LeeB1946

I have to sip water after every fill. Have had 4 and one small unfill. Never had to gulp. Have done the barium at one year check and sip that too.

AF vet here too, but a long time ago. Have friends that had weight loss surgery at military hospital. Spouses and retired vets were eligible. No active duty because of the recovery time. Might check there. B Best of luck.

Have used hemp protein (Washington Resident) won't smoke mj as it gives me the munchies. I tried it once and I did inhale!!!!LOL! I lived the hemp protein but mine is a stomach turning green and when I mixed it with milk it did not look much better. Took it into a bedroom and drank it with the lights off and it was ok.

I too have the same issue after giving away 90 pounds and now have slowed. Have only lost about 9 pounds since January 1. Need about 10 more, but that will be slow. Winter rain kept me from walking and you will not get me in a gym at gun point. So, I do the 12 pound bounce. Up 2 down 2, up 2, etc. Today the sun was out and I did about 2.5 miles with the first .25 mile being about an 8 per cent grade. That alone used to take me 2 to 3 stops to catch my breath. Today went up it in less than 10 minutes. Did the complete 2.5 miles in around an hour and that was with a stop at the mini mart for a string cheese and a bottle of water. Maybe a small fill might be in order or a chat with dietitian and hopefully your surgeon offers support groups that you can attend. Best of luck.

I walked a little each day. Incresing the distance each time. Never thought to karate chop it though. It goes away.

Discussed pop corn at my support group this AM in Seattle. I have a problem with it. It is a binge food if I am not careful. I pop regular pop corn about 3 tablespoons in a brown lunch bag in the microwave for about 2.4 seconds and it is nice and soft and melts before I get it all chewed. Have to careful how many times a week I do this. Could do it 7 evenings per week while I watch METV, a channel that shows old TV and movies. That Perry Mason, what a guy!

Hang in there kid. I used a lot of sugar free popsicles to get me through. I must admit my badster hell did not begin until I was about 8 to 10 months post surgery and most of the weight was off and I am now down 90 plus pounds and my band had to be adjusted because it was just a little too tight after I lost the weight. I am now having hunger issues. Oh, for a popsicle but I do my best each day to stay positive. If the TV drives you nuts and you can turn it off that is the best thing to do. I go to Overeaters anonymous meetings about 3 times per week to get some strength as well as my monthly support group where I had my surgery. It will work itself out and in no time you will be shopping up a storm and melting your plastic away just like the pounds are melting away. Best of luck

thanks Happy Momma. I did find a plastic surgeon to work with my general surgeon. Plastic surgeon said Medicare will approve a "skin amputation" and nothing else. No tummy tuck, nothing off the lower back which after I saw the picture she took almost is as bad as the front. The amputation can be approved to get the skin out of the way for the general surgeon to go in and repair the hernia and the muscle realignment needed after my 3 colon surgeries in 2006 and 2008. So, looks like I will get some help from insurance afterall.

You need to get with your new doctor's staff. PA's, dietitian, nurse, etc to get you started again. I would suggest go back to square one. Liquids just like you did after surgery for a period of time prescribed by doctor or his staff. Then on to the soft and then solid. I am sure you new doctor will be able to provide some menus and cooking ideas to help. So, sorry to hear you had a bad experience with a non supportive doctor.

Had surgery 2 19 13 with 2cc in band. Six weeks later had 2 cc and the 1 and then .5 and .5 with my last fill being 9 3 13. Yesterday I had .5 removed due to the fact that I have been coughing and spitting up phlegm after I eat. I had 6cc for over 7 months and it took that many trips back for fills to get it right. Every 6 weeks until I saw green for sure. 90 pounds gone with about 10 in the wings waiting to go. Everybody is different. Read about one man who had 18 fills before he got it right.

Had 2 cc at surgery 2 19 13 and a fill every 6 weeks starting 2cc and then 1 cc and .5 and .5 until I get to 6cc and then I hit the green zone and have not had a fill since. I think small fills more frequently are best or at least were for me.

Have lost 90 pounds with my band. I was banded 2 19 13 and lost most of the weight in 9 months. 10 pounds from November through Feb and now have about 10 more to go. Would do it again. Love my band.

It will depend upon the doctor. I have told by several people that finding a different doctor to see you can be difficult. The people who have bands done in Mexico seem to have issues finding a US doctor to see them.

Have had 3 stuck episodes and they lasted hours not minutes. The last one was almost 3 hours long and I slimmed like rabid dog. Not fun, so have learned to be careful. Even if I get too hungry I eat slowly and chew. I usually don't want to eat after a "stuck" but can get a little liquid such as water down and then after everything is clear I can eat some mushy food. I was told by my dietitian to go back on liquids such as the protein shakes we used at first. Then after about 24 hours of that it is OK to go solid again. I have never gone the 24 hours but have done liquids for several hours before eating.

One year and 90 pounds given away I have been asked 3 times in the last month to speak before a group of new comers at the weight loss clinic that did my surgery. I tell them what I was like and show pictures and then share the journey. Don't have to show current pic because they can see. Hopefully, I have inspired some of them to look into surgery.

Have my band for 1 year and have had some pain lower left below the port area. Overeating will make it worse. Sometimes passing a little gas helps. Was told normal.

Yes, this can be true. It happened to me early on. If I ate as much as 200 calories more per day for a couple of days the weight would come off faster. It is the thing about thyroid thinking it is starving. Feed it a little extra and it speeds up I was told. As far as the scales goes. Well, toss that sucker. I bought a digital scale and have gone through 3 batteries in 6 months I got weight so often. My dietitian keeps reminding me to not get on the scale, but I am hooked. Need to start a scales anonymous group I guess. Best of luck.

Me too. Have about 12 pounds to goal. Then I asked the doctor what happens. He said not much as the band stays in the fluid stays in and the body just stops loosing weight. I have given away 90 pounds in the past 18 months. Have had the band for 1 year now. The reality of the fact that the loosing phase is nearly to an end makes me sad. Now, I have to grieve the part of me that is gone. Sounds strange, but have to deal with it or my old self will come back. So, maybe time to talk to psych and the dietitians about what to do for maintenance. Great topic.

I was told no alcohol for 3 months. Then when I did drink I had 3 sips of a gin and tonic and was full. I have had a total of 2.5 drinks in the past year. Don't drink fast and watch out as it hits harder and faster with the band than without. Happy birthday.

Named mine Audry after a character in a musical. In the musical "Little Shop of Horrors," the man eating plant Audry has a great line, "feed me, feed me." Thus my band, Audry, will let me know when I am in need of eating, and how much I can eat. She says, "feed me!" and I give her 3 oz of food, and she makes a burp and we are done. Should I try to eat more and she alerts me to my overeating my burping loudly.

Medicare does cover the follow up on the band. At the time I was in pre op Medicare had not decided to cover the sleeve and I had really wanted the band in the first place. I was told Medicare will cover removal but may not cover another surgery. The sleeve is good as it does not require the after care that the band does, but it can't be removed or reversed. I have known people who chose the sleeve because they did not want to go back for fills. I went back every six weeks for the first 6 months until I got to seeing green really well. Have not had a fill since September 6, 2013, and carry 6 cc in my 10 cc band. Given away 90 pounds as of my one year bandaversary and happy with what I have done. Best of luck in whichever you chose to do.

I too have brain or head hunger. I call my partner in surgery. She ad Ru n Y bypass one month before I was banded. We see each other weekly at an OA meeting and get lots of support and are there for one another when are heads are hungry. Play with your band, give it a name, and when the head hungry feelings creep in tell your band he/she is not hungry and to please tell your head the same. I know it sounds silly, but it works for me when my head says eat and tell "Audry" to tell the head to shut up. Sometimes I even use slightly stronger language. Audry was named after the man eating plant in the musical "Little Shop of Horrors!" Her line was "feed me, feed me!" When Audry wants to be fed she lets me know when and how much to eat. "

Was banded 2 19 13. At one year check in I have given away 90 pounds. Would love to get off another 13. Weight loss has slowed down but is steady. Only lost 7 pounds in the last 3 months, but still going in the right direction. Have been asked twice to speak at groups of newcomers seeking surgery to tell my story and how I have achieved the success I have had. Good look to those of you out there banded on 2/2013.