MamaJava

Well, he determines that I'm not too tight due to my report of my "good days". He declares that if I were "too tight", there would be no good days...or...he says most all meals would be a struggle. The PB's are not from being full. They are immediate and right at the beginning of my meals. Any that have happened in the middle of my meals have been my fault. I have modified my patterns and fixed those. I no longer PB in the middle of eating, nor do I PB from being too full. That happened once and I learned a big lesson. My bites used to be the size of a dime. Doc said he figured THAT was the reason for my PB's. He said "change that. Nothing bigger than a kernel of corn." So, I changed it. Now my bites are the size of a kernel of corn when I eat food that has to be chewed. So it's not my bites. Sometimes I'll think it's a certain food, but then other times that food will go down just find. My band is *the* most tempermental band I've ever known. My banded friends don't even understand what is up with my band. Yes, I've talked about all this with my doc. He doesn't do anything about it. He has never made it seem like my PB's are a big deal at all. I'm more concerned than he is. I'll just wait it out, see what happens, and I'll make an appointment to go in if it continues in a month or so. Otherwise, I really don't want an unfill because there are days when there is virtually no restriction. Wouldn't an unfill make those days more frequent, thereby hindering my weight loss efforts and successes thus far? This is my biggest fear. I like how my band feels most days. This week, I've only PB'd once!!! Woo hoo! That's a record for me. So maybe it was just a good week, or maybe I did something better that I totally was unaware of. I just don't know.

I was only able to eat bread up until my 3rd fill. After that, it began sticking nearly each and every time. I almost always PB any bread items. Flour tortillas or soft breads are the worst. Occasionally, I *can* eat a little tiny bit if it's at the tail end of a small meal, and I'm having a day when I'm not so tight. My normal, very tight days make it impossible. So, I fluctuate between the answer in the poll of "NEVER" and "LITTLE"

Only had breakfast and lunch so far today: B: 1 large coffee from McDonald's w/ 3 creams L: 2 cups (yes, I was very hungry) Fiber One Honey Clusters cereal w/ 1 cup skim milk. Hey, can't beat 26 grams of fiber in that one meal, though! Snack will be 2 string cheeses. Dinner is still up in the air, as I've not been able to afford groceries in like 2 weeks.

I can't stand the Any-Whey, so-called "virtually tasteless" protein powder anymore. I'm also struggling with eating enough items each day to even put the powder in it! So, I really want a protein shake that will pack a big punch and get most (if not all) of my protein in in 1 shake. Does anybody know how many grams of protein are in GNC protein shakes, and are they good ? I will go buy a couple tonight, but some quick suggestions will help me out a lot.

B: 1 large coffee w/ 3 creams from McD's L: 1 slice pepperoni pizza, 1/4 cup Greek salad, 8 oz. Coke Snack: 10 cheesy Whale crackers (Stauffer's) D: 1 packet Peaches 'n Cream oatmeal made w/ water Snack: 1 Kozy Shack tapioca pudding cup Ugh. Didn't realize how many carbs I had today. That is not usual for me. LOL

I have never been stuck for any longer than 10 minutes at the most. Usually if it's a really bad stick, it comes shooting back up and out within 3 minutes. Tiny sticks that are just a bit uncomfortable usually pass through within 5 minutes. I used to PB way too much - sometimes 3-4 times on a really bad day. Now since my last fill and strict talking-to from my surgeon, I've only gotten some mild sticking this week but not one PB. I think I'm finally understanding my body and this band and how they work together. My bites are like the size of corn kernels now...I mince most of my food, but at least i'm not harming myself anymore.

You have acid reflux. See your doc and take a pill for it. You probably will not need any fluid taken out simply for reflux. For band slippage, you would need to, but I don't think that's what your issue is.

The day has really only just begun. Thusfar I've had: Breakfast: 1 large coffee w/ 3 creamers (from McD's) Morning Snack: 1 packet Quaker banana's & cream oatmeal Lunch: TBD Dinner: TBD Most days I almost always have oatmeal for breakfast or lunch. I love oatmeal, it keeps my fiber high, and it goes down well. Other things I eat a lot of are Imitation Crab, fruit in it's own juices or fresh fruits, fresh veggies w/ dill dip, chicken breast pan-fried in olive oil & garlic (YUM), baked potatoes w/ light sour cream...and several other things. These are my main staples. I can't eat bread, pasta or eggs anymore. Bad PB episodes ensue if I even try. I'm doing much better now. I started off soooo slow (I'm 8 months out and have only lost 30 lbs.), but I just got proper restriction this week and I UNDERSTAND how to do this now! Up until I got my sweet spot, I was struggling so much with portion sizes. Thank goodness my body has finally begun to help me figure this all out. :eek:

I've noticed since getting proper restriction (I think I got my sweet spot finally this week), my calorie intake has shot down considerably. Before I wasn't losing weight, didn't have proper restriction, and was taking in around 1800 - 2000 calories. Ick. It was too much but I couldn't get down any further without feeling horribly hungry all the time. Now, I'm finally losing weight, so perhaps this is right for me. My nutritionist said my goal should average 1200 calories per day. I'm close. Sometimes over, sometimes under, with a daily average of around 1000 or so. How many calories per day are you taking in, what causes your body to lose the best weight, and what foods are you eating on these calories? I'm just wondering if I can get ideas.

I have the same exact issue. Almost everything I eat, no matter how little the bites are, feels like it's clogging up in my chest for a little bit. I'm starting to realize through many visits with my doctor that some don't feel this discomfort and some do. My bites have to be the size of a kernel of sweet corn. D'oh! My doc says "mince everything". Well, that doesn't always help either. I just got done eating oatmeal for lunch and it feels bizarre. Not quite stuck, not quite painful, just uncomfortable tightness in my chest. Then it passes as it falls slowly from the pouch to the big stomach. Sometimes I can actually feel that happening. So yes, I think you and I are in the same boat. welcome aboard! LOL

Well, looking at all your stats at the 6-month mark, I am even more depressed now knowing that I'm at my 7 month (almost 8) mark and I've only lost 30 lbs. I picked the wrong surgery. I should have gotten the GBP. I was too obese for this band. I'm the slowest loser ever. I'm not happy about it, but at least I'm not gaining. I still haven't gone down a size at all. My bras are still the same. I've only lost 7 inches overall. My exercise is great, my liquid intake is right on, I eat when I'm supposed to, what I'm supposed to. I can't eat breads or pastas or crackers at ALL anymore. So I just got another fill last Monday after taking almost 3 months off from fills because even though I was getting stuck...a lot...I still had too much room in there and was able to eat too much. Now since this last fill last Monday, I'm at 8cc in a 9cc Realize band, and the scale is moving again! I'm upping my exercise plan this week. Because even though I'm doing good, I'm not doing fantastic. I need to push push push my way through this. I've got this tool. I have restriction now. It's TIGHT. I think I'm finally catching up to the rest of you and I am finally on my way. I'm still jealous. I should be telling you all to bugger off...but it's not your fault, it's mine. I'll be there with you shortly I just know it!!!

Hi all. I was banded 01/04/08. I'm almost 8 months out and I've only lost 25-30 pounds (depending on the day). My problem is, I have a 9cc band, and I'm at 8cc's. For a few months I was at 7.5 cc with very little restriction, but getting everything stuck within the first 2-3 bites of food. After a painful stick, or a painful PB, I could then eat normally. I have not been able to eat bread, Pasta, flour tortillas, etc. for about 4 months now. The problem is I went and spoke with my surgeon about it this past Monday, and after discussion, he gave me another 0.5 cc. Now I think I'm TOO tight. I have PB'd almost every bite of food I've taken in the last 2 days, except for when I broke down and ate ice cream tonight just to make my stomach stop growling. My main fear is that if I get Fluid taken out, I STILL won't have proper restriction. Before this last fill, when I could eat real meals, I was still packing away nearly 2 cups of food. I was getting numerous things stuck, but after the stick it's almost like my stoma loosens or something and then I can eat. Now that is not even possible after this last fill. What if I go in and he takes out 1 cc or something and I'm back to having no restriction again? I'm NOT losing. I'm exercising, I'm drinking plenty of fluids, my bites are tiny, I'm taking Vitamins...WHY AM I NOT LOSING? My doc keeps saying "You've lost 25-30...good for you...be patient"....but this is killlllllllllling me. My scale hasn't moved in months. I lost the majority during my first 3 months and then stopped. I'm starting to think I picked the WRONG surgery. What am I doing wrong? I'm slipping into a depression over this and I feel like I'm not getting any answers from my surgeon. He just keeps telling me I'm not patient. I AM patient. If I was losing a pound a week average then THAT would be patience. I don't know what to do about this. I'm embarrassed. People keep looking me up and down and saying "Hey, didn't you have that surgery?" UGH. I just wanna crawl in a hole. :thumbup:

I know I need to go back to tracking my calories. I stopped doing that about 3 months ago because I just threw in the towel. I am slipping back into a mild depressive state again (the fat depression, you know) and I have to pull myself up by my boot straps and get through this. I'm fighting like hell, and not seeing results. My bites were soooo tiny the last 3 days after that fill. Everything is getting stuck, except for oatmeal, pudding & ice cream (the last one is not good to eat I know). Oh, and I had some Smart Pop popcorn last night and that went down fine. So I guess I'm not too tight or I wouldn't even be able to get down anything, right? Honestly, my bites can't get smaller unless I stop eating altogether. I'm doing "smaller than a kernel of corn" right now, per doc's suggestion, and it still hurts like the dickens in my esophagus...and then it all comes back up.

