Cazzy

I started counting my calories religiously the day I got home from the hospital and 16 months later I still do. I really believe it's a huge reason I've been successful so far with my band.

It's funny you say that, it's the last couple days I've gone from "ok this was a huge mistake" to "hmmm, I hope he takes the drains out Monday because I really want to go shopping". LOL!
You nailed it though, it's like losing another fleshy being around my middle. It's crazy but even with the loose skin I still have all over the rest of me my self esteem has gone up so much since having this surgery. I don't even mind that my boyfriend has to see me naked daily to help me get my binder on. Before the surgery? I'd have NEVER in a million years just stood in front of him naked for any reason.
I'm excited for the future

I know this feeling only too well, i had to stop having 'nice' food things in the house as temptation i was fighting all day long. I do get sugar cravings but tend to try and satify them with a sweetner coffee or greek yoghurt with my own fruiit compote on it as against the sugar laden flavoured yoghurts, some unsweetned orange juice or some fresh fruit is also a good substitute, and sugar free sucking sweets i have always a pack or 2 in the house i suck one when i get on the exercise bike.
There is nothing wrong in eating a small amount of something nice, just dont do it in secret and make your Portion Control the guiding factor, so u get your little treat, just a small portion of it. But i do agree with Elcee dont keep those foods in the house is the simplest solution.

Surgeon did a great job, now u know all the discomfort was thoroughly worth it, its great feeling getting rid of that extra person hanging round the tummy area, i loved the feeling of freedom it gave me ... keep healing !

I would try contacting the centre and asking if there is one of the bariatric nurses there who might consider doing fills on a private basis or is willing to continue to give support, afterall the staff if they are losing their jobs will need to get jobs elsewhere.. just an idea

Hey, just getting a band doesn't mean that all your food demons suddenly disappear. i still love chocolate as much today as I ever did. Give me a choice between chocolate and real food and I'll take the chocolate anyday. The problem with the band is that it doesn't stop you from eating the type of foods that you eat in secret. They are sliders and they go down really easily.
There are a couple of things I think you need to do:-
Be honest with your Dr, hopefully he will refer you to someone that can help you.
Allow yourself your forbidden foods but in small quantities. foods that are forbidden are far more attractive and have so much more power over us than foods that are allowed.
try not to have foods in the house that you know you cannot stay away from- if you have to go out to buy them it makes it a lot harder
And don't be so tough on yourself, none of us are perfect.

The fear of going to the doctor will be far worse than actually doing it, all doctors know how easy it is to put weight back on, bite the bullet and just do it, after all u should get your band checked out as a matter of routine.
omg love that song !

The fear of going to the doctor will be far worse than actually doing it, all doctors know how easy it is to put weight back on, bite the bullet and just do it, after all u should get your band checked out as a matter of routine.
omg love that song !

The fear of going to the doctor will be far worse than actually doing it, all doctors know how easy it is to put weight back on, bite the bullet and just do it, after all u should get your band checked out as a matter of routine.
omg love that song !

The other comments are right on. But don't be afraid of your doc. If you think for one minute that all bariatric docs have not seen dozens or hundreds of patients with your problem, you're dreaming dude! Go in, take your medicine and come back to the fold.
Gee, I feel like singing a Journey song right now? Open arms?
tmf

Your band is around the very top of your stomach just under your sternum.

I think its great that today it was on the news that the governor got lapband.

You All are so Great!! Lets Continue This Road of Success!!! Failure is Not An Option!!!

You too and grats on that continued weight loss !

I like em with my green chile stew. Great to mix.

I'm 1 1/2 years out. I too was starving the first 4 months. My 4th fill after 4 months finally got me to where I was feeling satisfied longer. I bitched and moaned too. On this forum! It's called Bandster Hell for a reason.
tmf

So sorry to hear you are having these problems, i feared a slip after my last surgery as i got tighter and tighter post op but some Fluid was removed and that cured it, I had some form of reflux too, dont stress till u know what the problem is, the band may not have slipped, it could just be a dilated pouch, and if it has slipped it may only be a small one, remedied by an unfill for a while. The urgency comes mainly from not letting the siituation continue for too long, not that its life threatening so a hurdle yes,but often easily overcome
Good luck let us know how things go !

The person to ask this question to is your surgeon, what were his guidelines for the time line for liquids, mushies and solid food. They are what you should be following. It doesnt sound like u did any damage but u need to ask what you should be eating.

The person to ask this question to is your surgeon, what were his guidelines for the time line for liquids, mushies and solid food. They are what you should be following. It doesnt sound like u did any damage but u need to ask what you should be eating.

there is a nice older couple who lives across the street...you know the hi and bye waves and when they are gone or we are, we take the mail and paper etc....
so the day before yesterday, me and my doberman kabo were in the front yard just sitting on the front step....and she came outside and said *you are looking so good. i bet you are feeling so much better*. i said i sure am and thank you...
later when hub came home, i said you didnt tell the lady across the street of my surgery did you. he said last year at my surgery and i was home 8 days from work, she came to him when he was outside and asked was his wife okay as she noticed my car was in the driveway and hadnt left....he said he told her i was having WLS.....
kinda surprised i asked him why on earth would you tell someone this and he said cos i am proud of you thats why
so if someone compliments you, smile and say thank you that is what i did and then use that for you to keep going..

Certainly drinking before a meal mainly in the Uk there are no restrictions regarding drinking before a meal as the liquid goes straight through the band and doesnt affect it at all, drinking during a meal i get stuck, if i have something like a casserole or like that it will get stuck due to the liquid content, but i understand that some people dont get stuck if they drink while they eat. As long as they follow the rules of sipping in between small bites etc.
My belief is that no one 'needs' to drink while they eat, its normally a habit formed at some point in their life which forms into a learned behaviour.
There is definitely a cultural difference too, here in the Uk it is not so common as the US, but thats what makes us all different. It is only in the last 15 yrs or so that a resturant here would even put Water on a table unless u actually request it ..
I am not saying do or dont drink while you eat, but maybe its worth looking at why you want/need to, and how you came to that conclusion
Its always best to follow your doctors guidelines until you have a routine worked out and are steadily losing weight that gives u a stronger negotiating point with him regarding bending his rules a little !!

You too and grats on that continued weight loss !

You have no idea if it has reached your band or not. The infection is probably coming from your band/stomach down to the port. I know you said before ER won't do anything but do you know that for sure? If you pitch up I am sure they will have to do something.
At this stage of being banded the most likely cause of a port infection is erosion and that is a MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Maybe you should find some info on the net and print it and take it with you. That might help to convince them.

Get a small unfill!
Also, you have to ask yourself why you can eat crackers and chocolate? They're both slider foods that turn to mush in your mouth and pouch. If you take a small bite of chicken, fish or veggies and chew it to mush it should react the same right?
imo you're a little too tight and maybe not following the rules? Learning to eat small, chew big and do it all very slowly is the hardest thing for most of us to do. I know it took me over a year to figure it out and you're only 5 months out.
tmf

Thanks so much for your thoughts, this is the last one for me yayyyyyy i found the full body lift pretty easy to be honest, inner thighs werent so easy
will let u know how i am doing