destined2befree

i only get it sometimes, like when i overdo it. I am not sure what it is, but like I said, it only happens sometimes, but yes, very embarrassing and hard to explain especially because I havent annonced to the world that I have the band

omg! I talked to you a long time ago, did you get the sleeve? why?

I had my surgery there in Jan 08--my doc, dr. eric pham ALWAYS calls me back and his receptionist, debra, she is sooo sweet. She must really be busy, but yeah I would show up to exchange my boxes and tell them, if she doesnt call me back in 10 to make an appt I am going to show up~! well I would ask the dr. to call me back and tell him your situation and ask him to get you in before you ins expires. I am happy that I did it although the weight loss journey has been harder than i expected, but I am still trying to eat right and move more and for sure I am eating less, whether I want to or not! good luck!

Your honestly is liberating. It is true that we all feel that way deep down. it is hard, i am 8 mos post op and feel exactly like you. It is hard every single day, every single meal is hard for me. I recently started an exercise program and am now only feeling the difference, but you are right about one thing, you will FOREVER be constantly fighting this battle!

dr. eric pham at st joseph's hospital in Orange, cA. They have a whole team of docs, nurses a designated recovery area and special beds for bariatric patients.

that is exactly what that is! Tortillas are a problem for me too, flour or corn, it doesnt matter...no matter how small the bite is, I always regret it. So I just started doing without out and so far so good. I am mexican so it is hard, but they never make me feel good afterwards and sometimes they even come up, so what's the point? good luck, you will find pretty soon you wont miss them, use a fork instead and you'll get to have a little more food that way too.

I would not do it again. I had initially lost 10 lbs and as of today I weigh 2 lbs more than I did on the day I had my surgery which was 01/07/08...almost 7 mos ago.........I am totally disappointed. I feel awful. I get sick quite a bit I am filled 5.5 in a 10 cc band and i am totally unhappy with the results. I could have gained/lost this much weight on my own. i have started walking again, but am sooo discouraged with the surgery. this is just my opinion, there are lots of people who have been very successful and have been banded after me, but for me it just didnt work,....good luck.

OMG- I just read your post and I have been feeling quite blue, I had surgery 01/07/08 and have lost 10lbs only to find it all back again, I eat around the band. I initially exercised then gave up and wanted the band to do all the work. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. I feel awful and my clothes fit terrible, it is almost as if I have not even had surgery at all. my girlfriend has invited me on an early morning hike tomorrow and I am going NO MATTER WHAT. thank you for your post as it has given me the inspiration that I need. i copied your quote at the bottom, it is great and really hit home with me.

I have been banded since 01/08 and have lost ten lbs only to find them again.....I feel totally deceived. you are right, when I lost 5 lbs in a week it was because it was too tight and I couldnt eat a thing and puked several times.........yuck, that is sooo gross and unpleasant, no way to live your life, I had him take some out and I try and I mean try to use portion control and I also exercise regularly, but still dont knwo if i have lost any weigth, I wont weigh myself unlessI go to the lap band doc, it is way too depressing! I feel bamboozled! I am hungry every 3-4 hours and eat quite often, I try to fill myself with fruit, btu I am hugnry and I cant sleep if I am hungry.......wish I had done the bypassl...oh well, such is olife, what can I do now? live with it and do my best, every single moment is a challenge.....I am consumed with it, I am obviously feeding something else and need to take a different approacvh, i will attend OA this week,,,,I simply can t take it anymore:sad:

Jeremy, you are doing fantastic! I was banded 01/07/08 and I lost ONLY 10lbs and then managed to find it back again, I have 4cc's in a 10ccband. I struggle every single day and am obviously feeding more than just my hunger! I am on the exercise train and just started journaling my food today and we shall see what happens. keep up the good work. I am going to ask my doctor for a fill next month and see how it goes. wish me luck. take care and dont beat yourself up...you are pluggin along just fine.

oh my gosh, we could be twins! I could still eat a whole bagel post lap band---I know I lost 10lbs in 8 weeks and then found it all again, currently I am 4cc in a 10 cc band and i feel good although, I have to control my intake, i was a 5cc's and i got sick and had the foam and it was gross, now I dont get sick, but I know when I have had enough, but I still feel like I can eat a lot, too much for being banded honestly. good luck.

yeah, I too was filled to 5cc's out of a 10 cc band and I lost 5 lbs in a week! I was soooo miserable, I was able to eat, but so little and I threw up a couple of times and discovered what the foamy spit up is and it was just plain gross!! I was like that for a week and then I went back to my doctor and told him it was too much, he took out 1cc and now I seriously believe I am at the sweet spot. I feel great, I am taking better care of myself and eating better and most importantly working out because I never ever ever want to go back to being overfilled--it has to be the worst feeling ever! call your doc and have him unfill you as that is no way to live and a super miserable experience, you eat something and you feel it sitting in your esophagus....sorry to be so graphic, but call your doc, that is what he is there for!!! good luck and happy banding, I promise you will feel better!

I feel your pain. i initially lost 10 lbs in 10 weeks only to gain it all back! yeah my first two fills were unsuccessful and I just yesterday got filled to 5cc's in a 10cc band, so I am now half full. 2 weeks ago i had been filled with 3cc's and he only filled me again because I gained half a pound. I can seriously feel restricted now. I am starting with a trainer tomorrow and see what happens in the next 30 days. I am also keeping a food journal now. It is true this is not a race, but it sure would be nice to see less of myself. good luck to all.

Yeah, jack is right, you do have to get back up and die trying if you have to but i also say that we are all different. I was banded in jan o8 and I lost 10 lbs then b/c my doc failed me my first 2 fills, my 3rd one was just a week ago, so I had my 1st real fill 90 days post op....I am so discouraged and feel like a failure, but every single day I start off on program and every single time i tell myself, this is only a tool....I thought, I would just eat, feel full and then like magic, I would lose weight, not the case.........you must exercise and discipline yourself to eat the right foods when you are hungry. hope that helps. welcome and good luck, you can do it.....we are here to support you.

congrats! that is fantastic, I was banded on 01/07/08 and I have yet to lose 22lbs. keep up the good work!

i have a band that holds 10cc's and i just got a fill yesterday of 3cc's----I feel terrific....the first time I ate too fast and I felt it----I can eat anything but in small portions and feel satisfied. I feel great, now I just have to step up the xrcise and i am smooth sailing. I can't wait to see the results on the scale next time I go in.

well I had 2 previous fills and both times the doc says he wasnt sure if he had gotten it or not, the needle was bent and it hurt. I said I wanted another doc to check me out as I thought maybe my port had flipped. so today he says that i have gained 10 lbs!!! no way I am so freaking premenstrual right now, I tell him I feel bloated. anyhoo, he gives a 3cc fil and I have to say i may have just hit the sweet spot, I feel total restriction in a good way. I eat and feel full and I love it! I should start wseeing the lbs come off now, wish me luck!

I was banded 01/07/08 and I feel no restriction, I have had 2 fills. I have another fill on Monday and getting a fill has been a pretty traumatic experience since I can feel the doctor fishing around in there with the needle. I asked, how do you know you got it, he says, he doesnt know???? he said because he can pull some saline out, but I gotta tell you it hurts! so he is having another surgeon present on monday and they are gonna take a stab at me and see if he can find it. i said I think that the port has flipped and he said, no that almost never happens.....I am almost afraid I am never!!I can eat like before and I feel no restrictions. I have gained 2 lbs and am afraid the scale is moving the wrong way!

I was banded 01/07/08 by Dr. Eric Pham in Orange, CA

I went to see my doc the 1st time for a fill and he had a hard time finding the port, he tried to put in 2cc's and said he was only able to get one in. then last friday I was trying to get another fill and AGAIN he had a hard time finding the port, he showed me how he had 4cc's and he was only able to get 2 in. I tell you that I feel NO restriction, that day or the next day or now. I do now believe that getting a fill is a rather traumatic experience. I asked him how he knew he got it in and he showed me a model and said that next time he would have one of his colleagues do my fill. I have to say I am not happy about it so far. I dont want him fishing around for the port. He said he does not have the ability to do it under fluoroscopy. I am a little worried. I am going back in 2 weeks to see if I have lost any weight.

heather, you look fantastic!!! I was banded 1/7/08....and I dont look as good as you. good for you

yes, I did use them and they are FANTASTIC!!! I had a private room and spent one night in the hospital and I must tell you they have the best program in OC. Dr. Eric Pham was my surgeon and I cant say enough about how happy I am with the outcome. My weight loss has been slow, but the changes in me have been great. They have a multi disciplinary program and good support groups on Tuesday nights. I would totally recommend their bariatric program. I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions. Good Luck to you!

JB, I had surgery on 01/07/08 and have only lost 10lbs but at least 5 inches. I have had one fill only and I feel NO restriction and feel hungry within 3 hours. I am calling my doctor today to make an appt for another fill. I totally understand how you feel, but it is true, that there has to be some discipline on our part.....remember, than band is only a tool. I increased my exercise and have been watching my portions and increasing my Water intake, but I cant stand feeling hungry. Be kind to yourself...it took you a long to put it on and you have already taken a step in the right direction. Victory shall be yours...start walking 20 min a day if you havent already.....and remember baby steps. Also dont forget that the journey of 10,000 miles is begun by taking just a single step. Good luck!

Wow, I was banded on 01-07-08 too and have only lost 10 lbs! well, dont i feel like a pig! 34lbs!! that is amazing! good for you! I dont know how you do 1000 cal a day though. I have been eating out and although I only eat half of the portion, obviously there are a lot of calories in what I am eating. I have changed my eating habits and am going to be changing up my exercise routine and see if that helps. doc says that 1-2 lbs is what he wants me to lose. my BMI was 38 to start. I have lost inches though from all the walking. My goal is another 10 lbs by mothers day........i can do it!

hi, I had my first fill on 02/25/08 and nothing has gotten stuck, but I do feel a wee tiny bit of restriction when I eat too much bread, tortilla, etc. I have my next fill on 03/11 and I know what you mean about wondering if you will PB, which of course I dont want. I too realize that I eat too fast and must take smaller bites and eat slower.....I hear you, it is a sign, we need to slow down and enjoy the food and not be in such a hurry. dont beat yourself up because I do and remember this is a tool, we need to pitch in and help it help us!! good luck:)