Thats All Folks

I only had 1cc in my band at surgery, I was told it was to prime it (whatever that means lol)

I personally follow the no drinking rule always. Food is food whether it's a slider or not.

At the beginning I didn't tell anyone but now I'm very open about it. I see it as an opportunity to educate others. Let's face it, ignorance runs rampant in our society, especially when it comes to WLS. I've only had one person accuse me of taking "the easy way out". I said if walking 2 miles a day and counting every single calorie I consume is the easy way out I'd really hate to see the hard way. You have to do what's best for you. If you don't want to tell anyone then don't. Do what feels right for you. Best wishes

What problems did you have with your band? Do you still have your band? The thing is, it doesn't matter which WLS you choose, you will have to change your diet and exercise to be successful losing weight. Gastric Bypass and the Sleeve aren't anymore a guaranteed weight loss than the Lap Band is. They're all just tools not magic fixes for obesity. I have two friends who had Gastric Bypass around the time I had the band. One has only lost about 30 pounds and the other about 60 but is regaining. Why? Because neither changed their diet. They expected the surgery to do it all for them and because of it they're failing miserably. Take the time to learn about the other surgeries before making such a huge decision. Best wishes to you on whatever you decide is best for you.

I've heard of women that have some port discomfort if their husband lays or pushes directly on it. I think where your port is located, what position you're having sex in, and how aggressive the sex is can all make a difference. I'm not in maintenance yet but I have lost 185 pounds and my port does stick out a little bit, but I've never had any pain or discomfort around my port during sex.

I have to eat ground turkey and beef very slow and take very small bites. It tends to get stuck extremely easy, much easier than chicken or fish.

I agree, it sounds like you ate too much and too fast. What your feeling is a sort of stuck sensation. In fact, most of the time when we're stuck it's felt in the upper chest rather than the throat.

What you're going through is normal. It takes most people multiple fills to have adequate fluid in their bands. Just keep counting calories and be patient, it will come.

Liquids are sliders. Ice cream and shakes are sliders. For most of us, processed junk food is a slider, like chips and cookies. Chocolate is a slider food because it melts. Slider foods are food that immediately pass right through the band. When you eat 3oz of protein, you have to be careful not to get suck and if you over-eat chances are you're going to feel it. With slider foods, they just go through the band like a liquid so you can pretty much eat it unlimited with no physical repercussions. I personally don't believe any food is off limits, including sliders, as long as you eat it them in moderation and within your daily calorie allowance. You just have to be very aware when eating slider foods so you don't accidentally eat too much.

Granted I'm no nutritionist, but 1000-1200 sounds about right to me. In fact that's the calorie range I try to stay in too. The one thing I've found on this journey is there isn't a one-size-fits-all method to weight loss. Some find they lose great on 800 calories a day whereas others need 1400 a day. We're all unique and our metabolisms all have unique quirks and needs. The trick is finding what's best specifically for you.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Well currently, they're very visible and stick out of my abdomen. Initially though you couldn't see them but I had a burning, almost pulled muscle feeling where the tear in the muscle (hernia) occurred. But now they've grown (as they almost always do) so it's VERY noticeable. Some days I have no symptoms, others I can tell food is getting hung up in the intestines around the hernia. I will get a lot of cramping and localized pain until the food passes. I find laying on my stomach actually helps push the abdominal contents back in and ease the pain. This past August I had one become strangulated and had to have emergency surgery. When that happened I knew it because it was a blinding, searing and unrelenting pain. My surgeon is watching me closely. He's getting very anxious to fix them but because I'm having it done the same time as a tummy tuck, he agreed to wait a little bit longer as long as there's no signs of another strangulation.

Oh goodness, I'd be stressed out too! I'm so sorry you're going through this! I'm definitely sending prayers your way! Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Plateaus are normal we all go through them. If you're still burning calories than you consume then will lose the weight, it just may take a little time for your metabolism to catch up. Also, you said "eating right", does that mean you track your calories too? If not, I would suggest doing so just to make sure you're not accidentally eating more than you should be. Best wishes.

I personally think avoiding your doctor is a bit foolish. If you're having problems then your doctor should be your first call not your last resort. By putting off calling him then you are potentially making the problem worse. Your doctor's job is to treat and help you- let him do his job. Call him.

Hello. Im thinking about the surgery but cant seem to find any info about a few things. Firstly can you drink liquads as normal? Or do you have to sip slowly? Dont know if i could handle not being about to drink Water fast on a hot day etc. -It really depends on how tight your band is. I have no problem chugging down water, however I prefer not to have a super tight band because I don't want to risk a slip. I understand you have to eat a little slower etc but how slow? Is it really really slow and does this have any impact on life going out to din with people etc. -As others stated, it should take about 20 minutes to eat a cup of food. I still go out to eat all the time and it doesn't bother anyone that I eat slow. I focus on the conversation and the company not eating. Also on the emotional side do people ever get depressed to not be able to eat nice things ever again or can you do this in moderatiin once you get to maintance phase. -I never get depressed about eating because I still eat whatever I want, just in moderation. I'm not in the maintenance phase either, I'm still losing. The band isn't meant to deprive you it's meant to help you be satiated on less food for longer periods of time. I (personally) refuse to deprive myself. I see a lot of posts on this forum saying its been a good decision to have the surgery but i just want to understand a bit more about the changes you have to make and if they are changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. I really want to lose the weight but im still not sure if i can do this myself or surgery is the way to go. Its a big decision and i dont want to do this and then potentially feel depressed if theres anything i cant live with. -For me, it was the best decision I've ever made for myself. But you're wise to question it before going through with the surgery. I would strongly suggest talking to a counselor before making this decision so they can help you make the choice that's best for you. Best wishes.

I think you're being way too tough on yourself. You stayed within your calories and you stopped when Mistress Band spoke. That is a huge success. Life isn't neat and tidy all the time and you can't always plan your meals. And so what if you were compelled? You had to eat dinner one way or another, so does it really matter why you decided to forgo your planned dinner for taquitos? You're doing great! Now stop second guessing yourself

Having a family member or friend do your fills is dangerous and very unwise. Unless they're trained by a bariatric surgeon specifically how to do fills, they have absolutely no business touching your band. You are asking for serious trouble and complications. Talk to local surgeons and see if any will work with you on prices.

That does look yummy! Thanks for sharing!

Be safe! We're expecting about 9-10 inches here.

Wow very interesting article, thanks for sharing it.

It could be a lack of protein, a lack of calories, a vitamin deficiency, dehydration, or something totally and completely unrelated to your band. I would go to your primary care doctor and ask for a full blood work up and physical, just to make sure everything is ok. Best wishes.

I don't think the OP was talking about living on shakes at all, just as a supplement to increase her Protein intake. And btw, they most certainly can be filling, liquid or not. I have one with 20g of protein every morning around 7:30am and am not at all hungry until around noon. There is no right or wrong way. It's a matter of what works for each individual person.

I'm in Michigan and in a similar boat. The weather is just horrible here in the winter. Cold, windy, snow, etc. I'm lucky to get outside for a walk once a month lately. I'm looking into getting a treadmill for at home, but for now I find going to the mall a good option for walking. I'll literally walk the entire indoor perimeter for an hour non-stop. It's not ideal but it's a free way to get some walking in when the weather isn't cooperating.

I personally still have a protein shake for breakfast every morning. It helps me get in all my protein, plus my band is always tight in the morning and I have no appetite. So, for me, the protein shake for breakfast works.