sandradee0124

I read this on an old forum response and it works! You put your left hand under your left armpit and pump it (the chicken dance). I almost instantly burp hard and that feeling is gone! Whether or not you do this in public is entirely up to you (smiling).

I sometimes get this even if I chew well and wait between bites. When I get stressed my band tightens a lot and I don't realize how much until something gets stuck. I used to put my finger down my throat and I got really scared when it happened the second or third time (what might happen to the band) so I found this response.

Drinking Water or liquids makes it worse for me.

Good luck!

Hard to believe its less than 4 months away already!

Hanging in there; on target to meet Labor Day and Christmas Goals. Its so humbling to see how much weight I've lost and how much I have yet to lose.

Keep it up everybody!!!

1 cup regular (with fat free, sugar free creamer) early early in the morning and it takes about an hour to drink it down.

I record my weight on Saturdays too. I'm plugging along although I feel a little behind. Updating my ticker today; I am a little. Gonna try to kick up the exercise a little next week and see what happens.

I tried it first at the gym in a free class. I couldn't keep up so well (ok at all), but I moved the whole time and never stopped smiling. It felt really good.

Then I saw the infomercials and ordered the CDs. Figure this will be a good way to learn the moves and get some exercise and have fun. I'm with you all -- excited!!!

I was banded the same day you were and my high weight the same as yours. I knew going into this that my struggles with metabolism would contribute to my success. I can eat a lot or a little and how much I exercise, what I eat, and how much I sleep are big factors into weight loss.

I participate in a weekly support group meeting associated with my surgeon's office. The first week our homework was to write down our motivation for having surgery and losing weight. We made copies of this and posted it where we could see it often.

I don't have a problem with eating. However, if I don't get 45-60 minutes of hard exercise 4-5 times a week I don't lose weight. I had to totally change my lifestyle to get up at 3:00am, drive an hour and meet a workout buddy close to work for that exercise. It sucks some days, but I do it twice a week. In addition, I gave up weekly massages to pay for a personal trainer I meet with once a week and he kicks my B&&& into gear.

Give yourself credit for all you have done. Then take it to the next step and find the motivation to get walking, swimming, whatever. Start with twice a week. If you see results it will motivate you further to kick it up.

I wish you the very best............

You get a lot of walking in just to and from work. Make sure you are getting enough Protein and Water, and try to get up every so often and walk around, even if its to the Water cooler and back.

And don't sweat the slowdown -- happens a lot and next week it might be 2 or 3 pounds and you'll feel better. There are so many factors that impact weight loss and its best to get to the place where you look beyond a day or a week and towards a monthly and your ultimate goal.

You are doing fantastic, and it gets better day by day. Good luck!

My surgeon's office has a monday night support group, alternating in brea and orange (he has offices in both locations). You have to sign in, but I've never noticed that anyone is truly taking roll or anything like that.

He has a yahoo group that posts conversations and topics for the upcoming mondays. These posts typically occur on Saturdays:

OliakCenter : Oliak Center

Hope this helps!

Live in Irvine, Surgery in Orange, Surgeon and support groups in Brea. Loving the 57 :-). Banded 5/26. 2 fills and doing good at that. Somedays I'm in my sweet spot, other days I'm hungry. I'm dealing though.

Hey everybody! I'll be 3 months next week. ALREADY? The time has flown by! I feel fantastic -- more energy, more self-confidence, less depressed.

I look forward to the next 9 months! I plan to be down 100 lbs on my banderversary 5/26/11 :-).

Yep, gurgling in a meeting is a fun one. I find it doesn't happen every time, more when I eat too soon after drinking something (like not waiting about 30 minutes), drinking when I eat, or when a bit of food is about to get stuck.

Learning the gurgle triggers helps me avoid them. Most of the time now I do! Good luck.

I went in for my third fill Friday. I was definitely experiencing exactly what you describe, but with 7.25ccs in the band after two fills.

I could eat, but slowly because things were getting stuck. Turns out I eat too slow! The PA told me to make sure I get the Protein and whatever else I can within 20 minutes. Otherwise food is starting to go through the pouch and I'm starting the process over.

I mentioned everything seems to get stuck first bites. She recommended about 2 bites of applesauce or hot tea to "wake up" the band and then start with food.< /p>

I started Saturday morning and seem to have success with this. Although I'm hungry before four hours, its at least closer to 3, 3 1/2 and I can't eat more than a cup of food anymore.

Good luck to you!

Occasionally I can feel the food pass through and hear it also. But this is typically when I'm eating something without chewing adequately or waiting between bites, or forgetting and taking a sip of Water with the bite/after the bite.

Incentive NOT to eat during a meeting, for sure!

You are doing fantastic! But I know its hard when you exercise so hard.....

I was banded 5/26 and have 7.25cc in a 10cc band and another fill scheduled for today. I have some restriction, especially if I don't chew well or eat too fast, but I can definitely eat more than 1c at a time and I am hungry every 2 1/2 - 3 hours (I think its hunger; I'm working on that).

