2muchfun

No, I lost 12 lbs the first 2 weeks and felt like I was starving. I could drink and eat much more than the 1 cup the Dr recommended. It's quite normal and the patients who are satisfied on just few sips are few and far between.

My wife worked in a SNF(skilled nursing facility). She saw many morbidly obese patients come in who could not absorb tube fed nutrients and drugs since they no longer had a stomach. I agree with Missy too. I didn't want them removing my stomach. And, once you go sleeve or bypass, there's no turning back. With the band, I have a much higher chance of returning to my old self if I want or have to. It's a very personal decision and each of us must choose our own path.

As long as you can down fluids you should be fine till Monday. A fill will minimize the stoma and the immediate swelling makes it worse. Make sure you're downing cold fluids as cold is a good therapy for swelling. The swelling should improve by Sunday or Monday as long as you don't eat a lot of solid foods that can irritate the band area. If you're still struggling with fluids or soupy meals on Monday you might want to have them take out a small amount of saline.

As long as your surgery is completely healed, I don't see how pooping or lifting could be dangerous to your band. The stomach is a muscle itself and the colon is the organ that delivers waste to the rectum. I've experienced gas but not much more than normal.

Most all of us fall off the wagon with a binge or two so just get back on. Now vomiting is another story? If it's true hurling as we do when we get the stomach flu, that's bad. You can cause the band to tear away from the sutures holding it to the stomach causing a slip. Be careful and you behave yourself k?

It can happen. Not paying attention to the rules can cause your band to slip. Taking Nsaids can cause the lining of the stomach to ulcer and create a hole where the band is. Violent vomiting episodes can cause slips. And, in a very minor amount of cases, the band can slip for no reason. But, most slips don't cause a catastrophic penetration of the band into the wall of the stomach. You'll probably never know why this patient got the hole since most patients don't fess up to misbehaving while banded.

Feeling any restriction yet? I didn't feel any at all till my 2nd fill and it was not very much. My 3rd fill was awesome and lit my fuse to lose weight. Be careful. If you take too big of a bite of dry chicken, you might get a surprise stuck episode. Chew chew chew. tmf

Is this a rhetorical comment or is there a question there??

Here's my take/opinion: It's a short list, but everything you listed for food is processed. Try eating real fruit, veggies and meats. Cut out all processed starches/carbs for a few weeks. Processed starches/sugars can spike your insulin levels causing more hunger and also making your body retain fluids. Eat real eggs, chicken breast, seafood, red meat and fresh fruit like melons, apples, pears. Keep the cheese consumption to only one small slice a day? No milk, we don't need milk as adults. By all means, eliminate bread for a week or two. I know, I know, I can relate to how hard it is to back off this one delicacy we all love, but it's going to slow down your weight loss and can move the scale up if consumed too much. tmf

My doc does not have me drink while he has the syringe in my port so I dunno?

I too lost 12 lbs the first two weeks and then nothing for the next 3.5 months. It was disappointing of course because we wait so long to get this rocket off the pad only to have to wait on a fill or multiple fills in my case. Be patient, try to keep eating healthy and eventually you'll see the lbs melting away. tmf

Right there is the reason I went with the band. You never hear about a doctor taking out a sleeve or bypass. It aint gonna happen. Once you're sleeved or bypassed, there you are. There's no going back! Lucky for the 40% who now have more options than someone who had their stomachs removed. tmf

I agree with Pinky. Why aren't you demanding fills? Your band won't work it's magic without proper adjustments. Restriction will only happen when you have enough Fluid in your band. Consider asking or telling your doctor you're not feeling enough restriction to be in the green zone? You should be looking for being satisfied with a meal for 4 hours. If not, you need a fill. tmf

I was stuck earlier today. Takes me about 45-60 minutes for the food to break down enough to pass through the stoma

I'm due for two total knee replacements(TKR). I bike about 250 miles a month. I usually ride 5 days a week putting in 10 miles each day for 3 days and shoot for 30 miles a day on weekends. It's the only real exercise I can do.

You must be very pleased??!!

It's not a plateau unless it's at least one month.

I wonder sometimes if I had mine removed, could I maintain? I don't think I could but I think I've learned so much about myself and nutrition during the last 1 1/2 years that I could be more successful(than before band) if I didn't have the band. I know it would be very difficult though.

Your band must be properly adjusted to work it's magic. You may need more than one fill to reach that zone.

I'm not seeing attitudes. Just some folks responding to your questions?

I do not recall anyone telling me anything about "Bandster Hell" or needing 3 fills to find a little satiety but then I think I may have had rose colored glasses on during the seminar, nutrition class and I may have blocked any negative information. I too was pretty shocked that it was going to take me 4 months to start my journey. Could have been my bad but since I've had the band I've received some conflicting information/guidance from the nut and the doc. I'm not sure some of these practices really understand how this all works? Looking back on my travels up to being banded, I think if I had hung around this forum more often I may have understood this band thing. tmf

My doc asks me to do liquids the first day and then mushies the next. After that, solid food is fine. Your doctor seems to be overly cautious but he may know something about your situation that no one here would know, so follow his guidelines. I doubt you've done any damage. Some docs allow solids immediately.

It took me 3 fills to start to feel satiety/restriction. It may take you less or more. Your band won't work it's magic until it's properly adjusted. Till then, it's just another diet.

It took me 3 fills to start to feel satiety/restriction. It may take you less or more. Your band won't work it's magic until it's properly adjusted. Till then, it's just another diet.

What kind of sports do not allow you to drink at will? I don't get it? If you haven't told your coaches, you should. There's an initiative in place now to prevent heat exhaustion in high school sports and you're a prime candidate?