GuyMontag

Here's a very similar topic to help you out! http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/173277-lapband-acronyms-wlspbnvs/page__hl__nsv#entry2025133

On another note...and I should have said something in my first post...but you are not failing. This is a journey and a learning experience. I had to try several different diets, weight loss methods, etc. before I found what works for me. I don't count the ones that didn't work against myself or say I failed because at least I was taking the initiative to try and find ways to get healthier. Just because some of those paths didn't work as well as others I didn't get down on myself. You're not failing, you are just still trying to find true success. You'd be failing if you didn't try anything while you knew you needed to.

I'd get VERY small fills and go very slow with any kind of change. If you keep having trouble you might consider revision to another band or the sleeve.

I always found weight loss to be about 80/20 diet/exercise. How's your exercise going?

My first fill was 3 1/2 weeks out.

I learned a bunch of new ones in chat like, MIL = Mother In Law, TOM = Time Of Month, DH = Dear Hubby.

When I was fat I would forget I was fat and try to go out and be active and I got reminded VERY quickly that I was fat. I was reminded that I'm 38 recently and for some reason I still think of myself more like 28. When I go out and do something it's SO much easier without the weight. I can get in shape with so much less effort and carry stuff and get around with ease. I still have days where I feel lethargic but most days if I want to get up and go I can without getting exhausted after 10 minutes.

I'm Irish so I never get sick from drinking I hadn't even thought of that potential downfall. Good point though. Lol.

I don't remember any specific drinking restrictions but Mis is right about the extra calories and the danger of alcohol abuse. Many weight loss patients become alcoholics because they trade one coping mechanism for another. Also alcohol makes you tighten way the heck up from dehydration. IF you drink I'd highly recommend drinking lots of fluids before you start drinking alcohol and then drink one glass of Water for each alcoholic drink you consume AND drink plenty of fluids the next day and maybe even think about following up with some liquid motrin for the swelling. That being said, I don't drink often but I've never had it mess with my band other than the tightness the next day.

Try liquid motrin and stay on liquids for awhile.

I would tell myself how important it is to stay hydrated. NEVER EVER EVER DEHYDRATE as I smack myself around.

I'm not sure I've ever vomited from 'below my band' and the thought of that scares me like if I get a stomach bug or something. When I throw it it's from my pouch and it's very uncomfortable. After I'm done though I usually do a big burp and fill a ton of relief. However, I'm instantly swollen after the episode.

I like Mis's advice but if it was me I'd probably still try to get a fill. Lol. Honestly, I doubt you can find a doc that would just 'do a fill' for you. There's usually some kind of transfer fee for new patients so unless you're Daddy Warbucks it's probably not worth it. Fills are pretty standard fare but anything can be screwed up by the wrong person. They can even nick your tubing causing a leak if someone makes a mistake.

Then in 4 1/2 years I've never PB'd like a butterfly.

For me I find that it's just experimenting. I thought eggplant parmesan would be a good food choice but for some reason it goes down REALLY slow. Then I tried no-noodle zucchini lasagna and I could eat it no problem! Bananas always cause me problems for some reason. It's more of just a trial and error thing because each dang band is so different. I've also learned certain tricks like for scrambled eggs, if they add water or milk to 'fluff' them up they are a lot harder to eat for me than if they just mixed the eggs by themselves and scrambled them. I've also learned that if I'm craving bread I can usually use a cracker instead. This works great for lunch meat, tuna salad, etc. It's taken me a long time to learn what my band can and cannot tolerate and it's still a work in progress but I don't miss foods nearly as much as I used to. Good luck with your journey!

I think a lot of people try to candy coat vomiting as, it was just a pb! Like everyone does that all the time. For me, vomiting and pb are pretty much the same thing. I never just lightly burp and delicately bring up a few bites that can easily be tucked away in a napkin. So to me, PB = Vomit. That being said, either way, take it easy after an episode because it can cause swelling. You're doing the right thing there. Anytime I would have an episode I would immediately make my next meal a full liquid and the next one a mushie and then slowly go back to regular foods. Sometimes I would also take some liquid motrin to help with the swelling. I know some people are okay with throwing up once a week, a day, or even several times a day. Personally, I don't want to throw up once a year if I can help it! Vomiting is a normal part of the learning curve with the band but with proper care and attention it can be avoided almost completely eventually. Good luck!

The way I define the green zone for me is if I have enough restriction that I cannot comfortably eat a cheeseburger like a Big Mac or a Whopper. Sometimes I'll take a bite and be like, yup, band is still working. But if I ever get to a point where I could one every day with the bread then i'd definitely get a fill.

I burp a little after each bite goes down but it's very small. I also get the internal hiccups. There isn't any noise it's more like 3 or 4 small muscle spasms in my stomach that passes the food through and lets me know I'm done eating.

As long as you're not having any trouble with acid reflux or pain or anything else noticeable like that, you've probably just gotten looser because you've lost some weight. In rare cases you can have a leak but 95% of the time when you lose restriction it's just from the swelling going down and your stomach becoming leaner. I wouldn't be too worried about it. I had this happen over and over and over again until I finally lost all my weight and got my band very full.

Let me tell you something, if you have something that is your weakness and you give then it can easily become your downfall. If you drink 3 sodas a day and think you can cut them out and then just start only having one a month then let me tell you it's a hell of a lot harder than you think. Once you burst that bubble it's VERY hard to put it back together. If you're that worried about all of the restrictions with lapband then have you considered bypass or sleeve? You'll still have to make some lifestyle changes but I don't think they are as easy to defeat as the band is. I'm not trying to disuade you but I am trying to be practical and I wouldn't recommend getting this surgery until you are committed and ready. It's not a walk in the park but it can be a great tool if used correctly. Lastly, here's a rule of thumb I have learned, don't take any nutrition advice that isn't a doctor or a lap band patient. People may 'think' they know how a band patient should eat but they are usually wrong. I won't even listen to a nurse or a nutritionist unless they are banded. I might shake my head and nod but internally I'm thinking, if I could do what you just said then I wouldn't have needed the damn band! Lol.

If a slip is going to happen it usually happens in the first few months or after major weight loss. However, they can happen any time and most people I know that have had them it happened to them after their first year.

As a bandster burping will become your friend. Lol.

I saw these today and thought they were good: http://www.realself.com/question/gastric-band-slippage-symptoms

To be on the safe side I'd wait about two weeks. Honestly though, being upright is the most comfortable position to be in with the band so sitting in a car or a plane probably wouldn't be too big of a deal.

If I was starting from scratch I would consider either the band or sleeve. I've seen too many people with bypass either not lose much, gain back, or lose too much and look sickly. I've been happy with my band but it has definitely been a pain in the ass sometimes. If someone were to put me on the spot right now and ask me if I wanted sleeve or band I'd probably lean towards sleeve but I'd be just as happy to have the band again. Honestly, I haven't researched the sleeve enough to know what kind of pain in the ass side effects it has so maybe if I had it I'd have the same annoyances I have with the band. The good thing is, I can live with annoyances. Lol.