Msheli19

Hi lap band friends.... I NEED YOUR HELP FAST PLEASE. Here is some background - I have been banded exactly two years. Dec. 2010 I love my band - does it drive me crazy...YES but I can not imagine my life without it. I have lost weight very slowly but I'm not complaining. I have lost a total of 80 pounds. Here is my problem - a few nights ago (the 23rd to be exact) I started to have pain in my chest after I ate someting that I probably should have chewed better. It was different that the "stuck" feeling and I was positive that it is lap band related and not my heart. The pain has continued and it was radiating to my back. The first day it was painful even when I was not eating or drinking. I was very reluctant to call my DR because everytime I call them they immediately want to take fluid out of my band and sometimes it is just irritated and switching to fluids and mushies helps the problem on its own. I waited until this morning when although I felt like it was getting better.....I decided I probably did need a little taken out of my band to help with the swelling and irritation. I went in this morning and everything just went haywire. It all happened so fast I don't know what really even happened. I did not see my dr but I saw the Nurse Practioner - of course she asked me some questions and then proceded to tell me that I need to get an upper GI but first I need ALL of the fluid out of my band. I had a hard time understanding why they wouldn't do the upper GI with the fluid to see what is exactly going on but she insisted I needed to take ALL the fluid out of my band. This alone brought me to tears. So, I go for my upper GI with no fluid in my band. The radiologist (?) tells me he really doesn't see anything wrong but that the dr will look at the results and call me later. A few hours later the nurse calls and says that the NP looked at my films and she is pretty sure the band has slipped because it is horizontal and I need to come in tomorrow morning to meet with the dr and most likely have surgery TOMORROW to get my band removed and not to eat or drink past midnight tonight. WHAT?!?!??!?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? I am so incredibly confused. First, when they called me the dr. had not even seen the results - why are they talking removal to me? Second, isn't there ANYTHING else they can try first? Don't I have any other options? It seems I waited so long to get the band in the first place but now they are so quick to just take it out and leave me with nothing? And they offered no other options for me. They said they don't put another one in right away because the stomach needs to time to heal. They said the dr. would discuss the options with me tomorrow and he might suggest a sleeve or another procedure. I don't want a sleeve - I want a lapband! But the clincher is that she said it would probably not be anything they would do immediately because I have not been the best candidate. And that I would probably have to go through another approval process with the "the team." That I have not been great about my appts with the Physicial Therapist or the Dietician. WHAT? I went to all my DR appts the first year and the last one I went to (one year ago exactly) they told me I could start coming every year now. It's been a year so I don't know what they are mad about. I have only seen the Physical Therapist once since surgery and I have not seen the Dietician at all so I guess maybe this is why they are mad but I wasn't having any food related problems. I don't know why this is bad. Clearly the lap band is working for me because I have lost weight and have not gained anything back. What should I do? I do NOT want to get my band removed unless of course it was an emergency situation and I don't think this is the case. I am not puking or dehydrated or having any other problems. And I also don't want to be left with nothing and gain my weight back - I have worked REALLY hard the last few years. And to have to go back through the approval process with "the team" - are you kidding me???? I don't have time for this - I don't know about anyone else but that is a huge time commitment. I already did all of that. I guess I am just so mad that this is all happening and I feel like they are so unsympathetic. PLEASE HELP ME! I am in tears. Michelle

but please be "semi" gentle. I just can't seem to get my head in da game. I was doing so good in the beginining - but started to get really discouraged because the weight was just not coming off. I was excercising, journaling, drinking my fluids, etc. but have not lost a single pound since starting mushies. NOTHING. The last few weeks I have just not made good food decisions..no excercise, no journaling. I have not been good to myself. I think it is my frustration of not loosing and part of me giving up. I know this is a tool that is only as good as I let it be but I'm just having issues. I feel no restriction (first fill was February 8th - I haved 5cc in 10cc band) and I definitely feel hungry A LOT - just like pre-band. I don't even feel like I have a band except the first few bites of food always feels really tight like I am going to get stuck but then it loosens up or something because I have no problems when I continue eating. Please help me get back on track. Can someone please tell me they had problems and discouragment in the beginning, too, and then down the road it all came together? I'm starting to get really down on myself. Thanks- Michelle

I went to a party on Friday night and all they had was draft beer. Gag...I usually HATE draft, I am a bottle girl but that is all they had. So I had a few draft beers, they tasted pretty good and it didn't bother me at all. A few hours later they ran out of draft beer and brought in bottles and I couldn't drink the bottled beer. WHAT? I poured it into a glass and tried waiting, etc. but it kept hurting everytime I took a drink. Has anyone else noticed draft beer goes down easier than bottled beer?

hmmmm.....very very interesting, bandcamp1210!!! :D

Yep, me too. I REALLY miss my beer. I also enjoy wine but it just not the same as beer. I have not attempted the Guiness, maybe I will give that a shot but WOW...that is a lot of calories. I knew giving up beer would be the HARDEST thing for me after this surgery. Food....no problem. Beer....not so much. Michelle

