rivergirl14

Yo lapband peeps. I have a question I hope someone else has an answer to. At times, when I seems to be bloated (and I have not even eaten much at all today), my stomach protrudes and is distended. My port REALLY hurts. I am trying to get down some Water and get unbloated. Made myself a fruit and veggie smoothie for dinner. I am so uncomfortble. It's like I am carrying around a big ole watermelon in my belly and I need to hold it up to keep from hurting. Ack! This doesn't happen often, but it does from time to time. Any ideas as to why and what to do? thanks!

I totally agree. I was going to find a nutritionist until I stumbled on this site. I still will if I need to but the support here has helped me make some big changes so far. I also bought the lap band book found on here.

How cool. I did not know about this scale. Want! I think I might have to get a fit bit too. All this is helpful to know.

Great advice ladies. Truth. This initial phase is for your stomach to heal. The idea is not to make it work too hard to digest foods or get stretched out, gassy and bloated. Should be simple foods/liquids that pass on thru easily. Keep it calm. Let it rest. That kind of thing. I made a lot of mistakes too. And I ate a lot of wrong foods for several years now. Thankfully, I did not damage my band or stomach by being so careless. I use a lot more caution now. Take it easy on yourself and your body. solid food will come. I remember what it was like to want it so much tho. I did not have an easy time either. Just so ya know. :-) I absolutely came out of the gate a rebel. It has taken me years to want to do the right thing. :-)

Me tooooo! I am a carb addict and will gravitate to only carbs if I am not mindful and intentional. And it's one thing to say don't have them in the house. If I lived alone that would be possible and helpful. But since my husband is an average size and can eat what he wants, he does. And he buys all my trigger/red light foods. Little Debbies, chips, doritoes, cheese puffs, etc....So, just not having it in the house has not been a path I can follow. Tho, I do believe if they were not around, it would be easier. Much easier. I do ask him to keep them in his office or on a shelf that we have designated for him. It helps to think of it as not my food. Then I also hav substitues for when I am weak. Most of the time (these days) I can choose those substitutes. But it is not usually easy. Sigh. Good ole Lays, you can't eat just one. I can't eat just one skinny cow either. I do ok for the most part with Atkins stuff if I want a sweet and they don't trigger me to keep digging in the box for me. So I have to pay attention to what doesn't have a voice in my head. Lays has a voice in my head. I have to finish them once I start them. Ack! I try to make good swaps, like WASA bread (crackers) with salsa or hummus. I would never binge on those (I don't think), as they taste like cardboard. LOL But, I agree, gotta watch the dips. If I get into one I particularly like, ( green onion dip, french onion dip, spinach dip, you get it), the WASA makes no matter. I can eat a bunch of it till the dip runs out. Some foods I just can't start. Esp the salty/fat/starchy combo. The blander the better. hahahaha

I also agree with Peggy. The band is only a tool. You have to become willing to embrace some lifestyle changes. What is one thing you could do different today? For me that one thing was get out of bed (even tho I was in a food fog from bingeing the night before) and walk. It was painful. I could not go far. I sweated and huffed and puffed. But, it gave me the willingness to make better choices for the rest of the day. Then I got up and did it again the next day. And the next day. And now 11 days in a row. And I did 4 miles today. I broke it up over several times today. But I did it. I could not do it 11 days ago. And what I did not plan on was how much better I would feel in just a few days. The endorphines that come from the physical activity. That helps with my physical and emotional recovery from the disease of food addiction. But it came one day at a time. Just sayin, "What can I do today that is one thing different than what I have been doing that will make my day more hopeful and healthful." We are all here for you. Also, logging in my food and exercise has helped tremedously bc of the buddy system, using my fitness pal. A lot of ppl from this site use it with great success. I was unwilling to use it before 11 days ago. Too much work and energy. Now I don't go a day without it and begin it first thing in the morning. The willingness came when I made small changes and got some cheerleaders in my court. :-) We are cheering for you!

I am glad you said that. Everyone is different. But we are a lot alike too. It is best to just take what you like and leave the rest when reading about someone else's experience. Some lose faster than others and it has nothing to do with how hard they are working or how well they are following their program. There are a lot of variables. I Celebrate the differences here and relish in the similarities. This is a good place to be. :-)

❤️ Hugs. I am a Christian and will pray for you and me. I can relate and found this site myself bc I was so low after going back to old eating habits and gaining weight. You can do this. I'm here for support should u need it.

Exercise has become a priority for me too. I used to make all kinds of excuses. I have been walking 2 miles each morning for 9 days. Today I went and checked out 3 videos from the library. 2 walking ones and one dance. Gonna give those a try for really hot days as summer is approaching. Mix it up. Keep it fresh.. But walking is my favorite. I love nature and it really clears my head.

MFP had absolutely made a difference for me too. I tried it like a year ago, but did not have any friends on it. I did not keep it up. It also helps me a lot to have friends from this site on it, since we have WLS in common. Together we do get better!

I think fitbit will sync with MFP. At least I believe I saw that. I have logged in 9 days straight now and I love it. A lotta support there from ppl on here that you can buddy up with. I like seeing the data on what I am putting in my mouth too. And it will caution you if you are taking in too many carbs, sugar, etc. Good for me to get that red flag. It helps with planning out the next day so you are not guessing what to eat.

Update. Things have really turned around for me. Thankful. This includes 9 straight days of logging in food and exercise on MFP. A lotta support there from ppl I met here. Feels good. I hope things are going well for you all too. :-)

Wait. That's on MFP right? I'm wondering how in this site actually. On bariatric pal.

Duh! Let me check thst.

I use the app on my phone but have realized the sure works a lot better with PC. There are things I can't seem to do on phone app that are options on PC.

No progress button on my phone. . I'll keep looking. It's an iPhone.

I suppose it would be nice to know how to add a ticker too? Anyone can help with that? Maybe this is a question and answer forum. Sorry.

Also, while here, can anybody tell me how to change my weight on the this site? Happily I have lost 3 lbs since joining, but I cannot for the life of me find in settings, or profile, how to change my weight. Thanks in advance!

I use it. I will add ya! Add me too. dbradley2010. Just Started it. Loving it so far. Does anyone use map my fitness? It is supposed to sync? But I can't get it to. Maybe I am doing something wrong.

Good to hear from both of you gals. Short on time but will happily write more later. I love the support and connection here. Together we do get better. And we are not alone on this journey. Good suggestions. I'm going to pick up miralax today and give it a try. I was not regular before surgery either. And have def had more difficulties since surgery. Maybe I should add more fruit. Does anyone find V8 juice helps ? I like it. Trying to decide if it's worth the calories.

I like Atkins. A little too much sometimes. :-) But they work, taste good and are filling. So many choices too. I have to be careful. Some taste just like candy bars.

Good for you! I am 52. I was banded in 2008. I really feel like I am getting a do-over right now. I have not followed the guidelines at all. And have gained some weight back. That too is bc I am an emotional eater. Lapband won't fix that. But, I did not realize when I got banded that I would still eat so much (emotionally). I have used slider foods for a LONG time now, so I could eat when I "needed" to emotionally. Mostly when I am scared, angry, frustrated, you get it. And stress...the biggy. I did not change my lifestyle or eating habits. The band is a tool if one chooses to use it. I did not. In fact, I fought it "using" (like a drug) slider foods. I discovered OA in 2011. I attend meetings and have a sponsor, and I have begun the journey of knowing myself. Which also means learning about trigger foods and what makes me eat (or what's eating me as some say). I had forgotten how we are supposed to eat with a lapband, and felt like a failure. I was in denial (and not the river) about it. And just acted as if I could eat like anyone else. I can't. My sponsor, after trying to help me come up with a food plan for months now, finally suggested I see a nut. I thought a great deal about it. Then I did some online research last week and found this site. Gosh, it has all the info I need it seems. I am thankful. I wasn't ready to do the work before and try to eat right or according to what my lapband would like for me too. I've wallowed in a lot of self pity this last year. Done with that. I have joined MFP like many on here and am logging my food and exercise. Which is proven to be the key to weight loss success. Being aware of what you eat, when you eat and why you eat. It is a good tool for me now as well. But I had to come to the place to want it...I used to log my food and exercise on another site, but resented it. And just tried to cheat it. Difference now I suppose is being in the right frame of mind, wanting to be successful and finding support on here. I am enjoying have buddies on MFP that are lapbanders. That understand food addiction and how hard it is to do the next right thing sometimes. It didn't work for me to before to have a few buddies that were just on a diet. They didn't understand how certain foods have a voice in my head. Certain foods are triggers, and one is not enough, and one is too much. Some foods cause me to eat compulsively. That will never change. So, I have to give them up. I've prolly had enough ice cream for my entire life. I can live w/o it. So, with the support found here and thru other groups, like OA; I can give it up one day at a time. But I was really struggling before finding this site a few days ago. I'd throw my hands up in frustration and say, "I don't know what to eat!" And just eat the carbs or sliders. And feel sorry for myself. I had digestion issues. Constipation. I'd try so many things. But, I just figured out from reading a forum post on here, while I take Fiber pills, I don't drink enough Water, which can just make things worse. How in the world did I not know that? I drink a lot of caffeine all day. DUh. So, getting in my water the last few days (8 glasses, and logging it thank ya very much), bathroom problems solved. Mostly. And my stomach is feeling so much better, just eating right. Eating cleaner, drinking the required water. Looking at my nutrients on MFP and making better choices. Education and support go such a long way on this journey. If anyone wants to add me on MFP, my username is dbradley2010. I welcome the support and will gladly offer you mine. :-)

I'm fine with it. My surgeon said some ppl can tolerate it, some cannot. I was banded in 2008. I have had diet soda everyday since then. Does not seem to cause me problems at all. Some days I have less, some more. Sometimes it feels too bubbly. Most of the time not. I do feel it works better over ice and a little of the fizz reduced by it being poured over ice. But I drink it from the can some too.

great suggestions, and very motivational, thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so glad to have found this. I have been having problems. This gives me some good ideas about things I can try. Thanks.