roxa

I just saw this on another board. Maybe it explains why you threw the Jello up
"My discharge nurse told me to avoid jello at first. She said it can expand in the esophagus or stomach and not feel so good."
Maybe that is what happened to you?

I've always been a fast loser but thanks for the kind thoughts! It's not about how fast but whether I can keep it up and keep it off if you know what I mean. Started exercising for the first time since the banding and I am getting up at 5:30am to go to the gym pool. I do 40 minutes of laps and then go to work. People ask me all the time how I have lost so much so quickly and the truth is, I follow the doctor's orders pretty carefully. I really have it in my head that this is my new life and anything I did before including the negative thinking got me to be 426lbs at 40 years old. I am changing everything including my internal thoughts. It's hard but its working!
I also see a mental health counselor to help me work through my feelings. I'm finding myself telling people what I really think (because I am not stuffing my feelings down with food). It's very new for me and I sometimes get amotional about it. It's like I am breaking up with a long time love and it you have to relearn how to live differently.

I've had pasta no problem, only had rice once no problem (not dry white rice though. ONe of htose Unlce Ben mix things)I've had a few bites of corn bread but anything dry bothers me. I did have a half of piece of toasted garlic bread one night with no problems. Everyone is different. My doctor told me yesterday that once I get into the green zone I will want to avoid white sticky gooey types of bread, stringy stuff like celery, really dry meat. Thats about it.He also told me once I can have anything I want its just that I won't eat as much of it as I use to. I like his attitude.

I've had pasta no problem, only had rice once no problem (not dry white rice though. ONe of htose Unlce Ben mix things)I've had a few bites of corn bread but anything dry bothers me. I did have a half of piece of toasted garlic bread one night with no problems. Everyone is different. My doctor told me yesterday that once I get into the green zone I will want to avoid white sticky gooey types of bread, stringy stuff like celery, really dry meat. Thats about it.He also told me once I can have anything I want its just that I won't eat as much of it as I use to. I like his attitude.

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its true. I just came through "bandster hell" and had my first fill today. I didn't stress about it though. I read on here what to expect. I would eat and then get hungry 3 or 4 hours later but I'd go have a snack. I still lost a few pounds, didn't gain any, and knew it was short term.Hang in there!

This most certainly is a question for the doctor. I hope he can offer you some relief.

I promise it will get better! The heating pad helped me lots! Keep your pain meds on board until you feel yourself tolerating things better! Walk when you are awake! Otherwise rest!!

Not that you directed the questions to me, but thought I'd let you know that Protein shakes are good for hunger at this time.
I got 3cc in an empty band.

Don't be embarrassed. Think of how many things in your life you were unable to do on your own...Consider the band the training wheels on your bicycles. Before the training wheels you would wobble and fall over and over again. Just couldn't get your balance. The training wheels are on now. They have to be tweeked while you are learning. The band is helping you permanently change your physical and emotional health. We all need help sometimes.
It's refreshing that you are strong enough to admit you can't do it on your own. Together you and your band will meet your goals. Best wishes to you.

Non-eventful! Don't sweat it!

I had my third fill today. I had using my scale and it was showing that I did not lose weight. I got to the doctor's office and found out that I am finally below the 300 mark...I am do happy. I am going to stop using my scale and just take my weigh ins. I am so happy!

I only told my husband. it can be a lonely journey. sometimes i wish i could talk about it with other people but i dont want to be judged. its no-one elses business. i funded every penny of it myself with a loan that i'm still going to be paying in 2 years time! but i see it as worth every penny and i have no regrets. i feel that only people who have actually gone through this can truly understand. the good and bad.highs and lows.its good to have this website to turn to..

I have found that a cup of Swanson's vegetable broth really helps a lot! Especially at bed time when I am hungry. I have a cup of that and it helps me sleep. Who would ever believe that I would think vegetable broth is good! LOL

I don't know if these answers will fully tell you what you want, but this is what I understand. On the mushies gaining weight thing - no you will not gain weight so long as you are continuing to stay under your calorie limit for the day. A female human burns about 1700-1800 calories per day just to be alive (for heavier people this is higher) - that's sitting there, doing nothing, just continuing on - so even if you go from say 500 calories per day on broth and Jello to 900 calories per day on mushies you will still be well under this requirement and your body will have to use its fat stores just to keep going and make up that difference. You obviously wont be losing as much as you might if you are only doing liquids and jello, but that kind of diet is not sustainable or healthy for long periods of time. You should also focus on Protein and veggies rather than carb heavy foods like potatoes, etc. This will also help your body burn more of its fat stores.
on the GB vs band thing - I dont know exactly why they loose so much faster, but my understanding is that over a 5 year period, weightloss with both is virtually the exact same. In an incidental conversation where with my weightloss counsellor at my doctor's office about how I didnt understand why you would want to re-route your intestines he said that they would only recommend a bypass if a person literally had like 6 months to live unless they lost weight. It can lead to many issues with nutrient loss and something called dumping syndrome where the person's blood sugars go out of control because the stomach is what is supposed to absorb the sugars.
the band may take longer, but there are far less complications, and by losing the weight slower you reduce both heath problems and some things like extra, sagging skin, etc.
hope this helps!

