Summerrain

I have had those thoughts too, even now two months post op I'm scared of food and regaining. That fear of regaining makes me make the right choices everyday. I don't ever want to go back to where I started. So yes your guilt/fear, whatever you want to call it is normal. As others have said even though you follow your instructions to a t there will be fluctuations and that's ok as eventually the numbers on the scales will go down. Best of luck to you on this journey!

First time I got stuck was on a piece of broccoli, I walked around for a few minutes and sipped a bit of Water and it went down, it hurt. Second stuck episode was last week, was eating spaghetti, first bite was fine, second bite too big, phone rang, I ran to phone and swallowed that second bite without chewing properly, ouch. Felt like I had a golf ball in my throat, I sipped some water, made it worse, next thing I know it all came up so fast didn't have time to run to bathroom, never again! My doctor said a bit of coke with a stuck episode as the bubbles will make you burp and shift the food, haven't had to try that yet and don't intend to, learnt my lesson fast with my second episode. If I've taken too big a bite I spit it out and make sure I'm not distracted when eating.

As others have said take a step back and give it a really good think over. It's important to follow up with the after care with your medical team to help you stay on track. Have you seen a nutritionist? If not might be a great idea to do so, they can help teach you how to eat with a lapband and guide you. One of the things that was drummed into me with my early appointments was that I needed to always stay in contact with my medical people even if I was discouraged at some point. It's a partnership that needs commitment from both sides. In regards to not being able to keep some of the meats down my question is are they cooked in a way that they stay moist? Are you taking very very small bites and chewing and waiting a minute between swallows? I use an oyster fork or a teaspoon, anything larger than can fit on that teaspoon is way to big to put in your mouth. It would be a shame to have it removed after the time and money you invested in the whole process. I don't count calories as I find it tedious and annoying. My nutritionist has taught me about portion sizes and healthy choices. Two months being banded and one month on the pre op diet and I've lost 56 pounds and haven't counted a single calorie. Some people need to count calories others don't. I still eat bread, not every day, still eat chocolate, rice, Pasta, meat. I have good restriction ATM and I'm certain the right amount in my band to take away that obsessive interest in food all day long. I know I got of track a bit but just wanted to show with the support of your surgeon, nutritionist and your willingness to give it your best shot before really deciding to remove the band you can give it another go. I wish you the best in whatever decision you make.

I love this, Ty for sharing. Going to print it out and turn it into a bookmark so I can read it over and over.

I have the same amount of weight to loose that you've lost, I'm a quarter of the way there after three months. You give me so much inspiration that I can get there. You look amazing and are gorgeous, just WOW. One question if that's ok, do you find you have much excess skin?

I don't understand how those scales can work out how much fat and how much muscle your body carries.

My nutritionist allows a treat a day if needed or I can bank them up and have a bigger treat at the end of the week, of course provided you do the right thing with your food intake. Don't think I'd be able to manage a bigger treat after eating my protein and vegetables but in saying that from time to time I do crave chocolate, something I will never give up so I have what I'm craving but only a small amount and I'm fine. I don't count calories as I've been taught by my nutritionist to work with portion sizes and healthy choices which I find so much easier than calorie counting. Some weeks I've had a small Turkish delight a few times a week and it hasn't hurt my weightloss to date.

My fills are every two weeks, I've had three already since 2nd July which was my op date. But then I may be getting smaller fills every two weeks than if I went once a month. My largest fill was .8ml then .5ml then .7ml and I already had 4.2mls in my band which was put in at day of surgery.

I dont drink any carbonated drinks, too much sugar in them (17 teaspoons of sugar in a can of coke). The diet ones will make you crave sugar, that's what my nutritionist said. Have been told though a few sips if a carbonated drink will help in a stick situation. I used to drink a couple of cans a coke a day prior to preparing for lapband, haven't had any in over four months and to be honest till now don't even miss it. Fingers crossed I'll never miss it.

I had 4.2mls put in my 12ml band at surgery, have had three fills and am now at 6.2mls seven weeks after my op and have hit the green zone , so far have had no problems.

Looking fantastic, great work!!

