LisaMc

I had my last fill about 2 months ago. I thought I had finally hit the sweet spot. FINALLY! I had good restriction, could eat just about what I wanted to, and I was losing! For the last 2 days, everything I eat gets stuck. Once that happens, I am pretty much done with the meal. Because I am not eating much, I get super hungry. When I eat, I get sick! Could it be that this band is too tight 2 months after getting a fill? How could that be? Here is my example for today. I had 2 cups of coffee like I do every morning. I was starving for lunch. Aware of the problem, I tried to think of soft and mushy things I could eat. I warmed up 1/2 a cup of mashed potatoes. That's it. I had 2 small bites, it got stuck. I threw up, and I still feel super nauseous. Help me please!!

I have totally handled this WRONG! I had started to think that maybe I had irritated my stomach. From what you all are saying, I think I have! One bite of food and I am starting to feel sick. Instead of just stopping all food, I kept trying different things. All of that probably aggravated the situation further. I can't tell you how many stuck episodes I have had or how many times I have thrown up in the last 2-3 days. MANY. Should I just drink Water or should I just have liquids (as in Protein drinks). How long should I continue the liquid regimen? Thank you all so much for the help! I would really HATE to pull any Fluid out. It is such a long climb back when that happens.

Great! That is exactly what I was afraid of. Thanks for the post. I have struggled to get this band to the right place including having all of the Fluid removed once too. Everything makes me sick! I can keep Water down fine. I am not violently sick like I was when I had to have all of the fluid removed. It is nothing like that. When I can't eat 3 bites of mushy mashed potates without throwing up, indicates a problem to me. In your case, once it gets too tight, does it ever loosen up slightly on its own? I started thinking about it, I had the last fill about 6 weeks ago, not 2 months like I stated. :thumbup:

This is a question I was wondering too.

I could not have said it better myself. This is EXACTLY my take on this process--quality of life/control over the quantity of food.

I have STRUGGLED to get enough Fluid in my band. After getting sick the weekend after surgery, they removed all of the fluid in the band, and it has been a S L O W process to get any restriction after that. As of last Thursday, I now have 5 cc's of fluid in a 10 cc band. This is the first time I have ever sensed any type of restriction....or is it restriction???? Whenever I eat, the first 3-4 bites give me a problem. They seem to land hard in my stomach. I don't know how else to describe it! It is like the food is trying to get down, but it feels kind of stuck. :thumbup: If I give it a few minutes, the feeling generally goes away. After the hard start, things tend to be fine. I try to chew well and take small bites, but those first few bites are tough! Sometimes I throw up and that helps ease the discomfort. Once I get past that initial (3-4 bites) struggle, food goes down easily. Now to the subject of the amount of food......Again, up to this point I have had ZERO restriction. I could literally eat anything I wanted, as much as I wanted. I never felt like I had a band at all. Now, after the last fill to 5 cc's, I am limited somewhat. I eat MUCH LESS than in the past, but not the 1/2 cup of food like suggested. Could it be that I am nearing the "sweet spot" but not there yet? I have an appt for another fill next Thursday. I am just afraid that any more fluid will make those first few bites even harder! Any suggestions or thoughts?

Aha! That makes sense! I don't know how long I stay full. I bet it is 3-4 hours. Do you have any words of wisdom on the struggle to start eating? Thanks for the help, Cathy!

Wow! We live paralell lives....and my name is "Lisa" too! How about that! I had my surgery on 8/28 and went through the same exact situation you described. After 3 days, I went back to the surgeon's office in a heap. He told me that it is a "guess" at best how much Fluid to start you out with. There is also swelling. Some people swell more than others. The swelling acts as restriction too. When you have swelling and you add too much fluid, you have double restriction. They took out all of my fluid (I had 3 cc's) in the office. I felt better immediately! I walked out of that office feeling fine after being so sick I could barely walk in there. I will warn you that taking all of the fluid out of the band can be a problem later. It has been a very slow process for me to get some restriction after being sick. When the fills are .5 cc's at a time, it can take 6 fills just to get you back to where you started. Get some fluid taken out. You will feel so much better right away. Good luck to you! I feel (or should have said "I have felt") your pain! :thumbup:

It is essential to get the right restriction. Until this happens, you essentially don' t have the help of the band. This has been my experience. Everyone on this board told me the same thing I just told you. I just couldn't get any restriction....until last week. FINALLY! FINALLY! Geez, I didn't think we would ever get there. I now have 5 cc's in a 10 cc band. I have some restriction FINALLY. I had ZERO up to this point. I'm unsure if I have enough restriction. I can still comfortably eat more than 1/2 a cup of food. It is just such an improvement over the first 2 months! I also understand that as you get closer to your "sweet spot", the adjustments to your fill level will get smaller and smaller. For example, the difference between the sweet spot and not enough Fluid could be .2 cc's! It doesn't sound like you are where you need to be restriction-wise. Keep after them until you get what you need in your band. I did that. It was a long process (they would do a fill every 2 weeks) from 0 cc's to 5 cc's. Good luck to you!

