2muchfun

VW- I was banded a month after you and only lost 12 lbs till the 6th of April. After this last fill I'm feeling more restriction and I had an appointment with my nutritionist. She pointed out some issues I have and like adorkble I wasn't following the rules either. I've lost 8 lbs since 4/6/12. . I'm on fire again. I still can eat too much and I think I'll go in for one more small fill.

It does sound like you should consider a fill? And talk to a dietician or nutritionist who understands the lapbandster needs?

Luli, Great advice. I thought about the warm liquids but never followed up on it. I'll try that because it does seem like the area around the band has tightened up or is exceptionally dry?

FBS? Hmmm? Maybe that's what I have? Although it seems to come near the bottom of my esophogus or top of my stomach? Happens about 60% of the time and especially if I take too large of a bite or chew inadequately.

Heartburn, haven't had that yet. But thanks for possibly naming a symptom I have.

For me it's hiccups and maybe a runny nose. I've spoken to folks who get that "full" feeling but for me it never has come. Like some others, if I don't chew and take large bites I can only eat 3 bites and I'm in pain or discomfort till my stomach kicks in and massages that food through the portal.

I really had no pain and went to work the next day but looking back, I was still in shock for a week from the medications, antibiotics, anesthesia. If you can, take a week, you won't regret it.

BTW-I work from home so it was easier to take breaks.

KCG,

Me too. Banded in November, 5 fills now. My pain started on fill #3 and has increased with each fill. I'd say about 60% of my meals I have some pain or discomfort. It's hard to get used to taking real small bites and chewing a lot. I usually get about 3 bites into a meal and have to stop for 5 minutes while my stomach massages/gyrates the food through the portal. I get the message and eat smaller bites and chew more. I wouldn't call the ER. It sounds normal to me?

I think bread with crust is the hardest. Or, dry foods, thick foods like meat.

And isn't it odd how after the pain subsides I can eat much easier? Maybe our stomachs secrete enough fluids after that first intake to lube the other food through? Still able to eat too much though. I'm thinking one more fill but it scares the crap out of me that I might find it even harder to pass food and experience more pain. Small fill maybe?

Visit the sister forum at: http://www.rnytalk.com/ It's mostly a bypass forum and this is a lap band forum. Some of the folks over there have probably had both. Good luck.

No worries. It's a long journey and there will be bumps along the way. Just think of how worse it could have been if you had wandered into a Cinnabun?

Mandy, you got it right. I've been looking for the same feeling as Army Girl. What does restriction feel like? Obviously we're all different and eat different foods. I'm about 5 months into this with 5 fills and each fill seems to bring on a tighter feeling of something? It's not what I thought it would be though. Starting with fill #3 I began to have food blockage and now with #5 it's much worse. Seems like 2 of 3 meals I'll have to stop after 2-3 bites and allow my gyrating stomach pouch to force what I've eaten on through. After that I can eat a lot. More than I had hoped for. I'm eating less and very slowly losing weight. But it looks like it's mostly from dieting and exercise. The band seems to have little affect so far.

Still hoping that this works for me as I hadn't planned on being on a diet for the rest of my life. I was hoping this band was going to be the tool that helped me to eat less.

So who is your old Doc? Jonell? You should be able to call your doc who put the band in? All the docs I interviewed before my surgery welcomed patient phone calls. Did you move out of state? If you're still in the Denver area you could call on Georgopolous in Thornton. He takes patients on a self pay basis I understand?

Mis73, You're my hero I want what you have. That's how I envisioned this to be. I want that signal to stop eating. I get the same thing as you when I don't chew properly. Hiccups and pain. But that can be after just one bite of food.

Dan

Thanks everyone. I guess I listened only to the bandsters who seemed to find success as the best case scenarios from the Doctors and band makers offices speak about. I now know it doesn't work the same for all of us. I think I wanted this band to do it all for me. No more hunger(of any kind) and no more wants. That's not going to happen sadly.

I do feel fuller than 6 months ago after a meal.

Adorkbl, I followed you and many others on the Kirschenbaum forum back in 08. Did he do your surgery? I've met some of the girls for dinner once and it's a great group.

Dan

I called my Dr.s office the first time and they said it's OK within reason. I wouldn't eat a Chipotle burrito just before you go in but something normal 4 hours before should be fine.

