BetsyB

Most extended release meds, even if in a capsule that could dissolve prior to passing through the stoma (and therefore not present a problem in terms of getting stuck), are intended to pass into the small intestine intact. Banding causes time-release meds to remain in the stomach for too long. So even if they can physically pass with no issue, you can run into problems with bioavailability (too much or too little being absorbed).

I'm so glad you're okay :wink2:

This sounds like a great plan. I've lost the same amount consistently since banding--much of it by "faking it" before restriction. I didn't feel any more restriction with Fill #2, either. But fill #3--which was tiny by comparison--got me moving toward it much more. I agree it sounds like your doctor is pretty conservative with fills, though starting with 2ccs put you a little ahead of the game. (I got 4.5 with my first fill, and 4 with my next; the following several fills were much smaller--but that's because less is needed as you fine-tune.) I'm not in the camp for which there is "moderation" when it comes to chips, at least during the phase when I'm working hard to lose as much as possible--but if it works for you, more power to you!

Yes, that "full" feeling is a thing of the past. It becomes "not hungry" or "satisfied."

Okay, thanks for clearing that up. I really misinterpreted your initial post. It sounds to me like you've got a very different problem than I first thought. If you're really not able to eat solid food--and are hungry, iIt sounds to me as though you might be too tight, and relying on (unsatisfying) slider foods that just don't stick with you. You really should be able to tolerate solid foods--and should aim for a level of restriction that permits you to eat those. I know it sounds counterintuitive; I am sure in your shoes, my reaction would be, "WTH? Take Fluid OUT?! That will just make me hungrier!" But really, if you're overfilled, you can't tolerate the foods that your body needs in order for the band to work the way it's meant to work. If you're able to eat a reasonable amount of dense lean Protein (solid) and veggies, your body is apt to give you a completely different sensation.

You may have to redefine what "full" is. If you're looking for the sensation you experienced preoperatively, you will not experience that again--ever. It's gone. Instead, you will have to work to identify a new "full." You will not have the same sensation of a stretched stomach. Those receptors will never be stimulated in the same way. You will instead learn to work with "not hungry" and "satisfied." If you are reaching the point of pain, in terms of eating volume, you are likely eating too much. With time and practice, and a new sense of perspective, you will learn to listen to your body's "not hungry" message and STOP. It really does take practice, and it also may involve a little mourning. But you will come to realize that "not hungry" is good---and that even a bite more can push you into territory you want to avoid. If you genuinely cannot eat healthy solid foods, I'd talk with your doctor about adjustment. But I'd also focus on making good choices (pizza crust can be problematic, so that might be a food you find you have to avoid; my local pizzeria makes a crustless pizza that is great--maybe yours will, too). Cut your food into small pieces, and chew enough that nothing you swallow is larger than a pencil eraser. Eat slowly enough that you can "listen" to what your body is saying, in terms of satiety. "Not hungry" is very, very different from the "full" you know and love. You have to stop chasing that "full."

The needle likely got bent on the hard side of the port. It's not unusual. I know it's very frustrating, but try to be patient. After the first couple of fills, it's pretty typical for them to get more conservative with volume; smaller amounts make a larger difference. I'm 9 months out, and Fill #4 is when I really started feeling as though I was approaching restriction. It wasn't until my last fill (maybe #6? 7?) when I hit what seems to be the sweet spot (for now).

This actually is not consistent with the peer-reviewed medical research associated with the band.

No. I don't allow myself to. I'm not saying that snarkily, or condescendingly, or because I think I'm better at handling this than you; I'm none of those things. I simply decided to adopt a, "That's just not an option" stance. It was really a watershed for me; I found I do have the control--ALL of the power. I never thought of myself that way before; I thought food had much more power over me. But I was wrong. This realization has been really helpful, not just in terms of weight loss, but psychologically.

I'm working on the last bit of weight, too--around 10 pounds from a normal BMI, and the going's slow. I, too, am losing inches--but the scale is far less cooperative. Are you more active than you were earlier in your weight loss? I ask, because you may be losing fat. The scale won't register that loss if you're displacing it with muscle tissue. The muscle is a great addition; it's metabolically active (fat is not), and will help you when you actually want to maintain.

As I've lost weight, the position of my port has shifted quite a lot. I wonder if the same has happened for you.

He has an amazing family---how cool that his SIL is now massively losing, too. I think he'll be a contender for the at-home winner, for sure.

