RedheadGirl

I had my lap band surgery and got a divorce in the same month. So it's not really after losing weight that I got my divorce but I did make some major changes in the same month. I happen to also turn 34 that month. It was a big change. I divorced my husband who was in the past physically abusive up until I was pregnant with our son and then he was mentally, emotionally, spiritually etc...etc.. in everyway possible abusive! Especiallly controlling. I finally picked myself up from trying to take my own life from all the abuse and decided I was worth more and needed to be treated better. After I left him I had horrible anxiety and I couldn't eat. I would feel so sick and everything went right through me from the stress. I have noticed in the past 4 months since my surgery that I still try and turn to food and I have to mentally try and stop myself. I have learned how to eat around the band the bad thing is that my favorite type of binge food goes down easily. I want to type more but I'll have to get back to you in here. Have to take care of my son!

I forgot to add my weight the last couple weeks. First week I got to 408, then this past week I got to 406.

I just had my first fill this morning and I got 4.35 cc's. My band can hold 12 cc's. Hopefully it's enough restriction for me! I wish I got 5.5!

Are you on any type of liquids or mushies? When you say you can eat anything are you eating regular foods already? I was on mushie type foods for a couple weeks and I'm now 4 weeks post op and can also eat whatever I want. Now it doesn't even take me long to eat. I'm eating and feeling like I was before my surgery. If you are restricted to the amount of food you take in I would try and do the Protein drinks. I don't have an amount restriction so I have to try hard to NOT overeat. Good luck.

So I am one week post op and I can pretty much eat anything (as long as I chew really well). I do not feel any restriction in my band and am not getting a "full" feeling when I eat. The problem is, it takes so long to eat a meal that I pretty much give up and quit. I have had two "stuck" issues and they were so awful that I am totally afraid to go through that again. I make sure to chew so much that I can't feel the food slide down my throat. I am pretty much hungry all the time but it seems to me that i'd rather feel the hunger pains and keep going through my day than stop and focus on a meal for FOREVER...... I am not even getting in the 1200 calories a day I should be getting. I guess I need to add a Protein shake daily but then again, it takes so long to drink it that I don't even care to. Anyone have suggestions to get this train moving along?? I guess as long as I am getting my Multi-Vitamin in, I should be okay.

Side note: myfitnesspal.com is a great app for keeping a food and exercise journal. And it's free!!

Name, real or screen~ Heather

Age~34

Weight on July 29th/August 1st~ 411

Goal Weight for August 29th~ 390

Exercise Goal for August~ Walk or do leslie at home 3 x a week

Dietary Goal for August~ Just because I can eat, doesn't mean I should!

Personal Goal for August~ Make it to church each Sunday

Date Banded~ June 28th 2011

Total Weight Loss Since Banding~ 18 lbs with pre-op diet, 17 lbs after banding but gained back 6. So 30 total right now. I'm 4 weeks post-op. First fill Aug. 9th...!!! Yay!!! Currently have NO restriction.

You guys are amazing. I pretty much have isolated myself this past week with everything going on and haven't even been on the boards. I feel like I don't have a band. I am eating EXACTLY like I used too. Honest, I can down any food I want with no restriction. I'm overeating. I have been eating candy and chips and fast food etc... I don't want too... however I feel like because I "can" I should. I get my first fill on Aug. 9th. I can't wait. I'm hoping it will bring me back to how I was during week one with feeling the band actually in me. The only thing different from before surgery to now is I'm not drinking diet coke . I'm eating large meals and supporting my sorry 430 lb body. I'm guessing I'm back to 430...haven't weighed. Every time I try and eat the small servings that everyone else is eating I am so hungry. It does nothing for me. I'm wondering if I should just do some type of diet ? I am SOO sick of diets though. I'm just so disapointed that I'm one of the few that can eat whatever and however much I want. I just feel like it's not fair. I don't understand. It's still been a bad week and I'm really trying hard to hang in there. I just wish my body would prevent me from eating to much. I did this surgery and paid out of pocket 6200.00 bucks so I could finally lose weight.

Thankyou SOOO much for every single comment on here! I took in every single word. <3

Thankyou for the sympathy. It is hard. I did want it, BUT only because he wouldn't stop being abusive. I figured I might as well be honest and the other part of all this is it hurts because as he is looking like such a great guy and treating all these other girls so good he was abusive to me. I hate that I had to leave him and he is charming every other girl. So while he is being a social dating butterfly I sit at home alone after surgery and eat. Just a bad night... thanks for listening. I'll try again tomorrow.

I am so sorry to hear about your divorce. Even if you wanted the divorce it still must be very painful. I can still eat an awful lot of food too. But I'm trying really hard not to. Do you have a good therapist to talk to? I can't stress how important it was for me to get a therapist and talk to her about my binge eating disorder. Don't beat yourself up, just do better tomorrow. That's all we can do. Try to have more good days than bad. Hugs to you!

I can't stand the low carb diets. For one they screw with my metobolism. I don't lose well with them. I drop a lot the first week then my body holds on to everything and I don't lose again for about 2 weeks then it's verrrrry slow. Everyone is different but my opinion of low carb diets are they don't work for ME! I think overall if I could choose a way to eat and lose weight and be healthy would be to have everything but in moderation and that is why I wanted the band. I want to be able to eat healthy carbs, fruits, veggies...all the food groups. Some Dr.'s will always push a certain diet but I'd listen to your own body and do what you think you could stick with and do forever. Just like you said, we didn't get the band because the Atkins diet works! It'll work for awhile but a lifetime success of it is very very rare.

I went for my 2nd fill like 3 weeks ago and my next one is next Monday. Here is the thing. I got on the scale and gained a few pounds since my first fill. Between the post op diet and through the first fill I lost around 17 pounds. So when I got on the scale the nurse seemed like he was sad and tried to make it sound like it can happen. The thing is I wasnt surprised I gained. But when the doctor came in he seemed real disappointed and told me I need to do better. I told him I was still hungry a lot. Then he told me I needed to eat better and snack on pickles and cucumbers. He is one of the doctors that want you to be on a high protien low carb diet which if that always worked I wouldn't have got the band. I always lost weight on those diets but couldnt keep it off cause I would eat carbs again. Here is the thing, I am not a patient person and my weight loss hasn't been as fast as I thought and I'm ok with that. I know that I haven't got to that "sweet spot" to were my band is tight enough. I can still gulp Water and Eat really anything. The only problem I seem to have is when I eat too fast I get some pain. I have a large band "15cc" and think its only filled to about 6cc. I wasn't discouraged untill he said that stuff to me. Tell you the truth I'm still not that discouraged because I know this band will help me. I really think after my 3rd fill I will do a lot better. I can eat what I ate before but I'm not as hungry as I was before. I think this next fill will result in restriction. I hope so. I don't think I have lost much but know I haven't gained any since my last fill but hope he doesn't come down on me hard again. As for the low carb high protien diet he wants me on I think that will work for me when I cant get as much food in. AND BEFORE ANYONE SAYS that I should follow the diet my doctor wants me on, I just want to remind people that I'm sure we were all on the Atkins diet and if we could stick to that we wouldn't be in the band chat. Like I said I think when I cant get as much food in I will be wanting to get all that protien in and will. I have done 1400 calorie diets before and lost as much as on Atkins. Thats what my goal really is so I can get a little of everything in my diet, Well these are always longer than I intend them to be and I hope I get some words of encouragement. Thanks

I don't think anyone is being uptight. I think there are things you joke about and other things you don't joke about. Cancer kills people and lots of us have either known someone who has died or survived it or have survived it ourself. So when someone throws out a joke about a serious matter, it isn't so funny.

Uh, why's everyone so uptight? I've lost plenty of people due to cancer, but a joke is a joke.

And I tell them that I had surgery, but you lose your chance at a punch line if you tell them about the band first.

Is this where I should start with the gay jokes instead?

JUST KIDDING!

CONGRATULATIONS ON 9 YEARS!!!!! I have had addictive problems since I was 15 years old and I'm 34. I used to drink and do drugs as well as smoke. All that went away and I turned to food, hard core! Got myself up to 440 lbs. Anyway, I'm fighting the food addiction now. I just binged tonight and I'm only 2 1/2 weeks post op. I somehow was able to eat lots and lots of food. I hate addiction, hate it! I'm part of a group called CR (celebrate recovery) and though I haven't gone in awhile I'm thinking I need to be heading back since I'm struggling right now. I didn't realize it would hit me so hard trying to remove the food addiction but it is.

Oops. I think maybe I wasn't quite clear. I am Sober as in AA. I got sober 9 years ago. I ask because food is also an addiction for me. It is yet another thing that I was using to comfort myself, and avoid feelings. This is just me. I'm happy to be dealing with another addictive behavior.

I'm almost 3 weeks post-op and I've had three seperate times now where I have ate til I am sooo uncomfortably full.. Tonight I hit the fast food and I bought LOTS of food. Basically like I would of prior to surgery for a binge. I ate a lot, I'm surprised at what and how much I can get down. Of course now I sit here so full and feel horrible and regret it. Why am I doing this to myself? I was a self-pay so I'm shocked that my "old" behaviors are already tempting me and I'm acting on them. I've been able to eat very well since week 2. I'm able to take in over 2 cups of food at one time. I'd type in what I ate tonight but honestly I'd be embarassed at the amount. I'm just wondering if for ONE there is something wrong with me that I'm able to eat LARGE amounts right now?? Is anyone else able to do this before their first fill? Any encouragement or beat downs? Advice?

I will say this.... just found out my divorce is final. My car broke down and I need 4,000 bucks for a transmission and my now ex-husband is acting like a player and dating a lot of girls and they all think he is prince charming and it hurts. All this equals wanting to punish or hurt myself with food and instead of doing what I shouldn't do... I'm doing it. Just feel lost, alone and helpless right now.

Just wanted to say that I'm pretty sensitive to the cancer thing as well and I don't think it's funny to make any jokes about cancer even if it's just saying it aided in weight loss. That's just something to not make fun of.... However, I have wondered the same thing and I like the other response on here that she said she just regained control in her life. I think that is a PERFECT answer.

SOOO GLAD I AM NOT ALONE!!!!!!!

I had my surgery 6/28 and I've been eating so many foods the past few days that I didn't think I'd be able to eat. I've been having mac and cheese, other pastas, pretzels, crackers..... etc. I'm on the mushy stage and Pasta is listed for me to eat and unfortunately it tastes so good I have it everyday now. I have been eating more than I thought I'd be able to eat. I've been depressed with seeing a 5 lb gain since I've been adding in the other carb mushies. I also get my fill the same day as you. Aug. 9th and I agree it seems toooooo far away. So that is another thing we have in common. Today I've had a half of Protein drink, some pirates booty Snacks and a frozen baked ziti entree'. I wish I had some stronger will power right now to choose healthier options. I think I'm running with the fact that my sheet says I can have Pasta so I'm making sure I do. I know I need to add in more Protein choices, like cottage cheese and more Protein drinks. I think I've been "so hungry" that I'm almost running with things celebrating that I'm allowed to eat again even though I know I need to be careful. I didn't realize that I'd be this hungry and able to eat this much already. I had my surgery in Mexico so it's not like I have great follow up care to find out all this information. I told myself last night that just because I can eat pasta and pretzels and crackers doesn't mean I should... well what do I do? I wake up and eat carbs. It's hard... really really hard. Just wanted you to know you are NOT alone.

I was banded June 28th and I've been also eating crackers and pretzels. I'm on the mushy stages and I've gained back 5 lbs from adding in potatos, and other carbs. I'm even able to eat Pasta just fine. I feel like I'm blowing it right now because of what I'm able to eat. It's kinda depressing because I thought I wouldn't get my appetite back already or be able to swollow much but I'm eating just like I did before surgery practicually. I'm counting down the days til my fill because at this rate I'll keep gaining back my weight that I lost on my liquid stage.

I've had a really really bad day today. My transmission died, my mom fell while over at my house helping me and the two things I was depending on are both "broke". I had a long incision done during surgery so my mom has been there for me every single minute and keeping my house up and helping me with everything I'm unable to do. I don't have much else help so I really depend on her. Then today was my first day back to work and my cute VW bug broke down and I found out it's the transmission. I have NO money, I just spent it all on my surgery in Mexico. I came home tonight alone, my son is with his dad, and I overate. Nothing has come up but I got down a lot of food that is now making me just unpleasently full but giving me that old comfort feeling of when I would binge or overeat before.

My question, when life is crappy and you want to overeat ... how do you overcome it? I've also been only able to take in about 1/3 of my normal dose of my anti-depressents so I'm sure that is why I'm also really feeling down in the dumps.

Feeling sad and overwhelmed tonight.

Being that I am still a little over 400 lbs, exercise was something that NEVER felt good. I struggled/struggle to walk long distances. However the past 2 days I got up and got out of my house and walked around my complex for 15 minutes and that is HUGE success for me since I don't normally do that nor do I FEEL like ever doing that. So I have noticed already that just getting 35 lbs off I feel more energetic to get up and walk a little. So my exercise plan for now is doing exactly that! Walking.

I was banded 6/28 but instead of laproscopic surgery they had to do a 4-5 inch incision. I just went back to work today. I don't do much lifting but I'm hurting by bending over etc.... I was getting bored also. Do you guys or did you hurt for awhile after with bending over and cleaning house etc...? I had my surgery out of the country so I can't really call and find out what is expected. They didn't get me any post surgery info other than my food.< /p>

I'm not sliming or having a lot of saliva, just feeling a lump or a little pressure in my chest. I'm able to drink ok and I keep taking drinks to try and help it. I think perhaps maybe I'm just too full. I think if I do eggs again I'll make my own. =/

When I get stuck it happens immediately. I know it 5 seconds after I swallow, and it is painful.

Are you "sliming" ? I always produce an enormous amout of saliva when I get stuck.

I think perhaps you are just too full? If you were stuck, you'd know it!

I LOVE reading that you have lost 208 lbs!!!! AMAZING, GOOD FOR YOU! Has it been hard? All done after the band? I'd love to hear your "story".

eggs are a problem for many bandsters. I never try to eat scrambled eggs at a fast food place, I'm afraid they'll be too dry.

Everyone has different pain levels, so it's difficult to say if your feeling of something sitting there would be someone else's pain. If the feeling is really bothering you, you could try a few strategies:

1) drink something .. small sips of room temp or warm Water, or warm tea or hot coffee.. very slowly. If you're truly stuck, the Water and the eggs should come back up. If it's being overly full.. back up. Or sometimes just a little bit of warm Fluid will help whatever it is go on down.

2) chew some papaya enzyme. This sometimes helps things dissolve and move on down.

3) room temp pineapple juice. sips only. works same as papaya.

4) Just give it a little "tincture of time". Sometimes that's all it takes.

Hope you feel better soon.

This morning I was with my mom and son and they stopped at McDonalds so my son could get a hashbrown. I wasn't bugged by it one bit, usually fast food Breakfast is not my choice of favorite foods. While there though I decided maybe I'd try the inside of a sausage burrito, ok the inside of two... I also took a couple bites of a hash brown. I do NOT miss the grease! YUCK! I took the inside egg of the tortillas and ate it and now I feel like it's stuck and not moving. It doesn't hurt, I don't feel any pain but I feel a little lump just sitting inside. Could this be the start of getting stuck? When you get stuck does it happen right away, the pain?

There is a huge difference in speaking the truth in love and speaking the truth in harshness.... Jesus always spoke in love. Awkward, I don't think you realize how harsh you have come across.

PS.. I just had another thought. I was always the type of girl who settled for anyone to love me because of how low I felt about myself. Probably why I was in an abusive marriage for 13 years. I think once we feel good about ourselves we realize we deserve more than what we have "settled" with. Maybe that is what is going on? I don't know.. I don't encourage divorce. I also think people divorce like it's a highschool breakup these days. I gave my marriage a 4 year break to see if he would stop the abuse and since he didn't I had to do what I had to do...

WOW, I didn't even read through all these posts.... However, I wanted to add a reply. Mzhawkins, good for you for being honest and reaching out and asking for opinions on your thoughts. BEFORE anyone condemns her and judges her notice that these are THOUGHTS and not actions yet. I think sometimes people have strong reactions over things they themselves struggle with..... a though. I believe that if we were all honest with ourselves and posted our true honest thoughts and feelings would we all still be sitting here judging each other? I think it's probably TOTALLY normal to have atleast SOME thoughts of what it would be like with another person besides our partner at one time or another. If you haven't had that THOUGHT yet, you may one day. I think it's BRAVE of you to be so open and seek advice on your thoughts mzhawkins and I don't think you should leave because of one persons harsh judgements.

With all that, here is what happened to me in the same month that I got my lapband. I asked my husband for a divorce after 4 years of seperation. AND get this.... I serve and live my life for the Lord Jesus Christ! Yep, I'm a Christian. I live everyday for the Lord and follow him. Soooo before you jump on me and judge me let me say that YES there are times when the Lord allows for a divorce, and please don't quote me scripture of how God hates divorce because I've heard it PLENTY of times in my church. I left my husband because of abuse and he wouldn't stop so with that said, end of story and no need for any further discussion. BUT I wanted to say that my lapband and my divorce both happened in the month of June and this is a NEW START to a new life for me in MANY ways.

On my post-op diet sheet for this week I get to add in eggs, cottage cheese, cheese, blended meat, baked potatoes (no skin), rice, macaroni, noodles, rice cereals etc...

So tonight for dinner I had my first "meal" where I wasn't slurping Soup or cream of wheat and I had canned chicken, stouffers mac (it's super soft noodles and really saucy) and cottage cheese. A strange variety but I was wanting to just have a little scoop of each to see what would go down best and to my surprise I did JUST FINE with all three varieties. My friend who was banded 9 years ago couldn't believe they said I could be eating those carbs and also couldn't believe I got the mac down so good. Anyone else eat any of these or allowed these on the post-op diet? How did you do with them? How do you do with them now? I know I'm also feeling hardly ANY restriction now.

I really, REALLY, REALLY hope that I'm one that the band works for and loses a lot of weight. I'm seeing how much of a struggle it already is. I'm just about 13 days post-op and I'm eating Soup when I'm not even hungry. I'm eating because it tastes good and I'm stirring in a bunch of melted cheese. Which roasted red pepper tomatoe soup with a lot of melted cheese in it is sooooo good. I'm eating about 3/4 of a cup or so at a time then I get up and get another. Sigh... This is hard! Already..so...sooooo...hard. I think it's because I may be about 2 weeks out but I'm also at 4 weeks with NO binging. I believe that is the main thing that wants to keep coming back. Of course with the band I can't do that. Who ever thought I'd try and overeat on soup? One day at a time...