novbeginning

I've lost my way and have no support. I've had the band nearly 3 years... did great year 1 & 2 - losing 70 lbs. This past year has been a weight gain of 20. My doctors have all left the practice and I want to find a new doctor in NJ. I have restriction but not sure it's right because I either am too hungry or throw everything up. Does anyone have advice on how I get back on the right road? I still have 100 lbs to lose and feel horrible. I don't understand why I throw up when I eat solid foods but can eat better when i stand up. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

I hope someone can help me. I'm not sure what's going on. The past few weeks i've had trouble with the band, either hungry or can't eat a thing. I went to the band dr. and she did an upper GI with a fill to see what's happening. She said the band looked good and was actually loose. so put some in.. i'm at about 2.5 on a 4 cc band. Anyway, stayed on liquids as instructed for two days then tried food but my body wasn't having any of that. I'm still on liquids and it's day 5. I thought my bad was too tight then i started feeling the sour stomach taste in my mouth and realized that's stomach acid. Now I think I have reflux and when she played with my band it triggered it worse. Has anyone had problems like this? I'm seeing a gastroenterologist on Monday so hopefully he can help. When I drink antacid it helps with some food but i'm still 90% liquids and sometimes throw up Water. Any advice would be helpful. Thank you.

I have the same problem and find myself cheating the band now out of frustration. I don't know what to do either. some days i'm so hungry I could eat anything... the next day I throw up a cracker... as a result I have been bad and am losing my strength to fight the food demon. I'm trying to pull my self together again and find support. I'm frustrated. I can't believe a fill is my answer, as I said some days I can barely get down liquid. Any suggestions would be helpful, I need help... big time. Thanks.

The first 8 months I had the band were wonderful, now here I am 1 year 2 months later and so frustrated. I just got another fill but have developed bad eating habits these past few months. I've fallen off the wagon... please help me get back on. I'm having problems eating in the morning, I am very tight but in the afternoon I can't stop eating. Does anyone have a good menu plan for Breakfast, lunch, dinner & Snacks they can share with me. I want to eat enough food but not get side tracked to eat the easy foods that I have been doing. Should I continue to drink the Protein drinks? Any help would be appreciated, I feel very lost and am sick of looking at my 90 lbs of you know what that needs to go.

Thank you so much for posting this issue. I too have had 4 fills, 2 of which were in the hospital under that scope where supposedly you get the most accurate fill. Ha.... right, my last fill was so bad that I actually eat more now then ever before with the band and they say i'm at 2 cc in a 4 cc band. I did go to the doctor to wine and they set me up for another in hospital fill December 17th. My frustration is that I have to wait 6 weeks after I already waited 4 weeks to see the doctor and have gained 10 lbs since July. So yes I am very frustrated. It's nice to know i'm not alone, some days I feel like such a failure.

that sounds great, do I have to be a patient of your doctor to go to Monmouth Medical? Please do send me the number so I can register to go to the meeting. Thanks again.

It's so funny, I too was feeling very alone and having a ton of personal problems myself when I saw your post. It's been several months since I posted to this site. I don't have a magic answer for you because I can't find it for me either but I do know that I will keep coming back to this site and browsing for the support I need. I have very little support with my band, I come from a family of obese people that when we're together it's a food frenzy... therefore, i'm on my own. when ever i go to a families house i bring the fruit and veggie tray. I am also having problems with my husband that believe it or not completey supported my band and now that i'm losing weight and feeling better, we are drifting apart and he has started drinking again.... so i'm trying to not relapse my self with food (which is still really easy) and just hold my self up and keep walking. I guess I was looking for a band buddy too. So thanks for your post and keep moving forward.

Does anyone know of a support group in Monmouth or Middlesex County?

I was banded 8 months ago and over the last few weeks food just doesn't work any more. I haven't had a fill in three months and wouldn't want one because I feel very tight. I can't eat anything solid the first part of the day. If I attempt solids I will throw it up. Somedays I don't have that problem. I have found when i'm stressed, the food doesn't work regardless of it's texture. However, I am hungry. I have been eating a special K bar for breakfast which works (it's soft) lunch i'm so hungry but throw up if i eat so I usually end up with a soup and crackers. Any suggestions out there, i feeling band frustrated. I'm terrified to have them take out from the band but i'm thinking my food choices are wrong. Please help, I still have 80lbs to lose to look human.

Is your port site hot to the touch. When I had an infection the skin around it was very hot. Either way, you definitely need to call your dr. Good Luck.

I had a fill roughly 4 weeks ago, i'm at 2 cc's now. I've been having a tough time with foods, particularly in the mornings. I have to do mushies until the late afternoon then can usually do more solid food. I don't really complain because it's nice only needing a little bit of food to fill me up. But I have been (we'll call it spitting up) food if i get that full feeling and my body rejects the food sitting on top of the band. I have never thrown up a full meal. so what do you think? I've been playing around with different foods to see what works, My body has accepted the band but believe it or not my mind still forgets so i don't always make the best choices. Any advice?

Where is the Health Awareness Center? Is it part of the hospital?

You will do fine, I was so scared I nearly jumped off the table the morning of the procedure. After my surgery I said I had only one regret, waiting so long to get the surgery... I wish I had done this years ago, I would have had a better quality of life sooner. Good Luck to you.

Does anyone know of support groups in New Jersey? My doctors are in Staten island but it's too much of a hike after work to go to a support group meeting there.... I'd love to find one closer to home. Talking on this site is great but I don't always get a reply and still have quite a few questions and issues i'd like to throw around with a group.

I have Horizon blue cross and they covered the band and the fills as well.

I have a similar situation with my sister. Everytime she see's me she jokes saying she better start losing weight because there is no way she will let me be smaller than her. I'm not in a competition with her and it hurts me to think she is starting to resent me. I still have quite a bit to go to get down to her size... for starters i'm much taller and bigger boned... she is 3 inches shorter and small boned.... I wish she would just stop the remarks. so I understand what your going through. I don't talk about my weight loss progress with my sister unless she asks me a question. I don't want her to blame me for rubbing anything in her face... she will do that next.

I went to my doctor this past week and they want me to go to a Radiologist to have my next fill because i'm at 1 cc and have had 2 fills so far. The doctor feels if Radiology does it at the same time I have a scan, I can get the right fill amount and not need another fill for a while. My dilema is the hospital in Staten island they recommended is very booked. Does anyone know a hospital in New Jersey that has Radiologists do the fills?

HELP.... I need some lunch box ideas..... I take my lunch to work each day and if I eat Soup one more day i'm going to go off the deep end. Please share some new ideas. I need a filling lunch so I don't get the drive home danger munchies but i'm fresh out of ideas.

I just had my second fill and I almost feel as if the doctor took some out. I'm more hungry then I was before. I'm calling Friday to schedule another fill, I can't imagine waiting the full 6 weeks. Does anyone have good suggestions for lunch meals at work. I'm sick of tuna & salad but I like to bring my lunch everyday, i need some new ideas?

I'm there too, I had my second fill last friday and the doctor didn't really want to do it. Now i'm thinking she took some out because i'm really hungry, much hungrier than i was last week. I'm going to wait until Friday and call them again. Do you think the hunger is in my head, I don't feel that restriction way up high when i eat anymore.

I'm looking for a support goup in NJ, Monmouth or Middlesex County? Does anyone know of one? My doctor is in Staten Island and they have a support group but I was hoping for one closer.

Dont be so hard on yourself, we are only human, we make mistakes & bad choices everyday. The fact that you can see it is your first step in changing. Just take one day at a time, it's too much to think ahead. When I get the urge for food I eat a Wheat thin or cucumber, filling foods work best. Go for the fill this week and you'll feel better. Good Luck.

I can't wait for my 2nd fill. I'm wondering if they will do it sooner than 3 more weeks. They wanted me to wait 6 weeks between them and then do bloodwork which would be my 3 months out at the next visit. Did anyone else have to wait so long in between fills?

I had my first fill 3 weeks ago and only felt restriction for a week. I am hungry all the time, I thought it was just me. My doctor scheduled me to go back on Feb 15th for another fill (if i need one) and that will be my 3 month out for blood work. Well I think I need more than one more fill. I am feeling very frustrated with the hunger. I'm glad i'm not alone, it makes it easier to know I have people out there that understand this stuff. Thanks for being there.

Go for your first fill, that will help. I had my surgery on the same day as you and after the first week had no restriction. It was very difficult to make it to the 6 week mark for my first fill but I did it. I ate alot of Jello & pudding which I found filling. Crackers also helped so I minimized the calories but wasn't ultra hungry. Good Luck.