bashful1269

Thanks Ryan! I will do some research. I have a phenominal GI doc, who I trust with all of my hear and soul. But, I have to tell you I did something today that I never thought would work, but it did. A friend of mine told me to go to a hypnotherapist to see if he could help and believe it or not I CAN EAT!!! Basically, he put me into a hypnotic state and then had me visualize the muscles contracting and pushing the food down. I'm praying that it stays working. I'll let you know how I do a few days out.

Have a great day

Stacy

I've had the same issue for a little over 5 months now, and as posted above it is psychologically debilitating. i visited a GI and he prescribed me a subliminal muscle relaxant called Hyoscyamine. the idea behind it is that if you take it 30-60 minutes before you eat it will relax your esophagus so you can swallow. it works, but there is a relatively narrow window where you can eat food slowly without it getting stuck at the bottom of your esophagus. its not a solution though because its a crappy way to live. the doctor called the symptom esophageal spasms. ill re-post if i find someone who has a solution online and ill link.

Link to symptom info: http://www.mayoclini...-spasms/DS00763

I'm so glad that I found this post. I was banded in 2009 and I was doing great until about seven months ago when I started having the same issue of not being able to eat anything, heck there were times when I couldn't even get down milk or Water. I've been through tons and tons and tons of test everything from a cardiac cath, stomach emptying study and so on, it's been brutal and expensive to say the least. My doctor called it esophageal spasams or esophageal parastalis and wants me to have motility study done.

I'm just glad I'm not alone. Thanks for posting this...

I feel your pain, I've been banded since July 2009 and have been battling the weight ever since. Although, upon looking at what I've been eating I realize that I really have a sugar addiction. I'm not sure how to compensate for it or how to get over it. It's a struggle

I do workout a lot, but I too can eat over a cup of food at a time, even though I know I'm only supposed to be eating a half cup...it's frustrating being a slow loser. i'm glad I'm not alone.

I'm right there with you guys, however I've been paying attention to what I put in my mouth and realized that I'm really not following what the nut has told me to do as far as staying AWAY from the empty calories of chocolate and candy and the bad food. I just started a biggest loser competition at work, so I'm hoping it gives me the motivation to stay away from the crap I've been eating that's kept me from losing.

The band is a tool, and I've not been using my tool...I definitely need support and I'm glad I'm not alone in my battle of the band.

I've been struggling with being a slow loser for the last four months. The first two after my surgery were great and then the holidays hit and the loss came to a screeching halt, it's been really frustrating.

I workout nearly everyday, come home and make terrible food choices. It's like I'm sabataging myself, I can't for the life of me figure it out. It's like I get to a number on my scale and then freak out.

If anyone has been through this and come out of it I'd love it if you'd share some tips as to how in the heck I can stop this terrible behaviors...These are the behaviors that got me to the point of needing the band and I'm scared that I'm going to start gaining weight again...any and all advice welcome.

I have gone back to the phyc and she has come up with some good ideas that I am trying to implement in my daily life.

I eat great through out the day and then when I'm at home alone I want to eat all night long.

H E L P :cursing:

Biggest Loser top 40 hits remix, it's set at 128 bmp and really keeps me moving as long as I stay focused on the beats and not just the words.

I PB a lot right after a fill, but I think it's mostly because I haven't adjusted to the new way of eating. It takes time to learn, chew chew chew chew...

For me the worst thing is the numbing shot they give you before doing the fill. My last three fills I have told her to just skip the numbing and just do it. It feels like someone is pinching you with sharp fingernails but that's about it. I just take a deep breath and it's done in about ten seconds.

I did feel restriction with my first fill the night of my fill, remember it's important to follow what your doc tells you about eating after your first fill. My doc says soft foods for the rest of the day and the following back to normal. I've had seven fills and finally feel like I'm where I need to be. It takes a while, but worth the wait.

Good luck, don't be scared.

I've been banded since July and have done fairly well I've lost 38 pounds. Here's my problem, I reach my first goal weight which is 227 and then it's like I freak out. I start making bad food choices and the scale goes up. Then I get mad at myself and think I'm a failure and can't do this band thing.

I don't know if I need another fill, I get stuck if I eat to fast, but if I chew like I'm supposed to I can eat way more than I am supposed to.

I've been back to the shrink and she hasn't helped...It's not easy for me to talk about things that bother me. I've only been twice and wondering if I should go back. I've thought about writing it all out and emailing it to her so that maybe she can help draw it out of me that way.

I'm a sugar addict, once I start I just can't stop. IT SUCKS! I have no will power when it comes to that.

If anyone has been through this or if anyone has any suggestions PLEASE HELP!

Thanks!

Sometimes I think I'm out of bandster hell and then there are days when I feel like I'm still there...5.5 cc's in my 9cc band.

PBing, is productive burping.

Sweet spot, is that fill that finally gets you to where you need to be restricted and making good choices. Not too tight and not to loose. It takes a while after being banded to hit that sweet spot...for me I am finally there after four fills.

Good luck.

Thanks guys, I am going to the support group meeting tomorrow and the therapist I had to meet with prior to having the lapband done will be there. I think I will ask some questions and see about having a few sessions with her.

I threw away the bag of oreo's ...Now that's progress!

