LisaLaw

Thanks for your input. It has now been a week since my fill. I stayed on liquids for 5 days to let everything settle down. If I try to eat solids now I can only keep 3 or 4 small bites down (unless I wash them down with hot liquids). I will probably just give it a couple more days and then maybe have a small unfill.

bandster rule: No drinking liquids when eating.

You will create a "washing machine type" issue with your pouch. Not only can it contribute to turning your pouch into the size of an Apple (at which point they will totally unfill you), but you want to be able to learn your ability to eat bite-sized pieces. tiny bites and small portions.

I saw your question a few days ago and decided to offer my perspective.

After a fill, I do not drink 'alot' of cold water because I am typically a bit swollen and it feels like a slow pipe. I prefer to drink alot of green tea, Earl Grey and peppermint tea (which by the way is excellent for our tummies and nausea). The warmth feels good and I believe it helps relax my new fill a bit.

Personally, I was once VERY tight and had the same issue you are going through. It took FOREVER for anything to go down. Even just an ounce. After hoping for 6 days things would settle down, I went and had .2 removed. It was like the floodgates were opened.

If you are having to wait for 1-2 ounces of water to go down, I would suggest getting a fluoro...or at the very least .2-.4 removed.

You do NOT want to pooch your pouch (or keep the irritation going and have a slippage).

Keep us posted. xoxo

Hello,I had the plication on Oct. 18 with the OCC, till this day i have no problems with it my only Regret is that i have spend all this money and i only lost 18 pounds

18 lbs? That is fabulous! considering you are only allowed liquids for 10-14 days, that puts you at the first week of November. 18 lbs in 8 weeks my dear is a very tidy sum. Do not cut yourself short. You could be 18 lbs heavier. Congrats.

I am still trying to grapple with the whole 'lesion' thing. How did this all start? I hope you are okay and healing well. For you to now consider Plication just goes to show you how badly we all want to live healthy lives without food being our crutch.

xoxo

That's great advice! Thanks!

I always get the roasted chicken from Costco or Fred Meyer and then portion it out. I have not been able to eat dried out grilled chicken for two years...nor am I going to drench it in sauce to get it down.

The roasted chickens are always crazy moist and do not require sauce dipping

I went down on Oct 28 with the intention of getting banded. After meeting with the doctors I seriously considered the plication. I was fortunate enough to have my laptop with me so I could research it that evening. The next morning I decided to go with the gastric plication.

There wasn't much information available so I read about patients who had the gastric sleeve to find out what to expect. My decision came down to this:

1. You get the great results of gastric sleeve without actually cutting your stomach (plication is much less intrusive)

2. I didn't have to return for fills - traveling from Canada this was a bonus

3. I was always uncomfortable with the thought of a foreign object in my body - especially one you can feel on the surface

4. If I understand correctly, with the band it's much harder to swallow foods but with plication it limits the amount of food you can have in your stomach. This suited me better.

5. Like the band it's totally reversible.

It sounds like several people are removing their band and replacing it with plication. The one downside to plication (I didn't confirm this with a doctor) is I think you could gradually overeat and stretch your stomach back.

As far as recovery, I'm on day three and feeling fine. I had surgery on Friday and just slept a lot afterwards. Saturday I felt great, I think I was still high on the drugs. But Sunday morning I felt like I was hit by a truck. My eyes were puffy, I felt a bit of pain and discomfort, I had a headache and my vision was slightly blurry. The long flight home wasn't fun.

It's now Monday morning and I'm feeling much better.

I'll try to keep everyone posted on my progress because I know there's not much info on plication. I know I appreciated as much info as I could get before my surgery.

Great commentary CG

One of our bandster sisters is considering switching to plication. Personally myself? I am sick of fills, but I have had some great success to this point with the band. I know nothing about plication, but was wondering if you can stretch your tummy out just like a gastric bypass.

someone I work with had a GB 8 years ago...he got real thin and now he is right back up to 400 lbs. he completely stretched out his stomach again. very sad.

so do you have to do the 21 days of liquids as well? what kinds of portion sizes are you allowed?

oodles and congrats!

So I am just curious.

one of our bandster sisters has had her band since Spring of 2008. she is thinking of having it removed and getting a plication done, since she has not lost any weight in a year. Have either of you had a band?

Hope you are feeling great! I have no idea what a plication is, but it sounds like the hot new thing.

YUM!!

so simple and easy (for $2.00 more, you can put fresh veg in). I love meals that are low cal, healthy and dont require alot of thought.

I think I have slipped as well. I have been in pain the last week when I eat. I can feel the place where it passes and I am ok if I eat soft stuff and go slow. My Gastro guy told me that if I had pain when eating I probably had a slip. I am having a scope done next week and he said that he would be able to tell pretty much immediately. That being said, I am having terrible reflux and meds don't seem to help much. I think I might have a sluggish esophogus as well. I have been banded for almost 2 years and have lost over 80lbs. I am so thrilled and so scared of gaining the weight back. My gastro guy also told me that if I had a slip I would probably have to have it removed.

