La_madam

It could be not enough calories...I kep my caloric intake between 1200-1500 a day. Anything less for me and my body stores it and conserves it because it thinks I'm starving it! Also how many grams of protein is in that 700-850 calories a day? Is it atleast 60 grams?

I agree with Alex with this statement! So many people worry about weight loss right after surgery when any weight loss you have before a fill is a plus. This is the time to heal and get your strength back and tummy all healed up, band anchored in andset in place. then worry about weight loss..you will have years with your band to lose weight. An empty band usually will not promote much weight loss since the band works best when it is filled. WIthout a fill many of us can eat like we did pre band It is very hard otp get in 1000-1200 calories when you are on liquids and still have swelling from surgery. I know I could not do it,I just could not drink that much since I had so much swelling I was averaging 500-600 calories a day on liquids.

Has anyone heard from ShellyJ? The last I heard from her she was moving and had just gotten engaged. I have not seen her online in a long long time.

I buy the crystal light on the go singles they are for a 20 oz glass of water single servings ..I carry them in my purse and pour them in my water, they have lemonade, rasberry ice and peach ice tea. It makes it very easy to get my water intake in everyday. They are now available in the grocery stores in the koolaid/crystal light isle. Trpoicana also makes a sugar free fruit punch and orangeade in the can or bottle that have zero calories.

I drink coffee every morning..but I do NOT drink any carbonation caffine free or otherwise

lins are you having reflux? Have you called Dr. Ortiz? Have you gone to see him?

Of course they will since the band was designed ot be filled in order for it to work, It is normal to not lose weight without a fill. The first 6 weeks after surgery should not be focused on weight loss but on healing..you have the rest of your life with the band to lose the wieght. If you lose weight during the healing phase then great..it is a bonus for you. DOnt get discouraged...Let me warn you too, once you go from mushies to solids you most liekly wil lse a gain..that is normal. Dont freak out! Good Luck and hang in there

I would of been obese the rest of my life if it meant my only option was the RNY..It was never an option for me..to many risks...the band is the best thing I have ever done for myself. Just my take on it all..

Follow your Dr's post op instructions, they are there for a reason. Is cream of wheat worth any risk so soon post op? You can do it, just a few more days. We all have been where you are at. Hang in there

Count me in, I started riding my stationary bike again on August 9th and I just started back at the gym yesterday...I am going ot the gym tonight so I will post my exercise when I get home

If it were me I would demand that my Dr. check for a leak. Sounds strange, almost like you do have a slow leak..if you have restriction in thebeginning but it goes away in a couple of days and if the Dr. is not pulling out all of what he put in..I would beconcerned I have a leak. I would go in and aks him to remove all of my fluid and see if there is 9cc's like you said..if not then demand a leak test.

Take small bites No liquid calories Stay away from soft foods that go through the band quickly DOnt weigh yourself everyday... that is my rule

get yourself some Adult Strength liquid Tylenol, they sell it at Wal-Mart It works best. I too have a problem with tylenol in the pilkl f orm..PB every time

I do not know for certain if Dr. Ortiz has a referral plan, I know he was thinking of putting one together at one time . I know he gave me on because of the 5 friends I have snet to him in the last 16 months. My business has a referral program as well as my husbands business doesnt mean we are looking for something free by referring people. If you believe in something like a service you got it is only normal to refer people. I will continue to refer peopel to Dr. Ortiz because I believe in him, his experience and his abilities. PERIOD! Plain and Simple! P. S. I highly doubt if there is someone who is unhappy with their surgeon in MX and are not getting good aftercare that regardless of a free fill or something in return they would refer another person to him..again just my opinion. I know I wouldnt if I was an unhappy patient and had a band experience send anyone his way just for a free 100$ fill. I wouldnt want the risk of someone else having a bad experience on my concsiouness just for the sake of a free fill. My dentist has a referral programand a dman good one here in the U.S. but I would not refer anyone to her office, it is dirty and they are unorganized and Iam an unhappy patient and at the first chance I get to change dentists thorugh my insurance co on Sept 1st..I am going to

I'm a very happy & proud patient of Dr. Ortiz http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7160&highlight=bowel+obstruction

