Robin Mac

I have a 10cc Vanguard with 2cc in first fill and just had my second fill on Monday. Not sure how much he put in, but assumed it was another 2 cc. Anyway, I had no problem eating lunch afterward (although I did eat a small soy Breakfast patty--chewed thoroughly). No immediate golf-ball-in-chest feeling like I sometimes get when eating solid things too fast; however, a few minutes after finishing the entire meal, I experienced some mild heartburn-type thing, then the saliva in my mouth started to increase, then sort of hiccups. But it wasn’t too bad, and it showed me that I need to slow down even more. Since then I’ve tried to stick to liquids and mushies and have experienced restriction here and there when attempting to eat solid foods, but last night I was able to eat solids with no problems. Well, this morning I had a smaller than usual breakfast made up of solids and had no problem. Had 1 string cheese and 1/3 cup whole wheat crackers at mid-morning - again no problem. Drank about 8-12 ounces of coffee and sipped Water during the rest of the morning. Went to Curves at 1:00, came back to work and ate only about 2-3 spoonfuls of Lentil Soup and.....OMG!!! Immediately had BPs and they just kept getting worse and worse (walking around till it passed was not working like it always has before). It got to the point where I thought I was going to have to bring it back up (which is a HUGE LAST resort for me!), when the top of my head started throbbing so badly I could bearly stand it. The restriction passed at that point, but the headache pain was worse than any migraine I’ve ever had. The intense pain lasted for probably 5 - 10 minutes then slowly abated, but I still have a dull headache an hour later and was luckily able to get down an Advil and water. Well, that put the fear in me anyway. I will certainly be more careful about what I eat now! If it happens again, God forbid, I’ll be running for an unfill!

What is NSAIDS?

My surgical group had me go to a psychologist for a while to get a handle on the binging. I don’t know that I’m ”cured” of it, but my therapist thought I was ready and all it took was a note from her. So, good luck to you!

...or lack thereof. I was banded 11/28/05 and have had one fill. I, too, rarely if ever feel full. The restriction (or golf-ball-in-chest feeling) happens once in a while, when I eat too fast. But the satiety isn’t there, and I have to say it bums me out since that is what I need the most. Anyway, I still seem to be losing a little weight, and because of that my doctor wouldn’t give me a second fill 3 weeks after the first. I am realizing this will be a slow process.... It’s just that the only support groups and nutritional classes I can find in my area are full of gastric bypass people, and that’s a whole different thing. It’s hard to sit there and hear them say they’ve lost 30, 40, 50 pounds when they’re only 2 to 4 weeks out of surgery; and there I am 9 weeks out, having lost only 33 lbs. and pretty much staying at that for the past week. Sorry.... I don’t mean to discourage you. I just know how you feel.

For several years I’ve taken Prilosec on a daily basis for heartburn. If I missed a day, I knew it! I read somewhere that the need for antacids should become less after Lap-Band surgery, so I decided to skip a day and see what happens. I was fine, so I skipped another, then another. Fine again and again. Now I’m only taking it twice a week and have had no problems so far. I guess it’s only a matter of time before I can cut it out completely. A wonderful bonus!

For several years I’ve taken Prilosec on a daily basis for heartburn. If I missed a day, I knew it! I read somewhere that the need for antacids should become less after Lap-Band surgery, so I decided to skip a day and see what happens. I was fine, so I skipped another, then another. Fine again and again. Now I’m only taking it twice a week and have had no problems so far. I guess it’s only a matter of time before I can cut it out completely. A wonderful bonus!

I had an appointment for my second fill today, but because I have lost 7 lbs. since my first fill (yea!) and am experiencing the occasional ‘golfball in chest’ when I eat too fast, my surgeon said that I don’t need one. I still feel like I’m able to consume too much food at one sitting, though.

I had an appointment for my second fill today, but because I have lost 7 lbs. since my first fill (yea!) and am experiencing the occasional ‘golfball in chest’ when I eat too fast, my surgeon said that I don’t need one. I still feel like I’m able to consume too much food at one sitting, though.

I was banded 11/28/05 with a 10cc Vanguard, and had my firtst fill (2cc) on 1/9/06. Went back for another today, but the surgeon said I don’t need it. (;

I really can’t explain my weight problem -- I was a naturally thin child, adolescent, teenager, college student, twenty-something, thirty-something... don’t get me wrong... I had to work out to stay that way (aerobics, dancing, bike-riding) and had to start watching what I ate in my mid-thirties, but it was easy for me. I attributed it to my genes... I have one cousin who was overweight, but the rest of my family has no weight problems whatsoever. Then, at 38, I gave birth to my one and only child. I was single with a full-time career and no family in the immediate area. I quickly became overwhelmed--unable to find time to work out, eat right, go out dancing... And then I turned 40! The metabolism slowed way down, menopause kicked in and comfort food became my best friend. I’ve always been a somewhat addictive personality and a carboholic to boot, so I had really packed on the pounds by the time I turned 50. Combined with a few years at a highly stressful job, losing another job following 9/11, then 3 years of underemployment; not to mention a temporarily debilitating auto accident in between.... I had become a fast-food, carb-crazed junkie. Just like so many of us, I would go on diets, lose 20 - 40 lbs., then gain it all back and then some. I joined fitness clubs and was very good about working out, but when the weight was no longer coming off, I lost interest and stopped going. Shortly, before I turned 50 I decided to go the surgery root, but the gastric bypass seemed too drastic.... I watched a Discovery Channel show about Ann Wilson of Heart and her Lap Band surgery and knew immediately that was what I wanted to do. It’s a year and a half later, and I’m hopeful that it will work. But I have to say that I’m worried, because here I am almost 2 months after surgery and one fill, and I think I’m able to eat too much -- way more than I thought I would be able to. I get the ‘golf ball’ in chest thing occasionally, but can work through it and continue eating. I rarely feel full and some days I’m just plain hungry all the time. So, I worry....

I’m new to this forum and decided to post a picture of myself from 15 years ago, because that is the real me trapped inside this fat suit today. I was 36 years old then and in the best shape of my life — never had much of a weight problem and never would have guessed (in a million years!) that I would end up obese, much less morbidly obese. I can’t bear to see pictures of myself as I am now. I realize I will never get back there again but am hoping for the best. Anyway, I had my surgery 11/28/05 and have lost about 30 lbs. Lost 10 before surgery, 10 more the week of surgery and 5 the following week; but have been ‘waffling’ back and forth with the other 5 since. I have yet to really feel full.... mostly I stay hungry.... had Fill #1 two weeks ago and began experiencing the golf ball in the chest feeling occasionally when I eat too fast and don’t chew properly. But after about a minute or two am able to continue eating. Seems like I can eat an awful lot more than I thought I should be able to. I’m a little worried by that. Am I being too impatient? Reading others’ experiences on this forum has been helpful.....