BarbaraWM

My doctor told me my surgery took 11 minutes from the first incision to closing the port incision. I was probably in the operating room for close to an hour total and in recovery for several hours, at least two of which I don't really remember. The PA from my doctor's office told me she came to see me in recovery and we had a conversation but I have no recollection of it at all.

My port incision is also in my navel. It was a little sore for a couple of days at first but healed really nicely. I figure when I'm finished losing weight, It's going to be removed in the tummy tuck anyway but it's nice that I don't have another purple scar for now.

Yes. I hate it right now. I think it might be too tight and I've got indigestion and an overly full feeling from one cup of coffee! Since my last fill I've had problems (PBs, vomiting, hiccups, pain, discomfort) that I thought I could fix by adjusting my eating habits -- eat more slowly, tiny bites, chew well, avoid bread and chicken, eat only 1/2 cup of food, drink liquids slowly -- but that isn't working. I probably need a slight unfill. For the most part though, I'm still a newbie, only 3 months and 1 week since surgery so I am still adjusting. I love that I've lost 35 lbs since surgery (46 since consultation) and am sure I will love my band when I rack up even bigger numbers. Right now though...it's hard not to hate it.

I have had two fills. I felt the first one because the doctor had a little trouble finding the spot he wanted. The 2nd one was over in about 2 seconds - didn't feel it and didn't even need a band-aid. It's no worse than a shot and, as I recall, certainly better than when they put the IV in my hand before surgery. Don't worry.

Try Gas-X strips and the prescribed pain meds. I had no discomfort in my incision but felt horrible - just like you describe. It took me several Gas-X and two percocets to get the pain under control.

You will be fine - just stay away from the booze (it causes liver enlargement and bleeding) until well after surgery.

CURRENT MOOD: Aha! :tongue_smilie: I ate too much! Wow! When I get restriction I really get restriction. It's been almost two weeks since I got my second fill and I've had some issues adjusting. A couple of vomit/slime episodes and definite pain from eating too fast or the wrong food, followed by swelling and finally relief. Today, I really can't eat more than 4 ounces, no matter how healthy the food is! Just finished lunch and I am now very uncomfortable. I ate 1 very small black cod fillet -- it was no more than 3 ounces --, about 1 ounce of steamed spinach and two very very small slices of raw tuna - less than an ounce. Well, I'm sitting here wishing I could burp. I can feel the food sitting at the bottom of my throat and I'm just waiting for that 1/2 hour to pass so I can take a few sips of water and get this food moving down. I seriously considered getting rice on the side when I got my lunch but opted for the tuna instead. The tuna is in the refrigerator, with the miso soup, having earned a reprieve for this meal at least! I've seen people post that their restriction levels are different day-to-day or that a fill sometimes takes a while to settle that's why I say that I have good restriction TODAY. I hope it stays like this. Mexico is one week away, which can't come soon enough since we're facing a blizzard, and I've already met my mini goal of 10 lbs since the fill. Time for a fiesta! Hope those of you facing down the snow (on the ground or about to arrive) have plenty of TP and protein powder! B

CURRENT MOOD: Aha! :thumbup: I ate too much! Wow! When I get restriction I really get restriction. It's been almost two weeks since I got my second fill and I've had some issues adjusting. A couple of vomit/slime episodes and definite pain from eating too fast or the wrong food, followed by swelling and finally relief. Today, I really can't eat more than 4 ounces, no matter how healthy the food is! Just finished lunch and I am now very uncomfortable. I ate 1 very small black cod fillet -- it was no more than 3 ounces --, about 1 ounce of steamed spinach and two very very small slices of raw tuna - less than an ounce. Well, I'm sitting here wishing I could burp. I can feel the food sitting at the bottom of my throat and I'm just waiting for that 1/2 hour to pass so I can take a few sips of water and get this food moving down. I seriously considered getting rice on the side when I got my lunch but opted for the tuna instead. The tuna is in the refrigerator, with the miso soup, having earned a reprieve for this meal at least! I've seen people post that their restriction levels are different day-to-day or that a fill sometimes takes a while to settle that's why I say that I have good restriction TODAY. I hope it stays like this. Mexico is one week away, which can't come soon enough since we're facing a blizzard, and I've already met my mini goal of 10 lbs since the fill. Time for a fiesta! Hope those of you facing down the snow (on the ground or about to arrive) have plenty of TP and protein powder! B

You get munchies the day before surgery? Wow. I had to go on liquids for the day before and then nothing after midnight.

I got my first fill at 3 weeks, 3ccs on top of the 3ccs he put in day of surgery. It pretty much did nothing and I was able to eat anything and more than I should. But, the 2nd fill did the trick - that 1.5ccs last week has give me real restriction on volume and food type. I can't eat bread without pain and some meats are bothering me too. I had my first sliming and vomiting incident this week. Everyone is different though - your fill might be perfect the first time around. Have to wait and see. The beauty is that if it is too much, they can fix it. If it's not enough...they can fix it.

I'm in the same boat. Weighing daily, wearing the same clothing (general, not exact) and at the same time. I get a little obsessive and the up and down 1-3 lbs in just a couple of days wreaks havoc with my mood. I am trying to break the habit and do it once a week but got on this morning AGAIN!

You have amazing self control. If you keep this up, the band is going to be a piece of cake for you! I didn't have to do a pre-op liquid diet. They told me to cut out booze a week before and aspirins and other NSAIDs two weeks before. Otherwise, I had about 4 last meals and the rest of the time I was pretty good at sticking to a normal diet. I lost 11 lbs before surgery too. Seriously, if you decide to eat something solid the night before your 24 hour clear liquid diet, it's not going to make a difference in your liver size or the surgery. You will still have to do clear liquids the day before and nothing by mouth 12 hours before surgery anyway. At least have a salad!

Current Mood: OK, I Guess :drool: Wow! I know what sliming is now and I've just had my first Lapband associated vomit. I feel fine now but it was a bad 1/2 hour for sure. I ate some pulled pork, with a fork, no bun and a fried pickle slice. Definitely ate too fast and didn't chew well enough, at least the pork. Within minutes I had the stuck feeling and then it got worse. I went to the bathroom about 6 times with a combination of severe sliming with heaves and actual vomiting. That was the most unpleasant thing that I've experienced since I got the band. Definitely think this thing works as a deterrent because Lord knows I'm not eating that again and will try to chew, chew, chew! I posted about the "sweet spot" the other day after a fill -- was I there or not? Well, after a few more days, I've decided that I am. I can eat 5-6 bites, chewed well and feel finished. Oh, I still want to keep eating because it tastes so good, but I've been able to stop and not have a vomit or slime (until tonight). Really good news - I am now 2 months and 3 weeks after surgery and this morning I hit 30 lbs lost from the morning of surgery. That's 41 from my consultation! Right on target of 10 lbs per month. I am going to Mexico two weeks from today. I bought a maxi dress from Silhouettes in a size smaller and when I tried it on, the boobs were too big and it was a bit tight around the middle. Also, it is not a tall so rather than brushing the tops of my feet, the hem is about 4" above my ankles. Well, I kept it anyway -- my husband thinks it looks ok already but in two weeks it will look even better! Wooohoo, my first tangible sign of weightloss - a size smaller! Feeling great about this decision right now, even after the rather awful incident this evening. I hope those of you who are struggling can go back and read how frustrated I was a few weeks ago and how much better it has gotten. Don't love the band yet but definitely in deep like, possibly infatuation, with it now.

I force myself to refrain from commenting when I see bad grammar and spelling. I try to remember that not everyone has the same level of education or even level of caring about such things. That being said (Ha! Couldn't resist.), I still can't help thinking people who don't know the difference between where, were and wear should be taken out and shot. Don't get me started on your and you're or I could go on for hours. As for the web abbreviations like DH, TOM, PB and DS I think they are just part of the community culture of websites like this. When I did IVF (which IS a standard medical abbreviation), I was lost for ages trying to figure out what all the lingo meant. I choose not to use the group shorthand, except PB because I like that it looks like I'm talking about peanut butter but means something very different. Vive la crankiness! Rock on, sister.

Current Mood: OK, I Guess :smile2: Wow! I know what sliming is now and I've just had my first Lapband associated vomit. I feel fine now but it was a bad 1/2 hour for sure. I ate some pulled pork, with a fork, no bun and a fried pickle slice. Definitely ate too fast and didn't chew well enough, at least the pork. Within minutes I had the stuck feeling and then it got worse. I went to the bathroom about 6 times with a combination of severe sliming with heaves and actual vomiting. That was the most unpleasant thing that I've experienced since I got the band. Definitely think this thing works as a deterrent because Lord knows I'm not eating that again and will try to chew, chew, chew! I posted about the "sweet spot" the other day after a fill -- was I there or not? Well, after a few more days, I've decided that I am. I can eat 5-6 bites, chewed well and feel finished. Oh, I still want to keep eating because it tastes so good, but I've been able to stop and not have a vomit or slime (until tonight). Really good news - I am now 2 months and 3 weeks after surgery and this morning I hit 30 lbs lost from the morning of surgery. That's 41 from my consultation! Right on target of 10 lbs per month. I am going to Mexico two weeks from today. I bought a maxi dress from Silhouettes in a size smaller and when I tried it on, the boobs were too big and it was a bit tight around the middle. Also, it is not a tall so rather than brushing the tops of my feet, the hem is about 4" above my ankles. Well, I kept it anyway -- my husband thinks it looks ok already but in two weeks it will look even better! Wooohoo, my first tangible sign of weightloss - a size smaller! Feeling great about this decision right now, even after the rather awful incident this evening. I hope those of you who are struggling can go back and read how frustrated I was a few weeks ago and how much better it has gotten. Don't love the band yet but definitely in deep like, possibly infatuation, with it now.

Current Mood: Worried:sad: The Lap Band thing is going well. I'm adjusting to my fill. I think I was eating too fast and a bit too much the first couple of days after the fill and that's why I got stuck a few times. On Saturday night, I tried a slice of turkey and swiss cheese rolled up and the second bite was just wrong. I couldn't get the feeling to pass. I got up and started pacing around the living room and kitchen hoping I could dislodge it. A sip of water made it worse. Finally, I started coughing up thick salive....Slime, I guess...and it eventually went down. Very unpleasant and definitely reinforcing the band as a deterrent to eating too quickly or too much. Won't do that again. So, I'm on the right track but I can't figure out how to get everything in my life going in the same direction at the same time. If my weight is in a good place then something is bound to be wrong at work or in my family. Unfortunately, it's my family this time. My 6.5 year old has started worrying about germs obsessively and is now washing her hands too often, refusing to touch things and even asked me if she could have her own hand sanitizer this morning. I've been noticing this behavior over the last couple of weeks - she would tell me she touched her lip and then the arm of the chair or somethign similar - and was hoping it was a phase but I'm afraid it is really OCD. I've been reading up on OCD in children and though it's very uncommon for a child of her age, it happens. I blame the Swine Flu! All the signs about coughing in your arm, washing hands, not spreading germs, getting flu shots....I think it really worried her and given her genetics, she's probably got a natural propensity for anxiety disorders (I have been known to obsess and have panic attacks in the past). So, my husband says to wait a while to see if it's a phase ("remember that time she started stammering and we discovered a kid in her class that she liked stammered?") but I can't stand to see her so worried and upset. I've called her pediatrician and will try to talk to her teacher today to find out if she's doing the same thing in school. Her babysitter didn't seem to notice it but she's fairly oblivious at times.

