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The balloon does not have a hole at the end. The stomach does - it is not a closed system. I am not breaking my Dr's rules as my Dr allows carbonation if a person can tolerate it. I actually very rarely drink carbonated drinks. If I am out and thirsty I usually buy bottled water or iced tea(high cal I know). But at home in summer I will often make soda water and drink it with a dash of lime. It is very refreshing and not full of chemicals. If your Dr has a rule about no carbonation then you should not break it unless you discuss it with him/her first.But this is not a rule that is written in stone and if your Dr does not require it then you should not spend your time worrying unnecessarily .

That is very true. And it seems after banding the gas escapes more often than it does prior to banding! I asked my Dr about this a couple of months after banding and was told that carbonation is fine so long as it doesn't cause me any discomfort. Apparently some people can handle it, others can't. I think drinking it slowly rather than trying to gulp it down makes a big difference as well. I don't see how it could stretch the pouch - it is just not logical. One of the best low cal, refreshing summer drinks there is , is a lime and soda.

SkyLily, we are in agreement. That was exactly the point that I was trying to get across initially although it seems some may have misinterpreted that. Research can have good and bad points as well. There are many things I have learnt from this site that I did not learn from my Dr. Some good , some bad. One thing I kept coming across here that led to some very unrealistic expectations was the term " sweet spot". Personally I think this should be banned. The Quest for some elusive magical "sweet spot" is what often causes people to have there bands overfilled which in turn leads to other problems. I do not believe that it is possible to eat 1/2 - 1 cup of food 3 times per day and not be hungry in between. I eat far more than that and still need a snack in between. If more people realised that being hungry 3 hours after a small healthy meal was quite normal they may not get so despondent.

Good to know that your problems have been sorted out and that it has been a relatively simple solution.

I must have been extremely lucky. My Dr told me about the complications prior to surgery. He also gave me a booklet which spoke about them in greater detail. I thought his approach was the norm but obviously not. Generally I find that if I want to know something Google delivers the goods. There are lots of articles on the net about complications so anyone that has the net has the ability to find as much information as they want. Alex is also very good in posting all the articles that appear in the press about the band, both good and bad. Thanks for helping.

You are not supposed to do anything except the very minimum for the first 6 weeks. Your husband needs to do more. If he won't just leave the stuff to pile up and if he asks why show him the info on what can happen if you do it. There is an excellent site called hystersisters that has the answers to lots of your questions, it also has a couple of articles for the men. I have kept referring back to the site since my op 6 weeks ago and the advice has been excellent. It is also great to read other peoples experiences so that I know what i am experiencing is normal. It is fairly normal to have some bleeding for a number of weeks after the op. However excessive bleeding could be caused by having done too much and could be a sign of possible complications. I had some bleeding at 3 weeks so went to see my GP. She checked me out and said I looked fine , that I had no signs of infection and that it could have been either from some left over endometriosis or a pulled internal stitch. She told me if it got worse or didn't stop by the Monday(saw her on Saturday) that I needed to go and see my gynae. It did stop so I didn't need to go back. I have my postop app in a weeks time. Later than usual as my gynae has been on holiday.

Well said. It is good to see articles such as these so that we are well informed but when viewing them one should also view the risks of staying obese. Before going into surgery each person needs to make an informed decision and weigh up the pros and cons of doing nothing or taking a chance and having surgery. And each type of surgery has it's own particular sets of risks. There are certain things that a person can do that can help to minimise the risks but obviously it is not possible to eradicate them completely. Once the decision has been made then it is best to not dwell on things that may or may not happen . Yes my band may slip or erode but so far it hasn't and me thinking about it constantly won't help. Fear of what might happen can be very paralyzing and the negative energy it produces quite self destructive. I prefer to be a glass half full person.

Trying to work out where I said that people that do not have success have not done enough? I do remember saying I think the bottom line is that there is no such thing as a perfect WLS or even a one size fits all solution. Whichever surgery we choose is going to involve effort on our part - often a lot more than we at first hoped.The best thing to do is research , research, research prior to surgery and then go into your chosen surgery with your eyes wide open and lots of commitment. so my emphasis here is on being informed. I never said that any of you weren't but misinformation or lack of information is a common cause of problems. I also didn't say here that people that fail have not done enough. In fact I have given 3 different possible reasons for failure. One of which is bad luck. There will always be an unlucky minority that will not have success with the surgery that they have chosen. Sometimes it is due to non compliance, sometimes it is due to a not so good surgeon or poor aftercare and sometimes it seems that it is just plain bad luck.Sometimes a revision works sometimes it brings with it it's own set of problems. I also don't remember calling anyone lazy or an idiot. I do remember pointing out that there is no one size fits all solution. Part of my reason for posting was to caution people that the grass is not always greener on the other side. It may feel like it when you are having problems but each surgery has it's own set of problems. One should be very careful before deciding that a different surgery is the magical solution that someone has been searching for. The last thing anyone wants is for someone to have further surgery if it is not necessary and maybe have further problems. Sometimes there is a simpler solution.Yes it is possible that the band may not have been the best choice for some of you but how do you know that the sleeve or bypass will be any better. Both of these types of surgery have much higher risks (initially at least) and should only be entered into with caution. Should my band slip or erode in the future I will probably CONSIDER a VSG. But I also recognise that it is not the magical solution that I would like it to be. People with the sleeve still vomit, have reflux etc and it is still possible to eat around it. Yes it is easier because it is not necessary to go for fills so initially the weight loss is faster but it is not perfect. My philosophy is to try to work with what I have unless there is no alternative. For those of you who do decide to revise I wish you the best of luck. Just make sure that your new chosen surgery has been well researched and that you are going into it with eyes wide open and realistic expectations.

