Ann's Fill Adventure
That was one long day!!!! My appointment was scheduled for2 and of course you have to fast for 4 hours before, so breakfast at about 9 a.m. was my last meal. I arrived at the hospital by about 1:00 because I know it takes some time to find a parking spot and to get processed at that time of day. Wouldn't you know it my ticket number was 40 and they were just serving number 18. The first waiting room was so full there was nowhere to sit. So I stood around for the longest time. (That's an NSV guys - I could not have done that before surgery, stand for that long) I finally got my number called and down to the second waiting room I went. I was there by about 1:45. Lots of time I thought. So I plunked down on a seat to wait. By about 2:30 I was starting to second guess myself. Was this the right day? Right time? Nobody was around the Bariatric Clinic office, I had see Lise in the hallway when I first arrived at the hospital but she was nowhere to be seen. So I went up to the desk in the second waiting room to check to see if I had my date and time right and the lady said yes I was on the list for 2:00 but the doctor must be running late.
Around 3:15 I over heard 2 ladies speaking French (I understand a bit) and the one lady said the doctor had to go to surgery. Lovely! Then Lise came along shortly thereafter and started seeing people and not long after it was my turn to I see her and get weighed. 30 pounds down since surgery Dec 2, I was pleased with that and so was Lise. She quizzed me on what and how I eat, was I exercising, was I taking a multi vitamin, was I feeling hungry more now than earlier on etc. She said I was doing really well and that she was positive I just needed a fill. Duhhh hun, like I knew that! I have been wide open for weeks. Then she told me that Dr. Beau had to go into emergency surgery on a little boy. Oh dear, you just don't like to hear about something like that. Poor little fellow I hope he is okay.
So I went back out to the waiting room to ....... wait. Then after a bit Dr. Beau came rushing by and said that he was going to surgery and that he would be about an hour or so and could we wait. One person had to leave and so there was just 2 of us left. Come to find out while I was in with Lise he did 2 fills then got ready for surgery then came back to speak with us. Sooooo I waited. There was no flipping way I was leaving without a fill if he was willing to stay after the surgery and give me one.
All of a sudden about an hour and a bit later, there he was all breathless and rushing and he called the other lady's name. Her appointment had been for 1:30 and she had driven a long way - over 3 hours and she was tired and had a headache from no food as did I. It was now about 5:30. Not long after he came to get me as well.
THE FILL - was not done under floroscope with barium. He just got me to lay with a pillow under my back at the rib cage. I told him I had bruised my port area while travelling and it was still sore. I explained I had squeezed through a narrow area and bumped it badly and it hurt big time for a couple days and was still sore, He palpated and found it was okay, still in its proper place etc. 3 pokes of the needle later (which did not hurt, the only thing that hurt was the fact he was pushing on my sore port) he was in the port and he put 3 ccs in. Then sat me up, needle still in my tummy, to drink some cold water. It would not go down. 3ccs was too much so he took out a cc and left 2 ccs and the water let go and I was able to drink more. "That's fine madam, you are free to go we are all done, I will see you in 6 weeks" and off he goes. It was now 6:00 or so. That was a long 4 hour wait but I am glad I have my first fill.
I stayed in Moncton for quite some time after and I tested the fill a few times with water and some Carnation Instant Breakfast. I didn't want to head for home only find that I was too full and had to go back to the hospital or something. I went by Costco to pick up some things and then visited my oldest son and his wife for a couple of hours. At about 9:00 I headed to the other side of Moncton to stop briefly at my youngest son's house to pick something up and then headed for home. I got here about 10:15 and I was beat. Nothing tires you out any more than sitting and waiting and waiting and sitting with nothing much to read (most of the mere half dozen magazines in the waiting room were French). Next time I will take my book but I had forgotten it this time.
Now comes the test, will this fill get me to the Green Zone - I doubt it. But it is my first fill finally and I am going to work it because, after all that is what it is - a tool. Lise gave me a card that explains the zones - Yellow Zone, is no restriction to speak of - the band is not full enough, Green Zone is the band is just right and helping you not be hungry for longer periods of time and the Red Zone is the band is too full and you have trouble swallowing liquids.