Current Mood: Worried:sad: The Lap Band thing is going well. I'm adjusting to my fill. I think I was eating too fast and a bit too much the first couple of days after the fill and that's why I got stuck a few times. On Saturday night, I tried a slice of turkey and swiss cheese rolled up and the second bite was just wrong. I couldn't get the feeling to pass. I got up and started pacing around the living room and kitchen hoping I could dislodge it. A sip of water made it worse. Finally, I started coughing up thick salive....Slime, I guess...and it eventually went down. Very unpleasant and definitely reinforcing the band as a deterrent to eating too quickly or too much. Won't do that again. So, I'm on the right track but I can't figure out how to get everything in my life going in the same direction at the same time. If my weight is in a good place then something is bound to be wrong at work or in my family. Unfortunately, it's my family this time. My 6.5 year old has started worrying about germs obsessively and is now washing her hands too often, refusing to touch things and even asked me if she could have her own hand sanitizer this morning. I've been noticing this behavior over the last couple of weeks - she would tell me she touched her lip and then the arm of the chair or somethign similar - and was hoping it was a phase but I'm afraid it is really OCD. I've been reading up on OCD in children and though it's very uncommon for a child of her age, it happens. I blame the Swine Flu! All the signs about coughing in your arm, washing hands, not spreading germs, getting flu shots....I think it really worried her and given her genetics, she's probably got a natural propensity for anxiety disorders (I have been known to obsess and have panic attacks in the past). So, my husband says to wait a while to see if it's a phase ("remember that time she started stammering and we discovered a kid in her class that she liked stammered?") but I can't stand to see her so worried and upset. I've called her pediatrician and will try to talk to her teacher today to find out if she's doing the same thing in school. Her babysitter didn't seem to notice it but she's fairly oblivious at times.

Hang in there. It will get better. You are young, healthy and headed in the right direction. I wish Lapband had been an option when I was your age. 31 was great - my favorite year ever and it would have been better if I'd lost 50 lbs then. Also, about Lent -- maybe you should think about doing something positive for Lent rather than giving something up. Instead of giving up sugar, why not try to honor God by being a better you. And, do you really think God would be angry with a little sugar on your birthday if you do decide to give it up? You're just in a funk. We've all been there and you'll feel better soon. You've vented now, so move on. PS - Met my husband when I was 34. You've got plenty of time.

Current Mood: Iffy:blink: How did you know if you hit your sweet spot? I got my second fill on Wednesday and since I haven't been able to eat much at all. I stuck to liquids for the first day and pretty soft food the following day. But, everything I have eaten is causing the same feeling... almost a burning sensation at the bottom of my throat as soon as I swallow anything with texture. It's not getting stuck - I've done that recently so I know what that feels like. I am feeling full for a long time after eating very little but, I still feel hunger if I wait too long to put something in my stomach -- say 6 hours. It's just that I don't want to eat because it is unpleasant so I put it off too long. Could be swelling. Could be just right and I haven't worked it out properly yet. Could be too tight. Could be that I'm eating too much too fast (I ate an 8 oz steak in one sitting the day before the fill!). I just don't know yet. I am going to give it the weekend and do everything right. If I'm still having the issue on Monday I will call my doctor. On the positive side, I think I dropped another 4 lbs since Wednesday! Here are my fill stats: 12cc band - currently filled with 7.5ccs -3cc at insertion - 11/9/09 -3cc added at first fill - 12/3/09 -1.5cc added at 2nd fill - 1/27/10 What do you think?

I feel it in the morning when I first wake up. After I have some fluid and move around the sensation goes away.

