stept04

I use Bariatric Advantage Meal Replacement shakes they are 150 calories and 1 gram of sugar. It really helped me feel full during pre and post-op. You can find it on BariatricAdvantage.com, Check it out. I also like Syntrax nectar you can find them there too.
~~~Stephanie

Sorry to hear what you went through nailpro00. Good luck with the next one.
~~~Stephanie

I'm in the pr
I'm in the process of going to school to become a NUT. Your comment about your NUT being skinny hit me. I have been ashamed to tell people what I was going to school for because of my weight I felt I would be looked down on and if I haven't lost all my weight by then who would want me to help them or hire me for that matter. But I feel like who better to help someone but someone who has been there or who at least is going through the process. What do you think? This has weighed heavy (no pun intended LOL) on me.
~~~Stephanie

For me when I got my third fill (I'm at 7.8 cc's) I all of a sudden had no problem telling that I was not hungry, I have more of a problem with knowing I should eat.. I had been struggling through trying to tell the difference, but since this last fill there is no mistaken it. So that could happen for you. Right now I'd do what Suebee01 suggest. When you get the right fill you'll probably know better.
~~~Stephanie

​Congratulations , it is nice to hear that you lost all that weight I've been concerned about my age and metabolism so every time I see were us older ones have lost weight I get more motivated and hopeful. So thanks for sharing
~~~Stephanie

Sorry to hear what you went through nailpro00. Good luck with the next one.
~~~Stephanie

I'm in the pr
I'm in the process of going to school to become a NUT. Your comment about your NUT being skinny hit me. I have been ashamed to tell people what I was going to school for because of my weight I felt I would be looked down on and if I haven't lost all my weight by then who would want me to help them or hire me for that matter. But I feel like who better to help someone but someone who has been there or who at least is going through the process. What do you think? This has weighed heavy (no pun intended LOL) on me.
~~~Stephanie

I was just wondering if anyone giving you advice has been through what your going through? Has anyone of them been over weight and lost it and kept it off for a significant amount of time? If not I don't think they have any idea what it is like to try and lose weight especially if you have a lot to lose. So when it come to their opinion on weight loss and taking the easy way out they don't have much to stand on. As far as the surgery that is up to you and no one can make that decision for you. Not even your husband or someone on here. You have to do what you feel is right for you. Just to let you know I had a lot of fears about having the surgery, but it was my last chance at trying to lose this weight, so I went through with it. It is normal to have fears and second thoughts. Just follow your heart. Good luck
~~~Stephanie

I heard it mentioned in the forums several times. Maybe if you search the forums you could find some topics on it. Good luck to your mom.
~~~Stephanie

I don't know about the Provent, but I do know that whether or not it works would depend on what is causing your sleep apnea. Do you know whether you have obstructive sleep apnea or central sleep apnea? Central sleep apnea is caused by something in the brain that forgets to tell you to breath, obstructive sleep apnea is caused by some sort of blockage some where in the air way, If you have obstructive sleep apnea it may help. Also weight loss can help with that kind of sleep apnea, a lot of people lose weight and cure their sleep apnea, but sometimes it may take surgery if your not interested in the c-pap machine, Good luck
~~~Stephanie

I have been banded coming up on 3 years, have been in the green zone for two years now, meaning I cannot overeat, my portion sizes are kept in check...and also my hunger and cravings are gone....
Having said hat, I have NEVER felt full from eating with the band.....feeling full happened before the band when I overate and drank, to the point I needed to unbuckle my pants...that does not, and can not happen anymore....
What I do get now is the Band telling my brain that I am full, satisfied, not hungry and have no need, or interest in eating....it would be the same "Mental" occurrence as if I were physically full, but those thoughts are there 24 hours a day whether I have eaten anything or not...

I think that it is a very different feeling. Feeling full with the band happens much more quickly and can be painful if you eat too much. If you eat too much too quickly it can be very uncomfortable and you may experience PBing (productive burping) in which you may "throw up" what you just ate.
This being said, these feelings are NOT NORMAL or ideal. You have toward to eat more slowly and pay attention to when you have eaten enough so that you don't get to the painful point!!

I forgot to mention, that while I was fixing up the classroom, I did not eat anything from 8:00 am - 5:00 or later. Since I know that is not good, I pre-planned for tomorrow by packing 2 bottles of Water, a pack of Melba toast, and some tuna. I want to make sure that I am eating.

Msapp
I can relate. I teach third grade math and science. Today, I started cleaning and organizing my classroom. Students return on August 19th. Remember, not eating isn't healthy, ok? Try your best to get something in. I know that I am going to purchase Protein shakes to take to work. If I am having "one of those days" I'll grab one and go.