So that is my First Fill Adventure. I am feeling okay thus far, able to drink liquids. I am hungry but will stick to mixed liquids today and tomorrow. Then on to pureed for the weekend. Should I have been as nervous as I was about it all? Nope. But that is what I do best is worry. I am just glad I could come here and vent that worry and have people reach out to support me when I needed it most. As I was laying there getting my fill I thought of all who have gone before me and I paid attention to what was happening so I can help anyone else who comes after me. It was a good day, a long day but a good day.
Geezzzzz I am long winded.
Later guys and thanks for being here,
Ann
Around 3:15 I over heard 2 ladies speaking French (I understand a bit) and the one lady said the doctor had to go to surgery. Lovely! Then Lise came along shortly thereafter and started seeing people and not long after it was my turn to I see her and get weighed. 30 pounds down since surgery Dec 2, I was pleased with that and so was Lise. She quizzed me on what and how I eat, was I exercising, was I taking a multi vitamin, was I feeling hungry more now than earlier on etc. She said I was doing really well and that she was positive I just needed a fill. Duhhh hun, like I knew that! I have been wide open for weeks. Then she told me that Dr. Beau had to go into emergency surgery on a little boy. Oh dear, you just don't like to hear about something like that. Poor little fellow I hope he is okay.
So I went back out to the waiting room to ....... wait. Then after a bit Dr. Beau came rushing by and said that he was going to surgery and that he would be about an hour or so and could we wait. One person had to leave and so there was just 2 of us left. Come to find out while I was in with Lise he did 2 fills then got ready for surgery then came back to speak with us. Sooooo I waited. There was no flipping way I was leaving without a fill if he was willing to stay after the surgery and give me one.
All of a sudden about an hour and a bit later, there he was all breathless and rushing and he called the other lady's name. Her appointment had been for 1:30 and she had driven a long way - over 3 hours and she was tired and had a headache from no food as did I. It was now about 5:30. Not long after he came to get me as well.
THE FILL - was not done under floroscope with barium. He just got me to lay with a pillow under my back at the rib cage. I told him I had bruised my port area while travelling and it was still sore. I explained I had squeezed through a narrow area and bumped it badly and it hurt big time for a couple days and was still sore, He palpated and found it was okay, still in its proper place etc. 3 pokes of the needle later (which did not hurt, the only thing that hurt was the fact he was pushing on my sore port) he was in the port and he put 3 ccs in. Then sat me up, needle still in my tummy, to drink some cold water. It would not go down. 3ccs was too much so he took out a cc and left 2 ccs and the water let go and I was able to drink more. "That's fine madam, you are free to go we are all done, I will see you in 6 weeks" and off he goes. It was now 6:00 or so. That was a long 4 hour wait but I am glad I have my first fill.
I stayed in Moncton for quite some time after and I tested the fill a few times with water and some Carnation Instant Breakfast. I didn't want to head for home only find that I was too full and had to go back to the hospital or something. I went by Costco to pick up some things and then visited my oldest son and his wife for a couple of hours. At about 9:00 I headed to the other side of Moncton to stop briefly at my youngest son's house to pick something up and then headed for home. I got here about 10:15 and I was beat. Nothing tires you out any more than sitting and waiting and waiting and sitting with nothing much to read (most of the mere half dozen magazines in the waiting room were French). Next time I will take my book but I had forgotten it this time.
Now comes the test, will this fill get me to the Green Zone - I doubt it. But it is my first fill finally and I am going to work it because, after all that is what it is - a tool. Lise gave me a card that explains the zones - Yellow Zone, is no restriction to speak of - the band is not full enough, Green Zone is the band is just right and helping you not be hungry for longer periods of time and the Red Zone is the band is too full and you have trouble swallowing liquids.
So that is my First Fill Adventure. I am feeling okay thus far, able to drink liquids. I am hungry but will stick to mixed liquids today and tomorrow. Then on to pureed for the weekend. Should I have been as nervous as I was about it all? Nope. But that is what I do best is worry. I am just glad I could come here and vent that worry and have people reach out to support me when I needed it most. As I was laying there getting my fill I thought of all who have gone before me and I paid attention to what was happening so I can help anyone else who comes after me. It was a good day, a long day but a good day.
Geezzzzz I am long winded.
Later guys and thanks for being here,
Ann
Congratulations Ann on your first fill, also having no complications with it ,once it got in there. You did the best thing , taking your time to see if there was going to be any problems . 
