Melissannde

While fluoroscopy can be beneficial for those who have trouble getting to a good fill level, fills under fluoro are not necessary for everyone. You should be aware that each fluoro session increases your radiation exposure.. and it is cumulative over your lifetime. I've had so many tiny tweaks that if I had fluoro each time, I'd now be glowing in the dark (joking). There could be the argument that if they had used fluoro that I wouldn't have needed so many tiny fills.. but I disagree. Moving up slowly, I've lost weight well, had little to no problem adjusting my eating patterns and have needed only 1 unfill due to becoming too tight (and that was a year ago). I do advocate having a yearly UGI study to check for proper band placement, etc. Just to put out there that everyone is different and to reassure those who's doctors do not use fluoroscopy. Fills can work very well without it. If you're having issues, fluoro is agood diagnostic tool.

A few ideas/suggestions: Make sure your meat is not dry...or if it is, use something to moisten it to help it slide down. BBQ sauce, ketchup, greek yogurt, mustard.. whatever you like. It's not going to matter all that much on the calorie content of the "food lube" because you're not going to eat all that much of it. I find that having 1 bite of Protein and a bite of a juicy veggie (cucumber, tomato) often works as a food lube too. Double check that you really are taking small bites and chewing well. You could get toddler utensils or a cocktail fork and demitasse spoon. Some suggest chopsticks. Try drinking a cup of hot coffee, tea, or a cup of hot thin soup/broth right before your meal. The warmth can relax the band and make eating denser foods easier. You don't have to wait 30 minutes after drinking the warm liquids to eat.. maybe 2 or 5 minutes...but I've not waited at all and still had good appetite control. Avoid reheating meat in the microwave. Or if you have no other choice, try wrapping or covering the meat in a damp towel (paper or cloth). The reason to avoid the MW is that microwave cooking tends to remove moisture. The damp towel will help prevent some moisture loss. If you decide on an unfill and other than the meat issue you're doing well.. I'd ask for a tiny unfill. .2cc's would be my suggestion, but this is just based on my experience of tiny fills. Your bariatric team will know your case and if they suggest more.. well.. your call. Hope you get some relief.. it's no fun getting stuck so often. And not good for the band if you're having to bring the stuck substance back up frequently.

Since your husband sounds really supportive, I think I'd consider taking him with me if at all possible to my next appointment. Or someone else who is supportive and not and not afraid to call BS on someone who's being a jerk. I think my DH would kick the Doc's butt for talking to me like you report yours speaking to you. I had something almost similar happen about 6 months ago.. I had lost some since my previous appt, but not as much as I would've liked. The NP was looking at my chart and asked "what happened" and I'm like.... uh, just didn't try hard enough I guess. She said "you gained", I said, " I did NOT". There was a few moments of confusion.. and we finally figured out she had clicked on a patients name just above or below mine on the list in the laptop!! So, there's no excuse for your doctor's bad behavior, but just maybe he had confused you with someone else for a few moments... and then was too much of a jerk to apologize and correct his mistake. I dunno. It sounds like to me you are doing really well and if your doctor can't straighten up his act and fly right.. fire him. See the nurses for your fills or find another doc. Best of luck to you.

Cindy is exactly right. As you lose, the band gets looser and you will need tweaks to get back to the green zone. It's different for every one. At 2 years out, I've lost exact count of how much I have in my band, but I know it's somewhere around 5.5 or 6 cc's. I came out of surgery with 3cc's. Had 1 cc added at first fill, and since then my fills have all been .5 & .2cc (yes, 1/2 and 1/5 of a cc.. very small). The small fills work perfectly for me. I went in about every 6 weeks during my first year... sometimes I got an adjustment, sometimes I didn't.

Chewable Multi's I use Centrum. My pcp does NOT want me to use children's vits, but I know a lot of people do. They're really not complete enough for an adult, even if you're taking multiple pills. ( I know I'll get some disagreement, and that's fine). Chewable Calcium... I like the lozenges by Bariatric Advantage. BA also makes a "Chewy Bites" calcium that is tasty. As bandsters we are advised to use calcium citrate as it is better absorbed in situations with reduced stomach acid.. with a smaller upper stomach (pouch), we do have reduced acid. Viactiv is Calcium Carbonate. If you haven't tried Celebrate, you might write that company and ask for a sample. They're usually very generous in sending them. If you can swallow calcium, the citracal Petites are a reasonable choice. I use a store brand of citracal petites. Andrea @ www.wlsvitagarten.com has lots of info on Vitamins for the bariatric patient and will answer questions. Hope this helps.

Do you and your friend have the same surgeon? Not all bariatric doctors have the same refeeding protocol. But basically, the reason for a gradual return to regular food is to give the stomach a time to rest and heal. When the band is placed, a section of the stomach is pulled up over the band and stitched into place. The stomach works to start the digestive process by moving food around like a churn. The movement is in wave like motion called peristalsis. When we are on liquids, there isn't much peristalsis.. but with solid foods, the movement increases. Four weeks of liquid is a long time. I understand your friends frustration. My surgeon has his patients back on regular, but soft, foods in 2 weeks. Some bariatric surgeons just put all of their patients on the same after surgery diet.. no matter which surgery they had. That's the lazy way.

What brand was it that you've tried and didn't like?

Some people don't eat bread because of the "stuckage" issue, some people don't eat it because of glycemic index issues. The OP mentioned hoping to have some sourdough bread in the future. That can probably be done. I would try not to eat "doughy" bread, but crusty or toasted bread in small amounts would be a reasonable choice. Do some reading and research on Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load. It's a bit confusing to learn, but worth the effort. I find that if I avoid high glycemic foods, I lose weight easier and have less hunger.

If you're refunding food daily, you are either too tight, or you are still taking too big of a bite and/or not chewing well enough. I would rather err on the side of being a little loser, rather than risk having a slip.. which you might be risking with daily vomiting. And while you may want to call it pb'ing, refunding, whatever, I know one bariatric surgeon who's opinion is "if it comes back up.. it's vomiting" ( I see his point, but I also know there are degrees of how forceful the returning food comes back...) Personally I wouldn't let them add more fluid and I would seriously consider having .1 or .2 taken back out. Best of luck to you.

This is why I have no real regrets with waiting as long as I did to have my band placed. I was ready in all 3 areas.. not just physically, but also emotionally and mentally. With all 3 puzzle pieces in place (not that they all fit perfectly.. still a work in progress), it was MUCH easier to get the weight off. I'm now learning how to KEEP the weight off.

My response to a very similar question on the Post-Op board: Once past the healing stages and onto regular food we were told 3oz of Protein and 1/2 cup low carb veggies 3X a day. Only high protein, low cal Snacks as needed. Now my doctor is telling new bandsters.. about 1 cup of food per meal. I measured my 3oz of protein the other day and it came out to 1/2 cup.. so Ive probably been eating 1 cup of food per meal for about 2 years and been successful. Every doctor is going to be slightly different in their ideas and each patient is going to respond slightly differently.

Once past the healing stages and onto regular food we were told 3oz of Protein and 1/2 cup low carb veggies 3X a day. Only high protein, low cal Snacks as needed. Now my doctor is telling new bandsters.. about 1 cup of food per meal. I measured my 3oz of protein the other day and it came out to 1/2 cup.. so Ive probably been eating 1 cup of food per meal for about 2 years and been successful. Every doctor is going to be slightly different in their ideas and each patient is going to respond slightly differently.

As long as I have something warm to drink (coffee, tea, etc.) I can get most pills down. Early on, Calcium was a problem and I had to go to chewables. A pharmacist is your best bet when having issues with forms of medications.

I've lost 200 lbs (more or less) and my port doesn't show. It IS a whole lot easier to access though. There are "low profile" ports, you could ask your surgeon if that's a possibility for you. Honestly, very few people have a perfect body.. most of us have imperfections, some more visible than others. My philosophy is get the weight off and worry about physical appearance later. If you have a "large amount of weight" to lose, you may want/need plastic surgery eventually anyhow.. if the port is noticeable, it can be relocated when plastics are done.

Karma is not always a pleasant thing.

First year I went in about every month to 6 weeks. 2nd year about every 8 to 10 weeks. Now I'm going in about every 3 to 4 months. First year I got a tiny fill almost every visit. 2nd year, probably every other visit or so. This year, I had a tiny adjustment in May and don't think I want another until Nov-Dec-Jan.. Unless I lose a large amt of weight.. which I don't expect to happen. I'm so close to goal that weight comes off very slowly now.

As a cancer survivor, I try not to make jokes about cancer. I don't make excuses, I either tell the truth (that I had WLS) or I tell the truth (that I'm watching what I eat and exercising). I don't mean to sound "witchy".. The cancer excuse just struck me the wrong way. I understand you're trying to be humorous.

