Michlete

I tried Prevention, Levi's and Glamour and none of them work. Actually I think I finally registered but now when I click the sign in for a returning user I type my user name and password and nothing happens???? I really want it to work but I guess I just can't do it.

That's really cool, I wish I could get it to work. I go to the website, click on new user, pick the features that describe me and continue and it just takes me back to the sign in page nothing happens??? Is there any trick to it? :phanvan

Sometimes I seem to have very little restriction and others everything I eat will get stuck. Does anyone have any explanation for this? I have made and cancelled two fill appts. because I had little restriction and then a couple of days before the fill seemed to have so much restriction. Then a few days after things went back to the way they were with little restriction. Anyone have some words of wisdom about this? :help:

Ok, I've only been on this website once before and don't really know how this whole thing works but I've been reading some interesting stories and have a couple of questions of my own. Is it normal to have gurgling sounds in your stomach and a lot of belching when you eat/drink anything? And more seriously, a few days ago I tried to eat a few bites of pizza and I guess I didn't chew it very well because the band felt like it was hurting. For the rest of the day if I tried to eat anything it hurt and the day after a little too. I decided to take it easy for a few days and did only liquids & mushies for about three days. Today I ate a little bit of solids and chewed very well and feel fine but I'm concerned that I may have damaged something. Anyone else had a similar experience?

Thanks for the reply Carrie. It sounds like you are doing really well with your portion control which is probably a huge part of you success. I also work full time (at a desk job though) and have a 3 year old with whom I do share meals with too so that helps a little. I usually do not even attemp to eat chicken breast (even though I can pretty much eat anything else) because of past pb issues with it. I'm surprised you can eat it. I think I just am really in need of a fill which will help spead up the process but I think I'm actually a little scared/hesitant about it (another story). Anyway, thanks for the info. Best wishes with your continued success. ~Michlete.

Hey Soniacan, I feel the same way you do. I have been married for 7 years and could count the times on one hand that I had passed gas in front of my husband up until the past few months (not that it's now out of control or anything). I do feel uncomfortable burping in public and now when I eat my stomach is making all kinds of noises and it is embarrassing. Now it also seems like the need to pass gas comes and the MOST awkward times in front of my husband too and I have no control of it. For me this has really been the only bad thing about having the band so I really can't complain when I hear what some people have gone through but it has made some situations uncomfortable.

I don't have any information about port replacement but I just want to say WOW Carrie, that's awesome 128lbs lost???!!!!! I was banded 10 days after you and I've only lost 40 lbs. I look back at this year and think what a waste it has been. I could have lost 40 lbs in a year without the band. Obviously you've really stuck to a diet and made it work for you. Do you mind offering a little information as far as how restricted you are or what your typical daily menu would be? I would appreciate it. I am trying to recommit myself and really work at making this band work for me. I need to get another fill and hopefully that will make a big difference. Thanks.

Is it "normal" to sometimes have a lot of restriction and then others have very little? Does anyone have any explanation for this? I have made two fill appts. only to have to cancel them days before because I am having a lot of restriction. Then after a few days pass it seems like I have little restriction at all. Help anyone????? :help:

I am curious about this also. I was banded in August of 05 so it just over a year now and want to get pregnant in a few more months. I did speak to one girl and the doctor's office when I went for my last fill and she was about 8 months pregnant. She said everything had been fine (that she actually had been able to get pregnant because of losing the weight) but that she had continued to lose weight during her pregnancy???? I don't know if that is healthy or not. I do know that the more overweight you are the less you are supposed to gain during the pregnancy but I don't know about losing weight. Like I said she was in her eighth month and was at the doctor's office to get an unfill because she needed more nutrition for the baby.

I have a 4cc band and this sounds bad but it's been a while since I've had a fill so I think I'm at 2.2 or 2.5 cc's. I will have the problem of not being able to burp when food is blocking the air way and I should stop eating and I will also get the hiccoughs. That happens on those days when I have more restriction than others. I think on the less restrictive days when the food is just passing through is when air gets in and the gurgling and belching occurs.

Oh yeah, and Alexandra that does really mak a lot of sense about the water retention and the swelling of the body. Unfortunately I don't think I know my body well enough to determine when I will and won't have more or less restrictive days. I definitely can tell when my hands and feet are swollen and maybe then I can expect to have a more restricted day. I will keep be sure to take note of that the next time. Thanks.

I totally agree with you Solitaire. Many times I am worried that the band has slipped or something like that and then I have a day where I can't seem to keep down any food. Ultimately I know that I need to use the band to change my way of eating though so that if I do have days with less restriction then I will still eat as if I were restricted (if it were only that easy).

Like I said it's been a year that I've had the band already and the gurgling/belching seems worse than ever. I embarrased to eat with people who don't know I have the band because of the sounds my stomach is making while I'm eating or drinking. I THINK it might be a problem with not having enough fill because the food seems to be just passing through as I'm eating it.

Thanks for the input Poodles. The only problem is the the restricted days are very few here and there and most of the time I can eat whatever I want. I have not paid any attention to my period and how or if that might affect it. I know one big problem is that I still rely on the band totally instead of using it as a tool and I'm working on trying to change that.

Thanks for the feedback Elisabeth. I have the band for a year now but have not had sufficient restriction for a long time now. I have only lost 40 lbs so far but I feel like this incident is actually a little bit of a "good thing" because I feel like I've sort of recommitted myself to the weightloss.

Hi, I'm new to the site and hope I'm doing this right. I was banded August 19th 2005 by doctors Ortiz and Martinez. I had my first and second fills in October and currently have 1.8cc. I have a question for some more experienced banders and that is, do you experience a lot of restriction some times and then others little to none at all? I eat something one day with little to no problem and then the next day try to eat the same thing and I can't even pass one or two bites????? I'm thinking about going for another fill in the next couple of weeks, not losing weight or inches and am usually able to eat too much. I've only lost 25 lbs since being banded in August and I'm sometimes second guessing my decision to have the surgery. I know I need to use the band as a tool to lose weight and not rely on it completely to do the work for me. I'm still having a hard time staying away from sweets (chocolate) and other foods that I shouldn't be eating. Unfortunately the band does not restrict you from munching on things in between meals. I'm basically here to re-focus myself on my goal and to hopefully get some support from others that are in or have been in my situation. Please let me know if you have any words of wisdom.

Thank you so much for your responses. Hearing that 25 lbs is thought of as pretty good since August by someone makes me feel a little better. I know I still have a lot to work on with changing my behaviors also. I think I need another fill as well. Keep up the good work guys.