Phranp

Been there, done that! Somewhere around my 6th or 7th fill my doctor changed offices. In the new office was this fancy chair for giving fills. Well, I don't know what happened but he had to numb me 3 or 4 times and he poked me, looking for my port about, 8 times. Even with the numbing agent ... I was still shaking and traumatized when I left his office. It took me 2 months to find the courage to go back for another fill! I feel your pain!

My band and I have a love/hate relationship at this point in time. I hate it because when I am stressed and overwhelmed (which is a lot lately) I can't eat to calm my nerves because of the tightness of my band. I love my band because when I am stressed and overwhelmed (which is a lot lately) I can't eat to calm my nerves because of the tightness of my band. Yeah, sounds crazy, but I'm betting somebody out there understands. My band makes me think about my choices - whether I like it or not. Because I can't stuff myself until I forget my problems ... I actually have to think about what's going on in my life and deal with it 'sans food'. I love my band!

Thanks for your story. It was truly uplifting in the otherwise stressful and overwhelming day I am having at work. I am sooo glad that I "stole" a moment to read it. All the best to you!

My food is perfection ... DURING THE DAY! At night ... not so much! In the morning I have a Protein shake - can't stomach food in the morning (I've tried) and my lunch is between 220 - 320 calories everyday. I can barely get my lunch down, some days I can only eat half of it. But in the evening I not only am able to eat more physically -- mentally the stresses of my day sit around a table in my mind and remind me that "FOOD IS THE ANSWER!" LOL Fortunately, my last fill (about 3 weeks ago) has me much, much tighter; making nigth eating uncomfortable, but I still try -- and regret it every time. It is the mental part that gives me the most problems. I must admit it was getting better, but recently I have been assigned new responsibilities at work that are very stressful, and I am worried about one of my kids that is away at school (about to start her last quarter) and is overwhelmed and calling me in tears. Whew! I'm just a little stressed. So, when I get home instead of relaxing I am a little more tense that I should be. :frown: Oh, and I'm taking a class on Wednesday nights that ends at 10 p.m.! OMG! I am too old for this! LOL Anyway, I understand about the night eating and I am working with my therapist to find ways to channel my stress so that my old "food is the answer to all my problems" voice doesn't takeover. Good luck to us all!

Sounds like your doc is a real prince! I'm sure his thinking is just warped. Not everyone is looking to lose 150 lbs in one year. I have lost about 45 lbs in nine months and I am fine with it. I would not object to myself or anyone else losing more faster, but I like the idea of letting my mind catch up to what is happening with my body. I have had this relationship with food for many, many, MANY years and it's more than a notion to change my way of thinking at my age. I am doing so much better now and prefer the band over bypass. I know a number of people that had bypass and they have gained quite a bit of their weight back. I like the idea of being in partnership with my band. I do my job and the band does its job and all is well. I am down 8 sizes and I am thrilled! I hope your doc was just having a bad day and that he apologizes for his boorish behavior the next time you see him. All the best to you!

Depends on what you have already tried. I have a Protein drink every morning for Breakfast. I use chocolate Muscle Milk. I mix the powder with half Water, half soy milk (I'm lactose intolerant). I love it! Every now and again I make a shake with my Muscle Milk using soy milk and sf pudding. Initially I used the

Thanks for responding ... I appreciate your input. This cold has been H*LL!

Okay, so my cold is better ...had it since Tuesday ... stayed home Wednesay back to work Thursday ... I still have a lot of mucous ... especially today. Tried to eat my lunch and work at the same time (was on the phone with the travel agent) had to hang up and literally RUN to the bathroom to give up what little of my lunch I had eaten. Is this because I am full of mucous? This is the first time I have had an episode like this. My lunch was a Lean Cuisine with soft noodles and soft chicken. Whew! I don't want to do that again. Think I'll do protein drinks for the next day or so ... what do you think? Ever had this happen when you have a cold?

I totally understand how you are feeling right now. I was banded on June 15, 2009 and have "only" lost 40lbs (maybe more, haven't weighed in a while). Due to health problems (i.e., spinal stenosis, back surgery, etc.) I wasn't really exercising much. I was so afraid of waking up my "spinal stenosis" monster that can cause me so much pain that I was paralizyed. Then I did some reading about weight loss and exercise. The value of exercising while losing weight is tremendous! So, I did some reading on exercise and spinal stenosis. I learned that certain exercises can strengthen the back muscles which in turn will make my back stronger and eliminate much of the pain. I got right on it! The numbers on the scale going down, they are not zooming down but they continue to head in the right direction. That muscle is heavier than fat is a big reason for that. My clothes, like yours, are getting smaller. Restriction is just around the corner for you, hang in there. You are already exercising, keep it up. The path in front of you already reads "success" even if you can't see it right now. Keep up the good work, you're doing great!

Yes, Leigha, my doc will give me an unfill ... though I must say he is sometimes a little hard to catch (because he seems to always be in surgery). I did have an easier time this morning getting my protein drink down but, if by the end of the week I am not doing better I will call my doc. You're right, it's certainly not worth risking damage to my band. Thanks for your post.

@123crod, has the swelling/pain subsided any? Do you feel it slowly getting better?

I got a fill on Thursday, February 25th. My doc has me on liquids that day but food the next. I always do a Protein drink for Breakfast because i am unable to get food down in the morning. On Friday my stomach was still very swollen so I had a protrein drink for lunch too. I ate dinner, but it was difficult and a little painful. I decided to go back on liquids for a couple of days. It is now Tuesday and, while I can get some food down, it is pretty painful. Is is possible that my stomach is still swollen from the fill? Or (and I truly hope this is NOT the case), am I too tight? All opinions are welcome. Thank you.

Congrats Jacksdad! I thought I was at my sweet spot for months even though I was losing slowly. Then I started feeling like I could eat way too much, so I went in for a fill. That was Thursday, 2/25, by Saturday I had lost 4 lbs and I could hardly eat anything. I know I am still swollen but I truly believe I am finally at my sweet spot. YAY!! Good luck to you all!

I agree with "tke", Dr. Korman's office is really good and the people are great. I went there too but there was a problem with my insurance. I have BC/BS, our base office is in NY so in CA the insurance turns into anthem BC. So just be sure to have them check your insurance first. I liked Dr. Korman a lot and was very disappointed when he could not do my surgery.

I live in Los Angeles and I have anthem blue cross. The first doc I went to was out of network too. Then I went to two other docs. Try Matthew Lublin or Morad Tourah. Dr. Lublin's surgery center would not take A/BC when I had my surgery in June 2009 but he was signing up with Cedars so it should be okay now. Lublin is in Santa Monica. Dr. Tourah did my surgery. He is in Beverly Hills. Dr. Tourah is crazy busy but a very nice man. I would try Dr. Lublin first and make sure you tell them about your insurance just in case he did not complete the process to have surgical privileges at Cedars. Hope this helps.

@arthukd: LOLLLLL, I wouldn't be obese either ... LOL I think I will give my doc office a call, see what he thinks. While I may not think that I have lost enough weight to have changed my band fill -- what do I know ... I'll check with the doc. Thanks everyone.

The last time I got a fill ... December, I think, I thought I was at my "sweet spot". But of late I feel that I can eat more at lunch, not to mention dinner. At lunch it is easier to only eat what I brought for lunch but when I am home for dinner and famished -- try as I might, I often eat more than I should. I hear many people say that they can only eat a cup of food; and while I may keep my food down to a cup it is usually because I am trying to stick to my food plan. In your opinion(s), do I need a fill? Should I be so full after eating a cup of food that I can't bear another bite or, is it that I should just stop at a cup and give my stomach a chance to feel full?

"I really don't think about exercise as either love or hate, but more about something I have to do to live." I like that philosphy ... never really thought of it like that. Thanks much.

I totally understand. My numbers are moving so slowly but my clothes are falling off of me. The pants I wore to work today can be taken off without whiled still zipped and buttoned! I too would like to see the numbers go down, but ... I'll accept smaller sizes for now ... beats the alternative! LOL

I HATE to exercise ... I do have some health issues that prevent me from doing strenuous exercises BUT I can still walk and do other things. So, I walk in the morning, but getting out of bed is a fight every morning! (Evenings are not an option for me at this time.) I'm always glad I did it, but getting it done is such a struggle. Knowing that strengthening my back muscles will enable me to do more helps keep me going, but ... My question, to those that hate exercise ... but do it anyway is: "How do you motivate yourself?"

I would be CRAZY with frustration if that happened to me! Please skip the huge piece of chocolate cake cuz it will only further frustrate you after you have eaten it. I know it is no consolation but, rarely do you get restriction on your first fill so ... getting your fill tomorrow won't make that big of a difference. Hang in there, visit this forum a lot ... people here are WONDERFUL!!

My story should really cheer you up because 90+% of the people on this forum have done better than me. I was banded on June 15, 2009. Had my 1st fill 3 weeks later and continued to get fills every two weeks until ... my "sweet spot" ... at about fill 6, I think. But, alas, it wasn't my sweet spot, only close to it. So, I went in for maybe 2 more fills and I am finally at my sweet spot ... or close enough cuz I can still eat more for dinner than I'd like to. But, I can only do liquids for Breakfast (too tight) and even as I am eating my Lean Cuisine for lunch right now I am having a hard time getting it down my throat so, I don't think I need another fill, I just need to be more careful at dinner time. Anyway, my weight loss is slow due to minimal exercise. I have only lost about 37 lbs. BUT, and this is a big BUT (though a smaller but than it was before the band, LOL) I cherish every pound I have lost and give myself credit for not giving in to the frustration of losing so slowly when so many have lost so much more much faster. We all lose at our own pace and a lot has to do with how much work we are willing to put into it. Hang in there, it WILL get better. When you are at your sweet spot you will drop lbs like crazy! Don't lose heart, just be patient! Good luck.

I am trying to keep things in perspective but remain a bit frustrated. I am losing weight in my legs and hips rapidly, but my upper body -- not so much. I carry the bulk of my weight in my upper body so, of course, it's going to be harder to get it off there. Add to that my spinal stenosis which prohibits strenuous exercise of the upper body (unless I want to be bedridden for a week) AND diabetes (which I thought was a think of the past, but maybe not). I have been walking for exercise hoping to strengthen the muscles in my body so that maybe I can to more upper body exercises. I move my arms while walking but unfortunately have paid for this -- opening a cabinet is very painful these days. I will continue to exercise though ... eventually my top will catch up with my bottom -- I hope. LOL How about you, where are you losing the most weight?

My weight loss is slow compared to many, many others ... but I have absolutely no regrets ... except maybe that I wish I had done it sooner!

YAY! I too got on the scale this morning and I am now in the 250's as well! It is a great feeling. Mine has been a long, slow process but I won't give up. By this summer your children will be chasing YOU down the beach trying to keep up! CONGRATULATIONS!