Hastings

Mike, I was just banded the first of the month. I'm 56 years old. I wish I would have had this option much sooner than I did. Hang in there, get healthy, and let the nay sayers stew in their own juices. :bolt:

I have a ten cc band and they put in 3 cc during surgery. I have restriction and have not felt hunger once since surgery. (I was banded march 5).

To be fair to BrandyII she has posted extensively about her problems with the band. This forum is for support of those who want their band removed or need it removed. It's a good thing to know your options, BrandyII. I don't have that answer for you, though. Hang in there.

You can actually drink too much Water. Check it out: Water Intoxication & Hyponatremia

I thought about you today, I'm glad your surgery went ok. Hang in there.

AND just because you can eat something, doesn't mean you should. lol

I eat canned chicken all the time, and canned tuna. It's not a whole chicken. lol It's the size of a can of tuna. I don't want to cook to get a small chicken salad and I don't go catch a tuna to have a tuna sandwich. I chose both meats packed in Water. Yep, I eat canned meats. I worry a bit that people say they "can't" control portion size or food choices. Of course they can. They just don't. I just didn't. Now I do. I have a tool to help me. I still have to make the choices. Don't give up your power, because you will be the ones in charge of your eating patterns post-banding. I think that regaining power is something to Celebrate, not to fear. Keep on trucking.

I did read it Mandy, but I've been convinced already. lol

This probably sounds dumb, but it has helped me. Hunger has no intellect. In some ways it is like a spoiled child who has been used to getting it's way. I have the intellect. I decide if I need to be fed, not the habit of hunger. Hunger won't hurt you, and it doesn't necessarily need to be satisfied. I think that after being obese for so long and satisfying every whim of hunger, the "hunger button" doesn't work so well anymore. I don't believe it is a reliable gauge of needing fuel, in the physical sense. Hang in there and put on your pith helmut and go into that cage and tame that lion. You can do it!:puke:

At fifty calories we might find a way to use it all, I think. You can find a billion recipes for satay sauce on the net. We like it on chicken.

Try to keep in mind that this is a very short period of time. Soon you'll be eating again. It's a sort of sensory deprivation. I missed the crunchie textures and chewing. It passes. You'll make it.

I ordered some, I just hope I can use it to make satay sauce. Four jars is a lot, though.

I hear ya. lol

I always measure my food for the same reason Molly Molly said. I enter everything I eat into the program at Sparkpeople.com. I have found that my estimates are pretty subjective - especially if I'm trying to justify eating just a little more. :thumbup:

Eating together is such a social behavior. I would be so bummed out if I cooked something and my grown child couldn't eat it. I think it's an inclusion issue. When you change your life it affects all those who are around you and especially those who love you. :thumbup:

It's interesting what different people want from their doctors. I had researched the lap band for almost two years. When I had my consult with the surgeon, I thought he would NEVER quit talking. lol He's a very good doctor and took pains to know what I was getting into. (I did).

Speaking for myself, I've tried to learn to recognize real hunger vs. head hunger. I find myself often bored and wanting to eat. It's important to teach my mind/body that being hungry will not hurt and that's it is just a request for fuel that isn't needed. I find myself feeling hunger pangs less and less and I find myself being bothered by them much less than I was before.

I make my Water more palateable by chunking up a peeled cucumber, a whole lemon pouring water over it and keeping it all in the fridge. Very refreshing. I am a fan of ginger too and I steep some peeled, chopped ginger in hot water and let it cool then add it to my water pitcher. Drinking water has always made me a little nauseous so the ginger helps, but I really like the taste of it.

I find it very refreshing. I get so tired of sweet things. I like the sugar free Walmart brand of drink powders, but not all the time.

I had my surgery in March and so hadn't really paid much of my deductible. I had to pay 1700 dollars as my portion of the surgery. Plus a few bills have been rolling in with my portion of the tests etc. (very small bills).

I'm not sure you should be annoyed. I know that when I was on the liquid phase the smell of baking chicken made my mouth Water, but I didn't expect my partner not to eat. lol The world is and will be full of temptations. Home is a good place to practice.

My co pay for an office visit. $25.

I don't have an issue with the shake staying in my pouch. I do have to drink it a bit more slowly. I drink slim fast low carb shakes. A shake is not going to stay in your pouch for very long, I don't think.

I had glue and steri strips. I took off the strips ten days after and the glue is still working it's way off my skin.

I didn't so much have hiccups for a long time. Just every so often one gigantic hiccups.