Cocoabean

Ok, here comes a strange complaint.... Stoopid Freakin' Fickle Foofing Band! So, this past week, after I got the Upper GI and the appointment for a fill. My band has had more restriction than I have had for the past several months. WHY??? Got on the scale this morning, I am down a pound. Now only up 3 from my all time post-banding low, when I was so sick back in April. Week after next we are going away on our annual vacation to the Central California Coast. We'll be gone the entire week. It's about a 6 hour drive and we are taking our motorhome and towing the truck behind. So, y'all know my quandry....do I proceed with the fill on Tuesday???? My appointment is in the morning. I figure it gives me several days to know if I am too tight. Last time I was too tight, I knew it the next day, but fought it hoping it would calm down. My surgeon is awesome about getting me in right away if I have a problem. I haven't gotten stuck since June, when I was eating a veggie burger on a bun and not paying attention. Took too big a bite...and whammo. Right now, I can eat everything, even had chicken breast last weekend with no troubles. Bread? No worries. Could probably do a bagel, but haven't tried. Input, folks? What y'all think?

I think we all worry that this will not work for us. We have failed at every other weight control measure we have tried. It is a natural concern, and this is so drastic a measure. You have to be ready to work with your band and make the changes needed to be successful. You have to make the choice to not eat slider foods, even when you might be having issues. You have to make the choice to find your sweet spot, it can take months, don't get frustrated and give up. Barring complications, if you work with the band, it will work for you. It is a very powerful tool in the weight loss arsenal! Use it well.

I totally agree that it would defeat the purpose. I thought my watch was very clear. It has the medical symbol with "See Other Side" on it. Only to be told by a first responder they they'd not spot it, nor remove it to see what it says. He said they are looking quickly for something very distinct, and that they'd miss a watch and perhaps more jewelry like items. So, I was wasted money. Thus my word of caution. I did not mean it to sound like a slam on a beaded bracelet with a large charm, sorry if it did. Lauren's Hope has very beautiful bracelets, most with large charms!

Congrats on your surgery! It could be the gas used during the surgery. Walk, walk, walk. Also try a heating pad. If what you are describing is what I felt, it was pain in the upper left quadrant of my abdominal area. Walking really helped.

There have been several threads on the topic of alert bracelets here. I got mine from American Medical ID. I have a sterling silver bracelet and a dog tag style necklace. (If we ever get coffee I can show you!) I would caution against getting one that is too jewelry looking. I say that because I have a watch that has info engraved on the back and the Caduceus on the front. The paramedic I spoke with said that 1. they will not remove it to read the back and 2. they would not even notice that is was a medical info item. In an emergency situation they are quickly assessing the situation and are looking for big charms and tags that are easy to spot, or wallet cards. My wallet is so jam packed that a wallet card would not be easily found. I tuck the necklace under my clothes when not at work, and when at work, I use it as a lanyard and clip my ID to it. So it does double duty.

Unfortunately, they don't band our brains when our stomachs get banded. I wish they could! Best thing is you are facing it head on. Not hiding from it. Yay for you! I think we all have food issues that we have to deal with post-banding. The band helps us with that as we reach restriction, as Besty said. As our physical hunger gets under control, we are better able to deal with the other appetites that we have for food. And the good news? You can get right back on track with your next meal! Go back to your banded rules and eat right. If you slip, we are here. This is a journey and a marathon. Weight loss and maintenance does not happen in one day and does not fall apart with one binge, and it starts by going back to basics.

Not everyone wears one. I have a necklace and bracelet, I switch off. I spoke with a paramedic when I took a CPR class recently. He thought it was a good idea because they might wonder what the port was, as mine is very easy to feel now that my weight is normal. He said that if they used an automated defibrilator that the location of my port is right where they would normally put the pad, so knowing that is what it is, they'd put the pad elsewhere. But, not all ports are where mine is, to the left of my belly button. My ID says, "Gastric Lap-Bad with Abdominal Port, no N/G W/O Scope." You can also put No Blind N/G. This alerts them that you have a tiny opening into your stomach and that placing a tube can be difficult. I also have my emgergency contact info. Some have their surgeon's contact on theirs. As to the topic, I can't remember what I wore into the hospital, it was much too early But coming out, I had a cotton nightgown and robe, and a pair of slippers. I didn't care if it was PJs. I was going home and to bed anyway. Less effort than having to change. And it ain't no fashion show!

It's a function of your restriction level. Like when you put the 5 gallon Water bottle on the cooler. It bubbles and burps as the water drains down. If the bottle had a bigger opening the water would just rush right out; if smaller, it would bubble more and longer as the water drained. The band is like the neck of the bottle. My band is loose right now (going for a fill on Tuesday), so I don't gurgle at all at the moment. Nor do I burp as much as when I had more restriction.

I am having visions of that Twilight Zone episode with the boy (Billy Mumy) who sends people to the corn field or turns them into jack-in-the-boxes if he doesn't like them. "It's a good thing, Anthony, ain't it a good thing?" Hee hee!

Isa Bella, welcome!! Join in any time. Sawyer, great NSVs! When I was traveling to FL this month, it was great to sit in the airline seat and not be crammed in it. I had room to spare against the arm rests! So cool. Shad, that Phil is a P-I-T-A! He totally deserved a male name, just like Christie's Steve! So, when I scheduled my fill for Tuesday, they asked if I had gotten the CD of my Upper GI...uh, did you tell me I was supposed to get the CD of my Upper GI? I don't think so! So, then I had to call and request it, and get stuck on hold, and hope it gets done in time! Sheesh.

Ok. Fill Tuesday at 10:45am! Woohoo!

You got it, Zen! PB and sliming are just that. Slime is a very thick mucous the body generates to help stuck food to go down. But when food is stuck it won't go down, neither will the slime, so it comes up. And man, can the body generate some slime! Once the food gets unstuck, either up or down, the slime will stop.

Oh Elfie, I am so sorry for your loss! I have to agree with Karen and commend you on getting rid of the ice cream. I'd have finished it off, too. You do need to go through the grieving process. Stacie, soy gets me every time! Salt doesn't do it, but something about soy sauce bloats me like crazy for a couple of days. Karen, this too, shall pass. You had a great weekend, now get back on track! You can do it! Christie, I have been asked that before. It really stings! Must totally sting now, after losing so much! It's all Steve's fault, leave it to a guy! I got the results of my Upper GI in the mail today. All is right with the world. My DH did laugh at the line that says I have a "tiny" pouch created by the band. He said it isn't so tiny right now! DOH! No hiatal hernia, no reflux, no esophageal problems. Now I just have to find time to call my surgeon's office to schedule the fill. I am still playing catch up at work from being gone. Tomorrow I am facilitating a meeting. Hopefully I can grab a few minutes!

That is great news! Way to go! Best wishes for a quick date and speedy recovery!

Leigha, that is fantastic! Congrats! I got on the scale last night and was down 3 pounds, back to what I normally am at night. So it must have been PF Changs bloat. (Or the fact that Leigha decide to quit losing!--Thank you!) Stacie, I have port pain sometimes, but I can't say what brings it on. It is more of an ache than a tearing or ripping pain. Saw my endocrinologist today, he upped my thyroid dose. Hoping that will help me to drop a few, but I doubt it. Did not get a chance to call my surgeon to schedule my fill. Just flat ran out of time. Bob, my losses always came in stops and starts. Drop 3 or 4 then stall a while, then drop more then stall, then gain, then stall. It got boring as all get out. You'll get there! Just carry one of your dogs around for a while, that ought to do it!

Ooooooooh, that Leeeetle Steeenkah!!! Leigha, have some wine, will ya? Hee hee!

OMG I AM STILL GAINING WEIGHT! So, whoever is losing right now, stop it, cause you are giving it to me! Got on the scale last night...should not have done that after PF Chang's! Dang, I NEEEED that fill. Will be calling doc tomorrow now that the Upper GI is done. I also see my endocrinologist tomorrow. I am going to ask if we can up my thyroid hormone dosage more. I am still on the low end of normal.

If it was chicken breast meat, it could be off your menu permanently. It can be very hard for bandsters to eat. I avoid it entirely now. It just isn't worth the risk of getting stuck. Chicken and beef can be very hard for us to eat. Also, when eaten in sandwich form, I tend to take bites that are too big. At this point, I'd suggest eating with knife and fork and cutting the meat into pencil eraser sized pieces. I often find after a stuck episode that my stomach will be irritated for a few days. I'll go back to liquids or mushies until things feel better. Many bandsters are tighter in the mornings. Which could explain the problems with the shake and Vitamin.

I'm game! There is a San Diego group here on LBT, but it has been quiet lately. We were trying to get together for coffee. Perhaps we could try again or can do electronic support ? I am a bit north of you in La Mesa. I am 2.5 years out and down about 70 lbs. Just gained a few (about 4-5 lbs.) and am working on getting a fill. Just had an upper GI last Thursday to be certain all is well with the band.

Way to go Sawyer!!! wootwoot!! Elfie, so glad you are doing better. Leigha, 2 pounds? Really? wow, so close to goal! Awesome. But I still like Bob's liquid diet. Your mistake was eating with the liquids. :smile2: I had my upper GI on Thursday. I ave no idea of the results. The radiologist had never done one on a bandster before. He's done them on RNY patients, but I was his first band. So, I hope my surgeon knows what he is looking for! :party: Niece's baby shower went well. Hotter than hades in Florida this time of year!

Karen, yay on the ipad! Do you love it??? Leigha, we need to hold a Boob-a-thon! Elfie, hugs to you! As I was reading through your post, my thought was that you needed an unfill. You may find you do better with your band looser. By being able to eat solid proteins without the sauces you might feel satisfied longer. I am right there with you on the detesting exercise thing. See my confession from last week. I am trying though. That is all we can ask of ourselves.

Donna, I say this with all the love I can (as you are fairly new to our thread, please know this is teasing)...keep your blood sugar in YOUR blood! You see, I have this theory that there is only so much fat in the world and as someone loses, someone else is gaining. It must be the same with blood sugar. So, your sugar goes down, mine goes up. 123 this morning! URG! Highest it has ever been fasting! WAH WAH WAH WAH!! Congrats on yours going down! I had every intention of walking with Butters yesterday, but when I got up from my desk to leave work, something happened to my hip (the bad one), it tweaked really strange. I was hobbling by the time I got to my car and could barely walk by the time I got home. Very strange. The joint and tendons were hurting. I took some NSAIDS (ok with my surgeon for once-in-a-while use) and it is better today, but DANG! That was BAAAD! Leigha, I understand your desire to get to your set goal, but as others have stated, you look fab where you are. You are well within normal BMI range. Perhaps your body is telling you that you are find and dandy where you are? You are fit and strong and healthy! If you are happy with giving up your wine, then fine, but we should not be miserable to reach a number on the scale. Bob, love your ticket to Onderland! Fantastic! So, tomorrow is my 20th anniversary! woohoo...for those doing the math, I was married at 4 years old! :ohmy: Thursday I leave for Florida for my niece's baby shower. Remember the froggie hat I was going to make? It is all done, along with a matching afghan and coordinating sweater. The sweater is nearly done, will finish tonight or tomorrow. Poor froggie, one pupil is bigger than the other, so we think he must have had a stroke! I'll come home next Wednesday. DH will be holding down the fort here. Just could not get him interested in a baby shower! Can't imagine why not!

Don't beat yourself up! You did what you had to do. Isn't that a great thing about the band, though? We can fill 'er up and get back on track! Best wishes to you!

Hi Twinkles! Welcome to LBT. This is a great place for support and questions. Best wishes for your surgery and a speedy recovery!

Well put! I think also that many people expect Gastric Bypass-like results from a band (very rapid weight loss--very soon after surgery). I mean patients, family, co-workers, friends, and aquaintances. That is not the way the band works. 1-2 pounds per week is what we can expect in general. And that is after restriction kicks in. If we lose weight before we hit our sweet spot, GREAT! That shows we are committed to our new lifestyle. But as my surgeon told me, my eating habits were 43 years in the making when I was banded, they weren't going to change over night. It is a process, enjoy the journey, and don't beat yourself up for mistakes--learn from them.