marfar7

Thank you for addressing this. My husband thinks I'm bulimic. I often throw up (PB) - probably about 3-6 times a week. Mostly from eating too fast. After almost 3 yrs, I still have yet to control how fast I eat. But, even tho I know I'm not bulimic (I purge because I'm so uncomfortable and it's the only way to relieve it - not to control my intake), I did slip my band about 3 mths ago. After having Fluid taken out, letting it rest, and fluid added slowly, I still have severe reflux - so either it re-slipped or it was never fixed in the first place (they didn't do a followup xray before they started refilling). Since my slip, I've been so aware of how fast I eat. One thing that it doesn't matter how slowly I eat, it always comes back up is pudding and yogurt. No clue why those "sliders" always come back up. Since my 1st slip, I've cut way back on vomiting. I either eat it correctly, or suffer with the pain till it goes down - and it will eventually. I was caught a couple nites ago when I ate about 1/2 cup of banana pudding. I felt it stuck and it wouldn't go away. So in order to not allow my husband to hear me, I took the dog outside to potty. I threw it up in the yard. He heard me thru his office window! I thought I was being so sneaky. Can't wait till my band is fully functional again and not causing severe reflux and heartburn. Hopefully soon! Marci

No clue. I don't count anything. Never have. It's why I got banded -so I'd never have to "diet" again. And to me, counting calories, carbs, Protein, and fat is just like dieting. If I were to take an educated guess, I'd guess around 1200-1300. It's been 2 1/2 yrs since being banded tho - I'm not on a liquid diet. When I was on liquids only, I probably took in around 600 or so. Can't keep that up very long and live your life normally. Good luck! Marci

Like someone said, the only symptom of a slip that I had was severe reflux at night. So bad! And I could also eat a little more than usual. I'd always heard that if you slipped, you wouldn't be able to keep down anything - not true for all people. I'm now working on my 2nd slip (confirmed next week). Am I still happy with my band? Absolutely. Do I wish it would quit causing me problems? Absolutely Good luck! Marci

Too bad the stuff doesn't work for me. I take the RX strength Omeprazole (Prilosec) + RX Nexium +OTC Zantac. And I still have to sleep propped up on 3 pillows to avoid choking on my stomach acid. I have an appt next week with my band dr to check for yet ANOTHER slip. I spose the meds would work if I just had reflux that was caused by overactive acid makers - not a slipped band. Nothing will work for that except to have it fixed. Glad you found something that'll work for you! Marci

I"m almost 3 yrs out and I still have a hard time eating slowly. I learned to eat fast in Army basic training. If you didn't eat within 5 mins, you didn't eat. I've never lost that.. My husband constantly reminds me to slow down. I make the mistake of waiting till Im starving, so I wolf it down. Small utensils may help the bite size, but not how fast you eat. You have to control this. Over the last over 2 yrs, I vomit frequently from eating too fast. It finally caused a slip recently. So I try really hard to slow it down. Good luck to u Marci

What's the? ?

I can't think of a reason why the band would have anything to do with your diarrhea. Now if you had a bypass, Id be more concerned. Maybe you ate something or have a little tummy bug? Good luck. That sucks that it happens while on vacation Marci

Mashed avocado is good on sandwiches. I use mayo (full fat kind) and ranch dressing on everything. Marci

Im 3 yrs post op. My port could be felt with some prodding when I weighed 250. Now, it looks like an alien. U can totally see it protruding. Good luck Marci

Ive been feeling the same lately. Im almost 3 yrs post band, but tsill have those bad habits to break. Until my unfill about 2 mths ago due to a slip,there was no way I could physically overeat. It literally gave me pain and i learned pretty quickly when to stop eating. But since my unfill (Ive had 2 1cc fills so far), I feel that I have decent restriction, but overeating doesnt cause me discomfort anynore. I go past that "full" feeling often. I think that I might need therapy for addicito n to food. It'd be smart to do it before I gain all my weight back becasue I'm not feeling pain when satiated. Oh to have that pain back! Especially at nite. Ive been snacking alot. Too much. Ive already gained 13a lbs and I really dont want to gain anymore. Good luck with ur therapy. Let us know how it goes. At least you figured it out before being banded. Marci

What is exactly the question? Marci

Im almost 3 yrs post op and began having problems with my band about 4 mths ago. Seems like I see the dr often now. And each time its a 6 hr round trip and $160. My insurance only covered the first yr of fills. This is costing a fortune. And theres no end in sight. Just criuos as to if my dr is charging a reasonable amount or not. Marci

I agree with the careful on the induced vomiting. Ive been sticking my toothbrush down my throat for 2 1/2 yrs so as not to feel the pain of being stuck. I did it about 2-4x a wk. Then I had a slip (mosy likely caused by vomiting) and 4 mths later, Im still in the process of rectifying the slip. Thats the thing with the band - you have to be patient. Nothing with the band is immediate. Ive found that NOTHING works for being stuck but vomiting for me. Except preventing the episode in the first place. Im learning to slow down and chew food really carefully. Sometimes it doesnt work and Ive only induced vomiting a couple of times. The pain is sometimes intense but it usually only lasts about 15 minites and its over. Im struggling now with a possible 2nd slip or the first one was never corrected. Trying really hard to prevnt stuck episodes. Good luck Marci

Ive been fat all my life. I married at 21. Lost enuf weight to join the Army, and spent the next 19 yrs in wedded bliss with a guy who could care less how much I weighed. Then he died at 46, 5 yrs ago. Initially I lost 30 lbs (bringing me to 170) butn. Over the next 18 mths I gainedalmost 80 lbs. The thought of being alone for the rest of my life scared me to death. I couldnt imagine putting my profile on the Big Beautiful Women daating site. So, 2 yrs after my husbnad died, I moved from VA to OR, where I didnt know a soul (just wanted to start over so I picked. OR off the map). I had started lookint at the band before I moved but really started seriuosly considering it after moving. I had my first appt 2 mths after moving. I was banded about 4 mths after moving. About a year later and a loss of about 70 lbs, I started dating. In Dec 2011 I remarried a wonderful man who is so supportive of my band life. He reminds me to slow down when im wolfing my food, is concerned when I have reflux, and encourages me in the dressing room when a pair of 8's actually fit! Im now down over 100 lbs. I hate to think that I would've never met my husband if I had still been obese. But its true that I didnt even have the courage to meet anyone so fat. I ask him all the time if he would still love me if I gained all the weight back. He tells me yes, but I wouldnt like myself very much. Which is troo. Also when i bent over to tie my shoes and I was out of breath, that also made my decision! Good luck with ur decision Marci

I feel your pain. I've had my band almost 3 yrs now, lost over 100 lbs (was within 11 lbs of goal) and my band slipped about 7 mths ago. I didn't do anything about it cuz I was afraid he'd want to take it out. The only symptom I had was severe reflux. I could still eat and drink like usual. After 4 mths of nightime hell, my husband talked me into going to the dr. After an xray, they found a slip. So the PA took out 1/2 of my 9cc fill and let me rest for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks of sleeping like a baby (and gaining a few lbs) I went in and had 1cc fill (without a follow up xray to make sure it was in place). I don't know why I didn't insist on it. Well, the 1cc still let me sleep like a baby but I also had no restriciton. So 2 weeks later, he put another 1cc in. Restriction is back - so is the reflux. So I figure either it slipped AGAIN or it was never corrected in the first place. Now I have to start all over again (and my dr is also 3 hrs away - and $160 each visit) and see him numerous times to get this fixed. The nurse said that my next visit would be free (my husband insisted on that since they never did a follow up xray). I'm so scared that they're either going to unfill me completely and I'll gain even more than the 14 lbs I've already gained, or I have to have surgery to reposition it. In one way, I'd rather do the latter. At least I'd KNOW that it was corrected and my insurance would pay for it! So I know exactly how your feeling. Nervous that my band will never be the same again. Wish the plication surgery had been in available in 2009. Then I wouldn't have to worry about slips again. Good luck to you! Marci

Thanks for all your comments. Its now been 4 nites of no reflux. Just mild heartburn. Think ill hold out till it starts again. I went a yr without seeing my dr at all and Ive seen him about 5 times in the past 6 mths. Oh, and I've now gained a total of 9 lbs. I dont even need a belt for my jeans anymore. That sucks. Still happy with my band tho Marci

