lisacaron

Up your protein intake. How many grams of protein are you getting in every day?

@@Miss Sue I want to tell you that the greenzone is the magic bullet, but it's not what you think it is. You are newly banded, and it's going to take some time for your mind to adjust to not wanting to eat and eat. Just because you "can" eat doesn't mean you should eat. Are you hungry? Are you measuring out your portions? When you finish the portion are you content? Can you walk away from the food for 10-15 and assess your hunger level? Eat your portion and only eat more if you are hungry, truly hungry not just head hunger or emotional hunger, or boredom hunger. Our relationship with food can be something that it take time to figure out. I am still working on the relationship I have with my food and my emotions. Give yourself a chance to learn what your relationship, and begin to understand it. In the mean time...measure your food out for meals, and assess your hunger.

Not an easy thing to do I know. I am one who likes the "reward" and celebration of having sweets. I try to substitue for them by having a chocolate shake, or a Protein bar. It's something we have to work on minute to minute...there's not quick and easy answer

@@Soonergal91 The key is to not drink "with" your food. You want to chew, swallow and give the food a minute to pass through the stoma before taking that sip of beverage to avoid "stacking" the food above the band. There are several reasons for this. If you think of your banded stomach like an hour glass, things move from the top through the narrow opening at the middle to the bottom seamlessly. If you exert pressure on the contents at the top they are forced more rapidly through the narrow opening in the center to empty quickly into the bottom. In the case of the band, the too rapid movement past the band does not allow the nerve stimulation of food passing to signal satiety to the brain. So our Dr.'s try to get us into the habit of not eating and drinking at the same time early on. Stacking of food and or drink above the band can also create a pressure above the band that can cause a back up and stretch the area above the band to accommodate the extra. This can cause several issues including a dilated pouch and or esophagus which you want to avoid at all cost. This is why they tell you to take your time between bites, chew and eat slowly so that food passes the band before the next bite. When you have food above the band and take a sip of liquid often the liquid will move around the food particles to the bottom and can even cause the food particles to be pushed back up and out as they can't move fast enough through the stoma. (not fun) Once you master the band eating techniques you will be able to have some beverage with your meals.

@@goodnuff my husband had a hernia repaired a few years before we had bariatric surgery. I did not like the way that Dr. put the mesh in and always thought that it was never "right" now as he has lost weight and been doing more sure enough the hernia has popped back through around the area of the mesh and he needs to have it done again! This time our bariatric Dr. will do the hernia repair, but they are right about restrictions for a few months after the repair work is done. It takes anywhere from 3-6 months for that area to heal. Doing heavy lifting and/or core work could cause the sutures to rupture and push the organs out again and re-create the hernia. When you have a hernia (you probably know this being a nurse) your organs (intestine) are being pushed out through and past a whole or weakness in the muscle. This can end up in necrosis of the organ, and it can lose oxygen and blood flow causing that area to die and cause a whole new host of serious issues. When the organs push through or around the mesh it is even worse as the mesh could actually puncture the organs. Have them take an x-ray, CT scan or sonogram to really check and make sure you are OK. My hubs is a fire fighter and was out of work for nearly 4 months from that umbilical hernia repair due to lifting restrictions. I wish you all the best!! Take care of you!!

My advice to you....is enjoy your life. It will ebb and flow like everything else in life. There will be good and bad. Your past is something that helped get you to where you are today, and that's that. Dwelling on it, could mean that you still have issues coming to terms with it, and that is what I would work on. That is the only issue someone who loves you would care about. How it affects YOU, because how you feel is going to reflect in your relationship with others. Keep working on you and enjoying life and love. When you are OK with life it won't be such a big deal to share it with the ones you love and there will be no holding back. Keeping secrets and telling lies or even half truths is work...and who would want to work that hard at something when you could be just honestly enjoying life? It's too short in my humble opinion to be worried about keeping the cats in the bag or the dogs from barking

I have had those days, and then there are days when I feel like I am more hungry. It doesn't work for me to forget to eat, it actually hinders my weight loss. When I am not getting in enough Protein and/or drinking enough Water my weight loss stops totally, and I will retain water and hold onto every single calorie. It makes me very lethargic and jittery like i have had way too much caffeine, so I remind myself to eat even if it's just getting in a Protein Bar or a shake. It's nice not to be "enticed" by food, and have that driving need to have to eat it. We were at an air show a few weeks ago where all that good (BAD) food was and you know the smells were great and that was more than enough for me and the hubby. We knew we could not eat those things even if we wanted to..and the best part was not "wanting" to and just enjoying the event.

