Justme9786

Yes. Even .1cc can make a difference. Seriously.... I have 10cc band and the highest I was at was 4.4 and it was super tight, went down to 3.9 and was a little too loose, so went to 4.1 and it's almost perfect. .2 made a difference to me...

usually with stuck will eventually come slime...not always, but yes being stuck can be uncomfortable for sure...to be honest.you will learn what foods you can and can not eat, especially with each fill it may change. I can not eat broccolli unless it is more shredded..Get up and walk, see if that helps..sometimes if you drink something hot it may help loosen things up!! let us know!

As others have said....yes there can be complications....there's complications to any surgery and long term effects that could pop up. However, there are tons of people out there who do not have any negative side effects. Here's an example....by no means is this a statistic, but just an example: Me, my mom, my dad, my sister and brother-in-law all have the band.....big band family out of all of us, my mother is the only one who had a problem. Her port flipped and it needed to be repaired. She was also the first one to get the band when it was first coming out. (not to say that it was put in wrong, just sayin). The rest of us haven't had any problems other han gallbladder removal (which is not from the band, but more because of weight loss in general). So, point being, yes there CAN be issues, but it's a coin toss whether you'll have them or not. Just educate yourself on the dos and donts and communicate closely with your doctor.

As others have said....yes there can be complications....there's complications to any surgery and long term effects that could pop up. However, there are tons of people out there who do not have any negative side effects. Here's an example....by no means is this a statistic, but just an example: Me, my mom, my dad, my sister and brother-in-law all have the band.....big band family out of all of us, my mother is the only one who had a problem. Her port flipped and it needed to be repaired. She was also the first one to get the band when it was first coming out. (not to say that it was put in wrong, just sayin). The rest of us haven't had any problems other han gallbladder removal (which is not from the band, but more because of weight loss in general). So, point being, yes there CAN be issues, but it's a coin toss whether you'll have them or not. Just educate yourself on the dos and donts and communicate closely with your doctor.

Walden Farms makes awesome dressings that are calorie free, fat free, carb free, gluten free, sugar free....practically nothing. They're pretty good too.
http://www.waldenfarms.com/products/dressings.html

Hey ladies for spagitti I've replaced it with spagitti squash with a little salt and pepper.its a veggy that bakes up every good u will never miss the Pasta and get a servings of veggys at the same time.

Yep, in the same wagon with the rest of you. dry meat, pizza, Pasta, and bread. I haven't had a sandwich/sub/pita or anything that looks like a sandwich since I was banded. Just not a pretty sight throwing it back up or intense chest pains from being stuck. For pizza, I eat the top, for spaghetti, I eat the sauce with cheese in a bowl, for a sandwich-open face (don't eat the bottom). It is amazing how you can conform to still enjoy some of your old favorites without getting stuck and blowing the calorie count. Good luck..

Also, I know I've said this in previous posts, but staying hydrated throughout the day REALLY helps me get things down better....even the trickier foods. I drink Water all day long.

Have you tried a Tomato Soup? Any time I restrict to only thin-soft liquids I revert to lots of Tomato Soup, OR the idahoan instant mash potatoes (extra Water to make them not as thick) and gatorade. That usually fills me up!! I know the mash potatoes aren't the healthiest, but if you are just having a small serving to take the edge off the craving, it's not the end of the world.

You sound like you are going to do great with the lap band. Already so positive. Keep the positivity up and you'll sweep through your weight loss journey! Keep us posted!
ps. the 2 week pre-op diet CAN be tough...be prepared for a lot of tiredness & weakness. All I wanted to do was sleep!

Hello Beautiful Bandsters!
I've been reading all the forums and signed up today. I feel like I already know so many of you! Today I will be meeting the nutritionist and starting my 2 week Pre-op diet. I'm actually looking forward to it even though I am certain it will be a challenge at times.
Last night I had "Before" pictures taken of myself - and I must admit....I didn't realize fully what I actually looked like until I viewed the photos. Have you ever actually taken pictures of yourself sporting very few clothes? Oh my goodness - what a reality check! Yes, yes....I cried - however, it was tears of hope....knowing that the new and improved vision I have will be presenting herself soon. Not only only on the outside....but also the beautiful soul on the inside who has been hiding in this body for far too long.
Here's to the beautiful & transformative awakenings we will all be experiencing on this journey....together.
Much love and gratitude for each of you, Visionary444

2muchfun hit it dead on. Everyone is different. Some people don't even NEED a fill, just the band itself is enough restriction. Others may need almost completely full. Example: Me and my friend have the same band....10cc....I could barely keep liquids down with a 4.4 fill and had to go to 3.9 and she is up to 7.5 now and JUST now feeling restriction.

Many bandsters fret over the size of their band and how much Fluid is in it. It's not important at all. For some people 1 CC may be enough and for others it may take all 14 CCs to get them to the green zone. Every one is different. Less is not better and more is ditto.
Every doctor is different too. I would go in with no expectations at all because it's just not important. Some doctors fill by how much pressure it takes to push the saline through the port and they can feel this in the syringe. Others may have a set amount they like to use on the first visit.
Every stomach is different. Some have thicker or thinner stomach lining? Some have a slightly different shape near the upper sphincter. Some doctors put the band on closer to the top of the stomach and others lower. Some bandsters have a lot of fat surrounding the stomach so less saline/fill works better.
tmf

Just a thought, I get shoulder pain when I eat too quickly or too much. I am 16 months post op.

