SMAJORS

I am lucky enough to be heading to Cabo in a week and wanted to get a fill while I am there. Does anyone know of any lapband doctors there that I can call upon!

Hi Lap Banders, I came across a post back in 2007 when a member addressed someone about weight loss slowing down. I have done some research and I figure that I am not following all of the rules that I once did. I was banded on 11/21/08 and at that time weighed 290 pounds. I currently weigh between 234 and 237 any given day. I am proud of losing 56 - 53 pounds respectively but am concerned that I am staying at this weight for so long without losing. I think I am going on 2 months standing still. I have had two fills and due another on July 6, 2009. My goal is to lose another 57 pounds. I jog daily and I can honestly point to my eating habits as the problem. I have a couple of issues here that I thought you might be able to share some insight from your personal experiences. (1) I can not eat in the morning at all (except a Protein drink) or at lunch other than Soups. I was told to stay away from Soup but I try to get black bean or some kind of bean soup. If you are supposed to eat several times a day and avoid liquid Proteins then what are my options. (2) I have a hard time drinking Water (because I don't crave it) even though I DO NOT drink soda. I like fruit juice or something but no soda. How can I increase my water intake. (3) Also when I drink water, I feel so uncomfortably full because by that time, I am thirsty and tend to drink faster or I have just worked out and drink faster. (4) Foods are a problem for me. I have an ok time with soft fish but I get bored with that and that leads to convenient soft foods like dips and cheese and ice cream or stuff high in salt like spaghetti sauce. Probably not the healthiest. (5) Why is my stomach so tight in the morning and noon. I only have a good time period to eat which is around 5 -8. After that I am tight again. Even then i have problems with real food. I know I have to get back on track but I feel like there isn't a lot of options for me on the food front that are protein packed AND healthy and if my stomach is so tight how do you eat? I am scared I have done something to my band and am a little concerned. Are there any signs or am I just normal? I appreciate it if you have time to answer. Thank you so much. STEPH.

Girl! Ok so here is something that will make you feel better. Today, I just HAD to have some Mexican food. I stopped after work because during lunch I can not get food down much or at least not a lot, but there is a time in the afternoon when it is on! I had a side order of refried beans and an order of ground beef, cheese and tomatoes. I ate it ALL! I have not been able to do that in god knows how long. I am soooooo full right now and I too felt guilty! So where do I go.......to lapband talk for support. So.....WE had a bad day! We are not bad people. We are not greedy people. We are normal. WE overate today but tomorrow is another day. I don't need to punish myself. I am super uncomfortable right now and that is punishment enough. I honestly didn't think that I could overeat but I ate because I could AND I had a margarita while I did it! I thought to myself, I am crazy! I can't beleive I did this. I had the urger to schedule a fill to fix it too! Talk about irrational. I have great restriction right now but really....there is a short time in the day when I can eat easier and I have not been able to eat like today for months. Don't feel bad but if you must...I am right there with you! LOL@!

I am 6 months out and I am down 55 pounds. I did not lose any weight before my surgery. I was searching today because I was getting a little discouraged thinking that it was not happening fast enough. I have to be careful though that I look at other lap banders and not gastric sleeve or gastric bypass. If I average it out, I guess I am losing about 9 pounds a month and I have had 2 fills. I have a small 4cc band with 2cc's in. I am contemplating getting more aggressive and going to get another fill even though I feel like I have good restriction. Can anyone else tell me where they were at 6 months. I know it is a marathan (great analogy) but I am just curious. I want to be in onederland badly!!! Thanks guys!

I had my second fill a week ago tomorrow. I am having a hard time getting more than Water or hot tea down. I have been able to drink a Soup at hand but it has to be at least 8 hours apart. Today I tried to go to Mimi's Cafe and eat a cup of creamy chicken soup and quiche HOWEVER, even with the smallest of bites, I had the worst PBing episode ever. I think I also actually threw up. I had eaten a soup at hand about 4 hours before. I am now drinking hot tea...seems to go down ok. It has been a week but I am worried that this is not normal. I feel sort of crappy and no energy because I am not getting any calories in really. I usually drink a Protein shake every morning and I have not been able to get one down since this fill so my protein numbers are not high at all. I even PB'd after drinking some milk albeit after I had had some soup. Will my band loosen up to a reasonable restriction? I at least need to eat something a little more often. I don't feel hungry after the soup but after 5 hours, I was hungry. What the heck should I do. I have lost 10 pounds so far this week. That is way fast. I started at 290 and now I am 252. I had my surgery on 11/21/08.

Gang, I can not graduate to mushies or solids and this is going on the third week since my second fill. I am miserable and weak and I haven't dropped anymore pounds. I live in Nashville but get my fills done in Dallas. I go there a lot on business and they are more cost-effective. Can my regular doctor do an unfill? I have been trying to reach my regular doctor for a week now with no luck.

Thanks for all the responses. I think what is happening is that it is just taking a really long time for things to pass through. Seriously 8 hours for soup to pass. Will it loosen up any? Since I had my band done in Mexico, I have the fills done in Dallas and live in Tennessee. Much cheaper in Dallas and visit there regularly for business. I am asking if it loosens up after a couple of weeks. But I will make the trip there if I absolutely have to.

Please allow me to join. I need a mentor and hopefully I can be a mentor. I was banded on 11/21/09. Only 31 pounds lost so far and I am really frustrated. One fill on 1/12/09 and another coming up on 2/16/09. I started at 290 and am now 259. Thanks!

Thanks All. You guys certainly know how to make me feel like this thing is really going to happen for me. I panic sometimes and think that I will be the only one who has a lap band who wont lose weight. Stupid I know but it feels so feel. Great advice on the sweets. I am going to cut them until I can get control. I have also increased my walking to and hour and a half to counter any slip ups. Thanks guys so much!!!!

Hi Lapbanders. I am on my three week mark and I have lost 23 pounds so far. This week though, I have felt like I could eat anything. I stop myself and don't feel like I am too full to eat like I did before and it is scaring me to death. I went through all of this and I don't want to fail. My first fill is on January 21. I am exercising daily and following the rules with the occassional chocolate slip up. Can someone offer some words of advice and lift me up. I am a stable person so I dont know why I am feeling to irrational. I put a pound or two back on and I am freaking out. Thanks.

Folks. I was referred to Memorial Hospital Weight Loss Centers in Chattanooga Tennessee because they were good and affordable. I live in Nashville Tennessee. I had my surgery done in Mexico, like thousands of other people around the globe and I kept calling for three days straight to get in touch with them to schedule my first fill. Today, I got through. They require a $2,000.00 flat fee to transfer to Dr. Rose. I asked what the transfer fee is for and they said "Because you had your surgery done in Mexico, you have to pay a flat fee." I am livid. I had one of the best surgeons who is also a surgeon at Baylor Hospital state side to perform my surgery. I am more than happy to pay a fee especially since I paid out of pocket for my surgery, to get my fills. I am very disappointed that there seems to be no rhyme or reason for this. I have my surgical notes, records and x-rays and have in fact lost 23 pounds since 11/21/08. I can not beleive this! If anyone knows anyone else in Tennessee who are not donkeys, please send them my way.

lWill do! Thanks Mississippi Gur; <a href="http://www.TickerFactory.com/weight-loss/wNVxGhO/"> <img border="0" src="http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wNVxGhO/weight.png"></a>

Thank you both for your advice. I will try the OCD approach! I refuse to go backwards. How did you kill the sweets craving?

Please let me know!

Hi Gang. Banded on 11/21/08 and already 22 pounds gone. I feel that I could eat anything now though. How do you know you are ready for a fill. I am on day 20 today and feel like I need more restriction. I havent tested any boundaries though as I am scared to get sick or throw up, so I am sticking to my diet and my small portions. I am hungry a couple of hours later though. Any advice?

Thanks Carrie!

Mississippi Gurl, I finally contact Dr. Morton here in Nashville at Baptist Hospital. He accepts patients and charges 500.00 per fill. I asked if they do it under flouroscope and they said no, but I think I will request it. Anyway, they were NOT rude or demeaning, just straight to the point. My first fill was to be the first week of January but they only had 2/2/09 available and I took it. His number is 615-832-8186

Today is day 8 for me and this is my first feel good day so I say your doing very well. I was banded on 11/21/08 and today I woke up good and went the entire day without too much lightheadedness and dizziness. I even had some energy:smile:. That added energy makes all the difference. I will tell you that before yesterday, I was thinking a bullet would be better too but I figured out that I was not getting enough calories. So last night, I pureed some Wendys chili and voila....protein, fast food and calories. I did add Protein Powder to it. I didnt eat much of it because I was full so fast, but it was very satisfying. Great for you!! I have also been reassured that it gets better. So far I have lost 15 pounds and following the liquid diet. Good luck! I hope tomorrow is good too.

Melly, I am day 6 post op banded 11/21/08 and I am miserable on a liquid diet. I am very weak too because I am not getting enough calories. I had my surgery done in Mexico, so I don't have a nutritionist but I would love to know what he says. I have been tempted to move on to very runny mashed potatoes etc but I am a little scared to do it. I can't lose weight like this either although I have dropped 13 pounds in 6 days. It is just that I fell miserable. I am committed to doing this but I cant starve myself. How the heck do you know if your healed or not? Please keep in touch and let me know.