greyhoundmom

hi! not sure i can help but i can empathize as i'm the same boat! banded 6/08, lost 40 lbs and then after 6 months stopped cold. i was a bit overfilled, got acid reflux, had some Fluid out, on and on and more problems. i haven't had to have my band changed or anything but 51 weeks after the band - i had gallstones that were not there before the band and had to have gallbladder surgery - same surgeon 1 year minus 1 week to the day of my banding! anyway, sorry you are struggling. you are not alone if that helps! i stayed off this site for a long while because the success stories were actually depressing me! at my peak, i had 7+ cc's in my band and now i have 5.5 and can't seem to get up there again. just had a small unfill today due to vomiting - i have no idea why because i eat slowly, chew chew chew, stop when i'm full. it's frustrating. ah, well, good luck to you and to me and i hope we both find a way to make his work for us!

hi army! it sounds like you don't have enough restriction! the band only works with restriction. i wonder why you've only had 2 fills? without good restriction, we are fighting the same battle we were fighthing before getting the band! i know for me that didn't go well for the last 10 years! i think i had a good fill level for a short while until it got overfilled slightly and caused acid reflux that i can't seem to shake since october. i've had a sore throat all day today - deep down in my esophagus. drives me nuts. so it's just as important not to get overfilled! i had some gurgling going on when i drank and i should have known that was not right but i kept it for a couple of weeks without knowing better. have been going thru little unfill, ok feel better so do a fill, oh, unfil again, ok, fill. sheesh. seems like we have to find our sweet spots with our bands! once that happens, from what i hear from everyone who's losing, the weight comes off. this sure can be a long process! hang in there! those who are losing are very inspirational to me in that i feel hopeful i'll get there and those who feel stuck are inspirational to me too for sticking with it and plugging away at good habits that should serve us well in the long run. we'll get there. sounds like you have some good habits and just need more help from the band. i wish your dr. would be more understanding and realize you are probably under-filled and need his help not unfair judgement.

so sorry to hear you are broken-hearted kizzie! i hope you feel a little better each day. and you really have to eat some nutrition or you'll be very weak and you'll feel even worse! allie, 107!! WOW! you must be totally psyched!! congratulations!!

i don't know for sure. the dr. explained that the band is not at the esophagus - it's lower. so if it's stuck (which i have had that happen and i get local pain (at the band) and 'sliming' until it frees up - hurts but nothing like the spasm situation) it shouldn't trigger the esophagus. people without the band get these spasms. i just don't know. i'm trying extra hard not to get stuck tho just in case!

hi jillrenee15 - i have been reading up on this and it seems the cause is officially 'unknown'. tho just like you, i had a fill in october that was too tight and i had more acid reflux than usual so i had it taken out. then i had another one in november and same thing - had to go back and take it out. i've had 2 'spasms' in december and january (if i remember the dates right!) and the first one was absolutely the worst one. i remember it took my sight away for about a second or too and my whole body was shaking afterwards. i remember thinking this band must be too tight and yet i was saying to myself that was VERY different than anything i've had before. i've read very hot or very cold foods can trigger then and the first one - i had lobster salad and it felt a little stuck so i was sipping on ice Water to try to help it down. the 2nd time, i didn't chew a piece of chicken enough and i felt that stuck feeling and most likely - i did the same thing - sipped something to help it down and wham! i drink iced tea all day long. i'm thinking of not using ice cubes and see how that goes. i take anti anxiety medicine at night to help me sleep and i had stopped it in december to see how things went. and bam, got the spasms. i would never have thought that was related but my dr. told me the anti-anxiety medicine is a muscle relaxer so possibly it has been preventing these spasms for me and when i stopped they cropped up. just like you - i'm in a 'wait and see' mode to see if it happens again. maybe it will, maybe it won't. but know at least i know what it is. that helps a little. take care! i saw this pic of the esophagus this morning and that is exactly where my ongoing chronic 'low grade' pain is daily - all the way up to my ear. do you have that? a dull ache that is just there? not to the point of spasm? (click on the little pic to see the full pic once you click on this link) Esophageal spasms: Symptoms - MayoClinic.com i am afraid to get my band refill tomorrow but i'm doing it to see what happens. i got this band for a reason and i won't leave it empty! i am wondering if this is a complication of the band that is just not well documented. and i really hope it is NOT!

thank you Tquad64! it sounds awful i'm sure but for me it doesn't happen every day - few times a week in a minor way - only 2 times really bad. i'm hopeful this will clear up once i get on the right medication. i really want the band to start working for me again so i'll do whatever i have to do to get past this roadblock! thanks for your concern and support!

