Sojourner

I believe that the concept of learning to eat so called "trigger foods" more responsibly is a positive goal for those who feel that they genuinely want to revise their relationship with food, and understand that their maladaptive eating habits and beliefs about the role of eating and food in their lives were core issues to the development and maintenance of obesity. There are many people who are unable or unwilling to make the effort to create the necessary change to overcome their entrenched behaviors and/or beliefs. They will offer little or no resistance to the cravings resulting from carbs. In my own experience, while I do not believe that I am genuinely addictided to carbs, I have noticed the irrefutable pattern of the connection of eating unhealthy carbs leading to craving more unhealthy carbs. I find it much easier for me to simply avoid the unhealthy carbs than coping with resultant cravings. Other "trigger foods" for me, such as Peanut Butter, are not a problem for me to manage.

If this recurrent pain is difficult for you to cope with, I would definitely encourage you to discuss this with your GYN about your treatment options. In the long run, it is just not worth the risks of irritating your GI system with NASIDS. I had foot surgery times 2, and took a total of 4 Advil Gelcaps with my bariatric surgeons knowledge and approval over a 4 month time span for post op inflammation. The result was a painful case of gastritis and a 4 month long treatment with carafate to calm the inflammation. Your doctor likely knows of more options for you to get the pain relief you need. There are valid reasons for avoiding NASIDS as we were initially advised, and even when the surgeon gives permission to bend the rules, things can go wrong. Best wishes...

Prior to having my band placed, I had a significant history with GERD, and was told by my surgeon that complications were very possible. Because of that history, when my reflux got worse, I was ruled out as an acceptable candidate for the sleeve because of my GERD. After 22 months I did have to have my band removed to get some relief from my reflux. Two different surgeons warned me that I would have even more complications with the sleeve, and advised if I opted for revision surgery my only option would be bypass. So far, I am doing well with keeping my weight stable without my band and no weight gain since December. I hope you feel better....you did not mention if you were taking Nexxium. I was taking it 2X a day, and it did help the most.

Sorry Terry. Carafate is not just used for ulcers, but to provide a protective coating to the inflamed tissues that have not yet developed into an ulcer. My first hand experience with carafate, as perscribed by my bariatric surgeon, was to calm everything down and alleviate the pain. It helped immensely, with no recurrence of inflammation or pain. And BTW, I did't see any medical doctor or pharmacist credentials in your signature...J/S.

I am not a physician...however I had similar symptoms and was diagnosed with gastritis. I had to go through a 2 month treatment with carafate. It brought almost instantaneous relief from the pain. Best wishes to feel better fast...

I had to have my gall bladder removed post WLS... I had a severe pain in my left side, felt like it was a spear running from my front to back, that would not quit. It was pancreatitis, a key symptom of gall bladder issues, which are fairly common with significant weight loss. My gallbladder was removed 6 months post WLS. I hope you feel better fast.

To successfully lose weight with the band, or by any other means, one must "have their head in the game", and stay committed to reaching established weight loss goals. That means every day. No one is perfect, but those smal slips with non-compliance should not become an all out relapse to your former ways of eating. Time to pick yourself up, take an honest assessment of where you went wrong (faulty thinking, relapsing with food for comfort from stress, boredom, etc.), and get your focus back on your goals. Learn from your mistakes, and take a different path. I spent months with no Fluid in my band, and still lost weight. You can be successful if you want to. You hold the power. Best wishes...

I tried all of the above mentioned solutions...raised the head of our bed, Nexium 2X a day, restricted eating and drinking in the evenings, avoided acid producing foods. Nothing helped until my band was totally unfilled. I understand concerns Bandsters have about restriction levels and gaining weight. I was able to continue to lose even with an unfilled band. Every one is an individual, and my solutions may not work for others. Removing Fluid does not need to mean weight gain. Best wishes to feel better...

We are all unique as to our tolerances. That said, you should definitely consult with both your prescribing physician for the asperin, and your PCP. The general thinking is that NSAID meds can cause irritation to the esophagus and pouch. The possible resulting issues are painful to manage. I had 3 surgeries the first year I had my band, my bariatric surgeon had given me permission to take a few Advil Liquigels. The end result was painful gastritis which had to be treated with several months of Carafate. That is only my experience, and I am not implying this could/would happen to you. It would be helpful to discuss the possibility of alternative and safe medications for a Bandster. Best wishes...

I believe that knowledge is power. The more you know pre op, the more informed your decision to have a band placed can be. It reads to me that you have to yet gotten enough information about the band, how it works, lifestyle changes necessary to be successful, and possible post op complications to feel comfortable with your decision yet. I do encourage you to ask questions, learn more, and not move forward until you can make a totally informed decision. This is your body. You owe that to yourself. Best wishes...

It helped me to use "self talk" to avoid eating anything unnecessary, especially the bad carb Snacks. Raise your awareness of everything you are wanting to cross your lips, and ask yourself before indulging "if I eat this, will it help or hinder me to reach my weight loss goal." If the answer is no, put the candy down, and walk away. Get immersed in something to move your thoughts away from snacking and unhealthy carbs. I live with a husband who has a 34" waist and is a "junk food junkie". We always have candy, chips, Cookies, and ice cream in our home, I just made a decision that those foods were not going to get me to where I wanted to go. With practice, those bad carbs no longer are a temptation for me. Best wishes...

Your wife should really see her physician for a migraine which lasts more than a day. I have frequequent migraines, and have a strong pain med for relief. There are many other options for treatment, but they are all prescription meds. Sometimes warm compresses on the forehead and back of the neck have helped me. Just be certain to avoid any NASIDS, such as any medication which contains asperin or ibuprofen, as the risk for possible complications may be significant. I hope she feels better fast...

There is much ongoing discussion regarding fills...understandably, as for many Bandsters a fill can be a catalyst to increase progress towards achieving our weight loss goals. There is a great amount of mis-information regarding fills, what is considered a fill, and what it means when a band is "primed" at the time it is surgically placed. "A BAND THAT IS "PRIMED" DURING PLACEMENT IS A BAND WITH A "FILL". What is so important about this clarification? It is essential for us to understand that there are forum members who boast about their phenomenal amounts of lost weight and "brag" that they have done so without having fills is highly misleading. It may cause some forum members to question themselves about their own progress, and even ask themselves what they might be "doing wrong". Another consideration in the rate of weight loss and success with managing hunger is the presence of stomach "plication". The surgeon who does a plication is actually making it easier for the patient post op to manage their hunger, as the existing stomach has some additional stitching done which does seem to assist with staving off hunger for some time after meals. So it ultimately the stomach has the benefit of being smaller and emptying over a longer amount of time. The most important aspect of understanding that a primed band has Fluid in it is that bands with fill DO help with the management of hunger post op, therefore in theory making it a bit easier for the patient to manage hunger and use their band as the weight loss tool it was designed to be from day one. It is surgeon preference as to whether they prime the bands they place. My surgeon left bands totally empty when placed as he felt it helped with long term positive outcomes when the newly banded patient adjusted to the presence of the new band only, without the additional restriction provided by a primed band. The patient who has a primed band and plication actually has 2 tools to use in their efforts to have a successful weight loss journey. The plication assists with hunger management, and a primed and filled band provides a level of increased restriction and assistance with hunger management post op from Day 1. It is misleading and potentially discouraging to forum members who do not have a clear understanding of the head start Bandsters with either both or one of the additional "tools" of a primed band and/or plication have from day 1. It is human nature for us to compare our rates of weight loss with others, and that is something which may create an unnecessary negative belief about one's progress towards achieving their weight loss goals, it is especially harmful when others who actually have filled bands repetitiously tell others they are doing so well WITHOUT fills actually DO HAVE A FILLED BAND. Each of us are unique individuals, and we will all have a unique weight loss journey. Do your best to feel good and positive about the progress you have made towards achieving your goals. A loss is a loss...if it comes with the scale moving in the desired direction or if your clothes are getting looser. It was long overdue to clarify the language and terminology of fills and what a primed band really means. Others mileage may vary...and if you just want to post negative language, please move on. I no longer visit this forum on a regular basis, and won't be reading the negatives anyway. j/s... There are many who seek accurate information, and those are the individuals who my post is directed to. Best wishes to all for a successful weight loss journey...

I would suggest your conclusions are based on nothing but hearsay and rumor. You don't offer any documentation as to why the Mayo Clinic does not offer banding? Allergan sold the lapband division earlier this month and businesses selling off divisions of their own companies is not a rarity. For all you know they made a profit? So please stick to the facts when posting. And, you won't see anyone revising from the sleeve to back to normal(or the band) now will you? This exchange is an excellent illustration of why combining different WLS forums into a single site was not a good idea...IMHO. I have not visited the sleeve forum, because it does not have relevance to me or my journey to restored health and weight loss. And I can understand someone who has just gotten the sleeve done might be passionate about their choice of WLS...however, by all commonly regarded standards you are still in the healing stages post op, and have much to learn as you travel on your journey. You are not yet what this forum would consider a "veteran". On the LapBand forum, we do tend to call someone out who makes assertions regarding statistics, giving others medical information without credentials, documented medical studies, the reasoning behind significant business decisions without first hand knowledge. And some other areas, but you get my drift. If you believe everything you read online without looking for the validated information to back up the claim, then you are just stating hearsay. That can be capricious and dangerous. On the LapBand forum, we do tend want to know the origin of information posted here. Whether it be through your experiences, information given to you by your surgeon, reading documented journal studies, here we tend to want to know that what is posted has a reasonable probability of being accurate. Why? Because we want the information on the LapBand forum to be as accurate as possible. We want the "newbies" to feel that what is posted here can be believed. And we encourage one on one discussions with your own physician to answer medical questions. I am retired from a medical allied career, and it is irresponsible and unethical to advise others about what type of surgery to choose without the proper medical credentials to do so. And most physicians would never make such a long term determination without first examining the patient and discussing with the patient, the patient's goals and expectations. So, this post is not to knock anyone down, only to share important forum protocol. So that we can all do our best to be individually successful with our weight loss journeys and get along reasonably well with the "public" side of our forum participation. Wishing you well as you begin your weight loss journey...

There are some pre-existing medical conditions which can rule out having the sleeve done, just the same for the band. Because of my prior medical history, I am not an acceptable candidate for the sleeve. My bariatric surgeon did not inform me of this, however thankfully my PCP did. I would ask every question you can of the surgeon. I am aware of the trend to phase out the band by many physicians, however in the case of my original "Center of Excellence" surgeon, I believe that he no longer wanted to provide the medically necessary aftercare to band patients. The "big money" was in the new patients who were having either gastric bypass or the sleeve done. Just my opinion, and others mileage may vary...but this is your body. So be informed! Good luck to you whatever path you choose.

There are many reasons why a band can slip, and a slip does not in and of itself mean that " your band is ruined". Possibly a complete unfill without any attempt to refill your band will give your tissues an opportunity to heal. This is something I would encourage you to discuss with your surgeon. Many people have their band repositioned after a slip, though the success rates after having this done diminishes the success rate of long term sustained weight loss. My original surgeon was the one who shared this information with me. I would encourage you to explore all the options available to you prior to choosing to have your band removed. Also, most states have a professional license verification data base online. This site usually also has information regarding any legal procedures and state medical board censures of a physician, or other allied medical professionals. I have used this tool successfully to choose a surgeon for a major surgery. The surgeon I had been referred to had 2 legal proceedings, major monetary judgements levied on him as a result of medical errors. Research thoroughly any medical professional who you intend to have treat you. You owe it to yourself to be completely informed. I hope your situation turns out well...good luck.

Though some would say this topic may be a illustration of semantics, I believe that we are able to reframe our beliefs. Anything we may view as a "limitation" can be a challenge to be overcome and an opportunity for personal growth. as we achieve short term goals, it serves to help as a motivation to achieve long term success. The best part of setting and achieving short term and realistic goals for yourself is that success is built on success, and therefore reinforces the individual's belief in their own self efficacy to become successful. If we believe in the concept of limitations, it casts a negative and doubtful positive outcome to the belief system of the individual. If we view these as challenges, it does build a positive belief about the ability to be successful and self determined. Others mileage may vary...just my thoughts...

Nordstrom....of course. My old time favorite... Though when you are still moving down sizes, I would look for sales at either Macy's or Dillard's. If you pay attention to the sales they have quality items marked down to very affordable prices.

Definitely call your surgeon, but in the meantime try to sip Water or suck on ice chips. Nausea can be a symptom of dehydration, and that can cause you to possibly end up in the ER for IV hydration. I didn't realize this newly post op, and ended up in the ER. I hope you feel better fast...

Keep up your great work...it is easy to see the differences in the pictures you posted. It does take some time for the mind to catch up with being able to recognize the changes weight loss brings. Congratulations on your success!

Success with weight loss is dependent on getting the upper hand with your relationship with food. There is a psychology behind eating patterns which have taken WLS patients into the realm of obesity. Though I am not a physician, I do feel that you would benefit to see a nutritionist to devise a healthier eating plan. As a psychology professional, I can say that the other part to your equation is to reign in on your choices of food, and accept that we must adjust our beliefs about food. We must revise our thinking to "eat to live" rather than "live to eat" if we want long term success with weight loss and maintenance. I have found it useful to use sipping Water or other no calorie drinks and distraction to keep my thoughts away from feelings of hunger. And I also use "self talk" and ask myself prior to eating anything which I know I should not have, do I really want this, or would I prefer to continue to move towards my weight loss goal? The band is around your stomach, not your mind. You have an incredibly self empowering tool to use for weight loss... Best wishes....

Wonderful to read about ongoing success stories! Keep up the great job, and you will undoubtedly achieve the goals you have set for yourself...

Well done...you are looking wonderful! Keep up the great work!

The article you posted has some valid insights into the the realities of weight loss and how the number of calories consumed is not the only factor involved. That is just too simplistic to be a "one size fits all" concept. I recall my surgeon advising me that "carbs are the enemy of weight loss". I know from my own experience that if I eat unhealthy carbs, it creates a craving for more carbs. However, our brain needs carbs as it's energy source, so the key is to revise your accepted foods to include the lean Proteins and healthy carbs in accepted portion sizes. Part of the psychology behind successfully being able to do this is the need to change one's relationship with food, and to accept that the cake you may be craving is not the best choice for carbs. That equation has allowed me to continue to move towards achieving my weight loss goals. An excellent article...thanks for sharing!

Everyone is different...and I found that post op the Gas-X did nothing to help me with gas pain. What DID help me was to walk laps around the inside of my house. I was advised by my surgeon to move a number of minutes for every hour I was awake to minimize the chance of post op blood clots developing in my legs. Good luck...and best wishes for a successful weight loss journey.