My band slipped about a year ago. I had hardly eaten in 2 weeks and the pain was unbearable. It was hard to hold much of anything down. My face was so pale and I felt and looked malnourished. I lost about 10 pounds in that 2 week period and looked like a walking skeleton. I went to the ER and was put on fluids right away. If your band slipped, chances are eating is severely uncomfortable. You know your body best. See a doctor ASAP or get a new opinion. I had a terrible experience when it slipped but I knew something was wrong and I needed to be seen right away. To see if a band slipped, they use a test called the barium swallow. You have to chug some white pastey drink while standing in front of an X-ray and they monitor how the Fluid travels through your gastrointestinal tract. They usually avoid doing cat scans but that was the only option for me while I was hospitalized. I hope you feel better soon!

I recently had the same procedures done. The doctor was able to very clearly see my band and tell me all was well with that. After I cut out all of the crappy slider foods like ice cream, potato chips, cheesecake etc my stomach has been fine.. I hope oh feel better soon.

I started having some reflux and they took a little Fluid out and it went away. My doc said the gallbladder can cause symptoms like this too.

Sorry to hear you are having problems. When you have problems it is best to see your doctor ASAP. When I got the band I had my hernia repaired and never had a problem since. Good luck.

You will struggle so keep doing what your doing till you think you might need a fill or yes between meals have a healthy snack or a Protein Drink to help with the hunger , but keep doing what your doing and our mind will play tricks on us of head hunger and that is the worst for many of us ,it is hard but it does get better.

I didn't understand the difference for the first 4 months and 3 fills. It still took 6 fills to finally feel satisfied. I don't think anyone can answer your question with any certainty. It's going to be different for each of us.
For me, I try to sit down with less food and when I'm done, I take my plate to the kitchen and I can tell then if I'm still hungry. But being able to tell the difference between hunger and craving is the hard one.

Keep in mind that you are not on real food yet so there is a big difference. Continue to eat and drink your mushies and don't worry so much. When you get to the real stage of food, eat your 2-3 ounces of dense Protein, 1/3 c of veggies and 1/3 c of good carb, wait 20 minutes before seeing if you are still hungry. You should never feel "full" but you should be satisfied with what you ate and you will not die if you don't eat more. Your head may tell you that you can eat more, but your body does not "need" it. Just think of do you "want" more or "need" more. The answer is usually "want." That is the head game!
You should be able to do this every 4-6 hours and be good. Just don't eat unless you are hungry. Sometimes I would have a small healthy snack between meals if I had to schedule my meals. My spouse was really good about letting me control the schedule, not the clock or old habits. My meals were usually at 10 or 11 am and then 6 or 7 pm with one snack in between. You just have to find what works for you.
Don't get a fill to not eat, get a fill if you cannot control your hunger time. It is a big head game that lasts several months. Just be prepared for that. Find something else to do, your body will not starve.
Good luck!

I'm 3 months post op and for me I wait until my stomach grumbles to signal if I'm hungry. I definitely still have head hunger so I have to really be in tune with my body or I will eat to satisfy a craving.

I don't know about the Provent, but I do know that whether or not it works would depend on what is causing your sleep apnea. Do you know whether you have obstructive sleep apnea or central sleep apnea? Central sleep apnea is caused by something in the brain that forgets to tell you to breath, obstructive sleep apnea is caused by some sort of blockage some where in the air way, If you have obstructive sleep apnea it may help. Also weight loss can help with that kind of sleep apnea, a lot of people lose weight and cure their sleep apnea, but sometimes it may take surgery if your not interested in the c-pap machine, Good luck
~~~Stephanie

When I was told I needed to complete the 6 month pre-op diet program, I had the girl in my office who does insurance billing to call and get an explanation.....
What I found out, from my insurance anyway, was this.....
They said the patient simply stating that was indeed the fact, was not good enough to go into your medical record......it had to be a supervised medical program, with a MD, for 6 months, complete with weigh ins, accurate progress notes, counseling, graphs, charts, etc......, all signed off by a Physician.....
Like every diet I ever been on, I started out good, lost weight...then leveled off too soon, then began to gain the weight back.....
I felt bad, but was told by my surgeon that if I were any good at dieting, I would not need WLS.....the 6 month program proved the point....I am a failure at dieting, even with a Dr checking me weekly.....

1500 is a lot to me lol The 6 month insurance mandated diet I had to do before my surgery was 1200 calories with 100 carbs and 80+oz of Water a day. It get's easier to adjust as you go along. I ate pretty much what I wanted, just in much smaller portions, and if I knew I was going to go out to a restaurant or whatnot, I'd look at their menu ahead of time to plan what I would get. I also fell in love with the 100 calorie packs and Special K stuff. But when it came to regular meals, I just ate whatever. Drinking a lot of water helps with the hunger pangs in between meals, and negative calorie foods help for a snack too (blueberries, apples, etc are all negative calorie because they burn more than they're worth and are high in fiber). Then 2 weeks before my surgery, I had to do 800 calories and 60 carbs a day. Since I was on the mostly liquid liver shrinking diet, that wasn't so bad. I just spread my Protein Shakes out so it seemed like I was getting more. I'm more than willing to help if you have any specific food questions! Good luck!