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Hello All, I've had my band for over a year and generally things have gone very well. But I have one issue I can't seem to find the answer for and it's this.... I can go for months doing great and then out of nowhere my band tightens and I'm barely able to get liquids down or during one incident, not at all. I wonder what seems to cause shis sudden tighenting and if it will resolve itself. Generally, I run right down to my doc and have them unfill me. But this time I am able to get liquids down, much to my band's chagrin. I'm wondering if this will resolve itself in a few days or if I should go get an unfill. I'm pretty sure I should get it unfilled but I was just wondering if anyone else ever experienced this sudden tightening and what you chose to do about it. Thanks.

I tried to search this topic but nothing came up. I was wondering if anyone out there has a SousVide cooker and how they like it. I have read a lot about Water bath cooking and how tender the meat is. I have even seen one bariatric surgeon in Phoenix recommend it. My husband is in the meat cooking industry and he says this is the preferred method of commercial lines because it keeps so much mositure in the meat. Plus the slow cooking at low temperatures breaks down the meat Proteins which makes the meat super tender. I had to go vegetarian for over 2 years because my band simply would not tolerate meat unless it was almost completely empty, which of course, defeated the purpose. Now I am at my goal weight and am really missing the meat. I want to get a Sous Vide cooker but the cheapest one I can find is $300. I'm just wondering if anyone out there has one and if it really makes a difference with the Lap Band tolerating meat. I could splurge on the machine if it really made a difference. My husband like his meat cooked to shoe-leather consistency but I don't nor could my band tolerate it even if I did. Any input would be appreciated.

Yes, bands are particular to their owners, this is very true. I was simply looking for a general concensus as I could find no comments short of Dr. Simpsons website on the relationship between banders and Sous Vide cooking. I have done a lot of research on Sous Vide cooking and precise temperatures are the key. Many home rigged operations do not afford the perecise temperature needed for safe and effective cooking. I did try a few items in a well monitored home rig and got good enough results to warrant purchasing a Sous Vide Supreme. I would like to begin by saying that my band is very tight and fickle. What does not work for me one day may be easily tolerated a week later so I am very careful to do sort of a physical/mental 'band check' each day and that works well for me. According to my band research, the main difficulty with meat passing through the band is dryness or lack of collagen break down. I'm not sure what to believe as my band is as fickle as a 16 year old girl. One day I can eat a certain item and the next it's a complete no-go. So here's my review of the Sous Vide Supreme so far with the complete understanding that meat tolerance is completely up to the individual. The Sous Vide Supreme is easy to use and cooks at precise temperatures. I have cooked chicken breast, pork chops, chuck roast, corned beef, pork ribs, fish, vegetables and eggs (for my husband). All meats turned out extremely juicy, very very tender, much more so than regular cooking methods. Chicken is the thing my band tolerates the least but the chicken from the Sous Vide was so moist and tender (not to mention awesome chicken-y flavor) that it seemed to pass quite easily. Again, my band tolerance is about 2 ounces of any type of food, so I'm not saying you'll be able to eat an 8 ounce chicken breast, just because it was cooked sous vide. I'm just saying I was able to cut it with a fork and it did not have the stringy dry texture of grilled meat. The pork chops were the juciest I've ever had but again, just a few bites is really all I could tolerate of pork anyway. Pork is a very dense meat. Still, very lovely and I didn't have to over cook them just to make sure it was safe because the precise temp of the Sous Vide Supreme took the guess work out of it. The ribs and the corned beef were by far the most tender and delicious. The ribs fell off the bone and the corned beef brisket, well, let's just say I easily tolerated more than a 2 ounce portion. Apparently you can even cook scrambled eggs in there but I have not tried it yet. Seems like a lot of hassle for something I pretty much gave up two years ago. Eggs just don't work for me and I'm not really that sad about having to say goodbye to them. All in all, a neat kitchen gadget if you like extremely flavorful meat that is tender and juicy. It is also helpful if you are a busy person because you can put your entree in there in the morning and have a perfectly cooked piece of meat when you get home from work. I can't say that every band will now be able to enjoy meat easily but I can say that this machine does yeild extremely tender, juicy and flavorful products. You might be able to get similar results using other cooking methods but if you are not a good cook (I'm definately not.) this machine might just take some of the guesswork and error out of preparing meat. In addition, leftovers seemed to be just as tolerable as long as they were properly stored (not exposed to a lot of air) and items cooked and refrigerated in the pouches to be opened & rewarmed the next day retained their tenderness as well. The cons. The cost and the time. The gadget is about $300. Sous Vide cooking is definately not for the 30 minute meal maker. A steak or chicken breast is going to take a minimum of 40 minutes to an hour and in general you can't cook things together as most items (such as meat and vegetables) are cooked at quite different temperatures. So time in preparation is a con for this type of food prep. This method is definately for people who have time and inclination to plan their meals or who like to cook & freeze. If you are like me and aren't sure if this cooking method will make a difference in your diet I'd suggest doing what I did and trying a few items in a rigged home version after doing some research. If your band tolerates the meat products better this way then maybe consider purchasing a Sous Vide Supreme. I purchased mine from costco online. That way if it did not work well for me or produce foods I could eat, I knew I could easily return it to Costco for a full refund. Costco even refunds shipping. I hope this helps someone. I'm sure you'll know if trying this is something you'd be interested in.

Thanks. Just had my techie husband look at it and he couldn't figure it out either. I'll ask him about firefox.

Here, here, kittyforet! You are exactly right. It takes a lot of physical, emotional and even spiritual undoing to get this little gizmo to work smoothly but it can be done. I always say that where there's a will, there's a way. I had to give up meat for about 2 years because my band just didn't like it. I was ok with that but I kinda missed it. Now I found a sous vide oven and am enjoying meat again. You just have to have determination and know that if you hit a roadblock, there's always a way around it. I gave up very little with my band. I don't eat scrambled eggs, just a bite or two of baked goods is all that passes my lips and pizza just doesn't work for me. But I gained the right to eat chocolate and I LOVE frozen yogurt! As I see it, it's a simple trade. Most of whatever I permanently gave up I can certainly live without. Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels. I wish I could update my avatar photo. That photo was at 190, I'm now 159 and a size 8! But the stinkin' thing won't seem to let me update my photo. Attitude, determination, creativity, understanding and the help and support of your doctor's comprehensive aftercare program (if you are lucky enough to have a surgeon who has one) is ultra important for success. I recently read a post "I still hate my band." It sounds like the poor girl still isn't eating right or the right things or getting help in changing her mindset about food. I wish her the best of luck. Thank you for your post. It's right on the money. This process isn't about simply losing weight it's about coming to terms with 'recovering from the addiction of obesity' a recovery process that takes time, energy, input and commitment. We will be recovering from our diseas for a lifetime. But thankfully, we'll have a lifetime to recover.

First of all let me say that I'm really sorry that you are having a hard time. This process can be difficult. It took me two years and a lot of tinkering to figure out my band. I wish I could update my photo but it won't take my change. Anyway, I just wanted to know if your doctor had follow up care and nutritional counseling? If he/she did they should have told you about foods that are often difficult for banders. chicken, fiberous veggies, eggs, rice,shrimp, baked goods and meats in general can be difficult in quantities over one or two bites. I went vegetarian for the first 2 years because meat just didn't work for me. Two bites and it was stuck but I really missed it. It was very hard for me to get used to eating only 2 ounces of food at one sitting and eating out became more of a hassle than it was worth. It took me lots of trial and error to finally get this band thing down and I still have sticky days occasionally. I would highly suggest sous vide cooking for meats. It is a Water oven that cooks meats slowly and at low temperatures, thus making them ultra moist and tender. Google Dr. Simpson, he's a bariatric surgeon in Arizona who has a great website that explains why things like chicken stick and how to sous vide cook so you can still get your Protein and not have to live on Protein shakes. You can even look on youtube for some videos on sous vide cooking. Read up on it and try it at home before you spend a ton of money on a sous vide oven. The first time I did it I took an electric crock, stuck a thermometer in it, and sat there and made sure it stayed at 146 degrees for chicken. I cooked it for 50 minutes and it was so soft, moist and tender and IT DIDN'T STICK! I actually ate 3.5 ounces and it didn't stick! I've got 4 cc in a 10 cc band and that's pretty snug for me. Now I have a sous vide oven on order because I can't sit there for 50 minutes eyeballing a thermometer every night. :0 And because it cooks low and slow and never goes above the temp you set you can cook meat for 40 minutes or 72 hours and it will never overcook, it just stays moist, and tender. Many high end restaurants use sous vide cookers. From what I read it sounds like maybe you are experiencing the wrong foods in the wrong ammounts but it's hard to tell. To this day there are still a few foods I simply just live without but being 159 and a size 8 instead of 265 is worth never having a scrambled egg or pizza again! I wish you all the best of luck. It's just a suggestion. I wish you all the best and hope you find the aftercare support you need and deserve! Lots of love and hugs.

Me too. I want to change my photo as I have hit my goal weight. It shows my new photo but it doesn't update my avatar. Bummer!

Thanks. I've done a lot of research. The point of the Water oven is to keep the temperature constant within 1 degree. This way you can cook as long as you want without ever overcooking. The food stays at the exact temp. Certain things need to be heated to a certain temp within a certain time frame in order to avoid bacteria growth as well. The only problem with home made or stove top methods is the inability to keep the water at a constant temp and the fact that you need to monitor it. With the water oven you can cook chicken in 45 minutes or 8 hours, it will still be perfectly tender because the chicken never gets over 140 degrees. My main question is, is the meat actually tender enough for bands to tolerate. The slow cooking at low temp is supposed to break down the collagen fibers, much like slow smoking ribs. I'm just not sure if I want to make a $300 purchase just to find out if my band will tolerate it. I tried cooking some chicken stove top sous vide the other day but apparently I cooked it to fast at too high a temp. It still stuck. Maybe I'll give the stove top method another shot and monitor it. If my band tolerates a home made sous vide chicken then at least I'll know if it works for me. But really, who wants to stand over the stove for 45 minutes.

I'm going for my tummy tuck next month. We have about the same shape and issues. The surgeon doing my tummy tuck did my lap band so I trust him completely. I asked him, "How much of this is fat I can still lose on my own and how much is here for good. I need honest answers because I'll work on it more on my own if I'll get better results that way. Then we can do the surgery." He pushed and pulled my skin and showed me what he'd do and where. He assured me that what was left was going nowhere on it's own. I even asked him if I should be doing lots of ab work before hand to get better results. He said no, that the internal muscle structure had little to do with that lose flabby part hanging down. I know of people who have had one or even two tummy tucks. I'd say go for it if you are ready to make a chance. Very few of us are going to look like Playboy Bunnies afterwards but if we're happier then it was worth it. Personally, I've never had a flat stomach so 'flatter' is great in my book. Good luck in whatever you choose.

I too eat what I want, within reason. I don't count calories. I just eyeball it, exercise a little, & manage to maintain my goal weight. I also got the band to change my relationship with food and no longer be a slave to dieting. Goal achieved. I am at my goal weight after a little over 2 years being banded. Love it! Am going for my tummy tuck next month by the same surgeon who did my band I loved him so much. I am glad you are leaving that PCP, he sounds like a fool to me. Good luck and yes, my doc also says low and slow is the way to go. Dr. Titus Duncan in Atlanta a pioneer in the Lap-Band field.

Hi, As you may or may not know I blog for my doc. Dr. Titus Duncan realresultswls.com I have had a sweet time with my band from August 2009. It has been as much a psychological journey as a physical one. It's been pretty much smooth sailing for me. Don't get me wrong, I've had to figure this fickle little thing out the hard way a few times but in general it has worked to curb my appetite, keep me full with just a few bites and the weight has come off at a slow pace the whole time. Generally 4 to 6 pounds a month and honestly, I exercise sporadically depending on the season and my busy schedule. I attend our Real Results monthly support group in Atlanta and I read posts here. I hear people struggling. I hear everything from I fell off the wagon and gained weight to I can still eat as much as I want with no restriction to I still crave my old favorites and can't say no. If you struggle with any of these issues I'd like to hear you story. I'm trying to understand these issues better so I can help more people. I'd like to know if the band simply has no effect on you or do you think you are still eating emotionally. Does your family or work dynamic make it difficult for you to utilize your band. I'd just like input so I can give some perspective to people in my group. I just hate to see people struggle. We've struggled with weight for so long, taken drastic and costly measures to get help and if that help isn't working I'd like to try to figure out why. Please let me know how long you've been banded. How many CC's you have in your band. And exactly which issues you struggle with. Ability to eat as much as you want. Never feeling full. Still craving old favorites. Eating much less but still not losing. All input would be appreciated and maybe there will be others here that can give you some positive perspective or answers. In actuality this procedure 'should' work for everyone but it is often more difficult for some than others and I'm on a Quest to figure out why. Thanks for your input....besides, if you are struggling this is a good post to vent in.

Thanks. I think I get where you are coming from. The band is doing it's job but smaller portions are not emotionally satisfying. There is still an emotional sense of deprivation, I get it. I had that issue at first but my band has always been pretty tight so after a few times of trying to eat a little more than 2 ounces at a time I ended up uncomfortable and vomiting. Eventually my mind sort of retrained itself to see food in much much smaller portions and I got over that emotional need to have a large portion. It took a while but it happened and I could be satisfied on smaller portions (except ice cream). I get where you are coming from though. Thanks for the input. I'll pass that along to people in my group. Very informative.

Let me ask you this... Are you struggling to make those smaller portions satisfying? Do you still want more food? Or are you full on those smaller portions? Everyone has different expectations. I saw people losing 100 pounds in 6 months. I don't think I quite hit even the 50 pound mark in 6 months. I talked to my doc and he reminded me that low and slow was fine. 4 to 6 pounds a month was perfect he said. So I didn't feel discouraged anymore. I personally, love the fact that I can eat whatever I want but the band helps me eat less. I am actually a member of the Godvia Gold Club. Prior to my band I would have denied myself a decadent treat like that. Now I have the control to eat what I want but in smaller quantities. I was all up in the stuff I had to deny myself when I first got banded. I was happy to be able to eat cheesecake, chocolates and all the stuff I always had to say no to because of calories. Of course, I ate much less of it and was satisfied on a couple of bites but over time even the novelty of being able to eat whatever I wanted wore off. After denying myself all this stuff for so long, then being able to have it again, I finally rolled around to not craving it anymore. The forbidden food no longer had it's appeal for me. So I now eat even less of those naughty foods because I know I can have them whenever I want. Yes, the novelty of cheesecake does wear off after a while. I can't believe I'm even saying that! But it's true, at least for me. Just give it time. You'll get this.

I too, eat anything I want but in much smaller portions. After being banded I felt a sense of freedom. I did not have to pass up anything (short of things that my band just didn't tolerate). I still eat chocolate, I still eat yummy food, I just eat much less of it. Maybe I would have lost faster if I had followed a strict diet but I had food issues to deal with and 'dieting' just didn't fit into my plan. I needed freedom from regimented eating and I got that from my band. Everyone seems to experience this band thing differently. It took me a good year of fills and unfills to understand how my body worked in conjunction with a band. I still have times of the month when I'm almost on liquids and times when I can eat bread. I just do a little 'check in' with m band each day to see where I'm at and go from there. It just takes time to get to know your new little friend. I too, would say that it's to early to tell. I didn't monitor my progress so I can't tell you how much I lost and how soon. My doc did though. I know I was low and slow. 4 to 6 pounds a month. I was banded in August 2009 and I've lost 87 pounds. I call that low and slow, but good. Lap-Band journey is as much an emotional/psychological journey as a physical one. Just read, find support, and do what you know is right. Everyone has to find their own way of doing things with a Lap-Band. A way that keeps them balanced. I know some who have a Protein shake each and every morning. I don't eat until I'm hungry which can be noon or later. I'm not sure if I'd lose weight faster if I followed a 'metabolism boost' kind of diet but with my food issues eating only when I'm hungry suits my emotional healing process. So take it easy, we are all rooting for you. You CAN do this and hopefully soon you'll get that band in tip-top working order for you. And you ARE doing great. I couldn't lose 24 pounds without my band. I know, I've tried and failed at that dozens of time. So to me, you are already a winner. Big hugs!

