kbinaz

Oh, by the way, my worst PB episode ever was on turkey meatloaf!!! It's a great suggestion, and I am alive today because of ground turkey, but even that can be a problem if you are too tight. I have no trouble with steak, though. It is such an individual thing.

You need to be able to eat 'good' food, and if you really can't you are probably too tight. This is one of my pet peeves when I am on this sight and see what people eat in a given day (like on the 'share what you ate today' thread...) Don't let yourself be one of those people! I think some people like being too tight because they lose weight faster, but at what cost? When I see that people are skipping breakfast, eating 2oz of chicken for lunch and 2 oz of chicken for dinner I have to wonder what is going on. That is not enough food! That is not what the band was designed to do. So if you are on cottage cheese because it is the only thing that doesn't hurt you need to have an unfill. You know what you should be eating, and I applaud you for that! Now fix it so you can do it! It is no fun being in pain when you eat (and believe me I know what it feels like!!!) You will be so happy when you reach the RIGHT level of restriction - food will be enjoyable again! Hope this helps!

Sometimes you are swollen after a fill. I always try to stick to soft, easy foods for the first five days or so. After that, you should be able to eat solid normal food. If you can't you are too tight. Problems arise when people are too tight because they have a tendency to gravitate toward mushy food, which defeats the purpose of the band and may slow weight loss. I think for most people 5 cc's (I'm assuming you meant 5 cc's not mls -I don't even know how much a ml is, sorry) would be too large a fill for your first, in fact I kind of wish my doctor had given me 5 cc's right off because it took me so darn long to get restriction. The problem is you never know because everyone responds to fills so differently and that is why most doctors go so slowly with the amounts for fills- it can be frustrating because it can make weight loss slower, but in the long run I think it is the wisest approach because you avoid overfills. Most people require at least 5 ccs to feel restriction. So if, after a week or so, you still can't eat normal food you may need to have some fluid taken out. Wishing you the best~

36 pounds is a whole lot of weight - you have lost way more than me! Don't get discouraged! You'll get to the right level of restriction and find it much easier to stay on track. Be patient with yourself - the reason you had surgery in the first place is that you have issues with food. That isn't going to go away over night! Keep on working and keep getting the fills you need and you are going to succeed.

Don't be too hard on yourself. The band isn't doing it's job yet. You had trouble controlling what you ate before banding and that is not going to suddenly change because you had surgery. You need to get your band filled to the right capacity to feel the restriction you need to control your portions - that is what the band is designed for. Don't feel bad that you need the band to do what it is supposed to be doing! All these people who admonish others for eating like a non-banded person when they are essentially still not banded (or not restricted enough to get the benefit of the band yet) are being kind of judgemental, I think. It is no crime to need restriction. If it were easy to stretch your pouch I would have done it a long time ago, trust me!!! I don't think it happens, especially when you aren't fully restricted.

You may not lose until you are at your sweet spot. I didn't really start losing until my 4th fill. Until you get that restriction you need you are basically not any different than before surgery. I couldn't lose weight before banding and I couldn't lose it after banding until I reached my sweet spot (7.5 cc's in a 10cc band)

When I said I have trouble with chicken I meant that when I have PB'd it has often been from chicken. I PB maybe once a week, usually less, that isn't excessive. I eat chicken and turkey in every form all the time, believe me if I couldn't eat it I would go insane! Everyone has trouble wtih different foods - like I said I also have trouble with cake, which is a relatively soft food but I think the dryness gets to me. Excessive PB'ing IS bad and is a signal that your band is too tight (I think some people get too tight on purpose to promote quick weight loss, but that's a different post...) It is normal to PB at times because with the band there are so many variables - one day you can do something with no repurcussions, the next you can have a problem. When you are overly hungry (and therefore forget to go slow) you can PB just from not paying attention. You can also get tighter when you are eating in a stressful situation. This can cause a PB. The basic rule is to take it slow and relax but in this world that isn't always easy! So, no, drinking protein shakes is NOT the answer!!! I never drink them, was instructed not to by my doctor - the band is designed to work with dense (solid) food and if you can't handle it (especially chicken!!!) it means you are too tight. Wanted to clarify that for time2bandme so she wouldn't go into this with the wrong idea. I would think if a person was PB'ing every day they should get an unfill. That also varies from person to person because it doesn't bother everyone that much. My PB's are a VERY painful, long ordeal and I wouuld absolutely never be able to do it in public without scaring everyone away. If I had to do that every day I would get my band taken out! Hope this helps!

To me "sweet spot" means I am losing 1-2 pounds a week, can eat solid, normal food without PB'ing (not shakes or pureed food) and stay full on a small amount of food (amount varies depending on the food - I personally can eat quite a bit of salad) between meals.

Almost every time I have PB'd it has been on turkey or chicken. The other thing that gives me trouble is cakey things (which I know I'm not supposed to be eating anyway, but you know....) I have no issues with salad or anything crunchy. Everyone is so different!

I take capsules with not much problem. I take them slowly if I have more than one to take, because they can get stuck. My doctor said to take any medication I could get down and so far everything has gone down. I do not, however, take big honkin' vitamins - I use chewables because those big horse pills are a PB waiting to happen!!

1.8 cc's in a 10 cc band is not much! Most people, according to my doctor, reach their sweet spot at between 5-8 cc's. They go slower than that with the fills because you never know and some people get restriction sooner. I didn't feel any restriction at all until I was at 4.5 cc's and even that wasn't really enough for me to lose much weight. I really felt I was at my sweet spot at 7.5 cc's which is where I am now. I'm sorry you have to pay for each fill - I always recommend people find a doctor who includes them for the first year because it can take quite a few to reach your sweet spot. I have had 5 fills and am glad I didn't have to pay for each one. See if your doctor will increase the amount in your next fill.

I could eat a lot before my first fill - the same as before I was banded. That's because, technically, the band isn't doing anything but sitting there around your stomach. It hasn't been filled yet. Once the swelling went down after surgery (2 weeks or so) I was basically back to normal. Don't expect restriction without a fill. Some people are lucky enough to not be hungry for a much longer time after surgery. It just depends on how your body responds. The thing you have to remember is it is normal to get hungry again and you shouldn't have a fill at all unless you are hungry. Hunger is a sign that you're healed and back to normal. Don't fear it! I know it's hard to wait for that fill, but be glad you are hungry! It means you are doing great!

I had my surgery at a Center of Excellence in Scottsdale Arizona and my total for self pay was just under $16,000.00 (and that included all my pre-op testing and fills for a year after surgery) $26K sounds mighty high!!!

I somehow lost 12 pounds the first week. Then I never lost one more pound for at least two months. Like everyone says, you have to think about a year from surgery and figure you are going to have lost at least 52 pounds then and not worry about when the pounds are lost. I gain 4 pounds every month the week before my TOM - I don't think I really gain those 4 pounds but it still freaks me out to see the scale go up. Weight gained/lost right after surgery is not really gained or lost so try to keep looking at the overall picture. You aren't losing lap band weight until you get at least one fill.

I was banded on October 26,2007 and have lost 25 pounds, so am not too far ahead of where you are! I am definitely a slow loser, but I keep asking myself where I would be right now without surgery! I'd have gained, for sure, and at the very least would be the same weight. Anything lost is gravy, to me! I wasn't very good at the weight loss thing before surgery and it is a thrill to me that I have lost what I have!

The port sight is the sorest of the whole surgery process and the discomfort there lasts the longest. I had trouble finding a comfortable sleep position for the first week or so (I'm a side sleeper) I slept in a recliner for the first 3 nights, then started doing some funky stuff propping pillows all around me to get comfortable. You probably won't be able to sleep on your stomach right off the bat but it will go quickly and with some 'revisions' you can probably figure something out soon.

Songinmysoul1- I know how you feel, and I know how frustrating it is. Your doctor is even more conservative than mine and I thought she took the cake!!! I'm allowed to get fills ever 10 days if needed. My fills were 1.5ccs, 1.5ccs, 1.5ccs, then 2ccs then 1cc. But, honestly, in the long run it is going to be okay. Trust me! You are getting used to restriction very slowly and it is going to be a lot easier for you to deal with than people who have to adjust much faster. I know you just want to get the weight off, I was there too! I lost 12 pounds in the week after surgery, and then that was it! I didn't lose any more until my 4th fill! I was sooo discouraged! Now, after 5 fills I finally have great restriction and am down 25 pounds! I love my band, but if you had asked me 1 month after surgery I would have told you it was a huge mistake to get it! Hang in there and be patient - I promise you are going to lose weight!!!

I'm glad you were able to be honest and put it all out there! I really hope you have gotten things squared away and are on the road to success! Maybe you should change the date to when you finally got things under control - I don't think that would be dishonest because you really didn't have a band (or weren't getting optimum value from it) until recently. I can honestly tell you that once you are at the proper restriction you will lose weight! Don't be discouraged, it will happen.

And I would also add, don't be embarrassed about needing a fill. It doesn't make you a bad person. I didn't feel any restriction until my 5th fill and my doctor said "Everyone is different. The band is meant to give you restriction and you deserve to have a band that works optimally. Keep getting fills until you get it." It isn't a virtuous thing to white knuckle it. If I could have lost weight with willpower and no restriction I would have done it and skipped the surgery. Use your band and get your fills!!!

Believe me, it is worth it. I PB maybe twice a week, usually less. It is part of the learning curve to eat the right way and it is very important to not be overfilled. I think some people use PB'ing as a way to restrict their food intake more than necessary to lose more weight. That is not necessary. That is literally the ONLY negative thing I can think of about the band. I am being totally honest when I say this has made my life worth living again. Just looking at each new, lower number on the scale and knowing that I am not going to have to use all my time and energy to not gain it back makes the surgery worth it. It really does work, it really is not painful or uncomfortable, it is totally worth it!!!

I don't know what an EGD is! Sorry!

I was extremely nervous about surgery, too. I was desparate, though, and knew that the band was the only choice I had left. There was no way I was getting GB, I have a friend who had it and had the same trouble as your sister (and she looks like death warmed over, to be honest with you!) I was really concerned about the emotional aspects of not being able to rely on my old friend, food. But honestly the small portions have come as a relief to me and I am really enjoying feeling full on such small amounts of food. I appreciate that my doctor is conservative with fills so I was able to adjust slowly to this new way of eating. It was frustrating at first and all I wanted was to just lose this freaking weight! But I am really thankful it was a slow process because it has helped me change my attitude slowly. I think you will do great. Don't be too scared about the surgery - it was not nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. I freaked out in the pre-op room right before they wheeled me back and had a huge cry... I can honestly tell you, 4 1/2 months later, I am very very glad I went through with it! Good luck to you!

Hi and welcome! I was self pay too. My process also went quickly, though mine took two months. I am so glad I made the decision to have the surgery! I am losing weight slowly and was frustrated at first because it took me a while to get the restriction I needed but I am glad I stuck with it because I'm doing great now. Good luck on your journey and don't be afraid to ask any questions you have - we are all here for you!

Oh, one more thing- it isn't like vomiting. There is no huge retching thing it's more like a baby spitting up. And it isn't all acidic like vomit. It's just the food you swallowed in basically the same form as you swallowed it, surrounded by slimey saliva. (graphic enough for you?!)

PB'ing is when food gets stuck - I never had it happen until I was at my sweet spot. You have to be tight enough for it to happen- then eat really carefully so it doesn't! Everyone has different experiences with PB'ing-for some people it isn't a big deal and the food just comes back up. For me it is pretty uncomfortable (painful) and I have to stand over the toilet for a few minutes and wait for the food to come up. It's gross. It happens from not chewing enough - especially dry foods (for me it's cake or dry chicken, it happened with meatloaf once)