Teri

Wow! MimIN, Look at you! 60 some pounds lost.!!How wonderful is that??????? Good goin!! I am sooooooooo looking forward to being 60 pounds down. Kudos for you, great job. Teri =D>

Pamela! I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!!!!!!!!!! It is really working!!!!!! I am so very happy about it. I honestly was afraid it wasn't going to work. Even though I had restriction the last 2 times, it never felt like the restriction I have now. Its a great feeling, (thoughts of it)! I posted in Newly Banded Nov 1 Mom and Son, page 2, I think...... probably should have posted here, but, didnt. It's been 3 days, and so far, so good.!!!! Lovin it!! Yesterday, we took our son Kyle out for dinner, since we celebrate everything with food, (he passed his drivers ed permit) I ordered a vegetable enchalada w/ rice and beans. I ate 1/3 took the rest home, had another 1/3 for brunch the next day, and the last 1/3 for dinner tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALL on that one dinner. Enchaladas are kinda small to, to begin with, so, you gotta love it. Teri Thanks for your support!

LOL Kris, I can relate!!!!!!!!!!! ..........and it's only been 3 months!!! Teri

> Thank you Thank you, Kim! Its all good! ----so far! Teri

Hi Beth! Welcome!

Gosh, Kevin, I had no idea what you have been going through. Thanks for all your time and effort. I'm sorry that happened to you. Best of Everything to you in your new job. Like you, I love to give as well, and couldn't agree more with you in regards to the Ortiz Team. A rare group of individuals indeed!!! - Love them All! Teri

Littleroo, You are so dedicated here and so knowledgeable about the band, fills, process, you should be so excited for your journey to begin. I am sure you are, and hey, you will probably tell all the "red tapers" things they may not know. LOL I'm excited for you, and am looking forward to your sucess! Keep us posted. Teri

Well, just to update.....................................YAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Thank you soooooooooooooooooo much Dr. Ramero!!!! I LUV YOU!!! > I HAVE RESTRICTION, I REALLY DO!!! I am full after eating only about 1 cup of food. I am so excited, I have been singing, "Dancin on the ceiling" over and over, and no, I'm not a candidate for American Idol. I'm just so happy, because it's REALLY working!!!!!!!!!! LOL!!! I don't want to jinks myself though, so I will knock on wood. You guys are the BEST!!! Thanks for ALL your support in helping me to feel like a normal lapbander, even though I'm not. This is soooooooooooo cool..........or this is 'tight" no pun-intended!!!!!!!!! Teri >

Pamela, LOL You are so funny, you sound like I did, it brings back memories for me. It wasn't that long ago. (Nov 1) You probably wont be hungry at all after surgery and on the plane. It's different for everyone, but from reading everyone else's after surgery experience, the general feeling is not wanting to eat. It's hard for us eaters to even in-vision that thought, I know, but, it's a wonderful thing. LOL Lotsa Luck

Hi Stockprincess, Good Question! From what I understand, a small leak which usually occurs around the port, air from the needle, a lot of flying due to airplanes, evaporation, etc. (All very rare) "Holding" your fill, is not a medical term I'm aware of........ it's how I discribed what I was feeling at the time. Each time I would get a fill, I felt as though I did have the restricted feeling for a few days, smaller meals, feeling full sooner than before the band, etc, but then....a couple days later that tighter feeling would disapear. I would experience getting hungry again, could take bigger bites, not have to be cautious about what I ate, could eat a lot of every type of food. So, from my experience, I discribed it as "holding" restriction. I hope I answered your question.

Thanks LORI! With Kyles help, we finally have a pic, not the clearest, but it'll do for now. >

I think I read about a week or so ago, littleroo was willing to help with the junk posts. She's on 3 times a day. Did you get that post Lori??? I think it would be a huge help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Teri

WOW!!!!!!!!!!! Kim -thats fabulous!!! it's gotta feel great! Thanks for your support!!!!!!!!!! Well today, I think it's finally working! Split a chicken bake (the ones from Costco with my Mom) I took 2 inches of it, and was good to go!!!!! Yaaaayyyyy!! I'm getting butterflies again.

