TKW

I drink coffee all the time now. I didn't for the first year (except occasionally) But now I have one or two cups a day (altho some times I just do the decaf). Coffee is a diuretic so it aides in ridding Fluid from your body. They want you to not drink caffinated coffee because it can help dehydrate you and Water is more important now, with the band, more than ever. I was told for every cup of coffee you drink you need to drink one more glass of water. My advice... drink lots and lots of water if you are going to drink coffee. I have gotten used to decaf but I do still love a good strong cup of the regular Joe! Good Luck on your journey

A-mazing!

You are too tight. What kind of restriction did you have before you had any fluid put in your band. Was there any fluid in your band from surgery?

You're beautiful! You've been through a lot, hope this solves the problem. The band, unfortunately, is not the answer for everyone. Best of Luck to you!

I'm gonna give this a try, I do the eliptical and treadmill at the gym, both track miles. Whoop Whoop!

My surgeon would not do surgery on anyone who smoked. They told us at the seminar, "if you smoke you will need to quit for 6 months before we even consider doing the surgery" I don't know why, I was not a smoker... I was more concerned with "no chocolate"!

I had a check up with my lap band Dr. this morning. I was thinking I might be needing a fill ( I've been a lot hungrier and have been eating aprox 300 calories more per day) and she suggested taking Fluid out of my band. Apparently, Austraila - which has been doing lap-band surgery longer than anyone, has done a study showing that if you eat and you feel the food sitting on top of your band your esopogus is working extremely hard to push that food through the band, eventually this will weaken your esophogus and it will lose some of it's strength to contract and push food through the band. She said that they are finding that it's the feel of the food going through the band, not the filling of the pouch that makes you feel full. If you over work the esophogus it could permanently be damaged, hence, affecting the band. She said that you should be able to feel each bite go through the band before you take another bite. My food definately sits on top of my band, sometimes anyway. I don't know what to think, I told her I didn't want an unfill but I would do it if she thought I should. We decided to go two weeks, really think about each bite. I don't know that I can feel the food go through the band but she said I should be able too. I'm going to experiment for 2 weeks then we will make the decision. She said the Austrailian study "rules" for eating are. 20 - bites. 1 bite per minute. You should feel each bite move through the band before taking the next. I said I didn't know if I could feel it but she said I should be able to, if I eat a few bites and can feel the food sitting on top of the band ( which I definately can at times) then my band is too tight. I left feeling sort of deflated. I don't know why, scared I guess of being able to eat too much. We'll see what happens the next couple of weeks. On a brighter note: I weigh 297 pounds!!! I started this journey 1 year 4 months ago and and have seen my weight start with 3 different hundreds now - 400 - 300 and now 200. Don't know if I'll ever see Onederland but I'm gonna give it my best shot. Uff.... not sure what to think!

I love skinny cows. Wish I'd never bought that first box. I don't eat one every day but I'd love to!

huh?

Tight bands cause stuck episodes that can lead to throwing up which can lead to a slipped band. I know a lot of people like their band tight, I don't like the risk.

Hmmmmm.... interesting, now you got me thinking. Gonna experiment!

133 pounds lost Foods I avoid - scrambled eggs, rice, bread (altho, i can eat if I really take it easy) Weakness - Skinny Cow Mint Ice Cream Sandwich or Weight Watcher dark chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream Bars - I can pretty much eat anything I ate before, I avoid the things that have caused me problems but every now and then I REALLY want a hamburger so I have one. It may take me an hour to eat it but I can do it without getting stuck if I really want to. Puzzled, by slime and the excessive amount of gas Can I eat around my band, yep... just drink with my meals (I rarely do this but once in a while if I go out to eat I'll have Water with my meal) Continued Good Luck to you!

I have lost 135 pounds. If I eat right, exercise and follow the basic LB rules, I lose weight. I've had my bouts of not exercising or eating not so healthy foods for a period of time. When I do this... I don't lose. I can only eat so much, I have great restriction, but I can eat junk food and when I do this I come to a stand still. I think we can all be sucessful, I don't care what anybody says... it is still a diet. I've learned so much during my journey and I'd do it again in a heartbeat! Even with the band, we are all responsible for our own outcomes! Best of Luck to you!

I agree with SageTracey: They have seen it before, you are not the first one to put weight back on. You need to see your doctor and get a fill. I know it is 300.00 but really, if it helps it is so worth it. Don't be ashamed, it's life, it happens, do what ever you need to do to help fix the problem. Best of Luck to you!

I think the gas was the worse part for me! Welcome aboard!

I agree, you need to get your head hunger under control right after you find out what is going on with your band. All that reflux does not seem right. I also agree that you can not tell your self that you can never have chocolate again or ice cream again. Everyone deserves a treat once in a while but to succeed we need limits. When I was researching the lap band before I had surgery I read an article about a woman who had an uncontrollable chocolate addiction. Her Doctor or counselor suggested this to her. Become a chocolate connoisseur. Once a week allow your self 1 serving of the finest chocolate you can find. Not M&M's or hershey's but fine chocolate. She did this every week of her lap band journey and was remarkably successful. She trys all sorts of different fine chocolates. One serving, once a week. I don't know if I could do it. If it is in the house I eat it! But it worked for her. Many people on this site have also seen a counselor. Have you ever thought of that. Suzzie... you did it once. That was incredible! I bet you can do it again. Do It For YOU! I wish you the best of luck! T.

I don't think a pound or two means anything. You could be retaining Water. You've done amazing. AMAZING!!!!! My advice would be, keep doing what you're doing. I'm sorry for your loss. Keep up the good work!

tkw - 300 still

Breakfast: Snackwell protien bar (8g) 140 cal Lunch: Salad w/ Romain 3oz serloin (leftover) (18g) 161 cal shredded parm cheese (3.6g) 39 cal croutons (1g) 30 cal Thousand Island 2T (.3g) 114 cal (not lite =( Supper ( tentatively) 3 oz pork chop (24g) 214 cal 1/2 baked potato (1.3 g ) 83 cal 1/2 cup steamed cabbage (1g) 35 cal And I'm sure I'll have a skinny cow icecream sandwich before the night is thru.

There is absolutely nothing I can't eat if I eat it slow enough and take small enough bites. I have had trouble with bread once in a while and with scrambled eggs (?) But if I take it slow I can usually eat anything. To me it seems if I have something with bread I do fine as long as I don't over eat. It seems like the quantiity of food I can eat at a meal is much less when bread or Pasta or something like that is involved. Everyone is different. Some people just can not eat some things. Best of Luck!

Personally, I think you need a small unfill. You probably are a little swollen but it really does sound like you are too tight. Best of Luck

I know... RIGHT. We had a meeting at work the other day and they had fresh bakery doughnuts. Well, I took half one... and you know the rest of the story. Now I probably would have been fine had I quit eating after a couple bites cuz I felt full! Every now and then I just have to test the waters. Dumb! Happy Bandiversary!

Or on the wrong side of the bed? I had Great Pre-band education, aside from the standard tests I had to take several classes. I don't think everybody has great pre-band knowledge. Hope you have a great day!

how much did the Dr. put in? I was too tight at one point (not that tight) and my dr took out .2 cc. You are super tight. Good luck!