Karan - How did your surgery go? Hopefully, you're getting lots of rest.
Roxa - So glad you're doing well. It's great that you listened to your body and just slept for the first few days. I'm sure that was very helpful for the healing process. I'm doing good. I had gotten a fill a few weeks ago. It was only .5cc, but over the last few days, I decided that it was just too much. I went in today and he took out .25cc. I feel so much better now.

Not teling anyone but my husband. Hate to put all that pressure on him for support but I want to keep it private. Most people I tell would not even know what a lap band is, I'd have to explain it and I'm not an expert yet. I just want to keep it private. If I change my mind, then I can tell. My children are under 8 years old so I am not going to tell them, but I will let them know I want to live a healthy lifestyle for them. I will raise them not to make rude comments about heavy people. I hope to be a role model for them by healthy eating and exercise. I will know when it is right to tell them. It helps to know others were successful at keeping it a secret too.

For starters I could tell you were a guy and yes it is harsh, no compassion but I don't need your simpathy nor anyone elses for that matter, that was not my intention on this posting. Let me shed some light for you. For the last 4 yrs of my 25 yr marriage I watched him become an alcoholic and lose a high paying corporate job due to his drinking and partying ways (he had been at that job for 22 yrs) and throw away an education and wonderful opportunity. Now with that said, I was tired of him coming home at wee hours of the night/morning drunk and me not knowing whether or not he was lying in a ditch dead from a wreck or passed out or out screwing around. We had a great marriage or so I thought but he had to entertain with his job and that came with liquor and he couldn't handle it and thus the drinking got worse. Then all of the sudden in Fall of '09 he came home from work and said I'm not happy I'm leaving, his excuse was I don't drink, I'm a Christian and I don't party and I never go to bars with him well I'm not about to change that now. He had bought a sports car, was out partying all of the time so I think he was going thru a little of a mid life crisis. In hind sight we did get married too young, never got to sew our wild oats but we travelled all over the world together and had fun and a great marriage and wonderful family times. All I was saying is, I miss being married, I miss having someone to snuggle with on the couch to watch TV with, to talk to, to go to the movies with, the companionship of a marriage. Who knows maybe your not married, I don't know. But when you are married as long as I was and that is all you knew since high school, being single all of the sudden is scary. A lot of jerks out there in the world. Not going to settle for just anyone the next time around. And to answer your question about my surgery, I had surgery June 13th of this year and it was the best decision I've ever made for myself. I didn't do it for him or to show him anything I did it for me and my health. I burried my dad 10 yrs ago last month from a massive heart attack from heart disease and being obese and I didn't want to fall in his foot steps and become a statistic so I had my surgery to save my life and become healthy. And to also remark to you, I would give anything to have my husband back but not in the condition that he's in nowadays, he's a drunk and is a changed man, certainly not the man I married 26 yrs ago and I know that is not likely. I'm not bitter towards him, we are actually friendly when we see or talk to each other, afterall he does pay me alimony and we do text/talk/email concerning this matter on occasion. All I was saying is that someday I want to remarry, have a Godly man in my life and one that can treat me like I should be treated. That is all I will say to you on this matter.

So far I can't see why anyone would think this is cheating! Maybe if your son went 14 days on a liquid diet, then the pain of surgery, then the thought of having to chew your food a thousand times before you can swallow, not to mention you will have diet restrictions where you didn't before, then maybe he wouldn't think it was cheating!
I said to my husband yesterday that getting the band will make me healthy which will make me live longer. I said in this day and age - what's the point? His answer to me was "watching your grandchildren grow up, get married and have babies of their own would make it worth it". Wise man

I've done it. Officially banded on the 25th. I seem to be having many of the same issues everyone else is. These forums are great! I love talking with fellow bandsters, feel like they can relate. I could get kuddos one sec & a smack up the head the next! Feels like home I pray everyone continues on this successful journey.

me too. I've been having really bad headaches which is unusual for me. I was starting to blame it on my pain meds. I've been taking extra strenght tylenol and it helps but as soon as they wear off the headache is back. Its not caffine withdrawal either. I've never had that problem so I dont' know why it would start now.

Just got home from surgery, pretty awake pain isn't bad just sore, let the healing begin!

We all know from here on out the holidays are fast approaching starting with the evil candy day of Halloween but I want to reflect what I have learned about the holidays. It's not about food anymore but spending quality time with the ones you love and cherish forever in your heart. It's about loving yourself and loving others and respecting your body now that you have a band or are getting banded. It's not a time to feel down because you're not eating a whole turkey dinner by your self and hoarding left over pie so no one else will get some. It's about not regaining what you have worked so hard to lose. It's not impossible to get through without gaining but losing. It's time to rethink your strategies of how you will cope now until the first of the year with your band. Don't let old habits come in to your mind. There will be a lot of temptation at work, home, friends homes, but saying no is not punishable by law. Saying no will not hurt you. Saying no will help you. Learning that the word no thank you can be the best words you will ever say in your life. To all of us having the will to survive and living through the holidays with the best attitudes that I will not let food defeat me this year or ever again. You can enjoy the holidays without dwelling on food.