mrsto

Interesting.... 7 fills and only at 5.9cc's? I can only gage this on my own experience; I've had only two fills since surgery, and I'm now at 7 cc's. I think that you're doctor has issues, and I'm with some of the folks above.... Maybe time to talk with another doctor. In addition to sticking to one cup of food, and omitting bread and sugary drinks, are you tracking your calories and Protein?

To me, your doctor sounds like someone who deep down, hates fat people. I know that sounds weird, but the response feels like "I'm so disgusted with you, so I'm going to punish you". Just curious.... How many fills have you had, and how much Fluid do you currently have in your band?

PS: When you need a fill, you will know it. The hunger shortly after eating is a dead giveaway I couldn't go more than two hours without feeling like I was starving. That's what's known as "banded hell".

Judy - if you're not sure about the fill & want to know, call your doctor's office & ask. I was in the same boat; didn't know if I had any Fluid in my band at the time of surgery. I heard comments (office staff) that there is a tiny bit of fluid, but not enough for restriction. Well.....what does THAT mean? Anyway.....when I went for my first fill about 4 weeks after surgery, I found out that there was 3 cc's already. She bumped it up to 6.4 cc's, which was fine for about 2-3 weeks. Now I'm at an even 7 & seem to be doing fine.

The goal is to stick to healthy foods at smaller portions. But if you have a day where you eat crap, it's not going to hurt you. As long as you take small bites & chew well, you should be fine. But I think the key here is not to allow a day off to become anything more than one day. If you have several days a week doing this, you probably won't lose weight; might even gain, depending on what, and how much you're eating.

Wow - it's rare that an introductory post moves me as yours did. I'm so happy that you made the decision to take the bull by the horns, to aggressively manage your weight and your health. You deserve to have a long, happy & healthy life with your family; you are certainly on your way Good luck - please keep us posted on your continuing success.

Are you tracking your food; calories and Protein? If you're waiting for the band to stop you from eating, it won't. That's not what it's designed for. It's designed to signal you when to stop....on much smaller portions. If you ignore the signals & eat right past it, you won't lose weight. As labwalker said, the band doesn't stop you from eating bread, rice, meat, etc. Some people have issues with certain foods, and avoid them. Many are fine with bread (I am), but some have an issue. Some people do fine with steak, some don't. If they've ruled out a leak in your band, maybe there is some confusion on what the band is supposed to do?

There are also clear liquid Protein drinks you can pick up from the health food store.....or the Vitamin Shoppe. Isopure makes some, but there are others. Check with your doctor tomorrow about the shakes. If they want you on clear liquids, you may have to get the ones mentioned. Good luck!!

Make sure that you drink your Protein shakes. It's important to get the minimum 60 grams, along with plenty of Water. Prior to surgery, I read all of the materials over and over. I read things online, joined this forum, and heavily dosed myself with information. Even so, it's a whole different ball game when actually living it. This is an excellent forum for information. But if there comes a time where you're having an issue that just doesn't feel right, your doctor is the first place to call. In my first follow up visit (and all subsequent visits), they go over many things; what you're eating, are you nauseous, are you vomiting, are you constipated.....a checklist of questions they review. They weigh you (of course.....every time you walk in the door), and make sure you're healing properly from surgery. They may also access if you need a fill. As far as the gas, it WILL get better. It's the major complaint of everyone who goes through bariatric surgery. I was beginning to feel like it was something that I'd have to live with for the rest of my life. But then.....it stopped. What a relief! Every now and again I'll get a small tinge of it, but it doesn't last very long. As you've read here, walking and Gas-X are the two best things to do. sleeping with the pillow is also good, and a heating pad is soothing. Whatever it takes to get through this time with the least amount of discomfort.....DO it Congrats on your surgery! I was banded 3/25/13, and I haven't had one day of regret. I'm down 28 pounds, and given my age and hormonal status, it wouldn't have happened without the surgery.

I heating pad also helps. It doesn't get rid of the gas, but it's soothing. In my own experience....it just takes time, and the gas leaves when it's ready. For me, it was about 2 1/2 weeks. 2 1/2 miserable weeks

You are probably right about it being bowel related, since that is the area where you would feel it. Ovarian issues (or ovulating) can cause pain in the same area, so I'm glad you've got a call into your doctor. You asked specifically "please tell me that this is okay", which none of us can; even if we've had the same pain. I hope you're feeling better soon, and that it's something simple.

I don't think anyone on here can comment, other than that you did the right thing by calling your doctor. I hope you feel better soon, and that it's nothing too serious.

Hey fellow Leo - my birthday is also on 8/7! Regarding the Protein Shakes, the only one I can drink anymore is the ready made by Premier Protein. I like the chocolate; the vanilla is nasty. And for you, they don't have soy. The various protein powders I bought tend to make me nauseous. It's not allergy related, but they just gross me out. There are other soy free protein powders that you might want to try; pea protein and egg white protein. You can pick them up at any health food store. As far as the blender, you can put everything in a good shaker cup, and take them to work. When I was on the liquid phase, that worked out well when I wasn't at home.

Oh yeah......forgot about the GI swallow. I had that, too.

I went to one seminar, and had my insurance verified the next day. I was approved immediately. Then I scheduled all of the prescreening appointments; psych evaluation, meeting with the nutritionist, stress test, sleep evaluation, and 2-3 classes (don't remember exactly). There was also lab work, and a general checkup. For me, I had surgery about 2.5 months after the initial seminar. But as Jules said, every doctor is a little different. It also depends on how quickly you can get through all of the above. I took one day & scheduled as much as I feasibly could in that day. Even still, there was a lot more to do after that. Good luck!

In any WLS forum, you will read many stories that are scary. I contemplated surgery a year before having it done, and it was what I read in all of the forums that freaked me out. After packing on another 10 pounds, I knew I had to move forward, and I chose banded plication. I was scheduled for the bypass, but was too scared to go through with it. Also....I've known a couple of bypass people who gained a lot of weight over time, and ended up getting the band over the bypass. The downside to the band over the other surgeries, is that there is continuous adjusting & follow up. With the sleeve and bypass, the surgery & done & that's it. Yes, you still have to follow up with your doctor, and there is support, etc. but the band required fills, un-fills, etc. Even still, knowing that it can be reversed was the peace of mind I needed, going into this aggressive form of weight loss. No matter which surgery you decide to go with, eating behavior has to change. Most people have good results in the short term with all procedures. But over time, it's so easy to fall into old patterns; there isn't a surgery out there to change that. One more thing..... When reading through these forums, please keep in mind that the success stories far outweigh the complication stories. It's unfortunate that some people have had a very bad experience. Some of the ones who post about it, feel the need to warn the masses of impending doom. When making your decision, try & keep your eye on the big picture

Yeah, it's called a lobotomy!! When they figure out how to do one on the appetite center of the brain, I'll be the first in line

Yeah - I'm with ya! I take MiraLax to keep things moving along

I just bought these today at CVS. Although, I'm sure you can get them cheaper at costco. The nurse at my doctor's office told me about them, because I don't like the chews or liquid. http://www.drugstore.com/citracal-calcium-citrate-with-vitamin-d-petites-coated-tablets/qxp17278?catid=183252

WOW!!! Congrats!!

PS: From your post, it sounds like you didn't mention the behavior in your pre-op appointments? Does your surgeon know what you're dealing with?

EXCELLENT! It takes a long time to deal with those issues. I was in an in-patient eating disorders program 26 years ago. It certainly didn't cure me, but it altered the destructive path I was on. But it continued to rear its ugly face at various times since then. It's a curse; one that we're never really cured of. We can only do the continuous work to keep it in check. Beanie - I'm glad you're in therapy dealing with this. It will go a long way toward your success; not only with the band, but in your life as well. As I'm sure you're learning, the problem isn't compulsive eating/binging. It's all of the underlying emotional issues that fuel the behavior. Bravo to you for taking care of YOU!

You can totally see the difference. Good for you! I wish I had before pictures. The only ones are what was taken the day of surgery. I've been trying to get them to email copies, but it's like pulling teeth.

Sounds like you're off to a good start. I've been banded since 3/25/13, and it is difficult at times. Unfortunately (you've probably read this several times), the band goes around our stomach, not our brain. Food addiction is something we'll have to deal with our entire life; band or no band. The most important thing my doctor and his staff drummed into our brains (and continue to do so), is that the band is a tool, NOT a cure. Your desire to binge will not go away. Just be prepared, and lean on the support at your doctor's office, and on this site. There is a lot of help to be had here; you came to the right place! The very best of luck to you!!

I'm not a doctor, but it sounds like you're too tight, and need to have some Fluid removed. Just a word of caution..... ERs are not necessarily proficient with band issues. If possible, call your surgeon and see if he can interface with the ER doctor. I think it's important... Hope you're feeling better soon.....