gkeyt

You got that right; it takes a long time to unlearn a lifetime of habits! But sounds like you're starting to get it. About whether you are near restriction, it depends on who you ask. Some people's docs tell them they should only be eating 1/4 or 1/2 cup at a time. I've learned that this is actually a gastric bypass rule, not a band rule--a lot of docs tell both their bandsters and bypassers essentially the same things. My docs told me I should be able to eat 1 to 1 1/2 cups of food for a meal. Getting "full" isn't really part of the game anymore. Try to learn the difference between "satisfied" and "full"--if you can learn to stop when you are satisfied and before you get full, that will help you. I think that one's the hardest to learn, and I still miss those "stop signs" (or soft stops, as some call them) at times. Hope this helps! Good luck--

These are great suggestions...except I'm confused about the soup part. Why soup? Just wondering. I've avoided it as liquid calories, unless i've just had a fill. Inquiring minds want to know!

Truth is, it DOESN'T matter if you drink water right before eating, unless you are too tight. The water goes right through your band into your stomach and doesn't mix with food at all. I drink water right up until I eat--the water actually hydrates the stomach tissues where the band is, which is a good thing. Bypass patients can't drink right before eating because the water will sit in their stomachs and impede their ability to eat food. But us bandsters are different. Only if your band is too tight will the water sit in there and prevent you from eating a full meal. That's why we avoid liquid calories--the band doesn't keep them in the upper stomach pouch at all, they just go right through. Your first instincts were correct. And it's hard to get in a lot of water if you're always waiting so long before and after eating. (OF course, you need to wait the proper amount of time AFTER eating--for reasons that have been well explained already.)

I just heard recently that when they first started putting in the AP bands last year, they placed them empty. Apparently now they usually put 3cc or so in, because they feel it helps the band "seat" better. Don't know if that helps anyone, but thought I'd share that.

I was looking today for a quick and easy way to get more Fiber in my diet without a lot of calories, or a lot of cooking. I took 1/2 cup of canned black Beans (no fat added), added a few tablespoons of salsa and a few tablespoons of greek yogurt (or could use FF sour cream), stirred it up and ate it cold. Would be good heated, too. Came out to about 150 calories, 13 gm Protein, 8 gm dietary fiber and 1 gm fat. And it was delicious, and very filling! Thought someone else might be interested in this tip! The average US diet gets less than half of the recommended fiber, and we all know that our band diet tends to get even less than that...and all the problems that causes. LOL.

I bet that works, too! I've started eating shredded wheat as a snack...I portion it out in baggies and take it with me to class. A little bit more...I also eat a few prunes as a snack. It can be a challenge to get enough fiber in our band diets, and we get so focused on getting enough Protein that this gets neglected. But soon enough, our bellies remind us what they need...

HAHA! I'm not that well behaved--it's just chocolate that gets me, not popcorn! Sounds like you're doing just fine--we all have our little treats. Doing what you've been doing got you to goal, so you're doing something right!

0.25 cc is a normal fill for a 4cc band. 1.75cc is reasonable for a 10cc band, which you have. I have a 4cc band, my first fill was 1 cc and the rest have been either 0.5 or 0.2 cc depending on how close I was to a good fill level. But this shows how hard it is to compare fill levels with all the different bands out there now, and everyone reacts to them differently. I've heard it said that there are only 3 fill amounts: not enough too much just right Just like the 3 bears!

I think it varies depending on how much the band you get holds. But the norm has been to flush the band with enough fluid to get all the air out. There's some fluid in there, but not enough to say it's "filled". My band is 4cc, and it was put in essentially empty. I think some of the bands with larger capacity (10cc, 14cc) have a few cc's put in at surgery but it's not enough to "fill" the band at all, just enough to make sure it works and to get the air out before putting it in.

PB=productive burp=upchucking chewed food. I agree that it has little to do with restriction, although you will tend to have more PBs the more restricted you are. Even if you don't feel you are at the right level, you can PB, esp if you aren't chewing carefully or choose a food that just doesn't agree with you. When you do it irritates your stomach and makes you swell so you are more likely to do it again soon. That's why it's recommended to go to liquids for 24 hours after an episode like that. When people continue to eat (later that day, for example) and have more PB episodes, each one makes it swell more, and then you can have that situation where you have to have a lot of fill taken out to let the swelling go down. This sets you back further. I'd try going to liquids now for 24 hours and let the swelling go down before attempting solid foods again.

The thing is that your stomach swells and shrinks from day to day. It might seem like the band is doing its own thing, but it's really your stomach under the band. Sometimes restriction changes because something has irritated the stomach and it swells due to that. But I think a lot of the time that people report being over restricted at some times and "wide open" at other times is just that the stomach tissues change a lot. How well hydrated you are, whether you are sick or have allergies, your hormone levels, or maybe a dozen other factors we don't even know about, all can have an effect on the stomach, which is a very dynamic organ. Similar thing with being tight in the morning vs. wide open at night--but then I think it's usually the esophagus, which naturally tightens when we sleep, to help prevent us from aspirating in our sleep. Plus it swells a little bit from no longer being upright like we are when we are awake--so if it seems like the band is tight in the morning, it's probably a natural condition of the esophagus, not the band.

Salsa's tips are great! I also use silken tofu as a base for a surprisingly healthy mac & cheese (obviously not for liquids or mushies though). Only thing I would add is you can get creative and blend and thin anything to the consistency that would go through a straw. I did that with beans--thinned some refried (ff) Beans with broth, ran them through the blender, then nuked them with a little shredded cheese and enjoyed. It's the consistency that is important, so anything sort of soft that can be blended and made thin enough is fair game. Your cream of chicken soup blended well would be fine.

Reflux after banding is considered to be caused by band problems until proven otherwise. Any new onset reflux should always trigger a visit to your band surgeon. Sometimes it turns out to be something other than the band, but until that is ruled out, it's best to have it checked by your surgeon as soon as possible. Could be fixed by a slight (or big) unfill for a few weeks or a month, but as (other ) Gwen said , it can lead to bigger problems like band slippage. Get thee to your doctor! :smile2:

If you make it very runny, should be fine. A full liquid is anything that can go through a straw. If you like it thick like a hot cereal, it's a mushy. I had it at mushy stage.

I can eat corn on the cob and popcorn without problem. Rarely do, though. Luckily I stopped putting butter on my corn many years ago, so I'm used to the taste--and that means I only eat corn at the peak of the season, yuummm! As for popcorn, I only eat it about once a year anyway. If I'm going to have it, I have the real thing, but share the smallest size with someone else and eat as little as I feel satisfied with. I also got used to going to movies without food years ago, so that isn't hard either. But neither of these things has ever gotten stuck before. They just aren't that great nutritionally so they aren't regular parts of my diet.

Indian food works well as a mushy if you choose well. Dahl (Indian lentil soup) is a great mushy with a lot of Protein and Fiber. Many of the curries are mushy enough...I'd go for the vegetable ones to keep it mushy, like saag (spinach). Any curry you can take home and put in the food processor or blender and it will still taste good. I'd avoid the rice until you are on solids and know you can tolerate it. I think the first restaurant I went to after being banded was an Indian restaurant, actually. It was when I was on mushies and it was fine. Once you're on solids, just about any Indian food works well. A lot of people probably can't tolerate bread (naan) but it seems that most of the meats are cooked pretty tender (I only eat fish so I don't know how well the meats actually work) and I would doubt that they'd get stuck if you chew well. Italian I find challenging still, not because I can't eat it but because it's hard to find something not loaded with calories (in the US anyway, it wouldn't be hard in Italy). Mexican can be okay if you are careful but again, US "Mexican" food is often loaded with a lot of cheese and high calorie sauces. I only have it when I go out with friends on occasion. If you have access to it, one of the very best ethnic cuisines for mushies is Ethiopian. Most of their foods are stews so they are naturally "mushy". They are traditionally eaten with flatbread (injera) that you might not tolerate even when on solids with good restriction--it's kind of gummy. But delicious--kind of like a sourdough pancake. Ethiopian is one of my favorite ethnic foods to eat, and it doesn't use a lot of fat, has lots of veggies and legumes so high in fiber and protein--I'm told the meat dishes are great too. They are highly seasoned and some are quite spicy, if you like that. It's hard to find Ethiopian outside of big cities with large East African immigrant populations, but if you have access I highly recommend it for people who love ethnic food.

New month, new thread... It's here: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f90/marchies-jumpin-into-june-65111/ see ya there!

You look great! I'm struggling with the last 15 too. It's becoming clear to me that my calories are just right for maintaining where I'm at. I've got to reduce the calories...but it's hard, because I don't feel like I eat that much as it is. Anyway, I'm with you...the last 15 are hard. Maybe there's a thread out there for losing those last pounds? I haven't looked. It's harder to stay motivated when you look and feel so much better, too. But I'm sure we can do it! It will just take more time. Good luck to you and congrats on your awesome success!

That is normal. Losing 35 lbs in the first 6 weeks is WAAAAYYY ahead of schedule. Most of us gain some back when we start eating solid food again. Like AuntLucy said, this time isn't for weight loss, it's for healing and for your stomach to slowly get used to the band and being filled. It's not recommended to get fills sooner than every 4 weeks because the stomach swells very easily if you do too much too soon. It usually takes a few fills before you feel like your band is "working". In the meanwhile, use this time to try to learn the band rules and follow them as best you can. I know it's stressful, not wanting to gain back any weight you've lost. But if you are careful about getting fills at the right times (not too soon, and only when you need them) and not getting overfilled, you'll be losing weight soon enough. You'll get there! Be patient. This time is hard, but you made it through 6 weeks of liquids so you can do this too! Good luck.

