need2lose2

Seems like we're all in the same boat. Unfortunately, most of the soft foods that are being served are not diet friendly.......

You're not kidding! I was at a sit down dinner a few weeks ago. I passed on the appetizer but i did eat Soup because i was hungry and knew it would not sit in the pouch so that i could have some of the main dish. I opted for the grilled chicken. After a few bites, i felt tight. Tried some Water (i know it was not a good idea). Then i started salivating and swallowing a lot....my classic sign that i need to vomit. I excused myself and went in search of the ladies room which, of course, was crowded! Frantically, (while swallowing loads of saliva) i ran out the door of the catering hall and thankfully found a small alleyway i could slip into. As i turned into it, it all just spurted out. Now that was a scary situation and i vowed never to eat any solid foods at a function. Last week we went to another dinner and it's exactly what i did. I ate all the mushy and soft foods (soup, mashed potatoes, sweet potato fries, veggie souffle, cake, sorbet) and didn't touch the grilled chicken or sauteed green Beans. Kind of counterintuitive for the band diet, isn't it? lol

Tell me about it! After 6 fills i have 9.5 cc in an 11 cc band. I still don't feel much restriction except for when i start eating too fast. It's even more frustrating when the 'bad foods' will go down no problem, and then an appropriate food will get stuck. Cake, cookies, cereal, granola bars, pasta, pizza etc etc will go down but sometimes grilled chicken, and fruits will get stuck and vomited up. It's crazy!!

i am starting off with what my nutritionist allows me to have each meal but then i go eat other stuff cuz i'm not full.... not sure what's going on; i have an appt in 5 weeks for another fill; i dont want to make it any earlier cuz i want to give this fill some more time and see if there are any changes. If my pouch has stretched, they will have to remove all the fluid, wait a few months and then start again. I don't know if i can handle yet another 6 months to a year of this waiting for the band to work. I'm just hoping that i get to my sweet spot soon........

I am in the same situation. I have 9.5 in an 11cc band and while i do feel restriction while i eat, i feel that it passes real quickly and i can pretty eat lots more. My last fill (to get to 9.5cc) was monday and i don't feel any different. Don't know what feeling full feels like anymore because i'm able to finish pretty large portions of food and then some. I havent lost anything in the meantime and it's getting very frustrating.

I thought that the fills had to be every 6 weeks because the PA always said "see you in 6 weeks". But then, when i had an appt with the nut, she asked why i waited so long between fills if i knew i needed more fluid! So, when i felt i needed more, i called for an appt. Obviously it couldn't be in the same week because i need to be on liquids for 2 days then graduate to soft foods and then to regular food. They would want you to give it at minimum 2 weeks to see if you get good restriction. I definately hear you when it comes to feeling full. I eat all of the foods that my nut allowed and i never feel full. It is why i went in today for another fill after being there 2 weeks ago. I now have 9.5cc and am hoping that this will be the time when i feel full after a small meal and will finally start losing weight!

It just doesn't make any sense, does it? Why would all those unhealthy foods (even though they are solid) go down but the Proteins get stuck?? I always thought the band would help me get full faster regardless of the food that goes down (i'm referring to solid foods). I honestly never dreamed it wouldn't be the case. Why are you having Fluid taken out? Sorry, i didn't get your reason. Is it because you're not able to get all your protein in? Last night i had 4oz of grilled chicken with steamed broccoli and bit a of homemade lowfat cole slaw and i felt no restriction. I was surprised because i expected to have at least some restriction....hmm, wondering if the chicken was too wet from the bites of creamy cole slaw? Anyway, i didn't feel full so i had some quinoa that i had prepared for the family as a side. Had some watermelon about an hour later. I made an appt for monday for another fill. Part of me wants to get tighter so that i stop overeating. The other part of me is so scared of being too tight that i can't eat anything.... Today for Breakfast i had an egg white omelette with cheese on toasted whole wheat bread with tomato slices on the side. I cut it into 4's so that i remember to take small bites. In the past 2 weeks since my last fill i was able to get through 2 of those parts and had to wait about 1/2 hour to eat the other 2 parts of the sandwich. This morning, i ate all 4 pieces without feeling restriction (of course i was eating very slowly and took tiny bites). For lunch i had spinach pirogies (ate 6 of them) with cottage cheese and a salad with white Beans. I felt satisfied after that but i can't say i was stuffed. I stopped eating when i emptied the plate. Just had a Protein Bar for snack. Not sure what i'm having for dinner yet......

Thank you! You're right, if i was able to follow exact advice of the doc, i wouldn't need the band. This was why i was so depressed while on the eating plan that the nutritionist gave me. If i was able to eat like that all the time, i wouldnt have needed the band! It's frustrating. I agree, i think i'm overthinking by trying to follow what i'm told and am then frustrated and unhappy and just go off the plan to eat stuff i'm not supposed to eat. Thanks for your encouragement. I'm hoping to have some success soon.

The Balance bars (omg, the mint chocolate is DIVINE) are on sale at Shoprite this week (5 for $5). I think i'm going to call for another fill appt. While i've done better with my eating, i still feel like i could eat more after having my alloted portions.... The one good thing that i have been doing is exercising. I do a toning workout dvd in the mornings and then my hubby and i walk at night. I'm hoping that at least some of the extra calories i eat will be burned off from exercise but i do lead a somewhat sedentary life the rest of the time.

Thank you pugsx3. I'm feeling much better. If i was losing weight, all this wouldn't be an issue and i'd just be doing what works for me. It's because i was gaining weight that i had to see the nutritionist to get an eating plan in order. I just don't do well with strict menus. If i did, i wouldn't need the band. kwim? I have a few Balance Protein bars and will test out each of those flavors. The store didn't have any Zone bars so i'll check another store a different time.

You know, i think both of you are right. When i'm given restrictive food choices and i don't like my choices, i tend to retreat and do the opposite. I've always been much happier when i didn't have to constantly think about or plan my foods. The way you described how you eat, cindy, is what i heard about having the band is like and it's precisely why i chose it. Thank you for setting it straight for me. pugsx3, i will do just that. I will see how the greek yogurt does and how the cottage cheese with fruit does. I'd be happier with those than a salad with beans. The nut gave me the guidelines cuz i was gaining weight and not losing at all. I'm at a weight right now that was more than i was before surgery. The nut thinks that by giving me a restrictive food list as well as menu, i should start losing weight, but it only made/makes me miserable!!! Will hopefully get out tonite to try out some protein bars and stock up on greek yogurt!

See, that's where i have problems. My nutritionist says not to eat greek yogurt or cottage cheese or ricotta for meals because those are soft Proteins and they will go through the band quickly and not keep me full. For meals, she wants me to have solid proteins. I can have the yogurt or cottage cheese for snack. That's why i struggle with lunches. Having said that, i think i'm going to check out the Protein bars. I am not hungry in the mornings at all and find myself tighter then than during the rest of the day. It would alleviate the lunch struggles cuz then i would have the eggs on toast with veggies. Do you find yourself hungry between having a Protein Bar and lunch?

What is your average day's menu?

It's why i could never be on those high protein diets. Uch. When i told my nutritionist that i cannot eat a 4 egg white omelette (with cheese) for breakfast on its own, she said it was ok to put the omelette on a piece of whole grain toast and have tomato slices as well. So in each bite, i get something other than they gummy whites, kwim? I struggle with lunch, however. I don't like deli turkey or any deli. I don't eat fish. And i like to have chicken or beef for dinners. The only things i could possibly have as Proteins are Beans on salad or veggie burgers with salad, but i don't always have them on hand and i bore very easily. Like i said, for dinner, when i have my protein (which is a cooked meat, usually), i need to stack my fork with a piece of protein and the vegetable as well as some of the carb (i try to stick with just the veggie)

It can become quite embarassing when among other people.