The first fill

This happened on 4/30 but I've just been too busy with work and extra-curricular activities to write since then.

Let's see if I remember anything about it since it was a whole 2 weeks ago!

I arrived at my surgeon's office at 8am, not really knowing what to expect and a little nervous but not terribly. Mostly, I just REALLY wanted a fill because my weight loss had stalled for the previous 2 weeks. They weighed me and I had lost 7 lbs in the prior month since seeing them but I explained all of that had been in the first 2 weeks after I saw them and I'd been lucky to just stay at 242 since then. And when I say lucky, I mean working my ass off to count calories and exercise as much as possible just to not gain weight, all the while feeling like I could eat anything I could want just like I could before my band. I HATE living that way, especially the feeling of dieting just to maintain a weight.

The fill itself was really nothing eventful. I don't even think he numbed the area beforehand which some doctor's do but I don't see why. Maybe he did and I just wasn't looking. I felt one prick and the needle was in, adding fluid to my band, and he was asking me to drink some water. I sipped slowly but started burping immediately and felt a growing pressure in my back, neck, ears, and head. It was a very odd feeling that I hadn't felt before but I thought maybe this was normal and would be what drinking water felt like for evermore. He had put in 3.5cc, not a lot for a band that holds 10cc but a good starting amount I think. I could have asked for some to be taken out while the needle was still attached but I didn't realize I needed it.

Because we weren't 100% sure it was right, he told me to go out to the waiting room and keep drinking the water. I did but as I sat there I became more and more uncomfortable. I could barely take the smallest of sips before feeling painful pressure in my back and neck, ears and head. I really would have expected to feel something in my chest or stomach but I guess everyone is different and now I know what being too tight feels like. Because it was Friday, the receptionist said I'd better let him take some out just in case, so I wouldn't be sick all weekend. The second needle stick was more unpleasant than the first (note to self, let him take fluid out while it's still attached next time!) but overall nothing terrible.

He took out .5 ccs, leaving me with 3. This seemed to be perfect. I remained on liquids all Friday and Saturday and returned to soft foods Sunday and Monday. Monday evening I had my first solid food (salad and a piece of pizza - I know, not the best but I only had 1 piece AND I hadn't eaten real food for 4 days so I knew I was not in danger of overstepping my calories.)

After my fill, I dropped about 10lbs but rebounded back to a net loss of about 5, which is still great. As of this morning (yes, I'm back to weighing more than once a week even though I swore I wouldn't) I am at 234, which is incredible considering today is my 8 week band-iversary. I was approximately 260 on the day of surgery so I'm still averaging 3.25 lbs a week.

At the moment I couldn't be happier with how things are going. I love my band and I love that it's given me the motivation to become healthier. And I don't just mean losing weight - I've just been eating so much better since I started this whole process, and it feels great.