MissBS

Not all of us can have those foods. I understand and sympathize with you. Becky

I'm not a big drinker, but I did have a few when I was in Las Vegas. I think it did affect me a little more/sooner, but I figured it was because I was eating quite a bit less. If you drink on an empty stomach, it makes sense that you would need less, or that it would hit you sooner. I did ask before I went and was told not to have beer or any other carbonated beverages - they said it would be best to have wine or a fruit juice kind of drink. I had vodka/cranberry - yum!! I do agree - moderation is good :glare: Have fun!! Becky

I've had 4 fills and I've never felt soreness near my port area. I'm sure it is pretty normal to have a little soreness for a day or two after a fill, but being sore for 2 weeks seems like a long time to me. I would call my surgeon's office. Might not be anything to worry about, but best if you let them know what's going on. Good luck to you. Becky

I was wondering the same thing as Bamagal. Kinda like going into the Chevy dealership and them telling you that your Monte Carlo is nice, but they have a Corvette that would be even nicer. If you have proof that your surgeon knowingly lied to you, that might be another story. But... you've got the Monte Carlo and it will get you where you want to go - focus on that, put the pedal to the metal, and don't worry about the Corvette. And if the AP is supposed to be resting on a nerve that sends a signal to my brain that I am full, then mine must have been placed wrong or it's signal sender is not working correctly. I do wish you luck!! Keep your eyes and mind on that goal, and I'm sure you will have success. Becky

Congratulations!! How much of that was pre-op and how much after surgery. Just curious. Way to go!! Becky

I felt pretty good one week out.... but not good enough to go to Disneyland. That is a LOT of walking and standing. It is pretty warm there already and if you are on pain meds.... I just don't think it sounds like a good idea... or even fun. Also, you didn't mention if you are staying in a hotel or not, but it might be kinda hard to be on the post-op diet if you are not at home. Hot tea, broth, sf popsicles..... not that easy to find and have around if you are in a hotel. If you don't want to reschedule your surgery, then I would pass on the trip to Disneyland. Good luck to you! Becky

Hi Pat. I sent you a PM. Let me know if you have any other questions. Becky

Just try and tell a waiter or waitress that you want NOTHING to drink. 9 times out of 10 they will bring you a glass of water anyway. I don't drink while eating but have sure noticed this. Kinda funny. Becky

I have the APS - 10 cc's. My doctor did not ask me which band I wanted (thank goodness) . I trust him and knew that he knew better than I did what would be best for me. No problems so far. Becky

Hi momamia. Dr. Hollis did my surgery and I just love him!! I live in Albuquerque New Mexico and no one here does lapband surgery. My path lead me to Houston/True Results/Dr. Hollis.... who knows why, but I sure am glad it did. I have nothing but great things to say about Dr. Hollis and the staff at True Results. I knew from the minute I met him that I had made the right decision. He has impressive credentials, is kind and compassionate, and is just a really nice guy!! True Results is a beautiful surgery center with state of the art equipment. All of my fills are done with fluoroscopy, and the staff at TR is always very professional, good at what they do, and they are all very nice. I fly down to Houston for my fills and it's always nice to see my friends at True Results. I sound like a commercial :thumbup: As you can see, I highly recommend Dr. Hollis and True Results. Good luck with your journey. Let me know if I can do anything to help you or answer any other questions you might have. Take care. Becky

My surgeon told me at my initial consultation - "Start saving." :thumbup:

I'm a baby when it comes to needles too. The needle used for my fills doesn't hurt at all. All of my fills are done fluoroscopically (thank goodness!!!!) and the stuff I have to drink is not bad at all. I'm not sure what it is - might not even be barium, but it is easy to swallow. After they put the needle into my port and add fluid, I have to stand up and walk to the fluoro. machine with the needle still in there - then they watch the liquid go down and through my band and decide if the fill was too much, too little, or just right. The whole thing is simple and quick. Doesn't sound like it, but it is. Good luck and don't worry!!! Becky

Nope... no pizza for me. My friend who works at the surgery center where I had my procedure done did tell me to go ahead and eat the toppings - but not the crust. I know that pizza crust, thin or thick, would give me problems. I also have had trouble with white flour pasta, rice, and all breads. I can eat whole wheat pasta sometimes, but do try to limit it. I found the Whole Foods brand to be much better than regular grocery store whole wheat pasta. Once you get stuck/PB on something, it really takes the craving/love for it away. Am I glad that I can say "no thank you" to crust, bread, pasta, and rice now? Oh yes!! It was one of the things I was hoping for when I got my band. I still eat well, there are just some foods that I know I cannot eat anymore. Becky

Hi. I have always used Akins Advantage shakes. I drank them during my pre and post op diets and I still have one every morning for breakfast - forever - doctor's orders I like the chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. They are not as easy to find as some and not as cheap as some, but I think they are good. I'm sure others might disagree, but you might want to try them. Good luck to you. Becky

Hi. I am a member of AARP and a Grandma - does that count? I am 54 and got my band in September 08. I've lost 70 pounds and feel great!! Good luck to you!!! Becky

I was having the same problems that you are. I knew I was supposed to be having calcium citrate and not calcium carbonate, and all of the good, easy to get down calcium that I could find were always carbonate. I tried the wafers and the petites too and those didn't work. I finally found some cinnamon lozenges on BariatricChoice.com. They are not too expensive and I don't have to swallow them. They are called Bariatric Advantage Calcium and they are $19.95 for 90. I won't say they are a yummy treat, but I can suck on them and they stay down.... even in the morning. They do come in other flavors as well. Good luck to you!! Becky