Sometimes we need a reality check when it comes to bands. The experience is different for everyone, physically, emotionally, medically but one thing is the same for everyone...The Lap-Band is a tool. Sometimes tools work, sometimes they break, sometimes we run over them with the car and sabotage them so we can't do any more work. Whether you have had tremendous success and smooth sailing or have had difficulty and trauma please share what you have learned with everyone but remember that we are here to inform, educate, inspire and seek answers, not spread negativity, gloom and fear. I wish everyone who has opted for this surgery learning, success, and good health.

I told my husband last night about my post saying he had to much of a sense of self-preservation to ever say anything about my weight and HE got offended. I was trying to be funny but he let me know what frankly, I already knew and that is that he would never say anything about my weight because he has no right to and he is not a jerk. He's kind and loving and only wants the best for me. I hope all works out well for you and your husband. I don't think his comment was a deal-breaker but that depends on how many comments came before and after during your marriage. I wish you all the best. With that said, I think I'm going take a break from LBT for a while.

Good point, Check Yes, it really isn't my place, in a public forum, to ask people to be positive. If reminding the general public to be positive and asking them to keep negativity to themselves, or change perspective actually worked, murder, rape, racisim, and religious persecution would probably have already diminished or disappeared.

Ooops. Sorry Dave_NW I obviously don't know how to 'reply' properly. I started this thread as a reminder to others and it became a great reminder to myself. Thanks everyone.

I so agree with your BMI quotes. In my avatar photo I was actually 190 and no one believed it. I am now at 175 and between a size 10 and 12. I'm 5'6" and swear I have lead for bones. I know I could shave off a few more pounds but the BMI index in the 140-something pound range would be almost impossible for me to attain without looking completely sick. Even when I was in he military I never made weight specs. They always had to do a BMI calculation and I passed every time, but going straight by the scale, no way. I now go by clothing size, not scale number. I'd like to see 20 more pounds go but I think that's all I can do. I've got an appointment with my doc next month to schedule a tummy tuck as I think there are several pounds of loose skin that is part of the problem. Everyone has to find their own happy weight. I think mine is about 155.

Wow, I don't even know how to respond to that. My husband has to much of a sense of self-preservation to ever say anything to me. Even when I was 265 pounds he didn't say a word. I love him for that. A comment like that has nothing to do with him or even coming up with a proper pay back. What it is is an invitation to really examine your self-esteem, self-worth and the ability to love yourself no matter what size you are as well as give yourself props for how far you've come. Take that comment, ask yourself why it hurt, and look deep within to find proper perspective. You'll find it, it's in there. You may just find that the comment hurt because you weren't quite 100% loving yourself yet. When we know we are fabulous it doesn't matter what other think. I recently blogged for my doctor at www.realresultswls.com on just this issue. Even though I'm no hardbody I prance around at the pool now knowing how fabulous I am because of where I've been and how far I've come. No one else knows this but I do and it shows. So, sure, people probably look at me and think wow, her thighs giggle or her arms are a little flabby but I don't care because I know how awesome I am. Read my blog Share Your Fabulousness and you'll see what I mean. It might just help you realize how fabulous you are and any future comments from your hubby or anyone else will just roll right off your awesome self! P.S. Congrats on the weight loss. You are awesome.

I've actually eaten more Godiva chocolates since my band than I ever had in my life. Why? Because I eat so much less of everything that I no longer have to avoid those no-no foods I never let myself have before. My band also helps keep the chocolates in check as well. You did the right thing. You are on the right track and you'll do great. The band isn't about dieting, it isn't even about restriction, it's about eating proper foods in proper portions and yes, that includes yummy ice cream....one of my personal favorites. You're doing great!!!

I blog for my doctor on realresultswls.com They may not have my name on them but I write almost all of them. Feel free to send your friends there there, it's very positive and informative. My doctor's marketing firm just offered me my own blog website. They are creating it and it will be up and running soon. Feel free to keep in contact with me via facebook or here for more details. I don't profit from either blog, I just do it for education and my own personal therapy but I could use all the input and friends I can get. Thanks, Samantha Hall

Congratulations. You made it. Just broth, Water and clear stuff for me after I had my surgery. I didn't get hungry for a couple of days. After about 4 days in the liquids just didn't hold me so I called my doc and he ok'd thicker Soups. Just keep in touch with your doc and get your questions answered from him/her whenever you can. You'll do great!!!