Dawn5115

I searched for "gurggle" and only found your blog. I am 15 months out and I want another small adjustment/fill.... but I am afraid because I gurggle everything! My son mocks me and laughs. For a while I thought only I noticed. Not so lucky. At least I'm not alone.

Thank you, it's not "just me"!! My allergies are a real problem with eating! If I forget my pill I get so much mucas or something and I can't eat without being uncomfortable. I think my doctor dismissed my concern about this --- but it sounds like I'm not alone. *Thanks. Sometimes that's all I need to hear. : ) 50 pounds and counting down.

YES to the drainage thing! I have allergies and it's making it very difficult to eat healthy instead of ice cream or something crunchy that goes down easy! *just excited to know it's not just me!

UPDATE: This new restriction is almost perfect! Hunger? What hunger? LOL and I found a pair of jeans on clearance and bought them "for now". It's better than belting my old jeans.... and for $18, well worth it.

Ugh... I have only lost about 30 pounds since I was banded at the end of July. I hate exercise and I am really bad about avoiding it. My husband has promised to walk with me now that the weather is getting better. I saw my doctor for another .5cc fill on Wednesday. He also says the slow loss is best for my body, but I know that the first 30 is much easier than the next 30.... or the last 30. I love the restriction I feel after a fill... I just wish it would stay that way. Being self-pay (I sold my pretty car to get this surgery) I am a little worried about not meeting my goal before my 1 year is up.... that's when I have to pay out of pocket for fills. My jeans are falling off, but the smaller ones I own are still too small..... and I just can't bring myself to shop for another pair of plus AND tall sized jeans. So I belt my big jeans and just keep moving. LOL

How is it going? I was too full after my 2nd fill.... but I think it was swelling. So now I'm doing tiny fills every 3 weeks.... not losing... and SO frustrated. Keep us posted!

My doctor had me come in tonight and removed 1cc of fluid from my band. I would have continued to try liquids only for another 24 hours if I wasn't leaving town, but I had only managed to keep down about 4oz. of fluid on Saturday. I didn't want to risk being gone for 3 days to a seminar and not keeping down liquids. *So I'm at 3cc and feeling much better. I'm doing liquids only until tomorrow, but I can already tell a difference when I drink. I am sure there is still swelling from all of the vomiting today, so tomorrow will be soft foods or liquids. I hope to go back in 2 weeks and put the other 1cc back in. *I asked for "a double" or 4cc when I went to my fill on Friday. So glad she didn't do it!

So.... what happened?? I did my 2nd fill yesterday at 4pm. I sipped water for the doctor, had a small strawberry shake on the way home. All good. I had some brocolli soup about 8pm... didn't feel good going down, so I only had about 1/2 a can. Today has been nothing but vomit after vomit. Slime & tuna, slime & cheese, slime & cracker. I think I kept down 8oz. of hot apple cider.... I fell asleep after I drank it. I'm trying not to freak out. Tomorrow I am leaving for a two day business trip with a woman who does not know about my surgery. We're sharing a room... I don't want her to know.... but the airplane vomit bag in my purse might be hard to explain. ugh! Why do these things only happen on a weekend and/or when I am going out of town??!!

I had to be sure I hadn't posted that myself! I just got my 2cc fill 4 hours ago. My stomach is rumbling and turning... not sure if it's hunger, left-over nerves from the first fill, or because of the fill. Anyway.... I weigh the same today as I did when I had my stitches removed 3 weeks ago.... but my pants are tighter. Yes... feeling like 15K is down the drain and I have another 3 weeks if this doesn't work. Staying positive.... you do the same! *It's nice to have some of the bandsters that are several months or years into the journey comment. Encouraging.

I sure wish those closest to me... who know about the surgery.... understood more. I feel like they are watching me... and waiting. LOL

I am just over 4 weeks post-op, and other than a bite of birthday cake and a dry bite of chicken, I have had no problems. I feel I have no restriction. I've only lost 10-12 pounds and I'm hungry like I was pre-band. My doctor laughed when I asked if he really but the band in (like I can tell that's MY stomach in the picture??!!) and assured me that my band was empty and when we started filling it up, and making my TOOL useful, all would be fine. Am I alone in this? My husband thinks I'm eating more now than before! (of course eating is more of a production now... of cutting tiny pieces, chewing.... but I'm not full!) But 15K and a month later.... with 2 weeks of liquids.... I am feeling like I am hopeless! Add to that the no smoking thing, and my teenagers should just feel lucky I let them in the house. :biggrin: I really pray that the swelling is gone and next week (1st fill) will start me down the scale.

You're not alone.... but I keep thinking it's post-op/no good comfort food... and then PMS.... then adding exercise :mad2:.. and now I've only lost 10 pounds and I'm hungry and I am afraid I wasted 15K and I'm too weak to do this... and back to PMS again. *and I live with two teenage boys and a very fit husband. But yes, in general, I am moody. I hope you and I are both feeling nicer soon? Having my instant comfort taken away is difficult... and I stopped smoking a month pre-op also... so everything is gone. :scared2: :thumbup: *really mixed emotions. LOL

Wow... so nice to see a post from someone a year out and doing well!! I'm a bit freaked over how hungry I am, what I can easily eat, and that I'm only down 10 or 12 pounds after 2 weeks of liquids! I keep reasoning that the swelling has gone down and the band is empty .... my doctor says that's it, but I have my first fill in one week. I sure hope it helps... but I'm also headed on vacation 4 days later.... I hope I can eat something. (those ladies don't know about my surgery). Anyway.... you are an inspiration! Thank you for posting!!

Wow, Bunny. Sounds like you need a bit of sugar and a nap. My doctor and I work out what I can and cannot eat ... and chopped up with tomato, the hamburger was great. I'm not on a DIET for now, I'm trying to change a lifestyle forever. And that means there will be birthday cake. *However, after the vomit episode, I may CHOOSE to remove it from my choices. I was happy that I knew what was happening and I had no problems with breathing (that worried me... feels like the same path for food and air...LOL). I am sure if anyone had been looking through the window.. me jumping up and down... hoping it would go through the banded area faster that way.... they would think the fat lady had lost her mind. :biggrin:

I had NO experience with this issue pre-banding.... but I am learning... quickly! I think M.O.M. is pretty gentle and I would just take it in the late afternoon. But on the liquid diet, I still "went to the bathroom" -- but the first day after moving on to mushy food I thought I was dying. I thought I would have to go to the hospital ER for help! M.O.M. didn't help. So... be sure to take a softner or M.O.M. every couple of days. Keep track and if you miss a day or two --- take action!! But I think the jolt of liquids to mushy just confused my poor colon. I now keep all of the treatments on hand.... and Gas-X strips will also be your friend!! Get to the drug store before your operation!! Which is when??

Thanks. I just had a cup of skim milk.... I guess I will never be a breakfast person. I'm always late in the mornings anyway.

I'm starting to think I just can't eat breakfast? I've only had a problem with food twice... and it was in the morning. I was in a big rush the first time, but today I slowly chewed a food I had no problems with before... and it went down, but it was terrible. Do you think your band loosens as the day goes on? Does that even make sense?

Day 23 :confused: It finally happened.... horrible pressure, panic, and then vomit. I ate a hamburger and tomato the night before... just cut, chewed, and went slow... no problem. I had birthday cake... slow, just a little, going great! This morning I was running late, took a big drink of water and bite of my son's birthday cake..... spent the next 20 minutes jumping (do you think that helps it go down?), freaking out.... and then it came back up! *and I'm dealing with that huge custom cake sitting in the kitchen that I'm afraid to even nibble on. So my "new relationship" with food is now FEAR. :scared2:

*I also wanted to know about NSV and PB (thought everyone was having Peanut Butter or something!!)

BEWARE CONSTIPATION!! Sorry for the icky subject.... but I was so happy about moving to puree on Thursday... Friday afternoon I was uncomfortable... Friday night I was crying in my bathroom and wondering if I would have to go to the emergency room (which I cannot imagine doing!). No one told me about fiber, softners, or whatever. I thought no food for two weeks meant no.... you know. We worry about protein every day.... what about the FIBER, girls? Perhaps I missed that warning? But it is one mistake that I pray none of the rest of you experience. Not sure? --- take a softner!! * just saying.....

Poor, Sherun! I didn't have to do a pre-op diet.... but I did 2 weeks of liquids after and I was furious with everyone! I have two teenage boys and a husband that don't have to worry about what they eat. My 14 year old thought that I should take him AND sit in Taco Bell while he had lunch (one week after surgery.... and 7 days of liquids only). They just don't understand, but I do. I just moved to puree on Thursday and I am much, much, much, better!! You are not alone!

Is "bandster hell" when you are hungry all the time.... still?? I'm only 16 days out.... but freaking about how much I can eat before I feel sort of full. I just moved on to puree... that is helping a bit, but it seems I have a LOT of calories with this stage. : (

I have to know about popcorn. I have heard it's nothing .... I have heard it's terrible and people have had to have bands unfilled to pass it?! What do the non-newbies say? I LOVE popcorn in the movie theater. *of course only once every month or two.... cost and calories isn't good. : ) and I know only a small amount should be allowed..... but never??

Now THAT'S some funny stuff!!