Deb A

I am sort of wondering about this, as it is VERY embarrassing while eating out or at other people's houses. My coworkers just cringe and let me run back to the bathroom because they know what's coming... I was filled to 5 ccs in August. I have been having issues of the food feeling stuck right at the breastbone, then higher up in my throat, and then I start to burp and I gag up a mouthful of thick, slimey mucous. Once I spit that out, I can continue eating normally and without issues. However, I never burp up food...just that thick slimey mucous. It's clear, with no food particles in it. It's like the food is going down and the mucous is coming up. Very weird. Even with the smallest amount of food it will happen. I had a couple pretzels and it happened bad. Then I went on to finish a sub sandwich with no issues. The MD said I need my band loosened, but other bandsters living nearby said it's just me eating either too fast or too big of bite or not chewed well enough, and that loosening the band is not the answer. Anyone else have issues about slimey mucous? The MD had said previously that I should drink hot Water, tea or coffee just before eating to "wake up" the esophagus. Has anyone heard that the band could cause esophageal dismotility issues??? I don't recall that coming up in discussion with my MD. :bored:

I am sort of wondering about this...I was filled to 5 ccs in August. I have been having issues of the food feeling stuck, and then I start to burp and I gag up a mouthful of thick, slimey mucous. Once I spit that out, I can continue eating normally and without issues. However, I never burp up food...just that thick slimey mucous. It's clear, with no food particles in it. It's like the food is going down and the mucous is coming up. Very weird. The MD said I need my band loosened, but other bandsters living nearby said it's just me eating either too fast or too big of bite or not chewed well enough, and that loosening the band is not the answer. Anyone else have issues about slimey mucous? :bored:

I was banded by Dr. Chua 5-5-09. My story was basically the same, except I was scheduled at 2:00pm so I stayed overnight. Very nice staff, I was not in much pain, and kept the pain at bay with the loratab. I was off work for 2 weeks, but felt fine after just one. I slept sitting in my recliner for the first week, but after that, I was in bed and doing fine. I have only lost 14 pounds thus far, and have had one 3.5 cc fill. Only 1 lb off since fill, feeling hungry and eating like I did before. Don't notice much of a restriction except if I eat too fast. I wonder if the bypass would have been a better option for me? I have about another 100 lbs to lose. Nothing but great things to say about Dr. Chua and his staff. The whole experience has been fantastic.

I was banded 5-5-09 and have lost 13 lbs. I get my first fill 6-5-09. I currently do not feel I have any restriction, and haven't been exercising yet. :tt2: I am looking forward to the restriction and feeling full, because I am hungry a lot. I wish I had the same results as the person who was never filled and has lost 65 lbs!!!! That's amazing. :thumbup: Keep up the good work! :party:

I just got approved on 4-13, and set up my pre-op stuff. My surgery date is 5-5. My MD does not recommend a pre-op liquid diet because he says he wants his patients to be as healthy and nourished as possible before surgery so as to heal better. Also, he has never gone in, said the liver is too fat, and closed up without doing the banding. He was the first MD in the state to do a lap-band and has been doing it for 9 years (over 800 surgeries) so I feel confident that he knows what he's doing. I feel for you all who have to suffer with a long pre-op liquid diet. Just keep your eyes on the prize! And yes, I'm getting nervous now, too, because I've never been under anesthesia either, never had an IV, don't think I've ever suffered serious pain (no babies) and don't know what to expect. I just keep saying, "I'm tired of being fat and this is what I need to do to stop being it."

I have not been banded yet, but I had lost a lot of weight back in 1998. I am 5'5, and now weigh 250 lbs. I barely squeeze into a 24 pants. At 170 in 1998, I wore an 18. When I was 150 in high school, I wore 16. I felt fat back then!!! Jeez...who would have known what I'd be today!!!

Hi all, Boy, do I feel priveleged in that my surgeon does not recommend pre-op dieting because he says we need to be in good shape nutritionally to support good healing after the surgery, and that if we fast and don't eat well beforehand, we're more tired and it's harder to heal. So he frowns on pre-op dieting. I'm happy about that! I wish you all the best with your dieting and after the band. I just finished my third visit with the nutritionist and lost 10 pounds in 2 months just by adding veggies and cutting sweets from my diet. Nice! Now I'm "only" 39.9 BMI and they're concerned the insurance won't approve me. Unreal. I guess we'll see what happens.

Thanks for your replies. I went to the dietician and psych today. I asked the dietician about fatty liver and about pre-op liquid diets and all that. She said my MD does not prescribe a liquid diet because he wants the patients to be as healthy nutrition-wise as they can be before they undergo surgery so they can heal the best the can since they'll be on a restricted diet after the surgery. Also, he has NEVER not banded because of fatty liver on anyone he's ever done, and he's been doing this for many years and on many patients. I guess it is dependent on the MD. Plus, the liquid phase for this program is only 2 weeks, and after that you're on soft diet.

Hi again. I'm just coming up with all sorts of new questions...here's a comment I've seen a couple times now "First surgery XX-XX-XXXX, no band due to fatty liver" Here's my question. Can't they tell if you have fatty liver BEFORE they get you on the table and get in your abdomen? Isn't there a way to prevent having to go through the surgery twice??? Also, doesn't a pre-op liquid diet do something to shrink your liver to cut down on the risk of fatty liver? If so, why don't all the MDs recommend a pre-op liquid diet "just in case" to decrease the risk of having to go back in later to complete the surgery?

Jen! Thanks for the reply! Great to hear of someone in my area who's done it too! I have my nutrition/psych consult tomorrow. I'm excited/nervous. I'm wondering what they're going to say about my eating habits since they've been poor over the holidays. I wouldn't say it's typical of my eating, but it sure looks bad now...:tongue2:

I have the psych/nutrition consult tomorrow, so I haven't actually been banded yet, but hope to be soon. I have told my husband and his brother, my boss and most of my coworkers. I have not told my family or friends, as I live fairly far away and want to surprise them when they see me again. I feel my parents would try to talk me out of it, because (SARCASTICALLY) "as you know, it's just a matter of willpower, Deb..." which is what they've always told me all my life. I constantly had the "you don't really need a second piece, do you?" and mom would serve me obviously smaller servings than my siblings all the time. So even though they want the best for me, it's best they not know until after it's done so they can't try to talk me out of it. I told my coworkers because many of them are in the same boat as me (somewhat overweight, though not as much as me) and we're all pretty close. I remember when I was on one of my many "diets" and losing weight (which I gained back and then some), my family and friends seemed to be monitoring what I ate and reminding me of how "well" I was doing and that I "should be careful of what I eat so as to not gain back what I lost". I don't need that again. I guess it depends on your own family dynamics as to whom you tell. Good luck with your decision.

Hi all. Question for you. Why is it that some people report losing like 40 lbs in the first two months after being banded, and some people are only 40 lbs down after 8 months? What makes the difference in weight loss after being banded? Is it the "cheating" and exercise pieces? Thanks for your input.

Hi everyone! I've been a wall-flower here for a while, and now I'm making official introductions. I'm from Wisconsin, and am planning to have a bariatric surgery of some type, probably Lap-Band, at Aurora Sinai in Milwaukee. I'm going tomorrow for my nutrition/psych consults and am so excited. I can't wait for the surgery now that I've commited to the process. I went to my introduction seminar on Sept 2, and it took me this long to actually put into motion the whole thing. Why did I wait? I'm not sure, but I'm glad the ball's finally rolling. I look forward to posting nice progress about myself and supporting all of you who are in the same boat as me! Hello to our new selves!!! :tongue2:

I have not been banded yet. I have my first appt with the nutritionist and psych on 1-6-09. I will honestly say that I have tried the structured weight loss programs where I kept a food journal, went to twice-weekly weigh-ins, was "instructed" on how to eat and what to eat, etc, and I lost 25 pounds in 4 mos. I constantly felt like I was stuck eating the same foods all day every day, wasn't allowed to "cheat" and was told that eating salty foods or any type of sweets was "cheating" and I felt constantly deprived. What was wrong with me that I couldn't have a piece of cake at my cousin's wedding, and everyone else could?!?! Then I felt guilty when I did. I also constantly felt hungry, like I had a fireball in the pit of my stomach. It's hard to explain, but I liken it to how you don't feel your heart unless you're exercising and it's beating fast, and you don't feel your lungs unless you're holding your breath...most people don't feel their stomach unless they are hungry. I feel my stomach ALL THE TIME. I went on an antidepressant that had a side effect of appetite loss, and for one month, I DIDN'T FEEL MY STOMACH AT ALL!!! I lost 15 lbs in one month without even trying, and without being hungry. It was amazing. Then the effect wore off, and I gained the weight back because I was always feeling a hollow in my stomach. I am truly hoping and praying that the band will take away that constant hollow, hungry feeling in my stomach like the antidepressant did for that month. I know I always thought the people who could actually "forget" to eat were nuts, until it happened to me one day (when I was on the antidepressant) and I was shocked!!! All I know is I have tried Slim-Fast, Dexatrim, an LA Weightloss-esque program, daily exercise at a gym for two months straight, and all sorts of other "diets" in between, and the weight fell off and came right back on. I'm hoping the band is the tool I need to get healthy, let the real me show, and become the person I've always dreamed I was, but was too fat to be. Some people don't need the band or any other bariatric surgery and that's great. More power to them. But for those of us who need a boost over the hump, the band is there to help us. From what I've read, it's not a cure-all, but it's just another tool in the arsenal against obesity.