Junebug36

It's when you eat something dry or eat to fast, don't chew enough or you are too tight, etc and your esophagus is struggling to push the food through...you start developing a thick mucous in the back of the throat and mouth. It is essentially the body producing lubricant to take care of the issue. It's a little gross but doesn't happen all the time...at least it's not supposed to.

Okay, full was the wrong term...I was satisfied after 1 1/2 cups for 4 hours at a time. My surgeon wants me to be satisfied with 1 cup. I'm just used to using the term "full" to describe satisfied and done...not overstuffed. I am putting myself on clear liquid today..as my throat feels really swollen, and hurts to drink anything thicker than water. It's crazy .5 cc will do this. I already had 5cc in the band at surgery. I was happy he put that much in at surgery...I didn't have the banister hell stall so many talk of... But I suppose this is kinda banster hell...just a different kind...lol! I'm with you on thinking maybe .25 taken out would be perfect. I just didn't know how long it takes a fill to settle in. Maybe if this swelling would ever go down, I could better determine the need of an unfill. My main question is, how long does it usually take for the swelling to subside? 2 days, 2 weeks? What is normal, and when do you need to be concerned?

I'm a week out from my first fill....not surgery. I was on liquids for two weeks...then two weeks mushies after surgery :-)

218 on 7/15/2014

I was told 900-1000...but being restricted, I find all I can manage is 1000...every now and then I go over by 100 calories or so. I have noticed when I eat less the weight loss pauses...the day I get 1000-1100...I am a pound lighter the following morning. I think it's good to mix up low calorie days with high calorie days (never thought I'd think 1100 calories was high!). Anyway...keeps your body guessing and keeps you out of starvation mode where your body hangs on to everything.

I can eat about a cup at a sitting every 4 hours. So I think it's where it needs to be. It is a learning curve when making my portions...I have tried to fix that using only cup sized bowls. It seems to work, and I get to finish my plate without guilt or discomfort due to taking more than my "fill"...pun intended...lol!

Hey bbyruth! Was wondering what happened with you! Sounds like you are doing great! Keep us posted on your first fill...I am a week out and finally able to eat real food most of the day.

I was eating 2 cups before my fill..now I'm down to 1 cup :-). But, even at 2 cups...it is working for you.

I'm with you on the energy...it doesn't make a lot of sense. If I ate this way prior to being banded, I would be exhausted and ill. I have tried a glass of red wine after dinner, but that is all I can really manage...one glass...I'm pretty much a cheap date now! Enjoy your vacation! I bet you will lose while you are away. I have eaten out...and eat so slow, and so little, I have a big container to take home. So make sure where you go has a fridge and microwave..you will probably use it :-)

Crystal! Hang in there, girl...keep up the positive attitude, it should work itself out. I was able to eat chicken stew last night...it was sooo good! So my swelling is going down. With my fill, I am tighter in the mornings...slightly tight by lunch..not tight at all during dinner. I feel like I'm doing better with it now. Just had to baby it a bit the last couple days. I'm thinking my body will always swell the worst about 5 days out from any fill. I know next time to stay on mushies or liquids just a few days longer. Oddly, I can still gulp...just not as much as before. I had more Fluid put in than most at surgery (5 cc)...I am really glad my surgeon decided to go that route...I have not had stalls due to the instant restriction. Its been a slow and steady loss ever since. I was told I may only need one more fill at the most..or I could very well be solidly in the green zone with this first fill (once it settles down). I can say, the less they have to mess with it,,,the better! Swelling and Protein shakes are both horrible... lol. It is all individual...some are more sensitive than others...some people never need a fill, and the band itself is enough. It all depends on the person. I now think all the questions I had to answer about food, and what not, is what helps determine what they do in surgery. Apparently I needed restriction right away...I'm not sure if that's good or bad! haha

Thanks for sharing your experience! It really helps knowing what to expect with these things. @@brendan2014 I believe I was swollen...I was able to eat lowfat chicken stew last night. I didn't seem to have any issues. I do notice I am tighter in the mornings...by lunch tight, but not as bad...by dinner..it felt like I could eat whatever as long as I chewed it like crazy. So shake in the morning...mushies for lunch...and a regular whole food dinner...lol!

8-16 oz low cal almond vanilla milk (or use 8oz low cal almond milk with 8 oz water...for thinner shakes) 1 scoop Sugar Free protien powder (vanilla) 1 Tbsp PB2 1/4 cup blueberries 1/4 packet sugar free white chocolate pudding mix 1/2 frozen banana Hand full of ice Add all to blender....blend for 40 seconds or so...enjoy! Flavor reminds me of muffin batter

I wonder if he gets on here. Perhaps we talk to him and maybe even Chris Christie and not know it! They need support systems too!

I'm drinking a Protein shake right now... I followed the suggested schedule of liquids for two days then mushies for two days....was so excited to eat real food again ...but I guess my band had other plans. Pretty sick of shakes...blah. So how long did it take your hubby to get used to his first fill? Just a warning on the pants falling down...bring safety pins with you, or a belt..they seemed to fit fine at the start of the day...just out of the dryer....things get lose during the day. Lol!

Will do...so glad I'm not the only one going through this. Some people don't even feel their fills. I guess we are just a bit sensitive to it. How long were you told to be on liquids after your fill?

You are doing great!! You are a month ahead of me, and inspiring me to keep it up! Thanks for sharing your successes :-). Your positive attitude is infectious!

It felt good till I realized I had probably shown everyone the color of my underwear as I shopped. Lol! Of course, that's the style now days, right?...hoping people just figured it was a fashion statement instead of a fashion mishap. Setting trends over here...lol! I'm still struggling with eating...I'm going back on liquids for a few days. Mushies keep getting hung up and kinda hurt to swallow them. I was doing good till yesterday...the attempt at solid foods messed me all up :-(. Now I know why they say the band is a finicky b/$(@. Mine is definitely being that. I really want to take liquid Motrin for it. Not sure it would help, though.

I should say, I get things down...but mushies kinda hurt right now. I feel it gets hung up for a minute...then it goes down...sigh.

I hope so...I can't even get mushed banana down this morning...so I guess it's protien shakes for me today. I don't get it...the swelling from surgery had been gone for awhile...and just adding a tiny bit to something that's been there for a month causes all this? What the heck?

My stomach is sewn around my band too.. I have a picture of it :-). I should frame it and hang it as a conversation starter... Lol. It is supposed to keep it in place, and helps avoid slips...I think.

I'm doing good..still losing (26 pounds so far). Recieved my first fill, and am pretty darn swollen from it. I'm starting to wonder if I needed that fill..but, the surgeon seemed to think so. Really annoying not being able to get things down smoothly. Ugh. I was on liquids 2 days after the fill.. Then mushies 2 days..now on day 5 (today) I was supposed to be able to eat normal...but, it feels like I'm more swollen today than right after my fill. Can't even do mushies. This happened right after surgery..was swollen worst on day 5. First NSV..I was shopping yesterday, and realized as I was pushing the cart...my pants were literally starting to fall off me! I had to hold them up as I finished my purchases! Same thing happened with stretch pants I use to workout in... Luckily I was at home! I'm so scared to buy new clothes.. When I used to buy clothes after weight loss,prior to the band...I would always seem to instantly gain it back..leaving me with new clothes that I couldn't wear. Old fears are hard to break. At some point I need to, though... Can't walk around with pants falling off! Lol!

Thanks weevie! I was doing well on liquids and mushies..today was first day on normal food...and I am swollen bad again...ugh! So I went back to mushies, but having a hard time with them. Guess I need to go back to liquids for a couple days... Who knew .5 cc would be so much more restrictive... Jeez!

I read through the whole article and found the research on the band to be kinda vague compared to the sleeve and bypass. Seems like they are making assumptions due to lack of specific research on the band. From my limited experience... I can say my cravings and tastes have definitely changed with the band. I am still able to eat meats and raw vegetables with a 5cc fill. I find myself wanting healthy food as opposed to junk. I have more energy than before. Perhaps I am an exception with this experience? I've read studies where the weight loss with the band matches the sleeve and bypass patients long term...meaning it takes band patients a little longer to lose, but in the end we all end up at similar goals. A lot of these studies only look a year out. I honestly think it is an individual preference...one surgery might be better than another depending on the person. Hoping more long term studies are done to help people with their decisions on all forms of surgery. I found it all confusing and contradictory when I was researching my options. Bands have been redesigned, techniques on all the surgeries have improved. So I went with my gut...no pun intended...and so far, I feel I made the right decision. I also think the surgeon, and support system afterwards make a big difference, as well a person's attitude going in. It's surprising they can't analyze more human subjects and have to resort to rats...I mean, how many people have had surgery in the past 10 years? I'd be willing to answer questions about my diet, carvings, etc...give blood samples, or what ever else, if it would help them understand how to best tackle obesity. I kinda feel we are all guinea pigs right now, anyway.

They gave rats little sleeves and lapbands....awe!

You will get sick of the same tasting shake every day...get a variety..that way when one starts to turn your stomach...you can turn to a different one. I started with Bariatric Advantage vanilla so I could mix different flavors in. But the smell started to get to me...so I turned to GNC brand for a bit. Vanilla, is a good base flavor..I have changed the flavors using sugar free Jello mix...or sugar free syrups down the coffee isle.