CanCan1791

We start a new thread for starving Aprilers. I don't get a fill until May 22.

I feel your pain. I was banded on the 11 and it's taking all the willpower I have to not eat everything in my fridge. I am hungrier now than when I was on the pre-op diet. I don't think we made a mistake I think we haven't really started the process yet. I think the band starts working when we get close to the green zone. That may take a couple of fills. I am trying to diet now and just keep reminding myself that these pounds are never coming back, however, I am really hungry.

I like to calculate how many calories I need to eat in order to lose the amount I want per week. I know you can google it but I'll post the equations behind it because for me, it just made more sense. Hope it helps. You can google how many calories you need to maintain your weight. Once you have that number here is the math. Lets say your maintenance number is 2300 per day. If you eat anything less than that you will eventually lose weight. That's the easy math. Here we go... we're going to use some algebra (see you can use it in your adult life) If you want to lose 2 pounds a week: 3500 (calories in a pound) x 2 (pounds) = 7000 calorie deficit per week You must eat a diet that gives you a weekly deficit of 7000 calories. Lets say you eat 1250 calories per day and your maintenance is 2300 calories per day: 1. 2300 (maintenance calories per day) - 1250 (the actual calories you consumed) = 1,050 (your daily deficit) 2. If you multiply your deficit (1,050) times 7 (days in the week) = 7350 weekly calorie deficit 3. Last step: take your weekly calorie deficit 7350 and divide it by the calories in a pound (3500) = 2.1 pounds per week. This is just a basic starting point to help figure out where you should be in your caloric intake. Once you figure your calories, you can tweak it to make it fit your body better. Plus, there are some arguments about how many calories are actually in a pound. But overall this helps to set goals. You can add in exercise calories too but I didn't want to put too much math in one post.

I was banded on the 11th. I had to stay overnight in the hospital because my stomach spasmed so bad I couldn't drink. My recovery has been very slow. I could barely eat my first week. I had 2 c-section that were a piece of cake but this surgery took a long time to recover from. I am 16 days out and still very sore. I can not lift anything and can only do very moderate exercise (like walking). I'm in relatively good shape and my BMI is 32. Some of us just take longer to heal than others.

Read your chart. Next time you go in ask the nurse to give you your chart. That should tell you exactly what you want to know. FYI, I always read every medical chart for myself and my children.

I used a heating pad on my back and it really helped. I know thats weird because the pain is in the front but I was afraid to put anything on the front. It's most likely your port that hurts. Mine still hurts and I'm 16 days post op.

Lucky Duck. I had to do clear liquids for two weeks before my surgery. Get some protein shakes they work to help alleviate the hunger. Congrats and good luck

I wish this was talked about more. These refined carbs are in everything, especially corn. If I eat something with refined corn, even something as small as a bite of yogurt, I will be hungry for days. And when I try to make sure that I don't accidentally eat it, people treat me like I'm a wacky health nut. Which is funny considering I'm 224 lbs.

Well it's nice to know I'm not alone. I got very frightened when not eating certain foods felt exactly like not smoking. For me, its the processing and refining of wheat, sugar and corn. Try avoiding corn, it's impossible. I can eat wheat and corn just fine, in their natural state, but if it's been processed, I go completely haywire. I got a lot of support when I quit smoking and even when I quit diet soda. But for some reason, I get a lot of resistance on the carb thing. Hence why I ate the birthday cake mentioned above. Thank you for the support. I really needed it. The most rewarding journeys are the hardest to traverse.

I know for a fact I am addicted to processed carbs. I can eat a piece of bread or candy and literally feel my mood lift. Last year (preband), I tried to quit processed carbs. It worked for about eight months and I lost about 40 pounds. The battles I had with my brain were way more intense than the battles I had when I quit smoking. I fell off the wagon with a thin slice of birthday cake. I gained the 40 pounds back in about 6 weeks. I was banded in the beginning of April and have been processed carb free for eight weeks now. I'm feeling alone with my battle against these carbs. I often think people think I'm just a crazy fat girl, looking for excuses. Does anyone else suffer from a sugar and/or flour addiction?

with kindness? I agree with cheznoel just shoot him!