Here is the official thread for the 600 Minute March, exclusively created for the New Year Knockouts! If you've already begun, then keep on truckin'. If you haven't, then get up off your tushies and get moving toward your 600 exercise minutes for the remainder of the month of March! Make a ticker, a graph, or just post your progress in this thread. We're all here for support and ideas on how to get in all our minutes. Next month, we'll change challenges and venture into a new goal. Go Knockouts! :biggrin::rolleyes2:

I adore Dr. Schram. He was my surgeon and does my fills. He's incredibly knowledgeable and is one of the best in the field. I highly recommend him. :tongue_smilie:

I'm following the CORE plan, which works perfectly for what I love to eat, and it makes more sense to me nutritionally. A few years back I lost 56 lbs. in 5 months following the Core plan, and so I know it works for me and my body. Can't wait to see results soon. Had my 2nd fill today, following Core and working out 6 days per week. I should start seeing good results very soon!

Just got home from 2nd fill today. He added 2 more cc's for a total of 5 altogether. I'm really, REALLY hoping this does something for me. Still not losing weight, and working out 6 days per week, eating fantastic and journaling everything that crosses my lips. I'm pissed, and getting more pissed every time I weigh myself and the scale doesn't even budge. He said if there is still no weight loss after this fill before my next one (April 16), then he will run some metabolic blood work on me again. I think he's as frustrated as I am, even after he and the nutritionist reviewed my food journals and can't find a damn thing wrong with what I'm doing. I even track my weak moments when I don't do so well and they said that shouldn't be affecting me negatively since I'm doing so well overall. I don't know. We'll see what happens now. :confused2:

Yesterday morning I apparently had a day of very strong restriction. I decided to double-toast a bagel since double-toasting doesn't seem to ever cause me any sticking issues. I put some light cream cheese on it, grabbed my Water and headed to the computer to eat Breakfast and catch up on emails. I took my first bite, chewed a million times and all was fine. I took my second bite a few minutes later and chewed again a million times. I swallowed and HOLY CRAP I had the worst stick/slime episode thusfar. For the very first time, I actually had to run to the bathroom and PB into the toilet. Ewww. I had my water a little bit later and rested for a bit. I was still hungry, so I decided to throw the bagel away (duh) and this time I chose 2 scrambled eggs with onion and a tiny bit of shredded cheese sprinkled on there and melted. I took one bite, it was fine. Waited. Took another bite (of course always chewing super-well), it was fine. About 5 minutes later, after changing my son's diaper and washing my hands, I took another bite. HOLY CRAP it happened again! Ran to the bathroom, slimed and gulped and slimed and gulped and gurgled until finally...into the toilet it went. The rest of the day was okay. No sticking episodes but today I was petrified to eat breakfast again. I finally did it because I know breakfast kick-starts that metabolism and I will not skip breakfast ever. I had some orange juice when I first got up and let that settle. I had a Fiber One Yogurt about 15 minutes later with double-toasted (very dark) whole grain toast cuz I couldn't wait anymore and it was fine. Yippee! Breakfast stayed down and did not get stuck. So I don't know what the whole point of that post was. LOL I guess just to say even though I'm glad I had restriction (rare for me) yesterday, it was a little too much for me. I just don't understand this band stuff quite yet, but I'm learning. I'm also returning to my old Weight Watcher Core program. I'm not going to join, because I can't afford that on top of my monthly Curves membership payments, but I remember enough to do it again on my own. I even have all my old books. I can't stand not losing weight this far post-op and I think this should do the trick.

I was never told anything about giving up coffee, so I didn't. I drink 1 large cup at home OR 1 large coffee from a to-go place everyday. Sometimes 2 if I want to...but that's how I've always been so I haven't changed a thing.

I don't see an occasional brownie or muffin as a bad thing. There's nothing wrong with indulging ones self if you know you can afford it and if you know you can handle it. We are human and we can still enjoy treats just like regular folks who don't have bands around their stomachs. Also, some people are on solid foods earlier than others after surgery. I had to wait 6 weeks, and I know plenty of folks who only had to wait 2 weeks at the most. So...there isn't always a bad thing about someone eating a brownie or muffin "so soon" after surgery.

This just goes to show how totally different everbody's surgeons are. After my fills, I'm only on full liquids for the remainder of my fill day, then soft foods the next day, then back to regular foods on day 3. It's gotta be hard going to functions while on mushies or liquids. I remember that right after my surgery, it seemed everybody wanted to invite me to special dinners or birthdays or anniversaries...UGH! :cursing: Even harder when you gotta cook for any of them. (((HUGS)))

LOL! Don't worry, I'm not laughing AT you, I'm laughing WITH you. :cursing: It hurts so bad, doesn't it? When it first happened, I was like "oh lordy...this is what their talking about..." as I proceeded to gack and burp and swallow and spit. I was alone and I was a little bit freaked out, but luckily (same as you) I had read about all that stuff on these boards. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known it was gonna be okay in a few minutes. I would have hightailed it to the ER as well. Now, I chew sooooo slowly (I thought I chewed slow before) and thoroughly and after each swallow, I wait. I know that's the point, so now I know why it's so heavily enforced. Oh...and stretching as long and tall as I can vertically used to help with minor sticks, but it did not help one bit on the major sticks with the PB's. I guess once it's really in there, it's 100% no-turnin'-back IN there. :angry_smile: