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You can also search Emmi Lap Band this will show step by step what takes place when you get the lapband. It is VERY informative!

My first meal cannot be anything solid or before 9:30. Oatmeal always goes down and it is filling for me. What you described in your first post seems pretty normal to me, sometimes things go down with no problems. Other times..forget it! Also I never have a problem with fish.

Every doc is different. There are some docs that fill the band with a small amount of saline during surgery...and others that do not. If you do not have a fill, you may feel a little hungry after the swelling goes down. Talk to your doc about the things you can and cannot eat between the time you get your band and the 6 week fill.

I have had 4 fills so far and although I thought I found my sweet spot---the feeling has gone. I need another fill. My first fill was 1.5 I was told the first 1cc is for the lap band "rim". My doc is VERy conservative with fills (so I perfer his assistant who's alot more aggresive!) Needless to say the first two weeks was sweet spot heaven- I even lost 8lbs :biggrin2:. I can now eat more and have even gained a pound:angry:. So I am back to looking for that sweet spot!

Thank you everyone! Gold Bond doesn't seem to be working anymore, it just cakes, so I'll try the other suggestions (i.e. hydrocortizone, fungal cream and even the vaginal cream). I appreciate all the helpful responses.

I ALWAYS schedule my fills during my lunch time. The entire fill process is less than 2 minutes...it's waiting to see the doctor that takes some time.

Wow, I'm shocked. My band also hold 4cc's and my doc told me no one ever gets 4cc's because it makes a person so tight that it's hard to swallow spit. I'm surprised you all's band are so tight. I am currently at 2.6cc and I know I could be tighter...I am almost at my sweet spot. The above info is good to know.

Wow..sounds like sabotage to me! Just stay strong you sound like you are doing great!

Shortgal, My insurance did cover my band and my fills....hey I guess I did kinda win the lottery! As strange as it sounds...Go Yeast! My insurance will cover the TT or panniculectomy. Seriously, thank you all! I really appreciate all the responses and recommendations. Mbanja, Gold Bond does help ALOT. I'll get some Athlete Foot cream. Thank you all!

Thanks, but it doesn't look yeasty. It kinda looks like raw flesh or skin slippage.

I didn't tell many people and those that know are very supportive minus one ( my skinny sister that tells me I should get it taken out when something gets stuck because I gulped it down). You and I know that thinner people do not understand what it is like to be heavy. For us its like a 400 pound gorilla in the room and we feel uncomfortable. It is important to understand and to make others understand...this is our decision to better ourselves, even if we ARE taking the "easy" way out. Even if you never ever ever tried to diet but decided the band is for you it is your decision. Don't let him get you down. Offer to take his help with the training it can't hurt and it will help in the long run. You will have to exercise and change eating habits (if you have bad eating habits - not all of us do) for the band to work for you. You have to be firm when expressing that this is what you want and so this is what you are going to do. PS. The band journey is definetly not an easy one! Good Luck

I have to ask because I NEVER EVER get rashes. Has anyone gotten a rash under that "flap" of belly fat. I wieghed 257 and currently weigh 220 so I haven't lost ALOT but I now get this re-occuring rash under my flap of fat. What the HELL is that. It 's not like a regular rash..no bumps or anything, it itches and it's almost like a diaper rash. When I use Gold bond powder after a couple of days it dries up. I am a very clean person ( I shower morning and evening) and I can't figure it out. When I went to the doctor the rash had dried out so he didn't really see anything except for a dark bruise looking thing. What is it and why do I have it???? It reminded me of when I saw severly obese people on Discovery health channel that hadn't lifted their folds to wash. I assumed they had some kind of fungus. Help!!!!!! Is this normal???:smile::tt1::thumbup::confused::sad::wink_smile::mad::thumbup::confused::confused2::confused2:

Wow...maybe you should consider either a different surgeon OR a local fill center. Good Luck

This sounds like you have a leak. I wonder why your doc didn't comment on the amount of saline difference... did you ask him? Are you absolutely sure you had 3.5cc's. That's partically closing the band.

Wow..glad it wasn't just me!

Ok Ladies and Gents, Last week I took my husband to a play and dinner afterwards for his B'day. I ordered 1/2 chicken (because I knew I didn't want to cook when I got home so I was going to take the white meat home to 1 daughter and the thigh home to the other daughter). I had two almost fork fulls of cole slaw and 1 almost fork full of baked potato. WELL.....after cutting a small piece of chicken and trying to eat it ------------------AGONY! The chicken got stuck....I felt it stuck in my chest, I had to get it out, but before I could get up it started traveling upward! All I could do is grab a napkin and hope for the best (I know..gross) Well the best didn't happen, all the slime couldn't fit in the napkin and BAM hit the floor IN THE RESTURANT:drool:!!! Once that came out everything I'd eaten wanted to come out...two PB's in the bathroom of the resturant and 5 between cars on the way home. Yeah, Gross ! My husband said I needed to go back to the doctor ( i had just gotten a fill 4 days earlier bringing my fill to 2.6'cc in a band that holds 4cc's). I have since been o.k. with solids and soft foods but I have to eat alot less than before that last fill. As nasty as this experience was I can laugh at it now. Has anyone had a similar experience?

You look absolutely Great!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Redgirl, You and I were banded around the same time....and I understand. I am not going to hit you in the head with how many calories I eat or how much exercise I do because frankly everyone is different. I do agree 100% with Gloucester when she said higher BMI's tend to lose faster than lower BMI's. Also it doesn't sound like you have good restriction (like me). 5 days ago I got a fill and I think this is the restriction I needed (we'll see). I also had a recent epiphany.....maybe it is time to switch up my exercise (the kind I do). Or maybe I should change what I eat. We have to figure out what works for us and what allowed us to lose the last 10-15 pounds after the post-op diet was over and go back to that. Truthfully....I'm thinking maybe that's the key and when we stall again (because we will), we should switch again! Good Luck to all of us!

kebabish, The amount varies in each person.....but I think I've reached it. I also have a band that holds 4cc's and I am at 2.6cc (just got this amount 5 days ago), the difference from before is very noticeable. I can eat alot less and stay full ALOT longer! There are others that have the 4cc band and are at 3cc's and that's their sweet spot. My doc told me no one ever gets 4cc because they would be so tight that spit would get stuck ( My doc is straight forward). Thursday's Meal: Had a bowl of oatmeal @ 9:30a (took 45 min to eat all of it) Tried to eat lunch at 1p (didn't really want to, but I was use to doing it) so I ate 6 calamari rings and wanted to DIE from being to full. Actually had a stomach ache at 5pm. Did not eat dinner, noticed I was still full from earlier meals at 10:30p. I think this is it. Good Luck!

A slight unfill is suggested. You need your protein.

Thank you AthinnerDenise.

Nadian, My doctor told me specifically what I had and how much it can hold. I'd like to believe he wouldn't lie about something as important as that to his patient. Perhaps you are mistaken or maybe your doctor doesn't use the type of band that I have. Are you in the medical profession? More specifically, do you have medical experience with ordering and placing bands in patients or issuing fills? Thanks

I just had my fifth fill two days ago......that's right my FIFTH. It seems like this MAY have done the trick. You gotta hang in there. Like losingjustme suggested try to eat lots of Protein. Good Luck because it isn't easy!

My absolute favorite is the Crystal Light Fruit Punch. Rasberry Ice-Tea Crystal Light is second place. I make pitchers of it and my kids love it too. They don't even realize that it doesn't have sugar in it. My oldest is chubby so I'm trying different things to keep her weight down.

Thank you... I do exercise but I don't count calories. To be honest I don't really know what the calories are with the meals that I eat ( so maybe I should say I don't know how to count calories). I just got a fill yesterday which bought me to 2.6. so I have to wait until atleast three weeks. Thanks Again