I have tried a BUNCH of them, and I couldn't find one that I could endure until........Smoothie King! I buy the smoothie King chocolate Gladiator powder. It has 48g of protein per serving. It does not taste bad at all. I add a few ice cubes, oa little almond milk, a handful of frozen strawberries, and 2 packets of Splenda. It is very good in my opinion. If you have a Smoothie King anywhere near you, go give it a try in the store. If you like it, they will give you 20% off and a free smoothie too! Good luck!

I have no idea, I'm kind of new to all of this too! I will be interested to hear what people tell you. Good luck!

I was probably one of the bigger complainers on the "Are you Pissed" thread a few days ago. When the question was asked, it made me think. It made me think that "Yes! I am pissed." When I tried to list the reasons I was mad, I literally had a hundred. The biggest reason (I finally figured out) was not that I had poor information, conflicting information, terrible hunger, sickness, etc. etc. The biggest reason was.........drum roll...........that the whole experience failed to meet MY EXPECTATIONS. Where did my expectation come from? Who knows. As you all know, this decision and corresponding surgery is an emotional nightmare. I think I underestimated this part of the journey. It fell on me like a ton of bricks, and it made me MAD. I felt like I was making ZERO progress, and it made me MAD. After realizing this, I tried to take a step back and reevalute the entire situation. This is what I discovered. I HAVE MADE PROGRESS! It is subtle, but it is definitely there. Remember as you read this that I completely believed that the band was doing nothing for me, and I couldn't even tell that I had it. Here are some of my subtle progress examples from a super busy Saturday: 1. lunch - I had a chicken salad sandwich. After about 3 bites, I just didn't want it anymore. I didn't particularly like it, but the pre-banded me would have eaten the whole thing anyway. I took the 3/4 of sandwich that was left and threw it in the trash. I have probably never done that in my entire life. I was satisfied with the 3 bites. 2. dinner - My husband and I went out to dinner alone. We rarely do this without our daughter. We went to one of my very favorite places, a BBQ joint. I ordered my favorite thing on the menu--a sliced beef sandwich on homemade Jalapeno/Cheese bread. One bite of bread and half of the meat, and I was DONE. No pie. No sweet tea. No side orders. Normally I would have had one of all of the above and another piece of chocolate pie to take home. I was satisfied and not deprived. 3. Lunch Sunday - I was working at my daughter's swim meet. They catered lunch in for the volunteers. They asked me if I wanted lunch. I declined. It wasn't that I was feeling left out. I wasn't the slightest bit tempted. I just didn't want any of it. I was happy with the Protein shake. 4. Lastly, I got on the scale this morning for the first time in 10 days. I had lost 5 more pounds. When did that happen? Including my pre-op diet, I have lost 40 pounds in a little over 2 months. Is this me??? Maybe I am on the edge of coming out of Bandster Hell. When I was able to separate my expectations from reality, I could finally see progress. Thanks for letting me share. It helps me alot!

You guys are all absolutely INCREDIBLE!!! Could it be that I have stumbled upon people that think like me? That would be a first in my lifetime. I am starting to slowly realize that it is HARD. It is NON-SENSICAL. It is FRUSTRATING. It is INFURIATING, and it is a NORMAL response to the war in my head. I can't tell you all how much I get out of reading your responses. Wow!

Thank you all for your kind and supportive posts! I feel like I am blind just feeling my way through these tough times. This has absolutely been the easiest AND hardest thing I have ever done. The actual "diet" is the easy part. The hard part is everything else!! Once I truly admitted to myself that I was an addict, it all kind of fell into place in my mind. It is a different battle to fight now. It isn't a matter of "just do it" or "willpower." It is a constant dialogue that has to go on in my head....everyday.....every hour.....every minute. I had no idea that it would be this hard. This realization and corresponding fight has absolutely nothing to do with the band. This issue was with me long before I ever heard of a lap band. I do know one thing for sure.....I am going to have to have the help of the band to get through this.

