luzin susan

Ok so here is the deal! I had surgery 10 months ago and have lost all but 13 lbs to get to goal weight. I am really happy with the loss. I haven't lost anything for about 2 months and I am ok with that too. I now know that I will start to lose again when my body is ready! I exercise, drink my Water and eat about 1200 calories a day! That works for me,,,my problem is this : I get up in the morning and I drink hot tea or coffee. I cannot eat anything at all not even a Protein drink for hours (3 or 4). I use to be able to eat a drink in morning and then some lunch by noon but that has all changed. I now can not even eat in the afternoon unless it is Soup or believe it or not popcorn. I gagged even on the smallest amount of food before night time even Protein drinks are too thick. I slime, pb, gag, foam, and sometimes vomit at least once a day lasting between 15 mins and 2 hours depending on the day,,,not the choice of food or quanity. When I first got the band, I lost the weight without this happening. I could eat oatmeal or Protein Drink for Breakfast, chicken salad and avacado for lunch and a regular meal (albeit small) for dinner. Now all bets are off. I cannot even eat ice cream most days (not evenings)without sliming for a good 20 minutes. I can however eat dinner without pbing most days. I get full at about 1 1/2 to 2 cups at dinner and then that is it for the night! I can eat low cal ice cream too if I choose to. So dinner is under control but the rest of the day and I mean even into 3 or 4 in the afternoon, most days pb, slime etc when I try to eat (6 out of 7 days) . I eat slow, I don't drink and I cant even eat just a small little chucks Carrots etc in soup Soft ones and cause I still slime at the very least. It sometimes is so fierce I vomit a little. So my question is: does this mean I am too tight? or is this what others do to stay thin? I don't think I can live pbing most days and staring into a bathroom toliet in a restaurant while others are enjoying a meal. I am sick of public restroooms let me tell you. I carry around cups and paper towels in my car and run out there if I eat during the day. The weird part is sometimes after I go through all of that, I can eat without a problem the exact thing that caused the pbing an hour before. What is the deal, is this what others do? I am thinking on getting a little taken out. I want to go back to the time when I could eat a small breakfast and chicken salad for lunch. This doesn't feel normal. Advice please. I gave this time, haven't had a fill or anything since Oct 07. Do you all have this issue,,,isn't eating suppose to be ok just little bites and good choices? I am eating soup soup and more soup during the day and that isn't right,,I lost all that weight doing it different. Why is it too tight now when it wasn't before on the same fill amount? Ok thanks for taking the time to read this and thanks to all who reply. PS: got band in Mexico and now cannot get a response from one coordinator for help so I cannot just run to call the Dr. to ask,,,also, I have had a lot of problems with fills but found a good nurse to do it and haven't had any problems since so I feel like I at least have that going for me. Susan

Karen, I know what you mean about feeling like you are going backwards but I am trying and I don't say that word lightly,,,:thumbup: to remind myself that this is for the long haul and I can always put more back in if I can't lose but if it is too full, then I could get into trouble and lose it! It helps a little to remind myself of that! I know I can eat too much but I need the rest! So I am going to keep my chin up and allow it for another 3 weeks and then decide where to go from there. I think that when a person adds back in a few more calories ,,,at first,,the body gains a little but then it will burn to that level as long as it isn't excessive and once it adjusts to a higher intake! If it adjusts to the lower amount of calories (or gets use to it and plateaus) then it must adjust to a little higher one after a while and start losing again,,,I mean if it isn't over a low calorie intake! Does that make sense? Ha Anyway,,,I hope I know what I am doing! I do know that my quality of life is better with this little unfill but if I gained a bunch of weight it wouldn't be! I am a little worried but I keep getting reassured here that I did the right thing,,,so I will trust that and say I think we both did! Susan

