phlphan

Banded in 4/09 - lost 60 lbs so far - doing well, except I notice that I can't eat solid foods very well and oftentimes am eating things that I know can just slide through - ie. Beans, sour cream, Soups, etc. chicken, Steak, Fish is all almost IMPOSSIBLE even when I chew chew chew..... Even eggs are quite impossible, especially in the morning. I don't want to screw with my weight loss and I am certainly feeling "full" although not for many hours. I am thinking a SLIGHT unfill to allow for more solid food, thus helping me feel "fuller" longer?.?.? Agree or disagree? Thanks!!!!!

Anybody else have the big incision getting "sucked in" a little bit? Seems to happen when I wake up that the incision is literally sucked in a bit - kinda freaky..... Just curious if anyone else had this happening.

Have had the band - and love it - since April. I always get pretty tight after a fill for a day or so. Yesterday had a fill of .4 at 11am. Had Soup at 1pm. At about 5pm got bad heartburn. 6pm tried a Protein shake and it wouldn't go down. Up all night - no sleep - with foaming and PBing saliva. I sipped VERY slowly coffee this AM and got a couple sips down. Tried some liquid Motrin and that came back up a few minutes ago. I realize I am just swollen from the fill - do I stick it out until the swelling goes down or do I do the ER thing since I know the doc is not in until Monday?? Thanks in advance for your opinion. Steve

Well.. note to self... If spit doesn't stay down, neither does the liquid Motrin... Oh-Well

This is all so interesting.... I was JUST filled today .4 cc, and I was great at the time of the fill. Two hours later, I did some Soup. Then, at about 5pm I had terrible heartburn, but thought nothing of it. At 6pm, I tried to do a Protein shake and it wouldn't go down AT ALL. Now, its 2:45am, and I am throwing up my own saliva and foam every 15 minutes or so. I obviously realize that I am swollen and thinking about trying the liquid Motrin?.?.? I hate to go to the ER at 2:45 in the morning, and am hoping the swelling goes down and I can tolerate it, b/c I really don't want any taken out if I can just get through the swelling part!!

Filled on Friday - liquids for two days. Was fine yesterday, but then this morning and through now, I have to drink even Water very very very slow or it comes back up. I definitely am having trouble keeping it down. Burp Burp Burp - Spit. Is this normal. Why was I fine yesterday and then today like this?

1. On a daily basis, I can go from having like zero restriction to the next day having too much restriction, is that normal? For instance, I hadn't lost in about three weeks and got to the point where I really could eat anything, and much more than the 4oz so I made a fill appt., but then this week, I have been very tight.... I feel stupid going in tomorrow for a fill, when right now, I have restriction - but for the past three weeks I've had zero. 2. Last fill I had, the doctor had trouble putting Fluid in... anyone else experienced that? 3. I felt lightheaded (don't laugh) last time holding the needle and havin him poke and prod and move it around to find the right spot... Should I let him know prior this time?

I went in today and he took out 1cc and that seemed to help a bit. I think I am the one who screwed up though. At the end of day two, I had some chicken at night - maybe that caused some swelling, I dunno... Anyway, he said I may get lose once the swelling goes down, and may need a fill again, but to wait about 3 weeks.

Yep - now the slightest sip of Water and it gurggles around, my mouth gets fll of spit and I have to burp constantly, and spit, burp and spit.... I guess for some reason it got tighter after a day.

Thanks - yeah... I guess the thing that trips me out is that I was fine yesterday (first day after fill), and then crazy tight today (day two).

1. On a daily basis, I can go from having like zero restriction to the next day having too much restriction, is that normal? For instance, I hadn't lost in about three weeks and got to the point where I really could eat anything, and much more than the 4oz so I made a fill appt., but then this week, I have been very tight.... I feel stupid going in tomorrow for a fill, when right now, I have restriction - but for the past three weeks I've had zero. 2. Last fill I had, the doctor had trouble putting Fluid in... anyone else experienced that? 3. I felt lightheaded (don't laugh) last time holding the needle and havin him poke and prod and move it around to find the right spot... Should I let him know prior this time?

I will get naked. Smear chocolate icing all over myself.... and party like its 1999.

Once again.. for clarity's sake..... I did not say "don't follow your doctor's orders" I simply said "relax, you will be fine".... For the love of God.

Hey now....... Don't be hating on the refried beans. I live on those - with a little bit of sour cream and salsa..... oh my sweet goodness..... :thumbup: Makes me want to be Mexican.

Ok.. Just a couple things.. then I think I will be able to let it go and "agree to disagree" 1. Straining to use the toilet CAN cause me to have a stroke - It doesn't mean it will. Trust me - I know.... 2. I appreciate your google searches and the reading you do/did. 3. I don't think you are being contentious at all, I think you are defending your opinion and I appreciate that. 4. A lot of people come here for reassurance... she licked a friggin' ketchup packet....I think she'll be okay.... its not like she ate a human because they looked tasty.... 5. You are really not trying to make an comparison out of thinking about cheating on your post-op diet and having unprotected sex with someone you don't know are you? 6. You are not fat, you are skinny deprived. Going to bed now - I will agree to disagree. I just want to be clear that I am a firm believer in common sense. If you choose to eat a cookie, eat a small cookie and chew that damn thing...... Don't come on here and say "Gosh.. I ate fourteen Doubletree chocolate Chip cookies" and then in the next sentence complain because: A. It got stuck OR B. You haven't lost weight in 6 months. But I also don't think that is someone says "I ate a cookie" we should freak out and throw the Physician's Desk Reference at them. I appreciate what you bring and like reading your posts - we just have two contrasting styles.

I appreciate what you are saying. But... Just like you say you feel as though, "that a doc should tell them to relax, not you or me who doesn't know the situation", all I am saying is that by making a statement like: "This action can rip loose your sutures. Cheating on the post op diet is a major cause of band slippage" Can scare the ever living shit out of some people who frankly do not need the ever-living crap scared out of them. I agree... let the doc tell them to relax, but also allow the doc to tell them your above statement as well. By putting yourself out there as an RN and your husband being an RN, your opinions are held in high regard (and should be). Just be careful freaking people out is all I am saying. Sometimes that can cause greater harm from people already scared crap-less then their actual actions. I guess the answer that should be given more than any is "Check with your doctor" - agree?

Yes - I know... I have read your story numerous times. I appreciate the fact that you are extremely cautious and that you encourage everyone to follow their doctors orders. All I am simply saying is that relaxing and not getting worked up about EVERY LITTLE THING is probably a good thing. I appreciate you had complications, I appreciate you sharing your complications with others - I just think sometimes you may scare the ever-living shit out of some people, that's all. This does not mean I disagree with your information or the "book sense" that you bring the forum. I do believe that some people need hard facts, while I think others need a little love and a "just relax". Steve "phlphan"

Don't be so hard on yourself... Here is a tip for you: The folks who have had Lap Band Horror Stories are going to give you "Lap Band Horror Stories", while the folks who have been fortunate to not have any complications, are going to say "I ate Waffle Cones, French Fries and even grilled up a Double Cheeseburger".... Just relax. You will be fine. Steve "phlphan"

Ok all - I officially am having trouble flying. Whenever I fly now, it takes me at least four days to recover. I was fine, just landed in Chicago this morning, and now I can barely eat anything.. I mean... like 2-3oz of tuna filled me up and got stuck at lunch today. Not sure if it affects some more than others obviously. Not sure what to do. I guess I will go on liquids until it loosens back up?.?.?.? Anybody else like this?

Well ever since my surgeon telepathically placed the band, I have had the worst zits on my abdomen and this one friggin' line on my abdomen that I think the tattoo guy put there - still red - I hope my tat is not infected!

Colon cleaning... now that's a neat topic.

Its important to remember the funny things.... We all are in the midst of a journey obviously, but I am a firm believer that a little bit of humor makes everything better: food, Exercise, Sex, and yes... even our PB'ing and BM's. So I was thinking the this morning about the funniest thing that has happened to me since I started this journey seven months ago. (You know prior to the dreaded 6 mo diet and exercise bull shit). My wife, who is a 3rd grade teacher, was running late to our "pre-op" support group meeting at the surgeon's office. Basically, I later found out that this "support group meeting" is more-or-less an "ok, this is the crap you need to do if you want insurance to pay for you to be thin. If not, you are going to have to pay X...." To make a long story short, I remember getting mad because wifey was late, and I called her. I glanced back into the room, and realized all the seats were being taken up. I clearly remember saying "Sarah... hurry up... all the fat people are taking all the good seats". Funny how looking back on that now I just laugh. Oh-Well. Have a great weekend.

Okay, so since joining this Board a couple month ago, I have noticed some interesting things. I'd like to start with the differences in posts: POST 1 EXAMPLE: "Oh my gosh! I just ate twelve brownies, two bagels, a piece of french bread pizza (but it was whole-wheat ), sixteen orders of french fries and topped it off with two large chocolate milk shakes and I feel sick.... what should I do?? Help me, help me now!!!" Then there are some like this: POST 2 EXAMPLE: "I accidently ate 5oz instead of my doctors precribed 4oz meal, what should I do?" The reactions of some posters are equally as interesting, as "some" posters will answer the first post with: "Oh heck...its alright, when I was 2 days out of surgery I went to a pig roast and wouldn't you know it, I ate half the pig and still had room for granny's punkin' pie - which she had made more for the rest of the family" Then of course, to the other side of the coin, you have "some" posters in response to the second post: "Mother of GOD!! You must call your surgeon immediately.. My band slipped all the way down to my rectum and fell out, got caught on my ankle, made me trip and they had to do sixteen hours of surgery just to disentangle my port tubing from my ass" The bottom line is: For God's sake people use your common friggin' sense. Some on here overreact, some underreact.... Some people do dumb things... Some are way too paranoid. Then there was a post a week or so ago that the poor lady sayd she had been puking three times a day for the past six month.... Ummmm... I am not a rocket scientist and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn last night, but I can tell you that if I puked three times IN ONE DAY, let alone for six months, I would call my doctor... Common damn sense people. Happy Memorial Day.

Filled on the 21st of May to 5.5cc total. First week and a half after the fill, was basically able to eat whatever, and didn't seem like much of a fill and was thinking about calling for another one.. So then just this past week while traveling, it is like something friggin' kicked in. Can not eat more than 4oz, def. feel the sternum discomfort if I eat too fast or too much, crazy tight in the morning.... So my question is: What the Hell happened between the two weeks and this week? Did my band just wake up one day and think "well, shit... I guess I'll start working!"? Steve