I thought it might be a good idea to have a thread where we could discuss the different challenges/issues we face as being single and banded.

I'll start with introducing myself. My name is Chris, I am 32 and live in a suburb of Boston. About a year ago I got out of a 5 year relationship and have just casually dated (online dating) since then. I have decided to take a break from dating for a bit, so I can focus on myself and adjust to living life as a bandster. (I was just banded on 10/2). One of my biggest concerns when I start dating again is if/when to tell that I am banded. It's not that I don't want to tell people, it's just that my idea of great dinner conversation does not include discussing my weight. Overall I would say that I have a great life. I have a good job, a very supportive family, and lots of friends. I am happy to be taking control over my weight and issues with food, and am excited at the prospect of my future as a not-so-fat woman.

I look forward to meeting more single bandsters and hope this thread takes off!

Chris :cocktail:

Well I got back in the pool and went on a lunch date yesterday. It went ok, nice restaurant, nice conversation but absolutely no spark and no desire to see him again. Oh well...it beat sitting home alone yet again.

HI ya'll! Just found this thread, didn't know this site had one. I'm single and have been for far too long. I actually am meeting someone on Sunday, but I don't really think he's my type. However, meeting new people is something I have to get back into and stop being a hermit, so I'm going anyway. So where do ya'll find the single people in your area? I have had no luck lately finding dates. Years ago, I got them left and right online even though I was fat, and now, I'm still fat, but once they find out that I am, I never hear from them again. PFfft!

I've met a lot of people from Plenty of Fish, but recently have really hit it off with someone I met from Singlesnet.com. I tend to meet a lot of guys that only want one thing from me. I'm definately looking for someone on a more serious level.

Thanks for the information Missy. I have been to plentyoffish and haven't had much success. Maybe it's time to give it another go.

I have been having an unusual pain in my back and my chest for the last few days since my band was too tight and I had to have an unfill. On Tuesday last week I had a fill of .5 cc and it was so tight (I told the doc and he didn't believe me) that starting the next day and for the following 48 hours I was not able to take ANY fluid in. And I started throwing up foam on my way back to the surgeon. I tasted like Bile but came out as White foam, I had a severe migrane from Dehydration as well. Has this happened to anyone?

Well anyways the second part is that I went in to the ER and the Surgeon who put too much fluid in on Tuesday happened to be the surgeon on call and he came in and removed ALL the fluid in the band. Then starting about two days after all the fluid was removed I started getting a "burning like" sensation across the middle of my back; somewhere near where I think the band is placed. Sometimes it kinda feels like a dull pressure on the center of my chest in the front as well.

I know it is not from food being stuck or anything because it happens no where near the times I am eating. Usually when I haven't eaten or 2-3 hours afterwards.

If anyone can relate or knows if I should stop worrying please let me know a.s.a.p. because I am sort of freaking out over here thinking it might be something serious like erosion at the band site or something.

ANY thoughts???

Apple, are you not able to get into your band surgeon?

I would post this on the complications thread. This does not sound right to me. If your'e completely unfilled and still having problems I think you need to see a doctor who is very experienced with banding.

I am not sure about ER doctors knowing about band problems.

I am going to see my surgeon tomorrow afternoon. By the way the doctor that saw me in the ER is one of the 3 Bariatric surgeons at Kaiser they always have one on call. I am just really really worried that it might have be erosion of the band or something! I hope I am wrong.

I am glad to hear that you are under good care. Let me know what you find out. I will be anxious to hear what the problem is. I sure hope everything's okay for you and maybe you just need to be hydrated and have your tummy rest.

Well I went to Kaiser yesterday and I told my surgeon about what I was

feeling. He asked me some routine questions, I showed him where the

burning was, and he did some feeling around to see if I was hurting or

tender anywhere unusal in my abdomen.

He didn't seem too concerned at this point , he checked my band to see

if there was any fluid left because when the other surgeon said he took

all the fluid out he was about 1cc short, which made me nervous too.

Well my surgeon found it, it was still there; so I had 1 cc left after

all.

He went ahead and added another 4 cc's for a total of 5 which is

close to where I was before I was too tight. I am now feeling some

restriction on the amount of food I can eat but nothing is getting

stuck, YEAH!!!

And oh yeah as for the burning sensation and pain in my chest and back, it is gone now??? Maybe my esophegus was just so irritated from being too tight last week and now it is better, not sure what else it could have been but I am sure glad no more pain.

My surgeon is so AWESOME!!!! I will never see a different surgeon again!

Thank you all for your prayers and support!

Glad to see you're doing better April!!

Glad to see you're doing better April!!

Thanks Chrispy! How have you been doing? How are things with your band and all. Are you still getting good enough restriction?

I recently had the unfill and a re-fill to 5 cc's in my 10 cc band and I am not feel a ton of restriciton. I can pretty much eat anything and I am falling back in to my old habits of not chewing too well because for some reason I am not finding that I have to. I chew a little and swallow and I am fine nothing gets stuck at all!!!

I am hoping that is not a bad sign that I am not going to be able to get good restriciton any time soon, or worse yet that there is something wrong like a slipped band?!?

Anyone else had a large unfill and then a re-fill and not get restriction, or food stuck like you used to when your band is half full???

Things are going well April, thanks for asking. I am about a year and a half out, and I am still losing - albeit slowly. I am only 6 pounds away from onderland, which just seems amazing to me. I'm also only about 21 pounds away from goal, so it's time for me to start really putting in some greater effort. I'd really like to make goal by my 2 year bandiversary. I do have restriction, and definitely could not handle any more. There are times I wish I had less, but I think that once I lose this last 20 lbs I'll be good.

You know, it is really hard to change our habits and it's sooo easy to slip back into the bad ones. I battle with that too April. Just keep at it, and if you need more fill don't be afraid to try it again after you've given yourself some time with this fill level. I found a lot of my issues were trying to eat too much. Now I eat about half of what I think I "should" eat, and I've been doing fine. It's when I push it and try and eat too much that I have the issues.

Things are going well April, thanks for asking. I am about a year and a half out, and I am still losing - albeit slowly. I am only 6 pounds away from onderland, which just seems amazing to me. I'm also only about 21 pounds away from goal, so it's time for me to start really putting in some greater effort. I'd really like to make goal by my 2 year bandiversary. I do have restriction, and definitely could not handle any more. There are times I wish I had less, but I think that once I lose this last 20 lbs I'll be good.

You know, it is really hard to change our habits and it's sooo easy to slip back into the bad ones. I battle with that too April. Just keep at it, and if you need more fill don't be afraid to try it again after you've given yourself some time with this fill level. I found a lot of my issues were trying to eat too much. Now I eat about half of what I think I "should" eat, and I've been doing fine. It's when I push it and try and eat too much that I have the issues.

I am so happy for you Chrispy, you seem like you are doing AWESOME!!!

You are right on track as far as what they recommend for how long it takes to get to goal with the LapBand.

I am definitely trying harder as to watching myself when I am eating and trying to chew better, my biggest concern was that I wasn't getting food stuck, which I would have before when I felt I was right there around my "sweet spot" if I didn't chew properly. Now being only a 1 cc from that original fill level and not feeling ANY restriction made me wonder if that was a "technical" problem with the band. But I am sure all will be fine.

I know I have a great surgeon who took a ton of precautions to keep the chance down for too many complications such as sewing the port in place as to prevent it from flipping around. He also sewed the sides of the band to my esophegus/stomach to prevent it from slipping too easily. It's a technique I guess they learned recenty. My hospital has only been doing LapBands for about 15 months ad I had mine 6 months ago. They really did a lot of research as a group as to some of the best techniques to use prior to taking on LapBands, since before this all they knew was Gastric Bypass which they had been doing for years.

Ok enough rambling I guess I just needed to say all that to convince myself that I am fine....haha!!!

Haha, yes you're fine April. lol. I can get stuck at times, but I usually find it's when I eat too large of bites and don't chew them well enough. Not chewing is the biggest culprit for me!

How are things going with the BF Crispy?

I got an email from someone at singlesnet today. That surprised me. I also got an email from one of the guys who wrote to me from match.

I am still plugging along hoping some day I will find someone, but at least I am happier with myself these days. The band has given that to me!