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I don't know which band you have, but I was an outlier, in that I needed more than my band "max" fill level to keep good and sustained restriction. I have a 9 cc Realize Band, and it wasn't until my fill level was past 10 cc that I finally had perfect "for me" restriction. My doctor checked the pressure my band was under, and while the pressure is on the high side of normal, it's still in the normal range. He said he had a few other patients who needed my level of fill before they had restriction. My last fill was several months ago, and while I can tell I've lost a little of the restriction that I had, it's a very small change. My band is not so tight that I can eat normal foods and lots of foods bandsters sometimes have trouble with such as steak and soft yeasty bread. I also have never had reflux of any kind, and I've only slimed a handful of times...all related to user error. I'm definitely not too tight. I don't know what you can do with this information, but your doctor is not working with you on this and it's not your fault or your weakness that you don't have restriction yet. Is there anyway you can change doctors? I wouldn't know how to go about doing that other than to start making phone calls explaining the situation. Also, there's FillCentersUSA who will do for band patients. You'd have to check their web site to see if there's one reasonably close to you. I'm sorry your doctor has taken this hard stand about your fills.

I went in this past Thursday and found out mine has flipped as well. It was my first fill as well. I had surgery on 4/10. I have to wait, because of scheduling, until 6/6 to fix mine. My Dr. is going to do my fill then as well. Your port must be in your abdomin if they scheduled and x-ray for your fill. Mine is in my shoulder, which is even harder to flip. It sucks! I know exactly how you are feeling. I hope your surgery goes well.

I have it very easy compared to the struggles some people on here seem to have. I have had 2 small fills (I'm at 2.5 in a 10 cc band) and that is my perfect spot. Enough pressure to curb hunger, but not tight enough to cause me a single problem so far. I can eat what I want, but because I'm not hungry and I'm losing weight at about a 10lb a month rate, I'm continually reinforced for making good decisions. I absolutely do not feel like I'm on a diet. I don't count calories or anything else, and that, to me, is what makes this easy.

I track both calories and macros. My trainer at the gym has me on a 60% protein, 30% carb, 10% fat split. staying at 1000 calories, works great for me.

Thanks for your reply CW8. I've heard the Canadian gov't use other countries 2-tier system as examples. I don't think anyone has a perfect health-care system except maybe France & maybe that can't last forever. Everyone is critical of their own countries health care but I think people have to be thankful for what they have. Living here in the U.S. now I had to take my 2year old to an emergency room one night due to a high fever & being disoriented. The facilities were nice, new & the doctor spend 5mintures with us, told me my son had an ear infection & gave me a prescription for antibiotics. Cost of the visit to the E.R......3500$... separate doctors bill 68$. Luckily we had our deductible paid already of 600$. So my out of pocket expense was 418$ for this one quick visit to the E.R I had to pay a 10% copay, & the doctors bill. WOW! I almost fell over.....that was my portion of the bill WITH good health insurance. I was use to never paying a dime in Canada. The worry in Canada is that a 2-tier system will not solve wait times for operations because doctors will take the private health insurance patients first where they are able to make more money essentially allowing the affluent people to receive better care. I am waiting to rent the Michael Moore movie "Sicko" about different healthcare systems.

The best advice I can give you is 1) FOLLOW THE DOCTOR'S ORDERS and 2) FOLLOW THE DIETICIAN'S PROGRAM. You sound like you're still on liquids or pureed foods. Hang in there. Real food is out there somewhere for you! Once you start on solids, cut tiny pieces and chew, chew, chew.... Then when you're done chewing, chew some more. This will get old quickly, but if the solids you're putting down don't get through your stoma, they're coming back for a second run at it. Also, drink something about 10-20 minutes before you eat and then don't drink ANYTHING while you're eating. You want the food you've just eaten to keep giving you that full feeling as long as possible. Wait about 20 minutes to drink anything after a meal then sip slowly. I can brag that I followed the program to the letter: measuring or weighing everything, pacing myself throughout the day and not deviating one iota. I've been a little easier on myself in the past few weeks, but I've dropped over 70 pounds in 3 1/2 months. One last thing to mention. If your surgeon's office offers support group meetings, go to every one you can. Listening to problems other people have experienced and listening to the advice they get is invaluable. You'll also get a chance to brag or gripe and get support for either. Good luck!

My doctor decides based on how much weight I've lost. He put off my first fill because my loss was really fast. When it slowed down he gave me a small fill (1 cc), and said if it wasn't tight enough to come back in four weeks for another 1/2cc. He did ask me about my restiction level before he decided on a small fill. I'm glad, because after about 10 days, the fill kicked in, and I have had to force myself to eat to get in 800 calories since Thursday. No slimes or PB's; 2 golf balls. I'm just not hungry. In 2 weeks since that fill, I've lost 8 lbs. I trust him.

