Shesha

Ha! Great analogy though...I have been through both situations you describe and it's true!

PB is short for "productive burp". When you eat more than or something that your band can't handle, it comes right back up. It's kind of like vomiting, but isn't as yucky since the food has not mised with your digestive acids. The food comes up in a sort of clump (at least in my little experience)

I didn't bruise at all, and I bruise fairly easy.

Ha! My name is Sheila too. I just realized lizrbit was talking to sheilamj1fan and not me! I think I may have things under control. No soda and no sliming or PB's in three days! woo hoo! I think it was the asparagus. It will be a long time before I try that again!

Yes, I knew I could count on my fellow bandsters for some good advice and some tough love! 3 days now without a diet coke! woo hoo!

Yes, I think I am just now "coming into my band" and finding out what works and what doesn't. It's just a fickle little thing. I just have to test the waters carefully, I guess. Thanks Again!

Thanks to all who replied. It's interesting how some Dr.'s say NO WAY to diet coke and others.."ah, wait 6 months" or "Sure, no problem" How confusing. Anyway, good ol' Water is so much better for you, and cheaper! I am going to wash out my water bottle and take it with me to work tomorrow! Wish me luck!! (hey, I remember buying some Crystal Light and Propel powder when I was playing chipmunk pre surgery and hoarding everything I could.. I think I'll try to find that stuff...) Thanks again for all your help and good luck to each of you as well!:girl_hug:

That's true. Diet Coke is so bad for you. I'd rather drink flavored or Protein Water, but it just calls to me.. "Sheila.. drink me...." I haven't had ANY in two days though, so maybe I kicked the habit!!

Thanks for the well wishes!! Yes, I do think this is a learning thing, I just hadn't had that light bulb moment until the other day. I have been making better choices the past few days, and I am sure they will get even better when I get another fill. Thanks again!:girl_hug:

that this is serious stuff That's exactly what I told myself. I too was self pay and would feel absolutely awful if the balance on my credit card (0% interest at least) outlasted my band!! No, I really need to lose this weight to be here and be a fun mommy for my daughter. And if that means no more diet coke and paying attention to what I am sitcking into my mouth, then so be it! Thanks for the kick in the pants!! (which are now a size smaller, thank you very much :girl_hug: )

I did liquids/mushies for a day and feel better. I guess I could steal one of my 16 month old's fork and spoons! Thanks!:girl_hug:

If you're having a hard time, go back to the basics food-wise. Eat only the smallest bites, and put your fork down - foce yourself to wait about 5 minutes between bites, until you are confident that it's going to be ok. This is great advice Wheetsin! It's good to know that there are others that go from zero to golf ball in 2.2 seconds! I sometimes drink a little with meals. It's really becoming less and less ... This is good to know, since you too have done really well so far. I think i'll be able to wean myself. I just don't think I can go without a sip of Water here and there. Worst case - I drank too soon or before something cleared. When you do that, you know it immediately. Yes, I have felt this feeling. Really weird! Umm... something you could do (a RNY friend used this) is to flatten your sodas before you drink them... swish the bottles around or something. She did this in the beginning, and eventually it just wasn't worth it anymore so she quit. I've tried this and it does seem to work. I get a little taste, but really don't want it. I think I've got this diet coke thing figured out though. I haven't had any in 2 days! Thank you for your help! I really appreciate it!

I've only had the one fill. Dr K. did start me with 1.6 cc's but I was having trouble even getting Water down. I went back to his office that afternoon and had him take out .2 cc's. Now, restriction is kind of hit or miss. Breakfast, I am usually tight. Sometimes I can eat a bowl of Cereal, other times a Protein bar. Sometimes just a Protein Drink. lunch, I seem to be wide open. I have restriction, but it take a while to get there. I very rarely eat more than half of what's on my plate. Supper is kind of hit or miss. Most of the time I am tight again. I am still eating way more than I should though. I log my food on Fitday.com. Some days, 1000 calories. Other days 1400! Obviously this is less than I ate before, but I would like to keep it around the 800- 1000 mark.

Thanks for letting me know that I am not the only one! Hopefully this next fill will help you out! Keep me posted! Congrats on quitting diet coke!:girl_hug:

Yes, I think I am just now finding out what foods I can and can't eat. Before the fill, pretty much anything went down, just smaller quantities. Now, chicken, fish, bread and fiberous veggies are creating trouble for me. I did liquids/soft foods after the PB incedents and seem to be feeling better. I have not had any bp's golf balls or anything in the last few days. I may just be getting the hang of this! It's good to know that you've done as well as you have and still drink during meals. I just get so thirsty! I've really limited sips while eating though, and may be able to stop altogether. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for taking the time to post some great advice!:clap2:

Pam, Your post is so sweet. I didn't realize I had a following.. tee hee! All kidding aside, it is really sweet and motivates me even more to succeed. Thank you for your reply and your honesty. I won't let you, or myself, down!

Hey Terry! Congrats on your band! I just used the liquid vicoden for a day or two, then that's it. I didn't use the liquid tylenol I bought until about a week ago when I got a headache I just couldn't shake. I just drank chicken and beef broth, along with some french onion Soup broth I found. I also sipped on my Protein drinks. I ate a lot of Jello and popsicles. Yep, it's normal not to have a bm for a few days. I didn't have that problem though, thank goodness! Just take 'er easy for the next few days, and make sure you follow the diet that Paula gave you! You'll do well! We're rooting for ya!

Ok, I am changing my answer then... tegaderm on the outside, disolveable sutures on the inside.. whew! Thanks Faithmd for all your research and information!

Howdy Mark! Glad to see you're still around! I have just had the one fill. Sometimes I have a lot of restriction, othertimes very little. I haven't lost any weight in the past week or so. Guess I need to be making even better choices...

Funny. That reminds me of a question my mother-in-law had for me when she (accidently thanks to my husband) found out I had the band. She asked me how I stop losing weight. She was genuinely concerned that I would wittle away to nothing! I told her that if I got to that point, I'd have the band losened. Too funny!

Hi all! I have been doing really well. Even when I had poor restriction, I was still eating well and didn't have any problems. I've been losing weight and feeling like a good little bandster! Now, 2 weeks after my first fill, and two months out from banding, I feel as if I've run into a wall!! I had two very bad PB's (one yesterday and another one today). Today's brought me to vomiting!! I am trying to eat small bites really slow, but obviously it's not slow or small enough. Also, I am missing the full signs. It's as if I go from fine to golf ball in one bite! Any advice... Drinking while eating. Maybe this is the problem. I have been really trying to not drink while I eat. Today, I didn't drink anything with my supper and that's where the problems began. I guess I need to get used to food consumption/restriction without liquid interferring. I AM STILL ADDICTED TO SODA!! Diet coke. I only had 5 oz of a 20 oz bottle today and I feel like I did well. The previous days I've had at least a 20 oz bottle, then maybe another can. I've tried iced tea, hot tea and coffee, which is helping, but I could use some pointers here too!I will be re-reading the band rules this evening, and sticking to liquids tomorrow, to try and heal my stoma. HOPEFULLY, I didn't slip my band/expand my pouch with my bad behavior. Tomorrow's a new slate, provided the damage hasn't already been done...

I have not been there yet. I had JUST a consultation scheduled, and then the Dr canceled 'cause he was sick. So, I called back to reschedule, and told her I wanted a fill. She asked when my last fill was. I told her 3/16. She said the recommend that I wait 4-6 weeks for the next one and scheduled my appt for May 1st. I think I'll call back and verify that he'll give me a fill and a consultation at the same time, though. Thanks for the heads up!

Thank you all for your replies. I feel much better now. I tried to take it easy today, but I think I'll do just liquids tomorrow. I am still feeling a tad sore. This really sucks. I feel like I have a ticking time bomb in my stomach now. Off to review the band rules....

Hi All! I am 2 months out and have had the golf ball feeling a few times, two excess saliva incidents, and a minor pb once. Well, tonight I had some asparagus and salmon for dinner and had the worst golf ball, pain in back and PB ever!! I had some terrible spitting and hacked up some foam too. I kind of sounded like I had a fur ball!! I did finally produce some salmon while I was hacking. It sort of came out in a ball... I ran to Wal-mart and got some papaya enzymes. That has helped. Right now, my throat and abdomen (left side) hurt a bit. My questions are this: Are you putting the same strain on your band/stomach when you PB as you would when you vomit? Should I call my Dr? Have I ruined my band?? Like I said, I have had maybe 2 pb's total and a couple of sliming incidents. This has been a wake up call! I only hope I am not too late! I am scared!:cry

I had a stomach virus two weeks ago. I did throw up once, after trying VERY hard not to. I had my fill with Dr. K just a few days later and told him what had happened. He told me not to worry, but obviously I don't want to do it to often. (never again in my book!) I called him for some anti-nausea medicine when I was sick, but he was out of the office for his daughter's wedding. The only thing I had was the anti-nausea suppositories that I had left from after surgery. I used a few and didn't throw up any more. Since I didn't want to keep using those though, I ended up going to the local walk-in clinic and got a prescription for some anti-nausea medicine that dissolves in your mouth. (I had a fever too. I wanted to make sure I didn't have the flu) The Dr. warned me that it was very expensive, and she wasn't kidding. $40.00 for 9 pills, after insurance! Yikes! I ended up not needing them (I used the samples she gave me) so I have them saved for a rainy day.