chopper

Hi there CanadianBandster My wife and I went to the OCC for our first fills on the 6th and stayed at the Mariott near the airport in San Diego. It is only about six months old and let me tell you it was one of the nicest motels I have ever stayed at. It was a little on the spendy side compared to the ones in our area I stay at when working out of town. There aren't too many restaurants nearby to find soup at but you can take a taxi to the airport ($5) and as long as you have the bus pass and ride it anywhere in San Diego you want to go. We really became familiar with the Mass transit system while we were there and found it very convenient. Back to the motel itself. The thing that really impressed me the most were the soft beds with four, yes four comfy pillows on the most comfy beds I have ever slept on. The rooms were well kept and very clean and it just gave you the feel of luxury. We don't treat ourselves often and it was a nice change. Fact is I think we may go back again in April and do it all over again as it pencils out about the same as having it done in our local area with fluroscopy if we don't spend the night. Doh!! After thinking about it I guess you are probably talking about the Mariott in TJ. Sorry don't have any experience there but I am sure they are all nice. Good luck with which ever one you chose.

I got my first fill last Friday and stayed the night at the Mariott near the airport. It was 120 dollars but very very nice and only six months old. Dr So told me that you should have your next fill when you are no longer saitisfied with the small meals and are hungry before 3 or 4 hours. I hear you about the sliming thing. The restriction really teaches you to take small bites and chew well.

Hope all goes well for you as I am sure it will. You are well educated and should know what to expect. Heck your probably in bandland already. YIPEEE

Thank you all for posting in my thread. Please don't take it personally that I don't take time to answer each one individually but I would like to. I just don't have time right now. Good luck to all of you first fillers and 2nd and 3rd fillers for that matter. I really appreciate this board and am more than happy to share from time to time.

I just went into a pharmacy over the weekend on Revolution Ave and asked for some Percocets(back pain ya know) and he said you can't get that here without a perscription. He did say that Tramadol wasn't restricted for purchase and that it could be taken across the border legally. So I got some of those and the wifey got some Amoxicillan for her sister. Viva La Mehico!!

I can't burp anymore either. I used to be able to swallow enough air to say my ABC's practically but not anymore. Oh I can still swallow air but it doesn't come back up. Definately worth the trade off though. Glad everything went alright for you. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress. Welcome to BANDLAND !!

Hello all. First let me say that I am not posting this especially for those that have been through this although your comments are welcome, but for the ones that are about to or will soon be going through this. My wife and I went to the OCC last Friday for our first fills. I wasn't having an especially good stomach day as we had a few sugar free mints (for ear popping she said) on the flight down from Washington and since we hadn't eaten they really never seemed to help that much but they got my stomach rolling and gurgling. Anyways we finally got to see Dr. So and as soon as he had me swallow the barium so I could watch the fluid flow down through my band it was like the light came on for me. I thought, ahaw! so that's why sometimes when I swallow a big gulp of water it seems to take forever for it to go down. Well Duh, guess I should have known but this doesn't always happen. I mean sometimes I could chug 12 ounces and never feel it back up at all but like I said I was having some restriction that day and it just kind of clicked. Could have been the stress of trying to make it there on time which we never and it wasn't a problem (thanks Mellissa) or the extra trip around the block for our taxi driver to find the place or whatever. I ended up getting 3cc in my 10cc band and I watched as he tried to put 4cc in and it was too much. Well on Monday we got to start back on solids and first thing I did was get a sausage bar on the way to work that morning. I know not the best choice for breakfast but they didn't have the chicken strips out yet. I took a normal bite out of it and swallowed and all of a sudden it wouldn't go down all the way. Well I ended up waiting awhile and all was fine but it was uncomfortable for a bit. Then for lunch I had a bowl of Southwest chicken campbells something. It's kind of chunky and I took a big spoonful of that to start lunch and it too got stuck. I thought to myself so this is what restriction is like. I ended being able to only eat half of the soup for lunch teensy tiny bites at a time so I was sure there wouldn't be a problem and got full before I expected it. I continue to be able to eat only about a quarter of what I could before I got banded and be full. Wow this is great!! Anyways just wanted to share with those that are about to embark on there first fill or soon will be. I understand not everyone feels restriction with their first fill and I must admit I feel lucky to have achieved it but it is a good feeling. Dr. So says that we should not need to have another fill until we experience a lot of hunger between meals or when we just don't feel satisfied with the smaller portions any longer. I think if you take the time to eat slowly and chew, chew, chew that could be some time to come. I also believe that anyone that takes 20 minutes to eat their meal will feel full when when they are finished with it. Sorry if some of this sounds off base to you more experienced fellow bandsters but in my semi newbie state that is how I feel now. I may come to learn differently. I never felt I had restriction before being filled the first time, but after watching the barium swallow prior to any saline being added I am now sure I did have some. As had been said here many times before the band is fickle and you MUST learn to pay attention to it so yah dont mess it up. It's not like a sledgehammer to the head which would be obvious. It is more subtle and if we pay attention we can tell when enough is enough. What a great thing. I love my band!!! Chris

Thanks for sharing your story with us OICU812. Sounds like you are doing great! Like you I'm not sure if this surgery has added years to my life but I can already attest to it adding LIFE to my years. Keep up the good work dude,

I know what you mean about the clothes thing. I had worn my smallest jeans down there which were comfortable when we left and by the time we came home yesterday morning I was able to walk right out of them. Thank God for sweatpants as I know they are good for at least 40 lbs of weight loss without falling off.

