ElfiePoo

Mine would give me a fill every 2 weeks if I wanted it and that worked out fine...until I got close to my sweet spot. I have a 14cc band and never had any type of change after a fill until I hit 7cc. After that I'd get a fill and it would take 2 weeks or more for the band to tighten. I'd wait at least 2 weeks after a fill to decide...depending on the size of your band. According to my doc, most people don't feel any restriction in a realize band until they're at 7-8cc. .

It's because they realize (no pun intended) that this is a weakness which has not necessarily been a problem. They've addressed the issue and corrected the problem. It makes sense to replace the old with the improved verions, but it makes no sense to put someone through surgery to replace the band when it may never cause a problem. .

That is true. It is a lifestyle change but I know that ice cream is one of my trigger foods. From experience, one bite leads to two leads to eating a half gallon every day for a week. That carb overload leads to craving potatoes, bread, sweets, etc. and it doesn't matter whether it's healthy choice, WW or some other type of 'good for you' ice cream. Excess is still excess. If you can control it, more power to you. For someone like me, my 'lifestyle change' means I have to avoid it permanently and remind myself that ice cream is poison to me. One bite takes me on that downward spiral that leads to out of control blood sugars even on insulin and massive overeating. .

I never had any of that after surgery. You might check with your doctor to make sure he didn't put any fill in during surgery. So many seem to be doing that lately. Most likely, you're just feeling the effects of swelling from surgery. If you can drink Water, I'd wait it out for a few more days. If you can't, talk to him immediately. .

If you are, then I'm not sure what that makes me. On Nov. 3rd, I will have been banded for a year and at this point I've only lost 35 pounds since surgery. I've spent most of the last year just trying to understand the limits of the band and finding my sweet spot. When I expressed my frustration to my doctor at a visit a month ago, he said my experience is typical of most banded people but to hang in there and keep 'working' it. I was at the point where I wished I had done gastric sleeve (bypass will never be an option) and was considering it, but now glad I hung in there. This last fill has (at least for now) put me where I need to be and I've finally figured out how I need to eat (differs with everyone) and have lost 7 lbs just in the last week. So be patient with yourself...and with the band. Read the threads. There is good advice here! .

Whether or not you can have bacon depends on your choice of diet/eating plan. I do Atkins because I lost 70 pounds successfully on it and got to the point within weeks where I didn't have to take insulin anymore. Plus my good and bad cholesterols were within normal range after about 6 weeks. I thought being banded meant I could eat like a normal person (aka having carbs) but discovered not so true, so I'm back to Atkins. Which means I'm eating 2 eggs and 2 sl. of bacon for Breakfast in the morning...and losing weight. .

Feels like...nothing. As with Betsy, I don't feel it until towards the end of the meal and then it's more a feeling that I've had enough. If I take one more bite, then I get a physical backlash of pain and that means 'too much'. Sliming is when you get stuck. The slime doesn't go down for me because I'm stuck and all I can do is bend over and let it urp right back out. I slime when I forget to take a small bite or chew well. PBing is productive burping. It occurs when the food is trying to go through and with enough of these little burps, at least for me, it will. Still, I have an uncomfortable feeling similar to being stuck, only not as painful, until the food goes through, at which time the PBing stops. I try to avoid both sliming and PBing. .

I use EAS chocolate powder. Tastes much better IMO. I bought a case of muscle milk at Sam's Club and it was *horrible*. I tried giving it to a few people who also drink shakes and they declined after one taste. I ended up throwing it all out. ;-p .

Absolutely true of all of us. The band is just a tool, but it's still up to us as to whether or not we use it. I love carbs...my body does not...so it's still up to me to *choose* not to give in. I make the food choices but the band helps by giving me that sense of 'enough'. .

It really is a big milestone when we have the willpower to set the fork down with that last lonely little bite starting at us. So congratulate yourselves! .

Happy Friday, folks! I love Friday because it's the start of my usual 3 day weekend. It is now officially 4+ weeks since I started seriously watching what I eat and exercising and I am now at the same weight I was when I started this month long journey. What a PITA. So...more revisions to the diet for this last week. I went back to Atkins. I lost 70 pounds successfully, so guess I'll have to do it that way again. I think Hilda is helping though because in the past when I went on Atkins, I'd eat nonstop that first week while I went through carb withdrawal. In September when I did it for a week (never intended to stay on it) and this past week, I found that I have been very content to eat just a normal meal...about 4-5 oz protein and 1 cup of low carb vegies...and it takes me to my next meal without a protein shake! A pretty major test of Hilda's working powers which, I'm glad to say, she passed. Going back on Atkins this week is the only reason I can say I'm sitting at the same weight as a month ago because I lost 7 pounds this week. Now I'm ready to keep moving that scale downwards. On an even better note, my blood sugar has been out of control for months but in one week on Atkins, my numbers are almost down to normal and <knock on wood> hopefully I'll be able to get off all my meds again within the month. You know, none of this is new to me. I know carbs are my enemy, not only for my weight but my diabetes but I always try to go back and eat like a 'normal' person and end up gaining weight and needing my diabetes meds. I swear, I should staple a yellow stickie to my head that says "Hey dumbass" and put a mirror on the fridge so I can see it when I reach for something I know will screw with my body. I'm feeling good today and pretty motivated...a good way to start the weekend. Melody

Aww Christie...feel better! Yes, the band is hardier than many believe. I spent two days puking my guts out last May (when I was overfilled) and called the clinic thinking they'd probably take the fill out. Nope...she said as long as I'm able to throw up, it meant the band was allowing the food out. I asked about slippage and she said it would take *a lot* over a long period of time for a band to slip once you're healed, but then they also fold a piece of the stomach over the band to hold it in place. Melody .

