Band_Groupie

Try a hot liquid at lunchtime and then try something you haven't been able to get down (and chew like there's no tomorrow). If that doesn't work, give your doc a call immediately. Tomorrow's Friday and you don't want to end up in the ER over the weekend. Sometimes people get a big difference with only .5cc's out. I was very tight after this last fill (was wondering if I was going to need an unfill and was worried I'd tighten up even more as some do after a week) and was keeping a close eye on things. I found I definitely get tighter after a PB and have to go back to liquids for a meal or two, which may be the case with you (just be honest and tell the doc what happened and he may say to try liquids for a day or two). Now, I'm super tight when I get up in the morning and get a hurt feeling even with black coffee if I drink too fast, but after one cup of coffee I can get my loose oatmeal with protein powder down if I eat slowly...too fast and it hurts. I haven't tried my eggs yet at breakfast...eggs is actually one of the items some can't tolerate as they're rubbery and tend to ball up together and don't break down anymore in your pouch. By lunchtime I can tell I've loosened up and can eat grilled chicken even as long as I have some kind of sauce to dip it in. Give a hot liquid a try before eating and see what happens. Keep us posted and good luck! -BG

I'm curious what the slipped band photo looked like? From my understanding both things usually happen from chronic overeating. When they put in your band they place it and then they take a piece of the stomach and pull it up so it covers one side of the band and then stitch it at the top (to where your pouch is). If you overeat a lot the back side of your stomach that was not stitched slides up through the band to increase the size of your pouch. I'm not sure of all the symptoms, but I've heard of pain obviously with erosion, and you lose restriction with a leak. I think some even have too much restriction with a slip eventually as the stomach pulls up and through and the fat part of the original stomach starts to bunch up in the band, but some lose restriction (I think that's if you catch it early). Just keep an eye on your portion sizes and some of this you just can't control. -BG

I was just thinking of you last night and wondering when you'd be back from your trip. I've been so excited for you (one of my sisters did a liquid protein diet many moons ago and met us for a vacation....my jaw was on the floor; and yes, she gained it back). What a great reveal!!!!! Something you'll always remember! GO JULIE.ANN!!!!

Congrats lingling!!!!!

Hey gals...good to see you back! You've all said how many fills you've had but not how much you have and in what size band...there are polls on here that show that some people need their band pretty close to full before they get enough restriction, so keep getting those fills! I had a tiny bit of restriction after my second fill (up to 4.5cc's) and now I have good restriction with this third one (up to 5.6cc's), but it's different with everyone....I've got the 10cc band and some need 8 or more cc's. You might want to ask them if they'll do a fill under flouro as they can watch the restriction and get you closer by doing that (I haven't needed flouro yet). Hang in there...restriction will happen and it's great when you finally get there (I could eat anything/any amount before it too). Bandster Hell just plain sucks, but most of us have to go through it....the words are 'through it'....you will come out the other side and be 'over it'!!!! Keep posting and scheduling those fills!!! Best wishes! -BG

Highly possible...take it slowly as you ease back to food and you'll have to relearn all those chewing/eating rules. Best Wishes and hope this one's the charm! -BG

LOL...OR you could have asked the ladies there if someone would hold the towel up to block you while you weighed (trust me, one of them would have come forward...you know there are closet SWA members in every gym...just watch whose using the scale)...OR you could have weighed the towel later hee hee... Excellent job! Lowest weight EVER!!! Take it slowly the next couple of days...it took me a few days to loosen up a little and I've still gotten stuck a few times...I've seen so many people here who've gotten into that vicious cycle of vomiting then tighter, more vomiting, and tighter, and before they know it they can't keep their own spit down. Good job girl!!

Hi Shassy my old friend! Just had to say WOW!!! 4 pounds below goal already and over 100 lost!!! You've done an amazing job!!! Take a bow!

Young- Thanks (about the blog LOL)...one gal told me that's what she read as she was recuperating...cracked me up! Glad you got to talk to the anesthesia dept. already and don't leave the hospital without some anti-nausea pills! Best wishes tomorrow; I'm sure it will all go smoothly! BTW- Your daughter is very brave...you must be really proud of her! Doc- Your time is coming! Here's hoping it's November! Keep in touch! Lifting- I can't say the wait went fast (sorry, 6 mo. only goes fast if you're in a coma), but at least the holidays will keep you busy and those last months do go quickly. Keep busy collecting recipes and making lists of thigs you'll need...keep us posted on your progress and keep reading everything here...I can't tell you how much it helped me.

