Acadia

To all of you experiencing no weight loss despite restricting calories - INCREASE your calories for at least one day, add an additional 300-500 calories (up to 1,000 extra calories), and DON'T workout every day. Workout every other day. By doing this you'll: 1) give your metabolism a kick, taking you out of starvation mode 2) allow your muscle to heal and actually build muscle, which burns more calories A week later, you'll have lost weight or inches or both. Do the calorie increase once a week or once every two weeks. Try to make your extra calories fat or Protein - limit your carbs for extra calories. The body will flush fat through (you may have diarrhea because your body will try to compensate for the increased food intake - but that also means the calories won't be absorbed completely) so drink more fluids these days. Note: you may gain anywhere from 3-10 lbs that first day after, it's generally due to salt and Water retention not actual gained weight, but around 5-6 days later you'll see that you actually LOSE weight.

It's unlikely you ruined anything. Just go back to liquids and soft foods like puddings, Soups, things like that. Right now you're healing, don't expect to be able to eat easily for at least another week or two. Also - ask your Dr. if you had any fill at surgery time. Some do and some don't. Mine did a passive fill, inserted a needle with syringe - didn't plunge - just allowed the band to pull in enough Fluid to set it at equilibrium. If you have a bit of a fill it may be even more difficult to eat solids so soon.

Surgery 01/14 First Fill 02/17 Second Fill 03/23

I haven't had issues with salads. I'd suggest if you make them at home to chop the lettuce into smaller pieces (less chewing), use very fresh crispy lettuce, and at restaurants eat only a couple of pieces per bite and chew. You won't know until you try. For me, things that get stuck: rice, Pasta, and bread. Stuff that doesn't get stuck: crunchy stuff (popcorn, nuts, chips) and liquids. My guess is that the former bind together, even if chewed well, whereas crunchy stuff is able to be more easily chewed into tiny pieces and doesn't stick together as easily. Slimy lettuce may get stuck, but I imagine you wouldn't eat it if you saw it was all wilted, brown, and nasty. : )

If I eat too much I get a stuck feeling, I start to salivate, I get hiccups, and a general chest pain. I've learned to stop eating before I'm full. Getting stuck is a horrendous feeling.

peacequeen -- Thank you. I normally try to respond to everyone, I figure it's only polite. kshallow -- If I had eaten just before I probably would have waited a little longer before going to the ER. Fortunately I hadn't eaten in many hours so I knew something was wrong and it wasn't band related. Jack -- Thank you. rottie69 -- Thank you. We're trained not to inconvenience people over 'little things' but you just never know if that little thing is actually something very serious. Though I'll have several hundred dollars in bills to pay, my family would have had $7,000-10,000 to pay for travel and a funeral if I hadn't gone and it was something serious.

