La_madam

Hi Steve..sounds like you might have too much of a fill..as little as .2ccs removed can make a huge difference. When you had your fill at 6 weeks post op was your weight loss at a stall? Why the fill at 6 weeks? Is it when your Dr. does them or did you feel you needed a fill? This is a learning thing..you will find what solid proteins work best for you and the key it to take the smallest bites and chew chew chew and eat very slow, put your fork down between bites. Hang in there, but if this porblem continues maybe call your Dr. and have .2cc's removed, the smallest ammount removed can m,ake the biggest difference without sacraficing your weight loss. Good Luck

Hi Theresa Welcome home & Big Congratualtions to you!!! What a geat Christmas gift for you ..finally a bandster! YEAh!!!!

Iam with you Alex 100% Im in a slump and need to get out of it big time!

There must be something in the water! I started off great but have been grazing all day long..I too will try to eat like a bandster tonight. It might be fill time for me. Ever since this esophagitis thing and I have been able to eat solids..I am able to eat more!

Beautiful family Vera..your daughter looks alot like you . Thanks for sharing this with us Merry Christmas to you too

I think we all have battled hair loss since we have been banded...My hair is the longest it has been in years and it I was seeing long strands of hair everywhere, the bathroom sink, my car, the couch, the kitchen counter, in my bra..and when I would wash it it would come out it small gobs so I got it cut shorter last week 3 inches of the back and layered and I have noticed a dramatic difference in NOT shedding so much..still shedding but not as much. As a licensed hairdresser I learned in school that we lose hair everyday no matter what, lower fat diet contirubtes to hair loss, not brushing it as often results in hair loss..not eating as much protein and hormonal changes, weight loss are all factors in hair loss

I'm feeling you Alex.. I agree 100% with your analogy that Winter has something to do with it. Potatoes, stews, pastas are comfort foods this time of year. Summer time comes and it's salads. fresh fruits, chicken, fish etc..I also think Holidays affect this also...seems since my esophagitis I tend to lean towards softer foods except last night with my Pb on a bite of Prime Rib

Doesnt matter where I am in what state or city or region..one thing I have noticed since I have lost this 72 lbs is that I am cold and real cold..all the time! Not as much fat to cushion my bones I guess. Anyone else notice this? I sleep with socks, sweats, sweatshirt, electric balnket and comforter and I live in Southern California for goodness sakes

Had a PB last night..took all my employees out for Christmas Party Dinner..had a few cocktails and then dinner came I split Prime rib with my husband, now mind you I had all ready had a few bites of appetizers ( crab cakes ) & salad everything was going down fine, Then when the main course arrived I took one bite ( small bite) of my prime rib and that was it! It got stuck I was too busy talking while I was chewing and a little buzzed from the cocktails so I know it was my fault totally, it was not the size of the bite that prime rib was the most tenderest I have ever had , I did not get the watery mouth this time but I got the white foamy stuff, no slime, strangest thing, never had the foamy stuff before...this bite was not going no where so after about 15 minutes of suffering and having that look of a deer in headlights I excused myself and went to the ladies room, not in there for 10 seconds and up came that bite, not painful or nothing..felt great after that BUT after this whole espohagitis I learned my lesson. I have been on liquids all day long! Feeling little spasms through out the day and burping alot which is something I hardly ever do since being banded other then that I feel great.

Blossom, your fill experience does sound interesting. My Dr. does it just with 1 needle and saline right into the port. I agree with Leatha 1 cc does sound small with the Vanguard. Maybe it iwill take some time to kick in, my first fill took about 1 week for me to notice a difference. If it were me I would not wait 3 weeks but maybe 2 and if I did not feel a difference then I would call my Dr.

Babs they have a hair and nail vitamin also, maybe that will help

Just a few more days Phyllis and you will be one of us bandsters! Hope it all goes smoothly for you

What a great looking couple you two make And Lisa you look fabulous!

Lauri I lock myself in my room and light tons of candles and listen to soft relaxing music when I need to something nicefor myself that does not cost money. My hubby and kids lknow that when my bedroom door is closed it is "mommy" time and to leave me alone. I also save my spare change, I am a waitress 3 days a week so my change adds up more then the normal person but I do use it just for me. Right now I'm saving for a little trip. You wouldnt believe how it adds up, my husband even contributes to my change bucket he empties his spare change from his pockets every night. How about to earn a little money for yourself so you can do something nice by using coupons at the grocery store? When I go to the grocery store I use coupons but I take the money I saved in my coupons and put it aside in a little "stash envelope" for me. I figure I'm worth it , if I am going to go to the trouble of cutting the coupons and doing the shopping I desreve the difference from what my total bill is to what I saved..it is usually about 30- 50 dollars everytime I got major grocery shopping. Then I take that money and get my pedicure and my eyebrows waxed!