Hope this fill really helps! Good luck! -BG

OK, I feel compelled to give you my experiences. I had no pre-op diet and lost 20 pounds on my own before the band (I'm a professional yo-yo dieter so this was no biggie for me and I didn't HAVE to lose anything if I didn't want to). Banding went fine and was about as I expected from the reports here. I did end up back in the hospital to check for a clot (I have asthma and was having some pain with breathing, not awful, but I wanted the doc to know about it), but after some testing everything was fine. I did lose about 15 on the post-op liquid diet (as anyone would, and yes I was starving by the end of the 3 weeks as expected) and then things stalled... Exactly as I expected it to after learning here about "bandster hell" and the period everyone goes through before enough fills/restriction. It's been 3 months and I have lost an additional 20 pounds (so 20 pre and 35 post for 55 pounds at 3 mo. post-op) and with 3 fills I now have good restriction and expect things to move a little faster, although as a low BMI'er I'm happy with 1-2 pounds a week. Have I had episodes of sliming and PB's/vomiting? Sure, but after knowing what to expect I can trace each one back to me not doing what I was supposed to...usually, chewing well enough. Restriction does exactly what they promise with the band...it makes you feel 'satisfied' on less food for a longer amount of time...PORTION CONTROL. You'll notice I didn't say 'full' as so many banter about here...'full' is a hard word to use with obese people as we associate 'full' with that thanksgiving stretch your stomach uncomfortable feeling...'satisfied' means I've pleasantly had enough and I'm NOT HUNGRY anymore and I won't be until my next meal. I don't diet anymore...I eat what my family does (except for sweets and sometimes starches although I've had plenty), but I just eat a lot less of it...PORTION CONTROL. I think if I was only allowed one thing to share with someone about the band is to spend plenty of time researching so you know where to set your expectations. I think many of the ones I see here who are unhappy it's because they had unrealistic expectations to begin with. I EXPECTED: pain after surgery, feeling starving on the post-op liquid diet, going through the discouraging months of bandster hell and waiting for real restriction to come, and my part of the puzzle in all this and what I needed to do to make this work. I had 100 pounds to lose with a 37.7 BMI and I gave myself 2 years to lose it. I had surgery the end of April and told myself that I probably wouldn't get perfect restriction until the fall holidays (I might be close now, but I may need that next fill in September, maybe more?). Could I have them make my band so tight that it hurts when I eat anything solid even when I chew...sure, and that will certainly stop you from overeating with pain (or keep you drinking your meals as some here do), but that's NOT how any doc wants your band to work (you might as well just spend your money on a liquid protein diet if you're going to do that) and it isn't how it's supposed to work. Could I 'eat around' my band and eat only soft high calorie foods like ice cream and gain weight...sure could...you can 'eat around' any WLS. Could I eat more than I currently do now until my pouch is overfull and I get that stretch the stomach thanksgiving full feeling and the band makes me stop because I feel like I'm going to vomit if I take another bite...sure I could eat more at each meal than I do until I got that hard stop feeling...but here's the amazing part with the band...I don't want or need to anymore...NO food is off limits for me and I never feel deprived and hungry all the time like I did on every other diet I've been on. Does head hunger get the better of me sometimes and do I make bad choices...sure I do, but even that is getting easier with time...let's face it, if we weren't all food addicts with head hunger issues, then we wouldn't be here. I'm willing to continue my efforts that I need to work on because I finally have some help that's not a temporary fix. Sorry for the ramble, but I thought you might need another 'true story'. Good luck with your decision, as WLS certainly isn't for everyone and even I never thought until about a year 1/2 ago that it would be my answer either. -BG PS- I've been thin and fat more times than anyone ever should, but these last few weeks when I saw 200, I knew it was for the last time...I LOVE my band. Ooops- I forgot...WELCOME TO LBT!!! Keep reading and keep in mind that most of those long-term banders who are doing so well with their bands aren't here anymore...they're out living life with gusto...LBT is for information and support, so many people with problems turn here and many like me who are going through the process normally just need support or want to vent for a moment about 'not losing weight this week' are here too. Take it all in and you'll do great.

