YngGram

The band doesn't get tighter per say but..... I got a fill on 7/30 and was fine until 10/2 when my allergies kicked up when I went to NC, 4 days of not getting anything down with comfort. I was OK until about middle of Nov. and it was back again, I thought stress. DH made me go in on 12/5, doc misread my intake form and put in .5cc taking me to 6. I thought try it and see if I could get off those 10 lbs that keep going and coming. For the time since then I have barely been getting in 1/2c. No pain, but getting full quickly. Small, small, small bites and much more time when I eat.. In the first week or so I lost 8 lbs, Water is a part of it I'm sure, I had liquids for a day or so and went really slow getting to solids. It's been 2 weeks and I don't feel as much restriction, the answer to me is....SWELLING! Anytime I make my tummy upset, I have learned to do liquids and let it heal. Four years and still learning.

LB main site is down as well

It has taken me 4 years to learn this. If you have had a stuck episode, stop eating. Do liquids the remainder of the day and the next. Missing this fact caused me to need an unfilll. Take bites smaller than you would give a toddler, don't over chew but always wait until you swallow before adding more food. Give yourself a time frame for each meal and try to take all of the time to eat. The biggest mistake I had been making was eating to much. Making the changes since the 5th has helped me drop 8lbs. Lot of it was fluid I'm sure. I just know I feel much better after eating now.

My band responds to EVERYTHING! Temp changes, time of day, allergies and my emotions. Also, dropping 66 lbs. I am often colder than anyone else. And yes How bout dem COWBOYS!

While I also think you might be to tight, would you give some thought to these things. How much are you eating? 1/2c is what I'm told. How long does it take you to eat? How large are the bites? Finally, how much water are you getting? I ask these things because they are the things I have been doing WRONG for almost 4 years. I got a fill on 30 Jul taking me to 5.5cc. It was the first time I really felt restriction. but I could still eat anything I tried. I am a mindless eater, it had never been based on overeating when I was hungry In Oct a trip kicked up my allergies and that made it hard for me to eat (normal for me), that passed but in Nov. I started to have issues again. 3 or 4 mins. after eating I had indigestion. Nothing coming up, but it hurt until I could make myself burp. Went to see the doc on the 5th, I don't think he read my sheet because he gave me .5cc, talked with me about the rules and sent me on my way. I did a day of fluids, and then I made changes. SMALL bites that I chew well and don't add anything until it is swallowed. I am eating so much less, and I am feeling much better. Even yogurt is less than a container and I go slow. I am satisfied quickly off of much less food. I must also sip my liquids and it is an all day thing getting in my fluids Hot flavored teas at night help with that. I did an unfill last year because i had irritated my throat getting stuck, so I'm not trying to go back there. I am very happy that my band is working, but it is making me do what I need to to get healthy. If you try some moist chicken and it won't go, see the doc before you do damage. I pound mine thin and pan grill quickly or use a little EVOO adding lemon juice when I flip it. Good lucl.

I live in KG, and my journey started 4 yrs. ago. I offer myself to any of you because to me, it is an ongoing learning experience! Good luck all.

I kept things on the DL until I felt like I had a handlea on things. Once it was noticalbe and people started to comment, I owned it. I am very proud that I made a choice for my health. While I didn't hit goal I feel so much better and that was the point. I spend 4 nights at a bar/poolhall and it is hard to get good choices. It helps that team members know, I get to share food and split bills.

If this is a true story I am very glad that you are doing well. However, it really doesn't ring true to me. As I read it doesn't seem to be written by someone who speaks Engilsh naturally. Also, most of us have a hard time finding a doctor to look at us if they didn't do the surgery. These is the kind of thing that can frighten those thinking of getting a band.

Dang Yall, I am here because I was so upset over my current status. I got a fill on 7/30 and have restriction for the first time at 5.5cc. My band has always been fickle, time of day, day of the week or wheather changes can make my band do whatever it wants. A stormfront came in and as I was moving around the house I could feel my band getting tight. I have only recently(belive it or not) started to experience hunger. However, it is never before 11p.m., no matter what I had for dinner. I am now having trouble getting in my fluids, I just can't get around to drinking enough and I am gaining without really getting enough to eat. pills go down well, but I have had somedays when Water will give me pain or even my own salava, srambled eggs don't work, but a well toasted bun will. No pbing or thorwing up, but I have experienced pain when swallowing. I can really feel the food or drink going down and causing the pain. I stop eating and it passes in 3 or 4 minuets. I also noticed that if I don't sip, water seems to pool/puddle on the left side and I can feel it sloshing around under my breast. I have allergies and I don't know how much this comes into play as each year has been different. Right now, my lips are burning, my eyes itch and I feel like I ate a whole cow. Truth is today I have had some of a small salad, part of a baked potato, SFCIB drink, 2 glasses of tea, 3 glasses of water and 1 cup of coffee. My night gas exploations are almost gone, but I am almost always bloated! For the first time since 3/09 I really feel helpless. I am now an emotional eater and eating the wrong things, which I am sure is part of the reason for the gain.

Pick up some instant singles of Folgers to add for a Mocha flavor, this helps me get away from straight coffee that I can't drink without sugar.

INCHES!!! Ladies keep an eye on how things are fitting. This was the first sign that I was doing anything right. It has taken me over 3 years to get restriction I was not dieting, just eating less and getting some small results. When the weight started to come off it was very steady for about 6 months and then I was just cruising. I got a fill on the 30th that gave me restriction and I am now working on getting things moving again. Just keep doing the right things.

This is me laughing, laughing because I want you to smile. NOW! Forgive yourself because this is a part of your new life. Not everyday will be easy nor will it be this hard. I spent last weekend crying, in part because now that I finally got restriction...I am gaining. I am so Pick it up and keep moving to the next step. Get ready, you can run this race, and you can win it.

WOW! This is really big, and not really easy to answere but I will do what I can. Please keep in mind that everything is different for everyone. I can't feel my band day to day, the port always for me. It is just there, a part of your body and if nothing is wrong it doesn't get much tought like holes in your ears. No problems breathing. Swallowing is a problem if you aren't eating the right foods for you and in the right way. What I mean is some people can't tolorate bread, I can. But, small bites are required when you have restriction I have only recently gotten this (yup, at 3 yrs.) and I now know that the rules must be followed to be able to enjoy your meals and to allow your band to work. Getting stuck is horrid! Now I haven't been stuck since restriction, but I did in the early stages. Eating to fast, and to much at one time would put me in great pain, If it was from overeatting it's coming back up. There just isn't enough room so it has to go somewhere. If it's something that wasn't chewed enough, it is at the top of my throat and just won't move. It is as if my throat knows better and is trying to save me. So in this case I can just spit it out and I'm OK. If it's something to large I think it does get stuck in the esophagus, this is where the productive burp comes inm, for some it's slimming. I don't have problems with heartburn and I still love my hot wings. No guzzling, it's like pouring into a funnel and it takes time for the Water to run through the opening. It also gives me a sloshie like feeling on the left side. Sips are working better for me now, it is also teaching me how to take more time when I eat. I never drink when I eat, this is hard for many. I love my band, but it must be respected. I am at 6cc now, the first time with restricton. I had had a stuck episode and didn't stop eating, I irrated my stomach and thought I was to tight and had some fuild removed. It took almost 4 months to get the never to get a fill. Another 10 months to try more and then 10 more to get to this point. There were many reasons for this, all in my head. I am only sorry that it took me so long to start this and that I have been so cautious will my fills. No problems with your questions, they are good ones. Good Luck.

I feel myself tighten as a storm front heads in. This summer has been lots of fun.

Remember the object isn't to get stuck. I only recently got restriction, but I had more issues with getting stuck when I didn't. Now I chew smaller bits and I eat slower. In doing this I know when I have had enough and I haven't had any problems. This is great because I am eating less and I feel like I should have a meal. Congrats on the restriction, but think when you eat so you don't do any harm.

Somebody snapped a pic of me last year, I didn't know I still had a collarbone.

Great! I got there last week and it's been great. I thought it would never come, but 6.0cc was my magic number.

I love having a band, especially now that I have restriction. I am learning again, but it is wonderful. I was an overnight, TriCare required it; and I had an onboard pain med system for about 2 days. I was able to go out that night and the rest of the week. Worse thing is the gas from surgery, it can rally be painfull without warning. My life is so much better, and the healing was simple. The journey can be trying, but the joy of helping yourself is unbeliveable. I did this at 51 and I can't believe all the years I wasted being morbidly obese and sitting on the sidelines of life.

I made what I thought was an achievable goal, and got real happy before I got there. Now that I am at a stall, reasons are mostly the choices I've made, I know that my mini goal is not enough Three years and I am ready to start loosing again. I got a fill, finally have restriction and feel like I'm at the starting gate again. I did this for my health, and I really have improved it that much. 135 will most likely never happen, but 150 if doable if I work at it. I have committed myself to it, I hope I get there.

I am TriCare standard in VA. If you search Tricare here you should find the info I listed. Three yrs ago, I had to show 5 yrs of weight loss efforts and the required test and got approval first time.

I have had my band for 3 years, my doc and his team were just wonderful with passing on info and being available to me. I was given a boat load of info pre and post surgery however, nobody has the ability to make you understand. I started strong and was thrilled, so of course thought I was doing things correctly. I was very far off the mark. I had started gainning and thought it was just some bad chocies (it was), but in the last two weeks I have learned many things. I knew I wasn't in the green zone, but thought I would never be because I didn't feel restriction and thought it was just me because I had not been a volume eater, I ate under strees, boardem, and happiness. Of course I ate when everybody else did and I do love food and would always have everything. After the band I wasn't hungry and at 5.5cc I could eat most things I tried. I would sometimes have problems but didn't know why. I saw my doc two weeks ago and asked for another copy of my post op patient handbook. Shocked at how differently I took this information now that I have been living with the band for 3 years, Almost everything meant something different to me now. I had been taking bites that were to large, drinking not sipping and to often feeling uncomfortable after meals. I got a fill last Mon. and now have RESTRICTION! It is great, I am only eating about a 1/2c and feel content. I am not hungry, still tight in the AM and do hot tea until I feel that food time has arrived. I am now struggling to get the water in because it takes so long when you sip. So, what I have learned is that I hadn't understood as much as I thought I had. I had researched and talked with others with the band; but you must first walk in the journey to fully understand the info recived.

Just remember to SIP! I just recently realized that I still needed to do that so the water will still flow out as it should.

I got a fill on Mon. that took me to 6cc for my 10cc band. It is truly the first time I have had restriction, and it is great. Last year I got badly stuck and didn't know to rest things and continued trying to eat; I had to get an unfill. What I felt in those days following the problem was just awful, and I was worried that I had somehow gotten tighter because of heat. This so much better. I haven't had any hunger and eating everything I've tried without problems. Tonight was chicken parm with a little garlic toast.

My doc says we should be able to eat most foods, just small bites, well chewed and slowly. 3 years and I just got restriction and learned I was drinking wrong. Keep working.

Hot Flash Momma here says, "Thank God,YES!" The extra padding is what made me so hot, I usually have a throw over my legs at home, and never go out without a jacket in the car.