smmiley27

First of all, it sounds like you are too hard on yourself. You've been through a lot. We all have our ups and downs, stuck and unstuck stories. I don't understand how eating a piece of steak is a HUGE mistake (your words, not mine). Did you think you could never eat steak again or am I missing something? Did you just have the band put in again? Anyway, stay positive and use this forum for support (and education). I believe in anyone who believes in themselves and reaches out for help. Good luck to you.

You are probably too tight, or, you're having a difficult time adjusting to the eat small bites and chew chew chew?
Ask yourself and check this out? Can you wait to eat too long and still eat Soup or slider foods? Or, is it just meats or breads? If you can eat slider type foods with no problem, you probably aren't chewing enough or taking small bites?
tmf

Yes, absolutely. Some days I can eat and some days I can't eat anything. Like right now. I am hungry and tried to eat but the food just sits in my throat and comes up (I can tell this right on the first bite). Then, other days, I can eat like I don't even have the band. But even on those days, I try to keep it sensible and closer to the ideal portion size. This is the most frustrating and annoying thing. However- and this is what I'm going to talk to my doctor about tomorrow- is that if take that first bite and can't eat- I PB (unintentionally) and then it's like: whoa! Now that all that slime is up, there is room to eat. I don't understand it and I don't think it can be good. In an attempt to understand it, I think (and this is probably wrong) that all the saliva I've been swallowing (i.e. the slime) has built up and when I take that first bite, it upsets the saliva and makes it come up. Then, that barrier of slime is gone and my stomach is ready to accept food. I hope that's not too much or graphic for you but that is truly my experience. I hope you fair much better than me. This is most difficult and I'm just about a year post op.

I find I gurgle all the time when my stomach is empty and I try to eat. Like right now. I tried eating and my stomach was making all these noises. I usually give up because trying to eat will only result in a PB or vomit. So rather than experience either of those, I just stop eating. But yeah, I get the gurgling too. So does a friend of mine. You are not alone with this symptom/side effect.

At the doctors today the nurse used the "regular" sized blood pressure cuff and it fit just fine!! In the past she had to break out the really big one for me...so yeah, it feels good!

I bought a new pair of jeans today....size 6. I am 15 lbs away from goal. I'm so pleased with my progress..I started this journey at 240.and now weigh 170...

I could have written exactly what you wrote. I had the same experience...until recently. I told my surgeon that I felt absolutely no restriction; that I could eat anything I wanted to and as much as I wanted to. I told him the only reason I was losing weight was because it was "mind over matter" (i.e. I told him I was "dieting" and it had absolutely nothing to do with the band and if it didn't start working, I was going to gain the weight back since I was doing it all myself anyway). Then I went for my 5th fill. (I'm 6 1/2 months out, with 4.75 in a 10cc band).
Let me tell you, once you get a fill that makes a difference, everything will start making sense. Before this 5th fill, I could eat anything and everything like I said before. Then "boom." Now I have to really pay attention to all the golden rules, including eating slow, tiny forkfulls, chewing completely and so forth. In fact, I just now started taking the Vitamins because before now, there really was no substantial change in my diet as it related to not being able to get enough of the right Vitamins.< /p>
But, again, back to you, seriously, one day you're going to get a fill and it's all going to come around, full circle. You'll see why there are all the golden rules, you'll have restriction, and you'll "get" how the band works. I swear, until that point, I felt no different and thought the whole thing was a farce.
Just keep my post in mind. I promise, it will come together one day. The light will go on and you and the band will begin to work together!I I think this just takes/took a little more patience than anyone ever informed us.
Good luck to you.

Most surgeons say no carbonation ever. Carbonation can lead to a stretched pouch as well as slips.

Your band will definitely feel tighter during your period. That's my experience and 99% of the women I speak to regarding this. Also, stress tends to make the band tighter to. (Again, personal experience and a good amount of the women I speak to who've had the surgery).

I can tell you from personal experience that at. 377 It took a long time for people who didn't know I was banded to notice my weight loss, in fact I remember when I hit a loss of 100 lbs I went to a conference with coworkers I see once a year. Several asked if I had a new hair style, I was like... I have lost 100 lbs...why haven't you noticed??? But I was still at 277 lbs so I was still fat.
Fast forward to the 2nd 100 lbs lost and it's a HUGE change !! People will walk across the street to see if it's really me... It's amazing their reaction and when I say I have been dieting 2 years they seem surprised.
And for me... I still see a heavier girl even though I now am in a size 6 on top and 8/10 bottom. But my aha moment came a few weeks ago....doing laundry and I pulled my jeans out of the dryer and wondered why my daughters jeans were in with my clothes... Lol. I realized they were mine and it was like...wow I am pretty thin!!