ebar822

Any locals from NYC or Westchester? I am recently banded (12/20) and born and raised in the Bronx.

I posted last week about this mucus-y feeling I was having every time I swallowed. Someone mentioned that it might be too tight, and even though I could eat fine (shrimp, steak, chewed well of course but still...), I decided to go in and get it checked out. I took it upon myself to get an esophagram because I am now completely paranoid that my band will slip again, and even though I ahve had absolutely no symptoms of that, I was still worried. I had it all checked out and all is normal. The band is in perfect position and according to the barium swallow, it's wide open as well. He said I could use another 2cc fill if I wanted to have it. I opted against it because I ahve 3 vacations coming up over the next 6 weeks and I don't want to be too tight or get sick while I'm away from home so I'll go in for another fill on 9/2. But is this all in my head? I still feel thickness when I swallow. I'm trying not to think about it but it's hard to put out of my mind! It makes me feel like something's wrong, even though the scans prove otherwise. What do I do?!

Thank you for the replies, guys :thumbup: The ear wax definitely doesn't sound crazy...but I just recently had a physical and I had an ear infection so I know my doctor checked my ears and there was no buildup there. The water thing sounds like it might be it, though. I need to work a lot harder at getting all of my water in. I am not on anything for reflux, but I don't have any acid problems so I don't think that's it. I have been making an effort to drink more water and I need to do better than what I'm doing now. Sometimes I think seeing a therapist wouldn't be the worst idea for me...I mean, I definitely feel something when I swallow and I don't know if mucus is the right word. It's not slimy, but it's thickness there and it's everytime I swallow--i'm not even talking about when I eat. I don't know...I hope that the water helps! Thanks again for the replies!

I have not PB'd or vomited once since having my revision surgery on 2/27, but I feel this thickness when I swallow, like it almost feels like there is a mucus buildup. The thing is though that I don't have a cold/cough or anything, so I can't attribute it to that. All of my food/liquid goes down fine, but it just feels tight when I'm NOT eating--is this weird? Is it all in my head? lol. Can anyone relate?!

Just a bit of background: I was initially banded 12/07 and then needed a band adjustment surgery in 2/09. I am now 5 months out from that surgery, and I've been going every 4-5 weeks for adjustments. Obviously they are taking it slow because I had a slipped band and we do not want to see a repeat of that. At this point, I believe I'm at 5.5 or 6 (somewhere around there) out of 14cc. I don't think I should be able to eat the amount of food I am able to eat and in the time I'm able to eat it. i haven't had any issues at all with digestion, I mean not one PB or vomit episode (knock on wood, I'm trying to keep it this way!!!!) but I can eat an entire turkey burger, the whole bun, and some baked fries on the side. And i could eat all of that in under 10 minutes. I'm trying to stay healthy and I'm eating the right things (for the most part), but when I see how fast and how much I can eat, I start to worry if there's something wrong. and I know I am paranoid and I think that my band might have slipped again (because the last time I was able to eat a lot and then suddenly nothing at all). I guess I am just wondering how others with the same amount of fill did at that stage. were you able to eat so much and so quickly?

if you're having trouble digesting food and you need to take tums, this may be a slipped band. have your surgeon check it out just to be on the safe side.

I have been hovering right about 260/261 for weeks. And what's worse is once that starts happening, I become dejected and my old eating habits come back. I became so frustrated that I started eating crappy food again and I am sure it was a combination of waterweight/my period, but I went all the way back to 267. When I stepped on the scale and saw that, I knew I had to stop. I had worked toooooo hard, you know? So I detoxed...lol. I ahd only fruits and vegetables for two full days and now I am back to eating normally...and i am proud to say when I weighed myself this morning, I was 257. It's so weird, eating so badly for 3-4 days and then 3 days later I am past my plateau! I feel motivated again and like this thing works. Now let's hope I make the right choices at the BBQ for Father's Day today... I want to keep OUT of the 260s and head into the 240s!!!

I don't want to scare you but your symptoms sound very similar to the ones I had and it turned out to be a slip. I wasn't losing weight because I could eat more, yet at night I'd have night coughs and I'd never digest anything...it didn't make sense so I went in and sure enough I had to get a revision surgery. Good luck.

You really must immediately see your doctor, get an esophogram, and get an unfill. Reflux and night coughs are very symptomatic of a slip, so if it hasn't slipped yet, it's time to remedy the situation before it's too late and you're back in surgery...that's what happened to me. Good luck!

I can't take credit for this one... but I did make a few substitutions... Giada's Dirty Risotto Dirty Risotto Recipe : Giada De Laurentiis : Food Network I used half chicken stock and half water to cut back on sodium. I used olive oil instead of butter. I omitted the pancetta completely (too fatty) and instead of the regular sausage, I opted for spicy turkey italian sausage. I also used a lot more sausage than she calls for...I used the entire package to up the protein...it obviously also makes the dish a lot bigger so you will get more servings that are more protein-rich (rather than rice-rich). I also omitted the salt and cheese because as you will see, the dish is salty enough as it is. But if you use her suggested amount of sausage, you will probably need the salt and cheese. Play around with it...but it's delicious and very band friendly!

