mindy327

Well, it has been a journey for the last 4 months. Banded in Mexico June 2nd and have lost 56 pounds... 7 weeks after the Hell began... I am Band Intolerant! I swelled up so tight, and have nothing in my 10cc band. This has given me nothing but no food intake for the last 2 months. I decided its not healthy. I have gone to the ER 2 times now regarding the tightness and needed fluids for the dehydration. Its no way to live. Therefore, I will be having it taken out today... Would I do it again? YES! It has taught me to eat to LIVE not LIVE to eat! Wish me luck. I still have 18 pounds to go to reach my goal weight.

Long story SHORT! I went to the ER yesterday due to not being able to get down mushies... liquids SLOWLY. Had a barium swallow test done. It showed I have a PIN HOLE opening for food to pass through, no slip and the band is in the right place. My body is just severley swollen... Dr suggested wait till the cold goes away, go to liquids if no improvement, REMOVE THE BAND! I had it done June 2nd. Anyone have any suggestions for meds/vitamin drinks to reduce the esophagus swelling and the stoma swelling?

I met my Surgeon at the hospital in the ER... My band was closed tightly shut. I am completely unfilled. I did go and buy some aloe vera juice and sipped some. Wow it seems to coat the throat well and all the way down. Looks like I will be going to liquids for a good 5 days to see if this band will loosen up!

I was banded 6/2/11 op weight 231 current weight 179. Yes, I have lost 52 lbs in 3.5 months... Here is my dilema- I was banded in Mexico and had 2 ccs put in during surgery in my 10cc band... Fast foward, I got stuck BAD 6 weeks after banding... Became REALLY swollen, almost closed shut. Had to go to the ER, and had all the 2ccs taken out. NOW 7 weeks later I am Completely unfilled and STILL feel too tight. I gurrgle all of the time, and Slime everyday! But I stick it out, (not as bad as it sounds. Its tolerable) because I am still losing weight. But I can barely eat food without PBing. Soooo, when I get to my goal weight 145 how do I stop losing the weight? I have considered having it removed... What would you do? So confused. :/

I did and have gone to the Doctor. I had a Barium Swallow test done and an upper GI. NO SLIPPAGE. He said " Some people just dont do well with the band" So there is nothing wrong with the band, just my body....

funny, I caved about 6 weeks post op to pizza breadsticks. BAD IDEA! Youll try it once and NEEEEVVVVER do it again. The Stuck episode and swelling (caused major complications for weeks) because I got stuck on a bite of pizza hut breadstick. I avoid pizza like the plague now. It hurt like the dickens and the craving goes away pretty quickly. Great job for passing it up. You did yourself a favor.

Hi everyone. I wanted to give my 2 cents on what the Band has done for me and what I have learned here as well as getting to KNOW my band... History- I was banded in Mexico June 2nd with a RElize band 11ccs with 2 put in during surgery and have lost 46 lbs. 230 pre opp. Yes, that is a lot but I have struggled with my band and finally getting to the point that I have learned how this thing in by body works for me. I had a ton of ?s. Some get scared like me and ask "is this normal?" What do I do? With the lap band and the gracousness of American Drs, from what I have learned is everyBODY is different. My Doctor in Mexico is a great doctor and did my TWO best friends bands. They have sent him 26 other people as referrals so I was able to get an exdraordinary amount for my band. 4100$ TOTAL! BUTTTTT The POST opp services at his clinic are far too uneducational.... I was not given a post opp diet. Just from what I had done homework on I got one that seemed to be the most detailed off the internet and followed it. I went to soft foods after 3 weeks and did a DUMB stupid move. I ATE A BITE OF A PIZZA HUT breadstick and got painfully stuck about 6 weeks after my surgery! Not goooood. I swelled up sooo much I was to a point I couldnt even get down liquids. I didnt know what to do so I went to the emergency room to have my 2ccs taken out. Little relief! I know why now, but then didnt understand.... 1. Being Banded in Mexico Save Money but Lacks post opp care- My doctor has numerous assistants who speaks broken english. I called to ask what to do and was told TO COME IN! Not like its next door! I said "I cant get down liquids!" Oh you need to have a FILL! A FILL? WTH? He was not understanding what I was trying to say. I couldnt even get a plane ticket to SEE the DR for 2 weeks... Didnt have two weeks. I needed Help NOW. So ER Here I come! 2. DONT EAT FOOD that is on the NO NO List!- Its there for a reason. Not being really eductated on it was the most difficult part. I did my own homework and would eat foods that really were not what I should be eating. So glad my uneducation didnt result in a slip. 3. Doctors in America DO CARE for Mexico Patients- I was in tears, not knowing why I gradually was getting tighter and tigher (thought I had slipped or something was terribly wrong with my band. I was scared to go to the doctor here thinking from what I had read that they would not touch me with a 10 foot pole. Not exactly true. With only 2 ccs then none( all was taken out during my hospital visit) and still very tight with no fill inside of my band, I had to go to a few ERs to get the help needed because most ER doctors DONT do fills or educated about bands. So I did some homework and found a hospital with a Bariatric Center the DR was so helpful. I had my ccs taken out and he did an upper GI to find out if it had slipped. No slip! Yeah, but still couldnt eat. He said to go to liquids which I did but apparently NOT LONG ENOUGH! 4. IF YOU get stuck really bad, do Clear liquids for 7-10 days! - I had gotten a lot of suggestions to go to liquids for 24-48hous but never longer than that.... There was the problem. When you get that swollen your body needs time to heal. Kinda like going back to original Post opp diet plan. Introduce softs sloooowwwly. Even the doctor here said," I dont know why you cant eat... Some dont tolerate the band so maybe we will have to take it out!" Sooo I found at the hospital I went to, a nurse and a nutritionist who put me on speaker phone. They had me tell my story, and said "you need to go to liquids for a week! Give it time to heal. Those ladies saved my mental anxiety! Now I go to their support group at the hospital to talk to other Banders! 5. Sliming is a daily routine- Ive learned MY BAND doesnt like foods before 1pm. I get a lot of mucus during the night so the first drink/food is a process. I HAVE TO EAT slowly! Take a bite and walk away for 10-15 minutes till the what I call a "SLUG" goes down. then I can eat my cup of food. 6. Liquid Lidocaine is a miracle liquid- IF you like me get band discomfort or some pain due to recent banding, I was perscribed liquid Lidocaine! Holy cow. It numbs your throught and all the way down to the band. Again, thanks to American Doctors. 7.My band is empty and thats enough! and unfills dont work instantly! Getting an unfill isnt a miraculous ordeal. It takes time to let the swelling to go down. But I have no fill or ccs in my band and it is plenty tight. Its perfect actually. I found my sweet spot! Everyone has different experiences with their band, so what I would say to all seekers of advice, to just be patient and do what youre supposed to do. Ask questions, theyre okay to ask. Hope this helps someone.

Some of us were banded in Mexico! Were we have no doctor. Its the pros and cons of getting lap band. I have come here previously for advice on what to do. Yes I was able to pay cash for my band and the doctor is wonderful, but It can get VERY expensive running to a doctor to tell them everything is okay. Reassurance IMO is why people ask questions.

Where do I start? First off I just want to cry! I feeeeel sooo alone in this process, and I can only think I did this to myself. I was banded on June 2, 2011 and have lost 36 pounds since I have been banded. Starting weight 228. Anyhow, the first 6 weeks after went flawless. I followed my post opp diet and then when I got to solid foods, I had some shredded chicken! Got stuck bad and the hell began. I swelled up and tried liquids for days. Got tighter and tighter. About 9 days ago I was so tight I could not get down liquids! I went to the hospital only for that hospital to give me fluids and turn me away... cried and prayed that I was okay. I thought Band slip, erosion, and every bad thought. So I drove 2 hours away to have an unfill of 1 cc ( had 2 put in during surgery) with little relief from the unfill. Last monday again I PBd 10 times and started feeling very weak with blurred vision. Drove myself to a different hospital with a bariatric center there. The DR was gratious and kind to help. He unfilled my band the last 1 cc so I am unfilled now.... and I stayed one night to rehydrate my body, and he did an uper GI and a barium swallow test. He said it was in mint condition and didnt know why I was so tight because he could get the scope through the stoma with no problem. If it were still not getting better to consider removing my band. ;( I dont want that at all. I was releast from the hospital to go on liquids for 48 hours. Done. then eat full liquids for another 48 hours. Done. I will say, I feel sooo much better but I am stilllll PBing well, sliming and spitting up the slime everyday. What in the world? I just want to be able to eat food again. I CAN eat soft foods now but I only eat about 1 oz at a time and full. Will this get better? Will my band loosen up? WHY CAN I NOT EAT? any support here would be greatful. How could I be fine just 3 weeks ago with 2 ccs and now unfilled and still tight with only 1 oz of food at a time. What in the world. HELLLPPPP!!!

