2muchfun

Your body is probably retaining fluids since you're sick. This fluid can hang out in any part or all of your body including your stomach. Especially your stomach. So, just a little swelling and it's like you just got a .5 CC fill. Eat smaller, chew bigger and take it slow.

I agree. My band is also a female. It's been a while since I've had a bad alien event but I know what you're sayin.

Anyone else ever wonder why we didn't know about bandster hell before surgery? I had the exact same experience as most of you. I was starving the first 2 months and felt like I could eat anything. I really believed I would have the surgery and bingo, the band would start kicking ass! HA! Joke was on me. But, 3rd fill and my journey took off. It took me 6 to get to the green zone but it was worth it. I learned how to eat healthy in that time. I always liked veggies, but now I love them. I crave broccoli and asparagus and salads. Before surgery, I would always opt for the steak. Now, it's salmon. We had stuffed peppers tonight. A year ago, I'd never had one. They looked disgusting. Now, I love em. tmf

Hell yes you're a phenom! I too had .5 put in 2 weeks ago. I've felt bloated so many times since then but I'm enjoying the time between meals much more now. My poor wife, the gas is unbearable. Our cats even run away. But it's all for a good cause right?

3 weeks isn't much of a plateau but you should be mixing up your diet occasionally. If your body is in starvation mode it will slow down your metabolism. Maybe jump up the calories for this weekend to 1400 each day to fool your body out of the starvation mode? Change up your exercise program too? Don't keep eating the same food and working out the same way every day.

Obamacare created an entire new bureaucracy called ACOs. Accountable Care Organizations. They work with doctors, hospitals, clinics to keep healthcare costs down. Expect less and expect to pay more. Just sayin.

Good luck. #6 was my lucky fill(green zone).

Regarding the carbs vs less carbs. For me and my body, Cheryl's formula would work better. But look at the weight Missy has lost so her formula works for her. This is a time for new bandsters to get to know their bodies and find what works best for them. Many obese people have no idea what type of nutrition will aid them to losing weight and being healthy. However, if you are going to eat carbs, I would advise to keep them high GI carbs. Bleached flour, potatoes and sugar will play games with your insulin and fool you into thinking you're hungry when you aren't. jmo tmf

Learning how to eat with your band does not come easy for most of us. A lifetime of glutton, excess, eating too fast, too much at a time does not just evaporate when the band is installed. I too was disappointed when I learned it was going to take me several fills before I would feel any restriction or that the band was doing anything. But it was all for the best. It takes time to re-educate ourselves to eating small, chewing big and taking our time. Not an easy thing to learn in just a few weeks. tmf

No. I was told to be careful with red meat as some new bandsters may have difficulty swallowing red meat. But, it's never been a problem food for me as long as I take small bites and chew well.

I've posted this before but seems to fit this thread. I found this on another site from another bandster: "In my case, the most fearful thing I had to do in order to succeed with my band wasn't switching to skim milk, surviving a liquid diet, or giving up bread. The most fearful thing was giving up my emotional attachment to food. In the nearly 5 years since I was banded, I've made a lot of progress with that, but the attachment is still there. It forms one of the innermost layers of my turtle shell. Working on that layer will probably be a lifetime job for me. At times I'm not even sure I truly want to get rid of it altogether. At times I'm afraid that if I shed my shell completely, I won't be able to survive. On the other hand, I seem to be doing fine without that thick old b***h layer. So I'm going to pay attention to my dreams rather than my fears and pray for a miracle. And why not? It can't hurt to try!"

Your nut is misinformed. Food only stays in your pouch 1 minute if it's working correctly. tmf

Sorry, it's normal and most all of us have gone through "Bandster Hell". You'll feel like this till you get a fill that gives you some restriction. tmf

Restriction for me and I believe most of us is when you eat food and the food may stick or get stuck between your pouch and stoma(band). You will feel this like it's a lump in your chest. For me, it's like a golfball is behind my sternum placing pressure against my chest. It's mostly uncomfortable and touches on mild pain. You'll slime until the food passes through the stoma into the lower stomach. You really can't eat anymore at this point as there is no place for the next bite to go. Food only remains in your pouch about 1 minute so if you overeat, you'll just feel full. If you eat too fast or too much over a long period of time you can stretch out your pouch but it's nothing to be concerned about at this time. Right now you should be eating healthy food from your nutritionists list of allowable foods for the phase you're currently in? So, restriction is just a signal that the band is working and that you need to eat slower and chew more. No reason to be down since this is normal for most bandsters. tmf

Use the edit button below your post.

I was banded a little over a year ago(11/28/11). I lost 12 lbs the first two weeks and then nothing for the next 3.5 months. Then I got my 3rd fill and met with my nutritionist. The weight began to fall off after that. Relax, what you are experiencing is very normal and has happened to many of us. Seems like I was hungrier after the surgery than ever before. But, I was a good boy and ate healthy foods, but maybe not the 1/2 cup I was told to eat. Still, I didn't gain weight during the 4 months post op. tmf

2nd step towards skinny!

Awesome! Love to see the big weight loss. Wish we all could see such great results? tmf

For me, getting stuck every now and then is normal. Mostly it's because I get distracted by the TV, a conversation or I'm trying to eat while I'm still cooking/preparing other food. So, I eat too fast or don't chew enough. I don't see getting stuck a reason not to have a fill. I had one 10 days ago and I've had to re-focus on my eating routine. And the fill has made a big difference in how much it takes for me to feel full or satisfied. tmf

First time you've heard that a lot of banded people have experienced what? Lactose intolerance? Gas? I've read a lot of posts and I don't recall a combination like this before? Sounds like you might want to talk to your doc and definitely your nutritionist?

J Rob is right. For me, I was never in much pain. But I was hungover and traumatized by the anesthesia, meds and antibiotics they pumped into my body. I think I could have gone but I wouldn't want to hang for too long? tmf

Yes, any idea how this happened? Good to know so that we can all learn from this? I was banded on 11/28/11. tmf

Why did you wait 3.5 months to get a fill?

You might want to look at some youtube videos? Check out resistant band exercises for seniors, for handicapped and just lower body. You should be able to adapt some of these exercises to accommodate your temporary handicap? Also, if you're not weight bearing, consider some exercises using leg and ankle weights. They're fairly inexpensive at Walmart and Target? Again, check out the videos on youtube for the exercises. I'd keep the weights on the lower end and go for isometric and longer duration exercises if you're looking to keep your heart rate up. Increase the weight if you want to build muscle? tmf

Just got back from the doctor and had my 8th adjustment. Added .5 CC's this time. I asked my Doc if saline seeped out of the band, tubing or port over time because I've been able to eat most anything these last 2 months. He told me something that made a lot of sense. As time goes along, our stomachs acclimate to the band and adapt. The pouch becomes stronger and is able to massage that bolus of food through the stoma with more ease than it did before we reached the green zone. This makes sense to me. Likewise, if someone has been eating slider foods the pouch could weaken and have more difficulty massaging healthy solid food past the band? Therefore, the bandsters who come here and bemoan the fact they can only eat junk but can't eat solid food anymore would make sense. If you train your pouch to just allow slider food to pass right on through, expect it to put up a fuss when you give it real healthy solid food. jmo tmf