Hi all, thanks so much for all the information on "sweet spots" I will read Wendall's sticky! I am doing good although I know that I can eat too much too fast! I am trying not to overdo but I am eating about 1400 calories a day now,,,sometimes 1500 but I walk 4 miles 4 days a week so I don't know if that is still too much! I am certain if it is the scale will let me know :thumbup: I have only slimed 2 times since the unfill and that is good! I did it for so long one was a PB but I had to guzzle coke and let it come up hard and fast to get it out! I mean it was REALLY stuck in there and after about 2 hours it had to come out! However most days I can eat anything I want but bread! I can eat too much at one time probably about 2 cups especially if I eat salads,,,I can eat pretty much endless amounts of lettuce! I haven't been really careful like I should but I think I just need to refocus. I am going to add back 1/2 of what they removed to see if that helps b/c I find that I want to snack all the time which is not a usual thing for me. I am good though! I think maybe up a lb or two but that I believe is my body readjusting. We will see. I am glad others are doing so much better. It is such a relief to not be in pain any longer! I am looking forward to that "sweet spot" where I cannot eat 2 cups at a time but I can eat without pbing and sliming! I hope it is the next fill in 3 weeks that does that for me~ Again, thanks for all who share and I am so glad to know I am not alone! Hugs to all Susan

Denise or someone, I wonder if you would be willing to write about how it IS supposed to work. I think there is so much confusion about this subject. So many different ideas but in general there has to be a certain criteria for the way the band is supposed to work! Or maybe you could direct me to something that explains it better. It seems like it is supposed to make you not hungry but when I am at that point, I am gagging all the time. I don't know what a "sweet spot" is really supposed to feel like! Can you shed a little light! I have a feeling that others are confused also. thanks Susan

Wow 4 hours of gagging is a lot! I usually gagged for an hour and no more. I agree so much with the dr. I know that it is a fine line and right now I am able to eat more then before, faster and drink if I choose. However I am doing my best to control it! I also understand now that my habits didn't change as much as they should have so I am working on that too. Now that I am more open it is easier to go back to old behaviors,,,I am getting a little more put in in another 3 weeks and this time it will be a little bit at a time,,,I never want to irritate my stomach like I did the last 3 months,,,yes I have also felt the food in my stomach. I actually get a shart pain in my neck when I eat too much,,weird huh? It is scary to see that many of my habits were forced to change when I was so overfilled but that I now have to rely on myself for control a little more although my intake isn't nearly as much as it was pre band. I think this is a good lesson for us all! I am happy to hear that you unfilled as the long2bfree is right,,,dehydration is not a means to lose weight and that Water just comes back and then we feel dread again at "weight gain" I need to drink more fluids anyway;,,,also dehydration is self injurous to say the least. I have done that too! Good luck and thank for that helpful info from the dr. Susan

I really could not lose any longer on the low calories the way I did in the beginning. Then once I upped the calories a little,,,wham,,losing ,,,,I think my nurse is right...I needed to feed my body a little more healthy! I don't know tho alot of people lose on low amounts,,but I figure if I am on a plateau for a long time something has to change and I know that eating less then 1000 a day isn't normal healthy eating for me so I thought I would do what she suggested and try a little more. It seems to be working but I will keep you posted! I feel so happy to be able to eat but I know that I have to put a little back in after 4 weeks like she said so that I don't start struggling with hunger issues! The rest is wonderful though! Good luck to you and let me know what works for you!

That is wonderful news!!!!!!!!!!! I figure the scale hasn't gone down for so long that if I didn't lose it was ok with me at least I wasn't suffering while not losing. I am losing slowly though! :wink: I ate a bunch of salt yesterday and was up a lb but it will go down as soon as the salt gets out of my system. :*( I am so happy for you! Isn't it wonderful to NOT GAG! I can eat more but I know how to control that b/c it is only a little more and then I get full! I know the feeling of full now! Good luck on the scale,,,,yesterday I ate 1500 calories which is 300 above my norm but I have been eating about 1100 a day and not losing and I think it is b/c I exercise daily (burn about 300 calories) and gagging so much my body wasn't going to let it go! I know 1500 is not good but that is just a holiday thing,,,back to 1200 now! I am so happy for you really,,my hubby was so tired of it too he would say why in the heck do you put yourself through this,,,I would get rid of that thing,,,,now he is saying ok now I see how it is SUPPOSED to work! haha My and his last straw was on vaca a few weeks ago and we were in a restaurant and I took a bite (a bite) of vegetable in the early afternoon and it got stuck and I waited for it to go down and then all of a sudden it was like I projected all over my lap tons of slime and it was horrible,,,,I was mortified to say the least..I went out to the car, changed my clothes gagged and slimed for another 30 minutes and cried the whole way home from embarrassment and horror. That was the end for me,,,,now, I go to lunch or eat a holiday meal and I eat slowly, I don't gag and I get full and feel satisfied,,,I am so HAPPY for us both,,,keep me updated! take care Susan