I was banded 11/28/11 and I've had 5 fills(14 cc band w/10.5 cc now). food gets stuck easily starting 3 fills ago and have progressively become worse so I know I'm getting restriction. My problem is that I don't seem to ever get full if I eat soft foods and chew well. Oh, if I eat and don't chew well or I swallow too big a bite it gets stuck and then I go through the pain of having my pouch massage(more like gyrate) the bolus painfully through the band. Now that's a full feeling and I can't eat anything till it passes but OMG, that can't be the full feeling that most bandsters feel? Ouch!

I had this image in my mind that at some point in time I would feel full after eating a cup or two but that isn't the case. I can't eat as much as before or I don't want to, but I keep looking for that feeling of fullness to take over.

I've lost 6 lbs in the last 5 weeks but that's mostly from dieting and heavy exercise. I want that full feeling after just a cup so that I'm eating less. I don't believe my band is the tool I had hoped it would be?

I'm 4 months out and finally got a little restriction after my 4th fill two weeks ago. #5 is next week.

Egg drop Soup. Make it from scratch or buy the mix in the asian isle at your grocers. The Protein satiates.

You're in bandster hell and it could last a while. I'm now 4 months out and I'm still hungry much of the time. I've had 4 fills and I think it's starting to work but I can still eat too much. X fingers that fill #5 does the trick.

Bandster Hell is the time between surgery and when your fill(s) cause enough restriction that you feel full quicker and longer. I'm almost there now. I've heard some people never experience BH and others who have to have many fills before the band performs the way we were told it would. Once you can begin eating solid foods consume Protein as that satiates much more than liquid or pureed does.

North Suburban Hospital on March 21 at 6 pm. Go in main entrance, down the main elevator to the Aspen room just around the corner from the elevator.

Looking forward to our support group(North Suburban) meeting next week. Fill #4 yesterday didn't seem to make a big difference. I guess I don't know what I'm supposed to be feeling? I thought I'd have this small pouch above my stomach that filled up quicker and stayed full longer due to food not passing through as quickly?

Since fill #3 I've had several bouts where it seemed like food has been temporarily stuck(mostly due to scarfing my food own without chewing properly). I can feel some gyrations going on and usually within 2 minutes the mild pain and gyrations go away. But then I'm able to continue eating and eat quite a bit as long as I chew my food completely. Where is that feeling of being full? Where is that feeling that one more bite will wind up just above my adams apple?

Dr. Chae put 1 CC in this time and after pumping it in, he took his thumb off the plunger and it ascended about 3/8 of an inch. He said that my band was very tight and full and that pressure was pushing back against the band sack. And also that the pressure against the stomach was about all it could take. Is this it? Holly crap, this is a huge disappointment. What a frickin waste! If this is it, I'll just have him deflate the F'n thing and go back to dieting.

D

I lost 12 lbs the first two weeks and have maintained that loss. But I can still eat what i want. I'm exercising and watching what I eat. I'm not dieting but isn't that why we had bariatric sugery? I think I could get into big time dieting again if I could feel some restriction.

Chae called me back and I'm going in next week for fill #4. I know many people have had the same problem I'm having but this sitting around for the next fill is BS when I know it's not going to get any better.

Love to meet your friend. Invite her or have her login in here? Misery loves company.

I have to post this and sorry if I sound like I'm whining but this process sucks. I've had 3 fills and still no weight loss. Just tried to set up a fill appointment and Chae wants me to wait another 3 to 5 weeks before he gives me another. Bulllshit. It doesn't take 4-6 weeks for me to see and know that the fills I've received aren't working. I did feel a little more restriction with my last fill on Feb 24th. In fact, I've even had a blockage on a couple of occasions. Big bites and not chewing enough did it. If I chew well then I can still eat till my hearts content. \

I know that another fill will get me close to where I want to be and find it hard to just sit and bide my time. I'm tired of biding time and want to get this rocket off the pad.

I recall someone telling me that one of the advantages to bypass is that you don't have to wait for the right fill to start your new life? I feel for ya. I really want my new lifestyle to begin so I can settle into some kind of groove.

I'm available pretty much anytime except the 3rd Wednesday of every month(support group).

So, I heard this thread was dead? Julie? Nora?

My email is jdanielphillips@msn.com

What do you consider healthy food? All food is more expensive this last year but healthy food is still quite reasonable. Why did you have Fluid removed?