brianb

Thank you Skiddles. Thinking I need to get a little removed. Beer and soda are so painful I don't even try anymore. I used to love both, but haven't had either in months.

As usual, I agree with B-52 as well. There seems to be a lot of misinformation around the band. I think you are right to be careful drinking with the band. I feel pain while drinking Water and eating as well. I do drink water, but I wait a couple of minutes then resume eating a couple of minutes later. It takes me a very long time to eat a tiny amount of food.

I've been assuming that sipping was the way it is with the band, but starting to wonder if it's just too tight. Maybe I need to go to the doctor and see about having Fluid taken out of the band. Drinking Water in the morning hurts. I have to take tiny sips spaced out for over a minute per sip. Even at this pace it hurts a bit. Later in the day, I have to sip and drink slowly, but the pain isn't as bad. For me, I've come to believe that the band means pain, but then I remembered some people on here seem to have great weight loss success and never mentioned anything about pain eating or drinking. I want to think it through carefully before getting an unfill as I've read many posts about people that were doing pretty good until they had fluid removed from the band.

No question. I would do it again, but gastric bypass or the sleeve instead. The band certainly worked, but it's been very painful and annoying. Also the significant possibility of a slip or erosion pushes me towards another type of WLS.

Awesome! You have so much to look forward to!

Hmm, 10.6 CC is a bit. I'm guessing she is just trying to play it safe with the 0.3 CC fill. I'm not far behind you at about 8 CC, but I couldn't possibly take any more fills. Just more proof to me that everyone requires a different amount of fills.

Congrats on the band and doing it even though it is self pay. The cost of those fills definitely hurt. Mine are $150 a piece. It took me 5 fills to hit the green zone. I was sure after almost every fill I was there, but after a few days, my horrible appetite would come back. It's been weeks since my last fill and I have almost no appetite until dinner. And dinner is 1/4 of what I used to eat with little to no snacking after. Definitely in the green zone. In my opinion it seems like it's more the amount that is in the band than the number of fills. I did a very rough check of other people on this site and on average it seemed most hit the green zone around 6.5 CC. Some as little as 0 CC and some as much as 12 CC. But, to me, there seems to be a trend around the 6.5 mark.

Exactly how I felt

Have to agree with the other comments... Throwing up Water? I'm deathly afraid of stressing my stomach around the band because of erosion and slips. If you are throwing up water, it seems like there is a risk to the band because of the stomach working so hard, churning, contracting, etc... trying to get things by the band. With it moving so much, wouldn't that increase the risk of a slip or erosion? Not to scare at all. I think you will be fine, but probably not something to mess with in my opinion. I would go in and have some removed if throwing up water.

Boy, that sounds like the green zone to me. I'm even wondering if you overshot and are in the red a tiny bit. All of that PBing/vomiting doesn't sound right. The chart in the doctor's office claims that we are hungry in the red zone. I don't understand how that is possible, but it's strange that what you describe is similar to what is described as the red zone. I'm kind of where you are at. Three PB episodes this week. All of them avoidable though. I just need to slow down, chew more and eat less. Right now my focus is zero PB/vomiting episodes. I'm concerned getting stuck and vomiting is the reason for band erosion and slips for a lot of people. Just a guess. I personally think you are right where you should be and just need to practice on eating slower, eating less and chewing more. How's the weight? Another sign of the red zone according to the doctor's chart is not losing weight.

I think if the doctor is decent at all, he/she won't get after you. They should be supportive and understanding. While it does happen that people are denied, I think the chances of that are pretty low. Sounds like you are just being too hard on yourself. I think it's awesome you are going in for a fill and trying to move forward. I would like to ditto GuyMontag above though. Have the same question and concern.

My eating habits appear to be changing as of right now. Dang, this left over chicken does not want to go down. I see what others are talking about now about leftovers. Will see how it is in a few weeks. One thing I noticed right away after the 4th fill was I wanted more chips. I did have a few last night, but didn't want to start a slippery slope of eating around the band, so I stopped and am back to primarily Protein. I definitely will not give up carbs though. Love them too much to cut them out completely. Also don't think it's healthy. So, for me, a balanced diet of carbs and protein is the goal. While I'm balanced with carbs and Proteins, junk food and fast food is still a real problem for me.

Things seem more consistent for me, but I'm sure that is because I haven't been in the green zone. It seems for a week after a fill I can eat whatever I want, but not very much of it. Slowly as time goes, I can eat more and more. I'm betting the initial restriction is just swelling from the fill. I've had two PB/vomiting episodes since being banded, but both were easily preventable if I had eaten slower and chewed more. I've read others talk about this kind of fluctuation you describe. I haven't seen a lot of discussion on it, but I would think it's got to be pretty normal if someone is properly restricted. You seem to be doing well with your weight loss which makes me think you are in the green zone. For whatever that is worth

Personally, I think you are 100% correct. I've read too many posts claiming this to be the case for me to believe otherwise. Also, I have seen a few cases at a support group that make me believe you are right. Thanks for sharing your CC amount. It is very interesting. And I think we will both be skinny for winter. Ah, what a freaking relief that will be

Brilliant! So well said. Exactly how I felt, but never stopped to really solidify the thought. That is dead on. Me too. I felt this way on my third fill... and yesterday had my 4th. I'm sure it's going to happen. I'm at 7 CC now. Thinking chances of hitting the green zone soon are high. Thanks so much for sharing. You echoed so many of my own thoughts, concerns and frustrations. I have little doubt we will both be in the green soon.