Hi all. I got my second fill last Wednesday (8/24). I was banded 5/24/11. I now have a total of 4 cc's in my 10 cc band. Here are the answers/advice I am looking for:

1.) Since my surgery I have counted calories and Protein grams. I try and eat around 1100-1200 calories/day and 100 g of protein/day. I am very hungry most days. I don't actually measure a cup or two of food but I am not eating a lot. I do not have any restriction but every once in a while I will get a stuck feel ing (I think). Does this mean the fills are working?!?! I have no other indication that they are.

2.) What exactly is the "stuck" feeling? I get a sharp pain in my upper chest. I have never had sliming or PBing (Thank Goodness!). Is what I am experiencing "being stuck"?

3.) I have only lost 8 lbs since my surgery. I lost 60 prior to surgery and think that I did better without the band. I sometimes wonder if I am not eating enough?!?!?

Please let me know if you have any advice or similar stories. I am so confused and frustrated !

Thanks so much!!

I had some restriction right from the start but I could always eat more than 1 cup of food. I could eat 2 - 3 cups easily. I watched what I ate and lost weight steadily. Then at about 1 year I had another fill and WHAM! I could barely eat. Threw up A LOT so I went in for an unfill after about 2 weeks. My Dr. took out .2 cc and ever since (the past 3 months) I am at a perfect restriction. I get full, very full, on less than 1 cup of food. I truly didn't think I would ever see the day that would happen. Just keep doing what you are doing, you will eventually get to the right restriction.

Wow... you really did great pre-op. Hope everything goes well for you!

Hi all. I got my second fill last Wednesday (8/24). I was banded 5/24/11. I now have a total of 4 cc's in my 10 cc band. Here are the answers/advice I am looking for:

1.) Since my surgery I have counted calories and Protein grams. I try and eat around 1100-1200 calories/day and 100 g of protein/day. I am very hungry most days. I don't actually measure a cup or two of food but I am not eating a lot. I do not have any restriction but every once in a while I will get a stuck feel ing (I think). Does this mean the fills are working?!?! I have no other indication that they are.

I am not a counter, never have for many reasons. I haven't had restriction until my last fill; now at 5.5cc in a 10cc. You have not been stuck, you overate. Stuck leaves NO DOUBT! The band is to help you eat the smaller protiens, but doesn't stop you from the wrong foods. It should be helping you not be hungry. Are you getting enough Water, or are you drinking when you eat? Water helps with hunger throughout the day, but will cause you to get hungry quicker if you eat with meals.

2.) What exactly is the "stuck" feeling? I get a sharp pain in my upper chest. I have never had sliming or PBing (Thank Goodness!). Is what I am experiencing "being stuck"?

That is just a mind kicker; bite to large, not chewed enough or eating to fast. For me it's like lite indigestion. Theses can also cause PBing.

3.) I have only lost 8 lbs since my surgery. I lost 60 prior to surgery and think that I did better without the band. I sometimes wonder if I am not eating enough?!?!?

Check your measurements. Some people loose inches first, how are things fitting. This journey won't only be about the scale. It's only been 3 months and it will take some time to get to the green zone. I am just getting there. This isn't a diet but a lifestyle change. Mindset is going to be very important for success. Don't think the band will give you every signal you need to make the right choices. I have been able to eat bread, pizza and all the meats I like. As long as I stopped with what I considered the right amount I was fine. I was very carefull early on and lost; as soon as I got lazy I stopped. I am not trying to get it going again. I was told 65 grams of protein and at least 64 oz of no cal liquids. I use a 32 oz cup filled throughout the day that I sip on. coffee, if you can have it, replaces chocolate for me and unfortunatley hunger. I forget to eat because I'm not hungry,. I drink to much right now and I use the flavored creamers (bad, bad, bad)

Please let me know if you have any advice or similar stories. I am so confused and frustrated !

Thanks so much!!

Thank you for the very informative responses! i have to admit, I am obsessed with all of this. I wake up thinking about losing weight and go to bed hoping I did a good job for the day. I am telling you that it has consumed me. It's not just since the band...most of my adult life has been like this. You read so many different things and get so much advice (most of it very helpful) that it has clogged my brain...lol! I will keep trudging along. I work out 6 days and burn between 300-450 calories per day. Before the surgery I dropped the weight easier than after. It took me three years to loose 85 lbs. 6 months to loose 60 lbs and since the surgery I have only lost 8. It just baffles me! I decided to get the surgery because I needed a tool to help me finish my goal. I know that the band is not magic but I thought with my low caloric intake, lots of medium to high intensity work outs and total commitment that I would be closer to my goal by now. Thanks again so much for the responses !

I think ppl didn't post because they were at work or didn't want to hurt your feelings. The story and the facts don't match human anatomy and physiology. You might want to think about journalling and weighing and measuring your food.

Mimi

Really Mimi?!?! Not humanly possible...huh??!! I must be non-human. There is the answer!!! Thanks so much!

Do you think I'd waste my time on here to post false information and look for answers to my fake questions??? I am so fustrated and your post is the last thing I needed to read! You have no idea about me or what my body has been through. I have no functioning metabolisim due to thyroid disease. I have to work very hard at al of this. I journal, I weigh, I measure , I am prepared, I am committed to my weight loss. I have lost over 140 lbs. Once again, thanks!

you've done a great job. Ignore the negatives and just focus on the positives. Remember, we all hit plateaus... some times they last for weeks or even a couple of months. You've lost a lot of weight, maybe you are in a plateau. Maybe you should try changing things up. If you are doing the same exercise every day try something different.

Don't let people bring you down, it's not worth it!

Keep up the good work and keep doing what you're doing, eventually the weight will move. Sounds to me like you are doing all the right stuff!

I feel your pain. It took me 7 months to get restriction. I also lost quite a bit presurgery (80 plus) which I believe has led to my being a slow looser. I also stay within 1000-1200 cal. and am averaging 1 pound lost a week. I do an hour of fairly intense cardio 7 days a week. So you are not alone.

FYI lap swimming is a great exercise. I find it really works my core (read ab musles). Water proof MP3 player is a must!

It can all be so frustrating at times! I can relate with you in some ways. I have gotten two fills so far since surgery May 25, 2011 they only give me 1 cc at a time, so I have 2 cc total. I loose weight really good the first 7-10 days I loose about 7-9 pounds then nothing the rest of the month! It sounds crazy but it is true!! I'm not sure why this is exactly, but what I do try to think about is how far I've came since the beginning! I've never lost 40 pounds in a little over three months before. I would love to share with you a book that I found packed away the other day, I wrote about it in another tread just a minute ago, I had to read this book for a biology class I had when I was in college for the nursing program. It's called The ultimate fit or fat by Covert Bailey. It is thin doesn't take long to read, and it breaks down what is going on in the body before, during, and after excersice. It explains how to exercise the right way to ensure your body is burning fat and making more fat burning enzymes not just burning stored sugar. It also explains which excersices burns more fat than others. It is a dated looking book and starts out slow, but has alot of helpful information. I just wanted to share that with you. I'm not sure if you like to read or not, but it was an eye opener for me when I re-read it recently. Good luck to you, and everyone out there who is on this journey. We will be sucessful!!

Traci T, please read my earlier post. I truly hope my suggestions will be helpfull to you. I didn't realize it would show the way it did, as if I hadn't said anything if you didn't look closly.

Thank you all so much!

TKW...I will not let anyone get me down ! Today is a new day!

Niterum...thanks for the helpful suggestions!

Honk...Wish I had a place to do that! A waterproof mp3 and water exercises would be my dream!

Mandy...thanks for the kind words and encouragement!

Hang in there! You are eating the right amount of calories. I also eat about 1100-1200. Do you have support of a nutritionist through your bariatric center? Maybe they can look at your food diaries and make some suggestions. Can they make some suggestions given your thyroid issues?

Can I ask what kind of eating plan you were on prior to surgery? You said you lost about 10 lbs a month doing that. Is going back to what you were doing before an option? I'm dont know if it is "band friendly" but there are lots of people who either do weight watchers or some other diet with the band. And the band makes it easier because they dont have the hunger they had before.

I have never been officially stuck but I have been close a couple of times and it is a very sharp pain in the middle of your chest. It usually happens when I take too big a bite of my morning Breakfast sandwich (the only time of day I eat bread). Luckily within a minute or 2 I can feel that food passing out of the pouch and then I'm ok. I think if you are really stuck it hurts for much longer and is accompanied by sliming and I hear most people have to vomit to get it unstuck.

Good Luck

Sounds like your doing all the right things. Talk to your Dr about your concerns. You might find everything normal after talking to him or her or you might need more or less calories, more exercise just keep changing things up till you find what works for you. But you have already lost a lot of weight (congratulations!!) your body is just re-adjusting then it should start working. Maybe your thyroid meds need to be changed mine did after surgery.

Something else you can look at is any meds you have been taking or just started that might slow your weightloss. Hang in there it takes time, stress is not good for weightloss either.

Cheri

I am so glad you brought this up. I am about to be banded on 9/27/2011 and wonder if it will help. I am afraid that this is my last hope. I have lost 80lbs in 2009, but have put most of it back on again (which was my drive to finally get banded). I am so happy this support group is here. Thank you for sharing your story.

AND trust me....it is not non-human to have metabolic issues. I lost 80lbs by living on lettuce, vinegar and Water, working out 2 hours a day....and even THAT took me 6 months. I even participated in a triathlon and 150 mile bike ride...so you can't tell me I am not in shape.