What To Do

I went on a liquid diet today after my last episode of PB'ing, which occurred after I ate 1/4 of an apple, unpeeled. TMI warning: I PB'd about 5 times after eating it and felt sore in my throat afterward. I decided I would go on a liquid diet for 24 hours and then decide what to do.

I do not want to get an unfill and I don't really think I need one, but I'd be interested in anyone's thoughts. Janelle thinks maybe I need an unfill.

My last fill was April 27th and I was fine (although didn't have enough restriction) until last Thursday, about 3 weeks after my fill, when I started feeling some really good restriction. I have 8.1 ccs in my 10 cc band. Starting on Thursday, my band totally restricted the amount I could eat. If I ate too much, I PB'd.

The problem is, I'm PB'ing pretty much at every meal except breakfast with my protein shake. I keep thinking I just need to eat less and slower and I really think if I did that, I wouldn't PB. I've been trying to notice my body's symptoms when I'm eating too much and today, I had done okay until that damn apple.

I am loving this restriction and loving the weight loss. And I'd have no problem PB'ing after most meals as long as it isn't damaging my band.

Any help or advice would be appreciated. I have been waiting so long to feel the band that now that I do, I don't want to do anything to change it!

So Far, So Good

Six days since I felt really good restriction and six pounds down! I'm now at my lowest since I got banded--yay for me!

I don't know if this is too much restriction or not. I seem to be PB'ing more than I want to, but I'm loving the weight loss. I don't want to damage my band, but I want to keep up the weight loss--I've been waiting for MONTHS for this!!! I'm learning to recognize the signs of upcoming PB'ing so I'm trying to stop before that happens...I guess it's just a matter of learning my body's signs that it is time to quit. Seems like about 1/4 cup is it, depending on what I'm eating.

A pound a day is too quick and it will slow down. But I'm lovin' it while it lasts!

I last posted almost three months ago! :(

Almost three months since I last posted.

For the same reason as I stated in my last blog entry--when I'm discouraged, I don't want to put it all down on paper. Or screen, I guess :D

BUT, I think I'm finally on my way! I've now had five fills. I went from .5 ccs to 3 ccs, to 3.5 ccs, to 5 ccs, to 8 ccs. My last fill was on April 27th, and for the first two weeks, although I noticed more restriction, I was still able to eat as much as I wanted of the right foods, plus I was hungry a lot. So I figured another fill was coming soon.

Then....something happened. Several of you bloggers told me that it can take 2-3 weeks to feel the full restriction from a fill. I got back into town after a few days at the beach. I'd gained another pound. I'd been playing around with the same 4-5 pounds ever since January when I got off my liquid diet. I'd gain them and then really diet hard and lose them. All the while, I felt I was getting no help from the band--that any weight loss I was able to accomplish was through sheer willpower and nothing else.

So anyway, I get back from the beach and the next morning, it was REALLY hard to get my morning protein shake down! Wha??? And from then on, I was barely able to eat anything! I had to slow down, chew my food better, choose my foods wisely, and even then, I was barely able to keep more than 1/4 to 1/2 cup food down at a sitting.

All I can say is YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Since last Thursday when we got back, I've relost the 4 pounds I'd gained, plus two more!!!! Making my total weight loss 22 pounds!!!

That doesn't sound like much, even to me, but you can't believe how many months I've been stuck at 20 lbs, then 15, then 20, etc.

I'm loving the band now! It is truly helping me--and I'm doing my part by eating the proper foods. I'm reexcited (is that a word?) about losing weight and am again hopeful that this is going to change my life!!!

My Multiple Fills With No Restriction

Wow, it's been forever since I wrote in my blog. The reason is I've been kind of discouraged. I've had two fills since my surgery on Jan 7th and I STILL have NO restriction!!! I know I'm supposed to be patient and I know that it often takes 2-3-4 fills before restriction occurs, but I wasn't going to be one of those people! I was going to have restriction right away!

