Opinions wanted re: Too tight or Sweet Spot?

[Me3 0]

I'm going to call my surgeon tomorrow but just wanted some opinions.

So I was banded on 4/8/10 and I am down from 259 to currently at 226. Right on target according to my surgeon. Slow and steady weight loss.

So on Wednesday I had my 3rd fill and he bumped me from 3.6 to 4.2 in a 10 cc band.

For me, first fill was a breeze, second fill was a learning lesson and now with this third one it is downright painful!

When I went in for the third fill I had lost 4 pounds in a month, which to me seemed inadequate but the surgeon thought was fine. So impatient me, I could still down 12-15 ounces of food before I was full so we "pumped me up" to 4.2.

Now I can barely get anything down thats solid.... Protein Shakes fill me up to uncomfortable. I even got stuck on PUDDING! But now it does go down. Today I was able to eat some chicken and noodles in Soup without getting stuck.

I'm positive that I'm still swollen, but I also keep a nagging thought in my head that I should unfill to 3.9 or 4.0... At 3.6 I was at restriction from things like bread and such and I think I was borderline at the sweet spot.

Before I go in and have an unfil, I wanted to see what you all that are at the sweet spot eat in a day. Just as an example. Are you really eating solids such as I'm thinking, or is it more soft foods.

Thanks for your opinion!

hugs,

Heather

[HeatherR 0]

If you are getting liquids down and some solids and not having any reflux try to wait it out. Chances are it will loosen up soon! Use your judgement though....if you can't keep anything down go back. Usually after a fill if I am tight I take it easy. liquids the first day and progress to soft and then try real solids a few days later. Take it slow.

Good luck!

[ericanda1973 1]

I agree with heather, my last fill i was tight for a week and half after it was memorial day weekend so i could not go back to dr. i lost like 10 lbs in 2 weeks i was freaking out but it all leveled out and i lost nothing the next 2 weeks. I would wait it out , I have a hair over 7 ccs in my 10 cc band.

[Cocoabean 430]

You should be able to eat real solids. Getting stuck on pudding is not a normal event at the sweet spot.

I was overfilled and got stuck on mashed potatoes a few days after the fill. I knew I was most likely in trouble then, but delayed going back for several days hoping things would get better a week later I was still having trouble getting yogurt down.

As to what I eat on a normal day.

On a work day, Breakfast is 2-3 graham crackers with peanutbutter or a Protein bar.

On the weekend, I'll make to share a 3-egg veggie and cheese omlette of which I take one-third and eat that with a piece of toash.

Mid morning a banana.

lunch 1/2 Sandwich and a salad or something left-over from dinner.

When I get home from work I usually have a string cheese.< /p>

dinner is some sort of meat dish such as one thin cut pork chop, one chicken thigh (I don't try breast mean any more), or 3 oz steak-cut into tiny pieces, with 1/2 cup veggie side dish, and some sort of starch last. I can still eat rice, some bandsters can't.

I can also eat most bread except for very doughy breads like french bread or Bagels.< /p>

My surgeon does not restrict eating between meals as long as it is healthful and not brainless.

Hope this helps.

[FrogStar24 0]

I had an overfill back in March and ended up going back to the doctor a week later. I couldn't keep anything down, and lost 7lbs in a week. As great as weight loss might seem, in terms of numbers, you do not want to be losing weight that way.

Don't worry about losing more quickly, this is a marathon not a sprint. It's easy for me to say that to you, of course, though sometimes I wish the scale were going down more for me too.

If you're uncomfortable it'll be harder for you to stick to your goals, plus you might not be getting proper nutrition.

Good luck!

[vlp1968 83]

As long as you can get Water and shakes down I think you can wait it out. From what I've read on here, so doc. keep patients on liquids for a couple days after a fill. I would stay with liquids for 2-3 days then progress to mushie- just my humble opinion. Let us know how you do.

[shopgirl78 0]

ok here is one for you al! i need some advice.. everytime i have had a fill in the last year, i have had to have an unfill 6-9 weeks later.. something happens and i start sliming and bping for days and usually can't keep down even water.. now this time it has been going on for a week now and i refuse to have and unfill bcause my dr says it will pass. i guess am just wondering if anyone has ever had it happen so often or any tips on how to make it stop totally i am able to keep a lil Water and Soup down but i have lost 8 pounds in a week and staying weak and pills i can take or anything i can do!!!

[adagray 1]

I would recommend sipping ice Water as much as possible to get the swelling to go down.

I'm at what I consider my sweet spot now and I can eat most foods as long as I chew them well enough. I definitely do not stick to soft foods. And, I don't do Protein shakes.

I was overfilled at one point and could barely even get Water down. I could only take the tiniest sip and then it would hurt and gurgle gurgle gurgle forever before it would go down. Let me warn you that warm/hot liquids will make the swelling WORSE! So, stick to sipping ice cold water for awhile and I bet your swelling will go down to a manageable level.

[sandradee0124 0]

They poke and prod a lot to get that fill in. I had my second fill this morning and the surgeon told me to lay low for a week and try to do liquids and mushies whenever possible. I felt a little tight at the appointment, and a little challenged drinking Water this afternoon, but after adding ice it did get better.

I tend to err on the side of restriction unless I can't even eat soft foods. Then, after a week I'd be in the doctor's office.

Good luck!

[shopgirl78 0]

thanks so much for the advice the funny thing is i have always been told to stay away for ice cold things and do warm liquids!!! it is crazy i just read to take some motrin to help swelling so i am trying that.

[Cocoabean 430]

Shopgirl, many surgeons do not allow motrin or other NSAIDs after banding. Be certain that yours is OK with that.

[JoJo1 0]

ok here is one for you al! i need some advice.. everytime i have had a fill in the last year, i have had to have an unfill 6-9 weeks later.. something happens and i start sliming and bping for days and usually can't keep down even Water.. now this time it has been going on for a week now and i refuse to have and unfill bcause my dr says it will pass. i guess am just wondering if anyone has ever had it happen so often or any tips on how to make it stop totally i am able to keep a lil Water and Soup down but i have lost 8 pounds in a week and staying weak and pills i can take or anything i can do!!!

I had something similar happen to me. I toyed with the idea of an unfill but instead, I went back to liquids and papaya enzymes.. Two days of that, then mushies for a day then slowly back to solids.. I am really tight in the morning and sometimes even have trouble with my half cup of coffee. I think I caused my problem by taking my meds too early, causing a stuck episode. From now on they get taken at noon.

[Keia 4]

This is a lot of great advice for a pre-bander. Thanks!

[KimmyTx 0]

Excellent advice. Thanks, all.