BonJosie

Can anyone share their experience with a dilated pouch? I had my last fill about a month ago and it was way too tight. I figured, ok, since I'm a slow looser this tight fill will work well for me. It didn't. I ended up vomiting anything solid up and sometimes even liquids...I was stupid and thought being a little "bulimic" won't be so bad. I carried on for a month like this. Well, today is my birthday and I just had to go in with all this vomiting and heartburn at night. Sure enough, the fluoro showed that my pouch has more than doubled. The nurse did a complete unfill and put me on liquids for 2 weeks. ON MY 48th BIRTHDAY !!!! She said that 90% of cases shrink their pouch back by being on liquids. Has ANYONE had this experience ( or not ).??? PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:frown: PS My surgery was a year ago and I have now lost 37 lbs.

I HAVE BEEN VOMITING FREQUENTLY SINCE MY LAST FILL WHICH WAS A LITTLE TOO TIGHT. I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, OH WELL, A LITTLE 'BULIMIA' WILL SPEED UP MY VERY SLOW WEIGHT LOSS. I VOMITED OFF AND ON FOR A MONTH UNTIL IT GOT TO THE POINT YESTERDAY THAT EVEN WARM TEA DIDN'T GO DOWN. SO TODAY ON MY BIRTHDAY OF ALL DAYS I HAD A COMPLETE UNFILL, BECAUSE THE NURSE NOTICED MY POUCH WAS TWICE THE SIZE FROM ALL THIS VOMITING AND RESTRICTION. SHE PUT ME ON LIQUIDS FOR 2 WEEKS IN HOPE THAT MY POUCH WILL SHRINK ITSELF BACK. HAVE ANY OF YOU OUT THERE ENCOUNTERED ANYTHING LIKE THIS? I REALLY NEED HELP!!!:thumbup::frown::thumbup:

Thank you for your reply. LadyBlue, I can so relate, because the day before I went to the Dr I had that "waking up - coughing/choking thing" as well. It's scary. I thought I would get "fluids" into my lungs and get pneumonia. I am very worried that my pouch is dilated and that I fall into that 2plus percent whose pouch does not reshrink into it's original shape. 2 weeks of fluids will be hard for me...It was hard postop...but I must try my hardest because I could slip or prolapse my band. I'll think of you on liquids as well as a "support-buddy". Thanks, BonJosie

Hurray, a club for me to join:):Banane20: I had my surgery on June 22 this year and I lost 25 lbs right in the pre and post op diet. Since then 4 fills, half way restricted 5cc's out of a 10cc band. I have maybe lost close to 10lbs in 4 months and I eat very, VERY little. I must admit that I am not a great exerciser ( I swim and walk my doggies ) but I am a busy mom of 2 and live in a 3500 sqft home with all wood floors, so you know I work hard to keep a nifty household. My friends always say " wow, you lost more weight!" but the scale doesn't lie. I did go from size 20 to a loose size 16 jeans, so that is nice. But my "pregnant looking belly" is still there. My chihuahua is happy, because when he sits on my lap he can still rest his little head on my tummy. I was at a school banquet last night and sat at a table with a nice looking, pleasantly chubby man and be noticed that neither of us had much food on their plate. Turns out he had the band 1 year ago in Mexico. He is happy, but has also only lost 45lbs in one year. Oh well, it's good to be in a club of good company:scared::scared: Josie

What do you mean by "Bumpity bump bump..." ???!!! Just curious.

I really think I know how you feel, but there really is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow... I was sooo frustrated! I lost weight pre op and did well on the liquid phase but then...NO RESTRICTION. It was hell!! I could eat whatever, where ever and people were like.."Oh, we thought you had weight reduction surgery.."It was so bad. I thought my band had a leak or was misplaced BUT it was all due to the lack of fill. It took 3 fills and 4.6cc's for me to notice I even have a band. Now finally I can't eat. Any meats, solids, breads etc. cause me to vomit. So now I am finally FORCED to eat soft foods, smaLL amounts and VOILA, the weight is coming off!!! It was all a matter of the right fill. Without full restriction the band doesn't work and it is all too easy to fall back into old habits. We are human, we are over eaters, so of course you are not losing weight until you get proper restriction. And hey, this Dr needs to give you fills under fluoro at all times. What is he thinking...nobody should tolorate being a human pincushion.. :faint::faint::faint::faint::faint::faint::faint::faint:

I have had only 3 fills. After the first fill they stated abot 1/2 a cc "was lost", but not to worry about it. The last fill kept pretty much all the liqiud. I am concerned though...Why does it take these nurses a couple of sticks to find the port. I can feel it so easily and my tummy is not that big. Plus they see the port on the screen. I don't appreciate the doublesticking, because I am worried about puncturing the tubing, besides the discomfort of course... Are most of you bandsters experiencing this or do they hit your port on the first stick??!!

Hi Jennifer, gosh I feel for you...I am so sorry this happened. I can't imagine how scary this was. I hope you will recover as fast and soon as possible. I am your age and lived in Longmont Co and I will pray for you. There must be a way your Dr can handle the bills for this, as this was a follow-up complication, even if it is so rare. I want to ask you a question: Did you vomit before this horrible episode periodicly? I vomit every couple of days because I just had my third fill and I am wondering if this complication you had comes from frequent vomiting...I hope this will never happen to you again and it will not set you back from your amazing weightloss. Yours, Josie

If you get up at 4:20am to go exercise, my hat off to you. You probably didn't need the band. That is determination and I know I love sleep way too much to EVER get up at that hour to work out. You are like Oprah, girl... I guess I am not determined. Now, I don't down milkshakes and candy, but I still eat what my family, all are slim, eat. Smaller portions now, but still the same meals, we just ate stuffed lebanese zuccini with rice and lamb. You should have been here!! The exercise thing is hard for me, I hate to sweat...I know that sounds bad, but I love to walk and swim,( I live on the beach) Most people with Normal metabolisms would not weigh 210 lbs but I do. I was really hoping for restriction that would only allow me to eat 4-6oz and feel satisfied. But the MAGIC is not happening..:hungry:

Please people, come on... I realize the lap band is only a tool, but... If I were strong enough, determined enough, exercised enough blah blah, then I would have been thin to begin with. I have been overweight much of my life BECAUSE I overeat, I underexercised, I ate for comfort, for joy, for sadness, whatever. I got the lapband, because I COULD NOT lose weight and overcome "these eating demons" on my own. So I went through surgery for help, for solution, for salvation. If people say now, blah, blah it's just a tool, I could have bought dietpills or whatever, Most people, including myself, reached for the lapband, because we could not help ourselves with the conventional methods and we/I believed the lapband could "do it" for us and restrict our eating. I had my surgery almost 3 month ago and only lost about 13lbs out of 80 to lose. Not until last Thursday, when I had my third fill and am finally feeling some restriction, can I tell the band is really working. For the past 3 months it was hell, because people (family) thought that I would drop pounds like mad, and eat very little and I didn't. :angry

After my surgery I did well on my liquids and lost weight really well. After my first fill I thought " now I'll have restriction and won't be so tempted to overeat" but I felt zero restriction and gained 2 lbs. Two weeks ago I had my second fill. My band has 3.8cc's in it now and YEAH I have some restriction. I actually upchuck here and there. It's strange, some foods like pasta go down great, but baked potatoes or cooked carrotts don't. It's really strange what you can or cannot eat... I think my 3rd fill will hopefully restrict my intake on ALL foods...:hungry:

I'm in my third week after surgery and I feel great, but...I am allowed to eat mushie/blended/soft foods now and I feel absolutely no restriction. When my Dr. put my band in it was completely unfilled and my first fill will be July 18th. While I was on my liquid diet I drank all I could. The Dr. said that's okay, but now my portions on the soft foods are getting larger and larger. I have no restriction, no "full felling", no symptoms of "oops I ate too much.." I actually don't feel my band at all. I'm worried that it "slipped" or my pouch is huge, or is all my food just going through the band. Have I ruined my surgery or is it normal not to feel any restriction until my band will be filled? I don't want to eat so much but after my liquid phase I am just starved... Please ADVISE me!!!!:help::help::help::hungry::hungry::hungry:

That's great! I am so happy for you. I agree, loosing so fast on the liquid diet is a real encourager...We are both blessed to have had such great surgeons and our bodies responded well to the operation. Lucky 1 year old, you're gonna be such a better "hands on" dad for her in the years to come. But Simon, remember the surgery was just a couple of days ago, DON'T OVERDO IT..You need to heal and give your body some time to rest now!!! Josie:ranger:

My doctor told me there is no "too much" drinking in the liquid stage.

