silly_weasel

Newbie, it's never too late! Whatever mistakes you've made in the past - you can learn from them and move on! Like the others said -get a new doctor, find a good nutritionist, join a support group, and get back to basics. You can take control of your life and make your band work for you! Don' t give up... you can do it!

Haha...I do the SAME THING...I have even gotten completely undressed in the middle of the afternoon to get a more accurate reading LOL

I also had the band with plication. My surgeon suggested it and I said why not. He told me it would lessen the likelyhood of slippage and also decrease the size of my stomach (basicaly they fold the stomach into itself and stitch it. Sort of like the sleeve without the cutting. Plus if I lose the band, I keep the plication and some people have been know to lose the weight with just the plication itself. I believe Carolinagirl hasnt had a fill yet and shes lost lots of weight. I have only had one fill thus far and even though, I believe the fills will help me lose it better, the plication has definitely helped so far.

I drink a LOT of coffee. My doctor said don't drink your calories, nothing specific about coffee, but I can't live without the stuff. I have 3 cups a day on average at work, flat whites, no sugar. If I didn't, they'd get cranky lellow, and no one wants cranky lellow. So I figure I'm doing the world a community service really by making sure I get my caffeine.

Thanks for sharing!! I know I need to start using some arm weights or my chicken wings are going to scare small children LOL

Newbie, it's never too late! Whatever mistakes you've made in the past - you can learn from them and move on! Like the others said -get a new doctor, find a good nutritionist, join a support group, and get back to basics. You can take control of your life and make your band work for you! Don' t give up... you can do it!

Well keeping with my italian heritage and love of fishing .to me that band looks like a piece of squid ring so i named mine calamari

I met a lady today who's had her band over 8 years and lost 135 pounds. She told me she would like to lose more weight and sometimes gets discouraged because she's not at goal. I asked her "Where do you think you'd be if you hadn't gotten the band and lost 135 pounds?" She thought for a moment then replied "Probably a good 200 pounds heavier than I am now". I then said "that makes you a huge a success then, don't you think?"
She smiled and agreed.
I firmly believe any pound lost is a success and that it doesn't matter how long it takes you lose weight, all that matters is that you're losing not gaining.

If all the above fail and you have a husband or boyfriend then some good ole fashion romp in the sheets is excellent exercise lol

Mawgrot, don't be hard on yourself. What's done is done and tomorrow is a new day! I'm just glad that you didn't hurt yourself Good luck with everything and hope things get easier for you in every aspect of your life!

Iler, the bad breath is caused by our high Protein - low carb diets.
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbliving/a/Is-Your-Low-Carb-Diet-Giving-You-Bad-Breath.htm

Just don't use it in the shower so you don't rinse it down your back and end up growing hair elsewhere!

Donna..Moroccan Oil is the one product I can't live without!!..love everything about it..the excess I have left on my hands after applying to my hair I rub on my elbows lol sounds weird but my elbows are super smooth!

Hi Brit,
Sliders are 2 things: 1)foods that can pass through the stoma without much resistance or 2) foods/liquids that can help normal foods pass through the stoma easier. Examples of sliders are liquids, foods that melt into liquid state, or solids that have lots of liquid that helps it pass.
Foods that pass easier: any drink, milkshakes, icecream, yogurts, Soups, chocolate, Cookies, sometimes cake (usually any junk food ahhah)
Foods that help foods pass easier: sauces, dressings, broths, applesauce,
(there's tons of example and I hope others will share theirs..but this is a good example to derive from)
While on topic..a side comment
Sliders are often referred to in a negative light. Examples are drinking your calories to avoid getting stuck. You tend to consume more calories if you do liquids (think milkshakes, junkfood) and people often either gain weight or are not getting the right nutrition.
However, sliders are also a +. For instance, I usually have trouble w/ chicken no matter how well I cook it. But if I put just a little bit of sauce, it's enough to help it slide through (not quickly but it doesnt bind and eventually get regurgitated) (same w/ pork chops and applesauce . This is a huge PLUS and we should be mindful of how to use certain foods to assist us if we have trouble foods that are actually good for us (like chicken)

I thought I was going to die!...It was the worst 2 weeks of my life, I do believe... But just think of the outcome and your goal!!! My nutritionist had my drinking 5 shakes a day..7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm and 4 oz. of Protein every third day...It made it allot easier, to think I could have some meat during this time. I made it special and went to the Outback Steak house...Awesome! The fifth day I was sick, called my nutritionist and she said it was normal and I was just detoxing from the sugar's and carbs...after that it was ok...I worked and slept and just tried to stay focused...I lost 22 lbs. in the 2 weeks before the surgery.... It was worth the suffering....YOU CAN DO IT!!! :)

It depends on who you ask.
Carbonation does expand in the stomach- that's a fact. The band issue is that because carbonated drinks pass through the band immediately they expand the stomach below the band, potentially pushing upward on the band. This can cause slips.
On a personal level, I think risking it with carbonation is foolish. When I had my surgery the woman sharing a room with me was there to have a band replacement. Her band slipped and her stomach prolapsed up through her band. She also regain 40 pounds. All this was a direct result of her drinking soda (carbonation).
I've gone through way too much to get where I am and refuse to risk it by making the same mistake that woman sharing my room made. It's just not worth it.

if you are walking and doing well, you are losing inches are you not??
then that is great......and you have lost alot...GREAT job...focus on how far you have came..and how you are doing instead of what are you doing wrong...just eat well, continue to exercise and believe
(in yourself)

You need to remember that you just had MAJOR surgery. Your body, and your mind all need healing still.
Try not to beat yourself up about taking time for you to recoup and relax. I know it's not the easiest thing to do, but you want to be successful and healthy in your weight loss.
I had a hard time dealing with stress as well without all my favorite comfort foods, but you will get by that. You will find new ways to cope with the stress when it comes along, and you will find that you rely less and less on the foods that are missing.
Please give yourself some love 60-70 hours a week is a LONG day. I know I work 10-12 hour days myself, and then go home and take care of a house full of kids and family members.
Call in if you need a day, even a mental health day and enjoy it!!!

I know this new habit of eating without drinking is pretty hard. I just really started to follow this rule because I noticed that I could eat more as the Fluid helped the food to flush down. Now I dont even get a drink when I eat...just so I am not tempted. If I am eating out, I dont order a drink at all, unless I know I will be there for a while... like a social function or something. At home, I time myself and get myself a drink after 30 minutes have passed. Good luck!

I have absolutely sabotaged myself. there is no doubt about that. I try to think positively about the whole experience but when i look at how far I could be, its discouraging. Thank you mattie for the encouragement and good luck to you as well.
June-I wish i could say the same that when i throw up it makes me not want to eat. It just makes me want to eat because i didnt get any of the food in. Good luck with your journey. I read some of our topics and good luck with the Tummy Tuck. Also if you click on any one of our tickers, you can create one yourself.
I think what i need to do is just get over it, and start as if this is a NEW process for me.

I can pretty much eat anything, except spaghetti. not ziti, rigatoni, just plain thin spaghetti. i now love brown rice sushi. three pieces only 80 calories.

I got to feeling this way too. In fact struggled with it for about a year. Except I got a fill that was to tight and I didn't go back. I kept getting sick and I felt like you, tired of it. So I ended up just eating whatever I wanted to and I gained 30lbs. I don't recommend that at all. I am just now, this week in fact getting back into it. So while I don't know the "fix" I have shared your feelings and at least you know you're not alone. Getting back to this site helped encourage me. I I I I

Along with food addiction you are also probably battling what is known as Bandster hell. Bandster hell is that period after right after surgery but still do not have any 'restriction'. Unfortunately, it is all on you to eat properly until such time you get the needed fills to a point where your band becomes utilized. I would definitely recommend finding a binge eater support group. It does get better in time and patience can be really tough at times. You have to not beat yourself up too much cause that could end up leading to more overeating. I had a serious food addiction especially junk food. chips, cheez its, ice cream and soda. I had it bad. Now with my band that is properly adjusted my head hunger is gone and I eat three meals and day with no snacking. Sometimes it amazes me how I have become a "recovered binge eater".
Hang in there and keep working at it. Remember this is a journey and there is a learning curve and missteps do happen. Forgiveness is very important. Keep up with your appointments and fills and you will see in time it will get better.
Best wishes..Jim

Does your doctors office offer any type of support or classes? I am pre-band as well but I am starting a class next week called, "The Hungry Head" that is aimed to help with the addiction we all face.
Try to keep a postive outlook. You may have "failed" (tho, I wouldn't even use this word) this once but that does not mean you are a failure. In fact, you're just starting out. Get support, where ever that may be and believe that you CAN do this! There is power in positive thinking... "I think I can, I think I can". I always say, "If you think you cannot do something, you're right". You have to believe in yourself, first.
I know it is hard and frustrating at times. Everyone has struggles and set backs but those do not define us or our ability to succeed and overcome our food addictions. The advice I have for you is to take it one day at a time, one meal at a time. Remember, just because you over eat at Breakfast doesn't mean the whole day is wasted. (I used to think like that!)
Chin up. Believe in yourself. You've got this!