OK - Back from TJ - should I say from getting a (4th fill??) Well, it was suppose to be my 3rd fill. I know, confusing, hang with me. I had 2.5cc in my band and that same number was still in the band after thinking I might have a small leak. That was great news and I was relieved. Was then filled to 3cc and asked to eat 2 pieces of toast, which I finished, with no problems. Then my banding friend Kelly and I were asked to go eat a normal lunch and come back within an hour afterwards. We took a taxi to the Lucernia Hotel and had lunch, it was about 12:30pm. I was still able to eat approx 3 cups of food. NO PROBLEMS, I did push it a little, because I DID NOT WANT to LEAVE TJ without knowing I had restriction and that feeling of fullness, since I am a volume eater, (I've always liked 2nd helpings and could skip all the desserts, I'm not a dessert eater.) Nor did I want to still being able to eat anything again. At the restaraunt I had 1 chicken enchalda, 2 phillo spinach and cheese appetizers (both bigger than the palm of my hand), 1 cup of rice (NO PROBLEM) a lg piece of broccoli, lettuce and about 12 tostada chips, with a creamy quacamole dip. (We did have a margarita beforehand) and this was all after I had the toast at the clinic. No problems with any of the foods or amounts. I didnt really care for the chicken enchaladas, but did eat the one. Back at the clinic, now I am a bit embarassed, thinking I'm some kind of freak-a-nature, (as kids would say), or some kind of freak with the amount of saline that was injected to the band and STILL being able to eat, blah. blah, blah, So, very hesitantly, Dr. Ramero added another .4cc. I now have 3.4cc. hmmm...OKay... This makes me feel real good since out of the 5,000 patients they have seen thus far the highest number of cc's he has done was 3.6cc (with the smaller band) and ONLY 10 of his patients have that amount!!!!!!!!!!!) I think I'm a NUT CASE for the band. At the airport, we had some extra time to sit and chat, it was about 5:00pm now, and Kelly ordered a cheese quesadilla, I still WAS NOT hungry, but decided to try out the 3.4cc restriction. I had 4 small bites and was stuffed again. Arrived home around 10:00pm feeling hungry, so I ate 1 slice of cheese and was satisfied. This morning I had a bagel with cream cheese and noticeably more restriction than I have ever felt with any of the fills so far, and my sister pointed out that I said that last time................... So, I'll just keep pluggin along and hope again, this restriction HOLDS!!!!!!!!!!!! :-?

Littleroo- :-h You are soooo right about the leaking band-air-priming! Thanks so much for your support too-& on the boards, love your contribution! Very valuable info-cause you always seem to be "right" on!!! Sometimes it helps me to have someone "think" with me, because I don't always recognize everything I could. I did go for a fill yesterday and it's kinda lengthy and dont have enough time to post, so I will do it when I get back from taking my son to school. Teri

Dr. Ortiz is the BEST! Do your research and you will find that out for yourself. Call Lori Becky as well, she has always been very helpful. Look her up on these boards. Good Luck with whomever you choose. Teri

Thank you so much Pamela, and blessings galore with your weight loss. i leave tomorrow so i will update when i return. i am going with another lady that was banded on the same day as Kyle and me.

3 Months After Being Banded: :-? :-? :-? Well, this week, I will make the trip back this time without Kyle to TJ for the 4th time. First time, surgery, and this will be my 3rd fill! My band is not "holding" the restriction. I am confused a little, because Dr. Romero checked for a port leak last time we were there which was Jan 5. and there seemed to be no leak. I try not to think about weighing more than I did before I had the surgery, for me, it just wouldn't help the situation. I also don't want to feel glum all the time. I still believe being restricted is the key with the band, so that helps. My husband is great, and is being paitient, bless him! - but does throw in little comments about how great the band is. UGH! (How can I blame him for thinking the way he does, I can't) Kyle's weight loss is slow, but he is loosing about 1 pound a week. He's lost about 21 pounds all together. After fills, I hold restriction for a few days, then it POOF, it ends, and I am back to eating the same amount of food as before surgery. I am still positive about the band working, but must admit, it's getting harder. Teri

Michelle, I am soooooooo very happy you are OK! I have been following your journey with anticipation for your weight loss. Your health and well being is more important right now then any amount of weight loss. Also, I am so happy the hospital and Dr.'s you were seen at were friendly and helpful to you. Thank you for your excellenct advice on having a plan and having IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS in your cell programmed!!! I am going to do that today!!!!!!!! When you were in for your second fill, did they ask you what a typical day of eating was for you, and how much you were eating? I'm curious about that. If I remember from your posts, you were eating very little. Any ways, take this time to take care of YOU!! Hugs for you and your family. > Teri

hi kelli in coolidge az! i am from gold canyon and cyndi (topic starter) and i live about a mile or so from each other. my hubby has a business and is in coolidge most days! do you know where kenworthy is, by the new walmart? anyway, i'll be returning to occ soon, but i fly standby so everything with me is a spare of the moment process. hope your doing good, and maybe one of these days we can all meet at a resturant for a lapband get together/party, since we all live pretty close together. what do you guys think?????????? anyone interested???????????? maybe meet in mesa somewhere??? i can reserve a place for sometime in FEB or MAR. > teri

YEAYEEEE!!! What a great feeling that is Lapoli!, I am happy for you!. As of today, Kyle my son has lost 20 pounds, but I still have yet to "hold" the restriction. I was feeling stuffed after meals for days after the 2nd fill, but then................the full feeling left, yet again. I'm in the process of setting up another appt. I still have faith this will work.

Hi Lori, I just missed you in the chat room yesterday by 2 minutes. ( shoot!!! Maybe next week.