midwestchickie

Hey! I've been pretty much a perfect lap band patient. Got mine in Sept 2008. I've lost 100 pounds. I'm in awesome shape, exercise everyday, life is grand. I found my sweet spot about two years in...and stayed with that the last 1.5 years or so....then in Feb., I started having all sorts of issues. In the end, found out it was my gallbladder. I had done quite a bit of throwing up from the gallbladder before a doctor finally said, "unfill the band, have your gallbladder out, and we will refill". He said that would give my band and stomach a break, settle down, etc. Plus, my surgeon for the gall bladder also does weight loss surgeries. (my original doctor is 1200 miles away, we moved.) Anyway...got my gall bladder out, got my fill back in and I feel great. My complaint? I can eat more now than before my surgery! Same amount of fill (7 cc). Anyone experience this? Seems so weird to me. I'm scared to go get more fill because I settled on 7 ccs after going up to 8 ccs, and that was too much. How can the same fill feel so different? I don't really need to lose anymore...I'm now 5'8, 150ish pounds...but there is a part of me that wouldn't mind getting down to 135-140, or not feel like I will gain due to not feeling as much restriction. I also feel like since I had the gall bladder removed about 3 weeks ago, I should just let my body rest before messing with my fills again....Any advice?

Hey all, I was banded Sept. 24. I've done okay, but the last couple months, I haven't lost any. I don't "blame" the band. I know I've been snacking/grazing on things I shouldn't. I've had 5 or 6 fills I think. I'm at 6.5 in a realize band right now. (or close to it.) I don't feel like I have any restriction...and that is causing me to lose hope and turn to snacking, eating junky food. At my last fill, I told her that I kept waiting to feel a FULL feeling, and I don't ever seem to get that. I can eat more than they recommend. I don't eat near what I used to, but in all honesty, I can eat a McDonalds double cheeseburger and probably a small fry. (I don't eat fast food normally, but I figure that is an example we can all picture!) I get no strange feelings, no feeling of a full pouch..nothing. I'm fine if I'm just not at my sweet spot, but I'm stressing that something wasn't done right, or I've ruined something along the way...which is giving me that excuse to behave poorly. Occasionally, usually in the morning, I'll have a tight feeling with my first bites of food, but that is it. Now that I'm getting close to 5 months out, I'm finding myself getting depressed when people ask me how the weight loss is going, etc. I feel like a complete loser. I know what I need to do, and I'm just not doing it. On the plus side, I do go to the gym...but I'm using the "not restricted" excuse to eat poorly. Any advice...does restriction mean that I WILL physically feel like there is no way I could eat more than what is recommended, b/c right now...I just feel like I need to relay on will power. Sorry to ramble..thanks for listening.

Thanks Losing it, Yes, I'm *trying* to stick to what he says and what the nurse directs me on...just curious as to if I've done damage to myself...but I think when I do eat more than 4 oz., it is usually slider foods. (Not that that makes it any better!) It's curious how different each doctor can be. And each patient too! I've had 4-5 fills, I think and I still feel like I could eat just keep on eating, even though I stop myself. One of the lucky ones I guess! Ha!

My post op diet is suppose to be 4 oz of food per meal, 3 times a day, no snacks. Two oz of protein, two oz of fruit/veg/carbs. I'm just curious how this compares to what others eat or what their doctors recommend. I'm having trouble sticking to it. I worry that I've stretched out my band. I need to gain some control! Thanks,

Hey all, I had my 4th fill..I'm up to 6 ccs. No restriction, I think...??? I don't seem to get that full feeling after eating a small portion. I can't say that I'm overly hungry, but I have never felt like, "wow..there is no way I could eat another bite b/c it will come back up if I do." This expectation may be wrong?...I'm not sure...but that is what I was thinking would happen. So after my last fill 5 days ago, I've been going along eating my smaller meals. BUT, I've started to notice something. I have been drinking with my meals. I know I'm not suppose to, but I felt like it wasn't making a difference either way. (Bad... I know) BUT, I've been noticing that if I do drink with my meal, it feels a little uncomfortable, is this a sign that I'm actually starting to feel restriction???? I've been losing focus b/c I feel like I'd never feel restriction!!! Thanks for any input!!!

haha! And I was prepared for a fantastic answer from ya! :laugh:

Hey all... I've had 2 fills, but have ZERO restriction. I can drink, eat, do everything normal. Frustrating, but I'm okay with it till I get a couple more fills. This weekend, I was throwing away my kids mcdonald fries and took 2 cold fries and ate them. First time I've had something "stuck" I got a lot of saliva and felt the urge to cough it up and it eventually passed through. Here is what I don't understand. I have no restriction, so food passes straight through for me, atleast right now. For some reason, those fries didn't pass through. BUT, once you do have restriction, the food ISN'T suppose to pass through, right?? So what is the difference between a "stuck" food and food that is just sitting in your little pouch waiting to digest?? maybe I'm overthinking things, but essentially, isn't everything suppose to get "stuck" in the little pouch and digest slowly???

Thanks dal, that was a very sweet reply...brought a little tear to my eyes!! I'm thinking a good nights sleep and a fresh day tommorow....!!! Thank you, thank you all...

Thank you Jack for that insightful answer. I've always appreciated your posts since I've been around. Some good points to ponder as I start a new day tommorow. Yes, I will rise above this, and yes...I will eat tommorow until I'm nurished...not stuffed and feeling horrible. :biggrin:

Sooo, I had my first fill, and I have no restriction. None. Nada. I expected this could happen. I keep on trucking along, as of Saturday, I've lost 30 pounds. I am able to eat up to 4 oz 3x a day. I got on the scale yesterday and I was up .8 pounds. I *know* in my head to just let it go, but I got in a funk. I ate candy yesterday. I ate 3 musketeers, thinking, "ohh well...it will just slide on through...who gives a fluck? I ate chips...and the bad behavior has continued today. My "justification" is b/c I have no restriction and I'm very hungry. I hate myself right now. What the hell is that??? I paid cash for this surgery and I eat chips?? FYI...I don't really have any deep seated problems tht cause me to do this...it's just bad habits...me wanting that ONE LAST piece of crap to eat. It's sooo silly. I know I can do it. I was perfect for my preop diet and up until a few days before my fill. *sigh* ps...I think I'm also feeling a sense of "this isn't going to work" I know in my brain that it may take 2,3, 4 fills before I feel restriction, but since I feel nothing, it's hard for me to understand that there will come a point when I eat a tiny meal and feel full....right????? It's almost like my mind is saying, "well, you fat azzz, nothing worked so far, why would you think this would work?" As my dh would say, "that is stinkin' thinkin"!

Hi, I just got my first fill on thursday, 3 cc in a realize band (10cc??) I feel absolutely the same as before the fill...no restriction at all. I can eat 4 oz of food 3x a day and I'm still pretty hungry from lunch till dinner. I get another fill two weeks from my first fill, so I'm just going to keep at it till I feel something. I also can eat anything and drink fast with no ill effects...not that I do that, but I know I could. Yesterday I had beef stew for dinner, my first bites of red meat since before surgery and it went down just fine.

We should have a group hug! I was banded sept. 24 and followed every single rule to a "T"....before and after....until last week. I'm just SOOO hungry. I am suppose to only have 2.5 oz of food 3x a day, plus 8 oz of Protein liquid. I too, have done very good, losing 26 pounds as of last Wednesday. (Still the same today.) I found myself eating more than I should and feeling zero restriction, much less a full feeling. 2.5 oz wasn't doing it for me. I called the nurse and they moved up my fill to Thursday, instead of 2 weeks from thursday. I'm soo happy. I know I'm eating more like 4 oz at my meals, but I just couldn't take it..I was reaching for the wrong foods... At this point, I'll be happy to just maintain until I get a fill or two. I'm hoping to feel some restriction with my first fill...we will see! My fear was that I was (am) stretching my pouch out or doing damage...but I'm not really eating that much compared to a normal person. Hang in there everyone!

My nurse coordinator emailed me back and told me to stay strong and that based on what I said, it sounds like I need a fill and will get one next week!! (4 weeks post op vs. 6 weeks.) Makes me feel much, much better! Her advice was that if I was really struggling, to just make very wise choices and continue to do what I'm doing. (don't pig out on chips, etc.) I hope and pray that the fill will come next week. I want it so bad, I emailed her back to verify that is exactly what she meant!! I plan on starting back at the gym tommorow or by the end of the week. Yay!

I lost quite a bit beforehand too, plus I gained/lost 5 from surgery...soo let's see, started 249 (preop diet) 232 (surgery day) 237 (day after surgery) 222.8 (today) (damn, I need to hide the scale!!!)