Tess2352

I have problems with regular chcken, turkey , pork etc. BUT, I have found that if I use ground chicken, turkey, lamb or pork - and make little mini "sliders", then I have fewer problems. I mix ground meat, worchestershire sauce, tabasco sauce, about 1/2 cup non-fat milk powder and dried onion flakes. Then make small burgers and cook them in my toaster oven for about 25 minutes....Yum! Try "Burger" meat from chicken and see if you can eat it. You still have to chew, but it is moister and more easily broken into small pieces.

with the amount of problems you have experienced, I would suggest you might get a slight unfill - and then check the price of having your next fill using a flouroscope. Also, as everyone else has said, eating solid food that soon after a fill could be the cause of the problem. I always have solid fluid for 2-3 days, and then mushies for another 2-3 days. Also, although I have a REalize 10cc band, I have always had small fills - just because I get reflux under the flouroscope with too large a fill. My last two fills have both been about 0.5ccs. If they add more, it is too much. Good luck, I know you are frustrated.

have you done something recently that is new....gardening, racking, etc? That could be the cause. I get a pain in my port area when I do an activity I've not done before (or recently). If it gets much worse or has new symptoms, call your doctor.

I also wonder at your reason for not getting a Realize band. I was banded on 10/15/10....and so far, I have had no problem with it. The port is slimmer, so has a smaller profile. Would be interested in hearing your reasons. Good luck!

I plan on doing the same thing next week. Just say that this was a vacation....and don't beat yourself up. Follow the suggestions from the other posters, and if you need a mini-fill, see your doctor.

I don't know about those people. I also wonder why anyone would go through all that misery and then sabatage themselves. I think they need counseling regarding their food problems. I have lost about 50 pounds....need to lose another 20. I had surgery in October, 2010 - and my weight loss has slowed down. I would expect that with only 20 pounds left to go. I hope the weight will stay off and that I won't gain any back - but we will have to just see how things go. Good luck on your journey -

I just had my first fill and I do feel a little hungry...but, they put in 4ccs, then pulled out about .2ccs because they show reflux on the flouroscope. I wonder why you ate all the food? As my doctor said, the band is a tool, not a magic bullet. I never let myself eat more than 1/2 cup food - even though I probably could, because I know I may not feel full, but over-eating can be harmful. I hear lots of people talking about being able to eat lots of food w/o consequense...and I just wonder why they even try to do this. lol

hi - I have Cigna and my surgery was approved. I had to visit my primary care physician for 6 months, show previous diets and that I could not lose and maintain weight loss ( which my PCP documented). I also had to have a BMI of over 35 with co-morbidities, visit a shrink and a nutritionist. It took ove 8 months for all the pre-cert to be completed, but I am now 30 pounds lighter and didn't have to self-pay. Good luck!

I'm having my first fill next week also. Its been 12 weeks and I've lost about 30 pounds. I also have no restrictions and I'm looking forward to aid from a fill. I put mine off till after the holidays. Hope to get back on track with the new year. My doctor told me to do liquids the day of, a few days after and then mushies for a few days.

Don't be discouraged. Remember, you chose a process that intends for you to lose weight safely and slowly. It was nice to lose 19 pounds quickly, but 1-2 pounds a week is the best rate of loss. Also, you will lose weight if you just stay on track...but there may be days where you actually gain back a pound. Don't get discouraged...you will lose weight.

I don't know if its normal or not, but I also have some pain on the left side and swelling around the port side. I also have trouble bending and having pain. Good to have someone else with this problem.

BAnded on 10/15/10. First week I had a coughing fit from too much dairy and had a tiny tear on the port site. IT bled under the skin and caused a 4 inch hematoma at the port site. Doctor dcided NOT to drain to avoid possible infection, but put me on antibiotics. After about a week the incision started draining on its own - (dark old blood). Now, it seems to be getting better...the draining is almost stopped, and the hematoma seems to be much smaller. Can't take a shower until spot closes. Doesn't feel too bad, except when I bend over, I get a "stitch" in my left side. Anyone know if that is a normal feeling?:wink2:

I wait at least an hour after my synthroid before taking any other pill. I take the synthroid when I first get up in the morning with a little water, then drink my coffee - then wait half an hour after coffee and have breakfast. The issue with thyroid meds is not generic versus synthroid. It is the fact that different brands may not compound at the same level. All the brands will work - but try to stay on the same brand. That was bhy I had my prescription written for synthroid. Pharmacies may change a generic to get the best cost - by staying with the name brand, you avoid this issue.

