Here is the truth about the band

[Chickie 15]

Be prepared to spend A LOT of time over the toilet. Be prepared to constantly feel the "golf ball" in your esophagus after you eat. Be prepared NOT to be able to eat in front of people you havent told about the band. Be prepared to be afraid of eating ANYTHING non mushie in fear of throwing it up. Be prepared to teach yourself to eat VERY VERY slowly. Be prepared to kiss bread goodbye.

The first 6 weeks is easy, once you get your fill...thats when you will play the "get to know your band" game. Its very finicky. It loves liquids, hates bread. Forget about steak, even chicken has problems going through.

You will have that "stuck" feeling a lot, after the stuck feeling, you will salivate profusely and then everything you ate comes up.

The only thing I can eat now is soup...any kind of Soup, but most everything else I have tried I have thrown up.

I'm 2 weeks post 1st fill..and I know i'm not too tight, since I watched the whole thing on fluoroscopy.....this is just how life is with the band.

Any many other people that I know that have this band say the same thing. Things get stuck often..and are also afraid of trying new foods in public.

I am not complaining, I am happy with my decision to get it placed.. I mean, vanity is priority #1...but these above facts DO NOT get mentioned often in this forum....at least I really havent read about it.

Just another thought... Perhaps you are so swollen from PB'ing all the time, it has created a nasty cycle where you PB because you are swollen, causing yet more swelling, leading to another PB and so on.

Maybe if you stuck to liquids for a week or so, allowing any swelling to go down, then start trying softer solid foods before trying any "solid" solid foods.

Just a thought.

[Manatee 4]

Can't say I've suffered from any of that, and I'm down over 40 lbs in under 3 months.

In fact, I just got back from a steak dinner

Maybe you need better aftercare? I can direct you to a really good doctor/program.

[gadgetlady 4]

Good point, Chickie. Try also drinking some Aloe Vera juice. That tends to calm my insides down whenever I'm swollen.

[areellady 1]

I got the idea that you are miserable by what you say about the band. If I was spending all day over the toilet I would feel the same way. You post this thread telling people how their life if going to be with the band and that is just not true. It is what is happening WITH YOU, not everyone. People who come on here searching for answers and then read your post are going to be scared to bloody death they are going to have to live in the bathroom. You need an unfill and you need to go on liquids for awhile and stop the process that is going on in your body. You definitely don't need another fill!!!

[beachgirl 2]

This wasn't my experience either. I ate chicken, mashed potatoes, and green Beans for supper tonight. Only about a cup but I'm very restricted and have only vomited once in 2 months and that was because I took a drink while I was eating. I think if you follow the bandster rules and don't drink while eating, chew at least 30 bites and keep your fills just right everything is fine. I go out to eat alot with people and have no problems. I'm not saying that you won't get stuck because chances are you will but after 80 pound loss in one year I'll take the eating the way I'm suppose to anyday.

[Jachut 487]

Be prepared to spend A LOT of time over the toilet. Be prepared to constantly feel the "golf ball" in your esophagus after you eat. Be prepared NOT to be able to eat in front of people you havent told about the band. Be prepared to be afraid of eating ANYTHING non mushie in fear of throwing it up. Be prepared to teach yourself to eat VERY VERY slowly. Be prepared to kiss bread goodbye.

The first 6 weeks is easy, once you get your fill...thats when you will play the "get to know your band" game. Its very finicky. It loves liquids, hates bread. Forget about steak, even chicken has problems going through.

You will have that "stuck" feeling a lot, after the stuck feeling, you will salivate profusely and then everything you ate comes up.

The only thing I can eat now is Soup...any kind of Soup, but most everything else I have tried I have thrown up.

I'm 2 weeks post 1st fill..and I know i'm not too tight, since I watched the whole thing on fluoroscopy.....this is just how life is with the band.

Any many other people that I know that have this band say the same thing. Things get stuck often..and are also afraid of trying new foods in public.

I am not complaining, I am happy with my decision to get it placed.. I mean, vanity is priority #1...but these above facts DO NOT get mentioned often in this forum....at least I really havent read about it.

I'm sorry you're finding it tough. I think everyone ought to be prepared to face these issues, whether briefly, rarely or daily when going in.

But I can honestly say not one of your statements represents my experience in any way. Its been nothing but positive. I eat less, but I eat everything, I've lost all my weight and I'm healthier than ever. Best decision of my life.

I wouldnt want to give anyone the impression that its easy, but if we enter into it with caution, why shouldnt we also enter into it with optimism?

[AnnaMC 0]

I can say that I am 8 wks out and I have never pb-ed. I have never thrown up, I have never felt sick after eating. Perhaps you are eating too fast, or taking too big of a bite? For me this is the best decision of my life. But I think that you must have a positive outlook in order to have a positive experience! I am not in the position to criticize any ones weight lose, are you?

[o2bthin 0]

Wow bummer. I'd rather be less filled and use some self control. My ESHO.

[Betsyjane 2]

It's been interesting to me what a learning curve I've had with the band. You've PMed me about your education and your business accomplishments, and that's wonderful. The band is something new for you, though. It's something new to learn about. That doesn't diminish your accomplishments in any way. It does mean though that you are still more in the role of student than teacher. Your original post was a bit inaccurate for a lot of us, but was presented as fact. I believe that is what has caused some alarm.

One of the things to think about is that with an appropriate fill, you should be able to eat slowly and chew well, and get between .5 and 1.5 cups of solid food down per meal. If Soups are your only option, then you may be too full. Living with a too tight band increases your risk of eventual pouch dilation, and it makes for an uncomfortable existence. There's a lot to learn....

[Iluvharleys 15]

I certainly don't PB all the time, in fact in all the years I have been banded, I probably only PB'd 2 or 3 times. I don't worry about going out to eat, I just eat slowly and chew good. I can eat anything, including some bread, and I eat steak all the time. I very seldom get the golf ball either.

If all you can eat is Soup, then you are too tight. You should be able to eat solids and they should be your main thing to eat. You would be amazed how much better you will feel and how much better you can eat if you have just a tiny bit of fill removed.

Honestly if I had to stand over the toilet every time I ate, I would hate my band. I live a normal life, and all I do is eat smaller portions.

Good Luck to you!

[Betsyjane 2]

Harley Girl.. I have just started to get that "mature bandster" feeling where I don't obsess so much about it and just do Portion Control. I'm heading where you are..... It's peaceful.

[Luvbnanurse 1]

When I got to the point I could only eat Soup I was too tight, I was afraid to eat in public and stayed sick if I tried to eat good food, which lead to being swollen which made me tighter. I had a small unfill and did liquids and Zantac for a few days and I am happy to say I ate steak at OCharleys, no worries, and had chicken last night no problems, and I am losing again, so if you can only eat soup you might be so irritated it has made you tight, you have to be able to eat real food so think about a small unfill , I am so glad I got one. Good luck in whatever you decide, but you cant go on not eating right you want to stay healthy so you can live your new life coming!

[Betsyjane 2]

I think maybe this thread should be The Truth About When to do Something Different With Your Band. I don't mean to be facetious. It truly is a clear set of warning signals that a person is too tight. In that way, it's an instructional thread.

[Darragha 0]

an instructional thread.

I agree. I'm sorry for anyone's troubles with the band, but really glad this group jumps in and points out how to eleviate said problems.

Darr

[Jobstud 0]

I think maybe this thread should be The Truth About When to do Something Different With Your Band. I don't mean to be facetious. It truly is a clear set of warning signals that a person is too tight. In that way, it's an instructional thread.

I agree. Just before my surgery I was talking to as many people as I could about their lap band experience. Invariably the ones I spoke to who were having problems were not following what I was told by my surgeon and nutritionist. One said she sits at night and watches TV and Snacks plus she drinks while she eats. WHOA! Another said she struggles to eat her daily bagel and cream cheese without getting sick. :faint:

I was given lots of "do's and don'ts" which said Bagels and breads are likely to cause a blockage. PLUS if you know that a bagel makes you sick why continue trying to force it? DUH!