karingwiz

Oh no, sorry to hear that. What an ordeal. I guess they forgot to tell you your supposed to drink liquids for the first day of the fill, but I always cheat abit. I like soup so on the first day I eat the campbells chicken soup with mini pasta or cream of something, helps take the edge off of hunger and no getting stuck. I am going to admit sometimes when that happens to me, I put my finger in the throat and up it comes and now the pain is gone immediately. I dont strain too much or push too hard to get it all as we dont want the band to get loose and sometimes the blockage is still there but now the stuff on top is gone so as long as you dont have any more to eat/drink for awhile, you are ok. Ofcourse we dont want to do that but once in awhile and in your case, having to leave on a flight, it is necessary. This avoids the 5 trips to the bathroom, you know what I mean. Here is a link to the chicken dumplings. My mom ground the chicken breast and didnt add the sesame seeds and cooked the dumplings in water. Then serve in chicken broth. Yummy. http://www.recipezaar.com/Chinese-Chicken-Dumplings-158042 I am late so gotta go, have a great day! Karin G

that fantastic! Keep me posted as to how its going. Its such a relief when you feel it working, it gives a big boost to our spirit! I still have issues chewing well enough as I get so much saliva in my mouth it kinda just slips down and then , shoot, too big. So I sometimes gravitate towards softer foods but even now I can have a small piece of bread and it does not get stuck. But if I take a bite of roast chicken or two, right away stuck for awhile. I tend to stop eating and just eat the rest 10 or 15 mins later or even an hour later. Last night I had a very smal piece of steak (filet) and I could not eat it all, with a few pieces of carrot. It was really good, but I let my son eat it as he never asks for seconds and eats like a bird. AT 16 he is almost 6 feet tall but only weighs 125lbs. Today my mom brought over some home made chicken raviolli in soup. She made the chicken broth and the raviolli is made with ground chicken breast and ginger and onion, so yummy but even so I was only able to eat 2 before being full...but I kept another 2 every half our until I likely had 10. Oh boy, ate too much again. This was dinner! I think this is what they mean how the band is only a tool. I should have stopped after 2 and not had another 2 until 3 hours passed. I am still learning too! Karin G

Hi Sabrina Sounds like you have had your share of "experiences". You have come a very long way though with 90 lbs gone. Good for you! I agree, I dont think the fluro is that important as long as there is a good process to make sure before you leave, you can swallow. Now that I have had 3 fills, I know the routine. At the fill centre usa where I have been going, they unfill me, then put back what I had plus a tiny bit more. Then while the needle is still in, they sit me up and make me drink about 1/2 cup of cold water. If there is trouble with it going down, you can tell right away. Its not just a tiny sip. If no trouble, they can add more. I know now before I go that I can drink well before I go but it does not explain the issue you have had where you had blockage afterwards. I wonder if it means your band actually moved? In my little experience so far, the band always loosens a couple days or week after the fill. But again, I have had 3 fils total. And all our bodies are different. Its really good to hear all of our experiences and to help each other along. Take care and keep in touch! Karin G

Wow Trav, you have done fantastically well, good for you! Thanks for your reply, I really didnt get much feedback from anyone with the same size band. I think our bodies are all different. it has to do with the starting weight, your age, your sex and activity level....calories in and calories needed. Anyway, I also belong to a yahoo lapband forum and I have discovered that you need less and less calories as you shed the pounds and as this happens the stomach area has less fat in it and so you need more fill. So I guess it explains why you are restricted on this one fill where I was not. I used to eat alot of food and never gain an ounce. Then in my mid 30's that started to change but slowly. Did you see the posting from one of ours who went on vacation for 12 days, took out her fill as she was having issues being able to swallow and didnt want to have some while out of the country. She gained 14 pounds in those 12 days even though she did the cooking and was careful....what happens over time with food restriction is that as we eat less, our bodies are able to adjust so they dont need as much. In anycase, I know I am not following all the rules. I still am on Karin's menu plan, whatever I want (almost), just the brakes come on really fast! I eat a few bites of bread. I am not into deserts but I eat cheese, not much but its still high calorie. I have trouble with meat, even though I love it. So I tend to make stews with beans and veggies even some rice/potatoes/pasta and cook the heck out of the meat and then its possible to eat it. It also tastes good (to me) and since it all goes down easy, I suppose I eat too much. Another great success member just reminded me what the program asks us to do is eat the meat(protein) first, then veggies, and only then if you still can, have some rice/pasta/potato. So our diet is not only low calorie, its mostly protein so that we dont lose our musslle mass. Ah ha! I dont do this as at all. I eat 4-6 wontons or I buy the really small ravioli tins, 200 calories, and I eat that. Now is that part of the plan? NO! So I think I just learned something again that I should stick with the program and it will work as planned. So, I am going to give that another try... Talk again later Trav Karin

