Lower BMI'ers--2008!!!

Longhorn · 01-10-2008, 10:08 AM

That's great, NYTrink! As hard as you've worked to get approved, you're sure to be successful with the band! Good luck!

lbenavides · 01-10-2008, 10:26 AM

I totally understand where u r coming from. It is unbelievable how the insurance companies are. But guess what? After all that fighting you got what u wanted. I am very happy for you. You go get-em!
i am actually trying to get all the paperwork ready to send off to my insurance. I am actually going for the bypass not the band.

Please keep me posted and I wish you the very best.:whoo:

AudricIan · 01-10-2008, 05:45 PM

I just had my first fill a few days ago. Today I started solids again. We went to IHOP for breakfast and I ordered some eggs, fruit and 2 pancakes ( i know I am so bad) I was eating faster than I should. I ate part of my eggs, two pieces of melon and then I had some of the pancakes. After the 3rd bite of pancakes, I felt a horrible pain and burn in my chest. I knew at that point that I had restriction. I could breath but it just felt like I was choking from the pressure. So i got up and went into the bathroom because I was sure I was going to PB. My mouth got all watery and I decided to put my arms over my head. I actually felt the food pass through the band and immediately the urge to PB went away. It was a scary moment for me. I am assuming that I have some restriction. I haven't eaten anything since this morning. I will be sure to take it easy at dinner tonight.

momlambert · 01-10-2008, 10:23 PM

yup, that's restriction! Congratulations. Many (most?) bandsters have trouble eating breakfast at all when they have proper restriction so you probably aren't there yet but some restriction is definitely better than none!

AthinnerDenise · 01-11-2008, 12:05 AM

Most people don't get restriction with their first fill either.

Good job putting your hands up in the air. That will sometimes help but not always. I am glad it helped you. Pancakes aren't all that band friendly. They are kind of like bread, which most people can't eat. If they are pretty soaked up with syrup, that does help.

AudricIan · 01-11-2008, 11:55 AM

I ate dinner last night and I was fine. i was able to eat a lot more than I would have liked to. I had a small baked pork chop, 2 spoonfuls of rice and about 1/2 cup of peas. I am assuming it is the bread that gets "stuck" since I can eat chicken and pork with no problems. Guess I will have to stay away from the bread, darn!!! I love bread. Oh well, that is why I got this band, to lose weight. Bread surely is not going to help me lose weight. I am a bit dissapointed in the amount I was able to eat at dinner. How long should I wait before I get another fill? It seems that some people don't feel their fills for a few weeks. I hope I feel tighter next week. I am eating about 1400 calories as it is now.

new_me_2008 · 01-11-2008, 08:09 PM

I get my fill every 2 weeks. I am feeling more restriction now but still need another fill in search of the sweet spot.

Good job on your 10 pounds!

kbinaz · 01-11-2008, 08:15 PM

The band doesn't start working until you have restriction, which comes from having the band filled. Many people don't lose weight the first month - it isn't even stressed because you are supposed to be healing and getting back to normal. So don't stress out (easy for me to say, harder to do!!!) They won't even do your first fill unless you feel hungry - if you don't feel hungry you are probably still swollen from surgery and they won't fill you. So you are normal. You are supposed to start feeling hungry at this point. Your band hasn't been filled so you are basically the same person as before surgery so go easy on yourself. You will find your sweet spot and then it will be easier to start losing weight. Hope that helps.

AthinnerDenise · 01-12-2008, 12:31 AM

AudricIan, it's pretty common to be looser in the evenings. For some reason, the band for most people is tighter in the morning. The band reacts to hydration. In the morning, people aren't as hydrated from sleeping all night.

A lot of people get fills every 4 weeks until they feel good restriction.

kintime · 01-12-2008, 06:48 PM

I was banded on January 7. Aside from the gas, I am not having much pain. But I am wondering about this tightness that I feel in my stomach. It's pretty random. It almost prevents me from breathing. It's like my stomach is being squeezed. For lack of a better word, I feel tight. I am wondering if any of you experience this? I am wondering if I will even need a fill. I've already lost 9lbs from Monday.

Please help!

Kin

momlambert · 01-12-2008, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kintime

I was banded on January 7. Aside from the gas, I am not having much pain. But I am wondering about this tightness that I feel in my stomach. It's pretty random. It almost prevents me from breathing. It's like my stomach is being squeezed. For lack of a better word, I feel tight. I am wondering if any of you experience this? I am wondering if I will even need a fill. I've already lost 9lbs from Monday.

Please help!

Kin

Congrats on your banding and weight loss, Kin, and welcome to Bandland! I'm glad you aren't experiencing much pain--the gas pains are totally normal. The best thing is to try to walk, walk, walk. As far as the tightness, it sounds like swelling from the surgery. I really doubt it's from the band being tight and it's probably not related to your need for a fill. The dr. moved things around in there and you will be sore for a few days. As far as I know (and in my case) I can't feel the restriction from the band until I eat and I feel pressure up high near my esophagus from the food filling the pouch. Hope this helps--everyone is different! Good luck on your recovery!

kintime · 01-13-2008, 08:19 AM

Thanks so much for your response! I was a little worried about it all. I am so happy I did the surgery. I can believe now I'm only obese, and wouldn't even really qualify for the surgery (since I don't have serious comorbidities). I'm down to 214 from 232. I lost 10 lbs a few weeks before surgery, and the rest this past week.

AudricIan · 01-14-2008, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kintime

I was banded on January 7. Aside from the gas, I am not having much pain. But I am wondering about this tightness that I feel in my stomach. It's pretty random. It almost prevents me from breathing. It's like my stomach is being squeezed. For lack of a better word, I feel tight. I am wondering if any of you experience this? I am wondering if I will even need a fill. I've already lost 9lbs from Monday.

Please help!

Kin

Kin, you will need a fill eventually. I had the same tightness until about 3 weeks post op, then once I started solids, I knew I would need a fill. Your stomach is just swollen, even thought the band is not filled, it is still wrapped around your stomach which will cause swelling. You just need to heal. Once you start solids you will realize that the tightness and "restriction" you are feeling will subside and you will be wishing you could just go get filled right now!. Everything you are experiencing is completely normal. Good luck with your joiurney and congrats on your loss, it feels soooo good doesn't it!

Sophie248 · 01-16-2008, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BabyGotBack

I initially lost 25 in the first 2 1/2 months. Then, I plateaud for 6 months. I started losing again and lost 15 more, recently.
Get in your water and exercise does make a difference. I would have had better results if I had.
And keeping to the protein first, veggies and carb last. Limited sweets, fruit instead, no calorie drinks only, no ice cream, cookies or chips. Those are Huge pitfalls!
I hope that helps!
Baby

This is reassuring to me. I've been really stressing about my plateau I've been on for about 5 months now. I lost a lot early, but then nothing. I'm exercising and getting 1200-1500 cals. Hope to see results soon before I get seriously depressed!

Mischievous1 · 01-16-2008, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sophie248

This is reassuring to me. I've been really stressing about my plateau I've been on for about 5 months now. I lost a lot early, but then nothing. I'm exercising and getting 1200-1500 cals. Hope to see results soon before I get seriously depressed!

I'm with you. I haven't lost any weight since September. It is depressing, but the good news is that I put on a couple of pounds over Christmas just to have it fall right back off once the fudge was put away! Usually I carry around Christmas from one year to the next and it snowballs....argh. So this is a NSV! We just have to keep on track and not get blue as it will come off eventually.

Lower BMI'ers--2008!!!

Hey NYTrink

That Hurts!

It has to be the bread getting stuck

Squeezing Me