Coal

I just simply don't know what is going on! I was banded over three years ago. I had lost 100 lbs but it was on a pretty tight fill. I got a cold and it made my band get way too tight so the doc unfilled me nearly completely. Since then (a year and half ago) I haven't been able to get restriction. I have some but I can eat anything and i'm hungry all the time. the first bite is painfull but after it goes away I can eat anything i want in any amount. I have gained back 40 lbs in the process. I have tried several times to get filled up again. I've gone to the doctor and they've looked at it under fluoro while i drink the barium. Well it looks tight under fluro! So he says nah, you are tight enough. I have 3.1 cc's in a band that holds 4 cc's. How can it look to be so tight yet I don't feel tight at all? I'm still hungry too. What can I say to him today to get him to give me some restriction???? I'm not ready to give up on this but it's been a year and a half. I've even changed doctors but they won't listen to me when I say it's not enough! Please help. P.S. I do understand the band won't do it all for me but i need some help with this expensive tool. Thank you.

I guess that was asking a bit much. I just got back from my fill and it went well. I poured my heart out to him and looked at the fill under fluoro and said yes, I did need a fill. I told him the other doctor refused to do it because he said i was too tight as it is. But this one disagreed and said the pictures don't lie. So he gave me .3 cc's. I can't tell much difference yet but i haven't eaten anything solid yet. I'm just hoping i'm finally on my way this time.

Way to go freakin' out the new people, gawwwd. :heh: I'm so kidding. But really I can relate and in fact i'll share a story. I've had many of these episodes in the two years that i've had the band. Yes the band is fickle but no that is NOT good enough! The only thing that i've read that makes a little sense is that the body goes though a mucus cycle. Like at night I can eat a little. Come morning, no way. During my sleep I built up more mucus, later in the day it has thinned out. Stay with me here....for instance, if I lay down and take a nap during the day, you can bet I won't be able to eat for several hours later. Sleep is connected to the tightness of the band. Then of course there are times when it's my fault. For example... I'm driving my sister-in-freak errrr law to the airport the other day. Her teenage loon errr daughter is in the back carrying on about everrrrything...whine whine whine for no apparent reason. Did I mention I was pretty sick too? another cause for excess mucus i'm sure. Anyway, we are about an hour away from DFW airport and I decided to stop at Walgreens to get some liquid medicine for myself. When a bag of peanut M&M's called to me. Desperate for chocolate (or a gun) I decided to have some. I bought whiney butt some too and my sister-in-law. So I take a bit of an M&M...not the whole thing just a bite of one. I chew, chew, chew, and it goes down. So a couple of minutes later I have the other half. *LOL* it goes down too. Now, i'm feeling brave and I began to eat one after the other. Before I know it I'm pouring the bag in my mouth. Then tragedy stuck...errr rather struck. My sister-in-law is flapping non stop and the kid in the back is trying to tell me a joke. My husband who is in Iraq right now decides to call on my cell phone ANNND we are in rush hour traffic. I begin getting that awful feeling. My mouth starts filling...I can't swallow. I hold it as long as I can. My sisterinlaw keeps asking why i look the way I do. My husband keeps calling over and over because he keeps losing his cell signal and i'm trying to keep from hitting the car in front of me. Finally, I find a gas station and immediately pull over run to the bathroom only to find I need a key. I can't talk to ask for one so i have to do the pee pee dance for the guy behind the counter and hold out my hand. He got the message and gave me the key. I ran to the bathroom, bent over the sink, and shot peanut M&M's out my nose. Nine inch chocolate goodness pouring out my nostrils. I felt purty. Long story short...ahhahhah...you aren't alone!

Hi, I've had my band since Sept 25, 2003. My port flipped within a few weeks until it ended up totally twisted. I kept it this way up until August of this year. I had a tummy tuck done so he just turned the port back around for me. Other than that, there really hasn't been any major complications. I did have a too tight fill at one time. It got so tight that I couldn't get water in. I had lost quite a bit of weight (99lbs total from my start weight). I was so head strong that I was refusing to get an unfill...until I couldnt' get water in. Then I really had no choice. Within six days of getting the unfill, I had gained 19lbs. How that is possible, I don't know. Except the doctor said that I was severely dehydrated. I've been slowly trying to get restriction again since then. My last fill was in April up to 2.8 cc's in a 4 cc band. I'm finally going in for another fill in a few weeks. I was a very bad bandster after my unfill. I went three months living on milk and chicken broth (not good) then got the unfill and went crazy eating everything. I think i'm back now...I hope.

Just heard on the news that they are now coming out with a device kinda like a pacemaker only it's for your stomach. It sends electrical impulses that give you a "full" sensation. I thought this was pretty interesting....what WILL they think of next.