Skylily do you have an actual support group that you can go to? Often people who are struggling find that going to an actual support group with other bandits helps. Sharing with others in person can help more than an online group. I don't know where in Vic you live but if you are close to Melbourne's Western suburbs pm me for the details of a great group that meets once a month.

And for those who think that a bypass is the answer to all their problems I am adding a post from another support group that I am subscribed to. This is a previous post from the same person that gives a little bit of background. It seems this person is struggling with the bypass and has again stopped losing weight. I think the bottom line is that there is no such thing as a perfect WLS or even a one size fits all solution. Whichever surgery we choose is going to involve effort on our part - often a lot more than we at first hoped.The best thing to do is research , research, research prior to surgery and then go into your chosen surgery with your eyes wide open and lots of commitment. There will always be an unlucky minority that will not have success with the surgery that they have chosen. Sometimes it is due to non compliance, sometimes it is due to a not so good surgeon or poor aftercare and sometimes it seems that it is just plain bad luck.Sometimes a revision works sometimes it brings with it it's own set of problems.

Yes it is a long list of possible complications but Have you ever read the possible side effects and complications of your every day medications? Even things such as the birth control pill or simple headache pills have a long list of really scary complications.Most people decide that the risk is worth it. That is why it is important to be well informed prior to the procedure. My Dr told me about possible complications and gave me a booklet in which they were covered as well. He certainly didn't try to gloss over or cover anything up.A lot of the complications can be avoided by following the rules and not having the band too tight. Each person has to decide for them self if the potential risks outweigh the potential benefit. If you really don't want to take any risks then you should give up things like travelling by car. It is one of the riskiest things you can do.

Drinking and driving after a band is generally fine. Eating and driving can cause major problems.

This all sounds very strange. Makes one wonder how experienced your Dr is. Normally if you are stuck with a complete blockage the Dr should remove all the fill. This lets the blockage pass and then afterwards he/she can start slowly refilling the band. Yes the heartburn is a classic symptom of a too tight or slipped band. Again the first step here would normally be to remove some or all of the fill and see if it comes right. The fact that they removed your band, did not put a new one in and you are still having problems would seem to indicate that there has been some kind of damage somewhere. Possibly it was due to the band being too tight, or maybe the Dr placed it incorrectly originally. It may also be from scar tissue. You should go back to your Dr and ask him/her to explain what the problem is. Maybe you need further tests . If you do not get satisfactory answers then fiinding a new Dr (and getting copies of your medical records) would seem to be the logical next step. Good luck, I hope it all gets sorted out soon.

If you are throwing up daily then it could be one of a number of things. Eating too big bites and not chewing properly - but you have already stated it is not this. Not waiting long enough between bites. Eating too much Eating foods that do not agree with your band e.g tough dry meat, foods with skin etc. Once you have eliminated all these then the only other thing that it is likely to be is a too tight band.Either that or a slip but we won't consider worst case scenario's for now. Once you have figured out that you are doing everything right then you need to go back to your Dr - you probably need a small unfill.

I also thought that being in pain and vomiting 3 x indicated a problem.

Pandora type charms are quite popular but how about. A new lipstick A massage or beauty treatment A new CD/DVD/Game or whatever you are into New shoes/bag Or maybe a special trip away when you reach a certain goal.

