GettingHealthyAgain

My experience as been similar, with the GERD, so that I can't tolerate fills that are effective in helping me lose weight. So after an initial weight loss of 25 lbs, which has stayed off, I've been stable for about 2 years, although I need to lose 50-60 pds to be at best weight. Since an upper GI showed signs of esophageal dilation above the band, which may not be reversable, the doc says that band needs to come out. He would like to do an RNY, but I've decided I don't want that - too radical an alteration in how the organs work for my level of overweight. Because I'm able to exercise regularly, go for long walks, etc., I don't have many of the usual co-mobidities. So I'm not ready to have an RNY... Keeping my eyes out for the new, improved Phen-fen.

Hi Hotrod, I've read a number of people's posts who say they are "tight" in the morning; some say that drinking something warm helps loosen up the band. I guess a question for both of us is how slowly is "too slowly"? I'm trying to tell myself that the general rule for lapbanders is a weight loss of 1-2 lbs/week. I've been averaging about 1 lb per week, but sure would like to go up to 2 lbs/week. I'm exercising regularly (walking 2 to 2.5 miles/day, 4-5 times/week, plus some strength training...though need more strength training), so it's got to be that I'm still taking in too many calories to lose weight more quickly. So either I need to improve my food choices, which is always a struggle if I'm still feeling hungry/unsatiated, or get more restriction so that I fill up more quickly, and find a way to deal with getting my prescription pills and vitamins down, and remember to chew everything very well. Actually, your problem of being tight in the morning doesn't sound so bad to me, since staying full a long time on very little is a good thing, isn't it? The main downside is that more fill might make it impossible to take your regular vitamins. Or are you concerned about how hard it will be to eat other foods throughout the day? Julie

Thanks for the info. It was over 4 months and 5 fills before it became at all challenging to swallow any pills or Vitamins, that it's a rather new experience for me, so it's useful to hear that it's to be expected if you've got good restriction. Julie

Thanks, that's helpful! A question: When you've got good restricion, about how much solid food - e.g., meat, fruit, vegies - can you eat before you have reached your limit and/or are full? 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, 1 cup, or more? I rather dread the thought of being any more restricted, because I'll have to be that much more careful about chewing thoroughly, etc., in order to avoid PBs or blockages. But if the weight loss gets any slower, it might be advisable. After all, we got the lapband to help with weight loss, and fills as needed are part of the process... Thanks again, Julie

Hi Josephine - Congratulations on getting to your goal weight! It sounds like you had good restriction without needing a fill? What I'm trying to figure out if "good" restriction essentially means that the opening is small enough that taking pills is not possible (or inadvisable). If that's the case, then I may need a little more fill (to get to where you are without any fill), and to switch over to chewables/liquids.

(I hope this is okay - I also posted this on the "Fill discussion group", but since a lot more people read this group, am duplicating here): Hi all- I'm wondering if the ability to swallow pills or big Vitamin tablets could be used as an indicator of degree of restriction? Do those of you who have good restriction (losing weight, feeling full easily) also have the ability to swallow regular size pills, e.g., aspirin, without the pills getting stuck? How about standard vitamin tablets - much bigger than aspirin? Or do you have to take chewable Vitamins or grind up your pills? I'm trying to figure out whether I need a little more fill - I'm finally losing weight, but it's very slow, and I am able to eat considerably more than many of you - it generally takes a cup of food or more to feel "full", if I'm chewing well enough that nothing gets stuck. However, I'm a little reluctant to get more fill because I currently can just barely swallow a regular vitamin tablet or capsule; that is, I swallow the tablet with a little Water, and it may take 10-15 minutes for it to work its way all the way through the "stoma" where the band is - I can feel it moving through. Then I can take the next tablet. This is an improvement from immediately after my last (5th) fill - for a few weeks, I couldn't swallow any pills whole - had to grind or chew them (and some taste horrible!). Is the fact that I am indeed still able to swallow a good-size vitamin tablet, albeit slowly, a sign that I could use more fill in order to get the full benefits of the lap band? Thanks for any feedback, Julie

