damalove

in the spirit of full disclosure... I am not afraid of needles and never experience more than a pin-prick type sensation, but for my first fill (DrSo@OCC) I will say it was definitely MORE than a pin-prick. It did hurt, but not enough for me to say something or to regret/rethink having fills in the future. Maybe since I had my fill less than six weeks after surgery, the muscle around my port was still sensitive. I bet if I had waited 8 or more weeks it wouldnt have hurt. Dunno. Despite that, the pain was gone quickly and it didnt even bleed. I didnt feel sore the next day, nothing. If you are considering getting banded, its nothing to change your mind over, trust me. Besides if you have fills at occ, as others have said, Im positive they will be more than willing to do what they can to make it a more comfortable/less stressful experience.

B: Pizza quiche (http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/recipe_details.asp?nutrition_id=35296680) L: Spicy ramen (not the instant kind, this is fresh from a japanese restaurant) D: going to a bbq, so steak and grilled veg, most likely S: cottage cheese, 1/2 cup I dont know what my cal count will be, I know it wont be less than 1000, but thats ok.

congrats shelby. i guess processed foods have loads of salt so its for the better anyway !

im with angie, enjoy meat WHILE YOU CAN! i am a carnivore thru and thru and BBQ is in my blood.. so I am having steak once a week. Last night i prepared thin ribeye steaks (<1/2" thick) and made sure I cut my bites small, smaller than an inch, and chewed well, and had no problems. I think its just different for everyone? Im feeling full faster, but not feeling "restriction" in the classic sense, like not being able to eat eggs or meat.

down 3.8lbs since last thursday (was out of town, couldnt weigh in last friday)

first day back on solids after first fill... here we go: B: 1 oz raw walnuts L: 1/2 cup cottage cheese S: 1.5 oz mozzarella as a snack while cooking D: half of a super thin ribeye steak, about 2 - 2.5oz + 1 cup roasted butternut squash cubes for dinner Totals: 600 calories, 30g total carb, 34g fat, 47g protein. I am meeting some girlfriends tonight for dessert, so Lord knows that calorie count will go up, but I doubt I'll exced 1000 cal today.

I think so... but Im not sure yet. Dr So asked me to do two days of liquids before resuming full solids. That was today, so here's what I had: 1 oz walnuts for breakfast 1/2 cup cottage cheese for lunch 1.5 oz mozzarella as a snack while cooking half of a super thin ribeye steak, about 2 - 2.5oz + 1 cup roasted butternut squash cubes for dinner I dont "feel" restriction, but what the hell do I know anyway! Im shocked that a large handful of walnuts kept me full from 830a to 130p. Shocker! Maybe it is restriction. Dunno. The book I read said that you may feel restriction right after ur first fill but it quickly fades back to no restriction. Only time will tell. Hang in there with the liquid diet, fight the urge to cheat! Youre almost done!! Tomorrow solids, right?? WOOHOO!

day two post-fill liquid diet: (sorta... im allowing some mushies) Breakfast Dannon 'Light & Fit' Yogurt Cherry Vanilla , 1 serving 60cal Lunch Pure Protein Whey Shot, 1 serving 110cal Dinner Broccoli Cheddar Soup , 1 serving 201cal Snack Cottage Cheese, Trader Joe's Lowfat, 1/2 cup, 90 cal Totals: 461 cal, 8g fat, 36g net carb, 58g protein

(LIQUID DIET post fill, per dr so) Breakfast Carnation Instant Breakfast Essentials, 1 serving Lunch Campbell's Soup At Hand Creamy Tomato Bisque, 1 serving Dinner Broccoli Cheddar Soup, my recipe, 1 serving Snack Skinny Cow, Dulce de Leche, low fat ice cream, 5.8 oz Daily Totals 781 calories 14g fat 121g net carb 36g protein

Hi there, just thought I'd update. I went in for my first fill yesterday. The fluoro was cool, it let me know there really was a band in there!! Got 5.4ccs and not planning my next fill til July is my guess, as I'll be on vacation in June and wont be able to take much time off. As far as abdominal exercise, Dr. So advised me that starting a few days after my first fill I could gradually begin introducing ab exercises, just nothing too extreme and to stop if I feel discomfort or any pain. So in about a week I'll resume my exercise tapes (slim in six) which include ab exercises and just see how it goes. Im on my way

ive started eating vitafusion fiber gummies, theyre delicious and i must say, ive noticed a marked improvement. im back to every day regularity. i also take my multivitamins in gummy form, so vitamin/fiber time = sweet treats time added bonus!

Thanks guys. Good to know. Michelle, since you started back up on solids, are you feeling restriction? If not, have you been finding it kinda hard to follow the rules of chewing and eating super slow? At first I was good but now ehhh. I guess once I get restriction I'll have to be better, but for now, its business as usual. Just curious One more question, what doc quoted you $700 for fils?

Breakfast: Soy Chorizo Quiche Iced coffee, black BreakfastTOTALS: 245 cal, 3g net carb, 17g fat, 17g protein Lunch: Cottage Cheese, Trader Joe's Lowfat Baked White Ruffy 1/2 serving Lunch TOTALS: 262cal, 8g net carbs, 9g fat, 37g protein Dinner: Bummel and Brown Spread, 1 tbsp Shrimp, raw, 5 oz Frank's Buffalo Wing Sauce, 3 tbsp Kraft Roka Brand Blue Cheese Dressing & Dip, 2 tbsp Spinach, fresh, 1.5 cup Dinner TOTALS: 341cal, 6g net carbs, 21g fat, 30g protein Snack: Pumpkin/Flax Bread, 1 serving Bummel and Brown Spread, 1 tsp vitafusion Multi Vites, Gummy Vitamins for Adults, 2 Gummies Vitafusion Fiber Gummies, 1 serving Snack TOTALS: 154cal, 5g net carb, 10g fat, 7g protein DAILY TOTAL: 1002 calories 57g total fat 21g net carbs 91g protein

Hi there. I was banded exactly one month ago yesterday. I've lost 15 lbs since surgery and am doing well with eating solid foods. I remember reading that exercise can be resumed at 3 wks post op but not abdominal exercises. The DVD I use (Slim in Six) works the abs quite a bit so it would be impossible to separate the ab stuff from the rest, so I just havent been exercising I am having a fill @OCC in a week, so I will ask then, but I was curious, when did everyone resume ab exercises? I still have some twinges of tenderness at my port site but otherwise feel normal again. Thanks.

hi dwayne ! this varies by the person... there are ppl on here that haven't had a single fill yet and its been ages, but they have restriction combined with some rocksolid willpower. then there are ppl like me who the day i came off post op liquids could tell i had like nearly ZERO restriction, so I scheduled it that very day. Im having my very first fill next week on the 10th. I think the general rule is if you dont feel restriction, get a fill.

first week back on solids, and what a blockbuster! down 4.4lbs from last friday w00t!

( ( ( CALORIES / CARBS / FAT / PROTEIN ) ) ) Breakfast: Tuna Casserole Quiche, 1 serving http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1048469 Breakfast TOTALS: 279 / 2 / 21 / 19 Lunch: Apple-Glazed Pork Chops, 1 serving 331/4/18/36 http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1053409 Spinach, fresh, 1 cup 7/1/0/1 Lunch TOTALS: 338/5/19/36 Dinner: Baked White Ruffy (Basa), 1 serving 238/4/12/29 Green Giant "Just for One" Broccoli and cheese sauce, 1 serving 40/7/1/2 Dinner TOTALS: 278/11/13/31 Snack: Trader Joe's 0% Greek Yogurt, 0.33 cup 40/2/0/7 vitafusion Multi Vites, Gummy Vitamins for Adults, 2 Gummies, 1 serving 15/3/0/0 Vitafusion Fiber Gummies, 1 serving 10/5/0/0 Snack TOTALS: 65/10/0/7 Grand Totals: Cal 959 Fat 53 Carb 28 Protein 94

