2muchfun

So, did you find out where the problem was and did they fix it? I don't have any leaks but I've seen several posts here before from patients with leaks or defective ports, bands and tubes. Your post must have slipped through without any of them seeing it?

Once your band is adjusted you should be consuming 900-1200 calories a day. Most of us had to suffer through Bandster Hell for a few months before our bands were adjusted so that we felt some kind of satiety/restriction. Until that time this is just another diet. I was in BH for 4 months. I decided not to suffer through the typical diet routine and I tried to eat healthy foods and I usually ate more than 2000/day. But, I also exercised a lot so I was able to maintain my 12 lbs post surgery loss till my 3rd fill in month 4 that allowed my band to start to work it's magic.

OMG

Yes, Bandster Hell existed for most of us. It's that time between surgery and getting enough fills that allows your band to work it's magic. Most of us had bands that had little saline in them from the git-go so the opening is quite large allowing most foods to pass just as they did before surgery. The ordeal of wanting to launch the band rocket can take months but for some, it happens immediately or right after their first fill.

I never really worried about what others thought. I was quite open to everyone about my surgery. But I understand the fear of others judging you. 1. After two years the only incision that is noticeable is where the port is and it looks like I was in a paring knife fight. Some folks say the incision pain was noticeable but for me it's just a memory I don't recall. The port site oozed for a few months but that went away too. 2. I wish I would have read more here on this forum. Bandster Hell was a surprise to me. I really thought I'd have surgery and lose 10-20 lbs the first month and then 10 each following month. That didn't happen. Your journey won't start till the band is adjusted properly and that took 4 months for me.

My suggested test for these issues is, try a progresso Soup? Maybe a chicken vegetable soup or beef stew type soup? If you can eat soup without getting stuck, you probably aren't chewing your food enough or you're eating too fast? Of course you want to chew the chunks of beef/chicken in the soup to mush but this is similar to the consistency of food we're supposed to eat. So, if you can down soup, your band is not too tight. If you can't eat soup without having a stuck episode, you're probably too tight and need a small unfill? Let us know how it works out? tmf

No protein?

I've been reading here for years and I've not seen anyone post anything like what you're experiencing. And I would assume "manage" means having your band removed?

If you were on a pre-op diet of liquids, liquids in, liquids out. 800 calories is a goal, not a mandate. No worries, if you're like all of us, you have plenty of reserves to last a week or so. Just consume what you can.

It only happens to me when I tuck a leg under me and I'm placing too much weight on one leg.

Soft Stop Signal: Burping, yawning, hiccups, soft pressure under your ziphoid, runny nose, food no longer appealing.

I went a year this last time. From May 2013 to May 2014. I should have went back for a fill much earlier though. I needed a fill but I was stubborn and thought I could do it on my own. I went many months without being adjusted right and basically dieted a little but it didn't work. Duh! I was also fearful of being too tight. It's a fine line we walk with fills and proper adjustments.

I lost 50 lbs and still have 25 to go. Then over the last Holidays, I gained about 24 lbs back and I'm whittling it away. Was stalled for about 3 months but found a method to beat the stall and lost 12 lbs. I plan on posting it on the stall forum soon.

I'm sure you love your PCP but you should be seeing a specialist. A gastroenterologist should be able to answer your questions? I have little faith in PCPs as a whole. They're fine for minor illnesses but are clueless when it comes to specific organs. If I'm having cardiac problems, I see a cardiologist. If I'm having joint pain, I see a rheumatologist or orthopedic surgeon? I have kidney stones so I see a urologist and a nephrologist. My PCP is clueless when it comes to kidneys. Your symptoms are not familiar to me but maybe someone else might have an answer? Hope you can identify your problem and keep your band too? I don't think I could tolerate living as you are and I see why you're looking everywhere for answers? tmf

I took nothing. I was out 3 hours after surgery. Just a toothbrush and maybe some mouthwash might be all? RE: The fear? Here's a post I copied two years ago and it really fit me and many others who were afraid before surgery. For me, it was the fear of not being able to comfort myself with food. You may be the same and maybe it's the fear of surgery? Either way, a year from now you'll be posting comments to others to reassure them that they're doing the right thing. "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 bitch 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!"