Yep, same thing with me. I was a huge coffee girl! I used to work at the Hilton and we have a full service Starbucks in our lobby. Everyday I would have a starbucks coffee and it was the highlight of my day. Since surgery the smell is still very inviting but everytime I attempt to order and drink one...I think I am going to gag and do the same thing as you...down the sink it goes. Who knows but I am going with it - at least it saves me $2.50/day! Michelle

amberakamom - I thought the same thing after surgery, I wasn't really hungry and definitely felt the restriciton. I had every intention of telling my doctor on my first fill appt (just this past Tuesday, 2/8) that I didn't think I needed one. Well.....about four/five weeks after surgery, the hunger came back and the restriction was completely gone. I felt like I didn't even have a band anymore. I kept thinking....WHERE DID IT GO??? lol. Anyway, with that being said, I did indeed get my first fill on Tuesday (5cc in 10cc band) and I feel so much better! Michelle

Brian - It is great to have you and your expertise! Can you explain why it is so important to have the protein shakes? I actually do enjoy them so it doesn't bother me but I'm just curious. I have lost 80+ pounds in the past without ever consumming a protein shake. Why would this stall the scale? I am also on the verge of insanity. I have not lost a single pound since a few weeks after surgery (when I started mushies to be exact). I work out 4-5 days a week with 30 minutes of elliptical training. I consume around 1200 calories a day and log what I eat. I drink at least 8 ounces of water/SF fluid a day....and nothing. It is really really hard not to be disappointed and frustrated. I have my first fill on Tuesday. I'm really hoping this will help. Thanks Michelle

The first period you had after surgery, was it late? On time? Normal, etc. I am very regular.....28-32 days and today is day 34 (maybe 35) and still nothing. Just wondering if this is normal. TIA! Michelle

I completey agree - those Bariatric Advantage Mixed Berry flavor ones are HORRIBLE!!! I literally gag over the sink everytime I take them. One of these days, I know I am going to puke. I will try letting it dissolve and see if that helps. YUCK!!!! I have a question for Dlynn1635 - you are not the first person I have heard to takes this liquid Vitamin from Vitamin World but when I tried to call and order - they told me they stopped making them. When was the last time you purchased it?

I am just feeling so discouraged. I had my surgery on December 27 and I have not lost a single pound. WTH? I have a 10cc band and they put 3cc in it at the time of surgery. When I went in for my post-op appt last week, my doctor told me not to worry about it - I would be thrilled with the results the next time I am in to see him. Well that is Feb. 8th - which is right around the corner and I am still not loosing. I am so disappointed and I fear I am going to disapoint him or they will think I am cheating. AND I AM NOT! I am tracking everything I put in my mouth on myfitnesspal iphone app and I average around 1000 - 1300 calories a/day. I drink at least 64 ounces of Water (probably more). I just got released to excercise and this week have been doing 10 minutes/day on my elliptical. Each week I can increase by 5 minutes. I really feel like I am doing everything right but the scale will not move. Up one pound, down one pound, up one pound, down one pound. Same process for the last two weeks. I know I need to quit weighing myself so much but I can't stop. The more it doesn't move the more obsessed I get. I thought one to two pounds per week is average??? Not for me, I guess. Anyway, any help would be appreciated. Should I call my nutritionist? I am truly experiencing some major bandster blues.

Hi, I am in the soft high Protein "mushie" stage and my doctor said any of these salads are good...tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad, etc. Does anyone have good crackers they have tried - low cal, low fat, good protein, whole wheat, etc? Thanks in advance.

Yummo that sounds great, 4MyHealth2011!! Thanks for all your replies! Going to look for these crackers this weekend. Thanks again!

I am having the same discouraging problem. Banded on Dec. 27th - and I have only lost a few pounds. I am drinking protein shakes with skim milk, not even doing the broth because of the sodium, SF jello, SF pudding, cream of wheat, lots of water and SF fluids, etc. And just on Friday got the ok to move to mushies. I'm not eating any more than 1/2 cup at each meal - I'm not even hungry! Got on the scale this morning and gained two pounds? WTH? How can this be possible? I thought for sure after the weekend I would be down at least a few pounds. Trying not to get discourged but it is hard.

I completely agree and I am so glad everyone has decided to stand up and tell this bully FLUFFY where to go! HAHA! I am also a newbie and have been scared to post things because of rude and arrogant people like FLUFFY. It's sad. There must be something really missing in her world and honestly I feel sorry for you FLUFFY. Get a life, quit tring to act like you are so high and mighty. You are no better than any of us. If you don't like a post or feel that it has already been answered then move on. Starting posts with "Look" and "Listen", etc. is just plain rude....along with the hurtful and rude nature of the comment. GROW UP, FLUFFY!!!! And I reference you AS FLUFFY ONLY because in my mind you are FAR FROM FABULOUS.

Newbie here...but this is very cool and I would love to participate! I love challenges and things to get me motivated. Thanks for doing this!

My very first post....but I couldn't resist this time. That was an AMAZING article - touched my heart more than anything. Only 11 days post-op but also 11 days HUNGER FREE. I think I am finally free and I am so happy. Thanks you so much for sharing. MSHELI19