vangirl

My experience with fills is that I feel restriction for the first couple of days after the fill and then it wears off a bit. Then it's changeable depending on my cycle or whatever else is going on in the environment. However, after my third one (I have 3.8ccs in a 4cc band) I'm now very tight six weeks after the fact. As many people say, the band is fickle. Personally I'd wait for at least a month or two to see how things generally are, as it's hard to get an accurate guage after only a week or so (unless of course it is too tight). Of course, I've heard the opposite from other people, so it really is an individual thing.

Hi Robby!

Sounds like you're doing great! And congrats on the jeans fitting. Many people are extra swollen after the surgery (I was), and so imagine how well you're going to fit into them once you heal from the incisions!

If you're feeling dizzy, you might be dehydrated and/or suffering from low blood sugar. I HIGHLY recommend gatorade for both purposes. For the first week, I could barely drink any amount of liquid (even water), so gatorade was really helpful. I mixed a bit of benefibre into it and even warmed it up, and the results were yummy.

You're going to be so glad you did this. It is a lifestyle change for sure.

And OMG the Food Network! It's definitely a hunger-inducing stimulus! Especially the cake-making shows and the various challenges and competitions they've got going on. I don't envy you!

-Vangirl

Since my third fill, my restriction has waxed and waned, with some days being tighter than others. But for the most part I can eat when I take things slowly, chew well, etc.. However, this past weekend, I've been going out a lot, and I've noticed a pattern where I eat a couple of bitefuls and it can take a long time for those first few bites to go down. Once they go down, I'm ok to eat the rest of my meal, though I have to take my time.

Yesterday, my family treated me to a birthday lunch at a nice waterfront restaurant downtown, and I was so tight that my initial bites of food did NOT go down and remained stuck in the pouch for the entire duration of lunch! I finally had to go to the bathroom and vomit it out because the saliva kept excreting down and the whole contents of the pouch kept rising like a stopped drain that has water being fed continuously into it (I use the clogged drain analogy to describe how the band works to other people). It was rather embarrassing to have to do that in a fancy restaurant (and unfortunately I was not alone in the bathroom, so I'm sure I was heard).

At least I know this is finally working (six months later!) but man is it socially awkward! I dread going out to eat with people who don't know I'm banded because I don't know how to explain myself when all I can eat initally are a few bites of food and I'm staring at my plate for the next 15 minutes while everyone chomps down their lunch.

Hi Louise,

As you can see from my numbers, my journey has been slow as well, and about the same rate as yours. I definitely understand the frustration, especially when I see others' weight loss rates being twice as fast. But stress does cause the body to hold on to weight, and of course there is the steroids, both of which are valid explanations for the slower rate of weight loss. I'd say, as long as the scale keeps going down, albeit slowly, that is a good thing. I too have had to resign to a slower rate of weight loss, but at least that means it's safer and less likely to go back up. There is another thread on the board about the need to stop obsessing over everything and just live your life, and for me that made a big difference in my thinking and stress levels.

-Vangirl

I too have had the odd pains and aches around my port and the site of the band. It's due to scar tissue formation, and this is actually a good thing, because it means that the port is less likely to flip if there is scar tissue.

I would say that I have good restriction 5 or 6 days per week. I've never tracked it to see if there's a cycle, but one week I might have one day where I am super tight and the next week I might have one day where I'm super loose but all the other days are just right. I'm sticking with this amount of fill because having good restriction even five days per week keeps me honest....and I'm still losing. It would be great to have wonderful restriction EVERY DAY but I don't. In fact, I ate A TON yesterday, yet the night before I couldn't even finish one piece of pizza. Don't panic if you have a day here and there where you feel like you don't even have a band....I think that's normal....it's if you feel like that for days or weeks on end that I would be worried.

Sabrina:)

I'd be happy with 5 or 6 days out of the week with good restriction. This weekend, it went right out the window, and I ate a corresponding amount of food, which really through me off, and led to feeling pretty awful afterward. I think that emotionally, it was a huge let-down and also anxiety-provoking, because I've been struggling for so long with slow weight loss and little-to-no restriction since being banded, that to lose it after just one week really hit me hard. It also scares me when I'm able to eat the amount that I can when I don't have the restriction. I don't want to constantly sabotage my progress (especially with already being on a slow path of losing), and yet it seems like I am. Sorry if it sounds like I'm going off on a tangent, but hopefully today I will see some restriction return. I already feel tight, and I've only had coffee this morning.

what is a pouch test?

I found it through some other link. The site is http://www.5daypouchtest.com/. I hope this is something that actually works.

okay, will do. I thought I would make a final decision until next week. I have been so spoiled having such great restriction and losing inches and the lbs needing to catch up. Thinking I may have to do a pouch test to kick it into gear.

thanks!

I am thinking of doing this pouch test myself, in the hopes that it might help me get my restriction back. Has anyone else done this? Does it work?

Well the honeymoon period after my 3rd restriction is over, and as of yesterday, I'm back to where I was before that fill. This is incredibly frustrating. I was so happy the first week after my 3rd fill, my restriction was perfect and I had no hunger. Now I'm ravenous and back to almost 100% willpower. I just don't get it. I know that others on here have talked about restriction changing from time to time. All I know is that now that I've experienced what it means to reach optimal restriction or sweet spot, I want that back! Because after all, that's what I did this for, right? So I'm wondering, how long should I wait this out until I get a new fill?

I'm actually a bit paranoid now because I just got back from there last week, and I now have come down with something. I don't know if it's a cold or flu yet, it's too early to tell. In any case, I'm staying at home until it's over, which I hope will be soon.

On a related note, I notice that since getting sick today, I'm ravenous! I've been doing really well with the new fill, with barely any hunger at times, and today I'm back to using willpower again. What's up with that?! I would have thought it would be the opposite when getting sick.

That IS cool! I'd love to do that myself, but in about 50-60lbs.

Actually, what I really want to do some day is belly dancing. Once the belly is a lot smaller

I doubt you have stretched your pouch. There have been a number of times where I felt like I overate (or overdrank, while on the liquid diet), and was afraid I'd stretched my pouch. However, I have since met a band patient who actually did have a stretched pouch, and my understanding is that pouch-stretching is something that happens gradually, over a period of chronically overeating and not following the rules, not because of isolated times here and there. If in doubt, call your doctor.

I had wanted to wait at least a week or two before posting again, but I can't help it. I am amazed at the restriction I have with this new fill. I am full on so much less food and am barely hungry. I actually forget to eat! I have to force myself to eat, otherwise I'd end up eating too little. I'm astounded actually how much difference having the right amount of restriction can make. If I were eating this little amount of food without the band (and adequate restriction) to help me, I'd be starving, sick, and miserable. But I actually feel quite energized and normal (except for when I go too many hours without calories and my blood sugar gets a little low). I finally get what people are raving about, and I'm happy I've finally experienced it for myself, albeit five months post-band (April 26 will be my five month bandiversary). I can handle minor variations from day to day, but I sincerely hope that overall this level of restriction sticks.

-vangirl

Thanks Vangirl....I hope to see you at the next Lions Gate meeting. I was too sick last week and it sounds like you were in Mexico anyway. It's funny, even though I've lost 52 pounds I don't think I look that different. Maybe it's what one of the girls at our meeting once talked about, body dysmorphia, but not that many other people have noticed either. The skin is all still there, it's just loose now instead of filled with fat, lol, so it's hard to tell! Time to hit the gym, I guess.

Sabrina:)

OMG, I am going through the same thing! I actually just posted about this topic on the other board. I can see the numbers, my clothes feel different, and even my body feels different, and yet I don't see it in the mirror. It's crazy. And boo to the skin all hanging there! What's up with that?! I wasn't expecting to see that. Ugh.!

I hope I'll see you at the Lions Gate meeting as well!

-vangirl

This topic indirectly came up in a different thread, but I wanted to post it separately as a new topic. Like most of OCC patients, I have been staying away from carbonated beverages, and haven't really missed it all that much. Hardly ever, actually. But a couple of nights ago, I was out at a concert with a friend, and we went to a bar afterward, and all they had was beer or hard liquor (which I wasn't interested in). I'm not a huge beer-drinker, but I do like it from time to time and Friday night I rather wished I could have had some. I'm actually looking forward to drinking beer again, but I know I've been burping more since the surgery, and I'd hate to do anything embarrassing at a social event. I was wondering what other people's experiences were, after drinking carbonated beverages. Is there any difference post-band, once those six months are up?

Evening Vangirl -

I'm so glad to have read your post tonight as you described exactly what I'm feeling after my SIXTH fill last Thursday, April 16, 2009. I'm now at 3.2 cc in my 4cc band and my doctor here in Utah says he's rarely had to put this much in a band of that size. Lucky us, huh? Anyway, I'm feeling that same feeling you wrote about.

When I read this line..."I think this is what the feeling of fullness is supposed to be. Stuff still in the pouch and going down really slowly, so that the signal of fullness has time to get to the brain..." I said YES! That's what I feel now. FINALLY!

I don't post very much but I want to say thank you very much for sharing because it made me feel good to read about someone like myself on the boards. It's SO hard not to compare even though I know we're all different.

Thanks and have a good night!

Hi Jessica,

Thank you for your reply! I am so glad that it was helpful for you. Man, I can't imagine how frustrating it must have been to have waited for your sixth fill before you could feel restriction. I've been in endless frustration since January, to the point where I was almost starting to regret getting the band, because of hearing others' experiences and wondering why I wasn't getting similar results. It sucks! And yes I know we're not supposed to compare with others, but it's hard not to in a forum where people share their experiences, and you think something is wrong with you when you are so much in the minority.

I hope you are enjoying your current level of restriction and that it brings you the results you are hoping for!

-Vangirl

Hi,

While I am just planning my first fill, so I can't help you on that end, I would like to suggest Coreomega. It is a Omega suppliment that is AWESOME! It comes in little packets with a small amount of pudding consistancy of Omega blends in an amazing chocolate orange flavor so you dont taste the fish taste! It goes down great with absolutely no problem! Also they have a rewards program that after so many boxes purchased you get a free box! I buy these for my family (kids, hubby and me). Not a complaint in the bunch.

This would be a great alternative for anyone not wanting to risk a large pill!

Keep up the great success!

Hi fatfreeme,

Thank you SO much for this information! I had no idea that you could get omega in anything but pill or liquid form (due to the fishiness of it), and I am going to look for it in health food and vitamin stores now. If not, I will buy it online. I am terribly afraid of taking a large pill and getting it stuck and being unable to vomit or pb it out, so this is a great alternative!

-vangirl

Sounds like you finally have restriction, hooray! Now don't be surprised if it starts to come and go. As you know, I thought I had a leak I had so little restriction last week but now I've been deathly ill with bronchitis (Possible pneumonia, tests aren't back yet) for more than a week and I'm super tight again. I'm guessing all the coughing has pulled on my muscle the port is attached to as well cause it's bugging me again. Be sure to get all those vitamins in SOMEHOW....I was slacking off and maybe if I was taking them every day I wouldn't have become so run down and sick. Take care.

Sabrina:)

It must be frustrating to not know what your restriction will be from one day to the next. So far my current restriction has not varied so drastically as yours, but even the small variations from day to day (or within a day, or even within an hour) are hard to get my head around. I hope you feel better soon!

Boy, can I realte. Just mentioning the surgery before used to start a fight almost instantly. Nowadays he doesn't mention it much, except to make jokes about my "robot stomach", haha. All the best to you...you don't need to feel alone in this now that you've found us!

