Nykee

Nykee, this is not a LOT of food at all!! >>>>>>>>>Well that was a lite day.... Quantity has never ben much of an issue for me.. What it is is the wrong kind of food, though. To get to the point where you're satisfied between meals, you need to kick up the Protein and get totally rid of the crunchy Snacks. Cheetos do absolutely nothing to fill you up, they're 99% air and 100% empty calories. You didn't have any real food until 2:00 p.m. and then not again until 10:00 p.m. And you're surprised you're hungry?!? You're not eating any real FOOD!! >>>>>>>>>>> I am not hungry. I have never claimed to be hungry.. I am not loosing weight. I eat junk. I always have and I always will. I should of got the gastric bypass, I realize this more and more every day. I know what I need to get rid of, and I have tried to change my eating patterns and choices for 20 yrs.. very educated on the subject.. I got the lap band becasue I have not and seemingly cannot do it.. Try having a protein bar for breakfast, eaten whenever you feel able to eat. Put another one in your purse for the next time you're tempted to buy Cheetos. >>>>>>>>>Good advice, wish my brain would listen to that! Get some cold cuts and sliced cheese and have that for lunch or supper. I know the 7-11 near me sells protein bars, hard-boiled eggs, and pre-made sandwiches. Does yours? Buy a turkey sub and eat it from the inside out, leaving the bread for last. You may not even want the bread once you're done with the insides. >>>>>>>>>I can eat unlimited bread.. even when I save it for last. I need a fill. Those are all good advice.. I could write a book on these kinds of tips and more,. Psychological counseling is a great idea, and if your doc's office is going to insist you might as well get what you can from it. In the meantime, there is a lot you can do about what you're eating that really will help you use the band to its best advantage. Don't get frustrated, get busy! >>>>>>>>>>>I dont have the money for the counseling or to mess around with this fill doctor. I would go if I could.. of course I would. I have a BS degree in psychology. I know the value of it. I am on SSI and have maybe 600$ left for fills. I need to go to Mexico where they have assured me I would be filled right.

When I look back on the first six months of banded life, I remember being GLAD about the slow onset of restriction. >>>>>>>>>>As I know I should be.. your so good at putting things in perspective. TY It's totally unrealistic to think that we can change our habits overnight with nothing but the knowledge there's a band inside to help us! If you're not feeling restriction, there is no point in beating yourself up about not being satisfied on the tiny amounts you've heard other people talk about. >>>>>>>>>I am not beating my self up.. BUT I am very frusterated that my USA band doctor wont fill me! Finding the right fill is a process. Talk to your doctors! When you get to the point that three bites is your entire meal, you'll be glad you had this interim time to accept that 15 bites is a meal. Pre-op your meals were probably 50-75 bites! It's not easy being faced with a plateful of food you are physically incapable of eating, so don't rush the experience. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Your so right! But i just hate hate hate foods control over me and cannot wait for the 5 to 15 bite meals~! The "physically incapible of eating" part I am so ready for.. I SWEAR! Ha ha.. I will be on here whining about it later I am sure.. THANK you again, everything you say I understand and get! Think of it as going down a ladder. You're eating less than you were pre-op, somewhere near the top of the ladder. As you descend a little more with each adjustment, there's time to accept the changes you're making. Then with the next fill your meals will get a little smaller, and you'll stay at that level for a while learning how to manage that. The whole POINT is that it's gradual! Don't think that just because you're not feeling it now that the whole project is a loss!!! >>>>>>>>>>>Yes, your right.... its time for my next step.. I am being impatient... But the three months havnt really changed my eating habits muchg at all, I am so ready for SOMETHING! THANK YOU

I know what your saying.. but some of the diets posted here are really good.. I dont mean just the portains either.. I think (when I finally have the restricion fill I need) My diet will be like this: 5 bites biscuit and gravy and one peice of bacon half a KFC chicken snacker and 4 fries ounce of cheese and wasabi mustard and half a pepporoni stick Frosty dairy shake from Wendies and 5 fries ya know.. like that lol Sorry.. I hope not, but I know my self.

