Oregondaisy

It's a very fine line between being too tight and being just right. If you can't eat solid protein, it's best to have some taken out. It's so difficult to get it just right. It seems sometimes that we can eat anything we want, and as much of it as we want, then get a fill, and can't eat anything. There is a place in between though, but sometimes it takes a fill and an unfill and another fill to get there though.

I had a 4 month plateau that I broke through by going back to the liquid diet. It was hell but I did it. 4 protein drinks per day. I can count calories until dooms day, but some how some extra calories manage to sneak their way in there. Somehow telling myself I am on the liquid diet, 4 shakes per day, gives me the willpower to not put anything else in my mouth. I need to do it again.

Yes, it's better to come here and get it all out. That is a good thing, that you are thinking about his wife. If you could only realize, if the two of you could be together, it wouldn't be like you thought it would be. It's all exciting in the beginning, but that feeling never lasts.

Give it a few days to see if it will loosen on it's own. Sometimes fills just get looser in a few days. When you get past what ever plan your doctor has you on after a fill, if you can't eat hard protein like chicken without throwing it up, you might consider having a bit taken out. You'll have to chew the chicken until it's liquid in your mouth though.

It might take awhile to get restriction. Some people it takes 3 fills. My suggestion is if you're hungry, eat Protein. That is how the low carb diet works. You can eat as much protein as you want, without counting calories, and you will lose weight. If you're in the mushy stage, stay away from mashed potatoes. They are carbs and will cause hungry. Eat tuna and mayo, egg salad, etc. If you eat nything that you can eat that is protein, you should get through bandster hell without gaining and being hungry.

I can tell anyone that living with the band is a learning experience. It's not the magic cure that some people think it is. I thought I was fine. I could eat anything I wanted. Nothing got stuck. I got full on the amount of food I was supposed to eat for someone who has a band. I didn't throw up or pb as we call it. All of a sudden, I started throwing up in my sleep. I called my doctor and his office told me if I had a problem, I would be throwing up in the daytime. I insisted on a test. It turned out the barium sat in my esophaugs for over 15 min. without going through the band like it was supposed to. I had to have 1/3 of my fill removed and my surgeon said I can't have any more fill because I had no symptoms other than in the middle of the night. I wonder how long the food was sitting in my esophagus like the barium was? The entire time, I thought I was doing fine. If I had known about the sleeve, I would have gotten it instead of a band. I would never have to worry about having the right fill ever again. I was a self pay too, and now I worry that the band is going to erode my stomach, only because I know it has the possibiliy to do that. If I had gotten the sleeve, I would never have that worry.

Join us on the over 50's thread. It's a very supportive group and there are a lot of us there supporting each other. There are a lot of new people who haven't had their bands very long, as well as some of us who have had it awhile. Sometimes getting a fill is not the answer. If you can eat small portions of healthy food and not get hungry then you probably don't need one. I can relate to eating the junk that makes anyone gain weight. Unfortunately, the junk food goes down the easiest. Sometimes, people are just too tight and the junk food goes down the best.

If you follow the rules and do your part, that does not happen. The band is not the magic cure. It's not going to stop you from eating candy chips cookies and ice cream. It will help you get full from a smaller amount of food but it will not stop head hunger for junk food.

What are you eating? Eating a lot of carbs causes hunger. Are you eating hard protein like chicken? Also foods that slide right through the band will not keep you full for very long.

I have never heard of not drinking for 2 hours after a meal. Some doctors say a half an hour, but most say one hour after a meal. I don't go by a measuring cup. I can judge it by the palm of my hand. I can eat meat and veggies and the whole portion is about the size of my palm, with the meat cut up very very tiny.

One of the most important things is taking itty bitty tiny bites. When we say tiny, we mean the size of a pencil eraser. Then chew it up until it's liquid in your mouth. Then wait, see how it goes down before taking another bite. If you do that, taking tiny bites and chewing until it's liquid, you should not have that stuck feeling.

