Singer

I had to do the pre op diet and struggled with it just like you are. On day of 3 of the pre-op, I glanced out the window and saw a pizza delivery guy walking up the driveway next door. For a fleeting second, I actually thought of attacking the guy for the pizza. (no lie) It did get a little easier as each day went on, and the shakes seemed to taste better. I ate lots of sugar free popsicles. If I had to eat something when I wasn't supposed to, I tried to stick with vegetables. At the end of my 2 weeks, I had lost 20 pounds and noticed the difference. I was feeling pretty accomplished!
My preop diet was my first "detox", and it was rough. It took a lot of will power, like any addict giving up his vice. Stick with it as much as you can and don't beat yourself up. I had my surgery May 6th and I had to do 2 weeks of liquid diet after my surgery, that was phase II of my detox!
During all this time, I was miserable and very grumpy. But, I look back at it now that I am 4 months out, and down 76 pounds, and think....it was soooo worth my efforts!!
You are trying to work through your detox, go easy on yourself. And pick yourself up and brush it off, get back on that wagon! Keep up the good work!
And God Bless you on September 10th!

I had to do the pre op diet and struggled with it just like you are. On day of 3 of the pre-op, I glanced out the window and saw a pizza delivery guy walking up the driveway next door. For a fleeting second, I actually thought of attacking the guy for the pizza. (no lie) It did get a little easier as each day went on, and the shakes seemed to taste better. I ate lots of sugar free popsicles. If I had to eat something when I wasn't supposed to, I tried to stick with vegetables. At the end of my 2 weeks, I had lost 20 pounds and noticed the difference. I was feeling pretty accomplished!
My preop diet was my first "detox", and it was rough. It took a lot of will power, like any addict giving up his vice. Stick with it as much as you can and don't beat yourself up. I had my surgery May 6th and I had to do 2 weeks of liquid diet after my surgery, that was phase II of my detox!
During all this time, I was miserable and very grumpy. But, I look back at it now that I am 4 months out, and down 76 pounds, and think....it was soooo worth my efforts!!
You are trying to work through your detox, go easy on yourself. And pick yourself up and brush it off, get back on that wagon! Keep up the good work!
And God Bless you on September 10th!

I had to do the pre op diet and struggled with it just like you are. On day of 3 of the pre-op, I glanced out the window and saw a pizza delivery guy walking up the driveway next door. For a fleeting second, I actually thought of attacking the guy for the pizza. (no lie) It did get a little easier as each day went on, and the shakes seemed to taste better. I ate lots of sugar free popsicles. If I had to eat something when I wasn't supposed to, I tried to stick with vegetables. At the end of my 2 weeks, I had lost 20 pounds and noticed the difference. I was feeling pretty accomplished!
My preop diet was my first "detox", and it was rough. It took a lot of will power, like any addict giving up his vice. Stick with it as much as you can and don't beat yourself up. I had my surgery May 6th and I had to do 2 weeks of liquid diet after my surgery, that was phase II of my detox!
During all this time, I was miserable and very grumpy. But, I look back at it now that I am 4 months out, and down 76 pounds, and think....it was soooo worth my efforts!!
You are trying to work through your detox, go easy on yourself. And pick yourself up and brush it off, get back on that wagon! Keep up the good work!
And God Bless you on September 10th!

I had to do the pre op diet and struggled with it just like you are. On day of 3 of the pre-op, I glanced out the window and saw a pizza delivery guy walking up the driveway next door. For a fleeting second, I actually thought of attacking the guy for the pizza. (no lie) It did get a little easier as each day went on, and the shakes seemed to taste better. I ate lots of sugar free popsicles. If I had to eat something when I wasn't supposed to, I tried to stick with vegetables. At the end of my 2 weeks, I had lost 20 pounds and noticed the difference. I was feeling pretty accomplished!
My preop diet was my first "detox", and it was rough. It took a lot of will power, like any addict giving up his vice. Stick with it as much as you can and don't beat yourself up. I had my surgery May 6th and I had to do 2 weeks of liquid diet after my surgery, that was phase II of my detox!
During all this time, I was miserable and very grumpy. But, I look back at it now that I am 4 months out, and down 76 pounds, and think....it was soooo worth my efforts!!
You are trying to work through your detox, go easy on yourself. And pick yourself up and brush it off, get back on that wagon! Keep up the good work!
And God Bless you on September 10th!

I never thought I liked cauliflower but I tried this and I'm hooked!
1 head cauliflower floretts
4 oz of garlic and herb laughing cow cheese
4 pieces of bacon cooked and chopped
3 green onions chopped
1/2 c reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
Couple of splashes of milk
Steam Cauliflower until al dente
Spray an 8x8 baking dish add your steamed cauliflower, chopped bacon and green onion and mix in your 4oz of laughing cow cheese. Use a couple of splashes of milk to thin a bit and add your shredded cheese on top. Bake at 350 until cheese is bubbly and brown. Delish!!

That sounds good! I made something similar (no bacon, which would have made it relish!) last night for dinner, on a baked potato.
I also make a "comfort dish" of canned albacore tuna, fat-free mushroom Soup, and peas that I eat when I'm craving something creamy. Kind of like tuna casserole without the noodles. Heavy on the tuna for Protein.

I had this happen once. I went and had 1 cc taken out of my band and within an hour whatever was stuck went down! What a relief! I still have not had it put back in and was worried I would start to gain weight back, but at 18 months after my surgery im down 95 lbs. 5 more lbs to my goal weight of 130!

and some say the band dont work.........well GF, you keep on proving them wrong

Great feeling isn't it??? I just went in my closet and cleaned out all of my 20 or more 1x, 2x, and even 3x's. Honestly, I was a little scared to let them go...but, I have started buying 14 or 16 pants and love that they make me look so much better!! I WISH I had taken some good before pictures and data. I don't have anything except a couple of pics. So good for you!!
Wonderful job on the weight loss!!!! I know how proud of yourself you must be!

Great feeling isn't it??? I just went in my closet and cleaned out all of my 20 or more 1x, 2x, and even 3x's. Honestly, I was a little scared to let them go...but, I have started buying 14 or 16 pants and love that they make me look so much better!! I WISH I had taken some good before pictures and data. I don't have anything except a couple of pics. So good for you!!
Wonderful job on the weight loss!!!! I know how proud of yourself you must be!

Great feeling isn't it??? I just went in my closet and cleaned out all of my 20 or more 1x, 2x, and even 3x's. Honestly, I was a little scared to let them go...but, I have started buying 14 or 16 pants and love that they make me look so much better!! I WISH I had taken some good before pictures and data. I don't have anything except a couple of pics. So good for you!!
Wonderful job on the weight loss!!!! I know how proud of yourself you must be!

hahahha! I know EXCATLY what you mean, I was so excited that I could find a bra that the straps change to criss cross!! It has been YEARS!! whoohoo! I'm with ya!

Great feeling isn't it??? I just went in my closet and cleaned out all of my 20 or more 1x, 2x, and even 3x's. Honestly, I was a little scared to let them go...but, I have started buying 14 or 16 pants and love that they make me look so much better!! I WISH I had taken some good before pictures and data. I don't have anything except a couple of pics. So good for you!!
Wonderful job on the weight loss!!!! I know how proud of yourself you must be!

Honestly, it sounds like you should consider counseling. food addiction is real and sometimes we need very real help to overcome it. The problems you describe are psychological not physical. There is a saying we have around here "the band goes around your stomach, not your brain". The band is great at dimming our hunger and helping us need less food to be satisfied, but it can't and won't change unhealthy relationships and addictions to food.
You can do this, you just may need a little professional help to do it.
Best wishes.

Maybe the 2 pounds was Water weight during your pouch test. Gaining back 2 after losing 10 in a short amount of time isn't bad at all. Glad for you!

Pitboss, I had my surgery May 6th, and haven't regretted it for a minute!! I hope you have the same experience. I feel wonderful, and still have 30 pounds more to lose. It is work, but it is worth it!
God Bless! Keep us posted!

Go back to drink liquids for a day or two and then to mushies and see how it goes. If it doesn't get better you need to call your doctor and get a little taken out. You will be swollen from throwing up and getting stuck so the liquid only should help.

I have only had one fill and have lost 66 pounds, currently, I am hungry all the time. I have a Dr appt next week to discuss fill#2.. From what I have read it takes 3 or 4 fills before you hit the green zone. Is it TRUE ? Is there really such a thing as the "green zone"? And, for those of you that have experienced it, how long did it remain? After I eat, I could set clock to my 2 hour hunger pains that follow.
What I want from a "green zone" is not to be obsessed with food. Like I felt when I first had the surgery.
Please give me hope...

It REALLY depends on your personality and your individual body. I simply suck at counting calories. I do much better when I do a high Protein / high fat diet. I feel full, stay full, and lose weight. Also, when I eat I eat my protein first. So say I had a steak and potato, I eat the steak first and the potato second. That way I'm making sure to fill up on the protein. I used to eat a more round robin style where I'd eat some of this, then some of that. Now I always hit the protein first and fill up on whatever the sides are.

When I had my first post-op appointment for a fill, or a "Adjustment" as my Dr. calls it, he showed me the big "Yellow-Green-Red" on the wall, and said THIS is where we want you to be. He then explained the whole adjustment process, regurgitation, adverse effects to certain foods, etc....everything I could expect....
It took me 3 fills, 4 months after surgery to get there...BUT...even though I was there I did not know it...I had a hard time adjusting myself and my bad habits...I even went in and he convinced me to stick it out, and lectured me on eating techniques, etc....it took 2 months after my last fill for things to start settle down and even out...after that it just got easier and easier....maybe a full year after surgery with my last fill 4 months after surgery.
That was over 2 years ago. Have not had a fill since....I have been in the Green Zone ever since. My hunger and appetite is as under control as it was back then....I do not have to think about it anymore. Every day has become just another day...as though I had total knee surgery 2 1/2 years ago, and I no longer have to think about walking.....although in the beginning I did have to learn all over again...eating food that is, my knee is fine.
Short of having some kind of medical issue, I don't see what it wouldn't last forever....the band is a constant..it's not going to dissolve away...and I do some self maintenance things to keep it optimum.
It is NOT for everyone...or should say not everyone will find it....I read posts here all the time and I feel that I can see, IMO anyway, that there are many people going to have a tough time....but it's none of my business to tell other people anything, all anyone can do is share their story.
I've heard stories about large # statistics where the lap and will be unsuccessful....at first I could no understand or accept that...I could not see how that can b possible after surgery of all things....but I have to say,sadly, I can see how that might be possible.
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It's definitely real, however the number of fills it takes to get there is really dependent on both you and your doctor. Some are there with no fills and others need many fills.
How long you remain in it depends on you, too. The first time I was in it for about 4 months, but as expected my stomach shrank when I lost weight and eventually needed another fill. Since I got into the Green Zone the second time, it's been 8 months (and counting).
As far as the food obsession, I'd like to be able to tell you being in the Green Zone will "cure" that but I'd be lying. You have to remember, the band is around your stomach not your brain. If the food obsession is do to food addiction then that is something you'll have to come to terms with. If the food obsession is because of physical hunger (not head hunger) then being in the Green Zone will help.
Best wishes.

It's not a measurable thing and is different for everyone (in terms of what it feels like and how long it takes to get there and stay there). I had my doubts also, but then at one point was like OOOOOhhhhh. I get it now! LOL You just know it when you're there. It definitely doesn't last forever, and my best suggestion is to take advantage of it while it lasts. Now that I'm basically at goal, I know I'm no longer in a green zone and am doing this mostly on my own with no restriction. As long as I can keep that up, no more fills for me. It's good to know I have the option to get back in the zone if I need to though.

I dont want to take the air out of your tires, but please consider the following:
1) Bands are typically tighter for the first few days after a fill and after inflammation/contraction subsides than you'll have a real appreciation of what that band will be until the next fill
2) As time elapses and as you lose weight it is normal for the band to have less restriction and follow up fills are usually required
3) As you get closer to goal, green may be redefined. I know my maintenance green is different than the wl green zone. For example, no way in heck I can eat a full hamburger at this stage.
But yes, the sensation you are feeling may indeed be 'green'. As long as you are satiated and losing without complications (ie regurg, acid reflux etc) stick with it. I just don't want you to think you've reached green and that green can slip away from you even though you didn't change anything for example.

Wow...that's a hard one! There is actual hunger and there is head hunger, here are my definitions:
Presurgery actual hunger: stomach growling and a bit of an ache, feeling empty, bad mood, non-stop hunger pangs until I ate something.
Presurgery head hunger: stomach isn't growling, no hunger pangs nor aching but you just want to eat something because you know it's there. Particularly bad when watching TV or bored. Seeing someone else eat will trigger you to eat, even though you aren't hungry.
Post-sugery actual hunger: stomach might not growl, but there are minor hunger pangs sometimes, you feel a bit weak and know you SHOULD eat something...even though you might not really want to. More often than not and particularly when you are in the green zone, your "internal clock" will tell you it's time to eat and it feels like a chore at times.
Post-surgery head hunger: almost non-existant when you are near or in the green zone. You can see food, smell food, watch others eating and still not want it - maybe a nibble, just to see how it tastes, but that's it. Even when you're bored or watching TV, you opt for Water, tea or some other liquid rather than food.

That sounds too tight- and too tight isn't where you want to be. Too tight won't make you lose weight any faster, only put you at risk for a slip.
You talk about going back to your old eating habits- you have to remember the band goes around your stomach, not your brain. It's your job to change your eating habits, not the band's job. The band is there to keep you satisfied on less food for long periods of time, not change your eating habits.
Here's a link I think will help: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html
Best wishes