mbanja

It was my understanding that once you are at goal you are supposed to be able to eat what you want-in moderation! It just depends on the person I guess. Bread is not specifically a no no after you are at goal, I don't think. I do know that bread will make loosing the weight much slower.

There are several threads in the Fill/Unfill forum about it taking up to 3-4 weeks to feel the restriction. On my first fill, I didn't really feel restriction until about the middle of week 3. In some people it does take time. It doesn't make since but it is true.

Wow. You should call your surgen just to make sure which band it is! I can't believe the doctor didn't honor your first request for numbing. Next time insist. Its not like it is a pain pill or anything like that for heavens sake!! I could understand if You were like "WAIT!! Give me a loritab!" But numbing cream? Geez. What the hell do they make the stuff for, if not to put on an injection site. He must have a hell of a bedside manor.

Also, my PB's don't take a while to take effect. They are instantaneous. I have heard others say sometimes they PB an hour after eating, this is just no so with me. If something is stuck I can feel it and sometimes if I adjust my posture or get up and walk the stuck food goes down. For example, if I feel stuck I'll get up to go to the bathroom and halfway there the food will go down.

Most of the time when I PB it its because I eat too fast. I have a 9mo old and when she gets fussy I start eating faster. My PB episodes are not like vomiting, they (thankfully) are more like a cough and the slime and food that is stuck comes up. If I feel that I have irritated my esophogus then I follow the guidelines, if I feel ok then I continue to eat. Having a young one doesn't make it easy to follow the PB guidelines of the 2 hour try solids again thing. I eat when I can. I know I am probably going to get responses that I shouldn't do this, but hey it is working for me. I am not saying anyone else should do it, this is just my experience. If I didn't have a little one, or if she was older and more self sufficiant I probably would be better at following the PB guidelines. Sorry if I implied that you should should continue eating. You do what is best for you and what your doctor recommends.

I am loosing weight SLOWLY, but you can really see the inches comming off. I second the tape measure! Even when I gain a pound or two I get my tape measure out and find that the inches are comming off still. Don't get down! It will happen for you. Have you had a fill yet? Maybe you are in need of a fill?

Peach, I think you might be experiencing acid reflux. Which I hear is common with the band. Try doing a search, I know I have seen threads about it. You might need a slight unfill. I have heard that a small .10cc unfill can relieve alot of bad symptoms. Hopefully you find relief soon! I had reflux the whole time I was pregnant so I know you are suffering. I haven't had it being banded and hopefully I don't get it. Plus if you are PBing alot you esophogus could be irritated. You may need to have a slight unfill, and for good measure go on liquids for a few days while your stomach settles down. I am just speaking out of my head, but If you are truely having problems getting anything down, it sounds like you are too tight. I know you probably don't want to hear the words unfill, especially if you are a self pay, but it may be the best. Good luck!

Wow that would be great Kat. I know you are right that they will find a way to make money on that too! So, if your port flips could it still work with out having surgery to correct it? That would probably be a relief to many that has had that happen. I wonder if it would eliminate the need for a port all together? I haven't done any research on it so I don't even know the basics. I am just to pessimestic, that is something I need to work on.

Lauraj, that is so funny! I know I don't look bulimic either. I just don't want people to think "yuck she just thew up now she is eating again, gross!" Maybe I need to get over worrying about what people think!!

Sunshine, yeah I stay full, depending on what I eat.

Boo Boo, Yes to all those questions. I can gulp water down, I don't even have to sip it.

That is the main reason I chose the band of other wls. Because you can get pregnant and have a good pregnacy and then go back to banded life. Look at Carnie Wilson(gastric bypass), she lost all that weight then got pregnant and gain some back, and is now having to work really really hard to get the weight back off. I made sure before I chose my band to get the pros and cons on it so as to make the best decision.

I get embarrassed doing it in a public restroom too!!! I try to wait till it clears out. All the while suffering! I am worried that people will think I have an eating disorder.

With all the money that docs make doing fills do ya'll really think that they are going to make a remote control fill device? My personal opinion is no. If I was a fill doc getting all that money I would strongly disapprove of someone taking that from me. For me, a self pay, I would jump all over the idea of a remote to fill or unfill. But the docs making the money probably will have a stong say in its creation. I don't think it will be available anytime soon! I hope I'm wrong, I'd sure like to save a crap load of money.

One thing I've learned on this site is everyone's stomach is different. I LOVE hot wings but I am afraid of trying them. I have started out slowly reintroducing spicy to my diet and have had no problems. But, I am still afraid of eating spicy foods. Things like chili don't bother me, but I can't get over my fear enough to eat hot wings. I guess it is all for the best since hot wings are not that nutritious in the first place.

PB is productive burping. It is kinda like throwing up,caughing,and burping all at the same time. The first time u get something stuck u will know what it is. Mine is kinda like a cough, I cough and the stuck food and slim comes up. You will also read the term "sliming" alot along with PBing. When the food gets stuck you start drooling like a mad man. The fluid that comes up with the food is the "slime", which is just like thick saliva. Your stomach produces it to lubricate the food cause it knows it is stuck. Some people say that their own personal PB is just like throwing up. Mine is not and I have found everyone is different. Hope this helps!

Indigo girl, that was funny, sticking your finger in the cake!!! You should have left the piece there, just so u could watch others reaction!! I bet you would have been rolling on the floor. Next time you should like put dirt on it or a fake bug, that would be so funny. Hey who says you can't get back at the very people that (who with all good intention) are trying to fatten us up?!? LMAO

Want so bad, I can't gag soy milk down. But if I had to I'd much rather have the flavored kind, cause the non flavored is just weird. I think it is a texture issue for me also cause it is kinda thick and gritty-to me anyways. I am not lactos intolorant thank goodness, but I tried soy milk cause it is supposed to be really good for you. I can say that the soy creamer for coffee (the vanilla flavored kind) is awsome. It is already sweetened and make your coffee really good, no need to add sugar or sweetnlow. I haven't had it in a while so I can't tell you anything about the nutritional or sugar content on it-sorry. Also, it is normal to feel tired after your surgery cause your body is not getting all those calories you are used to, and it is trying to heal. I also had the welts from the surgical tape they put over my incisions. I had nylon stiches in mine and almost scratched them out. I know you aren't supposed to scratch, but I was going mad with the itching. I couldn't take it one day and got some of my hubby's anti-itch gel-let me tell you that stuff worked wonders. It is the Bandaide brand anti-itch gel that is mentholated, it is for bug bites I think. The menthol really put an end to the itch. Once it wore off, I was slathering back up. Finally the welts and itching went away after about 3 days, my skin where the welts were had big dry patches but that went away after about 2 weeks. Try that gel, please! I know you are going crazy!!

I was told that no fill was going into my band during the placement and that I would probably need to get one after the recovery of 6weeks. That was because, reasoned by my Doc, that implanting the band causes the stomach to swell, therefore, creating the effect of a fill. After the 6wk healing period, my swelling should be gone and I would "know" I needed a fill. Well, let me tell you, I wish I had a soft fill cause it wasn't a week before I felt like I hadn't had the surgery at all. My hubby even said,"are you sure they put something in?" Well, I saw the fluro and the band on xray and could fill the port so I knew I had something in there even though I couldn't feel it. I was dying for a fill by the end of week 4. If getting a fill ment having to wait in line like those crazy people who wait for the release of a video game or the stores to open on the day after Thanksgiving, Hell I would have brought a sleeping bag and tent and waited. Needless to say, I had my fill as soon as I could and it was a relief to fill that restriction!!

I brought those topics up to my doctor, Dr. Huacuz in TJ, he told me that slippage would be his fault, and erosion would be mine. He told me that if a band is not sutured well to the stomach it can cause slippage and that is why it would be his fault. He told me erosion is when I over eat and PB way too much so in effect it causes the band to wear or rub into the lining of the stomach because of heaving and over eating. He said that he makes sure to stich the band in really well, and that I would need to make sure to eat right! That is what was told to me, but I have heard different stories.

I lost 14lbs just after my surgery, then started on my solids and gained it ALL back. It is a common thing, and people say that the time of healing is not for loosing but for healing and getting back to eating normal. I also experienced the large lump close to my port. I was told it was just some residual swelling and it would go away! Sure enough 1 month later it was gone. I can still feel a lump, but it is my port.

Just after my fill, I was getting nauseous. I think it is your stomach adjusting to your fill, mine went away about 2 week after the fill. Maybe because you are sick, your will hang on a little longer? I don't know this for sure, this is just what I experienced. Hope it helps.

I am a SAHM too, with a 9mo old. She was 7mo when I got my band. She is very active and when she is held she wants to climb all over and wrestle. I had no problems. Even just after the surgery. I had no down time at all. It was like I had never had it. I did experience pain where my port was, it was like strained muscle tenderness more than anything. But, I had a c-section and it was nothing compared to that. I think you will do fine. I guess since your little one is past a year he/she is out of an infant car seat? If not I would suggest leaving it in the car and just toating him/her to and from it. That worked better on me since that infant car seat makes her about 5-7lbs heavier. Best of luck to you!!!

I live in GA too, but close to ATL. I wish I had know about the back door route to save money!!! But anyway, I went to the center in Roswell, and had a wonderful experience with the female Doc (nurse, or whatever she was?) I am sorry I can't remember her name. She had braces, thats all I remember. I was just so focused on getting some restriction, thats all I cared about. I think I read a post a while back that had some negative feedback for FCUSA and this particular woman, but my experience was great! Only one stick and she was in there, and it was over in about 5mins. I think she was great! The reason I am telling u this is because I think it is the same woman that will do the fill in the center close to you. She commutes to the Roswell location on the weekends. Best of luck!

I have had some hairloss, make sure to get your recommended protein!!! That is important! Get it all!! From what I've read on the board, some experience it worse than others, but it is not really preventable. Some have tried hair supplements, but it didn't prevent it. Don't worry it will grow back! That is what I have read on other threads here. If you don't get your protein in it will be worse! I haven't heard of strech marks with weight loss, weight gain is another story though. I'll search the posts here to see if I can come up with anything. Best of luck!! Use this site's search engine to reseach any questions you might have, it will help you! I have found out, that ANYTHING you experience at least one person has experienced it as well and you can read their posts for support!