HeatherO

You don't have to have a huge fill, you can start small. You can also drink plenty before you leave to make sure that things are making their way through. I understand your fear in that I had an issue where my band closed up on me and went from good restriction to inability to drink Water over a few days. Nothing is more uncomfortable or frightening than that . . . it was absolutely awful. I was also scared of a fill for a while . . . but if you take it easy it is no big deal. You know now that too much too fast is not good . . . all you have to do is take that first step. You should be proud of yourself for maintaining so well empty.

I went with a hair change and got some "help" with my clothing choices through friends that are way trendier than me. I really like the thought of a tattoo as well . . . great idea.

Either increase your intake or get a slight unfill for maintenance purposes. Sometimes just adding a couple of hundred calories in the form of fruit or other healthy snack is enough to keep you in maintenance mode.

I agree, overeating is not the same as binging. If overeating is an issue, I think there is no harm in bringing it up. I remember being honest about overeating . . . and one of the follow-up questions was whether I think I have ever eaten more than 5,000 calories or more than a days allotment in one setting. I know I was an overeater wanted 2nds or even 3rds on occasion, but never to the tune of 5,000 calories. I wouldn't really worry about the overeating part, after all, how many of us who became obese didn't overeat . . . you have to overeat to be obese and there is no way around it. Another thing they are trying to determine is if you really, truly understand what is required of you post banding and how to make this lifestyle choice work for you, and if you are capable of committing to it. If a person has regular purging activities to go along with it such as with bulimia, then I would think there is a definite possibility that they would not be approved. However, for anyone who has this issue I think it is good to be honest because banding will not fix it and it needs to be addressed to find ultimate weight loss success.

30 something surgeries is not enough experience, regardless of bedside manner. I would suggest you look for a different doctor if at all possible. I would also have concerns for follow-up care with such a dismal outlook on success and lack of patients. I have lost almost near 100% of my excess weight to bring me to a normal BMI, even after a partial unfill due to being preggers. The journey is what you make of it, if you are wiling to give it your all over the long term, you can lose a significant amount. With that being said, and not to just be a nay-sayer, banding really is not for everyone. I have been reading threads long enough to see that there are plenty of people who fail and sometimes even gain weight post banding and either convert to another surgery or give up altogether. There are some serious questions people should ask themselves before choosing banding . . . 1) Are you an emotional eater, if so, how do you intend to deal with it? You need a plan and the ability to follow-through on this one. Some of us need counseling or extra support to make it through this one. Eating can be an addiction and is for a lot of us. 2) Are you a grazer who eats small amounts throughout the day? If so, banding wont prevent grazing and is more helpful for those who overeat during their primary meals. 3) Are you prone to eating sweets or junk food? These items slide right through the band no matter how tight you are.

It is different for everyone. I found I had to have a lower fill level . . . and then it is gone completely. Either I am never hungry but cough throughout the night with reflux (I have even spit up on my pillow a couple of times which is rather unpleasant) . . . or I deal with a little hunger and having to be more careful with my diet but can sleep like a baby. I never had reflux in my life prior to banding.

You just need to keep sipping all day. I have noticed over time that when I am not drinking enough water my weight loss stalls. I have to drink to keep losing.

This is absolutely normal and an expected part of being banded. Almost all of us go through exactly the same thing at that stage. The important thing is to stay on your post-op diet so that your band heals well and is well-seated to help prevent future slips. Real weight-loss begins when you have restriction . . . this doesn't occur until a fill or more down the road.

Now that I am an experienced bander, I would say the answer is a definite no . . . perhaps you might want to ever consider a miniscule unfill. Reason being, you are still pb'ing a lot and already have heartburn which are definite signs of being too tight. If you get tighter, you are just going to aggravate yourself more and be more likely to get a slip while still not really affecting your desire to snack.. Unfortunately, eventhough banding can be a godsend, snacking on junk is going to go through your band regardless of how tight you are. More restriction isn't going to make this part easier, just futher aggravate the pb'ing and heartburn. I had your same dilemma in the past, thought I would get another slight fill and not only did my heartburn go 110%, I got acid reflux where I was throwing up in bed in my sleep. I was much too tight, but I can assure you that if I had some popcorn, chips, cake or anything of that nature . . . it was moving through my band with no problems or discomfort at all. Your best next steps would be, eliminate the snacking or allow yourself a limited snack on an allotted day or something along that line. If you are pb'ing a lot but do not feel that you are too tight, you may want to concentrate on eating slower and chewing more. I was able to hit goal . . . but for me I had to give up snacking on anything at all resembling junk food.

TOM made a huge difference for me as well. I have always lost in fits and starts throughout the banding journey. The only time time I lost regularly was the first several weeks. My weight loss graph shows plateau, dip, plateau, dip and repeats repeatedly throughout banding. The only difference now that I am pretty much at goal is that the changes are a lot slower and the losses smaller. I always had a steady decline a week or sometimes more right after a new fill. Right now I have been holding steady for about of month . . . but I am half unfilled for being preggers and I went on a three week vacation in the middle east where I ate whatever I wanted. Even with all that, I don't seem to be gaining for which I am very grateful.

- mucus plug - I never saw this with my first pregnancy. However, the day I delivered I had an ob appointment where the doctor did something he called "stirring the cervix." It was supposed to help induce labor, was really painful and I think basically he was loosening the mucus plug. It worked, he did it at 10 in the morning and I was not in labor at all, I had my son before 4 in the afternoon. I never had any discharge that was different than what you might have on non-period days prior to pregnancy. My Water also never broke, they did it in the hospital for me so I missed all of the special excretions, lol. - you said "way more blood" - for me it was like period blood and was never more than heavy to light and was never very bright red. - fetal movements - mine was always in sessions like you and never consistent at the end. Also my doctor said through the end of the pregnancy I should be feeling for fetal movements daily, no movement = potential serious problem. This really freaked me out because he wasn't moving regularly and I went hours or even most of the day without movement. Everything was fine but I am not sure why I had dramatically reduced movement at the end of pregnancy (other than the lack of space issue). - catheter - I think everyone gets one. Also, one thing noone ever told me . . . and I almost died of embarrassment and can't even write about it now without blushing, is that if your bowels have anything at all in them, they will be empty by the time the baby is born. So this time, if labor is approaching, I will make an extra special effort to be empty. - post partum bleeding... how bad is it? It was like an extra long period lasting a couple of weeks instead of a couple of days. Not really a big deal. - mesh underwear - they supply them to you. However, they are not especially attractive when your gown gaps open in the back post delivery, lol. You also will want to probably not wear your best underwear when you get back home for a while. I bought some cotton granny bloomers which worked great, are comfortable, were incredibly cheap and I tossed them after.

It is really odd, I just responded to this thread last week with no experience with port pain. Would you believe I started having port pain over the weekend??? It is just tender, like as if I overdid the exercise just around the port. Funny thing is, I have been so exhausted lately that my routine of several days a week at the gym has changed. Now the act of "not taking a nap" is about as much exercise as I have been getting, lol. Please let us know what your doctor says or if the port pain dissapears.

She is absolutely beautiful, congratulations. Thank you so much for sharing your story. It seemed like your OB office kind of overlooked your labor. I am not sure if it was because your labor was extremely atypical or what. Have you talked with them about it again since delivery? I had a bad tear as well. I remember that I could feel every single stitch going in and could feel it pulling. In some ways it was worse than delivery because it is a little freaky feeling the sensations and it was painful. I did not have an epidural because I wanted to go natural. I was well and good until the last 10 minutes or so . . . then I desperately wanted an epidural but they told me it was too late :0). It is entirely possible to go without if you have a high pain tolerance. My best friend had a baby a year ago and I was there after she had her epidural. Other than occasional nausea related stomach upsets, she was speaking normally, and even though labor was progressing . . . it was like she could have been at home having a cup of tea for all the distress she was in. If the epidural takes well, it seems like labor is a breeze and I was a little shocked it was so easy. A t this point in time, the epidural is looking good to me for this go round.

