volleymom

I am 2 1/2 years post-op and have not had great success. I lost 50 pounds but have gained 20 of that back. I went Tuesday to get a fill and felt great the rest of Tuesday and all day Wednesday; but yesterday and today I can barely swallow. I usually start out my day by having a sugar-free Carnation instant breakfat with a cup of milk, but after 1 swallow of it I feel bloated and uncomfortable as if I need to throw up. I absolutely cannot find the green zone! I didn't expect to feel so uncomfortable so often with the lap band. I thought I was prepared with all of my research and pre-op testing but now I'm not so sure. All you hear is how great it is and you get caught up with everyone's success stories - no one tells you how uncomfortable it really is. I guess I'm a little down today because I can barely breathe after taking just one small swallow of the milk....please believe that I'm not usually so negative/dramatic

I appreciate all of your comments and suggestions - thank you! The fill that I had three days ago was under flueroscopy and I was told everything looked great. She added .4 which puts me at 5.6 in a 10 cc band. I think I'm going to call today and see if they can take out .2 - maybe that will be the magic number! Cheryldee - your comments were so right on the money! You would think after being banded this long I would have the hang of it but I don't! It's so darn fickle! Oh well, taking baby steps

I've never had a problem with milk before - it's something to do with this last fill. I think I'm trying to drink too early in the morning. I'm going to tough it out these next few days and only drink clear fluids until I get a strong craving for food and see how that works out. I've been reading a lot of other posts today and it seems like a lot of people have problems eating or drinking in the mornings.

I am so thankful for this topic - I thought I was the only one with such extreme fluctuations!

I think that's what I'm doing wrong - trying to drink too early in the morning. Maybe tomorrow I'll wait until I have a strong urge for food before I try to eat/drink anything. That's one thing I miss about pre-band days - being able to eat Breakfast with my family. Thanks for the sympathy

I can't ever actually feel my band. I know when my band feels tight by my ability to eat. And mornings are tight for me too. Usually I have to take breakfast really, really slow, and take very small bites, and chew like crazy! Having something hot to drink first usually helps though. Another person posted that sometimes a whole meal can be ruined after just one bite! So once again, I'm relearning to use my tool the way it is intended!

boy, do I understand what you're saying! I wish I could be encouraging but I too am failing miserably with the band. Mine has been in for two years, and I lost 50 lbs in the first year, and haven't lost a bit since then! Still have 50 more to go. I am sabotaging myself, but cannot seem to stop, because I hate the way the restriction makes me feel. Therefore, I eat what goes down the easiest, which is not always the best choice. I hope someone responds to your post - and quickly!

I have 5 cc's in a 10 cc band and I still feel like I can eat too much. Some things go down very easily - like salad, even with grilled chicken in it - and I can almost eat as much as I want. To be fair, there are other things that don't go down well at all though. I tried to eat a tamale yesterday and couldn't even eat half of it. I'm scared I've stretched my pouch - is that something I can fix on my own? Thanks, Cindy Banded 6-3-09

Lauren, thanks for posting this question. I received my first fill 7-1-09 and I can also eat almost anything without a problem... I read in my paperwork they sent home with me after the fill that said most people won't notice a lot of restricion until after their first 2 fills. But it sure seems like it's too soon to get another fill huh!

I just compared my bottle of flintstone vitamins (which the label says to only chew 1 tablet for adults) to centrum chewables and there is VERY little difference in the supplement amounts. So I'm curious why they say to take 2 flintstones for adults, and also why (I saw on another thread) that their nutritionist said to trade in their flintstones for a vitamin for grown-ups.

From what I've read the reason you should not drink through a straw is because it causes you to take in air which can be painful. Is this the only reason? Is there anyone who can drink from a straw without discomfort? I have not had my first fill yet and I can drink through a straw without a problem...I just want to know if that's going to change when I get a fill.

thanks for the info. At home or work I don't usually use a straw but it grosses me out to think about not using one at a restaraunt.

I thought it might be the iron also, but they both have 18 mg. The only thing I see that is completely different are the last 3 ingredients in centrum which are manganese (50%), chromium(17%), and molybdenum (17%). I've never heard of any of these but I will discuss this again with my doctor next time I see him.

Maybe I don't really want to know!!!! But I can't figure out what "PBing" or "sliming" means!!

I was banded June 3, and with the two week pre-op diet, then liquid stage, then soft foods stage - I thought surely I would have lost more than 8 lbs. I know it can be slow going for some of us but I was looking for a little more scale-reward after 4 weeks of "dieting." Does anyone have any advice/reassurance for me?

I was pretty hungry too at that point. And I agree with the egg drop soup! And my doc ok'd fruit smoothies for the second week - and tuna!!

thanks for sharing that. I haven't had a fill yet but this helps me know what I'm looking at!

Thanks to all of you for your support!! I tell myself that 8 lbs in four weeks is awesome!!! But like other posters have said - I get a little discouraged when I read about other people who have lost a lot more than that in the same amount of time. I don't care - if I average 1-2 lbs a week from here on out I will be on top of the world!!!

I'm 13 days post-op and doing fine also. No nausea, gas, etc. I try to eat slow and chew really well. I'm having to practice doing both since I didn't do that before I was banded. Ready for my first fill!!