2muchfun

The "Green Zone" is when your band is adjusted(filled) properly and you feel satisfied with less food for 4 hours or more. Less food can be 1/2 cup, 1 cup, 300-400 calories or insert your own caloric meal target here.

For me, I'd say no. I used to have that small heartburn feeling and eating made it go away. I was just hungry. I had another fill about 2 months ago and it took a month or so before it seemed to kick in. Now, I'm tight in the morning. That means, I have to be careful what I eat. I have to eat very small bites, eat very slowly(slower than dinner) and chew chew chew. Some people drink hot fluids to loosen up the stoma but nothing really works for me so I just try to follow the rules. If I don't, food can get stuck for 15-30 minutes and I end up tossing out what's remaining of my bfast. Feeling tight means that some foods or liquids have a difficult time traveling through the pouch and stoma. tmf

Go to youtube.com and search for lapband fills. There are many videos covering this subject.

I watched this video today and found it to be inspirational and enlightening. Beware, it's 16 mins long but it's a good watch.

Read fight4light's post 10 posts up.

You can cause the sutures that hold the band to your stomach to tear lose and the band can slip. Most docs won't allow solids for at least 2 weeks and many not for 4 weeks.

Why do you think your pouch is stretched? What symptoms are you experiencing?

I liked Lipton noodle Soup broth. I'd filter out most of the noodles and sip the broth. I also sipped broth from some Campbell's and Progresso Soups. I like Mexican flavors so I sipped on the tortilla veggie or chicken broths. I also like egg drop soup. In the Asian food isle at King Soopers(Krogers) is an egg drop soup packet that is delicious. I added some sriracha and a dash of soy sauce to the mix. Protein drinks made up most of the remaining meals. I was only on liquids for 4 days so I didn't suffer too long. tmf

Two months the fist time and now two months again. Head hunger is still there though. I have to physically ask myself if I'm hungry or do I want a quick food fix because I enjoy the flavor? Head hunger does diminish during the green zone, but it does not go away entirely for me. My doctor explained to me that our pouches adapt and strengthen as we force it to work harder to push food through the stoma. Therefore, your esophagus and pouch become better machines and it can appear that our band has loosened. tmf

Your post-op diet is similar to most and not unusual at all. You may not feel the band doing it's job till you get several fills and that may take a few months. Good idea to speak to your dietician, they're great resources for finding the foods that give you satiety and nutrition.

I doubt you hurt anything and I don't understand why refried Beans are OK and mashed potatoes aren't either? As far as consuming potatoes and mac and cheese, both may be OK right now but once you heal they aren't a good food choice. Neither has a lot of nutrients and if you fill up on Protein foods you may not want them anyway? It's also possible that your doctor is trying to steer you towards more protein rich foods over processed foods or potatoes. There are so many more protein choices in two weeks vs. now. tmf

Vacations usually come with the high sodium servings of everything. This can cause the lining in your stomach to swell just a little and of course, there's the TOM if you're a gal? But, sodium and processed carbs can make you swell up. How about rings on your fingers? Any swelling? If swelling's not the reason, you might have something stuck in your stoma that is block food and fluids? I almost swallowed a cherry pit yesterday. Whew, that could be one really bad stuck episode. Good luck!

The pain you describe is not normal. Don't ever think it will be this way or you may damage your pouch or esophagus. The pain in your neck sounds like you're pouch is full and food is backing up into your esophagus. Over a period of time this can stretch out the pouch and esophagus and cause a revision. Stop thinking "full". Start thinking, "am I hungry"? The am I hungry or am I just craving will be your biggest test for many days. It took me 4 months to understand this concept. There are stop signals you might want to look for? A runny nose, hiccups, heavy sighs are all signals that you don't need to keep eating. 2 pieces of deep fried fish is not recommended btw. 2 pieces of baked, grilled or poached fish is fine. Start thinking healthy food? It's not that you can't eat fast foods, at this point in your recovery it's not advisable. If you want to lose weight or at least stay even till you get some fills, you may want to eat more of the baked/grilled fish/chicken/beef and eat more vegetables? Until you start to feel some restriction from your band, this is just another diet. tmf

What does misadventure mean? Seems like there's much more to this story than just vomiting and a lack of communication?

Until you get your band adjusted properly, this is just a diet so don't knock yourself out. It may take some time? It took me 4 months to get a little restriction but I made healthy food choices most of the time. Try to eat healthy but don't deprive yourself if you're feeling hungry. I probably ate 2 cups of food at mealtime but I tried to eat fish, chicken, veggies and salads. I just ate more than the 1/2 cup recommended. tmf

Many obese people abuse caffeine with caffeine filled soda pop. Breaking the soda pop habit can be incredibly difficult. I think many docs throw this rule into their guidelines as a way to guide their patients towards healthier eating habits and not fall back to old habits. My doc and nut both allow caffeine in small amounts. I'm allowed a cup of coffee every day as long as I avoid the extra sugar and cream many add to it. tmf

Many of us have gone through similar spells during our journey and most are able to change the tide and some don't. Family situations certainly play into what foods we allow in the house but for me it starts with grocery shopping and what I allow in my house. I've got grandkids coming in today for 10 days. There will be chips and pizza around I'm sure so it will be up to my own willpower to avoid those foods. I'll keep healthy food in the house and make every effort to eat healthy but I'm sure I'll slip up now and then. Don't beat yourself up, just keep moving towards the healthy foods and it will come. tmf

It's called a "fill". They "fill" your band with saline. Where did you have surgery? Swedish or one of the surg centers? There's a good support group at Swedish every month. Skyridge has monthly support groups too. Sounds like you didn't get enough info before the surgery? Here are 4 videos. Please watch them but follow your doctors orders. These are very educational and I wish I would have watched them before or right at surgery. I'd still have surgery but I wouldn't have been so naive the first 4 months. Part 1 part 2 Part 3 Part 4

:wub: We love show-offs

I totally agree but over-promises from the bariatric medical industry can be partially blamed.imo I don't recall much advice or guidance on how difficult this could be and the glossy videos and seminars certainly make it look like a cake-walk? I think I went into this thinking the weight would fall off and I'd feel satisfied with less food from the git-go. Fortunately I'm not afraid of hard work so I'm one of the lucky ones? Brad's post should be tattooed on every new patient wannabe?

Sounds like you should call your doctor?

I think your baby might need more than the 1000 calories many banded women consume? It's possible of course, but I wouldn't recommend curbing your caloric intake?

It's common practice to bill insurance for most all procedures. Insurance will either deny or accept responsibility and should also indicate how much they would have paid if it were covered. This should be the amount you would owe? I wouldn't make waves till insurance denies the claim? If they pay it, won't you be the lucky one? tmf

One of my favorite quotes ever on this forum came from Pink Dahlia: "I'm so stinkin' thrilled with my weight loss i dont even care about what i cant eat!" Pink Dahlia Let's hope you, or we, all get to this stage at some time? tmf