the best me

He needs to call his doc back. The fact that a week of liquids made it better is great. Sometimes, once that band area gets irritated, eating more solids foods too fast, not chewing well enough, or taking bites that are too big can cause problems, then swelling, then more problems, and it just never gets better till you do liquids again for a bit to give it a rest. When you say the pain is at the pit of his stomach, do you mean the band area? the bottom of the upper part of his stomach? or down below the band? Pain isn't normal. Here are some possibilities that I can think of: not eating properly (big bites, not chewing well, eating too fast or eating foods that his band doesn't like? gall stones? happens alot with fast weight loss, or any weight loss! he's too tight? When was his last fill? He may need a small unfill. Sounds like he needs to get back to the basics, but a call to the doc is in order. Pain is NOT normal or okay. Give us some more clues about his fills and eating and us "shade tree diagnose-ers" can give it a shot. Wow, 105 lbs since Sept.! Well done, Jack!

Is that Starr?!!!! So, whos coming this weekend...I'm confused now. I'll be there. Don't make me eat alone people!!!!:hungry:

awww, susan. Hang in there. This place is wonderful for love and support and encouragement and you did a great job of asking very specifically what you DO NOT need. So I hope you'll get what you DO need. Okay, for me, banded "not hungry" is very different from diet pill "not hungry". I still take a diet pill on occasion now that I'm banded. I believe I'm fighting a tough metabolism, after years of abuse and obesity, and the diet pill speeds everything up. I urinate more (quantity) and I sweat easier and I'm more motivated to keep moving all day and I'm NOT motivated to eat much. That's very helpful to me. Now, my band...I'm not quite tight enough but I don't want to be any tighter. I'm losing, I'm okay, I'm not out of control so if I can avoid a fill, I'm doing it. It's more about the head work for me and if my band is too tight and I CAN'T eat, it just makes me mad and rebellious and I push my band. So tight doesn't work for me. What my band DOES do for me is make me fuller on alot less food per meal. I eat slowly and carefully, I eat reasonable amounts, I don't push it by trying to overeat (usually). If I'm still hungry I eat a WW ice cream bar and don't look back, because saying NO just makes me want it more. So the band really does help the compulsion to overeat, but I have had to learn how to make it work for me. I don't know if any of that helps you at all. I also think of Vinesqueen, who has had a time with her weight loss. It just isn't falling off no matter what she tries, so you have a kindred spirit there, and a sweet one at that. Cherish her words when she shows up here. Are you planning a small unfill?

I feel the same way. It's sickening. :love:

It's funny, I find eating standing up very helpful, too. Usually it happens at dinner in the kitchen. If I'm alone, noone to talk to, I just piddle around, do my thing, and chew chew chew and dinner goes down well. I have trouble when I sit at the table with hubby and kids and there is ALWAYS something to say in that environment! I'll get stuck in a heartbeat then! Sometimes I'll just eat while preparing and sit down with them and nibble, since I have already eaten a good bit already. Or I'll nibble during dinner, then move my plate to the counter and eat while cleaning up. We are all different. All that to say, find what works and what doesn't. If eating slowly is easier while you are busy doing something else, why fight it? Do what works. Find the happy medium. And empathy is never a wasted lesson! Good for you! Your post made me smile. thanks! Wait, wasn't I supposed to hit you over the head or something? Here. That better?! LOL

Good for you and well done! That doesn't sound like a thing to worry about. I have heard of one gal getting to goal with no fill. It happens. I got my first fill just shy of 3 months after surgery. What you describe above is very good restriction and consistent weight loss. No fill required. Excellent! Keep up the good work!

I find it amazing that a lap surgery scar is now below your BB. Huh? How cool is that?!

Crystal Light, Propel, Gatorade, Chicken Broth, and Protien drinks (with milk) for me. I'd like to know what DesertMom drinks, too! I had the same trouble with water in the beginning. The other stuff went down so much easier for some reason. Even now, I add 1/2 packet of Water Sensations to my water, but just for the flavor, not because it's hard to get down.

Okay, so I didn't die in some hovel of a hospital in TJ Mexico in a desperate search for a slimmer figure. I am SOOOO relieved. I prayed for a second chance and the Good Lord above has given it. I can't believe it's true! I am home and sporting a brand new 9.75mm Inamed Band with 4cc saline capacity, and of course, no fill at this point. Surgery went great, no problems, I'm sore, tired, kinda gassy, but sipping liquid Tylenol and hot tea and a little coffee, happy to be home. I tucked my sweet little ones into bed tonight and next I'm taking a warm shower, dressing the wounds, etc, and going to bed. Dr Kuri is a lovely man and he has quite a set-up in TJ. It's better than you think, but definately different. More scoop later, but it really was more lovely an experience than I hoped for. Hi to my band buddies...chris, mary,ardee, and then Denise (there for port revision) and a few other folks we met...it was fun!!! Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers...I have a few PMs to answer, let me get this posted and OH! I have a pic of my belly to add to this post, will edit later and post it here. YAY!! Well, wish I had fixed my shirt a bit nicer and covered up my chubby belly button but here it is...port incision is one of the ones on my left side...not sure which just yet. I'm sure I'll be able to tell when I unbandage later. Editing: the port is on the lower left. Oh my word I can't believe I posted this terrible picture of my fat ole belly on the dadgum internet! Later taters!

Tara! At goal and maintaining at 135! WOW!!!! I'm so impressed and proud of you!!!! OMGosh size 5/6?!!!!!!! I'm fainting. WTG!!!!!!! You need to start a thread with all of your tricks and secrets, LOL Good to see you!

S 188/C 183.6/-4.4 total -2.0 this week!

Kellie, these are the real life questions most of us have and are NOT answered on PS sites. I think you have handled it beautifully. You are way cool. I like that the pics show up as links...I usually don't but in this case, it's good they don't just pop up, right?! You have given fair warning. You have taken good care to be sensitive, yet real. Thumbs up!

OMGosh! Quit spying!!! LOL I just weighed in anticipation of tomorrow morning's weigh-in. I was 185.4. So there. Won't be down much from there in the morning. Ah well. Tomorrow I'm home all day Blessing my Home with Chores of Love (translates: cleaning house...getting in the corners of at least one room!) so I'm taking my Phentermine first thing! AND I PB'd evil Triscuits tonight. The Rosemary Basil ones are soooo yummy, I guess I ate too fast. Up it came, yuck, with garlic/herb nasty cheese spread on them. CIB for Breakfast now, and something mushy for lunch. SIGH. Maybe I should weigh in on Thursday! Nah. Curves is going well. I did some extra weights on my triceps last night and I feel it. Gotta tighten the bat wings. OH! and I did 50 crunches after my workout, too! A little habit I'm getting into. I can't wait to measure on my bandiversary on the 8th! Look for lots of stats that day. I'm totally into the numbers these days. Just not enough to avoid getting into the evil Triscuits, right? Should have had some sliced Turkey breast for a snack. It's bagged in little 2 ounce portions in the fridge, nice and handy. Did I even SEE them? NO! Sometimes I wonder. This is such a nice Club, full of concern and love. P'nut, you have set a nice pace here. Thanks. I will occasionally re-read a few pages back, and when I do, I pray for the prayer requests you all have posted. Keep us updated, okay? Don't let your concerns get lost in the shuffle. Just post and know that you are being prayed for, okay?! ((((hugs)))) all you Gone for Gooders. Come on Paula! I like this little race car...kick butt!!!

Okay, this isn't a lap band story but it's kind of funny. When I went in for my second C-section, this one scheduled, they were prepping me in the OR. I had all these nurses setting up things, and then they came to drape me. I had that circular thing over me below my neck but no drape over it yet. And my spinal had kicked in so I couldn't feel anything below the chest. So the nurses start putting tape on my lower belly, the hangy part at the bottom full of fat that covers the "parts". Well, I hear this big ole zip, zip, zip of the tape being pulled out really long, and they secured the tape from my belly up to that circular bar in front of my face. OMG! They were taping back my fat so the doctor could get to my old C-section scar! I was so horrified! But I said, "Oh, that's what you are gonna do with that...it's been getting in my way, too!" and they cracked up laughing. I was so mortified. The only thing that made me feel better was that they did it with such familiarity, I knew I wasn't the first pregger-woman with hanging, flabby, gross, in-the-way-needs-to-be-taped-back fat down there! Geez.

Here's some inspiration. Awwwww!!!

My fill doc is familiar with my band doc in MX so he put in 2cc for the first fill. Fill doc said that's what Band doc recommends. I have no idea if that's true, but have no reason to argue, either. So 2cc for the first fill in a 9.75cm/4cc band. Went back 4 days later because I was too tight. He took out .4cc and I was great. I have since had the .4cc put back and I'm good. I have been banded just shy of a year, so I'm happy with my fill schedule so far. My fill doc also did the drinking thing described by Cashley, when I went back for the unfill and fill #2. He got the needle in my port, drew out the old, pushed it all plus some back in till he could tell by the plunger it was tight, had me sit up and drink, then he drew out the saline until I said "ahhhh" when the Water passed through. THAT's a good fill. I have done fine when I am filled that way. And $50 is a dang bargain for a fill. Non-flouro are $275 and Flouro are $325 for the doc plus $400 for the hospital flouro machine use. You can be happy about your price!!! I know you are. Good luck. Let us know how it goes, kay?

Kellie I could just hug your nakie little body for posting your amazing pics. You are an inspiration! Thank you!!!!!

