kiz

For me, I have to measure or I could easily overeat. However, when I measure a 1/2 cup meal, full for me is the absence of hunger. If I went by the "full" signs, hiccup, sighing, runny nose, tightness in chest, I could easily eat 3/4 to 1 cup of food and then feel bloated. But, when I measure, I eat my 1/2 cup meal, feel just fine, but I lose the hunger sensation. I feel satisfied for four hours or more if I've eaten a good solid meal. Keeping well hydrated between meals also help to keep hunger (head hunger maybe) away.

I'm sorry you're sick, and I hope you're feeling better soon. I've never heard any warning that coughing from an illness can cause a slip. I'd give a call into my doctor if it were me, just for the extra reassurance, and to ask if they'd call a prescription in for you if there's any chance that you could cause damage.

Two words: Bandster Hell You're swelling has subsided and your band is loose. Try to make healthy food choices, and possibly add a healthy high Protein snack (it was more like a 4th meal), if you're allowed by your doctor and if you can tolerate it well. During this time, I had the same hunger issues, and the NP in my doctor's office gave me several options, such as: Greek yogurt with added All Bran Cereal 1/4 cup tuna w/ 2-4 whole wheat/fat free crackers 1/2 cup of thick chili

My guess is that it's a combination of real hunger mixed with head hunger. With the band, the hunger sensation is satisfied because the nerve endings that tell our brain that were "full" is at the top of the stomach (what a mean trick). So, when the band is giving your good restriction, your good solid meals stay in the pouch long enough to let your brain think we're good and full. The soft foods you're eating are giving you a sense of satiety, but my guess is that there's more to it then that little nerve at the top of our stomach, and the brain is calling for something more substantial than yogurt, for instance. Head hunger has to play a role in this too. One of the beauties of the band is that you have time to work all of this out as you're getting fills. I have great restriction now, and I stay satisfied for several hours with three 1/2 cup meals/day and a healthy snack. However, after a couple of hours my stomach sometimes gives me a shout out that it wants more food, but drinking a beverage generally knocks that hunger out. Since I'm supposed to be drinking a lot between meals, it makes it easier to not give in to temptation and to get that additional liquid in.

I had the opposite problem in that whenever I would catch an accidental glimpse of myself in a store window or mirror, I was always taken aback by how much weight I had gained over the years. I definitely never expected to see a skinny gal staring me back, but I had never wrapped my mind around the fact that I was so overweight. Our minds are funny things aren't they? It also sounds like you have some great support from friends &/or family who are letting you know that they're seeing the positive results from your hard work. I hope you take their compliments to heart, and that it encourages you to stay committed to this new lifestyle, even if it takes awhile for your eyes to catch up to your new thinner self.

Since you're self pay, talk to a local surgeon about the bmi requirement. Also, if you're a bit under 5'6", round down, even if by half an inch. You're close, so if you're scales are a bit off that could factor in.

Hi, and welcome to LBT. What a great mom you have! If you have insurance that covers weight loss surgery, often times they require you to have one or two documented medical problems (sleep apnea, high bp, diabetes, to name a few) besides obesity if your bmi is under 40. I think a bmi of 35 is usually the lower end cutoff. I was self pay and my bmi was under 40 but over 35, and I had no other medical issues and had no problem qualifying for the surgery. I'm not in Texas though, but that seems to usually be the norm.

In all honesty, that seems like a lot of lost fluid. I have the Realize Band, and the doctor can never pull out as much fluid as was put in, but I'm talking in the neighborhood of 1.5cc. That they were only able to pull out 2.4cc rather than the 6cc that you had in the past is a big loss, but since you got such amazing restriction with 3.1cc added, it sounds like there was more fluid in your band that they just couldn't pull out. When I was concerned about the loss of fluid (it happened every time they checked), my doctor said that generally you know you have a leak within two days of a fill, because you lose restriction virtually overnight. I took that to mean they very rarely see slow leaks. I'm sure they're not unheard of though. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. I'm self pay too, and my one year of fills/appointments that were included in the contract is over, so I also worry about something going wrong.

You really should to talk to your doctor about that, if you haven't already. Maybe he could give you some exercises that don't require you to get up as often to help make sure you don't form blood clots after surgery. If you're spending the night in the hospital, you might be given "boots" that constrict on and off to help with blood flow. If you're going directly home, I can understand why that would be a concern of yours.

It seems like insurance approval is generally the biggest hill to climb. I'm sure you'll do just fine tomorrow. Good luck!!

I would follow Sunshine's advice. Many people have said that they really don't get the full effect of their fill until two weeks have passed. You may have just gotten a delayed reaction. There's almost no chance that you got a slip after one stuck episode. Your band should have been anchored in by stitches, so I wouldn't worry that there's a slip. Either you just need to get used to this new level of restriction and be a little more careful about your food choices and the speed in which you're eating, or your stoma is still a little inflamed and just needs some more time to settle down. How big was your last fill, and are you taking liquids okay? If you continue to get stuck on solids, and most definitely if you start to have trouble with liquids, call your doctor about getting a tiny unfill.

BQT, if you do opt for an out of town doc, be sure that you have a local doctor who will take care of your band fills and other band related issues. Your follow up care is very important for success with a band. I paid $13,500 for my surgery and one year of office appointments, fills, etc.

They just called you today to tell you you're surgery is tomorrow? Wow, I'd be shocked too. Try not to let yourself get too nervous. The surgery will be over before you know it. Focus on how different your life will be a year from now. I can hardly believe the difference a year with a band made for me. Good luck, and I hope all goes well.

You might be just a bit too tight, so you're compensating by eating easy to eat foods during the day, which leave you famished by dinner and snaking in between meals. Just a slight unfill of .2cc might make the difference, but then you're also going to have to work on eating more solid foods and fighting the urge to snack that you've re-established. If feel like you have the right level of fill, and the tight daytime restriction is normal for you, it's going to be important for you to find foods that stick with you during the day, but aren't hard on the band. One soft food that works for me is Greek yogurt with all bran Cereal mixed into it. Adding the cereal makes a world of difference on the level of satiety I get from that simple snack/meal. (I found myself overdoing the Snacks..I mostly ate healthy snacks, but the calories were adding up..when I wasn't quite at the right fill level. I had to make a point of turning off my head hunger and let the band do it's "magic". Once I was eating properly and at the right level of restriction, it wasn't hard to get back into the groove of three 1/2 cup meals/day + one healthy snack.) Also, if you have several hours between lunch and dinner, a healthy Protein heavy snack might be in order at that time, only if a snack is included in your plan, since some doctors recommend larger meals and no snacks.

I think that really depends on the individual. I don't have any issues with reflux, so I don't have to be careful. I think the recommendation is to wait at least an hour, but some people have to wait longer. Since I try not to eat past 8pm, unless it's a special occasion, it's generally never an issue for me anyway.

I came home with a prescription pain reliever and a On-Q PainBuster ball that kept the surgical area completely numb for 24 hours. When the ball is empties, you simply pull the catheter out. A plastic tipped catheter was inserted just above the port site while I was under sedation, and there's a small ball that it held in a fanny pack that holds the meds. It gave me total numbness in the area, so I ended up only taking a few of the vicodin I was given. I went straight to liquid adult formula Tylenol on the third day.

That's a long wait tomorrow, but as long as you can take clear liquids tomorrow, you might get through the day without feeling too hungry. The anticipation of the surgery and all the pre-op procedures might take your mind off food.

Sorry, Suzanne, they didn't mention the name of the doctor, just that he was a plastic surgeon. Also, unfortunately the meetings are on Mondays (2nd Mon of the month) at 7:00 - 8:30, so it doesn't sound doable for you. I hope you figure out your heartburn issue, and that it's something easy to deal with. I'd be really bummed about getting an unfill now too. I know what you mean about finding that perfect level of restriction. Once you have it, you don't want to mess around with it.

Congratulations, and best wishes for your surgery tomorrow!!

Do you think you need an fill? It sounds like a little tweaking could get you back on track.

Hi Suzanne, I don't think you usually come to the St. Mary's lap band support group meetings, but just in case you're interested, a plastic surgeon is scheduled to speak at the October meeting.

I was self-pay, and an overnight stay would have cost me about $5,000, so I was definitely leaning toward outpatient when I was making my decision. The question about having inpatient or outpatient lap band surgery came up in one of my pre-op classes. The nurse said that with lap band surgery, unless you experienced complications, she felt it was better to go home for two reasons. One, because people generally rest better in their own home. Two, because hospitals have sick people and germs, and you're better off recovering at home to avoid them. I live close enough to the hospital, that had a complication arose, my husband could get me back there easy enough. Of course, having someone that can help you those first few days of recovery is important too. So, I don't think there's a rigid right or wrong answer, and you should go with you're most comfortable. I chose to go the out-patient route, and it was the right decsion for me, thankfully.

I had restriction after most fills, I got them monthly and at least once after two weeks, but it wasn't until my last fill of 0.5cc that I really knew it was "the one". My doctor wants us to eat only 1/2 cup meals, and up until this last fill, I generally tried to stop at 1/2 cup, but I didn't feel a true sense of satiety and I would get hungry relatively quickly. Now, when I eat 1/2 cup, I feel that feeling of satisfaction and it lasts for over four hours most meals. Also, if I ate much more than 1/2 cup, I'd feel tight and over-full. The closer you get to good restriction, the less fill you need to make huge changes. You may end up being like me and need to push the limit, but chances are, you won't. My doctor only has a few patients with the Realize Band that needed to go over 9cc to get good restriction.

Don't despair. I have the 9cc Realize band and it wasn't until I got more than 9cc that I had true lasting restriction. I think I've read that most people get good restriction with the band I have at around 7.5cc, but I was stubborn..lol I was worried each time my restriction seemed to almost disappear, but my final fill was "the fill" that stayed with me. I have what I consider perfect restriction now and it hasn't changed a bit in two months.

There can be a little seepage of saline over time from the band, also, you could just be in need of fill due to your weight loss. You should be careful about eating and causing yourself pain, but I think now you just need a fill. To test yourself, try eating the amount of food your doctor has recommended for a meal (mine is 1/2 cup, but yours may be different). Make sure you start with solid Protein, like chicken, followed by a firm vegetable like broccoli. If you can eat it without pain (without chewing it to a pasty mush) and you find yourself hungry within a couple of hours, you probably only need a fill.