Hi Cheryl You have already lost 50 pounds, good for you, you are making great progress! I see you have the same band as me, I thought it was 10cc's but you think it has 11cc? Well, that could explain things abit more. But, I gotta say, I eat snacks at night, a nibble here and there so my calories are higher than they should be...I do fine all day. I am being brutally honest, I figure when I start eating snacks at night, I am tired and I should be going to bed. So, what I am trying to do instead is skip dinner, or have a cup of soup for dinner, and then a small snack if I must later. That way I dont eat dinner, and then have dinner again with the snacking. Dont be aftraid to get up to 7ccs, as I had better luck with that, but you are going to the experts, the fill centres where I go are not experts, but they are learning as more of us venture into this. Let me know how your fill goes, see ya, Karin

Hi Denise How are you feeling now that you had some nice soup? I find the band opens after a couple weeks so if you can take it, you may be ok after that time. But you should be able to eat some food. By that time you would have lost a few more pounds too. Please let us know. Karin G

Hi Holly I started in June and I lost only 15 pounds in the first 4 months but grateful for every one gone. Then after looking around at the members who have been doing very well, I figured out most people have that small 4cc band and most people need atleast 70-75% restriction to get results. For so you and me (having the 10cc band) it means 7-7.5 ccs to begin to get good results. Ofcourse this is all individual since we all have different amounts of fat around out stoma/pouch. In the last month now since my 2nd fill, I have lost 6 pounds so I am very happy compared with the previous results. I am finding though things are losening up again. Right now I have 7.3ccs. I also find that its easy to cheat, that is, having soft food. So for example, it would be real easy to eat a huge cup of mashed potatoes and gravey, but thats a bad idea. A better choice is some protein...I am a beef person so I made an eye of the round roast beef (very lean) but I cooked it to death in broth and tomatoes and spices. So it ended up really soft and I had a gravey. Thats easy to eat and yet you cant eat too much and without the rice/noodles/potatoes, you keep the calories down. I find it hard to eat alot of things now as they get stuck fast and after just a few bites. If you are not careful you can eat 1 or 2 bites too much and then you feel bad until it finally passes. This happens with raw carrots for example. I tend to have alot of soup too as I like the saltiness. But this does not fill you really. In any event, as everyone says, read the rules every day, try to apply them. And dont be afraid to get abit more fill or to take a closer look at what you are eating. What is the texture and can you eat something less soft to get you full faster. Keep working at it, talk to ya later Karin G

Hi there I am not aware of a 11cc band, where did you get that info? Mine is 10ccs, and after my 2nd fill recently (Oct 12) I have lost 5 pounds, which is a major improvement considering I lost only 5 pounds in 2 months after the first fill which was on Aug 3. From what I can tell, most people that are being successful have restriction of 75% of their band. Abit less if you are heavier and abit more as you lose more. Recently I found that if I munch carefully on a carrot, that makes me full really fast, cant finish it. Thats not something we should do all day, but something I need to do at night so I dont do the munchies. Really seems to work for me now. All the best to you, Karin G

Hi Red I hope you are feeling better and able to eat and drink now, keeping it down without sliming or burping. I am eating everything, just really small amounts compared to when there was only 4ccs in the band. The trouble is that this is wierd, or something we have to get used to. I find after 3-4 bites and chewing each one real well, I can feel the tightness coming, so if I have only one more bite, it becomes really painful. 1 extra bite is the difference between having too much and having just enough. So now I know how much I can eat, I have to REALLY pay attention, and at the first sign of tightness, stop. This is not at all like before. Then after 5-10 mins the tightness goes away, all gone, ok its normal now. So its time to have some more food. But this takes so long. I am an impatient person so this is a totally new way of eating. Pecking really. I can see how I wont be spending much at the grocery store any more. Today I made a pizza for my son, with onion, pepperoni, ham, cheese and fresh dough. I ate a SMALL slice but it took me 30 mins or so. In the old days (last week at 4ccs), I would have had 3-4 slices just because I could not help myself. Anyway, take care. Karin G

