saffy255

I have an 11ml band, and at the moment I have 8.1ml in there. My surgeon says that most people need around 8ml, but I know I still need more... For the last three fills I've only been having 0.3ml at a time, there is a VERY fine line between restriction and no restriction, and cos crossing it can make me very ill, I'm glad we're going slow!!!

You've done really well and have lost double what I've lost!! My loss has slowed to a pound a week too - and my surgeon is more than happy with that - in fact they say between 4lb and 7lb a month is a good loss and that any faster than that and you risk excess skin. I'd rather lose it slow and steady than drop very quickly and have to deal with excess skin!

Yeah - I'm the same... no eggs for me now :w00t: I adored egg before surgery, now it REALLY makes me feel ill, and if I DO eat it (like I did out of politeness once when a friend invited me for my (old) favourite lunch - Ommelette) I get gripes in my stomach and then whoooooooooooosh, I need to run to the loo, and not for being sick!!!! I steer well clear now!

I'm almost at my sweet spot - I have 7.5ml in an 11ml band, and I cannot eat rice. I'm fine on Pasta but rice has me ill for hours - same with bread or other doughy products. I can't eat chicken at all either... but great on ham, beef etc... we're all different, but it's widely accepted that we'll all struggle on rice!

I was banded in June this year and have had three fills - 3ml, 3ml and 1ml, the last being last week. This week I have learned what restriction truely is - I've not struggled really, just made sensible food choices, and I've been fine... no bread, no chicken, nothing naughty. However.... although I'm now on about a side plate of food each meal, I'm really hungry after 2.5 - 3 hours. My surgeon tells me that my sweet spot should see me filled up for about 4 hours. So if I'm finding food ok now (I struggled after 2nd fill with pbs and sliming - I guess through bad food choices) but I'm only feeling full for 2.5 hours, I guess my next fill (which I'm told will be half a ml) should see me at my sweet spot???

Because, quite simply, every time I east it, regardless of how much I chew, or how big a bite I eat, it sticks and I am faced with a night of being sick... Everyone's different, my Nutritionist is happy with me sticking to fish, and says if I can't eat it, I shouldn't... Not everyone's the same!!!

Not quite the same, but I have a card in my purse that tells any doctor or medic what to do if I am unable to.... When I'm with my family / friends / work friends it's fine - they know where the card is kept, but when I go anywhere with strangers, I have to tell them that if I become ill, and I'm unable to talk, I have a card in my purse....

Exactly... Why pay all that money for the best surgeon you can, and spend a week in pain, and then spwnd weeks getting your head around stuff to Eff up your band??? Are you bonkers???

I certainly felt my band for about 2 weeks... Now I kind of feel it... If I get food stuck, and then it "drops" I feel it... very wierd, but a great feeling after being in pain!!!!

My Surgeon insists on a regular diet after a fill... the morning after sugery (and I was operated on at 8pm!) I was on porridge and for lunch thick veg Soup.... However... no fills for the first 6 weeks, then 3ml at first fill, 3ml at second and then 0.5ml or 1ml til restriction.... I have 6 ml in an 11ml band and I still have little restriction.

The hunger will return.... trust me! :biggrin: Then you'll be posting on here saying "Oh noooo I'm so hungry and I don't get a fill for weeks yet!!" :smile: The other thing to remember is that your hunger will not magically disappear at your 1st fill... I'm awaiting my third fill and while my hunger has subsided, it's deffo not gone!:biggrin:

Hello I would suggest that you go with what surgery is best for you - not let your schooling decide for you! School can be postponed, your health cannot! However, that being said, I would say that in your situation, a band would be better as there's less healing to go through. Remember that with a Bypass you'll have had major major surgery, spent some time in Intensive Care and been pretty poorly. With a band there is not a single change to your anatomy, and to be honest, after 10 days I was feeling more or less back to normal. The "lack of food thing" you speak about - I feel no different - no ligtheadedness etc. I've had my 2nd fill and I'm still not at my sweet spot yet, but I'm getting there and am losing weight slowly. To those that don't know i've had the band, my diet is working well!!!! After the band the pain was completely tolerable - only 2 or 3 days of taking pain killers, and then rest for a few days. after 10 days I was out walking 3 miles a day and enjoying the rest of my time off work (My GP signed me off work for 3 weeks!!!!! - totally unecessary!)

I have an 11ml band and my 1st fill was 3ml. I'm back on 1st Sept for another 3ml. My Surgeon says that fills should only ever be a month apart... never any closer as your body needs time to adjust. He also doesn't require you to liuid / mush before or afterwards, and I was on mushies as I left hospital after surgery.... whay I'm trying to get at is that everyone is different!!

If I have chinese, I have Chicken Egg Foo Yung... it's essentially scrambled egg / omlette with beansrouts, mushrooms and chicken... very yummy and very low fat, and if you're still on mushies - dead easy to eat.

drink 3 litres of water a day and you *should* see it gone!!

Yup... My surgeon says no foods are off limit - you just have to try yourself and see.... in fact - he told me yesterday at my 1st fill that as I have my steak cooked VERY rare, that I should try it... I have found that since my fill I need to eat little and often, rather than three meals in order to stay full... I'm hoping that after my 2nd fill. I'll rectify that!!

Awww Just wanted to say Hi and bear with it.... .I'm in the UK and my post op care was very different, so I'm not much use... Hang in there...

I'm in the UK and I know things like sick pay are different here... My Doctor was very careful, and as I was the first person in our surgery to have it done, she was a little over cautious. I had the op on Monday 8th June and I went back to work three weeks later. Physically, I could have gone back after two weeks, but she wanted to ensure I was fully healed internally as well as externally - she explained that an odd, sudden movement could easily pull at internal stitches etc... My Manager was great - I work in local government, and get full sick pay, so I made sure I told people in my office WHY I was off, involved my team in it etc, and they have all been great. Lots of people said they expected me to be off for a month, which I think is FAR too long, but I also think that you need to be careful - I'd book 2 weeks off personally - I think you guys that have it done and go back after 2 or 3 days are bonkers.... I hadn't even recovered from the anaesthetic properl;y after two or three days - let alone surgery!!! DESPERATE now for my 1st fill.... 21st July (next week!!)

I was all alone, through choice. I'm grouchy when in pain, or stressed, or whatever, and just wanted to do it by myself!

OK... so I'm totally different... Mine is attached to the muscle over my breastbone, about half an inch lower than my cleavage, just below my bra line dead centre. Apparently this is how most in the UK are done now.

I was just the same... Pretty painful for 3 days, then not so painful for about 4 days, then moderately ok with just paracetamol til the end of week 2, then I was great... In fact, I looked wonderful, cos I was taking my Vitamins, I was eating good fresh food, and few carbs and had lost a stone!!! Breathing was painful for a good week, it helps to hold a pillow over your belly, especially when walking, coughing or hiccups!!! You'll soon feel MUCH better!

Hi I was banded June 2009, and have heard some stories of people saying they were advised not to fly after being banded... Others say that they felt really uncomfortable after flying... I fly to the USA a few times a year (I'm in the UK) and wonder what I can exepect???? :eek:

I REALLY do think that's the problem... My best friend is also large - not as large as me, but large. She was SO pleased I got the surgery, and even took me to the hospital and sat with me until they toook me down. Afterwards she came round with magazines, drinks and even a teeny tiny ice cream!! True friends will stick with you regardless of your weight!

I never did liquids either... straight onto purees morning after surgery for 2 weeks and then 1 week mashed food, then soft solids... Every surgeon is different! Oh - and I was told not to weigh myself until at least 1 week after surgery as I'd still be pumped full of IV fluids and gasses, so don't worry!

I had EXACTLY the same... I drank and drank, I brushed my teeth and tongue til I thought I'd wear the skin and enammel off!! Then, I poppped to see our local pharmacist, who explained that sometimes an anaesthetic can make your tummy and gasses etc just do wierd things, and told me to try some Daktarin gel. She also reminded me that anaestheitcs make you very thirsty and you were nil by mouth prior to the anaesthetic ANYWAY, so are probably a wee bit dehydrated too. Anyway - the Daktarin... It's not only for fungal infections, but bacterial ones too. I applied it to my whole mouth about 3 times a day, kept on drinking loads, and within about 2 days I was much better, and within 4 days, back to normal... Keep on at it... you'll get there!!