Starting Over..

leatha_g · September 20, 2004

Welp. I went for another fill this past week since my gallbladder surgery. Dr had put in 1.3cc during the surgery which I really never could tell was there. So, on my 2 week post-op visit he went ahead and raised that to 2ccs. Things are different than with my first band, or so it seems. I don't really feel 'restriction' as far as tightness in my throat so much as I can tell when it seems that my pouch is full and if I took another bite I'd either have to spit it out or it would just have no place to go.

I really didn't have this sensation much with the first band. With it, I would get pain with one bite too many or I would suddenly get the shoulder pain or sneezing or coughing or the one big hiccup. This particular band just seems to be much quieter, more subtle, although I can definitely tell the difference in my hunger. Interesting. Maybe I get to see what TWO band journey's are like due to the different techniques of different doctors? OR, .5ccs more might have made all the difference in band response? We'll see how this works.

tellie · September 20, 2004

Hi Leatha,

that is very interesting. When did you change bands? Keep track of the differences while you still notice them, one day, I guess, you will be so used to the way everything feels now, that "before" becomes a foreign place ( like life pre-banding, I cant believe I could eat tons and not feel a thing, pain, discomfort at all!). I am glad you have a subtle band now, I hate the big hiccup so much! and the pain of course.

cheers

tellie

tellie · September 20, 2004

errr i meant to ask why, not when, to the rebanding.....

donali · September 20, 2004

Leatha, that is interesting. I guess I pretty much thought than each individuals response to the band was unique to them, but assumed that response was static - i.e., that person would have the same reaction to that particularly device everytime.

It is likely that the placement is not exactly the same, so that could be the reason it feels different. But what a wonderful opportunity you have - getting advice from you now is like getting the advice from TWO bandsters!! :mad:

leatha_g · September 20, 2004

lol, my two band lifes.. lol..

tellie, my first band was said to have slipped. i never had the painful vomiting that so many people say is standard with slippage, i never knew anything was wrong except my weight loss stalled. i had moved from california and needed to establish a relationship with a new doctor and had a problem doing that. i went to a local 'fill' doctor, as i felt i needed to have my band checked after being without a doc for 6 months. i still had restriction, but he saw fit to add more fill. he didn't even know when he looked at my films that there was anything wrong with my band except for what he called 'pouch dilation'. it's still questionable what the true story was, but he added a fill on top of this and immediately i could not drink, i had pain, i had severe reflux and aspiration at night - all of these which i had never had before.

in seeing a more experienced doctor, he said i plainly had slippage due to surgical technique and that my esophagus was fine. when i had the second one installed, (different doc) he said there was a hiatal hernia which should have been repaired during the first operation and he was unable to re-position the band so he had to replace. it's funny how these guys cover up for one another - neither him or my original surgeon has come out and said what the true problem was. both of them have seen the films..go figure. i have insurance, they tap into it like an ATM. lol.

La_madam · September 21, 2004

Hey Leatha I have heard you mention a soft/ hard stop..can you explain the difference between the soft and the hard/ You also mentioned you would get a pain in the shoulder of a sneeze or cough to signal to your brain you are done eating I have notcied I get an ICE CREAM HEADACHE but how do I know if it is a soft or hard stop? Or is there any difference. Confused:confused:

Iluvharleys · September 21, 2004

Leatha - That is cool in a way, to have two different reactions. Now you can advise everyone about different problems. lol

Betty

tellie · September 21, 2004

I hate not hearing the whole story! How frustrating! I guess that doctors do have a policy of covering for each other, no matter how (un) ethical ( or is that immoral?). It does seem that things are going better this time with your band, and that is a good thing.

I am having the x ray tomorrow. I am terrified of what comes next ( and my doctor leaves tomorrow for 3 weeks, on holidays).

cheers

tellie

leatha_g · September 21, 2004

Originally posted by La_madam
Hey Leatha I have heard you mention a soft/ hard stop..can you explain the difference between the soft and the hard/ You also mentioned you would get a pain in the shoulder of a sneeze or cough to signal to your brain you are done eating I have notcied I get an ICE CREAM HEADACHE but how do I know if it is a soft or hard stop? Or is there any difference. Confused:confused:

Wow, the icecream headache is different. The soft stop is pretty subtle. The one big hiccup, the sudden bout of sneezing, coughing, runny nose, sometimes just a tad of pain in the shoulder or left ribcage. Not terrible, just noticeable. These are all signs of a soft stop. Sometimes, if those happen and you continue to eat then you get the hard stop which is more acute pain or that sudden' deer in the headlights' Ut Oh:eek: kind of feeling. I'm sure some others can put it in words better than me. lol. All I know is my body tells me real quick when I've gone too far. (or it did before this band.) I haven't been there yet, thankfully.

La_madam · September 21, 2004

Thanks Letha for explaining it all to me...maybe my ice cream headache is the soft stop, cuz once I get that headache I stop eating , too painful. Very interesting!

Neicy · September 21, 2004

I am finding that it takes a little time to discover the "soft stops". I think I am getting the hang of it now, way fewer hard stops, once I learn the subtle signs. (and agree to obey them)

The hard stops are kind of like a choke chain for me, a few jerks and I'm trained! Woof, woof!!

It is really interesting that you can observe such a difference in the two bands.

Have you ever sensed tenderness around the port after eating really well? Not really pain, but a real awareness of it being there.