La_madam

This is exactly what I do, I carry a small for ( crab fork) in my purse, it really helps to slow me down and take small bites Take it slow on your first solid meal

Ok I apologize..let me answer it best I can for my situation.. I have had 2.5 ccs in my band and was able to eat bread rice Pasta and had restriction , you sound like me We all are so different in what we can tolerate and at what fill level we can tolerate certain foods at.

Cute idea, at this point I will try anything

I sold my convertible mustang...Now thin, I wish I had it back to cruise the town in

Good Job Vines, Keep on Truckin' (downwards) I need to see the scale move here soon myself , I have been stuck for months. These last 5 lbs are killin me to get off. Congratulations!

I can eat bread pasta and rice, and have been able to since day one, but just because I can does not mean I do or should Have you ever read this site? http://lapbandtransformation.com/Adjustments.htm Sometimes it is an andjustment in our attitudes and our heads that we need and not our bands. I know ofr me that is the case. I have 1.5 ccs and I have restriction but I choose to eat the wrong foods PLAIN AND SIMPLE! For me restrction comes from the foods I eat. I can eat junk all day long and have zero restriction but if I eat steak or chicken I have restriction, maybe take a look at the foods you are eating and see if you are following the rules of 60 grams of Protein a day and hard Proteins first, following these two simple rules make a big difference. I would hate to see you have more fill if you havent tried to eat steak yet. , Do you journal what you eat? I started doing this last week on the food journal thread and it is amazing to me how much this helps me to stay on track.Ive been on track now for almost 2 weeks, since posting my food I make better choices. Writing down your food intake you may see that even though you are eating 1/3 of what you ate before, it is not how much you are eating but what you are eating that is the problem. When you eat your bread, pasta and rice are you eating those things last and eating your proteins first, then veggies, then fruits, then those carbs? That makes a difference also. Check out the link I posted here, it may be very helpful to you. Good Luck

I use my 5lb dumbells every night on my arms while watching TV for 15 minutes and have noticed a huge difference....it does not get rid of all the flabbines but there is a difference

Great News!

I agree if water is not goinmg down you may need a small unfill..when I had 2.5 cc's in my band was when my gastritis started..the tighter you are the more higher the chances of reflux and gastritis. You can have as little as .2 ccs removed and you will be amazed at the difference but still have restriction but water and liquids will go down fine.

Just has to post last week I ordered from Kelli ( dylansmom) some puddings and cookie mixes from her Watkins web site, and if any of you like Snickerdoodle cookies or old fashioned Tapioca or Rice pudding, you got to order some, they are FANTASTIC and so easy to make. Kelli those were the best snickerdoodle cookies I have EVER tasted as well as the Tapioca and Rice pudding, I only had a bite of each one but I am definately going to order more, my family inhaled all of it

Depends on how bad it has slipped, I have heard it can be unfilled for a few months and possibly fix itself but most have had to have it removed

Pre Op tests in Mexico are very basic, they are nothing like here in the states. Here in the states they do an EKG to make sure your heart is in good shape, they run much more extensive tests. In Mexico it is a blodd test, you speak with a cardiologist, you speak with a pulmonologist, have a chest X-ray and you are on your way I'm very very sorry to hear of your firends passing. Will there be an autopsy preformed, how does he know it was a heart attack? Was your friend a memeber here at LBT, I remember speaking with someone who was goping to Mexico and then having a vacation afterwards...I'm wondering if it was her and if so what was her screen name here My Condolences

Possible slip? I was told to look not being able to keep down solids and instant vomit is a sign of a slip. I hope in your case it is you are just too tight and may just need a small unfill. Good luck with the GI

Robyn, I can feel your pain, my husband has been battling the same demon for years, he has chronic back pain 2 herniated discs from an automobile accident he was in 10 yrs ago and has had 3 neck surgeries as well, he is addicted to pain meds, he takes 10-15 norco a day, he also wears a pain patch, these pills are very easy to become addicted to and it does not help you had a doctor who gave them out like candy..I will be praying for you and your family. It takes alot of courage to come here and post what you have posted. I admire you for that I'm happy you are getting the help you need to finally get this monkey off your back . Best of luck to you.

if it were me I would not take any alka seltzer,I was told no more carbonation and it is not worth the risk.. there are many other cold remedies out there I personally prefer Tylenol liquid sore throat and cold medicine, it works great. Hope you get to feeling better soon

Trish, so happy to hear you are OK. We were all worried about you

Gl safely ad you are home, sounds like you had a great time in NYC, is Christina visiting you for a few days in Cali? What do the two of you have planned while she is here in Cali? Were you able to meet up with Alexandra or any other bandsters from LBT while in NYC?

I had my band unfilled for 2 months and took prilosec and it got better, but it can come back..I am having another endoscopy on Oct 31 to make sure everything is OK. Maybe you can ask your Dr to do an endoscopy since it is the only way it is detected. I remember all too well how throwing up used to make me feel so much better. Here is more info on it Symptoms of gastritis do not always correspond to the extent of physical changes in the lining of the stomach. * The stomach lining can be examined with an endoscope, a thin probe with a tiny camera on the end that can be inserted into the stomach. * Severe gastritis may be present when the stomach is viewed without symptoms being present. * Severe gastritis symptoms may be present despite only minor changes in the stomach lining. * Elderly people in particular have a much higher likelihood of developing painless stomach damage. They may have no symptoms at all (no nausea, vomiting, pain) until they are suddenly taken ill with internal bleeding. In people who have gastritis symptoms, pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen is the most common. * The pain is usually in the upper central portion of the abdomen (the "pit" of the stomach). * Gastritis pain occurs in the left upper portion of the abdomen and in the back. The pain seems to "go right straight through" a person as it travels from the belly to the back. * People often use the terms burning, aching, gnawing, or sore to describe the pain. Usually, a vague sense of discomfort is present, but the pain may be sharp, stabbing, or cutting. Other symptoms of gastritis include the following: * Belching: Belching usually either does not relieve the pain or relieves it only briefly. * Nausea and vomiting: The vomit may be clear, green or yellow, blood-streaked, or completely bloody, depending on the severity of the stomach inflammation. * Bloating * Feeling of fullness or burning in the upper part of the belly In more severe gastritis, bleeding may occur inside the stomach. Any of the following symptoms can be seen as well as those already mentioned. * Pallor, sweating, and rapid (or "racing") heart beat. * Feeling faint or short of breath * Chest pain or severe stomach pain * Vomiting large amounts of blood * Bloody bowel movements or dark, sticky, very foul-smelling bowel movements Any or all of these symptoms can occur suddenly.

Yes I did , it was gastritis and was detected through an endoscopy, however my symptoms did not star until Iwas unfilled after I found out I had gastritis, a couple of symptoms of gastritis is always having to burp and a full feeling in the upper abdomen and back, vomiting, Gatritis , I was told was common amongst us bandsters but many never know they even have it. I was one of them. Definately let your Dr. know of all of this. Symptoms of Gastritis The most common symptoms are abdominal upset or pain. Other symptoms are belching, abdominal bloating, nausea, and vomiting or a feeling of fullness or of burning in the upper abdomen. There are many sites with info on gastritis.

*Sigh* No movement on the scale for me this week...

Congratulations! I remember that feeling when I hit One-Derland. Oh happy Day for you

I have felt the same thing on the other sites, I wont mention their names but we all know which sites they are. I NO longer go to those sites for that reason myself. Thanks for the compliment, LBT feel like one big happy family, lots of love and support here, glad you found us here

We make pumpkin shakes at home alot, we use a vanilla frozen yogurt with the pumpkin pie fillling and a little skim milk w/ 1 packet of equal and then put it all in a blender. I als make sweet potatoes in the microwave then mash them like mashed pototoes add some butter and brown sugar, my kids love this! A little fattening for me so I just take 1-3 bites just ot get the taste

1 cc is huge in a 4 cc band. having as little as 1/2 of a cc can make a huge difference in your restriction just as having as little as 1/2 of a cc removed if you are too tight will make it som food will go down but you will still have enough restriction to lose weight. Many doctors will tell you it may take 1-3 fills to get it to a level wehre you feel restriction. Alot of people do not notice a difference afer their first fill. Do not get discouraged. Remember though just becasue you can eat that much does not mean you should...this is where your head has to come into play with the band. I know it is easier said then done. Ask your Dr. to give you a small fill, you may be suprised at the difference .5 cc's will make. My Dr. took me to 2 ccs at my last fill and it was tough to get Water down, he backed off to 1.5 and that was a good ammount. Hang in there and dont give up! You can do this

My Dr. does not numb before he fills either and I can only speak from my experience, it is not bad at all, just a tiny little sting that only lasts for a second, once he access your port there is no pain at all..you may be worrying for nothing There is a cream you can buy at the pharmacy, my son used it for his chemo on his port , we would put it on everytime before he went for his chemo. it is called Emla Cream. Here is a site below where you may be able to order some for when you go for your fills. It works great. My son never felt a needle once for 3 yrs of chemo. You just put it on your port site an hour or so before you are going to be accessed This site tells you about the product http://www.emla-us.com/ This site is where you can order some online http://www.westcoastskin.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.search&product_namefilter=Emla&ovchn=GGL&ovcpn=wcs_otc_google&ovcrn=emla_cream&ovtac=PPC