123crod

Evening all,
I use to be a regular visit of this forum back in the late 2010. See I was originally banded on 11/19/2010. Right about Christmas time last year (just over a year after my band), I went for a fill, as I wasn't finding the same amount of restriction. Instead, I received a complete unfilled. I had a slip. I was so upset. I had lost 100 lbs and was doing so well. Since I had no symptoms, the Dr wanted to see if the unfilled would work. I went back a month later and there was no change. They put me on a course of prednisone and that did not work. That was when they decided to do surgery to fix it. Now I was playing the waiting game with the insurance. Went back and forth and it was taking forever. As the months were going by I was starting to have increase gas and heartburn. I was also having a harder time eating. Then on Sunday, 5/20, I got very sick. I could not keep anything down and was in the worse pain ever. I finally feel asleep and first thing Monday morning called the Dr. They called me in some pain meds and other meds and got me the Dr next appointment, Thursday. Needless to say I tried to get in sooner, but he was either in surgery or at the other office that was further away from me. Still I called every day asking if I could get in sooner. I could not wait for Thursday. When I showed up at the Dr on Thursday, the Dr gave me one look and sent me to the hospital. One good thing was that my insurance had finally sent the approval for the revision.
When I was settled in at the hospital, I was dehydrated and in a lot of pain. They hooked me up with the good meds got me lots of fluids. Dr came to see me Friday morning and they were able to get me on the books for surgery Saturday morning. This time around was a little harder on me. I was having a lot of nauseous and ended up staying in the hospital til Monday.
So even though I was already banded, I am starting out all over again. I hope you do not mind of I join this group. Even though I have done this all before, I will still need the support that I got from this forum last time. I am currently on my two weeks of liquids post-op and I am already struggling. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that I had not had anything to eat a week prior to surgery. Now I know you cannot eat before surgery, but I was getting nothing in. I was drinking about 10oz of Water a day. My body wants to play catch up.
Ok I am off to bed. Been still sleeping a lot as my body has been through a lot.
Sweet dreams all!

I agree. My doc told me to go to weight watchers because that is what his wife does. I went straight to a lapband doc and I have had great success! (the wife........not so much, but don't want to gossip. )

A cup of food is what you should be eating. That is normal. Are you sure there is no fill right now. Standard is that he fill about 3cc in surgery then go from there.
You should not have any pain in the band area. maybe some around port or the big incision.
A fill at 3 weeks is early. There will still be some swelling in the area but im no doctor.
STOP STOP STOP weighing yourself daily. You will go crazy doing that. Once maybe twice a week is good.
Yes you may gain a bit during post op time now that you will be going back to solid food. Now is the time though to start changing your diet from the high calorie junk to nutrient dense foods that are good for you. Get away from calories from liquids like pop and sugary drinks. Keep bad carbs to zero and good carbs to a minimum. Eat good protients first then your carbs. You'll be fine dont worry to much. This time you are in is called bandster hell for a reason. get on the track now and stay on it this will work if you relax and work with it. Small sets backs will happen too so don't wory be happy. Your on the road to freedom now.

I always laugh when people say that, their ignorance is astounding.
I have a friend who had Gastric Bypass 2 months before me, and when I told her I was getting the Lap-Band, she told me I was nuts because it didn't work. We started out about the same weight, too.
Now, 5 months post surgery for me and 7 for her, she's lost 60 pounds. I've lost almost 100. She's not saying the band doesn't work anymore

ha... i like apples suggestion of walking through a hardware store perplexed.....very creative!

I always find it strange when new people that have never participated in this board before come on and their first post is about how they are having their band removed.
I always wonder.
Are they for real?
What is their motivation?
Are they maybe being paid as some kind of troll to achieve some kind of result.
I have always been a sceptic, it is part of me that is not going to change.
So if you are for real I wish you all the best in your bandless future.

That's quite a leap and reckless to write about this...I believe it is not advisable to challenge the instructions most every one of us have received from our individual doctors about NOT eating and drinking at the same time.

I would challenge your statements and say that it would take many more studies on this same topic to statistically validate the accuracy of the information you shared. Anyone who has a background in statistical evaluation knows that ALL studies are flawed in one aspect or another. ONE study which publishes their findings is not the "gold card determiner" of the accuracy of the rules as we know them to be.

