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Something is not right if you are still trying to get to your sweet spot after 6 years. I would suggest going to another doctor for another opinion. Have they ever pulled out all of your fill to see how much is in your band?

My favorites are the Snickers Multigrain Crunch they are 10 grams of protein. They have another good one called the Caramel Nut Rush that has 20 grams of protein. I didn't care for their peanut butter one and I don't like dark chocolate so I will not be trying those. SlimsFast also has a good one that I have had this week, it has 15 grams of protein. I am not sure the name of it, but it comes in a yellow box that says something about high protein on it and kind of looks like a Rice Krispie Treat on top and a layer of chocolate on the bottom. I liked the taste of the South Beach ones, but they didn't like me so much.

Before pulling out all of the liquid I would ask them to do a barium swallow to see how quickly the liquid is moving thru the band and if the pouch is stretched. The reason I say this is that my doctor is hesitant to pull out all of the liquid for fear it might cause the band to slip. Although, if there is not as much in the band as they think then it could mean there is a leak, or they have been missing the port if the fills have not been done under flouro, which in my book gives you grounds to request an extension on your contract or some kind of compensation. Regardless, you definitely need to express your needs/wants to the doctor/nurse practitioner. Here are the steps my doctor goes thru at my fills. 1. Lay down and get the needle stuck in. 2. Stand up and do a barium swallow - yes the needle is sticking out of my belly. This allows him to see if everything looks okay and it allows him to see how fast the liquid is going thru. 3. Add some saline. 4. Do a barium swallow again. At the point where the liquid goes thru the band he looks for a shape that he refers to as a hummingbird. If we see this shape he stops, if not he adds a little more saline until we do get to that shape. Once I started volunteering to stand up for the fill so that we could do the barium swallow periodically I started getting much better fills. Prior to that a nurse practitioner did the barium swallow first and then the fill under flouro and that was it, which meant she never new how fast things went thru the band. We kept thinking I was close to my sweet spot when I really wasn't, so the small fills because she thought I was close kind of had me losing the weight loss game, but not the weight. Thank you for being your daughter's advocate and let us know how the fill goes.

You have been PM'd.

What do ya know - hit the "Add Post" button two times and it really will add your post two times - who would have thought?

There is visible scarring with both, but it is my understanding that the scar is typically hidden by undies or a swim suit - even a bikini. The first guy I had a consult with told me I would be able to wear a bikini and I told him that no I would not. We went back and forth a few times before I agreed that I could wear one if I chose to but that I had no intention of ever choosing to. I am way too modest of a person to ever consider that. A tankini is the closest I will ever get to a bikini. With the LBL the scar is much longer in that it extends part of the way around your side while the relgular TT is just in front. Google plastic surgeons in your area. Most of them have pictures on their web-sites so that you can get an idea of the scarring and such.

There is visible scarring with both, but it is my understanding that the scar is typically hidden by undies or a swim suit - even a bikini. The first guy I had a consult with told me I would be able to wear a bikini and I told him that no I would not. We went back and forth a few times before I agreed that I could wear one if I chose to but that I had no intention of ever choosing to. I am way too modest of a person to ever consider that. A tankini is the closest I will ever get to a bikini. With the LBL the scar is much longer in that it extends part of the way around your side while the relgular TT is just in front. Google plastic surgeons in your area. Most of them have pictures on their web-sites so that you can get an idea of the scarring and such.

I am 36 and have lost 65 pounds at this point with another 17.5 to go on my own. I had a consult two weeks ago today for a lower body lift, inner thigh lift and brachioplasty (arms). The LBL would be done first and then the arms and thighs would be done in a separate surgery at another time. This surgeon said that he would be willing to do the surgery now since I only have another 17 or so to go on my own. If I had told him I wanted to lose another 50 pounds, he said that would mean I would need to wait much longer. He is thinking the lower body lift by itself will remove about 15 pounds of skin and fat and while it won't significantly help my inner thighs, it might be enough that I decide to not have them lifted, but being the vain person I am, I doubt it. I may decide to start this process in April as opposed to my original thought of October and my second thought of July. I have a large bone structure and really don't see myself much below 160. But then again, I have never been this small in my adult life, so how would I know where I want to be. On Thursday of this week I have a consult with a surgeon who does not do lower body lifts. I attended one of his open houses and talked to him briefly. He said that as long as the patient is within 10 pounds of their goal weight he will do the procedure. If he thinks I need a LBL he will refer me to someone else. If not, he would do a tummy tuck, inner thigh and brachioplasty. I am not sure if I could have these all done at the same time or if they would also be split up into two separate surgeries. Depending on what I hear on Thursday I might go for a consultation with a third doctor and see what he says in regards to having the LBL or tummy tuck. My lower arms were starting to look like my grandma's arms and she is almost 83, so I got some tips from my spin instructor and started doing weight exercises to target that area. According to my fill doctor and the spin instructor the exercises should take care of that issue, but the tummy, arms and thighs are beyond exercise help. I love to wear shorts and nice t-shirts in the summer, but something tells me that this summer my arms will stay at my sides and I will be purchasing shorts that barely come above my knee because things have started falling below the hems if you know what I mean.

Tomato soup is a good option, especially when it is made with milk for that extra protein boost. I didn't like the shakes either as I felt they were all gritty. What I have discovered that I like is mixing one scoop of the Slim Fast High Protein powder with 2 cups of milk instead of the recommended 1 cup. By doing this it is basically the consistency of chocolate milk and the taste is like that of chocolate milk as well. This concoction equates to 23 grams of protein I wasn't one who experienced much hunger either and could pretty much care less if I drank anything - heck, I am still that way. I chose to drink regular strength purple grape juice because that is my absolute favorite and I knew I would drink if that and milk were what I was drinking. I don't remember drinking much water either because I don't really like water - yes, I am picky. You might try getting some of the Crystal Light type drink mixes to help her get some water in. Sugar free popsicles and fudgesicles are a good option if she needs some perking up. Calories are not counted at this stage as the focus is to be on healing and staying hydrated. Unfortunately I was one of the unlucky ones who experienced diarrhea. Basically, liquid in equated to liquid out. This will change and eventually the opposite may become the issue. As for the vitamins, sounds like it is time to go back to the Flinstones, or maybe the chewable gummies. You might also see if she likes the V8 Splash stuff. That will help with getting down both liquids and vitamins. Being tired can be normal because of the decrease of protein and nutrients - this will get better as she is able to move thru the allowed food stages. On her behalf, thanks for being a protective and supportive mother.

My opinion on this is so American doctors and hospitals can drip fill your band at a slower rate, requiring you to have more office visits,, thus,, more insurance money. Yes, this is simply an opinion and in my estimation a rather unfair one. It would be similar to saying that the doctors in Mexico do not have clean facilities simply because of the stereotype statements we have all heard. Yet I know that everyone of you who had your surgery there would defend their facilities and for good reason - because it is not an accurate statement. The things I appreciate about being banded in the states are as follows: 1. If I wake up at 2 am in the morning and realize that something is seriously wrong I can call the surgery center and be in there getting it fixed by 2:30 am. 2. I don't have to figure out if I need another fill or not. For the first year after my surgery I had an appointment with my surgeon every month at no additional cost. Usually I got a fill, but a couple of times I didn't need one. All of their fills are done under flouro because that is the best option. 3. While my fills tended to be smaller, I was fine with that decision because I knew I had a year's worth of free fills/visits and therefore had plenty of time to find my "sweet spot". Besides, by not being too aggressive with my fills I didn't have to worry so much about being too tight and possibly having my band slip as some individuals on this forum and others have had to deal with. 4. Money wise, everything pretty much comes out even in the end due to not having to pay additional costs for fills, hotels, flights, and any companion costs. I got an additional $3,000 back on my taxes this year because I was able to claim the surgery, and the peace of mind I have only being 20 minutes from my surgeon and all of his staff made it worth the cost. I too was originally thinking of having the surgery done in Mexico, but my mother absolutely freaked out because I would be going by myself (yes, she has always been skeptical of my ability to do things on my own as a single woman), so I decided to bite the financial bullet and do it locally. Due to the above reasons I have absolutely no regrets. I guess mother's do know best in regards to their children.

It is my understanding that there is a fat pad around your stomach. The size of the pad determines the size of band you will receive as the smaller band simply will not fit around everyone's fat pad (such as mine). We all know that restriction is rather illusive at the beginning of this venture. As we lose weight there is the potential that the fat pad around the stomach will shrink which in effect makes the band looser and will continue to make restriction hard to attain. Has your fill doctor ever pulled out all of the saline just to check how much is actually in there? Some people have experienced saline "disappearing" from their band. I would also check with my fill doctor about the stuff that is thicker than saline that can be put in the band. Maybe that substance could replace the saline that is currently in there and help you find the restriction you are wanting. Even without restriction, do not resign yourself to the idea that you will now put on weight. Remember, whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you are right. Think positive and make sure you are doing everything correctly even though you do not have restriction.

