SEAV

I share your frustration. I had surgery in November of 2005 and have only lost 10lbs since my fill in January - I'm at a complete standstill and am planning a fill in the next 30 days. I am lower bmi - want to lose 50-60lbs total so i recoginize i will lose slower then someone who needs to lose over 100 but jeez, this is ridiculous.

I understand your frustration. Like you, I had surgery with Dr. Ortiz in November 2005 and would like to lose a total of 60 lbs. Since then, I have lost only about 28 lbs. These 28 lbs have been so difficult to lose. I recently had an unfill because I was tired of throwing up and feeling sick all the time. My weight has been at a standstill for about 2 months now. I am very frustrated and sometimes question myself because i think I must be doing something wrong. I am not perfect but I know the rules and stick to them as best I can. I recently started exercising and I hope that will make a difference. When I get the nerve, I will go back and have a fill. It's nice to know that someone else out there is feeling some of the same frustrations.

Hi KurlyQ, I am so excited for you and your upcoming surgery. I feel so fortunate that my surgery went with such ease. I had the surgery on Thursday and was back to work on Monday. No problems for me at all. I have 2.5 cc in my band right now. Thats pretty full. I can eat very little, as a few bites fill me up right away. It just feels like there is no room for anything else to go in. Not so much that your full in the bottom of your stomach, but its the "pressure". You do feel full though, my desire to take one more bite is gone. Remember when you would go out to a restaurant and eat and you really fill up and then you wonder if you should have dessert too - well you order dessert too and by the time you are done eating your almost miserable. Thats the feeling of full for me. What I keep an eye on now is when I hit my "sweet spot" i.e. (runny nose, shoulder pain, hiccups), its really awesome how you get to know your body after this surgery. Like I said before, I too am learning every day. Please keep me informed of how things go- This forum will only encourage you, its like having a doctor on call 24/7. There is a bandster called JennaR - I really enjoy reading her post. She is very knowledgeable, so watch for some of hers. Keep us informed on how things go!

I was just reading your post and I was hoping you could offer some advice. I have had my band since November and lost about 28 lbs. I had 2 fills and one slight unfill. However, I feel that i am sick all the time. I throw up or PB at least every other day. I am not sure if I am doing something wrong, if i haven't learned how to live with the band, or if the band is too tight. Plus, I haven't lost any weight in a while and I don't understand why because I hardly eat and when I do eat I rarely keep it down. I know of those sweet spots you wrote of. However, for me the sweet spots are really late signals and by that time I know I am going to be sick. Feeling a little discouraged and will probably call Dr. Ortiz just for a check up.

-sea

Dear Roberto,

Soon after my post, I spoke to Dr. Ortiz and he encouraged me to come into the office. Apparently, the gurgling noises were a result of a very tight band. The noises can also occur if one mixes solids and liquids. That was not applicable in my case because I couldn't really eat solids. I had a few cc's removed and since then have stopped losing weight. It is a little discouraging but the noises and sensations caused by the gurgling were becoming intolerable.

My aunt who had the surgery done about 10 months ago with a Dr. in LA now visits Dr. Ortiz and Martinez for care. Recently she started experiences the gurgling and steadily stopped being able to eat solids and eventually liquids. She waited much too long to seek help and Dr. Martinez gently scolded her for not seeking help. She had to have the fill completely removed to let her stomach and espophagus heal. Scary!

Hope this answered some of your questions.

My best.

SEA

Have you contacted your doctor to see if this is normal or common? I am guessing this did not happen with your first fill... How long ago did you have your fill?

Thank you so much for responding! I had my 2nd fill on March 4th. I plan on calling Dr. Ortiz first thing Monday morning because I just can't handle it anymore. I will let you know what he says. Again, thanks for responding because I have been feeling nervous and scared about the gurgling noises, the PB, the inability to eat, etc.

Since my last fill (fill #2), eating solids has been close to impossible. Liquids are not easy either. However, the thing that bothers me the most are these strange gurgling type noises I feel and hear coming from my throat. They are so loud that my husband can hear them and they are uncomfortable. Sometimes I wake up with the noises so they are not dependent on food. PLEASE HELP! Does anyone know what I am talking about or feel the same thing?

S.E.A.

Hi! This is my first time in this forum and when I read your posting I thought you were describing me! I am also 5'3 and had my surgery in November. My starting weight was 185. By the time of my first fill I had lost only 5 pounds. I too felt the pangs of guilt and failure. I had my second fill and am at 173 lbs. It's really difficult right now because I can hardly eat or drink anything. When i get frustrated i remind myself that I was rounding the corner to 200 lbs. and now I am actually further away from that number. And even though I still think I will wake up skinny one morning, I know its not a race. It will happen for me...and you as well.

Good luck!

Hi all,

When I was banded in November I weighed 195 (I am 5'3"). Today all these months later I weigh 183. I am hungry. I had my first fill early January. It was good at first. Now I can again eat anything and it seems to me way too much quantity before I get a stop signal...which for me is shoulder pain or hiccups usually.

I have had one PB....because I tried some french fries at a fast food joint to see what would happen. UGH.

I know one thing I am doing wrong is drinking after I eat. How do you get used to NOT drinking with food?????

I am going to get another fill and I hope that restriction will help me make better choices. I feel like a total failure because its like I don't even have a band at all. I haven't lost....I can eat what I want with NO problems.....VERY depressing.

I am sorry to be such a whiner.....but, I fly 6 hours to get to TJ....it is a long, expensive trip.....and some days I feel like I have thrown away all this money. I know it is MY fault and not the band or the dr.....but, still I can't believe my pathetic results.

Thanks for listening.

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