Here is info will come in handy when thinking about fills/adjustments. Great information. I have seen this information before and it is really good.

How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted

You are losing 1-2 pounds per week.

If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week:

A. You may need an eating adjustment

1. Are you eating 60 grams of Protein a day

2. Are you eating 25 grams of Fiber

3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories

a. Soup can be sign of “soft calorie syndrome”

b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories – 7 calories per gram

(1) It’s also a stomach irritant

c. fruit juice is just sugar Water

4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of

foods?

a. Are you avoiding soft foods

b. You can’t just eat what’s easy

c. cheese is glorified fat

5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals

6. Are you eating too much junk

a. chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, Cookies and other highly

processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a

healthy diet. But don’t avoid them completely to the point where you

feel deprived.

b. Stay out of fast food places

7. Are you getting in two servings of Calcium daily

8. Do you always eat the protein first

9. Then the vegetables or fruits

a. Five servings a day

b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable

10. Is your portion size appropriate?

a. meat or fish

(1) 3 ounces – the size of a deck of cards

b. Vegetables

(1) ½ cup – the size of your fist

c. Starch

(1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don’t need

much

(2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, Pasta

11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners

a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the

appetite

b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar

c. They teach you to like things too sweet

d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner

than people who don’t

12. Avoid most diet foods

a. Real food usually tastes better

b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes

c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not

that great

(1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet

margarine

(2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats

a. They may go into permanent storage

b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove

hydrolyzed fats from the body

B. You may need a behavior adjustment

1. Are you eating only when you are hungry?

a. If you’re not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait.

2. Are you eating three meals a day?

a. With maybe 1 or 2 small Snacks

3. Are you sitting down to eat?

4. Are you eating consciously?

a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper

away, pay attention to your food and your companions

5. Are you eating slowly?

a. Put the fork down between bites

b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal

c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying

6. Are you taking small bites?

a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork

7. Are you chewing well?

8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals?

a. Practice water loading between meals

b. You won’t be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal

9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness?

a. Sometimes it’s a whisper: not hungry, had enough

b. Hard stop versus soft stop

10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing.

11. Do not eat when you are not hungry

C. You may need an activity adjustment

1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3

times a week?

a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day

b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week?

c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes?

2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your

physical activity?

a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators

b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding

c. Parking your car further away from the entrance

d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through

e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination

f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash

g. Playing with your kids

D. You may need an attitude adjustment

1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey?

2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are

eating and exercising?

a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days

3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional

issues?

a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your

eating?

b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those

emotions?

c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor?

4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings?

5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends?

6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically?

7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss

journey?

8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating?

a. Obsessive – compulsive thoughts

(1) Obsess about something else

b. Perfectionism

(1) All or none, black and white thinking

c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss

9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards?

10. Have you learned how to take a compliment?

11. Are you giving up diet mentality?

a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day

b. Stop dieting

c. Stop depriving yourself

d. Stop defining food as “good” and “bad”

e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food

12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place?

E. You may need a band adjustment

1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate

portion sizes but getting hungry between meals?

2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large

portions.

3. You are having to struggle to lose

4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and

having a good mind set.

F. You may need your band loosened

1. There are times when you can’t get fluids down

2. You are vomiting too much

a. How much is too much?

3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night?

a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating

b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime

c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime

d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux:

(1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods

(2) Chocolate

(3) Caffeine

(4) Alcohol

(5) Some fruits and vegetables

a. Oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers

(6) Peppermint

a. Baking soda toothpaste

(7) Carbonated drinks

e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals

f. If you smoke, quit smoking

g. Reduce stress

h. Exercise promotes digestion

i. Raise the head of your bed

j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist

k. Stress increases reflux

l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning

m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime

(1) Tylenol is OK

n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring

o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications

p. See your health care provider

4. See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if

a. You have a squeezing, tightness or heaviness in your chest,

especially if the discomfort spreads to your shoulder, arm or jaw or is

accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, irregular or fast

heartbeat or nausea. These could be symptoms of a heart attack.

b. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise.

c. If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you

also have nausea or fever

d. If you throw up vomit that looks like black sand or coffee

grounds. Or if your stool is black, deep red or looks like it has tar

in it. These are symptoms of bleeding and need immediate attention.

(Note: Pepto-Bismol or other medications with bismuth will turn your

stool black. Iron supplements can also make the stool tarry.)

e. If your pain is severe

True2 I know you are right. We need to learn how to make the healthy choices and not expect the band to do it for us through starvation. I had such a bad night last night. As soon as I would doze off to sleep I'd have a coughing spasm because relazing caused liquid to come up and effected my lungs. This in turn triggered off my asthma. This happened 3 times.

CRZY you are right I'm now believing that I need a slight unfill.

True2 I know you are right. We need to learn how to make the healthy choices and not expect the band to do it for us through starvation. I had such a bad night last night. As soon as I would doze off to sleep I'd have a coughing spasm because relazing caused liquid to come up and effected my lungs. This in turn triggered off my asthma. This happened 3 times.

CRZY you are right I'm now believing that I need a slight unfill.

Dear NM Sunshine,

I just joined this website yesterday. I'm not happy to hear what you're going through, but I am happy to hear I'm not the only one. I haven't gone back yet and read the previous pages, but have a few questions.

