marfar7

There's nothing in my instruction binder on alcohol. I waited about 3 mths before I had wine tho - and that first glass made me tipsy! Now I drink about 3-4 glasses a week and I'm fine. I drink a beer occasionally too - I know I'm not sposed to have carbnonation, but I do anyway! Marci

Welcome! Hope to "see" you round! Marci

You sound like a newbie! You sound just like me for the first few months after surgery, before I had restriction at 3 fills. In fact, the first real food I ate was a Burger King cheeseburger! Stayed down just fine, felt just like preband, Fast forward to 3 yrs later. I never followed the rules, ate whatever I wanted (just less of it), lost weight, vomited alot - and then came my band slip about 6 mths ago. After several unfills/fills/tweaks, I find myself with less than optimal restriction. I can eat alot more. And I did. Continued to eat whatever I wanted, and more of it now. Woke up and got on the scale a few weeks ago and gained 16 lbs! It's what happens when you don't follow the rules. I'm on day 3 of the 5 day pouch test. I'm literally starving! I'm so excited cuz today I can have cottage cheese and refried beans! But I'm determined to follow the rules this time. I will still have some goodies in my diet, but I'm moving more towards eating more healthy instead of just "less crap" that I used to put into my body. I refuse to get as fat as I used to be, and that's exactly where I'm headed if I continue with my lifestyle. I actually thru a package of Fritos in the garbage last week - 1 at a time, so that they would get so gunky I wouldn't want to fish them out! Take it from me, who ate whatever sounded good (albeit in very small portions, that's how I lost almost 100 lbs), learn to make healthier choices now. You'll be more successful in the long run. And, if you can eat a whole Whopper, you definately need a fill, girl! Blessings! Marci

About 16 yrs ago, I had an ERCP done by my GI dr. They found retained stones in my biles duct 2 yrs after my gallbladder was removed! The dye spilling onto my pancreas cause pancreatitis. The worst pain I've ever felt! Spent 6 days in the hospital gorked on pain meds and nothing but IV fluids. So, yes, you can retain stones after your gallbladder is gone. Haven't had any problems since, thank God! Marci

Dang, that's a long time! Did they tell you a reason why you can't eat for 2 days before? The food is already out of your stomach in a few hrs, so that really doesn't make any sense. My doc tell me no solid food for 2 hrs prior. I just do liquids beforehand anyway, as my husband pointed out once - if my tummy is totally empty, the adjustment may work better. They can get it snug on there better. But he's a computer nerd, not a dr! Marci

Absolutely! You'll lose weight, but your overall health might not be as good. I lost almost 100 lbs eating whatever I wanted, just in really small portions. I don't count calories, fat grams, or even measure my food. In the last 3 yrs, I've eaten crap. Not very much crap, as I couldn't, but crap nonetheless. My husband point out to me all the time how much garbage I put into my body. He watches carbs (and I LUV me some carbs!), eats as much meat and veggies as he wants and has perfect cholesterol. I eat hardly any meat and I have high cholesterol. Go figure. My band slipped 6 mths ago and after many unfills/fills/tweaks, I gained 16 lbs eating whatever I wanted to. I'm now 25 lbs to goal, instead of the 9 I used to be. I'm now watching WHAT I put in my mouth, not just how much. The first thing I thought of when I woke up this morning was Taco Bell. I downed my strawberry Protein shake and sucked it up. Had to buy size 10 jeans the other day cuz my 8's don't button anymore. Can't afford a whole new wardrobe, so I need to watch what I'm now putting in my mouth. I won't be counting or measuring, but I will be cutting down on the fast food and the snacking I do. Today I started the 5 day pouch test and went to play poker at 1 pm in a bar. Smelling the appetizers everyone was eating was hard, but I know I can do this. I'm enjoying my tomato Soup even as I write this. So yes, you can lose weight eating whatever you want just less of it. But overall, you'll end up eventually jeopardizing your health or eventually gaining weight like I did. It'd be better to eat healthier from the start. You don't need to count or measure. just choose fruit instead of chips or yogurt instead of ice cream. My .02 cents Marci

Finally someone else on here that doesn't measure or count anything! I thought I was the only one! Congrats to you! You look fantastic! Marci

Personally, I feel restricition in my band is what helped me to lose almost 100 lbs.I still routinely got hungry, but after only a few bites of food, I was satiated. After a slip 6 mths ago and unfills/fills/tweaks, I'd love to go back to feeling that same restriction I once had! Marci

I have a 14cc band. My first fill was 5cc/2nd was 1cc/3rd was 1cc - that's when the magic started! After my 3rd fill (5 mths post op). So I guess 7cc. About 6 mths later, tho, I had to have an emergency unfill of 2cc when I got a bladder infection and was allergic to the antibiotics. They made me so ill that it irritated my band so I couldn't keep anything down. Not even a tsp of tomato Soup would stay down. I was fine for about 6 mths, thenm I needed another fill. So, I guess 5cc did the same thing as 7cc did previously! No clue why... Marci

I wish they had routinely been using plication with the band when I had mine done 3 yrs ago. Maybe it would've prevented me from having a slip 6 mths ago and still sufferring from the complications! If I have to have a revision of my band done, I will ask for plication also this time! Marci

I'm just curious as to why they have to empty it before surgery?

Eat a hard boiled egg really fast and wash it down with a couple of swallow of Coke. That's what being stuck feels like! I never felt anything like it pre surgery, so not sure you're feeling it either. It'll last for more than a couple of seconds, if you're truly stuck. Lately, after 2 1/2 yrs of vomiting to get thru a stuck episode, I've been riding them out (after my band slipped from too much vomiting). They definately make it more important to chew and eat slowly! Good luck! Marci

I agree. If you're not having pain, you're fine. I chew gum all the time, I have yet to swallow it tho. Marci

I really don't care if I waste food. My husband is embarrassed when we go out to eat and I leave 3/4 of my plate. If it's eggs or something like that, I don't bother taking them home cuz they taste terrible reheated. For the last 3 yrs, my eyes are bigger than my tummy and I take too much. Usually, unless it's carbs, my husband will finish off my plate (he doesn't do carbs) - and it's usually the meat I leave anyway. You should see all the food that I toss from my frig every week. I have a tinge of feeling bad about that, I guess. I could feed a whole family with my leftovers that never get eaten. I waste alot of $ on food. I still LOVE food, I just can't eat as much as I used to. Marci

I don't work (thank God), but I think I could've gone back to work after a week if I was at a sitting job, maybe 2 weeks for a walk-alot-job (as in a nurse, teacher, etc). Good luck! Marci

Hey all, I'm 3 yrs post op and I've lost close to 100 lbs (and don't mind saying I'm in a size 8 now!). About 6 mths ago, I started getting really bad nightime reflux. Went to the dr and the xray showed a minimal slip. So my dr took out about 1/2 of my 9.5cc fill (I have a 14cc band) and let it rest for 4 weeks). The reflux stopped immediately - yeah! 4 weeks later, Without doing a follow-up xray, he put 1cc in. No reflux, but also no restriction. Went back in 3 weeks later and he put another 1cc in. That night the reflux started again. So I went back in. The xray showed the band was still in the same exact place. He told me that he treats the symptoms, not the xray. So he took out the previous 1cc he had put in and said if that worked, then I was fine. It did (I occasionally have reflux if I sleep on my right side, but for the most part, it's good). I have very minimal restriction, like after 6 pm, I can eat the side of a barn! Before 6pm, I'm still very much banded. I've gained 16 lbs and my jeans won't button anymore. My dr is 6 hrs round trip and $160 each time I see him (+ extra if I need an xray). I really don't want to empty it totally and start from scratch again, meaning a small fortune in copays and gas in tiny fills to get me to the green spot again. And the dr says I'm safe as long as I don't have symptoms I've read somewhere about the "5 day pouch test", where I go back to post op liquids for 5 days and it's sposed to help with restriction. I'm willing to go on liquids for a while to see if that helps, but exactly how would it help? I'm truly into the physiology of things and have to know the reason "how" before I do it. I miss my old band! I've prided myself on the fact that I haven't dieted thru these 100 lbs, I've eaten what I wanted to, just eating very little. That's why I got the band in the first place. What would you do? Is my band beyond saving, or do I have a chance of keeping it the way it is? Thanks! Marci

