Toddy

I liked most of what you said and I'm glad it works for you. I, however, am one of those unfortunate ones that had a bad slip that had to be repaired surgically because my band was too tight... and I was less than eight months post-op when it slipped and had only thrown up twice. Not everyone can tolerate a "too tight" band.

I think men that are that unsupportive are just really insecure. They think you're going to get skinny and run off with someone else. Maybe if you try to reinforce that he's the one you want to be with whether you're skinny or fat,, maybe he'll feel more secure. But right now, this is about you and you getting healthy... if he can't understand that, well, maybe he's the one with the problem! Here's to your future good health!!!

When your swelling goes down from the surgery, you may find that you don't have any restriction in your eating at all and that you get hungry A LOT! This can be very disappointing if you're not prepared. As you go to the doctor and get your fills, it may take two or three or more until you feel restriction and can tell that the band it doing its job. When you reach the point that the band is doing a good job helping your control your portions and keeping you full, but it is not so tight that you're having trouble with reflux or keeping food down, then that is called the green zone.

I come from a wine family... father owned a vineyard and was a vintner, so I was weaned on wine (slight exaggeration). Anyway, wine has always been a part of the evening meal and that hasn't changed. Yes, it has slowed down the weight loss some, but I am still losing. To me, living and losing with the band is about your lifestyle... if you can maintain that lifestyle long-term you will be successful. If you make your diet unrealistic for the long-term it will just be another diet... and most of us know, that weight is always gained back, plus more!

I feel very lucky that I'm not one that has mourned the "loss of food" after this surgery. I love that I can only eat a little bit and I'm done. My first time to eat out after surgery was with a group of friends that didn't know I'd had wls and we went to lunch at Paula Deen's Buffet ! I ate my little bit until I was satisfied and stopped. When we left, all the other women were moaning and groaning about how stuff they were and I felt great. The only problem was when dinner time rolled around, I was ready to eat again and they were all still stuffed, so I had to eat dinner alone.

I just had my slip repaired and had plication done on the 15th of November. I'm not sure why, but this surgery was SO much easier to recover from than the original band surgery! The only reason I can think of for that is that my body was already used to a much smaller amount of food. I didn't have any of the weakness and light-headedness that was so extreme with my first surgery. One week to the day after my revision and plication, I was re-arranging my living room furniture by myself and decorating for Christmas!! Hopefully yours will be easy, too.

Nothing worse (or better;-) than too big undies!! I put on a pair of slacks and a blouse today and it just didn't look right. I experimented with tucking in the blouse and putting a belt on and it worked!! I haven't done that in YEARS!! By the way, my doctor gave me two names of doctors to follow my plication progress and one was Dr. Enochs... I'd still like to find someone closer to Jacksonville if you know of anybody doing plication in that area.

Last year, after I made the decision for WLS, I had my annual GYN exam and my annual physical. Both of my physicians were 100% supportive of my decision. I really feel like WLS has come such a long way in the last few years that it is getting to be more widely accepted in the health care field as well has the general public.

I never had trouble with the 60 grams. If it needed to beef up the protein at the end of the day, I did a shake or Isopure.

My doctor's office had me watch a couple of videos, and gave me a lot of handouts. It was up to me to read the extensive info they gave me pre-surgery. I've always known they were there if I needed them, but they also expected me to educate myself with the info they gave me.

My doctor didn't think my band has slipped because I was only eight months post-op. I also had no symptoms other than severe pain after vomiting two times. After the second episode of pain necessitating a complete unfill, I had a barium swallow and had indeed slipped. My doctor said I was the earliest slip his clinic had ever seen. I don't think he believes that I only vomited twice!

So sorry for your pain... but it is temporary. YOU will have the last laugh! Congratulations on your journey to getting healthier and happier!!!

I couldn't read your entire post, but are you tracking what you eat, and I mean every blt, bite, lick or taste? If not, do that. If you are, and you really aren't overeating, there may be some other medical problem and you need to see your primary care physican.

Oh, and there is no stupid question! Plication is a procedure where they fold your stomach in and stitch it up. It is in the study phase in the U.S. so not all surgeons are doing it. It is very similar to a gastric sleeve. It is done in combination with the band to help with weight loss. It is also supposed to cut way down on the possibility of band slips.

It paid for the band repair. There was no charge for the plication because it's a procedure that is still being studied in the U.S.

I didn't have any signs other than being too tight and vomiting twice followed by horrible pain. I had a barium swallow before they started refilling the second time and that's when the slip was diagnosed.

My slip was just the opposite... it just looked like I had a large pouch. Anyway, it was surgically repaired, and my surgeon plicated my stomach while he was in there doing the band repair, and my recovery from this surgery was a breeze. My recovery from my initial lap band surgery was horrible!

I just had my slip surgically repaired and plication done at the same time. I don't know if it was just me or what, but the second surgery was A LOT easier to recover from than the initial surgery. I think maybe it was because I was already used to so little food.

I would try to get a preventative Rx, too, if I was really afraid. I've read on these boards about people that throw up on a regular basis like it's no big deal. For me, it was a big deal. I threw up twice, both times were followed by horrific pain, that necessitated unfills to relieve the pain. It actually did wreck my band and my doctor had to do surgery again. I'm not telling you this to scare you, because from reading these boards, lots of people with bands throw up, with apparently no ill effects. Also, remember there is a distinct difference between throwing up, and regurgitation -- regurgitation is spitting up with no forceful expulsion. But if you're concerned, have an anti-nausea medication available.

Me too! Call your doctor's emergency number. My doctor met me at the office after hours one time so I wouldn't have to incur ER expenses.

My surgeon says sleeve is better for diabetics if that helps any.

Everyone is different. Some can eat anything they want; others have stuff they can't eat. Personally, I stay away from pasta and rice. Sometimes I can eat bread; other times I can't. I've never been a cereal eater, so I don't know about that one.

I can't say enough good things about my doctor and his staff! I never once felt like they were in this for the money; they are in it for me and to Celebrate my successes and to help and be supportive when I'm not so successful! I would have never gone on this journey with a doctor I didn't have 100% confidence in!! Some of the things I've read on this forum that others say about their doctors just blows my mind -- and they pay good money to be abused (figuratively) by these jerks!!! Sadly, I'm going to be moving out of state soon and have to find a new bariatric surgeon in the Jacksonville/Wilmington NC area. Anybody got any good recommendations??

I know exactly how you feel! After years of yo-yo dieting, I've put four Rubbermaid tubs of Fat Clothes in the attic. I wish I had the confidence to just toss them! I promised myself that when I've kept the weight off for two years, they're out of here!!

I had two episodes of vomiting that were followed by EXTREME pain that required a partial unfill the first time and then a full unfill the second time. Once I was unfilled the pain went away and I was fine... no symptoms whatsoever and could eat and drink just fine. We did a barium swallow test before we started refilling the second time and discovered the slip. So, to answer your question, I had temporary pain, but it was relieved by the unfill and then I had no symptoms of a slip at all.