2muchfun

Welcome and I recommend you complete your profile so we can help you if you need it. Sounds like you've got it all under control so far though? tmf

Can you give us a typical day of what you eat? tmf

I was where you are after 5 fills and fill #6 was for .5 ccs. I had to go back 6 weeks later to have .25 removed so be aware that once you get close to the right restriction, it takes very little to make a difference. tmf

I doubt you hurt your band. I've seen similar posts from several new bandsters and usually these symptoms take care of themselves over 48 hours. If they get worse call your surgeon. tmf

I have a daughter in Star, Id and her name is Jenn-ifer. You don't provide a lot of help as far as stats are concerned? Where are you in the process? Pre or post op? You might want to fill out your profile so we can help you better. Otherwise we're just throwing mud at a wall and hoping something sticks? tmf

Fortunately you are in a minority. As Pink Dahlia said: "I'm so stinkin thrilled with my weight loss I don't care what I can't eat". I feel the same way. But you would rather weigh 400+ lbs than have the band? Yikes? I guess I value the quality of my life more than that. tmf

My doc only required liquids the day before and I was fine with that. Of course, I had my surgery the Monday following Thanksgiving. I still prefer no pre op diet. I think some of these docs go overboard and create a lot of skepticism for some of these patients. I know if I had to go on liquids for 2 weeks I'd be pissed. tmf

Did you try: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/surgeons/3545-robert-thomas/

My experience was nearly the same after fill #6. It sometmes took me 45 minutes to eat a small meal. My wife would finish her meal and go read or watch TV while I sat there waiting for my food to pass through the portal. Most meals where I was stuck I would wait 10-15 minutes for the first bolus of food to pass and then it got easier. But some foods like chicken or dry fish would take forever to eat. Some of the tricks you may learn are using low fat, low carb sauces to help these foods pass. Salsa is a good one. Also, spaghetti sauces may help some foods travel through the portal. Just make sure you aren't using it on all foods or they may become slider foods and you will eat toomuch. The upside to this phase is that you may lose a lot of weight but it's no way to live. I finally went back in for a small unfill. I was in the green zone before but now it's much more comfortable. tmf

Penna, I apologize in advance for my honest but perhaps brutal appraisal of your comments. "Yet I've been at a set point for 6 months! Throwing up plenty but the ice cream every night is what must keep on the lbs. I think this may be a common rut for lapband folks." Are you serious or are you pulling our leg? Ice cream every night? Sorry, this is not a common rut for lapband folks. Most of us follow the rules and occasionally fall off the wagon but not every night. It sounds like you weren't listening during the pre op nutrition phase? I would highly recommend you sit down with a nutritionist/dietician and be very honest about what you are eating? If you've been at a plateau and you are vomitting and eating slider foods you will never succeed with the band. Vomitting is not normal and can cause slippage and erosion. Eating ice cream every night is a no brainer. You can't lose weight and eat high fat, high sugar foods. Not gonna work! tmf

I'm sorry if I offend anyone too. But, for me, being fat was being ugly! Oh, there were all the other reasons to lose weight such as, health, fitness, joint pain, being comfortable in an airplane seat etc, but the main reason, I hated being fat and ugly. Sorry gals but no one tells us guys that we have lovely faces and it's too bad we're fat. tmf

Hope to meet you someday? I assume you've gone to some of the dinners at Red Robin with the Dr. K crowd? I went once back in December. Hope they do it again soon. tmf

It's called "bandster hell". Until you get that one fill that gives you some restriction, you may have episodes of severe hunger. For me, I was hungrier after surgery than I was before surgery. This is a time for you to begin to train yourself to eat band smart. Eat nutritious foods and do not eat slider type foods. I know some doctors tell you to only eat 1/2 cup of food but for some of us that just isn't enough. Once you are cleared to eat solid foods try to stick to veggies, salads, lean meats but try to eat till you are satisfied. If you eat nutritious food, you may not gain or lose during this phase. Keep up the fills. tmf

Seems like you should figure out why you are having stomach problems before taking a knife or band to it? Sure you should lose weight and the band or other bariatric options could help but wrapping a band around the problem may only exacerbate the pain. And it could be difficult to find a surgeon or insurance company that would allow you to move ahead with your plan without empirical evidence that bariatric surgery would solve your problem. tmf

chicken can be a very difficult food for the band. One thing you will learn is that your band seems to have a mind of it's own. There have been days on end when I could eat chicken, salmon even steak with no problem. Then I may go a week where the same foods get stuck. eggs clog me up and I slime. It's a good thing. If this is your first stuck episode you should be celebrating. Listen to your band and look for fullness and satiety. tmf

Don't panic just yet. The learning curve is slow with the band and after every fill you will need to relearn how to eat again. Sounds like you may be eating big bites, eating too fast or not chewing enough. It takes time. I've had restriction since March and I still get stuck occasionally. You may have just had your first stuck episode. You should be celebrating! Now is when you start to communicate with your band. Now you should listen for the full signals. Satiety is your goal now. tmf

Sounds like sliming to me. Before you go in for an unfill, try eating slower, chewing more and taking smaller bites. The learning curve is slow sometimes and I've had restriction since late March and I'm still learning. I still get stuck occasionally and I slime at times. If you can't swallow liquids then you may need a small unfill but give it a few days if it's not too uncomfortable. tmf

As a guy, I can't imagine what your weight would be if you are not pregnant but most likely around 225? That's pretty awesome in my book. tmf

If you got stuck, how is it you "got nothing"? If you are getting stuck you are very close if not in the green zone. Be sure to tell your doc you have had some stuck episodes so that you don't get overfilled? tmf

Buy your own scale and buy a good one. Then you won't have to compare or guess. tmf

If you've made it this far and you've only had 1 oz of turkey, what's to worry about? Once you get the band and find restriction, it gets easier. Much easier. Don't fret the day to day meaningless daliances like eating a slice of turkey or gobbling down a small bag of chips. In the grand scheme they mean nothing and we've all done it. If you think you have to go in to this being a perfect dieter, get that notion out of your mind. It aint gonna happen. You're human and you will do this. Or, you'll go back to being obese? Your choice? If you follow the plan, you won't be hungry, you won't have as many binging episodes and you will be thinner, healthier and drop dead gorgeous. Now who wouldn't want that? tmf

You need to chill! Remember, this is a long journey and there will be all kinds of temptations, setbacks and challenges to come for the rest of your life. This is a 3 week blip in the time/space continuum. Just look at this as if it were a maintenance point in your journey. If you don't gain or lose it's a win/win. If you happen to gain a lb or 2, it was learning experience and you won't make the same mistakes twice. Now is a time to educate yourself. Just remember to eat healthy but keep your appetitie satisfied. You'll have less stress if someone shoves a burrito in your face tmf

The system in the UK is so different than here in the U.S. I would recommend seeking out few successful bandsters from your neck of the woods(that's what us rednecks say for neighborhood). Cazzy is one who seems to have found success. If you've never been given guidance, it would be very beneficial to seek out a nutritionist/dietician who is familiar with bariatric patients. tmf

You know, I don't mean to brag, but I never had those gas pains. And from all the posts I see about them I think I was very fortunate. Although my wife says I'm a pain and gassy tmf

My recommendation is for you to sit down with a nutritionist. It sounds like you're not planning out your meals and not sticking to band friendly foods. Protein drinks and bars should be used only as a last resort. You may need to find a way to plan your food choices better. See a nutritionist, it's well worth the money if you want to be successful. tmf