Steffyp

I'd wait it out, myself. You can eat and drink so it doesn't sound like it is worth going back before your next consult in a month.

I got that too. I was 214lbs and 5 foot 1. Not cute, but my weight was distributed all over and unless I told her what I weighed you wouldn't guess it. I told a co-worker I was getting the lap band and got " Oh don't do that, you don't need it". My response was, well I'm tired of not feeling good, low energy and ongoing reflux. furthermore, this is a personal decision and I have already made it!. I have been banded now for over a year with no regrets. Well,maybe one. I wish I had done it sooner!! After that episode I only told my immediate family and no one else. They were very supportive.

I got that too. I was 214lbs and 5 foot 1. Not cute, but my weight was distributed all over and unless I told her what I weighed you wouldn't guess it. I told a co-worker I was getting the lap band and got " Oh don't do that, you don't need it". My response was, well I'm tired of not feeling good, low energy and ongoing reflux. furthermore, this is a personal decision and I have already made it!. I have been banded now for over a year with no regrets. Well,maybe one. I wish I had done it sooner!! After that episode I only told my immediate family and no one else. They were very supportive.

Hmmmm.....perhaps they would rather you wait for surgery until you become "that big" (say, 350-450+) and then you could lose several hundred pounds instead of 100 or so. Then, you could have REALLY sagging skin, and have to get THAT removed like so many do. Also, you could suffer longer with health issues and aches and pains. Sounds good, huh?

I got a fill last Wed I was 232 got on scale today and it said 220
I thought scale was messed up up at Manor so went over to hospital to weigh it said 219 lol. Love Love Love my lap band. First significant loss I have had in awhile. I even called Dr. thinking maybe I was confused about weight and or date I got fill but nope it is true. 12 pounds since May 14th. And yes I am eating enough. Definitely not starving myself.

You sound almost identical to me, but I am not discouraged. I had a nice talk with the NP on my last visit(fill number 4, I now have 4.5cc's in my 10cc band) She first of congratulated me for maintaining my weight over the holidays and said a lot of people don't lose a lot of weight after your first few fills unless you have over 100lbs to lose. She said I should see a difference with this fill, and she is right. I finally can fill some restrictions and am having to slow down when eating some foods. So I have decided to kick up my exercise and stick strictly to no more than a cup of food per meal. Even though my scale is not moving I am losing inches so something is definitely happening. Hopefully, this will get the scale moving. It will come we just have to be patient.

This topic is inspired by a post Carolina Girl made on her blog today. It was about people saying I can't. It reminded me once of something my dad told me his marriage counselor had said to him. I've carried it in my mind ever since. The quote goes:
There is no "can't" for adults. There is only "I won't" or "I don't know how."
Think about it. Either you just won't or you don't know how. Either do it or find out how.
And my quote for this journey:
Do something. Anything. Just do SOMETHING!

Each day there are more and more newly banded people here who are questioning their weight loss. You think you should have lost more or be losing more then you have. A loss is a loss whether it be pounds or inches. You are not going to lose weight every day, every week or even every month in some cases. No one that is obese ever gained 100lbs over night or some even over a year. It was a gradual weight gain that will take time to get rid of. You're questioning what am I doing wrong. If you are following the plan that your doctor put in place for you to the T then you are doing nothing wrong. As the body loses weight it has to catch up if you initially lose a lot in the beginning. People have went months with no weight loss but as long as you are not gaining you will get there. 1 to 2lbs a week is normal for a lapband patient. If it's more then you're that much more ahead of the game. Be patient, stay off the scale. Weigh yourself once a week or every other so you won't suffer disappointment and question if you made the right decision. If you can't stop weighing yourself then you have to stop being disappointed every time you don't lose. Just hang in there it will happen if you are doing exactly what you are suppose to be doing. You can't eat ice cream, cake, Cookies, potato chips and all the other junk food and wonder why the scale is not moving. Drink your Water, eat your portion size and make sure most of that is Protein, make sure you get 8 hours of sleep at night because you lose weight when you are sleeping, make sure you are moving your bowels every day and stop stressing. You will get there.

Are you still searching for the feeling we call “full”?
Not once in my life before my band surgery did I ever feel I had eaten enough food. Day after day, meal after meal, I searched for the feeling of “full”. I had no idea what it felt like, for many reasons. Some were emotional, some spiritual, some physical. Researchers now theorize that the internal message system in obese people doesn’t function properly, so that we don’t receive or comprehend “full” messages. Whatever the reason(s), I ate as if I was shoveling food into a bottomless pit that no amount of food could ever fill.


As a new bandster, it took me a long while to even begin to pay attention to my eating, never mind figure out when to stop eating. And no wonder. For over 50 years, I had eaten mindlessly, greedily, endlessly. Every single day, every meal, every moment, I ate and ate to reach what I call Thanksgiving dinner Full. I loved to cook (and still do). I loved to eat (and still do). My business travels took me all over the world, so that in each country I was able to enjoy a huge variety of different and delicious food. Occasionally the food was very strange – I can’t recommend eating the lightly grilled, still wriggling sea slug I sampled in Taiwan – but I was always game for a culinary adventure.
It’s very ironic that during those overseas travels, I witnessed true hunger, deprivation, and near-starvation firsthand. What I ate in one day then could probably feed a whole family for a week. In Southeast Asia I once met a new business associate for the first time. We talked business for a while. Then he said something startling, seemingly out of the blue: “Your family must be very wealthy.”
I said, “Uh, not especially.”
He smiled at my modesty, gestured at my size 24 body and said, “But it is true, because I can see that you eat very well.”
That encounter was mortifying on several levels, as I’m sure you can imagine. When I left that business career and coincidentally began dealing with my weight and eating issues, I also began to feel shame for my eating behavior, for the waste of all the food I’d gobbled up in my perpetual Quest for TDF (Thanksgiving Dinner Full). But how on earth could I end that quest? How could I ever learn to stop eating before I reached the TDF level?
I was extremely fortunate to start my weight loss surgery journey a short while later, and even more fortunate that my Lap-Band® eventually became such an effective tool in helping me eat less and lose weight. Although I felt I’d done a lot of research as a pre-op, I have to smile every time I think of a bandster friend who told me, “I had no idea how much work this was going to be.” I had no idea either. Every bite of food, every sensation in my body before, during, and after I ate, became a big project.
If you’re a new post-op, or even a further-out post-op, are you too discovering how much work is involved in living with and succeeding with your band? Perhaps wondering, “What have I gotten myself into?” If so, that’s OK. Remember that you’re not alone, and that you can succeed even if feels like getting there is taking forever and a day.
So, c’mon, Jean. Get to the point. Tell us: how do you know when to stop eating? Do you eat until you're full? What is “full” supposed to feel like now?
My answer to the first question is no. As a WLS patient, you don't eat until you’re full. You should never again eat that way, not just because that’s how you became obese enough to qualify for bariatric surgery but because eating that way will hinder your weight loss and can cause some nasty side effects and complications. So you’re going to have to figure out a new stopping point. And that stopping point is the satiety point.
Satiety is not quite the same as being full. For a bandster, full means that you have overeaten again and will soon be so uncomfortable you’ll have to take a few breaths before you go on to clean that plate like a good kid. (Which, by the way, is another practice you’ll have to give up sooner or later). Full means your upper stomach has reached its maximum capacity and that at any moment, that food is going to back up into your throat and make an ungraceful exit all over you, the table, and your dining companions. Full means that you sped right past your satiety point. Full means that it’s time to start paying much closer attention to how you feel as you eat.
Satiety happens on your way to being full. With a properly adjusted band, you will be comfortable if you stop eating when you're satiated, but will experience discomfort if you eat until you're full. If you eat to the TDF point, you won’t have that old faithful full-belly sensation that made you loosen your belt while waiting for Mom to bring you a big piece of pumpkin pie.
Instead, you’ll probably feel pressure, even pain, in your upper abdomen and chest. You’ll produce enough excess saliva to make you drool. You’ll think you’re about to power barf. You’ll be very sorry you overate. You’ll promise God and your bariatric surgeon (who are not actually the same person, by the way) that if you can feel relief right now, you’ll never overeat again. You’ll need to learn some strategies to prevent another episode of overeating. In article #3 of the Satiety 101 series, “Recognizing Satiety,” we’ll take a look at some common signals our bodies give us when we’re closing in on the satiety point.

After weight loss surgery, you need to plan your meals ahead of time. You always want a high-protein, low-calorie option to be available at meal time. You might find yourself carrying your own prepared food with you to be sure that you have the food you need. Sandwiches are good “go-to” option, but not just any old sandwich will do! This article can help you build sandwiches that are good fits for your meal plan.< /span>


What is Wrong with the Sandwiches You Used to Eat?
A typical workday might have started off with a trip through the drive-through for a breakfast burrito or sandwich, or a bagel and cream cheese sandwich at work. lunch could have been a brown bag Peanut Butter and jelly sandwich or a trip to a nearby restaurant for a sandwich, burrito, or burger. Where might these options leave you?
Sausage, egg, and cheese croissant or biscuit from a drive-through (600 calories with 42 grams of fat)
Bagel with cream cheese (500 calories with 70 grams of carbohydrates)
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich (600 calories and 40 grams of sugar)
Club sandwich (1,000 calories and 2,500 milligrams of sodium)
Chicken patty sandwich (60 grams of carbohydrates and 1,100 milligrams of sodium)
Beef, bean, and cheese burrito (900 calories and 40 grams of fat)

Your breakfast and lunch sandwiches could have added up to over 1,500 calories. Add in beverages, sides (hash browns, fries or chips, anyone?), and Snacks, and you could have been at 3,000 calories by lunchtime!
These Choices Don’t Work After Weight Loss Surgery!
Needless to say, these options do not fit into your weight loss surgery diet.

First, some of those sandwiches have more calories than you are supposed to be eating in a day, not to mention that some also contain more saturated fat, sodium, and sugar than you should have in a day.
Second, those sandwiches emphasize starchy breads and fatty Condiments, not the lean Proteins and nutritious vegetables you need to stay full and nourished after weight loss surgery.
Third, they can cause complications. Doughy Bagels and fried chicken, for example, can cause obstructions in lap-band patients; fatty sausage and sugary jelly can cause dumping syndrome in gastric bypass patients; and these low-nutrient foods can fill you up and cause malnutrition.

Luckily, this does not mean that you need to give up the convenience of sandwiches and the pleasure you get from biting into one. There are plenty of ways to make sandwiches that are weight loss surgery-friendly: low-calorie, high-protein, convenient, and delicious!
Protein Fillings for WLS Sandwiches
Start by choosing a lean source of Protein, just like you do when you plan all of your meals. These are some healthier options compared to what you might have chosen before weight loss surgery. Don’t forget to measure your portions if you are making your own sandwich, or eyeball your portions if you are ordering in a restaurant.
2 scrambled egg whites (30 calories)
2 ounces of canned light tuna (60 calories)
2 ounces of chicken breast, lean ham, turkey breast (80 calories)
2 ounces of fat-free cheese (90 calories)
½ cup cooked Beans or 1 vegetarian burger (120 calories)
2 ounces of turkey or vegetarian bacon or breakfast sausage (130 calories)

Load up on Vegetables and Fruit
Vegetables and fruit are the next food groups to add to your meals. Vegetables especially are low-calorie, so add more if you want a bigger sandwich. Try classic combinations, or get creative. You can also experiment with herbs such as fresh cilantro, basil, and dill. These are some ideas.
Lettuce and tomatoes with meat and cheese
Grilled eggplant, zucchini, and/or bell peppers with beans
Cucumbers and sprouts with fat-free feta cheese
Diced celery, carrots, onions, and Water chestnuts with tuna
Spinach and mushrooms with egg whites
Pear or apple with fat-free cheddar cheese
Cantaloupe with ham and/or fat-free cheese
Blueberries with egg whites

Breads and Alternatives
Most bread is high in carbohydrates and low in protein – clearly not what you need for your nutritious weight loss surgery diet. Besides adding calories and carbs, bread can cause obstructions in lap-band patients and make gastric bypass patients sick or overly full. When possible, skip the regular bread.
Bagels
Tortillas
Subs
Croissants
Biscuits
Regular sliced bread

Instead, choose whole-grain, high-fiber, low-calorie breads, and consider open-faced sandwiches, with the filling on 1 slice of bread, instead of regular 2-slice sandwiches. These are some good options.
Reduced-calorie bread (45 or fewer calories per slice)
Light English muffin (50 calories per half)
Mini whole grain bagel (60 calories per half)
Low-carb tortilla (50 calories per small tortilla)
High-fiber, light wrap (90 calories per wrap)
Also, look for creative, non-bread alternatives.
Lettuce leaves to make lettuce wraps or cups
Egg roll or wonton wrappers
Sheets of dried seaweed
Grilled eggplant
Your fork (skip the bread and just eat the filling)

Keeping Condiments Under Control
The condiments that you add can make or break your sandwich, both in terms of nutrition and taste. Skip the full-fat Mayonnaise, dressings, dips, sour cream, and butter, and be wary of high-sugar jam, barbecue sauce, and honey mustard. Instead, consider the following condiments.
Salsa
Fat-free mayo, dressing, dip, or sour cream
Regular mustard
Plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
Hot sauce
Shredded fat-free parmesan cheese
Reduced-calorie, trans fat-free margarine

Some Breakfast Sandwich Ideas to Start Your Day Off Right
Egg whites scrambled with spinach, mushrooms, and fat-free feta cheese on ½ English muffin
Cottage cheese and strawberries wrapped in lettuce leaves
Shredded fat-free cheese and lean ham toasted on a slice of reduced-calorie, whole-wheat bread and topped with salsa and tomatoes
Egg whites cooked with turkey bacon and broccoli in a small, high-fiber wrap
½ whole-grain mini bagel spread with fat-free cream cheese and topped with canned salmon with diced celery and water chestnuts

Lunch Sandwiches
Lettuce wrap filled with diced chicken breast, bean sprouts, mushrooms, and bell peppers, and soy sauce or light Asian dressing
Dried seaweed sheet rolled around tuna salad made with fat-free mayo, chives, and celery
Pinwheels made by layering slices of turkey breast, lean ham, and fat-free cheese slices, spreading them with mustard, and rolling them
Bean burrito with black beans, fat-free cheddar cheese, salsa, and fat-free sour cream on a small, high-fiber tortilla
Chicken breast with sliced apple and light vinaigrette between slices of grilled eggplant
Tomato sauce, fat-free mozzarella cheese, and mushrooms on a light English muffin
Toasted Rueben sandwich with low-fat Swiss cheese, shredded cabbage or sauerkraut, lean corned beef, and fat-free Thousand Island dressing on a light English muffin

Are You Ready for Some Sandwiches?
You can eat these sandwiches at home, or make them ahead of time and carry them with you in a reusable container. As a weight loss surgery patient, you should own plenty of reusable containers with tight-fitting lids. If you do not already have some, they are worth the investment so that you can carry healthy foods with you wherever you go.
We hope that you enjoy these sandwich ideas and that you are inspired to make some of your own healthy, high-protein sandwiches!

I agree with all the above, but one question I have is do you have lactose issue's? I am lactose intolerant and certain Protein shakes do not agree with me. I have to read all labels closely to make sure they are lactose free. If I use Protein Powder then I mix with lactaid. At any rate take it easy, and give yourself time to heal. I hope you are feeling better soon!!

I agree with all the above, but one question I have is do you have lactose issue's? I am lactose intolerant and certain Protein shakes do not agree with me. I have to read all labels closely to make sure they are lactose free. If I use Protein Powder then I mix with lactaid. At any rate take it easy, and give yourself time to heal. I hope you are feeling better soon!!

I agree with all the above, but one question I have is do you have lactose issue's? I am lactose intolerant and certain Protein shakes do not agree with me. I have to read all labels closely to make sure they are lactose free. If I use Protein Powder then I mix with lactaid. At any rate take it easy, and give yourself time to heal. I hope you are feeling better soon!!

This is a hard thing to learn, and now 6 months in and just after my 4th fill I'm beginning to realize what satiety feels like for me. I have the slight pressure in my chest. But before that, I measured all my meals, eating on a saucer and never more than a cup of food at a time. I stopped eating after that cup and never went for seconds. Now that I have a "soft" sign it is getting easier, but like the other posters has stated above it can take a while to feel those. In the mean time just measure your portions and my fitnesspal is a great help in tracking calories.

That sounds really good. I can relate to keeping my meat soft. My crock pot is my new best friend.

That sounds really good. I can relate to keeping my meat soft. My crock pot is my new best friend.

This is a hard thing to learn, and now 6 months in and just after my 4th fill I'm beginning to realize what satiety feels like for me. I have the slight pressure in my chest. But before that, I measured all my meals, eating on a saucer and never more than a cup of food at a time. I stopped eating after that cup and never went for seconds. Now that I have a "soft" sign it is getting easier, but like the other posters has stated above it can take a while to feel those. In the mean time just measure your portions and my fitnesspal is a great help in tracking calories.

My experience is pretty much like bandista's. I had my first fill under flouro because the dr couldn't find my port. Since then the NP has done them all and found my port with no problem. But we always discuss my eating habits and hunger level before she even brings out a needle. It is relatively painless, I don't bruise but I can be a little sore for a few days after. So far I have had 4 fills and 4.5 cc's in my 10cc band. My NP said that generally as long as I'm not having any stuck episodes they put in 1cc per visit, but now that I'm almost 1/2 way in by band it might drop to .5 cc, My dr also has the flouro equipment in the office but I was sent over to the hosp for that first fill. I don't remember how much it costs though, my insurance has covered everything. I don't know if filling under flouro means less fills, it all just really depends on how much you need to hit the green zone. I talked to my np about that and she said it varies for every person so there is no "magic" fill point to focus one. I would definitely discuss that with your dr.

Living with an adjustable gastric band is a partnership; it takes effort, compliance and conviction to live in a successful "team" effort.


You’ve made a commitment to adjustable gastric banding surgery, because you need to improve your overall present and future health. Sounds manageable, shouldn’t be too difficult; the results following bariatric surgery, 1 year, 3 years and so on, will be worth it. So, you have the surgery and, for awhile, it seems like magic, weight is coming off slowly but surely and you are working hard to move toward greater health goals day by day. If all goes well, you will have few bumps in the road, right? Well, that’s the hope, not always the reality.
I can tell you this; you are not alone on this journey and you will probably experience a good degree of success with your adjustable gastric band even if you are faced with a struggle from time to time. The challenges and rewards of surgery go hand in hand. The challenges of all patients remain virtually the same: how do we combine all the team professionals, support services, along with family and friends, to make this surgery work for you? It may help to look at the big picture for a moment and remind ourselves of the common issues that weight loss surgery patients may be facing along the way.
Here are some common challenges that bariatric patients may encounter at any point in the post-operative journey:
YOUR HABITS ARE TOUGH TO BREAK: You are human and make mistakes; you have habits and memories of the way food is woven into your life over the years.
YOU ARE BECOMING COMPLACENT: You are very motivated as a surgery patient at the beginning, then become complacent and lose motivation over time, after losing a large amount of weight.
YOU'RE OFF TRACK: You experience daily life stress that distracts you from your post surgery lifestyle priorities and commitment to better health.
YOU ARE AFRAID TO BE JUDGED: You have gained weight back now that you are 3 or more years post surgery but are embarrassed to reconnect with your surgeon and supports in your bariatric community, patients and professionals alike.

In addition to team professional support from your bariatric surgery program here are a few things to consider:
CONVICTION: Support and encouragement from family, friends and mentors. Those who have a vested interest in you and your success are the key people who help you post surgery and beyond. Try not to hear all or nothing of what others may say; seek what is helpful to you and leave the rest. Time and education help reassure those around you that your decision to have surgery is a sound one.
CONSISTENCY: Staying on a regular schedule with the surgeon’s office consists of regular lap band fills every 6 weeks or more, follow up visits with the nutritionist, regular blood work and support group attendance are ways to promote best results with your adjustable gastric band.
SHARING AND RECEIVING: Many patients find the use of individual therapy helpful or a group setting to reinforce continuous learning and lifestyle improvements. This would be recommended in addition to program support group attendance.
ONLINE SUPPORT SYSTEMS: Online resources are very helpful as an addition to program as well as personal support.

So here are the essential issues of bariatric living:
Your consistent awareness of these issues will increase the effectiveness of your weight loss “tool” so you can maintain a long and happy partnership with it.
It is an emotional adjustment at times and requires perseverance.
You will bicker, even fight at times (with your band) and say things you will regret.

Just remember, the band can be very flexible at times and allow you make mistakes but it cannot help you if you do not help yourself. That’s what life partners are supposed to do, right? They provide consistent support through all the ups and downs of life, through good times and bad.
You will have a long and prosperous relationship with your gastric band if you work as a team; isn’t that really the goal, after all?

http://shop.fit-fresh.com/Fit-Healthy-Body-Measure-Pedometer/dp/B00F3J9GA8?utm_source=Media&utm_medium=SparkPeople&utm_term=106KIT2&c1=Media&source=SparkPeople&kw=106KIT2Overlay
This may help you with Portion Control during your first months of being banded.

You sound almost identical to me, but I am not discouraged. I had a nice talk with the NP on my last visit(fill number 4, I now have 4.5cc's in my 10cc band) She first of congratulated me for maintaining my weight over the holidays and said a lot of people don't lose a lot of weight after your first few fills unless you have over 100lbs to lose. She said I should see a difference with this fill, and she is right. I finally can fill some restrictions and am having to slow down when eating some foods. So I have decided to kick up my exercise and stick strictly to no more than a cup of food per meal. Even though my scale is not moving I am losing inches so something is definitely happening. Hopefully, this will get the scale moving. It will come we just have to be patient.

My experience is pretty much like bandista's. I had my first fill under flouro because the dr couldn't find my port. Since then the NP has done them all and found my port with no problem. But we always discuss my eating habits and hunger level before she even brings out a needle. It is relatively painless, I don't bruise but I can be a little sore for a few days after. So far I have had 4 fills and 4.5 cc's in my 10cc band. My NP said that generally as long as I'm not having any stuck episodes they put in 1cc per visit, but now that I'm almost 1/2 way in by band it might drop to .5 cc, My dr also has the flouro equipment in the office but I was sent over to the hosp for that first fill. I don't remember how much it costs though, my insurance has covered everything. I don't know if filling under flouro means less fills, it all just really depends on how much you need to hit the green zone. I talked to my np about that and she said it varies for every person so there is no "magic" fill point to focus one. I would definitely discuss that with your dr.

My experience is pretty much like bandista's. I had my first fill under flouro because the dr couldn't find my port. Since then the NP has done them all and found my port with no problem. But we always discuss my eating habits and hunger level before she even brings out a needle. It is relatively painless, I don't bruise but I can be a little sore for a few days after. So far I have had 4 fills and 4.5 cc's in my 10cc band. My NP said that generally as long as I'm not having any stuck episodes they put in 1cc per visit, but now that I'm almost 1/2 way in by band it might drop to .5 cc, My dr also has the flouro equipment in the office but I was sent over to the hosp for that first fill. I don't remember how much it costs though, my insurance has covered everything. I don't know if filling under flouro means less fills, it all just really depends on how much you need to hit the green zone. I talked to my np about that and she said it varies for every person so there is no "magic" fill point to focus one. I would definitely discuss that with your dr.

You sound almost identical to me, but I am not discouraged. I had a nice talk with the NP on my last visit(fill number 4, I now have 4.5cc's in my 10cc band) She first of congratulated me for maintaining my weight over the holidays and said a lot of people don't lose a lot of weight after your first few fills unless you have over 100lbs to lose. She said I should see a difference with this fill, and she is right. I finally can fill some restrictions and am having to slow down when eating some foods. So I have decided to kick up my exercise and stick strictly to no more than a cup of food per meal. Even though my scale is not moving I am losing inches so something is definitely happening. Hopefully, this will get the scale moving. It will come we just have to be patient.

My experience is pretty much like bandista's. I had my first fill under flouro because the dr couldn't find my port. Since then the NP has done them all and found my port with no problem. But we always discuss my eating habits and hunger level before she even brings out a needle. It is relatively painless, I don't bruise but I can be a little sore for a few days after. So far I have had 4 fills and 4.5 cc's in my 10cc band. My NP said that generally as long as I'm not having any stuck episodes they put in 1cc per visit, but now that I'm almost 1/2 way in by band it might drop to .5 cc, My dr also has the flouro equipment in the office but I was sent over to the hosp for that first fill. I don't remember how much it costs though, my insurance has covered everything. I don't know if filling under flouro means less fills, it all just really depends on how much you need to hit the green zone. I talked to my np about that and she said it varies for every person so there is no "magic" fill point to focus one. I would definitely discuss that with your dr.