I had my surgery on April 11. I had my first fill on May 24. I had very little restriction, so had a second fill on July 21. Right away I could tell a big difference. About two days after my second fill, I would wake up at night with liquid in my mouth. I also would have a coughing fit. After two weeks of this, I started coughing during the day. I have a history of pneumonia and bronchitis so I went to the doctor. I had bacterial pneumonia and severe bronchitis.

I did not get an unfill, because the doctor I use is a 4 hour drive. It's slowly improved, but I wish I had just driven back for an unfill. All that being said, please make sure to take care of yourself. Yesterday I went back to the doctor for a check-up, the pneumonia and bronchitis are gone but the cough remains during the day. It's a dry cough and I can control it with cough drops, so I know I will be better soon. I still have a bit of fluid in my lungs, but that is also clearing up.

Since my doctor is so far away, she recommended using Prilosec (spelling?) for 14 days. She said this will help relieve some of what was coming back up. Obviously it's not the best answer and takes a few days to kick in, but it did reduce the amount of fluid in my mouth when I woke up.

Sorry if this is too much information. I really feel for you, since I also have asthma and realize how uncomfortable and scary it is. Good luck!

True2 I know you are right. We need to learn how to make the healthy choices and not expect the band to do it for us through starvation. I had such a bad night last night. As soon as I would doze off to sleep I'd have a coughing spasm because relazing caused liquid to come up and effected my lungs. This in turn triggered off my asthma. This happened 3 times.

CRZY you are right I'm now believing that I need a slight unfill.

NM Sunshine,

It sounds like you need to get a slight unfill. You will feel so much better. If you are waking up like that at night, you should consider the unfill so you don't cause more stress on your body. I believe that is why my immune system has been so affected. I could not eat like I should and I had a lot of trouble. Now I am doing so good, eating, and even losing weight better. I eat 5-6 small meals a day and I am loving it.

Dear NM Sunshine,

I just joined this website yesterday. I'm not happy to hear what you're going through, but I am happy to hear I'm not the only one. I haven't gone back yet and read the previous pages, but have a few questions.

quote]

Cubs Girl, Thank you for your story and help. I am really sorry to hear about what you went through. I am aware that if we asperate (stuff from our stomach comes up) when sleeping it can get into our lungs and cause pneumonia. I have been real worried about that. I am taking Prilosec and have been for about a week.

I began to wonder if the problem has to do with laying down like we do when we sleep. Last night I sleep propped up and put lots of pillows on the side of me so I wouldn't roll over and be flat on bed. It worked. I did not have any trouble with water coming up.

Yeserday I had decided to go on pure liquid diet and drink very slow and very little at a time. I did well all day. My hope is that the problem is stomach swelling from all the irratation. I figure if I give my stomach several days to settle down the swelling will go away and with that the problem. If this does not work then I am going in for an unfill.

NM Sunshine,

It sounds like you need to get a slight unfill. You will feel so much better. If you are waking up like that at night, you should consider the unfill so you don't cause more stress on your body. I believe that is why my immune system has been so affected. I could not eat like I should and I had a lot of trouble. Now I am doing so good, eating, and even losing weight better. I eat 5-6 small meals a day and I am loving it.

I had to go to a new doc in Montana because I'm up here from New Mexico and just too expensive to fly down for fill. This new doc only does his fills on Monday and Tuesday. I have 5 days to attempt to heal myself. I can call doc on Monday and they will get me in right away. That is what I will do if this doesn't change a lot by them.

Just be careful. I did the same thing and tried to use Proilosec to help, but I had to get a small amount taken out anyway.

true2 and cubs

Just wanted to let you all to know that my stomach situation has improved tremendously today. I was actually able to eat 1/2 hamburger tonight and no PB's. I think sleeping in partial sitting position did the trick for me.

thanks for the web site-very informative and helpful. i am going for my 2nd fill next week so hopefully i will get that full feeling.i was banded 06/20/2008 and have lost 40 along with biking every morning and making good choices but i still feel hungry most of the time. thanks again...irish

thanks for the web site-very informative and helpful. i am going for my 2nd fill next week so hopefully i will get that full feeling.i was banded 06/20/2008 and have lost 40 along with biking every morning and making good choices but i still feel hungry most of the time. thanks again...irish

You'll find that hunger greatly reduced after a fill or two. That's when you reach your 'sweet spot'. Then you must train yourself not to eat when your not hungry and not to overeat when hungry. Good Luck

Praise the Lord!!! I am so glad to hear you are doing better. I hated it when I had to have some fill taken out, but I am glad I am doing better. I probably won't get a re-fill for a while.

NMSunshine: I am very glad to hear that you are doing better.:smile2:

Praise the Lord!!! I am so glad to hear you are doing better. I hated it when I had to have some fill taken out, but I am glad I am doing better. I probably won't get a re-fill for a while.

NMSunshine: I am very glad to hear that you are doing better.:bored:

Thanks bunches.:smile2: I still do great all day and have some problems at night. But as long as I sleep propped up for first hour or so all is great. It's those meds I have to take before bed.

Also someone said that she had this problem and her doc told her not to eat after 6:00pm. I'm doing that. I think that there is really something to that for all you that are PBing in sleep.

Call the bariatric center at Abington Hospital or Einstein Hospital. Temple University also has a good bariatric center. Good luck!

does any one know any place in colorado that does fills using flourascope or xray

i'm from jersey but you could call local surgeons in your area and ask the receptionist if her doc does fills that way...good luck..irish