shy_one

If your g/f can't get to her doctor ASAP, she needs to go to the ER. If she keeps up with vomiting, etc., she will have her band slip. My doctor said that persistant vomiting can move the band OR have the inside of your stomach come up inside the band! Don't take no for an answer.

I also like this format. You can easily find the forum topics on the left and I like reading the current posts in 1 page. Before, you had to scroll down to find new posts and sometimes you missed them if they were embedded within a forum topic in the old format.

New underwear sounds like the plan :wink_smile:

Very well written! Thank you for sharing your story and letting others know they aren't alone. What courage it took for you to step outside your box and start questioning what was happening to you. I wish you continued success - Brenda

I'm not sure about what I should do to celebrate. Any suggestions?

Oh dear, I'm really sorry about how miserable you must be right now. Are you able to drink any protein shakes? If so, do they come back up? I don't have much in advice, but I do think that you should have an x-ray to make sure that your band is okay. What does your doctor say about you still getting sick and all? Has she suggested an x-ray before? Good luck at your doctor's and I hope that you can get this resolved soon. Believe it or not, once you get over this hurdle, the band is awesome! - Brenda

Sorry, but I wouldn't make myself sick. I'd drink the pineapple juice in very small sips. Otherwise, the juice will just come up with the slime. Standing and walking around also helps.

I'm not on 1/2 cup yet, but I definitely have more energy. I think it's because I'm not eating any of those junky carbs anymore. I used to be tired all the time. I would take 6 hour naps during the weekends and still feel tired. But since I've been off of the carbs, omgosh, I don't need to nap as much, I can do housework without feeling dead, I can walk so much further, etc. I guess I'll have to wait and see how I feel when I get to my sweet spot.

I also didn't like my psych evaluator, but I was past. I have the same issues as txmomof2, exactly the same. I did really well on the pre- and post-op diet. After about 1 and 1/2 months though, I'm struggling with eating too much. I am proud of the fact that I haven't gone back to eating junk food and stuff (no breads, rice, pastas, McDonald's, candy, ice cream, etc.), but I'm not happy that I can eat so much in 1 sitting. Eating healthy is very important to me. Thank goodness I exercise too. I just hope that with successive fills, my overeating stops. Like you, linigh, food is an addiction to me. If you can stay away from eating the bad carbs, it might help stave off your addiction somewhat and not make you hungry sooner, tired, etc. Although I can eat a lot in 1 sitting, I do not snack between meals because I no longer eat the bad carbs. Good luck in your journey.

No, I continued to take my Byetta twice a day. I stopped for a short while after surgery, but found that my blood sugar stayed slightly high (not high enough to use my insulin though). Byetta also helps with not being hungry.

I'm with you also. I can even eat 2 cups of food, healthy foods though like salad. I think when you hit your sweet spot is when you can only eat 1/4 to 1/2 cup of food at 1 sitting. Anyway, I hope that's the case! I go for my 2nd fill August 4, so I'll let you know if there is a reduction in the amount I can eat. Good luck on your journey.

I have a very good friend who wants to start the lapband procedure. I would like to be able to recommend a surgeon in her area. Anyone know or have had the band done in Pasadena MD area? Any information will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

The important different between those 2 protein drinks is in the number of protein grams (17 for EAS and 15 for Atkins). I myself prefer the EAS because it also has less calories. I really don't think it matters what protein drink you have, just as long as it's low carb and has enough protein in it. Good luck in your journey!

I also have a 14 cc band because of my size. I'm kind of glad he put in the larger one because you're right, you have more to play with. On the other hand, it will take longer for me to get to my sweet spot.

This is why I won't even go there - eating pasta, breads, rice, etc. - to not get back into the carb roller coaster. When my head hunger rears its ugly head, I try to eat healthy foods, mostly protein, maybe some fruit. Last night I tried eating raw carrots. MISTAKE! I Pb'ed for almost 30 minutes. I had pain in my chest and back. Finally it went away and I'm hoping I didn't do anything to my band. Won't be eating raw carrots anymore. Now I need to find another alternative snack preferably low fat, high protein, no carbs, no calories....anyone have any suggestions? lol.

I had my first fill and was good for the 1st few days. Now I'm hungry again and can eat whatever I want. My doctor has me go in every 4-6 weeks. Would be nice if I could go in more often though.

I got mine in the hospital also.

I had that problem earlier and my doctor put me on Miralax. You can get it over the counter at your pharmacy. It's a powder that you put in any drink. It works by putting water into your stool, so if your stools are hard, then this will work. Good luck.

OM Gosh! I just wrote that as a quote under my name. I'm dealing with the same issue! Luckily I don't think about food all day long, just all NIGHT. I'm really good during the day, but at home, forget it. Working out is the only saving grace, but then again, I'm fighting the urge to stop that also. Why can't our bodies just accept the fact that we now have a band and to listen to it? lol I wish that I had an answer for you. I'm really sorry that you too are going thru this, it's depressing I know. Hopefully, others will have a few suggestions to help stave off our head hunger. In the meantime, good luck with your journey.

Yes, I've been on omeprazole for years now. I still take it every night. It must be doing something because my doc had me take an endoscope exam before my surgery and it came back clear and without any irritation. It now helps me not have reflux at night.

I still don't know when I'm not hungry anymore. During the pre-op diet, I finally knew what hunger pains felt like. Since my surgery, I don't seem to feel those hunger pains anymore, so I eat when I start to feel bad. Therefore, I can't seem to know when I'm no longer hungry. I'm definitely not restricted (3 cc in a 14 cc band), but I've pb'ed a few times when I've eaten too fast or not chewed well enough. Luckily it doesn't last long. I'm just afraid that I'm going to stretch out my pouch, so I really need to work on weighing out my food. 1/2 cup to 1 cup of food doesn't seem enough to me. I hope it's just because I'm not restricted enough yet. Yeah, learning how to eat again is kind of confusing.

Gosh, I'm really sorry you had to experience that. As people of size, we've had to deal with humiliating experiences many times, but you wouldn't think a doctor who treats obesity to be so demeaning. Thanks for sharing and remember, he's the one with the problem. You have integrity and courage to walk a difficult path in wanting to be healthier, kudos for you. Unfortunately, he will never understand. I'm glad you found a place that values you and your journey.

I'm sure there's a post somewhere out there, but searching this forum can be difficult. My question is is that I still can't tell if I'm full. It's strange to not keep eating until I feel like I'm going to blow up. I also don't want to overeat since I'm in bandster hell right now. My first fill is 7/7 and I want to make sure that I keep going in the right direction with my behaviour and weight loss. I'm keeping my calories under 1500, but need to work on knowing when to put the fork down in preparation for my fill. I'm working on eating slowly and chewing it to mush. I've gotten to the point where my meals take anywhere from 1/2 hour to an hour. So maybe I'm doing the right thing and what I'm feeling in my tummy IS being "normally" full. Just thought I'd ask for other experiences. Thanks - Bren

I have been on Merida and Phentermine (current) during my banding period. My doctor sees nothing wrong with taking either until I hit my sweet spot. It helps take the hunger away while I'm adjusting to the band. I'm learning how to eat smaller portions, slower, not drinking with meals, etc. I tried medication only, but it was only short-term, and the weight came back on when I stopped. When I hit my sweet spot and stop taking phentermine, my band will help me to stay there. If you spend the time learning how to re-eat while taking the meds, then they are beneficial. If you don't, then the band wont help either.