Hi Maggie, Thanks for your reply. I'm just about over my discomforts, today was much much better! and you are right the walking does help quite a bit. It's been six days now and the shoulder pain is finallllly gone!! yeah! congrats on your weight loss too.

Hi ya'll. I had the band placed on the 25th and since then I've been doing very well except...well I guess i'm not used to having a band around me cause i definitely feel something constantly. I cant tell you if i'm hungry or too full. Maybe it's gas from when they blew me up...but there seems to be so much pressure in my stomach area and my chest. It hurts to take a deep breath and i burp little burps all day long. I'm eating very little liquid foods such as Protein drinks ( about a fourth) and juice. It almost feels like my entire mass of organs have a band around them also their is a pain in my chest or a pressure not sure which. My stomach gurgles constantly too, I thinks it's trying to escape the band or something! also where my steri strips are and the band aids across those have started breaking out in these red pimple like Fluid filled sores and the skin tears right off. Could i be allergic to the bandaids or strips? The pain in my shoulder is starting to get better though so thats good news....what do ya'll think? is this normal? am i hungry? am i getting too much? today i had Breakfast 1/4 Protein shake two hours later sips of apple juice lunch 1/3 Soup just the liquid part two hours later sips of juice then a couple of bites of mashed potatoes that mom (who is also banded) brought over cause she was convinced i'm starving though she should know better.... i'm not supposed to have those yet...only a couple of bites but could that be the problem??? it's been hours (about five) since i ate those two bites but i still feel tons and tons of pressure....any ideas???? HELP HELP. (smiles) ok not that desperate but it is rather uncomfortable you know.

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone. I feel much better today. I didn't sleep lastnight much because of the discomfort though. grrrr and i took the bandaids off as they were really causing trouble. eeek. thanks again, taking it easy from now on! oh and no i'm not taking gas-x, i asked it i should and the nurse said that the gas was on the outside of my stomach so it wouldn't do anygood and that my body would have to reabsorb it sooner or later. But you know i wonder if when it reabsorbs if it would help then??

Just curious how you are doing. I had mine done the 25th (thursday) and i'm still recovering, hope all is going well with you....

I'm so happy for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know you are just about ready to jump out of your skin! the time will fly by, it did for me.

Ok before you tell me this is not THAT kind of board, hear me out. I've been called a "tomboy" all my life. Tomboy, brute, one of the guys, ect. But there is a woman hiding in this body that is screaming to get out. Right now she can't be heard because all the fat tends to muffle her. When I took a long look in the mirrow (yack) I noticed I was looking at a tired, very sad young lady who has been watching the world go by day by day. I'm now 31 years old and I haven't lived yet. I try to make myself invisible in my long, dark colored T-shirts, nothing that stands out. No make up or jewelry or anything that could catch someone's attention. My hair is long because I can pull it over my shoulders to hide my double chin. I notice that I wear sunglasses alot not because the sun is bright but because it helps to hide me. If only they made full body size sunglasses! I don't go out much because I feel like I don't fit in anywhere. All this is about to change. Someone very special is about to step out of her fat coffin and show the world who she really is. I AM A WOMAN! I am intelligent, fun loving, compassionate, independent, and beautiful. Beautiful.....me! Maybe my weight shouldn't have altered my life so much. But then again maybe there was a purpose behind it all. I know what it is like to be invisible. I have a strong desire to help the "underdog". Everyone deserves the chance to be who they really are no matter what society demands. Even if this band does nothing to help my image, I've made a decision today. I will no longer let life pass me by. I'm coming out of my adipose armour! I'm in the game!

I can't believe it, I'm actually banded. I was banded on Thursday and today (Saturday) I'm cleaning my house. I am still in pain when I get up or lay down but for the most part i'm ok. My shoulder reallllly hurts and I didn't expect that to happen but the nurse said it was from the gas that they blow you up with and it will go away in time. Aside from that and being verrry hungry, i'm ok. After my surgery that morning, i was able to get up and pee. That was very difficult to do by the way but i managed. Then I walked the halls a few times that night. I came home Friday afternoon and slept for awhile and now 6 Am Saturday morning I was able to do some housecleaning. I'm so happy now, I know i'm on my way. I have a long road ahead of me but i'm ready. For once in my life I know i'm going to make it. I'm very new here and I don't post much but I want to thank everyone on here for all the advice. I love your posts and I can't wait to get to know you all.

