NaNa

Butter, If you are going to post on the Lap band forum, please come in peace WITH accurate information. Can you please share a study of how YOUR Sleeve was performed WITHOUT staples? SAGES, Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, which MOST TOP credible US surgeons are a member, of including this link below of demonstrating system review of staple line reinforcement of the Sleeve, if the Sleeve did not have staples, why would many surgeons have issues with staple line breaks? http://www.sages.org/meetings/annual-meeting/abstracts-archive/a-systematic-review-of-staple-line-reinforcement-during-laparoscopic-sleeve-gastrectomy/

I am not posting misinformation, if someone IS interested in the Sleeve they can just go to any seminar or ask their surgeon if they have staples or not, it's just that simple.

I've never heard of a "sutured" Gastric Sleeve, I can't find any cited studies to back up this claim. I've asked MANY TOP Bariatric surgeons on how the Sleeve is performed and ALL says they used staples. If he has a "sutured" Gastric Sleeve, can he post the study and technique on this? I am curious.

I don't have staples in my stomach so I don't know, I am not sure what type of staples that my sister has in her stomach, but I am sure the Titanium staples are probably better and improved than the old stomach staples. If you don't have problems hopefully you will never have problems, I hope everyone stay "problem free" from all these surgeries. I was just reporting the problems my sister has had over the years, and what I've seen her go through personally and what my Sleeved friends report, backed up by studies. I report studies on lap band complications too, so I am not biased with any surgical type. I report any and all negative side effects of the lap band too.

I never said my sister had a Gastric Sleeve, I said she has a "Sleeved Like" stomach, she had part of her stomach removed, and she also has staples in her stomach. ALL Gastric Sleeves has staples in the stomach, so does Bypass patients, anyone can ask their Bariatric surgeon this question if they are not sure of what is done to them.

Hello... I am confused by your post...why should I lie about my sisters aliments? Anyone can just do a google search on the long term health issues with stomach stapling procedures and issues. I hope you have a very successful and uneventful journey, and never experience the horrible side effects that my sister has. My sister has no idea of what was done to her stomach, all she knows is that part of her stomach was removed due to the ulcers caused by the staples in her stomach over the years. Has technique improved with the "newer" stomach stapling procedures? Sure, but again staples are still in the stomach regardless of how well the techniques has improved, so these same issues probably can occur regardless in the Old stomach stapling or the newer techniques with the Sleeve. What I mean by my sister can't eat very much, I've rarely seen her eat a Big Burger and fries or a huge plate of food after 30 years, however, she CAN eat too much for her to lose weight with the HELP of her surgery. What I mean by she "eats" around her surgery is that she will eat sweets and carbs because they are easier for her to digest, she can't eat most meats, they don't digest well with her stomach, I guess the reason why she's gained all her weight back. Can she eat more than the palm of her hand in one sitting? Sure she can, in fact she can eat way more than I can when my lap band is properly restricted, however she can't eat as much as most obese people, so YES, her stomach as stretched back out to the point where it no longer HELPS with weight loss unless she diet and exercise and she CAN eat unlimited amounts of carbs and sweets, chips, etc.. My post was not about Bashing the Sleeve or Bashing her stomach stapling, it was about telling how she lives with this surgery and problems she has experienced, I only speak the truth and being honest about her experience over 30 years. My sister is not bulimic, she has some serious stomach issues caused by those staples in her stomach, and they cause her pain too. Sure, anyone can develop hypoglycemia without any weight loss surgery, those who are diabetic have the same issue. Here are reasons why Gastric Bypass and Gastric Sleeve patients suffer from dumping syndrome, because of rapid emptying of the stomach due to the small stapled stomach, however Gastric Sleeve patients don't have true dumping syndrome because their pyloric valve is still intact. But BOTH procedures can have dumping syndrome. http://www.nationalbariatriclink.org/bariatric-blog/tag/gastric-dumping-syndrome/ Here are other links and studies on Sleeve and Bypass Hypoglycemia issues long term.. Hypoglycemia in Gastric Sleeve and Bypass patient clinical trial study http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01581801 Sleeve Dumping syndrome and hypoglycemia http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22773085 Hope this helps you.

Hello, I am not mixing up Bariatric procedures I am well versed on all of them. My sister had the old stomach stapling procedure also called (VBG) which was used in the late 70's to early 90's, however she also had a partial gastrectomy, (part of her stomach removed) due to ulcers, so she DOES have a Sleeved like stomach WITH staples in her stomach. Surgeons in the US no longer perform the older stomach stapling procedure, because of the horrible long term complications, of bile reflux, (constant vomiting) and other health issues. Keep in MIND just because a Bariatric surgery is POPULAR TODAY, does not mean they will be POPULAR tomorrow, patients are usually guinea pigs with "newer" surgical types, since surgeons don't really don't know the long term consequences or issues with them, they only find out by patients long term complications, aliments and issues. Also, FYI, All Sleeved stomachs ARE stapled, sure some surgeon may use additional sutures, but surgeons use staples to staple the stomach. Late complications from Bypass and Sleeved stomachs can be staple line breaks and other issues, I can post these studies too if you need me too. The Lap Band and the Banded Plications are the ONLY surgical procedures that do NOT staple the stomach they use sutures and the Plication procedure folds the stomach. These Bariatric procedures uses Staples in the stomach: 1. Gastric Bypass (RNY) 2. Vertical Banded Gastrectomy 3. Sleeve Gastrectomy 4. DS (Duodenum Switch) Here is a video of Dr. Alvarez demonstrating how the Sleeved stomach is stapled with Titanium Staples. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MRWaAlaJF8

Parrisel, You mentioned: And the real tragedy is that she will find a doctor or NP who will consent to the fill, putting into place a trajectory that could very well lead to erosion or slippage. And she risks becoming another "band complication" statistic, all through her own faulty logic, with the complicity of the specialist allowing her to get restriction far too tight for the original intent of a lapband. Here is the thing that many people don't realize, patients ARE NOT TRUTHFUL on their intentions to their fill giver. MOST surgeons DO NOT know how tight our bands are. Some patients will not be truthful, and say, they DO NOT VOMIT and can eat solids. This is another big frustration to surgeons and why many surgeons are moving away from the band because of DIS HONEST patients. When a patient gets a fill, the surgeon WILL ASK THEM, how do you feel? The patient drinks the Water, the surgeon does not know if the water is sitting in the patients chest, and drizzle through, it is UP TO THE PATIENT to be honest as far as how much they can eat and whether or not they can eat solids without vomiting. Most surgeons tell patients to come back immediately or within 2-5 days if they can't eat solids, many patients do not go back if their bands are too tight. Lap band fill adjustments are not an exact science you have to tweak the fill to get it just right and sometimes it takes going back and forth to get to the sweet spot. Even fills done under Fluoroscopic does not tell the whole story because fills can also tighten up even further and sometimes it takes 2-3 weeks before a fill settles in and the patient really feels it. So the patient is the driver in how tight their band stays, not the doctor. or fill giver.

Hi Essence, Overall my sister is doing ok, the issues that she's had over the years has been, one hospitalization for ulcers, when the had to remove part of her stomach due to the staples, so she has a "Sleeved like stomach WITH staples. She had a revision surgery about 8 years ago, and she had many complications with that, but she healed and recovered, but she did not lose any weight. When she first had the surgery, she lost all of her weight and was skinny like Most Sleeved people, but eventually gained it all back. The weird thing is she still can't eat that much food after 30 years, but she learned to EAT AROUND her surgery and ate sweets, and her stomach stretched back out too big to help with weight loss, if she wants to lose weight now she has to do it the old fashion way with diet and exercise. The only negative things I've seen her do for MANY years is that when she eats, she will vomit her food, it's not like a Lap bander getting food stuck and just upchuck slime undigested food, it's REAL vomit (gross) and she gets SICK ALL THE TIME, and she says it because of the staples in her stomach, I have to be honest -- SHE VOMIT EVERY SINGLE DAY...I am not sure if this is healthy or not, but she's had to have her teeth capped twice. I DO NOT VOMIT AT ALL with my Lap band because I don't keep it too tight and I chew well, so her vomiting seems to be uncontrollable due to the staples in her stomach. Another negative, she will get sick with Hypoglycemia (dumping like syndrome) this is SOMETHING THAT MANY SLEEVERS get too, and this is disrupting her life, if we go out to a restaurant and eat, she can't eat certain things, and she has these attacks now every day, her symptoms, are weakness, shakiness, and feeling faint, she CANNOT work due to all this. When she gets an attack, she has to sit down and hold her head down, and drink cold Water, I asked some Bypass people what can she do to help her, she's been to specialist and they told her to modify her diet, but that is still not working, so now when she gets an hypoglycemia attack she drinks or eat some juice or Peanut Butter crackers. Also Hypoglycemia can get dangerous and life threatening if it chronic and if you have frequent fainting. Many people do not tell you the negative side effects of these surgeries, I am being honest. so it is your choice whether you would like to get the Sleeve or Lap Band, however, the Lap band requires MUCH MORE maintenance than a Sleeve, and if you are self pay for lap band you must be AWARE of the cost of complications IF they happen, fill cost, Upper Gi costs if needed. I do not recommend the band to people unless they have a good income or insurance for upkeep, and willing to change their lifestyle. This is a difficult decision to make, the Sleeve seems easier if you don't have complications, once the surgery is done, the only thing you need to do is keep up on your Vitamin supplements. However, if you get the Band, you will need to see your surgeon every 4-6 week for at least a year for optimal weight loss, and after you get to your green zone, then you really don't need to see your surgeon unless you have issues, but again the lap band after care is crucial for success. I hope this helps you make a decision Good luck and stay in touch regardless if you go Sleeve or Lap band, I am wishing you the best in whichever decision you make.