Sabrina:)

Hey Valleygirl,

I'm glad to hear that things have smoothed over at home re: the surgery. In any case, you've lost a whopping 50lbs and should be very proud of yourself. You were already beautiful before the surgery, and hopefully he sees (and is enjoying) how hot you must be now, especially the beauty that comes from feeling good about yourself.

-Vangirl

Oh that sounds awful, I hope she feels better soon.

My question is are you gagging and having your stomach contract type of barfing or are you what I like to say burping up the food.

Sometimes I will PB and then with that comes up the bites of food. But I am not gagging and retching it just comes up. I find those two things different...

Kim

Hi Kim,

It's not productive burping, but I think it is a similar process. It's hard to describe, but basically it's me bending over, opening my mouth as if to throw up, and this contracts my esophagus so that whatever's in the pouch will come right up, including the saliva or slime or whatever liquid is in the pouch to break down the food. It's a kind of voluntary vomiting, not gagging or retching (which I assume is the involuntary stomach contraction). I don't feel nauseous or anything.

-vangirl

Welcome to the world of restriction. What you are feeling in regards to being full sooner and having the food go thru the band slower is what everyone with a band hopes to experience. I am like you in that I can eat anything I so chose, including pizza. I had my first piece of pizza that was not thin crust a couple of weeks ago and did just fine with it, I just had to remember to chew it super duper well. Before I ate it I sought out a friend at the same event who also has a band and he said as long as he chews well he doesn't have a problem either. I am not suggesting that we eat pizza on a regular basis, but rare occasions are okay. My fill doctor says it is okay to challenge yourself with foods on occasion.

In regards to the pills, it is time to make a change. If they can be cut up, invest in a pill splitter and start cutting. If they cannot be cut up, you need to seek other options. I too have problems with pills. Mine started with the most bitter antibiotic ever. Luckily I could cut it up and hide it in pudding so as to avoid the bitter taste. I am supposed to be taking a multi-vitamin but am scared to based on my level of restriction. So, I am going to purchase chewable gummie vitamins tomorrow. I have already tried Flinstones and they just aren't as good as they were when I was a kid.

Something else to be aware of, some of us have experienced our bands getting tighter a few days after a fill. Just be aware this could happen. After I have a fill I am supposed to have clear liquids only for 24 hours, full liquids for 24 hours, mushy foods for 24 hours, and then I can go back to regular foods. You might want to give this a shot to allow your stomach time to adjust to the new band size.

Let us know how your weight loss goes based on this fill.

Thank you Smiley! Up until this 3rd fill, I have not had that elusive 'restriction' that others have described, which has been very frustrating in terms of my progress. So I am glad to hear that this matches what people experience in terms of restriction. I know it's only been a couple of days, but so far it is a huge difference from what I was feeling before.

It sounds like I may have to figure out other options pill-wise. I can probably cut the green tea capsules and sprinkle the powder into the water. But my omega 3 (which is basically fish oil, and the size of a huge multivitamin) is going to be a different problem. I am terribly afraid of getting something stuck and not be able to force it out through vomiting if it doesn't go down on its own, so I'm not sure what I'll be able to do there.

-vangirl

:lb4: All I want to say is, I am the same as you! I eat at night and cant stop! My pre-op diet was hard for me too. Im really not to sure what to tell you to stop as I am still struggling after my surgery! But I will say that the thought of my surgery being canceled if i didn't lose the weight made me buckle down! (I paid way to much to not have the surgery, flights hotels, the surgery itself!)

Your doing good, keep up the VERY HARD work!

Big hugs and lots of love,

Jenelle

I am like this too. I was a sneak eater (even though I live alone!) and would munch at nighttime especially. I still struggle with the cravings, and one of the things I have come to realize is that the work still continues even after the band. I too found that what got me through the pre-op diet (the hardest diet I've ever been on, I felt crazy the whole time) was the fear of my surgery being cancelled if I didn't lose the weight.

