mypov

So...knowing I'm going to have the surgery, when I've been eating I will sometimes "practice" eating the lap band way- very small bites, and chewing alot, no drinks.....I fail EVERY TIME. I think sometimes I just get bored, or feel like I can't really taste the food without a bigger bite. And the not drinking thing, well this is totally weird cause somewhere along the lines I was told that if you drink a lot of water with your meal you will eat less so I've been kind "conditioned" to do that. So my question is- how do you lapbanders DO it??? Is the threat of a PB enough to follow the rules? Should I keep trying it out or just give up and wait until I really have the band?

Hello! I was banded in December of 2006. At one year I had lost 110 lbs. I became pregnant and vomited a lot. I had a complete unfil and went crazy with food and gained back 60 lbs. My son was born in 2008 and I have lost (with weight watchers) and gained the same 10 lbs over and over. I had many fills and unfills, worries that my lapband was slipped or eroded, had it checked a year ago and it was fine. My problem is that I would eat until I felt discomfort and then it just became habit to PB to end the discomfort. I also found out all the foods that go through my band easily. Basically, I became a maladaptive eater! I've really been working harder with my diet the last few months as far as eating better but have lost nothing. I hadn't had a fill in a year, so I went in a week ago. I got a fill and followed all the rules....for 4 days! I was so happy to lose 5 lbs and be finally back to eating just a half cup of food and being done. Not comfortably full, but at least satisfied. I really started to have hope that it was going to work and I could really do this. However, today I went out to eat for a family event. I KNOW (kicking self!) I should have stuck with something same and ordered a side of pinto Beans. No, I ordered a chicken taco salad. I ate four bites and was fine....then I went for five, six, seven (all while talking and laughing with the fam) and BOOM, I get stuck. I literally can't stand that feeling of something in my throat (that's where it feels stuck to me)! So I got rid of it. I was so proud of myself tthe other day realizing I had relearned a lapband rule- stop BEFORE I feel the restriction. This is a personal rule of mine because as I said, I hate the feel of anything in there because I know over time it will get worse until I get rid of the food. I'm just so mad at myself for going back to old ways and i'm once again afraid I won't be able to do this. *SIGH*! Can anyone relate or give me advice? In many ways I'm a newbie to the band because I have been not living the rules for so long!

Hi! Your story sounds like mine. I was banded in 06, after losing 110 lbs I got pregnant and I gained back 60. I have been a maladaptive eater ever since. I am about 115 lbs to my goal weight. I just got a fill and am trying to get my head to follow the lapband rules! Maybe we could support each other! Send me a private message if you'd like. This is definitely the tightest fill I've had in awhile. I'm Still learning/adjusting after a loooooong time of not following the rules. there is a thread around here with meal ideas but right now I do not trust myself with anything besides lean cuisines, healthy choice, smart ones etc. I mean it, I am TOTALLY relearning all of this!!!!

I know after surgery we are supposed to take little bites and "chew, chew, chew." But I realized today that maybe I don't know what a little bite is? :o :o

Okay so I have complained 3 times in the last 15 months about my lap band not feeling right. Each time I called to ask for a barium swallow test I'd be told my symptoms wouuldn't require that test and I just needed to be unfilled/filled etc. that would ease my mind a BIT but then the uneasieness about my band would come back because my eating problems would remain. FINALLY my doc ordered a barium swallow for me and I did it today. The xray tech gave me the pictures but the doc won't review them until tomorrow. Though, I'm starting to wonder if he'll look at them at all because frankly I don't think he wants to ruin his "stats." I looked at my xrays and freaked. My esophagus is just NOT normal. The lower portion is 3 times the size of the upper portion. I am no medical person granted and could be reading it all wrong, but to me it looks BAD. I am desperate to hear what can be done. I prefer not to have it removed because of cost but I would do it if necessary. What should I do now? Will I heal? I have already put myself on an all liquid diet because frankly, the pictures just terrify me. Will they remove it and will I heal if they do? Any experience/advice/info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Ok. so today I decided I was done panicking. I drove 2 hours down to the surgeons office and brought my esophagram pics with me. I had to wait a few minutes but surprisingly my original surgeon came out to see me! He went over the esophagram with me and explained every picture. He then showed me examples of slips, erosions, and stretched esophagus. Relieved but a bit embarrassingly I admitted that no, my picture looks nothing likes. Those. He also explained that the part of the esophagus that the liquid is in opens up more and the the top squeezing behind it to keep the food moving, which is why it appeared so much bigger in some areas than others. He said the obvious thing he could see is that I was way too tight. He recommended a good amount of unfill and the nurse took me right in. I am sooooo relieved and yes, lucky. This evening I ate a small amount of dinner and was able to tell when to stop without needing to throw up suddenly. I hope I continue to remember how to use and not abuse the band since I now have 100 lbs still to lose. I don't want my journey to be over. But for now, I am not another negative statistic. For now. :smile2:

This is when I typically "blow it" for the day! Especially with sweets- ice cream, cookies, Halloween Candy....though sometimes it is just an extra lean cuisine or something. I'm not hungry, I just do it to myself over and over again. Suggestions for stopping this?Thanks!

I'm in the same boat. Lost 120 lbs the first year, got pregnant unexpectedly, put 60 lbs back on and really need to lose 100 lbs to be at a healthy BMI. I don't know why, but my band just doesn't feel like it used to. The food just feels like it goes through easily or gets stuck. Even when i really try to "feel" how much is enough, it's just 0 or stuck. I never ever get a feeling of "just enough" or satisfied feeling from my food. I think that was what i was missing right after banding but i was unfilled through most of my pregnancy so i got used to feeling that lower stomach satisfaction- if ya know what i mean. I just dont know how to get back to feeling okay with food when it just sits in the pouch. I want that back so bad. If I had the money, I would totally have my band removed, wait a few months and do it all over again! Since I can't, I need to relearn somehow... i just don't know HOW!

This is similar to what I am experiencing. I was banded end of 2006, lost 120 then got pregnant in early 2008. Nothing has been the same since then. I think I learned how to subconsciously eat around the band and then BOOM I am "shocked" to realize I am stuck and pb. My husband is concerned I am bulimic but I don't do it on purpose- it really is subconscious up until I am stuck. I zone out when eating to be honest. Its just my old disordered overeating manifesting in a new way bc I have a band now. I have gained lots of weight back and am on meds and weight watchers and have lost ten pounds in 6 weeks but it is a huge struyggle every meal. I feel so guilty about all this. I feel I have let myself down and realize I may have to get the band removed and it will be my own fault. I am just always craving that preband full feeling and of course- it never comes. I PB my main meal every day and eat lightly the other meals- Cereal or other things I know will get me closest to that full feeling. I want to change but don't know how!!!

My dreams of the cute basketball belly never came true. I seemed to gain weight all over and just looked pudgy. A week befor delivery I was still having to convince others I was pregnant. It bothered me a lot but I am not sure why! The end result of my beautiful baby is nothing I have to explain but I always felt I missed out on looking pregnant. Ah well, what can you do?

Waiting to be pregnant can drive you crazy for sure. I unexpectedly got pregnant after thinking I was completely infertile for the previous 8 yrs ans the adoption of my 3 kids. I noticed the vein thing starting near the end of the first trimester. Everyone seems to notice something different as symptoms it seems so its so hard to depend on what others noticed. The positive stick is your best clue! :laugh:. I bought a preg test the day after I would have conceived. My hubby and I were both thinking I'd lost my mind since we WERE infertile and didn't think we even wanted another kid. My weird impulse buy paid off two weeks later even though I completely forgot about it bc I had NO symptoms!!! Try to relax, put it out of your mind until you can test and take good care of yourself physically and mentally in the mean time. It will work out when the time is right. Good luck!!!

I just re-joined weight watchers for the umpteenth time. Since surgery in 2006, I have lost 120 lbs, been pregnant, had a baby and regained 50 lbs. Those close to me know what a struggle I have had to lose weight before and WITH the band- whether emotional or physical struggle. I WILL NOT reveal to ANYONE at WW about the band, even though in my small town and the same ww leaders as always I know them fairly well. First, it's none of their business, second- these particular leaders ARE ignorant about weight loss surgeries, and third- this surgery saved my life and they would never understand that. Finally, I have heard these same instructors discuss WW corporate view on ANY OTHER weight loss method and of COURSE they are anti. They want to be known as the only REAL way to lose weight. It comes down to dollars. So, that's the message they pass on to the leaders, who pass it to the members, who spouted it off to you. The combination IS working great for me though. I take their recommendations and modify them to work for me. Having a set amount of points, finding healthier foods, being accountable to someone on a weekly basis for gains or losses and the group support is what is helping me get back on track and relosing the weight I gained with pregnancy. If this surgery were "the easy way" then 3 years out I would not STILL be 100 lbs overweight, even though I'm 70 lbs from my highest. It's helped- but emotionally and physically it will always be a battle for me.

It depends what you put on the salad. I love a good salad with ranch, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, bacon, chicken, croutons....MMMMmmmmm! The lettuce is just a means for me to put all my favorite fattening toppings on. What I am saying is I DID have to give up salads because I can't stand all the healthy stuff on it!!!! Unfortunately I have stumbled a bit since getting the band a couple of years ago. I depended on my way-too-fattening salads through my pregnancy and during a time when my band was overfilled because for some reason, salads go through the band easier for me than other foods. Consequently I have gained some weight back. My doc also does not suggest salad for his patients *shrug* but those of you who DO like the healthy stuff I say you go for it. I have given them up again and am back to losing weight. FINALLY.

I had the lapband surgery 2 years ago. I have not been filled at all since 6 months ago which was midway through my pregnancy due to frequent vomiting. I still have a little restriction even without any fill. The problem is I seem to never feel that full feeling- I have forgotten how to work the band. I just eat and eat until I realize I am stuck suddenly. Then of course I pb. This happens at least once daily to me. My family saying it is time to get a fill but I am afraid that I will just eat around the band and that it will make matters worse if I am tighter. What should I do? I need to lose this pregnancy weight and get back on track. Thanks!

My post band baby is 3 1/2 weeks now. I had an emergency c-section to deliver. I'm still a little swollen and sore and can't feel my port right now either. I had all fill taken out because I started pb'ing everything I ate by about 3 months pregnant. I put on a lot of weight but it is coming back down now. I don't know what you mean by it hurting when it you eat, can you explain more? Think positive, most likely everything is fine!

Losingjusme- I have adopted 3 children because I am supposed to be INFERTILE!!! lol I guess I really shouldn't complain given I never thought I'd ever experience pregnancy; but I'm sure everyone can understand how frustrating it is to be gaining after a long period of successful weightloss. I would not even BE pregnant if I hadn't gotten the lapband in the first place! But I know without a doubt if i did NOT have the lapband I would look like a blimp and my family would have to just roll me from place to place!:redface: Thanks!

To Be honest, this thread has depressed me since I seem to be one of the few that HAS gained since getting pregnant. You are all doing so amazing! I am coming clean- I have gained 14-17 lbs and am in my 20th week. I seem to be fluctuating lately. I have tracked my gain closely and try to eat as healthy as I can so what can ya do more than that??? My doc wanted me to gain only 10 lbs the ENTIRE pregnancy- sorry doc! So if there are others out there like me who HAVE gained weight or DO end up gaining weight while preggers (yes, even with the lapband) you are not alone!!!!:wink2:

Do you ever get to the point when you wake up and need to pee really bad but you soooooo don't wanna get out of bed that you lay there hoping desperately the sensation will subside? Yeah that never works more than like 30 seconds for me. 2nd trimester it eases a bit- though I hear it comes back in the third:thumbdown:

I just wanted to update on how I'm doing since my December 18th surgery. I'm off all pain meds (for over a week now) and have really no more pain, just slight discomfort in the port area when I walk for awhile. I'm sleeping on either side with no trouble, even on my belly sometimes though I'm not really a belly-sleeper. My scars are very minimal and healed up really nicely. I drink 16 oz of Water in the morning, then have a small Breakfast of a Protein shake or scrambled egg. I eat slow and chew well, swallowing tiny bites at a time. I then wait 2 hours before I have another 16 oz of water and have some lunch- usually about about a cups worth of creamy Soup or 1/2 cup of well mashed casserole. water before dinner and usually something similar to eat as lunch. I have 2 more glasses of water before bed and that's 64oz total. I DO feel hungry sometimes. Usually late at night if I don't get to bed at a decent hour (such as tonight ) but I just remind myself that once my tummy realizes there's nothing there for it then my metabolism will kick in and grab a bite to eat elsewhere (i try to will it to aim for my big 'ol gut:heh: ) the head hunger is better now that the holidays are over. I am much more in control about what comes into our home food-wise. I've even gotten my husband to help out making healthy dinners and where we use to serve it all at the table, I now make a plate for everybody in the kitchen and then serve it to them at the table. That way everyone has more reasonable portions. I've always been bad at serving veggies but guess what- I've learned my kids actually LIKE them!!! We're changing our whole family and the band is what is doing it. I must admit alot of it is psychological- I have hope now and not to mention I spent a lotta money for this little bugger!!! BUT- at the same time, I get full WAY faster than I used to, too. I wanted to put this out there for all those considering the band because I want you to know that after the initial pain and -- liquid diet (ick) life can start to get back to normal but with a new hope for the future. I can't believe its only been 2 weeks!!! Good luck everyone!!!

I am 18 weeks now and have to wear maternity clothes. I thought I was looking pretty pregnant today but when I saw my mom she said "Wow you are still not showing!" I was kinda bummed because I am definitely bigger around my waist and apparently it justs looks like I'm regaining weight...ah well, I AM gaining some weight but I know it's baby pushing my stomach out too!

My periods were non-existent before losing weight. by the time I was down a hundred pounds they were coming very lightly every 3-4 months. That is why when I found out I was pregnant in March I was completely shocked. I really thought I was still infertile. I had no idea how far along I could even be cause I hadn't even had a period in a while. What can I say, my body has always liked to do its own thing!

In 2000 I was diagnosed with "severe" PCOS. I had about one cycle a year by that point. 2001-2003 we went through infertility treatments. I had no ovulation response to ANY medications and only a full treatment of prometrium could trigger an anovulatory cycle. I ended up adopting three beautiful children and in 2006 had lapband surgery. I lost over 100 lbs. In March of this year (2008) I "felt" pregnant but really thought I was nuts because I figured my pcos was still going strong. Since surgery I had only had a few natural cycles but couldn't remember having one recently at all. but After three positive home preg tests and a subsequent positive blood test- I still have days I don't really think I'm pregnant! I guess now that I am 14 weeks along and have seen the baby literally "bouncing" during the ultrasound pics I should really believe it, huh? PS-I had been taken off metformin but after losing most of that weight but then my appetite seemed to be growing and I asked the doc to put me back on it. They agreed but only at the lowest dose of 500 mg a day. It was exactly one month later I was pregnant! It CAN happen!

I am just over 11 wks today. I had my second ultrasound. the first one they had to do vaginally because despite having lost a lot of weight I am still heavy plus have lots of flabby stomach skin. Today they did another ultrasound because they couldn't hear the heartbeat through all my fat. They could see the baby (it was actually pretty active) but getting a good pic was impossible and the heart beat was still faint through the fat and skin. Am I the only one with this problem? I am frustrated and a little embarrassed. The doc said I'm measuring fine and she has no worries because the baby is active...but yeah, just one more frustrating thing about being overweight! Just a vent! Hope everyone is feeling great!

It's nice to hear it is not so uncommon not to easily hear the heart beat with doppler at 11 wks. I too had to hold up my belly to see if we could get a better ultrasound pic, but a still pic just does not have the same effect as seeing that wiggly little alien baby! Oh well! Hopefully it will all go better (less embarrassment) next time! Thanks ladies!

Losing all the weight first would have been my preference too. However, we got a BIG surprise and I still have about 50ish lbs to go! I am only 8 weeks and I gained three, but then have lost those three now that nausea has set in. I think I need an unfil soon cause the occasional gurgling feeling and anytime food feels like its just sitting there really nauseates me!