Hi all- I'm wondering if the ability to swallow pills or big Vitamin tablets could be used as an indicator of degree of restriction? Do those of you who have good restriction (losing weight, feeling full easily) also have the ability to swallow regular size pills, e.g., aspirin, without the pills getting stuck? How about standard vitamin tablets - much bigger than aspirin? Or do you have to take chewable Vitamins or grind up your pills? I'm trying to figure out whether I need a little more fill - I'm finally losing weight, but it's very slow, and I am able to eat considerably more than many of you - it generally takes a cup of food or more to feel "full", if I'm chewing well enough that nothing gets stuck. However, I'm a little reluctant to get more fill because I currently can just barely swallow a regular vitamin tablet or capsule; that is, I swallow the tablet with a little Water, and it may take 10-15 minutes for it to work its way all the way through the "stoma" where the band is - I can feel it moving through. Then I can take the next tablet. This is an improvement from immediately after my last (5th) fill - for a few weeks, I couldn't swallow any pills whole - had to grind or chew them (and some taste horrible!). Is the fact that I am indeed still able to swallow a good-size vitamin tablet, albeit slowly, a sign that I could use more fill in order to get the full benefits of the lap band? Thanks for any feedback, Julie

Hi - It took 5 fills before I felt any real restriction - some of us just need more Fluid than other people to get restriction. Evidently (I've read) it all has to do with how we're built on the inside in the spot where they put the band, i.e., how much fat is lining the outside of the stomach - literally fat attached to the stomach organ. The more fat, the tighter the band will be, and the less fill will be required to get good restriction. And that's why many people need more fill as they loose weight. So don't give up yet! You might be really close to the "sweet spot". Everybody's different. And, yes, it helps to follow to guidelines re eating solid food, Protein first, etc. But until you've got decent restriction, it's hard to get that feeling of fullness/satiety even when following the rules. And it's that feeling of fullness which makes it easier to change the eating behavior. Otherwise, what was the point of getting the band? Julie

Hi - when you say it hurts, is it intense pain, or more "discomfort"? If it's intense pain, then please call your doctor. If it's discomfort/mild pain, then that sounds like what I get when I eat dry, solid food, e.g. roast chicken, ever since I had my last fill about a month ago. When I swallow, it feels like the food is rubbing on tissue as it passes through the narrow opening of the lap band. It feels like my tissues are being a little irritated. It's gotten less over the past few weeks. I've just assumed this is normal, but never asked... Julie

Hang in there! It might take a few more fills for you to get to the right restriction - I was banded in May, and have had five fills since then, and have finally gotten to where my quantity is limited and I stay full a long time. Now I'm finally losing...slowly, but the scale is going down. Plus, with the restriction, I feel more optimistic that I can lose weight, so I'm exercising more consistently. A positive feedback loop. Re the junk food cravings: I've still got some chocolate cravings, and I do indulge some, but if I'm full from having eaten "real" food (Protein, etc.), as I'm more likely to be now with the restriction, the cravings don't hit as hard or as often. I totally know how frustrating it is to be where you are, since I was there up until two weeks ago. Hang in there! If it's been two weeks since your last fill and you're not yet feeling restriction or losing weight, see if your doc would be willing to let you get another fill early (without waiting the full 4 to 6 weeks). My doc was willing to do that. I know it's expensive, but you went through the ordeal of the surgery, so the sooner you can get to the good part, the better!

For my first fill I had to wait 6 weeks after surgery. However, since then I've been having them at about 2 week intervals, because I didn't feel any restriction and wasn't losing any more weight. Generally, my doctor likes to wait 4 to 6 weeks between fills, but didn't object to my having them more frequently when it was clear that I wasn't losing weight. This past Monday I had my 5th fill since the surgery on May 24th (see signature). I may finally have the "proper" restriction, in that I fill up quickly when eating solid food. And if I try to eat past the point of feeling full, I go straight to PBs and that awful sliming. Still getting used to this restriction and making mistakes, such as not chewing well enough, taking my Vitamins too quickly and they get jammed up, etc. But at least there's finally some significant restriction! So now we'll see what happens...

Thanks for the reminder! That does make it more challenging, though, when you get the golfball stuck in there, and it just isn't working its way through the little hole. I'd hate to have to walk around for hours with that feeling. Hopefully I'll get better at knowing which foods will go down and which won't. This definitely is not the easy path, is it?

