B-52

I do not think you are ready for this surgery. It is for people who are at their wit's end, IMO. You're not there. You still enjoy being obese.
I don't think you would be cleared by the Psych Eval.

Until you had a fill or 2 and start feeling some restriction, it probably not concern you right now.
It can take me 45-60 minutes to get through a meal, depending on what I am eating and how much.
After each bite I need to chew thoroughly, then wait between swallows for the food to pass through the band.
I don't measure my food but I am usually finished with the right amount.
I am happy with my band and restriction and all those little things they told me comes very naturally.

With the exception of one or two, the only people I see complaining (or freaking out) are those who have recently been banded. Most are still in the healing post-op phase.
Did not gain all your weight in 30 days, can't expect miracles right away.
All weight loss at that time is from the pre-op and post-op diet regime. Sooner or later you will be on regular food. Then you have to learn to live and use the band.
It took me 3-4 months before things started to fall in place. Six months till everything started to work the way I had hoped it would.
And I am still learning things all the time.

I would say, from experience, that these people must have been banded recently, within the last 4-5 months, and have not reached that "sweet spot" with their fills. I know, I've been there.

As far as cheating the band......I am at that sweet spot where I can only eat small amounts at each meal, and most of the time do not feel all that hungry to eat much to begin with. I've also learned the hard way, from being stuck many times, that there are foods I need to avoid, and also I need to eat slowly with small mouthfuls.
BUT
Old habits die hard, and even though I can eat only small portions, there is nothing to stop me (except myself) from eating every 30 minutes, so to speak. AKA "grazing" This is not due to being hungry. It is more addictive, compulsive behavior.
Does not have to be a lot, just almost constant small snacking with things like potato chips, dip, Cookies, etc, etc.
You have to learn to listen to your body, not your head. Drink plenty of Water, and get your Protein in.

It may sound strange, but I am learning that food is not really that important in my life anymore. I ignore it.

2 weeks post-op, I would not get too worried. I had to learn that the real process does not begin till after 4-6 weeks post-op. It took me 3 fills before I could say the band started doing what I expected it to do all along.
Everyone is different. Do not compare (and compete) with other people.
Another reason I keep the surgery to myself, and make it my own personal program.

Sorry, not my style of humor. I believe if people ask me a straight forward intelligent question, they deserve a straight forward intelligent answer.

Sorry, not my style of humor. I believe if people ask me a straight forward intelligent question, they deserve a straight forward intelligent answer.

I don't see it that way at all!

Just the usual post-op aches and pains, but nothing I would call major. No different from any other kind of major surgery.

Many people expect that once they hve the surgery the pounds will begin to fall off the next day. Th first month is not about loosing weight. It is about healing and getting to the point where you can begin to function normally again.
If you drop some pounds from the post-op diet, so be it. If you don't, or if you still feel hungry, so what?

Think of it this way. You had surgery, they put something in your body, but it isn't turned on yet. You have to wait and heal, then the Dr. will activate it by starting the fill process.

I was very discouraged the first few months. Showing up for my appointment with my Surgeon, getting on the scale and showing little or no weight loss, my mentality was that of being on one of those diet programs where I felt I would be chastised for non performance.
The Surgeon laughed at me and said if you had lost weight, you wouldn't need to be here for a fill.

I don't see it that way at all!

Just the usual post-op aches and pains, but nothing I would call major. No different from any other kind of major surgery.

Many people expect that once they hve the surgery the pounds will begin to fall off the next day. Th first month is not about loosing weight. It is about healing and getting to the point where you can begin to function normally again.
If you drop some pounds from the post-op diet, so be it. If you don't, or if you still feel hungry, so what?

Think of it this way. You had surgery, they put something in your body, but it isn't turned on yet. You have to wait and heal, then the Dr. will activate it by starting the fill process.

I was very discouraged the first few months. Showing up for my appointment with my Surgeon, getting on the scale and showing little or no weight loss, my mentality was that of being on one of those diet programs where I felt I would be chastised for non performance.
The Surgeon laughed at me and said if you had lost weight, you wouldn't need to be here for a fill.

I've just finished reading this entire post and I have found it enjoyable, for some reason.
First, the "rules" stated by the OP are good, sound, advice. Just add daily exercise, and watch your daily calorie intake and the world will be a perfect place. But I'm not perfect. I needed surgical intervention. I've had this mantra on my fridge for 35 years. That's what made me smile. "How do you become a millionaire? First, go out and get a million dollars, then you take that and............" (Steve Martin)
What I have learned with my band is this: There are certain foods I will never be able to eat again. No more breads or McD's burgers, etc. I've tried! So long to the belly Buster Subs and Philly cheese Stake sandwiches, may you RIP.
I have also found that the quantity of what I can eat is now very limited. I still get Chinese take-out, just that I no longer eat enough to feed 4! I usually throw out most of it. (Hint: I don't save left overs...will come back to them later if available)
So, if what I eat, and how much I can eat has been limited, that will now bring me back to what the OP listed. And that is "Make the most of what you CAN eat!"
I still go to fine restaurants with my family and friends. There are items on the menu I know will not go down easily, if at all. I focus on the entree that looks good, and has a high Protein value, fish..chicken..steak..etc. Skip the appetizers, that will only fill me up. I will steal a taste of my wifes if need be, but only a taste. When my food arrives, I will eat the Protein first. Then the scalloped potatoes, etc., but I don't have room for those so again it's only a taste.
Dessert: I'll have coffee and ice cream. Compare this to what I would have eaten 6 months ago...I am Way out ahead!! I would have had 4 courses, cleaned my plate, and ate what my Wife didn't.
I went to a all day auto racing event yesterday. They had all the usual carnival type foods there. chicken fingers, fries, hot dogs, burgers, pizza, etc, etc. I wasted a lot of money buying different things, only to throw them away after one swallow. So, in 8 hrs in the hot sun, know what I ate? Ice cream, and 1 or 2 lite beers. Not very nutritional. But that's ALL i ate, plus a few bottled waters and I must have walked 20 miles. Six months ago, I could not begin to tell you what I would have eaten at a event like this!!
I'm not saying this is the logic people should follow. I'm saying this is how it is currently working for me. I have dropped 45lbs in the last 6 months, and I have 35lbs to reach my goal.

There are maybe 4-5 people in my life that know I have had the surgery. And that's immediate family. I have told no one! And don't intend to. My health insurance is not connected to my job, and I had time coming to me so I simply took a week off.
My hunch was, and I now believe I was right, that most people would not have a clue. Also I did not want people, after learning I had the procedure, to constantly be observing and grading my process. Why should they need to know?
I'm on a diet. I have a goal. How am I doing it? Don't eat so much and exercise!
Granted, I'm sure there will come a person who obviously could benefit from my experience, and I will share with them confidentially what I am going through.
But until then, I don't need to wear a sign on my back.

Let it go. I experienced almost the same. It felt as though I didn't have the surgery at all. I was always hungry, and could eat just about anything. I did get stuck once or twice from taking too big swallows. But as long as I took small swallows i was eating just fine.
I had to force myself to diet, just as before the surgery. I though what a waste of time.
Then I had my first fill, not much immediate change, but as I read here it takes few weeks for the fill to start taking effect.
I'm coming up on 2 weeks since my first fill. I'm not really hungry. At least not like before. And when I do eat, I find after eating a very little bit, I loose interest, and start to get that "Stuck feeling" which will also make you stop.
The weight is coming off. I think after my next fill things will really start kicking in.
So hang in there. You got to struggle through this Post-Op phase.

It's that feeling when you've got your head over the toilet, just waiting to vomit. The saliva comes and you do a lot of spitting.
No, it's not a good thing, unless you remember what brought it on, learn your lesson and swear ...... Never Again.
Chew, Chew, Chew.....small swallows. That's what I learned.
When I get stuck, it is usually within the first minute or two when I start eating, because I've forget the above lesson.

I have reading posts here for only 1 week.
I am a active member on a few other sites with different interests.
What the OP is stating is no different than what is the case on other message board sites.
I can cut and paste her message on a site for classic automobiles and it would fit right in.
It's unfortunate, but that is the way message boards are. It's not going to change.

I have reading posts here for only 1 week.
I am a active member on a few other sites with different interests.
What the OP is stating is no different than what is the case on other message board sites.
I can cut and paste her message on a site for classic automobiles and it would fit right in.
It's unfortunate, but that is the way message boards are. It's not going to change.