You're doing so great. I'm walking but that's it for now. I probably have another month before I can really do anything. i'm worried I won't get my first fill because I'm healing so slowly.

Is this your first baby? That makes a difference because you and your body don't know what to expect. I would discuss it with your Ob. Also, if you stayed filled, could you easily get an appointment with your surgeon to get unfilled quickly if you started vomiting. I never vomited with either of my pregnancies. I was not banded when I had my children but I would have stayed filled if I had that option. I'm not in the medical profession and I'm new to the band but if it was me, I would stay filled. But I also had very easy pregnancies.

Was your gallbladder taken out with this surgery?

I started the pureed but I can't do it. The texture grosses me out. I'm doing miso Soup and chopped sashimi. I'm still not eating very much because my stomach is not liking what I did to it. I had to do a 23 hour stay because my stomach spasmed so bad I couldn't drink anything. I had two c-sections that were no problem at all. Never did the pain killers and was juggling those babies around just days after surgery. This surgery has knocked me on my butt. I would definitely do it again but I would be better prepared for the long lay up. The woman before me had her band slip. I think she was cheating her band because she had the band in for a couple of years and looked to be about 240 lbs. Not being judgey, I just wanted to explain what I thought happened with her band slip because I know we all fear that. You were probably already in surgery by the time I arrived. I got there about 8 am. I'm glad things are going so well for you. Has your weight loss slowed down? I was losing about a pound a day. I've lost 26 lbs starting with the pre-op diet, Now I'm about 2 to 3 pounds per week. I know that's good but I'm afraid it will be even less next week.

I think it's the voluntarily doing this to ourselves that freaks us out. I have a panic disorder too. I spoke to the doc and the anesthesiologist before the surgery. I got permission to take a xanax the night before and then when I arrived at the hospital, the anesthesiologist gave me something that put me in lala land. I knew I really wanted the surgery and I knew my brain would try to stop me at the last minute. Had the surgery two weeks ago and its the best thing I ever did.

That's so funny! You must have gone after me because the woman who went before me got her band taken out. You look like you are doing great! I can't believe you can work out already, lucky duck! I am still really sore. I still can't lift anything and I just started laying on my side. I can't imagine I'll be in the gym before the end of the month. Are you doing the pureed food?

Were you banded on the 11th? If so we were banded on the same day by the same doc.

I count calories. I use "Lose it" free phone app.

We were banded on the same day. I had one week clear liquids, one week full liquids, now I'm on pureed. My favorite thing is miso soup. It has bean curd in it, so it is very filling and a little bit of tofu which is very soft. It's 70 cals a cup and very filling. I pick up a quart every day from the sushi place in town.

Before going to another country, do some research on the prices in different states. I was a self pay and I found a great doctor who worked with me so I could afford the procedure. He is a 2 hour drive from my house but well worth it. I thought about mexico too but it's just not worth the risk. You can find someone in the US, you just have to search them out.

The pain from the surgery is not that bad. You're just sore for a while. Just sore, not writhing in pain. Some people complain of gas pains but I did not have any and you may not either. You will be up and walking around within hours of having the surgery. Seriously, the pre-op diet is the worst part. You have definitely been through it with that side of things, so it should be smooth sailing from here on.

I didn't tell my kids and they didn't even notice. I guess I've done enough wacky diets that this is just the norm.

Honey, I'm not losing weight! Call a GC, we need to level the house!

I developed a panic disorder after the birth of my children. I eventually developed coping mechanisms to deal with it without medication. I have gone 10 years without a panic attack. However, I had to disclose the disorder because I was afraid of having a panic attack before my surgery. I am currently taking wellbutrin because I quit smoking three months ago. None of this caused any issues with my banding. I was banded on April 11.