My weight loss has slowed down significantly in the last month. But I attribute that to less exercise (lost motivation). I was working out 60-90 minutes a day 5-6 days a week. Now? kind of nothing. (A little here and there but can't even log it).

I'd love to get less hungry less often and I'm hoping this fill is the charm. This is fill #3.

Good luck to you.

Good weeks and bad weeks would be my description. I get another fill today and I will be very close (I think/hope/pray). Overall, slow and steady.

Nice to see everyone's posts and accomplishments. Way to go May!!!

:redface:

I thought I read somewhere that if you take frequent laxatives it can stretch as well? Like ex-lax, not something more organic?

I will try to find that this afternoon. Has anyone heard of that?

You definitely don't want to use anything until the dermabond has flaked off completely, and you have approval from your surgeon to move forward.

My PA recommended A&D ointment and it works great! I just use it at night so I don't smell like a diaper rash baby at work lol. In the morning I use Vitamin E from Burts Bees and I love it.

I'm 9 weeks out and the four little ones are not noticeable at all. The port scar isn't bad.

It doesn't really matter anyways because I'm not showing anybody my belly, its just me. LOL.

Good luck!:wub:

I have fine hair anyways so I started taking herbal Biotin and using nioxin Shampoo and conditioner about 2-3 weeks post surgery. I'm 9/10 weeks out now and I'm still "holding my own" on Hair loss.

I got the herbal liquid Biotin on Amazon.com.

Also, I really take care to get at least 60gm of Protein and 60 oz of Water a day and take a multi Vitamin and Calcium.

This is just replacing some of the Vitamins and minerals I gave up along with about 2000 calories a day of junk.

Good luck to you!

I'm the other side of the spectrum. I had 4ccs in a 10cc band at surgery. 4 weeks later I got 1.5 (to 5.5) and last Monday I got 2.25 (to 7.25), only 9 weeks out.

I don't need more; I might need a little out, but I'm riding the tide until Monday (2 weeks after fill). My surgeon told me its very individualized as to what amount of saline in the fill creates a "successful fill" or sweet spot -- when you can eat 1 c of food every 3-4 hours and not be hungry in between.

I have Blue Cross HMO. I was told I get free fills for a year after surgery and then its $250.

I've read on this forum that sometimes a sweet spot goes away and you need a fill or unfill after a month or so. I'm just going day by day and trying not to think about it so much :-).

Good luck to you!

I'm a little over two months out and I started noticing a little thinning and more coming out during washing/brushing about two weeks ago.

I did a bunch of research online and purchased liquid Biotin and some Biotin supplement shampoos and conditioners on Amazon.com. Just started using them so I don't really notice a difference yet.

I was also told to make sure I'm getting at least 60 gm of Protein each day (which I do), and drink 60-80 oz of Water.

I feel you. I didn't think it would bother me, but it does. I hope these items work and you feel better............

Every person will have a different reaction depending on our surgeon, procedure(s), pain tolerance, experience with anesthesia........

I was in pain for a few days. Day 1 about a 6, by day 4 a 2. I started walking short distances day 1, literally holding my belly. I took prescription meds Day 1 and then liquid tylenol twice after that.

I'm almost 9 weeks out. I weigh less today than I've weighed in 3 years. I have more energy, self-confidence and joy than I've had in 5 years. My sugars, cholesterol and blood pressure are within normal range. None of that would have transpired without having the surgery. The band didn't do those things, my adjusting my lifestyle to have the surgery did. My permanent healthy lifestyle transition will add years to my life.

I remember crying to someone when I got home 4 hours after surgery that I wish I would never have done it. The next day it was I wish I would have done it sooner. That is my only, only regret.

Best wishes to you on whatever decision you make.

It hit me later in the process (about 6 weeks after surgery), but I have had and still have some of the same feelings. I blogged about it on this site, and had a couple people respond that I'm actually mourning my old life.

Makes a lot of sense?! Feeling sorry for ourselves for not being able to eat like we want, couch off (potato-wise), get more active.

But on good days, I realize I FEEL better: less panting going up stairs, more energy, just a good feeling overall.

Give yourself some time to mourn the lifestyle that wasn't healthy and start to enjoy the new, healthier you. And like I've read before, this site is a perfect support mechanism.

Take care!

Thank you for your post. I am a week past my second fill and although I have stuck episodes just like yours, I'm still eating more than I should and have periods of intense hunger. I appreciate the feedback that getting stuck doesn't necessarily equate to overfill but more likely chewing and eating patterns.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

Hanging in there, doing pretty well. Got a fill Monday but I'll need at least one more -- scheduled for 8/6.

I agree with the "call your primary care physician". Here are some thoughts:

Are you eating anything different? Like Meal Replacement shakes that you might not be tolerating? Nuts or Protein bars? New Vitamins? Sugar substitutes?

It might be an allergy to something you are eating, or even some kind of bug you are working through. I had a lactose issue with Meal Replacement shakes and it was very difficult for awhile. Once I figured out the issue and changed it up, my symptoms improved.

Best wishes, feel better............