My doctor had specs related to Protein, fat, and carb--you might want to check with your doctor to see what s/he recommends. Mine recommended Atkins (he now sells a different brand from his office), but with his okay, I went with the ones I think are best: Inspire and PURE from Bariatric Eating.

I add FiberSure to a drink each day. The inulin fiber has lots of benefits, including helping to regulate blood sugar.

Your insurance company will dispute that--and your share of the bill will likely drop considerably. I ended up with nothing out of pocket other than my office copays and a non-covered program fee of $300. Because I chose a Center of Excellence, I even somehow got out of paying toward my deductible for the year. (My surgery was in January, and I expected to have to pay much more.)

Permanent damage is very, very rare.

Congratulations! Remember, it's okay to take it easy if you're ill. My rule of thumb is to nix the workouts if the infection travels to my chest; with head stuff, I do it if I am able. (Sinuses can make me dizzy...)

The hair growth cycle is interrupted by things like trauma, anesthesia, and childbirth. Ordinarily, we lose 50-100 hairs/day; we don't tend to notice this. For a period of time after surgery, we don't lose this among--we cling to it. Then, BAM! It all comes out at once, and then some. With time, the cycle gets back to normal. You can help it along by ensuring your are adequately nourished (esp. Protein, Biotin, and zinc) and hydrated. Get enough heart-healthy fats. You can also use something like Nioxin shampoo/conditioner. But fact is, most of these things are probably just things that make us feel better because we're doing something; the cycle tends to get back in sync on its own. I really despaired of the hair loss, but it stopped as suddenly as it began

It's so hard to predict! I stayed in the same size forever, then BAM! I lost sizes like mad. You might whiz right by the sizes you have. But hopefully you'll get bit of time to enjoy them

It sounds like your doctor(s) are not terribly well-informed about how to help their patients get the best results from their bands. While rate of loss is a consideration when determining whether a fill is necessary, it is only one consideration. Also very important is how you feel. We all can lose weight if we white-knuckle and diet. We have bands installed so that we don't have to cope with the constant hunger--and your doctor is very mistaken when he says that a fill won't help with that. In your shoes, I think I'd look for another group to do your aftercare. While I certainly would have expected to see the surgeon both before and after the surgery itself, some groups do pass you on to support staff for aftercare; I would not take this personally (though I really like that I see my doctor each and every time I go in; he assesses me at each visit, does my fills, does everything except weigh me). But if it's not an approach you like, I'd focus on finding someone who will be more hands-on. And certainly someone who will listen to YOUR experience and gauge your needs accordingly.

How many bands has your aunt really seen? Unless she is working WITH bariatric patients, in an office where they come for aftercare, she really doesn't have any more basis for her opinion than the average Joe on the street. I'm an RN, and have actually worked in a hospital where banding was the cash cow---and if I hadn't worked on that unit, I never would have seen the patients do more than walk in and out the door. Your aunt is mistaken about the degree of risk. Like many, I suspect she is mixing up her bariatric surgeries. We hear lots of tales of horrific "banding" deaths; usually they are false, or attributable to Roux-en-Y. For some reason, people like to ascribe horrible bypass results to the band--they can't keep their stories straight. Look, it is surgery. There are risks---like there are any time you have anesthesia. But as surgeries go, it is relatively low risk. In terms of alteration to the stomach, which seems to be your aunt's concern, it's completely reversible. I understand your apprehension; most of us experience a bit of anxiety and second-guessing. But please don't base your decision on uninformed opinions and misinformation. If you want real information, your doctor (or someone here) will provide it.

I can't see any reason why they'd be contraindicated (unless you have an allergy, like I do); they bypass the gastrointestinal tract completely.

I tell some people, and don't tell others. It has nothing to do with embarrassment or shame, or fear of failure, or anything of the sort. It's simply personal information that not everyone is entitled to. That said, I don't keep it a secret. When people ask how I've lost so much weight, I generally do tell them. I do this because someone told me about his band at a time when I was just starting the decision-making process, and the information (and his success) did make a difference for me. I pretty freely share with people for with whom I am close, or those for whom the information is helpful. But like other personal things in my life, I don't feel it necessary to share it with everyone. It's really a very small aspect of who I am and what I do that it simply is not relevant in most situations.

Yep, the average is 1-2 pounds, week. I've pretty consistently lost 2.5, but I follow a pretty stringent low-carb regimen and exercise a lot. What kind of eating plan does your doctor recommend? Are you able to be pretty compliant, even without restriction? It is possible to lose during that very frustrating time, but it really is by virtue of white-knuckling.