GoingforGoal

Does sound like a slip or dilation. Fluids can't hurt as long as you are getting adequate nutrition. However, depending on the severity of your condition, it may not be enough to resolve the issue in all. This will require an upper GI. Personally, I don't like the idea of you waiting a few weeks to get this test done. Anyway you can go through a PCP instead to get one sooner?

Hello, This is absolutely a relevant subject. I am not certain if this plays out more for people who have been overweight all their lives vs not, but having never been thin one must learn what it feels like to be thin. I have had similar experiences (sitting in the middle seat on a plane, riding the roller coaster, squeezing through tight arrangements in a restaurant, sitting on laps etc). These are things you hesitate to do, if not completely avoid, when you are overweight. There's nothing worse than negative feedback (ie getting stuck, creeping onto other people's space, getting a negative reaction as to how much you weigh etc). When you lose significant weight and reach goal you continually experience these reality checks that people perceive you differently and that you are rid of those physical obstacles you once endured. It's pretty amazing because these are the moments your confidence grows bit by bit and slowly but surely you no longer question whether you are thin, you know it. Of course with that being said, I still struggle with weight issues mostly because of the lose skin I have. There are days I feel my best as if I'm a size zero and other days I feel 50 lbs overweight lol. But I recognize I am now dealing with some internal demons. But these experiences bring balance to my negative talk and overall I just feel great! Thanks for sharing your story, and yes, feeling your best is far better than a full belly

Another good point is to not travel so close to after a fill because if you have an overfill you'll be stuck in an emergency situation trying to find someone in your area to unfill you.

Your doctor may recommend one over the other, however, ultimately you choose which procedure to have. Like the others, I too chose lapband because it was the least invasive and was reversible if any complications were to occur. I was also not thrilled with the concept of likely malabsorption issues you get with bypass and having issues like Vitamin deficiencies etc. Also not a fan of dumping syndrome, again associated with bypass. The sleeve also has it's own complications, they too can suffer from GERD but they can also suffer from malrotation, bleeding, adhesions etc. I was just always concerned with what the go to would be if I had these issues and it seemed like bypass and sleeve had limited options. I'm nearly 4 years out, lost 100 lbs and am at goal. I know I could not have done this w/out the band.

Hi Cherie, Sorry for your frustration. I remember military living and seemingly you have no to limited choice as to what happens when it comes to medical care. Needless to say, I would certainly throw a pitch with the doc and explain to him that your follow up is what will lead to your success or failure. Ask him what can be done in emergency situations where he has to go into surgery. Fills take no more than 15 mins and can be squeezed in for sure. Fortunately you are still losing. Things to consider for a fill are: 1) are you losing weight? 2) are you satiated at least 3 hrs between meals? 3) are you not having any negative symptoms (stuck, gerd, eating too small of portions etc). As long as you answer yes to all of these a fill can be postponed. However, also consider that as time elapses (for the most part) the band restriction diminishes and it became increasingly harder to maintain your diet. Secondarily, when/if you feel the need to start fills you'll have prolonged your time to get to green. Most of us get our fills like clockwork every 4-6 weeks until we reach green. I hear stories of people who are equally frustrated because they are near a year out and still not at green because of doctor issues. As for eating, I stop at least 1 hr before the surgery to ensure there is no food in my pouch which could cause increased pressure on the band. When you get your fill you want everything unaffected so that you can get a real sense of what restriction you have with no pressure on the band. Good luck and great job on the wl so far!

Only thing to do is stay mobile as much as possible, use a heating pad for comfort and realize that this is temporary as uncomfortable as it is.

Agreed! Great job on the follow up and your wl

Welcome to LBT and congrats on your decision to get the band. It is very difficult for people who do not struggle with being overweight to empathize or fully understand your condition/issues. They simply chalk it up to a lack of self control and don't realize it goes much further than that. It will really serve you to be on lbt as frequently as you can. Not only do we all relate to being overweight but we all made the like choice to get banded as our last ditch efforts. Plus we have all the insider info on what to expect, what to do if things go awry, and neat tricks to get you to goal. Never doubt yourself, you made the right decision.

Clearly you are undermining the severity of sleep apnea and the body's essential need for oxygen. Provent is out of business http://sleepdisorders.about.com/b/2013/03/22/sleep-apnea-treatment-provent-reportedly-goes-out-of-business.htm due to it's inconsistent results. On a + note, the CPAP and sleep apnea will hopefully be temporary once you lose weight. I'm just not thrilled with the ambivalence in your post

Did you doc even record how many cc's he put in? Did he tell you how much he put in if so?

Anxiety is normal but serves no purpose Just count the days, focus on prepartions, and start positive thinking. You'll do great!

Not sure what guidelines your doc put you on, so I'm uncertain if you are being too aggressive and moving onto the next food stage prematurely or not. Here is a typical food plan for postop to transition you from liquids to solids. There's also ideas for what to eat. http://www.longviewregional.com/weightloss/Documents/LapBandPostOpDietMealPlan.pdf Also, without giving us an idea of what you are eating or how much, it's hard to speculate if indeed you are overeating or not. As for PCOS, it can be a complicated disorder. However, obesity is a culprit since the higher insulin levels contribute to the release of more LH and stimulates androgen production. Simply put, your weight is effecting the hormonal balance in your body. As you lose weight, your hormones go back to stasis and you can restore normal menstruation and fertility. I had PCOS and had difficulties conceiving w/out meds/treatments. After losing 50 lb on the band I got pregnant on one try unassisted. Hopefully you can get to a place that that happens for you or at least meds like Clomid can help you conceive. Right now focus on transitioning to solids. Report any symptoms to your doctor. Remember, it takes weeks for the inflammation to subside and even mushies can make it an uncomfortable experience.

