laughnleo

I was banded on 11/30 and still get the shoulder gas pains. Especially after a fill they creep back up on me for some reason. However, they are never as instense as they were after surgery and don't last nearly as long. Good luck!

WOW! How fantastic! Your story truly is an inspiring one! Best of luck in moving into the maintaining phase!

Happy Mom - it is very normal what you are experiencing now. However, I do think that your caloric intake may be a tad low. I try to stay within 800-1200 NET calories a day after exercise and that has done wonders for my weight loss. I use an App on my iPhone called LoseIt to track everything that I eat and all of my exercise. It is free and a great tool to measure your success and keep track of your caloric intake (net, too, very important). It also tells you how many calories you should net to lose up to 2 pounds per week. Maybe try adding a few more calories and your body should bounce back into weight loss mode. You will likely feel more energized as well. Best of luck to you!

I have been sick for about a week with a sinus infection, ear infection, and tonsillitis. Before I got sick, I definitely felt as though I needed another fill. I was hungry and 4 ounces did not ease my hunger at all. However, since I have been sick I of course did not have much of an appetite. Luckily, the antibiotic has kicked in and I am hungry, however, now feel as though I may not need a fill on Wednesday afterall. It is very strange! I can now eat 4 ounces and am not hungry anymore, and have been sticking to 2 or 3 meals a day. I wonder what caused this? Has anyone else experienced this? I've read of folks feeling tight after a fill and then loosening up, but not the other way around! However, I am not complaining. I will keep my appointment on Wednesday and see how I feel then. On an awesome note, I am now down 55 pounds!!!

I have been sick for about a week with a sinus infection, ear infection, and tonsillitis. Before I got sick, I definitely felt as though I needed another fill. I was hungry and 4 ounces did not ease my hunger at all. However, since I have been sick I of course did not have much of an appetite. Luckily, the antibiotic has kicked in and I am hungry, however, now feel as though I may not need a fill on Wednesday afterall. It is very strange! I can now eat 4 ounces and am not hungry anymore, and have been sticking to 2 or 3 meals a day. I wonder what caused this? Has anyone else experienced this? I've read of folks feeling tight after a fill and then loosening up, but not the other way around! However, I am not complaining. I will keep my appointment on Wednesday and see how I feel then. On an awesome note, I am now down 55 pounds!!!

I can finally say that I have 50 pounds! I have been sick as a dog, and didn't really expect to still be losing this week, but it happened! Now I have passed my first big milestone and cannot wait to get over the next ones. I am well on my way and couldn't be happier!

I can finally say that I have 50 pounds! I have been sick as a dog, and didn't really expect to still be losing this week, but it happened! Now I have passed my first big milestone and cannot wait to get over the next ones. I am well on my way and couldn't be happier!

You can do it! I'm 3 months post op and have lost 33 pounds since surgery, 50 pounds since I started this journey! Best of luck to you!

Well, I am now 3 months post-op and feel great! I am down 48 pounds, 15 inches from my waist and hips, and know that I am well on my way to goal. I still have a long, hard road ahead of me, but I feel much better about the journey than I did even just a month ago. I still have issues with eating just 4 ounces. It just does not fill me up. But, I know that I am not yet in my "green zone" and hope that once I get there it will be easier to eat only 4 ounces. I am making much healthier food choices, though. I have also been working out with a personal trainer and LOVE her and the workouts! She is so inspiring and enthused about her job that you can't help but have fun! I have also started working out on breaks at work. I am lucky to work in a building that has a decent free gym. The elliptical and weights are my fave. So, do I have a long ways to go? Sure. Do I still struggle with hunger? Absolutely. Do I obsess over the scale? Oh do I! But, you know what? I have come a long ways thus far and things can, and will, only go up from here! I am a LOSER and am proud to admit it! :smile:

Love this thread! Thanks for the positive reinforcement, everyone! I am three months post-op and have lost 48 pounds, and 15 inches from my hips and waist. I am eating WAY less and MUCH healthier, however, my doctor's program likes to see patients eat 4 ounce meals three times a day. Yeah, definitely not full after only 4 ounces. Anyone else get this way? I feel like I can eat like I did before, I know I can't because I never finish a meal, but still eating more than 4 ounces for sure. I was satisfied on vey close to 4 ounces last month and think I was so close to my green zone, but then got too much of a fill and had a bad reaction. Ended having most of the Fluid taken out so now have to start all over again. Oh well, I know, and my doc has said, that once I get to that green zone the weight loss will be even faster! I have been working out twice a week with a personal trainer, work out on my own 3 other times a week, and just did my first 5k a week ago today! I feel awesome! Best of luck to all of you and thanks for sharing your motivation and determination!

Well, I am now 3 months post-op and feel great! I am down 48 pounds, 15 inches from my waist and hips, and know that I am well on my way to goal. I still have a long, hard road ahead of me, but I feel much better about the journey than I did even just a month ago. I still have issues with eating just 4 ounces. It just does not fill me up. But, I know that I am not yet in my "green zone" and hope that once I get there it will be easier to eat only 4 ounces. I am making much healthier food choices, though. I have also been working out with a personal trainer and LOVE her and the workouts! She is so inspiring and enthused about her job that you can't help but have fun! I have also started working out on breaks at work. I am lucky to work in a building that has a decent free gym. The elliptical and weights are my fave. So, do I have a long ways to go? Sure. Do I still struggle with hunger? Absolutely. Do I obsess over the scale? Oh do I! But, you know what? I have come a long ways thus far and things can, and will, only go up from here! I am a LOSER and am proud to admit it! :tongue_smilie:

Okay, I guess that I am in bandster hell! I have only had one fill, surgery was 11/30 and first fill was 12/22. I do not know how much he put in, didn't ask. I have a 14cc band. After the fill, I was full for a couple of days. Now, the hunger is in full control. After the surgery I was not hungry for almost a week. I was then getting back an appetite, but could supress it with liquids and then mushies when I moved on to that stage. I am now on a regular diet, and 4 ounces is NOTHING! I can eat that and still be starving. Needless to say, I eat more and then feel guilty. Full, but guilty. The food also does not stay with me more than 2 hours. I have never felt sick, so hopefully my pounch is how it should be. I worry about that, too. I go for my next fill on 1/13. I am so scared of gaining pounds back of the 30 I have lost just because of how I am eating. Anyone in the same boat and have any tips or tricks? I don't want this procedure to be in vain, but it is so miserable to be hungry!

Yesterday was a very unpleasant day in my band land. I got a fill on Wednesday, and immediately felt too tight. As I said before, I went from too loose to too tight in a matter of minutes. So weird! I called the nurse Wednesday night because I started having heartburn and acid reflux - without eating! She advised to come in Thursday afternoon for a deflation. I didn't sleep at all that night because was afraid to lay down; I cannot sleep sitting up. 2:30pm FINALLY rolled around. Went to the doc and he took out 0.5cc's. He said if I did not feel better to call. I started to feel somewhat better, but not completely. The acid was still there, but not as bad. I did, however, get hungry. So, I took MAYBE 6 small sips of a protein shake. Felt great! A couple of hours later, I found myself nauseous and having really bad heartburn/acid reflux. Soon thereafter I started dry heaving - violently. My fiance called the nurse and she said to stop all liquids. I complied. However, my body also complied by continuing to dry heave! He called the nurse again, and she called the doc. By this time it was almost 7pm. She immediately called him back, and said that the doc wanted me to go to the surgery center right away. So, here we go with my barf bucket (by now it was not always dry heave, but also swallowed saliva...yummy). The doc got there a bit later and did an "aggressive deflation" until I feel better. Let me tell you, immediate relief! I feel somewhat better today, but not completely. I am not hungry, but am still burping. Hopefully that is just because I am still swollen from yesterday's events. Hopefully! I just am so scared to have this thing slip. In better news, I have lost 2 more pounds! 41 gone!:thumbup:

Thank you both! EXCELLENT job on the weight loss, Janet!!! I love that book too, BG! Thanks for the advice, I will ask for those pills. My doc gives the suppository form, which I am not that happy with, so I will ask about the pills. Much easier to take and carry around with you. Hugs and best of luck to you both!