My surgeon suggested 3 to 4oz of Protein and 1/2 cup of low carb veggies per meal.. 3x a day, when I was banded 2 years ago. Now he tells new bandsters about 1 cup of food per meal. This will really vary from person to person. Perhaps give your surgeon a call and see what they suggest?

Welp, Reverie and I are going to disagree again. I think breakfast is important. (and no, Rev. I don't have any sites to back my opinion up.. I don't feel like debating). Bkfst doesn't have to be a big deal. It can be a Protein drink, a glass of skim milk, greek yogurt & fresh fruit, oatmeal. It could even be leftovers from the night before. I was never a breakfast eater in my pre-banded life. Now I am. The thing is, OP, you're not happy with your current results and you're not eating breakfast. Why not try eating something in the first hour or two after getting up and see if it makes a difference? The other suggestions (hydrating, journaling food, moving more and reading Dr. Simpson's "Not about restriction" post) are excellent ideas too. Best of luck to you.

Oatmeal is a good choice. It even has some protein. And if you add a bit of 2% or skim milk.. even more.

You've lost, what 68 lbs in 9 months? That's just about average, considering loss with the band is about 1 to 2 lbs a week. I've been banded a little more than 2 years, have lost about 200 lbs and am still very slowly losing. I'm about 175 and also in 14/16. You must be a bit taller than me. ::grin:: Regain can happen with ALL surgeries. There is lowest attainable weight and then there's lowest maintainable weight. Not the same number. There is no perfect WLS, they all have problems. Yes, many with the sleeve do very well, but there are some who do not. I saw a post on weightysecrets from a sleevester with issues. I know of a local sleevester who is having problems getting fluids and Protein down. If your band is working for you, run with it. If you start having problems with it to the point that you need it removed, then look into the possibility of revising to a sleeve. JMO, YMMV. I was speaking to a nurse who has worked in the bariatric field for many many years, and she has seen surgeries rise and fall in popularity. She says that the sleeve is the "new darling" of the WLS field right now, but eventually something new and better (??) will come along and the sleeve will become less popular. It's a cycle.

As to the question if I could go back would I make the same choice? Yes, I would still choose a restrictive surgery over a malabsorptive one. Would I choose the band or sleeve? That is a harder question. That one I don't know. I THINK I would still choose the band, but the sleeve does look very good and I have spoken on the 'net with several who are doing well with it and are happy. I do know one girl on fb who is struggling with hers though.. but people struggle with all surgeries... If your insurance covers both, research both thoroughly. And check to see if your insurance has a "1 WLS per lifetime" policy. That may help you decide which way to go.

I chose the band because I too was afraid of the bypass. I've seen some fantastic success stories, and I've seen some regain every last bit and more. No thanks. I like the premise that the band is adjustable. I'm also post-menopausal and with a family hx of osteopenia. RNY (bypass) patients have a greater incidence of bone loss due to malabsorption of Calcium. Not recommended for women of my age and family hx. I was 385 day of seminar, 383 day of surgery. I am 2 years & 4 months out from surgery. This am the scale read 175. I may or may not reach a "normal" BMI. While my surgeon does use the BMI for pre-operative evaluation, my PCP says that a normal BMI should not be my goal. That it is not accurate for women my age, athletes or for those who've been MO for a long period of time (our bones are heavier and skew the scales). I'm very satisfied with my weight loss with the band. I have my life back. I can do everything I need to do plus some. I'm in regular size clothing. If your doctor is like most, you will have to have a psychological evaluation before having any kind of WLS. If I were you, I would seriously consider taking that opportunity to start working on your aversion to low carb veggies. It will be very helpful if you can find at least one you can tolerate without a ton of sauce or butter. But baby steps, find one you like with a sauce or butter, then gradually reduce the amount of sauce/butter each time you have it.. and you'll eventually get to where they taste good plain. I like many veggies with a drop or two of lemon juice. For me, the band does help with physical hunger. Emotional hunger not so much. That is a separate battle and counseling can help with that. Best of luck to you.

And some people are missing the fact that the refried Beans, tomato soup, mashed potatos.. are being consumed during the immediate post-op phases.. when it's all about letting the stomach heal. Changing to more of a lean & green diet will come when back to regular foods. Change is hard. Making changes fast is really hard. I got myself off of the white carbs moderately slowly (no preop diet required) and it wasn't too bad.

If you can't get or keep fluids down.. go and have some of the new fill taken back out. And do it today or tomorrow before you become dehydrated over the weekend and are faced with an ER visit!