I also decided that I need to use my fridge as a reminder of my healthy habits I'm trying to establish.

I'm working on making a sheet that has a list of healthy Snacks and also in big letters a reminder to eat when I am hungry...something like..."Are you hungry, or are you eating for another reason?"

My night time eating is the worst, I do great during the day, mainly because my band is TIGHT in the morning and loose at night. Grrr, it's so frustrating because I work out and then come home and RUIN everything I just did in the gym.

Every doctor is different, that and some people have surgery outside of the country they live in, making it harder to obtain fills.

My doctor had all of my fill appointments scheduled when they scheduled my surgery. They were amazingly organized all of my nut appointment and my pt appointments were on the same day an with in just minutes of finishing one I head to the next...I LOVE IT!

I've always been a stress eater and unfortunately getting banded doesn't take away all the stressful situations life brings.

What I'm looking for are ways to deal with this issue of wanting to eat when I am stressed, angry or bored.

Tonight I got really angry at a situation that I have absolutely zero control over and found myself with a bag of oreo's and glass of whole milk. Thankfully, I have the band, but I was able to consume almost 500 calories:cursing: before I stopped myself. I could have easily downed another 500 had I not said to myself...it's not worth it.

How do I keep from getting myself into this in the first place?

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with the just putting on your plate what you're supposed to eat. I use small plates, zip lock 1/2 cup bowls and baby spoons all the time. It helps me stay focused on eating slow and helps me be able to clean my plate. I grew up thinking there were poor children starving and I had to clean my plate because I was fortunate to have food on my plate.

It's a tough habit to break and as you get more restriction and a few episodes of that terrible feeling of being stuck you will retrain your mind...Or at least I did. I was going through much the same thing up until my last fill.

Good luck.

Stacy

I agree bandster hell is rightfully named! I finally hit my sweet spot after my fourth fill. It's taking some time to realize that I don't need to eat just because it's time.

You definitely need to get another fill so that you can feel the restriction and start losing again. Do make healthy choices the majority of the time and don't stress out on an occasional treat. Occasional being the key word.

Exercise is an important part of this journey, our bodies are built to survive therefore they will adjust to the lower calories. I switch up my routine as much as possible just to keep my body guessing. One day I'll eat a few more calories than the next and I'll do yoga or zumba instead of my normal cardio. If you hate to exercise just start small like parking in the farthest parking spot or taking the steps instead of the elevator. Make small realistic goals and don't be afraid to push yourself.

Good luck to you.

WOW, I am so sorry you had to go through that.

I have had a few "blocked" incidence and it HURTS!

Take your time on the fills and get them when you are ready. Ask them to go slow on the fills. My doc is not very aggressive as he wants to give time to get used to the band. I have 5 ccs in a 9 cc band and just now feel as if I have restriction.

I hope that you recover quickly. Keep us posted on how you're doing.

It does get a lot better. I was bruised for almost six weeks! If you watch the video on you tube of the surgery being done you will understand why! THEY ARE SO NOT GENTLE! I'm glad I didn't watch it until after my surgery!

The head hunger is the worst. I had my fourth fill on Thursday and this is the first time that I haven't been head hungry. Mainly because I think I'm just a little too tight right now so I get stuck easily and food is just not that appealing anymore. I'm sure it will loosen up a little in a few days and I will be at my sweet spot.

The best thing you can do for the soreness is to get up and move. Walk, walk, walk and walk some more and sleep in a recliner or propped up.

Good luck to everyone! Keep us posted as to how you are doing!

You're in bandster HELL! It's the time between surgery and the time that you finally hit the sweet spot as they call it. You can pretty much eat what you want because there isn't a lot of restriction. It's the time when you have to make healthy choices if you really want to lose. Exercise and smart healthy choices are the best way to get through it and still lose.

I hope this helps

Glad to know that I am not the only person with this problem. I will try the probiotics for sure. Thanks for making this post, I don't feel so bad now.

I'm right there with you...there have been a lot of times when I have thought..."what the hell have I done to myself." The night of my first fill being one of them... I got stuck for the first time. I was at a friends house, and literally almost ran my friend over trying to get up from the table fast enough to make it to the bathroom. Came back to the table and sat down and just cried when she asked me if I was ok... I was not...I was SCARED and in PAIN...I was scared that I would never be able to eat normal again. I realize now, I can I just have to eat SLOW and CHEW, and CHEW and CHEW.

It's not easy and doing this alone I am sure is not an easy thing to do. Remember that you can always come to the boards and read and ask questions. I'd be happy to share my info with you if you want someone to talk to.

Keep your chin up, 4 pounds is great! The average is two pounds a week, my surgeon told me that's what he wants from me. He told me if I lost too fast that I would end up with lots of baggy skin. Two pounds a week gives your skin time to adjust.

You're doing great keep up the good work

I'm right there with you, I've had two fills and can still eat pretty much anything, just a lot less than before. I think our bodies go into starvation mode when we are on the pre op diet and it takes a while to get it to rev up again.

Here's hoping it gets revved up soon!

TMI alert here....

When you decide to skip dinner just so you can play with the whipped cream and sf chocolate Syrup in the bedroom.... :tongue2:

I've lost about the same and have seen the same result down a full size top and bottom...I WANT MORE, at least to lose three more sizes.