Donna34

OK, so this is the story. I went to get a fill last week. My doc didn't have the right length needle, so she used a shorter one, and had trouble accessing the port because it was so short. She pulled out about 2cc's and that was all she could get. She put in 2.6cc's (if indeed she was in the port) and I left pretty happy. I immediatley went to get something to eat to see if I had any restriction. NONE WHATSOEVER. I went back today to get another fill. Same thing, longer needles hadn't arrived yet, and she tried to use the shorter ones again. She "thinks" she hit the port on the 2nd try. She tried to pull out the 2.6cc's but was only able to pull out .5cc. It had a little blood in it. So, can you pull .5 cc of liquid out of tissue??? I'm terrified that my band has a leak! She never was "quite sure" she was in the port with the shorter needle, so she told me to come back Friday, when the longer needles would be there, and she would try again. She was using a 1 inch, right angle Huber non-coring needle. I'm also scared about this....could she have damaged the tubing, and CAUSED a leak? Any ideas???? Thanks, Donna

Thanks for all the replies, and words of encouragement! Kris- I usually try not to drink while eating meals, but sometimes I just HAVE to have a sip of something. Of course the "sometimes" could be a little more frequent than I think. So, you're right, I need to watch that. Lynn- Thanks for your words of encouragement. I know I'm just REALLY impatient. Also, I'm thinking that the barium mixture was a little thicker this time. I'm wondering if that could have made me SEEM tight while I was there, and then NO restriction when I got home. I'm gonna ask him about that, next time! Kym- I'm terrible about exercising. I HATE IT. I know I need to do a better job of that, and watching calories, but I STILL want to experience some restriction. I think it will be a little easier to do what I'm "supposed" to do, if I have restriction. Janice- I guess I should stop freaking out. It's just that my mom keeps asking how much weight have you lost? Is that surgery not gonna work?? Be glad you didn't tell anyone! LOL Kristy- I would REALLY be peeved if I was working at it, as hard as you are, and not seeing results. Hang in there, it's got to come off EVENTUALLY. Thanks everyone, Donna

Okay, I'm gonna gripe a little. I'm usually a positive cheery voice, but NOT TODAY! I'm so frustrated! I have 2.5 ccs in my 4cc band, and NO restriction. I just got my 3rd fill Saturday, and I watched as the barium STOPPED, and didn't go ANYWHERE. Then after removing a few drops it began to go through slowly. So, I'm thinking...this is GOOD, a WHOLE cc. I'm gonna have restriction THIS time for SURE. But ya know, I STILL don't have restriction! I don't think I've EVER experienced restriction, and now I'm beginning to wonder if I EVER will!!! I only have 1.5 cc's to go before I'm at 4cc's! What is the deal???? I can eat anything, and I don't know WHY. I had more restriction in the very beginning, when I didn't even HAVE ANYTHING in my band. Anyone have a clue what is going on? Anyone out there been through this, and want to give me some advice??? Thanks, Donna

Well, anytime a person needs to lose 100 pounds or more, there is gonna be extra SKIN. No way to stop that. They say it takes 1 year after losing all your excess weight, for your skin to catch up. It will shrink SOME, but the sad fact is....you're still gonna have a lot left. My cousin has lost 100, and she still has flappy skin, but you can't tell when she's got it tucked into her size 6 jeans! LOL I'll take the flappy skin over the fully S_T_R_E_T_C_H_E_D out FAT skin anyday! LOL Donna

Hey guys, the forum looks great! Thanks for the change of scenery! LOL =D> Donna

Amen Sista! LOL I know one *personally* "DooDah"! (names have been changed to protect the innocent!) LOL He works his TAIL off to try to keep the spammers off the boards. I think they are doing a DARN good job of deleting them. One or two may get through occassionally, but that's NOTHING compared to the hundreds that EACH ONE of them delete on a daily basis. Of course, if it's bothering you that bad, maybe you could volunteer to help delete them. And ABOVE ALL, as Vicky said, DO NOT OPEN THEM! Donna

Did you do that TOO?????? LOL, I was talking about a friend of mine that went there shortly after we got back home. But, now that you mention it, you did look like you were flying pretty high, when you came by my room! :-? LOL Donna

Well, just to update... I didn't DO the Cambridge diet! OMG, I don't know why, I couldn't make it through DAY ONE! Duh, I guess that is why I got BANDED. LOL So, I get my next fill this coming Saturday, and I'm STILL hoping by some miracle, I can get down to at least 200 by my birthday! I REALLY hope, and pray and BEG GOD to let this fill get me to my "sweet spot!" Keep your fingers crossed for me! Donna (

