Cannon

The first sip of carbonated soda you take will hurt more than you crave it! It’s not worth it at all. I had some soda and the pain that I went through shortly after and that evening as I tried to sleep was enough of a wake up call that I have not had anything carbonated since then. You will forget the what craving soda was like!

It could be a very small leak like a pin hole that isn’t noticed right away but takes days, weeks or even months for the liquid to seep out. I think that since you have tried several times with getting filled and going back with nothing in the band, it’s time to get a new band.

Ask your doctor if they agree. If not, they demand that they check into this further!

Something else to consider, if you've got a 14cc band, and you're at 14cc, it may be time to consider a revision. By revision, I mean getting a smaller band. I'm sure you don't want to have to put yourself thru that again, but it's something that you might want to discuss with Dr. O.

Funny that you mentioned that because I actually spoke to the doctors about this very issue and they are going to give me a few more months because I did lose a great deal of weight (60 out of 90 -100 pounds that I need to lose).

Apparently they do not make my size band anymore...they make like a small band 4-5 cc, then medium 7-8 and large 11. Who knows...I am not a doctor!!

Welcome!!! Glad you are here!!!

I know your doctor said so and I by no means am a qualified medical person, but 700 calories seems low to me. I would fear your body would go into starvation mode and just hold onto that weight. I've always heard b/t 1,000 and 1,200 calories is best. Always remember you can eat too little and gain weight!

Be proud of what you have done so far. You look great!!!!

Thanks for your support. I guess he wants people to be on this diet (forever) shake in the am, shake in the afternoon and then an all protein dinner (small). I would probably drop that extra weight and then some if I did what he said and exercised. I just am stuck in a rut----do you exercise. As I type this---I am staring at my newly cleaned off treadmill----it has been used by my daughter to line up all of her dolls and pretend that they were running on it.....thankfully together we cleared it off---so that is a step in the right direction to start to exercise, right?

Hey everyone,

i've been searching google for pictures of lap band scars and some look pretty bad or i guess i should say, alot more noticeable than i expected.

How long does it take for them to heal and approx how big are they? Its a total of 5 incisions correct? Ive read on here that they fade over time- but is that over years?

~Christy

Christy---best of luck on all the new adventures ahead.

I actually have really bad scaring. They are called hypertrophic scars and for some reason----I got them. I hear that it depends all on how you heal. I had a c-section and had a slight hypertrophic scar (per my husband) but because that scar was not in an area that is being touched a lot it almost is completely gone. However my lap band scars rub up against everything---especially my kitchen counters and I feel that had a lot to do with the hypertrophic scar. The funny thing is that it's primarily on the largest cut.

I never wore a bikini and I doubt that I ever will so it's not a big deal to me.

I am sure you will be fine!

Karen,

Thanks...that sounds pretty painful when u were pregnant!!! ouch! But you did ease my mind - thank you. Since i scheduled the surgery I have been thinking of everything that could go wrong.

Hopefully I make it through the healing stage with no sickness

I too have gotten really sick after the band (this week actually) and nothing happened. I know that my doctor said to call after your have thrown up for a few days just to make sure that all is ok..but thankfully that has not happened.

Good luck!

You know, what I am planning to do when I hit a plateau or if nothing is going right for me, I am going to 'pretend' I just got the surgery and past the clear liquid stage and 'kick start' my weight loss from the beginning. Maybe this might be something you might want to do?

Also, are you still using the same food guideline, which is 2-3 oz of meat, 1/4 cup of veggie/fruit, 1/4 cup of grain, per meals, 3 times a day and no more than 1200 calories a day?

Try keeping a daily journal to help you keep tract of yourself. Write down all the foods you eat and tally up the calories; write down your feelings; review your small reachable goals and rewrite them as you achieve them; mark off your water as you drink them; and finally what exercises are you doing.

By your signature page, you only need to lose 30 pounds to reach your goal, and these suggestions just may be the things to get you there!

Hope this helps and good luck! Keep us posted!

Yes--only 30 and if I did everything by the book and exercised it would come off.

I do not and that is my problem----yes very bad. I thought that it would automatically come off and even though I am 21 months out...I secretly feel that way. I know that when I did exercise, I felt AWESOME. I only did about 2 miles on the treadmill---roughly 20-25 minutes. I did not rush myself b/c I would tire out too easily.

I am also not on a schedule with work and life in general. Starting Jan 5 I will be as I will be student teaching and will have to force myself to get through the day by drinking shakes and water. My doctor wants me to only eat around 700 calories and ideally would like us to drink a shake in the am, a shake in the afternoon and have a small dinner---only protein----NO GRAIN---no CARBS!!!

Thanks for your support.

I am also lapbandtalk.com

Are you able to see my pictures that I posted? I posted several of myself through this journey.

Colleen! Glad to see you on here. I really think people thought I was nuts and invented you! LOL

OK...when was your last fill? What are you eating now? What exercises are you doing? We love to share with you but we don't know what exactly you are asking...help us out.

When I had my surgery, they put in 2 cc's.....it has been a battle for over 21 months and now I have 14 cc's in my band. A lot, right? It's more mental now than anything b/c I still crave pizza, candy, etc. However, there are days that I can't even seem to get liquid down and feel that "sludge" get hiccups and eventually have to get rid of that sludge.

Has anyone felt that?

I decided to stay on liquids after my last fill to see if that would cause me to FINALLY drop some pound. Since eating properly hasn't seemed to work, I thought I'd give it a try to see if liquids would do it. And so it has! I know I can't do liquids forever, but it was a test to see if it would work since nothing else has.

I did try to eat a whole wheat cracker earlier and it sure does fill me right up. I think I will keep up with protein drinks for breakfast and lunch and then start to try meat or fish for supper and see how that goes.

Congrats on your success so far.

My doctor recommends water for the first 24 hours after fills. The following 48-72 hours just shakes. The 4th and 5th day, mushie foods then by the 6th and 7th day, eating solids. I personally have never been able to stay on this diet as it's more "mental" for me.

Hi everyone ~ I saw this plea on the shoutbox from a new person, staged name "Cannon" and by her profile, her name is Colleen. She is new to this forum and she needs input please. I thought I'd help her with this posting, as she may not know how. Here is what she said on the shoutbox:

"Today is my first day on this site. I am really looking for some motivation and support. I got banned 4/5/2007 at 239.5 pounds. I now weigh 179. I am so happy that I lost 60 pounds, however there are days that I feel like I have lost NOTHING."

First off Colleen, congrats on losing the weight thus far! That is AWESOME! To help us out, what have you been doing so far? How many fills have you have and when was the last one? Can you share for us to give you some feedback?

Thanks so much for all of your support. You are right---60 pounds is a great deal of weight. I just look in the mirror and have a semi chubby stomach and hips. My sister had the band 4/21/04 and is around 150 pounds, but has a very straight body. I a very curvy!! I think that is what is hindering my ability to see that I have lost weight. I can see it in my face and yes...went from a size 22/24 to 14/16.