Very Concerned- Please Read!

[Justin B. 1]

this was all extremely informative and I thank you'll for the info. It's put my mind at ease to know that whats happening to me is perfectly normal. I had no intention of continuing to eat that way and I am not trying to sabotage anything I was just worried and as I said I did try it. Wasn't the best idea, I know. I'm already back to Protein shakes/unsweetened pudding/cottage cheese for meals (not bacon and potatoes ). I never expected to be able to shove food down and the band do the work. I fully understand how the band works and what I need to do. Please don't rush to judge too harshly at what I did, I actually do know how the band works and I am exercising each day and have managed to lose 21 lbs since my surgery date. I plan on doing whats right and thats using the band for one of the many TOOLS that it is to add towards/fuel my weightloss. I value each and every persons opinion here though. I thank you all lfor helping to put my mind at rest in one way or another with each and every one of your posts.

[Humming Bird 275]

It does sound like your stoma is wide open and you will have to "diet" the old fashoned way until you get some fills. When you do start getting some sort of restriction, use caution when it comes to fried foods and breads.

I was really lucky I guess. My anatomy was right for the small/standard AP 10cc band and they gave me a 2.7cc fill during surgery. There is no way I could have eaten that stuff so early in the journey. I really think it helped me so I didn't go through much of a "bandster hell".

I wish you the best on the rest of your journey. It sounds like you will need several fills. I have found that this being banded thing is really not all that hard and takes very little effort when I have proper restriction.

[auntbrat 1]

Just to echo what everyone else has said, I wouldn't worry about not having any restriction at this point. It took several fills over quite a bit of time for me to get there. Unfortunately, I fell into old eating habits in the meantime and really did sabotage myself. But it sure sounds like you are in the right track now and losing at a good pace.

Be careful and keep up the good work.

[Ashley E 0]

I have to agree with the other posts on here, the foods you ate are not considered soft foods. Foods like yogurt, tuna salad, mashed potatoes...And I would not ever recommend eating some of those foods after this surgery. The potatoes and biscuit can swell and make you very uncomfortable, to the point where you may throw up or worse, have to have the Fluid removed from your band, after you reach those points. Also, I think it is normal to not feel any restriction right after surgery, as there is no Fluid in the band. It is unlikely that the band has slipped this early on, so I think you are perfectly fine in that reguard.

Don't worry, you will do great after you start getting your fills. You should get in the habit of eating foods that are high in Protein, fruits and veggies, no grains(bread, rice, pasta) because they may not agree with your band and may make you sick. I hope this helps and I wish you luck on your weight loss journey!

I am extremely concerned about my band. I was just banded on Nov 2, 2011. and today is Nov 11, 2011. Whats concerning me is this... My band has no fill in it at all because I was just banded a short time ago but I tried some soft food this morning (eggs, fried potatoes half of a biscuit and some gravy on it and a piece of bacon). I know breaded food can hurt you and eating food too early can hurt you and thats just it.... I ate a HEFTY sized meal this morning and I ate every bit of it (I made sure to chew it very very very well) and it all went down no problem. The issue is the fact that I'm able to eat so much. I know my band has no fill in it but I thought that I would still be pretty full off a very little bit. I'm just so concerned that maybe something is wrong inside.... Like my band slipped? I don't feel any different or anything and I just had my first followup with the doc yesterday and he didnt do anything except look at my wounds so he never did an x-ray or sonogram to see if everything was okay. I've lost 16 lbs and everything but I am so concerned.

So.... Please everyone chime in and tell me... Is it NORMAL to be able to consume such a large amount of food with my band? I know that it is really early to be trying some of these foods but I have already tried other things too and they just go down SO easily and it just seems like I expected to have some issues? I don't know maybe I am just paranoid. Please give me some input here. Thanks alot.

[llwotb 0]

Hi, I am two years out with the lapband. Initially I made a decision that I was going to go for broke. I followed the program with no problems. I believe it depends on your doctor and your will to be healthy. I will admit that I lost over 100 pounds the first year. That is unheard of. For the most part my band was installed with 2 thingys of Fluid. I am currently at 7, my doctor will go to 10. I am currently slipping back into bad ways of eating. (I am a stress eater). I don't know if your doctor allows you to drink with a meal or not, I have never (until recently). I think my main confusion came prior to the surgery as it was for both gastro and lapband proceedures. Whatever you do, don't eat to fast or to heavy, which would make you sick to your stomache.

Good luck

I am extremely concerned about my band. I was just banded on Nov 2, 2011. and today is Nov 11, 2011. Whats concerning me is this... My band has no fill in it at all because I was just banded a short time ago but I tried some soft food this morning (eggs, fried potatoes half of a biscuit and some gravy on it and a piece of bacon). I know breaded food can hurt you and eating food too early can hurt you and thats just it.... I ate a HEFTY sized meal this morning and I ate every bit of it (I made sure to chew it very very very well) and it all went down no problem. The issue is the fact that I'm able to eat so much. I know my band has no fill in it but I thought that I would still be pretty full off a very little bit. I'm just so concerned that maybe something is wrong inside.... Like my band slipped? I don't feel any different or anything and I just had my first followup with the doc yesterday and he didnt do anything except look at my wounds so he never did an x-ray or sonogram to see if everything was okay. I've lost 16 lbs and everything but I am so concerned.

So.... Please everyone chime in and tell me... Is it NORMAL to be able to consume such a large amount of food with my band? I know that it is really early to be trying some of these foods but I have already tried other things too and they just go down SO easily and it just seems like I expected to have some issues? I don't know maybe I am just paranoid. Please give me some input here. Thanks alot.

[xavier 153]

Dear Justin, Yes its totally normal but it really sucks! The hardest time with the band is called Bandster Hell and it is the several months after you have recovered from the surgery and you have no restriction as if you didnt get a band at all.If your doc is cheap with fills it can go on for months and yes, you can gain some weight! My doc says if your band is half full or less (5ccs in a 10cc band) you just dont have a band doing you any good!

Calm down, be good to yourself and be patient!

[SageTracey 608]

Plenty of good advice for you from all these posts, Justin, and it sounds like you are open to following your dr's guidelines so you should be fine. I've lost 106lb in seven months by following the rules and discovering the joys of exercise. I still have a ways to go but even though I have restriction and am satisfied by smaller portions, it is still a head game for me to not eat when I am not hungry. I win that battle more often than not, but believe me, it is still a battle! The band is a tool - I have to keep reminding myself of that!