lthueme

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.

Hello again, feeling much better again today. I think I slept for about 13 hours last night. The gas pains have massively subsided, so hoping today will be the last day of all the aching. Have been managing to keep up the fluids and have added some electrolytes to the Water to make sure I stay hydrated. Have also been drinking organic baby apple juice to add a few calories to the mix as have only had water the last 3 days. Onwards and upwards. Hoping by the time I see the Dr again on Saturday I have lost a few pounds too Would be nice! Was down 4kg by op day, so that was a bonus. must have been the nerves!

Do you know when to stop eating? To learn the when, you must pay attention to your “stop eating” signals.
How do you know when to stop eating? Do you eat until you're full? No, you don't. You should never again try to eat until you feel full, not just because that’s how you became obese enough to qualify for bariatric surgery but because if you’re like me, your stomach (or soul) is an endless void that no amount of food will ever fill. You’re going to have to figure out a new stopping point.


As mentioned in Satiated vs Stuffed, satiety is not quite the same as being full. Full means your upper stomach has reached its maximum capacity: that you have overeaten again – an old habit that made you obese enough to qualify for weight loss surgery. 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 you’ll experience discomfort if you eat until you're full.
This third article in the Satiety 101 series discusses the signals your body gives to tell you you’re satiated, but that’s only half the battle. The other half involves heeding instead of ignoring those signals. That subject could fill a book (which that I might write some day). Today we’ll focus on recognizing your own unique Stop Eating Signals.
Because of its anatomical position (near your diaphragm, and pressing on the vagus nerve at the top of your stomach), the band’s presence (but not your band itself – which we must remember is an inert piece of plastic without any magic at all inside) can give you quick feedback about your eating behavior. The feedback is written in a language issued and understood by your brain, with assistance from your endocrine and digestive systems. Even if you were lousy in your high school French class, you will have to learn how to get directions in that language, so you won’t end up on Weight Gain Road instead op Weight Loss Avenue. Those directions come in the form of what I call Soft Stop and Hard Stop signals.
To understand those directions, you’ll need to slow down and pay attention while you eat. It takes 15 to 20 minutes for satiety signals to reach your brain and to be broadcast to the rest of you. If you usually eat with a crowd (family, friends, coworkers), you might need to try eating by yourself for a few meals so you won't be distracted. Stop signals can be subtle and they can come from unexpected parts of your body. It's better to heed a gentle reminder than wait for a hammer to hit you on the head.
SOFT STOPS are your early warning system, gentle reminders from your body that it's time to stop eating. Because they don't hurt much, they're easy to ignore. They include:
· Mild queasiness (an icky, but not about-to-vomit, feeling)
· Fullness or pressure in the back of the throat
· Pressure in the chest or just below the breastbone
· Throat clearing
· Some difficulty swallowing
· Burping (or the urge to burp)
· Taking a deep breath
· Mild coughing
· A sigh
· Hiccups
· Watering eyes
· Runny nose
· Left shoulder pain
· A sneeze
· More saliva in the mouth than usual
· A sudden distaste for the food you were enjoying a moment before
As soon as you notice one of these signs, stop eating! I don't care if your stubborn mind is insisting that it's okay to continue (because it thinks you have room for just one more bite, or the food tastes good, or you haven't cleaned your plate, or you deserve the food, or whatever's going on in there). If you go on eating past this point, you won't be changing your eating behavior and you're likely to get into trouble…that is, a hard stop.
HARD STOPS are the equivalent of running into a brick wall. They can happen without any apparent warning, but usually you have sped heedlessly past a soft stop before you hit the wall. Hard stops are the painful and sometimes embarrassing reminders that you have eaten too much, too fast, in bites that were too big, without chewing enough. They include:
· Chest pain and/or painful pressure or tightness in the chest
· Feeling like you have a rock in the back of your throat
· A burning sensation in the throat
· A “stuck” feeling, as if the food you’ve eaten has nowhere to go
· Productive burps (PB's) – regurgitation of food, kind of like the way a baby erps up milk
· Sliming (excess saliva and mucus that's so profuse, you have to spit it out)
When you experience a hard stop, STOP EATING! It's not at all a good idea to keep eating after you experience a hard stop, even if the discomfort goes away and your plate of food still looks appealing. You may feel fine and may in fact be able to eat some more, but you should not eat more. The hard stop has irritated your upper gastrointestinal system. Continuing to eat will just perpetuate the problem, getting you into a never-ending cycle of eat-hard stop-pain-eat-hard stop-pain. Cycles like that tend to turn into complications like band slips and esophageal and stomach dilation. That’s the reason for my next piece of advice: follow a liquid diet for 24 hours after a hard stop episode, then transition carefully back to pureed then soft then solid food.< /p>
If you’re like me, you did not have WLS in order to live on liquids for the rest of your life. That’s yet another reason to learn how to prevent hard stops in the first place, so that you can eat and enjoy real food at every meal.
Now here’s one last chunk of information before the bell rings and today’s class ends. You may not experience any or all of these stop signals any or all of the time. At Breakfast you might get one signal and at lunch, an entirely different one. At dinner, you may notice no stop signal at all. As time goes on and you lose weight and the amount of saline in your band changes, your stop signals may change as well.
All that can be frustrating, but it will force you to go on eating slowly and carefully for the rest of your life, and that’s actually a good practice for anyone, banded or not. That plate of food before you is a blessing that some people in this world can only dream of. Those small portions may look puny to you, but would be a feast to someone else. So treat your food, and your body, with the care they deserve.
Learning to recognize satiety over and over again is an ongoing process because our bodies are not statues made of marble. We are all marvelous, unique, and complex creatures who change by the minute, every day of our lives. Click here to read about how those changes can affect soft and hard stop signals. http://www.bariatricpal.com/page/articles.html/_/support/post-op-support/restriction-riddles-r93

This is the third and final article in the Satiety 101 series of articles.

Thank you! You've done a great job as well. In the first 5 years of banding it was much easier to maintain and lose weight, the hard work comes after 5 years for most people, the motivation is not that great and also as I've gotten older, wiser and married.
Being a size 6 or 8 is not that important to me unless I am getting paid to stay that skinny... haha...and my bikini fashion model days are over...I just want to enjoy the rest of my life healthy, travel, eat out with hubby and small enough to stay out of plus size stores!

This year will be reflection on my long journey, I've had many ups and downs, weight loss surgery IS a journey. I will be 9 years post op this year, and this great little tool is still keeping my weight down.
I am still happy and healthy, I don't have to take a boat load of supplements, or kill myself exercising, just an hour walk daily on my treadmill or outdoors helps keep my weight down.
I started in a size 26, and my lowest size was a 8, I hover around a size 10/12 at 5'7 inches tall now, I don't have to kill myself at this size -- and still eat what I want, I am grateful to be healthy at 9 years post op and most importantly -- still wearing a size 10...

Glad to hear that all went well. Every day you will feel a little better, walking will help to relieve the gas too. Get some rest, your body has been through a lot.

Last night we were at the mall and I was VERY hungry. Silly me decided not to eat a snack before heading out of the house and just wait till we went to dinner. I ordered some spinach and cheese dip as an appetizer and because I was so hungry, forgot to pay attention to how big my bites were and how much I was chewing. Before I knew it I was STUCK. Usually, I can wait it out and it will pass but I must have eaten too much for that. I found myself in the restaurant bathroom "throwing it back up". Unfortuntately since it was a busy Saturday night the bathroom kept getting crowded and I couldn't get it all up. After watching my family eat their delicous looking dinner and a tortorous drive home, I was finally able to get to my own bathroom. It took 3 more PBs to get it all up. So not fun...So it will be liquids for me today and possibly tomorrow as even drinking my morning coffee this morning is a slow process.
So why am I sharing this?? It is definitely NOT to scare people off. I LOVE my band. I have lost almost 90 pounds. I exercise 6 days a week. I can buy clothes at ANY store. I would totally get it done all over again and recommend it as the best tool for weight loss. BUT you have to follow the rules no matter how hungry you are. Take your time and chew well. I want to give new and old bandster a FRIENDLY reminder so their bands don't give them an unfriendly one.

I am 3.5 weeks post op and I still have 2 steri strips that have not come off. The uppermost strip hasn't even started to loosen and my lower right has only a little bit left. As they loosen I have been trimming the tape so it doesn't catch on my clothes. I was in on Monday for my first fill and my surgeon wasn't concerned at all. Said they will come off in time.

I can relate to your incision healing though. About 3 years ago I had gall bladder surgery. I had one incision that one morning when I woke up it was red and oozing all over my bed. I went immediately to my surgeon, the same one in fact, and he had to clean it out and put me on antibiotics. Glad you got in right away and got yours taken care of before you got to that point. I had no idea mine was even a problem until it burst open.
So I have been extra careful this time around. Definitely no lifting, pushing, pulling and keeping my clothing free of the sites until they heal. Sounds like you are on the right track. Good luck in healing!

I use Fitbit, used to be on MyFitnessPal but switched over when I bought a Fitbit in August. Would love to connect with others, here is my profile page or PM me to connect.

www.fitbit.com/user/27G75P

Hope you are feeling better as the day goes on. I would make sure that all that is recorded in your medical records for future reference. As Bandista says, you may have a problem with the anesthesia. Keep us posted on your recovery.

Glad to hear that all went well. Every day you will feel a little better, walking will help to relieve the gas too. Get some rest, your body has been through a lot.

Some knowledge share:
1) General caloric intake the first year post op is 800-1200 calories. Different surgeons suggest slightly different ranges, but this is generally where they all meet.
2) Protein intake is suggested to be usually at 60-80+ grams per day.
3) Carbs, mixed messages on this. My nutritionist told me if I am meeting my Protein and calorie guidelines, not to worry about them. They also said if I chose to not eat them they see a lot of success with that.
4) You may not be actually hungry. You may have head hunger or jist be eating out of habit. When you're hungry, try to stop for a few minutes and think about why you're hungry. Are you bored? Are you dealing with some emotional stuff? Have some Water while you think.
5) Try as much as possible to stay physically active. Even just walking, cleaning, visiting friends or family, pacing and deep thinking lol. Just keep moving.
6) It is never too late to start fresh! Yes, if you find yourself straying and losing track of your goals, you can certainly go back to that post op 2-3 week liquids diet. My nutritionist and surgeon both recommend this technique to get back on track.
Good luck and don't fret. Worrying will probably just make you hungry lol. If you're feeling bad about your food choices, go for a walk and take time to reenergize and recommit to your goals. If you have a cookie today, don't have one tomorrow. Bonus tip: Sweet cravings I have found lactose free milk (since it is sweeter) gets me through. Or at least go sugar free if you have just got to have a sweet.

It is only a word used in the medical community. They have to write that on any kind of notes, hospital records to justify why you needed weight loss surgery or any other surgery so that insurance companies will pay. It is no different if you are anemic, diabetic, had gallbladder surgery it will always be part of you past medical history. As a matter of fact it will always be one of your diagnosis on all of your paperwork no matter how skinny you get. It's just a word so let it be just that.

I was on the phone the other day with the pre-op nurse. I'm having a procedure on Monday and she needed to go over some things with me. While discussing my medical history, she was basically confirming what was already on her records...which included my last weigh-in which was oh..maybe 3 or 4 lbs. more than my current weight. But I heard her loud and clear when she noted that I was obese.
OK, I thought...yes, technically I still am obese based on my BMI...but this obese woman is wearing a size 12 slacks and tops anywhere from small to XL depending on the manufacturer. This obese woman fits into tight spaces, airplane seats, restaurant booths, suway and bus seats, and pretty much anywhere at this point I suspect.
This obese woman doesn't get stared at anymore, doesn't get dirty looks when she is out and about with her cane...because now this obese woman didn't do this to herself...oh no...she probably is recuperating from some kind of surgery or injury. Now folks treat me kinder...sad but true. Plus I don't feel as self conscious either...
This obese woman shops in regular clothing stores..no more Avenue for me. This obese woman is not ashamed to wear a bathing suit anymore...even with all the saggy skin, I wear the suits with a skirt to hide some of that. This obese woman got her legs up on the shower seat today to shave. Such an ordinary thing unless you can't do it...
This obese woman hopes to lose a few more pounds just so she is no longer clinically obese, but I'll take this kind of obesity any day compared to a year ago when I carried 100 more pounds than I do now and couldn't move because of the knee and hip pain.
I've said it before and I'll say it again...one day at a time, one pound at a time...and watch how your life will transform as you do. Happy Saturday all! I got out today...walked slowly and carefully but made it out. It's cold but not like yesterday...it's a balmy 22 degrees currently.

I do have some Miralax, my doctor recommended that when I called the clinic after about a week and a half. Just need to figure out how often to take it and find a routine that works. I try to eat mostly natural foods and avoid processed foods. Now that I am passed the liquid stage I can resume avoiding sweeteners and gluten, go back to my clean diet. That should help also. Might be time to start a Whole30 challenge again

​I am very proud of you!! Yesterday I went out with my husband to eat at a local diner. I knew the owner/cook had WLS but until yesterday never knew it was the band. He has had it for 4 years and lost around 150. He yelled at me for what I ordered, a hot dog, no roll and some french fries. He said a roll would have been better than the fries.
He cooks all day and he always has his Protein shake for when he gets hungry. We both use Body Fortress in chocolate.
At night when I would have been eating, I play poker on Poker Stars for about 4-6 hours. I am a huge poker player. I have ADD so I play poker, watch tv and read at the same time. I always have drinks, like hot tea or iced tea. Another way to get your mind off food, wet nail polish. You can't eat with wet nails. I now wear gel polish so I don't apply top coat anymore.
I never allow food in my bedroom, if you are the same, watch tv , read or exercise in your bedroom.
Good luck. We are all rooting for you!!

Sounds like you are on the right track. This is not an easy journey for sure but will be a lifetime of vigilance. Let us know how your appointment goes on Tuesday.

I goto my lap band dr on Tuesday the 7th.
In the last week I have gone back to basics. I am controlling my portion size and keeping my calories at 1200 a day, low carbs, high Protein. I have not had a carbonated drink since Wednesday.
I am trying to change my mindset as well. I know I am an emotional eater, and I tend to obsess about food sometimes. So I am working on it. One day at a time.

Constipation is usually what everyone is bothered with. Miralax for the constipation. drink plenty of fluids. call your doctor before taking any medication. please
now for the other problem. please call your doctor. they may have a solution for you that works for them and other patients. but because i have a big mouth i will tell you what i think. some ppl have problems like yours with the Protein drink especially whey. it causes loose stools. some ppl swear by imodium or something like that. or even metamucil. which just adds Fiber to your diet. look at the stuff you are eating. do they have a lot of artificial sweetners. some sweetners can cause diarrhea. but again please check with your doctors before taking anything. your doctor needs to know what you are suffering from and has their own idea on how to correct the problem.

You will be fine! I was so surprised that I was not nervous at all before my surgery. I think that I had just been to a nutrition class within two weeks prior and read again through my notebook from the Bariatric Center really helped me. We are all here for you, feel free to ask any questions and someone will answer. The hospital was very good about coming in and asking me my pain level and giving me meds if needed. Good luck, I'm here for you! Let us know you are ok after surgery.

I'm trying to train myself off the scale -- it makes me crazy sometimes. A small gain or a plateau can be so frustrating even though I know it's fine and that I'm probably losing inches, fitting into jeans that were tight before, etc. Those are important things to look out for......the Non-Scale Victories, NSVs. You are doing beautifully -- tell yourself that every day because it is true!

Normal, you were eating only liquids up till now, now you are eating real foods. Your weight loss will vary. Gaining alittle after all liquids for a few weeks is okay. Best wishes, Karen..aka..kll724

I just got a fit bit for Christmas. Haven't set it up yet but glad to see others here who use it. I'm subscribing and hope to get on board soon

Hi everyone, I had my surgery on December 27th, 2013 . I had some complications right after surgery but I am feeling good now

Hello, I had my surgery on 12/27/2013. I am looking forward to meeting you all