September 16th surgeries

[terilynn112 1]

My first fill has been moved back to November 4th. Used to be the 23rd of October.

I live in NY.

OMG I bought a gazelle last night at Walmart. Just the cheaper version. The website (www.walmart.com) has it for 107.99 and I go to the store, to look it over better, and it's on special for $40.00 so I bought it there, saving myself the $23.00 shipping. So I got it for 17 dollars more than the shipping would have cost. And i got it sooner. I will warn you... I could do the wii fit for an hour of step aerobics. OUCH Ten minutes later, I'm done for the day. It's gonna take me time to build up to that one for longer times. I like having something at home I can work out on. I don't often have sitters for the twins. So going to a gym is kindda difficult. And soon going out for walks with them will be difficult. So now I have something that folds up pretty well, and can put it out of the way, or put it in the middle of my living room in front of the tv, or a radio and work out. It's supposed to work both upper and lower body, plus abs. I can tell you the 10 minutes I did this morning I can definitely feel in my abs.

Oh and I've measured myself this morning, and I'm down 6+, but not quite 6 and a half inches from my surgery date.

Teri

Teri

[Niecey 0]

I might have to get that gazalle. I've been trying to get a Wii Fit but I hear after a while it's not that great. We actually have a treadmill which I do everyday and a bowflex which I never do because it is a pain to be always changing the weights and cords everytime you do a new exercise. We also have dance dance revolution and that is a lot of fun to do with the kids and you definitely break a sweat.

I go to the doc this Tuesday, I pray he gives me a little fill. I can pretty much eat a normal meal which is probably why I haven't really lost much weight in the past week.

Niecey

[Niecey 0]

I had my first fill today and I'm on liquids for 48 hours. First I got a shot at the port area to numb my skin, that burned. Then the doc put the syringe in my port and put some saline in. I sat up and he had me take 2 good size gulps of Water. It felt like a rock in my chest. He starting taking Fluid out and I told him when the feeling went away. Then I took a few more slow sips and could feel the lump but each time a sec later it went down. When I got to that point he took the needle out and that was it. He put in 4 CCs. I go back in 3 weeks. He said before I came in in 3 weeks I was to fill 1 cup of solids foods and measure how much I can eat out of the cup. That is to determine the next fill and what is needed. I'm so happy to have restriction again and lose some weight. I've had a Protein Shake this evening and I'm good.

Denise

Edited October 9, 2008 by Niecey

[terilynn112 1]

I was looking forward to a fill, truthfully this morning I woke with a horrible pain in my right side. Seriously hurts as bad as when I broke my rib on that side. It hurts to breath, move, and God help me when we leave for the babies surgery. I'm so dreading that.

Sorry having a bad day.

teri

[Niecey 0]

Teri - I hope you feel better. Good luck with the surgeries.

I'm still feeling a little hungry so I hope tomorrow when I can eat it feels better. And my stomach feels so bloated with gas. I don't understand that, because I haven't eaten anything. I hope it goes away soon.

Denise

[CHACHA 0]

Ok Folks, Got my 1st fill on thursday,2 CC don't feel any different but seem to not be hungry. But still want to eat, just to eat!

My Band holds total 9CC.

So how did your 1st fill effect you??

[Janine 0]

Hi All,

It usually takes until the 3rd fill to get a considerable restriction.

I think a lot of the first fill sits in the tube line, that is what has been said in the past.

Sometimes it takes a week or 2 to feel the fill and it can get too tight feeling.

You will be real tight in the AM and it will loosen during the day.

When at your sweet spot most banders can not eat anything until about 12 noon, so it is important to have a Protein drink in the am.

You are going to be just amazed on how little food you will want.

After eating huge quantities all my life I was amazed how the other half of the earth's population eat.lol

It is good to keep track of calories to make sure your getting enough so your body does not go into starvation, hence stoppage of weight loss.

Sparks people is a wonderful site that you count calories, it is free to join.

They have every brand restaurant and virtually any food you can think of, it is a wonderful tool. You can also track Water, and exercise.

I was most successful when using this site.

[CHACHA 0]

I see from your info your band slipped? Did they take it out? Do they know why it slipped?

[Janine 0]

To make a long story short: After having the band on for almost a year I was too aggressive with my fills. I got into a PBing/vomiting episode over a piece of chicken and tore my stitches. My band slipped which allowed my lower stomach to strangulate into the band. I had emergency surgery to cut off the band and the blood flow returned back to my stomach without any permanent damage.

This is an extremely rare occurrence, so don't be worried.

I was very successful with the band, but once removed the lbs started to pile on again, I thought I learned, I thought I would not have gained I did.

I am so very thankful to have my band back, and will humbly respect this journey. I am taking it slow and sure.

[Brenna's Mama 0]

Hi all! Just a little note...I have been using fitday.com to track what I eat. It is free to join and you can make up your own foods so that what you are eating is correctly counted. I have been saving all the nutitional information to enter into the food journal. You can also track your exercise and calories consumed vs. calories burned. I find it to be very helpful in understanding healthy and non healthy food items and what exercises are truly beneficial. Good luck!

[Niecey 0]

Thanx Janine. That's what I need to do is just have a Protein Shake in the morning. Yesterday I had some oatmeal which was no problem but no Protein. Then I tried to have ham and cheese rolled up in lettuce. After 2 bites I had to PB that up. I hate that. I had egg salad which was fine. For dinner I was finally able to eat some meat for protein. I just need to except the fact that I cannot eat in the early part of the day and see how that works.

denise

[CHACHA 0]

Hey Nicey, I just got my 1st fill last thursday 2 CC. The only thing I have noticed is I am not hungry which is good. But if I eat too much just get a real heavy feeling in my chest? Have never pb'd or even felt anything like that. So I guess I am lucky. How are you doing with your fill? How much did you get?

[Niecey 0]

Hi,

I got 4ccs. Yes there is the heavy feeling but also with that you start to salivate like thick mucus, sorry to be gross but thats what it is and the heavy feeling starts to like a brick in your chest. I have felt this twice. The first time freaked me out. The next time I think it was just too early in the morning and I was too tight or I didn't chew the food up enough. What type of stuff food are you eating? Is everyone eating normal foods? I have found I cannot eat bread, which is great because that's all carbs anyway. One of my girls this morning had pancakes and had one left. I popped a piece in my mouth without thinking. Yeah no pancakes for me. It didn't get stuck but I could definitely tell it would if I ate them.

d

[Janine 0]

Niecey,

Sounds like your already pretty close to your sweet spot, that's awesome.

Yeah, if your filled good you really can't eat bread, rice, high fibrous foods like sweet potatoes, pasta's, steak. Maybe a bite but not much more.

Good foods for good restriction:

Tomatoes and cucumbers, with fresh mozzarella, sprinkled with basil and olive oil drizzled over the top. UUMM so good.

Cottage cheese warmed up with spaghetti/meat sauce over it is very good too!

Taco bell pinto;s and cheese with a dollop of sour cream really stays with you for a long time.

Rice cakes are very low in calories, even the flavored(apple, carmel, cinnamon, etc.) no Protein but 1 rice cake is extremely filling and can help that sweet tooth.

Stouffer's has the spinach souffle that is really good right after a fill when back to mushies.

Trader Joe's has steel cut oatmeal in the freezer section. It comes 2 per box frozen you zap it for about 3 minutes, its very hearty. it's about $1.59 a box, very yummy with cinnamon on top.

Bennigan's has a Flaherty's fish with a light cream sauce that goes down well.

I can't wait to have a fill I am wide open and eating like a little piggy.

Have a good week everyone!

[DontSignUp 0]

I had surgery on 9/16 as well. Then two weeks liquid, one week pureed during which I lost 18lb. For scheduling reason the doctor decided to have me come back in a do the first fill on 10/7, three weeks after the surgery rather then 4 to 6 which is what I had read. Since the feel, I have had one unpleasant episode with roasted turkey, but overall, I feel less restricted then the first 3 weeks and that is a problem. I am planning to go back in 3 weeks (will make 4 weeks) for my second fill.

Is it normal to be able to eat more after the first fill then after the initial surgery?