Awwwww, that is so sweet!!!!!!!!!!!! They are perfect and beautiful, and they won't die! LOL and even if they were a plant, I'd kill them, based on my experience with Jade plants. Cyber-flowers! Perfect! ((((hugs))))

Leener, the only reason your GERD is worse is because your band is so tight. When your band loosens, it will improve dramatically. Just keep at it. Get the swelling down, get 15-20 pounds off and you'll be golden. I think of you each time I guzzle a 1/2 bottle of cold water. 10 ounces, poof, it's gone. It will happen! You said antacids, are you chewing Tums? That's good. Keep the acid down. You are doing it! Yay!

It's a very personal choice. Most folks here are happy with their band. A few have not been, a few have revised to DS. One gal here researched banding and chose RNY, but we won't let her leave LBT! so she still posts and participates in our local group get-togethers. Her reasoning was the after-care for banding. Fills and so much follow-up were a turn-off for her. She had her RNY surgery about 4-6 weeks? ago and has lost 30 pounds so far. WOW. I have lost less than 40 in a year! But I love my band. I'm not too tight and can eat whatever with care. I bumped up the exercise and I'm losing again. I love my band. I asked my fill doc what he thought, REALLY, about banding and he said "it's a great place to start", meaning, if it doesn't work for you, RNY or one of the other bypass surgeries is always an option. I was too scared of the RNY risks, the permanant re-routing, the malnourishment problems, it was just too drastic? I guess? For me, it was never really an option. I was so glad to have found LBT and Banding. I got a real-life picture of life after banding, and I felt I could do it. And I am! It isn't always perfect and rosey. There ARE risks and aggravations and there CAN be discomforts and problems. You need to weigh all of those. Do lots of research. Ask lots of questions. Read LBT, especially the Complications Forum so you have a clear picture. Good luck with your decision, I know it's a tough one. Make sure your heart is at peace, whatever you do!

pparker, Prilosec is good...keep taking that but don't panic yet. You are still newly banded, in the grand scheme of things, and are probably just tight. Have you had a fill yet? Take it easy on your eating, go slow and take super small bites. Chew well. Keep hydrated and keep something down in your lower stomach. Protien drinks are still your friend if you are having trouble. Aloe Vera juice, 2-4 ounces 2-3 times a day is also very soothing. Drink and eat small but frequently. Good luck and keep us posted! Also, start your own thread and you'll get more "traffic". Most folks know this thread is a Bump and don't check in...the drama is over for me! LOL

A year later and all is well! This has been a little trip down memory lane for me. Leenerbups is having similar troubles, and if there's hope for me, there's hope for her! That's funny you were scared. LOL sorry!!! :biggrin1:

I'm glad you feel that way! I feel as though I'm stalking you, following you around the board, chiming in on each thread with worn out advice. LOL It's so hard when it doesn't happen "right". I read these people complaining about starving to death at 1 week post-op, and eating solids at two weeks or whatever. Not so with us. That band is really in the way! I DID feel like I needed a fill...at 3 months out! And now I'm confident that, even though I might lose faster if I had another fill...I'm NOT walking around uncomfortable, risking slippage and erosion more than I have to, not able to eat any bread or Pasta, PBing all the time, getting full on 4 TBS of food or something God-awful like that. I eat normally, just slower. I don't eat too much most of the time. My weight loss is slow, but I'm not going back to post-op discomfort. No sirree. (is that how you spell that?) Here's something funny about the flowers. Kind of. Tonight I left the house at supper time and went to Curves to work out. Yay me! So I get home and hubby is working like a dog getting the kids to bed. I had stripped the sheets on 3yo's bed, and he's making it up with fresh sheets! Huh? The kid can't sleep on a beach towel with a blanket from the sofa for 1 night while I wash the sheets? What, are my kids spoiled?! Why is he doing this? So my 6yo daughter says..."Hey Mommy! How was exercise? Don't get on the computer." Which tells me hubby is walking around the house complaining about me being on the computer and not doing things like making dinner and getting the laundry done. LOL Priorities, people!!!! House cleaning can wait! Kids can eat pizza two nights in a row, Leener needs my help!!!!!! Just thought that might make you smile even though it's not your fault I'm on the computer and not getting all my chores done. hehe "Don't get on the computer, Mommy." Hubby was so busted.

Oh my gosh, I just KNOW this is all such a pain in the butt, but I promise, if you can get through this, it's temporary! It will not always be like this. You really are doing great. You are just open enough for a trickle to go through at a time. Keep swelling at bay, take care of your esophogus and avoid the reflux, and you'll be grand. Hang in there. Just needed to add that!

Leener, how long did it take you to finish the soup? If you drank it too fast, and I suspect you did?, you may need to drink 1/4 cup every 20 min and give the liquids time to get down past the band before eating more. Does that make sense? Sounds like your pouch got too full too fast.