Teri

Hi FulEllie, No, I didnt go. My sister flew into AZ. She will be here for another week or so. The band was something I havent shared with her. So a little awkward going while she is here. I plan on getting a fill the morning of the 21st with Wendy Hall. She is with Fill Center USA. If that fill does not work out, I will be back to TJ for some advice as to my situation. Good Luck to you. Who knows, by the 16th, I may just join you in TJ, although, my sister will still be here, so we'll see how it goes. Teri

Jennifer, Can I asked you what your history on fills/slip was with the band?? My band close's up too, and it's hard to believe because just looking at the innertube while in the office, you have to wonder why it happens, there seems to be plenty of an opening, even when it is filled to max. Just curious, and glad everything has worked out for you. Teri

Michele, I hope that you are ok. Was everything ok with your upper G.I.??? I am having troubles as well and it is a tough road. Not quite the same troubles, but never the less, troubles. I am still believeing that this will work though. Are you thinking in that direction, about removal? I just cannot let myself think that. Everyone is different though. I hope you are well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Teri

First off, about being positive...........what good would it do me mentally to be negative, and I dont need to be or feel the negativity in my life, because it would bring me down and affect all areas of my life. I am definatly looking for an explanation. I have been in contact with Dr. Romero. He assures me he will "fix" it. I choose to believe him because of their high standards on helping people. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. It's certainly a pain having to take a day to travel, regardless if your flying or driving. Even though I havent worked outside the home for about 10 years, I am the CEO of my household, heehehe, and still have a lot to do with my husband's business, running errands, driving kids, baseball, etc. For me, keeping positive is the only way to look at it right now. Having said that..........I am starting to experience a knawing inside. It's hard to explain. I'm embarrased about my lack of weight loss around certain people I've told about the surgery. When you see them, they look as though they have the question of hmmmmm................I thought she had surgery for weight loss. Having to constantly explain my fill levels have been up and down is getting old. I'm trying to understand, so it's hard for them to understand as well. It doesnt help at all, when I thought I had the perfect amount "pegged"when I was filled to 2.65 (thicker saline), went for an unfill from not being able to drink water, and they pulled out a full 3cc. (NOT OCC) That was HARD on me. I was so scared and a little ticked, because I was still charged for an unfill along with paying for a shot for being swollen. People are still human. I have to hang on to hope right now that this is going to work for me. I have not exhausted all possiblities since I have .5cc left to get to 4cc. with the regular saline. Since changing back to the reg saline, the dramatic variances have gone away. The choice to use the thicker saline at the high fill levels was a wrong one for me. But it was a choice I made, lived with it, and will move on and learn from it. Teri

Great Question, and Good explaination Clynn. However, I do think it is major! - and something I certaintly worry about. You cannot possibly "work" around certain situations. When you have good restriction for 3 weeks, then, it's completely gone and you can eat anything and a lot of it, or you cannot even drink water after 3 weeks of getting a fill, because the band tightens on you, it gets almost impossible to determine a correct level of fill. It has been very extreme for me, (one way or the other). Everyone is different. I have had my share of struggles. I am still working things out though. Teri

All I can say is, everybody is different. I had no idea how I would react to the fills. No one does. If you are a "lucky" one with fills, your experience will be great. If you are not so lucky, you will have ups and downs. And getting there can be a task. Teri

Well, you are so right! Called yesterday and talked with Dr. Romero. I'm just getting disappointed more than anything, even over frustrating. Wow, wish I would have know about you going on the 25th too with Wendy Hall, we could have rode together. They will be back down to Mesa on the 21st of May. I think I am flying out tomorrow to TJ. Gotta check flights, etc. It's a bummer when you finally restrict, then, have it tighten so much, you cant even drink water. That STINKS!, because it's impossible to know if you have the right amount. Good that you are not gaining!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Teri

Pamela! How wonderful for you, I think that is a PERFECT fill. If you can drink water and eat very little, count it as a blessing. I would LOVE to be where you are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even if things get stuck sometimes, If you can drink water, you more then likely have the right amount for losing weight. Keep up the great results!! I know what you mean about people wondering though, I found when I was way to tight it was tough to sit down at a meal and I would spread things out on my plate to look like I had more food then what I did. hehee geeze, the things we do. Teri

FurEllie, COUNT ME IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The ONLY day this week I CANNOT MAKE it is on Mon & Tues (May 7 & 8) Any other day this week will work for me. Teri

Thanks Pamela! You are so sweet. You know, I am fortunate in the sense that I'm not a dessert eater, not an icecream person, not a choc person. Could do without all of those things for life. My problem and always has been is overeating food. I would rather have 2nd helpings. So, I eat a lot of food. I can eat anything with the band with the rescriction of 3.5cc and my normal almount of food. But, I am going to wait about 3 weeks for a fill, (I think) because I've experienced the band tightening after a fill, say about 3 weeks out. Dont know if that will happen again, but we'll see. You know, all of this would be so different if the band did not flucuate (sp??) so much. One extreme to the other for me. I know other bandsters have experienced this too, so I'm not alone. But getting there is a pain in the arsssss. :-? Teri

Thanks............... Kristi.

Kristi Ann, I am sooo happy for you!! It has to be a great feeling! I felt that perfect restriction when I had the thicker saline, but it tightened way to much 2 weeks later. I am at 3.5cc and switched back to the reg saline and have no restriction, can you believe it?? Great job and continued happy losing!! Teri

Cheryl, I am sooooooo happy for you!!!!!!!!!!!! Best of Luck to you and your surgery and fills, etc.!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Being banded should indeed help your lung situation!!! and going first class..............it's wonderful!!! Keep us posted on your progress. Teri

Hey I'm with ya Nita. Good topic, Tom. Just wish I could reach that just right level........and I have the smaller band. The frustration is the same. Sometimes I think I have it "pegged" for a week out from a fill, then........................poof the restriction is gone. Or it's the opposite, to tight, and water doesnt go down. Up and down, and up and down. Still believing though. Teri

Clarabelle, I believe that to a certain extent. (The band has the control to determine to what extent you want to take it). But, I also believe, in my heart with the proper restriction level, when you are filled to that so called sweet spot, it is there to help you with weight loss, unlike any other diet. It is tough to do when you are not properly restricted. After all, why have the band as a tool if you have to depend on your willpower all the time. That would not make sense, since I feel like willpower on my own was something I could not do for life. You have had, only one fill, and believe me, it's better to creep up on the amount. I have experienced both sides of fills, eating anything, and not eating anything, not even water would go down, not even a tiny sip the size of your fingernail. It does get discouraging. I am very fortunate that I am at a place in life where money is not the issue for getting fills/unfills, but I also would like to get to that level since I paid out of pocket (17,000). Yes, you do want what you paid for. How someone with limited funds does it, is even more discouraging, my heart goes out to them. With this type of follow up care, needing fills to make the surgery work, it has been up and down, and a guessing game for me. I'm still believing though. Hang in there, and I hope your next fill gets you to the proper restriction. Teri

I'm with ya Julie. Just check out my log on fills. Pheww. Still have yet to hit that sweet spot. Hang in there, I was banded in Nov 06 and am still not there. I believe I will get there though, and I am totally fine with going thru all of the fills/unfills to reach the right one. Since this is suppose to be permanent, if it takes a while to get there, so be it. It's not like going on a diet and having the fear of trying to keep that up for life. Teri

O Kay, It was time again to start the process of yet another fill, since I have gained alot of my surgery weight back of getting 2.5cc of reg saline on April 4. I was filled to 3.5cc of reg. saline on April 25 exactly 3 weeks later. Believe it or not I can eat 3 slices of pizza (my normal eating amount prior to having the surgery) and a huge bowl of popcorn, say, the size of a shoe box. Bummmmmmer. What was interesting to me, that I hadn't heard before was when I was in the office getting filled she explained to me that some people have more fat on the inside of thier stomachs than others. Colesterol, etc. It makes sense that the amount of fat or colesterol on the inside of everyones stomach is different and plays a part on how the band reacts to the amount of saline injected. I don't know. It's just tough to figure out why reaching a sweet spot has been a problem for me. She also explained after doing thousands of fills, she can feel the pressure, like a tire being blown up, when filling patients. She could feel the pressure at around 3.6cc for me. She said, on some patients she can feel it around 1cc. Settled for 3.5, so we'll see. Time will tell. Teri

Yeah for Darin! on joining the "losers club" hehehe. Good Luck and happy losing! Teri

Thanks Pam and Kim for your words of encouragment. It helps a lot. I seem to be able to eat everything and anything, no problem OR nothing at all including water. In between would be good. LOL. I'll get there, just later than most. Just gotta find the time to head back. You guys are doing great, keep posting. Teri

Just havent found the sweet spot yet. :-? Either I can eat ANYTHING or NOTHING. 3 fills at OCC & fills/unfills here locally.

What a crazy journey. I'm still looking to find that sweet spot that is talked about. After dropping back to reg saline and trying the 2.5cc, after 2 weeks I gained 15 pounds. Crazy. My husband and I have been away the last 2 weekends and we made them longer, which didn't help on the food choices. When your traveling and eating with a group it's harder to choose resturants. We flew to Texas for a wedding. I am not restricted at all. I think it was a lot of water weight when I dropped to 154. Today I am 169. I walk the dogs, (only one mile 3 or 4 times a week.) I'll be getting a fill again, I just need to find the time. Lots of playing catch-up since being away. Baseball games, paperwork, etc. just things that you fall behind on. Kyle is not losing and he may have gained a little too, but he tells me he wouldn't want to be any more restricted then he is. Not sure if it's because he want's to enjoy the food or cannot handle being any tighter. Anyway, just an update. Teri

I did the first 3 times, and yes, they do add up. That is why after 4 months of not being restricted I got aggressive about it. Meaning, I wanted to experience being full on very little food which was not happening and also I was basically still at my surgery weight. So, I switched to thicker saline after having 3.4cc for about a month and still not losing weight. You know when you need a fill when you are still eating the same as before the surgery and not losing weight. It gets frustrating to try and find the right amount of fill. You will know. Teri Good Luck

Hi Vickie, Soon enough, you will be that helpful person for someone contemplating the whole idea. When I first read the forums, I thought, NO WAY I was going to TJ MX, In fact, they were offering another amount of 13k at another location in MX, and I had orginally made up my mind to go there and pay the extra 5k, crazy, I know. (Because of the damage from a storm to the facility, they were not accepting patients) good thing for me as I saved some $$, LOL, but as I read, you feel a lot more comfortable about the deciding because of the experiences of the people on the forums with the facility and Dr. O. Your surgery is comin up! Good Luck to you. Teri

Welcome Jazzy! Good Luck with everything. I know what you mean when you'd like your family with you. Kyle and I went by ourselves without my husband too, but everything was fine. It seems with the weight, we lost a lot more a few days prior to surgery. Anyways, best of everything. Teri

Hi Michele, I did feel a little weak the first few weeks after surgery. Probably from surgery itself, not eating solids, and living off liquids. It does get better with time. I was really gassy the first 3 months. Congrats on your surgery and happy losing. It's a wonderful thing!! Rest win you can. Teri