DonnaMP

There *are* protein shots that you can buy. Even Walmart and Target sell them. Sunkist makes some you can get from amazon.com. They're up to 42 grams of protein for 3 oz shot but Biotin is simply a vitamin that some people take for the thinning hair that weight loss can cause.

Biotene is a mouth wash. If you're referring to Biotin, its a B complex vitamin for hair and nails.Its nothing to do with protein. Yes, it helps hair but its not meant to replace protein.

I use children's liquid advil all the time. I believe its 100mgs per teaspoon. So for an adult 400mgs is like 2 regular Advil. So...4tsps.

I'm different...I don't have a list of "forbidden foods"...I haven't exercised at all. Pretty much haven't changed anything except the foods that get stuck. I'm down 105 lbs...I have about 30 to go. My attitude is I'm banded, not dead. "bad" foods aren't gonna disappear just because I never knew what moderation was. Now, I do. I'm not even at perfect restriction...whatever that is. I'll get to it eventually. For now, I'm enjoying the new me.

Probably just a little tight from flying. Go back to liquids/mushies for a day and see if that helped. Doubt your band slipped

If nothing, even water stays down. If you're very very sick to your stomach...have it checked out.

You should call the dr...could be many different things altho its *probably* gas and bloating from the liquid diet. I ended up just stopping the liqiuds it got so bad. But it wouldn't hurt to call them as it could be appendix, gallbladder, any number of things. For me, I just couldn't tolerate liquids anymore, I had such severe abdominal pain from the artificial sweeteners, and that in turn cause severe diarrhea.

I ended up having to use Boost High Protein, I couldn't stand the artificial sweetners in the rest of them. GNC has an unflavored whey protein that can be mixed in liquids.

My surgeon left my band empty at surgery, got the first fill 8 weeks later. I'm not up to 6.5cc's in a 10cc band. The way I've determined if I need a fill is if I can eat bread/bun...if I'm hungry sooner than 4-5 hrs after eating...if I'm just not satisfied after eating. Up to you I guess. Depends on how tight you want to be. Due to other surgeries etc in the past 6 months I've had 3 unfills and had to work back up to even a little restriction. Right now, I barely have any restriction at all most of the time but in the mornings I can't eat anything so...depends on what you want to feel like I guess. I've lost 107 lbs in a year so...

No real food for 2 months? That's odd.

I'm over a year out and still don't see my weight loss

Everyone that I know of and have seen on chat has more than the "limit" in their band. One man with a 14cc band has nearly 15cc's in it. Another lady has a 14 cc band and has 15cc in it. Maybe you have a different band? Not sure but seems if its 15cc, it should hold 15cc's easily.

Yeah thats pretty normal. I'm 14 months out and still get that. Remember to sip slowly.

Nope. Been banded 14 months and no...not full at all on 1/2 cup

I'm a year out and mine is still tender. It hurts to lean against the kitchen counter sometimes...especially the first week after getting a fill. Not everyone's is tender but mine certainly is.

I was banded 10-12-2010 and I've lost 98 lbs so far. Yeah, thats kinda slow I guess compared to some but if I didn't get the band, I would've gained about that much. I'm not sure what I lost the first month or two, because I was worried about it even working. All I know is that since getting banded, the entire year, every 6 weeks I saw my surgeon and never gained. So...whatever was a loss, was a loss. The fills are a bit uncomfortable for me sometimes just because I bruise easy and the more you lose, the more prominent your port becomes so for a few days afterward, my port area is tender. I have all my fill done under fluoroscopy so my surgeon and I can actually see the restriction I have. I started out at 324 (actually the last day i weighed before even going to a seminar) and I'm now 226. I still have more to lose but thats ok. one thing you need to learn and understand right now is that this is YOUR journey. No one elses. You have to be able to do it on your own and not depend on your familys support. I'm sure they're like mine, they support you of course, they just don't understand what you're gonna need, how you're gonna have to change and the lifestyle change you're gonna have to make. Mine are finally understanding that I'm really and truly not starving myself. I eat what I want, when I want but let ME decide what goes on my plate. They've learned not to get offended when I say no to certain things. You'll do fine. Join the chat groups on here, they're really great if you don't have that support in real life.

I've been banded for a year and have went thru exactly the thoughts that you're having. I assumed that as soon as I woke up from surgery that I'd automatically just not be hungry and nothing can be farther from the truth. About 4 days after surgery all your hunger comes back plus some. You usually don't hit restriction until you've had 4-5 fills, which is about 4-5 months. By then, I was hating the thing and cussed it every minute of my day. I knew I shouldn't have done it. Even with hating it, I was losing weight slowly. Food surrounds us and the way I look at things is...I'm banded, not dead. Those foods aren't going to disappear just because I'm fat from overeating them. I'm NOT one of the banded people that never have a cookie, or candy or ice cream. This is my own personal journey and I refuse to deprive myself just because its a "naughty" food. I've learned moderation. I'm fine with a couple of cookies instead of 8-10. I still have baked potatoes when I want...but only a half. I definately eat more than 1/2 a cup of food at a time. My surgeon says 1-1 1/2 cups a meal is what he suggests. If it'll go down, I eat it. I avoid pasta and bread and rice because those do sometimes get stuck. The whole band "game" is mostly mental. If you're not ready for a complete lifestyle change, rethink your surgery but it will work if you work with it. I'm down 98 lbs in a year and I'm ok with that.

My surgeon is conservative. I didn't get the first fill until 6 weeks, and he refuse to do them sooner than 6 weeks apart. I've been banded a year, 6 fills...6.5cc's in my band. Down 98 lbs

I don't even try to eat anything until lunch time. Its a VERY common problem.