Acadia

Sounds like you were in your green zone but didn't realise it. I was there, then got a fill - was over filled for two months, vomiting constantly but couldn't get an unfill because of insurance billing issues. Finally got an unfill and realised I was in the green zone. When you are in the green zone as little as 0.1 cc can put you into the red zone. Go back to the normal liquids, mushies, soft, then back to normal and stay there for a while then go back if you need to. You probably won't need to because you'll be more conscious about what you're eating but if you do need a fill do a tiny one 0.2 cc or so and ask them to do it under fluoroscopy and do a barium swallow so they can see the Fluid moving through the band so you don't get overfilled.

You're too full. And trust me - you do not want to be too full. Get the entire 0.5 cc taken out. You were very likely in your green zone but you didn't realise it. You're saying that you ate too much because you could. That's your issue and the band can't help you with that. The band's purpose is to make it so you can eat less because you eat slower - not because you physically can't cram anything else in the pouch, feel full faster because food is passing through and sending signals to your brain that you're full faster, and feel full longer by slightly pressing on a nerve that helps control hunger. If you were eating more than you should it's because you want to - and being too full won't stop that, you'll just revert to sliders and you will gain weight. Get an unfill and eat healthy foods and watch what you're eating and if you're really eating because you want to - not because you need to.

Very glad you were in the right mind to get an unfill. Remember - a tiny unfill can be the difference between being too full and gaining weight (due to eating sliders) and being in your green zone. Congrats on being back in a good place.

It sounds like you are a bit too tight or your band has started to slip. You shouldn't have extreme restriction, you should have little to no appetite for 4-5 hours between meals. That's what you should be aiming for. If you can't even get down 8 oz of Water in one shot - you are too tight. Go into your Dr. and ask them to do an unfill under fluoroscopy with a barium swallow so they can see exactly how the Fluid is moving. It should sit in the pouch for a split second before moving through. If it sits there for longer or only trickles through then you are way too tight.

Make sure you're allowed to crush the pills you're taking. Any time release or 24 hour pills CANNOT be crushed. Contact your pharmacist - not your Dr - to find out if it's safe. It's also unlikely that you have any restriction right now so you should be perfectly safe taking any pills the size of a tic-tac or M&M. If in doubt, take one pill - have a hot cup of tea nearby - swallow the pill with some cool Water, wait. If it feels stuck, drink some tea. I have no issues with taking over 12 pills at once including a large "horse pill" sized omega-3 and I'm in my green zone with restriction enough so that I can't eat bread, Pasta, rice, etc. and stay full for 4-5 hours between meals. Even right after surgery I had no issues with my pills. I didn't want to take them but they were fine.

It usually means you're too tight. I'd go in and ask for 0.10-0.25 cc to be taken out. That can make all the difference - and you won't gain with that little bit out so don't worry about that, you've learned how to eat and how to monitor your restriction. And, you'll be able to actually get all of your fluids in without issue.

I would also ask: What are you eating? Are you having pain when this happens? Do you have your gallbladder? Are you getting too much Fiber? Not enough fiber? Are you eating dairy when this happens? Does this happen when you eat raw fruits or veggies?

HmDiiva - you're way too tight, you really should get a small unfill. Being too tight can cause a lot of problems including band slippage and band erosion. Cocoabean - I'm similiar to you. When I was first banded I used to drink with meals because I didn't have a problem doing it. But now, drinking with a meal is a recipe for stuckage. So I may take super tiny little sips (maybe 3-4 drops of fluid) but never a gulp while eating. And usually for about 30 minutes after I have no desire to drink Fluid. Pink8671: I find that the closer you get to the green zone, the less you'll want or be able to drink during meals. It's a good idea not to drink during meals and to help that, someone on the board told me a great idea. Fill up a glass with some ice when you start your meal, throughout the meal you're only allowed to drink what's melted. That gives you just enough to whet your palette but keeps you from drinking a whole glass of something. About 20-30 minutes after a meal, then go ahead and start drinking normally again. Aim for 8-10 oz per hour.

Your tape should be off at 7 days. Beyond that it could attract too much crap and cause infection. Go to your Dr's office and ask a nurse to remove it if it isn't coming off.

1 L of Water weighs 2.5 lbs No surgeon would ever give you six liters of Fluid during surgery (it would kill you). It's likely they gave you 1 L of fluid (2.5 lbs) and your body did the rest. It could also be that your scale at home is different than your scale at the Dr. That medications you're on are causing fluid retention. etc. There are several reasons why your weight can go up that much. It's also not uncommon for men to gain 15-25 lbs when they have a major cheat day after they've been on a diet. They eat more salt and their body just pulls in all of that fluid and keeps it there. Drink lots of fluids, have some tea, and you'll be fine. However - if you have ANY chest pain, get to the ER immediately.

Please note that most ERs will NOT do anything for people with Lapband because they don't know how or what to do and the liability is too high. You need to see your Dr / Surgeon. Some bodies don't react well to devices being in them. If they've recently done a barium swallow under fluoroscopy and everything looks good then have them check for a hiatial hernia (can cause every symptom you're talking about). You may need to have your band removed, it might not work for your body - this is nothing that can be predicted. You may also want them to double check that you've been completely unfilled. It's not uncommon for doctors and nurses to think they've hit the port and pulled everything out, but they haven't.

karynj: there are a ton of gluten free products available, you should have no issues finding healthy and delicious foods. Try talking with local chefs as well, they can help you with gluten free recipes using vegetarian products that taste great. Congratulations Vanessa!

You're too tight. A slight unfill can be the difference between being too full and causing damage and being in your green zone. Go get half of what you had put in June removed, ask them to do a barium swallow under fluoroscopy to make sure you haven't slipped your band, caused swelling, or other complications.

