cwm812

Just one more thought....try a couple of days of liquids to settle down your stomach. I like Fran's suggestion of making the appointment a week or two from now. With all this pbing, you have certainly irritated your stomach and it's probably swollen. If you switch to liquids for a few days, then move on to mushies, you should be able to see if you're swollen or if you really need an unfill. Unfills are great, if you need them...but I think it's hard to tell at this point. Cindy

The band helps me because I'm not starving when I eat. Although I could eat the entire container of ice cream, I never do. I feel like, "I had some today, it'll be there tomorrow and I can eat some then, if I want." In addition to the physical portion limitation that the band provides for most foods, it also gives me a mental sense of control. Even when I eat sliders (ice cream), I get full long before I would have pre-band. I don't know why that is, but it works for me. My biggest problem is not eating a huge amount of one thing, but grazing. If I have a bag of chocolates in the house, I'll eat one. Then a 1/2 hour later, I want another one and that could go one all night. For some thing like that, I need self-control. The band does not help, but it really does help me with portion control, even for sliders. Cindy

I may be the only reply you get like this, but I eat ice cream and chocolate on a fairly regular basis. Usually, I tend to eat just a snack size candy bar or a few spoonfuls of ice cream. In my case, it's not stress eating. I just am hungry for something and I eat some. I got this band to live like a normal person and normal people don't eat perfectly all the time. Even over the holidays, I certainly lose control with all the junk and I may even gain a few pounds, but I get right back on track. The whole world does this. There's a reason why the gym is always jam-packed in January. This strategy has worked well for me. I don't manage well with too many rules or restrictions. I just want to be like everyone else, not the fat girl always trying to lose more weight, at the cost of having a life. Cindy

Any chance that your band is getting tighter? My band slowly got tighter on me and it was making tons of noise. It was definitely embarrassing. I got a slight unfill and it completely went away. In fact, everyone in my office was too polite to say anything when it was happening, but they all commented when it stopped. I just wish it hadn't taken me 3 months to figure out I was too tight! Cindy

Here's the really weird thing...you may eventually need less! After about 2 years of banding, my stomach changed somehow and I started getting tighter and tighter. I've had 3 small unfills and I have about 5cc in my band. Now I can eat almost anything, I rarely get stuck and I'm full on about 3/4 c of food. It's a great place! The best advice I can give is pay attention to your body. Don't be afraid to get a fill if you need one, but don't be afraid of unfills either. Cindy

I'm 2.5 years out and I'm not sure if I'm still losing or not. I've been kind of plateaued for the last month or so. That's happened before and I really don't worry about it. I would be quite happy if I can just maintain this loss. Also, like Mimi, plenty of restriction. I've had small unfills this year and I'm now at a great place with my band. I can eat solid foods and I rarely get stuck, but I can't eat more than a cup. It's not as much restriction as some people want, but I'm happy. Cindy

Yup...Always happens to me. I love it when one of my kids picks a fight at the dinner table. I usually can't finish eating and I nauseous for the rest of the night. Great for weight loss...not so great for happiness. Cindy

Elfie and Apples, Thanks for educating me. I'm just glad I'm not having your problem. I'll deal with my run-of-the-mill shoulder pain, it's tolerable. Elfie, I hope you find the answer, even if it means losing your band. Cindy

This is really weird. I use Google Chrome and I never see any food ads. Lots of ads for Protein drinks and band doctors, but never a cupcake... Cindy

Elfie, I know you're in pain and I realize this started just after your surgery, but have you considered that this may have nothing to do with your band? I have some left shoulder pain, too. It didn't start with surgery and it isn't anywhere near the level of pain your describing. I talked to my primary doctor about it and yesterday. She suggested waiting a month and if it's still a problem we'll go the MRI route. She says at my age, shoulder problems are not uncommon. I've had 2 friends (not banded) who have needed shoulder surgery. I also think my problem is related to years of sleeping on my left side with 300 lbs weighing on that poor shoulder. I think you are right not wanting to spend your life on pain meds, but I'd hate to see you go through a band removal and not have any improvement in your shoulder. I hope you find the answer to your problem. Cindy

Yikes...That's gotta hurt! Fortunately, I never had anything like it, but I've seen it before. My son, has had the same reaction to some meds and some foods. The problem with allergies is that you never know what did it, until it happens again. You are doing the right thing. Definitely, call the doctor as soon as the office opens and keep up with the benadryl. Some hydrocortisone cream will help the itchy spots, too. Let us know how you're doing. Cindy

The sweets thing is a big deal. The band will allow you to eat all the sweets you want. Surgeons, in general, hate to see any of their work fail and you could fail with a lap band. With the bypass, it would be much harder to eat sweets. That being said, I love sweets and my lap-band. I have to fight my love for junk everyday, but it's much easier with a band. Even though chocolate feels great going down, when you are not starving all the time, it's much easier to make better choices. I never really considered the bypass. I had no real health issues (besides obesity) and I wasn't willing to reroute my internal organs. Also, I still do want to eat sweets some times. I enjoy the fact that I can make the choice and live with it. Life is too short to never have a treat. I just needed to find a way to eat in a normal manner. Nothing about the bypass sounds normal to me. You need to figure out what is best for you and go for it. Your surgeon sounds supportive either way which is a very good thing. I'm sure if you asked this same question on a bypass site, you would get a very different response. Cindy