I don't have any restriction anymore. Yet I was throwing up in my sleep, so I had to have part of my fill removed. I have what my doctor feels is the maximum amount I can have without those night time problems. It's actually pretty common for people to feel over full, and throwing up all the time, or not feeling restricted and not being able to "find the sweet spot" I see that all the time on this board, no matter which kind or what size the band is.

I am curious as more and more people have the band for a few years, how many more complications we are going to hear about. It really does scare me knowing I have silicone wrapped around my stomach. It doesn't seem natural and it worries me that eventually won't be safe.

I had it done as an outpatient. There was nothing to it. I had it done at 8am and by 11 am I was home posting on lap band talk. I have had dental work that was much more painful that this surgery. I really never could even tell I had surgery. I think Dr. Tersigini's price of 160.00 per fill is going to be about the cheapest anyone can find in Oregon. Kelly Fitzpatrick is in Eugene and Portland and last I heard, she is 160.00 also.

I am the same way. The reviews on some of the stuff is mixed. I bet if you called the 800 number they might be able to answer questions. I don't want to spend too much either as I have ordered things that have ended up being worthless.

That is not true. I am sure he is a good dr. but no complications? He was just on the news here in Oregon a few weeks ago about someone who had severe complications from his surgery. She came back to Oregon and ended up back in the hospital from the complications and his office would not return her phone calls.

There are a lot of people who follow WW who have banded. There is no doubt that WW is a good plan to follow and they do teach people about portions sizes, nutrition, etc.

A couple of weeks ago, I think? sorry it took me so long to tell you about it. Christmas always freaks me out and I have not been on the computer nearly as much, trying to get everything done. I am glad it's over!

From one Xmas hater to another! I almost called you to see how much you hated the day. I spent most of it on the computer!

Dr. Tersigni gives 3 fills with the price of surgery. After that they are $160.00 Everyone that has been coming to support group has said they have their sweet spot by the 3rd fill. He has a physician's assistant that really takes a long time to give a fill, and he says he can tell by the way the needle is reacting if it's right where it needs to be. He has also come to support group and spoke and is very knowledgeable as he also has a degree in nutrition. He takes a long time with each patient for their office visit when they come for fills, answering questions, etc.

In a few days I will have had my band for 2 years. If I had known about the sleeve, I would have had that surgery. I get really tired of worrying about the perfect restriction. I was fine in the day time. I could eat anything I wanted and never threw up in the day time. In the middle of the night was another story. I would be sound asleep and throw up in my sleep. I had an esophagram done, and it showed the barium sitting in my esophagus for over 15 min. and not moving down through the band into my stomach. I had to have half of my fill removed and let my esophagus rest. My dr. said I could have blown out my esophagus. How is that possible when nothing ever felt stuck. I will have my band removed and get the sleeve if I can ever come up with the money. I am glad to have lost the weight, but I can never have another fill. My dr. said it would be dangerous, since I was not throwing up or getting food stuck, so I had no syptoms of a problem other than in the middle of the night. Right now I can eat anything I want, so it's basically back to being on a diet, trying to maintain my weight loss.

If you want to get a band in the US, Dr. Tersigni here in Oregon just lowered his prices to 10,000.00 The only dr. I would trust in MX is Dr. Alberto Aceves. Dr. Ortiz does not do his surgery in a hospital, he does it in a clinic, and you recover in a hotel. Dr. Aceves will have someone pick you up in San Diego and you will stay in a beautiful hospital. Look for a thread called researching Mexican doctors.

There are so many people who say they wish they had gotten the RNY. I know most of the people who had the RNY here have gained back most of their weight. They never learned to change their eating habits. It usually takes about 3 fills to get good restriction. Weight loss with the band is not over night, but if you follow the band rules, you will lose weight, and more important, keep it off.

Hello from one Greek Lady to another. The things i could have during the first 4 weeks were Soups blended to where there were no chunks, Protein drinks, drinkable yogurt, yogurt , any kind of juice, and basically anything you can drink which would fit through a straw.

Those are so stunning! You should be so proud of yourself! I had a myspace message from you to join something, but I could not get in. I think it was so that you could leave me messages. I am not sure what it did. I tried and tried to get it to work. I don't want you to think I was ignoring you!