::tracy::

joycreated, i have experienced that, try eating smaller bites and slower. i get so sick of people telling me that. Are you drinking anything with your meals? i can not drink a drop ... otherwise i vomit. as soon as i feel the slightest niggle of pain or discomfort when eating, i have to stop straight way. i find liquid meals so much more desirable than solid food as i don't have to worry about accidently over eating. i have had 2 fills, the first was 6 weeks after surgery and the next was 10 weeks after surgery. i felt no restriction after the first then i have had good restriction from the second. i think i have about 4.5 or 5 in a 10cc band. The surgeon thought that restriction would probably last until Jun (that's based on estimated weight loss between now and then). I go back and see him then.

i am boarder line to being to tight, though i have seen my surgeon and he is quite happy and said i need to slow down my eating and bite sizes. lol ... i am not sure i could eat any slower. i miss not being able to drink with a meal, i have tried it but it makes me vomit, the suffer the most dreadful discomfort following. The surgeon again shook his head and said "tracy, don't do that!" ... as for what i eat, i can not do food in the morning, it ALWAYS gets stuck, i usually opt for a Protein shake, sometimes eggs ... but eggs even eggs can get stuck in the morning for me. lunch tends to be a Soup or salad or something like that. Then dinner is whatever hubby is having, meat and three vege type thing, though mine is served up on a side plate, less than a cup of food. my digestion is a very long slow process, sometimes it is an hour, sometimes it is 2-3 hours. This makes getting my Water in very difficult as i can not drink until my food has passed through the pouch. i am terrible with my water consumption, i never get my 2 litres in. I do exercise alot though, which i love! i am happy with my results, yes there are days that it seems slow and not enough, but when i look at the overall numbers 1 kg a week (2.2 pounds) ... i can not complain at all!!

optifast does give you a new appreciation of normal healthy foods

It is awesome to hear peoples stories!! it is such a good feeling to hold something up in the plus size section and now there is no way you will fit that again! i too don't wont to be super thin ... if my some miracle i get there, i don't complain ... but the chances are slim. i just want to be healthy and normal!

I can not drink at all during my meals. It doesn't flush the food faster through the pouch in my case, it actually does quite the opposite. It makes the food expand and it results in me vomiting. When i go out for lunch or dinner, i always drink first then i eat. Like if i am having a coffee with my lunch, when i order i ask for that to be sent over first.

you will be there before long amsderb. at last i feel like this is actually going to work!! wow you are going great greeneyez, you are almost 1/2 way to goal weight, thats awesome!!

yay for all of us!!!

As hard as it is, you need to stick to what they say, it does pay off. We have all been there and it is just so frustrating. But when you think of the investment you have made financially ... as well as the commitment to you long term health and well being ... another week or so will fly by ... and it will be in the past. i totally remember those days, just craving something to chew or something that tastes, looks or smells different to Optifast. Now ... i love my liquid meals. i have had a few bad days recently and i have put myself back on liquids for a bit ... it is like a relief. i think less and less about food as a pleasure .. but rather a necessity.

yippeeee i am now well and truly in the normal sized section ... ok i am still a XL .... but at least i don't have to limit myself to clothes in the "plus size" section. i have been able to drag out clothes that i haven't worn in years ... including above the knee skirts. i just feel so good. i still have a long way to go, but i can see the weight reducing most everyday! i have in the past brought clothes thinking "it will fit soon" ... now i buy clothes a size or two too small and i know i will be in them in a month or so. It is just so exciting. yay for meeeee!!! love to hear your stories ... and successes

i can relate to the picking at food ... i do that ALL the time.

i have noticed hair loss too. i luckily have lots of fine hair, so it isn't too noticeable ... yet. I have no bald patches and i have got hair still growing. So that is a bonus i guess.

my first PB/stuck/sliming ... whatever you might want to call it. i was on my way to a job interview ... running a little behind time so i was eating and driving .... sushi. i ended up in the toilets of place i had the job interview, for about 20 mins ... thankfully the woman interviewing me was running late. it was very embarrassing ... every time i opened my mouth spit would come bubbling up! i have never been stuck like that since however i am now very good at regurgitating food ... isn't that just gross!! it would seem i have lost my manners since banding ...

I was banded in Dec 07 (oops can't remember the date - but i think it is on my signature) I am from New Zealand I have had 2 fills, the first at 6 weeks and the next at 10 weeks. I haven't required any more to-date. I have lost ... 16.5kg = 36pounds. Though the weight lost feels slow, the numbers are now starting to add up ... which is awesome!!

Quitting smoking is easy ... I have doe it 100's of times!!!! I quit smoking about 6 weeks ago now - a month before banding. I have smoked on and off for about 15 years. Never a huge amount about definitely every day. I have gone cold turkey and have no suffered at all, perhaps i am just fortunate or was ready this time. I did it so I would be in better shape for the surgery .... Making a good recovery, feel great, loads of energy.

I feel the same also - no pain but certainly discomfort. I feel like i need to burp, I find though, eating less helps ease the discomfort.

I had a dreadful time with headaches, i had to tke time off work they got so bad. They do pass eventually - mine was gone about day 5 or 6. Hang in there!

I am 6 days post op (banded 11 Dec) and feel like i could go to work today, however the surgeon doesn't want me to go back to work until he has seen me again and given me the ok. So I will be back on day 8. Everyones experience is different. But this has been mine so far: The first 40 hours was hellish but I spent that time in hospital so had plenty of meds to deal with it, but once i came home on day 2, i stopped taking pain meds - only taking antibiotics. Everyday i am feeling a bit better than the day before. And i too have been suffering the liquid in - liquid out - that is not much fun at all!! Makes me kind of pleased to not be going back to work straight away. Overall - it hasn't been a bad experience tracy

Well i am home now ... i can't believe it is done!! Pain is very average, but religiously taking my meds. i haven't encountered too many problems, bit of gas pain at the moment, but will go for a walk this afternoon once hubby is home. 2 days into the start of my new life ... wow!!

Thanks Betty Lue

Thanks Donna

I have my surgery in .... 5 hours!!!! wow -- i can not believe it is time

wow, good luck with that! i have a week to go - this time next week i will be feeling very nervous!!

It is the same ol story - i like it when i go - it is just getting there that is the problem.

i go to curves - well - i have a membership at curves - it is more like a "gym donation"

It is almost all gone, still lingering a little, but nothing that isn't tolerable The pre-op diet itself is no problem at all, the Optifast isn't that bad tasting and my 2 cups of low starch and green vege's in the evening is something i have really come to look forward to. Most of it is a mindset i think - i mean - i am not hungry at all, but i keep thinking about all the yummy things i would like to eat i want to stick to this religiously for the 2 weeks - though my birthday is next week - i am tossing up whether i should go out for dinner or not. At this stage i am leaning towards no, but as the day aproaches, i might feel different tracy :biggrin1: