heidiinSD

I wouldn't say it was the greastest care either. I had a band. That night they didn't offer me any water or even broth. I was starving from not eating all day. I remember the other patients and I going to make our own broth in the kitchen. Shouldn't they have checked on us and offered us something?

Funny, I was just on here looking around because I hate the lap band I had put in at the OCC in 2010. I need to have it taken out. In the last three days I have had to go throw up my food twice. When it happened on Thursday I had to throw up for about 2 hours to get it all out of me. I can't wait to have this lap band removed!!! Worst thing I ever did.

Hey Everyone, This is my story....I got the band last April. I lost about 13 pounds on the liquid diet. I waited six weeks and got my first fill at the OCC. I live in San Diego, so I can get down to the office. My first fill was to 5.0cc's. I had no restriction at all. I went back a couple of weeks later and Dr So took it up to 8.0cc. I couldn't eat at all and was throwing up. I went back again and we took it down to 7.5. Still too tight and I was throwing up. Backed it down again to 7.0cc. I was still tossing my cookies not all the time, but more then a couple times a week. So being the food addict that I am I start eating things that I know I can get down. The chips they did go down easily! I could not get any bread or pasta down and had a lot of problems with protein too. So, about three or four months ago I got totally fed up and went down to the OCC and had it totally unfilled. My last straw was throwing up my dinner in a trash can outside so my husband didn't see. I have young kids and the unpredictability of not know what would go down and what wouldn't was just not practical. I once tossed my cookies in a plastic bag in my car in front of the kids. It freaked my four year old son out. Now, I am feeling guilty that we spent all this money and I really haven't lost any weight. I went to a consultation for the lap band in SD. The doctor made it sound like you just put this thing on and you lose weight. Do you really have to diet with the lapband? What has made you successful? Any thoughts would be appreciated! Thanks, Heidi

I did cheat a little. I ate some frozen yogurt and soft tofu. I also probably started eating around day 18. I just totally lost it and couldn't hang anymore!

Thanks for the tips ladies!

Hello, So, I was banded on April 12th. My fills have gone like this.... OCC- 5.0 CC's on May 25th OCC-8.00 CC's about a month later OCC-7.5 unfill about a week later OCC-7.0 unfill July 7th So at 8.0 and 7.5 I was too tight and was throwing up quite a bit. Now, I'm down to 7.0cc's and have no restriction. I do feel bread, but can still eat it without much discomfort. I can pretty much eat anything again and not get full super fast. So, I'm wondering if I should go back again and try 7.25cc's? What is good restriction suppose to feel like? I know at 8.0 and 7.5 I was in a lot of pain while eating and had a very hard time getting protein down. What are your thoughts? I want this to work. I will be so bummed if I wasted all this money!!! I will also never hear the end of it from my husband....Can just a tiny tweak get me to the right spot??? Thanks! Heidi

I tossed my cookies twice yesterday. Going on liquids today. My stomach is kind of crampy. Stupid me, I ate about three bites of ribs last night and made myself sick again. So, meat is out with the lap band for most people?

I probably do have swelling. I made an appointment to go back next Wednesday to get some taken out. Just trying to figure out if this is me or the band? So far, I really don't like this and don't have the time to keep going back to the OCC. Will it get better??

Well today I ate about two slices of roast beef (thin from the deli) and a fork full of tuna. It hurt like hell going down. Just trying to figure out if I am eating too fast or the band is still too tight? I got my unfill on Monday and have had to throw up three times since then. I'm going to call Dr So tomorrow. When things get stuck does everyone just wait for them to pass or do you feel the need to toss your cookies?

Hello, I just got my second fill last week and went from 5.00 to 8.00cc's. I know I was too full, so went back to the OCC on Tuesday and Dr So took me down to 7.5. Last night I had a small piece of steak and some rice. I either ate too much or it was the rice, but it hurt like hell when I was done. Today, went to the fair with my husband and kids. Took a couple of bites of my husbands gyro which is meat on flat bread. Hurt again and felt like it was stuck. I went to the bathroom and threw up. I'm wondering if I'm still too tight or it is bread and rice. I'm trying to figure out the lap band and what I can and cannot do. What are your thoughts on bread and rice? Thanks! Heidi

Hi, I just got my second fill and I'm up to 8.0cc's. I'm having a lot of pain eating. It's almost like I feel pain in my upper back when the food is going down. I know I'm too tight. I'm going back to the OCC on Tuesday to get some taken out. I can't live like this and I'm freaked out to try to eat anything solid. When you do have good restriction do you feel any pain at all or do you just get full really quickly? Thanks! Heidi

Yes, I didn't have any restriction at all either. You just need to watch it. After my first fill I didn't have any restriction either. I just had my second fill and it was too much. Now, I have too much restriction and can't eat without pain. Going back to the OCC on Tuesday to have some taken out. On liquids until then. I know I thought I would just put the lap band on and it would work. You need to get a couple of fills before it really kicks in!

