Rubyjade

Awwwwwwwww thank you for the kind words, guys I didn't realize I look SO different until I saw these pics side by side............. my husband walked in while I was posting them and couldn't believe it was the same girl!! (for the record he married me before surgery so it's not like he never saw me back then, he just hadn't seen me looking that way in a long time) :-)

This is very common. I had that pain whenever I got too full or was totally empty for more than about 5 hours too. My surgeon explained that it's because of the angle of the stomach since you were banded, a part of it now touches a nerve which leads up to your left shoulder. I had that pain from day one under those conditions and funnily enough, it stopped when I got my port replaced in Dec 06. I rarely rarely get it now so I am wondering if mine was more to do with the combination of my stomach WITH my port rather than just my stomach alone. I thought I was the only one for a long time but my surgeon explained to me about 3 years ago what it was. I wish I knew a way to prevent it but unfortunately I don't. Deterred me from drinking soda, that's for sure!!!

OK here goes!!! The shot on the right is a year old almost, taken while I was camping (excuse the face and hair HAHAAH!!!) but I am only about 10lbs less now so look very similar to this :thumbup:

Ooooooooooooh that is the thing I cannot stand the most - someone saying they are doing it 'the hard way'!!!!!!! That p@#$%$ me off so much!!! Yeah cos I don't know about you guys but getting to 360lbs and feeling like you are eating yourself to death with no way out and then going in to have surgery where you risk complications and can't eat like a 'normal' person for the rest of your life sure does not feel like the 'easy way' to me!! Does anyone else feel insulted by people saying this or am I just over reacting? It is possible....... hahhaha!!!

Hey I was banded in Brisbane in 2004 by Doctor Nathanson @ the Wesley Hospital. He and Dr Fielding were the 2 big names at the time. I'd love to know your experiences in Brisbane, especially if either of these two did your surgery too :tongue_smilie:

HAHAHA YEP YEP YEP!!!!!! I can totally relate to this. As a 'pretty girl' which I can see by your picture, it's justified from their point of view. It doesn't make it right of course but I get it. I was always told what a pretty face I had and that if I had 'lost weight I would be a knockout'. Gee, Thanks!! It's just human nature I'm afraid. Someone elses self improvement reflects on others and their self worth. Plus there is the issue that skinny friends do NOT understand the desperation either because they have never been there. That I think, is the most of it. They don't understand and that is fair enough. But you follow what is right for you as I did and you will hopefully find that the ones that were the biggest doubters become some of the best support buddies you could wish for!!!

I know I know I know how hard those first few weeks are but it is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO important that you follow what your doctor told you! You are only 3 days out from surgery and your band is new and there is still a lot of swelling and you shouldn't take ANY risks, especially this early!! Please call your doctor and see what other options there are if you are feeling this bad. I drank a liquid Vitamin drink and that helped a TON!! Ask your doctor about gatorade maybe? I had that too. I am sorry if I am sounding harsh but these early days are crucial. Plus you have to get in the habit of a lifetime of changes that if you don't follow it how you are supposed to, could result in horrible complications at any time. Trust me, I have been there and it's no fun. I know how hard it is but hang in there. Think about why you did this to begin with. It is worth the discomfort to begin with. Good luck and keep us posted with your progress. Suzie :tongue_smilie:

I had surgery to totally replace mine. When they went in there, they realized it wasn't flipped per se, but it had come unstitched and had nothing behind it. Kind of like if you can imagine trying to poke an apple with a straw but the apple is floating in Water............... get it? So yeah it had to be replaced. In answering the question about what causes it, my doctor said he had no idea. That they do know it's nothing the patient does though............ it's just one of those things where the placement may be a bit off in a lot of cases. Ann, being so soon after surgery it's all just probably healing. I wouldn't worry about it too much unless it doesn't go away or the pain increases. Good luck with it :tongue_smilie:

I've seen people talking about it on here all the time. From what I gather, is it some kind of high protein drink mix? Please enlighten me!!! Where do I get it from, I'd like to jump on!!!

I have only just started tracking my calories and keeping a journal for the last 3 days because my weight has been at a standstill for the last 18 months or so. I was banded just over 4 years ago and was pretty much eating whatever I wanted and lost 140 pounds over that time. Now I think because I am getting closer to goal, I have to work harder at it and be more conscious of how many calories in/out. I weigh 220 now and my goal is 160 so I don't have too far to to go reach it. I was never given a guidline by my doc of how many calories to eat and it didn't seem to matter until the last year or so where I obviously do have to think more about it now.

wow its expensive up there!! (I assume you live in Ontario, yes?!). I pay $2.69 for a gallon of it usually. I drink about 2 glasses a day and I thought THAT was alot hahaha!!

Banded 1/21/04 and have lost just over 140 pounds. Am in the process of posting my before and after pics :thumbup: Well not quite after, still have about 60 pounds left to go :smile:

I would go to the doctor ASAP. I had the EXACT same symptoms and sure enough....... I had stretched my pouch. This can be a pre cursor to a slip so get in and see your doctor as soon as you can. It may NOT be what I had but it's better to be safe than sorry! Mine was fixed by a week of being on a liquid diet and then mushys again.

Thanks for your post!! I sure am going to start keeping a food journal now. It's like day one for me all over again, time to get serious about it. I read your blog the other day, by the way, I LOVED it!! Thanks for the entertainment, I think you are awesome :crying:

Yeah i have done ww with the band too. If I follow core it is WAY faster than flex. I think its because due to our restriction, we eat many 'empty calorie' foods to try to meet the points target. I was eating high calorie stuff just to get all my points in. Kind of defeats the purpose really, doesn't it?!!

I was just wondering how many calories a day people were told by their doctor to consume. I wasn't really given a target calorie amount, just told to eat good food and get full on that and that was pretty much it. I have lost 140 pounds since being banded over 4 years ago but have been pretty much at the same weight for the last 18 months or so by eating what I want. Obviously this isn't the best thing for my weight loss but for the most part I am happy. I am ready to just get rid of the rest of my weight now though and want some guidelines. I've looked at daily food diaries to get an idea of what you guys are eating but do you count calories too? I exercise every day also, sometimes more intense than other days so not sure if that affects the caloric intake. I was 360 and now weigh 220. My goal weight is 160 so to just get rid of the last 60 pounds, any pointers?!! Thanks much. :crying:

I didn't have to have a CT scan for a flipped port. They looked at mine under ultrasound with the needle in my belly still. OUCH!!!

Thank you for your advice!! Yes I am thinking the same thing. Last night I could choose between eating after 7pm or having a good night's sleep. I didn't eat after 7 and had a great night's sleep!!! I am sure mine is to do with my band being irritated and a bit swollen after vomiting, making it tighter. I have had this before but not with the acid. Thankfully it seems to have settled down alot today. Thanks for your advice

Yep I get it often. It goes away most of the time. I think it's from eating too fast. I have been banded for over 4 years.

Hi All I have been having bad reflux during the night lately where I wake up choking on acid. Very attractive, I know. I have had this before, when my band was too tight so I got a complete unfill (I have a very small band - Dr said much smaller than american bands) and this fixed the problem. I vomited a couple of times the day before just due to me eating too fast and not concentrating, it happens occasionally. Do you think the two things are related? That I have possibly just irritated the area enough that it is a little swollen and is causing this? I had a much better night last night, no acid at all BUT made sure I didn't eat within 2 hours of bed time either. Is this a rule that most people stick to? I have been banded for 4 1/2 years so I have a good idea of what to do and what not to do. Everything else seems normal but just the acid was something unusual. I am fine during the day and my tolerance is the same as it has been for a long time. I guess I am concerned that I have a slip or something. Does this sound like it? I know I should go visit a doctor if the acid persists but today I am doing much better so thought I would ask for your experiences. Thanks Suzie

Exactly. I had my port replaced in December 06 after the doctor tried to give me an unfill due to severe reflux. He poked around for an eternity and I was in tears. They put me under ultrasound with the needle in me still and showed the port was inaccessible. Lucky me.

I understand you should NEVER drink with your meals. It defeats the purpose of the band. That 'stuck' feeling is your band telling you to stop eating and to see what happens, not to wash it down. Both of my doctors cannot stress this enough. I have been drinking with my meals for the last year or so and have lost hardly any weight as a consequence. When I follow 'the rules' my weight loss starts again at a good rate. Just my two cents worth but it's what my banding doctor in Australia and now my current doctor in the US both say.

Yes yes yes, that is EXACTLY it!! Darr, I know you mean well but what Wasabubblebutt said is exactly where I am coming from. I would not be on here asking for advice if I could just do that. Heck, I wouldn't even have a lap band in the first place if I could just 'do' what I should!!!! I had a dilated pouch last year and severe reflux caused by this very behaviour and by having a way too tight band. Since I have had the band loosened, it has been much much better and the acid problems and pouch dilation has gone away. That scared me enough for a while but seems the cause of the dilation was mainly a too tight band. Anyway since I started that thread I have been remarkably well behaved and have been absolutely following the rules like nothing else!!! I had a long talk with my husband and being the wonderful support he is, it really brought home to me how much of a great opportunity I have to get rid of this weight and get healthier. He is a sober 10 years alcoholic so he can certainly relate to a lot of my food issues, only his are with other substances. Thank you all for your support. I find it so much easier to deal with this day in , day out when I visit this board regularly. You inspire me and give me that kick up the a** when I truly need it. Thank you

Good luck with everything, Val. Remember you are doing this for YOU so YOU can feel good about yourself and have a long healthy life. I hope you work things out with your husband so very much. That kind of support is priceless. Though obesity is a mystery to my husband, he is the most supportive person I could ever have the good fortune to be with. This journey would be so much harder if it wasn't for him. I wish you the same and hope all goes perfect during your surgery. Take care, Suzie

I had this issue also. I was banded in Australia and moved to the US(Washington State also) almost 3 years ago. When I started having complications with my band (severe reflux mostly) it was a bit of a process to get a surgeon here who would even touch me due to liability issues. Apparently it doesn't matter who or when the band was installed, as soon as a surgeon touches anything to do with the band, they assume full responsibility. I don't know how true that is, but I was told several times. I didn't even know what kind of band I had or how much fluid was in it. Doctor Billing at Puget Sound Surgical in Edmonds contacted my surgeon in Australia and got all my records sent over before he examined me. It's not an issue now as he knows my history and has my records. It was a nuisance but soooooo worth finding a local doctor you can go back to. He performed my port replacement surgery and ongoing follow up care also.