So last night I was sitting working and suddenly felt this really tight dull pain in the center of my chest. I figured maybe it was temporary, so I walked around (sitting wasn't comfortable), then I tried to lay down, squat, bend over, any and every position and everything hurt (and I'm sure entertained my neighbors). Then I realized I wasn't breathing well. The pain was right behind the bottom of my sternum, prime area for all sorts of issues. After 30 minutes it was getting worse, even after a GasX and two tums just in case it was indigestion (even though I hadn't eaten in 5 hours). When that didn't help I went to the ER. Heart attacks present differently in women and I wasn't going to take the risk. So I got to the ER, said that I had chest pain, shortness of breath, and that I had a lapband. I got an EKG immediately, got registered about 10 minutes later, and the pain started to dissipate about 10 minutes after that. Several nurses were interested that I had the lapband and wanted to know how well it was working for me, it was nice to get positive questions. They inserted a large IV (big enough for contrast), took six vials of blood, then I went to the room and waited on the Dr. I was hooked up to a heart monitor, O2, etc. so I was fully monitored. The Dr. came in, checked my heart, all was well, the EKG was fine (and was compared to my pre-surgery EKG). He asked for me to get a couple of meds to counteract the reaction I would have to the contrast and got me signed up for a CT. When the Dr. and I talked about the band he said that the band sits right at that point so it was a concern that I had that pain and that it suddenly stopped. It could signify all sorts of things. They called my Dr. (who works at the same hospital) and he agreed to have them check it to make sure it was positioned okay, so in I went for a CT with contrast. After that, they said everything was sitting fine, the lapband looked good, it hadn't moved, and there was no reason they could figure for the pain. However, the doctor made a very big point to say that it was good I came in and didn't just assume it was nothing. He has seen women come in too late after a heart attack, when they get there they talk about how it was so subtle, by that point their heart is almost totally dead. Same for the band, my Surgeon was concerned because you just never know what a foreign object is going to do. So though I was fine, the ER was completely receptive to my situation, my concerns, and did not look down on me for having the lapband or for going in with chest pain that then went away shortly after I arrived. They still gave me exceptional care and were very open about the band and how it could be affecting my situation. I made a point to tell them when I had it done, that there were no complications, how much of a fill I had, when I had my last fill, my ability to eat and drink, and with all of that they had no reason to do an unfill or exploration. They understand that you know your body and how it reacts. If you have a band, be 100% honest with the ER, the doctors, the nurses, everyone. You never know who is going to treat you or how they will treat you and the more you tell, the more they know, and the better care you'll get. And if you have any chest pain, back pain, or abdominal pain that doesn't go away after 30 minutes - and begins to affect your breathing - go to the ER. Don't risk your life because you're embarrassed or think it's nothing.

If you are working out with weights (heavy enough weights you can only do 5-8 reps per set) and doing toning exercises (like squats, pushups, situps, etc.) and losing weight slowly (1-3 lbs/week) then you shouldn't have a problem with loose skin. The areas where it would be a problem are the breasts, stomach, upper arm, and upper thigh. If you take your weight loss slow and stay active with muscle building, rather than just fat loss, then you'll give your skin a must better chance to recover. Your tattoos will look smaller, and you may loose a bit of detail, but the color will be a bit more concentrated because the color 'beads' under the skin will be closer, so there are benefits.

reverie - Thank you. It was not pleasant but the hospital staff were great. mattie7632 do you suppose new heart problems could present in such a short time? - Heart problems can happen at any time. Even with a normal EKG you can actually actively be having a heart attack. It's rare, but it can happen. You can also throw a blood clot or a piece of plaque can become lose and cause a stroke or heart attack - with no notice. Since a 'normal' EKG is slightly different for everyone, and unless you have something to compare it to a Doctor won't be able to tell if yours truly is normal, you can't always rely on a normal EKG meaning that you're not having heart issues. These days there are rapid blood tests that can be done to detect cardiac enzymes and Proteins that indicate heart damage. These enzymes ebb and flow during heart damage and these tests can detect them as they're rising (usually about six hours after the start of the heart attack) and even up to 36 hours after a heart attack. Some proteins that indicate heart damage can be detected for up to two weeks after damage. There is also a blood test for pulmonary embolism (D-dimer) that is done when you present with chest or back pain if PE isn't obvious. This is why, even though the pain went away, the testing continued to ensure that it wasn't minor heart damage that was simply masking itself. Considering we're all in the process of losing weight, and due to being overweight we are more prone to having high cholesterol and high blood pressure, we're all at a greater risk for plaque and its release into the blood, which can lead to a stroke or heart attack. Soon2besexynslim -- It's great that you went in. There is one member on the boards here who just a few weeks ago had chest/back pain and went in and she had a PE in both lungs. If she had ignored her pain she likely wouldn't be here today. Oceangirl6 -- Thank you. Phranp -- Thank you. It was quite scary, but I knew that it was the right thing to go in. Women often won't go to the hospital if they have chest pain or problems breathing because they think they're going to be an inconvenience and they're embarrassed. We're taught to ignore our pain and brush it off, and especially with us, where we have a foreign object in us, and we're at higher risk for issues to begin with, it's so important to heed our body's warnings. PeaceQueen -- Thank you. I'm working on it. Taking it very slow. It's definitely a long journey! Trish151 -- You know, I thought about that as well. The nurses were really interested and thought it was great that I'd already lost and that other than that episode of chest pain I hadn't had any issues. I think at least one of them, who was more keen to ask questions, will look more into it. Fortunately she's at one of the better hospitals that offers it. k-baby -- I do feel better, thank you. I asked about my gall bladder and my Dr. said that it could be the issue, and if it happens again that they'll check more into that, but everything was fine with the blood tests they did and the CT showed that there were no stones. That said, the things that cause an increase in gall stones include: being female, being on birth control, being over weight, losing weight too quickly (catch 22 isn't it?), if you're on drugs that lower cholesterol, and diabetes. It's surprising more of us don't have gall bladder issues with all of those things against us!

