Corridor72

I've never had any issues with my fills. Pain is minimal. All I ever feel is a little poke and that's it. I, like you, did have some left-sided pain, especially when eating, for a few weeks after my band was placed. It eventually subsided though and I haven't had any trouble since. You can expect some swelling after fills which means you may have to stick with liquids and mushies for a few days after a fill but, aside from that, fills are typically uneventful. Always call your surgeon if you have unexpected difficulties.

My surgeon required me to take 3 weeks off due to the fact that my job is very physical with a lot of lifting/pulling/tugging involved. I was glad to have the time off too.

I know a lot of people experience hair loss after being banded. How long does it typically last?

I've been using the Suave shampoo with moroccan argan oil in it since before I ever had my surgery. I only recently started taking biotin though. It hasn't helped yet but then, I haven't been taking it long. Fortunately, I have naturally thick hair so it's not as noticeable to everyone else as it is to me BUT, I keep thinking if it doesn't slow down or stop soon, I'm gonna be bald before it's over! And for the record, I make sure I get my protein in every day too so I don't think that's the problem either.

*Quest Protein bars in Double chocolate Chunk flavor. The brownie flavor is also very good and chocolatey. *Chobani Greek Yogurt Flips- Coconut with almonds and dark chocolate pieces. To me, these taste like almond joy. Yum! *I also keep Dove Dark Chocolate pieces on hand. I can eat 1 or 2 pieces and that satisfies my chocolate craving. I don't make a habit of eating these very often though. I usually do the Quest Double Chocolate Chunk Protein Bar if I'm craving chocolate.

I've never been told that the stomach swells after a fill but it makes sense that it would be a bit irritated. I do notice that, for me, I have to give it a few days after a fill because sometimes I feel really tight for a couple of days after the fill and then it settles and I'm fine.

Yes, this is normal. It may take several fills before you notice a big difference. For me, it took 4 fills and my doctor is pretty aggressive with both frequency and volume of fills.

If it were me, I would start tracking calorie intake. The band is a wonderful tool but it requires us to do a lot of the work. You may be taking in more calories than you realize. It is often quoted on here(usually by carolinagirl) that 3500 calories = 1 pound. If you take in more calories than required, you will gain weight. Less calories and you will lose. If you want to lose a pound a week, you need to have a 3500 calorie deficit for the week. One thing that might help is to switch from protein shakes to protein bars. My surgeon doesn't even allow shakes after the first 4 weeks because they are considered a slider and don't help much in the way of staving off the hunger. He says it's ok to use protein supplements but to do it in the way of protein bars instead of drinks. That way your protein supplement will give you more satiety. Also, is there a community or civic center with a gym where you could go and walk without having to pay any membership fees? What about a mall? I know, in our area, there are several places in the area where you can go and walk indoors to avoid the elements. I also love walking and I'm even beginning to do a little bit of jogging but I hate being outside when the temps are bitter cold so I have to find other places to do it. I'm fortunate though to have a treadmill so, if nothing else pans out, I can always do that. I've also heard of several different exercise videos that people use and say are great so you might research that as well.

Alright folks! I need to know how YOU deal with head hunger? I've done really well up to this point and haven't struggled with it too much but I'm finding that, especially at certain times of the month, with hormone fluctuations and all, I'm having terrible cravings. Add to that the fact that the stores now have their Easter candy stocked and I'm really struggling now! I LOVE Easter candy! Sweet-Tarts Jelly Beans, Peeps, Chocolate covered marshmallow bunnies, Cadbury eggs......YUM! I don't want to give in and have any of those things because I'm afraid I won't stop eating them once I start but how do I stop these cravings? Help!!!

For deli meats, I would use a food scale.

Ummm, I suppose it is both volume and weight. The easiest way to measure protein, since most of it is solid food, is to weigh it on a food scale. My surgeon also gave me the reference of "the size of a deck of cards" to go by because it isn't exactly reasonable to drag a food scale with you everywhere you go. If you're talking about chili or beans or something like that, you're probably better off to use a measuring cup. Once you've done this for a little while, you won't need to keep doing it because you'll get used to "eyeballing" your portion sizes.

I really didn't feel much restriction until after my 3rd fill. Just remember to use this time as a learning period. Practice eating slowly, taking small bites, and chewing really well. You'll be glad you did once you do finally start to feel some restriction.

Ummm, well...just because you don't like them doesn't mean that others don't. I absolutely LOVE Quest bars. I love the texture and the flavor. There are a few of the flavors that I don't like but most of them are pretty good IMO. And the Double chocolate Chunk, Brownie, and Cookies and Cream flavors are amazing. And nope, I didn't/won't get not one penny for this shining review!lol...You have to remember that we all have our own preferences. Some love quest bars. Others hate them. Same goes with most everything else out there. I don't like other Protein bars because, to me, they're too dry and crumbly and not filling enough. I don't want to waste calories on something that is going to leave me feeling hungry again in an hour or two. I recognize that not everyone is going to agree with me on quest bars but that doesn't mean I was paid off to say nice things about it. I just happen to like them. Same as you like the things you like.

I completed it too. I agree with the others-question #10 needs another option for those of us who are still on our journey.

Hmmm...Interesting. I LOVE quest bars! I haven't had that problem with them though, thank goodness!

The one thing I CAN'T live without now? Quest BARS!!! I love them and eat one every day as a snack. The next thing on my list of must haves is Dannon Oikos fruit on the bottom Greek yogurt and Chobani flips. Nature Valley Protein Granola(honey and oats). Other things I eat frequently are: Fish (usually salmon or tilapia) Mixed nuts cheese Tomatoes Cucumbers Broccoli Green Giant frozen veggies(the ones that come in single serving sizes) All white meat chicken salad from the deli section at Kroger Ham slices sugar free gum(no, I don't eat it but I love to chew it after meals to freshen my breath) No sugar added pickles eggs Lettuce( I use it to wrap my sandwich fixings in and avoid the bread)

This sounds YUMMY!

I weighed this morning and I am down 70 lbs now! Wow!!! Soooo happy! I still have a long way to go to reach my ultimate goal but for some reason, this 70 lb mark feels like a huge victory to me. Perhaps it's because I'm finally beginning to see it and feel it? Maybe it's because I can now fit into "regular size" clothes instead of shopping in the fat girl section. Maybe it's because I'm getting lots of compliments from people who are noticing now? Maybe it's because I can finally sleep all night long without waking up with joint pain? Maybe it's because I had blood work drawn a few weeks ago and my cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood glucose levels are all finally at normal levels? Perhaps it's because I'm down to only 1 cardiac medication compared to the 4 I was on just a few months ago? Maybe it's because for the first time in year, I wake up each morning and can get out of bed feeling rested and ready to face the day and my feet and legs aren't still tired, sore, and achy from the day before? Or maybe it's because the last 10 lbs finally brought me to a point where I've lost more than half of what I started out needing to lose....Regardless of the reason, I'm feeling good about this journey today!

I know this sounds like a silly question but can someone describe the green zone for me? I'm thinking I may be there or at least close to being there but I'm not sure. I'm losing weight but I'm also watching every morsel of food that goes into my mouth because I'm terrified not to. My insurance required a 6 month supervised weight loss program and I went from that immediately into the liquid pre-op diet and then surgery and the post-op phase. During the post-op phase, I followed my physician's orders which advances the diet pretty quickly but I've also learned to watch what I eat rather than just eating whatever I want in smaller amounts. I had a fill last week and I've noticed a big difference this time. In fact, I overdid it a few times at first because I ate too much too fast and then ended up having some pain as a result until some of the food passed through. Ugh. I've learned my lesson now. Too bad I didn't take the advice given before when folks were saying in the beginning to slow down. I'm really good about chewing my food well but, as a nurse, I've spent many years eating as quickly as I could because, in nursing, if you don't eat it fast, you usually don't eat it at all because you don't have the time so this is a big adjustment for me. Anyway, I'm doing better with that. I do notice that I feel full on very little food most of the time now but I'm still getting hungry more frequently than I think I should be and I end up eating at least 4 times a day sometimes 5. So I'm wondering if I still need another fill or if I should keep doing what I'm doing and see what happens. My doctor is one of those who is pretty aggressive with fills so I will see him next week to possibly have another fill if I need it. Anyway, so what is your experience with the green zone? How did you know you were there?

Actually, that total includes the weight that I lost pre-op too so it hasn't all been since December. I've probably lost between 20-25 lbs or so since surgery. I actually had to do 6 months supervised weight loss prior to my surgery and then I was on the liquid diet for a total of 5 wks pre-op so I ended up losing quite a bit before I ever even had the surgery.

Oh, and I was going to say that yes, the pain is enough that, since doing that a couple of times, I no longer have any desire to continue eating once I feel I've had enough. I do NOT want to feel that again.

I didn't mention how much I'm eating because it's been sort of inconsistent due to my schedule. Typically, I've been eating yogurt for Breakfast. I eat the Dannon Oikos and put 1/4 cup of Nature Valley Granola in it. I can eat the whole container. I'm usually hungry again in about 3 hrs after eating that. I did eat eggs and bacon for breakfast one morning although, it's hard to say how much on the eggs because it was scrambled eggs from the hospital cafeteria. I had 3 pieces of bacon with it and that was one of the times I overdid it. Needless to say, I was back to my yogurt the next morning! I generally have a serving of Protein such as fish, chicken or occasionally beef for lunch with some veggies. I don't necessarily measure the protein but I kind of eyeball it. The surgeon gave me the reference of "the size of a deck of cards" so I try to stay pretty close to that. As for the veggies, it's usually about 1/2 -1 cup. Yesterday I had a lettuce wrap with a few slices of ham, a slice of cheese, pickle, tomato, and mayo. I had taken enough to make a couple of wraps because that was a first for me but I ended up only being able to eat a single wrap and I was done. I eat lunch around noon and I'm generally hungry again by about 4 so I eat a Quest bar for a snack. I LOVE those things. I don't get off work until 7 pm so I try to just have something light for dinner but make sure it has a lot of protein.

Just do your research. My personal opinion is that, the success of a lap-band patient depends heavily on the patient's motivation and the support of the bariatric team AFTER the surgery. You need a surgeon who is still going to see you through the entire process rather than just place a band and you never see him again. Some of them have PA's or NP's that do the fills for them instead of doing themselves, which is okay IF the provider gives you the appropriate support rather than herding people through like a bunch of cattle to make more money. In the beginning, you need frequent visits(at least once a month) with the opportunity to sit down and have someone analyze what you're doing as far as exercise and food habits so that they can help you learn to work with the band and have the band work for you. I personally think that one of the reasons so many surgeons would rather sleeve a patient than to band them is because it requires less follow-up care and support from him afterwards. Having said that, I also realize that the sleeve is another great tool and does work well for a lot of people. I was actually leaning toward the sleeve until I met my surgeon. He is a lap-band patient himself and he recommended the band for me. We discussed the options at length. I did my own research and ultimately decided he was right. The band was the right choice for me. It may be the right choice for you or it may not be. Don't just research the procedures though. Find out everything you can about the bariatric practice and surgeon you're seeing and the facility where you will have your surgery. Good luck to you!

Awesome! Keep up the good work!

You have my condolences on the loss of your mother. Congratulations on your weight loss!