outside*looking*in

have you talked to your Doctor? I agree.....give them a call if you have not already done so.

Somewhere on this site I have almost the EXACT same post! I did the same "food break down" then panic:scared2: over the fact that I ate a whole bagel! Worried I would have stretched my pouch and so on. .......I like you,,,did not have restriction. You are probably no longer feeling the effects of being swollen from after your surgery and have been eating less on will power (just a guess). I agree.. don't beat yourself up....this is a long journey and along the way we will have bad days. Just get your head and self together, put it behind you and move on. You can do it. Best of luck.

Uhh....what??? I had an unknown hernia that was repaired while they were in there. They don't charge extra for it. It is a matter of a few stitches! So, if you or your insurance is already paying for everything else, just HOW much are they charging to put in a couple of stitches? I have not heard of anyone saying that had to pay for the repair let alone pay in advance "JUST IN CASE"!!!! That is CRAZY! Plus, you have no way of knowing if they REALLY fix a hernia or not,. By the way if your ins is paying I would give them a call with this. I guess we will see if anyone else has had this happen.

So I have 7cc in my band and I think I am getting near the restriction but not there yet. I definitely can't eat what I could before (for example - before I could eat a whole grilled chicken sandwich with a most steak fries and now I can only eat 1/2 the sandwich and like 3 fries) (just an example I have had that twice since banded. I eat pretty well!) Also, somethings new that I have noticed. 1. If I eat a meat Protein and then something juicy, like a fruit, it is harder to go down. Or take a sip of a drink is more of a problem. 2. I gurgle, like a drain unclogging, about a half hour after I eat?? Problems, I forget to drink Water sometimes and mistake my thirst for hunger! I have to remember to drink more!

I am glad they decided to support you. It is very rare to have a death due to the band unless warning signs are ignored COMPLETELY or it was more due to a co-morbidity complication or anesthesia. Also, many people group ALL weight loss surgeries in the same category and don't understand that they are not all the same. Is it possible that this friend of a friend had a different surgery? Just wondering. Best of Luck

Self pay here as well. Paid close to $18,000. I have lost about 40lbs in 5 months. My weight still goes up and down and then drops and then bounces up and down by a few lbs. If I did not make the decision to do this, I would still be the same weight or higher, still miserable, still have no self-esteem, still frustrated with my clothes and still not going out and enjoying life. Now, even though I have only lost forty, I feel better about my self and more comfortable out in the world. My kids are enjoying their life more because I am able to do more with them. I do worry that if something happens in the future, I will have to fork out money again to have it removed/replaced. I hope we get to the point where my husband can have this or another surgery for his weight problems in the future.

So here is my advice....... throw away the guilt! Try your hardest to make the best food choices and follow your doctors "band rules". I am almost 6 months out and have a total of 7cc in my band and guess what, I HAVE NO RESTRICTION!!!:sad: I have not found that magic sweet spot after going in for 5 different fills! I decided early on that I am going to do the best I can, celebrate the small stuff and not harp on myself for having a bad day or week. I still have trouble with eating slowly. (especially if I let myself get too hungry). I don't exercise like I should or would like too, but have made improvements. I did not learn my bad habits overnight and waking up from surgery won't magically take them away. Maybe you WILL be a lucky bander that will feel restriction on your first fill. I have been in "HELL" for near 6 months now. I have had my break downs, set backs, lost and gained the same 5lbs for 2 months, and on top of that I have lost about 40lbs. Great for me and on top of that it should only get better. I have a lifetime to learn how to use the band. Best of Luck

I had lap band in Feb 2010 and a few weeks ago had a Gallbladder attack in the middle of the night that sent me to the ER. I just had it removed on Thursday of last week.:grouphug:

I have had 5 fills (banded 2/3/10). I am up to 7cc in a 9cc band! I am not at that "sweet spot" but I can tell some little changes are happening with the band. I am down 39lbs since surgery. I had to have my Gallbladder out yesterday so my weight is up a little today with fluid retention. Hang in there. You did not say how many cc's you have?

So I am going to have my Gallbladder removed on Thursday. In my research I keep finding that people who have had theirs removed, complain about weight gain in the following years. Are there any bander's out there who have had GB Surgery (after the band) and are you having a difficult time with weight loss now????? Anything I should know???? Thanks for your replies and advice.

Here is what I can remember from my experience (banded 2/2010). I was EXTREMELY TIRED for over 2 weeks. To the point that I would start to put away dishes or walk across the room and want to lay down. I did not have too much gas like others experience. The pain was tolerable and moved to just tender by the end of the week. I did not have a problem with the incisions. I am an at home Mom and I could not have imagined trying to go back to work real soon after. Not because of pain but because of lack of energy. I get to go on Thursday and have my Gallbladder removed so I am sure I will go through some of this all over again:ohmy: Best of luck and hand in there.

Kelly Turner Kelly Turner is an ACE Certified personal trainer and health and fitness writer from Seattle, WA. When she’s not training clients or glued to the computer, Kelly enjoys working out, cooking, and writing. If you would like to contact Kelly, please email her at kellycturner@hotmail.com. Follow me online Blog: Every Gym’s Nightmare WOW! a Personal Trainer writing about the woes of weight loss surgery. No agenda there! Especially from someone with a past eating disorder. She obviously did NOT do her research and why would she as she is not a REAL journalist! I find it funny that many people who write a blog consider themselves journalist just as many who like to exercise can take a few "at home courses" consider themselves personal trainers! I suppose she is also a 5 star chef! Ignorance is bliss and unfortunate. I am going to go eat my half serving of fat free plain yogurt and work out now!

Hi - I posted a few days ago and heard back from 2 ppl (THank You) I am definately going to have my GB removed :smile2: I just want to hear back from anyone who has had to have their GB out after they have had a band put in. How would you compare the recovery? Did you have your band emptied and have to start over with fills? Any questions you would ask the surgeon? Thanks for the advice, info and help.

Just to follow up. I saw my surgeon today and I do not have to have my band unfilled. In fact I got .5cc today! Thanks for the replies. I go in for GB surgery next Thursday.

All I can say is that your story is similar to most on here. The only regret many of the band patients have is that they did not do it sooner. I did it 4 1/2 months ago at 38 and YES after dieting since the age of 11, I WISH I had done this sooner! It is still work but it definitely helps you stay in control. I do not have proper restriction but have not been able to eat anywhere near as much as I used to in one sitting. Be warned though, you can fail at this by eating the wrong foods, amounts and not helping the band work for you, so make sure you are ready to commit to this! Everyone gets discouraged. I look at the before/after pics to inspire me. Good Luck!

So - I am at 6.5cc and finally starting to feel a wee bit of restriction. BAM! I woke up early (2am) Saturday morning with horrible stomach pain and a searing pain in my back. Went to E.R and by 1pm the next day they FINALLY diagnosed it as gall stones. Blood work looked good, CT looked good but they finally showed up on an ultrasound. So, they contacted my lap band surgeon and he said to make an appointment and EXPECT to have to have my gall bladder removed. Has anyone had problems with their Gall Bladder and been able to keep it but do some other treatment? If you had surgery, did you have to have all of you band Fluid removed and if so, how long to get back to where you were pre-surgery?

Thanks for the reply. I have to go see my primary I guess and have him refer me out to the surgeon. I definitely do NOT want anymore of those attacks! That was some kind of pain. I also don't want of have to start over with the fluid in my band. I guess I will get more questions answered tomorrow after a few phone calls. Thanks again.

I went to OG a few weeks ago. I had some salad and something that I had never tried. It was a Grilled Chicken with citrus apricot sauce and it was served with steamed broccoli and tomatoes and some asparagus. It was really good.

I was having a problem waiting the hour after eating to have something to drink. What I discovered was that I would nibble on more FOOD since I was not allowed to have water! duh.. then the light bulb clicked on as to why I doing the extra nibbling. I WAS THIRSTY!!!! The nurse at the doc's office actually SUGGESTED chewing gum to get me through the 60 minutes waiting time. It works and I stopped nibbling & I have something to wet my whistle.

So- my sister &family are coming for a visit this week. She, like me, has struggled with her weight most of her life. I have always been the heavier of the two of us (still am). I guess about a year or so ago she started this pre-package soy diet plan from her local hospital. She did great and was really looking good and then life happened and she gained back 20+ lbs. Now, she is back on her "diet food" and is bringing all of her meals with her and says that is all she will be eating. Not long after I got the band, I realized that I will no longer refuse to celebrate life, events, birthdays, ect... having to be excluded food wise. I can have a little of whatever and not worry about. I may go up and down a few lbs but I have a great tool to help me keep it under control. I have been on a plateau for 2 months now and although it is frustrating, I am not devastated and know it will pass and I will start dropping lbs again. I will not yo-yo but make healthy choices and enjoy those treats once in a while. I am glad I will be able to take vacations in the future and not have to take "diet" food with me. I hopefully can learn to make great food choices from what is available to me.

I really TRY not to drink with meals and I am normally successful with that. However, sometimes I just have to take a sip and what I have noticed since my last fill (now at 6.5cc total) is if I take a sip after I have eaten most of my food it actually HURTS going down. But taking another bite of food dose not??? Like maybe the liquid is having to squeeze past the food? This only just started after my last addition of 1cc. Hopefully this means I am getting closer to restriction because as time goes on it is getting harder and harder for me always eat the right things and my weight loss has been at a stand still for the last 2 MONTHS!

Hi all! Hoping someone will see this thread. I believe I am in Bandster Hell! Here are the stats. I was banded on 2/3/10 I have lost 31lbs since. I have 6.5cc in. I am thrilled with the weight lost so far but honestly I have been up and down the scale with the last five lbs for almost 2 months! I get full at about 1 cup or 5oz food. I try to eat well having my protein first then fruit or vegis the way my doc wants. I have never had a pb/slime/throw up episode. I don't take just a few bites and feel full or even satisfied. I do make myself stop at the 5oz limit. I have increased my exercise. If any of you out there have "restriction" or are at the "sweet spot" did you feel like this or have doubt that you would ever get there? Did you notice right away that you hit the right amount in your band? I have had a 1cc increase at the last 3 fills and each time walked away feeling no different and hoping that the next month will be that magic #. Did you notice that the scale started moving when you hit that mark? Thanks .......just getting band crazy here!

I think I may have had my first somewhat "stuck" incident yesterday. It was on my second bite of chicken. It felt to hard to go down, then I got hard hiccups and I had to spit some of the chicken out (felt like it was stuck in my throat). Then my chest hurt a bit, I kept having to hiccup and my mouth started water so much I had to spit a few times. It only lasted a few minutes though and I was back to normal. Would you describe that as stuck?

I have been banded for 4 months now. I do not have restriction but do get full on about 5oz of food. Although sometimes I feel I can eat more. I have been having a problem with slowing down and chewing, chewing, chewing. My question is this: Is the purpose of all of the chewing and taking pea size bites to slow you down OR to not get stuck? I still take normal bites and chew normal. I hope I am not making a mistake thinking that this is mostly necessary for restriction. I feel like a am constantly learning with this thing. I go for another fill of 1cc this week which will bring me up to 6.5cc. I HOPE it brings me to the level I need to be! My weight loss has been at a stall for the past 6wks!:tongue2: Thank You in advance.

I had my surgery about a month after you. My first fill was 3cc, my 2nd was 1.5cc and my 3rd was 1cc. For a total now of 5.5cc. I asked my doc the last time I had a fill if there is an average spot where people start to get to that sweet spot and he said that he usually see's it happen between 6.5 to 8.5cc on his pts. He said on my next fill I will get another 1cc and should be "knocking on the door of restriction". RIght now I feel as though I am in the wrong neighborhood! The first two fills I had I felt absolutely NO change. With my last fill I felt like I was starting to get a full sensation back after eating about 4-5oz. Unfortunately I was starting my cycle at the same time so it could have been bloating! I am back to being hungry even after 5oz. I go for another fill next week so I am keeping my fingers crossed. Your doc seems a bit conservative with the fills(so is mine compared to others). Will he bump up the amount if you ask?