I was completely alone after my surgery. While some things are a bit more difficult being alone has huge recovery benefits. It helps you get up and move to get your pain meds, etc. When you have someone around you are more apt to ask them to do it for you - which will prolong your recovery.

Something to keep in mind is that a lot of Protein powders will go super grainy and nasty when mixed in. And oatmeal is high in protein anyway so no need to add more. Definitely stay away from the prepackaged kind unless it's from somewhere like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's where they offer non-sweetened prepackaged oatmeal (blueberry flax is my fav from TJ's). I personally make mine really thick (I hate thin oatmeal) and I've never gotten stuck because it breaks down very fast as you chew it and add saliva.

You're losing more than 1 lbs a week so you're completely on track for healthy and normal weight loss. While that's not comforting - you are losing. And if you've stopped losing then you need to review what you're doing. Getting another surgery may not help if you're over eating or eating horrible food. A lot of people who get more invasive stomach altering surgeries end up gaining all the weight back - and more - and stretch their new stomach to a larger size. Just keep at what you're doing, monitor your calories closely using something like The Daily Plate and your activity using something like the FitBit ($99 / free website with tracking, tracks your sleep, your activity level, your steps, mileage, and food) and see where the discrepancy is. Since you're doing this for 3 more months make the best of those three months and write down every single thing you eat and the amount (measure it). And invest $99 in a FitBit and track your activity effortlessly so you can see how much you're really moving every day (you may be shocked). You need a caloric deficiency of 500 calories per day (either by less food than your height/weight needs) or by burning via activity to lose 1 lbs / week. Chances are, at your weight, you need around 2,400 calories to maintain your weight (with no increase in activity). So drop your calories to 1,400 / day (a comfortable amount) and walk at least 5,000 steps a day (it's an achievable goal for most people - whereas 10,000 steps can put some people off initially) and you'll see movement.

If you want instant and natural relief make a salt Water cleanser. 1 L of water and 2 tsp of iodine free salt (like natural sea salt). Mix the salt with around 1 oz of super hot water to dissolve, then mix that with the rest of the 1 L of cold water, and chug it. It will taste like crap it will be horrible for the minute or two it takes you to drink it. But, it will clean you out - and fast. It causes a natural sodium imbalance in your intestines which causes your intestines to release Fluid, which gets your bowels moving - FAST. Seriously - FAST. Be near a toilet and plan on being near one for 2-3 hours. You'll feel great when it's done but it can be a bit tedious. However, it is natural and it works.

Depends on your weight and if you're pre op or post op. I'm 5' 4", 223 lbs, and 52.2% body fat, which means I need 1,713 calories per day to maintain my weight (BMR). So to lose 1 lbs a week I need to eat 1,213 calories per day (no additional activity). To lose 2 lbs a week I need to eat 1,212 calories per day and lose 500 calories per day through activity as it's not safe to reduce my calories below 1,200 calories / day. All that said, you may need 2,200 calories to maintain your weight, or 1,200 calories / day to lose 2 lbs / week or 1,700 calories / day to lose 1 lbs / week.

If at all possible you should give yourself two weeks - just in case you have complications during the surgery or recovery. Everyone heals differently. I had surgery on a Friday, was working on Tuesday but not physically back at the office until Thursday. After gallbladder surgery though I had complications. I had surgery on Friday and by Sunday was in such excruciating pain from the internal sutures that I could barely move and went very begrudgingly back to the office on Thursday in pain. That was coming up on three weeks ago. After that surgery I've been on oxycodone for the pain, have had a nerve block in my abdomen, and currently have another surgery scheduled to remove the internal sutures. So while you could go back in a week, if you have complications you will not want to. So try to reschedule for around the 14th-18th of August so you have a couple of weeks, just to be safe.

Did your doctor do your fill under fluoroscopy or blind?

While you shouldn't dread meals you may start to think of meals simply as times when you eat to get energy - the ideal way to think about food. Don't eat if you're not hungry. Even if you're with others. And learn how to eat smaller when out. It's tempting to try to eat what others do but you have to hold yourself back. Avoid foods you know could cause problems like Pasta and bread. Stick with Soups and other easy to eat things. As you learn your band you'll learn how you can eat, what's safe and what isn't.

You're correct, the human body can only digest 20 grams of Protein within an hour - the rest is wasted and does not count against your protein count. For Protein Drinks, try Isopure Zero Carb. It's clear like Crystal Light, tastes good on ice (not bad room temp) and is more refreshing than milky type shakes. It can also be used when you make Jello, can be made into Popsicles, etc.

I had two weeks prior, two weeks after, then a week of liquids (not clear), a week of mushies, a week of soft. I imagine your Dr will have you on something similar and not a full four weeks of clear liquids after surgery. However, the first 4-6 weeks after surgery are for healing. Keep that in mind.

You may think you heal 'like wolverine' but your insides are being jostled about and were very roughly handled during surgery. You may not feel the pain but that doesn't mean your organs aren't still healing. Back up or suffer the consequences later. A doctor who says "do it if it feels good" is an idiot. Your Dr should know better, your tissues are still healing.

Definitely go in and see your Dr. and ask them to do a complete unfill and measure the Fluid and a refill - under fluoroscopy - then a barium swallow while refilling. That will tell you: 1) How much you currently really have. 2) If your band is in the right position. 3) If the fluid is flowing freely and why. 4) If your pouch has expanded or slipped down a bit (making for a bigger pouch). 5) And as your Dr refills, and you swallow the barium fluid s/he can watch how the restriction is to see if there are issues - the band may not actually be on right. Once you know all of that, then you can deal with the fact that the band isn't about restriction but about hunger suppression and you can relearn how to eat based on the images you saw.