HeatherR

If you are getting liquids down and some solids and not having any reflux try to wait it out. Chances are it will loosen up soon! Use your judgement though....if you can't keep anything down go back. Usually after a fill if I am tight I take it easy. liquids the first day and progress to soft and then try real solids a few days later. Take it slow.

Good luck!

Relax! We've all been in your shoes! Most docs don't expect a loss yet, mine expected a gain at first. You have no restriction and chances are it could take a while. It will happen! Be patient and continue making good choices. Follow the "rules". It will come off!

Good luck!

When I do go out with friends I order the wine or whatever & I just drink it before my meal comes & no one seems to notice that I don't drink with my meal!

I can't eat pizza anymore unless it's my homemade crust. It sounds gross but it is SO GOOD! It is low carb but not low calorie. I can only get down 1 small piece anyway. I feel like I am having real pizza when the family is! Try this recipe.

1.5 Cups of Italian hard shredded cheeses

3/4 of package of room temperature cream cheese

garlic and italian seasonings to taste

3 eggs

Spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spay. Spread italian cheese evenly over bottom of pan. Mix cream cheese(make sure it is room temp), eggs and seasonings in blender. Pour mixture over cheese in pan. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes (less or more depending on how you want it done, I like mine well done, pretty golden brown.) When it is done as you like it add sauce and toppings as desired and cook 15 more minutes.

Voila! Pizza! I swear if i didn't know any better that I was eating REAL pizza! I usually cut the rest into serving size pieces and wrap them individually & freeze. Then i have lunch on the go anyday!

Full for me is no longer feeling hungry and I too get the slight pain. Full no longer feels like 'rub your belly unbutton your pants Thanksgiving dinner full'. Don't look for that feeling, you won't ever get it if you have restriction & you don't want it if your not restricted.

Oh, I also get a little runny nose when I have had enough. Weird but true! I think it's my full signal!

I am an RN. I don't often pull the RN card, but this time, I will. You need to go to the ER. NOW. The presence of pus and a foul odor is terribly concerning.

I know you're in pain and afraid, but the only way to be rid of the pain is to have it appropriately treated. Not doing so can cause problems far greater than those you currently have. NIP THE INFECTION IN THE BUD NOW.

This IS an emergency. If possible, go to the ER where you had your surgery, so that your surgeon can readily reach you. If that's not possible, notify his answering service that you are going to a closer ER. That way, he will be awaiting communication from the ER physicians.

What she said......from another RN. Good luck!

That thought crossed my mind too when I first was banded. I don't think I would have ever pursued it but I did wonder about it!

I am going to Jamaica 2 weeks from today to an all inclusive Sandals resort. food & drinks are abundant there also. Having just had my 4th fill a little over a week ago I am 90% positive that I am at MY sweet spot. I see the doc 2 days before I leave. In NO WAY do I want anything removed! It took 4 months to finally know what restriction & satiety are. The last thing I want to do is gain weight & start from scratch with fills!

I just wanted to give you a little comfort in knowing that by the time you finally get to July, your tune probably will change!!!:laugh:

P.S. If there is something I can't resist, I'll have some! I may even order dessert first once! It is my vacation after all!:wink2:

Don't let the tickers fool you! At least, don't let mine fool you! I had my surgery 10/20/09 but was not 252# on surgery day. My "starting weight" was 252 July 2009 when i started losing to prepare for surgery. I was 229 on the day of surgery. I refuse to leave those hard earned 23# off my total! Since surgery I have lost 32#.

I can tell you however, that I have had 4 fills. After each fill I felt I ate a tiny bit less than before but still too much. I dare say that I finally know what restriction is & how it works after my 4th fill. WOW! What a difference! I just know when to stop & I am satisfied!!! HUGE milestone for me! I never even knew what satisfied was until now!

Keep getting fills & hang in there! It really does happen! It's not a myth!

Do you still have your gall bladder? Does the pain happen after a meal most of the time? After fatty foods? If so, could be your gall bladder. Very common in overweight people. Call your doc!

Good luck!

I told him the story & he tried to find the port to give me a fill but it was a no go. He ended up confirming it under fluoroscopy (real time x-ray). A few days later he did the minor surgery with just some local anesthesia. It was a little weird being awake while he was tugging, pulling & sewing but it didn't hurt. It was a tiny bit sore for a couple more days. It really wasn't a big deal!

He thought a stitch let loose & it was kind of sideways when it was really hurting. He said the true flip probably was when it stopped hurting.

Find your strength in knowing that eating mushies is not forever! You will eat again. The time point post-op that you are in now is, in my opinion, the absolute pitts! I felt angry, hungry, deprived and thought i would never eat real food again! I think that's when I posted my very first thread. I called it "pity party". SO true. I was feeling sorry for myself wondering if I made the right decision.

Some facts:

1. You WILL eat real food again!

2. You WILL survive this awful period of Soups & mushies.

3. You WILL always have the choice to eat McDonald's.

4. You WILL lose weight IF you follow the rules of the band!

5. You WILL NOT regret your decision!

Get yourself back on track! You can do it! It's only a little bit longer until you can start adding solids! On the bright side....at least you know you'll be able to tolerate solids when it's time!:redface:

I agree with the post above. Doesn't sound like a band slip but a port flip.....maybe! Your story sounds almost identical to what happened to me.

I was in bed and when I rolled over heard and felt some kind of a pop at my port area. It was so sore the next day I walked hunched over. Later I just pressed on the area a little & the pain was gone, like magic. 2 weeks later saw my doc & it was confirmed that my port did indeed flip. No biggie, just a simple procedure to sew it back in right.

I hope it's nothing! just sharing my mishap! Good Luck!!

I love my band and I have lost a total of 184 lbs so far.

WOW!!!! AMAZING! You rock!:confused:

Bell: It's only been 4 months since my surgery & I don't regret it one bit. I have only lost 29 pounds since surgery but I feel amazing! We obviously ALL have a problem with "stuffing our face"! The trick for me is that I don't keep it in the house! By the way, ice cream, cake and Cookies go down just fine.....not a good thing! If you can't keep from eating slider foods in excess than you will not lose. It sounds like you are just in the very beginning of the journey. Hang in there! I think we all had doubts at one point after surgery! :confused:

Awkward Customer: I'm not trying to be rude but it sounds like the band may not be the right choice for you. I'm sure everyone would like to wake up healthy....it's just not going to happen that fast! As btrieger said, it's not always about having help losing the weight but instead help keeping it off! Good luck to you!:confused:

I too am a spitter!! There is constantly treats at work & I always struggle with avoiding them. Even though I am just starting to scratch the surface of the mental part of being banded I have found my own little way of dealing with it.

First of all, store bought treats are MUCH easier to avoid. They simply don't taste as good as something homemade! The problem is when someone brings in homemade treats. Instead of drooling & fighting with myself until I can run out the door at the end of the day I take a bite. If it is completely irresistible I eat it and enjoy it. If it's just ok I ask myself if it's worth the calories. It hardley ever is & I spit it out & throw the rest away. It takes away the craving because I tried it.

Good luck!

Hi, my name is Heather and I'm a food addict.......

I have learned slowly that I REALLY needed to change my food obsessions. I always looked at my plate, sanwich or whatever and planned how I was going to eat it. For example: A Peanut Butter & jelly sandwich: I would eat all of the crust first and then eat the middle. Save the best bite for last. That is just the way I have always done it. No matter what I was eating. Well, nothing makes me mad more than still doing this but finding that I can't eat my best bites because I'm full already! No, I really can't tolerate bread or potatoes and my diet has changed for good but it takes full awareness while I'm eating to not "save the best for last"!

Here's to taking the best bite FIRST!!!

I'm SO close too! It feels as if I'll never get there but WHEN I do I already planned on getting new underwear! I have still been wearing my old ones & my 5 year old always tells me that they are giant! That's my plan!

Good for you! Keep up the good work!

I have heard of people 'losing' some Fluid. There are quite a few threads on it. Try a search!

I know everyone is different but it seems like it takes 4 or 5 days for me to feel anything different after a fill. I just had my third today also & don't feel any different. I'm not concerned because the last 2 fills it took almost 5 days & then.......WHOA!! Makes no logical sense to me but whatever!!

Good luck! Hang in there!:biggrin:

Where you are right now is frusterating but hang in there! You just have to be patient. You will start loosing again just keep making the right choices and follow the 'rules'. Keep your follow-up appointments and discuss your feelings with your Doctor. Almost everyone that has been banded went through this in the beginning!

Good luck! (You'll be fine!):smile2:

I go 1/18 for my 5th fill, I am still unsure if i will keep this app. I feel I am at or super close to my sweet spot. So only time will tell. i am now at 6.25 cc in a 10 cc band. Some days feel i need a fill and the next day I don't , I am so unsure right now.

I feel the same way right now Erica! I had my second fill on 12/21 & for the first time felt some restriction and had a couple of stuck episodes. I'm pretty sure getting stuck was from 'operator error'. For the first time since banding I need to pay attention to the size of my bites & chewing. I am going back on Wednesday & I think I am going to opt for a fill. (if I don't change my mind by then! )

Good luck!

I say definitely make the appointment for 2 weeks out! Especially since you are just starting out with your fills. I am going in for my third this week. My last fill was Dec. 21st & I thought I may have hit my sweet spot until a few days ago. Before that I had been pondering canceling my appt., thank goodness I didn't!

Like the others said, you can always cancel!

I went back to work after 6 days & was fine.

Run to the bathroom? Why? As far as I know the band does not change your bathroom habits. At least it didn't mine. Do you mean because of the liquid diet or mushies? I'm not sure if others were sensitive to liquids but they seemed to agree with me just fine! I was only required to do liquids 2 weeks pre-op & one week post-op.

Good luck on your journey! It's the best thing I've ever done for myself!

Hi We3601!

I have had 2 fills now & am up to 6.8cc. This last fill on 12/21 was the first time I have felt anything. My 40 pound loss is including my pre-op diet. It has been since July. I was 250 in July. I have only lost 20 since surgery but I refuse to leave that out of my total loss!! It's been hard! I am going in for another fill on 1/6. I'm hoping this will be the one, I think I'm getting there!

I think we all have done a lot of research about the lap band before going through with the surgery. We all know that it works but you have to 'work it'! My doc questioned me in depth about my eating habits & what I ate all of the times I lost weight. THEN he asked what surgery I was thinking about getting. After I told him Lap band he agreed that it was the appropriate choice for me. Because even though I'm fat I do not drink high calorie drinks and I don't keep slider foods in the house. My health couldn't be better except for my weight & he felt gastric bypass was too drastic for my current situation.

Now my friend went to the same doc just recently & he questioned her just the same. When she said she too wanted lap band he disagreed with her. She would have to drastically change her diet, get rid of the Mountain dew & freezer full of ice cream. She also is close to 400# and has several co-morbidities.

I think it depends on the situation. (Hmmm...just thinking....bypass is a much more involved surgery, therefore the doc gets more money. Sad but some are motivated by the money!) The five year success rates of both surgeries are about the same. Bypass is quicker weight loss in the beginning. It's more obvious to me now more than ever that lapband isn't for everyone!

Just smile & nod & move on to another discussion!:biggrin:

Hi Adrie!

I think this is a normal part of the journey. I too lost quickly at first. About 15# then it just stopped!! I didn't start losing again until last week when I got my 2nd fill. Finally I feel a little 'something'. I don't think I'm there yet but getting close! I too was thinking that I would be one of the few the band didn't work on. Not to mention, there were quite a few homemade treats floating through the office that I sampled!:biggrin: (Thank God the treats are gone...until next year!)

I talked to my doc about all of this & he assured me that I am doing great. He said that most people gain a little until they are properly filled. He said to be patient because we are still in the process of 'turning on' my tool! As much as we have researched & learned about lap band I think we still think (hope) that the weight will just fall off instantly. I was hoping I wold be the girl who never needed a fill!

Just hang in there! Your not alone! I think it's time to schedule your second fill!!:smile: