Barbee

I have problems constantly with upchucking. Some days it's every meal and some days not at all. What scares me is now after several in a row my esophagus area hurts whenever I burp or swallow something. This is the pits. The worst of it is, I'm not losing weight. I'm at a standstill right now.

Do you mean that you vomit or are you PBing? If you're vomiting often, you might want to see your bariatric doctor and nutritionist again? Upchucking or vomiting can be a sign of a slipped band or you're on your way there?

If you're not losing weight, why? Too many calories? Too loose or tight? Slider foods? Late night cravings? Do you know why?

tmf

Hi Yes PBing, and what comes up is always very well chewed... I'm a good chewer. It always occurs at the start of a meal never at the middle or end. If I can get half way through the meal it's a safe bet I won't be PBing. Last visit they xrayed me because of it but they said it was fine. They made me see the nutritionalist who just said to go back to the South Beach. Have you any idea how long I've been dieting? And I hate the foods on South Beach. I prefer Atkins.

For Breakfast I make a graham cracker sandwich with natural (just nuts) Peanut Butter spread thickly... this will keep me for 4 hrs. ( I know grahams have carbs but I dunk it in hot coffee to soften it because I cannot get anything else down first thing in the morning. Even eggs won't go down. Cereal WILL go down but I don't digest milk too well.

For lunch I have lite Soup or sometimes crackers and cheese. If I have Soup it doesn't last me long where the cheese does. Sometimes cottage cheese or meat left overs.

For supper I have meat and veggie type meals, if I add any carbs at all it would be a tiny bit of rice. No Desserts but before bed I get a Skinny Cow ice cream with a handful of peanuts on the side to add Protein. That's my day. Once in a while we go out to eat and then I don't always eat as good as I do at home. My husband loves Chinese so we go there sometimes and I try to stick with the chickens, soup, and they have the most delicious peanut chicken. Sometimes I'll have a hard shell taco. When you've been dieting for 10 yrs, you have to give in once in a while and have something you enjoy.

I hate exercise which could be a problem but I do walk 9/10th of a mile daily. I can't walk the full mile anymore my hips starts hurting. Some days I'm walking in a lot of pain so I don't walk as fast anymore either. Another problem that I face that the younger banders don't have is that there is little housework for me. It's just the two of us and my husband is a neat freak who does half of the housework... so what do I do when I'm not walking, doing laundry or cooking. Sitting in front of this darned computer. Not too much into TV. Although, 3 days a week I babysit for my granddaughter who is 3. OVer the winter we played games that didn't require much exercise but now that the weather is good she wants me to take her for walks... I pull her my 9/10th of a mile (around our block) in a wagon... very good exercise. I take her to the park another 9/10 or so of a mile. We play ball and all kinds of outdoor stuff. So I stopped gaining and am now stuck on 208. Last summer I was 200 so the winter has killed me. Hopefully the good weather will help me see 199..

I have problems constantly with upchucking. Some days it's every meal and some days not at all. What scares me is now after several in a row my esophagus area hurts whenever I burp or swallow something. This is the pits. The worst of it is, I'm not losing weight. I'm at a standstill right now.

I just had my regular blood work up and they have me an Rx of 50,000 units of Vitamin D for a month, then I'm to get it over the counter at 2000 a week. My D is very very low. The Graham's have thickly spread Peanut Butter which keeps me non hungry tor 4 hrs. And it goes down and at the same time allows me my morning coffee. I use the healthiest natural there is. I also used mixed nuts as my Snacks.

As for the eggs. I did Atkins for 18 months straight with scrambled eggs every day. (I don't care for runny or fried eggs). The scrambled eggs have to be very very soft... so I can't order them in any restaurant they don't know how to make really soft, yet safe, scrambled eggs. but I'm so sick of it after eating it so much. If the eggs are cooked too much, they get stuck. I cannot eat hard boiled eggs, they get stuck, but I can eat egg salad.

I appreciate your help tremendously. I have just lost the doctor that did my band and I hardly ever see him, I see the nurse practitioners. last time I saw the doc he yelled at me and had me in tears because I did not lose any weight.

I also haven't been going... I've been cancelling my appt. when I know I've gained. I'm embarrassed. It's also $40 co pay each time and some months when I have other appts. (Eye doc, skin doc, foot doc)... I can't afford it. I will call and ask for the tyroid blood test again. I had it before my surgery and not since. Just lost my reg. doctor after 20 yrs. Have to find a new one at age 70. Ugh. Thank you for taking the time to helpl.

I'm at 5.8 cc in a 10cc band. Yes that's a concrete number but I think the 'tightness' also varies by patient. I've read that some people have up to 8 or 9 cc's in their 10cc band. For you to still be gaining weight - do you keep track of every single bite that you eat and sip that you drink (including ice cream and/or alcohol)? Are you doing any nibbling with the 3 year olds Snacks? Taste testing the temperatures? That will add up. Do you have a mfp account that we can look at your diary entries? What does your calories count look like? How's your Protein intake? Do you eat Protein first? If you're getting stuck with everything you're eating and chewing it really well then yes, I'd say you're too tight. Are you taking small bites to begin with? My fiancé cuts up my meat as if I was a 3 year old - actually maybe even smaller than that lol. I try my best to take the proper portion and eat it slowly one bite at a time. Could you be eating too few calories to where your metabolism has slowed to a crawl? I know if I don't eat enough protein I'll be super hungry really quickly. I know if I eat too little the scale will slow down too or make me gain. If all else fails - have you had your thyroid tested recently? Could your gain be due to a hormonal issue?

Excellent analysis of hte problem. I went on line and took the low thyroid test and I have like 9 out of 10 symtoms.... losing hair, dry skin so bad that it turns white if I don't lotion up daily, I don't tolerate heat or cold, I had a very hard time conceiving my 3 babies, and the house temp is 70 and my feet are freezing!!! I'm tired with no energy. But whenever I have my thyroid tested with blood tests it comes up low normal. It's at the very bottom of the normal scale. I haven't had it tested in a while though.

Last time I went to the weight loss clinic they did an xray of me swallowing the chalky stuff. They said it was fine. They then sent me to a nutritionalist who told me to go back on the South Beach. I've been on Atkins and South Beach for 8 yrs now and I'm sick of it. I get sick just looking at eggs in the morning. How long can a human stay on a diet?? I cannot stay on it but I do try to eat protein with every meal because it satisfies. The Lean Cuisine meal had little protein. So it didn't keep me long. I'm thinking I just have to get used to being hungry. I ended up getting up at 2 a.m. and eating a banana. I had heartburn so bad and I think it was from not eating and taking my pills.

I have not kept a journal. We eat out a lot because we travel. We have family in just about every state in the US. I try to pick healthy things though. Today we took Lily to Wendy's for lunch. I ordered the chicken wrap. I left the wrap and just ate the chicken and I could feel it getting clogged so I stopped, wrapped it up and finished it at home where I could upchuck if I had to. The chicken was tender but thick.

For Breakfast I eat soft because I can't tolerate much at all. I take 3 graham crackers and put thick natural Peanut Butter on them... makes a sandwich and a half. I dip it in coffee to soften it. That's all I eat until 12 or 1.

Then I will eat Soup, or a Protein shake or egg salad on whole wheat crackers. I can't tolerate bread at all.

For supper... that's where I think I overeat. It's like I'm so hungry from not eating enough during he day that I'm familished. I make family meals... meatloaf, potatoes and veggies and eat all but the potatoes (sometiimes do take a bit.) Yes, I sometimes taste Lily's Cookies. I buy her those tiny tiny ones... tidbits. I'll eat about 4. Before bed I eat a Skinny Cow icecream, but I smear the natural Peanut Butter on top so I get the protein to keep me til morning. If we eat out I like to order Chicken Souvaki or a salad with chicken on top. We have a great Soup and salad bar place we like. Sometimes I crave pizza. We go to pizza Hut and get the thin crispy crust and i eat one piece. I do not imbibe in alcohol except 1 glass of wine on New Years Eve. I drink Decaf coffee in the a.m. with cremora (no sweetener), Decaf tea in the afternoon, Another coffee an hour after dinner, and Water the rest of the time.

Have I been getting exercise? Not since my foot surgery in Sept. I can walk now and we just joined a gym.

Interesting. But how can the band being too tight cause you to gain weight. Please explain.

As for eating from a small cup.... if I did that I'd be starving in 1 hr. Tried that. They told me they want our hunger to be satisfied... thus the band which is supposed to make you full sooner and last longer.

Hubby and I stopped cooking. I think we make too much of a production out of supper. Thinking it has to be magnificant every night. We went out and bought diet dinners. He got the Healthy Choice because he can eat more cals than I can. I got Lean Cuisine. I was hungry after one hour. I nibbled on a few tic tacs and ignored it and drank some liquids. I held it off for 3 hrs than had a Skinny cow ice cream and went to bed.

My scale is goofy or else my Fluid retention flucuates. I was 212 a few days ago and now am 208. I think working out at the new health club is helping enormously but we babysit 3 days a week so can only get there twice a week. We may try evenings but by then I'm exhausted from chasing a 3 yr old all day. I walk the track and can do 5 or 6 laps. (9 is a mile). Then I go on the bikes for 15 min. I hope to increase as time goes by, we just started. Winter is Buffalo is always a good way to gain weight... you can't go out anywhere.

I am going through the same thing. I was banded 9/2010. The first year I lost 135 lbs. I needed thyroid surgery in 2012 I had an unfill. Started getting my fills back 4 months later and have been having a problem with fills ever since. My fills are done all with flouroscopy. I was getting filled everything was working well and all of a sudden I need another unfill. Took out a little and got a refill in January of this year. I am now feeling tight a lot. Started drinking Protein shakes in the morning because I couldn't eat anything. But I noticed I am not losing anything. I did gain about 50 lbs in the meantime and I am now having a hard time taking it off. Went to Dr. today he won't give me anymore fills because of tightness. He told me my band is showing signs of it is filled to its capacity. I didn't keep up with the amount of cc's I have, but I know it is know way near 10 cc's. I probably have about 5 ccs or less. We discussed having it removed and getting the sleeve. So I am thinking about doing that.

Good to know I'm not the only one. Thanks papoose. I'd go for the sleeve but i doubt my insurance would cover it since I just turned 70. Walking my mile a day is also getting tougher. But I keep trying. I can do half of it a day...

A lot of times the band is too tight and it is easier to eat slider foods and therefore the bandee does just that. If you are vomiting up what you are eatng, ask yourself are you chewing well? Are you taking small enough bites? Are you taking time between each bite to allow what you have eaten to go down? Lastly, are you eating too much? All of these are very important.

What I bring up is mostly phlegm and VERY chewed food. I'm anal about chewing. But eating slow when you are ravenous is hard to do. IF I do manage to eat slow (in front of tv or computer works best so I have something to do while I'm waiting) then I consume too much food. I was told to eat until satisfied... it takes more now to satisfy. I'm actually better off eating fast, and throwing up. I'm now 212 naked.

I do tend to lean toward food that goes down easier, especially in restaurants where I fear having to go upchuck. I have a real hard time with meats, and that's what they want me to eat the most of. Hard boiled egg and bananas.... touch to get down. Cereal, ground beef, and creamed casseroles roll down easily. I can't eat bread unless it's toasted, but I hardly ever eat bread.

How tight can a band be adjusted. I'm 5 cc and I am gaining weight. I have not changed my eating habits. Because I am still croaking up at the beginning of meals, they are hesitating in increasing my belt. Not sure what to do next.

Sounds like a good diet. I still crave carbs. Being Italian doesn't help, being raised on Pasta and sauce. I don't eat much sweets, but can't seem to let go of the Pasta. I do eat the low carb type (Dreamfields). I eat 1/2 of what I ate before the band so shouldn't I lose weight? No matter what the food is, if it's less you should lose. We eat out a lot because we are retired and babysit and sometimes the baby doesn't get picked up til 6 or so... also hub is on a special diet and I'm on another... so it's easier to eat out and he can order what he wants and I can too. Whatever I am served I can only eat of and sometimes less. I have not had a carbonated beverage in 3 yrs. I don't eat sweets. I have to work on not craving pasta. Also I am a lover of casserole type suppers and it's almost impossible to make one with carbs.

I cook up a few cube steaks or chicken pieces and when we have chili I add extra meat so that one small bowl is enough. The weather here has been in single digits so walking is OUT. We are thinking of buying some type of exercise machine.

Donna, we should be diet buddies. Maybe together we could succeed.

I'll try to figure out how to send you a message privately with my email addy. Might take me a while to figure it out. LOL

Donna, we should be diet buddies. Maybe together we could succeed.

I'm not losing weight at all. It might be my age, I'm 69. I'm filled to #5 not sure if that's a lot or not but I can't imagine filling more because I'm constantly suffering with vomiting, especially at the beginning of the meal. I chew very good. I can't eat the things they want me to like meats... I have a problem getting them down. So I lean toward eating what I know I can swallow without vomiting which is ground beef and very very tender chicken.

I don't know how Sandra (above) can drink diet soda. I was told that carbonated beverages is taboo. I have not had any since my surgery 3 yrs ago. Otherwise, Sandra's looks very good. Congrats Sandra. I envy your loss.

Once I get past the vomiting stage when eating, I can consume more food than I think I'm supposed to. So I might need a fill, but I'm afraid to because of the eating problem.

I miss pizza so we discovered pizza Hut's Thin and Crispy pizza. The crust is paper thin and you just get it with cheese or onions etc. I can eat a whole piece. I usually get a one trip to the salad bar first and then one piece is enough.

Would love to hear from other seniors and how they are doing with their weight loss. I'm ready to give up. Dieting for over 3 years is depressing.

Barbee here's what I usually eat. I eat alot of foods that I maybe shouldn't but they taste so good. I usally try not to eat them but sometimes they creep in.

B-i have started to make a very large Breakfast and divide into 7 days in containers put in freezer then I heat it up in microwave.

I either take a pkg of sausage turkey lowfat etc. Or turkey bacon. I use all of each. I brown the ssusage until crumbly. I use a handful of frozen red, yellow, orange peppers that I have bought in bulk and clean them and slice them put in freezer after frezing them on a cookie sheet so they don't stick.

Next I use olive oil to fry the peppers and lg diced onion.

Then I take 5 eggs w/ yolk and 5 whites add a little skim milk fry those up.

Take each bowl and add several spoonfuls in 7 containers. Cool then stick in freezer. I drink a cup of hot tea b/c my throat is tight after that I can eat my breakdast fine.

Btw if using turkey bacon instead of sausage I cut the whole pkg into small pieces and fry them until slmost crispy.

L- Cottage cheese 1/2 c. To 3/4 c. With half a cup of crushed pineapple with some peanuts

D-usually a casserole and noodle mixed in cream Soup with cheese. I use crockpot to make up chili, meat sauce, veg beef soup usually have a full cup maybe a little more. Iwas banded august 2013 and havent been filled yet and take close to 30 pills a day. It's hard to get them all down divided into 4x a day.

I've lost only 25 lbs. I go 2-3 lbs up and down. But with fill I might make some progress. I don't know if I get enough Protein but think I do. Right now eating more than suppose to. I hope you can find foods you can eat. Just go on Facebook and get receipes friend Karen White who sells skinny Fiber which shouldn't be good for us we need food to fill up on. Or go to receipe sites. Good luck.

That sounds fantastic, what a great idea. But... I cannot eat anything too solid for breakfast or lunch. Egg even until they are runny. I will usually have oatmeal (Cheerio's in summer) with some fruit and skim milk. That goes down easily too. For lunch I can't eat bread of any kind... it gets stuck. Usually Lite Soup or I eat chicken salad on saltine crackers. But by supper time I can eat a bit better. The worst thing is that I still can't manage thick meat. Hamburger meat goes down the best. All this and I gained 9 lbs because of our horrid weather and foot surgery I have not been able to get out and walk.

Not sure what to do. How can I get tightened more than I am. How can I eat food that are better for me when those are the ones that get me stuck? They want me to eat a lot of meat and less carbs. Strange how carbs like casseroles and stuff go down so easily while I struggle with a chicken breast.

I eat two Snacks a day. Mixed nuts in the afternoon and before bed a Skinny Cow ice cream.

I've been wondering for years if I have a thyroid problem because I have all the symptoms but my tests all come out low side of normal. I have brittle finger nails, can't tolerate heat or cold, deadly dry skin. My skin gets so dry even with lotions that I get these terrible itchings, usually my legs. I was infertile and had to go on fertility to conceive my son and... no matter how little I eat I either stay the same or gain.

I'm going to ask my weight loss practitioner if I can be tested again. I wish you luck with your band. I lost 40 lbs during my first 4 months... then stuck on 200 for the next 3 years. You didn't give your age, that might make a difference.

I've never been offered a Fluoro-fill but from the above post, I think it would be extremely helpful for me. I'll ask next visit.

I've never been offered a Fluoro-fill but from the above post, I think it would be extremely helpful for me. I'll ask next visit.

I'm not sure of all the lapband lingo, but my practitioner said I was 5 last injection. I still throw up a lot with the first few bites of food... no fun, especially when you are so very hungry and now have to go on liquids for a while after vomiting. When I vomit it's mostly phlem, not too much food and it looks chewed well. Not sure what to do. I'm gaining weight because if I get very slow I can eat quite a bit. (A whole chicken breast, plus veggies.) My question is how much more can they infect? And, if I get injected again will it make the first bite syndrome worse? I have to do something, I've gained 8 lbs.

You asked: How active are you?

I walk a mile a day, weather permitting. Thank you for the link. I'll look it over. I really apprecaite your help. I just had foot surgery so I can't walk for a while and am really worried about gaining.

For Breakfast I eat the same everyday. I can't eat anything that's not soft as I'm very tight in the a.m. I take two graham crackers and smear Peanut Butter on very thick and dip it into a hot cup of Decaf coffee (with just creamora). That softens up the cracker so I can eat it. I try to incorporate Protein into every meal.

lunch is pretty tight too. Since I also can't manage bread unless toasted, I just eat whatever we had for supper the night before onlly a much smaller portion. If there wasn't any leftovers... I will eat Progresso Lite Soup, minus the broth. Sometimes I make myself a meatloaf and eat a few slices (small loaf) for lunch.< /p>

Supper I eat whatever I cook for my husband. I can eat two hard shell tacos. I can eat a whole chicken breast or a hamburger and veggies.

If I eat a snack it is usually a handful of mixed nuts. Protein keeps me satisfied. Before bed I eat a Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich or a banana.

I don't eat anything with flour or sugar... (taco shell is corn). I don't drink any caffein, carbonated beverages. For spaghetti, I usually make a spaghetti squash with sauce or I found some sweet potato/whole wheat flour gnocchi's that I have occasionally.

I can't possible walk farther than a mile... I could last year, but with all the problems with my foot, and arthitic knee, I just can't. I baby sit daily for a 3 yr old and she keeps me pretty active.

Again, thanks for the help. It is very appreciatedf.

I'm not losing weight at all. It might be my age, I'm 69. I'm filled to #5 not sure if that's a lot or not but I can't imagine filling more because I'm constantly suffering with vomiting, especially at the beginning of the meal. I chew very good. I can't eat the things they want me to like meats... I have a problem getting them down. So I lean toward eating what I know I can swallow without vomiting which is ground beef and very very tender chicken.

I don't know how Sandra (above) can drink diet soda. I was told that carbonated beverages is taboo. I have not had any since my surgery 3 yrs ago. Otherwise, Sandra's looks very good. Congrats Sandra. I envy your loss.

Once I get past the vomiting stage when eating, I can consume more food than I think I'm supposed to. So I might need a fill, but I'm afraid to because of the eating problem.

I miss pizza so we discovered pizza Hut's Thin and Crispy pizza. The crust is paper thin and you just get it with cheese or onions etc. I can eat a whole piece. I usually get a one trip to the salad bar first and then one piece is enough.

Would love to hear from other seniors and how they are doing with their weight loss. I'm ready to give up. Dieting for over 3 years is depressing.

PS... I dread going in for my check up for fear I'll get yelled at again. They must think I'm cheating or something. I'm doing my best, which just isn't enough.

I'm not even close to reaching my personal goal. It's been almost 3 yrs and I've not lost the weight I expected. I started at 238 and am not 203.

Not sure lapband was my solution, though it may be yours. Maybe I'm not heavy because I overeat, maybe for me it's more metabolic. I don't know. Here is what I feel.

My newest fill has me up to a 5. I have a very hard time eating at first. I have first bite syndrome really bad and this new tightening has made it worse. I have to eat V E R Y slow and for me this is difficult because I am a type A person who does everything in life fast.

But once I get past that and eat slow, everything goes down well and I can eat what I feel is too much. If I don't eat until full, then I'm hungry again before 3 hrs. I try to eat a lot of Protein and this helps. But I am not losing anymore weight.

Same story with every diet I've ever been on, I lose at first and then get to a point and nothing works anymore.

I try to walk a mile a day. I'm 69 so this is about all I can handle. If the weather is good I can do this twice in a day. It's been winter here in NY so I haven't been able to get out at all. I didn't gain, but I didn't lose either. Now that the weather is good, I'll walk my Buns off and get down to 200 and there it stops.

I probably should have gotten the sleeve.

I hope this Miralx keeps it from stinging. I'm also going to go on liquids tomorrow (same as when I get a fill) and Sunday Clear Liquids so maybe that will help with the awful part. The colonoscopy itself is easy, it's the darned prep. Good thing I happened to notice the Mag cit said "sparkling" and then I shook it and saw bubbles and I thought...uh oh. I can save it for Hubby who is do in the fall for his.

I'll come back and let you all know how it goes. I have to have it every 3 yrs because last time they removed a big polyp.

If anyone else has this problem the answer is: Miralax, but you have to drink a gallon if it. It took me a lot of time and transfers to get the answer... I was switched from office to office but finally just asked for Kimm and got my answer. Hope the snow lets up so I can run out and buy my Miralax.

I was banded in June 2010 and have not let carbonated beverages pass my lips since. But now I'm scheduled for a colonoscopy on Monday and just noticed that the Magnesium Citrate is "sparkling".... is it carbonated? Can I drink it? I have to drink 3 of them!

Has anyone else with a ban had colonoscopy?

I'm very depressed... I was banded June 2010 and I've barely lost 50 lbs. I'm 69 today and wonder if it could be an age thing. I don't eat much but the exercise is very hard for me. I have arthritis in my knee but when the weathr is good I walk at least a mile a day. I will lose a few ounces when I walk daily, but now it's winter and I gained back what I lost over the summer. I can't get out and walk... people don't shovel their sidewalks and with cars parked along the street it's hard to walk... We live in Buffalo NY. I babysit 3 days a week so I can't join a gym even if I could keep up with the others there. I don't drive at night. I'm very worried about going in for my check up this month because they are not going to be happy with me. I reallly thought Lapband was the answer for me but I feel like I have failed. Start weight 247 Surgery weight 237 present weight 202. (End of summer it was 198).

I have a lot of trouble with eating too fast and getting food stuck and having to barf... but after I master that by eating slower I can eat too much. For instance... I can eat a whole chicken breast plus veggies. I'm good then for about 3 hrs. I dont' eat sugar or breads at all.

Thank you for the help. I'll let them fill me in two weeks and I'll let you know. I'm a bit scared of it... but I guess it has to be done. Hubby and I are retired and we travel a lot and eat out a lot and that's a problem because it takes me so long to eat and hubby gets antsy.

Thank you very much for the advice.

Thank you but diets never work for me... I want to eat less. I see nutritionalist and I do everything she says but I still believe my portions are too big. Maybe I do need another fill. It's funny, once I'm "into" the meal I don't get anything stuck no matter how big the bite. It's just the first 5-8 minutes of the meal that I get stuck.

I edited my profile. Thank you.