I want to add another point... My analogy with the Band is like: Making a Deal with the Devil....the thought of getting the band filled to only allow sips of liquids and the weight will just pour off very quickly for MANY can be very exciting....you brag about the weight loss, getting into your bikini, wearing a size 0-4, and we can go on and on and on.... But in the end -- it's not pretty and that deal with the Devil has costs many their lap bands....this is why many hate the band after a few years and bash it strongly because if they use it in the incorrect way...it can break many hearts and dreams...like Cinderella returning from the ball after the stroke of midnight..finding she is back to her pumpkin and ragged clothes....

Parisshel, You mentioned: I just read a lapband blog where the blogger decided her weight loss wasn't "fast enough" so she was going to get a fill that would allow her to take in her calories by liquid only. I just shook my head and thought "that is not the goal here." That sentence right there is the NUMBER ONE reasons for Lap Band complications. MANY here are losing their weight just like this, and THEY THINK they are in the "Clear" now because their bands has not turned on them -- at the moment. They think it is NORMAL to not be able to eat solids, If I KNEW that I would not suffer consequences by tightening my band up to allow ONLY liquids -- I would do this too, but I am not stupid, I've BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT APPROACH and I've seen too many others harmed by this approach, many NEWBIES that are less than 5 years post op will argue -- WELL nothing has happen to me - YET.....sometimes it takes awhile before horrible damage sets in. My advice, the lap band does not discriminate, it will bite and it will bite in a nasty way if the band is tighten beyond the recommended level. Dr. O'Brien put that safety chart out, yellow, green and red zones, describing HOW THE BAND WORKS clearly and MANY still IGNORE IT...and think they can get away with keeping a too tight band and think, it only happens to others....and sadly some don't care, they will just misuse the band until the reflux and vomiting get so bad until it has to be removed in an urgent way and then they will just revise to something else.... And if they revise to another surgery type.....Sooner or later these people will have to "comply" with SOME weight loss surgery, whether it be Band, Sleeve, Bypass or DS...sooner or later they will have to comply and these other surgeries will cost them their life if they don't comply...