( ( ( CALORIES / CARBS / FAT / PROTEIN ) ) ) Breakfast: Tuna Casserole Quiche, 1 serving (view recipe) Breakfast TOTALS: 279 / 2 / 21 / 19 Lunch: Apple-Glazed Pork Chops, 1 serving (view recipe) 331/4/18/36 Green Giant "Just for One" Broccoli and cheese sauce, 1 serving 40/7/1/2 Lunch TOTALS: 371/11/19/38 Dinner: Baked White Ruffy (Basa), 1 serving (view recipe) 238/4/12/29 Spinach, fresh, 1 cup 7/1/0/1 Balsamic Vinegar, 0.5 tbsp 4/1/0/0 Cucumber (peeled), 0.5 cup, chopped 8/1/0/0 Dinner TOTALS: 257/7/12/31 Snack: Cottage Cheese, 2% Milkfat, 0.5 cup (not packed) 102/4/2/16 vitafusion Multi Vites, Gummy Vitamins for Adults, 2 Gummies, 1 serving 15/3/0/0 Vitafusion Fiber Gummies, 1 serving 10/5/0/0 Snack TOTALS: 127/12/2/16 TOTALS: 1,033 calories 32g total carbs 55g total fat 103g protein

Breakfast Tuna Casserole Quiche, 279 cal, 21g fat, 2g carbohydrates, 19g protein Lunch Cottage Cheese, 2% Milkfat, 0.5 cup WW Creamy Chicken Broccoli entree no pasta, 128 cal, 4g fat, 9g carbohydrate, 13g protein Dinner Apple-Glazed Pork Chops (my recipe) 331 cal, 18g fat, 4g carb, 36g protein Spinach, fresh, 1 cup 7 cal Balsamic Vinegar, 0.5 tbsp, 4 cal Snack Yogurt, greek style, honey, full fat, Trader Joe's, 0.5 serving 150 cal, 7g fat, 15g carb, 5g protein Vitafusion Fiber Gummies, 2 gummies Vitafusion Multi Vites, 2 gummies TOTALS: Calories: 1,026 Total fat: 53g Total Carbs:43g Total Protein: 90g Net Carbs: 36g

I finally got around to asking the nutritionist about this. She said if atkins works for me, its ok to continue it esp. right now because I have no restriction. She said she'd rather have me on atkins than hungry all day. What i didnt tell her is that atkins works for me bc im a compulsive carb eater. moderation isnt and has never been an option,its like my brain goes on auto pilot and next thing you know the bag of chips that i was going to "just have one" of is gone. same with alcohol, and i have that up 2 years ago. it seems cold turkey works better for me than "just one bite" ... or drink. im optimistic that once restriction sets in, ill truly be able to eat in moderation, and ill even be able to have complex carbs again (brown rice, oats, quinoa, etc) and the band will keep me from binging on them. we'll see one day at a time..... in the meantime, ill start posting my food journal here often, in case any are curious or have suggestions.

Amy congrats!!! Glad ur outta that plateau! This week i lost 2.2 lbs so I'm a happy camper. Today Im officially back on solid foods but have zero restriction, yes folks, zilch, so Im going to continue my pre-op diet (Atkins) to help get me thru bandster hell. I am going on a girlfriends-only wine tasting weekend to Sonoma tomorrow, pray for me! hahahaha

Gas-X strips (the mint flavor is nice), cozy cozy clothes, a small throw pillow (will help when sleeping/riding in car/airplane at it keeps ur tummy/incisions from moving around), laptop (free wifi at lucerna) those four things were invaluable!!

Hi All. For my preop diet, I lost 12lbs on atkins induction phase and was not hurtin' in fact I really liked it. In the past I've done weight watchers and really enjoyed that too, but got lazy about counting and tired of never feeling 'full' so I didnt stick to it for longer than 3 or 4 months at a time. Tomorrow I get to go back on solid food and I have a feeling I wont be having any restriction -- hello, bandster hell. So what do you think, should I resume atkins, that way Im sure im getting all the protein I need, or should I go back on WW? I need to pick a plan and stick with it so I dont regain what I've lost on pre-op and post-op so far (about 20lbs). Weight Watchers: pros, eat whatever you want just tiny portions, cons, $17 a month for online access and it does not list protein/ calorie counts, just points Atkins: pros, eat til you're full regardless of restriction, plenty of protein. cons, high fat, restricts lots of veggies and fruits. What did you do while you were in bandster hell? Suggestions? Thanks!!!

This is from: http://www.occforum.com/index.php?showtopic=9011 $100 for the xray fee for the fill $199 includes the fill, and transportation to and from the clinic from the San Diego Airport $279 includes the above plus a night at the hotel. You can email appointments@obesitycontrolcenter.com or call 1-866-376-7849 ext. 2 for details and scheduling.