Thank you to everyone that has answered my questions and been so friendly! I thought I should take a moment to tell my story-- it sounds a lot like many of yours. I grew up in So. California, where everyone was so obsessed with weight (think Chrissy on Three's Company). I grew up feeling fat. At 18 I was 127 lbs and too embarrassed to wear a swim suit (CRAZY!). I slowly added a few pounds every year and then put on 100 lbs with a pregnancy. I have tried and tried to loose weight, yo-yoing up and down with every diet I struggled through-- gaining back even more each time. I reached 330 lbs a little over a year ago and finally discovered I was a big as I have always felt. My latest yo-yo was I started Dr. Oz's "You on a Diet" and lost 10 lbs over the holidays, which brought me back down to 330. I thought this time I had it! I even got up enough nerve to go to Water aerobics, even though I had to wear shorts because I couldn't find a suit to fit me. Then my clothes started to feel tight again. I went in to the Dr and sure enough, I gained 15 lbs. I'm at my heaviest ever: 446 lbs! My story is getting too long winded, so let me wrap up by saying... I reached out one last time and think I've finally found the tool that will give me that major push I need. I'm so glad I found out about the Lap Band and that I found this message board! I don't want to die! I'm in this for the long haul! ~Kathy

I had to do the injections I believe for 10 days after surgery. It really was not too bad. The needles are pretty small and you inject it into your "love handles". I got a instructional dvd and booklet with my shots as well as alcohol swabs and a sharps container for putting the used syringes in. You will do fine, it is worth it!!

did you really have a 6 month liquid diet to follow? wow, i'm freaking out over my 10 day liquid diet. I admire you for being able to do that.

I go in tomorrow morning, 10:30am, it will be the first day of the rest of my healthy life. I am surprisingly calm, not worried, just excited.

Wednesday 194!!! I am pretty excited, I am down 35 lbs in 5 and half months. More than I have ever lost before, I usually struggle for months to drop 20 and then discouraged or frustrated and give up. I have had a week here and there where I didnt lose ANY but it always catches up....I have averaged 6 lbs a month every month. I have yet to hit an actual plateau, but I am sure it will happen. I still need to get back to exercising.

wow that sounds like it was intense! i walk quite a bit but there is still something about being on a treadmill that kills me. every time i get on one i can fast walk for about 10 minutes and I'm done. its not that i cant breath which does start to happen but its my calves around my ankles. omg they burn so bad i start walking funny and have to hold on. how sad is that? i want to buy an elliptical. I'm getting a real estate license soon so i think when i sell my first house an elliptical will be by gift to myself. any way so you have all of those other things on one day? wow thats going to be a busy day! you can handle it your a trooper!!!! I'm proud of you for sticking it out thats a hard thing to do. I'm big quitter so its encouraging to hear some one else talk about how they wanted to quite something but pressed on it makes me say "YEA me too!!!!" so good luck with every thing. i just had my sleep study consult this past Monday. it was interesting. i needed them to say that i have sleep apnea and lap band would help but instead he told me that the extra weight is probably whats making me uncomfortable but since i want to sleep all the time I'm more likely narcoleptic. so now i keep making jokes about drowning in soup. lol any way your doing good job good luck!!!!!

:thumbup:I hit my goal a few weeks ago. Shortly afterward I couldn't keep my food down. I droped 8 more pounds after that. I was feeling faint and light headed alll the time. I thought I could tough it out. I was just thinking it was me, that I was being overly sensitive. Monday I made an appointment and they got me in right away. Doc took out half my fluid in my band. Boy do I feel like a new person. He told me to gain 10 lbs. I about had a heart failure when he said that.... But most of it is water weight. He also said that my body has "struggled for 13 months" to get to my current weight. A month of freedom will be great. It is 3 days later and 4lbs heavier. I am so happy. I still want to gain 4 more lbs. Not hard for me!!! lol it is kinda fun. Then maybe a slight fill.

Oh yes she is very supportive. She had the gastric bypass in 01. She is blaming it on low energy. She is going to see her gastro doc about her Crohn's in a couple of weeks. Last year she went to her Gynecologist about low libido. (She used to have a very high libido) She thought it might be hormones. Blood work came back all normal. Her doc asked us when was the last time we took a shower together? His point that it is not her hormones but in her mind. He told her sometimes we lose focus of what is important and our marriage is the most and it takes effort and sex is important in a marriage. When she is in the mood she is in the mood, but it just has come longer and longer between. I know ahe said when I was heavier it was difficult because we were limited as oppose to when before I gained the weight 5 years ago. Now I have lost weight and ready to be like we were before. Hopefully it will get there. Sent from my SM-N920P using the BariatricPal App

My surgery date is March 19 too!! I have spent this last week before my week long liquid diet systematically eating all those things that I know I will miss. We have so far done big time Italian, Mexican, Chinese, and all the desserts that I know will be replaced with healthier choices. I am trying really hard to not use the words NEVER AGAIN because it will freak me out. I wont lie, it is very anxiety provoking to know that I cant use food as my emotional medication after this. And I do love food. It is a pleasure in life. But I am looking forward to learning a new way to be passionate about food without sacrificing my body and health for it.

