Cocoabean

Thanks for the info. I was going to post that thyroid is a natural hormone. If extra is taken by someone who is at a normal thyroid level it will speed up their metabolism and help them to lose weight. My thyroid was overproducing thyroid hormone. Does that mean I should have left it and kept my metabolism high? No, of course not, along with the possible weight loss came high blood pressure, a resting heart rate of 120, sleepless nights, and twitching muscles. Just because it is a hormone and occurs naturally, does not mean it belongs in the body at all times. I don't know much about HCG. Other than it is a hormone produced during pregnancy. My opinion, for me....I am not pregnant, I don't think I should have that hormone in my body. But, there are some band docs that will prescribe appetite suppressants for use until you get your band dialed in.

I didn't have any choice in location, and never thought to ask. Allergan has two ports, a regular one and a low profile. My surgeon uses the standard port in original op, but will do a revision if the patient wants one later. He did tell me in a conversation after my op that he's found surgeons have a wide range of port locations, all due to personal preference. He likes his location (to the left of the belly button) because it doesn't have a lot of tubing running to it, and it has some fat to cushion it. I don't like it because some pants bother me along the waistband. But it cannot be seen, even if I were to wear a two-piece bathing suit. Unlikely at my age.

This is a last resort step. If you think you can do it on your own, then please, attempt it one last time. The failure rate of traditional diet and exercise is 95%. So, even though the odds are against you, you might be in that 5% that succeeds.

For me, drinking with a meal can cause me to get stuck. Otherwise, a few minutes after I've eaten I can drink and be fine. I've experimented with how long I wait, and for me, there's no difference in how long it takes for me to get hungry.

Getting stuck is when something we ate blocks the band's entrance into the larger part of our stomach. It is caused by eating something that is too dense, too dry, taking too big of a bite, or not chewing well. It feels like you swallowed a rock and it is sitting below your sternum. If well and truly stuck, you cannot swallow your own spit. If it is not a bad one, then you can still swallow, but it is painful. Walking helps with the pain for some reason, and can sometimes help the offending item go down. The book answer for resolution is to wait it out. Hopefully the food will go down. This can take time. Sometimes a long time. When I was newly banded my worst episode went on for about 5 hours. As I could not swallow, I was spitting saliva for a long time. My DH just asked what I needed (a bucket) and left me alone. Each person finds how best to handle stuck situations. Some swear by papaya enzyme tablets which help break down the food. You can get them in the supplement section. For me, a quick urp, and I am done. I might help it along, but I want to be out of pain ASAP. Don't laugh at her, but help her to keep a sense of humor. I got a full face shower when I was urping at a PF Chang's. I forgot they had auto-flush toilets..... Got back to the table, "Honey, why did you wash your entire face and bangs?" 'I have one thing to say....auto-flush!" ha ha ha ha ha ha...the laughing went on for 5 minutes. Oh, and a seat cover in the Water will stop a backsplash into the eye. Learned that one the hard way.

Hey Jack, You've had IBS developed since banding? Me too. It started about 2 years after I was banded. They think I had a case of c. diff. after a round of antibiotics that triggered it, but cannot be sure as that is the one test the lab failed to run. The don't think it is band related, but interesting you said it as well. It can certainly be debilitating, no? I was one sick puppy that first go round. Ended up in urgent care on IV fluids. Way fun...NOT

Here's one from someone fairly long banded. When she gets "stuck" don't make a big deal out of it. Especially if you are out with people. Just let her excuse herself and do what needs doing. No theatrics, "Oh NOOO, she's stuck again! Unbelievable! Poor thing!!" Also, don't make her feel bad if some foods are off your home menu for a while. Part of why I chose banding is because I was under the impression I'd still be able to eat all foods. So now, as problem foods like breast meat chicken and very soft breads are removed from the repertoire at home, I hear about it. My DH does the cooking, and is not happy about that fact. But he is retired and I am not. So, every time I get stuck on something, I hear, oh great, another food we cannot eat. Which adds to my stress level, and isn't necessarily the case. Just because I got stuck once, doesn't mean I cannot eat it. Just because I cannot eat it, doesn't mean he cannot eat it. But he prefers to get upset about it. I just wish he'd take my stuck episodes more in stride. They cause him more stress than they cause me. They are a part of being banded. When she has one, sympathize, but there is no need for dramatics.

Breast meat is totally off my menu, no amount of gravy will help it go down. Thighs I am good with. Many have trouble with steak, I am ok if the pieces are small and I chew well. Yes, banded life is a huge learning curve, and after every fill....bigger learning curve! But to me, so very worth it. And I kept telling myself that last night while I was majorly stuck on sushi.

Ports seem to be placed in many places. Mine is to the left of my belly button. I can get irritated my waist bands. I think every placement has its good and bad points.

Our bodies let go of the weight when they let go of the weight. That is the biggest thing I learned through this process. Some weeks I'd eat the best I'd ever eaten and lose nothing. Other weeks I'd go way over on calories and lose. It is not always an immediate cause and effect. I also discovered that my body would hold onto weight then let it go all of a sudden. I'd stay the same for weeks then post a 3-4 pound drop. Then I might gain 1, drop 2 the next, then stay the same for a few weeks. Overall, the trend was down, and my health was improving. I finally figured out that this was all that really mattered. Being banded is a lifestyle and a lifetime event. It is not a diet that will end. Generate habits that you can live with forever, the rest will follow. Get OFF the scale. The stress isn't worth it. Only weigh yourself once a week, at most.

Dehydration is nothing to fool with. Glad you went in. If you can't drink for 24 hours you REALLY need to be seen. This goes out to all. Let us know what the Upper GI shows. Glad you are feeling better.

Do you have allergy problems? Others here have reported getting tight when their allergies act up. One even finally had her band removed. Also, have you traveled at all, for some flying can have an impact. Restriction comes and goes for me, some days tighter than others, but not to the point of not being able to get liquids down, and rarely to the point of not being able to eat.

Lap Band literature says 1-2 pounds per week average. That's it. This is not a quick weight-loss procedure. I averaged 0.75 lbs per week. But the trend was downward. Just work on good habits, the rest will follow.

Fever should not be a part of it. That is generally a sign on infection. Weak and nausea, yes. Hope you feel better soon!

There can often be swelling after a stuck episode. I'll do liquids for a day if I it was a bad one. Or if I get pain the next time I try to eat. When you eat, pause between bites to be sure things are moving along. Piling food on top of food can be a very bad thing! Hope you are feeling better!

The pre-op diet is the worst! You don't have a band to help you through it. Just keep focusing on why you are doing it. It will make the surgery safer for you. You CAN do it. I made it through mine, and I can remember hearing my surgeon tell my DH that he knew I did not cheat because my liver was nice and small and very easy for him to move around during my surgery. THAT made it all worthwhile! I read on a gastric bypass board of a lady whose liver split in two during her surgery! It was a fatty liver and was just too brittle to be moved about. Her medical condition was poor when she had her bypass, but that would be terrifying! She lost a lot of blood and ended up having an open procedure to fix things. You CAN do it!!!!

Why do you make a sad face at 10 lbs lost in 6 weeks? That is fabulous! The first 6 weeks post-op are really for healing more than losing. Bandsters can generally expect 1-2 pounds per week average loss. You had 1.5. In my first 6 weeks I lost 0. Yep, zero. You should be doing hand springs in celebration!

For me, stuck is a rock just under my sternum. More often than not I cannot swallow my own spit. Sometimes it will pass on it's own. Generally it takes intervention on my part to bring the offending item back up. If I swallow a few swallows of Water that will start the launch sequence. Welcome to truly being banded.

My psych doctor took 8 freakin' weeks to write the dang letter. I finally had to go to the office and sit and wait for the letter to get written. There was no excuse. At the appointment he said, oh, I'll have it done next week. Uh huh! Maybe a letter to the medical group or insurance company is in order? Somebody is their boss.

Way to go! Keep up the good work!

Did you ask why they haven't submitted? Is there any way you can submit yourself? Ask them for the paperwork and send it off? I don't know if that is possible. But taking from May to the end of Feb to submit seems a bit ridiculous.

Just remember, you are NOT her food or program police! It's fantastic you are asking the question. When she gets stuck, don't make a big deal out of it. Laugh with her, if she has a sense of humor about it. Commiserate if she needs a shoulder. But most of all, don't make her feel bad for making mistakes along the way. It is a journey, take it with her.

"Stretching the pouch" takes quite a bit of work from overeating and stuffing food down so that it overflows into the esophagus. It takes time for it to happen, and is diagnosed by an Upper GI. The stomach is quite elastic. A dilation is a long-term complication from overeating. Fried eggs are more likely to cause you to get stuck as they can be difficult to chew. Runny---not so much. As you gain restriction from fills you might find that eggs become more difficult to eat.

My thoughts are this: you are looking at it from an emotional reaction to feeling the device in your hands. Do you have any medical reason why you feel the Realize band would be better? Just because it appears less cumbersome to you does not mean it would be better. A spare tire in a car is much less cumbersome than a tire meant to be used at regular speeds for long distances. Does that mean you should use that spare tire full time? I don't know, ask your mechanic. I believe the mechanic would say NO WAY. Use the real tire as it is much heavier and meant for that job. I am not saying that the Realize band is not for you. I am just asking if you are qualified to make the determination as to which band is the proper one for you. I put that decision in my surgeon's hands. I figure he is the one that will see my anatomy and know what his experience shows will work best. Just because I like the Porsche doesn't mean that I don't need a Hummer for my life-style. Did you ask your surgeon about your life-style and how the Allergan band would react? With an Allergan band you can get a normal or low-profile port. The Realize band only has one type of port, to my understanding. Have you asked what difference a high pressure vs. low pressure band would make for someone doing the sports you do? Are you doing hard contact sports? If not, I cannot imagine how it could make much of a difference. There are bandsters on here who do full contact martial arts. I don't know which bands they have. But if you really, truly want a Realize band, and your Dr. doesn't offer it, then it is time to find a new dr.

We are here to help and support eachother, keep asking questions. Everyone wants the best band experience they can get. And everyone deserves that!