Hi everyone, Nothing new to report. I'm hanging on right around the 60 lb mark. I'm on semester break this week and every day has been seeing someone and eating at a restaurant. I'm glad I'm not gaining, but I'd like to get back to some weight loss. Didn't feel like the gym today either--rainy, gray, yucky Portland day! Ugh! Not so much like spring here today. Hope everyone is well and I hope you all had a nice holiday weekend.

I'd call your doctor. Too much heaving can be a problem for a band. They might want you to take a prescription anti-nausea medication.

Mavis, First I want to commend you for coming here and being receptive to the advice of others. It's very hard to do and not get defensive. That's a great attitude to have during this process! IndioGirl is a very successful bandster and I think she was right on in her advice to you. Especially about the Protein shake. I think I might ask your doc about that again and make sure he still thinks you should use one. I've learned from my doctors and from other successful bandsters (and personal experience) that Protein shakes don't really help us, unless we are on full liquids for some reason, because they don't stay in our pouch. When we drink protein shakes, our band can't work to keep us full because it goes right through and we want to eat more again. I know a lot of people around here swear by their protein shakes but that's just my experience and what I've learned from others who know. I would consider a good high fiber/high protein Cereal instead, if you can tolerate it--GoLean Crunch is a good one, for example. Or eggs are always a good choice--I usually scramble 1 egg with some egg beaters and add some veggies or a little cheese. Also don't forget that we don't just need protein. We also need some complex carbohydrates and Fiber and good healthy fats--like Omega 3's and monounsaturated fats from vegetable sources. Your doc is right that you don't need to go fat free, but you do want to watch that you aren't getting too many calories from fat, and the ones you do get aren't saturated or trans fats. You haven't mentioned when you had surgery and what your fill status is like. If you are unable to swallow (or keep down) chicken or beef, I'm wondering if maybe you are too tight? A lot of times you can end up with "soft food syndrome" where you avoid solid lean protein because your restriction is too tight to tolerate it--then go for the soft foods that go down easily, but have more calories and encourage us to eat more. It seems counterintuitive, but your band might work better with a slight unfill. We should always be able to get in our protein through solid, lean sources--fish, chicken, etc. That is what helps our bands work to keep us full for 3-4 hours. The next thing is just going back to band basics. Are you eating about 1-1.5 cup of food, or less, per meal? Protein first, then veggies, then starch if there's room? Not drinking with meals or afterward (rules seem to vary but most say 45 min to 1 hour after meals)? Able to stay full for 3-4 hours after a meal? If so you shouldn't really need 3 Snacks a day in addition to 3 meals. I usually have 1 snack so I eat a total of 3 or 4 times a day and am satisfied. Exercise is always a challenge when you have injuries, but whatever you can tolerate will help you. Certainly if you can get to a pool for Water aerobics, swimming, or even water jogging or water walking will help and be gentle on your joints. If you can walk around your neighborhood that is good exercise. If not, I would consider seeing a physical therapist so they can help you develop a plan that you can physically do. I could never have gotten close to goal without nearly daily exercise. I have exercised 5 days a week for the entire time, since before being banded. Now it drives me crazy when I miss a day, I really need the stress relief! Wow, mom of 6 kids, hats off to you. Good for you taking care of your health. :crying: You can do this! You can always come here for support. I also agree with the recommendation to find your surgery month support board here. Mine is Marchies of 07 and they are a huge support. It's helpful to talk to people who are at the same stage and share tips and encouragement. Good luck!

That is exactly what is so great about the band. Unlike any of the other weight loss surgeries, which work best in the first 18 months or so then sort of stop, the band can always work for you if you want to work it. And you do! So no problem, just get your fills and get back in the game. Do it carefully though--you don't want to rush through getting big fills too fast, that is a set up for getting overfilled and starting that vicious cycle. I hope you are all healed up and feeling better now! What an ordeal. Good luck to you.

Nope, no problem with soy shakes. Just make sure you don't end up relying on them once you are off the post op diet and eating solid foods again. You should be getting your daily Protein needs from real food, that's how the band keeps you feeling full. The shake just goes right through the band so you still want to eat more. But while you are on your post op liquids only (and in mushy phase too, sometimes) diet, any Protein Shake that has the nutrition profile your nutrionist or doc recommends is fine. I think mine wanted me to make sure it had at least 20 gm protein per serving, if I recall correctly. The band won't change how you digest things like soy. If you can tolerate it preop, you'll tolerate it post op.

I think you'll find that more of you changes than just your body. The process teaches you a lot about yourself and most people gain more confidence and self esteem. If your mate can adjust to that and doesn't need you to be overweight or lacking confidence so he feels secure that you won't leave him, you'll be fine. My hubby was not totally on board with me getting surgery when it first happened--he was scared of what might happen. But now that I'm almost at goal he's very proud of me and of the person I am today after weight loss. If your relationship is in trouble to start with, this surgery and weight loss often will take it to the breaking point, but sometimes that is just what some people need to get away from an unhealthy mate. If you have a loving and supportive relationship I think it's hard not to get more respect in the process. HTH.