Current Mood: Iffy:blink: How did you know if you hit your sweet spot? I got my second fill on Wednesday and since I haven't been able to eat much at all. I stuck to liquids for the first day and pretty soft food the following day. But, everything I have eaten is causing the same feeling... almost a burning sensation at the bottom of my throat as soon as I swallow anything with texture. It's not getting stuck - I've done that recently so I know what that feels like. I am feeling full for a long time after eating very little but, I still feel hunger if I wait too long to put something in my stomach -- say 6 hours. It's just that I don't want to eat because it is unpleasant so I put it off too long. Could be swelling. Could be just right and I haven't worked it out properly yet. Could be too tight. Could be that I'm eating too much too fast (I ate an 8 oz steak in one sitting the day before the fill!). I just don't know yet. I am going to give it the weekend and do everything right. If I'm still having the issue on Monday I will call my doctor. On the positive side, I think I dropped another 4 lbs since Wednesday! Here are my fill stats: 12cc band - currently filled with 7.5ccs -3cc at insertion - 11/9/09 -3cc added at first fill - 12/3/09 -1.5cc added at 2nd fill - 1/27/10 What do you think?

A regular glass (5 oz) of red wine is actually good for you. It is loaded with antioxidants and is an integral part of the Mediterranean style diet, which is proven to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. And, it's usually less than 100 calories. If you enjoy it and are relaxed by the occasional glass of wine, you'll get a lot of benefit from it. Your doctor may say for dietary reasons it's not a good idea but use your own best judgment. I found great info about wine here: Red Wine Calories - LoveToKnow Wine

I was banded in November at Lenox Hill. Best of luck!

Current Mood: Slender :thumbup: Ok, so I don't really feel slender, just less fat than I used to feel. It's a good thing. I just came back from my second fill. After asking what I ate yesterday, my doctor said I really need a fill if I can eat 8 ounces of sirloin and 3 vegetable dumplings at a time! (Hey, at least it was protein, well..mostly) I got 1.5ccs added for a total of 7.5ccs in my 12cc band. I must say that I went into the appointment in a good mood but still feeling just a little bit disappointed that I hadn't lost more weight since my first fill on 12/3/09. Here's what I found out: It's your fault! Yes, you! You people who lose 40 lbs in one month. You're making the rest of us feel bad! LOL. Seriously, my doctor thought my 17 lbs was a great number and that I was ahead of the curve for lap band patients in general, especially considering my holiday season indulgences extended from 12/3 to 1/3!! He reiterated that lap band is slower loss than other WLS and I am right on track for me. I really like my doctor. Fill effect: The cup of water in the doctor's office went straight down, no problem. Since I'm on liquids until tomorrow, I picked up a small corn soup on the way back to the office and when I got here, I looked at it and realized it seemed to be pretty heavy on the cream. I decided to eat it anyway. Well, I got about halfway through and then it happened....the moment I've been waiting for....my eureka moment. I felt the restriction with a liquid for the first time! I thought about taking one more mouthful but already had a gurgly burp brewing so I put the lid on the soup and dropped it in the trash. I put my yogurt in the fridge for tomorrow and called it lunch! I am so pleased right now and looking forward to losing more weight and maybe....just a little bit quicker. Oh, and I was only kidding above. Everyone loses at a different pace and thought I might be a bit envious of those who drop it more quickly than I, I don't begrudge anyone his/her victories. You're doing spectacularly - keep up the good work. B

Current Mood: Optimistic :thumbup: In preparation for my fill, I weighed myself this morning and I think my scale has delusions of grandeur or ambitions to be on TV! It is a new, good quality digital scale but when I get on, it does the same thing the scale on The Biggest Loser does....up, down, up, down, up, up, down, down. I find myself holding my breath to see where it settles every time. Luckily, I don't have to wait for a commercial break to find out what I weigh! I think I've figured it out though...it never shows a weight lower than my actual weight, so at least I'm not thinking I lost 8 lbs for 1/10th of a second before it settles 5 pounds higher. I still have a sort of "phew" moment when it shows the low number every time. I'm just really glad it can't talk! LOL