Ruthie1974

Okay, so I am about 3 months out from being banded and had a 1 ml fill about two weeks ago. Then last wednesday I started feeling a fullness behind my sternum that was not exactly painful just a lot of pressure and it radiated to my back. It also feels like I have a lump in my throat. I have not vomited or had a "stuck" moment at all. I try very hard to chew all my food really well. The doc's office suggested Mylanta (which I am doing) and to drink fluids for the next couple of days. She said if it didn't get any better to come in to be evaluated. I don't think I did anything wrong and I am praying that I am not one of the fellow bandsters who have had a problem. I am scared and worried. I can drink Water just fine. I wonder if this is the "restricted" feeling one is supposed to feel or what. I limit myself to one cup of food and stop when I am just barely full. Any help would be appreciated. I really don't want the band removed and I am worried. Thanks in advance.:smile2:

I am wondering if any of you are measuring your food, or if you are just listening to your body signals to stop eating. I just had my first fill and am finding that I am still eating too fast. I watch the clock to make my meals last at least 20-30 minutes but I find that I am eating too fast yet. I am a nurse who is used to eating my entire meal on my feet, in one swallow, in under 5 minutes. Changing that behavior has been harder than I first thought it would be. I have ordered baby utensils and am awaiting them from amazon. I am trying to chew my food into mush before swallowing and I have really not had any problems with sticks, or anything. I am just really worried that my quick eating will stretch my pouch because I am eating too fast, before my body can even figure it out. I figure I am eating about one to one and a half cup of food. I am just wanting some pointers from my fellow bandsters that have gone before me.

I am hoping you guys can help me out here. I have lost about 28 lbs since banding on March 24th, the problem I am having is I am eating too quickly. I am trying to watch the clock and slow way down but I find it hard to do. I am still on soft foods so although I am chewing like a mad women, there is not a whole lot to chew. I CAN'T WAIT for salads and more crunchy things. I go back to Dr. next week for my first fill. I fee full after about 1 cup of food, this lasts about two hours and then I am hungry. Does this get better after a fill or do you guys incorporate healthy Snacks?? Also has anyone tried soda after the band? I haven't and don't really plan on it I am just curious. Thanks for any help. Ruthie

So here I am three weeks post op and having just returned from a week long trip to my in-laws due to a death in the family. Let me tell ya it was the trip from hell. My DH decided that he really did not want to fly to TX, instead he wanted to drive there with the 10 yr old and the 2 yr old in the back seat. Yep, all 23 hrs in the car basically non-stop. If that were not enough to grate my post op nerves my little one decided to get rid of our new car smell with vomit. Nice.. WELL we arrive to my SIL's house in one piece, now with both childeren vomiting and having diarrhea. Lets just say we did a lot of laundry on this trip. And I am mortified that my kids are sick at her house. My 2 yr old got so dehydrated we actually had an ER visit. Fast forward to the day of the funeral and we are supposed to have a room reserved for us and our nephew. Only a couple of other relatives show up and we are off looking for a new hotel room. Then the other family memebers succumb to the family illness. Funeral, thank god, went without any problems. Next morning we are back at my SIL's house and my DH wakes me up saying he is in horrible pain and has to go to the ER. (Yep the flight would have cost us less being that we had two ER visits in one week) And guess what? He has a kidney stone!! So we can't leave Wednesday like planned because he is in so much pain. Thankfully he gave birth to a beautiful little stone (at this point I am thinking it looks just like him) and we are on our way on Friday early am, or at least so I think, untill I wake up the baby to find he is laying in a puddle of poo and we are doing last minute laundry, again. I talk my hubby into stopping mid way through our trip and we stay overnight in KS. Then on to home. Synopsis. The trip sucked, I am glad I am home and I am feeling well. Now to do more laundry. Disappointed I did not loose a bunch of weight but I survived without incident. Thanks for letting me vent.

I am newly banded, having surgery one week ago today. I wish you good luck and hope your surgery goes well.

I have been having the dreaded "gas pains" it is the feeling like you need to burp in a really big way and simply can't. The pressure can sometimes feel unbearable. It eventually goes the other direction, just takes longer. Some people also experience "gas pains" from the carbon dioxide that the surgeon puts into your abdomen so that he can do the laproscopic procedure. This pain is much different and will eventually be absorbed by your body and removed when you exhale. The pain is sometimes up under your diaphram and refers up into your shoulder. It is usually sharp in nature and can be intense. The best way to get rid of both is to walk, walk, walk.

