lisacaron

Doing great keep up the good work! Hope your recovery is smooth. I'm sure you will find lots of people at or close to the same stages as you are. Even those of us banded for a while take it back to basics when we get a fill, but these first few weeks of being banded can be a challenge, stick with it cause it's worth it!!

Angel... There are many many posts on this site that will give you all kinds of information. My advice is to do the research and get to know the terms for all the Weight Loss or Bariatric surgery language. If you decide to have any kind of Bariatric surgery knowing the language will help you. The band is reversible, and it can be removed but it is meant to stay in your body forever. There is no alteration with the band to your anatomy. It is an added medical device that does not alter your digestive system. Being stuck is often a reference to food that is unable to pass through the stoma that is created by the band. Occasionally through poor eating mechanics or unfriendly food particles will not pass through the stoma into the larger stomach for digestion. This may cause something called a PB or productive burp to bring the food back up, and/or sliming which is a build up of salivary Fluid that will then also bring the food and mucus back up. This should not be a common occurrence with the band though it happens as we learn to adapt and make changes in our eating habits and eating mechanics such as eating slowly, taking small bites, chewing thoroughly before swallowing etc. If there is ever a food particle that is unable to be brought back up your doctor would be able to then remove some filling of saline from the band to open the stoma and allow the food to pass. If you are having issues you can remove fluid or add it as needed. I hope this answers some of your questions and that you continue to research what might be best for you in the long run. Best of luck to you!

The getting stuck isn't enough to slow you down? My hubby has the same problem he was always rushing through his meal like he had a fire to run to. (He is a fireman but that's beside the point) He has gotten stuck a couple of times since being banded and now he eats much more slowly. Sometimes we sit down together and the shoveling mentality starts and I can tell by the way he lifts the fork. I used to issue a gentle reminder but once he got stuck pretty good that was all it took. Bringing up food all the time because your eating mechanics are not there is no good. When your about to have a meal make an event of it. Sit down like it's a special occasion and your eating with Royalty (and you are cause your there!) cut your food take a bite put your fork down. Savor the flavor, the taste the texture of the food. Chew chew chew, swallow and repeat the whole thing again. Don't pre-cut up all your food, do it one fork full at a time so you are forced to slow down between bites. Sometimes when I have people talking at me through dinner I will get stuck, so I try to limit dinner conversation sometimes as well. Especially if it's been a long stressful day. Good luck, you will get the hang of it.

Express them. Share them if you have someone to listen, or write as PT suggested. Pent up feelings whether eaten or swallowed have a way of doing grave damage to you. So get them out in a healthy way. You can walk, run, bike. I hung a punching bag and tape people's face to it that make me mad...(only kidding but I visualize it!) Mostly don't beat yourself up for having feelings, your human and your allowed.

I have the same issue. I get so involved in a project I can work the whole day away and not realize that I didn't eat or drink anything for hours. Before you could set alarms on the trackers (I had one of the old original fitbits) I would set a timer on my computer screen just so I would get out of the chair every few hours and avoid the back pain and cramps in my legs. However...it was easy to snooze that for hours on end..so it didn't really work The fitbit actually vibrates and will drive me crazy till I get up and move.

I set my tracker with silent alarms to alert me when it's time to have that next meal. I stalled my weight loss because I was not eating enough Protein and calories daily. I can become so engrossed in something that I will forget to eat. Sometimes it's because I'm not hungry but other times it's because I have worked through the feelings of hunger and when I finally come up for air I'm starving and food at that point never goes well for me. So now I set the silent alarm at 12:30 to be sure I eat lunch. At 3 to be sure I get my butt to the gym. If I am "hungry" after I'll grab a snack and if not I'll wait till dinner which can be a long stretch till 7:30-8 for dinner. Heck I even set it during the week to let me know to shut it down and get to sleep!

It really is a sad reality that people judge based on the visual appearance of a person. It is why we get "dressed up" for an interview. There are very few companies that allow their employees to be individuals, though that demographic is changing. These days you may see top designers that come to work in jeans and tee shirts. Top executives of social media companies that arrive to work in jeans and flip flops. The rebellion seems to be an outward appearance from rigid to lax, however when it comes to the physical attributes of a person's face body and hair, not much seems to have changed. People look at an obese person as if they are sick, and since obesity has been classified as a disease...are they right? Obese people are looked at as lazy and people that can't control themselves, and if we have food addictions are we addicts akin to a drug addict? Since that is the type of response we get from others. I don't like to say it but it really is a thin line (no pun intended), and in PT's case I say Good for you! Stand up be pretty and proud of yourself and take them for all they got!

Excellent! Let us know how you are feeling!!

I agree with Leepers! Don't take any chances, get to your PCP ASAP! If it is band related they will be able to advise or at least to rule out cardiac related issues. You could also go to the hospital that your surgeon belongs to where they know how to treat a bariatric issue and they will be able to determine what is going on. Let me tell you my friend from my own personal experience being young does not mean that could not be your heart Leepers is 100% right. I had an attack at 17 after extreme circumstance, so PLEASE do NOT wait to get to a Dr.

