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Amy, you poor thing............I originally missed your post, it had gone over to the 2nd page and I didn't see it. But, my goodness what a horrible experience. I think I would have gone to the management and complained about that waitress, making sure I got her name, description, everything. I might have waited til I had a couple drinks in me to boost my confidance, but I definatly would have gone to management. She sounds like she's in the wrong business. Gosh this is a great subject. Although I hadn't really thought about it until you asked the question. Initially I thought that I hadn't really felt discriminated against, but then I started working it over in my mind. At least 5 or 6 years ago I had applied for a job. I was more than qualified and I was very excited about the prospects of this job. I interviewed. They called me and said they gave it to someone else. When I found out that the "someone else" was someone who I was currently TRAINING for the field I was flabberghasted. I spoke to someone at the company after that and was told that she simply "interviewed better." I was so terribly hurt that this company would hire someone who hadn't even finished training for the field she was planning on being a manager for. It was my understanding that the training I was providing was her ONLY experience in this particular field. Now, I wonder if it didn't have something to do with my weight. I hadn't really thought about it and I probably would have been even more hurt at the time had I even considered it. In the past, I have been "snubbed" by store clerks but I'm not so sure that qualifies as discrimination. To be honest, that's one of the main reasons I hate shopping. I hate being looked at sideways and knowing that they're thinking all kinds of horrible things about the way I look.

Manwell, I'm not having this problem (thank God), but it sounds like you're having classic reflux. This happens when you get a wee bit too tight. Now, just because going past 3.0cc makes you a little too tight at this point in your journey doesn't mean that 3.0 cc's will be all you can ever achieve. After some weight loss, the fat layer around your stomach also shrinks making your band technically looser with the same amount of fill. Give it time, you may be able to get past this point, eventually. But, a thought has just occurred to me........do you really NEED to go past 3.0? Just because you want to doesn't mean you need to. My understanding is that as long as you are eating healthy portions and you can make it at least 3-4 hours between meals without being hungry, you're therapeutically restricted. That's not to say that some people really like to be tight and actually feel their food passing from esophagus to pouch through band, etc. Because some do. Personally, I feel being too tight can lead to other problems like erosion or slippage. That's my opinion, I'm not sure if there's medical research to back it up. Good Luck and hang in there.

pills, as long as they're no bigger than the size of a pencil eraser should go through just fine. As long as the pill is not extended release, you should be able to break it up or crush it. I prefer breaking them in half or thirds if necessary. Crushed pills taste yucky. :eekB: The only exception that I know of is potassium supplements like K-Dur or micro-K, these are not to be crushed. When in question, ask the pharmacist. Personally, I take a chocolate viactiv chew in the morning with a caramel viactiv Calcium chew. It's like a little treat every morning, especially if you hold them in your hand or pant pocket and let them get soft first. I think you can even get these in generic now. I've seen the WalMart brand, but haven't had the guts to try them. BTW, I haven't really felt any need to boost my B-Vitamins any more than what is provided in the multi-Vitamin (which have a direct effect on energy level). Once I started losing weight, I seemed to have an increase in stamina and energy. I see a lot of people going to the chewable childrens vitamins. Somewhere along the line, I was told that those were a poor choice for adults. Go figure. :noidea: If they work, hey, go for it. Any experience I've had with liquids (including Tylenol liquid) has been poor. I just don't like the taste. :yuck: So if I can get it down by chewables or breaking the regulars up, that's what I'm gonna do.

My last tetanus shot got a little swollen and red and sore for several days. I did not have a headache or fever, but man was that injection site sore. OUCH! I don't think that vaccines are "poisoning" us. With tetanus, they give you a small amount of weakened virus so that you can build up your own antibioties to fight it. That's what the red, swollen, sore reaction at the injection site was from. My body's reaction to the virus. It was literally fighting a little bit of tetanus, but not so much that I'd actually get the disease.

Although I'm not sure of the exact recommendation, I'd probably wait until I had transitioned into a regular diet. At least then you'd know that you'd healed for the most part and the alcohol wouldn't have any affect on your surgical healing. Remember that not only does alcohol have a lot of empty calories, it also relaxes your inhibitions meaning you would be more likely to break the band rules, overeat, drink with your eating, etc.

Everyone's "soft stop" is different. You really must learn for yourself, unfortunately. Some have hiccups, some have a heavy sigh, some just feel satisfied and don't want anymore. I personally know to start looking for the "soft stop" when my nose starts running. It may only come after a few bites, but when my nose starts running I have to pay extra attention. I think.....am I still hungry or am I satisfied. I usually get to the point where I just don't feel like I should eat anymore. I'm not in pain, I'm not over-full. I just don't want anymore. If I go past that, I get what is called the "hard stop", which includes pain and pressure. I have never PB'd or vomited as a result of my eating. I feel fortunate that I have learned my body's signals, some are harder than others. It's amazing that with this journey we really have to be in-tune with our body and it's subtle signs. Eat slowly, pay attention and you'll get it after a while.

I've thought this through and I've varied in my opinion. I'd like to say that I'm like Jachut and confidant that I've learned something from all of this. I am on the same path to some extent. I don't believe in keeping myself so tight that the band won't let me eat much. I actually can eat normal sized portions. Not oversized portions, but healthy, ADA recommended portions. I'm happy with that. I don't feel real hunger unless I go for hours and hours without eating (we're talking at least 4 or 5). However, deep down I have a feeling that if I were to lose my band I would revert back to my pre-banded portions and over time gain most, if not all of my weight back. So, that being said.......I'm the kind of person who likes to have a "plan B". If (God Forbid) something happened and I were forced to give up my precious band, I fully intend on having another surgery. Now, whether that's to be re-banded or to convert to another type I'm not sure yet. I'd have to weigh out my options. I prefer the band, obviously. But, if for some reason that wasn't possible I'd probably go for DS. From what I know of it, I could live with it's side effects if I HAD to. Good Question.....thanks for asking it.

Lisa, As long as you let them know that you had an allergic reaction to the substance, they will not give it to you. I would question whether you're allergic to the barium or the sulfate portion of the suspension. Many individuals seem to be sensitive to sulfates. Anyway, there are other radio-opaque (shows up on x-ray) substances they can use such as the gastrograffin. I wouldn't get myself all up in a nit about this. It's not absolutely a necessity to do these procedures. You make it sound like a foregone conclusion. Many docs do their fills without fluoro. Mine preferred to have an upper GI pre-op to make sure my anatomy was normal. I also had one just post-op to be sure that everything was in place and fluids were moving the way they should. If you're sensitive, I'm sure they can find other ways to get done what they need done. Good Luck,

The stomach is a muscle. It's smooth muscle which is different than the muscle in your arms and legs, but it's a muscle just the same. The surgeon has secured your band TO the stomach by stitches and in many cases, has actually flapped a small portion of your stomach (muscle) around the band to help keep it secure. Whenever we eat anything, the muscle contracts to help move the item downward towards the intestines. Now, it has a constriction to restrict it which makes it work a little harder. Liquids basically slide right through. Which is why we have to start at liquids first. It takes the body approximately 6 weeks to heal from surgery, including the stitches that he placed around the stomach. So, the stiches aren't really "set" well until the body has fully healed. By eating more solid items before your doctor recommends, you're making the stomach contract more and putting those stitches at risk for popping out or not securing the band well, also putting you at risk for a slippage later. Just because you CAN eat the things you are eating, doesn't mean you should. We have all been where you were, where you feel like you want to eat something more substantial than you're doctor has recommended. Stick it out to the best of your ability, it will be best in the long run for you and your band. You have everyone's sympathy with what you're going through even though they may have come down a little hard on you. Call it tough love. Consider this only a short stage in the whole journey. This too shall pass.

At the risk of being argumentative, I want to defend my original statement. It was in reply to Penni's statement alleging that lack of antibiotic was malpractice. If Penni is a practicing nurse (LPN or RN), she should be aware that often times doctors do not treat mild infections (even in elderly or debilitated individuals) in hopes that their immune system will "kick in" so to speak. The reasons, I have already stated, have to do with the recent medical directives regarding antibiotic use to allow them to be the most effective and prevent any more antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria. That was my premise, that was the point I was trying to get across. If I failed, I apologize. If Trish was post op, from a new port replacement and was exhibiting signs of infection then yes, an antibiotic was probably called for. I stated that I was not familiar with Trish's history and from reading Paula's post it sounds like she's had a rough road. However, were these complications the direct fault of the physician/surgeon? How experienced is/was he? These are the questions Trish should ask herself as well as how much faith she has in this doctor. If she has lost faith in him to treat her, then she won't trust him and the patient/doctor relationship is damaged. In that case, she needs to find a doctor she can form a trusting, reciprocal relationship with. I myself have lost a certain amount of faith in my band doctor for failing to diagnose my gall bladder disease. Instead, for 6 months he continued to tell me my pain was related to something I was doing/not doing, or that I was too stressed out. When he told me to seek counseling for it, I sought a second opinion. I have hesitated to return to him because I harbor resentment and anger towards him. I need either him or a new band doctor to continue my care, but to change is a big decision and since there are few in my area I feel limited in my decision. Trish, I wish you the best with your decision.

Valentine, First I want to remind you that when we transition back on sold foods it is common for us to gain some weight. Besides, by being constipated you are literally holding in some extra weight. Bear with it, this too shall pass (and hopefully soon). I know you don't want to hear about the "this is a healing phase, not a losing phase" so I won't repeat it or bore you with it. I'm not going to tell you not to eat bread. I say, if you can.....do it. I do, but in moderation and I feel normal. I don't feel like I'm on some terribly restricted diet which usually leads me to some binge and subsequently, failure. If you're short on protein and you don't like chocolate you're going to have to be kind of creative, but it can be done. Some of my favorite protein shakes have absolutely nothing to do with chocolate. I LOVE SF CIB French Vanilla with Unjury, milk, 1Tbsp of peanut butter and about a half of a banana. It's MARVELOUS. I like strawberry, too (with real strawberries and strawberry SF CIB). I also like banana with pineapple chunks. Strawberry with pineapple chunks. Get creative and you'll be glad for it. I saw one that had coffee in it. Yummy if you like coffee. I think I saw one with banana and maple extract. Although I haven't tried it, it sounds O.K. Another thing I do, when I get tired of shakes is yogurt. Not any yogurt, a jazzed up yogurt. Get one of those quarts of low fat vanilla yogurt, put in a can of mandarin oranges, a can of pineapple tid bits and about a cup of quick oats. Let it sit over night and it's a great treat. When I'm ready to eat it, I put Unjury in the single serving (or any protein powder will do). Also optional for this recipe is to add slivered almonds which add protein and crunch. Even my kids love this one. Good luck,

I humbly disagree with you Penni. Just because a doctor suspects an infection does not mean they automatically treat with antibiotics. Because of antibiotic overuse and misuse over the last few decades, we now have antibiotic resistant bacteria. It is standard practice to actually allow the body to attempt to heal itself of certain infections as long as the patient is not having significant symptoms due to the infection. Often, they also require a culture and sensitivity to determine what antibiotic will work best with the type of bacteria causing the infection. If you give broad spectrum antibiotics they kill even the "good" bacteria that your body needs to protect itself or even digest. Hence the occurence of yeast infections and constipation associated with them. Correct practice is to give the right antibiotic in the right doses at the right time for the right infection. It is NOT malpractice to "wait and see". I'm not familiar with the rest of Trish's story, but this one example regarding the antibiotics should not be the primary decision making reason. Bottom line, she has to be comfortable with her doctor's medical skills and even his bedside manner. If not, then it's time to search for another.