Ah I have these issues myself. My band does what it's there to do...it's Me that doesn't always do what I am supposed to even though I know better!!! I know what I should be eating how much how to exercise etc. We all know it, and let me tell you more of us then not are guilty of falling off the wagon...if we allow ourselves to be guilty. I prefer to use my lapses as learning tools, I know fully well what I am doing wrong, how I am compensating and all the tricks I have up my sleeve to justify my eating choices When I get myself too far off ...I pay the price for it in the way I feel. I know when I am not drinking enough Water I am sluggish and I have a headache, (that's kind of happening now) I know when I have had too much coffee and sugar and been digging into to the sweeties to make me "feel" better when I am stressed or down and I know better than to do that and it's not all about the weight for me, it's how I feel after doing that to myself. I might not gain a pound, in fact sometimes I lose weight...but I feel like crap! My head is foggy and unfocused I can't physically do all the things I expect my body to do with no Protein to fuel it, it's running on carbs and sugar and eating up the muscles I am at the gym trying to build. Sometimes I am just focused on the moment and not on the consequences. We don't eat as much as we used to, and what we do eat should be good for our bodies. I can fit all the ice cream in...and even then I can't eat as much of that as I used to thanks to my band, but what is the ice cream doing for me? Nothing. It's empty calories, there is precious little in it to help heal or nurture my body, so it needs to be an incidental not a staple meal. As I drove into CVS this morning after a bit of a stressful AM I thought hmm...I can just get one ice cream bar and eat that on my way to work that will make you feel better Lisa....I heard myself think it as I sat waiting to make my turn and there I was having a mental mind fight with myself. Oh NO you don't and won't be getting that ice cream! Pick up your script and your Vitamins and get back in the car and get to work. Have your Protein Bar if your hungry right now..and get over this "drama" you don't need ice cream it will only make you feel worse later. I didn't get the ice cream. I had my protein bar when I got to the office Oh that every battle was so easy

I saw this early this morning tweeted by Dr. Neil Floch. It is definitely worth the viewing, and it helps explain some of the "theory's" about weight loss that have been going around here quite well. https://youtu.be/FncRa72tizc

@@LousPeachy go to your Dr. office yourself and get a copy of the records. You have the right to the copies they don't have to go from one office to the other. Once you have them you can make a copy and give them to any Dr. you need to see in the future. To help facilitate my husbands and my surgery I asked for copies of all medical records and tests that were done before I left the office so that I would have them to send to who ever needed them Dr. or insurance company to make sure our time frame was on track.

I just love it!!! Rock that new do!

@@mrsjec How about following up with your band Dr. and having them check the band for you to rule out that issue and give yourself some stress relief and or be aware of any issues it might have?

@Kellysue Here are the links Bandista mentioned above. Eight Golden Rules of Lapband: http://www.bariatric...dr-paul-obrien/ The Lapband is not about Restriction: http://drsimpson.net...estriction.html They do give you some really good insight in understanding what your band is there to do for you. In the mean time make use of some of the resources here on BP to find a Dr. in your area that might be able to help you get back on track with your band and start giving you fills. The first step is always going to be an examination to ensure that it's placement hasn't migrated and that things are in good working order. If you have health care coverage start with them to find a Dr. in your area to assist. Most of those tests (Upper GI and or Barium swallow) should be covered at the very least an x-ray. A good way to start and refresh and reset and I do this from time to time is to go back to band basics and go back to the very beginning of post op. Start with a clean slate. liquid diet, behavior modification, band eating mechanics, weight and measurement of foods. Going from phase to phase of "eating" liquids, to mush to soft to regular foods. You will go through this again when you get your next fill...so you can practice now and that should kick start a weight loss for you. Come back often and let us know how your doing!!

