B-52

Mine sticks out and looks like a golf ball under my skin! I can even see the tube that runs from the port. I am a male, and have/had a very large "Beer Belly". Large and tight. Think of a woman 8 months pregnant, with triplets. The skin layer is thin with little or no fat. It shows through my clothes if they are snug. I've had people ask me at the gym is I have a hernia. I should take a photo to post, because this has come up here many times before.

That's Ok, but you missed my point entirely!! I have been Obese for many, many years and have become so sick and tired of it that there was very little question whether I would get the band or not. My love for food certainly was not going to get in my way of a better life. When I had pre op Physch. eval., after the session was over, one thing she said they look for is whether there is any resolve in your decision, or any uncertainty. So, tongue in cheek, if you are happy being obese, don't get the surgery. BUT if you are fed up being fat, like me, then there is really not much I'm going to miss being thin.

I do not think you are ready for this surgery. It is for people who are at their wit's end, IMO. You're not there. You still enjoy being obese. I don't think you would be cleared by the Psych Eval.

When I had a Upper Gi done, there was a woman there who was crying uncontrollably. My wife told me she just had hers done and was told she would not be able to have the surgery. Our Surgeon schedules the Upper GI's last, 2 weeks prior to your scheduled surgery.

Peanut butter!! I never thought of that. Will try it ASAP!

I start with Muscle Milk Lite, vanilla. I put that in a blender with a few ice cubes, Water, and add what other I want after that. Strawberries, Blueberries, etc. Use your imagination. Make your own thick smoothie! I have that plus a liquid Protein supplement everyday for Breakfast, curbs my hunger all day.

After loosing a lot of weight, I purchased a new pr of Levi's. They fit a little tight, but I knew they would be fine. After this, I had plateaued big time, not really loosing much, actually fluctuating up and down but always same average. Very frustrating. But I kept with my routine, worked out every day, etc. Put on those tight jeans, and found they are too big!!! Only wore them twice before!! So, even though I did not loose weight, something else positive was going on. Also, I agree with the premise that the less you have to loose, the harder it gets.

It is harder than most people think to stretch your pouch. First of all, to do so, you would need enough restriction to NOT allow food to pass easily, but accumulate in the pouch. When that happens, you will know it! Feelings of being stuck, perhaps pain. It's then that you would put the fork down and wait, and in some cases, stop altogether.. If you can put up with that discomfort, and keep force feeding yourself, then your puch will stretch. Drinking Water while eating will have the same effect. More than likely you will upchuck everything.

IMO, It all depends on how much weight you want to loose. My Dr. and I discussed it as a option, but since I have less than 100 lbs to loose, I opted for the band.

The overwhelming # of those who complain about the band not working are those who have been with the band for a month or less. Then the # starts to drop off from there. Many times I have read posts from people upset because they have not lost what they expected, 2 weeks if not 2 days after surgery. It took me 3 months to get to a point that I feel comfortable. These negative posts come so often, I feel many people get frustrated just trying to respond to them. I know I do. Years ago, I once had a Dr. give me his big secret formula for loosing weight: "You want to loose a lot of weight? Then stop eating so much!" Well, in a nutshell, that is what the band has done for me. I eat a 1/4 of what I used to. Period.

I wouldn't do it. Sounds counter productive to me. After being banded I have to adapt to a new life style. Getting unfilled in order to indulge sounds like "Cheating" when on a diet. Sounds like the old habits that got me here in first place. Thanksgiving is coming....maybe I should get a un-fill. Christmas / New Years is coming.....may need a un-fill. Have a wedding to go to.....un-fill?? Vacation.....un-fill?? Sounds like all the excuses I had all the times I tried to quit smoking. Always had a justification for one more. BTW, we cruise all the time and have been since being banded. Like any other day in life, you live with your band. I was fine.

It's still early. wait a few months.

You have had 3 fills plus one at surgery for a total of 4. That sounds pretty good to me. I am curious how much he gives you per fill. My first fill was 1 month after surgery and was given 4cc's He then had me come in once every month for 3 more visits / fills, total of 4. I have plenty of restriction and a tight band. Of course, everyone is different. I am now on a 2 month wait between visits, and don't expect any fills, other than +/- .5 cc for maintenance. (His words) I have read here on other posts where some Doc's are only giving a 1/2 - 1cc per visit/fill., which would make me very unhappy. BTW, if you are loosing weight, don't expect a fill. My Doc will look at how many lbs I've lost between visits, divide by the # of weeks, and determine if I am making good process or not.

I find this very hard to believe. Hospitals - Infectious Disease Control, take these kind of things very seriously. I cannot imagine someone with this going into the OR for Surgery. If anything, a hospital would want to put you in isolation to treat the infection. No offense, but if a hospital let it go, it would be a hospital I would not want to be admitted to.

I have the opposite effect. I CANNOT drink while eating or else it will all come back up! When I eat, with the level of restriction I have, the food passes through the band very slowly, forcing me to eat small amounts and slowly. If food is sitting in the upper pouch, like a slow drain or funnel, adding water to this will add to what is sitting there and make it back up and overflow. I like the slow drain analogy best. Think of a sink, with water sitting there because the drain is clogged. It does go down, but slow based on the amount of clog (restriction) Turn on the faucet and add water, the drain can't keep up and the sink will overflow! It is like this every time I eat. I do not have anything to drink anywhere near me. If I do, I will have to run to the bathroom. Simple. Many things I have learned, little sayings, rules, theories, etc, have become normal, natural facts of life for me since reaching that true "Green Zone"

I feel your pain. I filled about 4 large leaf bags of summer clothes since last may. This weekend I started checking my long sleeve shirts and all of them look like I'm wearing tents! Filled 2 bags today. Went online and ordered 5 new shirts. I have 3 nice sports coats that went also. I have to get rid of my suits but I am finding it hard to toss them. As far as pants,I have been going through them on a regular basis. Started with a 46"waist, with the elastic waistbands. I have been steadily dropping, and am now at a 36" non-elastic! Men's warehouse and Jos. A Bank are always advertising 2 for 1 sales, but I'm hesitant since I have only 20 lbs to my goal weight. Jeans......I can walk in any store and buy normal sizes again!

What time do I need to be at the hospital, What time is the surgery scheduled,. Can I expect to go home same day., Can I leave with my needed meds, provided by the hospital pharmacy. When do you want to see me in your office for the post-op follow up? (1 week) can we make that appointment now. What is your timetable for clear liquids, heavy liquids, mushies and solid foods. Explain to me the severe gas pain I hear others talk about, and what do you suggest I do if/when I get it.

Dr. gave the Ok after one week.

First, getting stuck is not always a bad thing. It is part of the learning process of having your band. Also, IMO, it is really not vomiting because it comes from the upper portion, esophagus, and not deep below the band. More like a baby spitting up or a hiccup. The body's way of dealing with this is for saliva to accumulate (sliming) forcing you to spit it up. When I get stuck to the point that it is very uncomfortable, and I want instant relief, I speed up the natural process by sipping some Water. (preferably over a sink) The water, like the saliva, has no where to go and will trigger you to immediately spit it up.

Yes, I have had that problem once. My stomach is tight skinned, and my port looks like a golf ball under the skin. People at the gym have asked me if I had a hernia. I can palpate the skin and feel the tube that runs from the port, going mid-line till it disappears and goes deep through the muscle to the band. I like to prop myself up on my elbows and watch the Dr. do the entire fill procedure. First time he explained everything to me. First thing he does is extract ALL the saline out of the band. This way he checks for discoloration, and also measures how much he extracted. Anything less that what he previously put in indicates a leak. Like I said you can feel the tube that runs from the port to the band. It does not go straight, but it snakes. It's only about 2 inches long. He told me this gives it slack for abdominal muscles stretching and contracting. If it was straight and tight, it could pull and hurt, if not worse. Well one time, when he was extracting the saline, he could not get anything out. He tried and tugged a few times. When he palpated the skin over the tube, he found that at one place where the tube curved, actually kinked! just like kinking a garden hose. The harder he pulled a suction with the syringe, the more it kinked! He had me feel it so I would understand what was happening. Since the tube is just under the skin, he just massaged the area with 2 fingers to straighten out the tube a little. Then everything worked fine. I have noticed that ever since then, he automatically starts the procedure with a little massaging of that area, along with the alcohol wipe.

Where else can people be so happy to be called overweight!!

I think it depends upon what you are comfortable with. I like my band tight. My eating habits sound similar to yours. I have problems with most meats. Can only nibble at sandwich meats and cheeses. No bread. Steaks, etc, have to be very tender. The new word for me is "Nibble" I really don't eat food like I used to, but "Nibble" at everything, and usually stop long before I get through. My band is tight, and I prefer it that way. I've read here about people freaking out when they get stuck for the first time. I was overjoyed! The band is working! Now I have to learn to live with it, and learn a new way of eating. Also changed social settings where food is at the center like back yard cookouts, etc.

Be sure to get to us and let us know what the outcome is. I have my suspicions, but I know enough to not question chest pain unless I am there to make a physical assessment.

It's all part of the learning process. Our old habits were to "shovel" it in. So when we sit down and start eating we forget and start eating too fast between bites and too much per bite. But it does not take long to realize the mistake. My wife does not even ask anymore when I put the fork down and act as though I'm finished. Just have to wait 5 minutes for things to settle down (hopefully) before resuming.