MrsShannonDennis

Ok so...today is my 1 year, how time and FAT flies right? Here are my stats. Now keep in mind, I have not had good restriction the whole time. I went through some medical stuff and took all my liquid our for 3 months. It took a lot of adjusting to get me where I am now! So with that in mind, I think I've done darn good! Hope my story motivates you to hang in there and push through! Starting weight: 255 Current Weight: 184 (71 lbs lost) Starting Pant Size: 22 Current Pant Size: 14's are baggy Starting Shirt Size: 2X Current Shirt Size: M/L Bra size from a 44 DD to a 34/36 DD Ring size from 8.5 now to a 5.5 Shoe size from a 9.5 to an 8 BMI from a 42.1 to a 30.9 Body Fat from 51% to now 33% Lost about 40 inches total

So I'm getting pretty small (compared to what I was) and my stomach is in great shape. My port is so noticable and I want to replace it with the thinner one they have available. My doc said this is an option once I get to my goal weight. Does anyone have experience with this or know more about it? Have you done it? Is it much difference? I'm a cash patient, anyone know the cost? Just trying to see if the surgery is worth it. Would appreciate any info you have on it!

Thanks for the info. That scares me because back in Nov I started having MASSIVE acid reflux. They started doing the same thing by saying im too tight and taking fill out. I knew I wasnt too tight but trusted them. The heartburn didnt go away and I didnt wanna go to the dr and have them take more out cause I already was feeling like I was super loose now that they had taken some out. So i lived with the heartburn until Jan. Finally I went back in and they ordered an upper GI to check for slippage and it came back perfect. I still have MASSIVE heartburn but now I take Prevacid OC daily and its gone, but if I forget to take it one day, OH MAN it comes back. Ive just come to the conclusion that my body isnt keeping the acid down by itself. Im never nausiated so Im guessing im ok. I dunno. I see myself being able to eat more but not get sick. I would think I would know if I had slipped right?

How did you know u slipped? Please tell cause im super curious about this,

I eat out A TON! I always get soup or a side salad when nothing else is there. I can do any shell fish, I do a lot of shrimp and crab. I seriously get shrimp anywhere I go. SOme places you can add shrimp to a dish so I do that. I always order off the appetizer menu. Chips and salsa are good for me. I dont/cant do fried. Lots of places now are doing something called "small bites" or "tastings" which is a mini appetizer. I LOVE THESE. They are like 3-5 dollar little items like chicken dumplings, chips and guacamole, mini taco, etc. I can eat anywhere, you just have to look.

I have massive heartburn daily! My docs tried to say I was too tight, they unfilled me a bit and it didnt help, just made me too loose. I now take Prevacid daily and it has cured it! The band doesnt do a good job at helping keep down acid. No matter what I eat, I get heartburn now. Small price to pay I guess. As long as I take prevacid Im golden

This was the post the girl put: For 3 years I got the same pain (I was not banded then). It would be so painful that I couldn't move for days. Sometimes eating helped, but if I ate too much, I would throw up. I went for every test in the book and no one could figure it out. Finally, one day it happened and I went to another doctor and explained everything (when it happens, the tests I took, what was ruled out, etc) and it was gas, plain and simple. Caused by a fluctuation in my hormone levels, causing my stomach to tighten up and not let the air pass through. (This actually made me think maybe I shouldn't get banded.). The doctor started massaging my stomach for about 5 minutes, and air just started flying out of me. I started hormone replacement therapy and the pain went away. Then, my hormone levels dipped (because I'm at that magical time in my life :thumbup:( )and it came back after about 1 year. It's very painful, and I feel sorry for you. I would check out to make sure that nothing is wrong with the band, and if everything is ok, then think about how to get rid of the gas. I notice now with the band, if I'm stressed out, I get similar gas pains, but they are not anywhere as painful and they don't last as long. Good luck!

YES MAAM! Went through testing for three months, gallbladder, band slippage, you name it. Everything was ruled out. FInally found a post on here about a girl who had the thing same. Our pain were both happening about a week before our mentrual cycle and stopped right before. Is this happening with you? She went to a specialist found out it gas that reacts with hormone level changes. Sounds weird but all the signs point that way. I now just pop some Gas X strips and Im good to go. Mine actually stopped last month.

Im 8 months post op and stalked really bad. My trainer told me since I work out soooo much, to up my calories. As soon I upped them, I started losing. Because of the amount I work out, I eat close to 1500-1700 cals. This allows me to lose about 2-3 lbs a week. I tried eating more cals for a week to test it out and IT WORKED! My body was needing fuel. I also now eat little amounts more often, that has seemed to speed my my metabolism. Every body is different and requires different things. Some people lose consistantly on less cals but I was not!

Totally normal! You will feel your port unless you have tons of belly fat but even then I'm sure you can push hard enough to find it. My tummy is super flat now and I can feel mine BAD, I call it my "Baby's Foot". Once you get to your goal weight, you can get a flatter port. I'm planning on doing it soon. Its a little less that $2000 for my surgeon to do it. The fluid I'm sure is just from the incision being so fresh. I had bandages over mine for about 8 days so I didnt see anyting. Once they came off, there was some moisture. Hope this helps!

I agree with Elcee! Its not normal for it to take that long. Even with good restriction you should do clear liquids normally. Now I can't take big gulps, but I drink 32 oz at least during my hour at the gym and thats drinking kinda slowly. Im at perfect restriction losing 10 lbs a months. Drinking water should NEVER be a struggle!

I'm from Bako....surgery done at Mercy Southwest by Irani June 09!

Mine happened prob a week post-op. I got it BAD in my shoulder. Im 9 months post-op and still get it, not as bad. I also now get it in my side. Gas-X and exersize work great for it!

I get them all the time. Prob every day! Its painful when I'm eating cause its usually when my food hasnt passed through yet so it causes chest pain when I do it. It is band related, so my doc says. They have no explaination for it though.

OH MY GOSH!! While reading this It sounded like me telling my story seriously. I have had the same prob. First my surgeon said gallbladder, got tested, and it was fine. Then got tested for band slippage, came back fine. I started noticing the correlation with my period. a week/2 for my period the pains would come and go away right when I started. I tested this correlation for 3 months and it always happened the same. Now, the pains are super small and not as intense as before. The gas explaination would make sense seeing than my pain has subsided. WOW thanks for posting this!! I have been at a MAJOR loss and knew something had to be wrong due to the intensity of the pains. SERIOUSLY THANK YOU GUYS!

I'm 9 months post op and I used to get BAD BAD BAD shoulder pains. Now I still get them, not as bad, when I sit for longer than an hour. SOOOO weird...

SUPER common. With Laposcopic surgery, youre filled with gas. That gas has to come out :thumbup: Im 9 months out and still burp ALL the time. Its not the gas at this stage, I guess its just the body working. Dont stress!

Sounds to me like something is up....not to scare you but that doesnt seem normal. I have a 10cc band and my doc said most people find their sweet spot at 5-6.5 cc. Im at 5.75CC AND super tight. Have they check the band? leakage? slippage? etc.? That is sooooo not normal to be able to eat that much with that much restriction. at 6 cc I could not swallow my own spit. I know everyone is different but thats a lot of fill amount in your band. Are your docs listening to you? Have you told them how much you can eat? If you are dropping consistantly, I wouldnt worry about it, but if there is no change, something is up. Hang in there...its a tough road sometimes.

EAT MORE CALORIES! I was in your situation for a long time. I found out i was not eating enough!! I was under 1000 cals and worked out a lot. Once I upped my cals to at least 1300, I'm dropping like crazy now!

Ive been told my my doc that after 2-3 weeks of a fill, you will loosen up. A fill causes minor swelling of the stomach, reason why we are to go on liquids. 2 weeks to the DAY of a fill, i loosen up every time. And as you lose weight, your band will slowly losen. This is what I have been told and it has rang true during m 9 month journey!

Well I am the opposite. Before surgery I had a sensitive stomach, but not acid reflux probs. I am now 9 months post op and for the last 3 months I have had the WORST heartburn ever!!! The RX they gave me dont really help. They tried taking out fluid thinking i was too tight, but ddint work. Who knows...I just keep my meds close by and use them alot. The reflux gets worse if I lay down within an hour of eating or drinking a lot so dont do that. Good luck!

I hit 198.8 lbs this morning!! YEAH!!! It took longer than expected (54 lbs in 9 months) due to some medical issues. I had no restriction (took fluid out) for 3 months. It feels soooo good to not see a 2 in front of my weight! Only 47 lbs to go!!!!!! Thanks for all your support. Could not have done with without this website!

So I got what I think to be my "sweet spot" fill about 12 days ago. I stayed on liquids for a good 4-5 days cause I was extra tight. I have been able to slowly being in solid foods again but seem to only be able to get liquids down before 10am. Today its been the weirdest thing. ALL day I have not been able to get anything down. Everything gets stuck. Even egg drop soup got stuck. I'm not PBing or throwing up, but Im having to stop eating and get a protein shake just to fill me up. I have neevr had a random day like this where nothing goes down. Does anyone know of any factors that can cause your band to tighten up? Ive heard of being on your period will do it. Is this right? I'm just confused, need help!

Thats very interesting. Very strange seeinf that you dont have much fill in you. That happens to me a lot but I am super tight with 6 cc in my 10 cc band. For example: today for some CRAZY reason, I cannot get anything solid down without it getting stuck. Ive had to do liquids all day! That happens every so often. My surgeon said there will be some days your body reacts differently and your band will be super tight. Its just weird. I wish I has answers for you. I cant imagine the problem being youre too tight. There is nooo way. interesting....

Good Luck! Its the bestnthing I have EVER done! I agree with EVERYTHING everyone has said. Here are my top: 1. Dont get obsessed with weighing. You will fluctuate EVERY DAY and through out each day. I got to weighing a few times a ay and would get very discouraged. My friend took my scale away! Dont worry about the number on the scale, take your inches and pay attention to how your clothes are fitting you. That i the true test, not the number on the scale. 2. Dont give up foods you love. You have to treat yourself and not grow to hate the band. The band is not a punishment. If you dont eat those things here and there, you will grow a massive craving for them and go crazy! 3. WORK OUT!! Its the hardest thing you will learn to lovee. Always switch it up and trick your body. I suggest a trainer at least for a while to teach you the ropes and give you ideas. This is helped me a lot. Take fun classes at your gym, enjoy working out. Recruit your friends and make goals together. I go to a boot camp 3 days a week and have made wonderful friends who push me. 4. You are soon going to enter Bandsters Hell period. HANG IN THERE. EVERYONE must go through it. You will have NO restriction and can eat a horse and you might not see weight loss. Some see gain. Be patient and know this is normal. It will prob take several fills till you feel a difference. ITS A PROCESS not a fast fix. 5. Always check this website. It got me through everything and answered questions my doctor couldnt. Everyone on here has great advice and insight. You will always find at least one person who has gone through something you have on this journey. They will be of great support and will ease any worries you have. I checked on here for every symptom I had or anything I was worried about and ALWAYS got an answer. Hang in there. Its a process and a journey that may take some time to pay off. You will have your ups and downs, but it gets easier I promise. Just be patient and know there are 1000s of us going through the same thing who can help!