I have never been a breakfast person either, everything taste like toothpaste to me early mornings. If I force myself I can eat something by 10 - 10:30 aam. And then lunch around 2 - 2:30, but shhhhhh don't tell my doc.

I am 19 weeks pregnant and found out I was pregnant 6 months after having surgery.. I was also afraid and so happy I found this site.. Learned soo much and was able to calm down seeing I am not the only one!! I have only gained 9lbs.. I am filled 8.5CC and so far have not had any troubl;e...No port pain, no morning sickness, the only thing is I may feel the band tighter some days than others... Congrats and enjoy it... Stay active and watch what you eat!!

Starting weight: 283 Height: 5'8" Starting BMI: 43 Goal: 150ish. I'd be happy with higher if I thought I looked and felt good. I guess it depends on where my body feels comfortable. I have been overweight all of my adult life and really, as long as I can remember. I feel like I've been on some sort of diet forever. The first diet I can remember is at the age of 16, my mother sent me to Weight Watchers. I've been on Jenny Craig, Richard Simmons. I've taken Redux and just about any over the counter "dietary supplement" known to man. I've been able to lose weight with these things but I've never been able to keep the weight off and the pounds usually bring a few friends back with them. It's really amazing when I look in the mirror. I don't think I look that bad, but when I see photos of myself I am shocked at how big I look. I'm ashamed of what I look like. I am looking foreward to the day when I have the lap band as a tool to help me keep on track. I was born with a condition known as congenital hip dysplasia (my hips weren't formed right and were dislocated). I'm told that I'm lucky to be able to walk, but I had a good doctor as a child and with many surgeries, I'm whole again. It's hard for me to participate in high impact exercise, but I walk, ride bicyle, swim and try to keep active. I enjoy reading and music. My favorite author is Stephen King. My husband and I own a travel trailer and do a lot of camping in the summer time. That keeps me active with walking and bicycling. I had my surgical consult on 1/14/05 and am currently waiting for insurance approval for adjustable gastric banding. 2/3/05 I got word that my insurance approved me for the lap band. Hooray!. 2/9/05 I've scheduled all my pre-op testing and dietician appointments. They tell me my surgery is scheduled for 4/4/05!. WOW. This is happening faster than I thought. The nurse from the office had told me yesterday that 4/4/05 was a possible date but didn't tell me they were going to schedule it. 02/11/05 I got a letter from my doctor's office and from the hospital advising me that my surgery has been scheduled for 4/4/05. What a way to notify someone. Well, at least it's official. Now the waiting game begins. I'm trying to follow the post banding diet so it won't come as such a shock for me post operatively. I'm "in training" so to speak. I think I find the no drinking with my meals and trying to time my fluid intake around my meals the hardest. 2/23/05 I had my first appointment with the office nurse who does most of the follow ups. She was doing my lap band teaching. All the pre-op, actual operative and post op advice I understood and was prepared for except for one thing. She told me to start eating with a baby spoon and a pickle fork so that I could get accustomed to small bites. I don't even know what a pickle fork is!. Is this something I'll have to do forever? I can't find anywhere on the forums where anyone has been advised this except for other patients of Dr. Duckett. I guess this will just become part of my "in training" whether I feel good about it or not. How am I gonna explain those utensils to my co-workers since I've tried to keep the whole surgery from them to begin with? 2/26/05 Had my consultation with the dietician today. It took 2 hours! Who knew it would take 2 hours to go over food? She made me feel very comfortable and she gave me a lot of hand-outs on the different types of diets should I ever stray. There's even examples of menu's. Although, that's exactly what I've been researching ever since I decided the lap band was for me. I felt very informed going in and very confidant going out. OH, and one more thing. I weighed myself today. I'm down to 272.5!. That's 9lbs gone since I've started trying to follow the lap band diet after my consultation with Dr. Duckett. WooHoo! 3/2/05 I found this on a post tonight and thought that it spoke volumes for my situation. I wanted to save it in case I forgot all the reasons I chose lap band. Once in awhile, someone will come around asking for the reasons why I chose the Band, so I'll compile my reasons here: More natural rate of weight loss: * Minimal sagging skin * No "window of opportunity" * Plenty of time to develop better eating/living habits, including exercise Least invasive surgery: * Lower rate of complications or death * Complications are easier to manage * Quicker recovery time; less painful * No cutting/rearranging of body parts * No changing the natural digestive process * No necessity of taking vitamins or supplements; I can get all I need from food Most innovative technique: * Adjustable for permanent weight-loss aid * Removable, should something more effective become available * "Cool" factor Generous but effective learning curve: * Better eating habits must be adopted from day one - no coasting * Has been labeled as "thinking person's WLS" * No punitive "dumping syndrome"; may eat like a normal person * Ability to drink normally and get in enough water * Safety-net effect; may put weight loss on hold to concentrate on other matters without gaining I never seriously considered RNY. When I heard about the Band, it was like a light bulb going on for me. By the way, I weighed myself again. 270.5! Another 2lbs gone. I don't want to get in the habit of weighing myself more than once a week, but I couldn't help myself, and I stepped on. 3/18/05 I had the upper GI and venous doppler studies today. Man, I felt like I was playing twister on that x-ray table for the upper GI. It was like, "turn left, more left, turn right, more right, now on your stomach, bend your knee, roll over." Venous doppler was a piece of cake other than the goo they use for the ultrasound. It was kind of hard to get all of it off. I haven't lost any more weight, but on the bright side, I haven't gained either. Once I'm banded, my portions will be significantly less and with the liquid diet required, I'm sure I'll get moving again. 4/2/05 I've been on the full liquid diet since 3/30/05. Sometimes I feel like I'm being tortured. I dream about food. Is that sick or what? I feel really sorry for those individuals who have to do this for longer than the 5 days I'm required to follow it. 4/6/05 I'm home and banded. I read about this gas pain, but geez it really is the worst. I'm not nauseated or anything. But the pressure in my chest and upper abdomen feels like I'm having a heart attack sometimes. I try to walk it off, but last night it was even hard to breathe. I'm trying to sip my water and eat a little at a time, but really I'm not hungry. I'm only eating out of fear that I'll get run down and not feel well if I don't. 4/8/05 Feeling better today. I've been up and about the house. The only discomfort I've had is from moving too quickly. I do have an odd sensation of bloatedness. It seems like I have it all the time. I'm trying to learn the language of the band but it's hard when everything feels like different levels of full at this point, even when I'm only consuming liquids. 4/16/05 Feeling back to my old self for the most part. I'm up and around, even starting to feel hungry. I have 2 more days of full liquids then I can move onto pureed. I can honestly say I'm really looking foreward to that as I'm getting tired of soup! I plan on going back to work on 4/18/05 and although I am physically ready, I would like more time off. Who doesn't like being home and relaxing? 4/25/05 Gee, the last week has gone by so fast, I haven't had time to blink let alone update or post. My husband's grandmother passed away on 4/18/05 so, we had to leave for Texas on very short notice. I've been on mushies and let me tell you, traveling on mushies is a difficult task. Especially to Texas where there is GREAT Tex-Mex food available. My husband's family doesn't know I had surgery, so I had to make do. I had some cold cuts, chewed really well and some very well cooked roast beef (also very well chewed). I didn't have any problems with them, other than some extra gas, but I didn't push it and tried to stay with very soft, mushy or even foods that boardered on liquids for the duration of the trip. I got on the scale today, and I've lost 3 more pounds! WOW! I never thought I would because truthfully, I didn't think I was getting enough calories in and I definately wasn't drinking enough. I've also been fortunate enough to have some sort of cold or bronchitis and haven't been feeling up to eating or drinking. I guess, I must have done something right! This journey is so unique. 5/3/05 I had read other member's NSV's but I didn't really realize the significance of them until this morning. I had dressed for work in slacks that zipped on the side. They were loose, but I didn't realize how loose they were until...I had to tinkle and when I went into the bathroom I pulled my pants down. I had absentmindedly thought that I was wearing elastic waistband pants! They came down without any problem and as I sat there, I started laughing, my husband thought I was crazy laughing there on the toilet. This has been on my mind all day and I had to share it because I've read everyone's weight loss in the first few weeks and I felt that my own weight loss was a little slower than others. (I know, we're not supposed to compare ourselves, but it's hard not to) I had resigned myself to being a slow loser. I must be losing inches and because I hadn't measured myself, I'll never know exactly how many inches I've lost. Oh well, I can feel it in my clothes and the way I move. 5/23/05 Just a quick update. Feeling good. The weight is slowly going down. 250.5 today. I think it's been 2 years since I've weighed that. Over the weekend, I cheated a little and had some Doritos. Not a lot, just maybe an ounce or 2. Just the same, shouldn't have had them. Well it's just 1 day along the road. "one day at a time" 6/5/05 I've been 248 for about a week now, just didn't update. Hope to see some more loss soon. I haven't had a fill, so I don't really have much restriction. I follow the diet and I do feel satisfied for about 3 hours. I can't say that I'm hungry a lot or "starving" or anything. Still trying hard to get all my water in every day. 6/10/05 I weighed myself today. 244.5! I've been out of town for work and I've been eating all my meals out. I feel I've made mostly good choices, a lot of grilled chicken salads though. I do log everything I eat in a program I have for my PDA, it's called Balancelog. It's O.K., although I'm sure no program's perfect. I've been staying about 1200 cal or less. :-P once in a great while I'm over, but not by much. I've also been doing better with the water because it's been so hot here. 7/18/05 I haven't updated in a while because I've been stuck for about a month. In fact, after my last post, I gained 4 lbs and had to lose them again. I've been more active with exercising and I've been doing well with my eating habits, but still I was stuck. So...I scheduled a fill. I had to convince the doctor's office nurse first, but I did it. Today was my first fill. It wasn't so bad. The doctor did it under fluoro at the hospital where I had my surgery. BUT, I'm filled to 2.8 or "just under 2.8" according to the doctor. That seems like a lot. I watched the passage of barium through the band and it went through, albeit slowly. The doctor reminded me several times to take it slow and to call anytime, day or night if I have spitting or problems. I'm a little scared. I've been on clear liquids since the fill this morning and haven't had any problems getting those down. I guess I'm just nervous. I've never had a PB and I don't want to. 7/29/05 Oh my God! Yesterday I thought I was going to die. Or at least I wished I had for a time. I've still been on mushies. The doctor told me to take it slow after that fill and I've been ever faithful to those orders mostly out of fear. I had very finely shredded tuna salad and one of those breakstone's creamed cottage cheese with fruit for lunch. It went down fine and I took my time. I had eaten both of those items before and wasn't worried. About an hour and a half afterwards, the pain started. It felt like something was stuck. I started to walk around. I even took a couple sips of water, which I know doesn't usually help but I have found it's kind of instinct. When that didn't work, I kept walking. I walked for nearly a half hour straight, sometimes leaning over a sink hoping and wishing I'd vomit for the pain to