Kaylee, What you're looking for is that sense of 'enough' when you finish your meal. My suggestion is to measure out your meals, take small bites, chew well, don't drink with your meal and finish your meal within about 20 minutes. Then pay attention to how you feel. It takes me about 20 minutes to eat my meal and I have to pay careful attention or I will get stuck on something. At the end of that time, I push my plate away and I am content because there's something that tells me that if I take one more bite, it will be too much. Some people want it set to a 'volume' (e.g. 1 cup). I'm more interested in nutritional quality rather than quantity and so mine is set so that I can eat about 3-5 oz of Protein (will vary depending on the protein and band that day) and 1 cup low carb vegies. I used to eat 2-3 oz of protein, 3/4 cup low carb vegies and 1/4 cup starch but that was way too many carbs for me. I chose to do it this way because when I tried to get tight enough that I could only eat 1 cup of food, then I couldn't eat that food. Proteins and veggies would get stuck at every meal and I spent a good portion of my meal going back and forth to the bathroom trying to expel that stuck food. Not good for the band. .

The vast majority of people here have not had problems with erosion or slippage (both quite rare by the way). It's just that the horror stories make more of an impact. .

I'll just ditto what Betsy said. .

Consider the source...a woman who admits to anorexia and 'body issues' and a magazine that promotes an industry also known for serious eating disorders, unhealthy body images and shallowness. .

Ways to lessen or eliminate cravings: Reduce the carbs in your diet. I did a 2 week Atkins induction (no carbs except for 2 small salads with my meals) to get the carbs out of my system fast. The first week was the hardest because I was literally going through withdrawal. The 2nd week was better and by the end of it, I had to actually remind myself to eat. Now I'm trying to keep my carbs below 30-35. Over that and I start craving again. Quit watching tv in the evening. Record whatever it is you want to watch so you can fast forward through the ads. The food ads would actually start the saliva flowing in my mouth and studies show that this actually causes insulin spikes which affects blood sugar, making it more difficult to lose weight. Try delayed gratification. Tell yourself you can have it tomorrow if you still want it. Generally you'll wake up the next morning and not want it. If you start craving it again that afternoon or evening, again tell yourself 'tomorrow'. .

She probably will because chewing and spitting out is considered an eating disorder. From one of the medical sites: "People with this disorder can experience swollen glands, mouth sores, cavities, cracked teeth, sore throats, and irritated or ulcerous stomachs. This is because when a person thinks about or begins to eat the salivary glands and stomach acids kick into action. The salivary glands work on the food in the mouth to break it down into simple sugars and make it easier to digest. Some argue that the breakdown allows the sugar to be absorbed through the mouth into the body, thus causing actual calorie ingestion. Others argue that this would be minimal as the food does not stay in the mouth long enough for this to happen. When the salivary glands and acids are frequently working it can lead to the complications mentioned. It can also cause a spike in insulin levels, which regulate blood sugar, and make it harder to lose weight. It's a warning sign of self-destructive behavior that may worsen. If you or someone you know practices this behavior consider getting some professional help. " .

Christie, I've decided I'm never going to understand Hilda, but as long as she works I won't complain. My band also gets tighter for at least 2 weeks after a fill. .

Personally, I wouldn't tolerate a doctor who keeps me in the dark about how much fill he puts in but then I look at doctors as specialized techs. Ultimately it is my body and I can't make informed choices if I don't know what is going on with it. In answer to your question though, yes I would schedule a fill sooner. Band literature says if you're hungry and can still eat to excess, then it's time for a fill. I have to wait at least two weeks after a fill to make my decision though because I discovered that I don't see the true effects of the fill for almost two weeks after. .

I've learned that the band 'is what it is'. I'm usually tighter in the mornings and, after a fill, I don't see too much change for almost two weeks. .

I've kind of gotten used to the fact that eating is just always going to be a surprise. One day something will go down fine...the next I'm too tight. I just go with the flow. If I take that first bite and know I've chewed well and taken a small bite, and it gets stuck, I just stop there and recognize I'm too tight and find another option. Also, as someone else said, I have a problem with leftover meats as they are drier due to heating them up and basically overcooking them. .

Ditto what everyone else said. Not sure why you would be having indigestion, heartburn, difficulty eating, etc. unless he put a fill in at the time of surgery. Call him. I'm assuming he has you on a puree or mushie diet as most do so this strikes me as 'not right'. Those things should be sliders even with a fill. .

Popcorn is one of my slider foods. I could eat it even when I had too much fill. .

I weigh myself every day...if I remember. As Betsy said though, I just don't let it govern my mood and I only record my weight on Monday's. .