Please validate your writings with citing additional sources and studies prior to telling ALL if us to change the rules...BTW, when and from what university have you earned your MD degree?????
I will also continue to follow the instructions given to me by my surgeon; he seems to be quite knowledgeable on the topic, and most importantly, we get good results with weight loss if we adhere to those instructions!

This whole question of how the band works and how long it takes for the food to pass through is still very confusing and I do not believe that it has yet been fully answered. It does make more sense that the food passes through quickly as when you eat a bite and it gets stuck you feel it instantly.
However if the food is passing through that quickly what causes the pain and discomfort if you have eaten too much?
And also how is it possible to PB sometimes for hours afterwards totally undigested food that is not mixed with stomach acid if the food has already passed into your stomach?

Very interesting, and completely opposite to what I heard at seminars at the Obesity Help conference in Seattle last July. Several bariatric professionals, including Ross McMahon, MD, medical director of Swedish Weight Loss Services, stated that failure to separate intake liquids and solids (in other words, drinking while you eat) is one of the most common causes of failure to lose weight in all types of bariatric patients (band, bypass, sleeve, DS).

I agree. You don't need a fill if you are losing, and you are not struggling to "diet" and starving while doing it.
I am sitting here with the food backed up feeling. The thought of a fill? No way. I think we all get excited to get that first fill, but really, until you need it? You don't need it. That make sense?
To stop the food in the throat feeling... take smaller bites, chew very well, pause between bites, and stop eating at the first tiny signal you are satisfied. NOT full. Just now I pushed beyond satisfied because it tasted good, and it seemed like I had such a little bit on my plate. I did however stop when I felt some discomfort telling me I was being stupid. 5 minutes later all is well. Had I kept eating, it would have led to a stuck episode and vomiting.
Congrats on your loss so far!

Hi. I don't normally start new topics but I wanted to get this out there. I've read several posts that people are using the Boost high Protein as their pre-op diet. While at the store yesterday I saw it and took a closer look.
My recommendation is to stop drinking this stuff!!!
If you read posts from a lot of experienced bandsters we highly recommend the Premier Protein shakes (ready to drink). Below are a comparison of some important Nutritional facts.
Boost High Protein Ready To Drink 8 oz
15 g of protein
Total Carbs 33g
Sugars 27
Cals 240
Fat 6
Premier Protein Shakes 11 oz
30 g of Protein
Total Carbs 5g
Sugars 1
Cals 160
Fat 3
Your doctor has you on a high protein/low carbs diet to force your body to burn protein and then fat. The Carb levels in Boost are out of this world. I'm sure they taste great but no surprise look at the sugars level. Yes I know Premier is at costco and BJ's (and possibly online) but there are other RTD shakes available at Walmart, and health food store that are better than Boost.
Just my opinion. Take it for what it's worth.

I had my band at the same time as you. I also had major surgery last year ( a hysterectomy ) and was limited with what I could do for 6 weeks. I must be lucky as my husband also cooked but he can manage more than Soup so the food I ate was not that different to usual. I didn't pick up any weight. I think for me the food is more important than the exercise. I can maintain easily without exercising but if my band is not properly filled I get hungry and start falling back into bad habits like snacking.
I suggest you go back to the Dr to check that you are correctly filled. Go through some recipe books and find recipes that are easy to cook ( for you or your husband) that fit in with your diet. As to exercise how about swimming? Swimming is generally good as it takes all the weight and strain off joints and muscles.

I also fear the OP will have many other problems after throwing up so much for so many years. She could have caused some severe damage to her stomach, esophagus, teeth and who knows what else. I was being understanding and supportive and trying to direct her to some real help.

In the original post she said she has thrown up several times a day, every day ,for 5 years ...............
Get off your soapbox....really
My post was understanding and supportive.

Actually I wasn't pointing fingers. Just stating facts. If you have been trying for four years and can't figure it out then I would say ignorance is something you have a handle on..... not me. If you are doing what you are supposed to and doing everything perfect then you wouldn't have a problem. You can lie to yourself and stay on the track you are on or get real. Either way don't blame me for stating the obvious.

Don't be sorry for asking questions, it's how you learn
Granted I'm not a doctor, but from what I can tell about the psychological evaluation they're making sure you're mentally and emotionally stable and don't have an eating disorders or suicidal tendacies.
It would seem to me you'd have a problem passing if you weren't already on meds and under a doctor's supervision. The fact you are shows you're taking responsibility and control over your situation and would likely be in your favor. I honestly don't think you'll have a problem.
For the record, at the time of my psych eval I was on Xanax as well quite a few other meds. I too have suffered with anxiety attacks for years as well as depression. I was honest about all this and didn't have a problem.
I honestly think you don't have anything to worry about.

Some places have "program fees" that you pay.

No you haven't we have all been there.....Re- focus and work on your head as much as your food intake....the mind is a very strong thing. I would focus on Protein and lots of Water ....64oz. of water a day can make or break it for most of us.....I am twicw as old as you and I was able to get back on track ...stay strong ....

I don't think it will take 9 months either. It will probably be a little harder than it was initially especially without reasonable restriction.
Thanks for all the encouragement.

I have been at my goal weight for almost 2 years but have put on about 6lbs over the last couple of months due to having to have a partial unfill. I am still not back at my optimum restriction level so am having to fight the desire to snack when I shouldn't.
I need to knuckle down and do something proactive to get the weight off. The problem is that I have had a really easy ride so having to think about what I eat, log calories etc does not come naturally.I got the band so that i could give up dieting and that is what happened so to now have to consciously think about dieting is really hard.
I was playing around on a couple of sites this morning to try to calculate how many calories required etc. I entered my info on 1 site and the results it came back with were that to lose 6lb I should not go under 1200cal per day and that it would take me until Jan 4 2013!!!!
Well maybe I should give up now(joking).
I am wondering if anyone else has used 1 of these sites and also come up with a ridiculous calculation.
I am going on away with my husband for 4 days next week for a much needed break before he starts a new job so won't be watching my intake too hard then.
I think the best plan is probably to try to stick to around 1000 cal per day, get off my ar*e and do some "exercise"(which I hate) and try to log honestly what I am eating. I go back to see my Dr mid June and am hoping he will bring me up to a reasonable level of restriction again then. We are treading a fine line between me actually being able to feel like I have a band and my reflux recurring.
I live in a small country town where the nearest gym is 40min away so I can't join a gym - the motivation and the cost to get there a couple of times a week whould be prohibitive. Yes I could theoretically walk or run as that is free but it is seriously freezing here at this time of year. I think my only option is to dig my exercise bike out and use that.

There are lots of people that will tell you that it has taken 2 weeks or more for their fill to kick in so what has happened to you is not unusual.
Being a careful lapband patient is always the best option.

If you sleep on your stomach you will probably not be able to at first and if you sleep on your side you will probably be more comfortable with a pillow next to your stomach but generally there is no reason not to be able to lie down.

Good Luck Elcee!
Jean I haven't been very active on this site so I don't know who she is but I can recall one particular member awhile back who constantly make negative comments about everything. Those types of people are usually very miserable in their own personal lives.

I am off to see my Dr this afternoon. I ended up in emergency 10 days ago after a bad stuck, vomiting and then reflux so bad that i could not lie down. They took out 4ml and left me with 2ml.They also did a CT and the Dr that looked at it told me that it looked as though everything was fine although he is not an expert.
I can definitely feel the difference. I sometimes think it is like having no band but it must be having some effect as when I went out for my daughters Birthday last week I was satisfied with a burger patty and some (way too many) chips, I did not attempt the bun. It is amazing though how fast I am eating now that I can and how at the end of a meal I am still hungry and could easily eat more. I did take advantage this morning and had a yummy toasted hot X bun for Breakfast as I know they will be back off the menu if I get filled again.
So fingers crossed that everything is OK.
Jean sorry to hear about your problems and that you are having to revise. I am sure that some people must be gloating ovr that piece of info.
Tammy hope your problem gets sorted out and that no further intervention is required.

Thank you for posting. I'm sure this topic is on the minds of many bandsters even if we have not had complicaition. I wish the best for you.