If you have not done so already, I would suggest talking to your primary physician to find out their opinion and what they would suggest.

Angela - Where were you banded at? What you are experiencing is normal. We have all had times in which we had to force ourselves to make the right choice. Just because you can eat solids it does not mean you should eat them. Re-read your doctors instructions and be determined to follow them. Why? A. You will be looking good when your family is looking miserable from stuffing their faces with junk food. B. You will be getting to purchase a new wardrobe when your family is wearing the same things they have always worn. C. You thought this thru to the best of your ability prior to the surgery and then put some good money into the surgery. So now you are goikng to show your family how you kick butt and take names in the weight loss department. Here are some things you might try to make this time easier for you. 1. Do your best to get in plenty of protein to help curb the hunger even though it sounds like you are still in the liquid stage. Remember that you are not limited to the amount of liquid you can have during this stage, you are only limited by how fast you drink it. Once you get started with the fills, your hunger will gradually be curbed. 2. If you do the grocery shopping for your family stop buying the junk food. 3. If you do the cooking for your family, start cooking healthy for everyone. They get to eat what you eat - good stuff. 4. If watching them eat right now is too difficult for you, take your drink to the other room. 5. You mentioned exercise - be careful with this, sounds like it might be a little too soon to start this. I think Travis was right when he said you need to talk to your family. Let them know why you made this decision, and if part of the reason was because of them, let them know that. Tell them that you did this so that you could see them grow up, graduate, get married, etc. Even if it takes time for your family to come around, we are already here to offer our support and encouragement. So, hold your head high, stick your chest out and face the new you head on. Andrea

Way to go!!! According to your ticker you are over half the way there. Good Job!!!

Think of it this way, an IV now that is necessary to help you lose weight has the potential to reduce the number of IV's you will need later in life due to obesity related issues. Take this one for the team!

I am not sure where the pain is coming from as it could be a number of thing. The band basically sits in your chest between your breasts, so it is a pretty short trip from the top of the esophagaus to the band. You may want to go back on liquids for a few more days. The cup of food is the right amount. Here are some things to gage your bites/chewing by. 1. Cut your meats into small bites. I think pea size has been suggested previously. You may find later that your bites do not have to be quite that small, but for now I would definitely do it. 2. Take small bites of other foods. Baby spoons have been suggested as a guide for knowing the size. 3. Make sure the food you are eating is moist. Dry meats are murder. 4. Sometimes you need to chew more than 30 times. By the time you finish chewing your food should be in a semi-liquid form. 5. Drink something warm before you eat to help things relax and go down better. 6. If the food you are eating is bread oriented - stop it. Breads can cause pain and lots of it. 7. Try different foods as some foods will agree with your band and other foods will not. Hopefully this will help. If you are not better by Monday you may want to call the doctor for peace of mind.

I didn't really have "restriction" until my 10th fill and I was banded 2/29/08 with fills every month except 2 for the first year and I still lost weight each month. All fills and dr. visits were included in the cost of my surgery for the first year. But, knowing how much I paid for this surgery there was no way I was going to eat just for the sake of it because I did not want to stretch my pouch. Restriction for me still does not come in the form of how things go down, providing I chew the way I am supposed to. My restriction comes in the form of only being able to eat about a cup of food. Shakes and liquids go thru my band as well, as they are supposed to do. Since this is your first fill and you really do not know how your body is going to react to it at this point I would not suggest getting any more fill before your trip, especially since you are going out of the country. The last thing you want is to have your fill "kick in" while you are on vacation and not be able to get it taken care of. Better to play it safe and just work with what you have got.

I'm not sure what you hate about breakfast, but Snickers has some 10 gram and 20 gram energy/protein bars. You might try having those for breakfast - I have never had a problem with them going down, but then again my body thinks I am eating a candy bar because they are so yummy. I would not suggest the peanut butter ones, not because of the contamination issue but because they are kind of grainy. The Multigrain Crunch are the best.

Check out www.malleysurgical.com. Under the success stories section there is a lady named Theresa who has done a video blog of her lap band journey. She unexpectedly got pregnant after only losing a little bit of weight. The last blog entry was at 32 weeks. I am sure she has had the baby by now as that blog has been up for a couple of months, but it will give you an idea of what she has done. If you want to watch a lap band surgery being done they also have that available on the site as well.

I looked at the card my surgeon gave me after my surgery just out of curiosity because I had not read the information on it recently. I have the 10cc or VG band, which one would normally think would only hold 10cc, but the card said that the maximum fill amount is 14cc, so I am pretty sure your 4 cc band will hold more than 4cc. As for losing the fill or restriction after two or three months, I would think that is pretty normal. I had my surgery done here in KC and went back every 4 weeks for the first year because it was included in the cost of surgery. I received a fill all but two of those months and I didn't feel any restriction until December. I did not get a fill in Jan. of this year but I wish now that I had as I was more than ready for one by the time my Feb. appt. rolled around and that was my last free visit. See if you can schedule another fill with flouroscopy. Ask the fill doctor if they would be willing to do a barium swallow and fill while you are standing up (yes, the needle will be sticking out of your tummy). This fill style has given me the best restriction because after they do the fill they can see how well the liquid is going thru the band and can make adjustments if necessary while you are still there. The guy that does my fill is not willing to pull out all of my saline just because. His reasoning is that sometimes removing all of the saline and then putting it back in can cause the band to slip. Let us know what you decide.

Love It ~ Love It ~ Love It That picture needs to go on your refrigerator to help with the tempting and frustrating moments, but mainly because you need to be reminded of the sign every time you open the door. I may have to make up a sign and put that saying on my refrigerator door. Two of my favorite sayings that I have on the wall in my entry way are Wish It, Dream It, Do It and What lies behind you and what lies ahead of you is nothing compared to what lies within you. These have both come in handy for me, especially when I get a little discouraged.

Sorry, can't do that today. It snowed here and since I never made it out of my pajamas (ah the benefits of being single ) I probably won't be making a trip to the airport tonight. However, I can tell you how to kick your own butt. Follow these directions: 1. Stand behind a kitchen chair. 2. Place both hands firmly on the back of the chair. ***Do not skip this step as it could be hazardous to your health. 3. Plant left foot firmly on floor. 4. Shift weight onto left foot. 5. Engage muscles in right leg. 6. Bend right leg at the knee directing right foot towards left side of buttocks in a swift and fluid motion. 7. Repeat steps 3 thru 6 as needed. Note: The left and right foot/leg choice may be switched depending on personal preference. Now, do as Lisa said earlier and have a heart to heart with yourself. Think back to life before the band and journal about your reasons for wanting to take this journey. Then review what you wrote and see if those same reasons still exist. I bet at least some if not all of them do. If those reasons were worth the journey then, they are still worth the journey today. Stop worrying about where the finish line is, just know that with each step you take you are one step closer to it.

Easy there - read her earlier posts. She vomits about 3 times a month when she finds a new food that doesn't work well for her. She also said in her original post that she has a sensitive gag reflex. I think this is what she meant by "but I do that all the time". I do not think she is "purging" as a method of weight loss.

There is absolutely a difference. I did my one year pictures yesterday and noticed that it helps me to break down the different areas when comparing as opposed to looking at the entire picture overall. For instance your "love handles" on your back. They are much smaller in the recent picture. In fact the recent picture is much closer up. Imagine how much more of a difference we would be able to see if the first picture was as close up as the second one. I think your arms in the first picture may be hiding some of your side width which may be part of your issue with seeing a difference. Besides, you are holding your head up much high in the second picture, that is definitely a change worth noting. Have you put on the same clothes that you were wearing the first picture? If not, I would recommend doing so and then taking another picture. Seeing the difference in my clothes always helped me comprehend the changes. I have noticed that it is sometimes difficult to see a change considering my shape, bumps, lumps and rolls all still in the same places, but there are less of them. I think that once I have the plastic surgery on my tummy, arms and thighs it will be a different story as I will definitely be able to when the shape has changed and the bumps, lumps and rolls are gone. You are doing great, just keep it up!

How do you guys feel about the South Beach meals? I absolutely loved the South Beach meals. The pork and green bean one was my favorite. In the early days of my band I liked the pizza as well, but after my fill this past Wednesday something tells me that I should not even think about that one again. I stopped at Wal-Mart the other morning and decided to grab one for lunch, but I could not find them. I also looked at a grocery store later in the week and didn't find them there either. I am afraid they might have taken them off the market in my area. Definitely give them a try as they are packed with protein which is an absolute plus.