It's great that your husband is supportive and that you are telling people about it, because keeping it to yourself just feeds into the cycle of shame, guilt, and lying to others (and to self!), which is what makes many of us food sneaks. So that's a great step. And good idea to get rid of all the bad food in the house. I personally don't keep any cookies or munch foods at home because I know I'll eat it, but I'm fortunate in that I live by myself and so don't have to see other people eat stuff I can't have. When I did live with others, that was always a huge problem and would quickly get me off any diet that I was on.

Each time I went to the OCC for my fill (my 2nd and 3rd), Dr. So took out whatever fill that was in there, to check how much is there from the last fill. I think that's the test to see if there's a leak. If nearly all the fill is gone, then there is probably a leak. If it's just a little that is gone, then it might be due to air bubbles or some of the saline being injected out into the scar tissue instead of into the band.

But best check with one of the doctors there. They are really great about giving information/advice.

-vangirl

I just got back from Mexico yesterday after getting my 3rd fill. I now have 3.8ccs in a 4cc band, and am apparently one of only 5 or 6 OCC patients who have this much fill in a 4cc band. I asked Dr. So (so nice, cute, and reassuring!) about why my case is so unusual, and he suggested that maybe my stomach lining is thinner, and so consequently there is more room inside. Anyway, because I was leaving early the next morning, I was advised to try solid foods after getting to the hotel, and to call the clinic in case there were problems. I found I was able to eat ok (I deliberately chose bread-foods, as I wanted to test out the potentially 'difficult' foods while I was still there). I was really careful about chewing, taking my time, and I did feel full after smaller amounts than I did before. Yay!

So yesterday I returned home (and during my journey, was able to eat solids without any problem, with maybe a slightly less feeling of restriction than the day I got the fill. After I got home, I had a small slice of a personal-size pizza, which was leftover from a previous day. To note, I have had no problems with any types of food, and have been able to eat foods like bread, pasta, rice, etc. without any difficulty. Anyway, after almost finishing the very small slice, I noticed it startied to get stuck, so I stopped eating. I have had food stuck a few times before, and eventually, after several painful minutes, it eventually goes down on its own. However, this time it wasn't going anywhere, and relief came only when I threw up whatever was in the pouch just above the band. There was still a little bit stuck afterward, but I didn't want to throw up anymore and risk doing any damage to the band. At least afterward, it wasn't painful anymore, and whatever little that was stuck eventually went down on its own.

Then this morning, I had a very warm, almost hot, glass of water to prepare for taking my morning medications. My thyroid pills are very tiny, so there was no problem with getting them down. But I decided to try a green tea capsule to see if I could get that through. So I took one, and there didn't seem to be any problem. It seemed like the water was going down ok. So I took the second one, and this time I could tell that it was getting stuck. I could taste green tea coming back up. I tried to wait a few minutes to see if it would go down on its own, but it didn't, so I made myself vomit, and the capsule came back up. However, the stuck feeling was still there, and it seemed like the first one was also stuck, although maybe I didn't realize it the first time. So I vomited again, and water came up, but I don't know if the capsule did. I proceeded to have my breakfast (a lean cuisine, because I haven't gone shopping and don't have anything else in the house), and so far it seems to be going down. Except it is going down very slowly, and I know that there is still stuff in the pouch above the band, even as I write this. It feels a little funny. But nothing is stuck (yet), so I think it's ok. I know throwing up is not a good thing, but I've only thrown up twice (albeit twice in the last two days).

I think this is what the feeling of fullness is supposed to be. Stuff still in the pouch and going down really slowly, so that the signal of fullness has time to get to the brain. And supposedly the feeling of fullness should last a few hours. I feel pretty satisfied with the lean cuisine, but am a bit concerned that I couldn't get the capsules down. I have an Omega 3 capsule which is twice as thick as the green tea capsule, and I don't know how I will be able to get that down (and I'm afraid to try). I know that people's experiences with the band are so different, and the band itself is fickle, so while I guess I am looking for some reassurance that this is normal, I know that maybe what is normal for some people may not be normal for others. Anyway, feedback is appreciated.