I think strange and vivid dreams go hand-in-hand with significant life changes . . . and what is banding other than a full lifestyle change, lol.

Cottage cheese is awesome and you can have it so many different ways. It has been a staple of my banding life, that is certain. I now use yogurt in place of cottage cheese. I also eat it near different meats because it tastes good together and helps it to go down when I am tight.

It is great to see how everyone is doing. Chrisann, thanks for the thread . . . and I see you are halfway finished as well, congratulations. Everyone is doing great in general . . . and I miss discussion in the Knockouts section. I am always dissapointed when there is nothing new to read here. I am down to 142.5 currently and a BMI of 25.2 (need to update my signature). To be honest, I am happy at this weight . . . anything more is just the icing on the cake. I am no longer trying to lose, only maintain for now. My band has also been unfilled down to 4 cc's but I am still losing albeit very, very, very slowly. I had band problems with extreme tightness and the need for an emergency unfill in early September (went from normal to an inability to drink Water in 3 days) . . . and later discovered that the real reason that my band suddenly closed up on me was that I had conceived, surprise, surprise. I went in for a small unfill in early October but once I let the office know I was expecting they said I had to have a completely unfill. I pleaded, begged and negotiated my way to the 4 cc's I have currently. I am finding that my hunger is still decently maintained although I can eat bread now. Amazingly I am not gaining weight eventhough I am eating much more than before . . . however, I am keeping it healthy (and trying to forget about the Halloween candy craze I fell into a few days ago, lol). I just got back from a 3 week vacation in Turkey and it was so nice to have my band a little looser. It was just loose enough to make everything comfortable but I wasn't eating excessively. I gained 1 pound which is already gone again within 1-2 days of being back. I am in mediums and size 8's. My size 8's were getting a little loose and I was ready to start 6's, but I decided not to buy any clothes for a while that aren't maternity. 8's fit comfortably and my belly has already started to fill in the excess room. I am surprised and amazed and absolutely thrilled that I have a normal sized body . . . and will have a normal baby bump without people wondering if I am preggers or just a preferred member of the local Dunkin Donuts, lol.

I think it is a wonderful idea to name her after your husband's mother. Picking names always seems so difficult to me. I couldn't decide until I was in the hospital with my son, lol.

Everyone has great advice. Perhaps you need a little makeover . . . it really gives you a boost of self-confidence. Are you keeping your hair the same as you always have, have you changed the style of your clothes. It makes all the difference. I lost my weight and was at a loss as to what clothes to wear. My husband asked me why a couple of months ago, why do I dress like an old woman in the new clothes I am buying??? Well . . . because clothes when you are heavy are not usually trendy and I had forgotten how to choose flattering things. I actually had my husband and a couple of my trendier friends go shopping with me a couple of times and let them help choose what looks good. I bought some things I never, ever would have picked out on my own. Now I get noticed all the time. I had to relearn what to wear with my new body. Size 8's are not the same as size 20's, lol. My husband also said I needed to cut my hair. I had been hiding behind long hair througout most of my "heavy" years. Cutting the hair seemed to really release me from the holds of my old mindset. I think I was also insulating myself with my hair as well as being heavy. I agree with this 100%, because I see it the other way as well. As a woman, you can always sense a man who is a little too desperate to be noticed . . . and I dont know why but it makes me naturally want to avoid these people. We naturally are attracted to people who are self-confident and feel comfortable in their own skin. It is easier to be thin than heavy . . . but I have known plenty of heavy people who never have a problem finding someone knew because they are comfortable with who they are, and I know plenty of skinny people who can't find what they are looking for due to lack of confidence. I have a brother who is heavy, and has been throughout late childhood. He is 18 now, so still relatively young. He always has a girlfriend or two waiting in the wings and they are always very attractive. He is just so friendly, has such a nice smile and good personality that he makes friends easily and naturally everywhere he goes. His weight never held him back for a moment. I however am shy and had been deeply ashamed of my weight for a long time. It took me a while to get my self confidence back. My husband helped so much in that he loved me for me . . . heavy or thin. Now, I can't believe it is me in the mirror anymore. It is not only being pretty much at goal weight, it is being able to accept that I am attractive and I never suspected it before. I realize now that I had always been at least moderately attractive but I was always so ashamed of myself. Anyways, I think this is one of the primary legs of the banding journey . . . readjusting your sense of self to who you are now and who you have always been. Once that comes together, being noticed comes naturally.

