Gastric band- struggling

HI LISA -  you dont say how much your band holds as they do come in diff sizes and makes and are not all the same but even some of the lower amounts is around 9 mls so really at the moment you do not have very much in your band and a long way from that ultimate level of restriction which will be why you are feeling the way you do however on the other hand it is a puzzle  that you are regurgitating food is a puzzle if you are so far from that 'sweet spot' so what i would say is to try to eat food that is not dry and salad can be very dry - i would really struggle with salad and could only manage chicken if it was in a sauce or gravy - you need food moist or soft enough not to make you PB (productive burp) but firm enough to sit in your pouch to make you feel full so things like a fish cake, sheps pie, fish pie, chill without the rice, casserole, cauli cheese, porridge, are all foods that i would say come into this category and are of this consistency.  Grazing is a bandsters worst failure and one i am guilty of cos you can eat small and often and the band will not stop you doing it - that is something you have to control with your own will power in my opinion.   you have paid for your surgery from what you say above so you have more control over when you get your fills than somebody who has gone down the NHS route and I would say you need to be building up to more restriction by a series of small regular fills - say every 6 to 8 wks - you will get there but it takes time and in the meantime whilst you are heading towards that 'sweet spot' it would be better if you could control being sick by eating foods that are not going to get stuck - you really need to chew your food well - pulverise it into mush with your teeth - chop your veges into tiny pieces before cooking and this will make it easier - mince meat is quite a good meat as its already in very small bits - bread might not be so good as it is doughy and will stick, likewise rice and pasta can do the same as it conts to swell and that can cause a lot of probs - i dont either of these 3 items - you dont want your band to be so tight that you can only manage liquids and purees but you do need it to hang onto what you eat for as long as poss and that is what gives you that feeling of fullness - you are not a failure - you have a great tool to aid wgt loss but at the moment i would say it is not operational because you do not have enough fluid in it but you can rectify that with some more fills and you could explain what you have written above to your fill provider. 

a support group  might be a good place for you to go in person or visit online and the hosp where you had your op might run such a group or there are places like WLSinfo which also operate on line and in the community - good luck    

Hi Lisa,

I came on here looking for help on things to eat: I'm on my 4th fill and nearly at 7mls.

You will find with more fills that you are able to eat less. My weight loss is slow still. It's only my last fill that really felt like I was getting what I paid for.

Don't feel like a failure because your still hungry.

Just remember that your still in the adjustment stage and that it will be right eventually. My surgeon told me that the average was 4 tightenings before you reach your ideal fill but I've just made my appointment for fill number 5.

Just think your in control of this so keep having your fills until you feel you have enough control. Don't settle for less like you said you went through the physical and financial pain to get the result you want and you will get it.

I had mine fitted April 2016 keep having it emptied only got 2.5 ml in but still can’t eat solids and can only eat and drink once a day I feel so ill. Heart burns killing me the most I’ve had in is 6.4 ml not sure why this is happening to me. 18mths later

Got rushed into hospital had to have my band removed 

Had mine removed Thursday it had slipped 

Re-filled last week. First banded 2005 in Switzerland. I did well for 5 years then had issues requiring  much of the band to be emptied. I  lived where there was no one who could tend to it . It soon proved to be very expensive  flying to NY every month trying to sort things out.  Eventually I gave up. Insurance didnt cover anything. Over the next 4 years I regained 3/4 of my 140lb loss. There is now someone here to service my band so I am back on the wagon again.Once again I am remembering just how fickle this band can be. Mine will never open in the morning no matter how much hot water I drink. And if I eat after 7pm I know to expect  reflux all night even if I sit up. Okay fine. I  now know 2 two things about my band. I havent  any plans to go to war with it. My initial pain was related to  eating to much but it sure didnt feel like too much since I was still hungry in my head and I thought my stomach too. Never could really tell the difference.Mostly war occurs when I really want a very cold glass of something. I dont know if I knew and forgot, or if I never really  got the point that cold drinks  make the band constrict, wow, now what to do about that?Seems thats all I dream about cold cold drinks. That band shuts down so tight I cant swallow spit. I have 4 ml fill, I think my band goes up to 7 or 9, I cant remember, but even when I lost it never reached maximum fill  amount. Even when it opens, it sure doest allow much in, even water. I dont think im gulping but who knows?. It really  does hurt when Im thirsty. I suppose I do drink hot water differently. The band is un natural  for sure. I must get more water in.