HopeWorks

I was banded in Sept of '06 - so I'm over a year. I have the larger band and things went nowhere until about 6 months ago, when I finally got a fill that created restriction. Now I'm down a total of 40 lbs - happy about that, but still need to work hard at eating the right things and work hard and not snacking.

I'm so glad to hear you say this! I have had to get 8 fills in my VG band (now at 10.5ccs) - and have only lost 4 lbs since I was banded in September. So, hopefully I'll start droping real weight soon. I've figured out that if I don't really up the protein, I'll loose lots of hair - so it must mean I'm unhealthy - so I'm concentrating on protein, protein, protein. Also am really trying to eliminate any added sugar. Susan: How come it took you 6 months to start loosing?

Well, I'm at 10ccs. Hard to believe that is possible, but there it is - 10ccs - doctor pulled out all of the ccs to measure them and make sure they wern't leaking and nope - they are there. I can now FINALLY not eat big bites of anything and about 1/2 the time I can't eat more than a cup of food, but other times I can consume quite a bit more. I can't possibly need ANOTHER fill, can I?

Nope - no water. Going to ask doctor some serious questions tomorrow.

I'm going to ask my doctor this week when I go in for my 8TH FILL, but wondered what you folks think... I'm at 8.5 cc's but can only have restriction of the size bites I take - too big or fast and it feels like automatic heart burn as the bite goes down. Other than that I have no restriction. If I eat small bites, I can still consume large amounts of food - way over 2 cups (last night I went to Red Lobster and had a garden salad, biscuit, 6 large shrimp, a few bites of mashed potatoes and probably 1/2 cup of pasta). This worries me a great deal. Could it be that the band is too high up (only restricting my esophagus) or too low down (giving me a large pouch)? OPINIONS PLEASE..... Thanks all!

Hey, thanks for the comments. I think you're all right. I could probably use a tad more. Worst case - I have to have some taken out. I don't want to rely on this too much, but I'm weak I tell you, WEAK!

Well I swear my Dr. is out for my $$$. I've had 8, yes 8, fills and have 9cc in my VG - only just STARTING to feel a little restriction. I couldn't eat steak and salad last night. Can only eat about 1 1/2 cup of food now - which is what I've been waiting for. BUT....I don't stay full for any longer than I did before and nibbling is hard to stop. Should I get another fill and risk having the PB thing or food caught?

Wow - I was getting really frustrated until these posts - love it. I have the VG (but my Dr. says it holds 11cc?) - Anyway, I've had 5 fills now and have 7ccs in. Have ZERO restriction! I can eat ANYTHING - steak, crusty bread, bagels, salad. My next fill is Jan 18 - then I'll have 8ccs and it sounds like this may be the sweet spot for many of you. Only worry: what if this larger band was placed in error and even fully filled, it won't have an affect? Anyone ever had this problem or is it totally impossible?

Yea! Who's to say which obsessions are good and which are bad - I mean emotionally. Physically - is another story. I actually did very recently begin to smoke again! I quit 8 years ago (cold turkey) after smoking for 15 yrs, a pack a day. I never had another because I thought that if I did, it would be a habit again. But, a few months ago I had one while haveing a few drinks w/friends and decided that I could control it and only have one or two when I drank - which is very rarely. But....the past week - I've pulled out that stashed pack that I'd kept for "evenings out" and well, I've started again! Oh my gosh! Am I nuts - or is it just impossible to live the Sandra Dee life? :guess

Oh my gosh! Been there! I had refused to go on any amusement rides becauses of my size, but last year my husband begged me to ride the swinging ship with him. I thought that since there wern't individual seats that it shouldn't be a problem. WRONG! The stupid carnie had to come tell me that I had to move from the end to the middle to "balance out the ship"! Never again - not until I'm at 141 like Spydr.

Hey, I get that "DH" means something to do with "husband" - what does it stand for?

