mrsto

Chez - though I didn't "diet" prior to surgery (other than two weeks pre-op), I DID start taking small bites; eating slowly and chewing thoroughly. My husband would look at me & ask "how does that feel?" I told him that it was very different & hard. But I also told him that I noticed a huge difference in when I was truly satisfied, and it was certainly with a lot less than if I wolfed the food down.

I didn't do the last supper thing, because I'd been living a life of "last suppers", and felt that I'd already eaten any and everything I could want. I was so disgusted with myself by the time I scheduled surgery, and couldn't stand the thought of gaining even one more pound. THAT being said, I completely understand the behavior. Lets face it, I (any of us) didn't get to where we are, because we had/have a healthy relationship with food

AGREE on all counts!

At the end of the day, we have to live with our OWN choices and decisions. As my mother always used to tell me, when you eat poorly, you aren't fooling anyone but yourself. If I (or anyone else) stops losing weight because of poor choices, then it's our issue to deal with. My friend's sister recently told me that someone she works with has the band. She said that the woman lost a bunch of weight, but has gained a lot back. She also said that the woman told her that she's not doing anything wrong....or different. My response was.......YES she is! The band isn't failing her; she is failing the band. Weight doesn't mysteriously start reappearing, when eating controlled band size portions & counting calories. I guess some people will continue to live in denial, until they are truly ready to take another path......band or no band.

I thought that, too. Then I asked my doctor if the diet progression is about introducing foods slowly, to make sure you don't get sick, or is it about the healing process. He said that it's ALL about the healing. He said that patients that jump ahead on the progression, are the ones that usually have problems.

Totally agree!

FUNNY - about not remembering the movie, but remembering the food! I SO GET IT!! My first slip was ALSO on movie popcorn. I didn't order my own, but had my hand in my husband's. I went home & logged the calories, but I felt bad because it was "off program". I ate it SO slow, because I was afraid of having "an event". Well, the sky didn't fall, and I had no pain, PBs, stuck, etc. But also, I was already on solid food. But to be perfectly honest here, I can't say that I won't do popcorn at the movies again. My whole goal of this surgery was not to deprive myself, but be able to enjoy life, while eating much less food. If I start to feel deprived, it's all over! When I told the nurse at my doc's office about the popcorn, she gave me a hard time......as they do whenever you report that you haven't been perfect. So I listen, knowing well and good that I will do what I'm going to do, anyway. I've made SO MANY changes and adjustments since surgery, and I'm very careful about picking and choosing the little (not so perfect) things I do. That's the only thing that has made this process livable. Otherwise....I'm miserable, and will throw the ENTIRE process down the toidy.

I'm down 25 pounds, and can't see the port through my skin. I can certainly feel it when I press that area, though. I've read posts of people saying that their ports visually stick out. I also know that there are two types of ports; the standard one (which is mostly done at the time of surgery), and now they have a low profile port. I've known a couple of people who had their ports changed to a low profile, after they'd lost all of their weight. I think it also depends where the port is placed. Mine is about 1/2 inch below my belly button, and off to the left. He strategically placed it there, based on my anatomy. I can't imagine seeing it stick out there, but time will tell.

That's where is may end up, but he wants to make sure that nothing more serious is going on.

No, but I may do that today!

PS: The liquid phase is difficult for everyone; blood sugar issues or not. I also felt that I wasn't getting enough nutrition (in a way, I still feel that way since fruit & veggies are such a small part of my eating). Just make sure to take all of the recommended supplements. I was so bad at vitamins prior to surgery, but I'm really good with them now :-)

During the liquid phase, you eat more often than when on solid foods. As I recall, I had a Protein Shake first thing in the morning, and when I got hungry, had either another one, or some Soup. Even though fruit juices are allowed, I highly recommend staying away from them. TOO much sugar! Even before surgery, I could not drink juice; with or without a meal. The sugar played havoc with my blood sugar, and I'd spend the rest of the day eating horribly to stabilize it. I always envied people (like my father) who could have pie and coffee for Breakfast, and go on his merry way.....like nothing! That type of breakfast would send me to the ER! I think you'll be just fine. Just make sure that Protein is the first thing that you ingest. And make sure that you never leave the house without something in your purse. During the liquid phase, that can be a ready made shake...like Premier Protein (something along those lines).

I have reactive hypoglycemia, and I've been totally fine since surgery. I think because I'm eating high Protein at every meal, it keeps me stable for longer periods. I did talk with my doctor about this, and he told me that if I ABSOLUTELY started to get shaky & needed to eat something in between meals, he suggested that I split my meal; eat half at mealtime, and the other half in between. You can break your calories up throughout the day, but the reality is, the band is built to work on three meals a day. And I have to say, I've been totally fine......for the most part. The only time I've had a blood sugar episode, is if I eat something higher in carbs than protein. My body lets me know!

Yeah, good'ol Milk of Mag......never lets me down

Alcohol is killer when trying to lose weight. Up until last Sunday, I hadn't had anything for three months. I decided that day would be my day; APPARENTLY to make up for lost time! Yep - feelin' NO pain. Friday nights was our night for drinks and appetizers. I would pick up an assortment of finger foods at Trader Joe's, and we would chill out will plenty of EVERYthing. I miss doing that, but I don't miss the way I felt; the next day, and the steady flow of pounds packed onto my already obese body. We're going to Vegas for three nights over the 4th of July, and I imagine I'll allow myself some drinking then. But I don't think that I'll be repeating the Memorial Day bash anytime soon. It took three days to recover!!! But I do love the red wine..... :wub:

Are you drinking plenty of Water? That is HUGE when it comes to elimination.

Did you drink the MiraLax every day? It works beautifully, but it's not a "take at bedtime, poop in the morning" type of laxative. A lot of times, it takes a good two days to kick in. And you can safely drink it daily for a couple of weeks. Even more, so I'm told.

Yeah - it's a real eye opener when appetite comes back. That, and the ability to eat more because the swelling from surgery has gone down

I wouldn't be too concerned about this right now. As ksaug21 posted, once foods are added back, you will begin to take in a bit more. YES, thinking that eating less is going to make you lose quicker, is an old way of thinking. SO hard to shift that mindset, though. But I've seen it in action since surgery, and lose much better when I eat at least 1,000 calories. I try & keep it at that, but sometimes I may hit 1100. And sometimes I'm at 900, but I think 1,000 is the magic metabolism button. I went to a BBQ on Memorial Day, and had already decided in advance that I would allow myself to drink, and I would eat whatever was there, as long as I listened to my band. Well, that bottle of wine went down REAL easy, and so did the chips. But my problem wasn't that I ate a lot of food, it was the (close to) a bottle of wine that I sipped all day. I paid a price for that blood sugar wise, and have been afraid to get on the scale all week. I weighed this morning, and poof - another 3 pounds gone!! Whew! I was good all week, but was so scared that I really messed things up. Yep, old thinking can really sabotage us. HockyMom - have you tried refried Beans? Those saved me during the soft food phase. Then, when I was allowed to add ground meat (beef/turkey), I mixed it together with the refried beans and a can of black beans. VERY satisfying, and it continues to be a staple food item.

PS: She posted that on May 28th.

I was wondering the same thing. Usually, she is all over these forums, and I haven't seen her in a couple of days. I just looked at her profile, and she posted that she had blood clots in both legs, and is in the hospital. I hope she is okay - that is very scary stuff

I posted a couple of days ago about left upper arm/shoulder pain after my second fill. I emailed the doctor this afternoon, and he said that I need another upper GI swallow, and if that's okay, then he'll do an upper endoscopy to make sure everything is okay. I think I'm a bit freaked out because his office called me rather immediately, and got me in to an imaging center Monday morning. Geez......I did not have any of this pain until after that second fill. I hope this isn't the start of lap band complications. I was doing great until this..

Yeah - throwing up is NOT good with the band... That's something you want to try & avoid at all costs.

And I might add.....I WISH the band effected ghrelin!!

That's what I've been told as well; about the vagus nerve. The band has zero effect on the hunger hormone, ghrelin. The only surgery that effects ghrelin is the sleeve.