June 2007 Bandsters

[TexasFire 84]

I was just able to get in two slices of sandwich pepperoni and two ounces of salmon...so that is the good news. The pepperoni was okay as long as I went slow...the salmon went down as long as I also took a sip of Water with it. It is just too dry to make it through my band. I had some cherries and then added everything to my calorie counter, and I was only at 271 for the day and it was 5:30pm. That is not enough, but we aren't supposed to eat if we aren't hungry, right? So I waited a bit and fixed a bowl of rice chex...haven't had that since before surgery, and I love them. I now feel like I am going to explode. One, because I wasn't hungry, and two, because the Cereal itself must be swelling in my stomach. And I'm still at only 391 calories and it's 6:15pm. I have been trying to up my calories to 800 to 1000 so my metabolism would kick-start again (and it did), but I will never get there today...no way.

This second fill is kicking my butt.

[ja9va 0]

Toni Welcome back!! We missed you.

lo2us before any fills I could eat Pasta and rice, but even so I did not eat much of it. I could not eat bread. I am not sure post fill? From what I hear, most cant' but again everyone is different!

I had my fill today I thought I was already to have it done. I went in and they asked me to stand. I was ok to start, however the PA was fishing around and asking me to push out my stomach and I started to worry she could not find it. It was just pressure and a weird feeling, however the worry got the best of me and I ahd to lay down because I felt faint! I am such a baby:faint:The PA said she put in 5cc in a 10cc band. she said it was aggessive, but I was worried she pulled out the needle before she was done due to my feelings? What do you all think, is that a good fill?

How did you all feel that night? Could you feel a difference when you drank? I felt a little weird, but it went down. Is that how I should feel? I start mushies mid day tomorrow.

[TexasFire 84]

Toni Welcome back!! We missed you.

lo2us before any fills I could eat Pasta and rice, but even so I did not eat much of it. I could not eat bread. I am not sure post fill? From what I hear, most cant' but again everyone is different!

I had my fill today I thought I was already to have it done. I went in and they asked me to stand. I was ok to start, however the PA was fishing around and asking me to push out my stomach and I started to worry she could not find it. It was just pressure and a weird feeling, however the worry got the best of me and I ahd to lay down because I felt faint! I am such a baby:faint:The PA said she put in 5cc in a 10cc band. she said it was aggessive, but I was worried she pulled out the needle before she was done due to my feelings? What do you all think, is that a good fill?

How did you all feel that night? Could you feel a difference when you drank? I felt a little weird, but it went down. Is that how I should feel? I start mushies mid day tomorrow.

Wow! That IS an aggressive fill! Let us know how you are doing with it! Naw...you're not a baby. It's scary when you don't know what to expect.

[Suzzzie. 3]

Toni Welcome back!! We missed you.

lo2us before any fills I could eat Pasta and rice, but even so I did not eat much of it. I could not eat bread. I am not sure post fill? From what I hear, most cant' but again everyone is different!

I had my fill today I thought I was already to have it done. I went in and they asked me to stand. I was ok to start, however the PA was fishing around and asking me to push out my stomach and I started to worry she could not find it. It was just pressure and a weird feeling, however the worry got the best of me and I ahd to lay down because I felt faint! I am such a baby:faint:The PA said she put in 5cc in a 10cc band. she said it was aggessive, but I was worried she pulled out the needle before she was done due to my feelings? What do you all think, is that a good fill?

How did you all feel that night? Could you feel a difference when you drank? I felt a little weird, but it went down. Is that how I should feel? I start mushies mid day tomorrow.

I only got 4cc in my 10cc band! I BEGGED for 5. Lol. I think that is awesome!

[LadyHR 0]

I got 5cc my first fill. I have the large AP band - does anyone know its capacity?

I can still eat rice, but I haven't tried bread, beef, or pork yet.

I am 12 days post fill and still get very full on 3/4 cup of food but I get hungry after 3-4 hours.

Those cherries look good - must buy some soon!

[quadmom 0]

sorry i've been MIA lately. Actually scheduled my first fill today-boy do I need it! Scheduled for this Tuesday at 11am-I can't wait. Didn't seem like nurse wanted to schedule me, but I kept insisting-so I am hoping it will give me the extra push I need!!!

[lo2us 1]

I got less than 1.5ccs in my 10cc band on 1st fill. I'm not sure how much less than, but it was way too tight beforehand.

Stefanie - it took me 3 weeks after that fill to be able to eat somewhat normally. I'm just now not getting hung or sliming every day. I was advised to get more taken out, but I felt like I could handle it and that it would get better with time and it has. I feel like it teaching me to slow down more than I was. I was getting very few calories too and I started sipping skim milk and apple juice to up my intake with out feeling uncomfortable from eating when I wasn't hungry. I bet you could probably do a Protein shake too if you're worried about that.

[TexasFire 84]

I'm amazed at the 5cc fills, but like we say...every doc is so different. I know there is NO WAY I could tolerate a fill that large. This second one was only 1cc and has me in turmoil.

lo2us - That is a good idea on the juice. I have never really bought it because of the sugar content, but I'm going to get some tomorrow. I drink a Protein Shake every morning for Breakfast, but since I'm excercising a lot more, I could add a second Protein Drink before or after excercise according to the instructions, so I will do that on the days I excercise. I'm doing the same thing you did...sticking it out with this very tight fill. I need to stop whining about it! LOL I guess I just like to inform everyone in case they run into a similar issue, but I don't want them to think the sky is falling!

Good night, all...and have a fantastic rest of the week!

[o2bthin 0]

I have a question...it might be silly. This just doesn't make sense to me. If our bands when restricted are tight enough to keep the food up in the pouch to digest and our pouch should hold about 1/2 cup of food, how does food get stuck? Where does it get stuck? The stoma is the opening down into the stomach. Isn't the food supposed to stay up above it for us to feel full?

Someone please 'splain this to me!

[ja9va 0]

Stef I agree like everything else, the fills are different. I observe some go for fills 2 weeks apart, maybe those doc's put little bits in. My Dr. put a large amount and I don't go back for 3-4 weeks for a check, maybe a fill, maybe not.

ladyhr I am not sure but maybe 12-14cc?

lo2us Did you have any Fluid in your band from surgery? that could make the 1.5cc tighter. I know some have up to 2.8 put in at surgery and you don't even know it, the dr did not tell us. I thought I had some in there too, but I didn't?

sliming I remember someone saying that at night when you went to sleep, food would come up if it was not digested? I had that last night, but all I had was some Tomato Soup, about 1/2 c at 9. About 12 I woke up and I was sliming, felt like I was going to vomit, it went away. that was weird.

dan I talked with a guy a the hospital today who was banded in April. He reminded me of you, in the sense that he had no fill, and was losing alot, yesterday was his first fill when hit a platuea.

[insubordination 0]

Toni - I really noticed your absence (and HT). Welcome back!

Janine - Congrats. Glad it went well.

QuadMom - Happy to hear from you again. The fill will be great.

I think a piece of food is sometimes too big for the small banded opening (the size of a small coin) and it gets stuck in the hole trying to go through to the lower pouch. If you keep eating or drinking, you then add food or liquids and it backs up like a blocked toilet.

At least I think that's how it happens but I'm not exactly sure. Sometimes I have food passing really slowly through my osophegus. It can hurt a little. Not sure why. Not having problems getting cals unlike some of you.

I guess my surgical centre is 'aggressive'. They want us to have 3 or 4 fills in the first two months until we hit the 'sweet spot' and then come back only when we need one (maybe every 3-6 months).

I have a Swedish band and it's 11ml (or is it 10? I forget) I got 5mls on the first and 2.5 on the second. I have the third next week (could've had it today but I cancelled).

I'm definitely not as 'tight' as some of you are. I was tight a few days after the fills but now it's OK. I can eat whatever type of food I want but I have had to learn to have small quantities, to chew more and to slow down. I love it when the band gives me signals because it stops unconscious eating and swallowing. I guess it's different for everyone. Some of you have AP bands, they might be quite different when it comes to restriction.

My moodiness and anxiety continues. I'm working 10-12 hour days at the moment (I'm an idiot). I finally remembered I used to take St John's Wort when I was PMSing or depressed so I took some last night and it worked. I got to sleep quickly and woke up feeling normal. Wish I could take it in the day too but I drive so don't want to be drowsy.

I know it will pass. It always had in the past. Thanks for the advice about tackling one thing at a time. I do tend to take on every problem at once and get overwhelmed. In the meantime, I will look into some relaxation techniques.

[lo2us 1]

No Fluid in my band at surgery. I guess I either have a large stomach and the large band is squishing it or I'm just sensitive to the band adjustments.

[mjsafari 0]

Janine - I did not feel any difference with my first fill of 4ccs (10cc AP band). BUT with my 2nd fill there was definitely a difference. I can feel everything slide down - kind of weird, but I am trying to "listen" to my body and figure out how to work with the band.

I agree with insub on the "stuck" food. I watched my husband PB - he was eating a hot dog - he didn't chew the first bite well, but didn't get a reaction right away, so he had about 3 more bites. He put the hot dog down and started to drive, but then he was pulling over and opening the car door - everything came right back out. I think when we chew well or eat mushies they don't trigger the stoma to push back. The food is sitting in our pouch and slowly passing through the stoma.

LadyHR - the Large AP is 14cc - that is what my husband has. Doc says he has some Fluid in from surgery and he hasn't had a fill yet, because he has been tight from about 2 weeks out. He has an appt today, so I am interested to see what the doc says. He is down 71lbs from May!

[toniteach 0]

I agree with insub on the "stuck" food. I watched my husband PB - he was eating a hot dog - he didn't chew the first bite well, but didn't get a reaction right away, so he had about 3 more bites. He put the hot dog down and started to drive, but then he was pulling over and opening the car door - everything came right back out. I think when we chew well or eat mushies they don't trigger the stoma to push back. The food is sitting in our pouch and slowly passing through the stoma.

LadyHR - the Large AP is 14cc - that is what my husband has. Doc says he has some Fluid in from surgery and he hasn't had a fill yet, because he has been tight from about 2 weeks out. He has an appt today, so I am interested to see what the doc says. He is down 71lbs from May!

Hi Missy!!!!

Your husband and Capn Dan are making me SICK with the massive weight loss (teeheehee!) Kudos to them!!!!!

I just had a quick silly question about his hot dog story...was he eating it WITH a bun? I can't tolerate bread of any sort, and was salivating over here! But seriously, that would make me slime in an instant if it had a bun for sure! <sniff, sniff>

----Toni

[dawneb 0]

Good morning everyone,

Insub - I just wanted to let you know that St. John's Wart is on my list of "no no's" Something to do with how we absorb it differently now. You might want to check with your doctor about this. Maybe you might just have to cut it in half or something. Just wanted to let you know since it's on the list from my doctor's office.

I understand what everyone's saying about feeling the blues. I definitely have my days when I feel like that. My DH says that exercise will help but it's hard to get up and do that when you're feeling down.

Hope everyone has a great day.:clap2: