Nikki Riviotta

I would have to ask you How much Protein are you taking in daily? How many carbs are you taking in daily? Are you keeping a food journal? Then the big question, How much are you exercising? If you are doing all these things the way that your surgeon has advised you to do it then you may need a fill. OR maybe your too tight, are you vomiting alot with meals? Do you seem to get stuck everytime you eat? I too was banded 11 months ago and that is a problem that I had. I plateaued because I was too tight and threw up every meal I ate. I actually started turning to slider foods for a bit because I felt like I was starving. Unfortunatley during this time I was out of town for 6 weeks and could not go see my surgeon. So when I got back he did an unfill and then I have had to work back up on my band Fluid a bit but have now seemed to have hit my sweet spot. I am losing steadily. I eat 3 small meals a day. Usually a yogart and a half of a banana for Breakfast, then I go to the gym for 45 min for and hour Mon-Fri. Come home from the gym and drink a Protein Shake and shower, then eat tuna or chicken on pita bread for lunch and a veggie if I still feel hungry after the sandwhich. dinner is usually a recipe from lapband.com something also high in protein low in carbs and a veggie. Snacks in between if i get hungry are string cheese, cottage cheese, fruit, or light popcorn. I also drink 4-5 16 oz bottles of Water daily. I would definately go in and talk to your surgeon or give him/her a call, or if they have a dietician in their office that you can speak with do that. Also if you have any bariatric support groups in your area those are so helpful and you meet and can talk to people that you can relate to and you can set goals together. I hope this helps. Good luck to you!

I have occasions where my port will hurt really bad. I have gone to my surgeon and to the ER before worried that I had really messed something up to find that everything was just perfect. The only explaination that I can offer you that seems to make the most sense is that when you were exercising you may have tweaked the muscle that your port is attached to. If the pain becomes unbearable you may want to have it looked at but most likely if you take it easy for a few days the pain should go away on its own.

My Doctor never told me no soda so I allow myself one soda per week. That for me is good. Before the band I drank soda like there was no tomorrow. But allowing myself to have one a week is like my weekly "treat" It is all about what your doctor tells you and what your preferences are.

Was 179 right before Thanksgiving. Went to 188 at Christmas. Down to 186.5 at my appointment on Jan 10, now down to 177

Well I am 13 months post op and my weight hasn't moved in about 4 months now. I have upped the gym, ,mixed up my eating plan .. journaled my food, upped my Water, even broke out the old Weight Watchers scale and started weighing & measuring.. .. nothing seems to help. I hope this isn't as good as it gets. I still need another 75 pounds off at least. Any ideas

I hit a plateau in July/Aug. Called my nutritionist she told me to go back to the pre op diet. I did it and with in a couple of weeks it helped get the ball rolling for me again. Hope this helps! Good Luck!

Great Job! Very happy for you! Keep up the good work!!!!

We usually soak ours overnight in sea salt brine with poultry spices in it. There are lots of recipies on Google, so you

can flavor it how you like.

Thank you! I will head over to google

For those of you that have Tricare. Will they cover a Tummy Tuck after WLS? I am 35 lbs from my goal and I have skin sagging around my stomach. I hate it and its very irrating...thats really the only problem area I am seeing, well that and a bit of Lipo in my thighs wouldnt hurt anything LOL... But if anyone can offer any insight I would greatly Appreciate it Thank you!

So I am hosting a Thanksgiving dinner at my house next week. I bought the Turkey and am now wondering how to cook it so that it is healthy. In the past before the band and all the changes I have made I would just Soak it in broth and smear it all over with lots of butter. Now that is just no okay for me to do. So does anyone have any good Turkey recipes or cooking tips for me??? Also if anyone has any ideas or healthy recipes for the leftover turkey ( Soups salads, casseroles etc. ) I would love that too!

Thanks in Advance and hope everyone has a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

Hi my name is Darlene and I am new to this forum. My stomach rumbles and make strange noises, it is almost like it is hungry, but I am full. I mentioned this to my doctor and he said it was because I was eating healthier now. I was wondering if anyone else has this problem. I also get the hiccups and burp alot.

Thanks for your replies.

My doc told me the painful hiccups and burps are from not chewing good enough. So I started to watch how well I was chewing my food and the hiccups stopped. As for the rumbling, I didnt have an issue with that until recently and I have been banded for 8 months. Mine is accompanied by Sharp stomach pains. I have been to the ER a few time and to the Doc, test and xrays even a cat scan showed everything looked fine in my stomach area and port, so I started a process of elimination with my diet and realized I am lactose intolerant/sensative. May not be the case here of course, especially if there is no pain with it, but if it starts to get that way you may look in to

This week has been full of slips...Dang Halloween! BUT I have taken control. My husband is in the military and works with a bunch of younger guys, anyway he leaves for a week every other week, so I have bagged up what is left of my kids (I have 3) Halloween candy which equaled out to an entire Walmart sack full to the brim and I am sending it with him to feed to all of his co workers!!!! It was a hard thing to do, as I love Chocolate....this is something I would have never done a year ago. I am so proud of my will power.....I just feel like I am ruining the fun of eating all of their candy (cause normally they get it very seldom throughout the year) but hey if they want something sweet they have fruit they can snack on just like Mom right? I am proud of this like I said there is no way I would have done that before I decided to change my life! So I thought I would share this accomplishment!

I was banded on 3/21/11 and since have lost 70 lbs. It has been quite a journey but I can do this just 35 more to go!!!

thank you. That puts my mind at ease.

I would assume a surgeon would have a better grasp on this than most of us, so yes, it sounds like good advice as long as there is no fever, nausea, swelling or chills. If you are still anxious, call your surgeon's office tomorrow and talk to the nurse. And since you have an appointment on Tuesday, it sounds like perfect timing. Good Luck.

About a week and a half ago I felt a popping sensation when I leaned over the arm of the couch to pick something up. I shrugged it off to me popping, as I sometimes do but as time goes I feel very uncomfortable sensation as if my port is moving around. Today I feel like its kind of off to my side....not a great feeling. I called the on call doc since it is sunday and he said if I do not have fever nausea or chills I should be okay to wait until Tuesday for my appointment I already have for my surgeon. (The doctor I talked to is not a lapband surgeon just a general surgeon) But I can call and talk to my surgeons nurse tomorrow if need be. I am really scared. Each day that goes by I get more and more uncomfortable. Has anyone else had this issue. Does this advise sound correct? Any advice?

About a week and a half ago I felt a popping sensation when I leaned over the arm of the couch to pick something up. I shrugged it off to me popping, as I sometimes do but as time goes I feel very uncomfortable sensation as if my port is moving around. Today I feel like its kind of off to my side....not a great feeling. I called the on call doc since it is sunday and he said if I do not have fever nausea or chills I should be okay to wait until Tuesday for my appointment I already have for my surgeon. (The doctor I talked to is not a lapband surgeon just a general surgeon) But I can call and talk to my surgeons nurse tomorrow if need be. I am really scared. Each day that goes by I get more and more uncomfortable. Has anyone else had this issue. Does this advise sound correct? Any advice??

Yes, it happened. I have lost seventy pounds since my surgery on April 25! I am so excited! I literally got off the scale and cried. I don't know why 70 is such a big thing, but I just now started noticing a change in my appearance. I didn't even realize how just HUGE I was, and now I look at myself and I feel so much happier about the way I look. I'm nowhere near done, but even if the weight loss stopped here, I'd be happy. Look at me! I haven't been this thin since I was a freshman in high school (now I'm a freshman in college)! I just can't contain my excitement!

You can even see a part of my college suite in the background of my after picture! The first one is at my Dad's pub with, of course, my dad. I think I'm around the same size!

This is my my sophomore year of high school!

YAY!!! Congrats! I am so happy for you!!! Keep up the good work! You Look GREAT!!!

This is me before and after lap-band surgery (so far!). 70 pounds down!

I was curious if anyone has experience discomfort in the area of their Fluid port once they got closer to their final goal weight? I am about 35 pounds from my goal and my port area is really uncomfortable now. I t seems like when I lay on it or sit one the couch and lean on it it is very irratable and tender....Never had a problem until the last week. Also having stomach pains and everytime I eat just alittle I get nauseated. But an hour later I am hungry again. I had fluid taken out of my band 6 or 7 weeks ago due to Gas in the pouch. I went to see the surgeon last week and had lost 10 pounds since the band was loosened so he didnt add any fluid. Why do I feel this way now? I havent done anything different. Any advice...suggestions or anything would be appreciated.

I was curious if anyone has experience discomfort in the area of their Fluid port once they got closer to their final goal weight? I am about 35 pounds from my goal and my port area is really uncomfortable now. I t seems like when I lay on it or sit one the couch and lean on it it is very irratable and tender....Never had a problem until the last couple weeks. Any advice...suggestions or anything would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

First Congrats! 31pounds is awesome. Then Second, I lost 10 pounds on the pre op diet and then another 10 pounds the week after surgery and it never came back. So most likely you will keep it off! Good Luck with everything!

I was banded 3-21-11...so your day will be my 7 month mark....I love the band. No regrets here! you will do fine! Go in with the "I will nail this" attitude and give it your all! You already took a HUGE step by joining the YMCA....If you get into going there EVERYDAY like Monday-Friday at a certain time it will become a routine and you will just do it. That is what I did as soon as the doctor released me to exercise. Good Luck to you. Friday will be the first day of the rest of your life! Run with it and you will soar!

I've always had a problem with sleeping. Once I'm asleep, I'm fine... No waking up... But it's so hard for me to actually fall asleep. I'm like you.. I go, go, go all day. My job has me on my feet all day(hair stylist/educator) and I have a problem with thinking to much at night. I've found that reading and praying help me fall asleep. Also, so does my trusty melatonin at times :-) it's weird. I'm often sleepy when I get home from work, but by the time it's bedtime I'm wide awake again.

Same here! I am a total night owl LOL! I don't work, but I am a stay at home mom and WOW the kids keep me hopping...They got to school all day BUT while they are gone I take advantage of it and do almost all of my daily house work, Grocery shopping, and of course my daily workouts at the gym. I also squeeze in my school work...They come home and its homework, cooking dinner and then baths and bed...after bed clean up the dinner mess and maybe fold laundry if I have some to fold...but by 9pm I am usually curled up on the couch with my laptop and enjoying a good sitcom....I do believe I will be investing in some melatonin myself.

No I work out in the morning the only caffeine I take in is my coffee first thing in the morning which is only 2 cups....I basically just sit and try and relax in the evening after my kids go to bed. Thats why I am stuck...not sure why the sudden change....

I had surgery in March. I am down 70 pounds....BUT now I am having trouble sleeping PERIOD...if I dont take a sleep aide before bed I toss and turn all night, cant seem to rest...all I wanna do is go go go, like I do all day....I went in to see my surgeon today and he said he has never had anyone voice this concern to him before so told me to follow up with my primary...well I am a military wife and getting in to see my primary is like pulling teeth....called and said they have no appointments available to call everyday and hope that something opens up.....that could be months from now...so I am just wondering if someone out there has had this problem and might know what is causing it?

I was banded in March 2011. . I had no problems after surgery and transitioned fine with the changes in my diet. As soon as the doctor released me I started an exercise program. I am now down 70 pounds. i am 30 pounds from my final goal weight, but may try for an extra 5 pounds off when I get there. I would not take this back for anything. If you are truly ready for a change and nothing else has worked I totally reccomend the lapband. It has changed my life. I am a brand new person thanks to the band and my new found drive to better myself. Congratulations on your choice to research, and Good Luck on finding what is gonna work best for you!

Awesome Jess! Good for you for taking the first steps to getting back on the wagon!!! Good Luck to you in the rest of your journey! We are all pulling for your success!

Thanks everyone!!! Wow that was a fast response!!! So right after I typed all of that at I got busy at researching my insurance coverage on behavior health to try to help with my emotional eating...I keep hearing that we need to fix why we're eating. Weeeell, get this...they don't cover therapy. Rude! So then...I took a deep breath (I have HUGE anxiety issues) and dialed my doctor's office. His nurse actually answers. I just blurt it out "I'm a patient, I've had my band since 08, fallen off the wagon, gained 60 lbs, I'm very embarrassed and overwhelmed. Can you offer me guidance?" With tears welling up in my eyes, if hear her reply..."Jessica, thanks for calling. We probably need to get you a fill and we just adopted a support service. Call Betty and let her know what's going on then call me back to schedule" so I call her. She's a-ma-zing! I'm crying again after I blurt it out...She tells me to take a deep breath and that we need to get back on track and that I've taken the hardest step. Informed me of the newly formed support group that meets on the 25. Told me to start a food log, shoot for 60g Protein, 64 oz Water and get a fill. Bought my journal and appointment set for the 20th!! THEN I get on her and see all of you responses! omg..amazing day.

Jess