ElfiePoo

Ok...the reality is that every doc's preop and postop requirements are different and vary wildly. My doc had me on each phase 2-3 days each and by the end of the 2nd week, I was on regular foods. Their recommendation was that I eat 1 cup 3x a day or 1/2 cup 6x a day. I told them it wasn't going to happen without any restriction because what would happen is that I'd end up bingeing. They were happy with my compromise which was to just eat less and make good food choices. To be honest, I was pretty happy with Protein Shakes during the day and then a normal (for normal weight people) dinner in the evening. Oh, and we're all food addicts here. .

You will...in time. Stay focused on why you got the band and just be committed to keeping a good attitude. I had an additional 2 cc's put in my band 2 days before Christmas (for a total of 8). At this point in time, I pretty much can only drink liquids and I've decided to be 'okay' with that until the clinic opens next week...despite the fact that I'm missing out on the 'traditional' foods. They'll always be there next year. You can still enjoy the most important part of the holiday (family and friends) without the food. If you can't, this is a good time to re-examine your attitudes towards food. This is what I have to do on a regular basis. .

Sounds like a diet to me and I've vowed never to diet again. We can have *all* of these things...in moderation...just like people of normal weight can. Now, obviously, if your goal is to lose as much weight as possible, as quickly as possible, then avoiding the above foods will certainly help you do that. As for me, I'm happy with 2 pounds a week and the ability to eat like a normal person. .

It was just 44% within the first 10 years and no they did not break it down according to appliance failure vs conditions that may be due to noncompliance. I won't go so far as to say the majority of failures are due to noncompliance because we don't know that. I have to believe that if Lap Band *knew* the majority of failures were due to non-compliance, they would've published that figure because it would make them look good. Since they haven't, I won't make assumptions that they didn't. Personally, it has no relevance for me. I look at this as my last attempt to get this weight off. I've tried every diet out there and they've all failed. Even on Atkins, I took off 70 lbs and kept it off, but since I haven't been able to get back on it and stay on it to lose the remainder, it's apparent that it is not something I can do for life. I'll take my chances. .

My sons are still in bed, my husband has just left for some final grocery shopping, my dog and cat are curled up under the dining table and my house is the 'still before the storm'. As soon as I finish this post, I'm headed to the kitchen to get ready for tonight's and tomorrow's festivities. I just wanted to take a moment to say Merry Christmas to all my lap band buddies since I may not be around too much today! You are my support system and I am blessed to have you all...even when we disagree . My Christmas wish for you is to be surrounded by your loving family and friends and that your holiday is full of joy and laughter! Merry Christmas! Melody .

For the most part I've always made good food choices and I'm not a junk food or sweet eater. My problem with eating has always been about quantity. Once I'd start, I would eat well past the point where my brain should've said 'stop'. Even before I reached restriction, where Hilda (my band) told me it was time to stop, I was eating less. Yes, I was eating more than the recommended 1 cup but I didn't care. If I had that kind of self-control I would never have needed to get the band...but for some reason, just having the band helped me to contain my eating on most days. The band will help with the eating to excess...if you let it. Meaning some people will still try to overeat which has its own problems once you reach restriction. It will not keep you from making bad food choices. I know a number of people who chose the gastric bypass because they were absolutely sure they wouldn't have the self-control to give up their sweets and junk food...and that may have been the better choice for them since you will not lose weight if you plan to continue to indulge. I have absolutely no regrets. My goal is to eat like a normal person so I'm not restricting my diet in any way other than to make good food choices and eat less. Before restriction I just ate normal sized portions and I'm still down 24 pounds 7-1/2 weeks post op. .

Interesting, the most recent data I got from Lap Band said that 44% of lap bands had to be removed (erosion, leaking, slipping, etc.) within the first 10 years of getting it. It still didn't stop me. I went into this hoping I would not be one of those 44% and making the commitment to work with my band and not do something stupid that would put me at higher risk of being one of the 44%. I also made the commitment to change my attitude towards food while I do have the band so that if I am one of the 44% and have to have my band removed, I will (hopefully) have created new habits and attitudes towards food. That seems like a high number but keep in mind that the people getting the band have a problem with food. Some will work with the band and do what they're supposed to do. Some will not. They'll continue to try and eat what they shouldn't causing them to vomit or slime on a regular basis which will cause a problem with that band. I haven't seen statistics for how many bands have been removed/replaced due to structural failure of the band vs problems most likely due to abuse by the person wearing the band. .

Ruthie, Read through the posts on the postop forum and you'll find that what you can't eat will vary with the individual. Right up until my 7 week post op fill (my 3rd one which brought me to a total of 8cc's), I could eat anything as long as I took small bites, chewed well and ate slowly. I just had my 3rd fill two days ago and may be dealing with some swelling, but I did take a small bite of an apple (with skin) last night and had no problem. I also had a bite of roasted vegetables and steamed green Beans. Even a couple of Cookies as a treat. The only thing I had a problem with was a deviled egg! Go figure. You'll find through trial and error what works for you. .

7 weeks postop and I have restriction! I went in for my appointment yesterday afternoon and the tech took the Fluid out of my band because there was some question as to whether or not I really had 6 cc's in there. We find out there is but since I don't have any restriction at all, she decided to pop 2 more cc's into the band. I now have 8 cc and restriction! She did ask if that was ok since it might cause me to only be able to drink Protein shakes through Christmas if I had any swelling from the fill (which I haven't had on the previous 2 fills), but that's ok with me! Last night and this morning I can feel the restriction as I drink my shakes. I have to drink them slowly and I can feel that some of it is still sitting in my pouch. I have a feeling that eating solid food would be difficult but we'll see if this is just swelling and will abate or whether I actually need a bit less fill. Neither of us had a problem with the idea that I might be so restricted that shakes are the only option for now as long as I can deal with it and not be hungry...which I never am. I have an appointment on Jan 13th, but can always go in sooner if I need to, but for now I'm content. I may not be eating for Christmas, but I'll be losing weight! .

Lolly, If you're taking small bites and chewing thoroughly and eating slowly, and you still can't eat most foods, then it sounds like you may need a bit of an unfill...maybe .5 cc. I'm where you are right now, but am waiting to see if it's swelling from the fill or whether I may need to take out 'just a bit' because it's too tight. I have to believe that the pain and sliming (again assuming you are eating slowly, taking small bites and chewing well) are an indication of a too tight band. We should be able to eat normally. .

Or it could be that I'm just weird and don't swell after a fill. Seriously, I've always been blessed with a very fast recuperation time after surgeries and I can count on one hand the number of times in my 53 years that I actually ever got sick with something like a flu so I may be the odd exception.

Mine doesn't have food restrictions after a fill. If I can eat it, then I can have it. After my first 2 fills, I had no problems. I just had another 2 cc (for a total of 8) yesterday and I've only been able to take in liquids, although I had some homemade beef vegie Soup for lunch and, as long as I chewed thoroughly and took small bites, I was ok.

Getting ready for Christmas Eve here. It's tradition in my husband's family to have dinner at my in-laws and then open stockings and just visit for the evening. My youngest son is studying to be a chef and his contribution to the stockings is a homemade caramel apple for each person. I am very thankful for my new 8 cc fill because I don't think I would've made it past this temptation but now 'Hilda' will keep me honest cuz there's no way caramel or an apple will make it past her right now. I have about 4 hours until we leave so think I'll go take a nap. .

Oni, If you have restriction, you will need to take smaller bites, chew your food thoroughly and eat slowly...and it should take you about 20-30 minutes to eat. Otherwise you'll get stuck or feel that pressure in your chest. My doc says the goal is 1 cup of food at a meal focusing on Protein and vegies with just a small amount of carbs. You should also not be hungry for about 4 hours...or so they say. I don't know as I've never been hungry...not even when I've gone all day without eating so I can't help you on that one.

Keep in mind that plateaus don't happen mystically. They happen because we are only expending the same amount of calories as we are taking in. A person weighing 250 pounds needs more calories to maintain that weight than they would if they weighed 200 pounds with the same activity level. That means that as you lose weight, you need to either reduce your calories or expend more energy. Cathy gave some wonderful advice. Sometimes we eat more than we think we are and all those little 'bites' or 'just one' add up.

Thanks, Mimi. Fortunately, my husband is off for the next week and we have another car. After that my schedule is flexible enough that I can drop everyone off at work and school and then go to work. So no stress to get my car back quickly. .

Nana, If you're to the point of getting fills, you should be eating normally (regular foods). What you eat is determined by you and what your goals are. Some people have a goal to lose as much weight as they can, as quickly as they can. Others just want to deal with food like a normal person and don't mind losing only 1-2 pounds per week. As for me, I am never dieting again. I just want to eat like a normal person and not be obsessed by food. My doc recommends 1 cup of food at meals and focus on 'good foods'. So you had a slice of pizza. As Tarajim said, it wasn't a whole pizza. Normal people eat pizza too. Pat yourself on the back for stopping at 1 slice!

Great idea about taking photos with your cell! I'll have to tell that one to my 17 year old. I have to admit that I was shaking so badly though that I don't think any pics would've come out. .

Teacher, A sudden weight gain could mean you're just holding more Water weight (possibly close to your menstrual cycle?) or just too much salt the day before or the scale gods are just messing with you. If you've been exercising and working out a lot, it could be you're buildilng muscle mass. Muscle weighs more than fat. Don't let it get to you. Just keep on with what you're doing. If your caloric intake and caloric output are the same as they were before the unfill, you'll start losing again (assuming you were losing before the unfill). Hang in there. .

Is there an official date to update every month (like the first or first monday or something)...or just post new data whenever? .

Doing fine. I had my first fill at 4 weeks (3 cc's) and my second fill at 6 weeks (3 cc's again). Based on a lot of stuff (I posted this in another thread), I think the first tech may have missed the port the first time and I actually only have 3 cc's. I go in Wednesday afternoon and the 2nd tech is going to take all the fill out to check and then make sure I have 6 cc's going back in. Here's hoping I have any kind of restriction or the holidays are not going to be pretty. :thumbup: .

Thanks...you as well. Hang in there. If your doctor tries to push your next fill to a month or more and you find within a few days you're back to being hungry and struggling without restriction, call them up. Most seem amenable to doing fills every 2 weeks if pushed. My doc said the goal is to get to restriction as soon as possible since this is what we paid the big bucks for. I was tell them on my last appointment how some people are still 6-8 months postop and without restriction because their doctor only puts in .5 cc at a time or makes them wait 6 weeks between appointments. He said these people should talk to their doctor because unless they do, the doctor may be under the impression that all is well and if enough people don't speak up, may get the impression that this is the norm. I'm lucky...my doc has a band and knows first hand what I'm dealing with. .

With the exception of my mother, my relationships haven't changed. My mother, as much as I love her, is a very selfish, self-centered woman. While she's also overweight and has been all her life, I have weighed more than her since I was 15. She's taken quite a bit of pride in that...and been very verbal about it to everyone including strangers. Everytime I've dieted and come close to her weight, she'd go on some very restrictive fad diet so she'd lose enough weight to stay below me. When I'd go off the diet and regain, she'd go off hers and regain. When she found out I was getting the band, she immediately went on another fad diet and lost 15 pounds but put it back on. I've lost 23.5 at this point and am less than 10 pounds from what she weighs and I've noticed she cuts me off if I mention anything about losing weight or eating better or anything that reminds her that I'm closing in on her weight. Over the years our relationship has taken a number of hits because she resents (actually admitted this to me) the fact that I have all the things she's always wanted (an RV, a house in the country, etc.). Heck she even resents our financial stability even though her lack of is due to her own out of control spending. At any rate, I don't think losing this weight is going to help the situation any. I can see the resentment already. Who knows how bad it will be after I've lost 100 lbs. .

Reaching restriction is trial and error because every person is different. Don't get your hopes up because I haven't heard of a doctor yet who puts as much of a fill in as needed on the first fill for actual restriction. My doc's experience with the Realize band is that most people reach restriction at 6 cc or thereabouts. I've had 2 fills and supposedly have 6 cc in my band with absolutely no restriction and the ability to still eat as much as I want. On Wednesday, I'm going in so they can pull out all the saline to see what's in there (I think the first tech missed the port) and put 6 cc in the band. I'm hoping I'll get at least some restriction because my will power is lessening with each day and I need some help here. .

Are you sure it's the 'muscle'? My port area gets sore too and I thought it was the muscle until I remember the muscle is a lot deeper than the location of this soreness. And yes, my port area gets sore and it doesn't take much. It's just inflammation from the port moving against the surrounding tissues. Generally this happens when I've stretched/bent/lifted/reached too far. I wonder whether it has to do with the scar tissue. You might try putting a hot compress on the area and see if this helps with the soreness, but I would bring it up to your doctor on Monday. .