DetChatt

Oh, sorry I can't help you. I looooove cottage cheese, but I like mine naked. LOL

I waited probably 6 months and had a bit of wine. I don't drink much anymore though. It hits me too hard after the weight loss. But I will have a drink if I'm out. I just avoid beer or fizzy things.

I really thought I was going to miss pizza and pasta the most, but i find I don't have any cravings anymore. *knock on wood* When I was first banded and wanted to taste those things, I'd just eat a spoonful of pasta sauce.

I would get checked for sure. I have similar problems, but mine are ongoing and all in my head. I psych myself out about eating. After reassurance from my doctor that all was A-OK, they worked with me to get my head back in the game and not be afraid of eating. Crazy, right? LOL

I believe they are accepting new patients. Good luck to you.

I think you're being pretty darn harsh on yourself and no need to be. You've done great so far! Just push past this plateau and get ready for the next round of losing. You won't lose the same consistently, and I even think sometimes mixing things up a bit helps to confuse your body and break up hte metabolism monotomy.

Dr. Ponce did my surgery almost 2 years ago, and I have nothing but great things to say about him and his staff.

The only obstacle I see you hitting is a plateau down the road if you don't get on the exercise bandwagon. Everyone is different, and the band is a tool in the whole program. Kudos to you for doing the eating healthy part right. Just work on the liquids to keep yourself healthy.

I was a total wreck, too. I was nervous about everything from surgery (my first ever) and the whole process. The staff at the surgery center were so wonderful. I'm sure they're used to nervous patients, and they know how to take care of you and help you relax. I felt like I was more at a spa than a hospital. It was awesome! Afterwards, instead of focusing on what a perfect experience with the band should be, I forged my own path and worked with the program the way it best fit me. It's a process and a learning curve, one that you have to be flexible with. This site is a wonderful means of support, especially if you don't have any local groups. Friends and family are wonderful for support, too, but they will never "get it" like a fellow bandster.

This is something I struggled with, but my surgeon suggested I ride those episodes out as much as I could and not adjust the band too much. I hit a rough patch a while back of really struggling to get food down, but I did get past it (mind over matter in my case). I still have days and even weeks where I struggle, but I have managed to work through them and not mess with the band. Stresss absolutely is a big trigger with mine too!

A fill is what helped me with the shoulder pain. Whatever was pushing on that nerve moved or adjusted, and my pain stopped. That was just my experience, of course.

Agreed. My pain was definitely right after surgery but a few months later. If you can't wait it out until your next fill, get an adjustment sooner which should help.

I had the mystery shoulder pain for a short time after my surgery, but it went away after the next fill. Mine only hurt after I ate, so I didn't eat much that month. LOL Feel better !!

My C-section was a LONG time ago (my baby turns 21 this week), but I had no problems healing from that, and the band is in such a different area that it really wasn't an issue. I've regained feeling from both surgeries and the only thing I can actually feel is my port now that I've lost so much weight.

I always struggle at night too, but it's 100% in my head. I was always an evening snacker "before." I don't dare do that now though, or I'll be up all night horking. I crochet while watching TV so my hands are busy doing something other than wanting to stuff my face. I know it'll be a lifelong struggle for me to beat those old temptations.

Oh wow, I also think you should call. Better to be safe than sorry. Hope you feel better.

I call my port site "the alien" because I can really feel it through my skin (and if you've seen the move Alien, well that's where my warped thinking goes).

I only eat fish, so that's a big part of my daily protein. I mix it up with FF refried beans, a few pine nuts tossed in my salads, and any FF version of dairy with good protein like cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt. I'm usually too full to deal with starches, so an occasional bit of potato is a treat but not something I care all that much about. I never eat bread or pasta (by choice), and I can't stand the taste of those Boca or veggie burgers. *blech* Yes, I have a very boring diet, but I like it that way.

I got very small fills and very few of them (1 per month for the first 3 months after banding and then none since). Maybe some people like us just get enough restriction from the band itself and don't need as many fills (or as much in them)?

I also do something physical. I exercise if possible. However, usually my down times are in the evening (also my previous time for bad eating habits), so I will crochet and watch a movie or read... anything to redirect my thoughts.

My signals of feeling full are different than what they were pre-band, but I definitely know when I'm full. I really have been lucky and have had no issues with hunger either. I have the opposite problem where I have to schedule my meals or else I go too long without eating.

Oh wow, I needed that laugh today, although I know it wasn't funny at the time it happened to you. I'll share my most embarrassing band food story. I was out to eat with my 20-year-old son. Just a normal small amount of meat and veggies, but it was cooked poorly and dry, so I knew I might be in trouble. We got to the car and were on the same side putting in leftovers when I coughed. Just one little cough that caught me off guard, and I spewed chunks all over my son's shoes. He was totally grossed out, but it was so funny that we couldn't stop laughing. He'll never let me live it down either.

Keep in mind that some of this may be in your head too. One bad experience, and your mind could play tricks on you and "close up" before you get a fork near your mouth. Try some deep breathing before you eat. Also drink something about 30 minutes before to tell yourself that you're fine and the food WILL go through. But if you find something is giving you trouble (even if you've eaten it fine before), lay off that for a week and go on to something else. There were foods that I suddenly couldn't eat anymore a YEAR after my band. Give yourself time to adjust after those fills. You'll react differently to each one, so it's going to be a lot of trial and error.

It definitely has to do with the nerve and the diaphragm. I had it something awful for a time after a fill, but then it went away after the following fill and I've never had it since. I lost a lot of weight that month, because it was too painful to eat! LOL

I take a supplement (with biotin) for hair, skin, and nails. It's huge, but I crush it with my other vitamins into yogurt. I'm 18 months banded, and my hair loss has been in spurts but very significant. Luckily, I had thick hair to begin with. It still shocks me how much hair I lose, but it is growing back and I just keep it layered. It's what I consider my worst side effect of the surgery (and isn't really all that awful).