Since recovering from the big party, I've been trip planning...two trips actually. We've decided to take a summer vacation. DS1 would rather spend time with all his friends before they're all off in different directions for college so we've planned to leave the day after taking him to college; end of Aug., and before DS2 starts 8th grade here. We're meeting DH's parents at their condo (2nd home) at Seabrook Island, SC for a week. It's going to be a scorching hot week to go, but it's the perfect last-minute place and it's not an expensive trip for us (with the second one going to college there's no excess funds). We need a getaway...especially for DS2 as this summer has been all about his siblings, their graduations, and their new endeavours (college, jobs). It's going to be weird just having one kid on a family trip, but DD just started the new job so she can't go either. I told DS2 that it will be his chance to be spoiled rotten as an only child on this trip LOL. It's a beautiful island and they sit right on a marsh with a dock for crabbing and a swimming pool right down the street. In a 5 min. drive to the other side of the island you can get to a beautiful uncrowded beach on the ocean and it's less than 45min. from Charleston (sits right next to Kiawah Island). We can't wait. DH suddenly has lots of trips planned to Phoenix this year so I've decided to take advantage of DD living here and meet up with him after a trip this fall. I'm flying out Oct. 2 for 5 nights and I'm wildly trying to figure out what I need to book. I'm SO EXCITED that I'll finally get to see the Grand Canyon for the first time! I've been to Phoenix/Scottsdale on business before when I was working, but never got to see much. We booked my FF airline tickets and 2 nights lodging (2nd, 3rd nights of the trip) inside the park (2 different lodges, since that's all that was available now). I think I'll plan the last 2 nights in Sedona, but I'm not sure where to stay the first night; somewhere on the way up to GCNP (maybe somewhere in Oak Creek Canyon?). I'm starting to think 5 nights may have been too many. DH was a Geologist (before he moved into the business world), so I'm trying to plan mostly outside things and outside of Phoenix. I'm looking for some easy hikes. DH has already hiked down and up the GC; good thing as there is no way my body/back could handle that hike...short hikes for me (maybe this will be the motivation I need to exercise more). You know me, I'm an anal planner and I love coming home from a vacation exhausted. I'm trying my best to make this an economical trip too. If you have any suggestions/tips for me, please let me know! Back to my research!

What exactly did the surgeon do wrong that caused the actual slip (besides the misread in the fluoro that didn't show the slip)? Good luck! -BG

Yeah, there's a disconnect between how long you have to exercise to lose a pound and how little extra you need to eat to gain one...no wonder we're fat LOL! -BG

Please call your surgeon's office and let them know about the pain. I haven't heard of this before (stomach/band yes, back no).

Sounds like a perfect fill! Wish my doc had the barium setup in the office...what a great way to get to the perfect spot fast! -BG

Thanks for sharing!

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book (Before's Deleted at that time)

My doc is also "Nothing is off limits" guy and carbonation was OK after week 12 (and no drinking right ontop of food, as usual). He says the belching is the only problem as some find the belching painful (I belch more than I ever have anyway) and that carbonation won't 'stretch' anything. I've had beer with no problem...I'll have to say I broke that rule and tried to have one when I was out to dinner this weekend and as I just had a fill I couldn't drink much and it started hurting ontop of the food (had no problem before I ate), but that would have happened with any liquid backing things up...my fault.