It's actually very creamy..something about the type of rice that it is, the starch gets released and it becomes very creamy. I just had leftovers for dinner and it is amazing. You guys must try this recipe!

I have to agree with Melody..I told my coworkers and they have been an amazing support system. I also never wanted to think they were talking about me behind my back, amongst themselves saying that I had to have had surgery to lose all this weight...I wanted to be upfront and honest. I also thought with them seeing me eat (including pre and post op diets) they would have figured it out eventually so it was better to just be up front... but in any case this is your decision to make. Just ask your mother to be mindful of your wishes...but also remember she has a right to tell people about herself if she wishes to...it may be what she needs to keep on track and keep positive about the whole thing...

I've been making a shake with fat free/sugar free frozen vanilla yogurt, 1% skim milk, 1/2 banana sliced, 1 tbsp peanut butter...and you can throw in a scoop of protein powder. delish...

The only thing I would say is be careful of overeating on the cruise. Cruises are notorious for their food but you really don't want to throw up anytime...let alone that soon after surgery so really just be careful of overeating. Other than that, have a BLAST!! I'm jealous!

Thank you guys so much! Sometimes it really is overwhelming and I just felt like I'd never get there...but now it's almost like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel...and I'm just trying to take baby steps and set small goals... My next goal is 200 pounds also...it's 65 pounds away but I can get there. I would also like to buy a bike and start using that to get around the neighborhood rather than driving.. Does anyone know anything about bikes?! I haven't ridden one since I was a teenager...and even then it was a problem!! lol. Well until then I will keep kicking my own ass on the elliptical! Thanks again for all of the support, guys! It really does help :sad: amceache: I felt the same way..I really did. And it was hard for me to exercise at first, but you have to push yourself and do it. Even if it's a light walk, just get your body used to moving. You WILL be able to build up...now I can do 30 minutes on the elliptical, which is still not much compared to others but when I was at my highest weight, just walking one block winded me...so just push yourself to your limit...and keep re-evaluating and see if you can do more. This will work for you...it's an amazing tool and it will change your life:) Congrats on being banded!!!

You can look at my stats and see that I still have a long way to go...I started my journey at 386 pounds and am currently 265. I know that some people START this journey at a weight lower than what I currently am, but I have lost over 120 pounds and I feel so great. I feel like I am living again! I have energy and a will to go out and do things that I never thought I'd do again. I am a teacher and this past week I had my spring break. I made a vow to do something every day to be active. If I wasn't at the gym, I was out LIVING! I walked around NYC (and I've lived here my whole life, but never really just walked around...) and yesterday I went to the Bronx Zoo and walked for 4 hours straight. I would never have been able to do that a year ago. I wasn't even tired! Everytime I thought about what I was doing I just became so surprised that I was actually doing it because a year ago I would have spent my vacation sitting on my couch and vegetating. This time I actually set out to move and see things and enrich myself and I was able to do it because I wasn't being dragged down by my weight! I know I have come so far, but I know I still have such a long way to go. But I am so inspired to get there because I can't imagine how great it will feel when I'm below 200 pounds... and it seems like such an attainable goal now! I mean, now that I CAN move, I WILL move, which will make it easier for me to lose weight. I didn't realize what a horribly vicious circle I had chained myself into, but now that I'm outside of it I just couldn't be happier and I never want to go back. I really am proud of myself and my accomplishments and I can't wait to see what lies ahead... If you're still reading...haha thanks for putting up with my rant! Elisa

Congratulations!!!!! That's so fantastic

Hey guys, I've been experimenting for the past few weeks and came up with a really great recipe for bean soup with turkey sausage. It's really healthy, full of protein and fiber...and delicious! Try it out and let me know what you think 1 package of 16/mixed beans - found with dry bean packages 5 bay leaves 1 tbsp. crushed oregano 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional, if you want it spicy! and you may wish to add more...I used 1 tsp. but I love spicy food!) 1/2 carton of chicken stock additional water to cover 3 stalks celery chopped 3 carrots diced 1 large onion chopped 5-6 cloves garlic coarsely chopped 2 tbsp. olive oil *1 pound turkey Italian sausage (hot or sweet, depending on how you want it...I used hot!!!) *1 large can of crushed tomatoes *salt to taste 1. Let the beans soak all day at room temperature. Discard the water when you get home. Rinse the beans. Set aside... 2. Heat olive oil. Sautee onion and garlic until soft. 3. In a separate pan...Remove skin from sausage and brown/sautee the inside meat until fully cooked. When done, drain and add into onion and garlic and mix. 4. Add bay leaves, oregano, crushed red pepper (if you wish) beans, chicken stock, and enough additional water so that the bean mixture is covered by about 2 inches. Add in most of the can of tomatoes (not the whole thing), cover, and heat until boiling. 5. Add in celery and carrots. Cover and cook with low heat for approximate 90 minutes or until everything is cooked through. Stir often! You may wish to serve with grated cheese on top.

Thanks for the suggestions!! I'd definitely add some greens in next time...I love escarole in my lentil soup so I may try that in here as well! I haven't tried it in a slow cooker but I am sure you can. I'd probably do what heartfire said and brown the meat first and also soak the beans overnight...it really does help with the gas issue I'm glad you guys like it...I have a good lentil soup recipe I could share also if you guys are interested

Hey everyone, I was initially banded in 12/07 and at the time I weighed 386 pounds. It's now 14 months later and I was down over 100 pounds when I discovered that I couldn't keep anything down. I went in for an esophogram and there it was--a slipped band. They wanted me in for surgery very quickly to remedy it. In the meantime they took all of the Fluid out of it so I could eat and drink. I had my revision surgery on Friday, 2/27...it was much like the first surgery. He basically had to fix the position of the band...so he went in through the same incisions (the big incision that he initially used to put the band in wasn't completely reopened, just a small incision there this time). The recovery hasn't been half as bad as the first time...but it's still rough at times. I guess I just want to offer some advice to you guys. This is an amazing tool, a tool that has helped me to lose 100 pounds so far...and I am still very overweight and still need to lose at least another 100 pounds. I am confident this band will help me do it, but we all need to be aware of the fact that it is a tool, a foreign body in our systems...and according to my surgeon, Dr. Fielding (one of the top three specialists in the country), this happens in 1 in 50 cases. When you think about it, that's really a lot. I asked him if it was anything I did, and he said that because I lost so much weight the layer of fat around my stomach got thinner and caused the band to loosen. That coupled with eating and digesting, the normal motion your stomach makes when it digests, caused the slipped band. Thinking back, I didn't pay attention to the signs. I thought it was "normal." A few months ago I was able to eat more. I was focused though, and I ate healthy, so I didn't think anything of it. Now I realize my band became loose and therefore opened up more... And then about 2 months after that it became tighter...and it took me longer to digest. And I thought, oh, just normal for the band...I'm losing weight it must be fine. Please don't do that. Get everything checked out. You don't want to end up having surgery again... and I met some girls who had the same procedure as me done on Friday, some of whom because they didn't follow the rules... I won't lie, I sometimes sipped carbonated soda. And drinking while eating, it was a tough habit to break. I definitely didn't do it often, but who knows if these things could have contributed to what happened to me? All I know is I feel like I've been given another opportunity to start over and I am going to take full advantage of it. And I am going to make sure that I listen to my body. When something changes on its own i am going to have it checked out because it's NOT normal. Don't talk yourself out of things the way I did....all it's going to do is make you end up back in the OR. I'm not trying to scare anyone...I want you to be excited. I am half the person I was...and I can't wait to divide myself again! And I NEVER would have done it without this band. I can sit in an airplane seat now, or in a theater seat, and I feel more normal. I feel myself emerging from inside...I was so shy and withdrawn when I was close to 400 pounds. I know many of you feel the same! But never take it for granted. Always listen to your body and do what's best by it...even if it's difficult sometimes. Best of luck to all of you...I wish you all the best new journey your life will ever lead you in.

It sounds like you are WAY too tight, and if you haven't slipped already it sounds like you will if you keep this up. The first thing you need to do is call your doctor and schedule an appointment and you need to get an esophogram as well so they can make sure you haven't slipped. The weight loss is nice, but you have to remember that this is a tool. You need to make the right choices in addition to eating smaller portions. And if you have a setback, then have the setback and then move on. But please don't jeopardize your health because this is an internal organ we're talking about here and if you are PBing constantly and not digesting at night, you might be doing some damage so please for your own sake go to the doctor and have it checked out. And remove some liquid! Good luck to you... Elisa

Thank you..:thumbup: For me, I was able to eat more than I was previously able to. I thought my pouch had just stretched but apparantly that wasn't it. Also, I guess when the slip got worse, it would take a long time for me to digest my food. It would remain in the upper pouch for a very long time. I had acid indigestion and I would literally cough up my food at night. I don't know if I convinced myself that I was eating too late or what but for some reason it just didn't occur to me that I had slipped! Good luck to you on your journey.

Thanks, guys! I think this has all just made me a little paranoid. Every feeling or sound is making me so nervous!

Please be careful and chew until the food is a liquid consistency. Don't make yourself vomit - especially this early in the process...it can cause a band slip. Your stomach is still adhering to the band and vomiting now can cause the band to move into the wrong position. I had a slipped band and I wouldn't want that to happen to anyone else if they could avoid it.

I am not trying to scare you, but this is EXACTLY what happened with me...and I did have a band slip. I highly recommend going in for an upper gi immediately to find out for sure. the last thing you want to do is go around with a slipped band... Good luck, I hope it's not what happened to me...