missybear

I still drink a far bit at a time. No straws though, it gives me an awful case of the hiccups.

I've been suffering from heartburn about 12 months after I got the lapband and am at my goal weight. I find it's worse of a night.

I've been prescribed somac to avoid the reflux, but only take it on occasion if I'm having a flair up. Alternatives to prescription meds I've found include having a blanket under the head of the mattress to slightly tilt the upper part of my body up works a treat. Keeping some chewable antacids close by also helps. Avoid eating well before bed. I've also found deep breathing, focusing on a deep breath far down into my belly, well below the stomach and band can also help relieve some pain.

food wise Items like chocolate, citrus and chilli also make me feel worse. They don't feature too highly on the list of foods I like to eat anymore.

I've been banded a year and a half and reached my goal weight. I've had the Fluid in the band reduced to 2.5cc already to ensure I get enough nutrition in to support the level of exercise I'm doing.

About 3 months ago, I was getting terrible night reflux. Was having trouble getting any decent sleep, eating only plain bland foods, and to not help, was under a fair bit of stress work wise. I ended up drinking a lot of milk to try and help ease the fire in my chest.

I spoke to my GP, they prescribed some medicine to aid the reflux. He also suggested putting a blanket under the head of my mattress, it's raised the bed head by about 5cm. He also advised to ensure I have dinner, skipping meals wasn't helping.

After about 2 weeks of the medicine I stopped taking it, finally getting some decent sleep and work getting better definitely helped as well. I've left the blanket under the head of the bed, my partner doesn't notice it, and fingers crossed it was just an unfortunate experience fueled by work stress more so than the band

I started the lap band consultations at a BMI of 33. The preop and post op phases i lost the most amount of weight in a relatively fast period and got into the healthy weight range in around 8 months, although at the higher end. It was a very slow to get down the final kilos to hit my ultimate target BMI of 22.5.

All up i have lost 1/3rd of my start weight.

I fly often both around Australia and internationally. No problems to date specific to the plane, I got stuck and felt ill due to mushroom (which happens on flat ground as well).

I've also had a fill the day if a flight. I think I worked myself up a little bit about the fear of it being tighter on a flight, but fortunately nothing happened. I just stuck to my liquids as advised by the doc after a fill.

I actually find it nice now to turn away airplane meals and if I do try them, I'm very satisfied having a taste of bits and pieces, leaving some behind, rather than feeling like ' omg is that all' like I did pre band

When eating at home, using a teaspoon of oyster fork helps slow me down.

I also chew my food to the consistency i can swirl it around and push through my teeth before swallowing. Anything that feels too thick or solid, means chew more or if it won't chew down (skins on f&v, dry meats and fresh pineapples are often the culprits) best discreetly spit them out.

I've also found different people dining with me influence how fast I eat and I need to pay attention more to slowing down my eating and ignoring the pace they eat at.

Also avoid eating on the run. If u can't commit to 20-30 mins to consume a meal slowly, I've found it best to go back to liquid or a Protein shake based meal

I burp quote often, both pre and post band, with or without food. I've been told I have awkward breathing, mainly as a mouth breather with little airflow coming in via my nose, resulting in swallowing air that gets trapped. It was thought at one stage a hiatus hernia could also be the cause, but fortunately on 2 occasions as well as lap band surgery, there is no sign of one.

I generally find its no concern, often it's a help if I feel rather uncomfortable in my stomach to burp to relieve the pressure. More the trouble of trying to act lady like whilst its happening.

Cucumber makes me burp more frequently than usual. No other particular food jumps to mind causing the burps

Whilst I'm not familiar with the insurance impacts in the USA, I had my surgery in between jobs. It allowed me the time off to recover and I felt I started the new job as a new person, focused on healthy eating and exercise. I chose not to tell many people about my surgery, so even though I was losing weight relatively fast, people at the new job didnt ask too many questions, given they saw the lifestyle I was leading. I think it was a tremendous help in achieving my weight loss goal.

I wish you all the best with the surgery and on the job search.

I'm about 15 months out from surgery as well.

These past few days, I've hardly finished anything, despite them being portions I usually have no troubles with.

I'm not worried about the band itself, I put it down to somedays just feeling different to others.

if i think of whats changed in my life this week, a number of outside factors could be contributing including a change in weather with summer coming, wearing a super tight dress, I've been stressed with work and recovering from a cold. Never know could even be something to do with our star signs !! Haha

I've taught myself to get a drink if first start to think I'm hungry outside typical meal times. Water and herbal teas are great. If I'm still hungry, it's obviously a sign I am hungry. I keep no junk food in the house, but if i do beed to snack, i keep fruit and vegies as a light snack or if I'm really hungry, try to get some Protein in as I find it fends off my hunger for longer.

I live with a trainer who has taken a few of my favs to play at his gym

The wombats- Tokyo

Something by numbers - apple of my eye/lay me down - great for 3+ solid mins of fast pace

Blue juice- act your age

Nine inch nails - closer - esp. if your on a bike or x trainer with the resistance up high

Pulp- common people

i have to take 3 little Iron tablets daily, I find I'm best taking tablets with plenty of fluids, including a few mouthfuls before hand to lubricate my throat and to try and avoid doing it in a hurry. I also avoid lying down or taking them before bed given I feel a tad off afterwards.

Salads are fine, I just need to take my time, and if something won't chew down to a fine consistency, I just discreetly take it out of my mouth. On occasion Tomato skins and snow pea sprouts can be hard for my teeth to cut through.

I've been loving a hard boiled egg with baby spinach , alfalfa, bean shoots, cucumber, avocado and some Dijon mustard and lemon juice, easy to throw together in a few minutes.

I often don't even use lettuce as a base given I end up not using it quick enough. iCabbage I've enjoyed a lot more post band, I find it is crunchy to the bite, lasts for ages and great in Soups, stir fry's and finely sliced and tossed with some tuna or salmon with mayo on crackers

I have some small Iron tablets that I can get down with plenty of fluids both before and after swallowing the pills.< /p>

I'm wondering if anyone who has had fills already forget to eat often??

I don't think I forget, but I just don't have an appetite with the feeling like a need to eat. I do keep my fluids up and aim to get Protein in via Protein shakes come the afternoon. It's funny to think how sick of Protein Shakes I was in the lead up and post surgery, but find them an easy go to now for Protein and nutrition.

Both the surgeon and nutritionist said soda and beers may cause discomfort and both are high in calories and should not form part of a healthy diet. They both confirmed that they aren't forbidden, but to have Water as the go to drink of choice.

If I am having a soda, I only have diet and need to pour it out and let it go flat, or the occasional post mix with ice I find is relatively flat.

I've had a few beers as well as champagnes post surgery over the past year, but definitely get a sense if fullness drinking them and happily satisfied with just a couple.

I found the other trick is to have crunchy/chewy/larger veggies and Protein make up a greater proportion of the salad than lettuce, compared to what most people consider a salad being largely a lettuce base with a few other veggies thrown in.

I've also used fine shredded cabbage instead of lettuce as a base which makes for something different and more crunchy to chew

My fitness pal is great. Tracks calories, has easy scan barcode for packaged foods and I've found it easy to use with accurate data

Stand up straight away also makes it worse for me.

I find liquids make the gurgling sounds and its loud

I traveled for work whilst in the liquid and soft foods phased. Protein Shakes and yoghurt got me through. Fortunately it was also winter so Soups was an option.

Could it be your bowels? I found since being banded, the change in diet with fewer carbs has affected my toilet patterns which leave me feeling a little bloated

I found chewing in ice helped as well during liquids. Was just nice to use your teeth for something

I remember the surgeon telling me to take tiny sips when I first came out if surgery. I found really hard at first when i practiced pre surgery, but the fear of damaging the band or being ill slowed me down as well as cold Water with ice or warm Water, no straws, smaller glasses and putting it down and walking around helped a lot.

I've returned to drinking 2+ litres a day, like its going to run out and I'm a year since surgery. I find often having a drink of water if I start to feel hungry kills off the in between hunger more often than not.

I kept it myself bar my parents and a few very close friends. I said I was having a hernia repaired to others, which is why I also slow down my eating when I'm out.

I was fortunate I had the surgery in between jobs, so I minimized the questions surrounding why I had time off.

12 months on, I've had very few people skeptical of why or how I've lost 30kgs, but I think they also see the lifestyle food and exercise changes as well which minimizes people prying.