MrsColeman

Hi all, I am 3.5 years post op, have lost 4 stone and a bit with 4ml restriction. I have exercised constantly and got advice on what I should do with my arms to constant fail. My bingo wings are bringing me down, I cannot seem to shift them. Has anyone got any tips, advice on what exercises have worked for you or is surgery our only option? Thanks for reading.

Thank you for your replies, I'm thinking surgery eventually but that scar is holding me back . Apparently tricep dips all day everyday will shift them, will give it a go and report back in what maybe a year, (I've a lot to shift). Ha ha....

I have tiny fill by tiny fill as its all I can tolerate. My fill nurse would like to up ml by ml but I can't take it and feel ill instantly so we now take it slow and I have .5 every 6 months ish. I understand what he is saying and I understand how you feel, try asking for slightly more when you go and say you just want to try a .5. I got silly last year and had 6.5 restriction (not all at once but over time) and one day something happened and day by day I got pains everytime i ate but the weight was falling off so I sucked ice and carried on, I was on holiday and had to search out a clinic to give me an urgent defill, they took me right back to 3.5 and that's what I'm at now. I'm less than I was straight from surgery. My next fill is in two weeks, I'm scared but feel like I want a good fill as some weight has crept back since last year but my head is saying go tiny. I hope you get what you would like. )

Well done. It feels so good doesn't it. I took ages and ages to buy a new pair of jeans, literally until they were hanging off me (a friend who knows about my band shouted across the road 'oi skinny get some new jeans' ) I had such a saggy jeans bum going on that my new well fitted jeans were like a glove. Only thing now is that I already need another new pair of jeans. Always a great confidence boost though! Get shopping!

No, hardly been able to eat anything due to the pain. Got a defill booked for Sunday so will see if that helps to start with and if not then go to my gp on Monday for further tests or questions etc.

Oh my word, I am going through all this pain at the moment. Started last Wednesday (I had put it down to the band as I was extremely stressed - I have a very sensitive band). I am on holiday at the moment and had to see a doctor this morning with the pain. The pain is in my right shoulder and down both sides of my ribs. The Doc felt my tummy and said everything seems ok but it's hard to explain the pain and band situation to people that don't understand a band to start with. He has given me strong indigestion tablets and see my regular GP next week when home (of which they won't understand either). What do people here think i should I do please? Thanks in advance for your replies.

I've been looking for a fill specialist that's closer to me. At the moment I drive over an hour and it's one lady by herself and I can never get an appointment for weeks on end, alternatively I could go into London but that's so expensive. Wondered if anyone knew of anyone who does the mobile fills or a specialist in Essex? Thanks in advance. )

Hi all, Just wondered how many of you (and your band) are affected by stress. I've always suffered with an emotional band and the slightest mood change will play havoc with my band. At the moment my 8 year old son is being a little (insert your own word here).....wotsit lets say, at school and everyday I wake up and wonder what his day will bring to my band. Today is the worst day, I cant even tolerate Water today, I'm constantly sucking ice cubes as I presume I'm inflamed. Ice is going down nicely. If you get stressed, slightly wound up, irritable etc can you feel your band tighter?

Thanks everyone, nice to know I'm not alone on this one. ) Day two of sucking ice cubes - roll on school holidays and less stress!

Hi, Just wondered how you are doing? Did everything go well? How are you finding the restriction? And did you get the trapped air and be burping for days on end? Looking forward to hearing your story. )

Hi all, I have been banded since 3/7/09 and have always semi-watched my carb intake. I also suffer from PCOS and being carb free really helps that. I used to have Tescos own Low Carb shakes (you know like Slim Fast) but they have stopped doing them, so it seems has every supermarket and they have also stopped the actual Atkins shakes. I'm lost without them in the mornings! Does anyone know where I can get some from please? Have you seen them in some random shop? Please help me...... )

Its going to come round pretty quick for you now. Are you doing your pre-surgery diet? I lost loads on that diet. Do your friends & family know about your surgery plans? I am nearly 3 years in my journey and Im losing nicely. Ive had 4 fills and at the moment am comfortable. I also do Atkins as I have PCOS (polycystic ovaries) and that produces more fat cells and the low or non carb helps my weight loss even better. I do know what you mean - I am not obsessed but some people I have spoken to are and I find it a bit strange and couldnt live that way myself. Each to their own I say. If I fancy something i'll have it, the band helps as I cant eat a lot and cant each many different foods anyway. I think I am filled slightly too much but its just become a way of life for me now, knowing what i can and cant eat. Let me know how you get on and any questions, this is the place you will live at for the remainder of your life. Its crazy. These people feel like family and some of your closest friends......because they understand exactly.

I'd be tempted to still stick to liquids if your unsure, If getting a small unfill is not possible to clarify. In a couple of days the swelling will have subsided and you'll feel whats going on. If you can get liquids down without bringing up what i call frothy saliva then id say your probably just sore from swelling. I find this forum great for hearing so many different experiences. After a fill im very inflammed and it takes a good week for me to tolerate anything but others you read are happy eating 'normally' by day 2. If I get something stuck, fizzy pop works great for me but I am incredibly sore after. Its nice to know someone here has always had a problem your going through. I hope you get unstuck and less sore soon. Let us know how you get on.

Also if your swollen and not stuck, some people respond better to ice cold drinks as apposed to warm fluids. Think what helps you after a fill and do the same. Cold for me reduces the swelling the best. Once unstuck (if you find out you are) i'd have a couple of dispersible asprins and that will ease some discomfort.

Have a fizzy drink, you'll burp a few times, and sometimes you just bring up the chunk, that always works for me even days on. Then the pineapple juice is good for settling the stomach and can ease the pain. If youve been in pain with it you will probably be a bit swollen so i'd stick to liquids for a couple of days and then mushy foods until you can feel things going down ok again. Good luck!

Hi, I am already banded since 3/7/09 but I went to Dolan Park and it was lovely, your treated so well and made to feel very comfortable, by everyone, including the cleaners you may pass en route to your room. Hope everything goes smoothly for you. Enjoy the new chapter in your life. It's the best thing I ever did! X

I was told no fizzy and when I tried some it's so gassy, it does feel like trapped burps. However if you get something stuck its great, few sips, couple huge burps and your unstuck! I'm a wine convert now and can't tolerate fizzy.

I have the same thing too. I cant eat much at all. I cant tolerate all the things that other people on here seem to eat with ease, eggs, tuna etc.... It just gets stuck and im forever burping it down (or up). Like someone above said it may just be one bite too many, although your not eating much you may have got something lodged and thats causing the pain and then whatever your putting on top of that is getting lodged too. Try warm liquids for a couple of days again and it should clear. I tend to do that now just out of habit as it helps everything shift. Hope it eases for you.

So many of you say eggs are good, I really struggle with eggs of any kind. I feel them going down every bit of the way and its so uncomfortable. Tuna is also a big no no. My soft foods consist of mash, mash and more mashed potato.

I cant tolerate anything milky in the mornings, I now start the day with a green tea, then about 11am I can have proper tea. Cant eat Pasta, rice, bread, tuna or any fish, chicken is a struggle.... can eat mash potato, find if I make it really mushy its a nice filler and then Im not hungry for hours and mince like in chilli etc is fine.... What are you filled to?

Thank you both for your advice. I always thought the average fill was 1ml or more but after joining here today and reading through what people have I feel ok taking it slow. My nurse that does them only has me and another girl that cant tolerate a 'good' fill so I though there was something wrong with me.

I have been banded for nearly 3 years. All seems well until I want a fill. Since having my band I have only had 5 fills and 2 of those had to then be reduced again as my brain panics and I then cant swallow. My bad experience was on 12/9/09 - I went from 5.5ml to a 7ml and all was fine, the next morning I was bringing up froth and couldnt swallow. I rushed straight to the clinic i use but on the way there my hands were turning blue, the veins on my hands started popping out, I spat up half a 33cl bottle (sorry i know thats gross), I thought 'oh my god this is it, I'm actually going to die en route', bad I know whilst driving but I called my husband and told him I loved him and asked him to tell our children i love them, i was in so much pain and couldnt stop crying. I got there and went straight in, she reduced it down to 6.2 and i could breath again.....WOW the relief! I sat at 6.2 for 7 months and noticed the weight loss was slowing down so decided to pluck up the courage to have a fill, I went up to 7ml and for 3 months I was fine, ate great, weight was coming off nice and slow but then I dont know what happened, panic or something triggered in my brain and again i couldnt swallow. I went back for another defill, down to 6.5ml. I sat at 6.5ml for 8 months and on Thursday just gone (15th March) I had a fill, tried the 7ml again, sat in the clinic sipping a tea and letting it settle. Was fine for about half an hour and then for a second I thought what if i leave and it all goes wrong again. Everything then did all go wrong. She came and asked if I was ok and i said nope i need some out, i couldnt swallow again and was bringing up the froth again, she took some out, i sat up, felt ok, stood up and again the froth was there again. She then took out more and left me at 6.75ml which felt ok. She said i have a very sensitive body/band and will have to have very small fills of point .5ml each time to be on the safe side. I look at my cousin who also has a band and she goes up 1ml at a time. How can I train my brain to tolerate more? What goes on with me? Does anyone else experience this? Why cant I toterate 7ml? Any advice or other people experinces would be much appreciated. Thank you so much for reading.