The difference is that with the band you get full and it stops you from going overboard if it is filled properly. The difference is that it is NOT all about self control. The difference is when I am full and there is no room left, there is no room left,,,The difference is that I feel full longer. It is like this: hour glass,,a regular glass tipped over would just pour the salt straight through which means that you have to keep adding salt until it is all the way up to the top for it to stop pouring right through it or keep flipping it over and over to make it fill,,,,the hour glass,,,gives you time,,,the salt goes slowly through it and times lengthens before you have to flip it over,,lots of time and there is no room at the top to add salt to the hourglass for quite aq while until it is time to flip (if that makes sense)it takes a long time to go down so there is no room to add anything to it ,,,well when we are talking about food,,,the same applies,,,you can only add so much at once with the band which makes for a quick full feeling,,,it goes down really slow which gives your mind and body the sensation and time it needs to 1. realize that it is full on less and 2. Stay full for a longer period of time. It is night and dayto to the WW (alone)self control game. I think the two together are great for some,,however, I always felt hungry and I always ate just a little more on WW if I were honest (except in the beginning when I was using will power in full force). NOW I CANNOT unless I just push myself to no end and feel sick and hurting doing it! Your mind is powerful so you have to deal with that part of the eating but hey, any healthy eating patterns have to start somewhere. I never thought that I could eat right,,,and choose right,,,never and now with the band it is sooooooo much easier and it works! Proper fill is the most important part and it helps you realize just how much you DON'T need to feel full and satisfied. It is amazing! Most everyone here on this board had the same fears,,,yes some (few) are having trouble with success but head hunger is powerful (we all know that or we wouldn't be here),,,you have to learn it, know it well, like keeping an enemy close but most people that are not having success are not restricted enough to feel what I explained above,,,they will get there,,if they don't give up! Anything you do is a tool not a fix,,,any surgery or weight loss program,,,it is just the band makes it doable! Good luck Susan

Denise, Thanks once again,,,you are always there for so many of us! :wub: Yes it is a fine line but now that I am eating and losing I feel so good! I actually can eat in the mornings,,,not a lot and I have to be careful but it was impossible before,,,didn't matter if it was milk or solid. I am still going down on the scale. Last night I ate 1/2 cup wild (kind of crunchy) wild rice Slowly,,,and 3 ozs of filet and a cup of vegetables. All of a sudden I was FULL I was burping and really full so now I know to slow down. IT WORKED!!! I was happy to feel the fullness in the right way! NO gagging is so wonderful! I will keep updates as now I once again feel a part of something,,,I have been really feeling alone to be honest,,,but no more! Take care Susan

Thank you Shortgal. I am doing really good! I eat about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of food a meal depending on what i am eating. I am not drinking at meals and I do get FULL. It takes a little more (or lot more since I was starving) then before but I DO get full and my band stops me,,soft stop and hard! I feel great and I have now dropped 2 lbs this week which is a first since 3 months prior. I guess that not eating thing can really stall me! :thumbdown: I am so happy and I am not afraid to eat anymore and I removed the baggies and cups from my car. NOT ONE GAG since unfill and yet I know when to stop! Thank you! I wonder how the others are feeling that have my problem? Write back and let us know how you are doing,,,unfills or ? Susan