I was just banded a week or so ago. :nervous Can anyone explain the chewing thing to me - I understand that it's so that the food can get from the upper pouch down to the lower stomach. But...I remember hearing that another part of the reason was to help in digestion. Q: doesn't the lower part of the stomach do most of the digesting (or at least the remaining required digestion)? Q2: if you don't have a fill - won't the passage between the pouch and stomach be larger - which would require less chewing? :hungry: Thanks for any help! :kiss2:

I've seen hotdogs a few times - thought those were a no-no? Didn't think those were digestable?

Jeeze Jamie - I am so scared to eat anything - I feel like I'll be eating chicken broth my whole life. The few bites of pea soup and pudding I've had have made me feel sick to my stomach an hour after eating them...maybe it's all in my head?

AAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRR - If Erika hadn't asked Julie if they needed to hold on to the key with both hands, Janie would have one the first round of the HOH competition - then she would have beat Mike on the second round! I can't believe it!!!! I really hate both Erika and Mike - Erika back stabed George, Daniel and now Janie. Mike is just a creep. I'm so dissapointed! The only thing that will make me feel better is when I see Janie in a blockbuster movie or TV show - she needs a big payoff for being on this show! Mike is a selfish creep - I really doubt he'll come though and split the $ with Will and Janie. What do you think about that?

Wow - so sorry about all the troubles! If nothing else, your problems help the people with no real problems feel better about the "little" things that come with banding.

I'm scheduled for 9/12 - next week - yikes! I am the type that needs to know everything before I make a decision and I'm so nervous about next week because I really have no idea how my body is going to react to the band. I've been practicing the small bites, chewing allot thing and it seems like I chew just fine - but is it just as much of a problem to swallow allot of something chewed well as it is to swallow a little of something not chewed enough?

She'll win - she's a great role model for staying positive!!!

I’m scheduled to be banded on 9/12 and have lots of nervous energy (along with a headache that I can’t get rid of – stress). I have kids, dogs, husband and need to know how I’ll be feeling the first few weeks….in pain, medicated, tired, weak, hungry – if all you ingest the first few weeks is liquids, you have to be feeling weak – right??? I need to know how to prepare my family/myself. Do I bring in help, do I freeze 2 weeks worth of meals? I’m just not sure what to expect?

Long story, short - I was scheduled for surgery (lap-band) on Jan of 05 with a Dr. Baker, but turned out the office got insurance clearance incorrectly and I wasn't covered so after I'd done the 2-week pre-op diet that the office told me I had to do, I found out I couldn't have the surgery. I had to buy their product, which was pretty awful. I did cheat and eat Campbell's veg/beef soup...no idea if it would have affected anything. But...now I'm approved for surgery with another doctor and his office does NOT require a pre-op diet! So, I'm not really sure how important it really is?

SweetSue wanted to know "The hardest thing for me to understand is the banded feeling....." I'm going to be banded 9/12 and that is the only thing I want to know also - what does it feel like - every min of every day? When can you tell you have it on your stomach? Are you only aware when you eat or at other times too? I know that there are a variety of possible complications, but aside from those - what is it like to live with this band? -Anxious.

I found out in Jan that I had to do the six month thing too - and my primary dr. didn't want to do it, so I had to find another dr. -- but I did and just a week ago, finished my last apt - YEA! But now I have to get my new dr. to write a "referral and clearance" letter to my insurance co - Humana - and don't know if she'll be comfortable doing that - YIKES! IF she does, THEN I have to wait to see if Humana will cover it....SERIOUSLY NERVIOUS - you have no idea.

It's great to hear what real banders are actually eating. I'm waiting for my band date - sometime this summer. I know it's getting ahead of myself, but what do the banders who have lost their goal wait eat?

I should have the band by mid-summer - but the more I read - I just don't know. I wish that there were some real staticts out there on banded people. Something that shows the percentages of positive results - happy banded people - amount of pain each experiences on a daily or weekly basis - amount of change in lifestyle - real number of serious problems like this one....anyone know of such a place/web-site/report?

Let me know what you find out about this slime thing - I'm in the final stages of getting final insurance approval for the band - but until this site - haven't really heard from people who had the band - heard about complications and lifestyle with the band. If this sliming thing is a regular occurance forever than I may sadly have to reconsider...:help: