Emilie1

I too have a very loose band, really need to get in for a fill....I slime/get stuck when I eat too fast and that happens when I am hungry....it is very painful for me until the food passes(up or down) Depending on how long it take and weather I have to throw up or not is how I determine when I can eat again. When I eat slow, I can eat forever, I just get real bad gas. Almost as uncomfortable as being stuck, but not as scarry...

I also take centrum. I have to take calcium also, but don't have a problem with it. CVS pharmay has a generic form of it. I have been taking since October and have had good numbers on my blood work. Good luck.

This is so true....It does not matter how much I loose or how much differernt I look I still see the same person in the mirror. I do feel healther, and can tell a difference by my clothes and that I have energy to exercise. But when I look in the mirror I see the same person I saw 80lbs ago. I don't know if it will ever change unless I can reconstruct my stomach some day. Oh well that is not in my budget right now. Good luck to all.

Sue, thanks for the info. I know it would be best to have the whole tummy tuck, but just don't know how I will aford it. Right now I really just want the hanging part taken off. For me above the bellly button does not bother me at all. I just don't know what it is going to be like taking the skin off and not fixing the muscel.

Does anyone ever get just the panntectamy(sp) done? I know the whole TT would be best, but right now I would be happy just getting rid of the extra skin that hangs down due to three C-sections. What are the general results from just the panntetamy? Thanks for any info.

Does insurance pay to have a new band put in if you slip or something?

Since last Tuesday when I had a major "stuck" episode I have been reading the post about papaya. I first have to say that I unstuck myself with pinapple juice it worked great. I have been reasearching papaya and have decided to get some to keep in my purse. Much easier to carry a bottle of chewable tablets than a can of pinapple juice. I also learned that papaya is also an ingrediant in meat tenderizer. It breaks down the protiens to make the meat less tough. That is why meat tenderizer works on stings, the papaya breaks down the protien in the veneom. You learn something new everyday.

I forgot the enzymes are cheap less than $5 at GNC.

Pinapple juice worked real well for me and my chicken that got stuck. I was stuck for about four hours and was about to go to the er via the Dr orders. Last ditch effort was to try the jucie and every thing went right down. I am going to get some of the pappay enzymes also, easeir to carry around than a can of pinapple juice.

Since posting here last week, I had a really bad "stuck" episode. It almost landed me in the er to get fill removed. I am so glad it did not. I was stuck for about four hours. Finally after talking with the Dr office and being told if it did not pass to go to the er, I remembered reading on LBT about pinapple juice helping. I really did not think that it was going to work. I thought for sure I would just throw it back up, but it did work. Everything went right down. I stayed on liquid for about two days and then started eating again. I am going to get some of the papya emzimes also. I think that is what they say work. Also I am a slow looser. We just need to hang in there and keep faith. Good luck to everyone.

I almost had to have an unfill yesterday, I was stuck for about four hours. It was my first will stuck feeling, I called my Dr. and was told to go to the ER. I decided to try pinapple juice first, it worked great and I called the Dr back and said all was well. I have done liquid since yesterday. So I do have a question for you if you were good at your fourth fill why did you get more? Just curious because I am schedualed for another fill in Aug. Trying to figure out how to decide if I need it or not. Thanks for the info.

This is exactly what I need to hear about. I have the same problem. I can take two bites and get "stuck" yet know I have not eaten enough. I hope to hear what every one else has to say about this. I know about eating slow, but wish I was not able to eat quite so much. I was filled yesterday and now have 6 in a 10cc band. I fill it a little more but not to good hopefully it will kick in soon.

I am obsessive about weighing also, I just always keep my results to myself. I am a very slow, but steady looser. I like it that way. Your insurance should cover some of the fills, $250 is a little steep, but worth it still. Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions. I was nervous as all get out the week before my surgery. Restless monkey is a great resourse. She was a wealth of information for me and still is. Good luck!

Hi I have Aetna ppo it is an 80% 20%. I have topay about $20 for my fills. I did not know what I was going to be charged ahead of time either. The most it would have been about 95 which I figured was not bad fo r every six weeks or so, but $20 is even better. Good luck, it is the best thing I have ever did for myself, hope you feel the same.

I take centrum silver. At the time it was the only chewable I could find. I figured that if my blood work looked good I would continue with what works. CVS also sells a genirc form for about half the price. I take it at night and it is kind of like desert. ha, ha. The nutritionist wanted me to take only what they sold at the Dr. office, but it was a little expensive.

I have had my band for eight months and have pb'd twice since my last fill which was on May 18th. I do not think that I am too full as a matter of fact I think I need a little more, because I can still eat to much of everything, bread included. The two times that I pb'd I was really hungry and ate way to fast. Two bites in and I was stuck. I have been stuck before and it always works it way down, but not these two time. The only time I have problems is if I let myself go to long between meals and get hungry.

I was looking for some place to post what I did today. So here it goes for whoever looks at it. Today I took my kids for a three mile hike then we swam for about an hour. I love my new self and what I will do now. I say will not can because I have always been able to be active, just never motivated. I do need help though, I do not know how to put my ticker on here. If someone who reads this has time please let me know. Thank you.

I have the exact same problem. I can eat a little in the morning and at luch, but by dinner I am starving. My Dr. does not want me to snack, but most of the time I have to or I will just totally pig out at dinner. I took my daughter out to pizza buffet about three days after my last fill. I was able to eat four slices of pizza, salad, and a small piece of desert. I could have kept on eating also, and it did not take long to eat either. I was trying to see where the band was going to stop me and it never did. Fortunatly I seem to have good will power most of the time and eat well. I know I need another fill but still have to wait two weeks. Good luck and hope you had fun at the prom.

Hi, I also was told at my last appt. that I had scar tissure around my port. He said that it wasn't a problem it would just make it harder to accsess. My first fill was the end of Dec. The NP had to poke and prode and left me with a nasty bruise that lasted almost till my next appt. The next time I went in I asked to be filled standing up. I can feel my port real well when I am standing up, I thought that it would be supper easy to get to, I was wrong. It was still hard to find the opening, but I did not bruise at all. Good luck and hopefully we hit our sweet spots before the scar tissue gets worse.

It has only been about seven months for me, but I love my band. I would do it again in a heart beat. The rules that you have to follow are not really rules, but a new way of eating. Everyone is different and can eat different things. You will love it if you remember that it is only a tool and you are going to have to work to use it. Good luck.

Kim, thanks for sharing with us. I have only been banded for about seven months, and love hearing from long termers. I get tight around my period and it is ironic because that is also the time I go for fills. It only last a day or two and I have never PB'd, I have gotten a little stuck a few times, but can usually keep from having it come back up. Some months are worse than others as far as how tight I might get at that tom. Good luck with everything.

I was in the exact same boat. I had a small window of opp. before my insurance was going to change and even a smaller amount of time to take off from work. My Dr. office was good about it and stayed in constant contact. My Dr. office had an insurance liason that worked with me and we schedualed the surgery before my final insurance approval went through. Stay on them, don't give up and good luck.

You do need to tell her something, my daughter was only four when I was banded. We always rough house and she needed to know that I could not for a while. They also notice when you can't eat normal food. I would just try to minimize it and reasure them. As far as when I was in the hospital I did not talk about that much, becuase it was only over night and I just told them I was going to the Dr. I was hardly missed. Good luck!

I am not at my sweet spot yet because I can eat and eat, but usually I just eat small amounts. I have had three fills. My Dr. really wants me to only eat three meals a day. I am only suppose to eat for 20 minutes and then not take in any calories for 4 - 5 hours. I am not quite there yet, I can get through the morning without a snack, but have a hard time in the afternoon. Good luck on your journey, and hope you are at your sweet spot.

I too had/have kidney stones, three on each side. I have only passed one and that was almost two years ago. Every side pain I have I think it is one moving. Let us know what your Dr. says. Thanks and good luck.