NaNa

Hi Shawn, I have not had any complications so far (knock on wood) I only PB once in a whole year and slimed many times, which was minor, and I was too tight once and had a smal amount of saline removed, but other than that no problems what so ever. Do I exercise...YES..I have to if I want to see a steady and quick weight loss. I am not one of the those people who cannot exercise, but I only do brisk walk and lite joggiing and the bikes at the gym sometimes and it has really helped reshape my body since losing over 100 pounds and I may not need plastics because I have exercised through out my weight loss. Take Care N.

Thanks for the compliment, I have not done too much actually, I just follow the rules of eating lean Proteins and veggies most of the time and walk at least 3-4 days per week, sometimes I go to the gym and workout, but nothing special, in fact I don't feel I am dieting, I have eating all forbidden foods, like chocolate and chips, but when I do I make sure I get back on track the next day. Take Care. :clap2:

Thanks everyone for your support!!!! Hopefully I can have many more un-eventful band aniversaries!

Hello All, I usually don't post on here much just lurk..lol...I thought I would share my one year band aniversary pics on here as well as OH... Here goes...by the way I am down about 111 pounds since September 2005, I have gone down about 12 sizes... :woot:

Hello, I am not sure if you are aware of this, but YOU CAN NEVER judge true restriction on liquids, they will always go straight throught the band. The band works by eating solids, such as lean meats and veggies (the more dense the food the better). Once you start back on solids and start eating you may notice you have restriction....:clap2: That said, the band works by inducing satiety..feeling full quick, small amounts of solids will fill up your small stoma pouch area which will stimulate the vagus nerve to let you know you are full...liquids will never do this...this is why people who's bands are too tight don't lose much weight because they cannot handle solids and they opt for liquids which NEVER fill them up and they end up eating other soft high calorie foods...I know it sounds logical to be tighter as possible.... but it is an ART to getting the right fill level, you want only tight enough to enjoy small amounts of solids that will keep you full for about 3-5 hours between meals, but not too loose where you can eat large quantities and stay hungry. Also, it takes most newbies about 3-5 fills before they start feeling optimal restriction.... Good Luck and be patient!

Dear Mallorie, I had the same fear you have, as a professional software developer, this would be extremely embarassing to me. Before I got my band that is ALL I use to hear, I even put a trash can under my desk thinking I would be this sick gross person. I am almost 1 year out and I am proud to say I have NEVER done this yet. I have had some sliming esposides where your mouth produces excess salvia and this happened only about 3 times when I was very tight and restricted in the mornings. But I have NEVER done this while eating food. I don't vomit easily, never had any eating disorders, nor do I take medications or have any illness to make me vomit, I NEVER vomited easily before I got my band so I don't vomit easily after my band. That said, the more restriction you get in your band and the less careful you are with thick solids can cause this to happen,if you take a too big of a bite and usually this can occur on the first bite, this has almost happened to me in the beginning when I did not know to warm and relax the esaphagus, (by drinking warm tea before a meal) especially when my band is really tight, and I just take the first bite with caution and chew well, I don't really have to chew that much anymore, I just take smaller bites and avoid foods like sub-sandwiches and breaded foods. You would want to avoid this as much as possible because sadly so many have lost their bands due to frequent PBing/vomiting. But my personal band experience has been problem free, I eat normally, no one would know I have a band, the only difference is that I just don't eat much.:clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

Garland Mom, YES! I had reflux/GERD really bad, this was the REASON I got banded to cure it and it has:) . Reflux is very common in obese folks, but as we lose weight the reflux will cure itself most of the time as long as we stay away from reflux triggers like coffee, chocolate, mint, spicy foods. REFLUX AFTER BANDING, is a different story and very dangerous, and is usually caused by too tight fills too long. This all can be avoided by staying pro active on our band health and not abusing our bands. We all want to keep a tight fill, but, WE NEVER WANT OUR BANDS to COMPLETELY STOP us from eating, the band is not designed to be used this way, and if we keep our fills so tight to only allow soft liquids and mushy foods this is where the reflux problems usually arise and get folks in trouble. Fear not this CAN be avoided by not asking your doc for extremely tight fills. Remember there are many committments to weight loss after we get our bands we agree to eat small solid healthy meals and exercise (we should see a positive weight loss), if we do this will not want to be tempted by too tight fills.

Seppi, From my understading REFLUX/REGURGITATION is a problem that many long term bandsters have "IF" they keep a too tight band too long. I think once DAMAGE is done to the espahagus after a band has been too tight for so long it will be hard to get rid of the reflux issues even if the band is emptied or if is saline reduced after that point. It will probably take months or even a year or so to heal the damaged esaphagus from a too tight band and be able to fully benefit from a properly restricted band again even with medication such as nexium, protonix or prevacid. I use to suffer from reflux/GERD BEFORE, I got my band and I refuse to maintain a too tight fill to CAUSE reflux issues again. I keep my band tight enough only to provide satiety, (getting full quick) to keep my portions tiny. I NEVER KEEP a fill too tight to eat meat (proteins). Plus if my band is too tight to eat solids, my weight loss will slow down, I cannot lose quickly eating Soup, and soft mushy foods, which are typically carbs. Also MORE importantly, if YOU CANNOT EAT SOLIDS comfortably within 2-3 weeks after a tight fill and you start experiencing pain, heartburn/reflux and regurgitation, it is WISE to reduce saline, so many get into trouble with this and sadly lose their bands for keeping a too tight fill too long. IMO, as long as you can eat small amounts of Proteins without heartburn you are ok, personally if I get full on a couple of bites of proteins and veggies with NO PAIN OR HEARTBURN, I will keep my fill. Heartburn is ALWAYS a warning, sometimes you may experience a brief bout of hearburn after a recent fill, IMO, and that is OK, until you relearn to eat on that tight fill, but if it persist I would reduce a small amount of saline, some folks will IGNORE this, and just deal with it and take nexium or other medication to mask the REAL problem of a too tight fill too long. It is always better to reduce a small amount of saline if you find you are too tight rather than keeping it too long and eventually having to have your band completely emptied or damaged espahagus. Plus daily exercise of brisk walking 30 minutes or (or some form of exercise) more per day, will keep your weight loss moving. This is my tip for today!

Deanna, It seems like you are using your band like you are supposed to. You don't want to start a vomiting Pbing habit, like so many do on this board do. Most end up losing their bands, they don't think PBing is harmful until their band slips. You are taking the correct approach when your food gets stuck, by letting nature take its course and letting the stuck food move down on its own rather than inducing vomiting. The slime is natural I have done this a few times, but I have NEVER PB either, nor have I had any band problems so far. Sometimes if I get stuck really bad, I will chew on papaya enzyme tablets and they will help move the food through the pouch, also try a squeeze of lemon if you get stuck really band I hear that helps also. Good luck you are doing great!

The reasoning for doing liquids and soft mushy foods after a fill is MOST bandsters have post fill swelling and you could easily cause OBSTRUCTION to your band if food gets caught in your stoma, the small opening in your band. This could cause vomiting and repeated vomiting which could lead to band slip and band loss.

Dear Worried, You are taking the right approach now, by going back to liquids and mushy foods after your PB episode. But no one can tell if you have done damage but your doc with an Upper GI. That said, my advice would be in the future whenever you get more saline added to your band and you are pretty tight, don't eat foods that will trigger PBing, such as thick bread, burger, fries and fried foods. Plus we should NOT be eating these anyway "IF" we are serious about losing weight. Good luck

Also I forgot to mention another thing, if your surgeon placed your band wrong in the first place, yes that can cause problems, you will know something is wrong, if you never have been able to tolerate many solids and vomit all the time even if you are following rules and eating slowly and chewing your food well. I would question if the doctor place the correctly. But, if you are NOT following rules by chewing your food well and your band maybe a bit too tight to tolerate foods, YES this can lead to slippage if you vomit/PB daily.

