Well, it's official. I DO still have some restriction, sans-band. It is not my imagination.

This morning I ate a small, very ripe nectarine, followed by a handful of well-chewed nuts (I thought) to give me the fat to bond my chewable Vitamins. A big swig of Water, and I was STUCK! And "OWWWW!" I might add...

I coughed a few times, and then the swig of water came back-up - just the swig - no nectarine.

Would be nice if that's a permanent feature of being unbanded...

That is funny... That would be nice if it was a permanent feature. Maybe your esophagus where they put the band is permanently warped. Maybe when they had to repair it they had to stitch that area nice and tight. Who knows. I am glad to hear your still hanging in there. No weight gain so far? Good deal... Oh, I watched a news story the other day. Recall my telling you about that research group that found obese people dont have a particular nerve functioning properly? It was a while ago, well now another group has been doing trials for some time using a stomach pace maker. Huge SUCCESS! It zaps your stomach with tiny electric currents triggering the non-working nerve and stimulating the part of your stomach that says your full. The trial people were saying they feel "Thanksgiving full" all the time and have lost tons of weight. The surgery is even less invasive than the band surgery. You should try to look it up sometime. They didn't think it would be FDA approved for 2 more years but I found it fascinating all the same. If I have future band problems I would be happy to know there is something out there too help me if I NEED the help. Who knows what will be out there for weight in the next few years. Funny thing, if that little pacemaker is correcting an obvious malfunction problem wouldn't the medical/insurance world have to concede and take some of the blame off of our heads. A normal pace maker helps heart misfunctions: a stomach pace maker helps stomach misfunctions. Sounds reasonable.

Sorry this goes on and on, I just got excited and have been wanting to tell you about it. Glad to see you and I wish you all the best, Teresa

Phantom band.....I think this is cool.

I read along time ago about citrus swelling, don't remember the details, just on the list of stuff to avoid. I've had citrus without problems.

Congratulations

I've heard about the stomach "pace maker" - it sounds pretty cool. I guess they're doing some gene research in L.A. as well - there may someday be a gene therapy for morbid obesity - whoo hoo!

As far as maintaining weight, I shot up from 204 day of surgery to 212.5 by 7/8. It certainly was quality/quantity that I was eating, so had to be some kind of Fluid retention. I'm back down to 207 this morning, so I think that means I'm really healing.

Wow, Donali, that's really interesting! You couldn't have phantom restriction, I don't think--is your brain so used to there being just a little room in there that it makes you react the same way even without a band? That would be so great.

How's the outside of your tummy feeling? A little better each day I bet now that the stitches are gone.

You are now OFFICIALLY weird. Which is way better than"rumored to be weird," right?

You are now OFFICIALLY weird.

lol Yeah, I hate those meaningless rumers...

No, I don't think it's in my head, because of the physical sensations. I think there are either stitches or scar tissue that is making the opening to the stomach smaller than usual. It's possible that will relax/go away in the future, but for now I still need to pay attention.

I do not feel the same sense of restriction as with the band, although the stuck feeling/pain was the same. But generally I would say I am somewhere between "wide open" and "good restriction". Water goes down very easy now at night, although I still have troubles finishing my full quart on the way in to work in the morning.

Probably still some residual swelling.

Outside tummy feeling much better, not nearly as red and swollen at incision sites, but the overlap site is still gross, and overlapped...

Hi Donali,

Your probably still fairly similar to me or someone who has gotten the band but is unfilled. I don't think I have great restriction but I do have an easier time controlling what I eat and calorie intake than preband and I am still losing. I have been told on several occassions that I am better off holding back on a first fill as long as I am still losing because the band only has so much room for liquids and I'll have more leverage to work with later when I may need it. Also I still have to pay attention because on the rare occassion I will still PB. I think your right though, I think when they stitched that area up, it probably did tighten up that area. Your doing good and I am very proud of you. I am excited about future obesity research as well. It has been stagnant too long. Best wishes to you, Teresa

Hi Donali,

So glad you still have the phantom restriction. Hang on to that feeling as long as you can! Funny how I am avoiding pb'ing at all costs, and it is a good sign for you!

Rebecca - lol

Yes, it is ironic, isn't it? All that time I tried to be so careful not to PB, and now I'm almost grateful I can! lol