bandayed

It sounds like your pouch is very full. Call it restrictio, call it blockage I just think that your stoma (hole) is very small right now and you have alot trying to go through it at once. This is the key to eating slow. Not that you couldn't eat fast if you wanted too, but you end up with this pain. Slowing it down allows the food or liquid to pass a little at a time so you don't end up with that back up and pressure of foods waiting to go through out of the pouch. You're right though, unfortunately you don't know you've done it ultil it's too late. Having been banded a little longer now though I notice that there's a bite right before this happens that I swear I can feel passing through the stoma and that is my cue to stop. It's like one last straggler jumped on the elevator and now the doors are shut. Anything else that goes in WILL be coming back out:bolt: I'm sure that once you go to solids and you're swelling is down, your band will give you signs too. The hard part is listening to them!

I had alot of problems after my fill and thought I needed an unfill. It went on for over 2 weeks. But then it just settled in and I was fine and with a good level of restriction. I was PBing alot and I think you're right, that further exxagerates the problem. Stick to liquids for 3 days then try watery solids etc like after surgery. I found that if I did it that way I ws able to graduate back to regular foods. The PBing in btw though definately sends you back to start! After 2 weeks if you can't eat, I'd get unfilled. And if you can't do liquids, that is an OBVIOUS problem -- call Dr right away! Other than that though, I think it takes time........good luck! Keep us posted.

The only thing that will gove you the feeling of fulness you're loking for is protein so try the shakes and even blended soups etc. My Doc was OK with cottage cheese on the liquid phase. Whatever it is just get the protein in there to fill you up!

I think that what you feel right now is OK for right now, but should not go on for too long. I have only had 1 fill and I actually called my doc to schedule an unfill b/c I was PBing everything that wasn't a liquid for over 2 weeks. All of a sudden though, as I was waiting 2 days for the appt, it just settled in and now I am fine. I have good restriciton and for the most part I'm fine. I do have trouble in the AM though and eggs are no longer my friend.....but overall I feel like the band is doing it's job and I am happy with the level of restriction I ended up at. It was a process getting here though! I think it's OK to have to be on mushies/liquids for a while but not long term....give it a little longer though...........

What about hellabellykelly?????? or nomorebellykelly???????byebyebellykelly...........

I was very careful at first but I haven't really noticed any difference pre & post banding in drinking -- how it affects me, or how much I can drink.......I don't drink often but when I do, I do I think it just passes right through the pouch and processes normally (unless maybe you had a really full pouch)......I have noticed that at parties I then I have to be very careful what I eat later b/c I'm not focused on my band.....(or much of anything else):shade:

yup, i think it's time for a new name for yourself....that is amazing -- WOW!

Meagan -- any results with your experiment?

:clap2: I too got my date sooner than expected and it ws a little overwhelming, but then I realized what would I have done if I actually had more time anyways? I was already committed to getting banded so sooner was even better news! You will probably vomit, but the key is tolisten to your body as food is going in so that you don't have to listen to it coming out!!!!! Congrats on your date!

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: Yippee!! Are you sure you even need a fill if you're doing so well!?!?!?!?!?:clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

I'm with dutchgirl upping your protein intake will diminish hunger. Protein shakes are the best way to go for big protein. I am not a huge fan myself but I found that if I make them smaller and drink them while they are cold they are OK. Try adding 2 4 oz shakes to your routine. Especially at night time instead of munching.......

Welcome and Congrats! I took the pain meds till they were gone (at leat a week) then finished off a couple of bottles of liquid tylenol too befor I felt better. Just concentrate on healing now and not weight loss. You'll probably be tired for a while too. Remember, your body is getting used to way fewer calories too. Take it easy and heal. Welcome to this side of it!

My Doc suggested I live as if banded to get ready for banding. It hekped me alot to already be drinking alot of water, walking, cutting down on portion size, eliminating caffeine & carbonation (this was the hardest), taking small bites, concentrating on chew, chew, chewing. After I was banded, I had already made some steps towards these goals and the culture shock wasn't as great! MAke sure that you have allowed yourself plenty of healing time after the surgery. Chances are you will feel fine, but IMHOP, reading some of the posts here about people leaving the hospital the same day, and returning to work the next etc I think are misleading. Getting banded is surgery and your body needs time to heal. Look at the liquids phase after surgery as recovery time and TAKE IT EASY. Do not focus on weight loss -- focus on healing. If you hurting, or tired rest. Taking it easy at first can make your recovery in the long run easier. Good luck to you and read all you can here. You'll see it all!

I had restriction with no fill following surgery too. At my 2 month I opted to get a fill event though I was making decent progress in losing weight. I too assumed if I was good without a fill, I would be AWESOME with a fill! I have to be honest, I have mixed feelings about it. I was EXTREMELY tight for 2 weeks following and actually considering an unfill as I was having difficulty with almost all solid foods. All of a sudden for no apparent reason though, this situation settled down and I settled into a normal level of restriction. Since my fill I have not lost faster or slower than I was losing before. I am not more or less hungry than I was before. The 2-3 weeks that I was over restricted caused alot of PBing, anxiety and I was constantly worried I would slip my band from being sick all the time. In the end I guess I could have gone either way, but if you are happy with your weight loss and rate of weight loss why mess with it? If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

:whoo: :whoo: :whoo: Thanks for the know how!

OK, I'm not as big of an LBT pro as y'all are....where do you even get those things to paste in??????????????

I think Kirti Alley had to have had surgery Nutri system or not....That was a pretty fast loss wasn't it? And I know on the add she says she lost like 60lbs -- I think its more like 160. She looks great. Star on the other hand, oh my...................

I had a Lane Bryant NSV this weekend too. My jean size finally went down one! I bought 4 pairs of pants because they started with a 1 instead of a 2!!!!! Can't wait for the scale to start with a 1 instead of a 2! Congrats to you Margo -- glad you hit the sales -- they are having a blowout right now!

I just took all the drugs. We have pharmaceuticals for a reason. My doc sent me home with liquid percocette, I finished the bottle and then 2 bottles of adult liquid tylenol (over several weeks) and then I had no pain at all. I just kept the dosing kida constant -- I figured it was all temporary, why let it wear off I found my port area to be the most painful. You can do it. I'm a baby too........

Good luck in your journey! You've come to a great place!

I didn't have to do a preop diet, but post op I had 4 weeks of liquids. My Dr defined liquids as anything that will go through a straw though.....so applesauce, cottage cheese, blended soups, mashed potatoes etc. Doing even this for 4 weeks was tough, I'm not sure how broad an interpretation your Doc takes of liquids but the protein shakes really make the difference in your energy & hunger levels. I then did 4 weeks of mushies after that (with no bread, pasta & rice). It really wasn't that different from the liquids phase. The good news is that 2.5 months out it is all already a distant memory!

I understand it to be that the fat in the abdonminal cavity and on the exterior of the stomach is less (because of weight loss) so the EXTERIOR pressure on the band (squeezing it tighter) is lessened, and the fills keep that restriction up as the fat is lost by our bodies

I keep touting it all over this board -- we all got here through unhealthy relationships with food. I have been banded since the end of October and since I started back to "real food" I have been "testing" my band. I called my Doc to request a fill and told him how much I could eat. His answer was simple and it made me realize how different I am from "normal" people. He said: "well don't do it". Just like that I realized it. I don't HAVE to eat as much as I possible can. I have had to try to retrain my thinking to have the band as my friend rather than my enemy. I now don't eat something unless I HAVE TO have it. There's a big difference btw. eating as much as you can vs stopping as soon as you can. I too think I am just realizing the learning potential of the band -- I think it is probably the biggest benefit the band offers!

One thing to think about when telling people is not just what their reaction will be, or whether they will support you, but also what their expectations will be after they know. The more people you tell, the more people are "watching you". Even the most supportive of frinds & family have things to say when you make a slip, or a wrong choice. This fish bowl effect is one I hadn't thought about until after I was banded. People have expectations that you will drop 100 lbs in a few months like bypass patients and I don't need that kind of pressure! I have told people on a need to know basis. My very close friends and family all know, but not alot of co-workers and aquaintances......

I'm with oh to be free -- how do we know OUR Dr's didn't buy OUR bands on ebay to save a few bucks!?!?!??! A medical facility of less than stellar reputation could buy them on ebay for $81 (which was the current bid this AM) and then charge the insurance co $3,000.....crazy world! Maybe it is just for those banding at home buffs though -- THAT makes me feel SO MUCH better!