Hi Kay, I am not Dr C, but I got this information from a doctors office regarding how to avoid complications after lap band surgery. I am not sure if repeated unfills and fills are good, I have had saline removed my band only once, I am almost 1 year out. I doubt several unfills will cause a band slip, but repeated unfills is probably NOT good either. You probably need to find a common fill level you can live with, remember the band will NEVER do ALL the work for us. If we try to use that way, it can get us in trouble. Also if you have concerns call your doctor and schedule an Upper GI to make things are ok. Hope this info is helpful AVOIDING COMPLICATIONS AFTER LAP-BAND SURGERY The most frequent, avoidable complications associated with the Lap-band are band slippage, stoma obstruction, esophagitis, and pouch dilation. These problems can be minimized with proper eating habits and close post-operative management and follow-up. It is important for our patients to have a better knowledge of these complications in order for them to identify the symptoms and receive proper treatment immediately. Band Slippage Band slippage, also known as gastric prolapse, is part of the gastric fundus moving through the band, resulting in the development of an overly large gastric pouch. This leads to excessive stomach tissue inside the band and obstruction between the upper pouch and lower stomach. It should be considered when patients who have had a normal postoperative evolution begin to experience changes in their eating ability (increased sense of restriction or obstruction). Typical symptoms are increased difficulty in swallowing solid or liquid food, vomiting, pain after eating that lasts more than a few hours and reflux. The first response should be to deflate the band and give proper hydration. A barium swallow should be performed to determine the position of the band and to make the diagnosis of prolapse. If, in fact, the band has slipped, the treatment is to remove or reposition the band through laparoscopic surgery. Stoma Obstruction It is defined as the obstruction of the passage of food from the gastric pouch to the rest of the stomach and it is usually caused by food obstruction Symptoms include pain while eating, chest pain after eating, inability to swallow solids (there is usually no problems when swallowing liquids) and nausea. This is diagnosed through an upper GI study where the obstruction is directly visualized. In these cases the band must be deflated and the patient should remain on a clear liquid diet until the symptoms have subsided. Pouch dilation This involves esophageal and gastric pouch reaction to restriction. It is associated with an overinflated band in an overeating patient and it may lead to more serious complications such as band slippage The symptoms include lack of restriction after a tight fill. It is most commonly seen in patients that have a tendency to binge or eat large quantities of food disregarding the feeling of satiety. The treatment for this is to deflate the band for at least one month to give the esophagus a chance to go back to its normal size and after this has happened, start over with the fills gradually tightening the band and monitering the size of the pouch through upper GI studies. How to Avoid This? Before your surgery, you are instructed on how your eating habits must change. Chewing your food properly, eating slowly and avoiding the foods your body does not tolerate decreases the possibility of vomiting which is the main cause of band slippage.

Hello Check out my doctor, Dr. Moazzez. He does fills for Mex patients. His number is 703-620-3211. He is the best. I am not sure of his fill costs, but as you know Mex patients typically have to pay more for fills than his own patients. Take Care

Hello, What you are experiencing is the normal post fill swelling, MOST doctors have patients do liquids and mushy food for about 2-3 after a fill. If you do not you will experience pain and possible vomiting. You could very easily cause obstruction and repeated vomiting. ALWAYS treat each and every fill like you just had surgery...aka taking it easy and eat soft liquids and mushy foods after a fill. Also each time you ever vomit you should always do liquids and soft foods for at least a day to let things calm down and heal. You don't want to end up losing your band do to unnecessary frequently vomiting. Take Care

Wow, your situation is deep, hopefully, it is not financial. But your doctor should treat you as an urgent patient since you have an infection. You need see him or someone asap. Remember most folks who are able to control incisiion infections asap can keep their band, but if the infection spreads most have to have their bands removed. So this is URGENT. Take Care

Kristen, I feel I have perfect restriction, currently NO food that I cannot eat. I just recently got an small unfill. When I was too tight I could no longer eat any solids and meat was out of the question. I NEVER maintain a fill too tight to have foods I can no longer tolerate. Plus it is counter productive with no weight loss and you highly increase chances of band slips maintaining too tight fills. I just make sure I eat band friendly foods, like lean baked chicken and tuna most of the time and stay away from thick breads like burgers and fries. I have NEVER PB aka vomiting, since being banded. I can eat all foods, just in small amounts and I get full quick. Good Luck!

I am not Dr Sanchez patient but, I had the compression cuffs put on my legs the entire time I was in the hospital, my insurance paid for me to stay overnight and I did, and they were awesome! I loved the way they messaged my legs. I have not any blood clots but my mom had a history of them and passed away, so I guess I was a higher risk of developing clots, but I had a very smooth recovery and it has been smooth sailing with my band also so far.... Good Luck!