I had to track down a calculator for this one....I've lost 89.7% of my excess weight and I'm not sure I'm done yet. I also always wonder if I'd be a few pounds lighter if I had the tummy tuck that I'm too scared to consider seriously.... Cindy

I only have the gurgling noises when I'm too tight. I recently had 2 small unfills and all my bizarre noises have gone away. I seem to be just the opposite of what you are describing, since this just started for you after your unfill. Could you still be a little tight? I know I was thrilled when my strange nosies stopped. I always felt like an alien creature was living in my stomach! Cindy

My doctor told me the same thing when I was banded. I didn't have a fill, but he said he had the pull the band really tight just to get it around my stomach. He even warned me that I might need to stay in the hospital for a few days. I was able to drink some, so I was sent home on schedule. Here's the good news....The swelling went down slowly like he said it would and I wasn't hungry at all. You read on here all the time about bandster hell and people starving 3 days post-op. None of that happened to me. No bandster hell and I didn't need a fill for 3 months. Oh and one more thing...I lost weight quickly with very little effort (in the beginning!). The swelling will go down and eating cold things (popsicles, ice cream) will help. You will be ok. Just keep sipping. It will take a while (a few weeks) for the swelling to go down completely, but you should be able to drink better in a couple of days. The worst swelling for me was during the first week. I hope you have the same band experience I did. I think having a large stomach may be a good thing! Cindy

I'm with Leigha on this one. I tend to swell easily, too. Just do 2-3 days of liquids and I think you'll be fine. I can't imagine that you've slipped. Don't worry about the drinking before meals. Even though my doctor doesn't routinely recommend it, it is something I need to do and he is ok with it. In general, drinking before eating allows you to eat more. For me, it just allows me to eat at all. Without a few swallows of Water just before I eat, I get stuck every time. It all just proves, we are all different in this process and we need to see what works. Let us know how you are doing. Cindy

Alisabeth, You are right...you are young and it is a whole lot of money. You seem really motivated and you may do well with a non-surgical option, but if things don't work out, don't wait forever. If you don't make a big lifestyle change right now, your weight will get progressively worse and then surgery will be your best option. I know it's hard to deal with weight issues when you've got two little kids. Everyone always needs something, but sometimes Mom needs to come first. I spent my whole life running from one diet to another and I hate to see anyone do that. It doesn't work and it leaves you heavier every time. There are many options in the weight loss world. Do your research, figure out what you want and go for it! Cindy

Axel, While it is truly lovely that you know how to use Google, the opinion of someone who merely reads internet articles isn't very useful. The fact is, she came to this forum looking for the advice of people who have been banded and have some real life experience. There are band failures, but I can also find you internet articles about three-headed alien dogs and babies born to 86 year old mothers. It is important for anyone looking into this procedure, to question and ask advice. But if you don't have any experience with the issue, you're not doing anyone any favors by ranting. Just because you have an opinion, doesn't mean it's justified. Cindy

Just an update on me...I did decide to have .3 cc more removed last week. So far so good, I can eat better foods, but I'm hoping that I still have enough restriction not to gain weight. I made an another appt to see my doc in 6 weeks. If I start gaining, I'll have a little fill. I love the adjustability of the band. I think you're right about your last fill. You've waited long enough for any swelling to go done and you're still having problems. How big was that last fill? Maybe you can remove 1/2 of it and still have the restriction you want without the problems. Too tight is no good. Cindy

OOPs! I sure had that one wrong....but no wonder you're exhausted. A baby, a hysterectomy and banding all within months of each other. I'd be sleepy, too. Cindy

One more thought comes mind...Any chance you're pregnant? Your description of your fatigue reminded me of how I felt during the first trimester of both of my pregnancies. Cindy

Trish, you are going to be ok. When bad stuff happens, we just revert to our old habits and none of us got to lap-band surgery by not eating under stress. I don't know how much you ate, but my guess is that it is nothing like what you would have done before banding. Yeah, you slipped up and you probably will again some day, but the goal is to keeping going. You are going to have this band for a very long time, and life will happen to you along the way. Do the best you can, forgive yourself for mistakes, and get right back in the game. I always figure that I'm not defeated until I quit. You don't sound like a quitter to me. Cindy

And that is exactly why the band is a wonderful thing! We can be in control and not at the mercy of every calorie-laden thing out there! I do eat junk sometimes, but it's my choice and I can handle it. Yesterday, I shared a piece of chocolate cake with 2 people (it was my anniversary!) and I felt great. We couldn't finish it, so we left some for my son. Can't imagine doing that pre-band. Cindy

Congratulations, Angela! Getting started is the hardest part. Your story sounds a lot like mine, although I waited until I was 11 months out and 90 labs lighter. It was just too darn hard to do anything besides go to work at my starting weight. I also have committed myself to at least 3 days a week. I joined a gym, but I think it's really a matter of finding what works for you. You're going to find out that it keeps getting easier and easier and you will be amazed at what you can do as you lose weight! Cindy

OMG.. I think we're married to the same guy! or, at least 2 guys who think alike. My husband said the exact same thing! He thought it was a compliment, too! You'd think after 24 years of marriage, he'd have learned how to think before he speaks, but he tries hard. He just doesn't always pull it off! Cindy