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Try to find something you ejoy that keeps you busy. It is hard to think about food if you are fully absorbed doing something else.

That is where your port is stitched. The muscle it is stitched too is probably objecting! Just take the meds you have been prescribed and you should be fine.

LOL

I can't offer any useful suggestions as I am in Aus so do not know the in's and outs of the US medical/insurance system. But I would like to say that I hope you find a way to get this sorted and not endanger your health. All the best

PS. A lot of bandsters have a protein shake for breakfast. It solves the issue of wanting breakfast but being too tight too eat in the am.

So the best thing to do is go and see your Dr and discuss it with him. Step 1 would be to remove some Fluid and see if that helps. Step 2, if necessary have all the fluid removed and leave the band empty for a while. Step 3 if step 1 and 2 have not helped then consider having your band removed. I know that I would want to try everything I could first before going through more surgery which may be unnecessary. I don't know about bands not lasting more than 10 years but I don't see that as a reason to get it removed now. If it has to be removed or replaced in 10 years why not do it then. Most prosthetics need replacing at some time. You wouldn't have an artificial hip removed because it is going to need replacing in 15 years would you? But in the end it is your decision. If you really feel that you want your band removed now then go for it.

As the others have said if you are taking small enough bites and chewing properly then you cannot feel the food pass through the band. But if you take too big a bite and it gets stuck you can generally feel when that goes through.

It sounds mathematical but I presume it is a piece of exercise equipment!

As all the others have already said you don't need protein shakes to lose weight. In fact for many people all they do is add extra easy to consume calories that are not necessary. Eat fewer calories than you expend and you will lose weight.

Wow well done, that is a huge loss in 1 year.

The lemon juice doesn't touch the band. There is no reason why having a band should stop you eating it. The only time it would be a problem would be if you had an ulcer.

I don't know what to say other than "sorry". What you are going through must be so hard.

You can't eat popcorn until you are back on solids. But be careful you may find that this is a food that goes down way too easily. You can have sex when you are ready and you feel comfortable. Don't let your partner pressure you if you don't feel up to it. Wear something loose and comfortable. You might want to take a tank top instead of a bra as the bra can be uncomfortable on your incisions. You can generally shower the next day but the Dr will instruct you on this. V* juice is generally fine whilst you are on the liquid stage. After that you should be eating your calories not drinking them. You will find through a process of trail and error which foods do and don't work for you. But be very careful of raw carrots - they are notorious for getting stuck

I have been a good girl and have been taking my medicine. I haven't really noticed any side effects. Possibly increased flatulence but that could just be the band! but A couple of weeks ago I noticed a strange lump at the base of my thumb, just above my wrist on my left hand.At first it looked like a bite but it has not gone down. It is not really painful but last night was a bit tender. i am wondering what this might be - gout, a ganglion? I have made an appointment to see my GP this afternoon but then something clicked in my brain. Could this be a side effect of the cholesterol lowering meds - they are known to cause joint problems but i hadn't really connected the dots. You tend to think of large joints not a lump on your thumb! I am sure that whatever it is the Dr will not admit that it could be related to the cholesterol meds but I shall see.

That sounds reasonable and if he is close then that will make your life a lot easier. Yes I am very happy with my band. My lifestyle hasn't really changed, I just eat less, so yes it is fine.

What are you doing/not doing? Are you eating the correct types of foods in the correct quantities. Are you chewing well, eating slowly etc.Are you doing any exercise?Are you sabotaging yourself by eating high cal easy to eat foods like icecream,candy,milkshakes, flavoured coffees etc? In order to be able to help we need you to give us some more info.

That's great

I was also banded by Peter Nottle, in June 2009. Prof O'Brien is apparently a great surgeon but yes I imagine his waiting list and times are probably long. But I don't see that as an issue, rather wait for someone that has a great reputation than get done in a hurry by someone with little or no reputation. One of the most important things to consider is distance to your surgeon. There is a lot of aftercare with a band and to have to travel a couple of hours for followups eventually becomes tiresome and it is also expensive.

PBing is not good for you. It can lead to slips and other issues. However it is something that most if not all of us have done at some point. But to me it sounds as though you are doing it far more frequently than you should be. If you are sure that you are not too tight then you need to modify the way you eat. Smaller bites, chewed thoroughly, and wait in between bites to let them pass through the band. You may even need to look at what you are eating. Is it meat that is causing problems, is it too dry, overcooked, reheated etc.

Halfway between my bellybutton and my sternum

Yes, there are quite a lot of us. Where are you and which surgeon are you going to?

Sorry that you have had such a horrific journey and hope that you are well on your way to recovery. Reading through your story the main thing that sticks out for me is that this is a lesson that we should not cheat. That we should stick to the rules that our Dr has given us as they are there for a reason. That daily vomiting and taking handfuls of pills is not OK. That if we choose to ignore all of this we do so at our own peril as there could be dire consequences.

Yes. The port is stitched to the muscle so movement can cause it to pull. That is one of the reasons that you are not supposed to do exercises that strain the abdo area for a while after surgery. The port and the stitches need time to settle into place.

If you are on a low carb diet it could be from Ketosis. Adding some healthy carbs to your diet should help.

2 - 3 Protein shakes plus 2 - 3 meals sounds like a lot of food to me, generally if I have a Protein shake it is in place of a meal. Rumbling is normal, it is something that you will eventually get used to. It is not a sign of hunger. Tiredness can last a while, take it easy when you go back to work. Ask if you can go back on light duties for a while.