Here's my fill history (warning: this is going to be very boring to everyone except me!):

I had my first fill Feb 22nd, stayed on the liquid diet for 3 days as instructed, and then started eating solids. I felt no restriction whatsoever. I followed the rules about no drinking liquids 5 min before and 30 min after, tried to eat the proper foods, etc, but could eat as much as I wanted of whatever I wanted. I started to gain almost immediately.

I called my new fill doctor, who does fills without fluoroscopy, by the way, and she said you have to wait at least a week for another fill. I scheduled my 2nd fill for 8 days after my first one and had it last Tuesday (a week ago). Same story with this fill. No restriction.

My first fill was 3ccs and my 2nd was .5ccs, for a total of 3.5ccs. My bandmates both got 4ccs on their first fills. My new fill doctor says that in her experience, people who had a hiatal hernia repaired at the time of surgery are more sensitive to fills and can't take as many cc's as others, and they usually need more fills to get restriction. I had a hiatal hernia repaired at the time of surgery by the way.

SO, although I'm discouraged that I do not yet have restriction, I'm planning on getting yet another fill next Tuesday (2 weeks after my last fill) and hoping to get up to 4ccs.

I'm trying to be patient--I'm in this for the long haul.

Oh, one more thing. there are people on the forum I visit that say that one week between fills is too soon, and I think my daughter Janelle agrees with them. All I can say is, my new doc has an excellent reputation--she's really good and I trust her judgment.

Bottom line, I'm very glad I did this, meaning the surgery. I was really hoping to have lost more than 20 pounds by now (which is what I lost on my pre and post-op diet), but if I can maintain the 20 lb loss until I get restriction, then I'll be happy.

I'd be really interested in hearing about others who have experienced multiple fills with no restriction, or actually any stories about any of your fills, successful or not!

Got my first fill with fluoroscopy on Monday--really an interesting experience! It was fun watching the barium go down my throat and through the band (with 3ccs) and not going through after he added more saline (4ccs). So I ended up with only 3ccs, which I thought was pretty good after looking at the fluoroscopy, but which I'm questioning now.

I was on full liquids until today. This morning, I was kind of nervous about what I was going to eat--I sure don't want to PB first time out! So I scrambled an egg. Took a small bite, chewed it to death, swallowed it, and........nothing happened. Everything still works! So I ate the egg and felt no restriction or no feeling of fullness. An hour later, I was hungry, so I thought, okay, a banana.

Was able to eat the entire banana, which also kind of disturbed me--isn't that too much? But I didn't feel too full and it went down fine. By the way, I'm drinking no liquid for 5 minutes before eating and 30 minutes after.

So for lunch, I had a piece of toast with a little cream cheese and some thin sliced turkey. I know bread can be a problem, but have heard toast is usually okay. Ate very small bites and chewed carefully--again, no problem and no feeling of fullness.

I'm hoping I get some good restriction, but at this point, don't know! I also just read on someone's comments that it takes one person a week to feel any restriction from a fill?

Anyway, I'm glad for the fill and hope I'll be able to tell something soon! (in a good way, not in a painful, stuck way) :D

Wow! Thanks to all of you who have read my new blog and commented--I haven´t read all your stories yet, but I will and I´m now following all of you!

Presently in Tijuana with Janelle--she´s getting banded and I´m getting filled tomorrow. She´s super excited about her surgery and I´m super excited about my fill! I want and NEED some restriction!

After years and years of fighting my weight (pretty much my whole life), I decided to get a lapband. I thought about it for over a year, found out my insurance wouldn't cover it, and then discovered the OCC (Obesity Control Center) in Tijuana, Mexico. Since I was self-pay, it was the only affordable option for me. I couldn't be happier with the whole set up down there, but that's for another post.

I'm now about six weeks out, with no restriction. I lost a total of 20 pounds during my pre and post-op phases, and have gained five of those pounds back. :(

I get my first fill on Monday--I'm going back to OCC for this one, although for future fills, I'll probably stay local and get them without fluoroscopy.

More to come...