I hope that helps you!!! I know I can eat but I am not going overboard! It will be hard for the next month but it is worth it! I can eat toasted bread and drink while I eat so I have to use all my will power to not do this! I am just resting my band for a month and then half goes back in. In the meantime,,,I will watch and count all my calories! :embaressed_smile: I will be relieved when I can put back a little but I never want to go back to where I was again. How will I know is the scary part! I think it is such a fine line it is so hard to know ,,,,The nurse says she took out .8cc and that she will put back in .4cc in a month! I hope that in between is the answer b/c I am pretty open! However, I do fill up and That is a good sign! Good luck to all who are unfilling a little! I feel human again! ;{ Susan

Thank you Shortgal you are amazing! I see all the people that you respond to and help and I for one am very grateful that you are out there! I just cannot believe that so many have been going through this and I am not so scared anymore b/c I am not unique in this! :thumbup: Susan

If I am understanding your question right ,,,when I get my fills and unfills, they put the needle in and take out all the fill to be sure that I am at the same level that was there last time. Hence they know if there is a leak or ? Then they put back in the fill amount they decided on with extra or less depending upon what the need is! Is that what you are asking? So it is a unfill and fill in one day so to speak! Hope that helps Susan

Thank you Denise, you have been such a great support also! Thank you ,,,you know who you are,,,the ones that have been responding and following this thread and my journey with this. You are my blessings! Mark, I am so amazed at how many people have emailed me and also wrote on this thread that they too are going through this problem. I really think that the slight unfill is the answer. I cannot tell you how many times I have stare into a public toilet while everyone was out in the restaurant enjoying their meals. It has been humilating and frustrating. I know that this isn't what the band is suppose to do. It is there to appreciate and use as a tool to control our intake not make us suffer. Life is not for that. If I would have kept the pbing etc up much longer I would have hated this band and I was beginning to regret having it. I can tell you as of yesterday, it is my friend again. Please get a small unfil asap. I took out just .8cc's and it has made a HUGE difference. Don't suffer one more minute if you can get in do it right away! I explained above that the body knows it is having rapid elimination of food so it stores. It is very common to not lose when you are vomiting, pbing, and all the other crap overfilling causes. The brain catches on that it isn't going to be fed properly and even when it is,,,it isn't sure how long it will be kept in(the food) your body! So glad you came back and got to read these posts and all the wonderful insight and help that was offered. Good luck and keep us posted! I will do the same! Susan

I cannot believe how many people are having this problem with the band getting finicky. I feel so much better having a slight unfill but I do find myself being more hungry then usual today! I was told by the nurse that I needed to take out a little more then she would like, to give my stomach a month of rest and then she would put back 1/2 of what she took if I was still hungry by then. That works for me. After callling her today, she stated that it isn't unusual for me to want to eat more just simply because I have been deprived for over 3 months! I still know the band is there,,,can't drink more then a few sips after eating something. I am not too worried,,I have good self control and count my calories every day! I do however hope that I don't need more put in b/c I am a little scared of a repeat! I have a feeling that I will need a little bit put back in after the rest ! I am still in heaven and so grateful to be able to eat without fear! I drank a Protein drink this morning and no gagging at all and I could take my pills with it! YEA I am sorry to hear that others are going through this,,,I think a very small unfill could be the answer if your stomach isn't as irritated as mine was. Otherwise, better off taking out a little more like me to let it rest! It makes a huge difference. Good luck Thanks for all your positive posts and good wishes all of you! Susan