Okay here is the trick to weight loss, and I am saying this in love and in the same position you are in. You, I, and everyone on here has a problem with overeating and not exercising enough. Weight loss is a numbers game. If you don't eat enough calories to keep the same weight on your frame, you will loose weight. In order to maintain the weight (245) that you have on your body you have to be taking in about 2500-3000 calories per day, every day or more if you are any bit active. That is the god's honest truth. It is just as true for me. I am petite as well, and we for our body frame actually need about 1400 cals per day if we are moderately active to weigh a healthy weight. If you don't believe me write down everything that goes into your mouth in a week and do the math, you will be amazed how many calories are in the things we eat. I had to come to a realization that I was overeating and needed help to stop that habit. So I chose having a lap band placed to stop me from overeating. I am 6 days post op and can only eat about 1/4 cup of food at a sitting, and that is full liquids (think creamed soup). It is amazing not to actually want to eat any more. That is the beauty of the band. Again I say this in love for you to see early on what took me a long time to fess up to, we over eat and we don't exercise enough. That is why we are where we are, and why I need help. Good luck to you and God bless.

I was on the optifast 800 cal diet 14 days prior to surgery. I did not cheat, not even once. Because of that my surgery went smoothly, I lost 16 lbs prior to surgery and my surgeon was absolutely thrilled that I stuck to it. It is only 14 days, and believe it or not it is a head game. You have to determine that you are going to do this and get it done. Think of it this way, after you are banded you have to still stick to a 'diet' for the band to work and for you to be healthy. It is a tool and nothing more, if you abuse it you will gain. So get back in that ring and fight Rocky!! YOU can DO this!!!

You have every right to copies of your medical records. Have your PCP request them for you, or you can request them yourself. FIND A NEW DOCTOR, and have them request for you. Your physician cannot hold your records against you. Also if you had your band placed in a hospital or a surgical center get those records as well and take them to your NEW doctor. You deserve the right to be treated fairly. Your current doc sounds like an a$$. Get a different one.

I so totally agree. I am a newby as I was banded on 3/24. I found prior to my surgery I was lamenting "all the food" that I would not be able to have. It is way to early in the game to see if those foods even interest me, because right after surgery I have not really been hungry or even wanted to eat. (I know wierd huh) I found that I was using food as a crutch to not feel, to stuff myself with something other than what I was really needing. Therefore committing slow suicide, just like an alcoholic I could not say no to just one. I would eat till sick-stuffed and then 15 minutes later look for more food. I guess we all have to just let ourselves "be" in the moment and experience those feelings that scare us. I have found in the last 4 weeks with the preop diet and now post op that just being able to feel without pushing down food to block it out has been liberating. You can and will do this, and we are all right here beside you. Ruthie

Welcome! I am newly banded (3/24) and am here to help if I can. Good luck to all of you... Ruthie

LOL, well at least I will look great when I am being anything other than ladylike. This feeling like I have to burp is driving me nuts. Anti gas medicine dosen't really help much. I will try the downward dog, just not pointed in anyone's direction. :thumbup:

Okay guys, give it to me straight! When is this god awful feeling like I need to burp or I will explode feeling go away???? I am told that this is temporary but I feel frustrated and VERY unladylike (if you get my drift, and I most certainly hope that you are not down wind no pun intended). Does this feeling ease up? Please let me know. (I am 5 days PO) Ruthie:cursing:

Okay guys, give it to me straight! When is this god awful feeling like I need to burp or I will explode feeling go away???? I am told that this is temporary but I feel frustrated and VERY unladylike (if you get my drift, and I most certainly hope that you are not down wind no pun intended). Does this feeling ease up? Please let me know. Ruthie:cursing:

Thanks for your thoughts. I am doing fine, it is my kids and husband who are taking this really hard. And thinking about having to travel as far as we are really sucks. I just need to pack things I can eat. I really don't want to make a big deal of my dietary needs in front of everyone. For all they know I had a hernia repair and for now that is all they need to know. I am really tired right now and I think I am gonna try to nap. Hope this finds you well. BTW, I talked to my nutritionist and she said that the 'I think I am going to explode if I don't burp this instant' feeling goes away after the first two weeks. FYI, it gets better. Ruthie:thumbup: