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!

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?

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!

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!

Hi! You might want to try Dr. Robbins in Dothan, AL. Not sure if they accept other patients or not but it's a lot closer and worth a try.

I'm honestly not sure about those details...I don't think it was attached TO the rib cage but my scar is almost right under the last rib and that's exactly what my pain felt like...like it was rubbing against thelowest part of my ribs. Your situation might be totally different. I just wanted you to know that those pains could be just the healing process. It took a couple of weeks for the pain to go completely away but felt better maybe within a week after the first severe pain. Good luck. It does sound like you have a bad doc and a tough situation.

I can't comment on multiple surgeries, but I will say that I felt the rib pain/rubbing after my surgery. It really scared me b/c I couldn't sit in the car to drive w/out that rubbing feeling and it would turn into a sharp pain whenever I turned a certain way. A heating pad helped tremendously and I really took it easy for a few days and then one day that rubbing feeling just went away. Everything else with my surgery went pretty well except for that. Hopefully, it's just the new position of the port. I feel like mine is much lower than my ribs but for some reason there was always that feeling like it was rubbing my ribs.

Hi! I flew out of state to have surgery. Got back to hotel from surgery early afternoon and flew out at 9:00 the next morning. I was worried, too. I didn't have any serious problems. I was very sore but was able to shower and dress pretty easily. Dress comfy and pack light. It was difficult to find any liquids to eat at the airport, like soup, and I was definitely nauseated by the time I got home. I ended up taking a few small bites of yogurt and making it liquid before swallowing. I also had a little "panic attack" on the airplane, but I am terrified to fly and had two flights. I think it was from being so nervous about the surgery and not eating, etc. Good luck!

I'm looking for a fill doctor in your area as well. I've only found one in Atlanta, which is still quite a drive for me. Do you mind me asking, who is the doctor you found and what they charge for fills??? B'ham would be a little shorter drive for me if that doctor was reasonable. Thanks for any help you can provide.

I went through TLC Edge to use Dr. Castro. You can choose between 4 doctors. Dr. Castro also gives the same price if you go directly through him. Google new beginnings surgery and you should find him. Not sure what differences there are if you go through him directly. I found that the TLC group was very thorough and got me set up for my self pay in less than two weeks. Hope this helps!

Has this gone away? I'm experiencing the same thing. Thanks!

Yes, I've been very concerned about that, too. I was banded on last Friday but my port area didn't start hurting until Tuesday night. It was almost like I pulled something and even had a few drops of blood leaking. Called the doc and he said probably overdid it and to take it easy. Now, it hurts just as bad...can't sit straight up/drive/bend over without sharp pain in that area. So scared I messed something up. Oh, it is also very, very bruised. I'm using a heating pad and just praying it feels better because it hampers getting anything done and I'm using too much pain med. I had hardly used any until the last couple of days. Anyone else dealing with this? Any ideas to help? Thanks!

I hope we can compare notes over the next couple of weeks. It helps to have someone to talk to who knows how you feel. I will try the ice tonight. I guess I had just heard some people say that their port was low and was aggravated by pants and mine is above my belly button and of course my stomach is so swollen (just on that side) so it seems even higher. My other incisions are also tiny and seem to be healing just right. Yes, food has been very hard. Not hungry but at the same time feeling a little sick at my stomach. However, I had to spend a whole day at airports flying back home to AL. (The price there was much more reasonable than here.) After not eating all day, I felt very nauseated when we finally got home and almost threw up but held it off (barely). That scared me to death! I ate a popsicle when I got home and that was perfect. Couldn't get those at hotel. I just made potato soup and pureed it in the blender to a liquid. That's pretty good but nothing seems to taste just right. Of course, it could be that I'm missing the cheese and bacon I usually top it with! But no there's no way I'm getting all my liquids in either. The gas pains were very bad all day cramped up flying and at the airports but it's been much better since I got home. They sort of come in waves now. I thought I had read that you were going at 8:00. Your time must have changed. They moved me up later from 9:00 to 8:30. Keep me informed on your progress/problems. Oh yeah, down 1.5 pds too from surgery day. Was worried I'd be up too. Very surprised I wasn't from all I've read.

Hey! I guess I was right behind you in surgery! I had to be there at 8:30 and got back to the hotel around 1:30. I felt sooo crazy right after the surgery. Dr. Castro and John and the whole surgery center were great, weren't they? I just have one question. My port incision is hugely swollen and bruised probably several inches outside of the dermabond. Dr. Castro told my husband I bled a lot and would probably bruise but this looks terrrible! Any bruising around your port site? I called and they said unless it has streaking it's not infected, but I wouldn't call it streaking...just lots of bruising and then one red "bumpy" looking area to the side and up. How is your port incision? Thanks for info. P.S. I was also surprised how high up they placed the port.

Hey, guys! Just had my surgery today. I have to say the recovery room was not as easy as I had hoped from reading the posts. I felt like I was going to throw up, which scared me to death. I ended up dry heaving b/f they gave me some drugs. They didn't help a lot though. I was scared to take Phenergan b/c it would have put me back to sleep. And of course I was practically trying to walk while I was in a coma! :drool: But I meant I was getting out of there. Oh yeah, the pressure in my abdomen/chest was awful! Anyway, if you had asked me those two hours right after surgery, I don't know that I would have done it again! However, at 2:00 I took pain med. Slept until 4:00 and felt MUCH better. Now, I'm very sore and bruised but don't really know when to use pain meds. Did anyone use just Tylenol? I'm also scared of drinking too fast and nothing sounds good to "eat." Would love to hear what drugs others used right after and what "food" helped get rid of this yucky taste. Water is not doing it. Thanks for any input.

Were you not encouraged by the dietician to buy the Optifast? I've heard it's really expensive and so I was using other things, too. However, when I talked to the dietician yesterday she acted like that was a big no no. Since we're using the same doc, what did your dietician tell you?

That makes me feel better. I did see those reviews on the other site. However, there is so much on other doctors here that it made me leary there was not any info or opinions here. I went to a PCP for tests and clearance yesterday and he made me very scared about going out of state for surgery. (the price is about 4K less) Then when I read those liquid diet requirements, I freaked out a little. I was 100% sure until yesterday. Thanks for your input.

Hi! First Post...interested to see that you said you were using Dr. Castro. I haven't found much about him on this site or any others, other than his own. I am trying to get my paperwork, testing, etc. done in order to get surgery the same day as you. Since he is the only one that does surgery on that day w/TLC I would have to use him. Have you talked w/others that have used him?