Well, you have a little bit of time before you go to see him again. When you go back, ask him to check your volume . . . it is not an unusual request and is standard. This also helps to show if you have any potential leaks and is very simple for the doctor to do. In the mean time, if you are hungry and it sounds like you are, eat but do so in a healthy way. Have your normal standard meals . . . but allow yourself a big serving of veggies (non-starchy, corn and potatoes are too high in carbs if you eat a lot of them). Stick with salad or other veggies that are healthy and low in calories. Lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, onions are all great for you and will not impact your weight in any significant sense because they are so low in calories. Be really careful of too much salad dressing that is high in calories. Pickles are only 5-10 calories, if you like them, you can eat just about an unlimited quantity without much impact. Brocolli, cauliflower, zuchinni, etc are also healthy if you cook them in a way that doesnt use a lot of fat/oil. Cauliflower can be steamed and blended in such a way that it is almost the consistency of mashed potatoes . . . if you add a butter substitute and a little salt & pepper or low-cal cheese, or even some parmesan cheese . . . this can really satisfy cravings. I have been banded for a long time now . . . and have had occasions where I am super tight and super loose. Following the strategy of finding healthy things to eat when I am extra hungry has kept me losing steadily since banding . . . I highly recommend it. Also, you don't have to feel guilty about it which tends to be a trigger for some of us to overeat. You can get through this . . . you just have to have a plan on how to handle the times when your band is not working for you. :rolleyes2: Please let us know what happens next Wednesday.

You should schedule another fill appointment. At the very least, contact your fill doctor and let them know that there is a problem. It seems unusual that you had more restriction before your last fill. It very rarely happens, but does happen, that the last .5 cc's was not injected into the port properly. Did your doctor test your Fluid level by first extracting some into the syringe to see how much you have currently?

I think taking some time off is an excellent idea. It is too much stress . . . and I think stress definitely affects conception. Also, as far as looking for signs and tracking ovulation . . . as long as you and your hubby are spending some quality time together every couple of days, if it is going to happen it will happen. I am sending more babydust your way and hoping that everything aligns perfectly and we can swap our delivery stories next year :tongue2:

I didn't want to get unfilled at all . . . but I had to do so. I don't have morning sickness, but a pregnancy symptom for me was a super tight band. If you don't feel nauseous, and it doesn't sound like you are overly tight if you can eat bread, they why not leave well enough alone? It sounds like you are at a good spot now.

I would also suggest checking with your surgeon. 10 weeks is still pretty early and the baby shouldn't be pressing against your port at this stage. Where is your port located?

Congratulations!!! Have you been thinking about any names yet?

Just a quick update . . . I went to my slight unfill appointment and the fill nurse wanted an immediate complete unfill. I pleaded and bargained for a partial and ma down to 4 cc's. However, amazingly, even though I could eat a horse at 6.8 cc's in the past, I still have some restriction. I just came back from a 3 week vacation in Turkey, and I also took a band break and ate the things I usually don't, but I only gained 1 pound and still had very limited capacity. A few bites and I am full and bread in any significant quantity is impossible. There is no doubt, I am definitely tighter than normal post pregnancy.