go away. I finished my work and got in my car. By this time, an hour had passed and the pain was so bad I could hardly breathe. I called my DH who called the surgeon and told me to get to the ER to be checked. The ER is an hour from my home and I was more than a half hour from my home! That drive home was the most painful torture I have ever experienced. The pain only seemed to get worse and worse. Then, about 2 miles from my house, I felt a "pop" and suddenly the pain and pressure was gone. When I got home, DH and I decided to go to the ER anyway mostly because we were scared. I had never experienced anything this extreme (nor do I again, thank you). The doc checked my band under fluoro and to my amazement, the 2.8cc he said he put in is now down to 2cc and everything is moving just fine, band has not moved. What happened to the 0.8cc? And, what the hell was all that pain? 8/13/05 Gosh how time flies. I didn't really realize that I hadn't updated my profile since "BLACK THURSDAY". I've come to the conclusion that the pain on 7/28 was probably some solid food that I hadn't chewed well enough that had gotten stuck. My Dr. thought maybe I had eaten too fast or swallowed too much air in the process, both viable possibilities. No matter what the cause, I WILL be chewing better and eating slower. I did mushies for a day or 2 after that then continued on soft foods for another week before going back to regular food. I'm doing fine now. I was amazed to find that I can still eat bread, rice, red meat, etc. I really haven't found anything that doesn't go down...yet. I haven't lost any more weight. I'm still at 234.5, but that's o.k. I feel great. I've been kind of bad at getting my water in the last couple of weeks, my work schedule has been weird. I'll get back on track and I'm sure my weight will get moving again. 8/22/05 Been doing O.K. Weighed on Friday. I'm at 232 lbs. I'm doing about a pound a week. I'm very happy with that. I'm in a size 18 comfortably right now. Today, I had to try three pairs of pants to find one that fit well enough to wear to work. The others were so big I looked bad. What can I say, I'm too cheap to buy all new just yet. I think I'm going to have to break down and buy a couple of outfits. I've been telling myself that as I got fat, I also gathered plenty of clothes that got me there. Well, I think I skipped a size or two because I can't find many in size 18 in my closet. Darn, shopping will be such a pain I'm sure. I look back and remember that when I started this journey in January and in the pic below I was in a size 24. In January that size 24 was rather snug. 9/13/05 Feeling pretty good about my weight loss. Still doing the 1-1.5lb loss per week. Went to my monthly support group meeting last night. I realized how lucky I am to be losing steady and to be going along so well. I haven't PB'd, just that "stuck" episode. I tolerate any food I put into my mouth and I have followed my rules pretty well. I try to make good choices most of the time, but I do allow myself treats. I think that's what keeps me happy and on track. I am satisfied with smaller amounts of the things I love. This is exactly what I wanted. I can eat what I want, in moderation and still lose weight. I do track my nutritional and caloric intake nearly daily (I may take a day or 2 off on a weekend, but rarely). And, I don't cheat on that log...I track everything the best that I can. I admit I could be doing better with my exercise. 228lbs. 9/22/05 Although, I generally weigh myself on Friday or Saturday I thought I'd post today because I have plans for the weekend and thought maybe I'd be too busy to post later. The last time I weighed myself I was 225lbs. That's a total of 57lbs gone. I can't say it enough...I am so pleased with my surgery and my weight loss so far. I can't even remember the last time I weighed that. I think it was more than 10 years ago to be honest. I don't feel deprived. I have more energy. My self confidance has gone up. How could it not? So many people have noticed the loss and are making comments. Lap band was the best thing I have ever done for myself and I would do it again in an instant. 10/5/05 Well, I can no longer boast that I have never PB'd. I am not proud of that fact, but here goes...Today at work I started to have that now familiar epigastric pain. I had clam chowder for lunch with a small salad and a breadstick. None of those items were new to me, so I had no fears whatsoever. About an hour after I ate, the pain started. This time I even started to sweat. I figured that I wasn't going to put up with this so...(bulemics beware) I went to the bathroom and put my finger down my throat in hopes to feel better. I only brought up mucous. This only temporarily relieved my pain, so I did this same routine 3 more times. One of those, I did bring up some undigested food. This has not been a pleasant banded day. I'm still uncomfortable, but unless I can't stand the pain I'm not doing it again. I guess it's a jello night. 10/24/05 After the last update, I went to the ER and was kept overnight for dehydration because I couldn't keep anything down. Dr. Duckett took out 1cc from my band the next day. I've been really careful ever since mostly staying with soft foods. I did have a salad over the weekend and felt pretty confidant about it. Today I PB'd again. It was the best PB I've had if that's possible. The pain started, I walked, up it came. All in all it lasted about 10 or 15 minutes. If they were all like that, I would consider it a blessing. Not that I really want them. But that torture of 7/28/05 and 10/5/05 made me want to die. I'm gonna cut this update short because I'm a little sore. I'm down to 223 lbs which is good considering my band is looser than before. 11/24/05. Wow, I forgot to check my profile and hadn't realized how llong it had been. I can remember that time like it was yesterday. I feel like the whole month of October and most of November has been brutal torture for me. I had to keep going back to liquids for one thing or another and I sincerely developed a fear of food. On 11/14/05 when it felt like I was gonna get that pain again I called the doctor's office. I didn't go into a full blown attack, but it was distracting to say the least. I felt like I was eating papaya enzyme tabs like candy in hopes to help digest whatever was the problem (although really how could tomato soup and a bit of tuna salad do that?) Dr. Duckett insisted on seeing me. On 11/17/05 I saw him and he felt that what I was having was esophogeal spasms. I suppose they may have originally been started by something getting stuck, but he felt they were caused by increased stress in my life (which I've been having A LOT of). He gave me a prescription for Valium to help calm those muscles down which I'm only supposed to take when I feel the spasms coming. So far, no more really intense ones since 10/24/05 and 10/25/05 but I fear that and would avoid that with everything in me. I've been doing much better ever since. I do have a little bit of reflux, but I think that may be from eating too late at night. I'm down to 216.5 lbs and very happy with that. I cleaned out my closet and got rid of all of the clothes that were hanging on me. That's a good feeling. 