Yesterday did not start off much better than the day before. I was still feeling sick, with acid reflux and vomiting. I was not eating, only drinking. I called my nurse and she called the doctor. He wanted to do a barium swallow. Both the nurse and the doctor were confident that I had no slipped, but wanted to make sure due to my symptoms. I had heard horror stories about the barium swallow, but it was not that bad. It was chalky, but not disgusting. It was really cool to see the liquid travel through my esophagus and through my band. I was relieved when my doctor said "well, perfect band placement. And, you are wide open after the deflation yesterday." Thank God. No slippage. So, my symptoms were likely caused by a virus. Not surprising, considering a couple of my employees have been out sick with it. I must admit though, I immediately feared the worst. I feel much better today. No more vomiting, but still in the bathroom a lot. :thumbdown: I am so thankful to have such an awesome doctor and nurse. I felt so bad to keep calling, however, I was scared! I have read so many stories of people having these symptoms with the band and I feared that was happening to me. I am lucky that they care and put up with me! Now I guess I will have to start all over again with the fills. I guess that I may not have even ever been too tight, but the symptoms were caused by that nasty virus. Oh well, better safe than sorry!

Yesterday did not start off much better than the day before. I was still feeling sick, with acid reflux and vomiting. I was not eating, only drinking. I called my nurse and she called the doctor. He wanted to do a barium swallow. Both the nurse and the doctor were confident that I had no slipped, but wanted to make sure due to my symptoms. I had heard horror stories about the barium swallow, but it was not that bad. It was chalky, but not disgusting. It was really cool to see the liquid travel through my esophagus and through my band. I was relieved when my doctor said "well, perfect band placement. And, you are wide open after the deflation yesterday." Thank God. No slippage. So, my symptoms were likely caused by a virus. Not surprising, considering a couple of my employees have been out sick with it. I must admit though, I immediately feared the worst. I feel much better today. No more vomiting, but still in the bathroom a lot. I am so thankful to have such an awesome doctor and nurse. I felt so bad to keep calling, however, I was scared! I have read so many stories of people having these symptoms with the band and I feared that was happening to me. I am lucky that they care and put up with me! :thumbup: Now I guess I will have to start all over again with the fills. I guess that I may not have even ever been too tight, but the symptoms were caused by that nasty virus. Oh well, better safe than sorry!

Yesterday was a very unpleasant day in my band land. I got a fill on Wednesday, and immediately felt too tight. As I said before, I went from too loose to too tight in a matter of minutes. So weird! I called the nurse Wednesday night because I started having heartburn and acid reflux - without eating! She advised to come in Thursday afternoon for a deflation. I didn't sleep at all that night because was afraid to lay down; I cannot sleep sitting up. 2:30pm FINALLY rolled around. Went to the doc and he took out 0.5cc's. He said if I did not feel better to call. I started to feel somewhat better, but not completely. The acid was still there, but not as bad. I did, however, get hungry. So, I took MAYBE 6 small sips of a protein shake. Felt great! A couple of hours later, I found myself nauseous and having really bad heartburn/acid reflux. Soon thereafter I started dry heaving - violently. My fiance called the nurse and she said to stop all liquids. I complied. However, my body also complied by continuing to dry heave! He called the nurse again, and she called the doc. By this time it was almost 7pm. She immediately called him back, and said that the doc wanted me to go to the surgery center right away. So, here we go with my barf bucket (by now it was not always dry heave, but also swallowed saliva...yummy). The doc got there a bit later and did an "aggressive deflation" until I feel better. Let me tell you, immediate relief! I feel somewhat better today, but not completely. I am not hungry, but am still burping. Hopefully that is just because I am still swollen from yesterday's events. Hopefully! I just am so scared to have this thing slip. In better news, I have lost 2 more pounds! 41 gone!