armymom2012

Most of us worry ourselves to death about our weight loss goals, beat ourselves up if we gain a pound or don't lose enough in a months time. We also ponder daily about what foods we can and can not eat. For alot of us it is the biggest most drastic change of our lives, sometimes wondering if we made the right choice in getting the band in the first place. But after reading this article today about these kids who don't have a choice, it really gives me a whole new perspective in life and how lucky we really are. I realize that my years of bad choices is what got me here to begin with, but atleast I can say that as little as I eat today it is no comparison to what these kids and parents are going through. I may occasionally mourne the absence of my pizza, I loved so much or miss eating a dinner roll with that cinnamon butter at Texas Road House, but atleast I don't have to live my life eating from a tube or watching others eat their meal while I eat baby formula just to get a little nutrition. I could not imagine what their life could be like, never able to enjoy the simple luxuries we take for granit. So the next time I have to get a fill and drink liquids for a day or two afterwards, it won't seem like the end of the world anymore after knowing that they have to do it everyday. Hopefully one da soony their will be enough funding for research to find a cure for these people. Until then, I think we all need to be thankful for what we do have and realize we were lucky enough to be able to have a choice. http://news.yahoo.com/teen-eosinophils-esophagus-food-forbidden-142642060--abc-news-wellness.html

I have heard that before. I used to have cronic heel spurs, as well as 2 surgeries to try and get rid of the pain. Even after the last surgery, expensive inserts and multiple pairs of gym shoes, I was always in pain when trying to walk at the park, which at that point I just stopped exrcising all together. Then in January I had the Lap band done, now that I am 43 # down, I have noticed I no longer get pain in my heels or in the arch of my feet, even the knee pain is gettinmg much better. So as much as we want to blame the doctors for our aches and pains and treatment that doesn't seem to work, atleast in my case I can say weight loss was going to be the only cure to getting rid of the pain.

If you blend red meat up that is in the chili, it shouldn't be an issue. It's pretty much baby food at that point. I think what they meant was the consistancy more that the meat itself matters at that stage.

Blended Wendys Chili is good to. Looks terrible but it wonderful as long as you can handle a little spice. Seems tlike it brings the spices out more when it is blended down to baby food.

I had refried beans at that point and was fine. After all that liguid for so long it actually was my saving grace to staying full longer and the grumpies went away. I had to cater a sweet 16 B-day party that day for a friend of mine and luckily it was a Mexican Buffet:) I did take a beno prior to eating the beans though, just incase.

I was banded January 25. I have had 3 fills and up until the last one about 3 weeks ago, I didn't feel any restrictions at all. Try recording your food intake and up your protein. If I keep records of everything I eat, it lets me know what I might need to change and gives my bariatric nurses and doctor ideas in order to help me as well. I have lost 43 #'s half of that right after surgery, but if I didn't walk atleast 3 days a week and really watch what I eat and measure it. I could see where it would be easy to forget. My last filll, seems to be working for me, I can no longer eat steak or any bread or wheat wraps, as I found out last night and I now have to really abide by the rules or I get stuck, which I have a couple times already. Not a good feeling, but atleast I know it is working now. Good luck to you.

I had lap band surgery in January. Since then I have had 2 fills and I will have my 3rd one in the morning. I have 5cc in a 10cc band and so far I have felt no restrictions, no sliming or getting things stuck like alot of people I have heard on here. That part is good, but I am also able to eat pretty much whatever. Not that I do most of the time, but according to my doctor I should only be able to eat a half cup of food and no more than a cup. If I eat a half cup, I am starving in an hour, so most of the time it is a cup of food. Now saying that, I have consistantly lost weight each week and have now hit 40#'s. The problem is, since surgery I have had shoulder pain. At first they said it was due to gas from the surgery, then after a month I was told I was probably eating too fast or too much or maybe I had laid funny in surgery and now 3 months out, it doesn't matter if I eat at all. It will keep me up at night or be there in the morning before I eat anything. Yesterday I felt the burning in my shoulder all day. All I had to eat was decaf coffee with Protein mix for Breakast. 1/2 cup of very fine minced up Chicken salad for lunch and then I had a weight watcher cheese stick to hold me over until after the Lap Band meeting and dinner I had 1/2 cup Tuna salad, thinking maybe if I went down to 1/2 cup would help. All day my shoulder was burning and it still is this morning. I work in an office all day, so I know I haven't hurt anything lifting. I even bought a special chair in case it was because of that. The RN is not sure whats wrong and now seems to think I may have too much fill and may decide to take some out tomorrow. That worries me, because obviously I feel no restrictions, never have except right out of surgery. That is why I am frustrated. I told them about reading that sometimes a nerve in the diaphram can cause pain if the band rubs against it too much and he had never heard of that. I'd like to hear from any of you, if it still sounds like I am too full of fluid or not? And if not, what are your suggestions? I have also questioned if the band had moved or flipped, because last fill he kept hitting something hard, missing it every time until he pulled out the ultrasound machine to find the right spot. When I feel my stomach it is no longe a flat port spot, but more of a hard bubble, like the back side of the port, which would explain why it seemed as if he was hitting plastic or metal, but the RN in charge of the program says it could have been scar tissue causing trouble getting to it to. Scar tissue shouldn't sound like metal, I wouldn't think:( Frustrated!

For the last 3 months, the toes in my left foot are numb when I go to the park and walk. Yesterday I went to the foot doctor and he said I had a pretty good size pinched nerve causing it to flare up when I walk and that I need to come in every 2 weeks for the next couple months and get a shot. Between him and the Lap Band man, needles are making me a bit skiddish I just hope that since I am forced to slow down on the walking that I don't slow the weight loss process down too much. I told my husband, we need to get some bikes or something that can help while my foot heels. Any other advise would be great. I do have a pool, but it is still too cold for the next couple months, plus it's only an above ground round. Nothing that I can do laps in. Oh well, just venting.

I just recently had a pretty good size fill and the first few days I was aloud to have real food again, I had trouble with getting it down and had to stop and try again later. I also realized that I was probably not chewing it like I should and that I needed to slow down. I did however over the weekend get my first stuck eposode. Until then I never understood what that meant. Honestly I think it had to do more with the fact that I had been driving for over 2 hours out of town and stopped to eat when I was absolutely starving. Not a good thing, because it was only baked fish, but even tiny bites will get you caught up if you eat too fast. Even the water I sipped to try and get it down hurt. I finally had to walk out to the parking lot and thats when I finally got it to release. Yuckkkk. That had to be the worst feeling so far. It really made it hard to even breath. At first I though I might have gotten too much of a fill, but I think I am ok. It just takes getting used to having patience I think. And a constant effort to chew and slow down.

Where I tend to agree in most of your reply, yes people in Africa and people who have anorexia do live off of barely anything and can survive. (To a Point). There are still many more than die every day from malnutrition and starvation or suffer lasting health problems because of it. I should know, I had anorexia in my teens up till the time I was 20. There was a time that I ate barely enough to stay awake in the day, once an All Star softball player, I became someone I barely knew. I could no longer play ball, my grades were shot to hell because my mind was starving to. Unlike some young girls, I was able to finally snap out of it and realize that I had a problem and get help. Never realizing that 20 years later, I would be battling a totally different type of eating disorder of sorts. The difference now is that when I look in the mirror. It really is an over weight person stairing me in the face and instead of fearing it, I choose to work with it and not against it, by learning to eat right and not use food as a means of happiness and content anymore. Looking back I realize that was what I had been doing and at the end of the day, I was no more happier having that whole pizza than I would have been with just a slice.But back to the debate of whether being banded can put you into starvation mode or not, I really don't think so unless your mouth is wired shut. Because most of us could go awhile with little food as long as it was the right kind of food. Although I will say that even 3 weeks after surgery, I suffered extreme fatigue and problems focusing my eyes, where I never had an issue with before the extreme dieting prior to surgery. That is why I think after the annitial shock of starting the process, it is so important to take your Vitamins and learn about eating healthier. Because our bodies can tell us when something is not right, but you have to be in the frame of mind to listen to it.

Funny you said that. My son used to sleapwalk when he was younger and I would find him eating in the middle of the floor. That was the strangest thing I think I have ever seen and it's like I was just a daze to him. Too Funny:)

I am no nutritionist by any means so I couldn't tell you how to lose weight. Plus, I think everyone is different in how their body reacts to certain types of food and stressers in your life and whether you are male or female. It is proven men tend to lose quicker than women and still be able to eat more, even my doctor will tell you that. So although I can't totally disagree with B52 on some of his theories, you have to find what works best for you and be honest about it. A few weeks ago I lost 4# in one week. Usually I may lose a pound or two. I changed my diet around some that week, because I was slowly dragging throughout the day with no energy. I was having trouble getting my protein totals in for each day, because I couldn't stand drinking a protein shake. Then I decided to switch it up a bit and made homemade tuna, chicken salad, fish and even some turkey that week with almost every meal, even breakfast. Although I went from eating around 500-600 calories to nearly 900 I lost weight and stayed full much longer than I did trying a liquid diet of protein. So in my case adding more protein in the form of food choices is what helped me out. This past week, with finals coming up and working all day I didn't have the time to make all that stuff and did more of the old routine and only lost a half pound, still eating around 700 calories as well as walking a couple miles 4 days a week. But then again I am in this for the long hall. I was told that this was not going to be like bypass surgery and I would lose weight at a slower pace and I am fine with that, because past experience proved that if I tried to rush the process, more than likely I wasn't learning how to do it correctly in the first place. Put too much pressure on yourself to speed it up and your surely to fail somewher along the line when you hit one of those dreaded Plateus they tell us about.

I would watch taking diet pills because most of them are very large and unless you crush them, you may get them stuck, plus they are not very tasty when you have to break them in half either. I know, I used to be a yo yo fanatic on pills trying to loose weight. They will also make you crash hard when you get off of them to, which usually means you will start craving again and go right back to bad habits because before you were dependent on them to supress that urge. The whole point in getting the band is to train yourself to eat less, by measuring your food out and making smart food choices. It was never meant to be a miracle cure. I don't mean to sound harsh, because I know how frustrating it can be when you don't feel that it is helping you. It wasn't until last week when I finally got up to 6cc's that I noticed anything at all. The whole reason I have lost weight so far is because of self control, tracking my food and exercise and it wasn't easy by far. Now I understand what people mean by restrictions, before I wasn't sure what they meant exactly. Talk to your doctor and they will probably tell you to come in for a fill. I was told by my doctor that if you get a fill and it doesn't feel right, too much or too small if you get back in withing the week, there is no charge to fix it. Other doctors may be different but it's worth asking. Hang in there.

I didn't dream about food in my sleep, but I guess you could say I daydream about Pizza once in awhile

I totally get what your saying. I just recently went under 200. The feeling is amazing:) I'm really excited to hear you are off your blood pressure meds after loosing part of your weight. I was just talking to my husband last night after my weigh in at the Bariatric Clinic. My BP used to be around 160/80's and 90's, sometimes even higher at times. That is one of the main reasons I decided to have this surgery, especially after being admitted a few years back with over 200 BP reading. All I could think was I am too young to die at 40 over something I could learn to control and now as of yesterday I showed 110/72. Hopefully now I can start to get off the two BP pills I take everyday, that would be awesome. Good Luck to you.

I had severe cramping the second week after surgery. Like Mayme said, spasms can happen after surgery and make you think something is seriously wrong when it's just trying to heal. But then again, if it gets too bad, call your doctor. I actually went to the ER because I had to stop the car on my way home from work and have my husband take me to the hospital. Needless to say, alot of hospitals are not familiar with the band and are not sure how to determine what is going on. I was given every test in the world, IV, scans, you name it and the thing that helped eventually was the muscle relaxer in my IV. After that eposode, I was pretty much ok. Hope you get some relief soon.

I asked my doctor that recently and they told me that unless you can't get anything down, small portions will not trick your body into starvation, but like all diets eventually you will have to up the exercise because your system gets used to the same old routine and needs more to burn off the weight. It is also the reason why they push the daily vitamin, calcium routine to suppliment you with the things that we may be missing out on with a limited diet. Hope that helps you.

Good Luck. Your life is about to change for the better, you just might not realize it this evening when the meds wear off But I would do it all ove again, but just a whole lot sooner than I did.

Yvonne74, I have Tricare Prime North and my husband is Retired Navy. I had to do alot of the work and checking up on Tricare at first, because they can be really slow at times, but they paid for all but $50 at the time of my surgery. And my fills are a $12 co-pay. I would check with them again and find out why they are asking you to pay that much, unless they have you in as not approved by mistake. I was only approved because I had more than 2 co-morbilities causing health problems otherwise they would not have covered me, because I did not meet the 100# over weight status. Hope you get the answers you need.

So far, I am actually the opposit. For years when I was in my teens a hundred pounds soaking wet, I felt like I was fat all the time. Our minds have a way of playing tricks on us. Then in my 30's I started to just ignore the weight gain to the point my joints started to really bother me and I hated to go out with friends because I knew I had gained weight, but still never really did much to control and change it. I guess I just got to a point where I didn't care like I used to, now after 40# down I get really excited that I can look good in a pair of jeans again even if in a few weeks or so, I have to shop again for a different size and I still have a ways to go. Thrift stores, Ebay and yard sales have been my friend lately to save money. Plus it helps that I have an awesome husband and friends that cheer me on. Looking back at photos prior to surgery, I can't believe I let myself go like that. I think that is the hardest thing for me to see. Good luck on your journey, it will eventually sink in I'm sure.

I was missing my spicy foods, so blending a Wendy's chili was like heaven for me at that stage. A small will probably get you atleast 2 meals.

I agree to a point, but then again there are those like myself that at first had real issues with pain and tolerance of the band right after surgery. But, people also need to realize that it's not a magic pill either. Until last week, I felt no restrictions since right after surgery, most of my loss success had to do with watching what I eat and writing it down to be held accountable. Most people do not realize how much they actually eat unless they measure it and write it down. And if you think sitting on a couch is going to help, your in a dream world. It takes work and dedication to succeed. The way I figure if you have time to text and tweet during the day, you have time to work on a plan that will work for you. Mine is writing it down and planning my meals each day. Other than shoulder pain still, I don't regret having this band at all. It has already given me my life back to enjoy things I have missed out on for so long.

I have had a lot of issues with constipation since my January surgery. If it gets too bad, take milk of magnesia and if it persists I was told to take a daily stool softner. Since I hate taking all these pills all the time, I think what has helped me actually in the last few weeks was that I started to drink my decaf coffee of a morning with my chocoate protein powder. Drug free and I still get my protein. It really works for me and I was never a coffe drinker before surgery. But then coffe is a natural diuretic, so it makes sence that it helps:)

I actually still have problems drinking protein shakes if they are too thick and I was banded in January. So I have found that if I mix 1 scoop(Unjury Chocolate Splendor) in my large decaf coffee in the morning I have no problem drinking it, but right after surgery you will probably have trouble getting much down at first of anything, because of swelling and if they put a fill in at that time. Just make sure you get enough water to stay hydrated. Good luck.

I was banded 1/25 of this year and so far have lost 40#, but I also lost 28# about 2 weeks after surgery, do to swelling and the fill they put in at the time of surgery, that caused me not to want or be able to eat much. After that it seemed as if a mixture of walking 3 days a week, 2 miles and counting my calories ids what heped me after that. Now I have 6cc in a 10cc band as of last week and finally feel some restrictions. You might want to tell your doctor you think you may need a fill and see if that works. At first my doctor was hesitant, because he felt that at 5cc, I should have noticed a difference, but people are different, there is no magic number for everyone. Good Luck.