My band slipped (minimally) about 6 mths ago. The dr took out about 1/2 of my 9.5cc fill. 4 weeks later, he started the slow refill process WITHOUT first doing a followup xray. He put 1cc in. No reflux, but also no restriction. 3 weeks later, he put another 1cc in. That nite the reflux started again. So I went back to the drs. An xray showed that it was indeed still slipped, never moved from where it was. He said that he treats according to my symptoms, not the xray. So he took out the previous 1cc he had put in and I was fine. Once in a while I have reflux when I sleep on my right side (no clue what the difference is on what side I sleep on). I have some restriction, not great and I'm able to eat more than previously. Are you having any symptoms, besides being able to eat more? You're able to keep everything down (I was)? Any nighttime reflux? Nausea? I'm seriously thinking of going on a post op liquid diet for a week or 2 to see if that helps with my restriction. Or maybe it help put my band back in place. Otherwise I'm going to have to start dieting (which I swore I'd never do again once I got my band) to lose the 16 lbs I've gained since the slip. Depending on the severity of the slip (sometimes the only thing you can do is empty it and start over again or really severe slip you have to have surgery to reposition or replace it), you might be able to get away with just 1/2 emptying it and seeing if it pops back into place. What country are you in, if you don't mind me asking? Good luck! Marci

You're feeling pain in your chest because the band isn't really on your stomach - it's on your lower esophagus, right on top of your tummy. That's why it hurts in your chest. Good luck! Marci

I still eat everything at Thanksgiving dinner, just 2-3 bites of each thing. And I'm totally satisfied. It's hard to understand now - when it feels so good to eat so much. Once you have restriction (and the previous poster was right, you may not get it right away. I didn't until my 3rd fill, 5 mths into it), you'll be amazed how you quickly you will push yourself away from the table. As in one more bite will cause extreme pain. Now, alot of people with bands can't tolerate some foods. Mostly breads, Pasta, rice, meats, and fibrous fruits and veggies. Until you get to know your band a little better, it's best to limit these things until you figure out what your can personally toerate. I can eat almost anything (except pizza crust, pineapple chunks,a nd pancakes). I eat bread, pasta, and rice regularly. I don't count or measure anything. That sounds too much like dieting to me and I quit dieting when I got the band. When your band is adjusted correctly (and it may take several fills to do so), it'll let you know when you're had enuf and what to avoid. There's also foods called "sliders" which are foods (usually soft, like ice cream, yogurt, pudding) that "slide" right thru and don't make a difference in your satiety. For me it's popcorn. I can still eat a bucket of popcorn at the movies! It's different in most people, but I've found that junk food (candy, Cookies, cakes) are mostly sliders in EVERYONE. Be careful with these things. As for the slip, there's numerous way to cause a slip. I've never heard of anyone getting them from exercise tho. Mine was caused by throwing up. I threw up my way-too-fast eaten food about 4-6x a week. My band hung in there for 2 1/2 yrs before protesting. So I caution you to practice eating slowly. I learned to eat fast in basic training. If you didn't eat in 5 mins, you didn't eat! The past 6 mths, I've learned to slow it down. Am I perfect? Absolutely not. I still find myself "stuck" occasionally, but now I don't stick my toothbrush down my throat to bring it back up. I suffer with it till it goes away. And try to avoid it later. Being "stuck" means that either you didn't chew well enuf, you ate too fast, or took too big of bites and the food literally gets stuck in your esophagus. And it hurts. I've heard of different way to get "unstuck" and you might want to search those posts. Look for "stuck episodes". There's lots of posts on it. YOu can also slip your band by eating too much, too often. One meal overeaten probably won't cause a slip, but constantly overeating (and I physically couldn't do that the first 2 1/2 yrs) can also cause a slip. Some slips can be corrected by unfilling, resting, and slowly filling it back up. Some have to be dealt with in surgery, by replacing the band. Thank God mine didn't require that! mine is still slightly slipped, tho and I think I'm the only one I know of on this site who's doctor doesn't seem to want to do anything about it. Mine just says as long as I don't have symptoms (nausea, reflux, pain), he'll leave it be. I could keep anything down, I just had severe nightime reflux to the point where I had to sleep propped up on 3 pillows and took 1 RX and 2 OTC acid blockers + I could own stock in the Tums company. And I'd still wake up in the middle of the nite with stomach acid on my pillow. It's too bad tho that I don't have the premium restriction I once had. After 6 pm, I have to white knuckle it now as I could graze all nite and not be full. Hope that helps - explaining a "slip". If you follow the rules, chew your food well, take tiny bites, and avoid vomiting, you shouldn't have to worry about it. Good luck to you! Marci

I think between the time I set my surgery date and the day of surgery, I gained about 10 lbs! I ate every fast food known to man. I didn't have to do a preop diet, only instuctions were to eat a lite dinner the nite before and nothing after midnight. I went to Outback for ribs the nite before! That was my "lite" meal! I guess that's what I considered lite at the time! You're perfectly normal to think this way. And remember that you will probably still be able to eat your favorite foods again, just in much smaller portions. There's really nothing that I can't eat. Except pizza crust, pineapple chunks, and pancakes (all the P's!), so it's not like you're saying goodbye to all your fav foods. You'll see them again, just in a much smaller size! Good luck! Marci

Re alcohol: I drink wine about 2-3x a week. A big band no-no is to stay away from sodas or anything with carbonation. The bubbles can make you feel pain and stretch your pouch. I take a sip of my husbands soda occasionally. But I'm a rule breaker (and I've also had a band slip, so learn from me!). You're not sposed to drink at the same time as you eat so that you don't wash down the food that it's your pouch before satiation is found. Over the last 3 yrs, I've attempted numerous times (especially while eating spicy foods) to break this rule also, but it never stays down. Some banders get what they call the "cork effect", which is the food that sits in your esophagus acts as a cork and when you add liquid to it, out it all comes. It's now been 3 yrs and it still does the same thing. I will honestly tell you - if you're a rule breaker, you might want to look into something else. I wish I had followed the rules from day 1 (but alas, I didn't) - maybe then I wouldn't still be dealing with a slipped band 6 mths later. That said, I luv my band! Would do it again in a heartbeat! It has helped me take off almost 100 lbs and get to a size 8. I think I would just have done things a little differently, if I could. Good luck with your decision! Marci

Wow! Looks like alot more than 45 lbs to me! Congrats! Keep it up! Marci

Hey, fellow Army vet here! I was overweight when I joined at 29 (175 lbs), at 5'5", but my fat neck helped me with the measurement part (where they measure you in like 8 different places and punch the numbers into the computer). I think I lost 14 lbs during basic training, kept it off during AIT, and then slowly started gaining again once I got to Germany (it's the food there, I tell ya!). I was counseled twice because of my weight, but never had to do the extra PT and Army diet (ie: the "fat mans program") and when I left because of a back injury 4 yrs later, I weighed close to 200 lbs. I would do alot of research on banding. I know there are some people who get banded who have to lose just 50 lbs. I personally wouldn't do it for just 50 lbs, altho I know it's just as hard to get off 50 as it is to get off 100. I just think surgery is too drastic for that. I've had my band for 3 yrs and wish that the plication was around with banding then. You don't have to worry as much about slips (which I've had 6 mths ago). Also the maintenance is why I chose the band over the sleeve, thinking that I could always just "tighten up" all my life and never worry about stretching my stomach back again (like a lot of bypassers do). Now that I have to pay out of pocket $160 + drive 6 hrs for just a minor tweak (5x one month a few months ago), I'm starting to rethink my more-maintenance-is-best decision. You really have to be comfortable about followups in the coming years. I went 18 mths without a single adjustment, and the last 6 mths since my slip, I've gone to the dr at least 8-10 times. Does your insurance cover the band? How far are you from the dr you'd like to use? Are you ready to fully change your way of eating (I find that while I eat MUCH less than previously, I'm still obsessed with food - thinking about my next meal during the previous one. It didn't really help that). Just do lots of research. And go to a couple of seminars from a couple of different doctors. That being said, I would do my banding all over again in a heartbeat! Love, love, love my band and being a size 8! Would choose it all over again! Good luck with your decision. Marci

My dr said the same thing! In fact, about a year ago (before my band slipped), he told me that I was "filled to capacity" at only 10cc in a 14cc band because the plunger pushed itself out without him even trying. Told me that resistance means I'm full. I was so worried that I'd be full forever, never again able to take another fill. Dummy me complained about that and what happened? A slip. Wish I was just full now! Good luck! Marci

I also eat whatever I want, just in much smaller portions. Most mornings, if I even eat breakfast, I eat 1 egg and 1 pc of bacon or a pc of sausage. For lunch I'll have 1/2 of a sandwich, 1/3 of a burger, leftovers, or a small salad and soup.For dinner, it'll be either beef, chicken, or pork, or fish, a veggie and a starch. About 3x a week, I might eat about 6-10 french fries, or a couple of Cookies, or maybe a scoop of ice cream. Thank God for my band! I can't eat the quantities that I used to. But I can still eat anything I want to. Good luck!