daveintoronto

Hello guys, I am trying to establish a diet, I know that is a bad word here but it is what it is. I would like to understand what other people eat each day and are able to lose weight with. Please be as detailed as possible; -What you eat and in what order (recipes) -Quantities (cup/ounces) -When do you eat/how often I believe that if I lay something out that I know works for others I will be able to follow it. I will stop second guessing if I am satisfied or I am truly hungry. I will be able to get the band adjusted for these quantities (kind of a reverse engineering). If there are other threads on this then I appoligize but all I could find were recipes for women which is not enough food for me. Thanks in advance.

I went for a fill yesterday, when i descibed everything to the nurse she said i needed a fill. We put back in the 1/2 CC i had removed a while ago because it was too tight. I woke last night 3 times with acid reflux, I did not eat naything after 9:00 pm I promise and I am only on full fluids. I know when I lay down I shut the band off completely so I try to not have anything in there before I go to bed. I thought I had achieved that last night but as I said I woke three times coughing acid. Should I get .25 CC removed? Can it come down to .25 CC or should I just battle through this, lose some weight and in the process loosen the band? Suggestions and thanks?

Hi Jack, I do not feel this way at all, I actually really appreciate your time and experience. You have been doing this for a long time now and have lost a lot of weight with the band. You are a good example of what can be achieved. The fact is that I am coming to the realization that this is still a "diet". Yes we have different tools to help us control what and how much we eat but we also need to eat the right things, not just less things. Your tips on training myself to understand the difference between hunger and being satisfied are good. I guess I just thought that I would have the band installed, find the correct restriction so eat less and the weight would come off, wrong! -I need to plan meals and sizes (lay out a diet) -I need to track what I eat and when I eat it -I need to stop whenever I can and only eat when I am hungry. -I need to exersice Agreed?

Hi Bigsexy, I have the same thing happen that you do. I eat, then wait and I feel it pass through then I eat some more. Does this mean that we do not have enough restriction? Anyone?

Wow Jack, I really appreciate your responses. I think I am starting to understand. I have a fill scheduled for tomorrow so I will start the process of learning the difference between "hungry" and "SATIETY". I also appreciate the tips on volume and amounts of food you are able eat at a given meal. This will help a lot while I learn to eat smaller portions while I look for "SATIETY". Is there a suggested eating guide? Something that provides amounts? Should I just settle on a cup of whaterever at a time and go from there? I really appreciate you help on this, I will read your replies again and again.

Hi guys, sorry I have been away for a while, I had a bit of a health scare but now I am back now and ready to lose weight but I need help. I had my band installed in April 07, it was July before I was able to get enough restriction on it to actually feel it working but I have not lost weight. I would like to understand what you feel when you have the band working correctly. When I was trying to get it adjusted correctly all that really happened was that whenever I tried to eat more then a few bites I would PB. I did not feel full, I only ever felt like I needed to PB, is this now what full feels like? My question is what do you feel when you have the band in the sweet spot. Do you PB a lot? What is the volume you are able to eat in one meal? I have a band, I want to lose weight, I am ready to make this work but I do not know how to do it. Right now the band is somewhat restricted. I mean sometimes I can not get anything down but most of the time I just chew well and wait for it to pass then either PB or I feel it pass and I eat some more. What am I doing wrong? Thanks Dave

The aircraft is pressurized so that the passengers are comfortable, unfortunatly it is the same pressure as being at 16,000 feet above Sea Level. This can change the pressure you feel on your band. I suggest that you do not eat much before the flight so that there is room for everything to move. Good luck Dave

Hi Bigdaddynomo, I do not feel full either, I feel a lump after eating too fast or not chewing well enough. When I feel this lump I usually end up with a BP. I then go back and eat some more but of course I do not have good restriction at this time however. Is this how it will be in the future? I will eat until I feel the lump, BP and stop eating? Is the food that I bring up actually from the pouch or is it the food that will not fit in the pouch? Thanks

Thanks Bigdaddynomo for the response. Follow-on question if I may, how is it that I can not drink and keep down two ounces of water but I am suppose to be anle to eat 5 ounces of food? I guess i still do not understand how the pouch works. Thanks Dave

Gentlemen, I have a question. I just went for my first fill last Friday, they put in 5 cc which I understand is pretty standard for the first fill. I went out and drank maybe 2 to 3 ounces of water, it came back up. This meant that the band was too full and therefore they took 1 cc out. This all makes sense to me except for the fact that I feel very little restriction. As long as i take small bites and chew well i can eat whatever i want. I was surprised at this, can 1 cc make that much of a difference? has anyone experienced this? Thanks Dave

Hey BigJake, no one at work knows anything about my band, in fact only my wife and daughter know and only because they live here. Everyone is different but fo me after the first 7 to 10 days I was eating again pretty much whatever I wanted as long as I chewed well. The band is a tool, it will help you reduce the amount of food you eat, if you use it well thaen you will lose weight. If you abuse it then you will not. You will be asked to go on a pre-op diet and the first week is rough so you will lose weight then. You will then have to wait until you can get a fill in order to start the long road to permanent weight loss. I would like to talk to you again in 5 years about if you feel guilty. I will wager your friend will put the 50 pounds back on and more and you will be telling him how you have lost weight and kept it off. Good Luck

Hi JamesA, it sounds like we are on similar paths. I lost some weight pre-surgery by means of a virus and the diet. I then had a rough week after surgery so I am sure I lost a little more then. After about ten days though I could eat just about anything I wanted as long as I chewed it very well. Since then I have been eating pretty much what I use to while i wait for a fill. My firstfill is not scheduled until May 25th, another 4 weeks away. I just hope that i will feel some restriction from my first fill but it does not sound like I will. Oh well, this is a long journey not an instant fix, I look forward to getting on with the next stage.

Hey Jesse, I can't believe that you have never had a fil. Do you feel restriction or is this will power on your part? I took a look at the before picture, it doesn't even look like you!

Hi there RicT, I think you will enjoy the forum, keep us informed as to how you are doing. I was banded on April 5th so i am just ahead of you in the cycle. I am not feeling too much restriction right now so I am realying on being able to just follow the diet and you know how well I have done with that so far. What I like about this forum is that you can talk to guys who have experienced everything we are going to. Hey Jesse, 112 pounds lost, wow, you look great! (I mean that in a guy way) Tell us about your journey!

Hello everyone, I was banded on April 5th (13 days ago) and I feel no restriction what soever, it is hard to eat pureed food when you know you can eat anyting you want as long as you chew it up well. I am not schedule for a fill until May 25th which is so long to wait. I would like to be losing weight now and without the help of the band I am concerned that my inability to diet on my own..... Is anyone else not feeling any restriction?

Gatetlady, this is the stupid thing I have ever heard. The lobby against the environment concerns is not just a multiple billion dollar industry, it is the worlds economy. Just because you do not want to hear it doesn't make it a lie. I better leave before I say something I will regret...

Don't be silly, with the amount of chemicals we are pumping into the atmosphere every day by buring fuels at an abnormal rate we must be doing something to the environment. It doesn't take a scientist to realize that the number of lung related illness is growing, just ask anyone with kids. I laugh when I see parents drive their asthma stricten children to the hospital in an SUV. Don't be fools, improve your carbon footprint or die! It may very well be a normal cycle for the earth to burns fuels and change the chemical balance in the atmosphere, the problem is that this cycle can not sustain life, lol!

Hi Cashley, I know what you mean, I am 12 days post surgery and I can eat whatever I want. Five days ago I thought I broke my stomach and was eating under 1,000 calaries a day and now nothing. I am going to call the clinic tomorrow and see if I can schedule my fill for an earlier day.

Hi guys, I am doing well, very well. Things have settled down really well. I do not feeling the band like I use to and I have also noticed that I can eat more then I thought I would be able too. I guess I heal well. I did have some dry heaves about 4 days after, do you think I could have done damage or moved the band? I am not too worried, I had heard that this happens and that I just have to get the fills done until there is restriction again.

Well it has been a week now since my surgery so I thought I would recap my experiences in hopes of either helping someone else or to learn if everything is normal.<O:p</O:p Day 1- Surgery was at 3:30pm on April 5<SUP>th</SUP>. I was upset that I had to stay overnight at the clinic after the procedure, you see to me the easier is it to do the less serious it is. Or at least that is what I thought. Woke up in recovery and struggled with the grogginess but overall felt good. I was glad to hear that there were no problems and my little friend had been install. In the end I was glad that I stayed at the clinic, I drank a little water through the evening, got a demurral shot and a little pill under my tongue to help me sleep and off to dream land I went. <O:p</O:p<O:p</O:p Day 2 – Up and about by 6:00 AM at the clinic, they have to have us out by 6:45 AM, I don’t understand that, maybe they would have to pay the nurses more…. Went home by Taxi, no real pain, water still going down fine and urinating regularly. Took my pills (I take something for Diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure as well as thyroid) by mixing them with water, swirling it around in a small glass and taking gulps, taste terrible. Napped in the afternoon, walked the dog a couple of times to get some walking in. Added clear fluids like cut apple juice and flavoured water, everything is fine. That night I crushed up a couple of pain pills and put another little pill under my tongue (I have my own supple, that’s another story) and off to sleep I went. Oh yeah, took my blood sugar and it was under 7 so no need for insulin tonight! <O:p</O:p<O:p</O:p Day 3 – Much like day 2 – just clear fluids and lots of peeing. Felt good but tired quickly in the afternoon. I would take pain pills and lay down when I felt pain or nausea. Did my homework (taking a Master course on-line), it was tough to focus and read. Sugar was under 6 tonight so no insulin. <O:p</O:p<O:p</O:p Day 4 – Almost a copy of day 3, I added a few full fluids like <ST1:p<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comCampbell</st1:City></ST1:p’s Soup-in-Hand, very well. Felt a little nausea all day, like I was on the verge of being sick. Did not feel much like eating but started to worry about not eating enough, I was not coming anywhere near the 1,500 calories recommended. <O:p</O:p<O:p</O:p Day 5 – The morning was the new normal, felt a nauseated all the time, force myself to drink. That evening I jumped on a plane<ST1:p</ST1:p. The flight down was rough, I felt sick to my stomach all the way down and I had terrible gas. Now let me explain, since having my little friend installed I have two types of gas now. Gas above the band and gas below the band. I seem to have lost the ability to burp on command! I use to gulp air and burp whenever I wanted, it was a great way to assist the gas that was having a hard time making its way out, and it does not work any more. It hurts if I tried to gulp and it hurts if I burp. Gas-X and Tums helps but. Now there is the gas below the band, all I have to say is wow, did I have gas. I think they must have charcoal in the seats because I did not smell anything but boy was I letting them rip. All the way down, it was helping with the pressure and the nausea as well. I made it into Dallas <ST1:p</ST1:pokay; I was hungry so I bought all the wrong things at the hotel, ice cream, chocolate (I deserved it) and Apple Juice. I did not each much of the sweets but it was enough to keep me up most of the night. I just could not sleep (sugar high). <O:p</O:p<O:p</O:p Day 6 – Meetings went well and I heading back to the airport early. I bought some milk, apple juice and water and oh yeah, a smoothie. The smoothie was great, the milk was filling and good protein intake and I mixed the apple juice and the water. I was full! I got on the plane with my half bottle of milk and my mixed apple juice and we took off. I could feel this horrible pressure in my stomach. I started to feel sick and knew I was going to vomit, I grabbed an airsick bag and headed to the back of the plane. A few dry-heaves later and some gas (from both ends) and I felt better. What the hell was that I thought? Turns out that they pressurize the plane to 8,000 feet which is the same as a high mountain, my full stomach was under pressure and I was lucky I did not get sick. Lesson learned, do not go on a plane with a full stomach! <O:p</O:p<O:p</O:p Day 7 – Normal day, still fighting nausea, no wonder this stupid thing works, who wants to eat when you are always feeling sick to your stomach! Started drinking protein drinks to get the nutrient I need in my diet. I was at a reception that night and they were walking around with crackers, mini hamburgers and I did want any of it. <O:p</O:p<O:p</O:p Day 8 – I am feeling better, I had some chicken noodle soup and ate the very soft noodles and contents and kept it down. I had some very moist salmon and the inside of a bake potato, it was great and it felt good to eat something, I was taking sips of water between bites to get the food to wash down (I know this is not what bandsters are suppose to do, kind of defeats the band eh?). Slept well. <O:p</O:p<O:p</O:p Day 9 – today, started the day with coffee and oatmeal mixed with milk, it was great! I feel great! I do not have the nausea I had before, am I healing? Is this normal? I believe that between now and the first fill I basically do not have a band in the sense that I can get food past it now. Between now and my first fill will require me to eat soft food but the quality does not seem to be limited by the band, is this correct? <O:p</O:p<O:p</O:p Cheers guys<O:p</O:p <O:p</O:p Dave<O:p</O:p

Okay silly question, when can I drink regular coffee again?

TerriDoodle, Cred and kitty, thanks for your responses. I too learned of the breathing exersices on this board and I have been doing them, amybe not as often as I should be. I feel better just knowing that others have felt the sames pains and tightness that I have. I will try more breathing, more walking and more gas-x, thanks everyone.

Hello everyone, I was banded on Thursday April 5th and I just want to check that everyone is feeling the same way I am. Day of surgery, water only, just sips, took pain medicine, felt some pain in the shoulder but was fine when I laid down. Day two, liquids, water, fruit juices cut, protien mixed with water, I felt some shoulder pain and I also noticed that the lungs felt tight when I took a deep breath but I am able to cough just fine. I also noticed what I would call a burp but nothing like I am use to. I feel a pressure in the stomach and then a slight burp and relief. I am thinking it is in the area of the band. Day three, similar to day two, had two naps and took pain meds. Still feeling the burping pressue build up then relief. Day four, feeling better today, lungs still feel tight when I take deep breaths but caoghing is fine, no meds required. I am still feeling the pressure but it does not seem as bad. I had that soup in a cup today, it went down just fine. Anyone have the same symptoms as me?

Coming up on 24 hours, all is well. I am drinking water, broth and diluted -juices. I have taken the few Gas-X chewable pills and that seems to help. I slept well lats night, almost 8 hours with the help of a few drugs. I messed up my ticker last time I posted, it should be correct this time. Between the flu and the pre-op diet I am down almoxt 30 lbs, wow!

all done, check out the ticker Dave