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How much fill do you have? Do you think you are at a good level or have you considered that you might be a little too tight? On days that you can eat, is it a normal band-size portion without being uncomfortable? Sorry for all the questions, just trying to get a better picture. I do have the same issues. My band has been on "lockdown" as I like to say for several days in a row now. I have started to think it is tied to a number of issues: hormones, stress, band fill, and who knows what else. It can be very frustrating. Some days, like today, I can not eat a single thing and even liquids don't seem to go down correctly. It's counterproductive for me because I reach for things that go down easily during those times, things that aren't the healthiest, and thus I don't lose weight even though I haven't really "eaten" that much. (nice run-on sentence there!) And then just as I'm getting ready to see the doc about getting an adjustment, I'll have a good week. If you find any official explanations, please share. In the meantime, I think I'm going back to the doc and have a discussion with them. I'm frustrated enough to spend the self-pay price of $200 for a slight unfill.

With my docs, it's fine to drink carbonation after 1 year. And the main reason I've heard to avoid it is due to the calories of regular soda, which apparently many people don't realize contributes such a significant number of calories. Don't feel guilty about a moderate of beer of soda!

Hey everyone, I tried to find some info on this by doing a search, but didn't find exactly what I was looking for... I was banded 6/4/08 and have not had any problems at all. The past week or so, though, I've noticed some soreness in my port area when I make certain movements, mostly when I'm walking. Last night I was walking pretty vigorously on the treadmill and with almost every stride I could feel a soreness/pulling in the area where my port is placed. I've noticed this soreness/pulling feeling not just when I'm walking vigorously, though. Sometimes I feel it when I'm just casually strolling. Earlier today I was stretching with my arms over my head and I could feel significant pulling and discomfort in my port area. Does anyone know how long sorness in the port area is normal? What would not be considered normal? It seems like I read somewhere on the forum that it's normal to feel soreness in your port area for several months after surgery. I'm just afraid of it pulling away from the muscle and/or flipping and want to make sure I don't do anything that causes problems. How much chance is there of this happening? Thanks for your input.

I, too, had minimal pain after surgery. This was my first surgery so I had no idea what to expect. The first 24 hours I took the paid meds because I figured I needed them, but then the side effects from the meds were more bothersome than the pain so I stopped taking them. The gas pain was uncomfortable for about 5 days, but I wouldn't classify it as painful. And, of course, I had soreness in the port incision for a few weeks but nothing unbearable. Couldn't side sleep for few weeks. The others who've said everyone's experience and pain tolerance are vastly different are exactly right. Sorry for those of you who've had a less than pleasant post-surgery experience, but don't assume the rest of us are "lying."

Congratulations to everyone on their success so far! I've noticed a few positive changes myself similar to what some of you guys have said: 1. Chairs that used to be snug I now slide into. 2. The seatbelt in DH's pick-up used to be very snug - it's now LOOSE! 3. Lots of clothes that were too tight a month ago are in the Goodwill pile now because they are way too big. 4. I've had to move the seat closer to the steering wheel in our SUV and our smaller Honda feels roomy now where it used to feel tight. 5. Shaving legs & other areas (blush) is getting much easier! Haha Can't wait to have more of NSV's to post in the months to come!!!!

It does help when you find out others are having the same issues. Sounds like your pain has been a lot worse than anything I've experienced - sorry to hear that. Thanks for your post. It's good to hear from people who have spoken to their surgeons and found out we are in the norm.

Thanks for the input, y'all. I felt like it was probably normal but just wanted some confirmation from fellow bandsters.

I had egg drop soup A LOT during my first week post-surgery all-liquid diet. I tried it from 3 different restaurants. It saved me during that time, but now even the thought of it makes me gag! Too much of a good thing I suppose.

I have a treadmill at home that has great incline capabilities. I always use the incline during my walks so even though I'm not to the point of taking up running/jogging yet, I still manage to get an amazing workout using that incline. I read the article and I didn't see incline level taken into account when determining if you burn as many calories walking vs. running. Anybody have any input?

You're doing really well with weight loss so far! Congratulations on your 41 lb loss! I'm sorry you hurt your back. Hopefully, it will feel better soon so you can start exercising. Some people can lose weight through diet alone, but I am definitely not one of them. After surgery I was letting the diet do the work, so to speak. After a couple of weeks my weight loss stopped. I didn't lose any weight for 3 weeks straight. When I started exercising consistently I started losing again, at least 2 lbs a week. Then when I went for my first fill appointment the PA changed my diet around and had me add a few Snacks so that I'm eating 5 to 6 times a day. I think this has helped, too. Have you talked with your surgeon's office? They might have some advice for you especially given your back injury and your weight loss rate so far. Good luck to you.

Originally the nutritionist told us 3 meals only & no snacking. But when I went for my fill appt last week the physician's assistant told me to add in 2-3 snacks a day to keep my metabolism going. It's working so far. I've lost 3 lbs in less than a week.

I had the same problem the other day and finally got frustrated and deleted mine. I figured I would add it back later when Ticker Factory seems to be working again.

Fortunately, people don't choke to death having something stuck in their esophogus. They choke when something accidentally gets into their trachea, which is the breathing tube that goes to the lungs. When you get something stuck in your trachea, it cuts off your ability to breathe. That's when the Heimlich maneuver is used. The trachea isn't flexible like the esophogus, it's made out of a harder tissue. The esophogus, on the other hand, is flexible and works to squeeze food/drink down when you swallow in a process called peristalsis. When something is "stuck" in your esophogus it will eventually go down or come back up like Ghost explained. That's how your digestive system is designed. And luckily the band doesn't alter your digestive system too much. You just have to make a few adjustments, like taking smaller bites and chewing extremely well. And if you do happen to get something "stuck", the others made some good suggestions on how to handle yourself.

That's awesome! I started at 322 before my pre-op diet and my goal is also 180. Thanks for sharing! Now I know my goal is perfectly achievable.

Congrats on your weight loss so far everyone!

During the pre-op diet I used Protein powder from Vitamin Shoppe but I can't remember the brand right now. I tried 3 flavors and liked the chocolate best. No problems because I was able to eat a small meal each day. I ended up getting some unjury myself and liked it. I've tried the chicken Soup, chocolate and unflavored. After my 1-week post-op liquid diet, though I haven't been able to bring myself to drink anymore Protein shakes. I tried the chicken soup a couple of times after surgery. The first time was fine. The second and third time I almost gagged. Same with the unflavored. The chocolate is the only one I can do now. Don't know what happened. I'm on soft foods now and getting plenty of protein through real food again, thank goodness.

Just checking in...How's everyone doing this week?

After myself, the people I did it for are 1. my Mom who had already lost a husband and child by the age of 56 and I'm the only immediate family she has left, 2. my new husband, and 3. future children I hope to have when I get to a healthier weight. My father died at 59 of a massive heart attack and was diabetic prior to that. I also had 2 grandparents who were diabetic and the other 2 had high cholesterol, high blood pressure and angina. I want not only to live longer so I can have and raise a family of my own, but I want to be healthier during those extra years.

Well, Paula can bring her fake accent right on over to SC and she would fit right in! I never even thought twice about her accent being real or fake because she does sound like a lot of people I know. :thumbup: Speaking of "Southern" accents, did anybody see the blond headed girl from Georgia on America's Got Talent last night??? Was that accent real or fake? It sounded put on to me. She's the one who sang "These Boots Are Made for Walking."

I love Paula Deen. I was born and raised in the south and her "accent" is spot on, not fake at all. She reminds me of quite a few people I know and sounds just like the people from my home town. As for her recipes, she cooks classic southern comfort food which ain't low in fat or calories. That's the niche Food Network was looking to corner when they picked her. They have other shows dedicated to health-conscious cooking. I have made many of her recipes and have even created my own lower fat/calorie versions on some of them. But mostly I make her recipes when I'm cooking for a special occassion. And many of her recipes are ones I already had in my file from local traditional southern cookbooks. As for RR, I love and hate her all at the same time. The raspy voice annoys me and all the silly special terms she makes up and uses drive me nuts. But I like a lot of her recipes and enjoy her creative ideas for meals.

kathy, i'm glad to hear your surgery went well. i'm three weeks out now and doing great! glad to see some other SC folks around here. kelli, dr. antonetti did my surgery as well. so far i've been very pleased with him. i had to see dr. strickland at my post-op follow up visit and also liked him. so far i'm pleased with that practice. my first fill is at the end of july. how did your fill go? did you see the pa?

Yeah, the beef stew is definitely a winner. I had some last night over mashed potatoes. I'm planning to do a pot roast/beef stew in the crock pot which will be great for me and my dh loves it, too. Casseroles are allowed on my food plan. I've had squash casserole for the past few meals. Avocado, hummus and refried Beans have also been my saviors. A couple of times I made a little mix with the canned chicken, refried beans, salsa or creamy salsa dip, low fat cheese and fat-free cream cheese. Yum! Another idea is the fat-free cream cheese, a little light ranch, canned chicken, hot sauce and low-fat cheese heated together - tastes like buffalo chicken wings. That's the allowed version of my favorite buffalo chicken dip. V8 and tomato juice also curb my "appetite" when I want something salty. The 5.5 oz cans are perfect. I keep them in desk at work.

I went to the beach with some friends/family last week and had the very same experience. And there was a lot of, "Whatca eating?" over-curiosity going on. Every time I ate anything at least one person would say, "Watcha eating?" I got kind of pissy by Thursday and when my aunt asked me what was wrong, I told her I didn't want so much attention focused on me. I don't like being the center of attention anyway. Like you, I know they mean well, but uhhhgggg!

I lost 10 lbs on the pre-op diet and have lost 19 lbs since surgery on 6/4/08. I'm thrilled! I was on vacation last week and when I got dressed for work this morning I discovered how loose my dress pants were! Yay!!!

My scales do that too if they are not perfectly level on all four corners. And also if I don't step squarely on with both feet in the correct location I get different readings sometimes. It can be maddening to see you're down then the next time you're back up!