To be free

Hello everyone!! It has been a long time since I have been here, I hope everyone is doing ok! Has anyone ever had a NG tube placed since being banded? If so did you have to have the Fluid taken out first and if the fluid was taken out did they still have to use a guide of some kind like a endoscopy or another type? I have to have colon resection surgery and might have to have one...... I have gained a considerable amount of weight but would still like to have the band in one piece LOL.... Of course I will be checking with both Surgeons but was curious in the meantime. Thanks, Michele

I don't think you can enlist, the band requires adjustments and medical attention that the military corspman may not be able to handle if deployed.....Here is a site that may help: It lists disqualifying medical conditions.....it is a older list and I didn't see it on there but there is one section on foreign objects in body - Joining the Military - Military.com

First off you need to stop telling yourself that the band is not working. Like all the others above said you are way too soon out of surgery to be saying it's not working....... This is a long long lifetime journey, you will sometimes have a good loss and other times you won't loose any or maybe even a gain in pounds. Having the right attitude with the band is crucial to success, and it will be a long miserable journey with the wrong attitude and you definetly won't lose weight............ Your body will give back when you treat it right and do the right thing........it might just take some time..... That scale needs to go, weigh once a week at the same time if you have to and IMOP newbies should not weigh till about 6+ weeks out.......... Be easy on yourself, change your thought process, maybe change something up in your routine but absolutley lose the negative attitude........

Yeah, I got my surgery date! I will be banded on June 10th by Dr. Jawad in Ocala.........preop on June 5th. Is anyone else getting banded in June? I am so ready!!!!!

I am almost a year out and still have the numbness were my port is....(so I am hoping it will go away soon).....a stranger thing is that I am losing weight everywhere except right in my front midriff right were the numb area/port is.......now I have always carried my weight from the waist down and before at this weight I never had a little midriff pooch........not too happy about that....the numbness is just a strange feeling if I run my fingers across it but I wish the pooch would go away.............

Mine changes all the time that is why I keep a looser band..so I can eat at all times....if you do vomit make sure you go to liquids for 24 hours you could be caught in a vicious cycle

I am with the poster above...one week apart isn't much time between fills I am surprised but then again I don't have the medical degree.....some fills can take weeks to kick in. Be very careful because this could happen........ I also have to do clears the day of fill, full liquids for the second day, then mushies for two then regular food....... You do have to listen to your surgeon though but this is your body, your band listen to your body as well. Good luck!

shocking isn't it.....I remember the first time I realized how many tortilla chips w guacomole dip I could eat..wasn't even paying attention watching tv and thinking that I would stop when full..It was scary.......and I had restriction. I am an emotional eater so I am now trying to find other ways to deal with it because I don't ever remember reaching for solid Protein when I would go on a binge it was always slider foods...... I soon realized that just getting the band wasn't going to fix 30+ years of emotional binge eating...... so take it one day at a time, don't beat yourself up about it, move on, realize that the band will not stop you, try to eliminate slider foods from the house, get up and move away......do anything you can but binge and just know that for some reason it will get easier.... just having the band keeps me in check.....I don't want to stretch out my pouch or hurt my band so even if I do slip up it is never to the point I used to be........

I also use a neti pot and found that a sensitivity to wheat and gluten were causing sinus and ear problems....... Irrigation helps alot......takes some getting used to but worth it

It will be 4 weeks on Tuesday since I was banded. Two days ago I started to have pain in my left shoulder and neck, hurts more when I take a deep breath. I have followed my Surgeons diet to a T and are starting solid foods....ground beef, chicken haven't tried salads yet or any starchy vegetables....... I am a little concerned and worried somehting may be wrong. I tried to look through past posts but keep getting kicked back to the home page. Thanks!

34 since June...........I think I have been stuck for the last two weeks ARGH! I need a new scale......I weighed five times and got 5 different answers any suggestions? It is slow but I am happy.......trying to get to 50 by Christmas...... You are doing great!

The other poster is right, it starts around the 3rd month......I don't believe it has to do with Protein because I was doing Atkins once (which was alot of protein) and my hair thinned then also. Mine is just thinning, noticing more hair on my brush than usual, I have very fine hair so I am not too thrilled.......but it will grow back and so far I am the only one that notices it. Good luck!

I just turned 47 and I do believe I am loosing slower than some of my younger bandsters...... I am however happy that I am loosing and if it takes me longer then I am ok with that..... I think what we eat and how we exercise will have more to do with how fast we loose. Keep in mind though that the supposed weight loss is 1-2 pounds a week....and you are blowing that away now, Great Job! I plan on looking better at 50 than I did at 40 that is my goal......so I have 3 years left..

I only have one question............ Why can't only the gray hairs fall out???? Been loosing it since month 3......I am trying folic acid...I will let you know how it works.............

