tennisgal

Lisa, About 30 pounds since November. I was so depressed when I didn't loose anything the last couple of months but I didn't have much of a fill then so I knew it would get better. Now, I'm dealing with this stuck stuff...yuck! However, I have not gained ANY back at least and do not feel like I'm depriving myself at all except for a couple of things. So at least that's better than any diet. I'm going to hang in there and try to keep working in the right amount of fill and more Protein. It's just so much pressure when you see how much others have lost. Good luck!

Thanks for the info...no, I don't think I EVER want to go back to being completely unfilled. When I think about how much I could eat then...!!! I'm amazed that I'm not losing soo much when I compare what I used to eat to what I'm eating now. But that's not the case! I have to work for every pound and it is slow...about 30 pounds total since November. I'm a teacher and these last couple of weeks are VERY stressful and busy. When I get out of school, I'm going to really concentrate on mostly Proteins and keep up with what's giving me trouble and getting stuck. If I look at it carefully I think it may be mostly early in the morning and breads and sometimes meat which could be from not chewing. And then I'll go from there deciding on whether or not to do an unfill. Yesterday and today have been the first two days with no stuck episodes in a very long time. This is what happened last month, too. Got okay again right before going back for a fill so I went ahead and got another small fill. Who knows??? This is all very confusing. I just praying for just the right amount.

Colorado, just curious...was it necessary to get completely unfilled??? I was hoping for a small unfill.

Thanks so much for your advice!! I hear a lot about people PBing but not so much about this "stuck" issue. So it's good to hear from others that have gone through it. The thing is that last month I got my fill, had great restriction for a few days and then started getting stuck. Went ahead and got another fill at the beginning of this month and the same thing...best restriction EVER the first week and no stuck episodes and then a week later everything starts getting stuck. I just thought maybe there was some hump I needed to get over and eventually the fill would stay put and last but I don't think I can stand these stuck episodes anymore...probably do need a slight unfill. But at $150 a pop...yuck! I keep wondering if it's the chewing thing and I think it partly is but not all the time. Let me know if anyone else has dealt with this. Thanks so much!

I only have 5.25 cc but I seem to get stuck A LOT! However, I've only actually PB'd 3 times. But that was b/c I really work HARD to get thorugh my "stuck phases" without PBing. Sounds like I need an unfill but this is the first time that I've actually lost in months! So I'm just curious to see if others feel the sweet spot comes with a lot of "stuck episodes." Sometimes it's because I eat too fast or b/c the bites are too big but most of the time it happens no matter what or how much I eat. Any advice or is anyone else stuck a lot?

The tighter I get with my fills, the more often I feel the shoulder pain, too. However, I'm at 5.25 cc. If you've just had surgery recently, you're probably still swollen and you're just sensitive to your new fill. It will probably settle down. It's just something I deal with quite a bit now. Call your doc, though, if it continues and you don't think it's right.

Help! I'm struggling! I have about 5.25 in my band after several fills. My doc only fills every 4-6 weeks and only small fills. The 1st week of this last fill was great and seemed perfect. Then all of sudden it seems like everything opens up and I can eat a ton. Now, today 2 weeks later it seems like most everything gets stuck. However, when it's not getting stuck, I can eat too much! Do I continue to get fills? Is this normal? Do you guys experience this "stuck" stuff. It's like I just don't know what to eat anymore. However, I've only had a couple of complete PB's. I usually stop eating immediately and work through the episode. Is the "sweet spot" how I felt that first week of my fill but it actually lasts instead of going away? I'm very frustrated...very little weight loss since January. I always seem to lose that first week of fill and then gain it back as soon as the fill wears off. Any advice would be great! P.S. Banded 11/21/08

I can completely identify with you. Two fills ago, I had great restriction for a few days and then not much. Then the last fill, everything seemed to get stuck but when it wasn't getting stuck, I could eat a TON! So I was very leary to get another fill this past Tuesday. However, it has been GREAT! Finally, for the first time in months the scale is moving and I can tell a big difference. The stuck episodes had gotten a little less the last week or so of that last fill, but I kept thinking why would I need a fill when everything seemed to be getting stuck. I guess it is the speed we're eating and the size of what we're swallowing. I think I've probably slowed down my eating with this fill and been very aware of portion size. Also, I'm being very careful not to eat dry meats. I just hope it lasts! It's so nice not to be hungry all the time! Slow down your eating and make sure you're taking small bites and chewing. It helped me a lot.

Hey, Shaun! I think we were banded the same day by Dr. Castro and we were at almost the same weight. You are beating me by about 7 pounds!! However, I only have 4.0 cc in my band right now. I get a fill next week but my local doc fills much slower than Dr. Castro would. So probably only .5 more. I sure hope it makes a difference. I really haven't lost anything for several weeks. Very depressing...just thought it was neat that we were both banded the same day and about the same weight.

Yes, I have only told my husband and parents. My children don't know either. It's difficult at first just b/c it's obvious you are changing your eating habits. My coworkers were used to me always being on a different diet, though, so no questions. However, now that I'm about 3 months out and the weight loss has really slowed, I'm glad I don't have everyone judging me. It hasn't been a drastric enough change that anyone has questioned. I have lost 25 plus pounds but that was the same 25 I'd lost dieting the year before so everyone so far just thinks I got back on the diet track. You will want someone to talk to though so I think you should at least tell one friend.

wow, gentylwind, you are lucky you already have that much from your fills. We were both banded the same day by Dr. Castro and I have to get my fills locally now and only have 3.75. I've had to wait six weeks to get this 2nd fill. I am going to beg to only have four weeks b/f the next one (if I need another). Haven't lost any weight since my first fill of .75 (4 weeks!). He said Dr. Castro left in 3. so he was scared to put too much since I already had some restriction. Well, that went out the window and now I can eat and eat and eat. But since it's a four hour trip and I have to take off of work, I'll have to wait two more weeks!