It will happen again, and its ok. Just compensate with another meal (skim off 100-150 cals) and it'll have zero effect. You'll have to understand how to live in moderation and how to plan and compensate for it. It's a powerful realization when you learn that you can incorporate junk foods on occasion without it destroying your wl efforts. The key is to not do it all the time.

sounds like your stomach is desiring solids lol. It should be safe to start transitioning into solids. Try some mushies and see how it goes. Your stomach pains should subside.

Hello, Sorry to hear about your frustrations. I am astonished that your doctor is so vocal and unsupportive. I would definitely reconsider PCPs and preferably find one who is more pro band as I could not tolerate his treatment either. Do not allow this setback to effect you and stay strong!

Technically yes, these are called slider foods. Sliders are foods that help your meal slide through your band quicker. So if you are eating soup you may realize that you feel hungry sooner. I have soup at least 1-2x per week but I get the ones that have lots of meat in them and it seems to do the trick. I recommend progresso lites, 200 cals for the entire can !!! Other sliders you may not have considered: dressings, sauces, crackers, Cookies, chips, cake, icecream/shakes because they are easily dissolved. However, side note: sliders in my opinion can be a lifesaver. Not the cookies/icecream bit but the sauces bit but in other times. A great example, chicken for me is very difficult to pass. I do my best to cook it moist etc but that's not always the outcome. Sauce with chicken prevents it from sticking. It doesn't actually make the chicken slide right through like Water, but it gives it enough moisture that it doesn't hit the band as one solid piece (like I swallowed once large piece) and let's it stay broken up so it can pass like normal. I hope that makes sense.

The reason he is withholding fruit for the first month is because they are high in acidity. Bandsters are prone to GERD/reflux, especially immediately after surgery because the stomach is already acidic due to the lack of solids. it's a good idea to avoid the fruits for now. It's also important to remember that if you start to develop GERD like symptoms to avoid other foods/drinks that increase acidity (so remember our fruit conversation, but things like coffee and alcohol are also culprits). Once you are past the first month, experiment because some fruits can be hard to eat. Fibrous ones are the most difficult (ie oranges).

Hi, Congrats on the amazing wl and in such a short period of time. Plateaus are normal and you are blessed that you didn't get one sooner and more frequently. However, plateaus are a period of time that your body readjusts. Metabolism readjusts and until than your body will cease to lose additional weight because it's trying to prevent starvation. Gowalking is absolutely correct. This is a body builders secret. They eat clean for 5-6 days and intentionally eat crap on the weekend or 7th day. This prevents the body from ceasing wl to prevent starvation. So have a cheat weekend. Not saying eat more, but eat higher cals. Have a muffin, eat peanut butter, a piece of cake. Once you restart your diet you will lose weight again. Additionally, what has been working for 13 months may not be what you need to lose weight. You may have to vamp up the workouts or decrease calories again because your metabolism shifts as you lose weight. This is where a food/exerc. log comes in handy so you can track how subtle changes do or do not have an impact on your wl. Hope this helps

I'm the same, tortilla is my enemy lol

Keep those pics. It was completely rewarding and motivating when I compared my pics. May not seem huge 10, 20, 30 lbs away but when you are 50, 75 and 100 lbs smaller it's just amazing. I think most of us suffer from delusion when we are obese. That's one of the reasons we become obese. The weight creeps on pound by pound and so there is no dramatic difference day to day. And sure we notice that our clothes size creeps up as well. But the reality is we feel the same. Your screwed if you actually have curves or larger breasts etc because you just focus on the fact that you still have shape etc. Than one day you lose 50+ lbs and you compare pics and say "I was never THAT big was I?" Yes you were... talk about a reality check

3cc for me. As you can tell, it's all about your doctor's preference

Congrats

What diet do you know that makes you lose 23lbs in one month? Only?????? It's very important that we have realistic expectations. This not like gastric bypass where you hear people losing 100 lbs in 3 months. Drop your expectations to sensible loss like 8 lb/month. Everything on top of that is gravy. Additionally, it typically takes 3-5 fills to reach green which is usually accomplished in 4+ months depending on how aggressive the doc is. Some are not at green almost a year postop. Each fill typically helps as you increase restriction, but it's not long lasting until you need another fill. I hope the fills help you curb your appetite until you get to green. Good luck

Sounds like an inexperienced PA. My hubby had the same issue with a PA but when the doc came in he was able to get it in one shot. I'm a RN and can't tell you how the confidence and experience of your nurse/doc etc makes such a huge difference. It is not insensible to request future fills to not be done by that particular PA due to your experience. As for someone's tattoo comment, sounds great, but watch out...your port will migrate when you lose weight. Not that your port floats to a different position as it is sutured in, rather the abdominal wall it's suture to moves inward. My port was under the nipple line when I first got banded but it is not under my sternum. Also, lying down makes palpating the port easier than standing up.