Sue Can Do

I had my lap band surgery 2/20/15. I did well at first but never felt I was in the green zone completely. I think after about the first 6 weeeks I just knew what I was supposed to eat and made myself stick to it. I've never really had the feeling I couldn't eat any more and I rarely do I go more than 3 hours without getting hungry. I've lost about 45 lbs but have been stuck for over 2 months now. I am maintaining my weight. I have had at least 11 fills. My nurse doesn't want to fill it too fast. Last time she put in 1/2 cc which is a lot for her. I really am feeling more but still don't have that feeling I expected to feel. Kinda of like when I first got the band. I miss that. I could eat a very small amount, feel satisfied and then forget about eating for hours. Isn't that what this is supposed to be about? I didn't expect to have to do this on my own. I wouldn't have had it done if I knew I was going to have to do it on my own, it didn't work before and I know it won't work now. Am I expecting too much from the band? I go back for another fill next week, I guess I will try again, maybe this one will be the one. I've been thinking that for a long time now. that will make 12 fills. Does everyone have to have so many fills?

Well, just to let you all know. Band hell does end. It has taken me a long time but I did not give up. My surgery was 2/20/2015. January 28, 2016 I went in for a fill, I think it was my 20th (not kidding), finally, I am in the green zone since then. I am losing very slowly but after almost 6 months of plateau, that's OK. As long as I am loosing. Since Christmas I have lost 10 lbs. So the moral of the story, don't give up, You will get there! I had no idea it would take 20 fills to get where I needed to be. So excited to be on this journey!

I had another fill today. 0.1cc. Hoping this will be the one. I have been eating soft food today and am trying to get back to how I ate at first so this is a reset day (week)! I am determined to make this work. My daughter is having lap band placed in November, so I want to be a good example for her. I am so hoping that after the first year, I'll be saying it is really working! Glad to be 45 lbs lighter though long way to go, not as much as it was!

Thank you all for your encouragement! I have never had to have an unfill and have never vomited or spit up so i guess the nurse does know what she is doing. I have noticed lately that I really have to chew and take smaller bites of tender meat and this is since the last fill about 3 weeks ago, so I really feel I am close. I hope when I go back next Monday she will give me another fill. Surely, that will be the one.

You are very patient, Hope41. I have never been patient and this is killing me. I am beginning to think the green zone is just a myth. I can still eat most anything as long as I chew and I'm feeling hungry and thinking about food a lot. There have been a few times I would eat a small amount and be satisfied and didn't get hungry for hours but that was just a few days here and there. If I had been able to control my hunger, I wouldn't have needed this band. I was told I wouldn't be hungry.

Back May 31st when I also responded to the first post I thought I was one fill away from the green zone. Well, it hasn't quite happened yet. I had the nurse count this week and I have had 10 fills. I really do feel like I am close, so she just put a very small amount in this week. She didn't say how much. I am doing better and not as hungry and am eating smaller amounts. I still feel I am almost there! Losing slowly and some weeks none at all. Maybe next time.....

I'm having problems with leg cramps too. Lap band on 2/20/15. It just started in the last few weeks. I have been taking calcium and multivitamins. I wasn't sure what else to try. I will get some magnesium, maybe try potassium too.

I think I may be close to the elusive green zone. The nurse put in a little more last time (2 weeks ago) and it really seemed to work until this weekend. When I went in today, I had lost 6 lbs in 2 weeks. I do seem to stay satisfied longer with a smaller amount of food. I wanted a little more but she wanted me to wait another week and see if I could stop snacking. I'm willing to try. Actually today was a good day. The weight loss really gave me hope, I hadn't lost any for over a month. This is slow process but better than gaining for sure. I am down 2-3 pant sizes (depends on how they fit) and one top size. Have had to buy new bras and panties. :-)

I started this journey about the middle of 2014. My insurance required that I have a 6 month doctor supervised diet. I was able to go to the dietician and she reported to my PCP. I saw the actual surgeon for the first time in January. I had a attended an informational meeting back before I started the 6 month wait that the doctor spoke at. So I was familiar with him. The staff at the weight loss center was very good and informative. I had my lap band surgery Feb. 20, 2015. I went in on a Friday for the procedure and was home by noon that day. I had very little pain and did not use any pain medication. I did have the referred pain in my Left shoulder that lasted about a week. It was pretty intense at times and I used tylenol. Helped a little! My surgeon required a 10 day liquid diet prior to the surgery. This was mainly Protein shakes, juices, broth, SF Jello, and popscicles. That was tough. I just kept telling myself, "You can do anything for 10 days". I lost 11 lbs before I even had the surgery. The worst part is I got tired of everything being sweet. I did get some V8 and tomato juice and drank broth. That helped some. I also quit drinking diet soda and caffeine. I drink tea and SF lemonade mostly now. After, the surgery I was on a liquid diet for one day and then could have full liquids or mushy foods like Cereal soaked in milk mushy! Protein Shakes, yogurt, Soup, etc. It was then I really grieved for food. I wanted something real to eat sooo bad. I was eating around 600to 800calories per day and I was not losing much weight. Couldn't figure that out, except my body was in starvation mode and was afraid I was going to die! Finally, I progressed back to real food. about 2 weeks later. I had my first fill at about 2 and half weeks out. I have had a fill every 2 weeks since and had one this week and I finally think I am getting somewhere. I can eat about 6 oz of food now and not get hungry for 4-5 hours. I was getting worried as I was getting hungry too soon. Hoping for the best. I have lost 21 lbs since surgery, 10 weeks out now.

Love your post, it gives me hope that the next small fill will be the one. I think I am close but just not there yet. My doctor also does the slow, gradual approach. This surprised me at first and I got impatient but now I am just waiting for the right amount. I have never vomited. I have had a few times if I ate too fast or too big a bite when I felt that lump in my lower chest area but it went through. I think that is because I have never had too much fill.

I was also told not to drink carbonated drinks. I was a soda drinker prior but was on 6 month plan due to insurance requirements so that was one of the first things i started to eliminate. I still crave a diet cola with certain foods but don't want to stretch out the upper stomach or cause any problems. I have had a few sips of my husbands diet soda but very small sips and slowly. I have learned to like ice tea and crystal lite lemonade and those are my go to drinks. I also drink water with lemon slices a lot. I figure there is nothing in a diet soda that is really good for me anyway.

Mine took close to a week to go away. I suddenly realized the pain was gone! It would come and go and was pretty severe at times. I took tylenol but don't know if it really helped or not. It did seem to be associated with eating or drinking. Sorry, no words of wisdom.

Went to the doctor today. His nurse is who I see for fills. I am doing better and can go 4 hours, sometimes more, before I get hungry but food is still on my mind at times. I had problems over the weekend eating small Snacks. She thought the fill could use some tweaking. she said she was just going to add a little. I'm not sure how much she added but I noticed after I ate supper tonight, I actually feel full now and don't want to eat more. So it must have worked! I really haven't felt full since surgery. I know I'm supposed to learn to listen to my body and just feel comfortable but I guess I don't listen too well and this sure helps me know I don't want to eat more!

I had lap band. I had been off for 3.5 weeks in January due to a bad knee and couldn't walk. My surgery was scheduled for Feb 20 and I really had no further days of PTO. but I wasn't putting this off, had waited the 6 months and was ready! I had my surgery on Friday and returned to work on Monday. Saturday was a little rough and Sunday morning but by Sunday afternoon, I was feeling pretty good. No problems Monday at work, I mostly did desk work. I did have the referred Left shoulder pain off and on for about a week. I just had to deal with it. If I could have, I would have rather took off a few more days but it wasn't too bad.

Are you hungry all the time? or does the fill you have make eating small meals 3x per day satisfying? If you aren't hungry maybe the fill you have is all you need for now. I've heard of some people not needing any. their stomach seems to just sense the band and not need any further tightening to get rid of the constant hunger sensation. Hope you continue to do well. Sounds like you are doing great.

I must be close to the green zone. I am going longer without being hungry and eating less and feeling satisfied. Weight loss has been great since my last fill on 4/28/15. I've lost 6 lbs! I'm so excited! I hadn't lost more that a pound in the last month. Couldn't wait to update my weight and see the ticker.

Don't give up. It is really hard. I know. Ours was a 10 day liquid only diet. 4 protein shakes per day, juice, sugar free anything liquid except soda pop and caffeine, broth, etc. I hated it. I kept saying to myself, if I could stick to a diet, I wouldn't be doing this! But that self talk can get you in trouble. I started telling myself, "you can do anyting for 10 days" "don't want my doctor to know I couldn't even do this" "If I don't stick with it, there may be complications with the surgery, got to get that liver out of the way!" It worked, I mostly stuck with it. The doctor said everything was fine in there, except I did have a small hiatal hernia, which was repaired. Haven't had acid reflux since! I found the broth really helped. the sweet taste of everything got old fast. Tomto or V8 juice helped too. good luck, you've got this covered and can do it!

Of course, call your doctor or team with questions. I was told to drink as much as possible as they were concered about the possibility of dehydration at first. As long as fluid is going through well, I would think the more the better. Possibly, they just wanted to make sure patients were getting enough fluids and your instructions were just the minimum amount required to keep from getting dehydrated. Oh, and congrats, you are on your way to healthier life. This site has so much good information. You are in the right place.

I just updated my weight and wanted to see if it took.

Thank you all so much! This a great site and I am so glad I found it. I am going to tell everyone at my support group about it. I'm sure many know but if they don't, they need to check it out. So wounderful to find people that know just what I am going through to support me. My daughter and one of her friends are getting ready for lapband and I made sure to tell them to get hooked up. I watched some videos from Dr. O'Brien in Australia that have helped me so much to understand how this all works in inside me and it has really changed my thinking! I am so excited about this whole process again and ready to lose more weight and be healthy. Now, if I could just love to exercise, I'd have it made!

I have found some of the frozen meals very handy when I'm in a hurry. Most do have more salt if you have to watch that. Lean cuisine has some that don't have carbs in them. I had one this week that was just turkey and green beans. Smart ones has some higher protein ones too. Atkins has frozen meals that taste great but can only eat about half of that. Maybe too much fat to eat very often. I don't use them on a regular basis and I am still learning how to be successful with this whole process but sometimes I need a meal fast and this helps me. Glad you are doing well and losing weight. Keep up the good work!

Mine is just to the right of midline and about 2 inches below the ribcage. Has not interferred with anything and I can barely tell it is there.