jennifer1

i dont agree with doctors that have a certain amout that they put in EVERYONE's band. 1 cc every couple of months might take forever to get to restriction if you are a person who needs like 7-8cc's. having the lap band is a daily routine of trying everyday. yes sometimes you may get comfortable and feel you have everything down pat, then you band starts trippn! ugh! i have been banded 9 months and my surgeon does fills when you request them, now the first fill he says he's very conservative with cuz you never know how a persons body will react, but after that he is more aggresive. between my 4th fill 2 unfills and 5th fill i was able to figure out exactly what i needed in my band. and my doc listened to me. now i got sick and my band tighted up, so i'm goin for another slight unfill, but i said all that to say this...dont beat yourself up...the band isnt a quick fix. i started at a size 18/20 and now am in 12/14 and to me that took forever, but when i look back...never in my life have i been able to loose weight like this. so be patient with yourself and your band. i think the first year you are still getting adjusted to it. hope this helps some, feel free to PM me. jennifer

hi i have been banded a little over 9 months. and while i can say i wasnt hungry the first 3 weeks after i was banded, i can tell you how important it is to stick to the rules so early in your recovery. i think at this stage the most important thing is sticking to what your doctor/nutritionist says(especially regarding textures..pureed/mushies/soft..etc.) also i learned that i had to learn the difference between head hunger and actualy hunger. one thing i learned in this process so far is how many times i ate just to be eating and that i wasnt even physically hungry. sometimes i would get on this site when i "thought' I was hungry and before i knew it 1/2hour had passed and i didnt eat anything, which let me know that it was head hunger. best wishes in your journey.

i have been banded 9 months and i'm still learning to work with my band. since my last fill i have been real tight, but still able to eat. what frustrates me is the not knowing. last night i wanted some spaghetti , so i made it and was able to eat about a cup of it. ok that was fine, well i took the same spaghetti for lunch today and was barely able to get in 2 forks full. i wish i could look inside my body and know before i try to eat something if my band is going to cooperate. and when i order food out at a restaurant or fix my plate at home i still get portions like i ate pre-band. I KNOW GOOD AND WELL THAT I CANT EAT IT, but i cant seem to make that mental switch to stop doing that. am i the only person struggling with this. Are there signs my body is giving me that i'm missing that will tell me if i will be able to eat? HELP!

thanks for all the advice. i am really gonna have to stop being lazy and be more creative with the protein shakes in the am.

Ok me and my band are at odds right now. For the longest time i was too tight in the morning to eat anyting other than liquids, which i hear is pretty normal. and i was cool with that. then i was barely able to get anything down(even some sliders) at lunch and dinner was iffy. (all this was 2 weeks after being sick)..ok so starting this sunday i have been able to get a half way descent lunch down and a reasonable dinner. but now later in the evening my band is tight again WTH! i have gained like 3 pounds in the past week and i dont get it. i have an appointment to see my surgeon on monday and i'm gonna talk to him about a small tiny unfill. i just dont get how the band can be so inconsistent. UGH!!!!! plus i'm like super paranoid that i have damaged something with the recent/frequent bouts of throwing up. Can anyone tell me who had a band slip, what were your symptoms? I'm tryn not to drive myself crazy. i would think if my band had slipped or i had a pouch that i couldnt keep anything down, right?

there was thread a couple months ago about a skinny bucket list and i know i commented in it. i vaguely remember what they were, now let me see if i can find it. lol

I was too tight at one time..but I couldn't get down even protein shakes...please go back to your doctor and get an unfill...I was miserable and dropped 9 pounds in those 2 weeks..u stand thee chance of becoming dehydrated if u end up not tolerating liquids..keep us posted

most of us were told that the pain in the shoulder is referred pain and coming from gas pressing on the nerve. well i'm 9 months out and still have that pain from time to time. sometimes i hiccup when i'm full or sometimes my shoulder hurts. it is not as intense as it was when i first was banded. when i first had it i was in tears. nothing seemed to help. i am a massage therapist and trust me i tried massage, joint traction, joint compression, stretching, gas x. walking and nuthn seemed to help me. sorry i'm sure this wasnt the answer u wanted, but everyone is different, you may be a lucky one and it may go away compltetly. best wishes to all jennifer

it's nice(for lack of a better word) to see guys having the same issue. i know that this whole weight loss this is SOOOOO mental. i can see it when i look at pics of myself, but when i look in the mirror i still see the old me. wonder if i'll ever see myself as thin? jennifer

i love when i find good alternatives to things i love! thanks never even thought about this one!

it's so interesting how i still fix my plate(when i'm not tight like right now), like i can still eat it. most times my desires have changed and i dont want food i used to want(this still blows my mind), but i still find myself trying things i know i cant get down. i'm crazy i know, but one thing i will never try is skin from a sausage or chicken or turkey,...just the thought of that makes my band tighten..lol

HMMm never thought about that. but the only way someone is gonna get my band is when i'm dead! LOL! love my band

i was wondering if that was some type of spam cuz that was annoying.

yeah i think it's just part of having the band, although when i am too tight the gurlging is much louder!

i've heard the new low is 30.... sorry i cant offer more answers cuz i was self pay. good luck in getting things done.

wow that's amazing. i'm glad you had an opportunity to do something about your health at such a young age. i think most people on here would agree that we wish we would have started soone, but congrats to you and the cadets!!! peace and blessings jennifer

congrats on your approval.. the time will fly by and before you know it will be your date! so happy for you.

i did the same thing with the refried beans. i was also in loe with scrambled eggs and mashed potatoes

awesome blog!

ok so i got my 5ht fill in dec. i was doing just fine, until 2 weeks ago. i got sick and was on antibiotics for a week, also TOM came around the same time. well my band got super tight and i'm guessing with both of those things happening at the same time caused this. well i thought once TOM left and my sickness left i would be ok. NOT! i was hoping it would loosen, but not so. i am used to not being able to get things down in the morning unless its' a liquid, but now lunch is hard and so is dinner. last night i was awaken by coughing and choking as if i had swallowed water and it went down the wrong pipe. i have an appointment to get a slight unfill and i know this is crazy but i'm soooo scared i will not be able to get to the green zone like i was before i got sick. i am one size away from making my goal by my one year anniversary! i just dont wanna get a slight unfill and be able to eat like i'm crazy! ugh! i lost 6 weeks once before with being too tight, too loose and not being able to see my doc. ugh! why now! has anyone else had it where they got sick, band got tight and didnt get loose after the illness went away? jennifer

thanks for you input everyone. i did make any appointment with my surgeon, but unfortunalty he is not in the office next week, so i have to wait until march 5th(monday). i am definelty going to hit the protein shakes harder and try to do more liquids instead of forcing myself to try and eat. i know from the color of my urine that i wasnt hydrated enough. i have never brought up any stomach acid, only thick phlem with whatever i tried to eat, but i am starting to freak out if my band has slipped or if i have a pouch from vomiting. so i'm going to do mostly liquids till i see the doc. hey i survived off liquids for three weeks pre and post op so i can survive on week, right? thanks again for your replies ladies. i will update.

congrats..welcome!! i was banded may of last year. feel free to PM me with any questions you may have jennifer

wow never knew they could fix a leak like that. hmmm interesting.