Bonnie_Lass

I have tightness in my throat and gurgling sometimes, but it starts while eating, not later. No nausea or your other symptoms though. I have had the other symptoms (all light-headed, clammy, dizzy) at various times in my life previous to banding, - one time I was told it was shock (it was a few hours after having a tooth pulled). How is your health otherwise, you have lost a lot in a short time?

I hear you. In the morning I warm up my protein shake or the milk I use to make it and that helps that go down. Lunch and supper vary in how well they go, if I'm very very careful about small bites and chewing well and eating slowly I have less of a problem. I can pb on just about any food and even drinks if I drink too fast. But other times I can eat more than I should be able to. It's very frustrating. I don't think I need any taken out because it can be fine, but I don't want to get any more of a fill because it's difficult enough sometimes.

I'm very happy with my surgeon's office but all they say is to talk to your pharmacist and doctor. From my own experience and just reading this post, I think it varies on what the medication and how your restriction is. I liked one post that mentioned drinking something hot first. I do that in the morning anyway, and it helps a lot. I did talk to my pharmacist, and while he didn't know much about banding, he was able to tell me what I can crush and what not to, and what alternatives there are. I switched to other alternatives as much as possible and haven't tried any large pills since banding.

I've never heard that applied to all pills, but I certainly have heard of it for certain ones. Some will say not to take NSAIDs after banding (eg ibuprofen, aspirin) as they are hard on the lining of the stomach and with the band they will be in much the same spot instead of different areas of the stomach in a person without a band. Because of that they may cause ulcers. I know there are other pills too, but your pharmacist or doctor should be able to tell you which ones pose a greater risk for ulcers.

Maybe, but can you drink Clear liquids without a problem? If not - get in to see your doctor quickly. If you can drink then take some time to analyze the following and if you still have an issue, go back. Is the lump there all the time, between meals or does it just take a while after meals to settle down? Does it happen after eating certain foods or eating quickly? Does it happen at any particular time of the day (or month - for women). I've had similar issues, but it varies with the time of day, and I've had to slow down and take tiny bites, or just about any food could cause a lump in my throat too.

It shouldn't continue as that is how the band works - to keep you from feeling hungry with only a small amount of food. Right now what you are going through is quite normal - this is the healing period, later you can go to more normal foods and get a fill or fills until you reach the restriction where you can eat about a cup of (the proper) food and not feel hungry until the time of your next meal. Some people gain during the healing period because of the hunger and they keep eating more, others get some restriction earlier and everyone varies on how much needs to be added to the band to get to the right place for them. Some doctors add gradually and others will do larger amounts at one time. All in all be patient, it will work out.

Not having had a fill does not mean you have no pouch. But as it is less restricted,than after a fill, you could certainly eat more in quantity, and tolerate difficult foods more easily. That is not the point of being banded though. Also if you are post-op there is probably swelling and so you may have some restriction, so stick to the diet provided as your body needs to heal first. It's also a good time to get used to eating differently.

My surgeon doesn't always tell me the exact amount of a fill, but I know that I have had fills and unfills of less than 1cc. When they explained it initially, they said they do 1cc at a time the first couple of fills, then start to do .5cc for another couple of fills and then .25cc until the proper restriction is reached. I think they also judge the amount by how close they feel things are, as I understand it, even .25cc or .5cc can make a large difference when you are close to good restriction.

Everyone is different in how much they need for a fill and how long it takes. I only had 2cc's added and had to have some out because it was too tight. I've never had a fill under fluoro. With having had a difficult time with restriction being different in the morning or at different times of the month (if you get what I mean) and learning to eat drastically differently (slower, chewing more, small bites) I don't think I'd want to risk it going way too tight with an agressive fill. It doesn't sound right to me. As well as the fact that the tightness of the band will change as you lose weight.

I've never had a fill under fluro, and I've reached restriction with just 2 fills and was even was too tight. I didn't even know about fluro except for reading the boards here. From what I have read, fluro is more expensive but they may be more agressive in the quantity they fill. Which means you may reach restriction faster or you may be more likely to have issues because of agressive fills.

I thought I was chewing well, but I was still pb'ing on food like chicken, steak, and even beans. I've been concentrating on chewing more, taking small bites and eating slower and I'm finally having less episodes of pb's. I don't even try something like eggs in the morning because I am too tight then. I have a protein shake instead. It's not good to be going to other foods just because they go down easier - I know, I've done it. You may consider a slight unfill, or just try eating slower, chewing more and taking small bites first. I've even gone to using toddler spoons and forks to make sure I take smaller bites.

My first fill was at 6 weeks after surgery and I had still lost weight since the surgery, which apparently is unusual. From reading the boards here, doctors do seem to be different. My surgeon's office waits 5-6 weeks after the surgery - that seems to be fairly common. You need some time to heal before a fill. They don't automatically do a fill, they do consider weight loss (they like it to be 1-2 pounds per week), but they also ask about how much you're eating, how hungry you are between meals, to assess whether a fill is needed or not.

I had the surgery less than a month after I turned fifty, so I had been looking into it in my late forties. I wish I had considered it sooner, before developing osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and diabetes.

It was my family doctor who suggested gastric bypass for me - he'd had a patient have it done in the States (I live in Ontario, Canada) and was very happy with it. He set it up for us to talk, and I also researched the lap-band myself. When I talked with my husband about the WLS options he was totally scared of it for me. I got him to read up on lap bands and we talked to someone who had had it done. He started to come on board about the lap-band because it was less drastic, reversible and didn't cause the malabsorption issue. I then talked to my family doctor who needed to do his own research about lap-band, he then called me back to say that was the way to go, quoting the slower weight loss as another benefit of it. So my support supported lap-band more than gastric bypass and it scared me much less too. Living in Ontario gastric bypass is covered by the government, but lap-band is not. So I chose it despite the extra cost because it is adjustable, reversable, less drastic and doesn't have the malabsorption issue. It might be nice to lose weight faster, but to me this is about finding a lifestyle I can accept and that lets me be a healthier weight.

After my first fill I could still eat a tender steak as long as I was very careful about chewing. Now I have had a lot more trouble with it, so when/if you may reach that point is hard to say. I can't eat Pasta either, and being high in carbs I don't really try - you want Protein. Fish is easiest for me, but I can manage chicken at times too. Always have to be careful to chew and eat slowly though. Good luck!

Maybe you should ask those great people who told you it may take days or weeks to kick in. That doesn't fit with my experience or understanding - a day maybe 2 okay. People may be different, but if I feel more restriction after a fill it's would be within hours and after a few days or a week it might loosen from there. I'd ask your doctor rather than wait weeks for a fill to kick in.

It may take more than 1 fill to get you to good restriction. There can be swelling after the fill for a few days so it could be restrictive at first and then not restrictive enough. Different doctors will do fills more often than 1 month especially at first I would think. Also as your body changes the restriction on the band could change also meaning another adjustment to your fill. And everybody is different as to how much it takes to get restriction. Watch if you can eat more than you should, or feel hungry too soon after your proper sized meal, those are indicators of not having enough fill. Good luck!

My first fill was 1cc, but I do have a small band. That's the most my surgeon's office does, I believe. The second was was also 1cc and I didn't have as bad an issue as your acquaintance, but did get some taken out after that.

I think it's hard to see the changes in ourselves - it is gradual. I had comments from others at about 30 lbs loss - they said my face looked slimmer. My husband and mother-in-law keep saying how much it shows what I've lost, and I see the difference in the clothes that fit, but I don't see it a lot in the mirror. If you want the sense of losing weight watch your measurements and clothing sizes too. AT 50 lbs lost I'm down about 3 clothing sizes, and I feel so much less pain than I used to - so besides the scale those are my yardsticks.

The initial soreness shouldn't last long, a couple of days or so. Where I go they don't do fills until about 5 weeks after surgery though.

I had my surgery on a Friday - I took the next week off just to be safe. I could have probably returned mid-way through that week, but I was just as happy to have the time off while on a different diet and wearing compression stockings.

At one of my appointments, the doctor determined my band was a bit too tight and took .5 cc out. Part of what he got was air. Then the next appointment he went to put in .25cc and had a little trouble accessing the port so he withdrew some to make sure he had the port and got some air again. Has anyone else had this? Does it mean anything? I've had issues with food sticking a lot sometimes, other times I don't have any problem. I thought I was chewing enough, but that is what they come back as the probable cause - not chewing enough or eating too fast. I also cannot eat in the morning (Protein shakes instead). Would there be any connection? I keep intending to ask, but forget at the time - I will ask next time, but I was wondering if anyone else had come accross this before.

If I thought I could lose weight without the restriction offered by the band, I would not have had the surgery. I have tried many times to lose weight with temporary success, every time I gained all that lost weight back plus more. Good luck, keep going keeping your diet in mind.

When you say you are "white knuckling it" does that mean you're hungry, ie stomach rumbling hungry but forcing yourself to not eat. If that is the case then you would need to make that point and get another fill. Maybe they just don't get how much you are doing to lose those 4 pounds. The band is not a quick weight loss measure, 1-2 pounds per week is what you should expect. Does thinking of one pound a week as over 50 pounds in a year help? That's big. I know it's not easy - I'm still trying to work out all the changes in lifestyle. That is what its supposed to be - a change in lifestyle, not a diet where you starve yourself.

I've been told that to avoid having the band slip is to avoid vomiting. You should not have to stick with liquids and mushies until you've lost the weight you want to lose. If you've had a stuck episode or just been filled you will likely have some swelling and need to stick to liquids and mushies for up to a few days. I also find I get tighter when under higher stress, at the beginning of my period, and in the mornings, which I think is fairly common from what I've read on this site, so you have to take those possibilities into account too. If you are still getting full too quickly you may need a little taken out of your band. Unfortunately there is not a perfect fill that will last the entire time you have the band, loss (or gaining) of fat may occur near the band and it may need the amount of Fluid adjusted. to achieve the proper restriction. I also used to always feel a need to drink with meals but I didn't chew as much as I do now. I've had trouble adjusting to just how much and how important it is to chew, chew, chew - if I don't concentrate on that I usually have a little trouble. Also foods are different too, some just can't seem to be chewed enough to stay down. You need to learn which foods fall in that category too. Good Luck.