Hi Lynn! Glad you liked him! He's great isn't he??? I'm supposed to be going this Saturday for my fill. Wish I could have gone with you guys. I heard you had a lot of fun! Maybe next time. It's a shame we all needed a fill at the same time, and ended up making 3 trips! Do you think this one may have gotten you to your sweet spot? I'm hoping for that THIS time! LOL KatieB Dr. Vitello is GREAT! He charges $150 for his part. You have to pay cash on the spot for that. Then the hospital will bill you $129 for the fluoro. He does not do fills without fluoro. If your insurance won't pay for the fluoro, then you can tell them, and you will get a good discount off the fluoro bill!! He is in Downers Grove, IL just west of Chicago. If you are still interested e-mail me at sparks2n2@yahoo.com and I will send you his e-mail address. That is how he sets up appointments! Donna

LOL....It happens to me all the time!! Donna

Hi Ghbandster, I'm sure you will find that MOST ALL of the people on this forum felt the SAME way you are feeling right now. It's exciting, and scary at the same time. The best thing to do is RESEARCH it like mad, and come here and talk to people, just like you are doing. I would also suggest getting a copy of Dr. Ortiz' book, "Lap Band for Life." You can order it from Amazon.com. It is GREAT. I wasn't able to put mine DOWN until I had read every page! LOVED IT. Now, please do not take offense to Clynn's post. I don't think her words quite came out the way she meant for them too! LOL Clynn is a VERY VERY sweet person, and I know she would not wanted to offend you in the least. She's a great person to have as a friend, and is VERY knowledgeable about the band. It's hard to read tone into words on message boards! LOL Donna

I wanted this surgery so bad, I think I would have endured any pain! LOL I did have some pretty bad gas pains, but they are not in the stomach. Mine were in my neck, and shoulder. It didn't last forever, and it was not UNBEARABLE pain by any stretch of the imagination. If you walk walk walk a lot, and do NOT drink any carbonated beverages the night before surgery, or the DAY before surgery, you should be fine. Everything else was a BREEZE. I would do it again a thousand TIMES! LOVE MY BAND! Donna

Hey Danielle, Suprising how we are so alike! LOL I have a 6 year old too, and I can completely sympathize with the elbows to the stomach. I also have a 4 year old, and I actually think she's a bit worse! It HURTS. I felt very tight in the beginning too. A lot of what you are feeling is swelling from the surgery. That should ease up in a couple of weeks. Trying to slow down while drinking was HARD for me. I've always been a GUZZLER. LOL That too can cause tightness. One thing that helped me, (thanks to a suggestion from my band sis Janice) was Very Vanilla Silk Soymilk. I was always afraid to try the stuff. Soymilk just sounded GROSS to me. But she assured me it was great, and I tried it and it WAS. I also like 8th Continent CHOCOLATE Soymilk! It's my favorite! Delicious! I have a recipe for taco soup that is very good if you are interested. Just let me know! Hang in there, it get's better! Oh yeah...my 6 year old thought I was going to come back from MX skinny! Imagine her surprise!!! LOL Donna

MIKEY, I'm so sorry! I forgot to send you well wishes for your surgery!!!! I hope all went well. Welcome to BANDLAND!! > Donna

Danielle, What you are feeling is completely normal. I didn't experience it much with this surgery because I was SO excited to have a tool to help me lose weight, and I think I was very lightly medicated! But, I had gall bladder surgery a few years ago, and after I got home, I cried for like a WEEK! It was horrible. I had to have my parents watch my kids, because I just felt I couldn't DEAL with it. Anesthesia can REALLY do a number on your hormones. Not only anesthesia, but pain meds, can really mess you up too. I take antidepressants, and if I have to take any kind of pain medicine, I get depressed all over again! It just cancels out what my antidepressants are doing. I could go into the whole medical explanation involving the seratonin release in the brain, blah, blah blah, but all you need to know is that this is NORMAL, and in a couple of weeks you'll be just fine! Except for being grumpy due to the liquid diet! LOL Donna

Hi Judy, I

Well, I did Nutrisystem too, 3 TIMES! LOL The first time I did really good on it, but that was back when I was basically a teenager. Then I tried it again about 15 years ago, just to shed 20-30 pounds. The food DID seem to be WORSE than when I tried it the first time, and COST.....OMG!!!! It had gone up to 110 dollars a WEEK! Plus, you STILL have to buy all those other vegetables, and salad junk! Before I had the band surgery, I thought about doing Jenny Craig. Then I went online, and checked the cost of THAT. By the time I lost all the weight I wanted to lose, I would have ALREADY PAID them basically what it would have cost me for surgery, and would MOST likely gained it ALL back! I've basically tried every diet known to man, or woman. It all boils down to this....CAN YOU KEEP DOING THIS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE??? Now, if you are doing any kind of diet, and can honestly answer that question with a YES....good for you! I KNEW I couldn't, and I'm so glad I was able to get banded! LOL Donna