12/28/05 Well, I didn't make it to my unofficial goal of "onederland" by the end of the year but that's O.K. I've lost 69 pounds and am very happy with that. Especially considering the last three months worth of trials I've had, I'm very very happy. October started with a hospitalization for pain and inability to keep liquids down that turned out to be esophageal spasms. November was more of the same then turned into reflux that went on and on which convinced me that my band was slipped. After a long struggle with that reflux, I finally called the doctor who (I think mostly to ease my mind) checked my band under fluoro. All was well. I think he thinks I'm a nervous freak-he told my husband that once my mind was eased I should be just fine. Now, my struggle is HOLIDAY TREATS. I haven't really gained any, but I'm truly shocked. Those darn cookies will be the death of me. 2006 will be good for me. My band is in place, once I'm away from the posessed cookies that call my name I'll be fine with my choices and "onederland" here I come. Only 14 lbs to go. 1/20/05 I've been hesitant to update. Not because I'm not losing weight or anything. I've just been down in the dumps about banding. There have even been times I wish I had the damn thing out of my body. I am SICK and TIRED of having these episodes where I have pain and pressure that goes on and on. I'm not exaggerating when I say I've had it for a whole day in varying degrees. I don't have a clue what causes it. I keep track of everything I eat and NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING that I eat is consistent enough to figure out what causes this. Because the pain comes about an hour to an hour and a half AFTER I've eaten I can't say whether it's because I've eaten too fast or not chewed well enough. All I can say is that I try to pay attention at each meal, mostly out of fear. I'm averaging one of these "spasms" about once every two weeks. The doctor says it's consistent with esophageal spasms. Well, FIX IT! I'm tired of having them. I'm losing weight, but not necessarily the right way. Basically I'm starving. I'll eat normally for a week or two, then WHAMO! smasm and then it's nothing to eat for a day (or 2) but maybe tea then slowly work back up to solid foods again. 211lbs 1/30/06 Here I am, still suffering to a certain extent. A couple days after that last entry, I got fed up with the poor answer from my band surgeon to "seek counseling". I started considering the possibility that maybe these attacks were not related to my band. I saw a doctor for a second opinion and found out that I have gall stones. All of these months, at least since October, I have been suffering with gall bladder attacks. I am scheduled to have my gall bladder removed on 2/2/06. These last few weeks I have not felt well, I constantly have a sick taste in my mouth. It's kind of what I thought was reflux before. Now, I'm wondering if I had reflux at all and not some weird bile overload or even infection from the gall bladder. Who knows? I sincerely hope this gall bladder surgery solves my problems. If not, I may just have the band removed. I am tired of being sick and I'm tired of being in pain. 207 lbs 2/5/06 Well, where do I begin? I had the gall bladder surgery. They say that part went fine. Somehow during the surgery they dislocated my artificial hip. Yes, they dislocated my hip. My abdomen is sore from the gall bladder surgery. Generally, I feel better than I did before although I really don't have much of an appetite. The problem is my hip. I am not to bear any weight on it. It's been 3 years since I've dislocated it. I was doing so well. I feel really low, as if I've started all over again with my hip. I hobble around with my walker and my a$$ is really sore from sitting all the time. Weight loss is really not a priority right now, but it's amazing that when you feel so bad or are in pain it really doesn't matter. 3/24/06 Well, I'm fully recovered from the gall bladder surgery. I'm still in physical therapy for my hip. They tell me that the muscles are really weak. I'm planning on going back to work on 3/27, so I hope they're strong enough for that. Other than a little bit of pain that comes and goes, I guess I'll have to go on. I've come to the realization that all of the problems I've had since October, probably even the "black Thursday" mentioned in July 2005 was a gall bladder attack. All of those experiences were variations of the same. Any vomiting I had was only mucous and came as a last resort to relieve the pressure associated with the pain. Although I couldn't testify, I believe I have NEVER had a true PB. Is that possible? At almost 1 year out, to never PB? I would have taken a PB or 2 over the torture of those months. OH Well. Now that I can eat, I do. I'm stuck at 211lbs. Yes, I gained a couple since the gall bladder surgery, but I'm not terribly sad about it. Not happy, but not really depressed or anything. I can eat, Happy. I gained, sad. I think it's also because I'm working out with weights to strengthen muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat. It's only 4lbs. I'll eventually get it off. I hope. 4/9/06 I know this is a LONG first entry for a journal, but I wanted to put my entire OH profile on here. I'm told that there's a possibility I may lose it. So...I figured I'd have it on 2 sites. What's the chances of both of them losing it? Anyway, I'm still bouncing between 210 and 211 lbs. I'm thinking that I may be experiencing my first ever real plateau. Even when I've dieted whenever my weight even slowed down I'd give up and return to my prior eating. I've been exercising more, trying to strengthen those weak hip muscles. I have had a bit of Easter candy, but I don't think enough to stall me this long. I'm sure with patience I'll break it, eventually.