50 + 177= 227 Total

If you followed your pre-op diet there's probably not that much fecal matter to excrete? And, just taking fluids now won't increase the amount that much. On the other hand, pain meds can slow your digestive system down to less than a crawl so unless you're feeling uncomfortable, let nature take it's course

There's lots of experience here and even more support. Congrats on your decision!

I must disagree here, friend. Low carb diets are by "definition" high in fat, when we eat a high fat diet, we have continuos energy and stamina. (At least in MY experiences) But I DO agree with you that it could be his body adjusting to the dramatic changes in his life. We will have to agree to disagree. South Beach is a lower fat version of Atkins. Low carb does not have to be defined as high fat and I'm a 25 year success story for Atkins.

You may want to talk to your surgeon about band placement? If the band is placed as O'Brien places the band, this is how it works. And this method is the standard now as far as I know. I believe they call it the Pars Flacida technique and all new studies address this method. It's possible your surgeon places the band lower on the stomach to create a pouch? But if you look at all the examples and videos, the band is placed 2-3 cm below the lower esophageal sphincter. I've tried to discuss this with my own surgeon and he dodges the questions. My band does not operate as my own surgeon believes it does? My band works just like O'Brien states. My nutritionist still believes that my pouch fills with food and this is what gives me satiety. I've never been able to eat more than 2 bites of food quickly without feeling that stuck feeling so I know I have no "pouch". I have a staging area in front of my band/stoma where food is massaged through. I'm no doctor so take everything I've said with caution. Consult your own surgeon for a more specific explanation(good luck). Sorry, from all the posts I've read on this forum, I think there are a lot of surgeons who just slap a band on a patient and hope for the best. I'm a little cynical about the bariatrics profession.

Nope, that's not how it works. It's late here so to save time I'm going to post 4 videos for you to watch. Dr. O'Brien explains how the band works perfectly. However, some of his comments may conflict with your own doctors guidelines. Follow your own surgeons guidelines. Dr O'Brien will explain how this works. I'll be back tomorrow morning to add more of my own comments! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa3Lwt6ElIs&list=UL Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4jYJipQ7vc part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wbdhf44ZweI&feature=relmfu Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF3TCKUn3YI Part 4

I'd just lay on the couch and make(plead) my wife take care of me.

I'm with ya on the leftovers. I still haven't got the hang of cooking for just me and my wife and I only eat 1/2 of what I ate before. We seldom go out to eat and that's fine by me since I suffer from the same confusion you have, too many choices and no where to put it all.

There have been several posts that are right on so far. RNY or sleeve on average, produce a higher % of weight loss and have fewer complications. Both are restrictive in that they can limit the amount of food you eat. The band is not a restrictive tool. The way the band works is by helping you feel satisfied with less food. But it won't stop you from eating more food like the sleeve. Your entire stomach is still available for more food. The satiety signals with the band can be very subtle and for many they just never existed, so some patients continue to eat too fast and too big causing band slips and dilation of the pouch and esophagus. The band is not for those who have very little self control. If you have no problem with having your body parts moved around or removed you're probably better off with RNY. You can go to any one of the WLS forums and find people who have lost 100's of lbs including the band forum. You can find many who are now living a normal life with normal BMIs. You will also find failures for many reasons. Many obese people have severe and extreme eating habits that may never be controlled by any WLS. And many of these patients believe in their minds that they followed the rules to a T. And many did but sometimes our bodies reject something as unnatural as WLS. It happens. Good luck and sorry for the rant and ramble.

If you cheat, don't cheat with carb loaded foods.