@@Karen72 as B-25 said everyone has a different journey. I don't get sick often...but there are days...today is an example of one. I had an early morning training..then a meeting and rush rush and stress stress with work deadlines and people e-mailing and calling at the same time. Now it's time for lunch. Chinese food, so I order shrimp and Chinese vegetables usually a very good choice for me. Of course it's the "lunch" special so it comes with some kind of rice and a side dish either Soup or egg roll. I usually opt for the egg roll so I can have them wrap it to go and no one questions why I am not eating the soup and then my meal. I usually do not touch the rice at all...maybe a small fork and mix it around the plate a bit. 3 bites into my shrimp..and being all knotted up and people talking to me at lunch and wouldn't you know it?! I am stuck!!! Now I have the slimes and I can't be sick at the table with all these co-workers so I have to discreetly excuse myself and remove the blockage and then of course I am not going to eat anymore. It's not because my band is too tight,it's because I am so wound up I lost my good eating habits. I was not focused on chewing and making sure I was not overloading my fork...it's many variables and it happens. Most of the time I try to mindful of it so it doesn't happen. Now I will be on liquids for the rest of the day into tomorrow to allow my stomach to heal and not put further stress on it with solid foods. You can do this even with 2 little ones. I have 5 children, and work a crazy busy full time job. I didn't get obese overnight and I didn't learn to work with my band overnight either and sometimes my band and I can be at odds with each other like today The good thing is that I feel better, got my Protein in..and I can't wait for the end of the day to go home and put my feet up and just RELAX

@@WoodenHearts you have been through a bit of a struggle to get where you want to be. However you are on the path and your first goal is in sight! My advice to you is to reset your mind. Refocus on WHY you are doing this to begin with, and go from there. There is something on the other side of this that you want to obtain, and the first steps are today right now. Gear up, and get going. The past is in the past, you ate it and now it's done. Today is what matters so clear out the junk from where ever it hides. Stop having food funerals because what ever you think you are "never" going to eat again you will eat again trust me you will just eat it differently and in much smaller portions. So there is no need to cry over the foods you love that you can never have again. Take a deep breath and raise your Protein shake, Water bottle or what ever liquid your drinking and toast to your new and happy healthy life style. The journey begins now!

Ah ladies you need to live like there was NO tomorrow. Get out there and take those pictures now and then take them again later...and you will love what you see and you'll have a professional record for posterity!!

@@Butterfly512 I still drink coffee. I don't have abundant amounts of it for many of the same reasons @@JustWatchMe and you stated, but I do need my morning coffee and I have a max about 2 per day if I have a third it's always decaf. If you are going to be sure to get your Water in so you don't dehydrate I say go for it. In fact at night vs having a "snack" like Cookies or ice cream I will often make a decaf coffee with flavored sugar free creamer. It's my "treat" and it also will hold me over while I cook so I'm not eating something prior to the meal. If you start feeling like your denying yourself your gonna feel like your dieting and in the early phases of the band you kind of are...so don't deprive but limit and keep up the H2O and protein!!!

@@Butterfly512 your going to be OK with the gag reflex. It's the vomiting that can cause the damages to your stomach and esophagus since it's using the muscles to kind of turn things inside out almost. When your gagging it's just that reflex at the base of your throat when you vomit it comes from deep down inside and brings your stomach and the acid within up through the stoma of the band this is something we want to try to avoid as much as possible so we don't hurt ourselves. Don't worry about your natural gag reflex but take it slow with the things that trigger it so your not taking that next step. I know sometimes I can be sensitive as well to certain things and it's a very quick step for me to go from one to the other depending on the stimulus.

@@Cvetere07 I would ask you how you are feeling? That is really what motivates me to stay on track. When I am not feeling well I know it's because I am still carrying around the extra weight and because I am not making healthy choices of food and not moving as much as I should be. When I find myself sliding far off the wagon and just eating junk foods, I try and "reset" my mind and go back to the basics. I'll go on a liquid diet for a couple of days, and then move through to solids and this helps to reset my mind and my body as well and gets me back on track to making sure I am eating band size portions and eating in the right time frame and chewing properly etc. When you see the Dr. on the 16th do you plan to have a fill? That's always an instant re-setter and gets you back to basics. Keep posting and let us know how your doing.

@@Butterfly512 sounds pretty normal so far. Your still pretty swollen at the port site. The port is affixed to the muscle just under the skin, and it's still healing. All your insides are still healing as well you just don't feel it or see it as you can at something that's so close to the surface. Give it time, and it will heal up. If you can try wearing a sports bra or one without underwire when you can that really helped me. I am very short waisted so the port site was an issue for me like what you experiencing but it did eventually heal up and I rarely feel it these days. If you have any kind of redness around the incision, or warmth from the site then I would give the Dr. a call. In the mean time give that area a little TLC and attention when your moving about and it will heal up nicely. Congratulations and hope your feeling great!!

Great article. Words are power and what we say to ourselves and how we treat ourselves is key to our success or failure. I know I too often hear those biting words in my head from my past that make me feel vulnerable and just not good enough. When I get in that mind space I can spiral quickly downward and be a total self saboteur.

Hi ladies, let me be the first to say that you are not alone. I work on this every single day. WLS no matter what type you have take a really big commitment from the individual as well as a total life style change. I know when we are on a weigh loss program or diet we hear this all the time, when you have WLS it becomes reality. If you are not willing to change your life then you are not going to be successful with your weight loss surgery tool any more than you would be with a diet. The Lapband can be a fickle partner that is true, and it takes that extra time and care to find that "right" level of fill that you can live with. If you are going to eat around your band then you are going to cause complications that in the long run can hurt you and cause your band to fail. My motto with the band is slow and steady wins the race. So try taking a step back from where you are today. Go back to the early days of pre- and post op. Reset and start again. That is the beauty of the band. You can "reset"!! Get back on that liquid diet you may have had pre-op or post op. When getting fills, go slowly. Try .05-1 cc at a time. Give it at least 2 weeks to a month to settle in before you go back for additional fills. See how your feeling and how food is passing. The point with the band is not to be so tight that you can't eat but to be just right so you are not "hungry" between meals and are satisfied with the small band portion of food. Start measuring out your food. Use Ziplock containers that have volume measurements on the side. Start tracking your in take with my fitness pal or one such app or just write it down or take a picture of all the food you are consuming and then take a look at that and determine if you are eating band size portions or over eating. Are you choosing nutrition whole food or fast food, greasy food, sugary slider type food? Are you eating too fast? Taking too large a bite? Did you drink enough Water? All these things factor into finding our balance with our bands and our weight loss journey. Feel free to come back and share your insights with us...and we can share with you as well. We are all on the path to finding what works and what doesn't and what we need. We are a "virtual" support group. I know I can't always make the "live" meetings, and I host them!!

@@JustWatchMe love the post!!!

@@Debbie3sons looks like lots of fun!!!

The law of physics is part of the equation but it is not the complete answer. The logic behind calories in vs calories out is sound, however there are many variables within each individual that tip the balance in favor of weight gain and/or weight loss. food sensitivity, and/or intolerance is a big one, the way your metabolism works and/or doesn't work. If you have any endocrinology issues such as Diabetes, metabolic syndrome, thyroid issues etc. These can often be helped by weight loss and sometimes they are NOT helped by weight loss and/or diet alone. Taking all this into account stalls if we are being honest with ourselves can be very real. When I say being honest with ourselves I mean, are we really eating according to plan. Are we steering clear of the foods that hinder us in our journey to weight loss? Are we really maximizing our calories in vs. calories out by getting the proper and balanced exercise and nutrition? A few years ago I took a test to check my metabolic rate. According to this Dr.'s test I should be able to consume in excess of 1500 calories and still be losing weight since my resting metabolism registered at rest as burning up to 2500 calories. REALLY? Well no..not really. On further examination, I have endocrinology issues with my hormone regulation mostly with my adrenaline. Often for reasons unknown to me and the Dr.'s as well...my resting heart rate can be well over 110 beats per minute as if I was running a race and I could just be sitting in chair or relaxing. I have an electrical heart arrhythmia that is also involved in this whole wacky scenario, all of this pre-WLS. My father also suffers from something similar, he has had quadruple by pass, lazer surgery to the heart valve replacement, curated artery dissection and a defibrillator implanted. These are just a few of the reasons why I try to keep myself healthy, lose the extra weight and exercise and eat right. There are just some things that fall outside the boilerplate logic, but we have to be honest with ourselves to be successful because no one else knows us and what we need better.