AMEN LISA!! I too had surgery in Mexico by a very experienced band Doctor Dr. Ariel Ortiz who also cam highly reccomended by Inamed and I DO NOT regret my decision one single bit, and would do it over again in a hearbeat..8 months 72 lbs later Iam very very happy with my choice of going to Mexico & My aftercare is fantastic !! There are several experienced Dr's in Mexico

Darla is another plant people dont be fooled. She just joins the forum yesterday and has only posted here on this particualr post. Smelling a rat again..BEWARE But anyway..Darla those Mexican Dr.'s that you are bashing are the same Mexican Dr's that have trained and proctored over half of the Doctors here in the US . Guess that means you just get charged more to be hacked up in the US then if your insurance doesnt cover it?? Do your research Darla, why dont you call Inamed and ask them about the Mexican surgeons becasue I know for certain that they come highly reccomended by Inamed. most Mexican Doctors have more experience in band placement then any Dr's in the US and if I had to choose form the exact same price of my surgery between a Dr. in the US who has only preformed 1-50 bands or from a Dr. in Mexico who has done over 1200 bands I am going to go with Dr. with more experience .. do you actually believe yourself what you are saying here on this post ? I sure hope not! I sure hope one of these doctors from Mexico did not train your surgeon then Don't you all find it odd that a woman joins this forum yesterday and then only comes to this particular thread to post a mean and be littleling post? Coincidence? I THINK NOT!!!

Way to go ladies !! Congrats on the weight loss No loss for me I have my monthly visitor But no gain either and that is a victory in itself! Have a great week everyone

Hey Theresa..you are going to do great! We all were where you are now, a nervous wreck and we are all here to tell about it now..in just 3 days you will be too. Wishing you all the best on the 15th and the days, months and years ahead. This truly is a life changing experience!

There are other Doctors in Mexico who will do fills on the mid band and do fills on other patients banded in Mexico

Can't eat Meat for four months after surgery???? NEVER heard of that! I know ALL of us here were eating meat 1 month after surgery let alone 4 months after surgery. I have heard that soda can erode the band..Have you ever seen what Coca-Cola can do to an old car battery? I eats away all of the acid build up so I can only imagine what is does to the insides of our stomachs. My nutritionalist at my surgeons office handed me my post op instructions and the only thing written under the NO columm and in big bold letters was NO CARBONATION EVER AGAIN!! Since there are so many conflicting theories on this subject and my Dr. says NO I have just opted to stay away from soda 100% because to me my band is the most improtant thing and I do not want to do anything to jeopardize it. I want my band for as long as possible. Best of Luck to you

Yes Teresa..you are doing an awesome job! Way to go Keep it up!

Fight the bill Leatha.Stand your ground! .I have been dealing with insurance companies and Doctors bills for years now with my son and that 180 means nothing to that Dr.

Hi Tracey and Welcome We too love Whipples' posts..he sure has a way with words Congratulations on your band

Have you thought about going to Mexico for your surgery? It is so much cheaper and most of the doctors there have financing through very reputible financing companies at low interest rates. It's what I did..I felt just like how you were feeling. My insurance would not cover me and I have 3 boys that I want to live for and have them not be embarressed by their mother. 8 months later here I am 72 lbs lighter and happier then I have been in years and so is my family! Best of Luck to you..don't give up..when there is a will there is a way!

Hi Sultana My problems arose from an almost PB epsiode. I ate a piece of bread that got stuck for about 15 minutes I had all the sypmtoms of a PB..slime..watering mouth and horrible golf ball pain in my chest but the bite finally passed through my band..unfortunately I did not do liquids the following day like I should have and ate like normal( well bandster normal) for 2 days and doing that aggravated my esophagus to the point of terrible pain and spasms. My Dr. said I should of treated it as a PB and done the reccomended 24 hours of liquids. My esophaguis went through a major workout passing that bite of bread through. I went to the Dr. he did a barium test under flouro to see my restriction level and to see if my band had slipped or if there were any signs of erosion..none of the above were going on. I had no reflux or heartburn just bad bab pain and spasms..I asked if I needed some fill removed and he told me NO, he was suprised to see my weight loss of 70lbs in 8 months with the little bit of fill and restriction I had...I went on liquids for about 4 days and soft foods for 2 days then onto solids..I hope you feel a diufference once you start eating again. I know this is not fun regardless of the weight loss...& Yes Damn those chocolates!