Jack, Mary, all the people who've posted on this thread - thank you! I've finally got some restriction following my 4th fill, and now am really in lapbandland, finding that I can't do pasta or white bread, and have to chew meat very very well. I am still able to eat some popcorn and a few other things a lot of people have trouble with. About once a day since the last fill I've had "the golfball" experience, and had to throw up to get it dislodged. No big deal - I was a failed bulemic as a teen (meaning I stayed fat despite being bulemic), so the mechanics of the thing are easy, even though it's not something I really want to have to do everyday. But I'm also fighting my chocolate addiction, which unfortunately is not controlled by the band. I knew from the start that was going to be a challenge. And I'm finding it tempting to snack when I get hungry between meals, one of the things that defeats the band. So the challenge is to experiment with snacking more on the healthy stuff, and see if I can get full on apples etc, and maybe the craving for the junk will go away... And I'm still wanting my beer and cheese, which do still go down easily, unfortunately. And I KNOW how easily that combo adds on the pounds. I started feeling a little scared and despairing a few days, after first reading this thread (though I'm soooo appreciative for these posts! It's so helpful to hear from people dealing with similar struggles....not that I want you all to be struggling but...you know what I mean...) So, after having a middle of the night panic attack about possible failure of the lapband, that it was all a waste of time and surgery, it occurred to me to (duh!) instead focus now on learning to use the "rules" to help me...eat the healthy food so I can feel full, then hopefully I won't want to snack as much, eat chocolate (as much), etc. The times this week that I've been eating regular meals with other people - meat, vegies, salad - I do fill up on much less than everyone else, although because of the need to chew so well, I'm still eating when they're done. So the band is working in that sense. Finally. So, I'm trying to drill it into my consciousness: use the band to help me feel full, so it's easier to skip the snacks and beer and chocolate. I'm hoping this will work. This is very far from effortless, that's for sure. I just thought I'd get full quickly and stay feeling full and not want to eat anything for hours and hours. I do stay full longer, but not as long as I'd hoped. Even if the lapband doesn't work for me in the long term, I don't know if I could face having the other gastric surgeries. Much as I envy the results weight-wise, they scare me too much. Another motivation for really trying to work with the lapband to make this approach work for me. Maybe LapBand *AND* calorie counting????

Thanks, everyone, for sharing your experience. I'm up to 1.9 cc in a 4 cc band (3 separate fills), and just barely feel the restriction. Still not losing any weight (though some of that is bad habits I need to break regardless). I get frustrated and wish sometimes the doctor would be more aggressive with the fills, then read the awful stories of what can happen if it goes to far...I live a 3 hour drive away from the doctor, so it would be a long drive to get an unfill - there's no docs that I know of that do fills/unfills in my County. After the last fill, when I went up 1.9 cc's, the next day I "tested" it (my doc only requires liquids/mushies for one day, then you can go back to solids - just start carefully). The day after the fill I prepared brown rice and pinto Beans, mixed together, with a little avocado, feta cheese and soy sauce - that probably sounds weird to most people, but I love it. I was able to eat over 1.5 cups at a sitting, with no liquids, and still didn't feel quite full. So, am going in for another fill on Monday, just two weeks after the last fill. Will let you know what happens.... Julie

I've got a 4 cc Inamed band, just had my third fill yesterday, to a total of 1.9 cc. And still don't seem to have a lot of restriction, though am feeling it a little more. There sure is a wide range of experience with this. By the way, my doc only suggests 1 day of liquid/mushies after a fill, before trying solid food. And that's worked for me - no problems so far. But I see that some of the docs require 3-5 days of liquids/mush post-fill...one gets the impression that there's a lot of trial and error going on here, even among the docs.

Vegas - glad to hear your fill was successful! Yesterday I got my third fill, two weeks after the second fill, and still don't seem to have much restriction...so maybe I'll be back for a fourth fill in a couple of weeks... LynnAnn - my doc yesterday, during my third fill, said that sometimes it can take a day or two to feel the complete restriction, but it was just a guess as to why - whether it's swelling of the stomach, or some other reason, they don't know. But a full week before you feel restriction after a fill? I've haven't heard that before. Still waiting for the "sweet spot" myself...