Hey Young- I didn't end up selecting Magee, I only went to their initial seminar (I selected AGH; I went to 3 Centers of Excellent hospitals in Pgh before selecting). There are others here who went to Magee...just do a search; you can even do a search for your doc's name. Magee has a good reputation and a huge bariatric center so you're in good hands. Nausea was my biggest fear. I talked to everyone I could get my hands on the day of the surgery about my extreme nausea (I can't watch 3-D movies or watch my kids playing video games without feeling sick LOL). The most important person to talk with is the anesthesiologist (I talked to his resident first, and then him right before surgery...just scare him to death with stories of how easily you get sick and they'll give you something...it also helps if you have blood-relatives who get sick with anesthesia, which I did). He gave me several preventatives during surgery and I did fine. I was the first surgery of the day and later in the day they did give me a shot for nausea as I had a bad episode when she asked me to get up to pee for the first time (they actually ended up having to cath me...NO big deal at all). I also stayed overnight and asked them for an anti-nausea medicine to take home...ASK FOR ONE!!! Even though I didn't need it the first week post-op I was so glad I had one on hand. It takes a minimum of 6 weeks for all the internal stuff to heal and you don't want to be vomiting during that time. I get migraines and even though I had them under control with a preventative med, I did get one a few weeks post op and was so glad I had the anti-nausea meds as I was heaving (it's not something you want to have to put a call in for and then go to the store, or worse yet, have it be the weekend...when you need it, you need it NOW!). I have a blog here on LBT where I try to be informative as I'm a detail person (link below in my sig). Each blog is dated so it would be easy for you to read about my surgery experiences or anything else you want (just know some entries are just about daily shenanigans in my life). Just go to the blogs and click on the calendar; April 22 was my surgery date, then look for my name or the blog name "The Sweet Spot" Band_Groupie. Let me know if you have any more questions. You'll do great! Good luck and keep me posted on your progress! -BG

Hey gals! I'm in the Burbs, just north of Pittsburgh. I started this 'journey' last summer and got banded the end of April (I chose AGH). I'm down 33 pounds since surgery and over 50 total. The time I spent researching things here was invaluable to me. Each doc seems to have a different pre and immediately post op diet, but the lifetime diet is generally similar (Protein first about 3 oz. then veggies/fruit, about 1- 1 1/2C TTl). You'll find a whole range of diets Banders are on here by choice; some are on WW or Atkins and others chose to continue liquid Protein. I had no pre-op diet and a strict 3 week post-op diet of Clear liquids and skim milk. I've kept to my goal of making the lifetime diet not a 'diet' (I'm a past yo-yoer and have done well dieting, until they end LOL), meaning I almost always eat exactly what my family is having, just a lot less of it. It generally takes a few fills before the band starts doing anything for you, so hang in there. Good luck to you and send me a PM if you need any help! -BG

Samanthazzz- You're doing great! I've been averaging a tiny bit over a pound for the last 8 weeks and I'm happy with that! Labor Day Challenge for Bunny Bandsters! Bunny's name -----------Target loss ------ Start weight ----- Current weight --- Target Weight Sept. 7 Band_Groupie ------------ 15lbs -------------- 203 --------------- 196 ------------ 188 soon2befit ---------------- 25lbs -------------- 261.5 ------------ 256 -----------236.5 hopeful41411 ------------ 20lbs -------------- 253.8 ------------- 253.8 --------233.8 smilan--------------------- 20lbs -------------- 218 --------------- 216 -------------198 trobison------------------- 15lbs -------------- 221 --------------- 213 -------------206 myturn2bhappy ---------- 15lbs -------------- 282 --------------- 282 -------------267 WannaBe1/2TheWoman - 20lbs ------------- 230.6 ------------- 217.2 --------210.6 Butterfly64 ---------------- 15lbs -------------- 231 --------------- 230 ------------216 MrsMitch ------------------ 20lbs -------------- 232 ---------------- 232 ------------212 doodlebug11-------------- 15lbs ------------- 192.5 ------------- 189.5 --------- 177.5 size6----------------------- 11lbs -------------(-)11lbs ---------- (-)3.4lbs ----(-)11lbs TerriLynne----------------- 15lbs -------------- 282.2 ------------- 282.2 -------267.2 txdj ------------------------ 18lbs -------------- 183 -------------- 183 -------------165 1want2bthin -------------- 15lbs -------------- 202 --------------- 202 ------------187 ALuv82 -------------------- 30lbs -------------- 265 --------------- 260 ------------235 tbryant1216--------------- 15lbs -------------- 260 --------------- 260 ------------245

Wow! Interesting story, and I'm so sorry it happened to you. Hope it 'passes' quickly! Good to know we can take an NSAID in an emergency! -BG

Welcome to LBT Amanda! Take a look at the 'before'/'after' thread on the home page for some pics and inspiration. Make sure you join the Sept. group (Groups, 2009, September). I'm 3 months post-op and 52 pounds down (33 since surgery). I have good restriction now after my third fill. Best Wishes! -BG

LOL! Amen! I belch more with each fill; since the last one I can't stop. DH just asked me last night...'why do you belch so much...what causes that?'