als74

It has almost been 4 years since I was banded and doing okay. I have had trouble keeping anything down, and lots of esophigus pain. I went in for an unfill, and now am having chest pain. It started a day after unfil. At night, I woke up with chest pain that went away after drinking some Water. This worked for a couple of nights, but is getting worse. The pain is right in the center behind where my ribs meet. Last night was the worst, and it still doesn't feel right. I haven't posted in a long time, but now I feel the need to. I am hoping to find someone who has been banded for a while that might know what I am going through. I have a upper GI scheduled for later next week. Any suggestions? The pain seems worse when I have nothing in my stomach and seems to get better with food. Could hunger cause this much pain? It has been years since I was unrestricted...

I was banded Dec 2008, and it just now came to me that I might not be able to ride a rollercoaster. How many of you have gone on one, did you have any troubles, if so what? Any info would help me determine if it is worth it.

So I am feeling fluish, and decide to take a bath. While in the tub feeling my stomach, I notice my port feels right by my belly button. Is this just because my stomach is much smaller or sould I go get it checked? Oh, I was banded in december 08 and down 115 lbs.

I understand how you feel. It seems like I have been on a long battle to get healthy, but I am still unhappy. I am down to 177 from 295 in Dec 09, and was excited to finally start on baby #2. My daughter is 6, and I really wanted a 5 year gap. Well, excitingly enough we concieved first try in aug 2010. I was super excited. When I had my blood work done, doc said I was about 3-4 weeks preggers, when I knew it was more like 7-8. That was distressing. they kept an eye out, and a few weeks later I passed the baby. I was and am still heartbroken. My hubby has been acting weird since, always coming up with excuses to not have sex when I am o-ving... I think he is scared now. Anyway, we had our spring break two weeks ago, and did a lot of fun activities while kids were away. I had sex during my ovulation time, and am waiting for aunt flo on wednesday. So here is why I am freaked. Last time when I miscarried, I had cramping from ovulation to miscarriage. Ironically enough, the same cramping has returned, except just on the right side. Preg test said negative, but I took it early... I am afraid to be pregnant and have ectopic or miscarriage again. It is hard when the one thing you want to feel good about makes you feel terrified, crazy, and depressed.

Hello lovely ladies,

I stumbled upon this thread and was happy to read that others are obviously going through some of the things that I have. I have felt so alone about all of this, but my hubby and I started trying to conceive back in February and since then have had two early miscarriages . . and then last month I got an ovulation test and my last cycle we pinpointed a good time to try to conceive and . . 'tried'. I am now a week late so was excited that maybe we were finally pregnant but have just started spotting this afternoon and I'm devastated. I want to cry and scream and . . . oh I don't know.

I'm just very tired and emotional I suppose and I'm so exhausted after this year.

I want to try and stay positive but am finding it really hard at the moment

I just thought to update my sad series of events. I ended up miscarrying. It was horrible. I am worried that my body is not healthy enough. I have low Iron, low Vit D, low blood pressure, even low cholesterol. I have had hypothyroidism for 15 years and just recently diagnosed with Hoshimotos. I feel pregnancy is a dream at this point. I have a beautiful baby girl who just turned six, and I am greatful. I would love another baby, but am worried it won't happen. Hopefully I can read some posts on here about woman getting preggers successfully after bandage...

Thank you all for you comments.

Hello all,

I just took a preggo test on Saturday and discovered I am pregnant. I noticed the last couple days that I was getting hungry a lot more. Today at work, I ate basically all day, and was still hungry. On my way home, I was so hungry I stopped at McDonalds and got a Big Mac, which I haven't been able to eat since banded in Dec of 2008. I just finished it! None of it got stuck! Granted, feel full finally, but I NEVER wanted to be able to eat a Big Mac again, no matter what! Last week I got full off 1/2 cup of food and stuff was still getting stuck! What the hell happened to my band? This food problem started yesterday, I still had restriction on Saturday, some Sunday, and now here Monday I got nothin'! And just to clarify, I did NOT overeat until today, so I haven't stretched out my band. And today my version of over eating was half a thing of oatmeal at breakfast (eaten over a two hour period), Water, lunch I had 1/4 of a cheese roll up, 1 cup of salad with ital dressing, (which should have more than filled me up) then about 5 corn chips dipped in hummus, and Andes mint. I also ate Peanut Butter crackers as a snack- all six of them. I am so proud of my weight loss (295 to 185), but am terrified something happened to my band that it stopped working. HELP!!!!!

