Bonnie_Lass

I just want to second some of the other people's advice here with my story. My family doctor suggested gastric bypass to me, he hasn't had a lot of patients do weight loss surgery. He did have one recent one who had the Roux en y gastric bypass and had success. I told him later that I thought the gastric band looked good to me. He researched it, called me in to the office and told me that was the way to go - less risk, slower weight loss (safer), no malabsorbtion, and the same results as gastric bypass 5 years out statistically. I think he'll be recommending the band, rather than bypass to other patients now. The only disadvantage where I live is that gastric bypass is covered by provincial insurance and banding is not - self pay unless you have really good private insurance. Anyway, when I seen costs - bypass costs more than banding - perhaps your surgeon is steering you to the more profitable surgery for him/her. I'd check that info you're getting because it doesn't match with what I've seen. I don't get the part about the band not being permanent - it will still be there indefinately. It has the advantage of being reversable, but I can't even imagine choosing that. I felt I needed the surgery because I know I would regain the weight otherwise. Only you can judge what might work best for you, but I have no regrets about choosing the band for me. I could eat more at a meal than many others around me, so I figured portion control would be a big help. And I do love my sweets too - just have to keep them portion controlled too.

It will get better when you've had enough fill to get some restriction. In the meantime, eat a little more to satisfy yourself, as long as it's the right type of food. Get in the protein foods, they satisfy hunger longer. I'd eat the chicken too, unless it's not soft enough for you at this stage. I eat even the tempting foods - just a taste though.

Getting to the point where you are really hungry before eating can be dangerous, as you have found out, because you can forget to chew well. That's probably why the chicken got stuck. You were eating it before, so I don't think it is just that it is chicken. You may be a little swollen yet, or well restricted too. I had chicken for lunch today, it was cold but moist, I was a little hungry too when I started, had a few bites, it got uncomfortable, ending up bringing it back up. :redface: Then I ate about another 3 ozs just fine - by concentrating on chewing it well. As far as amount goes, I just weigh/measure when I can and then you start to eyeball the amounts. I don't think you need to worry about eating exactly the amount suggested - you want to eat enough to fill you up and not be hungry. If it's more than you should have, you might not lose weight as fast, but it's a sign that you may need a fill. Good Luck. This is a learning process.

I think you need to take his insecurity seriously - it sounds like he is trying to sabotage you - maybe not consciously. It's a big change, and he may be quite afraid of losing you. Give him reassurances and ask him to try to be more considerate. Just my thoughts, maybe worth a try. Good Luck.

Try to stick with the diet you were given post-op, especially at such an early stage - you want to heal, not cause problems with the band. It can be hard, but hang in there - soon you will be able to eat almost normally, but less than others.

Sounds like you are one of the lucky ones. I think I'd delay a fill right now - it's early anyway. It sounds like you either have a little swelling still or maybe just restriction. You say your weight loss has stalled - or is it just slower? It sounds like you're eating fine. Too bad about the chicken. You may find changes yet to come in what you can eat.

There's lots of stuff here about food getting stuck and causing pain in the chest, and about first bite syndrome, but does anyone else feel it in their throat? When I ate, I would start to get discomfort in my throat, and it got a little worse with each bite, or sometimes it took several bites before it started. Sometimes it would get really bad, and sometimes it didn't resolve until the food came up. It has lots of similarities to getting stuck that way. It happened mostly after the surgery (mild then), just after my first fill and since my second fill. My nurse and surgeons at the clinic I go to seem to find that I felt it in my throat to be a little odd. Anyway this week the surgeon thought best thing to try was taking a little of the fill out. It's been 2 days and I haven't had anything close to that issue. So, I was too restricted. Only trouble is now I can eat more than the recommended amount again (still less than before though so I could still lose weight). I'm thinking I'll just wait and see how the weight loss does go - I dread the thought of even a small fill right now. Just to be clear, I am still so happy I did this, and with the weight I have lost.

Check my post about Anyone feeling discomfort in their throat? I describe how eating has been for me. I got 1/2 cc taken out and I can eat so much easier now. I stopped losing weight because I got so frustrated trying to eat Protein, ate a little, then satisfied my hunger with junk food that slides down easily.

I'm surprised you were prescribed large pills. I'd check back with your doctor or pharmacy. I know they have liquid antibiotics for children. The only meds I was prescribed for after surgery were liquid gravol and a very small pill for pain relief. I wasn't given a size of pill, I was just told your stoma is about the size of a dime. I was told to review my pills with my pharmacist and see if any of my large pills could be crushed, or if capsules could be opened. I did and also reviewed what I was taking with my family doctor. One of my larger pills did get dropped. The clinic's nurse suggested taking children's chewable tylenol - you just take more to get your full dose. I also started a liquid form of a supplement I was taking instead of taking large pillls. So I haven't tried anything as large as tylenol, but the pills I have taken have been fine so far.

When food isn't going down well, you may start to salivate which mixes with the food. I usually brought food back up after this, and it is slimy.

That's good to know.

It is great, isn't it. I even overhead my mother-in-law saying to my husband how much my weight loss is showing. It's kind of even better when you overhear it because you know they're not just being nice.

There are a lot of opinions out there on artificial sweetners, our society is full of how chemical additives to food are doing all kinds of horrible things to our health. The whole organic kick for example. I don't think I could keep my calorie count down with the artificial sweetners and I haven't been told to avoid them. I don't want to suggest to you not to listen to your doctor, but maybe you could do a test period without and if you really miss it, see what difference it makes when you start again. Do your own study.

I'd be turning red too, and I don't know if I could do what your friend did, or any of the other wonderful suggestions here. I'm too beaten down. Maybe a year from now, with a good weight loss will help. To TracyNYC, it's such a shame to hear that this is going on with school staff - in my son's school they are running an anti-bullying program to educate the kids to respect differences - sounds like some staff at your school need the education.

When you say you are sliming after meals - is the food not staying down? Your weight loss is certainly faster than it should be, but it's such a short period it's hard to judge - if this becomes a long term trend I think it would be dangerous. If your tech is not a doctor, maybe you should check with one.

I don't want to inflame anything further. The rules from my surgeon is no carbonated drinks. The nurse there who has had the surgery said I wouldn't like it anyway. So I haven't broken that rule. I know my burping is very different now, and I don't want to risk stretching my new small pouch. I was a heavy diet pepsi drinker before and I have given it up - replaced it with Crystal Light although I drink less than before. It can be done. If you haven't had issues with it you may not have done any damage. Go ahead and ask your doctor. If you're not honest with your doctor he can't help you.

Hi, I just have to add my 2 cents - I hate hearing that you are blaming yourself. By all that you say, you have not got enough restriction. None of us went through surgery to not get the help of having restriction. I'm sorry you have such difficulty getting in to your doctor. The clinic I go to usually schedules us to come back in one month whether we need a fill or not (cost included in the surgery - so it's not for more money) and I've been told if I feel a need to come back sooner just call. The only issue is they are only available one day each week, but I've never had an issue getting an appointment on the day of my choice. I've been lucky to have at least some restriction from the start. I've even had too much and that made me stop losing weight because it was too hard to eat the "right" foods. But I had 1/2 cc taken out and I feel so much better. Anyway, try to forgive yourself, others have made great suggestions for things to do, exercise and eating better, just don't get upset or embarrassed because the surgery hasn't started to help until you get that restriction.

I lost about 20 pounds on the 10 day pre-op liquid diet, and I did continue to lose after but I don't remember how much - on liquids I think the weight still came off quickly, but as I started to eat again it slowed down. I've been told it was unusual that I did continue to lose weight before any fills, but everyone is a little different. Don't worry about how much you lose until you get some restriction from your fills. I'm wondering about you're exercising though - I was told to take it easy and not lift anything heavy for the 6 weeks after the surgery - walking and moving around is great, but don't overdo - you are still healing.

My surgeon had me go back within a week post-op and again about 5-6 weeks after. At the 5-6 week point I did get a fill although I couldn't eat what I used at that point, but I could eat more than the recommended amount, and I had continued to lose weight even post-op, which I have been told is not the usual case. At each appointment since then he suggests I come back in 1 month, and I can call in anytime and come in sooner if I want. I did go back early and have a 2nd fill 3 weeks later. Since then I have been going back once every 4 or 5 weeks. No more fills but that's because we think I'm in about the right spot, or maybe a little tight. That's my story - I think you should see how you are eating at about the 6 week point - if you can still eat more than the recommended amount without any discomfort - I would call and return sooner. My surgeon has also said that the ones who keep coming back for follow-ups do better. Hope this helps

Sorry to hear you thought that the band would just do the work for you. I initially hoped it would too, but before I even got signed up for surgery I had to meet with a Dietician who went over the rules for eating after the band and so I've found it to be more of a change in eating rather than your usual diet. It's working though - the protein part is important and I've been following that part more than any single rule.

My surgeon gave me a prescription for liquid gravol for post-surgery nausea. The pills are so small they should be fine too and they're available without a prescription.

Yes, I have too. Tomorrow is another day when we can both make better choices. What I do like about the band is that I still eat less, even the bad foods.

Hang in there, you just need another fill or maybe more. I was lucky to get restriction early, but you will get there too - then you won't be able to eat so much and the weight will come off.

Yes, I have the same issue since my last fill. I too end up drinking a diabetic Meal Replacement shake, but I'm usually hungry well before lunch. I don't drink coffee or tea so but I guess I'll have to try getting up earlier, and having something to drink before I try breakfast. Although drinks don't always go that well in the morning either.

I think you are washing your food down past the any restriction you may have, with soup and drinking water. One of the primary rules I was told was not to drink 1/2 hour before a meal and not for 1 to 2 hours afterwards.