Are there any other things that could cause pain when eating? And what are the other options (outside of removal) for a slip?

Thanks - Tobi

Tobi

This is a terrific website from a dr. down in TJ about the symptoms of slippage

<http://arturorodriguezmd.com/lap-band-slippage-causes-and-prevention>

NO, NOT REALLY BUT IT WOULDN'T BE A BAD IDEA TO BRING A TOWEL I GUESS. MY TUMMY WAS WRAPPED UP SO TIGHT, THERE WAS NOTHING COMING OUT. I DID HAVE A DRAIN IN FOR A DAY OR TWO BUT NOTHING CAME OUT OF IT.

I DID BLEED A BIT ON THE ARMS BUT I HAD A THICK KOTEX WRAPPED UNDER ACE BANDAGES SO VERY LITTLE LEAKAGE

HAVE YOU SEEN MY SURGERY PICS?

Kotex...who knew?

I would say if you have hit goal, don't touch a thing

I haven't had my band checked since April of 2009, so I am heading in next Friday for a checkup and potential fill as I am on the last 30 lbs to get off. Once I hit goal, I am taking Dr. Os advice and only doing a check every few years.

Denise

Of all the women on this board who have had a TT, you have the most shapely, well done TT I have ever seen.

I am seriously thinking of heading to see Dr Campos myself, I used to have the most fabulous curves until having kids, I want them back!

You my dear friend have Marilyn Monroes curves..and I am damn jealous! LOL

xoxo you much

Cara

SO glad you posted this Pammie!

I put this on my Facebook page as a warning to people. I had actually considered going up there to have my inner thighs done as I know someone who went to this guy and he did her waist and hips. She went from a size 14 to a 10 in 4 hours. Now she is freaking out because an unlicensed Dr did the work!

I am having my Dr. (Dr. Philip Haeck-president of the PS board in the US) at Swedish do my breast lift, but seriously thinking of going to Denises dr in TJ for my TT and lipo - Denise has THE best TT I have ever seen done...hands down!

Snazzed-Up Snickers Pie

A favorite of Weight Watchers everywhere!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups fat-free vanilla frozen-yogurt, slightly softened

1 small box Jell-O Sugar-Free Fat-Free Chocolate Pudding mix (Instant)

1/4 cup reduced-fat chunky peanut butter

1 cup Cool Whip Free

3 oz. Grape Nuts

2 Tbsp. Hershey's Lite Chocolate Syrup

Mix all ingredients together (except for the chocolate syrup), and pour into 8" dish. Drizzle with syrup and freeze.

Serves 8. Each serving contains 158 calories, 3g of fat, 4g protein, 28g carbs, 1g fiber. (Only 3 measly points!)

Fabulous!! thank you for sharing such a low cal yummy treat.

WELL WE’VE SLAMMED SHUT AGAIN, IT'S BEEN JUST OVER A YEAR SINCE THIS HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME.

LAST WEEK I HAD JUST HORRIBLE ACID REFLUX, PRILOSEC WASN’T TOUCHING IT. I DIDN’T RECOGNIZED SYMPTOMS OF THE BAND TIGHTENING TILL THIS WEEK WHEN EVEN WATER WASN’T GOING DOWN. I HEADED IN FOR AN UNFILL UNDER FLUOROSCOPY THIS MORNING. I HAVE A SLIGHT POUCHING ON ONE SIDE OF THE BAND. I’M WAITING ON A CALL BACK NOW FROM THE OCC AS THEY RECOMMENDED I BE SEEN BY DR ORTIZ TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING OK. I HAD 1.7 cc IN A 4cc BAND. I NOW AM AT .4 DRINKING LOTS OF WATER

DOLITTLE, ANY INFO YET ON WHY WHEN AT GOAL OR CLOSE TO IT, LESS IS NEEDED?

craziness. I had my band slam shut about a month ago for nearly a week. I am thinking of heading to Olympia to get things checked out myself and also doing band test.

Fortunately, I have those glorious anti-nauseal pills that Lisal told me to get which TOTALLY help with acid reflux, I would be up the creek without a paddle at times because it seems like the smaller I am getting, the more acidy I get. I have also noticed that when I 'slouch' in the middle (not paying attention to crappy posture) I get REALLY crampy in my gut.

keep us posted. I am really glad I read this.

C

OK I just had an NSV and had to get on here and tell you all about it. So I have a washing machine that tends to "walk" when I put too much in it. So usually my way to fix that was I would sit on top of it. So tonight put some blankets in there and heard it start walking so I went down there and sat on it and apparently I don't weigh enough anymore because it moved my ass right along with it! I was laughing so hard and the dogs were just staring at me like I was crazy!

Anyhoo, guess I need a new method of dealing w/ my crappy washer now. Good problem to have I guess - made me laugh!

Oh and last night my niece told me to move my little butt - that was a good one too!

ooo..I love it! That is hysterical.

my NSV happened this morning as my husband grabbed my hips (and waist - yes! I have one again!) and said "wow, you are losing so much weight and look amazing"

that felt pretty damn good!

i can't give you much support, as I challenge with head hunger all the time, but I know I can't make 'naughty' food anymore - no more baking, or cooking things I can't eat with a clear conscience This prevents any temptation!

I second what Lindsay just said. My excessive cooking has come to a nice slow idle. IF I can't(OR SHOULDN'T) eat it...I rarely make it even for the family. I now cook alot of "clean" foods, which are just better all around.

Here I am 4-5 days post-op and I spent the afternoon making fudge, rice krispy treats, chocolate peanut cluster and now I am making chix parmesian for my family for dinner tomnight. I am not hungry but the head hunger is KILLING me.

I would love some words of encouragement right now. There is no way I will touch any of the stuff but cooking it and watching everyone else enjoy is making me CRAZY!!!

That is tough. My encouragement would be two things.

#1 - be in control of your situations. This will eliminate the insatiable need to patrol your kitchen like a shark (we all do it in the beginning) and will also make you stop needlessly/blindly cooking enough food for an army.

#2. I had the head hunger for a solid 3-4 months before it began to wane. Once you hit the fill you need to be at to eliminate your physical hunger, the mental hunger will begin to go away as well and will allow you to make conscious decisions.

Keep your chin up and a smile on your face.

VITAMIN E oil is AWESOME!!!

I had thyroid cancer the end of 2006 and had a yucky/nasty incision on my neck, and now because I used the E oil, people don't even realize I have the scar until I point it out & you have to look really really close to see it.

Infact, I have used the E oil on all my incision sites and they look great.

Well, I am THRILLED to read that. I have a 6 inch scar on my throat that looks like I was attacked at a damn truck stop and already I have noticed from using Vitamin E oil daily, it is less red and is actually starting to become the color of my regular skin.

I had never heard that Vitamin E was bad. Actually, Vitamin E is used in tons of skin creams for anti-aging benefits, used as an antioxidant (maybe that is why I look 27? ) and for forms of psoriasis. My neurosurgeon Dr. P. Mummaneni at University of Cal-San Francisco is one of the top in his field (yes, I flew from Seattle to ONLY have him reconstruct my neck - he is that good), so for him to tell me to prick a capsule and rub the oil on my scar..I do it. I have seen a huge difference that is for sure. I can't imagine it would not benefit our tummy scars as well.

i did it a few years ago, and was shocked at how challenging it was!

it was also very expensive here in the city, so opted out after I found it too slooooooow for me (&my low level of patience!)

I agree. it is very slow...and that is why I never stuck with it before. I just enjoy the treadmill and stairmaster far better. BUT, slow is good and I was told this is all I am allowed for now. I will take what I can get!

So I am completely thrilled! I had neurosurgical spine surgery on my neck 12 weeks ago. The day before surgery, I ran 4 miles with the Pacific Ocean as my view. I have not been able to do any form of exercise for three months and I just got cleared to begin physical therapy AND yoga. So I am meeting with the director of this studio who is certified in dealing with people who have owies such as mine. I will of course have to go slow..but I am thrilled to death to finally get to do something!

For those of you who have never tried Yoga (kundalini, bikram, etc), it is AMAZING and gives you such peace of mind as well as showing you muscles you never knew you had. It makes your body leaner as it stretches the muscle and has this magical way of making you look more graceful when you walk. It also kicks those core muscles magically as well.

Bikram also burns more calories than you can imagine.

Example:

a 190 lb person who takes a class for 90 minutes will burn 1,259 calories! (yes..really)

All of these questions are popping into my head now that I am home. Of course I forgot to ask while I was down there.

How long before we can put aloe vera gel, vitamin E oil, scarguard etc. on our incisions? I am assuming we can't put anything on them until after the glue has disolved. Any input would be great.

Hi...I never put Vitamin E on my incisions...maybe I should have now. I actually just had spine surgery in my neck and have a 6 inch long scar on my neck. My neurosurgeon stated that as soon as the majority of scab had healed to immediately take a vit E capsule..prick it with a needle and rub it on there. He stated that it would help the scar and encourage it to heal faster. I began doing this about 3 weeks after my surgery and WOW...what a huge difference it has made..the massaging of the E oil into it has also encouraged better healing from stimulating blood flow.

So that would be my advice. Or just call the OCC.

I would have said, honey you drive a porsche, I live in this body....LOL

Amen Angie!! LOL

bump.

did all of you doing these injections melt away to nothing?!

just wondering what the overall update/status is.

I am still using it, although very infrequently, I typically forget to take them

It has definately eliminated much of the belly fat I had. I have not been able to exercise from my spinal surgery and I firmly believe it helped to break the plateau I was stuck on for seven months.

Great job Revy!! keep up the good work!!

It is amazing the difference!

Here are a couple of recent pics. The 2nd one is Halloween of course..lol. It's so great to get updates from all of you!!

YOU look smokin'!!

who is the hottie next to you?