#MagicWithinme

Hi, First of all we always will need support!!!!! so don't cut yourself short, its a big decision we made, and I for one am one that needs my hand held and butt pushed up the proverbial weight hill. Today is my 4 week banded and I've lost weight that Im shocked, I guess I kinda didn't really expect it. We sent our bodys into shock, all of sudden cutting off all the carbs and sweets that it is physically craving those things in headaches, body grumblings, you name it. We are eating healthy now and I think of it as my body trying to rebel. But I have to be stronger. yes in the am's I get the nausea, and I brush my teeth, until I get all the nausea out. And I got used to drinking my Protein drink hot (like hot chocolate) and that does help loosen up the tummy. I tried cold off and on and its not the same. medications , I still take in am, because I want them to take effect as soon as possible. but I break in half so they don't get stuck. and we have to HAVE to drink more liquids. Did I say drink more liquids because if I didn't we have to drink more liquids. I know for myself because of weight loss the medications will have a stronger effect on us and we should see md to adjust if necessary . lightheaded, dizzy.. You are drinking with your meals? thats supposed to be a no no, because then you are pushing your food through and the body will continue to be hungry, before and after meals , time frame Ive seen is different I've seen from 15 min to 60 min but you judge that yourself. have you tried mocha flavored Protein shakes? maybe that would help your coffee craving? You are not alone, many people experience what I have come to know as Bandster Hell. but its does get better Im told. and I believe that. I wish you well, and never fear to ask anything on this site, someone has at one time probably gone through it.

Hugs and support, and reminders, in a nice gentle way. And yes eating away from house if you get hungry for a burger or something, my poor hubby would say he needed to go get something and I found out later he went to go to a mcdonalds a block away and ate in the truck. And help by following some of diet, its not that bad, and you'll be surprised. My hubby makes my shakes for me and he has started drinking them too. And continue to read the forum you will glean so much so much information on sitee. He's cook of house, so he cooks with thoughts of smaller porportions. And just love , love love her. this change is for the both of you. good luck

thanks Andrea

I was just telling hubby it used to be so easy to eat these things before being banded and now we look at everything, we eat, watching the labels even more. Great start!

yup, me too and if someone doesn't eat, automatically they are sick.. havent had a family gathering yet will be interesting!

speaking for myself, I have gone to the therapist not necessarily because i'm having problems but for confirmation/reassurance that Im doing things right, handling situations , letting go of unnecessary mental luggage. Taking care of me!

We've been so used to inhaling, gulping, shoveling, (storing in our cheeks) food for so long, it was an easy slip. so easy. I have to remember to take small bites even with a baby spoon. Right now I worry about planning the days meals,enough prooein, veggies, starches, the timing of the meals.. enough liquids, and then to handle the days stresses, yea, its a big juggle.. The biggest thing is that you realized your error and felt the reprocussions, and you arent likely to do that again (at least for a while) I love your posts girl!

I think most of us are all in that state of being the caregivers the ones that do for others to the point we didnt take care of ourselves , but now is our time, (Im saying this to myself as much to you) lets do this..

its so hard, hard not to have that someone next to you, but you have to stay strong, we made the right choice, even though it doesnt feel like it right ow, and we keep telling ourselves it is, there is so much support here, you wont feel down for long... take care and best of luck

I said the same thing if I had really known about all the restrictions I wouldnt have gone through with lapband, but we need to give this a chance now that we did do it. Im only 3 weeks out, and have so much support than I suspected, People want us to succeed so we should too. my dr said for now 4-6 small meals with snacks inbetween if I get hungry. and lots and lots of liquids. until I get a fill and start getting restrictions. (And I would have lied to the dietician too!)

I vote morelgirl as President! You voiced exactly what I feel, and now have no problem voicing on this site because I know someone will totally understand what I mean or trying to, what I feel, fustration or glad I did something right one day.. we are like baby chicks right now, all chirping the same thing, but we will succeed, and we have each other for support.

you will be able to support each othe, how awesome is that!

I experience some stomach discomfort but my head starts hurting its what I notice more and want to take care of , before I had the lapband I always made sure I was regular, its gonna be even more important, and yes Proteins don't come out easy. Right now I will eat some applesauce and that helps ALOT when its been a day or two, but Im gonna look at other stuff, to keep me regular daily. All these learning experiences......... I've lost 33 lbs, and my face is clearer, I can sleep on my stomach more comfortably sleep apnea very rare. Once I get my food cycle situated where Im eating and its comfortable Im gonna get out of my comfort zone (sofa) and start my walking again. Good luck everyone, lets go forward!

I like the responses from all those who have been banded before us newbies. I guess part of our thinking is out of desperation for the weight to already start dropping, No one really explained to me, (or I wasnt paying attention to be fair). yes they said it was a process, but one I thought would kick off faster than it is now. Im trying not to be a whiner, I started a personal log of my daily feelings, of what Im feeling, what Im eating, and doing, I want to look back on this in the future when whether Ive reached my goal or not. thanks

could it be you arent eating enough? I know that was my problem. now that I eat abit more and small snacks inbetween? 4-6 meals, a bit better. its quite a challenge for th itese day, to preplan meals, I honestly didnt worry about protein in every meal, but you will get lots of information on this site

I eat guadamole with no problems yet, only a few tablespoons for snack with crackers, Im still looking for something that keeps me regular without taking meds.

love the boyfriend or the cat???? hahah

oh no Im the same way, when Im exercising I had to arrive to the gym, at a certain time,otherwise I considered myself late, exercise for so long, and even though I alternated my routines it would throw me if the machines werent available. If I couldnt do exercise for a few days I was like a caged animal literally pacing, I figured out that I could take brisk walks during breaks to get my heart going . Right now Im taking mini walks before I hit the hard stuff again.,, thats just the way we roll!

congratulations, maay be learn from you as we start some of our travels,

i have a bump on my stomach, I walk around rubbing it like a baby, (it could still be stomach fat) but its comforting for me right now...heheh

I know I read somewhere becareful of fruit with skins like grapes,

I know for myself when I started this process I didn't think I weighed enough. Simply because I didn't look big. But the scale said different. and of course what people would say when I would tell them I was thinking of getting lapband, oh you dont need it you arent that big. I went to seminars and saw people larger than me and Im sure they asked themselves what was I doing there. Maybe I didn't look big, but the extra weight I carried brought on so many health problems that my quality of life sucked. I went throught the process of labs, therapists, nutritionists and seriously at every one, I expected one to say oh you don't need it. But every door was open everyone was encouraging and even though I chickened out the first date of surgery I went through the 2nd time.I was in a better frame of mind, and so ready to loose weight that I have followed drs restrictions to the T and have been lucky to have lost a good amount of weight so far. Yes Im having problems right now with the right foods, eough proteins, but I now know Im not the only one and that helps in itself to know and speaking for myself, I still have alot of insecurities, alot of doubts but I know that I chose the right path, and the way my body feels is telling me so. And I will continue on this path and I hope you do too, don't worry about anybody else, this is your journey.

Thank you, I track my foods on mylapbandjourney and it looks like I havent been getting enough proteins even with snack, yeah one of the bad (was it really bad at the time) is only eating 3 times a day and I had just broken away from having snacks. so it was just water in between. My snacks were usually nuts or trailmix or seesame sticks. or veggies. so now to go back to that, I think whats happened is I did this to my body but my mind doesn't know it yet, and they still arent in sync. Yesterday was better as I took in my food slower, took sips, SIPS and I had 5 of the small nutter butter cookies snack I was ok till dinner when I tried a turkey hotdog, and ranch beans, the beans were ok, but I think the hotdog was too chewy. I should of drank a protein drink. Yeah I stand on the scale and it doesn't move but I can tell I melting away. I don't have any fills yet. Thanks for the advise.

I catch myself rubbing it, like a baby... lol

I have to remember that its not just my mind that is going through alot its my stomach as well. The retraining is hand in hand for both and when I eat I have to take both into account. Its not easy right now, I'm the first today admit it (today) Im like everyone else, I don't want to fail, or think that I've wasted everyones time and money on a failure. I can see if I was 6-9 months out but Im barely 3 weeks out, what a wimp I am.. but I feel so much better after venting and reading on here for answers.. I hope you do too.