Everyone is different and all sorts of pain can come about depending on how things are placed, what was moved out of the way during surgery, how you moved after surgery, and so much more. It will get better. It just might take some time. I honestly thought it would never stop, then one day I was able to sit up without a towel at my abdomen. I was able to sit on the toilet without bracing on the sink with one arm. You'll start to notice little things showing that things are getting better.

Remember, you may not feel your fill right away. It has taken some people up to four weeks to feel their fill.

Definitely call them. You may be continuing to vomit at this point because your band has slipped so a call will help determine if you should come in for an unfill, and if you ask them to do it under fluoroscopy they can get a good look to make sure it hasn't slipped.

My port is deeper and I did get the lidocaine beforehand, but it stung (as it's known to do) and they offered me the option not to have it next time (there was no option the first time because my port is really deep). I've also had experience that injecting with saline solution can also cause numbness just long enough to get an injection (read more: http://infusionnurse.org/2010/03/24/numbing-with-bacteriostatic-normal-saline/). It won't sting and you'll get the same effect. However, rather than take two injections I'll put a little lidocaine patch on the area 30 minutes prior to the fill and that will numb the area enough to get the deeper injection with no pain. I found my port area was tender for a day after the first fill so I'd like to prevent a little bit of that. As for the stomach bug, you don't want one with the band, with vomiting you could have your band slip. I've heard of some people on here using Phenergan/Promethazine suppositories. They stop the vomiting and you don't swallow them to get the effects. It's around $50 for 12 of them and they're good to have around for when you do start vomiting, you can stop it quickly and safely.

I had surgery on January 14th and my first fill on February 17th. My second is scheduled for March 17th.

Knaroz makes a very good point about increasing your calories every now and then. If you plateau, have a day where you add 300-500 calories to your day (it's easy) and it can kick your metabolism up. 600 is way too low, at 1,200 you should be losing nicely 1-3 lbs per week depending on your activity level. You will go into starvation mode if you don't eat more, and you don't want that. Any Dr. who says you should be eating 600 calories is nuts -- unless they're doing a very specific VLC (Very Low Calorie) diet to get you into a level of ketosis (very high Protein and very high fat diet low carb) which can help you lose quickly. But you're generally only on the diet for 1-2 weeks max because it's horribly unhealthy and can cause damage in the long term.

I like to use an old fashioned stove popper, it works great with a little olive oil and some sea salt. This is the one I like to use: http://www.amazon.com/Wabash-Valley-Farms-25008-Whirley-Pop/dp/B00004SU35/ref=lh_ni_t_ Fresh popped popcorn just tastes better.

I'm 42 DD ... was, now around 40 D 1/2 and I got a great one from Glamorise (Sport Max) that, while it does create uniboob, it holds the girls in place, they don't budge at all - even when I run.

See her for a little while. A therapist can help you see things you never realised and can help make you much more ready for the procedure and life after. Use this as a learning time to learn more about you, your needs to overeat, your needs to eat certain foods, your desire to have the surgery. My therapy sessions were exceptionally helpful. But you have to be open to it. And your therapist can tell your Dr. that she doesn't think you're ready, so take her thoughts to heart and ask her to help you figure out why she's getting that vibe.

meat tenderizer is usually just papaya and pineapple enzymes mixed with a little salt. Not dangerous necessarily, but a little papaya juice or pineapple juice may be more appropriate as dry powder is hard to swallow on its own.

Once you start solids it should be reduced. Then it will depend what you eat. Clean foods (no sugars, no white flours, etc.) and you'll have normal movements, if you eat sugars or loads of white carb foods (generally also loaded with sugar) you'll likely continue with loose stool (sugars cause your intestines to pull Water out to clear them faster, hence loose stools). As for hunger, you may always feel hungry. The band doesn't reduce your hunger (in some people it can press on the vagus nerve, but you don't actually want that as it can cause other issues), it simply reduces the amount of food you can eat, which then triggers the 'full' response with less food. Once your pouch is full you simply can't jam anything else in there without vomiting and eventually your stomach sense the signal that it's full. I felt like I was starving the first four weeks. Only after my first fill was I able to go a full 5 hours between meals (depending what I ate). Isopure really does help though, I saw that you're using it, you can use it as the cold water in Jello to make a high Protein snack as well. But even cold it's so much easier to get down than a shake!

I had the single incision and it took my incision around three weeks to mostly close, one side reopened, then it closed about a week and a half later. I had general abdominal discomfort but not pain. What type of pain are you having? If it's dull it's pretty normal. If it's sharp - you need to see your Dr. That said, you could continue to have pain for up to six weeks after surgery, you're only two weeks out. Just see how things go the next week - but if at any time you get redness, heat, sharp pain, vomiting, or fever, go see your Dr. immediately and ask for an x-ray to make sure everything is still in the right place and nothing looks out of the ordinary.

I agree that you're likely too tight. It can take up to four weeks for your fill to actually take effect (several people post about this on the board). I'd suggest going to see your Dr. to get a little unfill. Since you've been vomiting so much, you may want to ask your Dr to do the unfill under fluoroscopy with a barium swallow to make sure your band hasn't slipped (that can also account for more vomiting). You definitely don't want to get an unfill then find out that you still have the same problem and it's all due to a slip.

A slider is a food that you can eat and it seems to just slide through the band and you don't get full on it. It almost acts like a liquid. I've found that liquids, naturally, are sliders - but so are really crunchy and dry foods. It's the mushy foods like Pasta, rice, tofu, veggies, etc. that aren't sliders for me - and they often get stuck if I don't take tiny enough bites. Which is the point I suppose, to eat the stuff that actually fills you up and not the stuff that slips through

I use sour gummie one-a-days, chewed really well for a multi. I find they aren't very sour at all but taste a lot better than the plain ones. I also take: B12 (sublingual) - very important to take for the rest of your life Calcium (petites) - important because you won't digest it quite the same Vitamin D (Gelatin capsule) - important because most people don't get enough anyway B1 (gelatin capsule) - important for the first 90 days Iron (every three days - slow release) - for women this is important if you don't eat much meat Acidophilus (pearls) - this will help keep your intestines happy with beneficial bacteria Prilosec (not the generic) - keeps acid reflux away, suggest for the first 6 months Biotin (sublingual) - will help prevent or reduce hair loss B Complex - good to make sure you're getting all of your Bs as they help with energy Cinnamon (revs metabolism) Magnesium and Zinc (snapped in half) Omega 3 (sublingual)

My Dr. has the rule that if you get a fill between 0800-1200 then no food or drink after midnight. If you get your fill from 1300-1700 then no food after 0600. It's better if your stomach is nice and empty.