Hi Alicia, thanks! how are you doing by the way? Chris, i'm trying to take it slow really. I've got my two little girls helping me with the house. It hurts to bend over and pick up things so they are doing most of the heavy work for me. But I was able to sweep a little although it did take awhile and do the dishes and hang up some clothes. Believe me, I learned my lesson about ten years ago when I had my breast reduction done about not over doing it. I thought I was ok and was trying to move a t.v.!! well i ended up poping open one of my incisions and had to get it repaired. Now I have a huge ugly scar from what should have only been a small one. I won't do anything crazy like that again beeeelieve me. *smiles* I'm just amazed at how easy this surgery was compared to my others like the C-sections and the hysterectomy. I have to say the breast reduction was above all the worst though. I had over two hundred stiches on the inside and out and they took ten pounds of "junk" out of my breasts. That surgery took ten hours! BLAH. Look at me rambling on....take care of yourself.

I just wanted to say, I was banded two days ago on Thursday. It's Saturday now and I feel like I'm going to starve to death. All I've had is clear liquids and not much of that. A lilttle broth here and there and a little apple juice. I'm still in pain mostly it's in my shoulder though. I didn't count on that pain either. I asked my doctor how soon I could get a fill and he said only when I meet the criteria. That means when I'm not losing and can eat still I guess. If I stay on the liquids i'm sure i'll be losing but i won't be able to get a fill? That doesn't make sense to me really. If i didn't have the band, I could lose on liquids alone just as easy. I know i shouldn't start complaining this early seeing as how i've only had the band two days and all. But i'm worried about what will happen on down the road. I am still very swollen from the surgery and i put on seven pounds in the hospital according to my scale. I know it's not real weight though so i'm not worried about it. My meds make me feel sick to my stomach though. I guess maybe we aren't the lucky ones who lose their appetites after surgery for awhile. I know i'm not helping here but just wanted you to know you aren't alone. I'm hungry too blah. Take care of yourself, i'm sure someone on here can give you suggestions.

Hi Christina, I'm right there with you. I have mine done on the 25th and i'm about ready to jump out of my skin! Good luck

When I went and talked to Dr. Hamn about the surgery, I asked him if it would be ok to follow the Atkins diet. He told me flat out NO. When I asked why he said that ketosis was too dangerous. I personally disagree with that. I think Ketosis is a perfectly natural state and when i am in it, I am not hungry in the least. I once lost 50 lbs on it in 5 months with out cheating once. Then the stress of everything got to me and I started eating again. Eating all the wrong kinds of food anyways and lots and lots of it. I seem to be rambling now. Anyway, my point is that he told me no right? well when I asked him what I should eat he said Protein first then veggies and by then i should be too full for anything else. Ok meat and salads are what he wants....yet he doesn't want me on Atkins????? That's exactly what I did eat on Atkins and lost plenty of weight....what gives??? Oh one other thing, I know a woman (well not really, she's a friend of my mom's) but she went to him after her band and was bragging that she was able to eat mashed potatoes and he told her that if he ever hears of her eating potatoes again he'll rip that band out of her so fast her head will spin....

Hi, I was just curious if any of you started trying to lose weight before your band was in place? My surgery is set for Sept 25th and I figure by then I could possibly lose a few pounds. You know to kinda get the ball rolling....I'm really good at losing on the Atkins diet, the only thing is I can't seem to make a life time eating habit out of it. Or maybe I should try the liquid diet thing for the next 20 days....Anyways, just wondering if it's a good idea or not. I want this surgery done yesterday!

Hi Shelly, what a beautiful name! in fact it's my name too. *L* actually it's michelle but i go by shellie. You say you did Atkins while on the liquid phase...what all did you have besides the protein shakes? I have some carbolite shakes in there but I'm worried that I won't be able to stand only being limited to those. blah! I don't know if i have a pre-op diet or not, no one has bothered to tell me. I was wanting to do liquid for the next twenty days but that lasted about half a day! I'm so weak.

Hi Babs! whoa....*passes you a sugar-free mint* Thank you for your response, I am wondering though is it difficult for you to get the protein down with the band now? I think i'll do Atkins again, I'd rather take advice from someone who has actually been there, ya know. The best part of Atkins for me really is that I don' t seem to crave sugar once it is out of my system. Hopefully, the band will help me just not eat so much of the right kinds of foods. Nice to meet you girl.

Hi Alexandra, so you're telling me you bandsters DO follow a Atkins type plan. hmph...ok well I just wasn't sure where he was coming from and didn't want to push the subject with him. Maybe you're right, he probably thought I was talking about eating buckets of lard at every sitting. I can see where that might be considered a soft food. :sick

Thank you, wow 30 lbs is enough to get you going good. I'm thinking about starting Atkins I was just worried mainly about getting into ketosis when i have the bloodwork done but i guess i can get out of it just for the labwork. Nice to meet you btw.