It's tough. Perfect restriction is different for everyone, but it's the point where you are able to eat a normal sized meal, stay full for 4 hours or so, and lose 1-2 pounds a week. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I think perfect restriction is when you are not able to consume very much food without having a PB or weird burping that hurts in the chest. Since when has being full or not being hungry stopped many of us from eating?? Thats NOT what I learned about the band.. I think your putting your veiws about the band and what its doing for you and thinking thats how its for all.. Its not that way for me. Being FULL will not stop me (and most obese people) from eating.. There are many ways to diet without being hungry.. eating 1200 calories is NOT leaving people hungry if they know what they are doing. Its not an issue of fullness... the fullness on the band is most uncomfortable with way less food. I've seen some people want to be so tight that they can only eat 2-3 bites of anything. That's ridiculous! That ain't healthy! Sure you'll lose weight if you do that for a while, but your body will go into starvation mode eventually and ruin your metabolism. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>I dont want that. I am one of the bigger patients, with restriction I will lose alot of weight once I am restricted or filled better. BUT... it aint healthy to stay 400 pounds either and a few bites of food is better than staying obese and dying from it. I've had the slime before -- I call it sliming. If we eat just a little too much (ignoring my soft stop), or not chew well enough, our stomaches will try to get the food to go down by producing the slime. >>>>>>>>>>>>I dont do this.. if its uncomfortable I stop and it gets uncomfortable way before the slime.. I slimes once when I got the feeling and then tried to drink it away, NEVER again! It SUCKS! If we've gone totally over our food limit, then we'll get a full PB where it has to come up. >>>>>>>>>>Well seeing how this never happens I think its clear I need a fill. It's very very tough to recognize your soft stop signal. >>>>>>>>>>NOT for me. For so many years, we've ignored it and now we have to try and find it again. That's why it is important to eat slow so you give yourself time to recognize it. That's also why we do fills gradually -- so we can learn to eat better and slower! >>>>>>>>>>>Its been three months for me, I really need a fill NOW! I am trying not to argue with you (who posted this) I am still upset at my fill doctors for not filling me when I so obviously need a fill.

No. You shouldn't EVER have pain or uncomfortableness when eating. >>>>>>>>well uncomfortableness is different for everyone.... I can feel the difference.. that difference is uncomfortable to me. Bandsters have 2 stops - a soft stop and a hard stop. The hard stop causes that pain, that uncomfortable feeling. When you have that feeling, you've already eaten too much. >>>>>>>>>>>>I think its different for everyone.. and your trying to tell me what I feel. The hard stop I would think would be the PB or the slime thing that happens.. To me I dont get hard stops yet. The soft stop is a little signal that you're full - a sigh, a hiccup, a burp sometimes. It can be hard to detect, especially when you're first banded. >>>>>>>>>>Thats exactly what I am complaining of being uncomfortable.. its very easy for me to detect. I have only "slimed" one time and it was very very uncomfortable.. two spits of slime and I wont let it happen again! (if I can at all prevent it) Yes, a PB can occur suddenly - if you don't chew well enough for even just 1 bite, you can PB. A PB isn't just uncomfortable -- the food comes up. >>>>>>>>>>Well thats never happened to me.. no food has ever came up. (since one time when I was first banded)

Not me I had my done 3 months, only lost 4 pound at the moment. (I lost 41 pounds pre op diet) My first fill made NO difference (had fill 1 month ago) I think its all about the fill at this point. If your filled right, you should be fine and lose weight!

Hey, I see your fill doctor is eubanks. I am angry with their office right now. I called and asked about fills, they said 250$ for first consult, 150$ for fills, and 100$ for Flouro. I bugged them I asked so many questions, I even asked if there were any hidden fee's and all that. Later I finbd out that there is also a 89$ office fee every time. THEN............. I find out I MUST go to a nutritional couseling appointment for one hour. I just got a 400$ bill for this. Then I find out I have to see the Psychologist.... and ITS also NOT covered by my insurence. (100-200$ I assume) Soooooooooo much for the 150$ fills and 100$ flouro from now on and the fill appointments being once a month. I was surpose to get a fill MAY 18th,(today) they were giving me the run around for three weeks and I JUST found out it wasnt goona happen. I also hear they give fills for like .5 I sure and the heck aint doing all this for a measly .5 more! I KNOW ny capacity for eating is WAY BIG and .5 just aint gonna make enough of a diff! I am on SSI.. I havnt the money..to keep going back there like that. Its getting ridiculous.. They should of mentioned all this when I was asking all the questions. I should have went to Mexico to my original surgeon for my first fill (it cost 500$, the same as it would of cost me to go to mexico) NOW, I have to go to Mexico anyway because I have a feeling Eubanks is gonna to continue to mess me around. I do understand where Eubanks and the fill people are coming from and why they have to be carefull, but I have done everything they asked and been 100% honest.. Its obvious I need a fill and if they listened and beleived what I have reported to them they wouldnt deny me a fill!

Sometimes I have too much restriction in the mornings. Like once it was 9:30 Am and two bites of Grape nuts got to me.. (and I really hate that feeling!) And a few other times like that.. So I dont even bother to try any more.

Hey you people, If you were able to eat like this... WHy did you get/need the band? How has it helped you as far as avoiding junk food and such?

Its been 4 weeks and still nothing felt on my restriction. I am at 1.1 cc I cant wait to get filled some more and see what happens!

Restriction does come with a feeling to me. Its an uncomfortable feeling in your chest... you cannot eat one more bite or drink one more drink (well you can, but YOU wont want to!!) I have heard people describe what happens to them when they PB. I assume this is the feeling they get when they go beyond the ouncomfortable feeling in the chest, and try to keep eating.. maybe becasue they were not in control and just wanted more. Some people have also said this PB can come on all of a sudden without the uncomfortable feeling/warning but I wouldnt know. The only time that happened to me was when I was out of surgery, they had me try Water and later grape juice... It felt like horses trampling on my chest, absolute impossibility to swallow another drink and then you gag and heave and burp air and then the water or juice comes out like spitting (not like puking) That feeling above shouldnt be so severe daily on the band.. BUT it IS uncomfortable... and THATS The point. If It were to just make you fell full, it wouldnt work.. once your full THATS the time the uncomfortable feeling will be present.. You must NOT go past that feeling... like choose food over the pain.. (some do and mess up the band and the weight loss) anyway, thats what I have learned so far..

Thanks for the advice and caring!! Many doctors have this policy, if they see you are eating around the band and having mental issues. >>>>>>>>>.I already went to the nutritional counseling and unless she didnt beleive me, she should of approved a fill.. I am not eating aroud the band at this point. Even Dr. Ortiz will not continue to give fills if he sees you are abusing the band, >>>>>>>>WELL, once I actually have a fill that gives restriction then he can make that descsion.... he wants you to work with your band, you know the old saying, just because you can doesnt mean you should. >>>>>>>>>>>>Um.. yes, I know I have to work with it but right now there is nothing to work with. I'm sure there are many of us out there me included who can eat more then they would like to but the key here is to do some of the work ourselves and not totally rely on the band also there are certain foods the band will not restrict no matter how tight you are. >>>>>>>>>Thats not the case with me, I can eat anything.. AND I need restriction.. WHY would I ever get the band if I could do it on my own? When I want to eat, I always ask my self am wanting to eat because Iam truly hungry or because I think I am hungry. Distinguishing that is half the battle, also not eating until you are full but only eating until you are satisfied >>>>>>>>>Oh well if it was that easy I would of lost weight the thousands of other times I thought of that.. Hunger is not an issue.. restrcition is gonna have to be.. >>>>>>None of us are goping to starve to death and all of us are so used to eating until we are stuffed, that has to change in order for the band to work as well. Lots of head issues we have to work on and old habits we have to break if we want success. >>>>>>>>This I know. Have known for many many years... I dont eat till I am stuffed anyway.. I eat 2 slices of pizza.. maybe three... I eat tons of junk.. The band had got to rrestrict food.. I wont be able to stop eating the junk I like.. I have tried for 20 yrs.. There are also some rules we need to follow with our bands like no drinking with our meals and waiting a good hours afterwards to drink. Nykee This could be why you are eating so soon after a meal.The band is not a magic wand, no one said it would be easy. >>>>>> I do need to work on that and I will as soon as I have restriction and FEEl like I have the band I spent the 12.000$ on...

I dont PB, I dont have restriction.. Thats the whole point.. RIGHT???!!! To have restriction. I do not eat until I feel uncomfortable.. Bread.. tortillas.. anything.. doesnt matter.... They had me do a test with spegetti.. "how much can I eat" WITH nothing to drink of course. I ate 2 and a half cups and a big peice of bread.. and I felt full and didnt want to do the test any more.. (I did this at home) IT WAS NOT band related stuffness.. I could have kept eating and eating it if I felt like it. I am not tight enough .. PERIOD. I havnt even had a chance to eat around the band yet..... I havtn had a chance to eat too much and HURT my band.. I KNOW what the restriction feels like... I HAVE had some restriction. I was very restrictied while I was in Mexico and spitting up my own saliva and then Water, then for about a week after I got home... I felt a tightness when I tried to sway from liguids and taking my pills with the timyest juice was hard to do. Since then I have felt it in the mornings.... so if I eat anything I eat till I feel weird.. I am terrified of eating more once I get that little feeling becasue i will never forget what the PBing feels like (in the hospital) Example of what I ate today: 10am 4 ounces of 1% MIlk 1pm Half a large slurpee from 7-11 2pm KFC chicken snacker (its a 99cent small chicken sand) Cheetos' about 25 5pm Cheetos about 20 Milk 1% 20 ounces 10pm Chilli 1cup bread bowl (half) I weighed myself today and I have lost NO weight. Officially I have lost 4 pounds since my surgery date. THATS BULL CRAP.. Its just obvious I need a fill.. And I am going to Mexico on Monday to get one IF I can book the flight. Dr. Ortiz says he uses scientific method (or such) to do the fills. And he told me personally something about psychological Counseling that made alot of sense to me. I feel very defensive wih Dr. eubanks office handling me this way, I DO understand.. But i feel like thet think I am a liar or some fat freak cow who cant control myself and I KNOW I am not.. If I were I wouldnt have given up eating my breakfasts of biscuits and gravy and mcdonalds mcmuffins... I cannot wait NOT TO EAT.... I WILL LOVE every minute of it!

Welcome chloe.. I am pretty frusterated right now too

NOW They insist I have a psychological counseling before I can get a fill.. this is not covered on my insurence. I am so frusterated.. Why are they doing this? I can eat ALOT! I should be able to have a fill! PERIOD!

No one told me about the gas thing.. BUt it is undeniable I was the one person in my family who DID not burp and fart all the time. And I wasnt just hiding it (my family doesnt hide such things) I just WAS NOT a burper or farter.. even when I did burp, it was tiny.. never a real burp.. and when I farted it rarely stank. NOW.. i fart daily and at leaste once a day one STINKS real bad! Plus I let out little burps alot. It was funny at first and my family thinks its a real riot.. They are amazed and confused..lol BUt its really begining to get on my nerves. farting is gross when it stinks! I used to get so mad at my family for being so gross and they would laugh and I would have to leave the area.. Now I understand

I know it's a simple thing to do. But I am addicted to milk like a baby on a bottle and to the sugar in juice like a crack head. I literally cry when I cant get juice when I really crave it. (sometimes we cant get to a store or I dont have the moey or I am on a low carb diet) And when I go without milk for a week, I start to crave it like mad.... The low sugar and low carb juices taste ok but they just dont saticefy the cravings at all. There is a slurpee of crystal light.. its real sweet cuz its frozen and all and it taste very very good.. BUT it does NOT get rid of the craving. weird. Its extremely difficult for me. Doesnt seem like it should be.. FACT is I just have to DIET! How can I wasnt this only chance I have at life?

I went to Mexico for my Lapband. I recently found out I could get fills about an hour from me in Oregon with Tom Eubanks for less than the cost of me traveling to Mexico. (and less hassle) When I was asking for all the info from Eubanks office, I pretty much thought I would have to pay a consult fee, flouro and fill the first time (about 550$) And then Fills only after that and maybe flouro too. I was told Fills were once a month. I had my first fill in April. The next fill in May 18. Well, I called yesterday to get a fill on May 18th. Suddenly......... I have to have a phone in session with 'nancy' and SHE decides if I need a fill and it cost 25$. I cant schedule the fill untill she approves it. FINE, No problem.... AND now I found of of another charge of 89$ each time I go for a office fee? BUT.......... They call me back and say I have to come IN to the office and cant do it over the phone....... I have to come in for an HOUR appointment. They say my insurence will cover it cuz I am diabetic, (this I am not so sure of and I am scared I will end up with a bill.. my insurence is OHP) WHINE AND MOAN AND BITCH.... (inserted here) I am a private person (in real life, not on messege boards, lol) I do not like going places, I am a cripply gimp and the office is almost impossible for me to manage up stairs and way down the hall) I cannot drive alone and had to get my kid to go with me. I dont want to reveal the truth and I am anally truthfull about my eating habits. I dont want to be judged and I dont want to be misunderstood. (I AM NEVER UNDERSTOOD! I am lumped in with the 400 pound morbidly obese people who eat whole pizzas and stuff and I DONT and never have and so they think if I eat one slice of pizza its a big change BUT ITS NOT becasue I only ate two to begin with. ANYWWAY... I am NEVER beleived and I just hate that! I am also a rambler, I go on and on and on and make my self look like a basket case. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I am not a happy camper at all. I definately will take some of my valium tonight! Can anyone tell me what this kind of HOUR long meeting will go? I am filled 1.1 on a 4cc band and I just want another fill. THATS ALL!!!!!

I posted this on another thread, but I'll repeat it here: Why not try substituting calorie-free liquids for your milk and juice? >>>>>>>>>>>>I have tried prolly over 200 times in the last 10 years.. BUt I will keep trying till I die or change I guess. Breaking the kind of drinking habit that you have will be hard to do all at once. (I mean between meals--you really do want to NOT drink at all for an hour after eating.) Lots of liquid is a good thing, but not if it's loaded with calories. Try those great flavored waters! They're really delicious and you can drink three gallons of them if you want. Propel and Fruit2O are two brands, and there are loads of others. >>>>>>>>>>>I know ALL the brands.. I bought cases of them at costco. sugar free grape kool aid, sunrise crystal lite and ICE botanicals are my favorite but I still cant stand them... ITS A TOTAL diet to me to drink them and I had really counted on this BAND, not on me.. cuz I let me down too much. You're doing great!! So did they say you could get a fill, and if so, when? >>>>>>>>>>No they havnt called back. and now I dont even have the money.. I may have to wait till JUne.. but then my kids summer fun money will be gone.. I dunno. MY FILLS come first!!! Thats my life I have decided to put first for once! After your fill you may find that a grilled cheese sandwich isn't the best bet for lunch. >>>>>>>>>>>I know, I am filled at 1.1 and well obviously I need more!@ The bread makes it hard to eat. Start stocking your kitchen with other options--chili, tuna, deli meats maybe. The day will come and you don't want to be unprepared! >>>>>>>>>>>>>I been stocked for a while now... baby food even, but I have yet to have any real restriction yet! THANKS for your support.. I really appreciate it!

Maybe it slipped? I dunno, thats what I would be affraid of.

I went to the appointment and it was GREAT. Nancy is the best. I was 100 percent honest with her and she never did anything to make me feel bad, only encourage me. SHE understood everything and didnt judge at all. I am glad they had me go!!! I learned alot. LAmadame) Nykee Protein first means this, if you sit down to eat and your plate has lets say a piece of chicken, some veggies, some rice girl) I never eat meals like this.. well almost never. Lamadame) you should eat all of the chicken first, then the veggies, then the rice if you have room left. For example my lunch today was a small zuchini cut up into small slices, 3 slices of the tyson all ready cooked chicken strips, I sauteed them together in a pan with non stick spray and vegetable seasoning, I will eat the chicken first then the zuchini it is a high protein, low carb meal with very little fat if any. girl) I know how to do this, I could write my own diet book..lol BUt I do not cook and actually cannot cook (much) (physically challanged) BUT I am telling my family thats something thats new, time to COOK! They do everything else for me, why not this! argggh lamadame) Protein supresses hunger, the more you eat, the less hungry you are. girl) Hunger has never been an issue. Hunger doesnt make me eat, hunger has nothing to do with it. lamadam) Examples of protein are chicken, beef, fish, tuna, eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, some Beans, some nuts, girl) I been adding up my protein nd I get plenty.. like 100 grams a day.. BUT I know what your saying. The counseling meeting really opened my eyes. I am actually restricted on my protein, not allowed over 80 a day. lamadam) You can do this, from one Ortiz patient to another I know he stresses protein first, if you need a little kick in the butt call me or email me, I will help you get through it. girl) They dont talk to me... BUT I will PM you with my email.. I ALWAYS need a kick in the butt.. I am SUCH a loser! Sorry to say that.. but gosh this whole thing is making me nuts.. look how crabby I am being.. lamadame) If you do not eat food that way, then maybe try starting to do it that way if at all possible. girl) Well I KNOW its possible I just dont know whats seemed impossible for the last 20 years now to follow or do anything differently that would help my diet and health and weight. lamadame) Honestly for me carbs kill any attempt for weight loss , if I eat protein it keeps my cravings and hunger under control, carbs make me crazy and ravenous all day long for more food! Good Luck to you Nykee, you can do this! girl) I know thats true.. I HAVE started today. This is what I did so far. I gave my jelly belly jar to my son, he asked why and I said "cuz I eat like 10 every morning and every night" and he thought that was the point to have a few to feel saticfied (usually the jar would of been GONE long ago, handfulls all day) I told him the little bit is prolly just keeping the carb cravings going. I left my purse at home on purpose when I went to get my daughter from school. BECASUE I made a NO FAST FOOD RULE.. I have fast food up to three times a day, and almost every day. (little things but full of fat and carbs!) It was so hard! OMG.. I cant beleive it was so hard. And tonight I go to the YMCA for my workout, just not gonna bring any cash so I wont be tempted! I had a grilled cheese sandwitch for luch.. WITH NO DRINK!!! I was drinking with my meals. I usually drank like 32 ounces or more of milk or juice with a sandwitch or a corndog. This time, sandwithc ONLY@!!! Those are the things I have done so far. Soooooooooon, I will try to make these 'meals' ... (instead of like a snadwitch) THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT!!!

My lapband nutritionalist where I get my fills said the gastric bypass probably was a better option for me becasue I am addicted to milk and juice and prebanding drank up to a gallon of each per day. I been thinking about it and realizing that she is right. I can get away with so much liquids where I never would have on the lapband. At 415 pounds.. I shouldnt have been so scared of the gastric bypass. I needed something extreem. I didnt realize about the drinking and the lapband and how it worked with liquids and the people talking to me about the lapband didnt realize that I drink, not really eat so much.. anyway.. I gotta work with what I have. I ate a grilled cheese sand today with nothing to drink for an hour after! THAT WAS A FEAT!!! I am proud of myself. I started today with some rules.. band rules, finally gonna really try to follow! Cuz with the band YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH IT.. (another reason I shoulda had the bypass)

Good luck!

I can barely swallow my pills with 3 ounces of liquid in the AM 7 to 9am And By noon I am open fine, some restriction By 7pm I am open wide as if I dont even have the band Then around midnight or 1am I am restricted again

My nutritinalist said to count thte 41 pounds I lost before DUE to the fact I lost it all on a low carb diet (and within one month) and I definately would of gained it all back by now (like I always have... gained it all back in a month or two) and the fact that I didnt gain it back means I actaully lost it.. LOL get that? So 4.8 pounds for me.. That sounds great..lol I Still demand a fill!