Staceven

Okay, so in a couple of hours I go to have ALL of the Fluid taken out of my band for the 5th time in 5 months. I am devestated. A little background: I lost 83 pounds in 9-10 months. I hit my sweet spot at about 4 1/2 months post surgery and was flying high for 6 months! I rarely had stuck or puking episodes. I had gotten down to 198 (a big moment right?) when I got bronchitis and couldn't keep anything down. They said I was completely swollen shut and took all of the fluid out. I went back in a few weeks and had only half of the fluid put back in. 2 weeks later swollen shut again. This time we blamed it n a grilled chicken tender which is weird because it is one of my meals 3+ times a week. At this point the Dr. said I was overeating. I was not! I think he thinks I was lying or in denial. So this was about Christmas-time and with no fluid in my band I did overeat and gained about 25 pounds. This cycle of putting fluid in and taking fluid out happened 2 more times since the first of the year. I begged the Drs and nurses to tell me what was wrong and what I could could do to prevent it but they just keep saying I am overeating. Sure I cheat occasionally with cheese or chocolate but it is never in quantities. I have eaten a chip and dip. These items are very occasional and in no more than a half cup quantity. I have had NO cheats or overeating since my last fill. This week: 4 days ago I ate cottage cheese for lunch. I ate it too fast. It came back up. That evening I had a very small amount of tuna salad because I was testing the waters. It seemed fine. I did not eat Breakfast the next morning. For lunch I ate one bite of grilled chicken and knew instantly that I was swollen again. That evening I tried Soup and it was a no-go. Yesterday I stuck to sipping Water all day, I burped and bubbled after every sip. Last night I tried broth and it stayed down but I had to sleep sitting upright because the bubbling and heartburn was so bad. This morning my coffee (a tiny sip) came back up so I called the Dr. Am I doomed? The dr is an hour away and I am missing work every other week to go to the dr. I can't live this way but I refuse to think I wasted $15,000 and I'm destined to be fat. Anybody else have problems like this?

Name, real or screen ~ Staceven Age ~ 34 Weight on September 1st ~ 216 Weight on September 8th ~ 212 Weight on September 15th ~ 208 Weight On September 21st ~ 206 Weight on September 29th ~ 204 Goal Weight for September 29th ~199

Name, real or screen ~ Staceven Age ~ 34 Weight on September 1st ~ 216 Weight on September 8th ~ 212 Weight on September 15th ~ 208 Weight On September 21st ~ 206 Goal Weight for September 29th ~199

Name, real or screen ~ Staceven Age ~ 34 Weight on September 1st ~ 216 Weight on September 8th ~ 212 Goal Weight for September 29th ~199

Name, real or screen~ Staceven Age~ 34 Weight on September 1st~ 216 Goal Weight for September 29th~ 199 Exercise Goal for September~ Eliptical at least 2x/wk Dietary Goal for September~ More protein! Personal Goal for September~ More me time. Date Banded~ 11/19/2010 Total Weight Loss Since Banding~ 65 lbs Let's go on and do the dang thang!

I am confused about this as well. My band Dr. set my goal at 149, while my regular Dr. says 175. 65% according to the NUT would put me at 185. I am big-boned and 6ft tall. Who knows - I'll see when I get there!

You are not doing anything wrong. It is very common for people not to have ANY restriction for the first few fills. I would think I had restriction for a few days, then nothing. It took me until my 3rd fill to have ACTUAL, REAL restriction. They say filling the band causes a little swelling in some people and that may be where that first week of feeling restricted comes from. Hang in there and be patient and the pounds will fall off!

I hit a plateau for the entire summer!! I was so frustrated from May through a few weeks ago I teetered around 220. THREE MONTHS!!! Anyway I researched it a little and I found an article that said many people plateau at a weight that they were at previously for a long time. I believe there is some truth to this because before I really started packing on the pounds I stayed around 220 for most of my 20s. It was tough but you just have to be patient. If you are doing everything right, your body will respond eventually. Good luck.

Thanks! I agree that's probably what it is. Whew.

It's not my port - that is on my lower left abdomin. This knot is between my breasts but down a little lower. Like right in the center of my rib cage. It's in the exact spot where I feel restriction or get stuck, that's why I wondered if it was the band. It is hard like bone. Sternum? Breast plate? I'm afraid I never took an anatomy class. Maybe it is something everyone has and I was just now introduced to mine after weight loss!?! It doesn't hurt, so I will probably ask at my next appointment. Just curious.

Now that I've lost weight I have a knot or hump protruding just under the center of my breast. Is this my band??? I have heard of people being able to see the port.....but the actual band? Could it be?