June 2007 Bandsters

[TexasFire 84]

I feel your pain! It is so hard to have the band this long and not feel that it is working for you yet. I was able to get to my third fill and that has made a huge difference. I say, keep calling and letting them know you don't have restriction yet.

My first fill was saline, and when I went in for my second she said I had lost most of my first. She wasn't too concerned because it was my first fill, and I guess that can happen. I had my second fill and it was great for a day, and then I didn't feel much restriction. Usually they make you wait two weeks between fills, but I explained that I thought I had lost my fill. I was able to come in the next day and this third fill they did with omnipac and it is staying with me so far. What a difference!

It will happen, keep communicating with your doctor's office. I know many people have to wait longer for fills than I did and I know that must be so frustrating, but it will work out.

Keep us posted.

Stephanie- I am so impressed with your weight loss!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH! I am excercising more than I ever have in my life! LOL I am determined to be under 200 by the end of the month, but I'm beginning to doubt that I will make it. GRRR!

Wow...how can you lose your fill? Where does it go? And what is omnipac? I'm calling in the morning to schedule a third fill, so this omnipac thing might be something I should know about!

[TexasFire 84]

OH! And by the way...I have a treadmill, an elliptical, a full range weight machine (in the garage...its BIG), a set of resistance bands with all the attachments, and this machine called LEG MAGIC. I also have a pool.

All that said, for any of you who may not have researched the effectiveness of different forms of excercise, the BEST forms for me are swimming (696 calories burned per hour), biking (801 calories burned per hour) and elliptical (648 calories burned per hour).

Jogging is 668 and running is 763, but I have no ability nor any INCLINATION for either! LOL Average walking burns 286. So I am getting rid of my treadmill...I hate it anyhow...BORING. I'm also getting rid of my weight machine because I'm getting a great toning workout from my resistance bands. Then there is my LEG MAGIC machine...that is the best money I ever spent! If you want your thighs and butt toned up and in shape, this is the ONLY way to go! I'm also selling my elliptical, because I go to the city recreation center most of the time and work out there on their ellipticals, which are much more advanced. (A lot of cities around here have recreation centers. My city only charges $10 a year and they have everything a fancy gym has, and more!) So I'm listing most of my equipment for sale this week and reclaiming all that space! Hooray!

Sorry to be so lengthy, but I was really surprised when I started analyzing this and thought it might be helpful for others to know where to get the most bang for your excercising buck. Of course there are many other things to do, also.

[joeygirl 0]

Well, I see I am not alone. I have had my second fill 2 weeks ago. I have a total of 6cc in a 10cc band. I have felt no restrictions at all yet. I have not had anything stuck or even close to it. I read about everyone who has such restrictions, and it is very depressing. I have only lost 8 lbs. since the surgery, and that was done in the first few weeks. I called the Nurse practitioner on Friday. I told her how I was

feeling. I was wondering if maybe it won't work on some people, and that maybe I was one of those people. I feel like such a failure. I have been trying to eat good and limit my portions, but I could have done that with out the surgery and saved a lot of money.

She wants me to come in this week and this time when they give me the fill she said they will get the needle in the port and then have me sit up and start drinking. She said they will fill me all the way up and see if I have any restrictions, and then start letting some out until I feel like I have good restriction. Hopefully this will work.

She was very surprised that I can eat bread and not have any trouble at all. She said some people just need more fill. Hopefully this will work.

Hate to think that I am the one exception to the lap band working.

I will let you all know what I find out after Tuesday.

[TexasFire 84]

Well, I see I am not alone. I have had my second fill 2 weeks ago. I have a total of 6cc in a 10cc band. I have felt no restrictions at all yet. I have not had anything stuck or even close to it. I read about everyone who has such restrictions, and it is very depressing. I have only lost 8 lbs. since the surgery, and that was done in the first few weeks. I called the Nurse practitioner on Friday. I told her how I was

feeling. I was wondering if maybe it won't work on some people, and that maybe I was one of those people. I feel like such a failure. I have been trying to eat good and limit my portions, but I could have done that with out the surgery and saved a lot of money.

She wants me to come in this week and this time when they give me the fill she said they will get the needle in the port and then have me sit up and start drinking. She said they will fill me all the way up and see if I have any restrictions, and then start letting some out until I feel like I have good restriction. Hopefully this will work.

She was very surprised that I can eat bread and not have any trouble at all. She said some people just need more fill. Hopefully this will work.

Hate to think that I am the one exception to the lap band working.

I will let you all know what I find out after Tuesday.

That fill procedure sounds phenomenal! I always worry about being a band failure because my band is crooked/slanted. Not the typical "install". I'm not sure how that affects me other than they said to be sure to drink Water before I go to bed to make sure my pouch is emptied, and to sleep on my left side. (To keep it from stretching.) So I have been overcautious about what I eat and how late. That's hard not eating late...it is ingrained in me!

[lo2us 1]

HOw/when did you find out that your band is slanted, Stefanie?

[TexasFire 84]

Originally Posted by lo2us HOw/when did you find out that your band is slanted, Stefanie?

During my first fill. All fills are done with flouro at my docs, and I always get pics of my fills. The technician is the one that noticed it, and sure enough it is!

You can see the left side of the band is far below the right in this pic:

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[ja9va 0]

Stef I did not know about your band being that way. My port is tilted but no special instructions. You are the Exercise Queen!!! Keep up the great work.

marga, Dawn and pacu... I know how you feel. But I really beleive this will happen to us in time. I am taking some step backs this week to measure my food and think about how I feel. I think that my band is working with some restrictin, just not that pain or pbing or limited foods. Like you I can eat some foods that most can't like pizza. But I think that the restriction is tighter a week after my first fill. Some say it is delayed.

joeyg glad you called the doctor. Keep us posted on how it goes.

cmp I never heard of a omnipac either. I even asked my nurse at my first fill if they use anything other than saline, and she said no, and looked like I did not know what I was talking about?

I had a NSV this week, for this shows exercise and the band is working. I tried a black skirt on for work that was so tight prior to surgery that I could not wear it, now I can turn it around zipped. I also fit into a pair of white shorts yesterday!! I was so excited, my dh was too! :whoo:

[hottytoddy 0]

During my first fill. All fills are done with flouro at my docs, and I always get pics of my fills. The technician is the one that noticed it, and sure enough it is!

You can see the left side of the band is far below the right in this pic:

I feel like I'm trying to figure out if it's a boy or a girl on an ultrasound! I just don't see where it's slanted! When you refer to left and right in the pic...do you literally mean the left and right side of the band or the left and right side of the picture? :help:

[TexasFire 84]

I feel like I'm trying to figure out if it's a boy or a girl on an ultrasound! I just don't see where it's slanted! When you refer to left and right in the pic...do you literally mean the left and right side of the band or the left and right side of the picture? :help:

I hear ya, Heather! I wrote on the pic so you can see what is what.

(I really DON'T have the handwriting of a serial killer...it was hard to write on that slick photo paper! LOL)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j153/stefanie42467/BandFill002.jpg

[hottytoddy 0]

Ohhhhh.... I got it now! It was hard to make out the actual outline of the band. How strange that it's off center! But look at the barium just trickling through! Looks like only a piece of spaghetti could get thru that! do you have restriction?

[TexasFire 84]

Ohhhhh.... I got it now! It was hard to make out the actual outline of the band. How strange that it's off center! But look at the barium just trickling through! Looks like only a piece of spaghetti could get thru that! do you have restriction?

You're right...it is hard to make out. The telltale sign is the direction of the stoma. This pic was taken immediatly after my second fill. I had incredible restriction for quite a while, but it has slacked off. I'm calling in the morning to get a third fill scheduled ASAP. The stoma in the pic was a little smaller than a pencil. As you lose weight (fat), you also lose fat around the stomach, so it creates slack in the band...which is why we go back for more fills as the weight comes off. (Dr. Stef is in the house! Just kidding...I just ask a ton of questions when I go for these fills and watch it all happen on the screen.)

I know you are really down right now...have you had a fill? Have you seen the pics to know how big your stoma is? I do very well with the "about the size of a pencil" analogy...maybe you could ask your doc how big your stoma is compared to a pencil and then you would have something to go on? Either way, if you can, get a fill scheduled if you feel you need it. Especially in the beginning, if you feel you need one, you probably do! I hope you get to feeling better...you're too sweet to lurk in the shadows here...we miss you!

