Ques re: first fills, scars, and exercise

Well, I am almost one month out and feel great.  I do have two questions:

1.  What have people found effective in minimizing the scarring?  Vitamin E or mederma?  Any other tricks?  Trust me, I don't see myself ever wearing a bikini, but I would like to see some of the discoloration diminish.

2.  I have my first fill in one week and am kind of nervous.  I have been on liquids since surgery; well, I just had cheese and turkey roll-ups as my first solid meal today.  I definitely feel something in my back, but not pain.  While I have not had hunger since surgery, I also haven't necessarily felt "full" after eating, because the fluids pass through the opening quite easily, I assume.  Can I expect to feel full sooner after I get the fill and focus on eating solids?   

3.  I didn't exercise much during this first month, asI just let the low caloric intake work to effect.  Now that I am going back on solids, I intend to do more cardio, in an effort to counteract the calories.  Has anyone else tried this method, and with how much success?  I am terrified of gaining or plateauing too quickly.

Thanks for any help on this.  Have a great day.

-FD

Scar guard is a product that really helps.  I have  a band over bypass and originally lost 114 pounds and had a subsequent abdominoplasty removing 7 pounds of skin with over 300 sutures.  I used scar guard and while the scars are visible and I won't wear bikini either, they are dramatically diminished.  Also the discoloration you see will diminish with time.  BTW - no lotions, creams or vit e on port area on day of fill.

Most people don't feel good restriction till the 3-5th fill (you will feel some restriction).  I am going in for my 8th fill at the end of this month.  It is a long process for those of us that don't feel restriction right away.  I am hoping this fill will do it.  But don't expect miracles the first fill, you may get disappointed. 

I have been exercising since I was one month out. I was anxious to get started. I have only had one fill and I don't "feel" it but I follow the rules and work my arse off at the gym and I have lost 45 pounds! I actually had to up my calories and I was maintaining to much. After speaking with my nutrionist we decided to go this route.

Don't be afraid of exercise. Even if you plateau or don't lose as fast as you thought you would because of exercising you need to understand its benefits. You may be losing inches, toning up areas and gaining muscle...all of which will help you appear smaller despite what the scale may report back. And if you add in weight training (circuit, resistence training) you will be boosting you metabolism and thus burning calories doing NOTHING...heck ya! And lastly, the boost mentally you get from working out is awesome. It alone will keep you motivated. It also helps with what you put in your mouth. you see the work involved in burning X amt of calories and it is very disheartening to understand that you can put those calories right back on in a matter of minutes. Makes you understand that it is not worth it.

As for fills, I am getting 1 cc on Monday. I am going to stop for now b/c I want to see what my body will do on its own. I will have a total of 3.5 cc. I rarely feel full and to me that is great...I don't want to feel full, I want to feel satisfied. I wanted to learn that feeling as I never really have before. Feeling content is the feeling I shoot for when I eat. I follow my rules and hold myself accountable. Part of me doesn't want to get to this elusive sweet spot b/c so many people have so many foods that can no longer eat. I want to be able to eat foods still but much much less.

I don't know, maybe I will change my mind in a matter of months but for now this is how I feel.

So start exercising, don't be afraid. It can only benefit you!!!

Just re read your post. I felt no different after my first fill as I did before my fill. But I am cool with that and as stated, no hurry to be filled more.

You will feel more satisfied once you can eat real foods again.