BrandNewDawn

Rhondasue, Ouch! Sorry to hear about that fill experience. And, CONGRATULATIONS on losing 21 pounds. That is terrific. Getting used to eating less takes time. Getting used to being satisfied with less mentally also takes time. I remember last year 2 months into my surgery being really angry because I could not eat my wedding anniversary dinner. Now, almost a year into it, I just take food home for my next meal. If your work does not allow snacking, try drinking some protein water. That really helps me with between meal hunger. Other than that, this transition will take time. You cannot change a lifetime of habits in 8.5 weeks. For the getting things stuck, try taking smaller bites and chewing more (I used to count to 30). But...if you keep getting things stuck you might be too tight. I only mentioned this because you said you were getting things stuck before your first fill. Most (not all) of us on the forum have no restriction prior to our first fill. Good luck. Let us know how you are doing. Dawn

Robbyn So sorry to hear about the recent loss of your mother. Thank you for posting. Best of luck with the dress (safety pins and all) and with your upcoming surgery. Dawn

When I went for my first fill after being banded, one of the first things Dr. Romero asked was if I had been eating and drinking at the same time because my pouch was "a little bit stretched." I could see what he was talking about on the flouroscope. I had been eating and drinking together some times but by no means had I been doing it every time and still he noticed a difference. Needless to say, I no longer drink and eat at the same time regardless of what the research says, I saw what he was talking about with my own two eyes. To me, it is just not worth taking the chance of ruining my band. I usually wait 45 mintues to 1 hour to eat after meals but sometimes I need to wait longer than that because it is uncomfortable (painful) to drink. I do not know if there is still food in the upper pouch and the liquid is backing up behind it but that is what it feels like. I had no restriction by the end of the 6 week period between surgery and my first fill. I could eat just as I had before surgery. Hang in there, you have to get some restriction going before you can really begin to see how the band will work for you. Good luck Dawn

You are welcome. There is information out there on the web, I have even seen photos of the two different bands side by side posted right here on this forum but finding that post is another matter entirely. I think the photos came from one of the manufacturer's web sites. And, this topic (among others) comes up regularly on the forums. Glad I was able to help answer your question. Dawn

No, 10CM (circumference) band holds 4CC (volume). There is a bigger circumference band, I think it is 13CM and it holds 10CC. This topic should be pinned as it comes up quite often. The doctors decide which band to use during surgery. Hope this helps. If the card OCC gave you says 10CM, it is the 4CC band. If you cannot find the card or you are not sure, email them and they will tell you which band you have and how much it holds. Good luck. Dawn

It sounds like you are doing your part and that you just have to be patient and let your body "catch up" a bit. You did not say how tall you are or how you determined your ideal goal weight. If you started at 200, is your goal 130? Others on the forum haved posted that our bone and muscle weigh more when we become heavy and that it can be difficult to get down to pre-obese weights. Are you losing inches instead of pounds? I also do not know how old you are but as we age, our metabolism slows making it harder to lose. Are you eating enough? I only say that because you say you are exercising which usually helps with weight loss. Stress level? Dr. Miranda told me "stressing" about losing weight releases cortisol which makes it harder to lose. You look great in your picture. Congratulations on your success so far! Dawn

Ramona, Thank you for updating us. Great information. I hope everyone on this forum makes note of what you said the doctors told you. It is so refreshing to hear that losing 40 pounds in a year equals success in their eyes too! Congratulations. Dawn

I am 5'7" and started at 225. I have been losing slower and I am hoping that will help with the final results but I agree it is a completely personal decision. How "fast" lapband surgery works for you is an individual thing based on your personal lapband management style. Also, your age, your activity level, your personal goals. Getting over anxious for quick results can be frustrating, some people lose faster than others. Good luck. Keep reading. There is good information here from people who are living the lapband lifestyle. Dawn

Kimberly, Yesterday, February 17, was my youngest son's birthday (age10). Hope your daughter had a great birthday. My son was fine yesterday but is home sick from school throwing up. I hope he does not give whatever bug he has to the whole family. That is what usually happens. Dawn

Kristy, Tighter is not better. You really can slow down your weight loss with too tight restriction. We will find a way to eat and all those not so healthy choices seem to slide down no matter how tight our bands our. I was too tight for two weeks. It did not get better. It got worse. But...there are plenty of others on the forum that say their fills "loosen up" after losing X amount of weight. I was like you, I could only take a small little sip and I could feel it back up and "gurgle" as it emptied. Weird feeling, very uncomfortable. Dr. Acosta said I waited too long and then I had to stay on liquids for three days and take Mylanta everyday. You might be okay after three days liquids. Just take it slow and see what happens. One other thing that was going on with me was the night coughing/choking/reflux which made it difficult to sleep and I had pain when swallowing and trouble breathing. I think these are all more severe symptoms of a too tight fill but unless you have actually been through some of this stuff, then you cannot relate. If you are having any of these symptoms, then you know what I'm talking about. I guess the point that I am trying to make is that there are varying degrees of "too tight" and it all boils down to what you personally want to live with/tolerate, and how you want to manage your band. There is protein shake in the morning too tight and there is medical emergency too tight. Only you can decide which one you are. Believe me, you will know if you get to medical emergency too tight! Good luck. I hope you feel better soon. Dawn

I am definitely thinking about having the boobs fixed. Two kids, (both nursed), age (50) and a history of being overweight has taken its toll. I do not know about the tummy tuck. I would like to try to fix the "middle age spread" with exercise before going under the knife. But, I'm not there yet and have some time to think about it. And surgery (and its associated risks) really creep me out and since my boys are still pretty young, it is hard for me to justify taking the risk at this time. I do not like to be "put under." I liked what Kimmy said about NOT being so critical of ourselves all the time but... I can understand what Michelle is saying because she is in a different stage of her life where she is dating again. My husband does not care. If I want to do it, he will support me. But, in reality, sending my boys to college will probably trump getting a flatter stomach and perkier breasts. Dawn

Sarah, I lost my oldest sister in 1996. I still miss her and often think of how things would be if she were still alive. Congratualtions on your success! Dawn

Sorry Shelby, I had my controls all messed up. I think I fixed it now. I guess I should not try to do things at 1:30 in the morning. Hope it works now. Dawn

Yeah, I hear you Shelby, I've gone down 2 band sizes but the cup is still a D. I never liked them that big and now that I'm 50, yikes! Thinking about a boob job when I'm at or closer to goal but that will be a while so I have some time to think about it. Congratulations SlimCola on your 20 pound loss. Way to go! Dawn

Way to go Mona. I would be so thrilled. I spent hours looking for a dress one weekend and went home disappointed and wore something old and a little too big to the "event" instead. My weight used to be fairly well distributed but now I have this thick middle that makes it hard to buy pants. I think it is true though, like Diana says, your weight will fly off now!! Good luck with your OCC trip. We will all be waiting for your update. Dawn

CindyLou Good for you. I am happy to hear you are feeling better. I would "starve" many mornings if I did not get liquid food into me instead of solid food. Some days I cannot eat until lunch. I know we are supposed to eat solid food, someone should tell our lapbands that! Besides, dairy is a FOOD group and milk has some good protein in it for very little fat/calories, especially if you like 1% or fat free milk. Atkins, yuck, I hate it too! And, 2.2 pounds! Wow! Congrats. Dawn

I think it sounds like you could benefit from a small fill as well. Primarily because you said you are not staying satisfied (full) for very long and that it is taking more food to get to the full feeling in the first place. Like Julie, I am rarely hungry. Even in the evenings. But, I agree with whoever said you will have to give up some foods if you decide in favor of tighter restriction and then there is always the "chance" you will end up too tight and have to have fluid removed. I do not like my band tight. Some people do and that works for them. I also do not want it too loose. If I was any good at using my "willpower" consistently, then I would not have needed a lap band in the first place. Really, it is your decision to make. You are doing great so far so you must be doing something right. Good luck. Dawn

Jenelle, I think we all worry that we are "stretching our pouch" between surgery and our first fill. I tend to over think and worry about stuff too. First, if this is your first fill, your band is empty and you may have restriction just from the band placement but most of us do not. You do have a small upper pouch but the amount of food that you say you are eating does not sound like it is enough food to stretch your pouch. Are you getting clear "full" signals from your body that you are ignoring? After about week four (4) after surgery I had very little if any restriction and I could eat almost the same amount of food as before surgery. I had to use will power to stop myself from over eating. 1,200 calories sounds reasonable to me. If you are waiting 30-45 minutes before you drink, although that is pushing it a little bit , I do not think it would be enough to stretch your pouch. I know that one thing that CAN stretch your pouch is eating AND drinking together so you may want to try to extend that wait time between food and drink. Otherwise, I think it is unlikely that you have done any harm. Many people's weight loss slows or stops when they begin eating again after surgery/before a fill . I do not think it is a sign that you are eating too much. I think it is likely your body is adjusting to that 17 pound weight loss and with you adding exercise and continuing your 1,200 calories, you will most likely begin losing again. Really, it sounds like you are doing good. The only thing I would recommend is spacing out the wait time for liquids. It sound like you are following a good course otherwise. Congratulations on your success so far. Dawn

I would like to see the "how much protein" question addressed by OCC staff as well but even the most minor research online will tell you that there is no easy answer to this question. The RDA (recommended dietary allowance) for protein for women ages 11 to >70 at weights between 100 to 145 pounds is 46 to 50 grams. That is based on a 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight although the average need is only 0.6 grams per kilogram of body weight. So, the RDA is already "above" what the actual human need for protein is. Then, you have to consider your source for recommendation as well because a web site that wants to sell you protein supplements is going to tell you that you need more than a government web site that just wants to get the information out there to the public. So, I did not take my information from any site that wanted to get my money. We all know there is no truth in advertising and that the vitamin and supplement industry does not have to back up their claims. They are not regulated by the FDA. I do not know if eating too much protein is bad for you. It can dehydrate you as it takes 7 times the amount of water to eliminate from your system. It can cause bone loss but taking calcium will help with that. It is hard on your kidneys. Dr. Miranda told me that getting adequate protein is not an issue in America. I tend to agree. I think that we have been "sold" the high protein/low carb diet for so long (30 years) that now it has just become a part of our culture of "diet lore". And it works short term, I have a friend who just lost 100+ pounds on one of those protein fast medically supervised diets. Nothing but protein shakes for 6 months! All the sites I visited did say that breastfeeding women, sick/healing people and professional athletes body builders need more protein, the higher your activity level, the higher your protein need. So, there you go, we are all different. Dawn

You can Google the extended weather forecast for San Diego and it will give you the "guess" up to 10 days in advance. I looked at it and it said 2/18 would be cloudy 49-65 degrees and 2/19 would have a chance of showers and be 48-66 degrees. Nothing for 2/20 yet but you could check again before you leave. I live in the San Diego area and we just got drenched with rain yesterday. This is the "rainy season" for what it's worth. "Cold" for San Diego/TJ during the day is anything in the 50"s, 40's overnight. I would not go in an un-heated pool this time of year, way too cold. I live inland where it is a bit colder in the winter and I am wearing lightweight long sleeve tops and a light jacket (like a sweatshirt/fleece jacket) outside right now and jeans/pants/closed shoes. But, I tend to be "cold natured" so take your own internal thermostat into consideration. Hope that helps. Have a good trip. Dawn

My instructions are almost a year old now but mine said: AT LEAST 30g of protein a day. It is okay if you get more than 30g of protein a day. That is the recommended MINIMUM amount. Also, I do not understand why you are saying you would not be able to have creamy soup or yogurt. Three 1/2 cup servings of food is not ALL you are allowed for the day, the 1/2c is the SERVING RECOMMENDATION, as in not more than 1/2 cup at a time to keep you from overfilling/stretching your pouch. Your body needs protein to heal. Your band is still healing in place. As for the dehydration, try to keep sipping throughout the day. If you are bloated, check the sodium content of what you are drinking. I know broth has high sodium levels which make you retain water but you could just be bloated from the surgery still. Anyway, I hope this helps. Maybe some of you more recently banded people can clarify what your instructions say. Dawn

I think some of it is about having a positive attitude and realistic expectations. I have lost "only" about 44 pounds in the last 11 months (about 4 pounds a month) and some people would say that is not enought but I am absolutely thrilled. I am happy to be 181 instead of 225. I feel better, I look better, I can breath when I bend over to tie my shoes. And, this is the part that I love the most, I have lost every single pound without counting even 1 calorie. That's right, I do not diet. I could diet, I spent my whole life on a diet. I know how to diet. I just refuse to diet. I did not get my lapband to diet. I got my lapband to control my portions and be satisfied with less food. Yes, I lose slower than many people. I'm okay with that. There are advantages to losing slower, especially when it comes to giving your skin a chance to adjust to your weight loss. I know others on the forum have said "it's a marathon not a sprint" and I completely agree. As for being realistic about your goal, most of the research I did before surgery said that people lost 60% of the weight they needed to lose with the lap band. So, if you need to lose 100, you could lose 60 easily or if you need to lose 50 you could lose 30 easily, etc. etc. If you exercise, you will lose faster. If you are younger, you will lose faster. If you "diet" you will lose faster. After that first 60%, you will have to work harder or accept a different "number" or different "size." Oh, and here is another thing I completely love about my band. I weigh every day so I do go up and down a pound or two and I consider that "normal" but...I have not gained back any weight since I got banded. Not between my surgery or my first fill or my second fill or after my small unfill. I love my lapband. I am so happy with my results so far. I could not have done this without my lapband. Yes, I could have dieted and I could have lost weight but I would have gained it back. My only regret is that I did not do it sooner. I guess I went into this with a different attitude. I had 80 to lose and my expectation was that the band would help me lose some of that weight (I'm almost at my 60% goal of 48 pounds). I told my husband that if I only lost half that amount of weight, I would be healthier and that was "worth" the cost of the surgery right there. I was more concerned about developing diabetes or high blood pressure and taking the pressure off my joints and getting that fat out from around my heart than I was about fitting into a size 8. As for the people you work with, it sounds like they are trying to be supportive. It is reasonable for you to say you do not know and that you only weigh once a month. It is, after all, your business. You do not have to keep them updated on your progress if you do not want to. People can be very judgemental which just makes it harder for you. As for your husband being unsupportive, what were his expectations and in what way does he think being unsupportive will help you? If it is about the money, that money is already spent. Being unsupportive will not magically make the money reappear. He is your husband, he should support you...period. Good luck. Feel better and do not give up hope. Dawn

I do not think that there is an "average" for any fill. I have 1.4cc's in my band and I still have restriction. I know there are others on this site with less than 2cc's in there band losing weight with good restriction. Some people might need 4cc's in their band and some people need less. That is just the way the lap band works. It is not a "one size fits all" solution. I have only gone to OCC for my fills and on my first fill I had to stay on liquids for 3 days but for my second fill I could eat that day. My husband (also banded) just got another fill on Friday (3rd or 4th fill, I do not remember) and there was no eating restriction. What I have found (after 11 months) is that junk food is not well restricted and that I have to use my own "willpower" to avoid cookies, candy, ice cream, frozen yogurt, chips, etc. etc. etc. Of course, liquids like milkshakes, frozen coffee drinks, fruit smoothies and others will never be restricted. Once again, I have to say "NO" to myself as my band will not stop me. If you are gravitating toward mushier food because you cannot eat solid protein, you may be too tight. Try taking smaller bites and chewing 30 times and see if that helps before you go get more fill. Being tighter wil make it harder to eat solid protein and you will continue to gravitate toward mushier food. But, that is just my opinion, some people like to keep their band "tight." I am not one of those people. I would rather lose slower than be too tight. Dawn

WillT, Way to go. Congratulations. I'm past ten months on my band now and still learning. Going slow but getting there. Glad to hear you found a doctor who is working with you. My husband has the 10CC band and he keeps telling me the same thing you said you were experiencing, that "not feeling full after eating" syndrome. He is headed back down to OCC for another fill in Feb. I hope he is as successful as you have been. Dawn

LisaBen, It sounds like your band may be to tight. Especially if you have been living on liquids for the last month and are just now able to eat a "tiny bit of solids." You should see your doctor and let them know you are unable to eat solids. Having a too tight band is not healthy for you or for your band. You are not supposed to be PB-ing all your food all day long. That is another symptom of a too tight band. It's not good for you or your teeth and it can cause your band to slip. It's completely up to you, some people like the enforced inability to eat and usually the weight comes off fast at first but like Lisal said, it will stop and/or you will find ways to work around your band. Just my 2 cents. Good luck. Dawn