The liquid diet is hell - mainly because almost everything is sweet. My liquid diet was only one week - then mushy. However, since I did the liver shrinking diet for 2 weeks prior, liquids really lasted 3 weeks. On my liquid plan it also included pudding, cottage cheese and BLENDED chicken & rice or Chicke Noodle soup. Maybe if you tried the soup thing it would satisfy your cravings. Try to get back on track - it aids in the healing of your stomach and helps prevent possible band slippage. Good luck!:wink2:

I'm 3 weeks out also. I haven't lost anything the last 2 days. Even if you feel like you could eat a "normal" sized meal - DO NOT DO IT. You will stretch your new stomach and esophagus and will cause problems. COntinue to eat you 1/2 cup portion - focusing on proteins first. Hunger could also be thirst....so make sure to drink your fluids (but not at dinner time). I know you want to lose the weight; so do I. But in the long run, you should aim on losing no more than 2 pounds a week. That way, your skin will have a chance to shrink back, rather than bagging. Just try to keep motivated......good luck to all of us!:wink2:

Thanks. Went to the doc today. Turns out that I have a hematoma...probably from a pull on the port when I coughed or moved in my sleep. Since I had blood thinners during surgery, it caused a hematoma to develop from the pull. The PAssitant said she didn't want to drain it because it would open the area to infections, so she put me on an antibiotics for a week as a precaution, and said to take a pain pill and use heat if I needed it. Hope this takes care of the problem.:huh2:

That may be what I have...I'll find out tomorrow. I think I pulled out a stitch on the port. Anyway, I woke up in the middle of the night after turning in my sleep....OUCH! The next morning I had a new bruise, and it has gotten bigger every day. It is now about 3 inches across. I went to see my doc on Friday - he wasn't in, but his nurse looked at it, called him in surgery, and he said to go home and apply heat. Well - I did that for 2 days, and it only got worse. Called the on-call doc, and he said to apply ice! Anyway, they may have to drain it tomorrow. Hope it goes well, because everything else "seems" to be going okay.:blushing:

WOW! I'm still in full-liquid phase. I can't imagine ever being able to eat the things some of you are mentioning. Give us newbies some hope!

I had my surgery on 10/15 (4 days ago). I am on full liquid diet, but have trouble getting in the 60 gms of protein that I am supposed to eat. If I eat too much or too fast it hurts....will I ever be able to eat everything that I'm supposed to eat? Also, this hurts more than I thought it would. I had a hysterectomy in 2003, and I thought this would hurt less because of laproscopic procedure. But I seem to be taking a long time to heal. My doctor did tell my husband that I had adhesions that he fixed - so that may be why I'm recovering slower. But I am a little depressed today. Is this a normal feeling?:cursing:

Hi I was banded on 10/15/10. I feel okay (sort of), except for the area over the port site. That is still swollen and tender, and when I try to cough - as I was instructed to do while in the hospita - I feel like I have a knife going through the port site. The only other complaint I have is trying to eat. I'm on full-liqued today, and every time I eat I feel like it gets stuck in my band area. I am hoping this will pass soon. I think I have a little bit of "buyers remorse" - but I hope this will go away soon too. Anyone else feel this way?:smile:

hi! Im glad you posted - I'm 3 days out also and have the same issues as you....I'm not eating much, but still get the burping sensation. I hope that this will go away as my stomach becomes less irritated.

Hi everyone. My surgery is scheduled for October 15. Thought I had diverticulitis, but had CT scan on monday, and everything looked okay. Blood work was normal too, Maybe its psychosomatic nervers....I've been working towards this since January, but never really thought the day would get here. Anyone else nervous?:thumbup:

Hi - I hope your symptoms get better soon. I haven't been banded yet...mine is scheduled for October 15, 2010...but I did have my tubes tied laproscopically. I remember the severe shoulder pains I had from that. It is due to the gas they put in your stomach to move your other organs out of the way. Since this gas has no way to escape, except by seeping out of your skin you will experience pain...sometimes extreme. Its kind of like having the "bends", except you weren't submerged in deep water. These pains will go away as the oxygen leaves your body. Unfortunately, you can't expell it the ordinary way (lol). However, I would let you doctor know about it....just in case it isn't the bends. Good Luck!

hi - I'm new here too. My surgery is scheduled for 10/15/2010. I have a liver shrinking diet that is 2 liquid meals and one lean meat/veggie meal. So far, I haven't been hungry at all...hope I stay this way. I'm a little nervous about the surgery - hope everything goes well, and I don't have problems with reflux or extreme pain. :thumbup: