AudricIan

Away, We got our first fills around the same time. Neither of us had restriction with the 1st fill and the 2nd has been rough (you even had a slight unfill if I remember). It has been 2 months since my 2nd fill and I still can slime off of 1-2 bites. It really depends what I am eating. It has gotten so much better the past week, I have only slimed 2 times. I do chew really well my problem is taking another bite before the first bite has "settled" or passed throught the band. It is the same way for me though, huge globs of slime. I can feel it in my chest right away and I know that I have to get it out. The only way to stop the pain is to go in the bathroom and gag it out. Totally disgusting. My personal opinion is that you are still too tight. Luckily I have lost a substantial amount of weight with this fill and it is finally getting looser. I am able to eat more now than I have in the past 2 months. I can drink without pain now too. I was very reluctant to get an unfill because I didn't want to do the drive so I stuck it out. You also have the issue with your esophagus so maybe you should get another slight unfill. It is really annoying and kind of scary when you are out to eat and you feel the pain in your chest and you are frantically looking around the restaurant to find the ladies room while your mouth fills up with Water. I HATE THAT!!! I love losing weight more though:biggrin2:. Good luck to you!

I have been dealing with a tight fill for almost 2 months now. It has been so hard. I don't enjoy eating anymore, I crave veggies and meat but can only eat a few bites and I am full up to my throat it seems. I PB every few days and slime at least once a day. I keep thinking it is going to loosen up, I have lost 14 lbs with this fill. It is still as tight as ever. Now my menstrual has started so I have a few weeks of an even tighter band. I really don't have time to drive down to Mexico (2hrs there and 3 hrs home) and get an unfill and don't want to pay nearly 400 to have it unfilled at the Fill Center in my town. Anyone know of other doctor's in Orange County, CA who will do fills and unfills on Mexico patients for a reasonable price? I love the scale right now but I just wish that dinner was a little more enjoyable for me. ERRRRRRR!

Dr. Oliak, Orange, CA. Check out his website. I went to his seminar and he will do BMI of 30 or higher. I chose Mexico because of cost.

It does feel good. I thought I would be more satisfied at this weight than I am though. When I was in the 180's I thought, once I get to the 170's I will be happy. At 170, I thought 160's will make me feel so much better. The 160's have flown by in 1 month and today I weighed in at 156. I am happy but I feel like once I get to the 140's I will feel GREAT! Only now, I am not too sure what it will take to satisfy this need to be thin. Is 130 lbs thin enough. I remember when I was in the military and I weighed 130 lbs, I thought I was fat. What is wrong with me? Everyone says I look so good but I just don't see it. I see a flabby stomach full of stretch marks and big boobs that have yet to lose an ounce. I think the only place I am losing weight is my butt and legs and those are not my problem areas! I really don't want to get a TT, financially it is not an option and we all know how my hubby feels anout surgeries, LOL! I still look bad in a swim suit and I was really hoping to be able to go to the beach in a bathing suit and enjoy the ocean with my kids this year. I want to be care free and get in the water and not think everyone is looking at the fat mommy with the cute kids. I will be 30 in June and I am the thinnest I have been in 6 years. I have some issues that is for sure. It doesn't help that I am PMS'ing and nothing is going my way, typical PMS symptoms! Thanks everyone.

I am so happy you are doing better! It is totally normal to not have any restriction. The band is empty and food can just pass right through. I still had no restriction after my first fill. The second one has been an eye opener. Eating slow, chewing obsessively and only have a few bites before I am full. The "fullness" lasts 3-4 hours and I have to have a few more bites of something. Everything you have gone through is normal. Stay strong, we are all here for you.

Well, he hasn't said he it was a good choice yet. He only comments if I ask him how I look. Every pound I lose I ask him...."how much do you think I weigh today?" He always says less than what I actually weigh. He has been understanding when it comes to going out to eat, he makes sure it is a restaurant where there is something on the menu I can eat comfortably. I am still tight and can only eat a few bites before I am full. My hubby can tell when I am uncomfortable, he says I get this look on my face and he can tell something is stuck or passing through the band. I still get the shoulder pain when I eat until the food passes through the band. I just keep hoping with every lb lost that the band is going to losen up. I am down to 159!!!! I haven't seen 159 in about 6 years! I am so excited and I am now wearing a size 10 comfortably. No more lane bryant jeans for me. I have given all of my clothes that are too big away so it is not an option to gain weight back now. Thanks for the support! Nicole

I started with BMI just over 30, lower than most. I lost about 10 lbs in the first month which is not that much compared to others. It all depends on the individual and how much extra weight you have to lose I guess. People with 100lbs to lose obvious lose a lot more weight in the first month than someone with only 50 lbs to lose.

WOW! I definately had some issues after being banded. I thought for sure that it was going to be impossible to live with. I think all I thought about for the first 2 weeks was OMG, what if it slips or errodes and I have to pay out of my pocket to have it removed...I was downright scared of what I had done. I thought I wouldn't be able to eat the foods I liked ever again although I have read that some people can eat whatever they want. Then, I was able to eat and I felt to much better. I let go of my worries about band slippage and erosion and just decided that I should make it work while I have it because you never know what the future holds. Now I am 23 lbs lighter and I still enjoy the same foods as before. I do not binge like before but I do get to have a taste here and there and it is enough to satisfy the craving. Please talk to your doctor, try the gatorade and food thing. Maybe once you lose 10-15 lbs you will see that it is possible and it is not all that hard to lose the weight with the band. It is obvious that trying to make healthier choices in the past has not worked for you. If genetics are against you then you will struggle your entire life and one day you will think to yourself maybe you should have given the band a little more than a 7 day trial. It is not easy with the band but it is definately a lot easier than not having your band. I assure you alot of people had their regrets within a few weeks of being banded. It is obvious you have emotional attachment to food and it is killing you right now because you can't self medicate with food. Maybe you should try some sort of private counseling to help with the addiction itself, being addicted to food is like being a drug addict. Once you take the food/drugs away, it takes a while to "come down" so to speak, Good luck to you, stay strong no matter which choice you make.

I am sure you can find a doctor in the states to do it for you. I went to an informational seminar a few months before I was banded. It was with an American doctor in Southern California and he said he will band patients with a BMI of 30. Of course insurance will never cover it, but you can get it done. The only reason I did not use this doctor (he was only 5 miles from my home too!) is because self pay was 17k and I honestly could not afford it. That is why I went to Mexico, it was all about cost for me. I am only hours from Dr. Ortiz's office, I just have to wait in a long line to get back into California! Luckily I chose a great surgeon and my recovery was great and I am on my way to a size 7! You can definately get a band in the states, just do google search and make some calls to different doctor's. The websites do not always say that they will band with a low BMI so you should call and ask. Good luck to you!

Where are all the low BMI'ers? I am hanging in here after my tight fill. I am about 4 weeks since fill #2 and finally, I can eat solid food somewhat comfortably. I have lost 10 lbs with this fill. I almost jumped in my car and drove down to TJ to get an unfill on several occasions. I struggled through the extreme tightness and finally I am loosening up. How is everyone else doing?

Do not feel one bit guilty for what you are about to do. I had the same feeling. I am married with 2 little boys, all I do is work, clean and take care of my family, this has been my routine for 6 years. This is the first big thing I have ever done for myself and I am loving it! If you are getting a 4 cc band, I don't think it will be filled. You will lose weight, all I can say is....don't rush your fills! I have replied and had a few threads of my own, you can read about my fill stories. 2nd fill has been so hard on me and I waited an entire 2 months in between fills! My weight loss is slower than others, I have lost 23 lbs in 4 months. I only have about 50 to lose so I feel I am doing well. The slower you lose the healthier it is and the higher the chances for success towards your ultimate goal. One big piece of advice....as long as you eat solid food (meat, poultry and veggies) and get your fills, you will lose weight, there is no way that you can't win if you follow that advice. I was so anxious to see results and i am the most impatient person ever, I want it and I want it now is my motto! Now that 4 months have passed, I realize how fast it has gone and how well the band has worked for me. Get through your surgery, take it easy and heal, then get your first fill and you will be on your way to successful weight loss. One step at a time! Good luck to you.

I am certainly glad I got this fill. I am hoping that the more weight I lose the looser the band will get. There have been several days when I thought I just want to eat and I am going to get an unfill. I was so hungry (head hunger) I just wanted to eat some fried chicken and mashed potatoes. I made it through it and I feel some sense of accomplishment. Fighting the head hunger is so hard. As far as the band tightness, I can really tell a difference this weekend. I was able to eat 4 oz piece of white fish a little rice today along with 3 cherry tomatoes. Nothing got stuck but I was full up to my throat! I burp a lot more, it is like when you burp, the food passes through. It feels so weird. It is not nearly as painful to eat as the last 3 weeks have been. I took a few sips of Sprite to help me burp more. It is so gross but burping relieves the pressure in my chest. I am down to 160 today, need to update my ticker again. I have lost 10 lbs since this 2nd fill. It has not been easy dealing with all of the pain and sliming but I am getting used to chewing properly and slowing down to a snails pace when I eat. It is so hard to change lifetime habits of eating really fast and swallowing food without chewing it up really well. You have to really be mentally prepared for when you do get good restriction, it is definately hard when you are using food for nourishment, not pleasure.

I could eat like a horse after my first fill too. I was still losing weight, very slowly though. I thought I would give it an honest effort and waited 2 months between fills. I got the second fill about 3 weeks ago and OMG, it has been so hard on me. I went from eating a lot to eating next to nothing. PB'd a few times, still slime every other day. I can't believe the difference. I have lost 8 lbs in 3 weeks and I am still very tight. I can only eat a few bites of dinner and I have to stop. I started sharing a plate with my 18 month old, that is how little I eat. Water is tough to drink until the afternoon. I burp everytime I swallow something. It is not good to be too tight, very frustrating. You want to eat everything in sight but your body will not let you. If you try to eat a lot you will pay. Just sit back and relax, restriction will come in time. Good luck

Okay, I had my second fill today. I am at 2.6cc in my 4cc band. I waited 2 months in between fills just to make sure that I needed one. I have gained about 4 lbs back and I know I am eating waaaaay too much at mealtime. Long story short, I got my fill done in TJ with Dr. Romero, fabulous fill, went smoothly. Since I was driving he asked me to try and eat something before I leave to make sure that the fill is okay. I told him I had a can of soup that I can sip while I am waiting to cross the border. So I am 30 minutes into my wait and I decide to take a few sips of soup. Immediately I got the stuck feeling and it hurt. There is no way I am trying to turn around now and go back to the clinic. I couldn't believe it, Dr. Romero told me to eat something solid, not soup. If I would have eaten something more solid I think I would have pb'd for sure. I know I am probably freaking myself out. Is this normal? Should I just take it easy and try liquids for a few days???? I am a little better now, I had about 1/4 cup of chicken soup and chewed the pieces really well. I can still feel the chicken sitting in pouch, more of what feels like my throat. I am belching a lot too, it is like air just needs to get out after I swallow the food. Once I belch the food seems to move past the band. Really weird feeling to me. Just need some support I guess, I really don't want to get unfilled and I haven't felt "restriction" like this at all since being banded, not even post op! Thanks everyone for you shoulder and ears.

Denise, Feeling the same so far this morning. I am going to try the same "meal plan" as yesterday. A bunch of liquids and something mushy for dinner. I am dealing with it okay. I just feel hungry but I can't eat anything filling. I had some hot chocolate this morning and that was yummy! If this goes on for a month l will defintely get an unfill. For now I can handle it.

Midnite, I feel so sorry for your horrible experience. This is kind of unrelated but not really. I am a Case Manager for worker's comp cases. You have no idea how many doctor's are crooks. There are so many that drag out treatment just to charge for the extra office visits. It really sounds like your doctor was inexperienced (he didn't know which band he put in...) and he is ripping off you insurance company by charing 800 for a fill, that is insane. I think if you can afford to go to a fill center or another doctor it would be worth your money. I am self pay and I would pay again to have this band. I haven't lost a ton of weight but I am losing steadily. I just had my 2nd fill and I have total restriction already. I travel to Mexico for my fills (only a 2hour drive) and my fill doc is an agressive filler. You deserve to have this work for you. Find a new doctor!!!!! There are great doctor's out there that want their patients to do well and will give you fills to make it worth your visit. Do some research on doctor's and fill centers. Good luck to you!

Denise, I am such a fighter that i don't want to have any taken out. I will just deal with it for a while to see if it gets better. I really think it will loosen up, apparently just losing weight loosens the band soooo, if I lose 10 lbs it should get looser, RIGHT???? I am going to give this fill an honest chance like I did the first fill. As long as I am hydrated and not vomitting I will tough it out. I am still getting in 800-1000 calories of whatever is easiest for me to get down be it milk or mushy special K. I have faith that it will be okay in due time. Thank you for your kind support and much needed advice.

I am just hitting up the low bmi'ers thread. I had my second fill the other day and I have been hanging out in the fills thread, I know I am such a LBT slut. This second fill has been a real eye opener for me. I understand all of the sliming and pb'ing and what causes it now. This is the first real restriction I have had since being banded. I can forget about eating anything solid for a while, can't even drink anything cold until about 3 in the afternoon. TIGHT< TIGHT< TIGHT!!! My friends in the fill thread have talked me through it and I am not too concerned at this point. I am stil getting about 800 calories in, mostly liquids though. Soooo, for everyone wondering if you will ever feel restriction ( I was that person) hang in there, you will in time. And once you feel really tight like this, going out to a big steak dinner suddenly doesn't sound to good anymore! It sounds painful to me! This fill has definately helped with my head hunger.

OMG, my story is like both of your stories. I waited 2 months in between my 1st and 2nd fill. The first fill was a breeze, could eat anything and a lot of it. 2 days ago i got my second fill and I think I could just die! I can't even drink cold water until mid afternoon. I have had to totally change my eating schedule. I have warm tea at 10 am and that is a little rough going down. it loosens me up enough so I can have a small protein drink for lunch. Dinner, forget dinner. I can't really eat anything. I had 1 bite of a sausage and it was stuck and burning for like 20 minutes. I had my dinner at 10pm tonight and it consisted of 1 single serving of special k that was super soggy. It took me 45 minutes to get that down and it was painful. So, I ask all of us....why do we do it when we know it is going to hurt and we shouldn't? I think it is becuase we just want to see if it will be as easy to eat as it was before this fill. Maybe in the back of our minds we think it just isn't working so we push it. I wonder. I know now that this is normal and we need to take it easy and just do the liquid thing for a while or we will irritate our stoma's and it will only get worse for us. This is to us, the dare devils who just like to push the limits:tt2::cursing::banghead: Have a good evening and better luck for all of us tomorrow!

I am doing a little better today. I can't grab a bottle of water in the morning like I usually do, it just causes me pain to drink it. I have been drinking warm green tea with a touch of honey around 10 am, that helps loosen up my stoma a little bit and then I have been having a protein shake for lunch. As far as eating, I can't eat anything that is even mushy until about 4 in the afternoon and it still gets stuck. It took me 45 minutes to eat one serving of very soggy Special K cereal tonight, that was my dinner, LOL. The constant air bubbles are driving me crazy! From what I am reading this is all normal and I shouldn't worry myself. I think I PB'd a tiny bit today for the first time. I had an airbubble so I pushed it out and a little bit of food came up my throat. I can see why that would be really embarrasing in public! I think a few more days and I will be getting used to this. This is the first "real" restriction I have felt so I have to change my eating habits and eating schedule around to suit my band. I am going to hang in there, at this point I definately understand why people who reach their sweet spot can only eat 1/2 cup of food!! I think it would take me 2 hours to eat 1/2 cup of chicken or beef right now. A few months ago I never thought I would be at this point in my journey. Thanks for the support everyone. BTW, I have lost 3 of the 5 lbs I re-gained!!!!

1.75 cc's is not that much. My doctor does up to 1.8 for the first fill in a 4cc band and up to .8 cc's for the 2nd fill. I had no restriction with the first 1.8 cc's and had a fill today of .8 cc's. I can surely tell that I have restriction now at 2.6cc's total. A HUGE difference. I think you just need a little more fill.

Thanks for the advice. I just tried a few more bites of the chicken soup before I read your reply. I am not trying to push it, i am just hungry, I have only had a few bites of soup and a few bottles of water all day! I will lay off the solid food for tonight and start fresh tomorrow with liquids and maybe mushies. I am really tight in the AM until about 12;30-1:00 so, i figure I will be tight until about dinner time now! I am able to drink water and swallow my saliva so I am sure I am okay, I just need to baby my belly for a while. Thanks for the support.

I have been so busy with work, birthday parties and life in general. I took a few weeks off work for my arm pain and I didn't even look at this darn computer, I am on it all day long in my home office. I guess when I don't need to be on it I'm not gonna' be on it. I am a little scared to get my next fill. I am still tight in the a.m. but by night I am wide open so to speak. If you put it on my plate I am going to eat it. I still haven't learned my lesson with bread though, old habits are hard to break. I think I waited long enough after the first fill, it has been about 2 months, I think???? Have to look at my signature. Anyway, I am doing good. Hope your last ten lbs just decides it is not going to win and goes away! Good luck:thumbup:

I haven't been overfilled yet. I see this question on LBT alot though. Maybe you should go back to liquids for a few days, it sounds like your stoma could be irritated and swollen. Maybe if you give it a break the swelling will go down and it will losen up. I would try that first, you may not need an unfill. Of course I am not a doctor and if I were in your shoes I would discuss the option of a liquid diet with my doc to see if the swelling goes down, then schedule the unfill. Good luck to you, congrats on the quick 20 lbs you lost too!

That stinks! It is worth getting it fixed though, your scar will fade over time. Away2me, 9 lbs is lost is better than 9 lbs gained. My weight loss is very slow too but i can see a difference in my clothes big time. I am going to get my 2nd fill next week and I am ready. I still get bread stuck in the morning, I still try to eat it though! I was idle with my weight loss for almost 2 months, then all of the sudden last week, I lost 4 lbs. It takes our bodies time to just let the weight go, i think it the body feels like it is starving even though your head doesn't feel that way. Your body is used to xx amount of calories and once you go too far below that point it has to hang onto your fat so you don't starve. My body finally gave in!!!! I am down to 167, 1 lb from my first goal.