Right on Cheryl. My husband likes to tell me to stop playing Witch Doctor and call the real doctor! Usually it's because I have a cold or like now a stuffy nose! When it comes to my band and even my nose and these incessant allergies I call and/or go see the doctor. Great advice!

So I'm confused...your surgery was scheduled by your doctors and by the hospital and now they are canceling the whole thing? The whole thing seems fishy to me. You go after them, and get to the bottom of it! Maybe also let your insurance company know what's going on so that you don't have a problem with them and starting a new place AND so they can flag that hospital and surgery group as NO good! I'm pulling for you, give 'em Hell!

Lucy, today is your day! Your closest support group is right here at your finger tips. Give yourself a chance, make a plan and like Nike say's Just Do It! That has really been the only thing that worked for me. I can come up with a million excuses to not do something, and NO one would fault me or think less of me for it...but I do and that's the only thing that counts. We have to be tough on ourselves and push ourselves to excel we know we can do it we just have to do it. Carve out the time, I always said I have NO time to cook, I get home too late, no one appreciates it, I'm tired I work 12 hours a day I drive over an hour to get home..it's dark I'm sick...blah blah..All of those are TRUE every single day! BUT this year I vowed to MYSELF that I would stop eating out so often...and so far it's January 8th and I have cooked every single meal at home! My kids sit down to the table to eat and are happy, (they are all over 18 mind you) my husband is happy and he helps me with the shopping and will start the meals up on the days he is off from work. So all my excuses....not one of them could hold water! I bet if you start doing something for yourself you will soon see that neither do yours Start today....Just Do It!

Great site thanks for asking CC and Jean thanks for responding!

Try making yourself accountable by logging food into an app. like My Fitness Pal. Put some reminders or alarms on your phone to remind you to log your food. Come onto the site and let us know what's going on with you...what your eating that's good, bad or down right ugly and you will be sure to get lots of comments with support and advice and even a tisk tisk when needed! Your in the right place!

Go to your profile settings under My Tickers and there you can choose and set them.

Welcome. I can see from your very direct thread that you have your mind set and that is a good thing. Just like the commitments you have made in the past the band will take 100% commitment. As Go Walking stated you will still be able to eat things like pizza and Hamburgers but if they are not conducive to your plan, and they are going to cause you other health issues that are not band related then by all means cut them out of your diet all together! If you have some kind of cardiac issue that is not a bad thing to do. Being banded is not a walk in the park, but you are used to toughing it out as an ex, Navy, Marine, and Army solider this is one more battle for you. Get ready to gear up and hit the ground running! See ya on the battle field!

My advice to you is this....take some time to yourself. To really sit with yourself, and ask yourself what it is that you are looking for in a relationship? What do you want from another person in a relationship? What do you expect from them? From your self? What are the qualities that you would love in another person? Not just the physical, but the emotional, spiritual and over all essence of that other person? Do those qualities that you are seeking, balance you? What do you bring to the relationship? What are your strengths and equally what are your perceived weaknesses? (I say perceived because not everyone will think it's a weakness but you may feel that it is for you.) When we are honest and clear with ourselves about what we want, what we expect from others and more aptly from ourselves it will be easier to spot and connect to those things. Trust me it's not a matter of size, at my heaviest weight ever I met and married the love of my life. Today I am losing weight for health reasons and to make the quality of my life, our lives better. You are strong amazing women and men. Take a good long look at yourselves and you will know that to be true and so will everyone that you choose to spend your time with.

I too turn to Protein bars when I want that feeling of having something sweet and easy. Love the Muscle Milk idea PT I didn't know they came in all those kind of flavors! Good to shake things up once in a while I think if you get bored of eating the same things all the time that mess you up also. Variety is the spice of life, or so they say!!

I too am tight in the cold weather. Actually my tummy feels odd when I am out in the freezing weather we have been having. I noticed it the last couple of days while driving into work. Then again our temps here have been extreme during this polar vortex thing. Really not loving this winter weather. I am much more a summer gal!

Welcome to the banded life! Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

I would give the doc a call and have some Fluid taken out. With the band you should be able to eat solid foods and not be bringing ANY foods back up. I'm sorry about the person you met at the lab, not everyone that has this surgery is ready to be fully committed to it. I know it's hard not to listen to the negative comments, for some reason they stick in our minds sharper then the positive ones. I'm glad you came here for support, and didn't just listen to this persons negative feed back. Please do give your doctor a call about the fill and see if you can have a tiny bit removed so that you are not bringing up foods that is never a good sign. Until you are able to make it into the doctor stay hydrated and go back to mushy foods or Protein shakes so you don't hurt yourself.

Usually at the first visit the doctor will review your medical history. Check your BMI and let you know if you are a candidate for this type of surgery. They will most likely let you know what if any requirements there are before you have the surgery including testing that must be done prior to scheduling the surgery. For me there were pulmonary tests, cardiology testing, sleep apnea studies if applicable, x-rays, barium swallows, gastrology testing, as well as general physical and blood work. Your insurance company may require you to do a supervised weight loss program prior to the surgery being scheduled. You can find out by contacting them if you are going through insurance. If your self pay you probably won't need to worry about that. Do lots of research on the surgery and as Bandista advised write down and ask questions. Best of luck to you!!!