General Random Questions

Hi Tara
Have a talk to Doreen.
She has/had the same problem after a few years of having the band.

Cheers Delia

Happy Easter everyone xxx

Linda,

It's still really warm up here in Queensland - had to of been about 29 today.
So it's definately not the cold (yet!). But I must admit I have noticed on the mega humid days like 70+ % my band all but swells shut and I must live off water and clear liquids for a few days.
Actually, I love that the Surgeon doesn't even know and calls it spontaneous fill.

Gosh they are strange things these bands.

Tara

Hi girls

I have found that bands get tighter with colder weather. Strange but true.

Well, the Sweet Potato soup was a hit (Yay) but I spent ALL damn night last night with night cough and spewing little bits of fluid on myself (sorry yuck) so maybe I could actually do with a bit more fill out.
Certainly will not be having anything for a few hours before bed tonight !!!!!

Tara

That's really interesting, i wonder why it happens? I have 6ml in a 7ml band and it doesn't feel tight AT ALL. It like no band. I felt some tightness after each fill but it only last a couple of days. I wonder what causes that? Initial tightness and then nothing...hmmmm...bands are stange little beasts aren't they.

Beth,

I hadn't even thought of the losing weight and the band getting looser factor but I think you are on to something there - only in reverse.

Also I'm so glad to hear it has happened to someone else.
I was starting to catastrophise in my head that another band was starting to turn evil on me and I was instantly going to gain back 35 kilos due to having less fill.

Thank you so much for sharing I feel alot better now.

Cheers,
Tara

Mine has done exactly the same thing, Tara. I also don't understand why. I had a whole 1 ml removed, I am now down to 4.75ml in a 7ml band, and I could even lose a little bit more. It was perfect for ages at 5 to 5.5ml. Very strange. I thought it would get looser as we lost weight due to the fat around the stomach going, but I guessed wrong!

Hi all,

I wasn't sure where to post this so I went with right here.

My band has been getting tighter and tighter for the last month (my last fill was in August) very weird I know.
So I finally decided that enough was enough and popped off to the surgeon for a slight unfill (I mean seriously a tight band is great but slimeing from drinking water is just wrong!)
The Surgeon told me that it might have spontaneously gotten tighter !! How weird is that .. but better than spontaneously combusting I guess !! lol

He took out .4 which I thought was heaps but it still feels super tight.
I am a bit confused at how a band that was perfect for 8 months can suddenly get so much tighter. As we all keep saying - these bands are fickle.

On a different note he did say that I had lost 76% of my excess weight - that was pretty cool !!

So me and the Boston Strangler are off to cook Sweet Potato soup for dinner.

Thanks for listening,
Tara

Hi everyone ! just wanted to say i am back..
Back is on the mend and weight loss has started again
feeling pretty good just gentle stretching and walking for now
So how is everyone ??? cheers suzzie ...

Hi Tarnia, I thought maybe asking you where abouts was too personal so I took the question off. Doh!

There's no place like home, which is Adelaide for me, but I really miss the NQ creeks, rivers and bushland. You are on to something good :)

Regards,Tanya

Hi Tanya, I live on a few acres at Black River. Absolutely love Townsville. Before I bought out there I lived in Heatley also. Cheers

Thanks guys, will definitely look up calorie king.

Debs, I was wondering about calorie counting myself. Thanks for the tip - I will visit the site.

Tarnia, you are not the only one comparing yourself with what's happening 'out there' but don't let it worry you. Remember that it's human nature to want to speak up about our successes and keep the other bit's more to ourselves. Case in point, I lost a few kilos and updated my ticker then I found a kilo and my ticker never heard about it :)

Having said that there are also some great practical suggestions from people on these threads about what works for them and why. Hopefully you will pick up bit's and pieces as they suit you.

I lived in Townsville for most of my adult life (and studied at JCU). It's a great place and there's so much I loved about it.

Hi Tarnia, i know its tough to feel discouraged when you feel like your weightloss is slower than everyone elses (tell me about it! :) but i'm sure you're doing fine. Trace's 1 cup meals are a good way to measure food but if you want to count calories because you find it easier you can visit calorie king dot com dot au and fill out an online journal. They have just about every food on there you think of and it automatically tallies your calories up for day..and takes some off if you exercise. Could be worth a look at?

cheers,
debs

Tarnia I am only newly banded (8 weeks) so not sure if I can help. When I had operation I decided to never again count calories or points or weigh every little thing. Dr Wilson told me a cup of food each meal so I have what I want but only a cup and I know it's only 8 weeks but I finally feel freedom at last. I am a healthy eater anyway but just didn't know how to stop and this gave me the tool forever I hope :)

Well... exercise is still not my favourite thing but I can definitely feel that my clothes are getting more lose which is motivating. It's just that at times I get so discouraged as many people have lost so much more weight than me and were banded in the same month as me. How do you guys keep track of daily calories, I have so much trouble remembering to put what I eat in a journal, any ideas?

That is very interesting (and surprising) to read everyone.
Thankyou.

My fill doctor says to me you will feel a prick some times I do others I don't. For some reason some times I bleed a bit and she says there must be a small blood vessel where she puts the injection in. My port is just under the skin and is facing up towards the left shoulder. So she has to push a bit to get it into the right place but it does not hurt.
Delia

One doc puts a little local in before the fill injection and another didnt, They didnt hurt as such as they are realy only going through the skin and maybe a little fat then into port. Not like the ones that go into muscle. My doc gets me to lay arms by side head up alittle and straight leg raise feet off the bed an inch ir two and hold, Thus making the port mor vissable I supose with stomach tightening up. Iam not good at it so mind occupied with that activity rather then any needle prick.

I am hopeless with needles. A fill is no problem.

Actually, do not feel it.......

Tanya wrote:

Hello all,
Does getting a fill hurt more than a regular needle?

In my opinion, not at all! I have had episodes where they have had a little trouble getting in cos my port is tilted, and have had to dig a little....hurts much much less than a needle in the cubital fossa of the elbow. It is more the pressure that you notice. It is usually over in a trifle. The anticipation of your first is much worse than reality!

Well that's good news Sharon, thanks! I saw some online pictures and it looked a bit gafawww!

You do feel the prick but it is not uncomfortable at all. For me anyway. I wouldn't say it is as bad as a regular needle.