Essence, It's true MANY Bariatric surgeons have moved away from the Band, that trend started about 4 years ago. The ONLY reason I came back here to post after so many years was to WARN newbies and help them understand how the lap band should work. The Lap band has a VERY high complication rate with some clinical practices, and the band requires follow up, diligence, and really knowing how it works. When my hernia got inflamed last year and I was seeking a GOOD revision band surgeon, I had to go out of state to find a very experienced band surgeon to help me because just about ALL the Bariatric surgeons in the Washington, DC, Northern, VA and Maryland areas were moving towards the Sleeve and phasing out the band, and only just doing aftercare and fill adjustments. I've done my homework on the Bypass and the Sleeve, have friends and family members with both and I also have an older sister that had a "stomach stapling" surgeon 30 years ago when she was only 23 years old, and I've seen how she lives with that surgery and I will never get a surgery that staples the stomach, WHICH the Bypass and Sleeve does, so a revision to the Bypass or Sleeve were not an option for me. So for ME, the decision was to get my hiatal hernia repaired which required removing my old band and replacing it with a new AP band. The band works for some, but NOT for many so it can be a toss up, this is why I am very passionate about the band and how it works since I've seen SO many friends over the years having to have it removed. Honestly, if there were no risk of developing Hypoglycemia, severe reflux and the possibility of the Sleeve stretching back out, I would have jumped on that very quick and removed my band, but right now sadly there are no surgical options that appeal to me from a long term health standpoint, that's why I decided to get rebanded instead of revising to the Sleeve. I also think it is a GOOD THING that *some* surgeons are moving away from the band because the GOOD Lap band surgeons that offer very good aftercare ARE still doing bands. In order for the band to work properly you need a surgeon that is band friendly that offers very good aftercare and will install and fill your band properly and follow your journey. Can you find a very good band surgeon now? Yes you can go to the Lap Band site and www.Lapband.com and do a search lap band surgeons in your area and you will have to do your research to find a good band surgeon, I had to go out of state to find my surgeon last year after I met with about 6 Bariatric surgeons, it was a daunting task to find a GOOD band surgeon that would help me. The Sleeve works great for many and most look great after weight loss, but I just did not want to take the health risk with it long term when it's not reversible, once the stomach is gone there is no turning back to the band WAS and IS still my only viable option for weight loss surgery. If you still want a lap band you will have to do your homework and search for a good one, I am VERY happy that I found a good band surgeon to fix my hernia and give me a new band, and I've lost just about all the 30 pounds that I regained last year and SO FAR, knock on wood, I've had no problem with my new band..... I got the band because it's adjustable and can be removed it any complications happen, and I would not change to any other surgical type at this point. I have NO side effects and good restriction and I am wearing a size 10 @ 5'7 inches tall, and keeping my weight down going on 9 years with little to no effort -- I love my band . Good luck!

It feels good to eat 1 scrambled egg for Breakfast w/cheese 1 slice of bacon, half an apple for lunch and a few spoons of re-fried Beans w/cheese and salsa for dinner. And seeing the scale move again....consistently.... This would not have been a big deal at 5 years post op...but I am going on 9 years and still have the restriction of a newbie...I love my band....

This is such inspiring story, also she looks awesome and like a different person after weight loss. http://www.cnn.com/2....html?hpt=hp_c3 Lauren and Justin Shelton attended her sister's wedding in September 2011. At the time, regular things like buckling a seat belt were a struggle for them because of their size. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Lauren and Justin Shelton lost a combined 538 pounds in 19 months They go to the gym six days a week and stay active on their day off They have found support in each other by taking every step of this journey together (CNN) -- At work one day, IT consultant Justin Shelton suddenly began to feel ill. A few hours later, he was in the emergency room, and doctors told him he might have a kidney infection. They just needed to run a scan to confirm the diagnosis. The next words were a cold reality check: The imaging machine could not support his weight. "They told me, 'We think you have a kidney infection, but we can't confirm for sure, so we're just going to treat it aggressively and hope that's what it is,' " Shelton said. He was 25 years old and weighed 592 pounds. Two years earlier, Justin's wife, Lauren Shelton, had had her own medical scare; her gallbladder had to be removed because of weight-related complications. At her heaviest, Lauren weighed 341 pounds. Their size made everyday tasks difficult, too. Years ago, Lauren was on a plane, and the seat belt wouldn't buckle. She was mortified and tried to hide from the flight attendants that she didn't fit into the seat. Both Lauren and Justin had been asked not to get on rides at a theme park because of their size. But Justin's trip to the emergency room was the final straw. Something needed to change. Luckily for Justin, doctors were right and able to treat his kidney infection without the scan. "It made me think, 'What if it was something else? What if it was more serious? What would I have done then?' " Justin said. So in February 2012, the couple began a 19-month journey to take control of their health. Early struggles "I was always bigger than the other kids, but the pounds really started packing on during high school and continued to do so over the next several years," For Justin, it was a knee injury at age 13 that kept him from playing sports. The exercise went away, bad eating habits continued, and his weight got out of control. The Sheltons met online seven years ago, and their relationship revolved around their eating habits. They would go out to eat and indulge in one unhealthy meal after another. They knew that in order to get healthy, they needed someone to steer them in the right direction. So they sought help from a weight-loss management program at a local medical school. A physician's assistant gave them guidelines on what they should and should not be eating, and on the amount of exercise they needed. Justin and Lauren started their new exercise routine by doing simple activities such as walking around the park and swimming. In late 2012, they joined a gym. "We go to the gym five to six days a week and take one day off and try to do something fun and active like hiking or swimming," Lauren said. The couple also started using a smartphone app to track the calories they consumed. In the beginning, they ate at restaurants only on special occasions and prepared all meals at home. Lauren found recipes for healthier versions of the foods they loved. Their diet primarily consists of lean meats with lots of fruits and vegetables. Even today, everything they eat goes into a food journal. The weight came off quickly at the beginning. Justin lost 25 pounds and Lauren lost 30 pounds during the first month alone. They tried to keep the weight loss steady after that, knowing they couldn't expect to see such a big number month after month without being disappointed. Weekly weigh-ins helped them track their progress. "We have graphs that show our weight loss through an app. It helps us stay motivated and get through the hard weeks," Justin said. In just 19 months, Justin dropped 362 pounds and Lauren lost 176, for a total of 538 pounds. 'Nobody is perfect' As they begin to move into the maintenance phase of their diet, the couple has allowed themselves to indulge once in a while. They now have what they call their Special Sunday Meal, where they will cook something they don't typically have during the week. "This Sunday, we may have grilled turkey burgers on a whole-wheat bun with some oven-baked potatoes," Lauren said. "Typically, we do not have starches very often and do not keep breads in the house." They still give in to cravings from time to time. Lauren says she has a sweet tooth, but she controls cravings by distracting herself with activities such as walks or naps. What keeps her on track is understanding that "No matter how many times you slipped or messed up, you just have to start over, and eventually you'll get there," she said. "You have to stay positive and remind yourself that you're human and nobody is perfect." Even though they've managed to lose a substantial amount of weight -- Lauren went from a size 32 dress to a size 12, and Justin went from size 58 pants to a size 36 -- the couple struggles with the psychological side effects of such a massive physical change. Self-image has been an obstacle for both Lauren and Justin. They admit to having moments when they still see themselves as the obese people they used to be. "I don't see myself as quite as small as what the pictures show or people tell us we look like," Lauren said. Through both the struggles and triumphs they have found support in each other. They say that doing this as a team has brought them closer together, and they feel like they are almost newlyweds again. Recently, Lauren and Justin traveled on a plane and were thrilled to find they could not only buckle their seat belts but needed to tighten them. They also returned to the theme park and rode the rides with no problems at all. "It was kind of triumphant," Justin said. "We are a lot more adventurous and outgoing. Our outlook has changed almost completely."

Hi JennyBean, You are correct MOST people have to go very low in order to lose weight, I do, too. When you get low in calories of around 500-800 calories a day you do need to supplement more and some people take B12 supplements to keep their strength up from being weak. Everyone that I've known to have the Bypass or Sleeve, usually go very low in calories, more so than Lap banders, since they lose very quickly. Some say that going low will take you into starvation mode, for ME, starvation mode does not exist, I can't lose consistently at 1500 calories, I think when you are very young and have a very strong metabolism that may work for young active people, but if you are over 40 like me, that does not work. Well hopefully if we use our band wisely, we will have our bands to stop that regain .. Yes that is the dangers of going low it can ruin your metabolism, this is why I try to walk daily or get on the treadmill daily for about 20 minutes to keep my metabolism strong. Well I feel stuffed too, here is the thing, I eat very dense food, this way I don't have to keep my band too tight, for example, I think my band is now at the right spot. I feel tight in the mornings, but I can still eat all solid food, if I eat yogurt, I don't get that signal that stimulates my vagus nerve, the key to eating with the band is eating DENSE food, that will keep hungry at bay for hours. Really learning how the band works takes a course ...lol... For example, if I eat a boil egg or scrambled egg it will keep my fuller longer than eating yogurt or cottage cheese or a Protein drink, remember food has to be dense to send that signal to your brain, and dense food also give you that stuffed feeling, that is how MY band works. And if I eat a few slices of an apple -- that's IT, I plugs me up and I can't eat dinner, so I have to carefully watch my diet to eat more because the more dense foods I eat the LESS I can eat, this is something newbies don't understand well, this is why newbies make a mistake and get too tight, when in fact being too tight will create the opposite. Believe it or not, those who's bands are too tight end up eating MORE calories than those who are in the green zone at their sweet spot, because when the band is too tight, will be fighting heartburn and a feeling of misery, More acid creates a false sense of hunger, and the vagus nerve is not stimulated because nothing dense is hitting the stomach, and those who are too tight will get sick and tired of sipping protein drinks, and yogurt and panic and eat chips, candy, Cookies, soft carbs, etc and many don't' lose weight and many end up with slipped bands with no weight loss. If you are feeling stuffed don't worry about it, that is a good thing, I guess you need to focus more on making sure that you are not eating over 4oz per meal. For ME, when I eat an egg and drink some crystal lite, I am stuff and can't eat any more, the band is not about restriction but feeling satisfied, but for me, I get full. In fact when I eat two solid meals, I can't eat anything else, for example, if I eat breakfast and lunch, I will not be hungry for dinner, and if I eat dinner when I wake up I am not hungry for breakfast until around 10am or 11am.....so it's difficult for me to eat 3 solid meals per day...but if I was eating soft food, and protein drinks I would be more hungrier. The key to the band is getting the adjustment "just right" where you can eat solids and dense foods to plug up the stomach to keep your hunger at bay for hours, and my band is now doing that. If the band is too tight you will not be able to enjoy or get down healthy dense food that will stimulate the vagus nerve to keep you satiated for hours, like an egg, or apple. Hope this helps.

Sorry this happened to you, Your surgeon is correct, if the band stays too tight for long periods of time you lose that feeling of satiety, and if the band is too tight you can't eat healthy foods, and if you are only eating sliders, and liquids calories, chips and junk food, you will never ever feel satisfied or full with the band...you will only feel misery and suffer complications. Wishing you good luck with your revision surgery.

Hey Mony, Welcome! Good to see old timers from the other forum, I remember you over 8 years ago. Good to hear you are still doing well after all these years.

I've had so many fills over the years I can no longer count, and I've experienced everything from bruising, little blood running out to pain. (But that was with my first surgeon), I have not had any of those issues with my new surgeon, so it does matter who is filling your band. But overall with most of my fills there is just a slight pinch when he stick the needle in. Some people have very hard stomachs, and it may hurt larger banded people since they have a larger stomach, but usually MOST fills should not hurt, just a little sting and it usually takes about 1 minute if the fill giver knows what they are doing. My surgeon fills my band, thank god, and I have a low profile port, a very small port that you can't see, and he finds my port in a second and my fill is over before I know it, he is really good. He sterilize the area and wipe down my stomach, and fills my band, some surgeons will remove all the saline to check how much is in there, but my surgeon, only add more saline, since we already know what I have, and then he puts a bandaid and I drink my Water and go .

Hi JennyBean, That's how my restriction used to be before I found my sweet spot, it would fluctuate, some days I would feel some restriction and some days I could eat a normal meal! Before I reached my sweet spot with this new band, I LOST nothing! Now my weight loss is like clock work, I got on the scale this morning and I was down another pound I agree with you should proceed cautiously in your next subsequent fills. I was in fact too tight before I found my sweet spot, I was really hungry between meals and could pretty much eat a full meal before I got to my sweet spot and my surgeon added 1cc, by the time I got home after my fill I could not swallow my spit, I had to turn around and go right back and have him remove half of that, and that took me to my sweet spot, so sometimes once you get near the green zone you have to do small tweaks and it my require a small unfill to get you where you need to be. I am at my sweet spot in the green zone, in the mornings when I wake up my band feels very tight, I usually drink some crystal lite or a Protein drink when I get up, but sometimes I will wait until around 10:am when my band is a little looser and cook 1 egg w/sauteed spring opinions and a little butter and sprinkled cheese -- which has less than 100 calories, and I may add a slice of bacon, which does not have but about 42 calories. With my sweet spot, I have to carefully eat my egg and bacon for breakfast, then I will drink crystal lite. By lunch time, I am no longer hungry, -- the band is doing its job, I can either skip lunch or have something very light, sometimes I will eat a piece of fruit, KEEP IN MIND, ideally with sweet spot, most people CAN EAT MOST FOODS, I can't eat thick bread, it will clog me up and I will slime, and I avoid all white products, like bread, rice, flour, etc. If I eat for example half of a small apple cut up without the peel, (I don't eat those very hard apples, they will be hard for me to get down, I eat those juicy kinda soft red apples, gives me daily Fiber too) this will actually plug me up more, and about 3-4 hours later for dinner I can't eat hardly nothing, but maybe a few teaspoons of something mushy like re-fried Beans or soft baked fish, only about 1 to maybe 2 oz is all I can eat. I know they say we are not supposed to fell stuffed, but I do, with my sweet spot I can't eat another bite after dinner, I have no desire to snack between meals and my raging hunger is gone. Also FOR ME, I tested out drinking crystal lite a few minutes after I'd eaten my eggs and I will tell you, it does not make any difference for me, I stay full the same as if I don't drink, also I find that if I don't drink something the food will feel like it's still stuck in my esophagus, so for ME, I do sip on a little crystal lite to push my food through and it works for ME. So you don't have to be too tight to reduce your food to liquids, in fact, I've been too tight before and there is really no advantage to it, and most people end up eating more calories when they are too tight because they can't get down but liquids, or soft stuff like yogurt, Protein drinks, chips, candy, etc....and this stuff WILL not keep you satiated for long periods of time and plus you can damage your band if its stays too tight too long with reflux issues... So my calories for a typically day now are Breakfast - 1 egg/cheese, 1 slice of bacon - 150-200 calories Lunch - 1/2 apple, or baked fish - 60- 100 calories Dinner - Refried beans/ salsa cheese light sour cream - 200 calories Zero calorie crystal lite As you can see I am barely eating 500-600 calories per day and it feels like I am eating full course meals of over 2000 calories. Sometimes I will add some mashed soft broccoli w/butter and garlic powder which hardly have no calories. Also if you already feel some restriction now, I will add maybe a little more until you sneak up on your sweet spot. Good luck

Your band is in the middle of your chest, so if you got a fill today, it's probably swelling....cold tea will further tighten the band too. Things to look for after a recent fill is reflux and extreme heartburn or burping are signals that you are too tight or something is wrong, and obviously vomiting. If you were able to get down cold tea, you are probably good to go, I would take it easy and make sure my sips of liquids are very teeny and not gulping. And again, if you continue to have uncomfortable sensations call your surgeons office. If it were me, I would not drink cold liquids along with pills, I made that mistake a few years ago and the cold Water tighten my band and the pill got stuck and I ended up in the ER from work, I will never do that again as long as I have a band.

Yes, the band tightens up for many people under stress, sorry about your loss. Sending Blessings your way

Most people will feel some discomfort from just the trauma of surgery, your surgeon sutured the band to your stomach so most people including myself had back and some shoulder pain. If it gets extreme you may want to call your surgeon, walking helped me, heat pad and Gas-X.

I thought I would post this topic because it may help others and I wonder if others are still waiting for hours to drink after they have eaten their food. Someone just made a post about not drinking up to a certain time after eating. Just think about it, if you "wait" and NOT wash the food down, it is actually sitting in your esophagus, "stretching" it over time, we lap banders do not have a pouch -- like Bypass people do, although we have called it that in the past, the band actually makes a little area above the banded stomach which is actually the lower esophagus. Well there is a LOT of misinformation going on now about not drinking and eating at the same time. When I got my band over 8 years ago, we were given the 30/30 rule to drink up to 30 minutes before a meal and not drink until after 30 minutes after we ate. NOW -- based on new evidence that MANY lap band surgeons and nutritionist are not aware of is waiting to drink IS NOT ADVISABLE - BUT CAN IN FACT CAUSE LAP BAND COMPLICATIONS. Could this be why the lap band complication rate in the US is so high? Could be, there is evidence by the most skilled lap band surgeon who created the green zone that waiting to drink will actually CAUSE esophageal dilation because the food must be washed through each time we eat and NOT sit in the esophagus causing to stretch, FOOD should always pass through the band and not sit for hours or days inside esophagus. Also I do find that if I eat and drink with my new band, I still get satisfied. Also if we can't drink right after taking a bit of food without vomiting the band is too tight, food and liquids should always go past the band. Please read this article on this subject in its entirely, I also gave this article to my own surgeon for him to review it because MANY US surgeons follow the Green zone chart to prevent complications with the band. One of the key lessons learned from Burton’s studies was that each bite of food should pass across the band completely before another bite is swallowed. There is no pouch or small stomach above the band and there should never be food sitting there waiting. http://bariatrictime...1/#comment-2133 Gastric Banding and the Fine Art of Eating

What is a KNOW it all? I don't just post willy nilly stuff without backing it up with cited materials or things that I've LEARNED and seen others go through over the years clinically by other surgeons and Bariatric professionals. Call it arrogant or whatever, that's your prerogative. That being said, most veterans like myself really don't have to post to share what worked for us, or have seen others go through with their lap bands. Also I learned MANY things over the years from OTHER lap band veterans that my surgeon(s) did not have a clue about, so sometimes learning from others who've BEEN THERE and DONE THAT with band is just AS important as cited materials, in my opinion. Many are getting invaluable FREE advice here on a Public forum OPEN TO EVERYONE. If you are the type of person from a small town and DON'T like diversity or opinions of others and only like to get YOUR advice from people that you *LIKE* AND CLICK with, please block me, because that will surely help me, because I don't want to waste my fingers helping someone that have other agendas here. I honestly don't have to spend one key stroke of advice here. I can just lurk and observe and keep quiet when people are in need, but I thought I would give back.When I was a newbie over 8 years ago, there were not that many long term veteran bandsters, but I sure WELCOMED their advice and their experiences whether good or bad, I am smart enough to filter out any advice that is not applicable to my own situation and take all information here with a grain of salt, and HOPEFULLY everyone else does the same. My advice that I've given here IS NOT GOSPEL and if anyone have read my post, they should be smart enough to take the information what they can use and discard the rest. We are unique individuals with different medical conditions, different types of anatomy, metabolisms, etc. Also, many think that their banded life will be the EXACT same forever, if they are in the "clear" today with NO issues, does not mean they will be in the "clear" in the next few years, so I think everyone should LEARN as much as they can about the band whether negative or positive. In fact each of our banded journey will be a bit different, some people complain about throwing up and not being able to eat healthy foods, I've never had that problem EVEN with a tightly restricted band (with two bands), so I honestly can't relate to some of these people's issues, I can just advise them based on what I've seen others go through over 8 years and THEY can either take that advice or ignore it. Regarding O'Brien, and his studies, many surgeons highly respect him, his updated information about no longer waiting to drink after 20 minutes has been out there on the internet in his videos now for about 3 years --- so I just REPEATED this information in my last post I am not sure how many here got so uptight about it, when it's been out there for a few years. I don't understand why many people here got angry OVER O'Briens advice or ANY advice about the band, NO one is pointing a gun to your head to make you take this advice, some people follow the 10 golden rules, some only follow a few of the rules...and many don't follow nothing...but that's YOUR prerogative I know that I will ALWAYS be humble and thankful for ANYONE posting here, whether it be complications, failures, successes, problem with surgeons, etc. -- ALL this information is valuable. Honestly the reason I put all of this information out here is that I've gotten sick and tired of hearing band bashing and so many having preventable complications. Even though I've been a member here over 7 years, I don't have that many posts here because I've ALWAYS been a happy lap bander, and not needed to post that much here, even when I experienced a bump in my journey last year and had to get a hernia repaired which caused me to get my old band replaced. My band changed my life, I got to wear cute clothes, got down as low as a size 8, maintained my weight loss for over 7 years with no problem, went on dating sprees, and dating guys that I thought I could never date and had the time of my life, married a wonderful guy 3 years ago, travel constantly, etc...so to say the band has not helped change my life is an understatement. I had not posted IN years, when I came back Alex welcomed me back and hopefully EVERYONE should feel welcomed to post here to share their journeys whether good or bad, some think they are invincible and NOTHING will never happen to them, My advice on that is learn, learn as much as you can about the band and always be cautious but yet positive and optimistic. I am a very happy and VERY successful long term lap bander and LUV my Band .

I don't want to burst your bubble...but YOUR only options are to go Bypass or Sleeve, YOU CANNOT get a lap band over what's left of your stomach.... Now a few surgeons are putting another type of band on Sleeves...because IT WILL stretch...Band to Sleeve revisions have a VERY LOW success rate... http://www.bariatricnews.net/?q=feature/11395/banding-sleeve-gastrectomy-%E2%80%9Cjust-makes-sense%E2%80%9D