.I have gotten a free fill from a referral, but that is not why I promote him. I promote him because I beleive in him. I trust him completely. If I did not trust him or believe in him..I certainly would not send a patient to him just so I could get a free fill. I am in no need of fills any longer and only got 1 free fill out of the 5 I had since Iam just 5lbs from goal..and I would still send patients to him..in my opinion he is one of the best. I have sent 5 of my friends to him not because I got free fills but because these people saw my success with the band and wanted to have the band themselves, it is only normal that if a person is happy with their Dr. they are going to reccomend him to others if others ask about him regardless of any referral program. It's about helping others and getting the word out about the Lap Band that matters more to me then anything my Dr. can offer me free or otherwise. I beleive in the band and I believe in my Dr. Yes I have heard negative comments on my Dr. just like any other Mx Dr. but I know he is a good caring man from my own experience and that is all that matters to me and that is all I can go on, from my own experience. This is why I would reccomend him to anyone who asks me. I have had a fantastic experience in TJ with my MX Dr. My Dr. saved my life, not just from doing the band surgery..but from caring enough about me well after my surgery 1 yr post op when I had bowel obstruction and the Dr's here in the ER in the U.S would not operate on me since I had my band in TJ, The ER Dr. called my Dr. in TJ and told him what was going on , on his cell phone mind you and my Mx Dr. told me to get there ASAP.. I raced and I mean raced down to TJ at 90 mph and he and his staff were there literally waiting for at the front door of the hospital me to take me into surgery and fix my bowel obstruction. He saved my life, I was going to die if I did not have that surgery. He cared that much about me.

small sips of warm liquids, colder liquids will tighten you up where as warmer liquids will open you up..try some hot chamomile tea, it is very soothing..sip slowly

it has been my experience that the harder foods will feel as though they are stuck like chicken, beef, hard proteins, but the softer foods goes down much easier like eggs, cottage cheese softer proteins, this could be why you are hungry again so soon after you eat. The key is to fill your pouch with hard proteins not soft foods. Your pouch empties quicker with softer foods. Our bodies will give us a signal that it is time to stop or when we are full since we do not experience that full feeling anymore... your's could be the headache or the ears hurting..I know for me, my signal is I get an ice cream headache. When you get your headache or ear ache how much have you eaten? Whe nyou say you eat endless ammounts of some things, what are they? If they are softer foods or junk foods this is why you are hungry again sooner , they go through the pouch much quicker. I hope this makes some snes and helps you

Popsicles and Jello worked for me , it made me feel as though I was eating instead of just drinking...also orange juice helped me alot to curb hunger, ut stayed with me along time, how about trying a different protein drink with more protein in it, protein curbs hunger.

Iam 16 motnhs out..when I got to a restraunt I order either chicken, fish or beef, the first thing I do though is ask for a box and immediately put 1/2 of my meal in a to go container, this helps to not ever eat or to be tempted to nibble once you are done, then I have a meal for the next day or later that evening. It works great. I also leave one bite of each food on my plate regardless if Iam full or not, it is a behavior modification, changing from cleaning my plate clean....I eat my protein first, then veggies & salad, if there is room I then have my carbs.. THere are also times I orderfrom the kids menu or my husband and I split a meal..

I agree wit this 100%..I have been on a mjor plateau so on August 9th I started heavy duty exercising, riding my stationary bike 8 miles a day,swimming laps 45 minutes 5 days a week that is alot for me considering I have not exercised much since my band. The scale never moved. This week no bike for meno swimming...and the scale has moved..GO Figure! In the time my scale did not move I did notice a big change in my body shape...so something was happening. Just because the scale is not moving does not mean you are a failure...Other things are happening. I have said it a hunbdred times...Dont let the numbers on the scale dictate your success or faliures with the band. Think of all of the other possitive things that have started happening or happened since your band. Keep doingwhat you are doing...it will happen! Hang in there

Same thing happend to me the other morning but I remembered my password

1.8 is not too much, I have seen alot more in other people in their first fill. I was 1.1 with my first fill.

First off..stop getting on the scale , that is a sure way to sabatoge yourself and to get discouraged. Secondly, remember you have no fill yet. The band works when it is filled. Once you start getting your fills, you will notcie a change Thirdly, you can not comapre yourself to others, this is not about anyone else's experience but yours. We all have different metabolisms, different starting weights, different BMI's we all lose at different paces. Have you ever lost 8 lbs in 3 weeks before on your own without the band? Most liekly NOT or you wouldnt have opted to get the band. You're going to do just fine with your band. Give it time, thie first 6 weeks is for healing, any wieght loss is just a bonus. You have the rest of your life with this band, we did not gain this weight overnight, and it will not fall off overnight. It takes time...keep that mindset..this is not a race. You will succeed!!! Keep your head up! Don't get down, you can do this. YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE

I love to put a tri tip in the crock pot in , in the morning and come home an dinner is done. Tri tip i nthe crock pot is the best, it falls apart, makes great shredded beef tacos. Love doing the corned beef and pot roast also. I have modified a few of my caserole recipes too to work i nthe crockpot. No fuss, no mess!