Well said elcee and I've heard so many people say that yes you stretch your pouch because food sits in your pouch. My understanding has been that if food sits in your pouch then that means a stuck moment and that means you will either vomit it up or it will pass with pain through your band. If you view dr Paul o'briens videos on you tube he shows what happens as you chew your small bite of food and how it travels down your esophagus and then gets squeezed through the band. I've asked him about this a few times as these wls forums can be so confusing at times. He has also told me yes some rules may change as they do more studies as years go by. One rule that has changed been when to fill patients. He used to do it at four weeks but with the studies he undertakes and with the results that come out of these studies he explained that fills are done at three weeks as that's when most people find the hunger is returning. I love reading the forum posts and the majority are extremely helpful but many are also confusing.

Gabby stop being so hard on yourself, I can guarantee the majority of people on these forums have had bad days me included. As the others have said don't cancel that appointment otherwise you will be cheating yourself of the help of your medical support team. That's what they are there for to help and guide you. There are going to be weeks of smooth sailing on this journey and weeks of challenges, we can't be expected to make all the changes overnight, it's going to take a while. So please don't cheat yourself by canceling your appointment, it is very crucial to seek help from your medical support staff for your journey to be successful also. I wish you the best!

Let us know how you go.

I got my first fill three weeks post op and every two weeks after that and I'm certain I'm where I need to be after three fills with no problems so far except for a few occasions when I didn't know I had restriction and got stuck on broccoli for the first time, thank goodness it went down after a few mins.

I was banded on 2nd July, 2012, on the day of the op 4.2mls was put into my band, three weeks later my surgeon put in .8mls, for the first few days i had no hunger but then it returned but I had no restriction. My surgeon told me that he finds the hunger returns by the third week after post op so he commences fills at three weeks post op if needed. My second fill was two weeks later, .5mls was put in, didn't feel any different but a week later a piece if broccoli showed me I finally had some restriction. Two weeks later another . 7mls was added making a total of 6.2mls in my 12cc band. For a few days I felt no difference and then I noticed even more restriction and no more hunger. I have another appointment for two weeks after my last fill but if I keep feeling as I am with some restriction and no hunger all day I'll ask not to have more put in. I like that I don't have too much restriction and I do take small bites and stop as soon as I get that sated feeling which is pretty much always at the twenty minute mark. I've only been banded eight weeks and feel at this point I'm at a comfortable place withy band doing what it's supposed to for me. I did start to slow my eating down way before I was banded and followed the one cup of food rule till sated, was hard but good training for when I was banded. I'm losing over a kilo a week and am happy with that. I was so worried once I had made the decision to have a lapband put in that I didn't have it in me to do what was needed to succeed but so far so good. I'm lucky to have an amazing surgeon who has helped me to get to where I need to be in such a short time. Fingers crossed I am in the green zone right now because it sure feels like it. So 6.2mls in a 12ml band in two months with enough restriction and no hunger most of the day.

If we don't loose weight the negative people judge us, when we do loose weight no matter how we do it those same people will have something to say. It's your business who you choose to tell. I have only told a few people and they have been nothing but encouraging and supportive. There are others I have not told like my mother in law. She will constantly be on your back to loose weight and when you do she is constantly trying to feed you and saying oh just once won't hurt. God help me if I tell her I have a lapband. If down the track as I loose more if someone asks me I may tell them or I may just say im watching my food intake and exercising, depends how I feel at the time and on the person asking. The lapband once finally tuned is a tool to help us stay on track and hopefully not go backwards but as you have all said we still need to watch what we eat and exercise. So yes we all are working our butts off as that is the way to shed the kilos and it certainly is not the easy way out.

You're not wrong there Kerrbear but in the past I would have at this stage given up and put all the weight I'd lost so far plus some. With the band I can't to that which I am do grateful for because even if I wanted to pig out I can't because it would make me ill nor do I want to pig out and go back to my old eating habits. This time next year hopefully we will be in that delicious green zone and many many pounds down. When I get frustrated or hungry I make sure I keep myself busy and my mind occupied or go for a nice long walk. Wishing you all the best with this new journey!

My surgeon says its ok to drink if you need to, his instructions were wait one or two minutes after that bite of food then you can drink a bit. Always wait a minute or two between bites. And before anyone jumps up and down I have done this when I've needed a drink and have still lost over 7 kilos in 7 weeks. Also befiore anyone Knocks my surgeon he is the one that pioneered the lapband here in Australia and I do believe he is also a director in the us of the lapband centre in Texas. But as others have said follow your surgeons instructions as we are all given different information.