Ding dong the witch is dead. Which old witch? The Pickler witch. Ding dong the Pickler witch is dead.................:bananajump::brick::Banane57: If I could have gotten up and celebrated without waking my 9 year old, I would have. Thank God America finally came to their senses. And by the way........WAY TO GO CHRIS. I'm still fanning myself. HOT HOT HOT!

I have not for one minute wished I'd had bypass over the band. Yes, I wish the weight loss was a little faster. But the fact that it is coming off is what's important to me. Slow is better than not at all or worse........gaining. I never wanted my insides re-routed. I've seen the diagrams and don't like the thought of having a "residual stomach" that is there but is basically dormant. I don't want part of my intestines also there doing very little. I'm glad the band gives me a wide learning curve so that if I don't make the best decisions today, I'm not necessarily suffering for it with something like dumping syndrome. Every day is a new day and over time I can learn these new eating habits. They're not necessarily forced upon me. Yes, I must learn to chew well, not drink with my meals and eat slow. But so far those haven't been difficult transitions. And, thankfully I can tolerate all types of foods. I have no restrictions to my diet. All too often, with the bypass, if you don't learn and adopt healthy eating patterns your "window of opportunity" passes you by. Yes, you've lost weight initially. But then you start gaining it back because you didn't really learn how to nourish yourself in a healthy way. Just my 2 cents.

cashley, I wouldn't want to go against your doctor's advice, BUT if you can't get solds down 6 days after your fill, I'd be concerned. Sometimes my doc says to go slow with a fill, meaning do liquids for like a week or 2 then mushies for a week or 2 then slowly into regular food actually starting with very soft food. That's his conservative advice. For those individuals who show no problems it's 2 days, 2 days and 2 days...respectively of liquids, mushies and soft food. Remember, you could have a little swelling from the new fill, making it hard to get things down. That's probably why he recommended waiting. I've also heard of fills "kicking in" or getting even tighter afterwards. Please be careful. If your seminar is a distance from your doc and you run into trouble, what are you gonna do? Just a question.

My initial goal was to fit into "normal" size clothes instead of women's size. I hit that.....So happy, but confused too. The sizes at the border between womens and normal can overlap a bit and can be confusing. Now, I'm happy being able to go into the store and have choices.......Oh My choices.......... yes, yes, yes

I can tolerate anything I eat, including bread, rolls, bagels, tortillas, muffins, biscuits, pancakes.........Oh, God just think of it.........I can eat it. I eat slow, chew well and voila! no problem. I'm 1cc in a 4cc band currently, I've been up to 2.5cc and for medical reasons not related to the band had some removed. Even at 2.5cc, I could eat bread.

I have absolutely no problem with Mexican food, including flour tortillas. DH is Mexican-American and we eat it regularly. Love chips and salsa. Love tacos, enchiladas, and all the other treat Mexican food that if I mention it here will only get my mouth watering..........YUM! I do not drink when I eat, Mexican food or no Mexican food. I don't have a problem with it, spicy food or no.

I was only on clear liquids for a day or 2 then moved on to full liquids. Pudding and yogurt (without any pieces of fruit) was considered full liquids for me. (The lemon and key lime are pretty good). Because cool whip is essentially fluffed up milk I would consider that O.K. on a full liquid diet. Think about what happens to it when you mix it IN cubed up jello. It's a smooth saucy goo. I'm pretty sure that custard was even on my full liquid list and was highly recommended by my dietician because it was made of eggs and was higher in protein than pudding. Full liquids is actually a great stage, you've got creamed soups, ice cream, milk shakes, smoothies (minus any fruit chunks)......with creativity it's MUCH better than clear liquids.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being able to tolerate all kinds of food IMHO. I am a little over a year out. I have 1cc in a 4cc band, so I am not unfilled and I have been as tight as 2.5cc (taken out because I was having gall bladder attacks that my doc thought was esophageal spasms). Even at my tightest, I could tolerate all kinds of food. That includes bread, Pasta, rice, eggs and meat of all sorts. There is absolutely NOTHING that I have not put in my mouth that I cannot tolerate. The only pain I have had has been mostly related to my gall bladder and to tell you the God's honest truth, I haven't even PB'd. The only time I thought I did, it was related to the gall bladder attack. Now that I have my gall bladder out, if I have a meal that is probably a little too large I get uncomfortable but no pain. No "golf ball" feeling. Up until this plateau that I've been on since February, I lost weight steadily and had no problems. So, just because you CAN tolerate certain foods does not mean that there's anything wrong with you or that your band is not tight enough. It's very individual. Those foods are considered "high risk" and a lot of bandsters do have trouble with them, but it's not a guarantee that you won't be able to tolerate them. I'm living proof.

Yoda, I'm so glad you're comfortable again.:clap2: Those blistery areas sound like you were allergic to the tape. Remember it for any future procedures. Nasty stuff. Take good care of those weepy areas, I've heard of people actually scarring from those. Keep them clean and dry. If they start to look infected, call your doc right away.

I'm so glad for you about the liquid diet thing. :clap2: But, from the symptoms that you described I'd be worried about your bowels. I know, TMI. But, hear me out. If you're feeling like you need to go but can't then you have episodes of diarrhea that could be something else. I know you were on a liquid diet (for the most part) and liquids in=liquids out, but I can't quite shake the feeling that something else may be going on. If you feel the urge, but can't go maybe you have a bit of a blockage or at the very least constipation. I know what you're thinking, "how could I be constipated when I'm having diarrhea"? When you're really constipated, sometimes BM gets hung up in there but still lets liquid stool around the blockage. This is a very common symptom with fecal impaction. That combined with the fact that you said your tummy just doesn't feel right, even possibly painful. I'd get this checked out BEFORE surgery. Because anesthetics slow the bowels and could cause even more problems. Talk to your PCP. I wouldn't resort to laxatives, enemas or suppositories but make sure your doctor hears about your symptoms.........ALL OF THEM, including what you were eating. Because there wasn't much bulk to it. I don't know what you were eating before, but you never know. I wish you all the luck in the world and hope that these symptoms are nothing but a passing phase.

I just can't seem to get the scale moving. I've lost a pant size since my gall bladder surgery in February, but despite that I really would like to see the scale move. I am new to this plateau thing. I hope to see some scale progress soon. I've been exercising regularly. I eat O.K. most of the time with a few exceptions when I feel the need for a snack. I think the only real weakness is my water intake. I just can't seem to get the full amount in. I'll keep trying.

When I was at my heaviest, I'd look in the mirror and not see that obese person staring back at me. I had absolutely no clue how large I appeared to the public until I saw it in pictures. Then I was absolutely flabberghasted. :faint: Now, 75lbs down I still see that fat person I saw in the mirror before I had surgery. Yes, I see my collar bones now but generally I'm the same person. I still see my saggy boobs and hanging belly. It's sad how we can look in the mirror and not really see what's there. We could be a beautiful butterfly but all we see is that ugly old worm. That's just on the outside. On the inside, I kind of feel like the same person I was when I got out of high school only with more miles and more experience.

I don't have any answers for you, only support. I am having the same problem. I've lost 75 lbs, have the majority of my weight off......still have at least 40 or 50 to go. My belly fat, my behind fat, my fat arms and my fat thighs are a constant reminder that I still have a long way to go despite all of my progress. I exercise every day with the exception of maybe Sunday. I've been stuck at the same weight since February although I have lost some inches. It can be frustrating, I know I am sometimes. I just keep reminding myself how far I've come and basically how happy I am to have come this far. Just have to keep pluggin on. Maybe we have to have the "glass is have full" vs the "glass is half empty" mentality.