Hey ladies, you will have a WONDERFUL time there. No need to worry about a thing! I was close to the same weight at the time of my surgery. I was 234 going in, and 226 after week 1 of banding! LOL You'll have a great time! If you want some more reading material, you can also check out my blog! It's at www.lapbandforlife.blogspot.com I woke up really quick after surgery, the anesthesia, is really not that bad. It IS really light! Donna

Ya know what? After thinking about it even more..... I think I'm gonna do it! My birthday is Sept. 28th. My FIRST BIG goal was to get below 200. I'm at 210 right now, so I'm only 11 pounds away! I know that on Cambridge I can lose 10 pounds in about a week and a half. I think I'm gonna give myself a little boost, and just see what happens. I'm gonna get below 200, and what a HAPPY BIRTHDAY that will be! It's been almost 7 years since I weighed less than 200. I'm gonna try it! Anybody with me? Donna

My last ditch effort before having this surgery was to try the Cambridge Diet ONE LAST TIME.(same thing as Optifast,or Medifast but cheaper, and more flavors) The first time I did it, I lost 35 pounds. After I got off of it, I gained it all back, but the weightloss was VERY FAST while I was on it. LOL 2nd time I lost 16 pounds on it, gained it all back, and the last time I lost 11, and gained it all back. When I did my pre-op diet, I used Cambridge, and lost 8 of the 11 pounds I needed to lose, VERY FAST. I didn't gain it back either. I've often wondered if it would STAY off this time? I've put serious thought into trying it again, but I'm not so sure. I think if I LOST that weight REALLY fast, maybe the band would prevent me from eating ENOUGH calories to gain it back, maybe??? I don't know. I do know that liquid diets make you SO HUNGRY, that after you get off them, you are ravenous, and like a WILD DOG, searching for ANY food you can find! LOL Let me know what you girls find out, if you do it. Donna

Good Luck Today Danielle! I know everything will go just great! I told you, that you'd be well taken care of! The people at the Lucerna were very accomodating to us as well! You can't listen to some things you hear. Some people are negative about EVERYTHING, and you can do nothing to please them. Lot's of whiners in this world. You will love Dr. Ortiz when you meet him. Just don't do like my friend did, and take the happy pills, and pass out, and miss his visit! LOL You've got lot's of surprises to look forward to, today! Like paper panties....who ever thought of that???? LOL The people you've met will become like sisters/brothers to you! You will all go through each and every bit of this together, and it's SO much fun!! It's kinda like when you went to camp as a kid! (minus the surgery! LOL) Tonight, you'll all be laughing, and doing laps around the OCC. Can't wait to hear how it went! Let us know! Donna Oh, one more thing...the tortilla soup from The Lucerna is AWESOME. We had roomservice to bring our food after we shopped in Revolution Ave. I loved that soup! Just don't be tempted to eat the stuff in it...I guess you could ask for the broth only. They'll know why!! They are used to accomodating Banded people! HAVE FUN!

GOOD FOR YOU!!!! I love that feeling...I was just noticing that I have NO winter clothes that will fit me now!!!! Guess I'll be checking some consignment shops! I don't want to drop loads of money on things I'll shrink out of! LOL CONGRATS on the LOSS!! Donna

OH Lauren! You sound just like me! I went through ALL that too! I thought if I bent over it was gonna slip, if I belched it was gonna slip, if I drank too fast....SLIP. But guess what, 5 months later, it STILL hasn't, and as many times as I've gotten food STUCK ( in the past months, if it was gonna slip...IT WOULD HAVE ALREADY! Just remember they've done thousands of these! Also, they pulled part of your stomach up over the band, and stitched it in place. It's pretty safe there! But, you will worry for a while, and then one day you'll realize its really not going anywhere, and you'll rarely even think about it, unless your eating too fast, or taking BIG bites, then you'll think about it ABRUPTLY!! LOL First solid foods are not a biggie either! But you'll worry about that too until you've done it! Just remember, don't jump the gun! Wait until your liquid phase is DONE. This is not so much, due to getting food stuck, but that band has to make a groove in your stomach, and nothing solid needs to pass by there, until it has settled in place! You'll be fine. You worries are normal! I personally don't have another 8,000 dollars to run out and get another one, so I guess I really was scared of something happening to it! Donna

Take a DEEEEEEEEEP Breath and RELAX! Just like Pammie said, we ALL go through this! You are having COMPLETELY NORMAL FEELINGS, and when it's all over, and the weight starts dropping, you'll look back and say, "How silly was that????" LOL We've all been there! Donna

WOW! > Where did you find it??? I looked everywhere!!! LOL Donna