hi, my lap-band surgeon doesn't seem to care much in that i haven't seen her since the day of surgery! i see her phyician assistants for fills and have been telling them what is happening and they just say 'no fill' until this stops. so i called the gastroenterologist who diagnosed GERD for me a while back and he did the testing. going by how i feel, the protonix 2 times a day helps. i'm going to do 6 small (100-200) calorie meals a day with dinner being a little bigger (not much) because i eat that meal with my husband. i'm going to keep track of what i feel and when so i can try to analyze what sets this off. both times, i did stop eating because the band felt a little stuck. then, all heck broke lose behind my breastbone! so i need to work harder to avoid getting the band stuck at all (chew chew chew, eat slowly, etc.). i've been holding at 40 lbs off for 3 months now. while that is very good - to have lost 40 lbs! - i'd like to get the scale moving downwards again! i've lost some restriction with these unfills and i find i'm eating crackers to sooth my stomach which really doesn't help with weight loss but i understand it - an empty stomach with excess acid for whatever reason is not good. i believe it's not my heart - tho the syptoms seem like a woman having a heart attack. my heart thankfully is in very good shape and the dr. agrees my heart is fine. phew.

hi there, i was just diagnosed with this condition today. i have had symptoms of small spasms for about 3 years but didn't know what it was (pain behind/beside my breast bone, fluttering behind my breast bone and pain thru to my back and up to my neck). i had lap-band surgery on 6/10/2008 and was doing fine until a fill in october. have had 2 fills since and 2 unfills within 2 weeks of those fills! i had an upper gi and and upper endoscopy and the dr. says that it's esophageal spasms. maybe caused by acid reflux (had that for years but it's been under control and was hoping as i lose weight with the band - would get better) but maybe just for no known reason. i had the 'band is stuck' feeling several times since surgery and that was ok - hurts but in one spot and not too badly and not for too long. but then i had 2 MAJOR 'pain events' that i thought was also the band but it felt like my rib cage was going to explode and i had to throw up but couldn't and my whole body was shaking! THAT was not normal band action! my dr. does not recommend taking out the band. he said to eat small meals (well i already do that with the band) and if the protonix i already take (that he has just doubled the dose to 2 pills a day) doesn't do the trick then there is something he can prescribe to calm my esophagus. i never heard of this before and never even thought to search this site for it! i'm afraid to have my band re-filled to where it was (had to have it emptied for the endoscopy procedure). but i don't want it there and empty either. hope not many others are going thru this. it does seem to be a condition in general and not necessarily band initiated tho the band might make it worse? maybe?

thanks for the info huggie! i mostly do the elliptical and treadmill. i'll think about it a little more. i love the motivational aspect but i'm not sure it fits what i do. sorry to hear about your toe - hope it's all healed up!

hi huggie! is nikeplus for running only? will it track walking on a treadmill and workouts on an elliptical? on a bike? when i look at nikeplus.com - it seems to be geared towards runners. thanks! p.s. i got my ipod! wondering if i want to do nikeplus now - i will if it'll work for my exercises. i don't run. i do jog sometimes.

hi all, 6 months already? wow!! i feel discouraged right now but this thread has me excited because i too have experienced much of what you have posted and i'm so grateful that i had the chance to have this surgery! i was looking into it for THREE years and that was a long time of anticipation and fear (will i get it, will it work, etc.). i donated 12 more bags of clothes this past weekend that i a) hated to wear to begin with and :smile2: no longer are even close to fitting! most of all i just feel 'normal'. still have a ways to go but i don't feel invisible or like i want to constantly hide anymore. and i don't mind if my butt shows in my pants (i've been covering it up with long tops for YEARS!). i feel so strong and i'm back to jogging on the treadmill which i used to like about 20 years ago! and now i like it again! let's all say a big thanks in our hearts and minds to our surgeons and to the support group we have here and other places (like the obesity treatment center that i work with here in NH)! next, i want to get 40 more lbs off by june. i'd like to do the nikeplus challenge that huggy told us about - need nikeplus shoes for that. i'm getting an ipod for my birthday (yeah!) to help me move faster while exercising and that works with nikeplus. i might by myself the shoes just because - to get myself moving even more. happy anniversary everyone!

hi there, i think i'm officially stuck at 40lbs down. i get that painful stuck feeling a lot - don't PB tho (just slime). had it today at lunch and barely ate anything. i just went on a cruise and didn't gain which to me is a successful cruise! the band didn't let me get too carried away with food there. have another tirp coming up - this time for work. i'm a little worried about that one because i won't have as much choice about what to eat (food brought in for us, etc.). after the work trip, i should be able to hunker down and get the scale going down - i'm up'g my exercise to 45 minutes as that seems to budge it some but i'm doing 30 minutes consistently - not 45 (cardio). hang in there! this lull can be maddening but it has to pick up soon! ps stephanie do you see a nutritionist?

hi there, i don't have either - a bracelet or a card from the surgeon. i wrote my own note and put it in my wallet on the back of my surgeon's business card. i think it's a good idea to get a more informational card or the bracelet. i was just on a cruise and i was wondering what would happen if something happened to me - if the onboard dr's would know about the band. i'm sure they would but i did wonder. some people who went thru the program that i did, did get cards for their wallets and i saw one - it was very detailed about the band and what limitations it causes. they didn't have any more - i should call and ask about that! good question!

hello everyone! you sound like you are all keeping a good attitude and working hard at this! kizzie, i just flew to san juan (from NH) for a cruise and boy did the band get tight! i was sick the next day - 1st day on the ship - all afternoon - i thought it was sea sickness but i'm not sure. i felt better the rest of the week and had a great time! and the band saved me from gaining weight! i think i got that 'full painful feeling' (but no sliming really) with every single thing i tried to eat. the food was so varied and i tried to stick to things that 'should' work. it was hard but i was glad for the band or i would have had way more to eat! i relied on peanut m&m's - no kidding - to make sure i had energy because i wasn't eating much on some meals because of the band and the food choices i made made me 'feel stuck'. we exercised A LOT and that helped. i had too many carbs tho - like bread sticks and potatoes but i am only up 2 lbs and i am pretty sure that is fluid because i'm all puffy. thanks for sharing your food plans long and allie! i am eating more than you. my next fill is next monday (before thanksgiving!). i can't eat much at meals - about what you are - but i'm snacking more than you are. i'm exercising 4-5 times a week and have bumped up 2 days to 45 minutes of cardio. i FEEL wonderful physically - i feel very strong and i can really feel my muscles working but i'm still WAY too big. we had to really walk fast thru the philly airport on the way out and the way back and i felt great! i was so surprised - i've had to do that before and sweated like crazy and was miserable. not this time! we hiked on st. john and other than being incredibly HOT i felt very good. i was so happy. i have a long way to go tho. need to get losing again. i want to lose 40 more lbs by june 10th (my band-aversary). i'm stuck at 40 down (not counting the 2 i've gone up because i just don't believe it!). take care all! oh, has anyone else noticed they now get motion / sea sickness since getting the band? i think that is happening to me- happened on a docked boat in july and then last monday on the cruise - not sure if it was that but i suspect it might be. i've never been sea sick before the band! bye for now, gotta work - 1st day back. bleck.

hi, i have found what CathyChatts has found - that i have to be very vigilant about what i eat and keep up the exercise. i have also found (and learned from others) that until you get the right adjustment - until you can eat the right (small) amount for your body - the weight doesn't come off. i have had 4 fills and 1 tiny unfill (due to a week of acid reflux) and i feel a lot of restriction - the most i've had yet except for right after surgery when there was swelling. i find i get into trouble with Snacks. meals are fine for me because of restriction. i try to stick to the 100 calorie snack packs so i know exactly what i'm eating. or if i have Soup for a meal - if it's not low fat - i find i am eating too much of it because it goes down so well- not much restriction for that. i'm not going up on the scale but not going down all that much right now. i think i need another tiny fill. before surgery i was extremely insulin resistent and could not lose weight at all. i know i'm still fighting that but i'm encouraged by reading that this surgery can improve this condition by 70%. i find if i have Protein shakes 2-3 times a day i do lose but i read that i shouldn't do that - not the 'right' use of the band. solid foods are best to get the most of the restriction feeling. i suggest the book 'laproscopic adjustable gastric banding' by Jessi H. Ahroni. it has excellent info on how to make the best of the band. it is on amazon. this does work - under the right conditions - seems to take a while for some of us to find the right conditions. i just started gettign 'wls' magazine (weight loss surgery) - it's mostly for bypass but there is some stuff on banding. i have found a lot of good information in there. hope this helps!

hi there, www.gnc.com (or the local store if you have one nearby) has some great fish oil chews! they aren't just for kids. they are all 'omgega-3 soft chews' and they taste like a starburst candy! you take 1 per day. it melts in your mouth - very soft - won't get stuck. i just take a few bites of it - rather than chew it all at once - and that's it! they are very good!

congratulations Long! 76 is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i just hit 40 and it feels like a milestone. ways to go but feels good to say 40 lbs down! the last fill seems to be much more restrictive for me - fill #4.

hi all! this sounds like a great way to keep motivated to move! i have an ipod shuffle - not sure it would work with that. but maybe my 40 lb present (just hit that today!) could be an ipod upgrade... hmmm. i am going on a cruise in 3 weeks. i might start the challenge when i get back. i'm sure that sensor in my shoe would set something off at the airport! i'll geton that site and read more about how it works. it'll be a good way to keep going thru the cold winter! thanks for this info Huggie!

