julie66t

Julie66t

Thanks for your response. I am frustrated though hopeful that I can get this figured out. Too many people are so happy with their band, it must work when you get it right. I, like you, am not giving up. At this point, however, I am confused. 1) The good restriction you had for about a week after your second fill. What was that like? Was it like I described with chicken... where it almost hurts in your chest? Did you feel like that with most foods? Is that what we're looking for? I, personally, had not realized it would be so uncomfortable, but okay if it keeps me from eating I guess I can deal with it. 2) What is the average fill level? Do you know? I'm only at 1.8cc. 3) Have you lost much? I read in one post that when you get the right level of fill, the weight goes like chocolate melting in the sun. I have not experienced that yet.

When it felt right for that one week, I just felt full after eating very little. i don't think good restriction should necessarily hurt, I have to remind myself to eat slowly though otherwise food does get stuck and uncomfortable. Chicken is terrible for me sometimes. My chest does hurt sometimes like you said. I have 2.5cc and I'm scheduled to go next week for another fill. I've only lost 20lbs. so far. Part of that is learning to make better food choices when I eat. 3cc might do the trick if I get that much. Julie

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

Thanks................

At 2.5 fill, I assume you do not have the vG Bandwhich does take a bit more time to get to the sweet spot. Until that point, you are still relying on will power and not the band. i was stuck 10-15 below surgery weight until by 3rd fill and since there I have steadily dropped even though i sometimes eat/drink around the band. Now I am down 53 pounds at the 8 month mark.. it could have been more, but I'll take it.

Tom

Thanks, you are right I don't have the VG band. I'm thinking a 3rd fill will probably be just about right.

Just a quick question when you say you are eating to much - what exactly is too much?

2 -3 slices pizza ( and even more if I let myself) a whole sandwich

I was banded by Dr. Ortiz January 15. The surgery was easy. The gas pains were a drag (I was told not to take GasX by the way since the pain was from irritation caused by the gas not by having gas), but went away after a couple of weeks. Apparently I was unusually sensitive to the gas. Still it wasn't that bad considering. After the three weeks of liquids I felt no restriction. Six weeks after the surgery I went to TJ for a fill. The procedure was a breeze. I was in and out in 20 minutes. The fill was 1.8cc. Now I have restriction with certain foods; chicken, bread, sticky rice for instance. Other things: crackers, well chewed vegetables, most things really, go through fine. With the first group I have to be super careful. One tiny bite too much and I'm in misery, one more bite & pbing follows and it 20 minutes before I can focus on anything other than the pressure in my chest. This is not what I expected. Is it what you guys experience? I guess I was naive, but I thought it would be like eating a lot at Thanksgiving dinner.... feeling full. This is more like feeling something is stuck. Would the "Sweet Spot" be another 4 to 6ccs, or whatever, so that I have this "restriction" with more foods? I can't eat just chicken and bread. I started at around 218 and have lost about 13 pounds, but a lot of this was due to the liquid diet phase. It also seems that the restriction is more severe at times and not so at others, but from reading on this forum that seems to be common. I just haven't read much about the restriction actually being easily quite uncomfortable. Can some one explain the "sweet spot" in their experience?

Hi,

I'm in the same spot as you for the most part. I had my surgery Jan 3rd and have already had my 2nd fill. I'm at 2.5cc and had good restriction for about a week and now wonder if I need to go back for a 3rd which I am more than willing to do. I'm just wondering how long it takes for the fills to really start working, so I'm waiting to hear responses to your question.

i was banded in January and have had 2 fills and I'm still struggling with my eating. I can eat too much now. I have 2.5cc in my band. What experiences have others had and what amount of restriction seems to be the best in general. I realize that it can take awhile for it all to kick in and the weight to really start coming off steadily but I'm curious about other bandsters' experiences.

Thanks much, Julie

I HAVE CINGULAR ALSO, IT KEPT SWITCHING FROM A MX CELL CONNECTION TO CINGULAR. I JUST KEPT ON IT IF I WAS DIALING. IF ANYONE CALLED, I JUST CALLED THEM BACK JUST TO MAKE SURE I WAS ON CINGULAR. IF THAT MAKES SENSE

I loved the fact the you are able the make free calls anywhere from you hospital room after surgery. What a great service and I used it a few times.

#-o

Okay, I hate to be this honest! I am only down 5 pounds and I only have a few days to lose 5 more.

The slim fast makes me have diarhea, the lean cuisines are making my feet swell. What's going on?

What happens if I get to TJ on Monday morning and I haven't lost the weight?! Help!

I'm panicing!

Hi,

i only lost 8 pounds pre op and should have lost 25. They were ok with that. I even treated myself to a nice dinner the night before the surgery. My LAST meal. Julie

I was banded on January 15, '07. I took the pre-op and post- op very seriously, follwed to the "t". The surgery itself was a breeze. After the 3 week post-op I was excited and nervous to start solid foods. Slowly but surely I realized I had no restriction, and though I tried not to do so began to gain back some of the weight I had lost on the liquid phase. Six weeks after surgery I returned to TJ for my first fill. Again the procedure was a breeze. I got a 1.8 cc fill which I was told was the maximum for the first fill. After 3 days of liquid again I slow and carefully began solids. Here is what I found and where I am now. I have problems with chicken, tuna, salmon, bread. I have to take tiny bites and chew, chew, chew. If I forget, these foods immediately clog and pbing follows. Unless it's one of these foods, I notice little or no restriction. I'm not sure what this means. At least I'm not gaining weight and may be losing a little, though vey slowly if at all. It's been 2 weeks since the fill. I have a tax business so I can't get back to TJ until after Apr.17th anyway. I trying to follow the rules - only solid foods, etc. I notice that my cravings are less and that helps, but I don't think this is altogether what it's suppose to be. I sure hope not because I don't think I will get very far on my weight loss goal with so little restriction, but with more of a fill will I be able to get chicken, etc down at all? I would love the imput of those further along this road than I. Thanks in advance.

Starting weight(1/8/07): 217

At surgery (1/15/07): 213

At 1st fill (3/1/07) 1.8 cc: 208

Currently (3/17/07): 204.4

Hi,

I am in EXACTLY the same place you are. I had my fill 2 weeks ago with 1.8cc and I have the same problem with the same foods you do otherwise I don't notice much restriction. I will probably head back in 2 weeks for my second fill. From what I understand this is totally normal and it's ok to return for a fill this quickly. Hang in there, we will find our exact restriction soon. Julie

iv/*********

Support and coordinate travel with other March Fill patients here.

here's a link to the great post by Marys about bus/trolley rides

Bus/Trolley Info

Don't forget if you can coordinate with other patients to arrive at the airport at the same time, you can share the cost of our fill transport. Its $130 and can carry up to 6 passengers. Just get yourselves coordinated and schedule with Rene at the clinic.

I'm scheduled for March 6th for a fill. I arrive in San Diego at 9:02 am and leave from San Diego at 2:20 pm, so it will be a quick trip for me. If there is anyone arriving around that time that wants to share a ride then please answer this .

thanks much, Julie

Julie, have it checked if it is really painful. If it's just tender, thats pretty normal. My port area was tender for a couple of months if I bumped or irritated it.

Roger

Thanks Roger,

I think it's normal. I was more active on Monday than I have been since the surgery and I think I just irritated the site. Today is better. I'm incredibly pleased that this is the only way I even know I had surgery, amazing. thanks much, Julie

I decided to return to TJ for my first fill. I found out I had a 'window' of a few days from work. Unfortunately, OCC was closed for the holidays, so I had to go without an appointment. But, I decided to take a chance, and drove many miles to San Diego dodging the blizzards of Colorado and New Mexico.

I emailed Rene, requesting a fill for Jan 3rd, and he responded the evening of Jan 2nd, saying no problem for a fill at 11am.

I drove to a parking lot at the border about 9am ($7 to park), and walked across. I hailed a Taxi for $5 in TJ, and was at the clinic by 9:40. Great exercise, by the way. It is not a difficult walk, but was perhaps 1/2 mile or so each way.

I had a great time talking with others waiting for surgery and fills. I got a sense of fulfillment at easing the anxiety of those sitting there waiting to go back for their surgery. I also learned much from others who were in the office for fills. I encouraged all to visit this forum for questions and to share their experience.

I mentioned it months ago, but reiterate, I considered my first fill to be a post-op follow up. And, to me at least, it was. Dr. Romero confirmed proper placement of both the band and the port, and that was a great relief to me. Also a relief, was that I had lost 2 pounds since surgery. It sounds like a trivial amount, but for those of us with the VG band, weight loss is very difficult before the first fill. I had been eating as much as I wanted for 4 weeks, and was certain I had gained weight. I do not weigh myself (I have learned in the past that the scale is my enemy, so I stay away), so had no idea what my weight was.

I ended up with a fill of 4.5cc in my 10cc VG band. I believe it was a bit of an over-fill, but I trust his judgement. When the fill was done, I washed the barium down with water, and it was a bit uncomfortable. I had immediate chest pain/heartburn, and even the water was being restricted. Dr. Romero said I drank too fast, and the discomfort did not last long.

I got a ride back to the border with a nice woman named Mary Ann. She was there for a fill also, but had a very unique banding experience. She had a band placed a couple of years ago, and lost 84 lbs (to a size 2 she said). Well, her band slipped after she had lost all of her weight. She was re-banded with a VG band by Dr. Ortiz (she did not know why the VG band, but it is because the VG bands tend to slip much less often due to the design.) She acknowledged the slippage was probably due to not following the band 'rules', but also she was told by Dr. Ortiz that her stomach did not develop scar tissue around the band as is the norm. Anyway, she had regained 30lbs with the larger band, but still looked great. She was now at 5.5cc for her VG band.

I parted ways with Mary Ann when the traffic jam started, and walked back across the border. I saw Francisco and said hello to him in the OCC van as I passed. It took about 30 minutes in line to cross, then I walked back to my car.

Well, restriction sure is making a difference. Even liquids are restricted a bit as they go down. I am more restricted in the mornings, and warm drinks go down easier than cold drinks. I 'slimed' for the first time today, while trying to eat a bagel. Very uncomfortable, but I learned to take much smaller bites. I returned to the bagel about 1 hour later, and nibble by nibble I got it down.

Even as I drink a diet green tea while writing this, I feel the restriction with each swallow. It is a feeling I must get used to, but at least now I know I will be eating much less. I know my post is lengthy, but I wanted to give a thorough account of my first fill. If the day I was banded was my "birthday", my first fill is my 'baptism'. I have a long way to go, but am going the right direction.

Hi Greg,

It was nice to readyour account. I was in the clinic the day you were there. I was there for surgery and everything went so well. What a nice group of professional people there. I'm lookingforward to returning for my fill in a few months and might try your method of walking across. I also find the scale an enemy and decided I won't weigh until I go back. Good luck!

Julie

Hi, Question for anyone who can answer this. I had my surgery on jan 3rd by Dr Ortiz. Everythinghas gone great until today I started having pain at the port site. It's tender to touch but not red or warm like an infection. Is pain like this normal for awhile.

Julie

Ditto on the money thing with me. As for you not being able to hold down liquids: Not sure where you had the surgery, but while at OCC getting our fills, just Sat. a lady from Idaho, who had surgery the day after us, had to have 2 surgerys. (Her trip ended up being 5 days) The Doc put in the regular band, and she couldnt hold down anything. She then went back for another surgery 2 days later and the Doc took out the reg. band and put in the VG band which is bigger. There was something the matter with her esophagus being smaller. She hasnt posted here because she thought most people would read into it being more then what it really was (her words). She was glad Dr. O, was doing her surgery because he recognized the proplem with her. When she was getting her 1st fill, and they injected 4 cc she immediatly knew she couldnt handle it because of the restriction she felt. I guess she is more sensitive to feeling the restriction. I'm sharing this with you because of your similar situations of not being able to keep even liquids down after surgery. I am by no way implying your situation is the same. I truly hope it gets better for you!

If the person from Idaho reads this, please reply. I'm from Idaho also and would be interested in talking to you. Thanks, Julie

moving post up c'mon January patients - I KNOW you are out there :-h

Hi, I'm scheduled for Jan 3rd, flying in on Jan 2nd. My 18 year old daughter is coming with me. I'm curious about what she will do when I spend the night at the hospital. Will there be someone from the clinic who will drive her to the hotel and back to the hospital the next day. Any suggestions on things for her to do. thanks so much, Julie

I'm curious. What's a VG band.

Hi, I know how you feel. I'm already missing the diet pepsi and steak adn Thai food and Mexican food etc..................I'm scheduled for Jan 3rd and have to start the two week pre op diet soon. This will bring back my days of AA also. It's all good.............Julie

Hi,

I'm scheduled for Jan 3rd. Flying in on Jan 2nd. I'm very excited and ready. Reading the forum has helped answer alot of questions. Thanks to all.....Hope to see someone on the 3rd. Julie

I'm not scheduled for December by am thinking of scheduling for early January. Anyone else out there doing the same. Also, is having a passport an issue. Thanks, and good luck in December. julie