Diamond In The Rough2

All the PBing starts a vicious cycle of swelling your stomach. I got to the point after this fill that I could not even drink coffee in the mornings, and coffee usually opens me up, so I can eat by 11 or noon. I had them take out about .5cc's and I am better now. I can actually eat solid foods in the morning. Here is the thing. You think by not being able to eat, that you are doing yourelf a favor weight loss wise, but in essence, you are not, you are slowing your metabolism down. That is what happened to me. I could not eat anything but slider foods (high in calories), and then the metabolism slowed down (body thought it was starving) which inturn equaled weight gain. As soon as I had .5cc saline removed, I lost 3 Lbs in the first 2 days, just because I could actually eat something. So be careful! You do not want the vicious cycle to start.

I wish you the best, you will be baded and on your way before you know it. Keep realistic goals, keep in mind that this is not a one size fits all procedure, and that your journey will be unique. In other words do not compare yourself to others. Judge your accomplishments, by how you look and feel, and not by pounds lost. There will be times when you get discouraged (plateaus), but just pick yourself back up and keep on working towards your goal. The weight was not gained overnight, and it is not going to come off overnight. Do not try to cheat the band, you will lose in the end. Help it to work for you. I am in your corner, and you can ask me anything that you want. We all need each other on here, and believe me when I tell you, people who have not had this procedure, and that do not have weight issues, do not, and will not, and never will understand your plight like another banster. Best of luck, and prayers out to you, and keep us posted. Thanks for the friendship request.

I have never heard of anytone having to go through this. I would if at all possible find a PCP who wants to work in my best interest. They clearly are not working in yours. I have had to have Aetne call True Results and explain a copay issue. They will do that you know? Have BCBS call your PCP on a conference call, or have them call them directly and hash it out amongst themselves. This is what they are getting paid for. I feel it is an issue of pride with your PCP. BCBS knows what they need to approve. if it is given to them, there are no more issues. Again, I would switch PCPs.

I had an unfill today. I feel so relieved. I could not even drink coffee in the mornings without burping to enable it to go down. I was what I thought was fine for the first week and a half, and then wham! Could not even eat until well into the after noon. I was down to 270, and gained 5 lbs back, because I was eating what is termed slider foods just to be eating something, because I was starving. I normally can not eat solids in the morning even if I wanted to in the mornings until at least 11:00, but again, withthat overfill, I still could not even eat until well after my normal lunch hour. It was very frustrating. I know now what a true overfill feels like. Alot of PBing, which does cause a vicious cycle, because tha just adds to swelling, and so on and on... She basically took out the .4ccs that was put in on the 3rd of this month. I could actually drink instead of sip, sip, sip. I felt human again. Ha! Anyway, they actually had me drink the barium swallow while all watched the monitor, and I could see how it actually was going down my stomach, and passing through the band. It was the coolest thing, I had seen, but againk I feel so much better. I ate some broccoli and sheese soup from Jason's Deli, and jus felt like I had been awakened from death. Smile! Be careful to all, and listen to the signs of your body. Don't just wait it out until things may get better like I did, becasue in the end more damage was done, instead of just going back within a week after the to tight fill, and getting it taken out. In other words, don't let the cost of a fill prevent you from doing the safest thing, becasue it will end up costing you way more if you do not do the right thing and the situation gets so bad that you have to go back into surgery. You will wish that you just had to get an unfill at that point. I am glad I did the smart thing, and did not let it get any worse.

Girl, we have all been there. You think you are going along at first great, and then boom, here comes the pain, the juicy mouth, and then, you want to get it out of you to make it stop. I had the hiccups today, and they actually really hurt this time. I went to the bathroom with a quickness. it was going to come out whether it wanted to or not. When it is cold, I can just give up eating, because everything is going to get stuck. After this last fill, even the coffee wanted to give me issues going down. I would have to sip, burp, sip, burp. I feel I am a little tight, and I am going to give it another week for the latest fill to settle in, and then if I have issues, then I will for the first time get these .4cc's taken back out, or at least half of it. But yes, we all experience that. Advice! Try to avoid eating while driving, and if you are in the habit of doing it, then keep some lunch size paper bags with you under the seat at all times. Hell, just keep one folded up in your purse until you see what for sure you can not eat. It is so embarrassing to find out in public.