I have mine under my left ribcage and that seems like a perfect location to me.

I hear that CLIFF bars work and taste great.

I was banded 5 days ago as well. Welcome to the new US. You'll feel soooo much better in 3 days. That was my turning point anyways. Drink lot's of water and tak your painmeds.

I had my surgery 5 days ago and I feel great as well. Isn't it a blessing to have come through the surgery and look back now. It really wasn't as rough as I thought it would be. Now we have a long healthy journey ahead of us. My weight is very close to yours. I was 225 on surgery day and now I'm 219. Life is good!:mad:

So toworrow is my BIG DAY. My surgery is in Olympia with Dr. Neal at 11:00am. I am his 3rd surgery tomorrow. I don't know if thats good or bad. I know I won't sleep tonight...I'm excited, sure, but also thinking I'm in no pain now, but in 24hrs I will be miserable. If everthing goes well, great, but what if it doesn't. I have 2 young kids...Dr. Neal didn't put me on any pre op diet, but I think I should just do liquids today, and then OF COURSE nothingaftermidnight. I had my last nice dinner out with my girlfriends last n:help:ight. Does anybody have any words of encouragement for me ?

Hi, tomorrow is my big day too. My surgery is at 11:00 in Olympia Wa with Dr. Neal. Where are you? Let's kep each other posted. What are you eating today? Are you on liquids?

Hi Jono 201! Wow, I have been checking on this Lapband talk forum for a week or so and not found any of Dr Neals patients. aND HERE YOU ARE. yOU WERE BANDED IN mARCH?! My surgery is scheduled for June 22nd and I am excited and of course worried as well. Were you happy with Dr. Neal's care? Any tips pre or post op. Lately I have been reading so many stories here on line about complications during and after, but I'm sure for every sad story there are 10 happy ones...I am very confident in Dr. Neal's surgery skills. I just don't know about my skills in managing this new band. I am so worried about not getting enough liqiuds down and getting dehydrated. Also my Birthday and 4th of July are coming up and I will be on Clear liquids...What a bummer that will be... Anyway, please write back. I live in NW Olympia. Bye Josie:clap2: quote=jono201;431738]I too did a lot of research and was also well informed by by surgeon. I also bought, laid out and made convenient any thing I might need post surgery, especially a wide variety of liquid diet items such as creamy Soups, Protein shake powder (chocholate for me), and yogurt drinks. I also made sure I had my magic bullit and plenty of low fat soy milk to thin my liquid meals. The one thing I wish I had been more informed about was the pain in my neck and shoulders from the anethesia. It was not until I woke up that I was informed that the pain would not go away for days. Also, the whole gas issue I was uninformed about, so I had not pre-bought anything to ease it. Other than that-like the other posters write-read read read and read some more.

Hi there, I'm from Olympia and my surgery is on June 22nd. I sure hope you will feel better soon. I am so worried about that liquid diet too, how do survive on broth... Write me back, Josie

Hi Dianne, I love your motto that God will provide you with strengh to face what ever comes your way. That is so true! Josie

Hi There This is my first time on this site. My lapband surgery is scheduled for June with Dr Neal and I'm so excited. I weigh 230lbs and I am 5'5. I carry my weight very well and people around me incl. my OBGYN think I'm "not big enough" for this surgery. I have wanted Bariatric surgery for 10 years . My insurance denied me until this year when I was diagnosed with type II Diabetes. Isn't it sad that you have to wait until your health get's really bad, when this could have been prevented earlier... Anyway is there anyone who had surgery with Dr Neall ? Also, how does one NOT get dehydrated the first weeks after surgery, when you can only drink 2 tablespoons at one time... Hope someone will write to me... Josie

Hi Lexy<br /> it's kind of strange but my Dr. (Dr. Neal) doesn't put his patients on any pre op diet. He is very strict about post op dieting i.e. 6 weeks on liquids. I know he trained under Dr. Ortiz in Mexico and Dr. Ortiz requires Protein liqiud diet for 2 weeks pre op. He claims, that "shrinks" the liver, but my best girlfriend who is an anesthesiologist claims there is no such thing. I will try not to overindulge until June 22nd and I think I'll be okay. I haven't been eating more or less than usual. What will be so hard for me post op is no more diet coke. I live on that...Also I like to have a margarita or cosmo and I'm not sure how that will go...<br /> Josie