Dulci

I would go to the ER. Rapid retaining of fluid can be very serious.

Getting stuck could be for all three of the reasons you suggested - eating too fast, not chewing enough, or being too full. I am tight and getting stuck often. My doc fills under fluro and told me that it looked tight, but not too tight, when I had my last fill. I am eating carefully, mindfully, and slowly (or trying to). He told me that if I can't get liquids down, come in for a slight unfill immediately at any time of the day, any day of the week. (My program is at a renowned hospital and all of the ER docs are trained to deal with band emergencies.) He also said that if I can't eat solid Protein without PBing, come in for a slight unfill. If you are not able to eat, able to drink freely, or are uncomfortable - get a slight unfill. Otherwise, be diligent with eating slowly, chewing well and paying attention. I will admit that all of my stuck episodes have been my fault. It's a learning curve.

I had my surgery and ongoing after care at Cleveland Clinic in Weston, FL. I have been very happy with the support, education and overall quality of care. I don't know if they will take on patients that had their surgery elsewhere, but it can't hurt to call and ask. The general number is 954-659-5000. Good luck.

The important thing is that it does go down, noisy or not.

I have been spending a lot less on food because food goes so much further. Yesterday, we had corned beef and cabbage. We bought the corned beef at costco, so it was a sizeable piece of meat. Last year, I would have put half of the corned beef in the freezer and prepared the other half. This year, I quartered the corned beef and froze three of them. I cooked one and still have leftovers for DH to have for lunch tomorrow. Buy what you need to buy. Measure your portions. You will be satisfied on a healthy of amount of food. If you aren't, you need a fill. The band is always with you to help you.

Gastric banding is the safest of the all of the weight loss surgeries. Find a reputable surgeon, I'd suggest going to a Center of Excellence practice. When you meet with the surgeon, ask about the complications, including deaths, at their practice. When researching your surgeon, check with your state's medical licensing board for complaints. Florida has medical licensing, physician complaints and insurance claims against doctors on the internet. I'm sure other states have that information accessable also. Getting banded is truly the best gift I have given myself.

Congrats! That is a huge NSV for your self esteem and for your health!

I love your username! As you can see from my pic, I am also afflicted with Mouse-itis. My husband has been my greatest support in this journey. My mother also knows about the band and has been supportive as well. You can be successful without everyone in your life supporting (or even knowing about) your decision. If anyone that I haven't told about the band asks about my weight loss, I tell them I have been following a prescribed eating plan and working with a nutritionist, and exercising. I had surgery on 10/28/2011. On the day of surgery, I weighed 211lbs. I am more than halfway to my goal weight of 130lbs. My only regret is that I didn't give myself this gift sooner.

You can have swelling after a stuck episode. Try a day or two on liquids.

This sounds odd, but try raising both of your hands over your head and jumping up and down. I have only had two hard stuck episodes, but both times that has worked for me.

Have you seen the doctor that prescribes your depression meds since you have had surgery? You may need to tweak doses or try a different combination of meds. I have suffered with depression, although mine is more cyclical. When I am in a bad cycle, I will self medicate by carb-loading to get a seratonin rush. If your surgeon has you on a low carb/high Protein diet, you may need to adjust your meds to compensate for that as well as for your weight loss. Also, I second Cazzy's suggestion of exercising for the reasons she stated and also because exercising can give you an increase in endorphins, which will help with the depressed feelings.

You have made some significant NSVs. The great thing about the band it that it is always there to help us.

If you put a cracker or a potato chip in a cup of warm Water, it dissolves to mush. Thus, once you chew, chips and crackers are slider foods. Foods like Pasta and rice absorb warm water and grow in volume. They also get sticky when they are in warm water. A few bites of pasta or rice can form a sticky glob and get stuck.

If you do anything that usually uses your abdominal muscles - getting up, laughing, coughing, bending, turning over in bed - gently press a soft pillow or stuffed animal to your tummy. It really helps to keep you from straining those sore muscles.

Refried beans with a little salsa to thin it. Add some low fat cheddar cheese - yummy! Creamy soups are very satisfying in that stage. Any yogurt that doesn't have pieces of fruit is a good choice. Greek yogurt is higher in protein, but for this stage, any smooth yogurt will do.

I still love food and I always will. Now that I am eating slower and chewing more, I am appreciating the subtle tastes on my palate. I no longer feel compelled to finish huge portions, so I enjoy my meals more.

Lately, I have been on a Pei Wei kick. I order the black bean chicken without rice or I will have one of their new Diner select meals. (Diner select is a smaller portion than the regular entree.) I will try anything that doesn't have a breaded and fried Protein. If we go out to a restaurant, I will order an appetizer and request that it be served with the table's Entrees. I will also order a chicken or seafood entree and take half of it home. I do not look at menus online first. This isn't a diet; this is my life. I am learning how to make better choices everyday and with every meal for the rest of my life.

I look for the healthiest Band friendly food available. I had dinner at a barbecue place a few weeks ago. They had a shredded chicken sandwich. I tossed the white bread roll and ate the shredded chicken with fork. I had a few bites from my DH's baked beans. I was full and happy.

My nutrionist said that it isn't uncommon for someone to develop a lactose intolerance after any bariatric surgery.

I told my husband that I was thinking of the surgery and explained that the band was not bypass. I asked him to go to the seminar with me. I also told him that I needed his support to be successful. I expected him to be negative, like he had been with every weight loss gimmick I tried in the past. (He was supportive of the reasonable ones.) I was happily surprised that he went to the seminar. During my preop diet, he was amazing. He would have cold Cereal or sandwiches for dinner so I wouldn't smell food in the house. Since surgery, he has joined me in following my food plan (low carb), although he eats a greater volume of food. He also told me that he did a lot of research online to learn about the band and possible complications. Getting my band has had a side effect of improving the health of my marriage too!

I have a Pure Protein bar nearly every day for breakfast. They taste good and have the best protein to carbs/calorie ratio of any bar that I have found. I use them as a meal replacement, not as a snack.

I hate working out. I really hate it. Even as a child, I wasn't athletic. However, having surgery to lose weight was a last resort and an act of desparation to be healthy. It was a gift to myself because I love me. I refuse to sabotage my efforts by failing to give 100%. Although I will never be a gym rat, I find ways to be more active. At work, I park on the third floor and the farthest end of the parking garage which adds a nice fast walk and stair climbing to my day. Since I have a sedentary job, I make every effort to be out of my seat as much as I can. My husband and I have been walking in the evenings after dinner. When I go to a store, I walk the entire store. I will swim when I can. I have an exercise and I do use it. I will never be an athelete, but I owe it myself to be active.

It would have to a giant's thumb. I can eat 1/2 cup to a cup of food.

Dulcislim

My first fill (and only) was also 4 ccs. I think I am in the green zone with one fill. I hope your fill settles in as well as mine did.