Hi Jessica The discount mentioned for the Fill Centre is only on the ONE DAY, thats called the training day, where an experienced fill person visits the new location about to open, and trains the person at the new location. They try and attract a number of persons so they can do many fills on that day so the training is accommplished. Thats why there is a discount. I am Canadian so we have no insurance on this, bummer. But, you get excellent cancer care and can have a free hip or knee replacement! I have been told we may be starting to offer lap bands and fills but its going to happen slowly and likely for the very morbidly obese only. So if you dont want to wait to get that far, you pay for it on your own. Be aware, most docs try to fill your band very slowly, to make more money! Eventually aim for 70-75% of your band to be filled. This gets you the restriction most people are talking about as the sweet spot. You wont be able to each very much and so then, you will lose weight. I just got to this spot and it appears to be working. Time will tell. Karin G

Hi I was on the list for Niagra Falls but not enough people so it was cancelled. Lucky to say I went to the TROY MICHIGAN location and I would highly recommend it. It a plastic surgeon's office, so its very nice, the rooms are are large and the nurse was wonderful. She took extra care to make sure she could find the port, and then she pricked me only once (yes, thats the way it should be but without an xray, its easier to miss. I told her I wanted an agressive fill so after some discussion on the dangers of being too full, she took out the amount I had in the band, and then added it back plus more. I now have 7.2 ccs in my 10cc band and I feel I am now on the way to faster weight loss. I have real restriction and I can tell I now have a pouch. The mystical "eat only about a 1/c cup of food at a time" statement now makes sense because thats the pouch size without being stretched. They had me drink lots of cold water to make sure I could keep it down and asked me to stick around the area for an hour or 2 to make sure. I went shopping and felt all was well so went home. Just wanted to mention this was a great experience. Oh, and I lost a pound yesterday too! Yeh!!!! Karin g

Hi fellow Canadian Well, let me tell you I have had the band since mid June. Its a larger band, so it means you need more to get good restriction. I sent an email to the OCC and asked to have my surgery report and on it, it says what type and size of band you have. I had my first fill in Aug, that was 4ccs in a 10cc band. So doing the math, thats about 40% full. This is not the only thing to consider, how full the band is, because everyone has a different amount of fat around their organs. For me, I have most of my weight around the middle (definate apple shape) so that means more fat in that area. Thats what I think given all the Dr. Oz books and prevention magazines I have read. I had the same kind of thing you are describing after the first fill. I didnt get much warning (no restriction) until it was too late, what I mean is that something would get stuck and then it would be really really uncomfortable for 30 mins with spitting and I did throw up about 4 times in 2 months. Thats scary and something you want to avoid. But, mostly this happened because I ate too fast and did not chew properly and had I had more restriction, I think I would not have done this. Some of the info you get on the lap band talks about eating only about 1/2 a cup of food at a time. How ridiculous! I called and talked to the OCC about this and fill centres usa. They told me this is what a pouch can hold, if its a real pouch (properly restricted). So, now it makes sense to me. I have also been reading up on alot of people here who have had great success, take Holly for example, WOW, 180 pounds lost! It seems that the successful bansters have eventually gotton to about 70-75% full on their bands. Definately atleast 50%. Sounds like it should be done gradually but that costs more money. Since I have only lost 5 pounds in 2 months, and the nearest fill place is 3.5 hours drive, I decided to go with an agressive fill. So, as of yesterday, I am now 72% full (I have 7.2ccs in my 10cc band) and I am really full. I can drink clear liquids no problem, but I have to sip smaller amounts, no more gulping. So, now my pouch is getting filled, even with liquid, and slowly emptying vs before it would just pass through unless it was blocked by some bread or something. Today I have had some soup again, but in wanting to have some protein, I cut up some pieces of lean ham and I was able to only eat 1/2 cup and chewed each very well, before I got the danger signals. No spitting, yes, a couple of burps, but mostly the really tight feeling in the chest. So I think that means the pouch is full and it will take ??? 1 hour??? to empty which is why you cant have anything more during that time or you will vomit. This is good, in my view, because now I can't over eat at any one time. Anyway, I hope my limited experience helps give you some insight. I have yet to see if this allows me to lose atleast a pound a week if not more. Check in on me if you like to see. Feel free to add me to your friends list. Karin G

We are all wishing you a safe and successful trip. What kind of money do you have to spend on those procedures, roughly? Do you think you will lose another couple pounds or more from your surgery removing skin, very likely. Wow, I still cant get over how you have lost 180 pounds! We are all so excited for you! BTW I just had my 2nd fill and now I feel real restriction and I lost a pound already. Its been awhile since the scale moved in the down direction! The place that did the fill was a plastic surgeon's office. They gave me a price for a brow lift, and a upper and lower eye fixup (removing fat and droopy skin) and that was $8000 (us funds). Next time I go for a fill, if required, I will ask what a tummy tuck and boob lift will cost. see ya, karin

Dr. Oz's books are free at the library but since he now has a show on tv, he is extra popular, so its hard to find them available. They sometimes have cds or tapes of the book which is nice because you can listen to them driving or "relaxing" instead of holding a book too. I have not lost alot of my weight yet, but for 2 years before the band, I was eating right and exercising like a crazy woman, 3-4 times a week, 1-2 hours each time at the gym. I spent $1600 on a personal trainer and although I bet my heart health improved, I could not lose anything other than a couple pounds and an inch here or there. I felt better emotionally due to the exercise, but that was not motivating enough to keep it up. Anyway, here we are, having some success, bit at a time. You can do it too! I think the losing all this weight fast is not going to happen until you get the right restriction in the band, and then its because you dont eat lots of junk food and milkshakes. If you do that, you wont have any success. Talk to ya later Odette, Karin

You and your daughter are sooo cute! Nice picture, take care Karin G

Hi there Dont be so hard on yourself! Some people lose alot of weight on the pre-op diet, some on the liquid diet afterwards, and some not. In the end, how well you do and how quickly it happens depends on how much to adhere to what they say, and also, eventually, the lap band will help when it restricts how much you can eat. But this is a mental game too. Its hard to do this on willpower alone. You need support and tricks! I have struggled with weight so much myself, but I refused to let myself get to the 200lb mark and since that was the case, I did not have to do the pre-op diet. So I am not exactly in your position but I want you to know we are all here to help encourage you. Please take a look at LISAL (a member here and see her journey) http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?showuser=1345 Its a step by step process, one at a time. Have you read any of Dr Oz's books? Well he says, at the first available opportunity, turn around and start again, never give up. Forgive yourself for making a mistake and just try again at the next opportunity. Hang in there! Karin G

I think we are not following the plan laid out my Dr. O (he is handsome isnt he!!!) Anyway, if we can eat say 1 cup of food at a time (thats so unreal, but if you have the right adjustment, that may even overfill the pouch so I hear). I wish you and I to have great success. So how do we keep full and eat less calories? Having too few calories with soft food makes us ravenous a couple hours later. Yes, even with the band. Dr O says we need to get off the sweet stuff or breads and rice and pasta, and have more protein (chicken breast, fish, ground meat) and veggies. We need real food and to chew it well. I find as I try to keep calories low during the day I eat too much later. I have been having Falafel's lately. These are ground chick peas with lots of spices. You can buy a package of it dry and just add abit of water, and then form small balls. Then fry in olive oil (not extra virgin) or canola oil on med-high heat, and just eat 4-5 small balls at a time. They taste greate are are whole grains and fill the pouch. I think the fying is not great but as long as its not smoking, it wont turn into trans fat. THESE ARE SOME IDEAS for you. Best of luck everyone and talk to ya again soon! Karin G

1 cup oatmeal with soy milk, sweetner and peaches (I bought them fresh and when perfectly ripe, cut them into pieces and froze them, so used a few pieces) I campbells chicken with mini pasta "soup at hand" rice cake w tbsp light cheez wiz 1/4 cup boiled black eye peas (beans) 2 cups of green tea and 2 cups water mixed with cyrstal lite (mix em together because I dont like the taste of green tea but its good for the metabolism I hear) 2 cups of hot black tea with fat free milk and sweetner