Carlene

Neverland, you might be too tight. Or you may have irritated your pouch and esophagus. Try going to liquids only for a couple of days. As for rice, I would advise against it - ever. The salmon should go down just fine, after you allow everything to rest for a couple of days. The pudding, if it's sugar free and made with skim milk, is a fine dessert or snack. Cookies are something that I can't eat very well and will usually PB on them. Cake, too. Tomatoes are not my best friend, either. Anything with skin is apt to give you problems. For your protein, try some FF cottage cheese, LF yogurt, flaky fish, chili or chunky soup with meat (put it thru the blender, if necessary), and skim milk - with or without protein powder. Get som SF chocolate syrup and add it to your milk, if you like. And don't feel bad about complaining to us. You can cry on our shoulders anytime.

It's really hard to eat enough in one day to cause significant weight gain. If you ate 5 pounds of chocolate candy in one day (and nothing else), you would gain 3 pounds or so. The "Super Size Me" guy who ate nothing but McDonald's three times a day for 30 days only gained 30 pounds. That's one pound per day, even though he was consuming a ton of calories (no pun intended) and getting very little exercise. We did not get to be MO because we had an ice cream cone twice a month. We were over-eaters and made very bad food choices on a daily basis, for a very long time. Between the spring of 2003 and the end of 2004 (about 20 months), I gained 80 pounds. That's about a pound a week - maybe one Snicker's bar per day. Who would have thought????

8 ounces should be plenty. My DH drinks 4 oz every night. He warms it in the microwave for about 20 seconds.

Holly... I'm so sorry you did not achieve the results you had hoped for with the band. I have had some issues with mine, too but nothing that a little unfill and some Nexium couldn't fix. I've also made it a hard and fast rule not to eat after 8 PM. That keeps the reflux problem at bay and helps my weight loss, too. Midnight snacks were one of my biggest downfalls. Did you lose any weight during the almost 2 years you had the band? Are you considering another WLS, or have you decided to go another route, like WW? I know the band doesn't work out for everyone. I don't think you should blame yourself or the device. It just wasn't a good fit, in your case.

Pinky... You can't relate anything that happens in one 24 hour period to real weight gain - not PBs or exercise or a bag of Snickers. For anything to be truly reflected on your scales, it must take place over a fairly long period of time. You can't work out enough in one day, for example, to lose 5 pounds. Your weight will normally vary a pound or two from day-to-day. It doesn't mean anything unless it's still there (or still gone) a week later.

Mama's boy, for sure. You can tell a lot about a man by the way he treats his mother and his sisters.

My insurance pays for my fills, minus a co-pay. I have been banded almost 2 years and have lost 97 pounds. I chose the band because it is a much safer procedure. Also, I did not want to take supplements for the rest of my life. I am a very bad pill-taker. The band is a slower weight loss, but with no "honeymoon" period. When we loosen up, we just go and get more saline. You can't do that with the bypass, and the stoma DOES stretch with time. I have not had a fill since last Nov, but I have had 2 unfills since then.

My DH did a one night test run first and everything went fine. Then he talked it over with his PCP, who said go for it.

Depends on the doctor. Mexican surgeons will generally revise to RNY even if you are near goal. US surgeons are not usually so accommodating.

I have lost 97 pounds (some days 98 or 99...LOL). I was banded almost 2 years ago. I'm a horrible example. I cheat all the time, but just a little because my band won't let me eat bread, pizza, pasta, and some other stuff. Things like ice cream I can eat, but I don't have room for much after I get my protein in.

I suggest you have fills/unfills in tiny increments, like .5 cc's. Sometimes the smallest tweak is the difference between just right and too loose, or too tight. If you suspect you might be a little too tight, try sticking to liquids for a few days and see if it loosens up. I promise that you won't starve to death...LOL. You MUST be able to keep water down, however. Dehydration is not what you are aiming for.

Too bad girls marry slobs

John... I resized these for you, so they are easier to see....hope you don't mind. .

Not quite....maybe this will do it.

I strive for low fat, low cal. Bandsters generally have to struggle to get their minimum protein in - never mind "high protein". There is only so much room...

You are correct.

Dr. Smith is my guy, too. He feels our pain and would never put any one down for being MO. At the seminar I attended he talked about how everyone has a moment of truth. His, he said, was when he went to another city/hospital to learn how to perform a new type of gall bladder surgery. The room was full of doctors (his peers) and the guy giving the program asked him to change seats. He said, "That rocking chair you're sitting in is an antique and I'm afraid you'll break it."

My DH and I saw a Toyota he liked the other day. Bob said, "That's a good looking car. It has a foreign look to it." Here's your sign, sweetheart.

Miami....I am cold all the time In-laws (love them) or out-laws (hate them)

They are basically the same thing.

My band is one of the emotional ones. I tell everyone that stress makes my band tighten up like a virgin on prom night. Until you can find a doctor, I would suggest sticking to liquids, or maybe soft foods. Baby your band a little bit and see if that helps. And remember that you can always vent on LBT about anything and everything. We will give you strength and comfort, if you let us know what is going on in your life.

Sometimes, if I have eaten a bit too much, or something "iffy", and then drink too soon afterward, I will PB.

How about forget underwear, men understand neeeeeeeekid.

That tacky tiger suit fits! BROOM

Dear Lady... My doctor warns all his pre-ops that they will grieve like their best friend died, once they are banded. I didn't, but I know lots of others who have. The best way to get over it is to start losing! Nothing tastes as good as thin feels. When you go out to dinner (and you SHOULD), don't order anything "iffy" (like macaroni salad). Stick to what you know you can eat. Have a bowl of Soup, for example. Dinner with friends isn't about the food, after all....it's about the camaraderie. I used to be the queen of carbs. I loved bread. I could make a meal off bread alone (and often did). Sometimes, when I smell bread baking, I miss it. But since I physically can't eat it, it's a non-issue. Same with late night Snacks. I used to get out of bed, take a book to the couch, and stop on the way to raid the fridge/pantry. Now I can't eat after 8 PM or I will have major reflux.