Okay - I just knew this was going to be the right fill. I do seem to get full quicker. However, I just don't feel it? I know, I should just be happy that I eat less. In the past it has taken a few weeks for my fill to really kick in, so I'm hoping that will happen. I'm very hopeful it will work, but I'm also scared this fill doesn't work. I'm running out of room for any further fills. So, I'm not going to give up. I had weight wise oatmeal this morning, only ate about 1/2 of it. Lunch Tomatoe soup Dinner Protein shake, maybe some smashed up beans I made too. Exercise - 10:00 am 15 min on elliptical machine 3:00 pm - 15 min on elliptical machine

It's been 7 days since my 6th adj. and I still can't get solid food to stay down. I've been eating a lot of soup broth and I am hungry. When I try to eat solid food I throw it up (not fun)! :thumbs_up: I have lost a few lbs. in the last 7 days. I think around 4 lbs. I really am glad to get the weight off but I don't like being sick all the time and feeling like my butt is dragging 10 feet behind me. Thinking maybe I need to go back in for a slight unfill. If it's not better in the next couple days I'll be going back in to see my Dr. :thumbup:

I had a busy weekend, Saturday was the special olympics that I worked. I worked the softball throw and I was running all over the place keeping up with the special needs kids. I tell you, they may have limited mental abilities, or physical abilities, but they are stars in my eyes. They had so much energy! I was exhausted by the time the day was over! Well, my fill is now again, loose! I just don't understand it. I'm very frustrated, but I will not give up. I just don't know why I'm so different. DH & I went out for steak Friday night,I could have eaten more, but I stopped at about 2 to 3 oz of the steak. I also had turkey last night, and decided to "test" a roll, it was small yeast roll and it went down as smooth as ever, I didn't eat any more, but I know now the PB incident was just a fluke on the toast. I am going to call the doctor and discuss it with him. I'm not going to let this be an excuse to "eat" and I'm still hoping at about 2 or 3 weeks the fill will really kick in. It has done that in the past, so I'm going to discuss it with the doc and see what he thinks. Menu today: Bfast eggs/ 1 sausage link Lunch - salad Dinner - roasted chicken and salad Exercise - 15 min on treadmill - 107 calories .75 distance Exercise PM - Lower body workout - really worked the abs & legs, then jumped on the elliptical for 10 more minutes of pure sweat! Wt - 180.7 - grrrrrr - But TOM is here, has been since last Friday, so he will be leaving soon and I should start dropping again - at least I hope!