The biggest issue that must be resolved is what is bugging you, then all the other will fall into place. I have learned alot about why I have donw what I have done by reading Dr. Laura Schlessinger books. Trying to deal with issues form my childhood up thru dating, to now. I have to say they have really helped me to understand the whys? Just a suggestion, but check some of her books out. Google her name or look on half price Books, or Amazon. You can find them real cheap, but since I have started reading, it has been a total blessing.

They say that the biggest part of a solution is admitting that you have a problem. I feel you are on your way. We did not get where we are at overnight, and it is going to take some time and effort to get all of the weight off and get back down to where we need to be. You have already self evaluated yourself, and know what you need to do to make it work. I fall short too, but I get back up on the horse and whoop and ride for as long as I can until I fall again. Practice is going to make perfect, and when we bump our heads enough, we will eventually start getting it right more often. Experience is our best teacher, so let's learn from it!

Believe it when I tell you that all it took for TR Austin was for me to tell them to look on their own website about what people where saying about their staff, and they have been a whole lot better in that friendly department here lately. SOmetimes people get into a norm, and if no one complains, then they think that how they are is fine. It has to be brought to some people's attention sometimes, so do so, and see what the results will be. I asked if I was just a head count or a head of cattle, and that got it moving.

I am just glad that I love my CPAP, and have since 2005. I had my procedure done in 2009 (Feb), and have lost 62 lbs, but honestly even when I do not need it anymore, I will most likely still keep using it just to insure my good nights rest. Honestly, I do not feel it contributed to the gas issue, but I do feel that it may have something to do with not being able to eat solids during the morning hours and just liquids (Dryness to the esophagus). Don't quote me on that though!

I can not reiterate taking the children's liquid motrin before a fill during and for at least a day or two after a fill. it helps immensly with the swelling. I know everybody is different, but since I started doing this (instructed by the nurse practitioner who did the fills), i have not had the problems with the not being able to drink, etc. Give it a try, and give me the feedback if you chooses to do so, on if it worked for you or not. Nothing is a one size fits all cure, but the majority that I have spoken with, have tried it, and it helped them all!

The lady that does my fills recommended a long time ago that banded patients start taking children"siquid Motrin starting the day of the fills, and the day after. I just had .4cc's added today, and I am drinking chicken broth and burping to get it down. You better believe that I got the Motrin in me ASAp so this will stop shortly. I did not start taking it this morning as I should have, and I see a big difference from the times that I have before now. It realy does help with the swelling.

Good deal. I am glad all is well. We try to test this band sometimes innocently and sometimes on purpose. It wins everytime. Good luck with it!

Some foods can be problematic with the LAP-BAND® and should be avoided as well, including: Carbonated beverages - carbonated drinks (such as soda, carbonated water, champagne) can increase the size of the pouch and cause discomfort. Fibrous foods - fibrous foods (such as asparagus, celery, corn, dried fruit, oranges, pineapples, sweet potatoes) can get stuck in the stoma (stomach opening created with LAP-BAND®). Other problematic foods include nuts, popcorn, skins and seeds of fruits and vegetables, and tough meats such as steak, pork chops, and hamburger.

Common Problem Foods Some foods have difficulty passing through the opening of the stoma and may cause blockage. These include foods such as: dry meat shrimp untoasted or doughy bread pasta rice peanut butter dried fruit fibrous vegetables like corn,asparagus and celery nuts coconut popcorn greasy or fried food seeds and skins of fruits and vegetables membrane of citrus fruits Introduce these foods slowly and individually to see if they are tolerated. Always be careful, chew well, and follow your surgeon’s or dietitian’s advice.

If it is in a soup, then I do not have any problem at all. On a plate by itself, there are going to be some problems with it. i would rather eat the meat and veggies first. Oh, if it is like with Broccolli and cheese sauce I just have to proceed with caution. Smile!

Walmart has them for less than $2. If you are talking about the liquid bullets that I have posted in my pics!