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I'm still wondering if they look to see if your band has slipped or if they can tell you that everything is OK when you go for your fill. And if they don't do it routinely if I tell them that I've eaten a lot, can they do anything to find out if I've done damage?

wasa...are you saying that if I've been eating normally since three weeks after surgery, I have already risked ruining my band? If so, can they see that when I go for my first fill? And if they can't, what can I expect down the road? BTW after posting my first message on this thread, I found a thread by Krystal that was so inspiring and the replies she got, so supportive- it made me feel better about getting suppot here. marjon9- love your Einstein quote. My husband is a born again Chrisitian and I am not. Needless to say it's a big issue. I recently read the article in Time magazine re: Einstein's faith. It was so akin to my own vision of god and spirituality and lead to quite a "lively" discussion in my home! LOL Also, it was interesting to hear you say (my own words here) that the band is really a physiological tool and we don't have to get over our emotional food issues to have the band up and working. I have some anxiety about how I am going to deal with feelings once I can't eat about them.

I knew that Annie Wilson (from the rock band Heart) had been banded in 2002 and was happy with her results. I saw her tonight on the VH1 rock honors and she clearly had gained weight. Anyone know if she had the band removed and if so, why?

I'm a lttile freaked out. I had my LB surgery April 23rd. Did my week of clear fluids and one week of mushies. However, I am now eating everything and too much of it. I am chewing everything but still... i have NO restriction and feel like I'm back to my pre-op bad eating habits (less volume but still too much). Now I'm petrified i've done something to the band. I feel fine but I'm still worried. I know I will get the usual reprimands but anyone out there who has fallen off the wagon and lived to tell about it? I have my first fill June 4th in TJ. Do they do an xray or something so they can tell me if the band is OK?

From my own experience, being upset about being fat, as painful as it is, is a distraction from being upset about other things...relationships, money, family, etc. I used to do most of my eating at night before bedtime, then get into bed and chastise myself for being fat and having no willpower. After I first was banded I had to be on liquids for two weeks. For those two weeks that I wasn't eating, I got into bed with an empty stomach and felt so sad and lonely and even cried myself to sleep once or twice. I realized that all the anger I had about overeating actually saved me from having to feel all the sadness and emptiness inside me. I am now able to eat (my first fill is June 4th) and I am definitely back to my old ways. But I now know that I have quite a journey ahead of me after my fil(s)l. I will have to deal with some issues in my life that I've been able to literally and figuratively "cover up" with eating and being fat. So when Wheetsin says you may "get more from being fat than being thin," I think this is what she's talking about.

Also, wanted to add that all the different doctors with vastly varying post-op instructions seem to indicate that there is no totally "right" way to behave after LB surgery. Seems like not overeating to the point of PBing or gagging is just common sense but as far as how long to stay on mushies or liquids- it seems very different. And I totally agree with you that if I had the kind of self control that would allow me to not eat solids for 6 weeks, I wouldn't have found myself in TJ getting abdominal surgery.

Just posted a reply to you but I'm a bit of a Luddite when it comes to all things techno and I think I posted it incorrectly. I pressed "quick reply"- so my reply is somewhere on the site- not sure where. Are there instructions somewhere on how to build your profile, put on pictures etc. Everyone has these tallies of weight loss and cute pictures and I can't even reply to another user without breaking out in a rash!

Hi CHHS- I was banded April 23rd in TJ. Having same exact experience as you. Am now eating exactly the same as before banding. The one thing I've been doing is trying to practice chewing my food (30 times) before swallowing and not drinking with meals. It's hard to break old habits so I'm using this pre-fill time to try and do that. Still, I'm having lot's of anxiety about doing damage to the band or not doing it "right". Would love to hear how your healing is going.

thanks ukangel- made me feel better. so i'm not just "failing" yet another weightloss try? i cannot wait for my fill.

After the first couple of weeks I started eating anything I wanted. I've had steak, pasta even (yikes) ice cream. I'm not eating until I'm bursting, and I am chewing until the food is mush, but I'm certainly able to eat more volume than I thought- and I'm definitely not going to be losing weight like this.

I was banded on 4/23 by Dr. Ortiz and have spoken to him once since. I have some concerns about pain in the port site. It looks a little red and slightly open with a little moistness in the incision. Dr. Ortiz said to use a heating pad on it which I've been doing since we spoke on Friday. But, I'm getting a stabbing pain in that area everytime I bend over or roll over in bed. Anyone else have this and did it go away soon after surgery? I actually feel worse today than I have since the surgery. Don't have a fever though. Also, I have a weird rash on my abdomen, chest and arms. Ortiz said it's probably from the iodine they use before surgery. Anyone else experience this? I'm a bit anxious so I'd love some feedback soon.