hi, update,,,,got an .8cc unfill today and I feel GREAT! I ate a small lunch of creamed Soup but she also wanted me to add something more difficult to eat as I would have to drive over 3 hours to see her again as she goes home tonight. Anyway I ate a little salad and I was FULL BUT DIDN'T PB OR SLIME AT ALL! She also told me that she believes that I will start losing again when I can eat decent and healthy meals like I use to. I ate one and 1/2 small tacos tonight after talking to her as she wanted to be sure before she got in the car. It all went down well and I ate very slow and I knew I was full as soon as i was. before i was so hungry i wouldn't stop but i was able to stop no problem. Head hunger is my battle now and i can do that!! :shades_smile: I am so happy and I feel so much better. Thank you, all of you for your help and input,,,I am so glad my hard head didn't stop me from listening. I feel like I felt before,,,,now I will go on mushies for a few days like she said and rest,,,she also gave me an anti inflammatory shot to help with the swelling. This was the answer. She said that our bodies know when to hold onto food calories etc when it is eliminating them too fast and that it will stay on a plateau b/c of that. Also she said that she runs into a lot of people close to goal or at goal that have a problem with the band getting MUCH MORE FULL AND FINICKY and although for most they need more fill those people like the above need to have some out,,,she said she has seen it on occassion. SO,,,I am ready to finish my journey and I am feeling great! She said it is not ok to slime or pb often and in fact if you are choosing the right food and eating carefully it should happen very rarely/ hmmmm where did I hear that hahaha So if that IS happening it is a overfill issue most of the time. OH MY GOODNESS I FEEL GOOD! I feel like I am starting over from the beginning ,,,,,relief!! PS: lost two lbs in 3 months so that is better then gaining... THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU MY BANDSTER FAMILY FOR BEING THERE FOR ME NO MATTER HOW CRAZY I SOUNDED. Susan

Hi, I would wait and see how the band tightens on you. Just give it one week! I had the same issues and I got too filled and since then have had a lot of problems getting it right! My fills didn't usually kick in until 2 weeks after them but everyone is different! I was so anxious myself that I went back and forth,,,fill, unfill, fill, unfill, you get the picture ,,it took the coordinator telling me to let it rest to stop me as I wanted it to work so bad and I was scared! Just hang in there and give yourself and the band (saline) time to settle. Just my Humble opinion. PS: if you mushed up what you ate it wouldn't have even been a full cup of food! Didn't seem too much to me but then I eat 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups per meal and I lost really well when I wasn't messing with the fills too much! Good luck!

Denise,,I LOVE my Dr. It is just too far to go to see him. He may be out Teaching or something for all I know.....He is the BEST and I trust him completely,,,,my point was to respond to Kat regarding hearing from them and that I had a falling out so to speak with the coordinator, who I also believe to be amazing and informative but something just went wrong. My reason for not wanting to refer is the coordinators are the most important part of the journey and that is not ok in my book not b/c I don't think they are all wonderful and skilled..also it feels awful to not have someone as important as a coordinator respond to you and I don't want my friends to feel alone like that especially when going out of the Country is already a bit of a lonely feeling,,, Having said that, I wouldn't hesitate to return to my Dr. and have this and most any surgery by him...he is a great man! I got my fills over the boarder by my home b/c I could drive there,,,it was no reflection on my Dr. Just wanted to clarify,,,,the person you know that loves him is right on! PS: How did you know what Dr. did my surgery, I don't recall using his name? Just curious,,,,anyway have a great day, thanks for all your sound advice and I will let you all know what happens today! I am seeing a nurse not a Dr. today so hopefully she will have the answer! Susan

Thanks for the insight! I already bought the Protein shake stuff today and I am going to TRY to stay on liquids,,I have been doing that daily (not evenings) for so long that another week and adding evenings won't hurt me a bit! It is a great idea! I did not hear from the surgeon in Mexico since I wrote him a few weeks ago and I use to go to Dr. Aceves for my fills which I might need to do as going back to Monterrey is just too expensive. I use to deal with a wonderful coordinator of the drs in Monterrey that is out here but one day she just stopped speaking to me. I have never found out why as she never has returned my calls or messages so in lieu of begging for her guidance (she was my connection to learning about the band) I started writing to all of you. Thank goodness you are all here! :cool: I wrote to the Dr. recently but haven't heard back,,,my support system kind of dumped me,,,so to speak,,,probably this problem drove them crazy! I had a lot of problems with my fills for a while! Who knows,,,misunderstandings can really be a mess when people don't communicate,,,,anyhow, it hasn't been easy without the support they promised me! But I have moved forward and reached out here...and so many of you have helped! I am very grateful! I will go and see Dr. Aceves if I need to get a scope it is just scary for me to think of going there alone,,,,,but I will do what I need to! Hopefully I won't have to! I also have 3 more people that want the band and I am not sure at this point if referring them to the coordinators for my Dr. is the right decision after the shun that I have received but then there is one who still responds occassionally! I guess this is part of going out of the Country for some! :mad2: I will keep a close eye and thank you for all your suggestions! This is a big forum you are right,,,, :tt2: Take care Susan PS: I loved the name too! thanks!

