mikesmom

Kari- I am new to the 7's but I wanted to comment on your post. It helped me to see that others are having the same "head issues". I thought by being banded it would all magically dissappear. It is still hard work. I get what your are saying about eating when you are not challenged. I am home all day with my kiddos. Although I know it is the most important thing to do as a mom, I am sooo board, and feel like I have more to offer the world. Anyways, your post helped me see that I have to get something to fill the void other than food! Thanks for that and keep on trucking.

Hi Marie---Have you had any changes since May? I feel like I'm in the same boat as you are...I gained back every pound when they loosened the band because of vomiting, and proceeded to gain even more from frustration. I'm just worried I'll never get it off again...

I am so right there with you. I had the band unfilled in Oct and have proceeded to gain 20 lbs back. I am so disgusted with myself, I want to crawl into a hole. I am looking for a challenge group or something on here for support, any ideas?

Hello Lucky #7's. I was band way back in July on the 28. I joined this group then but have been away. I am returning because I am down and out and my doc suggested getting on and finding some support. Soooo here I am. I will fill you in on my scoop and then hopefully get some response. Thanks in advance.

So I was doing great, started at 260 and was down to 174, just chugging right along, I was too tight, but loving the restriction and weight loss, well, I had an episode and it hurt! I thought I was going to die, for real. My vit. got stuck and after that I started to pb all the time and reflux, heartburn. I was freaking bc I thought I broke the band. I went in and my doc took out all the fill and then...well...now two months later I weigh in at 194. One Ninety Four. I am angered, depressed, shocked, and disgusted. I haven't told many people about being banded but the ones I know I feel so embarrised, like I wasted all this money and time and i am just such a failure. I was so disgusted I kept putting off going into the doc because I thought I could get back down on my own and then go in. I just kept getting bigger.

I am not asking what to do. I know what to do, I am just sad and do not know who to turn to. The support group in my town has been dropped and the nearest is 1 hour away. I have three small kids and a husband who is really busy and its hard to get away. Besides, although my husband says he doesn't care I really think he thinks this all riduculous and a tremendous amount of wasted money. Which I guess is how I feel because I am letting him and myself down. Don't I sound pitiful..yuck..this is really not who I am, I swear.

I have to get back on track and I have to do it now. Besides this group I am going to look for a Dec group and see if I can find some others that may be in the same boat.

So today I did see the doc and I have this terriable cold, I was going in to have a slight fill because by the end of hte day I can eat a lot, like normal, Pasta , bread etc. On the way into the office (it is one hour away) I had a string cheese. Well it really filled me up and while I was at the doc I was making noises..you know the ones from your throat, he heard them and said he thought I was fine but thought that perhaps I should see the psych docs..I told you, I am in bad shape, he suggested seeing them and getting back on a positive note and seeing if that helps. He is right, am depressed, but it just made it worse when he suggested it. I still think I need a slight fill and the cheese was making the noise because of all the sinus drainage.

So I will have to review the rules and get on it. Thanks for listening.

Just an update. They did unfill me and I took a week break and then had another fill, I will call today and schedule another fill. I hate driving back and forth but i hate not having any restriction more. I just reread all of our post and it is funny how we forget our feelings and switch it all around...hmmm. Any I saw you have 2.6 in your band, she put 2 in my band and I have no restriction (yes I have taken advantage of it) 2.6 is when I was having problems so I will ask for 2.4 and hopefully that will be a good spot. I will keep you posted.

God Bless your Heart. My children have not noticed my lack of food intake, surprising, LOL. I too am very happy with the weight loss but some days are harder than others, yesterday was hard, I will just get angry, I couldn't even get icecream down yesterday. Because of the heartburn I am going in for an unfill. I am so reluctant though. I am afraid that after allergy season and my TOM it will be not tight enough and then I have to truck back to the office and have a fill. It is frustrating and I wonder what the nurses think of me. I feel so wishy washy. I think of all things I miss raw veggies most. Good Luck

THis is crazy! We are having the same issues, the same stats, I was banded in 7/07 and started at 230 and now am 170 ish. Wow! I had a fill about a month ago and things were fine, I was tight but okay. I swallowed a pill and it got stuck and it hurtttt. I vomited (first time ever) and then went on to have pbing/slime for the next evening and day. I was worried about slippage and was told to take it easy and do liquieds. Well that was 8 days ago and today I am really struggling, yesterday was great, eat whole foods no prob, today can not get Soup down and now I am having bad heart burn. I am worried, but glad I found your post.

I Dr Vitello in Downers Grove here is his e mail jvituic@comcast.net you just e mail him and he e mails you back with a date and time. He sees people under flora at Good Sam for $150 plus the hospital fee whichis usually $120. I am self pay and this is the best I have found. Anyone else found better please tell me.

and had no trouble drinking the bottle of Water they require before leaving the clinic. Doc put in another .5cc for a total of 3.1.

Can you tell me about how your fill goes and what the water feels like after a fill? I have had my third fill I have a 4cc band with 2.2 cc in the band. I have my fills under flora and I just feel like I have very little restriction. I can gulp and guzzle water...is that right? I eat anywhere from a cup to cup 1/2 at a time..too much, right?

Any help is appreciated.

My ticker is not up todate..sorry

I have had the same thing happen to me, minus the reflux. One day I can eat some things and the next I can not. I think mine has a lot to do with TOM and stress. It seems the week before and after my TOM I am super restricted. This is the first time in my life I have lost weight during my TOM. Hee Hee

Thanks for your input. I did contact my fill doc. However the following day after I posted, I was able to to eat chili and hamburer and some chicken. WOW I am going to wait a bit to have some taken out and see how the week goes.. This band is crazy but I love it.

I was banded 7-27-07 and have lost 37 pounds...lots of sevens.

I have had two fills. The last one was Sept 18. Since then I can eat very little and eat mostly Soups and pro shakes. I can get chips, carmel popcorn, cheese puffs, and chocolate. I do not eat those frequently but do have them when I want to eat, I am rarely hungry. I tried to have cottage cheese, two teaspoons, and I got a golfball and slimed all over. Over the weekend, I ate 3 baby carrots with dip and same thing. I am slightly frustrated because I thought I would be able to eat all foods (except breads) just in smaller amounts, if they were chewed up real good. Do I need an unfill/ Will this loosen up eventually? I hate to spend more money on an unfill if I just keep not eating and it will get looser. on the other hand because I eat very little I over indulge in chocolate with slows the weight loss anyways. What do all of you think?

Hi all, I have been lurking around and would love to join you all. I was banded on July 27, 2007. So I think luck number 7 is the perfect place for me. Can you tell me about the challenge? I would like to join.

Hiya,

Yes this is sort of my story. It's been a long journey. But I'm sooo happy with my band now. The thing is when I got banded it was soo new. So not alot of info out there. I went through months of not doing much..gaining a bit back...then finally going in for a fill. See I get woosy with fills so they aren't alot of fun for me. Anyways my point is..it doesn't matter how fast u do it. Just that u eventually get there. Actually I think the slower it goes the better off you are. It's been almost 4 years for me and im still trying to get to goal. The thing with the band is you gota think yearsss down the road. Even if you don't loose for awhile it's always there. When I was ready again to hit it I went in and got a fill. Don't worry about your metabolism. Just exercise and that will kick it into gear. It's not like your gonna ever ruin yourself for life. Just remember..to truely be successful with the band you WILL have to exercise at some point. Good luck and take care

I just read your post and noticed you said you got woosie...On my first fill I almost passed out, as a result the doc took some cc's out and I feel like I did not get the right restriction. Anyways my question is...what causes the whooziness? I think it may be blood pressure...what was your and your docs thoughts?

Hiya,

Yes this is sort of my story. It's been a long journey. But I'm sooo happy with my band now. The thing is when I got banded it was soo new. So not alot of info out there. I went through months of not doing much..gaining a bit back...then finally going in for a fill. See I get woosy with fills so they aren't alot of fun for me. Anyways my point is..it doesn't matter how fast u do it. Just that u eventually get there. Actually I think the slower it goes the better off you are. It's been almost 4 years for me and im still trying to get to goal. The thing with the band is you gota think yearsss down the road. Even if you don't loose for awhile it's always there. When I was ready again to hit it I went in and got a fill. Don't worry about your metabolism. Just exercise and that will kick it into gear. It's not like your gonna ever ruin yourself for life. Just remember..to truely be successful with the band you WILL have to exercise at some point. Good luck and take care

I just read your post and noticed you said you got woosie...On my first fill I almost passed out, as a result the doc took some cc's out and I feel like I did not get the right restriction. Anyways my question is...what causes the whooziness? I think it may be blood pressure...what was your and your docs thoughts?

Sunta- The biggest fattest thank you to you for the info about the carbonation, I have been freaking out and thinking my pouch is all stretch because I tied one on this past weekend and now seem like I have little restriciton. Thanks for your foot work and phone calls.

I used to be a 'gourmet' beer drinker...stouts, dark ales, etc. My surgeon/nutritionists strongly recommend that I avoid beer (or any carbonated or alcoholic beverage) due to the empty calories adding up fast and the carbonation possibly stretching the pouch.

I am so freaking out about my pouch maybe stretching. I have had one fill and it seems like I still can eat what I want....I have been drinking beer and some/very little pop...The weird thing is I can drink tons of Water, did this stretch my pouch?????

If you have any insight please let me know.

thanks for the posts...I am glad to know there are others who share the same struggle. I just had a fill two weeks ago, can it be time for another?

I eat, I don't feel full EVER...could I have already stretched my pouch? I'm just really scared and ashamed that maybe I've done something wrong."

Holly- I so feel your pain. I have lost a little bit more but most of my loss was from pre op diet. I too am afraid/ashamed of my little loss. I wonder if I am doing it wrong and am scared it won't work. I seem to be able to eat anything I want in the evening and am taking advantage of it. It makes me so ashamed of myself, like how can I pay all this money (self pay) and not be losing weight, I feel like people around me that know are looking at me like what is the big deal she looks the same.

Anyways, I understand how you feel and I hope with my second fill it gets better.

I just wanted to jump in here. I had a fill 5 weeks post op. I felt really restricted the first week and now a week later I seem to be able to eat what ever (if I chew it really well), especially in the evening. I am wondering if I am doing something wrong. I remember coming home from the hospital and barely being able to eat a popcycle and shake would take me all morning, now I can gulp down a whole bottle of Water and drink the whole shake with out a problem. Does that mean I need a fill? Should I just have more self control? Should it always be how it was when I first got the band? That is what I was hoping for, major restriction all the time. What are your thoughts?

Hi I am looking for a doc that will do a fill on me, I had my surgery done in Mexico, any thoughts? thanks

Hi all I need a doc that will do a fill in or around Chicago, i had my band done in MX

Does anyone whom had surgery in MX get their fills her in IL? I am looking for a doc that will do it? Please help. I am about 50 minutes west of Chicago.

Hi there gals, just wondering if any of you had your bands done in MX and if you did who does your fills? My local doc won't do it. Help.

Has everyone been on liquids for a while after surgery?? I only had to do 2 days of liquids and move to soft for a few days and then insert foods as tolerated??? Just wondering

I think everyones doc says something different. I chose to follow the one week clear one week liquid one week mushie and then regular food, I did this because I thought it would expediate the weight loss process and it did. regardless of my ticker below, i can not figure out how to change it, I am down 21 pounds.

Thats interesting you asked what my doc said. I asked if I could excercise and they told cardio was okay but avoid weights. Not because of the surgery but it sounded more like cardio was more benificial to weight loss. Any thought on lifting weights post surgery and when and why?