Hello all,

I just took a preggo test on Saturday and discovered I am pregnant. I noticed the last couple days that I was getting hungry a lot more. Today at work, I ate basically all day, and was still hungry. On my way home, I was so hungry I stopped at McDonalds and got a Big Mac, which I haven't been able to eat since banded in Dec of 2008. I just finished it! None of it got stuck! Granted, feel full finally, but I NEVER wanted to be able to eat a Big Mac again, no matter what! Last week I got full off 1/2 cup of food and stuff was still getting stuck! What the hell happened to my band? This food problem started yesterday, I still had restriction on Saturday, some Sunday, and now here Monday I got nothin'! And just to clarify, I did NOT overeat until today, so I haven't stretched out my band. And today my version of over eating was half a thing of oatmeal at Breakfast (eaten over a two hour period), Water, lunch I had 1/4 of a cheese roll up, 1 cup of salad with ital dressing, (which should have more than filled me up) then about 5 corn chips dipped in hummus, and Andes mint. I also ate Peanut Butter crackers as a snack- all six of them. I am so proud of my weight loss (295 to 185), but am terrified something happened to my band that it stopped working. HELP!!!!!

I have bad heartburn problems. When they started, it was all above the band. With the acids, I could hardly keep anything down. The acids were messing my band swelling, so they had to take some out. You might be too tight. Now I am a mess, but the acids are trapped in my lower stomach, and I have to take omeprazal (sp?) and over the counter zantac. But I am not eating right either. When I got too tight, I started eating sweets, it is the only thing that would work. Now I eat them too much....grrrr. I have been the same weight for almost a year.

Ah, a question I can reply to. I also have a problem with hamburger, even if it is broken up. However, two things that go down far are 1. Venison burger and 2. Morningstar burger (yes, I know it is not meat, but tastes really good and easy to chew and digest). Hope this is helpful:blush:

Well I took everyone's advice, and went to the doc. She wanted to take out a whole cc! I told her no way, so we compromised and she took out 1/2 cc. I already feel better, but I had to take Migraine medicine today, so of course I have heartburn from that. I am starting on a prescription of 4 pills a day for heartburn for 1 week, then going down to two a day.

My advice for anyone who has reaccurring heartburn is to get to the doc and get an unfill before it gets too bad. I am looking forward to eating food and keeping it down, and not feeling pain every day.

My advice is this. If I were you, I would not worry too much about gaining weight. Going on the trip will be stressful, which will tighten your band. Also, don't pig out. Enjoy yourself, but in moderation. Have fun, and when you come back, diet like normal people do when they go on vaccation and eat too much. Don't be afraid to be normal. And another thing, all that spicy food might upset your band and give you more restriction too. Do NOT get a fill before you leave...your doc is right. Stop stressing and have fun. Keep busy and don't make the vaccation about food. I am excited for you- have a blast!

I would not worry about the weight loss as much as the damage an overactive thyroid can do. Mine is underactive (hypo) and I have lost 90lbs since Dec 2008, so I think I am doing pretty well with a slow thyroid.

No one likes to get unfills, especially me. I have been fighting an unfill for a while now, and am finally going in Thursday. Maybe you just need an unfill for now, untill you heal up. Sometimes when you are sick, and you plug up, your stomach gets irratated and swells up like post surgery. If you go too long, you might end up doing permanent damage. I would call your doc and get his opinion, but try the hot liquids first to see if that helps. pineapple juice might help as well. Hot pineapple juice? Yuck!

I am hoping that my constant heartburn is the result of some other issue then being too tight, because I really do not want an unfill. I feel that other then problems related to the heartburn (swelling causing PB'ing) I have perfect restriction. In fact, at one time I wanted a slight fill, but decided I would rather use self control. But for a few months now, it has been bad.

So I am asking, is there anyone out there that had problems that were not from being too tight, but another reason altogether?

I have been having a lot of this lately. Along with really bad heartburn. I have found the only thing that helps is getting it out. If I get something stuck, I PB. I even had refried Beans get stuck (which have always gone down fine) lately, and I am sure it is this damn heartburn.

Why on Earth would you stay away? I love cheese and some yogurt. I have actually taken to Boursin, which although expensive) gives me no problem and tastes fantastic! Yes these things have fats, but fats are filling and cheese and yogurt has Protein. Enjoy- just in moderation.

Ironically since my last post, I have had zero PB or heartburn. WTF? I am taking it real easy, taking smaller bites, and not eating so much. I think I was falling back on old habits of just eating too big, too much, too often. The Tim Horten's oatmeal goes down in the am at work. Then something small at lunch, or no dice. Then dinner (small again) with lots of drinking in between (with at least one of the a Protein drink). I am going to try to correct this problem myself, because I think I caused it. I think I have upset my stomach so much, that I need to take it easy and let it heal. It wasn't that long ago I was wanting a fill, I don't think I am overfilled. Well, if I am, then what I am doing will not fix the problem for long, and I will go in for an unfill. However, if it works, I will be very happy, and learn not to mess up again (till I forget the pain and get over-zealous...)

After reading this, now I think I should go in for an unfill. My problem has been hit and miss though. I have been very successful so far, and the weight is still going down. I am down close to 90 lbs, and for the past several months, I have been pb, throwing up, heartburn, pressure in asoph. I know this is all bad, but as soon as I decide to go in, it goes away for a few days and all is well.

However, I notice the things I should eat hurt, so I have been eating sliders (sweets and sugars mostly), and am dying to feel something in my stomach. I will try to eat the good stuff, get sick, then finish with sweets. This is SOOOO bad. However, I was tight once before, and got an unfill, but they took too much out and I was STARVING! I went back for a partial fill, but they didn't put in much. At one point, I wanted a small fill again, but decided against it. Things were going great. I was loosing, eating well, and enjoying what I was eating. I figured as I lost weight, I would need another fill from fat shrinkage. NOT! Instead I find it getting tighter and tighter, but probably from irratation. I don't want to get much taken out, but they don't go for the small unfills...

I hate this part. I know you are all going to say go to the doc. I know I have to. I just don't want to. It is so hard for me because I am so close to being in the onehundreds again, and I know as soon as I get an unfill I will gain. UUURrRRRRGFGGGGG!

This might sound silly, but I am getting tired of people saying "hey skinny!" I know they are trying to compliment me on my weight loss, but HELLO! I started at 295 and am 10 lbs away from ONEderland, but am still 210. That is NOT skinny unless you are like 10 ft tall. I am getting tired of compliments. I don't take them well...I know, that sounds so selfish. But that is how I feel.

I am sort of in the same place. I have been making poor food choices, overeating, and not exercising. I have lost 80 lbs since Dec and am 15lbs to onederland, but have been slowly gaining (about 3 lbs back now) and am freaking out. I have been out and about, and really trying to eat smaller amounts, but have found myself grazing. I would love to go get a fill, but I think my restriction is fine. I still have discomfort occationally, and am worried that if I get a fill, I will be too tight again. I really should do the pouch test, but I get so hungry lately that my stomach hurts. Granted, the hunger is 4-5 hours apart like it should be, but that is when I eat a good amount of food. When I eat less, I am hungry in much less time (1-3 hours). Should I try for another fill?

I have been battling with Constipation since my surgery in Dec. Now I have bad hemmoroids, and bleed every time I have a bm. I have to see a proctologist. I drink miralax occationally, and it does help, but the damage is done. I hope you don't have to deal with the pain I do...it is very painful. I hate it. Buy hey, down 80 lbs, so I take the good with the bad.

If you get a fill and feel tighter two weeks later, just wait it out, it will change. There are a couple reasons for this that my doc told me about.

1. There was Fluid in the tube that worked it way into your band from your last fill.

2. Emotional changes. Monthly flo, stress, etc., will change your restriction.

See, I know I am due for a fill because I can eat anything, though in limited amounts, but had my monthly this week and still felt no restriction. For me, my sweet spot is restriction in the am, less in the pm, very little at night, and restriction during period time.

Although I didn't make my monthly goal, I still did great this month. The last week was riddled with birthdays, a funeral, and some bad food choices of some very tasty sliders.

Even still, I lost 1 lb this week. New goal for next month, 8 lbs.

Keep going everyone!!!! Rah Rah RAH!!!!!!

So this was a messy week for me. Lost 1 lb, which was a miracle. Over the weekend I was at in-laws and ate lots of foods and cake and stuff. I am ashamed. However, I went to yoga twice this week and the second class kicked my ASS! So thank you yoga for the -1 lb, as I know I have you to thank for it!

Hoping to be in onederland by September...

Don't wait- you could do damage. One question, are you on your monthly flo? that will make you super tight after a fill, then unfill, and be loose again. Def call doc asap.

I have that issue sometimes when I am not drinking enough Water. I also have the issue if i do not take my previcid every day. Are you on anything for reflux?