Hello, I thought I would respond to your post, I rarely post, although I am not over 2 years post op so far it has been smooth sailing for me so far. Based on all my research of the band, MOST complications and problems with the band can be prevented. From what I hear band slippage is the MOST frequent problem for bandsters and also the MOST PREVENTED PROBLEM. With simply following the docs orders from post op, like full liquids, mushy food and transition to solids, and then trying to avoid too tight fills, which can GREATLY increase your daily risks of vomiting/PBing and simply avoiding problem foods and chewing your food very well before swallowing. My doc mentioned it is NEVER NORMAL to vomit with the lap band frequently, and if someone does, it is either because their band is just TOO TIGHT (which requres an emergency unfill), or their band has already slipped or they are simply just taking too big of bites on a restricted band which can plug up your esophagus, and these things are just common sense, but we all make mistakes as newbies and they should be learned from and not habit forming. I am almost 9 months out and have only slimed twice on watermelon and that could have been prevented, since I am usually tight in the mornings, but I wanted to push the evelope anyway, also, I have NEVER vomited since surgery. So as the others mentioned most bandster who are doing well don't post and it seems like a lot of folks are having problems. I eat normally at restaurants without ever vomiting, I just order what I feel will not give me a hard time and I usually take a doggy bag home.... Below are things that I received from an doctors office that may be helpful to you to identify and prevent problems with your band.... Good luck! AVOIDING COMPLICATIONS AFTER LAP-BAND SURGERY The most frequent, avoidable complications associated with the Lap-band are band slippage, stoma obstruction, esophagitis, and pouch dilation. These problems can be minimized with proper eating habits and close post-operative management and follow-up. It is important for our patients to have a better knowledge of these complications in order for them to identify the symptoms and receive proper treatment immediately. Band Slippage Band slippage, also known as gastric prolapse, is part of the gastric fundus moving through the band, resulting in the development of an overly large gastric pouch. This leads to excessive stomach tissue inside the band and obstruction between the upper pouch and lower stomach. It should be considered when patients who have had a normal postoperative evolution begin to experience changes in their eating ability (increased sense of restriction or obstruction). Typical symptoms are increased difficulty in swallowing solid or liquid food, vomiting, pain after eating that lasts more than a few hours and reflux. The first response should be to deflate the band and give proper hydration. A barium swallow should be performed to determine the position of the band and to make the diagnosis of prolapse. If, in fact, the band has slipped, the treatment is to remove or reposition the band through laparoscopic surgery. Stoma Obstruction It is defined as the obstruction of the passage of food from the gastric pouch to the rest of the stomach and it is usually caused by food obstruction Symptoms include pain while eating, chest pain after eating, inability to swallow solids (there is usually no problems when swallowing liquids) and nausea. This is diagnosed through an upper GI study where the obstruction is directly visualized. In these cases the band must be deflated and the patient should remain on a clear liquid diet until the symptoms have subsided. Pouch dilation This involves esophageal and gastric pouch reaction to restriction. It is associated with an overinflated band in an overeating patient and it may lead to more serious complications such as band slippage The symptoms include lack of restriction after a tight fill. It is most commonly seen in patients that have a tendency to binge or eat large quantities of food disregarding the feeling of satiety. The treatment for this is to deflate the band for at least one month to give the esophagus a chance to go back to its normal size and after this has happened, start over with the fills gradually tightening the band and monitering the size of the pouch through upper GI studies. How to Avoid This? Before your surgery, you are instructed on how your eating habits must change. Chewing your food properly, eating slowly and avoiding the foods your body does not tolerate decreases the possibility of vomiting which is the main cause of band slippage.

Thanks everyone for your expert advice, I always like to get another opinion on my fills, I have never been eager on fills and never got them unless I really really need them. I lose weight in spurts and everytime I lose a chunk of weight my restriction disappear :faint: .....and the flood gates open, but at the same time I don't want to be to tight, cause I know that can lead to problems and possible no or slow weight loss, I don't like to do liquid diets, I have tried that and some how high sodium soups never work for me....anyways thanks a bunch...

Thanks Babs!!

Thanks Niche! I will try to wait it out to see if my appetite and hunger level..levels out, this band is so finicky sometimes, it hard to determine sometimes if the band and is loosening up. I just hate when I am hungry and can eat more, that scares me, because I can really do damage....

Thanks Shackdog!

Thanks neighbor!

I am new to the forum, but I have had my band for almost 9 months now. I think I have pretty good restriction overall, I had my last fill in early May. For the last week I have been starving and eating more than I usually do. Normally I get full on small amounts of food. I am trying to figure out is my restriction slowly going away or is because of hormonal changes such as my monthly cycle due. I am currently pretty tight in the mornings, I usually gurgle mornings, but this morning I was able to eat food, like a couple slices of bacon and 1 egg and small portions of grits, I was starving...normally I don't do breakfast...and yesterday I was able to eat about 2 pieces of baked chicken and a small portion of sweet potatoes and creamed spinach for dinner....by the way I don't PB, I do get the stuck feeling sometimes if I eat too quick, so I am wondering if I am due for another tweak in my current fill....any thoughts , I have never been overfilled and I want to avoid it if possible..