Hello Jason and Happy Birthday. I was 30 once :ohmy: Just thought I'd mention to you that when I had to go on my pre-op diet, I had to have 2 protein shakes a day and I used the Atkins Advantage shakes. I like the chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. My doctor still has me drink one every day for breakfast and that is something I will have to do forever (it's a good thing because my band is VERY tight in the mornings and it's another good thing that I like them). I don't know if they would fit into your food plan now, but remember them if you have to have protein shakes pre or post op. Good luck with the caffine. I confess..... I am addicted to coffee and luckily it is fine with my surgeon if I drink it. It was a part of my liquid stage... and boy did I need it :thumbup: It sounds like you are working hard. I'm sure you are proud of yourself, your wife must be awfully proud of you, and I am proud of you too. I'll bet your doctor is going to beam when he sees/hears how well you are doing. Keep up the good work and keep us updated on your progress. Becky

Hi Jason and welcome. You will love this site. It is a great place to come and ask questions, read information, and just vent if you need to. I've met a lot of very nice people here and have made a couple of really good friends. Congratulations on your decision to get the band. I love mine. You are lucky to have a doctor that is working so hard with you to get you where you want to be. Some doctors would just send you out the door and tell you to come back when you've lost that 100 pounds. It sounds like you are really motivated and I know you can do it!!! Let me know if I can do anything to help you out. Take care!!! Becky

Hi DoctorVuong. I guess like balletgirl, I am too tight. I have trouble with many of the foods that she listed and my band is VERY tight until about noon or 1:00. It seems like I went from having NO restriction and being able to eat anything and everything (of course less of it all) to having problems with food, and PBing pretty often. How hard is it to get to that EXACT spot where you can eat all types of food and feel full for a long time on a small amount? I was using JUST willpower for months before I felt any restriction (and we all know if we could do that forever, we wouldn't need the band) to now at least being limited on what I can eat and how much. But I would love to be able to do my part and have the band do its part and eat like a normal person, only with much smaller portions. It is very nice to see you on here and I would appreciate any words of advice you can give me. Thank you. Becky

Yes it is a hot cereal. The rice with cream of mushroom soup sounds much better, but don't think rice would be a part of your diet this soon after surgery. I don't even eat rice now. Good luck to you!! Becky

Cathy. What is that saying??.... Brilliant minds think alike :laugh: I keep posting and then read your posts. Sounds like we are certainly on the same path. I enjoy reading your posts. Becky

Oh I know this one!!! PB stands for productive burp. When you have good restriction, food either goes down or comes back up. If you take big bites, don't chew enough, or eat too fast, the food that you just swallowed might not go down - it can't. So you get the feeling you need to burp. When you do burp, the food comes back up, usually with lots of saliva. Sometimes it just happens one time and it is over, but sometimes it takes quite a while, and these "burps" keep bringing the food up. I don't think it is like throwing up because the food never really makes it into your stomach - it is not acidy - just the food. It sounds so gross, and it isn't fun, but it is not as bad as vomiting (to me). This can also happen if you eat foods that don't agree with you and your band. For me, dry meat, white bread or pasta, and rice are a few things that I just don't eat anymore. I also have days/times when my band is REALLY tight. If it is, I can PB with foods that I otherwise have no problems with. Sound confusing??? It is!! PBing at home is one thing, but PBing when you are out is another. Like everything else with the band, you learn what to eat and what not to eat, and how to handle it when you do have to PB. Wow. Gross but true :laugh:. I just consider my PBs as little speed bumps in the road to the new me. Good luck to you!!! Becky

Hi. Great questions. I, like you, had no restriction until my third fill. And then I started experiencing what you are going through. When I had no restriction, I was not practicing the banded way of eating - taking tiny bites, chewing lots, and waiting between bites. I knew I didn't really have to. After that third fill, many times what I was eating did not go down and I was PBing. If I had been practicing the correct way of eating, I think the adjustment to my new found restriction would have been easier. I also think there are just some foods that do not agree with my band - and chicken is certainly one of them. Sometimes I can keep it down if it is VERY moist (a sauce or in soup). I cannot eat any dry meat (baked, boiled, grilled). I can eat fish, but once again, not too dry. I think once you finally get good restriction, it does take some relearning, lots of trial and error, and time to get to know all the new signs and signals that your body is giving you when you eat. It seems to be a very thin line between not having enough in your band and being able to eat anything and everything, and having too much in your band and having problems eating. Of course it is very important that you can keep liquids down and if that is not happening, you do need to contact your surgeon and probably get an unfill. But.... like you, I am still not sure what is "normal" for good restriction. I guess that's why it is called the "sweet spot" - because once you get good restriction, figure out how and what to eat, and you are able to eat like others (only less), it really is sweet. I hope I am getting closer to that spot and I hope you are too. It's not easy to know what is normal, what is ok, and what is not. Good luck to us both :laugh: Take care. Becky

No it is not. But you made me think of a funny story. I met a friend in Las Vegas and I was explaining the lapband to her. She just didn't get it. The whole time we were there, she kept asking me "Can you eat this with your tummy tuck?" I just laughed and told her yes or no. People are just uneducated when it comes to the band. Becky

Hi. Some posts I have some knowledge/experience about but am not an expert. This one I am. PB stands for productive burp. Sometimes the food I eat, does not go down. It could be I took too big of a bite, or didn't chew enough, didn't wait long enough between bites, or ate a food that did not agree with my band at that time. It feels like I need to burp, and when I do... the food that I just swallowed comes back up... with lots of saliva. It can last for just a few minutes or sometimes it lasts longer. To me it is different than throwing up because the food never makes it to my stomach and there is no stomach acid - it's just the chewed up food. Gross but true. I've never had anything really stuck - it either goes down or it comes back up. It is not fun and I hope it never happens to you. It is better when I do it at home of course and I am now VERY careful what I order when I dine out. Hope this helps you to understand what PBing is. Becky