Any one in NW WA

[Morsaille 4]

Hi, I am Brenda in Kitsap. I have all my fills done with Dr. Neal's staff. Is Kitty really getting fluoro? Does the mean she will start using longer needles? It'll be worth the drive.

I was banded in MX by Dr. Kuri. Love him, but he places his ports deeply and on the waistline. Kitty, last time I spoke with her, only would do fills for those bandsters who could easily feel their ports.

Please feel free to PM if you have questions; or want to come to our little bandster-led support group in Silverdale.

Hey Lucygirl? I have a little bad news for you. In the first month some people actually gain. With swelling, and the mushies diet, most people lose less than 20 lbs. before the first fill. The fills get the little bugger working.

[Lucygirl 0]

that would suck If I gained weight! I will be on a clear liquid diet for 3 weeks, colored liquid for 2 weeks then mushy diet for another 2 weeks, so I hope that 6 weeks with out food I will lose some. I do fear the gain after I am going to be able to eat regular food:hungry:

[Wenjea 1]

what! I might gain weight!! I can't even imagine howI could gain weight on a liquid diet. I'm with you Lucy, that would really suck!

[amrdmr 1]

Yeah, didn't want to bring anyone down, but I am 18 days post surgery and keeping to the liquids, Protein Shake, blended Soup post op diet and I am here to tell you I actually weigh a few pounds more than I did on surgery day. Totally sucks, but everyone said to expect it. I did manage by VERY determined effort to lose 20 pounds before the surgery, which is good and I have not gained alot, only a few pounds, but I can't wait for the day when I get my fill and it the band will hopefully work the way it is supposed to. I want so badly to get to Onederland, I can see the border from here.

Re Kitty getting fluoroscopy: She said she is talking with the hospital about getting it, so sometime in the future, I am assuming she will have it at her disposal, which I am looking forward to as well.

[Wenjea 1]

How long before your first fill amrdmr? I don't understand the discussion about fluoroscopy. Is it something you fill your band with? What else do they use and how are they different?

[amrdmr 1]

My doctor said first fill at 6 weeks post surgery (other doctors have different rules), which makes it May 1 for me.

Fills can be done "blind", that is, just by feeling for the port, inserting the needle, withdrawing and injecting sterile saline. Fluorscopy is used to locate the port specifically and also gives information about where the band is and how your pouch looks. The machine for the fluorscopy costs over $20,000, so either your surgeon buys one, or works with a hospital that has one. Thus, fluroscopically done fills cost the patient more money. Some people have successfully had fills and unfills without fluorscopy, but it is a nice option to have, if problems arise.

[Morsaille 4]

Fluoro is so great! It is a live action x-ray. You will probably have your band checked with fluoro before you even leave the hospital. They locate your port, stick you, and sit you up. Then you drink barium.

If you are having a fill done, they inject saline until they see "restriction" occurring on the monitor.

Blind fills rely on your perception of restriction, by drinking Water. There are many more needle sticks involved. I left my blind fill with an empty band (the doc missed my port and injected my fill into my abdomen) and a bruise as big as my hand.

My best band-buddy has NEVER had a fluoro fill and has had perfect weight loss.

[Wenjea 1]

hey thanks, I will ask my doc about the fluoro next time I see him. This place is a wealth of information!

[singandsew 0]

Hi All,

Glad I found a WA forum here! Super! I was just banded by Dr. Oh on Tuesday 4/3/07. He's fabulous and so was St. Francis Hospital. I like that hospital SOOOO much better than any of the ones in Tacoma. Very superb treatment. Still sore at the port site, but not anything Tylenol can't handle. Down 14 lbs since the 2 week pre-surgery liquid diet. Off Metformin and Insulin already. Yippee!

Easter was alright. We had tons of people over, but my husband, son and daughter took over and did most of the work. We didn't have a sit-around-the-table style meal, so everyone was everywhere and I didn't feel too self-conscious sipping my Soup. OK, I did sneak a little cake after everyone left, but it actually did not feel good going down.....so never mind. I won't do that again. YUK.

Love to hear from other folks in the area to chat with. Does the "group" ever meet up for discussion, etc?

Merrillee

[Wenjea 1]

Good to hear from you Merrillee! I thought I would never hear from anyone who had Dr. Oh. I'm really hoping for a May surgery date. I have my scope stuff done this Friday and then see Dr. Oh again at the end of the month. How soon after that appointment before you had surgery? I'm very anxious to get it done. Once I decided to do it . . . I don't want to wait!

Have you tried the support group that meats in St. Joseph? I haven't yet but am thinking about starting in May when my surgery date is closer.

Let me know how your recovery is going.

Wendy

[singandsew 0]

Hi Wendy,

Yah, LOVE Dr. Oh. I was self-pay, so from my very first appt. to surgery it was just over a month. A busy month, though. All kinds of testing and classes. It really makes you ready.

Is the support group at St. Joes the same one that used to meet at the library near Target in Tacoma? I went there a couple times. Very good. I will have to look into that, although you get more than enough info here.

I am doing very well after 6 days. Even made it through my son-in-laws birthday and easter with guests. Still a little sore at the port site, but losing weight and feeling pretty good.

Merrillee

[Wenjea 1]

Tomorrow I start my liquid diet and then the clean-it-all-out drink. Friday is scoping day so pray everything looks good. You are lucky you are under 50 and didn't have to do this. I missed it by a year . . darn . . should of done this sooner.

I'm having them check with my insurance but am not willing to wait six months and jump through a bunch of hoops. If I have to write a check then I will.

I went to the free seminar on 2/12, Couldn't get an appt. until 3/19, getting scoped on 4/13, and see Dr. Oh for follow-up on 4/30. I'm hoping for surgery ASAP after that. I must of started at a busy time because I'm two months in and still don't have a surgery date.

It's nice chatting with someone who is local and just ahead of me in all this. Looks like you are doing well with your weight loss already!

[cindy11670 0]

Hi everyone- Dr. Oh is my doctor too. love the team. I am stressing out because i lost 15 pounds 1 week after surgery and 10 pounds before surgery. So great right? But i have not lost a pound since and have even gone up a pound or two. I go in for one month appt. on mon. 4-16. Any one else have this problem? What will Dr. Oh say, will he still give me a fill?

[singandsew 0]

Hi Cindy,

That is WHY you need a fill. There is no restriction until then. So you've been making it on will-power alone, pretty much. Now that everything's healed, you get to really put the band to use.

Not there yet, myself, just 9 days past surgery, but that's what I've been told. So hang in there and trust the process.

Merrillee

[Morsaille 4]

If you want to find a few more locals, try PNW_Bandsters (pacific northwest) in Yahoo! Groups.

We have a little get together in Silverdale once a month. This month is on the 22nd at 1pm. We meet at the Silverdale Bistro in 'Old Town' across from the park. Cute little wine/martini/coffee bar with comfy couches.

We have a spankin' newbie, , a not-so-newbie, a veteran, and me, a spasm princess. Our other ladies come and go and are generally at about 1 year. Drop in, or write for directions. We love new faces!

There are a couple of sisters in Port Orchard banded by Dr. Oh, they have had incredible success and are starting their own group (?).

Don't worry Cindy. The first few months are for learning about how to work the band. Getting restriction can be difficult, but is the key to easier weight loss.