[hottytoddy 0]

Thank you. That's very sweet.

My doc said my stoma was dime size with no fill (I have a 4cc band). I had my first fill 2 weeks ago and felt nothing. The only difference is I've had a couple of things get painfully stuck when I've taken a big bite or didn't chew well. It has always gone on thru... no pbing. My doc is pretty conservative. He says too tight, too fast is the main cause of a slip. I had to wait 8 weeks for the first fill. Originally I thought he said another 8 for the 2nd fill. But at the office he told me a month. I saw him at the hospital on Friday and told him how disappointed I was. He said it wasn't supposed to be working yet and that as long as it's been 2 weeks to come on in for more. I have an appointment on Thursday for my 2nd fill. He also said he normally does .8cc on the second, but he's going to put 1cc in mine. Hopefully, I'll be able to tell a difference. If not, maybe the 3rd fill will be in another 2 weeks instead of 4.

I've just been in the dumps because I'm able to eat whatever, whenever in any amount. I know this is a journey, but keep in mind with my original schedule from the doc, I thought it would be 3 months before my 2nd fill. I can handle a slow loss. But I've had no loss since the first month and am fighting gaining! I know the band is just a tool, but I had hoped my expensive tool would have at least worked a little bit before the 3 or 4 month post op mark. That's insane to me! I guess I thought bandster hell would be til the first fill... then it would work a little bit with slow loss til the next fill... etc, etc, etc. I didn't realize it was going to be all or nothing with this thing.

Thanks for your caring and concerns. It appears that recently more and more are feeling like I have been for a while now. I hope all of us in this sinking ship get a lifeline soon!

[bcrazy7 0]

I feel your pain! It is so hard to have the band this long and not feel that it is working for you yet. I was able to get to my third fill and that has made a huge difference. I say, keep calling and letting them know you don't have restriction yet.

My first fill was saline, and when I went in for my second she said I had lost most of my first. She wasn't too concerned because it was my first fill, and I guess that can happen. I had my second fill and it was great for a day, and then I didn't feel much restriction. Usually they make you wait two weeks between fills, but I explained that I thought I had lost my fill. I was able to come in the next day and this third fill they did with omnipac and it is staying with me so far. What a difference!

It will happen, keep communicating with your doctor's office. I know many people have to wait longer for fills than I did and I know that must be so frustrating, but it will work out.

Keep us posted.

Stephanie- I am so impressed with your weight loss!

What is omnipac? I go for my 2nd fill in one week, it was supposed to be 4 more weeks but I called and whined for it to be sooner. I have no restriction either at this point and am also fighting not to gain right now. Here's hoping the 2nd one works!!

[TexasFire 84]

When I went to the introductory seminar on the band, I took my grandfather with me because he is a doctor. SO many questions were answered there because he knew all the good ones to ask, so I am very fortunate to still have my spry, healthy 90-year-old grandfather with me today. :clap2:

One of the things that I learned was that the band will compare to GBP, as far as results go, if you excercise regularly (one banded girl stated five days a week ). There were banded patients there to attest to this, they gave statistics, showed comparitive charts, etcetera. I vowed to excercise my butt off! (Literally!) :faint:

I've been well-versed on the band and GBP for a long time now, as my sis had GBP years ago, and I was helping her research the various options. I saw her go from 5'5" and 260-something down to about 150 in about seven months, if I recall correctly. But I couldn't stand having that scar, and she went through such an ordeal with the surgery itself and the healing process. Then there is the problem with malabsorption and you can literally starve to death if you don't do your protien drinks, take the supplements, and always eat your Protein first. :hungry:

GBP is pretty much weight loss on auto-pilot. The band requires real work. You all are brave for taking this option...it's not easy. Once we all get to fills 3, 4 and maybe 5 for some...I think the tone will change on this board. And at that point, I'm sure most, if not all, bandsters will be so glad they chose this road.

I am of the opinion that it is unfortunate that some doctors are so incredibly conservative with the fills, but they went to medical school...not me.

I know everyone here will come out of this dark tunnel with big smiles on their faces. :whoo:

[insubordination 0]

Stef, you are a sweetheart of the highest measure. You make a lot of sense too.