My wife and I both plateaued for around 10 days (we were both banded 12/16) after starting solids, but had some weight loss prior to our first fill, which was yesterday at the OCC. Dr. So said that if you had a good deal of weight losson the pre op diet prior to surgery then it was normal to plateau for awhile after starting solids. Just don't get discouraged and stick with the plan because it will happen when your body is ready. One other interesting thing he said was that the average weight loss between surgery and first fill was 15 to 25 lbs. which I thought was a little high. Probably depends on how much you have to lose and how much was lost prior to surgery. Good luck. Stick to it. It WILL happen. P.S. That barium swallow thing under floroscopy sp? was way cool. Also a good feeling to know everything was where it was supposed to be.

Wow Michelle, Great Job!! Well Done. Thanks for being here. You seem to have a lot of energy and did a great job of telling it like it is. Thanks again.

Wow. Makes me glad my wife and I were banded at the same time although I do wonder if, or I should say when we lose the weight if our relationship will change. I do have history on my side as we have been married 27 years. I'm hoping it just gets better as I don't think I can afford the alternative.. Just kidding..

Yep your one HOT Moma Michelle!! Great Job!!!!!!!! Congrats

That truly was a wonderful story and so inspirational. Thank you for sharing it with us. Yes life is pretty cool sometimes huh. Sounds like you might have gotten some extra help near the end of the walk also. =D>

Yes like Carrie said that is another excellent post Jazzy!!! You inspire me and I am sure your gonna do super great!! Wish I had the time and gumption to be so diciplined. sp? =D>

Yep sounds like you are doing great, and truly blessed. Enjoy it. I am happy for you. Chris

bump.. Those are two really good questions and someone has got to know. Thanks for asking them. I accept Christy's answer for the water. I know sometimes I have drank at least four ounces at a time and never felt anything.

Same thing happened to me the very first day I was on solids. I had been out checking the flood in our local area and when I got back there was this left over piece of ground turkey patty from dinner staring up at me begging me to eat it so I just popped it in my mouth and gave it a couple of chews and without thinking I swallowed it. I knew immediately it was stuck and tried to drink a little water. The water went no where except back up and I just kind of stood there for a minute with this pressure in my throat and I started to jump a little to give it some help and after a minute or so I felt it slide through. I was slimeing sp? prior to it going through and it was definately uncomfortable and not something I want to do any time soon. Kinda scary but I guess that's what teaches us to chew chew chew.

I had a horrible ucky taste in the back of my tounge after surgery for about five days. Just wondered if it had anything to do with intubation? Or do they put the tube in your mouth during surgery?

Glad to hear everything went ok for you. Too bad about your pain. It will get better. LET THE JOURNEY BEGIN!!!!!!!!

Yes Congratulations!!!! Got a kick out of your post. Thanks for sharing. Get rested up.

Congrats!! Thanks for the play to play. It was just like reliving it all over again. I too took a long time coming out of the anesthesia and only now remember a little of the doc coming in after the surgery and telling me I had a lot of the "F" word around my stomach also. He said we are the ones that usually lose it the fastest. You should have taken the time to spend an extra day at the Lucerna as it is a nice place. Best Wishes

Good Luck Samantha, Yep one thing that the weather isn't in Washington in the winter is boring huh I am sure everything will be just fine. Hope you and your husband have a great time down there. Chris

Jazzy, I never thought about cutting the bullets with something good. Thanks for the tip as I found them kinda yucky by themselves. I keep reading your posts about the importance of X amount of protein and using the fiber tablets to curb hunger and I would just like to say that I think you are right on. Thank You!!!!

I was banded on the 17th and have had several rounds of dizziness and have come to find that usually with me anyway that it is one of two things. Low blood sugar levels or low blood pressure. I took medicine for both of these before I was banded and am pretty much off of them at this point and only got light headed once since I quit the meds and that was when I had just finished climbing a bunch of stairs. (like 101 steps:) Ive also heard hydration and protein is key. Added in edit: I remember on my pre op diet when I was actually starving I was extremely light headed and called the OCC and Dr. Miranda let me add a subway sandwich for lunch which helped a bunch. Too bad you can't take some extra time off just to take care of yourself. Best Wishes. Hope you feel better. Chris