Wow, what a day. he is the busiest man I know. I'm glad it all went well. I knew he wouldn't be too aggressive. Did you express that to him, that you wanted to take it slow, or did he just do that himself? When I did the lay down with the pillow under my back he couldn't find my port properly so that one and all future ones are scheduled under fluro until he can access my port easier. I'm sad I have to wait until May 14 to get my second fill. that's 5 months from the first fill. Some of that was due to the stomach issue I had but still, it's a long wait when you are wide open. anyway, it's all good. We are losing, which is the main thing. Best of luck with this fill.
Patsy
Patsy
HW/SW/CW/GW
362/305/250.6/160 (54.4 since surgery)
1st Fill Dec22 4cc's * 2nd fill May 14 1cc = 5 ccs * 3rd (un)fill June 5 .5cc = 4.5 ccs *4th fill July 8 2cc=6.5cc, unfill of 1cc sept 09 = 5.5cc; Nov 8 fill of 1.5 =7ccs
I did tell him that I would prefer that he not be too agressive that I would like to go slow and he assured me that he would do that. I wonder though if I can schedule my next fill now - I think I really will call Nathalie on Monday - they don't take calls on Fridays I don't think. I don't want to wait nearly as long for the second one as I did for the first. I hope you can hang in there and try your best to at least stay the same if you can't manage to lose. But you do go to Weigh****chers so it should not be an issue.
Today is mixed liquids for me and I just want to eat, head hunger nothing more. So I am remembering back to just after surgery and my fear of doing something wrong and ruining everything. I got through a lot more than a few days of mixed and puree so I can do this. I am feeling some restriction with cold fluids, instead of it just spreading on down through my tummy quite quickly, it is basically just trickling down. And I have experienced some discomfort when I forgot myself and gulped some water. Ouch. But it didn't last too long. Here's hoping I can get through the next 6 weeks or so without too many issues.
This is it, we are doing it. I have only the highest hopes for all of us. So long as we use the tool and try harder than we have ever tried before and do exactly what they tell us to do we will be fine and we will be successful.
Ann
Today is mixed liquids for me and I just want to eat, head hunger nothing more. So I am remembering back to just after surgery and my fear of doing something wrong and ruining everything. I got through a lot more than a few days of mixed and puree so I can do this. I am feeling some restriction with cold fluids, instead of it just spreading on down through my tummy quite quickly, it is basically just trickling down. And I have experienced some discomfort when I forgot myself and gulped some water. Ouch. But it didn't last too long. Here's hoping I can get through the next 6 weeks or so without too many issues.
This is it, we are doing it. I have only the highest hopes for all of us. So long as we use the tool and try harder than we have ever tried before and do exactly what they tell us to do we will be fine and we will be successful.
Ann
I wonder if it makes a difference as to where we carry our weight. Not that I don't have weight on my stomach, but MOST of my weight I carry on my "behind". We all have different shapes and I am thinking that less weight on the abdomen might make it easier to do the fills???
Ann, I just looked at your photos for the first time - WOW doesn't begin to express the change!!! Awesome job, Ann you can do it!
Ann, I just looked at your photos for the first time - WOW doesn't begin to express the change!!! Awesome job, Ann you can do it!
I have my first fill on Wednesday, so I read every word twice!
Today was my first day of being hungry. Until today I have been very good about eating small portions. I usually make good food choices, but sugar is my enemy and I do give in to temptation now and then. When I tally the calories have never been over 1400. Today may have been the first time......... I am getting smaller. I was size 24 at surgery and am now wearing a loose size 22. I am wearing some size 20. I think I would be mostly size 20 if my waist would shrink at the same pace as the rest of me! Until this diet, my waist was always the first to shrink! Darn menopause! My problem is that the scale has not moved except to gain and lose the same 5 pounds over and over again. I know that the numbers are not that important but they are to the dragon lady and I refuse to be scolded for my efforts. I'm afraid that I would not react too well. If I get scolded someone is going to get "beat up" (figuratively speaking)- her or me. I don't believe in negative reinforcement, -not helpful.
Today was my first day of being hungry. Until today I have been very good about eating small portions. I usually make good food choices, but sugar is my enemy and I do give in to temptation now and then. When I tally the calories have never been over 1400. Today may have been the first time......... I am getting smaller. I was size 24 at surgery and am now wearing a loose size 22. I am wearing some size 20. I think I would be mostly size 20 if my waist would shrink at the same pace as the rest of me! Until this diet, my waist was always the first to shrink! Darn menopause! My problem is that the scale has not moved except to gain and lose the same 5 pounds over and over again. I know that the numbers are not that important but they are to the dragon lady and I refuse to be scolded for my efforts. I'm afraid that I would not react too well. If I get scolded someone is going to get "beat up" (figuratively speaking)- her or me. I don't believe in negative reinforcement, -not helpful.