Thanks so much for all your concerns. I am going at 10:45 tomorrow to have some saline removed. I think 1cc might be in order. I tried to eat brocolli and a small amount of hamburger (both of which have never been a problem at night before)and gagged for an hour tonight..this is crazy! I am beginning to hate my band and that is not what I want to feel. I loved having it for so long and now I just have to change this mess. Do you all think 1 cc is too much! I have 4.8 now in the 9cc band. I am just thinking that I need to be a little more aggressive then I was thinking to really let my stomach rest! At least 1/2cc seems to be in order! I would really appreciate your thoughts on this,,,I can afford to go back in a few weeks and refill if I want to but I hate the waste of money! However, I want to do the right thing and give myself a true break,,,I am so close to maintenance. Hope to hear from you before tomorrow! PS: Julie,,,congratulations you have done amazing,,,it puts faith back in me that the band can be ok! Susan :mad2:

I worry about getting an unfill of any kind although I know I have to! I ate last night 2 cabbage rolls (Healthy ones) which added up to a cup of food plus 1 1.2 cups of salad without choking at all. Night seems to be fine most days without much restriction at all,,I do control my choices at night,,I also feel so deprived from lack of solid food during the day that it makes it harder. I feel abnormal compared to most b/c once I stop choking for the day I can almost eat what I want so I am not sure about restriction (meaning I can eat a larger quanity then others it seems),,,,It is really a catch 22 as to stop choking all day I have to get a slight unfill but then I will be able to eat too much at night. Anyone else have this going on in the evening? I do watch it at night b/c I don't want to stretch anything or overeat too much but still others say that good restriction is getting full fast and if I unfill to stop pbing etc, I won't get full that easy when I do eat! What is a person to do!!!!!

Thanks for the thoughts! I guess what throws me is that I can eat dinner,,,,no choking most of the time...about 1 cup or 1 1/2 cups of food without problems if I eat slow etc...the fact that it is just during the day is what confused me to be honest! I didn't know if it was normal to not be able to eat solids without pbing during the day,,,,I know now that it is NOT normal and although we do have more restriction during the day, not to the point of pbing on everything including Protein shakes.,,,,I know this because others are saying this isn't happening to them. Thanks to you and everyone,,,I feel convicted in my removal of Fluid,,, Susan

thank you,,,,,I loved what you said,,,,,,,I haven't lost in 2 months and SO WHAT,,,If I lose the last 10lbs over a year it is better then what I did before-gained :thumbup: I don't need to be pbing in a cup all the time to have a nice figure,,,that is not what this is suppose to be about! You are so right and thank you for your words of wisdom and support! Susan

Yeah, I realize it can't be good too as I didn't lose the 60lbs doing this,,,,I lost it eating like a "normal healthy" person eats. I don't want to have to get so irritated that I have to get all of the fill out so I am going to take some out and see what happens. IF I can go back to the way I ate when I lost all that weight, I am good with that! Good luck to you and let me know what your Dr. says too ok! susan

Thanks, I am fighting the unfill issue and now know I just have to do it before it gets so bad I have no choice. So this isn't NORMAL then right? I sometimes read people say that during the day it is normal and they can't eat until nighttime but that is not healthy for "me". So what is a "small" unfill? 1 cc, 1/2 cc ?? It is so costly, I would like to do it as close to right as possible and I know no one person can know that answer but it doesn't hurt to ask what might be helpful as far as unfilling it a bit! Thanks for response