My impression from reading and talking to people is that the biggest determining factors in speed and amount of weight loss are how good your restriction is, that is, whether you at a fill level that is really helping limit food intake, and type and intensity of exercise. And when I lost weight on phen-fen, I definitely experienced the phenomenon of weight loss slowing down as I got slimmer. The first 50 lbs came off effortlessly, because I wasn't eating much. Then I plateau'd. The last 30 lbs required exercise - both aerobic and weight training - 4 or 5 times a week. Without the exercise, the weight loss stopped. I got down to my "high" goal weight of 135 lbs, and felt great. So I'd guess the same might be true with the lap band - whether or not that last 35% of the weight comes off might be exercise-dependent, as well as dependent on being persistent about getting a good fill (which I'm still working toward - just had the third fill yesterday, am at 1.9 cc in a 4 cc band, and still don't have much restriction....sigh....)

Hi Carlene - I was surprised that you said that you had lost over 80% of your excess weight - at 127 lbs, surely there can't be much more weight for you to lose?!? Is there another 20% that you consider "excess"? Just wondering, because I'm 5'2", so the charts say I should weigh somewhere between 115-135, but I'd be thrilled to weigh 135.

Barbara - You give me hope! I'm still trying to get to a good fill level, so it feels good to hear from people for whom the band has been so successful:-)

Hi Celeste - You sound like a world traveller! How great! I just wanted to respond to your sense of feeling like a runt - I can relate (from past experiences of losing weight), and wondered if you've thought of taking any self-defense classes, or weight-training classes, to increase your sense of yourself as strong and able as a non-overweight woman? I think the weight helps shield a lot of us from a sense of vulnerability, and it's a challenge to find a new way to feel protected without it. But it's possible. Have you ever noticed how strong women just exude a "don't mess with me" air, and nobody does? That ability to stand strong and defend oneself can come from inside, without the extra weight as a deterrent/shield. I've picked up some of that ability just in the course of getting older and tougher with age, not feeling that I have to be so "nice" in all circumstances. It's a big topic, and an important one to address. The weight and overeating serves a lot of functions, and we've got to find alternatives in order to be comfortable without it - just need to make the journey as fun as possible:-). Julie

Hi niche - I also found that I was treated differently when I was at a "normal" size - at least, by strangers. For one thing, there wasn't the sense of standing out or being unusual in any way - it is always hard to know how much of that is my self-consciousness, and how much is people really thinking, "my, she's large!" I could blend in, almost felt "in disguise" (I wonder how long it takes for that to go away, how long it takes for the smaller size to become part of your identity?). And I was single then, and the world of dating was my oyster:-). Had a lot of fun with that. Enjoy! (and be careful!)

Sleepyjean - One of the things I enjoyed about losing weight last time (9 years ago, using Phen-Fen) was that I could finally shop at the used clothing stores and find clothes that fit. Seems that getting down to a size 14 or 12 or 10 put me in the realm of "most people", so I could fit into their hand-me-downs. It was fun because I could try different styles without the stress of spending much money. Otherwise, I was like you - overwhelmed by the number of clothing stores to chose from. I visited some of them, and could spend hours trying things on, getting a sense of what fit and what my body looked like - it was so new. Julie

Hi Kato - Hopefully we'll both get to that ideal fill level soon, and then going through the surgery and everything will seem like the best thing we ever did! That's what a friend's fiance told me, two years after she had the lap band surgery - she was at her goal weight. I need to call her and find out if she went through this long stretch of frustration before getting to a good fill level. I'm still trying to get a reply from the doc as to whether I can get another fill now, rather than having to wait another month...it's a 6-hour round-trip drive to go in for a visit, so don't want to make an appointment if getting a fill isn't possible. Regarding whether it's normal to feel hungry when all you're able to consume is liquids - yes!!! The only time that I wasn't hungry when on liquids only was the first few days after the surgery, and presumably that's because there was so much swelling. Well, hopefully in 3-6 months we'll both be losing weight steadily and happy as clams:-) (where does that expression come from? hmmm...the only other expression that comes to mind is "happy as a pig in sh*t", but I don't think either of us wants to relate to that one, either the "pig" part or the "sh*t" part (don't know what the rules are here re profanity, hence the use of asterisk) Okay, I'm off on a tangent....better go back to work!:-) Keep us posted, Kato!

Congratulations, Simmah Oz! I interested - why was this the hardest 9 months of your life? Surgical complications? food rules/limitations? ...? Please say more! Thanks,