. 
Charline,
I too have not done well weight wise in my mind (the doctor and Lise were very happy though with my 30 pounds since surgery) but you know what - there was a lady there on my fill day who had her surgery in October and has not lost an ounce and in fact has gained 16 pounds and she has had at least 2 if not 3 fills. Now when she came out she said they were very understanding and felt she just needed another fill and she would soon "START" losing. Now I am not going to judge anyone but in my mind that tells me that she is no****ching her portions or making wise choices. This isn't really a diet at all if you think about it. We have had surgery to change our way of life so that we have a tool that when used with exercise and good food choices will help us to finally lose the weight and start living our live in health and vitality. Your clothes (and mine) are getting bigger (my waistline is going slower this time too). You are fitter and if you are like me you are moving more, moving faster and feeling soooo much stronger.
I hear you about the negitive reinforcement but if you come here you get all the positive, warm, loving, caring, encouraging, uplifting reinforcement you will ever need. As we support each other we support ourselves. When I tell someone I am happy for them or proud of them or that they inspire me - I really mean it and it washes back on me, it returns to me every time. Lately I have been quiet here and I should not do that. What you put out comes back to you and so I think you will be hearing more from me now. I was doing myself a disservice by not commenting, by just reading.
Oh and do you know what crossed my mind immediately when I read what you said about sugar? I thought "Well ya, why not. NORMAL, skinny chicks are tempted by sugar and indulge now and then so why wouldn't we. The trick is to keep it to keep it to now and then, once in a while and then once you have indulged, don't for a while and exercise a bit more to make up for it. Its all checks and balances from the day we have our surgery on towards a longer more healthy future. So if I have a tiny piece of cake on my birthday on Sunday, I am not gonna beat myself up about it, I am just gonna walk a little further on Monday to make up for it.
Charline you have done amazingly well, you continue to support and encourage all of us and you have inspired so much along the way. I cherish your presence on this forum and I am so glad I know you and can share this experience with you. You rock!
Ann
I too have not done well weight wise in my mind (the doctor and Lise were very happy though with my 30 pounds since surgery) but you know what - there was a lady there on my fill day who had her surgery in October and has not lost an ounce and in fact has gained 16 pounds and she has had at least 2 if not 3 fills. Now when she came out she said they were very understanding and felt she just needed another fill and she would soon "START" losing. Now I am not going to judge anyone but in my mind that tells me that she is no****ching her portions or making wise choices. This isn't really a diet at all if you think about it. We have had surgery to change our way of life so that we have a tool that when used with exercise and good food choices will help us to finally lose the weight and start living our live in health and vitality. Your clothes (and mine) are getting bigger (my waistline is going slower this time too). You are fitter and if you are like me you are moving more, moving faster and feeling soooo much stronger.
I hear you about the negitive reinforcement but if you come here you get all the positive, warm, loving, caring, encouraging, uplifting reinforcement you will ever need. As we support each other we support ourselves. When I tell someone I am happy for them or proud of them or that they inspire me - I really mean it and it washes back on me, it returns to me every time. Lately I have been quiet here and I should not do that. What you put out comes back to you and so I think you will be hearing more from me now. I was doing myself a disservice by not commenting, by just reading.
Oh and do you know what crossed my mind immediately when I read what you said about sugar? I thought "Well ya, why not. NORMAL, skinny chicks are tempted by sugar and indulge now and then so why wouldn't we. The trick is to keep it to keep it to now and then, once in a while and then once you have indulged, don't for a while and exercise a bit more to make up for it. Its all checks and balances from the day we have our surgery on towards a longer more healthy future. So if I have a tiny piece of cake on my birthday on Sunday, I am not gonna beat myself up about it, I am just gonna walk a little further on Monday to make up for it.
Charline you have done amazingly well, you continue to support and encourage all of us and you have inspired so much along the way. I cherish your presence on this forum and I am so glad I know you and can share this experience with you. You rock!
Ann
Most Active
Recent Topics
