Dulci

Stuck incidents are user error either caused by eating too large of bites, not chewing well enough, or by eating a food that will have a hard time passing through (such as dry meats- think chicken).
They can be painful, but they usually pass fairly quickly. I think everyone probably experiences a couple before they figure out how to properly consume a meal.
If you get REALLY stuck, you will probably PB (productive burp), which is where the body starts creating excess saliva to try and push the blockage through the band. Sometimes it will go through, other times you will cough up whatever was stuck. PB's are not vomitting, as they do not come from below the stomach.

Don't worry about your cycle. Anesthesia always brings mine on, even if it isn't time. With everything that will be happening to your abdomen area, cramps won't even be noticed. And the good pain meds will knock them out.
Good luck with you journey!

Don't worry about your cycle. Anesthesia always brings mine on, even if it isn't time. With everything that will be happening to your abdomen area, cramps won't even be noticed. And the good pain meds will knock them out.
Good luck with you journey!

My doctor requires me to do liquids for 24 hours following a fill.
It sometimes takes several fills until you reach restriction. Until that happens, you should follow your doctor's instructions. "Testing" your band can lead to band slippage and other complications.

I have maintained my weight loss within 10 lbs.up or down, for about 6 years now (size 6). I keep asking myself why have I been so successful?
I was never in a hurry to lose the weight. I only averaged 5 or 6 lbs per month. I never had a goal and got smaller then I ever thought I would, (nice surprise).
I got very small fills. I took allmost a year to get to good restriction.
I wasn't too hard on myself if I cheated. I cheated a lot, I still do and have learned this is part of who I am. Ha!, tomorrow is another day.
I followed my doctors rules the first several months. It was hard, but I did it.
I never compared myself to anyone elses success or failure.
I exercised ( as little as possible) but I did it and still do (as little as possible).
I learned what my food triggers are, this was a hard one to overcome.
I learned to replace my craviings for sweet and chocolate and fat with low calorie, low fat recipes. (I can't live without chocolate).
I learned to eat slowly and chew well, this took over a year to master.
I learned when I go out to eat, about 2 or 3 times a month to totally enjoy my food, to eat whatever I want including dessert, and not count calories or worry about
portions. To enjoy the atmosphere and the company I am with.
I learned if I had a bad day, eating or otherwise, it will pass and tomorrow is a new beginning. Sometimes it was a bad week.
I didn't need anyone to validate my success. No one knows I had this done. Not even my family. So no one to judge me good or bad.
I learned I now have a great track record and most likely this will continue.
For me losing the weight was not a body image issue, it was a health issue. However being thin has been a nice side effect.
Hope this post will encourage some.

Fill level has nothing to do with sliders for me. I have to be almost occluded to not be able to eat slider foods, and that is just not a happy place for me. chips, Cookies, ice cream..they all go down quite easily for me.
The only time they didn't is when I was overfilled and could not even get yogurt or mashed potatoes with lots of milk in them down. Even now, while I am in the green zone but considering a slight unfil, I can eat silders with no problem. It is the good for me foods that are a challenge. I have to choose not to eat the sliders. It is way easier to grab some chips than to sit and slowly eat a salad that may or may not go down. And the chips taste soooo much better.
It's a shame they cannot band the brain along with the stomach.

I always find it strange when new people that have never participated in this board before come on and their first post is about how they are having their band removed.
I always wonder.
Are they for real?
What is their motivation?
Are they maybe being paid as some kind of troll to achieve some kind of result.
I have always been a sceptic, it is part of me that is not going to change.
So if you are for real I wish you all the best in your bandless future.