hi this fill #4 and then small unfill seem to be doing the trick! i can eat less then before (2 cups to about 1 cup) and i feel full for a long time (even if i want to eat something else- no room). i hit 40 lbs down today! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i was stuck for about 2 months. '4th times a charm' - maybe for me? the right 'fill' level really seems to make a huge difference, so if you aren't there yet - hang in there. and eating solid foods where the band stops you (makes you feel very full or pain if you go a little too far) works much much better than soups and mushy stuff. bye for now, happy weekend!

hi! great ideas! thanks! i make chili a lot. different kinds. but i don't like it spicy. 1lb ground lean beef or ground turkey (tho i don't like that one as much) 1 jar mild salsa (chichi's or whatever) after adding the jar to the mix, fill it with Water once and add that 1 can kidney Beans mushrooms onions 1 packet mild chili mix (any of them) 1 can (4-6 oz or so) chopped green chilis (they are mild) either crock pot on high for 4 hours or cook per instructions on the chili mix package - on the stove. if on the stove, i brown the meat first. it's great to make 'white chicken chili' too with ground chicken, 1 can white beans, no salsa just water and the 'white bean chili mix' from the store and the other stuff (mushrooms, onions, green chilis). i seem to make it a little different each time. usually i put fat free sour cream on top when i eat it. and the only fast food i eat is wendy's chili - small. it hits the spot when i'm out and about!

hi Huggie Bear, what is the challenge exactly? do you commit to a number of miles in a time frame, then track it on nikeplus.com? that sounds like fun! good way to keep me getting on the treadmill!

hi Lynn, and all! Lynn i was banded on 6/10 - just after you! i have lost 38 including pre-op weight loss from 5/1/08 on. the last 2 months have been very slow. i guess until we get the fill that puts us at the 'sweet spot' - the ideal fill to lose weight - we will struggle. we have to keep doing the best we can until we get the right 'fit' for our bodies. hang in there! i did have a small unfill yesterday. the last fill (a week ago) was too tight. mostly the problem was heart burn and acid reflux(not vomiting). i noticed i went from 2 cups of food at a time to 1 cup of food -which was really good - but the acid was not good. don't know what i can eat with this tiny unfill until i get of fluids again around friday. we'll see. this is some process! some of us are losing pretty well and some of us are stuck and just not there - YET! i'm not exercising much right now - because of the reflux - gets worse when i breath deeply. hoping to get back to it the end of this week. that will help. bye for now!

hi all, update on the 4th fill i had monday. got acid reflux and i can hear 'gurgling' when i drink. thought it was not too much of a deal until last night at midnight i took a tylenol for hip pain that was keeping me awake. and it got stuck! 1 tylenol! i slimed and had pain for about 5 minutes then i felt it 'pop' thru my band into my stomach. so.. having a small unfill monday and staying on fluids this weekend. it was such a small fill too - because she thought i was pretty close to the 'sweet spot'. either my stomach swelled or this is just too much Fluid in there for me. weird. acid reflux is giving me chest pain all over the place but i've had that before so i think it's just that. taking prevacid until i have my appointment monday. i must have gone past the sweet spot - need to back up a little! i didn't lose anything between fill 3 and 4. so i was hoping to get more restriction. not this much tho i guess. and this last fill - was a hard one. she had to stick me 2 times and the fluid did not want to come out (they pull out what's in there to measure it then push it back in with more to do the fill). i asked, is everything ok because it took so much longer than usual! it was ok. but i guess my stomach wasn't too happy with it after all. glad for Protein shakes and very mushy food! tho someone told me today 'you look like you've been thru the ringer'. so i guess i look a bit worn out! hope you are all doing ok. this is not easy but it is better to know the tool is there and will work with me when i work with it! v.s pre-surgery and having no success with weight loss at all -feeling hopeless.

hi kizzie, and all! hang in there kizzie! with all that travel, you are bound to be having food choice problems! i find when i'm in a routine, i do much better (i.e. work day v.s. day off). i can't recommend this book (below) highly enough - there is a nice section of questons 'do you need a fill?, do you need an attitude adjustment? do you need an exercise adjustment?'. i look back at it all the time. are the pb's from eating too fast, not chewing well, eating dry food (sushi would definately cause me a problem!)? v.s. having too much Fluid in your band? there is definately a mental component here - to learn how to use the band and to then practice what we learn. it is not easy. i too have opted for high calorie, easy to eat Soups sometimes. that seems to be my problem area. here's the book link on amazon: [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Laparoscopic-Adjustable-Gastric-Banding-Achieving/dp/0595311148/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223398212&sr=8-1]Amazon.com: Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding: Achieving Permanent Weight Loss with Minimally Invasive Surgery: Jessie H. Ahroni Ph.D. A. R. N. P.: Books[/ame] i have it on my desk and look at it when i need help or just a refresher on what i should be doing! congrats on your shopping trip to old navy!! i had my 4th fill yesterday - not sure yet how it's going other than it's good with liquids! bye for now!

outstanding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! congratulations Long!