duyesaka

Hi there, I am finally getting an unfill on monday. I have needed it for a long time and have been recovering from major back surgery.:cry I started choking during the night if I had too much to eat a couple of hours before bedtime. I could not get over the feeling. I have always been tight in the morning and have had my band a little more than 18 months. It took a year to be at the right spot but I think I went a little over and just worked with it. I do know I want a little removed, I may have to go into radiation for another problem in my back, I have a nerve tumor.:help: If so I may get sick and really might have to get unfilled. For now I plan to get .5 cc out, I believe I am at 3cc. I have a warm protein drink in the am always, this gets the band to open from the night. Suring the day I have no trouble at all, it also might be the night meds that I take that dry out my system. I do drink a lot of water. So you are right to get the unfill. That choking is bad and I also found that I would wake up coughing too. Not good during a deep sleep. I still have 25 lbs to go, been on a plateau for almost 10 months. It saved me during the last surgery, I would have gained as I did with 7 knee replacement revision surgeries. One of the reasons I got the band. I maintained the weight which is heaven!:clap2: Debra

thanks, I had reflux before my band, this is very different. I am also on Nexium fot having to take Celebrex for my back. I even had a hernia which was repaired at the time of my band. It clearly happens with certain foods and sometimes I eat something right before I go to sleep, this is really bad, I forget then wake up in trouble. I am willing to get an unfill, sad for I have been on a plateu for almost a year with 25 more lbs to go. I am not unhappy at this weight but would love to be able to at some point lose again and get beck on that road. Thanks for your reply. Debra

Hi there, here is my story and I am very open to ideas: I am back at 1 1/2 yrs out. lost 45lbs, had major back surgery in January so 6 months of no or little exercise. Thank goodnes for the band. I had a weird problem. I think I need to have a little taken out of the band but I am scared. If I eat three hours before bed and it is not practically liquid, I wake up choking. I try real hard not to do that.I am now really aware of what I am eating, definatly Protein. I cannot eat in the early morn so I have a warm Protein Drink, the warmth seems to open the band. If I have some removed I am worried that I will be able to get too much in. I finally got filled to what I felt was the right amount. I just hate choking and figure it is really a must to pay attention and not eat meat that is not ground, or anything too heavy at dinner. I have stayed at this weight, otherwise without the band and a surgery( had 7 knee replacement revision in 5 years) why I gained so much, I would surely have gained again. I have not read of anyone being maybe overfilled and choking and or coughing during the night..... It does not happen if I am very aware of dinner and lots of Water, but I would love to hear if anyone has had this... ??? Info would be great. Debra

I am back at 1 1/2 yrs out.Banded Nov 05, hope I count...lost 45lbs, had major back surgery in January so 6 months of no or little exercise. Thank goodnes for the band. I had a weird problem. I think I need to have a little taken out of the band but I am scared. If I eat three hours before bed and it is not practically liquid, I wake up choking. I try real hard not to do that.I am now really aware of what I am eating, definatly protein. I cannot eat in the early morn so I have a warm protein drink, the warmth seems to open the band. If I have some removed I am worried that I will be able to get too much in. I finally got filled to what I felt was the right amount. I just hate choking and figure it is really a must to pay attention and not eat meat that is not ground, or anything too heavy at dinner. I have stayed at this weight, otherwise without the band and a surgery( had 7 knee replacement revision in 5 years) why I gained so much, I would surely have gained again. I have not read of anyone being maybe overfilled and choking and or coughing during the night..... Anyone hear??? Info would be great. Debra

Hey there, I have a question....I am also back at 1 1/2 yrs out. lost 45lbs, had major back surgery in January so 6 months of no or little exercise. Thank goodnes for the band. I had a weird problem. I think I need to have a little taken out of the band but I am scared. If I eat three hours before bed and it is not practically liquid, I wake up choking, not sick though, for I can get water down easy. I try real hard not to do that.I am now really aware of what I am eating, definatly protein. I cannot eat in the early morn so I have a warm protein drink, the warmth seems to open the band. If I have some removed I am worried that I will be able to get too much in. I finally got filled to what I felt was the right amount. I just hate choking and figure it is really a must to pay attention and not eat meat that is not ground, or anything too heavy at dinner. I have stayed at this weight, otherwise without the band and a surgery( had 7 knee replacement revision in 5 years) why I gained so much, I would surely have gained again. I have not read of anyone being maybe overfilled and choking and or coughing during the night..... Anyone hear??? Info would be great. Debra

I actually do not feel sick,or get sick, I just wake from a deep sleep choking or coughing like everything did not go through. I drink a ton of water, and it just seems like forever to go down. I drink and it does not come up. I feel the band swells in the night??? I am open for an unfill of a littleljust not to have to worry. It does not happen if I am real careful. Thanks for the reply, I just have not read of any having this...Although I was been gone awhile too.

Hey Julie, I am also back at 1 1/2 yrs out. lost 45lbs, had major back surgery in January so 6 months of no or little exercise. Thank goodnes for the band. I had a weird problem. I think I need to have a little taken out of the band but I am scared. If I eat three hours before bed and it is not practically liquid, I wake up choking. I try real hard not to do that.I am now really aware of what I am eating, definatly protein. I cannot eat in the early morn so I have a warm protein drink, the warmth seems to open the band. If I have some removed I am worried that I will be able to get too much in. I finally got filled to what I felt was the right amount. I just hate choking and figure it is really a must to pay attention and not eat meat that is not ground, or anything too heavy at dinner. I have stayed at this weight, otherwise without the band and a surgery( had 7 knee replacement revision in 5 years) why I gained so much, I would surely have gained again. I have not read of anyone being maybe overfilled and choking and or coughing during the night..... Anyone hear??? Info would be great. Debra

Well Your post gave me a push to get in the game again. Been gone over a year and probably been on a plateau about that long... Ended up with a major back surgery at the end of January, so thankful for the band, would have gained, 23rd surgery for me. Had 7 knee replacement revision etc for 5 years and gained 40-60 lbs each time. Band saved me this time! I have maintained over 40 lb loss but now need to kick it is gear to get the rest off. Still in PT for back, knee acting up and can't go to the gym yet until another month of PT, so need to quit eating the ice cream when I am down. I plan to get into the Dr's office and say hello and get weighed and tell him my plan. Support groups are a drive, so I will commit to them. Almost 1 1/2 years for me, amazing how time flies! Back to the forum is the first step,especially since there are still so few people who even know what a Lap Band is!!!! I have stayed pretty tight with my fill, determined to eat correctly. Most of the time I am really good. Was in pilates with a trainer twice a week before the back surgery, so I will look forward to going back, but for now I can walk. Looking forward to doing a lot of reading here again. Debra

Dear Linda, The process with the band is individual and it takes a lot of patience and know how. The eating, from the different stages and fills takes time. Some get restriciton from the swelling in the beginning after the surgery. After 6 weeks or so, some get fills and then depending on their Dr. get more fills some slowly(me) and then finally restriction. I was banded in Nov. after 5th fill finally really feel it. I have been told it takes 1 yr. -18 months to really not realize you have a band. You are so conditioned to eating different foods and amounts and chewing. You are at the very early stage. I was told to stay with the foods, lots of the protein( it satisfies you)...chew 20-25 minutes( I hate to ) you will know what it feels like when you go by the rules and be patient. I do food records and have had to stay at 1000 cals. I exercise 3-5 days a week. Your fills are yet to come and you and only you will know when it is right. Your Dr. will guide you and this forum can really help with others and their experiences. Good luck, you just got through the first psrt, and ask your Dr. what band, it does not matter, we are just "banded". You will be a pro after time. But time is what we must be ready for, it took us a long time to get where we are at. Believe me I am the worst..... Debra

Well I am pleased to be able to post that I finally have restriction. It took a lot of patience, record keeping and reporting that I had not been satisfied ever. I was getting .25 fills monthly and last week I got .50. That did it. I am at 2.5 in a 4cc band. Nov 22, 2005 surg. I finally found out what restriction really was. I have found that in the morning I am very tight. I like a warm protein drink, I work out at 8am and I need something in my stomach. Other days I have two turkey sausage patties and two scrambled eggs. Today I had a very new experience. I had eaten a small entree for lunch and grabbed a protein bar, got into the car to go to the post office. After getting home ten minutes later I felt I was going to get sick. I stood in the bathroom for 20 minutes and waited for the pain to subside. The bar was peanut butter, and it really did get stuck somewhere in the pouch. Big lesson, for the rest of this day I shall only do liquids. I feel it is irritable, even with water. I waited every time for the fill to feel "right" and I feel for now it is what I should be feeling. I have to really watch it when I eat something and forget it needs to be slow, not the "old way". Finally feeling restriction, always wondering what is next. Debra

Well I was getting really frustrated after the second fill. I felt great for 1 day, realized what everyone who has restriction was feeling. But then it was gone. I went about 10 days and called the dr's office. He had told me not to get stressed. I had had that one day and I wanted more. So I got the "speach" again and he put in .25. I have been working so hard and I actually now think I have some kind of a restriction. I think I am about 2.cc. I don't want to be going in every two weeks, so I am really going to step up the workouts and stay away from any sweets. I get addicted immediatly, just with a bite. I am going to make an appt for 1 month revisit, hopefully I won;t be getting ting drops all the time. Patience is a virtue!!! Lost my ticker, will redo after my dinner out for sons b-day. He is 25!!! I am having shrimp and miso soup... That's my update.....:clap2: down 22 lbs!!!!!!

Hi there,<br /> The company who makes the band in about a mile from my home. Inamed. they have a site and to be honest the forum here has so much. If you look at the top where it says "search" put in anything and you will get so much information. there may be a lot of opinions or individual stories, but you could read all day and everyday and ask and you shall receive. In any stage with any issue, it has probably been asked or discussed. I have had surgery on Nov 22, and I have met some very informative and experienced folks here. I am a retired surgical nurse and even though with my background and 22 major surgeries to date, knee replacements ect, I have had a wealth of information full of help here. <br /> <br /> You made a start and now hold on, for you can have what you need. I am also here for you, I have had my experience and have asked for support and have kept in contact with some across the country. We are together in this, it is a life change and it takes some learning. <br /> Welcome,<br /> Debra P.S. Also Obesity .com So many people here have also referrals to sites in there posts, again "search" You want to have a Dr. who has done lots of them also. I went to two Dr's and was told by the first that he had done a lot more than he had. He did three... this was after a lot of prep work so that I could do it in my area. Then after reading the forum, and finding someone in my area, did I learn the real truths and I interviewed with him. I am very happy with what I did. With obesity .com, when you post, you might receive information from Dr's offering there service. This is individual and in a way it was nice for I received lots of mail and info, but when I had already chosen a Dr. I still received more. More is better, looks like you have been around awhile here, you've already been fortunate to locate great sorces for information. Hope this helps a bit, I do not know if I have answered you question directly, my best to you.