dont worry you're not alone. I have those feelings all the time. I'm like ok... i'm the lowest I've been in 10 plus years... surely this is going to stop working and i'll be stuck here any minute.

Good news is that I am not that far from my BMI ideal weight. It is only 40 lbs away and I have already lost 121 lb in 5 months. So it got me thinking abut what really is my target weight and when should I achieve it? Given that 10 lb a month is pretty standard, an easy calculations reveals that I wold hit BMI ideal weight in about 4 months, give or take a couple weeks depending on how slow or fast the scale weight moves. That is fine with me and places my target of 180 lb in the middle of feb. 2013. The question is whether BMI is a good goal to shoot for. My doctor, NUT and supporting staff have not talked to me explicitly about a target yet and I always assumed it would be BMI for my height of 5 ' 11 ". However, feb 2013 is the 9 month mark for me which statistically places me 1/2 way through my golden period of sleeve effectiveness. Should I stop there? What happens if I reach goal at new year instead because I have been getting pretty serious about exercise and weight lifting in the last month? My wife and mother in law have told me on numerous occasions that they think I might look unhealthy at BMI because my bone mass is medium to large and I have muscle on me. They might be saying these things with some self motivation. for example, my mother in law is constantly on a diet losing and gaining the same 10 lb. my wife is a candidate for sleeve, so may not quite understand the whole less is better attitude. not sure. I certainly feel good now and think 20 lbs more lbs would put me into a solid state of health, even if 20 lb over the BMI for my height. The last thing I want is to develop some kind of need to lose weight into the unhealthy zone, below BMI. Not saying this would be from anorexic tendencies because I am not starving myself in my diet nor am I doing crazy exercises ( max 1 hour a day, most of the time 45 min). However, I do see that I need to be careful to not lose too much and get unhealthy. I will continue to be active in my exercises, not just in my home gym but also running 5ks, hiking and other things. These will all contribute to my metabolism burning, burning and burning calories. I look pretty healthy in the mirror with and without clothes on. Not a lot of lose skin and am shaping up like a swimmer ( broad shoulders and narrow waist). My caloric intake is currently around 600-900 and consists mostly of Protein for 6 meals a day. I feel ok with this eating, am not hungry except to refuel and have a lot of energy from this eating, from exercise and also from coffee. Can I continue to eat like this? Not sure. I think I would like to eat more fruit and veggies at some point, eat more like a wholesome and natural Mediterranean style diet. That is a goal of mine for when I stop losing scale weight. It is going to take me a few weeks of transition time to moderate my eating patterns from high protein to Mediterranean style. Have not crossed that bridge yet, but know it is soon arriving on my journey. Appreciate the thoughts from others, especially mature sleevers that have "been there, done that."

My surgery was February 19 2014 and I have been at a 3 week stall, before that always losing. How do you break a stall?