I learned to break the habit of drinking with meals by removing my water bottle physically from my reach. After eating, especially at work where I usually eat at my desk, I have an Altoids mint. By the time the strong mint flavor has subsided, it's been 30 mintues and I can resume sipping on my Water.< /p>

My life is just one big social event most of the time! We eat out Mondays (dancing night), every second Wednesday (I'm in Lions), occasional Thursdays (my husband is a Rotarian), and we have plenty of other outings with family, dancing, cycling and friends.
Plan as much as you can. Always take a plate of food to share but one that you know you can eat and enjoy. Don't let yourself get too hungry before eating and remember that while you have made the great decision to improve your lifestyle, you are still human and will have occasional slip ups - we all do! Don't beat up on yourself, just learn from the experience and move on. Best of luck.

You can't, and should not, gauge your weight loss on others. Everyone's body is different and everyone's metabolism works differently. If you gauge off others' weight loss you're setting yourself up for pointless disappointment .
It'll come off, just be patient

Hi. I don't normally start new topics but I wanted to get this out there. I've read several posts that people are using the Boost high Protein as their pre-op diet. While at the store yesterday I saw it and took a closer look.
My recommendation is to stop drinking this stuff!!!
If you read posts from a lot of experienced bandsters we highly recommend the Premier Protein shakes (ready to drink). Below are a comparison of some important Nutritional facts.
Boost High Protein Ready To Drink 8 oz
15 g of protein
Total Carbs 33g
Sugars 27
Cals 240
Fat 6
Premier Protein Shakes 11 oz
30 g of Protein
Total Carbs 5g
Sugars 1
Cals 160
Fat 3
Your doctor has you on a high protein/low carbs diet to force your body to burn protein and then fat. The Carb levels in Boost are out of this world. I'm sure they taste great but no surprise look at the sugars level. Yes I know Premier is at costco and BJ's (and possibly online) but there are other RTD shakes available at Walmart, and health food store that are better than Boost.
Just my opinion. Take it for what it's worth.

You are in "bandster hell" . You are doing this on will power only. It will get easier once you start getting fills. The swelling from surgery is subsiding, but your band is empty, so you it is not providing much restriction. Keep following your doc's instructions and know that it will get much easier.

Miralax works well and is gentle.

So on April 16th was my 2 year anniversary with the Lap Band. I lost a total of 100 pounds. Felt awesome, but did nothing. It just fell off. Then had a major life move and stopped doing all I used to and slowly gained weight back. Found out I had a slip and had that corrected. Still gaining. I've gained a total of 36 pounds back. Depressed, hated my self and the band. The Band was a waste of money... blah blah blah......
Went to my doctor to whine and complain what a waste of money it was. Well he spent over an hour with me and we talked. I finally realized 3 things.
I DIDN'T EAT THE CORRECT FOODS.
I DIDN'T DO ANY EXERCISE TO HELP ME.
I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MY SUCCESS OR FAILURE.
The doctor gave me a small fill to bring me up to 7.5 and I changed my attitude. Week later following a 1000 calorie diet, drinking my protien shakes, NOT drinking while I eat and only eating about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of food, I've lost 9 pounds. Funny thing is, I am NOT hungry!!!!!!!!!
I feel different. Not bloated, more energy. Funny when you do the right things, good things happen.
Exercise? Well, still working on that. Walking a bit and doing some small weights but it's more than I used to.
So the moral of my story, when you start blaming the band look hard at yourself and say; "Am I doing everything I am required to do?"
Dr Myers in Greenville, PA is an outstanding Doctor that took the time to help me understand that my weight loss and future is in my hands. That small piece of plastic is not in charge, I AM!!!~!

You have made amazing progress and you have the determination to meet your goal. Thank you for the inspiration!

The night before I started my liquid diet, I ordered pepperoni, sausage and black olive pizzas for dinner. I intended that meal to be my farewell to pizza and I ate almost an entire medium sized pizza myself.
I am six months past my surgery date and nearly 50 lbs lighter. Tonight for dinner, I ordered that same pizza and I savored every delicious bite. However, tonight I was satisified after I almost finished a single slice.
I am in the "green" zone and there is nothing that I cannot eat.

I understand what you're saying.....but for me, the lapband IS Magic, and it is not hard work at all. As a matter of fact, it is the EASIEST thing I have ever done i n terms of loosing weight and reaching my goal. It may have been hard in the early stages, bandster hell, but once that was out of the way it became very natural and automatic.
But do I believe everyone will be successful??? My answer is NO! Not Everyone!
And it is not because of the band, (except in a few medical cases) but because some individuals refuse to take that step and let the band do what it is designed to do. They want to hold onto their old habits, refusing to understand that is was these old habits that got them in trouble in the first place. They have been brain washed into believing you must "Diet" using your own will power and self discipline, the exact same thing I failed at time after time before I had the surgery.
Maybe some people feel it's "Too Good To Be True" and cannot possibly be that way, so they refuse to accept it.

I'm nearly 6 months out from surgery and I have no regrets at all. I'm nearly 50 lbs lighter. I'm sleeping better. My "bad" knee no longer hurts. I'm more active that I have been in 20 years. My band has given me a new lease on life.

The night before I started my liquid diet, I ordered pepperoni, sausage and black olive pizzas for dinner. I intended that meal to be my farewell to pizza and I ate almost an entire medium sized pizza myself.
I am six months past my surgery date and nearly 50 lbs lighter. Tonight for dinner, I ordered that same pizza and I savored every delicious bite. However, tonight I was satisified after I almost finished a single slice.
I am in the "green" zone and there is nothing that I cannot eat.

The night before I started my liquid diet, I ordered pepperoni, sausage and black olive pizzas for dinner. I intended that meal to be my farewell to pizza and I ate almost an entire medium sized pizza myself.
I am six months past my surgery date and nearly 50 lbs lighter. Tonight for dinner, I ordered that same pizza and I savored every delicious bite. However, tonight I was satisified after I almost finished a single slice.
I am in the "green" zone and there is nothing that I cannot eat.

The night before I started my liquid diet, I ordered pepperoni, sausage and black olive pizzas for dinner. I intended that meal to be my farewell to pizza and I ate almost an entire medium sized pizza myself.
I am six months past my surgery date and nearly 50 lbs lighter. Tonight for dinner, I ordered that same pizza and I savored every delicious bite. However, tonight I was satisified after I almost finished a single slice.
I am in the "green" zone and there is nothing that I cannot eat.

Easter holidays start today and I haven't bought a single Easter egg or hot cross bun for myself or for anyone else!

The more I read about the difficulties that people go through, the preparations, the build up and the anticipation about their actual day of surgery, the more it seems to me that our actual lapband surgery day is very similar to a wedding day.
There is a huge amount of preparation and build up to both and then suddenly they have both passed and what do we have to show for it? A band of saline filled silicone around my stomach in one case and a band of gold around my finger on the other.
Either way, the actual surgery or wedding day is only the beginning of the rest of my life. Neither event will give me the outcomes I was dreaming of if I reach that day and think that it is the end of my journey. With that attitude, I would end up as a band failure or a divorcee.
My husband and I Celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary this month and we have never been happier as a couple, but we have had to work hard over the years and we know that we will have to continue to work hard over the coming years to maintain our marriage. It's worth it to be with my husband into our old age, to fulfil our dreams, to set new goals and dreams together.
This month I will Celebrate my first bandiversary and I am already the healthiest I have ever been as an adult. I have worked hard since being banded and I know that I will have to work hard for the rest of my life to continue to lose weight and enjoy my healthier new body. I have to set short, medium and long term goals and then keep setting new goals as I reach those earlier ones.
Just as I have to talk with and listen to my husband, give and take, compromise at times for the health of our marriage, so do I have to listen to and work with my band and my body.
Our wedding day was a fantastic day, a wonderful celebration. My surgery day was also a very special day. But now I have to look to and work on both for the rest of my life.

I had my surgery and ongoing after care at Cleveland Clinic in Weston, FL. I have been very happy with the support, education and overall quality of care. I don't know if they will take on patients that had their surgery elsewhere, but it can't hurt to call and ask. The general number is 954-659-5000.
Good luck.

The important thing is that it does go down, noisy or not.