Toddy

Tell your doctor you can't keep liquids down. Dehydration is not something to mess around with!!

I did tons of research before being banded, too. There is only one thing I didn't research that I now regret... I really wish I had researched the sleeve. The reason I didn't is because I wanted to make sure whatever I did was completely reversible. But now, after being banded for over a year, the one thing I'm completely sure of is I don't want to ever live without some sort of weight loss tool in my body. I do feel like the band will be temporary. If I had gone with the sleeve, at least it would have been permanent.

I've been unfilled twice, and not experienced any of those side effects. I just had to watch my weight very carefully until they got the problem, in my case a slip, fixed. Now I've been filled several time and am in the green zone and losing again. I've said on this site so many times... everybody is different!

I stay away from peanut butter. In my opinion, the fat and calories aren't worth the protein. For a snack I'd rather have a low fat string cheese.

For me, personally, it is very important to weigh every day... that way, if I'm going in the wrong direction, I can get a grip on it before it gets out of hand. Also, string cheese is a wonderful snack. It does have Protein and it will take the hunger away for at least a couple of hours.

A dear friend of mine had vsg the end of January. She's already lost 65 pounds, discontinued her insulin and her CPAP. She has only had one bad incident which resulted in her throwing up, but she knows what she did wrong and won't be doing that again. She's really, really happy with her decision.

The pain I had with my slip was so severe I had no choice but go to the ER. Once the band was empty the pain was gone. Mine did need to be restitched, but it wasn't an emergency situation. My doctor also told me that he had a patient come to him from out of state and he had been living with a slipped band for five years. However, everybody is different, so you definitely at least need to put in a call to your doctor and let him direct you in what you should do.

That's so sad! There are much better out there if you can find them. I'm sure your surgeon was fine, as my doctor is now. But sometimes "fine" just isn't good enough... I hope you can find someone else...

Are you in an area where you can possibly find another doctor that specializes in bariatrics? My original surgeon was in a dedicated bariatrics practice and always took time to counsel me with all the do's and don'ts. The entire staff from the NPs to the receptionist were kind and caring and acted genuinely interested in my progress and success. If I had a bad month there was no scolding or shaming! Then a year after surgery, we had to move and I had to find another doctor. The doctor I'm seeing now is a general surgeon that also does bariatrics. It is a completely different feel in his office compared to my original surgeon. Everyone in the new office is nice enough, but I just don't feel like they genuinely care about my success. There is no counseling... it's just more or less "Do you think you need a fill today." The right support can be key to success!!!!

I received a private message from a member that had seen a post about my band slipping after vomiting only two times. She was concerned about the details of what had happened to me and wanted more information. The following is what I sent to her and I thought it might be helpful to others as well: Please don't worry!!! What you need to know first is there is a huge amount of difference between a PB (productive burp) where you regurgitate food that has not yet passed through the band (which can also include slimming) and actually throwing up. Throwing up is where the contents of your stomach below the band is forcefully expelled. While PB's are not encouraged, neither are they harmful as far as causing a band to slip. The vast majority of banded people do experience PB's while they're learning how to eat properly. After each fill I have, I seem to have to go through a learning process of how to eat with the new fill, and that process can include occasional PB'ing. Now, as far as my band slip... apparently it is extremely rare to have a band slip within eight months after surgery. My surgeon is a very good surgeon in Nashville who practices with three other surgeons in a Center of Excellence weight loss surgery clinic. He was absolutely shocked when the test showed that my band had slipped. It was the earliest slip they had ever had in their clinic. He questioned me several times about how much I had actually vomited, and I don't think he really believed that I had only vomited twice... I did ask him specifically if there was a distinction between vomiting and regurgitation (because I had regurgitated several times) and he said yes -- he was specifically interested in how many times I had actually thrown up forcefully. Both times I vomited were followed almost immediately by the most horrible pain I have ever experienced in my entire life and necessitated trips to the ER to have my band emptied. However, this is not the "norm" because my surgeon had never seen this happen to a patient before and he was as confused by it as I was. So even if you do actually throw up, just go back on liquids and call your doctor and see what he recommends. Down the road, if your band does happen to slip, there will be signs. So if you're not having any problems and can keep liquids down, you're probably just fine. My doctor and I both believe that my case was just a "fluke".

I had it done, too, the second time around... when my surgeon went in to fix my band slip. I wish I had had it done in the very beginning. Studies are proving that while plication doesn't prevent band slips, it does greatly reduce the possibility of the band slipping. But on another note, your new surgeon does sound a little ... I don't know, vague maybe? I can't think of the word I want to use, but he just doesn't sound like someone I'd be comfortable with...

Believe me, you don't want to throw up. I threw up twice and ended up with a slip... but I do think I was the exception rather than the norm. Now, you have to know there are two quite different things that some people consider "throwing up". One is to regurgitate, which is not good for you, but it isn't as dangerous as vomiting. Regurgitation is simply "urping" up something that has not passed through the band yet. Vomiting is a forceful expulsion from your stomach below the band... that is what you really need to avoid. If you follow the band rules, you shouldn't have any problem. Sometimes if I overeat or eat too fast, I will get a horrible wave of nausea, and really have to concentrate on NOT throwing up. Knowing that there are consequences, helps me stick to the band rules.

I can do anything that I did pre-band. I took it easy on the stomach crunches for the first six weeks, but after that didn't worry about it. I don't even think about my band or port when I'm working out.

And it's probably not a good idea to weigh yourself again after an hour. First thing in the morning, after a trip to the loo, I have found is the most consistent.

I was banded January 2012. Started having problems in late July; had an unfill and started refilling. Same problem occurred in October. Was diagnosed with a slip and was rebanded and added plication in November. My recovery from my initial band surgery was awful. For a solid week I felt so weak and sick and lifeless, so I was really dreading going through the surgery again! However, my recovery from the second surgery, even though more detailed because of the plication, was a breeze. I never had one bad day; didn't have any pain to speak of, and no gas pains in my shoulders. I don't have any explanation for why one was bad and the other was a breeze. Hopefully yours will be a breeze too!!!

Different people have different pain tolerance. For two weeks out, yours sounds a bit severe... definantly follow up with your doctor again... don't let them blow you off...

A month from now you'll be loving this. Just hang tough till you get through the difficult part!!

We marinade what we put on the grill and ensure that it comes out moist... we've had several cookouts already this year!

The first time around I didn't feel anything at all until my third fill. After having surgery to restitch the band, it took four fills before I felt much restriction, and five fills to get to the green zone. Of course, if you've got one of those (money-hungry IMHO) doctors that will only put in .2 cc's at a time, even in the beginning, it's going to take much longer.

I agree with line-dancer that it's very important to make your house a junk food free zone!!! But we so often hear the excuse that it's not fair to the rest of the family. What?? It's not fair to want your spouse and kids to eat healthy too, and perhaps save them a life of obesity like the one we've all suffered with?????

I was addicted to Diet Pepsi, and drank at least six a day before my pre-op diet.. I quit cold turkey on the day I started my pre-op diet. Every once in a while I will take a small sip of my husband's. It immediately make my chest hurt. It is SO not worth it. I really do love Water now!!!!!

I'm interested in hearing some stories from people that have had to be unfilled and then refilled again, and the difference in getting to the green zone the second time around. I was completely unfilled in October and had surgery to re-stitch my band in November. I am at four cc's right now and can eat anything without any problems, I can eat fast without any problems, and I don't even have to chew well! I wouldn't even feel like I've had weight loss surgery except for the fact that I can't eat as much, but I feel that's only because of the plication, not the band. The first time around at 4 cc's I had to be careful of what I ate, eat slowly, and chew well or I'd get stuck. I'm beginning to doubt I'll ever find the green zone again.

Sneezing is my signal to STOP eating!! Whatever it is for you, call your doctor's office on Monday. It doesn't sound like anything major, but only your doctor will know for sure. Also, I'll bet a month from now you're loving your band instead of wondering what you've done...

First day on solids, I would definitely stay away from steak. Your body, I'm sure, is still recovering and even though it's time for solids, I'd be cautious, especially in public! I would stick to soups,or something soft. Soup is often my go-to in public and/or if my band has been irritated or is otherwise being finicky!

Frequently I stop eating because it takes me so long to eat that the food has gotten cold and unappetizing, or I'm just tired of chewing. Feeling full after the band is very different than before the band. Don't look for that "I'm stuffed" feeling because if you ever do feel that, you've eaten way too much. Pay close attention to your body. A lot of people have different "soft stops", your body gently telling you to stop. My "soft" stop is several hard sneezes. I read other people refer to hiccups, nose running, soft burp, etc.