Where do I start? First off I just want to cry! I feeeeel sooo alone in this process, and I can only think I did this to myself. I was banded on June 2, 2011 and have lost 36 pounds since I have been banded. Starting weight 228. Anyhow, the first 6 weeks after went flawless. I followed my post opp diet and then when I got to solid foods, I had some shredded chicken! Got stuck bad and the hell began. I swelled up and tried liquids for days. Got tighter and tighter. About 9 days ago I was so tight I could not get down liquids! I went to the hospital only for that hospital to give me fluids and turn me away... cried and prayed that I was okay. I thought Band slip, erosion, and every bad thought. So I drove 2 hours away to have an unfill of 1 cc ( had 2 put in during surgery) with little relief from the unfill. Last monday again I PBd 10 times and started feeling very weak with blurred vision. Drove myself to a different hospital with a bariatric center there. The DR was gratious and kind to help. He unfilled my band the last 1 cc so I am unfilled now.... and I stayed one night to rehydrate my body, and he did an uper GI and a barium swallow test. He said it was in mint condition and didnt know why I was so tight because he could get the scope through the stoma with no problem. If it were still not getting better to consider removing my band. ;( I dont want that at all. I was releast from the hospital to go on liquids for 48 hours. Done. then eat full liquids for another 48 hours. Done. I will say, I feel sooo much better but I am stilllll PBing well, sliming and spitting up the slime everyday. What in the world? I just want to be able to eat food again. I CAN eat soft foods now but I only eat about 1 oz at a time and full. Will this get better? Will my band loosen up? WHY CAN I NOT EAT? any support here would be greatful. How could I be fine just 3 weeks ago with 2 ccs and now unfilled and still tight with only 1 oz of food at a time. What in the world. HELLLPPPP!!!

Sooo, I stumbled upon this post looking for answers that I cant seem to find. My situation is just the same. I was banded June 2, 2011 and I was fine "sweet spot" for the first 6 weeks... Then suddenly my band got TOO TIGHT all by itself. I did have 2cc put in during surgery, and last wednesday I had 1 cc taken out by the nurse. I slime and through it right back up usually daily now... I dont want to slip. I just want to know if this is normal or should I get the last 1 cc taken out? I eat, or try to eat anyway, to stay alive. I havent been hungry and I cant eat breakfast or lunch. While before the first 6 weeks, I could eat anything and eat 1 cup and be full. WTH!? I am so lost and just want to have some comfort to know that this is normal or not normal. DO I TAKE SOME out or NOT? I like you, am finding this band thing is a whole different way to live. I knew it would change but to be uncomfortable everytime I eat is horrible. If I vomit, its the slime that has multiplied and needs to come up. I have tried warm drink in the am, but again just vomit the liquid right back up. Am I too tight, or will this go away soon? I tried liquids fo r 48 hours with liitle relief..;Anyone have some suggestions?

I was banded in Mexico, so I went to the local Certified Nurse here in AZ to remove some of the ccs put in at surgery. I have a 10 cc band and had 3 put in during surgery. I was fine in the GREEN ZONE for the first 4 weeks... Then I got tighter and tighter. So I went to the local Certified Nurse who does fills/unfills and she took out 1 cc. She had me do a drink test, that worked yesterday just fine. But today, I again am slimming every time I take a bite. Will this go away or should I get more taken out? I just want to be able to eat food again. I feel like food has become an absolute chore to eat. I get stuck a lot. What would you do? Take out more, or see if the swelling will go down to loosen up?

Banded June 2nd of 2011 and down 32 pounds... No pre op diet. Today is week 8 for me. Preop - 228.1 cw 196.4

So I have been banded for 5 1/2 weeks now and a few days ago I got stuck on some chicken(shredded tuna kind) Ever since then I have had more off than on episodes of feeling tight. I have read that going back to liquids helps. Is this true? So confused on what to do. I keep getting stuck. I know now what its like to slime and PB. THIS IS AWFUL. I have lost 24 lbs so far and I am losing very fast from not being able to eat. I ate soup and was fine so I go to more solids and bam, stuck again. How long does it take for the swelling to go down? Or are these signs of slippage? I dont have reflux. Please help.

So I am 6 days post opp, doing well. Most of the gas pain has subsided from my shoulder area. I have been on liquids and full liquids, so my DH bought me a small/baby sized shaved ice today. I decided to go ahead and eat it! Boy was it yummy and my tummy tolerated it just fine? Seems like a good way to get more liquids down? So why not sugar? Was this bad? Why is everything on the list sugar free? Not that it would be smart to OVER indulge on sugar like Koolaid but whats the reasoning?

Interesting! I am going to assume that you did not watch all of this episode... I watched the same on about a month ago and after the second girl talks about what she eat he wnt back to her and laughed at how little she eats. He said, " I could eat all of this in one sitting." Later to have her MENTION well this is what is eaten shortly after surgery. I was shocked too when she said that was all she ate, but after her comment, I was relieved to know that this was not portrayed as to what Bandsters eat. Hope this helps... Watch the rest of the episode...

So I was at my office and one of my co workers who has lost 50 lbs on her own (with 60 to go) found out I had lap band. No I was not as overweight as she was, but said " Well some of us HAVE to do it the old fashioned way." WITH a very sarcastic tone to her voice. I would have thought she was happy for me, but appently she is rather annoyed that I had it done! I am sooo glad I did this for myself despite what she thinks.

I am from AZ and I was banded on Thursday in Mexico. A lot different from here in the states. I checked in at 9:30 did my tests and by 10:30 I was getting the band. I woke up with the common shoulder pain and slept most of Thursday. I wasnt allowed anything to drink until the next day. Friday we left and stayed the night at the Hilton to recover for a 6 hour drive home Saturday. The pain didnt really come until Sunday. I felt aweful, due to the shoulder pain. I took muscle relaxers and vicodine to help. Sunday was hard for me to get down liquids. I could only drink 1 to 2 oz at a time, so I was thirsty. Sunday was also when Banster Hell kicked in. I THINK I was hungery, and wanted to eat everything in the fridge. I made it through to Monday which was better but still gas shoulder pain. I was soooo thirsty, and drank most of my oz of fluids. Today, I woke up pretty early and feel SOOO much better. Gas pain seems to be gone, and I have lost 13 lbs since Banded! Seems like a ton of weight to me. I have 4 incisions, that are all small and they are very sore. Other than that I seem to be doing well and very happy I made this decision.

Someone please tell me that this pain that I am getting from the gas, ( I know is normal) but will it go away? I am so scared that this isnt going to stop. I know I need to stay hydrated and drink drink drink but I am scared due to the gas pain. What did you do to help? Please suggestions! And to top it off, I started opp at 228.2 and today I am down to 219.1! Yikes.... That is the most weight I have ever lost in just 4 days. Whats up with that?

Thanks for asking!! I feel a ton better... It really does take a few days to go away. I am just to the point where I feel like I can function. Incisions are still sore, but managable... I DID however find a way to BURP. My DF had Lap Band done and she gave me the secret! SO here it goes... I put my hands onto a counter (like the kitchen counter, table etc) and bend down, make my back straigh flat, This causes the air to move and slowly bend up. I have gotten a ton of relief from this. So I hope it helps someone else feel better to. I am able to eat about 1/2 cup mushies now. YUM to fat free chili!

Okay, so here is my update...... FEELING SOOO MUCH BETTER! Im down 15.2 lbs in one week! 7 days ago this very moment I was on the Operation Table and today, my stomach muscles have finally gotten better. I can sit up without pain now. The shoulder pain has gone way down still there at times but not at all like it was a few days ago. I got to go to mushies yesterday. I never thought a 1/4 cup of refied beans diluted would taste so good. Surprisingly 1/4 was just enough food. Unlike before where I would get a can of beans add cheese and dip chips unil the can was gone! I am looking so forward to this new step in my life. FEELS SO GOOD TO BE A BANDSTER!

Wow, these comments are great! Thanks everyone for the response. I told my DH and he said the same thing. JEALOUSY! As a previous poster pointed out, I think she believes she should be getting more cuddos for losing weight the Natural way vs WLS! Hey, we can all agree, we have all tried the natural way and gained it all back. The funny thing is our VP had it done too along with his wife... I went to their doctor. She knows, but still went on and on about how She would NEVER do lap band and she was going to do it the natural way... FUNNY thing is she is doing HCG and injecting herself everyday with needles! LOL.

I was banded 6/2/11 too... My incision pain is minimal now, but i have the horrible gas pain still. Usually, after I drink the liquids. I have lost 8.4 lbs in 4 days! I am getting scared that is not healthy! Yikes.

So I am 31 years old and getting banded on Thursday.... I have done more research and I KNOW it is what I want to have done. Here are my stats, 31 5'8 225 lbs and addicted to food. I was not always overweight, and since I have gotten married and had 2 kids the 70 lbs I gained has consumed my life. I realized I was addicted to food and I had to do something. I have tried EVERY DIET on the planet including the latest "drops and 500 calories a day" diet. DIDNT WORK. I have had Chronic Migraines and progressivly getting worse. Dr says losing weight will help eliminate them. I broke down today, scared and excited all at the same time. I am realizing that I am getting ready for a divorce from my best friend, food. I know it is what is best for me, but LAP BAND wont cure the addiction. What helped? I eat when I am bored or thirsty. How did you cope with being a food addict and obeying the rules to lap band? Trust me I am a rule follower, so I know I can but the thoughts of food are not instantly going to go away. Sighhh.

From the booklet I got, says day 3-4 add protein shakes. First few days are pure liquids.