2muchfun

Using old studies on surgical procedures is an old trick some use to disparage WLS techniques. Here's a much newer study that explains the newer surgical techniques have almost completely eliminated postop GERD. And I believe all they are asking is that doctors inform patients that GERD can cause cancer. There's also a chance the patient could walk into an open elevator shaft leaving the office. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24203681

"People in glass houses shouldn't be throwing stones"

Why is it low? I deleted it because it had nothing to do with the topic and yes you do have the right to give your experience. It's impossible to disprove PMs you send to new forum members. If you're so proud of your findings, post them here where all can comment?

Each day is different. Some days, nothing sticks. I had a mild stuck episode this morning with turkey sausage and an egg. 3 minutes to let the feeling pass and I was OK. I'm tuned into what's happening down there just under my sternum, and when I get the slightest bit of pressure I know I've eaten too fast or too much at once. I allow that food to pass and then continue eating but I do slow down. There are other stuck episodes that are much rougher. These are the ones where I chewed too little and ate too big. Hasn't happened for quite a while but this can happen with a dry bit of chicken, or a flour tortilla that isn't chewed well, or I ate too big. These can plug me up for up to an hour and the episode is quite uncomfortable. But, like I say and others have said, it's a day to day watch to monitor how finicky ms band is going to be that day. tmf

Using your logic, almost everyone who has ever died, ate carrots at some point in their life. Let's ban carrots since everyone who ate carrots died in the past?

Not me but I've seen members post here several times with equipment failures like this. It happens. Tube failures, tube kinking, tube separations, port flips are all minor problems with the band and I don't want to point fingers, but imo, these are mostly surgeon errors.

It took me about 10 months to learn how to eat with the band and another 6 months or so to refine that skill. I still get stuck often though. Learning how much to chew and when to chew and what foods need it more than others is an ongoing process. Success with the band is a moving target for me and many others who post here. Tara is right too. Satiety is the key here, but it's so elusive and can be a subtle feeling that's so easy to miss. Jack describes it this way: ""Satiety" is a bird song in a forest opening as you sit enjoying the sunrise". In other words, it's real hard to detect. Signals like burps, yawns, runny nose, hiccups are all signals that you've eaten enough and you're no longer hungry. We all have a tendency to continue eating just as we did before the band. Your weight loss is still good and if you can recognize that green zone, you can drive down the scale numbers.

No Way! You could be the lapband pinup model!!!

As long as it's just tasting you should be fine. It does seem like one glass of wine or one beer inebriates me more than before band. One of the fears I always have for newly banded or even old vets like me is drinking so much I get sick and throw up. You really must avoid all opportunities to throw up especially before you heal. You don't want to tear the sutures that hold your band in place.

I think my point was that if you're treating this like it's a diet by only consuming liquid breakfasts and lunches, you must be hungry and if you're hungry much of the time, your body could go into hibernation thinking there's no food? Sorry to assume you're hungry, I just know if it were me, I'd be in pain if all I had were fluids twice a day? But, you know, 21 kg/46 lbs is a lot and you are doing so well. Especially if you're firming up some? I've seen so many people post as you did and then suddenly they drop 6 lbs in one weekend. Don't know where they were hiding that extra fat or fluids but somehow they just disappear. Keep on truckin.

You didn't give much information about how many calories you consume, how much you weigh now, how much at the start? A nutritionist visit might reap some rewards? That way you can sit down and give the nut all your pertinent information? A good hour long visit could lead to some nutritional targeting that may lead to fat loss? The foods you consume for breakfast and lunch aren't stimulating your valgus nerve so your body may think you're starving it? You could be replacing fat with muscle? Do your clothes fit looser? If you know for a fact that you're eating very few calories such as 900/day you could also force your metabolism to increase by eating 1600 calories/day for a weekend. This can wake up your metabolism if it's hibernating due to low caloric input?

Scrambled eggs are one of the foods discussed here often and they're one of the most difficult for many of us to consume without a minor stuck episode. Odd isn't it? Seems like they'd just slide right through but no way! Drippy nose, runny nose, hiccups, yawns, burps are all satiety signals that you can stop eating. Congrats on such big signals. Many of us miss those signals or they just don't occur any longer. tmf

I was thinking along the same lines. Maybe the author is or was a fatty at one time and realizes how difficult it is?

I did but it's not intended for banders. This is mostly for Bypass patients. I bought a kindle form of the book and most of it does not apply to banders. I'm going to go on it the first of next week as a way to clean out the system and restart my spring body cleaning.

Overall, I think most studies show there's a 5-15% re-surgical rate with the band. That includes port revisions, leaky tubes, erosions, dilations etc. It is a little higher than the other three WLS techniques. Here's a video that makes a lot of sense by a well known bariatrics surgeon. How he helps his patients decide. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VmvWFu79Ik#t=99

I'm one of the few who can still eat regular food in the morning. If I drank a shake or ate yogurt I'd be starving by 10 am. shakes and yogurt are slider foods for me. If you ever find you're hungry before lunch, you too might find shakes are a slider food. I do find that there are days on end where my band is tighter than normal and I too fall back on Progresso for my nutrition. But I still find myself hungry by 4 pm.

The drug in the pill is what causes the problem and not the pill(or even liquid nsaids) within the stomach. After the drug is absorbed into the blood stream it causes a reaction within the stomach lining that can cause the stomach to be more susceptible to ulcers and I believe that any pressure area such as the stoma would be more susceptible to ulcers and eventually erosion. Erosion or ulcers are not inevitable but the % is greater when using nsaids. I still rely on them when my knees ache, but I don't use them daily. Maybe once a month for me. http://www.medicinenet.com/nonsteroidal_anti-inflammatory_drugs_and_ulcers/page3.htm#how_do_nsaids_work_and_how_do_they_cause_stomach_problems tmf

Count me in too. I didn't feel any restriction till my 3rd fill and didn't find the green zone till my 6th. Before that 3rd fill I felt like I was starving all the time.

I went back and looked at some of your posts and I see how much you're struggling. I can understand how hard this can be. We were never told about these subtle signals that equate to feeling satisfied with a small amount of food. One of the forum members likes to say that the satiety signal is like a bird singing in a forest. If you don't stop and listen for it you just walk right by. I know I've done this on a few occasions. The signals were there but the noise of the TV, taste of the food and old habits all can cause us to eat right by these signals causing us to eat too much or too fast. I know, I get stuck several times a week. It worries me. I'm glad I have this band, but it is so much work. I think for me, it's my family that drives me to work so hard. I love my kids, my wife, our life, and being obese just isn't an option. I hope you can find the strength to overcome these obstacles. Accept the problems we all have with the band and don't fight them. It's hard, but if you don't, what is the alternative? And I agree with Terry. My consult with our nutritionist turned my journey around for me in a very positive way. tmf

Yes, the stoma can become irritated and inflamed for a few days. Sipping liquids is recommended at this time. No gulping.

Looks yummy whatever it is?

Great story. My wife pulled me back mentally a few years ago. I was fat then too, but I told her about all the fatties running around the lake I walked. She pointed out how great it was that they were attempting to do something about their lifestyles by exercising. My wife is my hero!!

^5

Wow, this is every banders fear. So glad your band held. Must have a helluva doc?

I agree with PDX above. Here's a video that may help you decide. Your doctor should also be a mentor to you as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VmvWFu79Ik#t=99