No not really. I started off at 74 kg and was 70kg on op day - 2/6/2009 I lost:- Month 1 - 5kg Month 2 - 3kg Month 3 - 2.1kg Month 4 - 1.6 kg and that is where it sort of averaged off. If you look at it the loss is slower than if you have a huge amount to lose but it comes off steadily. I had hit 54.2kg by Dec 2009 , went overseas for 6 weeks and came back at 55.1kg. Not bad considering I didn't diet on holiday.Since then I have lost a bit more and now weigh 50kg. Has it been hard? Yes and no. Yes when for some reason food that should go down doesn't want to and I end up stuck or PBing. No because I haven't really had to diet which makes it far easier than any weight loss attempt previously. Would I go back or do i ever wish I hadn't had it done? HELL NO! I eat a well balanced diet with food from all food groups . Yes I eat junk too but not all the time and in small quantities. For me junk is things like chocolate or cake, I have never been a big fan of fried, greasy foods, McDs etc. There is something I should do but don't ( probably shouldn't confess this) but - I don't exercise. Yes I have done some in the past - Bollywood dancing,bellydancing etc but I don't really enjoy it and living in a small country town it is difficult. Do I have the perfect body? No. My stomach is not flat and perfect like all those airbrushed models in the magazines but I look pretty good with clothes on! And I still have a problem getting jeans. I need an Aus 6 (US2) to fit my legs and butt properly but I can't do them up around my middle. If I buy an 8 (US4) they are saggy and baggy around the butt and legs. Remember the journey is different for everyone. Some people have issues with hormones and insulin resistance etc and they struggle to take the weight off. I was told by my specialist though that having a low BMI meant I was more likely to lose 100% of my excess weight.The band is designed to help you lose approx 60% of excess weight and if you lose this amount the surgery is considered successful. It might seem a low % but they have to take into account that some people will not be as compliant as others and this will affect their success. The main thing to remember is that the band is not a magic wand it is a tool. You are still in charge of what you put in your mouth. The band helps to control hunger but people eat for many reasons other than hunger. If you choose to eat for these reasons the band cannot and will not stop you.Never think that the solution is to keep getting your band tightened. A too tight band will stop you from losing weight as it will stop you from eating healthy stuff but the high calorie , low nutrient food will slip down really easily.

So you had 3 different surgeons and 3 lots of issues? That is scary. Did you ever find out what went wrong the first twice?

I think the band changes the longer you have it. It is easier to eat foods that in the beginning were an issue. Also once you have been banded for a while you do not have the excitement and the motivation that you had initially. You have said it is head hunger and this is probably true. You need to work out why you eat and what you can do instead. Is it because you are bored, stressed, avoiding something etc. Can you fix it by taking up a hobby, going for a walk, painting your nails etc. It may be that you need help from a professional to find out why you want to eat when you are not hungry and how to handle it. Also have healthy Snacks at hand for when the munchies strike. A small handful of nuts, a piece of fruit, homemade veggie Soup etc will help to satisfy the urge but without causing the damage that biscuits,chocolate,crisps etc will. It is easy to eat when you are not hungry, I can vouch for that as it seems to be something I have been doing a lot of lately. Nothing like being forced to stay at home, take it easy and not exercise to make you want to keep running to the fridge.

It sounds as though you are still too tight. Alternatively it may indicate a slip or something like that. This is serious , you need to go back to your Dr and get it sorted out ASAP.

Because the grass is always greener on the other side? Because we always want what we don't have? Because we can always theorise that the other choice would have been easier? Yes the sleeve does have advantages (and some disadvantages) but it is still only a tool. If you want to lose weight you have to make the correct food choices and exercise. It is possible to eat around a sleeve the same way as it is a band. Eat slider foods or eat frequently and you won't lose weight. The main advantages with a sleeve are that after the surgery you don't have to keep going back for fills and it is not as easy to get stuck. But if you read the sleeve board you will see that some people still struggle with hunger and other issues. I think most of the problems with the band or any of the other WLS are that people expect them to be a miracle cure. They think that once the surgery is done the weight will magically fall off with no effort on their part. Often these unrealistic expectations are because they did not do sufficient research or because their Dr did not fully inform them before surgery. Whilst we would all like that perfect solution it does not yet exist. We can pick our tool and then work with it, recognising it's limitations to ensure that we achieve the best possible outcome. i feel sorry for those who are struggling but I would also caution against rushing into another procedure (unless your band has slipped, eroded etc) in the belief that it will solve all your problems.

Is it possible that the vomiting is from the meds they have him on? A lot of people react badly to morphine based drugs and also to anaesthesia. Did the Dr put Fluid in the band? If he did then he probably needs to take it out as for many people it causes problems at this stage of the process.Usually if people have problems at this stage it is because of post op swelling combined with fill being put in too early. The solution to that is to remove the fill which is a really simple procedure. Does your Dr have a lot of experience with the band? Has he had problems such as this before? It would seem strange that the stitches around the band were removed unless they had been put in incorrectly to start with. I also haven't heard of anyone having fat removed as part of the band placement procedure.That is not to say it doesn't happen. Hope it gets sorted out soon .

Great.

It is very unusual for a diet 3 months post op to consist of soft protein only. Your Dr obviously has a very unusual regime compared to the majority. Most people at this stage are able to eat normal foods as tolerated by them.

If these are the only foods that you can get down then you are too tight. You should get some fill removed so that you can eat healthily as otherwise you will end up putting weight back on But well done meats are a problem and you should not expect to be able to get them down with a band. Tough, dry, overcooked meat doesn't work. Lean, tender, juicy, succulent meat should work. Choose moist cooking methods over dry cooking methods. Slowcooking works far better than grilling etc.