kgloverii

I just want to jump in here and state: The band helps dim your appetite.... you do not get as hungry WITH the band as you are without... even if you don't think you do. Your stomach can shrink all you want it to, and if you get that band removed, your appetite will come back FULL FORCE. It has nothing to do with the shrunken size of your stomach. This has been proven time and time again. The fact of the matter is, you lose the band, you gain the weight. This is the statistical FACT. I know that this was NOT the question posed in this thread, and we have discussed THAT question over and over. But I just wanted to clarify for any of you that think you'll 'learn the right way to eat' and not gain weight after a significant unfill or band removal are kidding yourself. I will say as I said before... I agree with the others who say that an unfill perpetuates fat mentality. We need to learn to eat using our band to maintain a healthy weight. Even if it is eating like a BIRD.

I did not learn of Papaya until I exceeded my weight loss goal. However, I have not had any problem maintaining my weight WITH the papaya. It does not 'empty' the band, but just helps everything tenderize more so that it does not hurt going through. I suppose you could sabotage yourself, but it would be awfully hard...

I echo heartfire's sentiments exactly.... :thumbup:

Yes. It happens... it has happened to me after flights before. Stick to hot liquids and soups for the next day or two and you'll feel back to normal. Weird, huh?

I had migraines before my band... and believe it or not, weight loss FIXED the VAST majority of them. Hopefully that will be the case for you as well. If not, my doc said Imitrex was ok but I have never needed that. I DO take Fioricet every couple months....

I was going to bed, and this thread kept running through my mind... WasA said a lot of the same things I said earlier, or tried to say anyways. But there are some other things I wanted to mention... First: You are a newly banded person. You have not had any fills, so you are probably hungry. Hunger= thoughts of food. Second: Thoughts of food and that desire to eat make us think in an unhealthy manner. That being said: a) If I were a band surgeon and a patient came to me asking if they could be unfilled for a trip they had planned in 8 months, I would really question their level of commitment to the band, and to weight loss in general. The band is an adjustable thing, but it should NOT be adjusted for the sake of a trip, a cruise, or an anniversary celebration at a buffet. I've seen many similar threads, people asking about this type of thing, asking about learning to do self-fills for when they want to eat more, and THOSE people are the people who have more band problems and never get to their TRUE potential weight. Sure, Bandster A may have gotten to a 'dream' size 12, but if she stuck to the rules and lived her life with her band instead of fighting against it, she'd be in a size 6, and out of the overweight category. :tongue_smilie: If I were your surgeon I'd wonder why you were worried about food that you may or may not consume in 8 months. 8 months is a long time to be mourning a meal you never had, or might never have. If you have some fills and get to a sweet spot and are still thinking about these potential meals, I'd SERIOUSLY go for counseling. Cause there is another underlying problem that needs to be addressed. Now I am IN NO WAY trying to be condescending or anything like that. Because as I said before, 8 months is a LONG TIME and once that weight starts REALLY coming off, when you look in the mirror and turn yourself on, and when you're not so worried about your next meal, things will probably be VERY different. As Wasa said, bookmark this thread and come back to it in 8 months... you might be surprised how differently you think...

I went to NYC while at goal and was able to enjoy all of the scrumptious foods without an unfill. The 'cow' comment was for comedic effect. Again, my MAIN point was... the band helps you think like a normal person who is not consumed with food. I would have never admitted it then, but I got up in the morning thinking about what was for Breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was watching the clock for when it was an acceptable time for me to eat again. I know everyone is NOT like this, but I am coming at this from MY perspective. My band helps me stay in my size 6's. I really don't have any desire to go on a trip and have to loosen my belt, just to help someone not be offended. You will be able to enjoy ALL foods but not in such a large scale. You will go to Europe and be able to concentrate on the sights an experiences you will have and not have SUCH a fixation with the food (and this is coming from a certified foodie). You are FAR AWAY from your trip right now. Having this discussion is TRULY a moot point. If you get your fills, lose your weight, and get to your sweet spot, you will be a DIFFERENT person by the time you get on that plane. If I looked at my perspective 8 months ago compared to now, I am in a TOTALLY different place in my life. We can all discuss and rehash in this thread for the next week, but the truth is, we're discussing a subject with a person who will be quite different down the road.

I wouldn't get an unfill. You're losing weight. And you are breaking that mentality of eating as you want to eat with your band and the fills. Getting an unfill and eating some food as to not offend someone is quite frankly going against everything you've set out to do. You're going to be thinking like a fat person again. The band doesn't JUST provide restriction. it dims your appetite. You're taking all of the tools you have and throwing them away in an effort not to offend someone. You can ENJOY your food while in Europe, I promise. You just won't have to be a cow about it.

The more fills you have, the more restriction you are going to get. This will result in some foods being crossed off the list, or prepared in a very special way to be consumed by a banded person. Sometimes all of the chewing in the world will not result in a good experience with certain foods. Each time you get a fill to get to that sweet spot, you will have to gingerly test all food groups.

Jess, I am coming to you from 'the other side.' First of all... you will have excess skin. But I GUARANTEE you'll look better post weight loss than you are worried about. I was SURE I would want plastic surgery after I lost my weight, but the more I look at myself, the clothes look decent without the surgery... so I'm just going to deal... for now. Cute shorts cover the wobbly thighs, and FOAM is your best friend, as far as your boobs are concerned. GOOD fitting undergarments and clothes make a world of difference. Stay positive. YOU DESERVE THE BEST HEALTH. And in getting that, you're going to be looking mighty fine in those new clothes. Promise. :thumbup:

chicken is a very evil meat. The crock-pot makes it do-able, though. Crock pots make most meats band friendly... fish IS the best meat... Ground beef is pretty tolerable for me, usually. When my band is a bit tighter than I'd like and it is being particularly fickle, meatloaf often goes down very well. Something about the consistency... sausage too... sausage usually goes down well. I don't cross anything off my list completely, but chicken is definitely the closest to being crossed off. :thumbup:

Each doctor is different. I highly suggest you talk to your doctor about this. Some allow NSAIDS if taken with antacids, or in small doses etc.

Here's the deal.... I had my band in MX. And I REALLY LIKED the experience I had while there. HOWEVER, things ARE different there right now, and I would NOT be going to TJ right now. Some cities are safer than others... and we cannot lump them all together. Just do your research and be prepared.

My inflammation was diagnosed via Upper GI. However, if I have an episode of PBing and am tight afterwards and it does not resolve within a few hours, I know I am inflamed. However, I only do the Motrin trick if that inflammation is not resolved for more than a day... with me doing liquids during that healing time.

Elisabeth, I am glad you are finally getting some resolution to your problems. I am terribly sorry you've had to go through this. It just goes to show that the band is not for everyone. There are success stories, but also a lot of people who are unsuccessful for a host of reasons. I really believe that the VSG is the wave of the future and if I have any issues in the future with my band that cannot be easily rectified, DH and I already have a sleeve fund started so I can revise. There will be NO NEW BAND or 'repositioning.' The band, in all of its goodness, has a lot of problems. Once insurance cos. start consistently covering the VSG, the band will become obsolete in the US. My follow-up doc REFUSES to place bands anymore because he doesn't think they are worth the hassle. On another note, it is terrifying to travel to MX alone, but I did it when I had my band placed, and I did just fine. I know you will too! Congrats on a new path to healthy!

Britt, I agree patience is a virtue. You've done really well for yourself and one of the things I preach is that you WILL plateau over and over. It is the nature of the beast. I plateaued for over a month when I was in the 170s and I thought for sure my weight loss was all over. And I just kept doing the right things, and the weight started to come off again... I'd mix your routine up a lot. Mix up your exercises... and mix up your diet as well... and then just keep doing the right things... You'll get there!

It sounds to me like you need another fill. The band won't be so 'hard' when you get to a sweet spot. In the mean time, until you get to that spot, count your calories, choose nutrient dense foods, eat whole foods, shop the perimeter of the grocery store and get out for some exercise. GL!

Liquid and meat is always a good thing. I make a cornbread covered chicken pot pie... Lots of cream of chicken soup and veggies... I use rotisserie chicken because that is usually pretty moist and it is just divine!

Thanks for the compliment... I need to stress this... foam IS YOUR FRIEND. I look GREAT with a bra on, and don't need a boob job. The right bra makes all the difference in the world. :smile:

All insurance companies cover bariatric surgery on some policies. It all depends on the employers and whether they choose to exclude it. If you have the same employer, a lot of times they keep that WLS exclusion when changing insurance providers. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

If you are hungry 2 hours after eating, a small tweak will probably do you good. I firmly believe that success with your band has A LOT to do with your fills... you don't want to have to be so concerned about 'self control' with the band. The band should dim the hunger significantly when you get to your sweet spot.

I love the language in this thread. It is so colorful, lol. For a good cleanse, I'd go with the enema. You'll feel immediate relief. A year and a half post-band, I still take Miralax every other day... I eat lots of fiber... fiber one bars are delish, and I just don't go like 'normal' unless I take Miralax.