I have taken enteric coated fish oil for years, after banding I switched to a liquid fish oil it is orange flavored and not too bad tasting it is made by Barleans...it only takes a tsp. and needs to be refrigerated.....I got it at the health food store.......I don't burp it up The benefits of fish oil are great, I won't go without it. Good luck

Sounds like it is normal liquids in liquids out (I had that side effect) and the nausea must be normal because my surgeon sent me home with 3 anti nausea meds/ if she is still taking pain meds that can make you nauseas.............I would start out with something bland I was able to take some cream of rice Cereal (baby section) with a little sugar...it was heaven and not too heavy. She needs to follow the Doc's advice always above all, but she shouldn't try to worry nerves can also make nausea worse.. Good luck, keep us posted.

I will be 4 months on the 10th.....I am right there with Kymmie as far as weight loss goes and are pleased with it. PA said that I am doing great when I went on Friday for my 3rd fill....... I think I finally have reached my sweet spot (fingers crossed). I stick to the bandster rules 95% of the time....protein first, then veggies, then carbs...sometimes I sneak a bite of carb in before getting all the protien in....I have never been the type to eat all of one thing first anyway..... I follow the Water rules and eat 3 meals with one snack at night sometimes I eat from all the food groups and there is nothing off limits..... just strictly limited.... although I could feel the eggs today when I ate them..stayed in my chest for awhile. I really have only been strenuously excercising for the last few weeks, I lift heavy weights and didn't feel confident till then. But I feel so good, I used to be a binge eater and haven't done that since banding......so that is major for me. We are all doing well, everyone at thier own pace....every band effects every one different..... I just hope this time I have proper restriction... I want to kick it in gear...... I would like another 24 gone my the New Year....... Keep up the good work!!!!

I also love lifting weights and have for years, I just now started back heavy with the weights and I am three months out....but I started back about 3 weeks ago with light weights.... I was told I can do mini crunches but are staying away from weights for the abs.....I just don't feel comfortable doing that......but for every other body part it is on!!! I have started switching from one week (3 times mon,wed,fri) light weights high reps and then the next week low reps high weight.. I am hoping to confuse my body into fat burning machine.

I agree that I think it has to do with the rapid weight loss because this happened once to me before when I was on a Atkins type diet with hardly any carbs and this time I eat from all the food groups and it is still happening........and yes it is month 3

I was on a modified south beach once so I had high Protein and very low carbs and lost hair ...hair loss more than I am having now.... around 3 months out around 30 pounds. I am not so high protien now and still do carbs (more than south beach) and I do have some thining noticable in my brush but when I was on the high protein diet I would just run my fingers through my hair and some would fall out. I am worried to color my hair though.......gee why can't it be the gray hairs that fall out??

If you feel you need more restriction then by all means call the doctor, why wait, this is why we have the band. Please don't be disgusted with yourself, you have been loosing at a great rate.....the cravings do suck and we are only human. Besides it could be that you have gained some muscle which weighs more. Or your body could be adjusting itself........ see if they will give you the fill........that is why we have the band. Until we get the right restriction it is tough.........hang in there, you can do it!

I agree with the others above you are loosing at a great pace! I am not averaging 2.4 pounds a week...... I think it is medically impossible to have lost 70 pounds in 7 weeks there has to be some pre op loss in there. Even if not who cares!!! I don't think you could loose 50-70 pounds in less than two months and not have something sagging or missing some kind of important nutrient........I could be wrong but either way you are doing fine. We are all different, the old me could gain 10 pounds in a weekend, my friend could eat all she wants and not gain 10 pounds in a year. I would like to be loosing faster also, but it is what it is......a loss is a loss is a loss! I am thankful just for the oportunity to have the band, not everyone can..... Good luck!

I went for my second fill today (yea!) and once again they brought me a cup of water with a straw, I didn't use it because it makes be burp.......but I was told it was ok....heck they gave me one.

I found a pink lemonade Fiber mix from Fiber All that you mix in either 16 or 20 oz of Water depending on how strong a taste you like. comes in individual packets so you can take it with you For some reason it holds me over till dinner, I have it in the afternoon...and it helps with fiber requirements........ 1- 1 1/2 ounces per meal 3 times a day doesn't seem like much.....you have to follow your doctors rules though........ i am not sure how they expect you to get your required Protein in although I didn't start mushies till week 3......Surgeons know best and you can't go wrong following his instructions.......Good luck

I also have a 14cc band with 2.2 cc's put in it at 7 weeks........no restriction what so ever........I can eat anything and everything the only limit is the amount and that is because I limit it....all self control... I tried to get an appointment sooner but couldn't so I am going next Friday for a fill..... I hope this one will give me restriction just enough to limit my amount and keep me full for 4 or 5 hours ......I like being able to eat from all food groups and do not want to have any stuck episodes I just want to eat like my skinny friends nothing off limits but just small amounts..... What you are experiencing is normal........ we are all in this together!!!!