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I wish! Now there are vitamins, fresh fish, better veggies- as long as I'm getting healthy I'm buying organic. And clothes and shoes!

thanks, julie. I am actually doing what I said I'd do---eating very small amounts more often. I'm still early on and have to get high protein in. I did it yesterday. ALSO, I had some advice from my therapist. She said that with all the stress of surgery, losing my "crutch" of food, and unfortunately the illness of my MIL (she actually passed yesterday), I should take the Ativan that I never use. I did and presto, the pain that was sitting as a lump between my breasts is gone. So, looks like that was a part of it if not most of it. Today, no problems at all. I'm going to see what the weekend does, and then if it comes back, etc, I'll post on complications. Thanks again, Gwenn

thanks. I'll take a look. I do like free better than not free!

mine does that as well. I am amazed at what it tells me about my current weight. It says how many calories I can have if I want to maintain my current weight- when you look at it, you can clearly see how much food one had to consume to be that weight. An eye opener. Then it tells me how many calories I still have that day if I want to lose 2 pounds a week. I love it. I know it can't take plateaus into account, but it's a great guide.

You are going so so well! Good for you! I know just how you feel....I have 199 as my goal even though sure, I'd like to get down much further. I set my first goal at 199 so I don't make a goal impossible, and so I can SEE MYSELF BREAK THAT NUMBER!

Wow, that 7 pound loss is fantastic! And the inches. WEIGHT TO GO!!! I'm down 38 as of today. And if my knee would heal, I could start to move again! So frustrating.

Hi Jack, I use myfooddiary.com. It's not free. $9 per month. I hate paying but I have found it a lot easier then daily plate. That site overwhelmed me. I don't know if I'll want this long-term, but I love having all my intake tabulated and I can track all day long and get a full report end of day. This is cheaper than all the Hagan Daz I was eating! And Jack, a favor, please. I just posted a thread in this food/nutrition section as I'm having a bit of stomach trouble. I find that everyone here has either heard of or experienced most things LB, so I'm wondering what your thoughts will be on my post. I would appreciate your ideas. I actually do have a call into the nurse at the surgeon's office, but by time she calls me, it may be solved by the good folk here. Thanks, Gwenn

Hi All. I find we're sometimes better than the nurses when it comes to solving symptoms (and a much quicker response time!). The last couple of days, I find that I'm having a lot of pressure in the stomach. Not pain....just a lot of discomfort- like I'm full to bursting. No vomiting, no nausea, no pb'ing. Had a fill last week and doctor couldn't put much in because it backed up. I totally feel restricted. I think I'm eating too much at a sitting. I'm getting in about 5-6 oz of fish or chicken (always soft or mushy) and some potato as well. I eat slowly , but I suddenly get this uncomfortable, pressure feeling which lasts for hours. Like I'm eating 4 bites too much. So there's a wall. And funny thing is, my calorie count is still only about 800 or so. Getting my Protein. If I DON'T eat, I fill up with gas and that is pressure as well. I feel pressure a lot of the time - and if it's after eating...I dont' eat again- don't even drink, which is no good. My thought is that I'm filling with gas when there's no food inside. And that I'm creating a vicious cycle of too much food- no food- too much gas. Today, I'm going to try to eat 4 oz at a time- measuring. Soft foods. I don't know if I should eat 4 times a day of the small amount to keep my stomach from being too empty or what. I do take anti-gas stuff as well. Last question.....once I did overeat once or twice - can I stay sore for a couple of days from that? Is that why I feel sore? Any thoughts? Anyone else having this? Thanks

I take one pill in the am but am not having trouble. I have trouble with food in the AM. I have found that some days the pill seems to just sit for a while before going down fully. My BIL takes a number of pills that can't be crushed and he told me this is common. You're sitting there with this mild discomfit and then suddenly it's like a "whoosh" inside and the pill have moved on. Like flushing an internal toilet-LOL.

Of course you can. Decaf is on the liquid stage, as are popcicles. So, why wouldn't iced decaf be good? More important is how it feels to you. I prefered hot drinks after surgery- but that's a personal preference. Just sip very very slowly.

30 years! That will work for me.....by that time I won't have any teeth left to eat with! If I can keep this working until my mid 80s, I'll hope that by then I'll have behavior changes in place! LOL

30 Years! Yippee

Here's one I never thought I would EVER say.... when you take one of those 60 calorie choc pudding Snacks for a late night snack and in the morning realize it's on your night table still 1/2 full!

It's caused by gas. Never had gas there before the surgery. Lots and lots of people get it. It's not fun. Does go away. But mine come back for a short time anytime I have very bad gas- which is often lately. I've decided it's because they make this tunnel of the tube and it opens a passageway to the shoulder. LOL. The official reason is that when one has abdominal surgery they blow up the area with gas in order to work. That gas has to move around until it dissapates. However, 7 weeks later, I'm still getting it.

It's all part of the journey. Take a good look at a lot of threads. Lots of people have problems along the way, but it all works out. I'm not comparing at all, but for me....I still don't feel 100%; there's constant gas, one of my incisions gave me a lot of trouble (healed finally after the surgeon fixed it) and on. For many of us, it takes 2-3 months to REALLY feel good again. Hang in there. There was a day when I said to my husband that maybe I should have just eaten the world and died sooner. But that was the angst talking. I'm gonna make it and so are YOU! Get well soon.....you'll be catching up and passing us soon enough.

Hope so for you as well. I'm doing well. I feel everything go down. Water still is the most uncomfortable and I still find that weird. But I do it. I've had whole wheat bread, and chicken, and several different veggies. I thought I ate a lot at a dinner we had last evening, but then I realized, it was the first time I've had a whole bunch of different things on my plate.....as opposed to just a protein. I also realized that I had the same amount of food on my plate as two of my thin friends who were eating over. That was so cool. Now if I can just lose the gas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FrenchVanilla Haven't seen you in a while! Everything okay? Had my first fill and love Khalili even more. I had to take 1/2 the usual (2ccs rather than 4ccs) but all is well. He fixed an edge of one of the incisions that was bothering me as well. I SO LOVE THIS GUY. I truly hope you have as positive a reaction. He had me make an appointment in 4 weeks but no second fill appointment- he's not sure I'll need one. And yes, I feel restricted if I eat or drink too much, but I have to say, I've been eating normal food the last couple of days, including a small piece of whole wheat bread. I never thought I'd get there. The key is small bites, chewing a long time, and then waiting a couple of minutes for the next swallow. Funny thing is, I had two thin friends here at a dinner the other night. I noticed that what I had on my plate was what they each had on theirs. HEYHEY- I'm eating like a skinny girl! Offer still holds- if you want me to drop by the hospital, I'm there!! Gwenn

Hi Josephine, Oh yes, the trapped gas!!! I never had gas pain in my shoulder until this surgery and I think they left a new route in place for the pain to travel. I have bad gas rumbling around very often now, and it hits the shoulder. Now at least I know it will pass, but yes, the stomach pain is quite unyielding. I haven't tried broccoli yet. But I did by beano so that I can start having my black bean and cauliflower Soup again! I am struggling with real hunger v. mental hunger, but at least now I know which is which and I try to use Hot drinks to take care of the latter. I'm hoping this is the only fill I'll get as I seem to have hit a "sweet spot". I can't eat on and on, nor do I want to do so. Thanks for your thoughts and I still think you're amazing. Gwenn

I came to the site to research also and at first I was upset by all the possible side effects, complications, etc etc. Then I noticed that not once (until I saw a reply on this thread) did I ever hear anyone say they were sorry they did it. Also, other than the period of time you're going through the process and banding, I find that I come here to see if anyone else has my post-surgical or post fill symptoms. By voicing that we feel this or that and hearing back, we find out all is well, and that everyone has some kind of "blip" along the way. You probably could find the same in sites about other issues, diseases, etc. I still have some kinks to work out but I have a new system to learn and so far, even not back 100% yet (I was banded end of April), I've lost 37 pounds that I won't see again. When I left 300ville, I cried because I've dieted down a few times but went back up. Now it is unlikely I will. The band does a lot, but you have to be ready to work as well. There's time adjusting, time healing, time healing mentally as well. You are the only who will know if you can make the committment. I don't know your weight but I know that my life was slowly being held hostage by weight. And my health would soon have followed. It isn't as easy as eating and an alarm goes off to say stop, at least not yet for me. But maybe it will be, or maybe there will always be foods I can't have. But not, I have a chance. Take yours!

Jospephine- I'm facinated that you've done this without fills. I had one and could only take 1/2 the usual my doc gives. He told me I probably will not need another for a long time. I'd love it to be a very very very long time. How did this happen for you?

I get bills all the time. They're from the hosptial saying the insurance was paid X amount and there's balance of X. Scary every time even though I know that it means the hosptial and my insurance are still negotiating the cost. You'll know more tomorrow. Also know that most charges at hospitals are negotiable.

I slept in the chair at the hospital - it was so comfortable and it was great. Slept at home in a chair all day as well. Only got into bed at night.

I'm right there with you. Yesterday I started to feel good, and today it's difficult again. Yesterday, my protonix went right down and in, today it's sitting for a bit and annoying me. My doc says two days liquid and 2 mushie/soft and I'm now on soft day #2 but I can see I'll be here for a little bit. Today it's been hard to get food down. I just had some fat free milk as they doesn't bother me (lactose reduced) and I get liquid and Protein. Had a greek yogurt for Breakfast. I'm going to someone's home for dinner (I sure don't feel like it), but happily, they're having fish and soup- a lite supper- so that should work. And I do get hungry. Thanks for sharing. Gwenn

I so feel for you. You're right. Scheduling these things is an art. And there are always unusual cirmcumstances. In my case, because my surgeon is located at the hospital, they do the fills in the imaging center. So, first the fluroscope went on and I and the surgeon could see that I'd healed well, and that all was well. Then we watched as he put in the fill, literally saw the Fluid not move as I felt the pain and burning. He instantly drew it out and I ended up with a small fill. I know most people don't do it at hospital like that, and many doctors use a fluroscope in their offices. Glad you're okay now and YUP, you got the help eating less!

Hi Salsa, I've come to the point where I'm not surprised anymore to see that not one of my symptoms belongs to me alon-LOL. Yup, I count everything as Water. Even the popsicle I had yesterday. It hits the stomach as water. The water thing may or may not get better, but most of the time I don't mind having tea or decaf instead. The good news is everyday is better, and if I feel overstuffed at 700-800 calories a day, this is working. I have been told that as time goes on I may not get hungry much and may forget lunch, etc. but for now, I'm still healing and want to not lose muscle, so I eat very slowly but get the Protein in. This morning, I am not hungry or thirsty, but I'm slowly getting in my greek yogurt (5 oz container) and when I'm done I'll slowly start water or coffee. I'm just happy I haven't gagged, pb'd, etc, as yet. My BIL said just take it very very slow at each meal. I'm saving the fun for when I start to add new foods. Take care.