Hey all, Ive had my band for almost 3 yrs and have been very hapy with my over 100 lb success. About 7 mths ago, I began experiencing bad reflux every single nite. I was taking 1 RX Nexium, 2 RX Prilosec, and 5 OTC Zantac. Plus enuf Tums to feed a village of starving children. And sleeping almost sitting up, propped on 3 pillows makes for a lousy nite of sleep. I was afraid of telling my dr for fear that he'd say I was too tight and take Fluid out. I finally gave in to my husbands pleadings and after an xray, a slipped band was found to be the culprit. The PA took 1/2 of my 9cc fill out and let me rest for 44 wks. The reflux stopped immediately. I did pretty well only gaining 3 lbs during this time. Without xraying me to make sure it was corrected, my dr put in 1cc. Still no reflux but also no restriction. 2 wks later later he put another 1cc in. Finally restriction again -to but along with it came the severe reflux again. I wish i had insisted on a followup xray to make sure my band was in place before starting the fill process again. Since I was out of the state for 2 wks, I emailed my RN. She responded and said Id need to come in and have some taken out. Ive been home for 4a days now and havent had reflux the last 3 nites. So did it correct itself or is the lack of reflux just a quirk? Its a 6 hr round trip and $160 everytime I see the doc. Should I make an appt on Monday or wait and see if the reflux returns? Can the band reposition itself once it slips? Marci

My surgery was almost 3 yrs ago now. No fill at placement. 6 wks later, he put 5cc in. No change. Another 6 wks and he gave me another 2cc. Still no change. Another 6 wks and another 1cc, I finally found restriction! I remember eating like 4i bites of chicken, 3 bites of potato, and a couple bites of green Beans and being very satisfied. That chicken dinner lasted about 56 meals in my to go box. Now, almost 3 yrs later, numerous fills and a couple of unfills, I have about 7cc in it and I think I may need a little fill. Im experiencing reflux tho, so i may have another slip. No fills for me in the immediate future. Hope that helps. Oh, I have a 14cc band Marci

I have a 14cc Realize band. And about 6 mths ago (before my slip and unfill), the PA filled me to 10cc and said I was maxed out. Didn't believe him, as I've heard that the bands hold more than they're sposed to. But when he injected the saline, the syringe pushed against him, like there was too much Fluid in there. He said from now on, it was up to me. My band has done it's job. Unless I lose a ton more weight and make the band too loose that it'll hold more. At the time, I only had 11 lbs to go. After being unfilled because of a slip, I've gained about 8 lbs, so I'm about 19 lbs from goal. No clue why he gave me a 14cc vs a 10cc. He didn't tell me. Hope that answered your ? Marci

Thanks everyone! Appreciate your responses. I'm calling the office for an appt today. Marci

400-500 sounds a bit low to me. Even on the liquid only phase. Even my Protein shakes has at least 200 calories in them. Since the band, I've never counted calories, fat, carbs, or even protein. I eat what I want until I'm satisfied (about a toddlers portion). That's why I had the lapband - so I wouldn't have to count anything that went into my mouth ever again. But I know where you're coming from. You're in the beginning stage and just want to find out if what you're doing is "normal". I'm not a dr (I did major in nutrition in college, only have 6 classes left to become an RD) but to me, 400-500 calories sounds like starvation mode. You won't be able to function on that for very long. If it's that low just because of the very few things you can have, I'd sneak in an extra Protein shake or extra Soup. Good luck! Marci

I was very open about it. My mom tried to talk me out of it. Thought I could do it the "old fashioned way" - like she did. If that actually worked for me - I'd have done it the first 100 times I tried! I was a widow at the time (alone) so a significant other wasn't in the picture. Since then, I've married. I've told everyone who will listen, actually! Last week was the first time I showed my new mother in law a before pic of me. She couldn't believe the difference. I'm very proud of that. Marci

Sorry. The only time my port hurts is for a couple of days following a fill. My last fill, he stuck me about 15 times so I was quite sore for about a week. And bruised. Did you maybe bump it or something? Marci

Welcome! I'm sure we'll be reading your success story about this time next year! Good luck! Marci

i guess I'm the rule breaker. After 6 mths of no sodas, I went thru the Carls Jr drive thru and got a Diet Coke. Best 1 sip I ever had! In the last 2 yrs (had my band almost 3 yrs ago), I drink a sip or 2 of soda about 3-4 times a week. I've never ordered one for myself (cept that first one thru the drive thru!) and I just take a sip or 2 from hubbys. And I drink coffee daily. I notice if I take more than 2 sips of soda, it does hurt tho. Marci