I don't have any yet. My cousin told me that hers was Cheetos Puffs. She said she could sit and eat a huge bag of the soft Cheetos without ever even feeling like she had eaten one. Kind of makes sense. THey are mostly air. Tons of calories though.

Aubrie, "Ding, ding, ding....we have a winner!" I have printed your post and tacked it on my bulletin board in my office. Until recently I thought I was the only person on the planet to experience euphoria, depression, longing, satisfaction, failure, etc all at the same time. What I have learned is that this schizophrenic part of me is probably tied to the addictive side of me. The nagging need and the corresponding inability to address it at that specific time that I think of it initiates all of these emotions at the same time. It is like an eruption of emotions. What was the fix for this craziness in the past? Food of course! So, I still have the need without the ability to address it. There comes the craziness! Wow! I learn so much every single day that has nothing to do with the band itself. Aubrie, I lived in Corpus Christi for 10 years--1989-1999. I met my husband there. We got married there in 1997 at what used to be Faith Temple on Staples. I grew up in Rockport. He grew up in Kingsville. Small world, huh? I am glad to hear that you are doing so well. Stories like yours inspire me. Thank you for sharing your struggles!

Don't even think of apologizing! In my opinion, you take the good with the bad. There is something in the good for everyone, and there is something for everyone in the bad. When you posted the original "pissed" thread, it was the first time that I had really sad down and tried to analyze what I felt. I knew that I was ready to punch a hole in the wall! I was frustrated beyond belief, losing hope quickly, succumbing to belief that I had failed yet again. I have NOT had a good experience in this whole thing. My best friend made an excellent point. She said, "Maybe all of this happened for a reason. You weren't emotionally ready to give up your addiction. The surgery was the first step. You got an extra 2 months to come to terms with the loss of your crutch." Maybe this all did happen for a reason. Maybe she is right. I'm starting to see some clarity in this whole nightmare. As for "Bandster Hell", the person who named it called it right! The more I read about it, the more I realize that I have been right in the middle of it for the last 2 months. It would have been good to know it was coming, but I didn't. You are going to be okay, and so am I. It may take some more time, but it will be okay. Someone posted that this time is like childbirth. We have the unique ability to forget the awful stuff and put it in perspective. Anytime you need to vent, talk, rant, etc, this is a good place to do it. I doubt there is much you will go through that someone on this board hasn't already experienced.

I would much rather be told bad news than to be told good news with a caveat. That is the main reason why I feel a bit betrayed. Will I live through my feelings of betrayal and anger? You bet. I will come out of it better for the journey. Here is an example of what I mean..... I had eye surgery about 7 years ago. It was supposed to be a routine deal, in the office, no down time. I asked if someone should drive me home. The surgeon said, "if it would make you feel better, sure." I am a pretty independent person. I left work that day an hour before the procedure, walked to the clinic that was next door to the hospital I worked in, and had my "easy" procedure. I couldn't drive. I couldn't walk. I spent the next FOUR WEEKS in a dark room wondering if I would ever regain my sight. I had a 9 month old baby at the time. My nanny stepped up to live with us and take care of my daughter. My job was super good about it. My husband adapted to having no wife for a month. I was FURIOUS with the doctor. The outcome of the surgery was great! Would I have done it again knowing how bad it was? Yes, I would. I would have prepared differently both mentally and organizationally. This is kind of how I feel about the lap band. Give me the bad news. I am a big girl (no pun intended), and I can take it! Don't give me glossy commercials with everyone smiling. I want the truth. It is too bad that I didn't have this board when I was at my lowest. The good news is....I have found it now! I gain strenth and help from it every single day. Thank you all for listening to me whine, supporting the process, and helping me see truth. I appreciate it more than you know.

I would put myself in the category of the "pissed off." LOL Why am I mad? I could write pages about why I am mad. Hunger is just one of the reasons, actually one of the more minor ones. I have acknowledged, a long time ago, that I am an addict. When I made this realization, the issue of "fat" became much more pressing. It was no longer "one day I will lose the weight." It was "I need to do something drastic, today, to get this monkey off my back once and for all." That epiphany led me to my surgeon's office for the first time 10 months ago. It took 8 months for the insurance company to agree to pay for it. Now I am almost 2 months out from surgery. I NEVER SAW THE BAND AS A CURE ALL. NEVER. I always viewed it as a tool to help me through this battle I would wage over the addiction. I expected it to help me in a way I had never had before. I was so incredibly optimistic regarding the addiction for the first time in a long, long time. Then my hope...my tool....my band did absolutely NOTHING. I have determined that I am in the deep throes of bandster hell. I can accept that. I am just extrememly frustrated by the lack of information I got and the lack of help I get ongoing. As you addicts know, momentum in this journey is everything! Have you ever started a regular diet when you were not in the mental frame of mind to do it? It is basically impossible to stay on it. When you are doing well and mentally up for the challenge, you can conquer anything. I was up for this challenge. I was ready. I was happy. I was optimistic. My first two months have taken a huge toll on that momentum. Will I ultimately make it work..... A HUGE "Yes!" I am committed to make it work. Am I mad that I am getting no help from my band? A HUGE "Yes!" I just keep saying to myself that I am not to that hallowed "sweet spot" yet. Eventually I hope I get there. So far, I haven't even known that I had a band at all. Yesterday I got my 4th fill for 1.5 cc. I now have 4.0cc in a 10cc band. I still can feel no restriction. I have another fill in 13 days. I should have 5.0 cc after that. Who knows how many it will take? The process has been super slow. Just to sum up this long rant.....I don't expect miracles. I just expect the help that was promised with the band. I don't have that at all.

Every once in a while I read something someone has posted and I think "ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!" Why didn't I think of this? I truly think that the protein shakes are getting in the way. While they have good protein in them, you get very little defense from hunger with them. It makes perfect sense, Cathy! The liquid will drain throuh the pouch quicker making you hungry quicker. For the same protein, you could each high protein cottage cheese or eggs or tons of other things. I would like that a whole lot better too. Also, applause for Robin who said she is trying to do this with real food. I AGREE COMPLETELY!

Yes, that is exactly the way surgeons describe it....head hunger. I am here to tell you that it is NOT head hunger. Try going 4 weeks with barely enough nutrition to keep you alive with ZERO restriction from the band. (In fact, you can't even tell you have a band at all) Then tell me that the throbbing headache, the inability to stay asleep at night because of the SEVERE hunger, the times your stomach is growling so loud that you can't even sit through a church service, the irritability that just won't get any better isn't because you are STARVING. Believe me, I never had experienced true, ongoing severe hunger before. It is NOT pleasant. This was what I was asked to do. You might try this yourself while you are still pre-op because there probably will be very little difference once you are banded. See if you can do it because you are going to have to do it post op. Okay, try to stay around 600-700 calories with 40 carbs or so. You must drink at least 2 Protein drinks. Those will run about 450-500 calories for the 2. So you now have about 100 calories to play with...maybe some chicken broth....maybe some 10 calorie sugar fee Jello....or maybe a 15 calorie sugar free popsicle. At the end of the day, are you hungry? If you are, maybe it is just head hunger. I may sound like a real downer, but I swear I wish someone would have set me straight when I was still pre-op. I hope I would have listened. This has been one of the hardest things I have ever done. Once again....IT IS NOT HEAD HUNGER!

Your surgeon wouldn't be Spivak by any chance would he? If so, I have heard your same story before. I'm sorry you are going through this.

LOL...I went to the largest lap band clinic in the country....the one that has one national awards......the one that considers themselves the "pioneers" in lap band treatment....True Results. This is not a one doctor clinic that just dabble in lap band. There are 8 docs, probably 60 staff, a gorgeous office/surgical suite. They SUCK! If I was losing weight at the rate of 2 pounds per day, I would still say that they suck. I can list 10 things that I was told that was later retracted as "well, are you sure WE told you that?" I told my surgeon, whom I have seen once, that he needs me to fix his mess. He laughed. I didn't. I told him that he needed a comprehensive notebook that he handed, personally, to each patient when they decided on the surgery. There would be a tab for making the decision, pre-op, surgery day, 1 day post op, 2 days post op, FAQ, sample diets, good food lists, bad food lists, common problems, etc. It would be tailored to them with their own stats. When I ended up in the ER after 3 days of calling the clinic, I could have referred to my notebook the first day that would tell me what to do if I got nauseous when I swallowed saliva. It is ridiculous. I worked in the healthcare industry for 15 years before having my daughter. I seriously think I am going to pull some strings and find a new doctor to take over my care. Then I will FIRE this very fine, award winning, pioneering clinic.

I stay confused on the carb issue. 50-60 per day. That is the goal. I never differentiate between good carbs, bad carbs, complex carbs. Does it make a difference? If so, what is the difference? What are the 50-60 we are trying to get each day?

Ditto to everything Mari said. 100% ditto.