cheryl2586

I have to have snacks because I have become hypoglycemic so I usually will have greek yogurt, almonds with dark chocolate chips, 1 ounce of cheddar cheese with wheat thins reduced fat, sugar free hot chocolate made with skim milk, cottage cheese, sugar free pudding, laughing cow cheese with pretzel crisps, hummus and pretzel crisps, hard boiled egg. These are just some of the things I can think of off the top of my head.

Anything that comes back up if its full fledged heaving your guts up or just PBing there is a chance that it could go into your lungs. Also I would think anything that comes up with PBing has been in your esophagus too long which can cause dilation. I know its hard to slow down but putting your fork down in between bites helps to ensure your food is going down.

It is normal to have pain by your port and it will be sensitive for a couple of months.

I myself have had no issues with any cavities but I floss and brush three times a day after each meal. It would be the same kind of situation if you were not banded and eating a lot of candy or sweets.

No ache Fear of erosion and removal yes. I must say this though. If your band erodes it is done over time and not all at once. Once it gets through to the inside of the stomach you will have maybe a slight amount of food entering your peritoneal cavity. As the band becomes more eroded and more food and fluids escape into the peritoneal cavity you would become deathly sick as this causes sepsis or infection throughout your body. I would say not to worry about it until you see the doctor but I would tell them that you are concerned about erosion and could they do an endoscopy just to make sure it is okay.

I am four years banded and I do on occasion drink a diet coke. I don't make a habit of it but I drink it. I would think after a couple of years that your band is well attached to the wall of your stomach. If you want it drink it but don't make a habit of it.

Tea Tree oil is good for healing and itching also lavender oil. It can go on the incision also.

Most people use the holidays and all the goodies as an excuse to eat whatever they want. So now here it is almost the new year so what will your excuses be now? I have said this a million times that for us holidays are for family not to stuff ourselves with food. I don't bake anymore on the holidays because sugar is my trigger. If we are going to a party I will bake then leave it where ever I take it. I have no control over sweets so I just have to stay away from them. There are no major holidays between now and Easter that would require sweets and bad food so now get back to doing you and get the devil out of your head. Just because we had wls does not help with the emotions or the head hunger. If you can get that beat then you will be successful. Whenever I go for food I ask myself are you hungry. Most of the time no I am not and I get some water and go back to what I was doing. The only way you will achieve your goals is to stop making excuses. Actions speak louder then words. You don't have to talk about it just do it. Wishing everyone new and old a happy and prosperous new year. It is always in us to do what we want but our excuses make it hard to do right. If you are not truthful to your self how can you be truthful to others. Just a random thought.

The whole purpose of the band is not to need those diets anymore. No I am not being rude when I say this. All the things that didn't work for us preband will not work post band. Let your band help you. There is no need to diet anymore. Just eat protein filled foods and good carbs such as vegetables and the weight will come off. You don't need atkins, slim fast, south beach, weight watchers anymore. Eat what your doctor told you too and you will be just great.

Karen I am with you on the Maryland crab cakes. My fathers family was from Cambridge and my Aunt used to make the best crab cakes. I remember her sitting at the table with a bushel of crabs and clean and pick them all. Then there was heaven when she got done.

You probably did nothing to the band if its been that long ago. The band develops scar tissue to attach its self to the wall of your stomach. Call your doctor anyway to make sure he feels its fine.

This is one thing that people need to understand: you can get all the fills in the world but it is not the fills that make you lose weight. Weight loss is achieved by eating less and burning more calories. Your band is working if you are not hungry for three to four hours after eating on small amounts of food.

Her failure does not relate to you and what you are doing. Let her example be the reason you will succeed. You will do great as long as you know this is forever. All of use can gain weight back if we stop doing what the plan says to do. If you follow your plan like your doctor put in place for you, you will be successful.

Meat has always been an issue for me and it really has nothing to do with emptying your band. Even without fills I can not eat meat mostly. If I do once in a while and it works then fine but honestly I don't miss it. Being a vegan is not as bad as you think. I have made some very good recipes like black bean burgers and black bean casserole and cooking tofu in other things. Although at times I would like a piece of meat it is not essential to live. I buy all vegan products such as Boca burgers which taste just like hamburger's and Boca ribs. These are all soy products that taste great and taste like meat. Try different options before you give up on your band. Like I said meat has never been an option for me even when I had no fills so getting unfilled may not be your problem to eat meat. You just may not be able to tolerate it.

As far as the answer of us saying call your doctor it is because we can not medically decipher if you are having a medical issue. Chest pain, leg pain, any kind of pain you are having that is not normal should be told to your doctor. Those who say they hate to bother them that is just ridiculous because I am sorry they are getting paid a lot of money to diagnose you properly or tell you to go the Er if they think something needs immediate attention. As far as this forum goes there are many people from many different places and stages in their journey. When someone seems rude to you I would really like to know how you can determine that assumption from written words. I have never since being in this forum ever written anything out of anger. But have been presumably called rude, hated, need to mind my business but isn't people posting things in an open forum our business if you post it. You will never get the answer you want to hear if you are admitting you just blatantly decided to eat what you wanted for a month or two (this is not literally either its just a statement)and wonder why the scale is not moving. There are just some people who have followed their doctors program exactly how it was made for them but want to know what everyone else is doing. What works for me is not necessarily going to work for you. I never went by anyone's elses plan's here. I took the plan my doctor gave me and that is what I used. I have not at anytime put my diet on here so that others may follow it. It is not for you it was made for me. I can give ideas of high protein foods but would never expect anyone to eat the way I do.

As far as buying clothes go you will keep trying to buy that 2x or 3x for a while. I used to get upset when I would go to Ross for clothes and still have to buy a 2x but it was not because I needed to wear that size but all their clothes were cut much smaller. Now when I go shopping I don't worry about sizes anymore I just get what fits me and know I am not a 2x or 3x anymore.

Honey it's really how did any of us get so big and not see it. I never took full figured shots and always made sure it was from the neck up. One Christmas about 15 years ago my cousin took a picture of me and I wanted to die. I was almost 300lbs but I never saw myself as being obese. I worked two jobs, had two teenagers, was going going going so I did not think I was that big. My weight never fluctuated as an adult. I weighed the same amount for 20 years I think. But I never weighed myself I just knew what size clothes I wore. It can be a rude awakening when you finally look at yourself and see all the rolls and to me it was very disheartening. I know now when I gain weight without even weighing because I get those rolls in the back that stick out of my bra. It doesn't matter how thin I ever get my body has had it. The only thing I can do is hide it with clothes and hope no one but my husband ever has to see me naked. I'm not sure that it looks much better thinner but I feel better.

Call your doctor for an unfill

I think sometimes you don't remember how it feels to be satisfied when you have been banded for a long time. You may just not be eating properly to feel satiety. Have you tried to do the 5 day pouch test as I would recommend anyone to do that has been banded for a while. It will allow you to see if your band is properly adjusted. If you Google the 5 day pouch test you will find it. In answer to your question to what happens when your band is totally filled well there is really nothing else to do unless you choose to have a larger band placed. That is why I recommend to newly banded people to not be in such a hurry to get filled up because you have the rest of your life to be banded and once your band is totally filled to capacity there is nothing else you can do and its basically on your own after that. You might want to talk to your doctor about your options. Good luck on whatever you decide.

Go to the ER your band is probably slipped. I don't understand why people post here serious issues instead of taking care of yourself.

I am sure it has to be there some where maybe just not visible to any xray or ct scan. You might have to do it with contrast. I am certain it probably is displaced. If you have gained weight it just might be hidden. Because it is plastic it can not be absorbed by the body. It may pick up on an MRI. But it cant be gone.

Again as I keep saying everyone takes out of a post what they want and hound on it. The only thing that you all are hounding on or have taken from this post is "someone is bragging" three words that is all. The point of the whole thread was that when a band is primed it has a fill. That was the education that this post was trying to make known. I clearly can never understand why some of you take what you want from a post and begin to hound on it like that is all she was saying.

Great topic Carole with good information

Call your doctor

I know you have heard this a lot on here but just because you can eat more you shouldn't. You have to measure your portions out to a cup and that is all. I would never eat regular food after a fill. Most of us are on clear liquids at least for 24 hours after a fill, then mushies, then back to solids. Fills sometimes do not take affect for a couple of weeks. Do not test your band. You are not giving yourself enough time while eating to feel satisfied. I know it's hard because everyone is used to eating fast but you have to learn to take 30 minutes to eat and at that time whatever is left leave it. Set your alarm on your phone for 30 minutes, take that long to eat and what every you have left throw it out. The problem I see is that your fill is going to kick in and you are going to have one hell of a stuck episode.