I didn't eat sushi yesterday. It was straight tuna with no rice. I'm wondering if I'm too tight or this is the way it is supposed to feel??? I did speak to Dr So yesterday and he said to come back and he"ll take out about one cc. So, how slow do you have to eat? I just ate a hard granola bar and that went down fine.

I'm back....today I tried to eat some mashed up tuna from a sushi place. I eat three bites and threw up and was sick about three times. When I got home I had some pita chips and they went down fine. I spoke to Dr Soo and he said to come in and get a little taken out. I live in San Diego, but it is kind of a pain to drag myself down there again! I just can't be sick and unable to eat around my husband. He will think I am nuts to have this thing in my stomach!

Thanks everyone for you thoughts. Last night I tried to eat Halibut and squash and it really hurt going down. I felt like I wanted to throw it up, but didn't. The plus side is I'm down 2 pounds today. I just want to make sure the band isn't too tight. I'll give it a couple of days and see how it goes. I defiantly can't be throwing up or having a hard time eating around my husband. He already thinks getting the lap band was a bit extreme, so I certainly don't want to be throwing up every time I eat!!! I'm going to stay away from bread and pasta. What are everyone's thoughts on rice?

Hi All, I had surgery on April 12th. Got my fist fill on May 25th at 5.0 cc's. I really had no restriction. Yesterday, I got another fill at the OCC and put me at 8.0cc. So, I had a couple of pieces of watermelon this morning and it really hurt going down. Do I need to chew better? For lunch I just took about three bites of left over pasta and it got stuck. I threw up about three times and it was slimy. So, now I know I can't eat pasta! Do you think the band is too tight or I just need to learn to eat slower and chew better? Thanks! Heidi

Hey all, My appointment is going to be at 11:30am next Tuesday. Is there anything I should do besides fasting for two hours before? Thanks! Heidi

Thanks for the information ladies! Totally appreciate it!

Hi there, I was banded by Dr Ortiz on April 12th. I just started on solid foods a couple of days ago. I have my first fill appointment at the OCC on May 25th. My question is should I be feeling any restriction at this point? I don't think I have any at all. Also, have many fills does it take to get to some restriction? Do people usually still lose weight without restriction or does it take a couple of fills for the weight loss to really kick in? Thanks! Heidi

My advice while pregnant is really watch what you are eating! I was not banded while I was pregnant and gained 57 pounds the first time and 52 the second time. I do have a friend who was banded by Dr Ortiz and got pregnant two months later. She never had a fill and she was fine. She did say by month seven it was very hard for her to eat. She did a lot of shakes at the end of her pregnancy. I wish I was banded while I was pregnant. You ladies are lucky. Good luck and congratulations!!!!

I've realized this is probably going to be a year long process. I am type A and want everything to happen quickly! I know I am not going to be skinny for summer 2010, but watch out in 2011..... If I could lose 65 pounds over a year I would be totally happy with that. Do you guys think it is possible?

I would bring a pillow. The pillows at the Lucerna were bad. Sweats and small bills for tipping.

Hello there, So I had surgery on Monday, April 12th. I'm on the 11th day of the liquid diet. I am 5'8 and started at 214. My BMI is 31. I have only lost six pounds in these 11 days. The scale hasn't moved in about five days. I am eating cream soups which a higher in calories. Mostly because I am starving and they fill me up. Even though I am eating two bowls of soup a day that are higher in calories I'm sure I'm not eating over 1500 calories a day. Dr Miranda told me to expect to lose 10-12 on the liquid diet. Did anyone else not lose all that much on the liquid diet? Any thoughts people???? Honestly, just trying to make it through this liquid diet. It is not fun!!! Thanks, Heidi

No, you can drink coffee. No diet coke for six months that is not flat. That is what's killing me! I had a BMI of 31.5 and just had it done. The cut off is usually a BMI of 30.