hour hold!

Hi, I had my band put in place on sept. 16th. since then I have lost a total of 12.5 pounds for a total of 22.5 between pre op liquid diet and 8 days after surgery. I go for my first fill on tuesday. I havent gained any weight since my 8th day but I havent lost any either. I am walking on my treadmill almost daily, and I definately cant eat the amounts I used to eat. I believe that is the reason I have not gained weight. I have NO restriction, I cant wait for my fill tuesday. Im hoping ti will give me a little restriction, right now any would be good. I came in here ALOT in the beginning and read as many posts as I could and relaized I was going to have to work at this, just not quite as hard as I had been before my band. Im doing well and im right on track with most ppl that get a band. Ive lost some and while waiting for my fills to get me to my "sweet spot" I think ill keep up with my treadmill. I was well educated as well with the program im in also. Alot of learning befroe the band. All is well and im ok with the fact that I havent lo9st any weight since day 8. That day is coming , but ill still have to work a little to get it off. By the way, Congratulations on getting your band, and good luck to you. You have made it this far, im sure you will get to your goal.

Hi! I am 10 days post op and was concerened about the same thing you are, Water. 64 oz? Holy cow ill never be able to do it. BUT I did. In the am when I get up, before I have my meal, I drink 16 OZ of water. It usualy takes me about 30 to 40 mins to do it, then I have Breakfast. 1 hour later I start on my 2nd 16 oz bottle and the same there, 30 to 40 mins to finish. Then I eat lunch and wait 1 hour and have my 3rd bottle, I do the same thing at dinner time wait and hour and have my last bottle, theres 60 oz's. I like to have 1 or 2 popsicles somewhere through my day and it gives me my required amount of Fluid. It took a little getting used to but it helps get em in. Good luck to you. OH,., 10 days out and im down 12.5 pounds! YAY!

Cathy, that sounds DELICIOUS! I am definately trying the tin foil treat. What a perfect way to get my entire meal cooked at once, with no clean up like you said. Its hard when im cooking for my family and im trying to pick off what they are having, so this is prefect. Brings a whole new meaning to " HOT POCKETS ". Thank you so much. I cant wait to try it.

Hi, I was banded on the 16th and my worst day was my 2nd day post op, I was bloated and hurting and I was told to take the gas x strips that melt on your tongue, unfortunately I was told this a couple days ago, so I suffered with it.:mad: But, ask yuor Doc if you can use that and see if it helps. I was also lucky not to have to be on liquids or mushies, I went right in and was eating solids, thank you someone! I have done well with my weight loss I did lose. I cant see where the jello would hurt BUT you really really need protein. Take care and good luck.

Hi everyone, this is a great thread so glad someone thought to open it. I was banded on 9-16-09, my husband took me and we aarrived at 8:45 am I was scheduled for 10:45. After checking in and getting my lovely wrist band I went to another room where I was given a johnny and pant and a robe YAY to put on, then some blood drawn and my vitals. Then we waited, my husband was so nervous he couldnt stop talking,lol. I had an RN come get me about 1/2 hour late and away we went to the holding room. She gave me some meds , they were for nausea, pain, keeping Fluid from my abdomen and 2 others I cant remember. After that she strated my IV. She was in an incredibly good mood and it kept me smiling. I had someone from anestesia come in and explain to me what was going to happen when I arrived in the OR, and then I waited. It was around 11:30 before I went anywhere but thats ok, we were very busy doing all those other things. Time just flew by. I was taken to the OR it was HUGE and I can remember alot of people in there moving around. I had some assistance moving to the table because they gave me something in my IV right before we left the holding room to make me relaaaaaaax, and relax I did. Thye put my arms out and the anestesioligist was tlaking to me about going to sleep he put a mask on my face and that was it, I woke up rolling into the recovery room. I was immediately asked if I had any pain, no, I didnt. I was asked several more times if I had pain ,and I didnt. they did an xray and then about 1 hour later they sent me to a room, it was PRIVATE, YAY! My hubby was there napping,lol. He woke up we talked they asked if I had pain, no I didnt. I was given some ice chips mmmmmmmm. About 3 hours later I had peed and they let hubby help me get dressed and I went home. After we got home I sat on the porch and watched my chickens and talked with my son and then went in and went to bed. I have only had 1 day of pain, postop day 2, I had gas and it was in my upper left back, walking didnt touch it so I took my pain meds and they helped alot. I am now 8 days out and feel great, I walk on treadmill every day and I have lost 12 POUNDS in 8 days! jan-09, 245 aug-09 235 pre-op diet saw a 10 pound loss. surgery day, 225 current weight 8 days later, 213

Hi, I was banded on Sept. 16 and am now 6 days out . I have lost 8 1/2 pounds and I have had no trouble with anything ive eaten. OH, and I eat solids, no liquid mushy diet. :bored:

:bored: Hi, my email is emt69@live.com. I cant wait to hear from ya and hear how its going .

I was also banded on the 16th, nice to find someone else who was too.:bored: I was only on liquids the first day. After that it was what I could tolerate. I am eating solid foods and handle it quite well. I have lost 8 1/2 pounds since surgery and im walking on my treadmill and around the yard during the day. I FEEL water go by my band, I dont know if thats feeling the band, but its also the only thing I feel go through , or past the band. I hanve never felt anytihng else. Pleas, if you dont mind, I would love to keep in touch with somone who was banded the same time I was. If thats ok, let me know and I will send my email addy to you. Good luck.:smile2: