ellendeette

I've been stuck more times that I would like. It's all been my fault. I'm working on it though.
Sometimes the papaya enzymes work, sometimes they don't. Sometimes the jumping (or doing the chicken dance) works, sometimes it doesn't. I've also tried the pineapple juice...just a warning though, it tastes worse coming back up!! Almost nothing worse than (tmi warning!!) pineapple juice vomit. Blech.
Most of my issues are either first bite syndrome or when I don't chew/take a small enough bite. And I've learned that if I'm stuck due to not chewing or taking a large bite, I can GUARANTEE that I will continue to be stuck the rest of the day if I try to eat food...I find that I MUST go to liquids the rest of the day. If i dont pay attention to this, everything i try the rest of the day will come back up. Dealt with this yesterday.
If I get stuck from the first or second bite, then once it goes down or comes back up, I'm ok to eat like I'm supposed to for the rest of the day. It's almost like my band gives me a warning to really slow down.
I'm one of the weird ones that never slime before it comes back up...once I get stuck, I can cough it out and get the slime only then. Usually it comes (the mucus) out my nose, again tmi, so I make sure to take napkins/baby wipes with me at all times. And for me I've only pb'd over the sink. Too scared because of the auto flush feature to try the toilet. Last week I got stuck at church and didn't want everyone to see me at the sink, so I made sure to take an empty cup into the restroom stall with me and pb'd into that and then flushed the gunk.
Being stuck is no fun. But for most of us, its part of the learning curve of being banded. What everyone else has said about how it feels is right. It's painful. Rock in your chest.
Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Shauna, putting a seat cover down in the Water really reduces backsplash. It's a trick I learned here at LBT. I am now more careful with autoflush. I just don't stick my head so close to the bowl. It is hard not to trigger them, as the movement causes it.
I've been known to use the bushes in the back of restaurants if the place is busy. I get weirded out at the thought of people thinking I am anorexic or something. I can usually urp quietly, but every once in a while...YAK. Then I fear they will see my feet pointed backwards..Guys are lucky in that sense.

I can't sleep till meds pass.. once I woke and thought I was gonna die heartburn so pain.. I am a cronic pain patient so have to take alot of meds... i do chili.. make you a large pot of Soup and freeze in little containers.. As far as meds something warm going down to melt them like green tea. Chew OMG I could not even began to try LOL

Glad you found us! This is a great place for support. I found it shortly before my surgery. I don't do many shakes, my surgeon prefers that I eat my calories. But I do keep some around for if i am bored with my diet, or just too lazy to eat. Ever think I'd be too lazy to eat?? Nope, never!!! Another victory the band has given me.

Here it is:
There are two days in every week about which we should not worry.Two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is yesterday with its mistakes and cares, Its faults and blunders, Its aches and pains.
Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control. All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday. We cannot undo a single act we performed. We cannot erase a ...single word we said. Yesterday is gone. The other day we should not worry about is tomorrow. With its possible adversities, Its burdens, Its large promise and poor performance. Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.
Tomorrow's Sun will rise, either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds, but it will rise. Until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.This just leaves only one day . . . Today. Any person can fight the battles of just one day.
It is only when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternity's -yesterday and tomorrow that we break down. It is not the experience of today that drives people mad. It is the remorse or bitterness for something which happened yesterday and the dread of what tomorrow may bring. Let us therefore live but one day at a time. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:34

They are Papaya enzyme tablets; get them where you buy vitamins!

Sf pudding
Sf ice pops
a blender or food processer( something inexpensive like the bullet)
clear Soups
hummus
some people like refried Beans
sf Jello
laughing cow cheese
fish
thats a start
good luck
wendy

Stuck feels like you just swallowed a rock. The rock is now sitting at the base of your sternum. It can be pain or pressure. If you experience that, STOP EATING. Wait until the sensation passes before trying more food. Putting more food on top of stuck food just increases the pain. Don't drink anything, that won't help either. If you swallow a couple big gulps of liquid, the stuck item is likely to come back up.
Your pouch grinds trying to force the item through. That can get very painful. Your body produces a very thick mucous in an attempt to help the item go down. As the way down is blocked the mucous comes up, and out, in the form of slime. The sliming will not stop until you are unstuck.
Ah the joys of banded life. But really, oh so very worth it.

I too had the band and lost around 80 pounds and then I hit a stall......but this stall last for over a year. I did not gain and I did not lose. The only problem was eating and the constant vomiting which scared me as I was sure that this was going to cause the band to slip. I went to the doctor that did my band and told me that I should have probably had the sleeve.....thanks but a little late. I tried to go through my insurance again since I was still having sleep apnea and also hypertension. They denied the surgery. I still had around 100 pounds to lose so I started to check into surgery in Mexico. My brother had a friend in California who had recently been to Tijuana and had the surgery. I spoke to her on the phone several times and did some research. I decided to go ahead with the surgery and I had some time off from work. I booked my surgery with Dr Garcia and had surgery Dec 11, 2011. All of my friends that that I had lost my mind since I was having surgery just before Christmas.....what about eating all that good food and Cookies. Well it was not about the food but my health that pushed me onward. I had my band removed and the sleeve procedure done at the same time so I did not have the opportunity to gain all the weight back that I lost with the band. I do not regret my decicion one single day and hope that by this summer I will be to where I would like to be and feel more like living again.........I say go for it.

Absolutely, positively get the sleeve! I had a horrible time with my band. It never really worked and then it broke apart in my body causing me miserable pain. The sleeve is amazing. It gives you restriction all the time. You can eat what you want, although my tastes have changed quite a bit. I am now a normal weight 14 months post op from the sleeve. I am so happy. You should give yourself a second chance!

Hi my name is Gladys and I am new here! I will give you a little history about my journey and why I am starting over.
I had lab band in Aug 2009 weight at that time was 259. But after the first fill I became sick,and stopped my journey and gained up to 289.9 in Jan 2011 did a med change that was making me put on weight and with the 1 fill I had I actually starting losing weight and to date have lost 40 pounds.
But now I am starting over on Feb 1st,2012 my weight was 256 and I had a 1/2 cc fill and have lost to 249 since. I also started on protien bars and vit B 12 shots and very positive this time around.
I will return to my Dr on March 5 that which time I will more than likely get a small fill..taking it easy and trying to do it right this time.

I bounced back very quickly from the band. The sleeve was a different story. I was back to work within a week with the band. The sleeve recovery is much more involved. I took 4 weeks off and honestly could have gone back after 3 weeks but I didn't . I have read people only taking a few days or a week off and I think they are super human... (seriously I am not a wimp) LOL
There is a lot more 'relearning" and plus yout stomach was dissected and now is a different size. BUT---in the long term...there is no fills, no guesswork, no food stuck feeling....WAY WAY WAY (times 1,000) better than the band. Would go throught it all in a second. got to goal in 8 months and have been maintaining 2-3 pounds under goal since. Good Luck

ok from what my doc told me he bands me like normal but the bottom part of my stomach he folds over several times and stitches it to make it smaller. he said my lower stomach was only 4 oz. he informed me that i could stretch it out. but i havnt had any problems with it. if he would have never told me he was doing it, i would have never know.

I decided to be banded in January 2011 and started the insurance process. I was banded August 10, 2011. I was more than ready and it could not come soon enough. My surgeon had offered to do the Plication along with my band he said he was seeing 20% more weight loss with it. All I was wanting was to lose it so i was all for it. I love everything about my band and my journey. I started at 318 and went in this week for my 6 month fill and i was at 238. I was so excited to hit 80lbs. I am ready to party when i hit 100 and then when i get to 200lbs... watch out! i will definatley be celebrating. I have a ways to go but i know i will get there. I am not stoping until I do. I tell everyone about my band. I really thought getting surgery would be the "easy" way out. wow was i wrong. its just as hard at times, BUT its the BEST thing I have ever done!

WOW, Oregondaisy.....here's hoping I do that well!!! What was your reason for the revision?? Are you happy that you are sleeved now? Looks like you've had the sleeve for awhile now....still glad you did it??

I really didn't have any recovery with the band to sleeve revision. I had surgery on a Wed and went back to work on Monday . I really could not even tell I had surgery, after the first 24 hours.

My doc says go for it. I drink better and get less air with a straw. Some people however can't tolerate it and get TOO MUCH air in their belly. In fact when I go for my fills I take a straw with me to use, otherwise I get too much air in my belly and then I can't determine if my fill is complete or if I really just need to burp to get the trapped air out. LOL....the straw alleviates this problem and I always get the perfect fill, which is just ANOTHER reason I reached my goal so quickly! A perfect fill everytime is most important to success.

So......I HAD to go shopping last night because I literally had nothing to wear. I gingerly approached the regular petite department in a major department store with a great deal of anxiety. I was sure to be humiliated by a clerk turning me around and heading me to the plus size department! Well that didn't happen so I began pulling 16p pants off the sale racks. I took about 6 pairs back to the dressing room and they were ALL too big!!!!! Long story short I ended up buying 4 pairs of size 14p pants and to jackets that were 16p- all 60% off!!!!! I was on such a high-realizing I truly was out of the plus size department for REAL and that I was not going to be glared at by sales clerks wondering what I was thinking trying to shop in their area. Where's the low?
Well I arrived home with my purchases and immediately started trying the clothes on... Caught a glimpse of myself in the full size mirror in between
outfits and went from a hundred to zero in one second. You see my legs have always been good. I'm an apple shape. I've always worn short shorts and love to swim. OMG!!!! My upper thighs have soooo much excess skin. Yuck! I expected the sagging in my stomach, but never in my perfect non dimpled, non celulite thighs!!!! So onto the computer I went looking at prices for a body lift as opposed to a TT!! Oh my, I better start saving my money!! lol
Just wanted to share. Really not complaining.... I FEEL wonderful!

Highland, you are in a size 14!! Congrats! And who cares what you look like underneath, people on the street don't see that! They see a normal size person, woo hoo! I do know how you feel though, had the same thing happen to me one time in the dressing room at Target! I know I prob still look the same way from the back, but I don't care. Yesterday I went shopping to buy a pair of size 6 pants to keep me motivated through the weekend to do good. Expecting them to be tight, I actually bought a pair and they fit! Drove home with the biggest smile on my face people prob thought I was crazy! I love nonscale victories!

Congratulations on such a wonderful milestone! I'm sure you're beautiful loose skin and all. Here's the difference . . . when you were over weight you covered up but people could still see the obesity. When you are thin and a little loose you can cover up and no one is the wiser. There is a period of tightening in your skin for a year after maintenance so keep active and don't dispair. If you are still unhappy you have options. I am thrilled for your graduation from the plus sizes!!!
My story . . . Lost 160 pounds with a trainer, diet and exercise, waited the year and had the surgery. I kept that off for three years then gained it back slowly over several years. So here I am, an expert at losing weight and a failure at keeping it off. I'm in the 6 month pre-op phase. I'm using my expertise at losing to get it off again (not going to wait for the lap band) but am getting the lap band so I don't have to experience failure with re-gain again. This is hard work so enjoy every moment. I also suggest you get rid of any clothes that are too big, donate or give to friends. This keeps you in check.
Seriously!!!!! Congratulations this is a big moment for you!!!!!

I can relate to what you are going through. I had a pretty terrible last year too. My Dad passed away along with two uncles and an aunt.
I have gone back to support meetings, and started a regular exercise program. I had to have an unfill this past week because my band was way too tight. I had vomiting and acid reflux. Plan on returning again for a fill when things calm down. Having the proper restriction really helps me the most to put things in perspective as to the volume of food I eat. And, as always, being mindful of having all the necessary Protein in the day, plenty of Water, making good choices of food, etc., all help.
Good luck to you! I feel I have done this before (getting back on track and being successful with weight loss) so I know what to do.

I have searched and searched other websites, forums,etc. and connot find an answer to this question. HOW LONG AFTER LAP BAND REMOVAL CAN YOU EAT NORMALLY AGAIN???
I got my band in 2006 and was successful with it for the first few years. Then I started having problems...a lot of induced vomiting because nothing much would go down and would always get stuck. I suffered with this for a long time. I went through fills and unfills, etc. But several weeks ago, I got to where I could not eat anything and then could not even digest liquids, even Water. I went to my doctor and he removed all of the Fluid from my band. Still nothing would go down. I ended up going to the ER and was admitted and the next day they did emergency surgery to remove my band. Doctor said it had eroded.
It has now been 7 days since my removal surgery and I am still finding it difficult to eat even soft foods (pudding, Soup, etc). I can do Clear Liquids fine, but am still feeling that "stuck" feeling and have vomited 3 or 4 times.
Perhaps I am impatient, but I was under the impression that after a few days of healing, I could begin eating soft foods again and then gradually move on to regular foods. I know my stomach is still probably swollen from the surgery, but I am frustrated (you would be too if you hadn't eaten anything in over 12 days). I see my doctor in 2 days, but can anyone else shed some light for me.
If you had your band removed, what was your experience, recovery time, days it took to eat again, etc.
Any input would be greatly appreciated. I am not interested at this time in the sleeve or any other type of weight loss surgery, so I would appreciate it if your comments were on subject.
Thank u so much !!!

see that these are older posts, but can anyone update? I had surgery 2 yrs ago and have started having AR the last few monthes. Not really throwing up but having it wake me several hrs each night and having to sit up and coughing for 2 hrs to get it out of my lungs. I am not too tight ( don't think). I'm eating a lot and even working really hard on maintaining. gaining a few pounds is easy. (that;s why I don't think it is too tight) I was actually contimplating having another small fill. I haven't had one in 9 monthes. Anyone have ideas as to what to do?