Yay! Congrats on the 20lb weight loss! We all have struggles in life that prevent us from doing our absolute best. Keep the motivation going and keep us updated! Best wishes!!

Sounds like you have what we call "soft calorie syndrome." It happens when your band is too tight and you end up favoring soft, often high-calorie foods (like ice cream) that provide little or no satiety rather than the solid, healthy food that provides satiety and gives your body the fuel it needs.
If you can hardly even drink tea in the morning, I really think you need a slight unfill. I'd make an appt. to talk to your surgeon about this soon so the two of you can come up with an action plan and nip the weight gain in the bud.

As we lose weight the restriction is less and just recently in August my band is filled at 5.75 and sitting in green zone with some good weight loss after feeling a little too tight the first week and a half after fill. I had to really concentrate on mushy and Protein afterwards. Now I'm feeling great. Surgeon said to come back in October and looking at 6cc should be the tweak next time. I'm just about 25 pounds or so to goal.

It sounds like our lives are getting busy that we are forgetting to take care of our needs too! I'll get back on track and finally concentrating on Water intake and exercise again after getting kids situated to school again.

Hey all - just thought I'd share some insight on the band and Water. They should be best friends!
I've always struggled in keeping myself hydrated...but I'll tell you what...if I don't, my band notices.
Since starting my most recent diet again, I told myself I was going to drink at least 6 12.9oz bottles of Water a day and I was and all of those days, I was able to eat NO PROBLEM. No stuck feeling..I was able to eat NORMAL. lol
Today, I got busy at work, etc. etc. and missed out on some water like I should have and my band is yelling at me now that it's lunch time.
I'm on a high Protein high fat low carb diet and I've always had problems with Protein (chicken) going down, but if i drink enough water throughout the day, it's way easier.
So, just a tip for new & old bandsters. DRINK THAT WATER! It really does make a difference!

I'm glad I read this post. I was definitely getting stuck and then having to throw up. This helped me tremendously. Thanks for the info!

You are so right!!! I've been so busy and sluggish but have also had less Water and Protein up until today. Feeling so much better and band is not being so finicky today, finally feeling better.

Hey all - just thought I'd share some insight on the band and Water. They should be best friends!
I've always struggled in keeping myself hydrated...but I'll tell you what...if I don't, my band notices.
Since starting my most recent diet again, I told myself I was going to drink at least 6 12.9oz bottles of Water a day and I was and all of those days, I was able to eat NO PROBLEM. No stuck feeling..I was able to eat NORMAL. lol
Today, I got busy at work, etc. etc. and missed out on some water like I should have and my band is yelling at me now that it's lunch time.
I'm on a high Protein high fat low carb diet and I've always had problems with Protein (chicken) going down, but if i drink enough water throughout the day, it's way easier.
So, just a tip for new & old bandsters. DRINK THAT WATER! It really does make a difference!

Hey all - just thought I'd share some insight on the band and Water. They should be best friends!
I've always struggled in keeping myself hydrated...but I'll tell you what...if I don't, my band notices.
Since starting my most recent diet again, I told myself I was going to drink at least 6 12.9oz bottles of Water a day and I was and all of those days, I was able to eat NO PROBLEM. No stuck feeling..I was able to eat NORMAL. lol
Today, I got busy at work, etc. etc. and missed out on some water like I should have and my band is yelling at me now that it's lunch time.
I'm on a high Protein high fat low carb diet and I've always had problems with Protein (chicken) going down, but if i drink enough water throughout the day, it's way easier.
So, just a tip for new & old bandsters. DRINK THAT WATER! It really does make a difference!

Hey all - just thought I'd share some insight on the band and Water. They should be best friends!
I've always struggled in keeping myself hydrated...but I'll tell you what...if I don't, my band notices.
Since starting my most recent diet again, I told myself I was going to drink at least 6 12.9oz bottles of Water a day and I was and all of those days, I was able to eat NO PROBLEM. No stuck feeling..I was able to eat NORMAL. lol
Today, I got busy at work, etc. etc. and missed out on some water like I should have and my band is yelling at me now that it's lunch time.
I'm on a high Protein high fat low carb diet and I've always had problems with Protein (chicken) going down, but if i drink enough water throughout the day, it's way easier.
So, just a tip for new & old bandsters. DRINK THAT WATER! It really does make a difference!

Hey all - just thought I'd share some insight on the band and Water. They should be best friends!
I've always struggled in keeping myself hydrated...but I'll tell you what...if I don't, my band notices.
Since starting my most recent diet again, I told myself I was going to drink at least 6 12.9oz bottles of Water a day and I was and all of those days, I was able to eat NO PROBLEM. No stuck feeling..I was able to eat NORMAL. lol
Today, I got busy at work, etc. etc. and missed out on some water like I should have and my band is yelling at me now that it's lunch time.
I'm on a high Protein high fat low carb diet and I've always had problems with Protein (chicken) going down, but if i drink enough water throughout the day, it's way easier.
So, just a tip for new & old bandsters. DRINK THAT WATER! It really does make a difference!