NetteInBoulder

When you talk about waking up coughing and choking on fluids, be sure that your doc knows about that. That sounds like your esophagus has dialated and is letting fluids back up that are supposed to stay down. I've heard of people (I'm thinking of Malcolm Bywters here especially www.lapbandtransformation.com) who propped the head of their bed higher so they could sleep in the bed and not have that problem. I hope that as the swelling goes down, that side effect goes away! I have had that when fill was too tight and I know how unpleasant it can be. Good luck with it! Congrats on the weight loss!! I think that's the exciting part of all this. As you get used to having the band and getting used to a new way of looking at food, you also get the reward of watching the scale move and soon, clothes will start to feel looser. Enjoy this new stage in your life, Annette

I was in a similar place. If you want advice, mine is to eep getting fills, keep following the band rules and time will pass, the pounds will add up. I'm 10 months out, 54 pounds down now. I just recently got a fill from 2.5 to 2.8 and now the weight is dropping easily. Have patience and keep doing what you know is healthy and right and it will happen. Good luck to you! Annette

Jennye~ I did hear of one couple that both had the band and they found that they both tended to have more or less restriction on the same days and they attributed it to barometric pressure of the air. (LOL...I almost wrote bariatric pressure!! LOL) I dunno but it may or may not work, trying to figure out the patterns of restriction fickleness. Myself, I'm trying to learn to be more Zen about it and not predict it or have expectations about it, but listen to what it tells me and try to cooperate with what it says. Good luck to you on your journey, Nette

Good luck Debra I remember being at that same stage about a year ago. I hope that you get a surgery date soon (even if it's very soon, it may still feel like forever until it's here!), an easy surgery and a smooth and fast recovery. Take care, Annette

Just wanted to follow up--there were probably 15-20 women who came to the swap, between 150 and 200 items of clothes I'd guess. Some women took away a lot, some just a few things. I scored a couple of dresses, 4 pairs of pants, and a nice business suit. I think about 6 of us had the band. The next meeting will be in Colorado Springs.

I'm no expert but I like your idea of getting unfilled and then sneaking up on the right spot with several small fills. That's my doc's philosophy. He gives around .5 or .7 for the first fill and then generally around .3 for each fill thereafter and I've never had a bad reaction. Just gradually getting more and more restricted. Good luck hun! ::big hug:::: Annette

hi girlfriend Good to see you here! Nette in Boulder

Bobby, Bravo to you for all the exercise. When I referred to cutting back on carbs, I wasn't talking about being a maniac about it. Over the holidays, I was lazy and let myself eat Cookies, candy, etc. Now that I'm back on track, I'm focusing on good, healthy, real food, and avoiding sugary or starchy junk. Keep up the good work, Annette

Forgot to answer the other questions : ) Sorry. When I was first banded, but before I had fills, I'd sometimes get something "stuck." The first time it was a spoonful of chili. It reminded me of taking a large Vitamin pill that gets stuck halfway down your throat. It didn't really hurt, it didn't stop my breathing, but I was conscious of it being there and I certainly didn't want to eat anything for a while. The shortest time it took to go away for me was about half an hour, the longest time was a day and a half. The new feeling of full for me is that when I've eaten enough, I feel kind of a soft tighness in my upper chest. It used to be sort of a bloaty feeling in my belly but now it's more of a tight feeling right in the middle of my chest.

PB stands for "Productive Burp" It's when you eat too fast or don't chew enough and the top of your stomach gets so full that you have to throw up, but it's not the same as throwing up before banding. That's why it's called a productive burp- there are no stomach acids so it doesn't taste foul or hurt. It's like you feel pressure or your mouth starts to salivate heavily and then you get to a bathroom and up it comes, whatever food was "too much." My nurse says that once someone starts to get fills, it's not uncommon to PB once a week. I usually only PB when I am not paying attention to how much or how fast I'm eating and I foget my new good habits and go back to old habits, eat too much, too fast and then I start to get a hint that a PB is coming. At this point I hardly ever do it, maybe once every three weeks. But when you're starting to get used to eating the new way, it's not a bad idea to carry around a little ziplock bag and a napkin in your purse. You don't want to PB too much because it can irritate the stomach and esophagus. Daily PB-ing is okay for a couple days in a row but not as an ongoing lifestyle. I see PBs as reminders to slow down and chew more. Once I've PB-ed, the rest of that day I am gentle on my stomach and will probably just have cream soups and protein drinks, nothing harsh. Good luck!

The Colorado Rockers are having a clothes swap the afternoon of February 28th in the Denver Tech area. If you want further details, email me at BandedMay03@aol.com

I totally agree. I have also started cutting the carbs since the holidays and I think that's been helpful too. Getting back to the basics: Protein, Water, exercise

I had the same experience but I recently started drinking a lot of Water (about 16 ounces prior to each meal) and doing half an hour of walking a day and that's helped. I was stuck at 32-35 pounds lost for a long time and once I started drinking water and exercising, the weight has suddenly started to fly off. Good luck! I hope you find what helps you. P.S. To make drinking water easier, I purchased on of those cool "Nalgene" water bottles (medical-grade plastic so it doesn't absorb flavors or odors) so my water always tastes great. (www.nalgene-outdoor.com) I got a small, 16 ounce once so it'd be easy to carry with me everywhere and it's not heavy even when full. I fill it up in the morning and drink it down before I let myself have Breakfast, then fill it up again and after waiting about an hour and a half, drink throughout the morning before I have lunch, and then after lunch I fill it up again, wait about an hour and a half again, and drink it till dinner time. Sometimes I'll have some more before bed.

My BMI was close to that but it was approved. I gave my doc a long list of diets/programs/exercise plans I'd followed only to have the weight come back. Good luck! P.S. If you don't get approved the first time out, be sure to contact Don Mills at Inamed.com. He'll help you put together a knock-out appeal. Annette highest weight 257/ 212 now/ 160-ish goal

I've said the same thing myself, many times. It's simply brilliant. I can see how a gastric band itself is a good idea but the "adjustable" part (the inner tube and the port) make it a GREAT idea. Annette