GoingforGoal

Unfortunately there is no info to go off of here. 1. How many cals does it say to take in? 2. How much are you working out? 3. How many cals do you take in? 4. Are you banded?

Congrats on your wedding

<charges for smacks...(bahahhahahaha)

Looking good. GOOD JOB!!!

Say what??? I've been jipped. I was told I had to do nothing the band would do it all for me...WTH!!!! I want my $$$ back (smirk)

That's understandable. I think that wl issues will always be with us. I greatly appreciate that the band has slowed things down so that I can address the mental side of wl and I know I have made some very real changes in my diet and eating habits. However, 4 years later I am still certain that they are not cemented into me that I couldn't falter. I know I need this band, my mind and body needs it!

How much protein do you get daily?

Confused! Where is the attitude?

Hi 5..good going, keep going! You look great!

Without any real knowledge of what you are doing wrong, I cant help with what you can do to kickstart your wl. When is the last time you got a fill? Are you in green? How many cals do you consume? What does a typical day of meals look like for you? I'm not sure what you are scared of and why you want to remove your band either. Do you suffer from complications? I'm not scared of getting "sick" or suffering complications because I respect my band and do not put myself in a position to create a scenario where complications will most likely begin. I am 4 yrs postop and am more afraid to lose my band. I know 100% I will regain all my weight if I do.

Sorry for the tough love but... Fear is NOT an after thought. You are well aware of the risks. And yes, anything can happen on the first assault to your stomach. There's nothing we can say or do other than utilize your fear to manage your future behaviors. Too often (and quite frequently recently) we are hearing newbies getting banded and within days of surgery they are being noncompliant. Not even a month out people are testing their bands like it's a joyride. Risky business people. I would hate to hear that anyone has suffered even a minor complication. It's a really hard way to RElearn a lesson that you can NOT just do as you choose. You are a surgical patient with a foreign apparatus in your body for life. Treat yourself that way, do not "normalize" being banded. I think too often newbies may hear discussions where people are eating regular foods but fail to understand that this didn't come overnight. They also don't comprehend that we are talking about 2-3 bites of this and that and not a buffet serving. 4 years post op I dread things like slippage and stretching my pouch. The concept of internal bleeding, the band eroding into my stomach lining, dysmotility of the esophagus, slipped bands requiring surgery is pretty scary sh*t and I'm not tempting fate.

These are individuals not companies and they are disposable and will be disposed of. Enough said

Which appointments are you preparing for..

The closer you get to green, the more impact a small fill has. Some of us at goal and in green (light) can see a huge difference with just 0.1cc I stick w/ full liquids the first day. Thinks like Protein shakes are my go to, or thick Soups like tomato Soup nourish me and test the band for tolerance/restriction. By the end of day 2 I'll be on solids but prefer softer ones that won't pose an issue. So just resort to your go tos during your post surgery transitionary phases.

PrettyThick, say what? My insurance does not cover it at all. Perhaps thats for your insur. provider?

Not sure what phase you are in..please elaborate. I'm surprised to hear that lettuce is on your to eat list. I know tons of people who get stuck on lettuce/salads consistently and it's a common no-no food. Maybe it was just the choice of food to start w/ and this perhaps is a no-no food for you. Can't tell you what's going on without knowing what else you eat. It does sound like there was irritation. I agree, stick w/ fluids until the symptoms pass and try again..but with something different lol

Welcome aboard. We are one big community who like to share thoughts, get q's answered and live the lifestyle with one another. Just drop us a line if you have q's, need advice/support or just want to give us an update!

I use Google as a search engine. I wanted not only a place to learn more about the band, but my priority was a chat room so I can connect real time with other bandsters

Hey JT, Congrats on the 6 mo (useless) monitoring portion of the preop reqs. To answer your question, it is essential to stay hydrated with the band. When you are dehydrated the cells in your body shrink. The lining of your esophagus and stomach are no different and when this happens you will feel further restricted. This in turns makes it harder to eat and that's a huge obstacle when you are at work and have limited lunch periods, or when you are super hungry and cant be bothered with a tight band etc. So the goal will be to drink as much as possible. Im not sure how long you are working on a project between rest periods, but if it's more than an hour I would bring a Water bottle along. Initially it'll be hard to drink large volumes at once so frequent sips is encouraged. But eventually you'll be able to drink like normal and can go longer periods without drinking nonstop. Just prepare for that initial transition.

Helli, Congrats on your decision to get the band. Enjoy your 'last meals' lol. One day you'll be able to incorporate some of those foods back into your diet, some will be modified and some you just won't be interested in anymore. Welcome to your new life!

Mrs D, The bodies natural response to particles being stuck in the throat is to create mucous. This acts like a trap catching particles as it makes its way down to the stomach in hopes to dislodge or remove the particle. If you are continuing to create slime, it's because your body is still perceiving something as being stuck. Many times after being stuck 1) We may PB the food matter and feel relief, but in reality, there's still more there. Depending on how long the PBing has been going on and if there were any stomach spasms (as if you were going to vomit) the stoma could be tightening, making even smaller particles more stucky worthy. In this situation you just ride it out. There really is nothing we can do but wait it out, or try a papaya enzyme. 2) For those especially bad stucks where you get nauseous and vomited it can take a few minutes for the body to catch up to the reality that you are no longer stuck. These kind of stucks require more babying so let it settle down before trying fluids. Stay on fluids to ensure there's no increased inflammation before moving into mushies/solids.

Please understand that noncompliance can lead to severe complications, even death. It's just not worth it. This is one of those matters where people want to ignore the reality they are in and than act dumbfounded when the risks become reality. There is absolutely no room for error during the first 6 weeks post surgery-bottom line. This is not about diet, this is about healing so that you actually can utilize the band for what it is designed for. First 6 weeks you are at high risk for slippage (requires surgery as there's nothing to unfill) and increased inflammation (and occlusion) (and if you cant eat or drink, than what? Surgery!). Again, this is not about diet and testing the band, it's about being responsible to yourself and making a commitment.

I cannot stomach this conversation again. Please look into previous posts about other noncompliant bandsters who refuse to take their band seriously. Good luck

I don't think I'd be interested in a second wls without identifying the underlying problem first. Who's to say the sleeve won't exasperate your symptoms?! I have been failed by the medical community (different condition) and I know how infuriating it can be. There is a real fear that this will be a forever issue. My only encouragement is to continue going to docs (new ones too) and get retested until a diagnosis and treatment plan can be implemented. Do you take anything for pain control or just ulcer prevention/treatment?

Nice! Congrats and best of luck