2muchfun

Me. And I did it kindly.

OK---STOP IT! tmf

Jerseyguy, you are so right but only if I were making a general comment directed to you the forum and wozzicat but since it was directed solely to wozzicat who has not lost weight so far, it's more than an educated guess that she's going to need fills to make the scale move. tmf

Unfortunately, head hunger from cravings seldom go completely away. For me, I do feel less hungry between meals and don't really snack that much but I do sometimes grab an apple or handful of nuts between meals. The key is to remove as many low nutrition foods from your pantry as you can. If you do snack, then you're snacking on low calorie, high nutrition foods. But no one or no surgery or tool can block you from yourself. If you cook a pan of lasagna or a cake, you're just setting yourself up for failure. If you can add just one exercise like walking to your routine and keep the high nutrition foods around, maybe you can slowly get back on track? tmf

Many people do not lose in this phase. If you are exercising and eating less than 1200 calories you will begin to lose weight soon. But the band won't provide it's magic till you start getting fills. If you consume a lot of sodium you will retain Water so try to keep your sodium intake low. I know it's hard since you're probably not on solids yet and most mushies are loaded with salt. tmf

All of the previous comments are right on but it looks like(your profile) you're probably in a maintenance mode at this time? You probably need about 1600-1800 calories a day to maintain your current weight. How many cups will depend a lot on what's in the cup? As long as you continue to make healthy food choices you should maintain your current weight. Just continue to eat till you're satisfied? If that's 2 cups of lasagna, yes, you may need a fill. If it's 2 cups of salad and lean chicken you should be fine. tmf

Yeah, I'm with Wildrose. I was in bandster hell for 4 months. Then I got my 4th fill and started to really feel some restriction. By my 6th fill I was in the green zone but then fell out and now I'm going back for another adjustment. It's a process and I need to stay the course and keep my eye on the prize.

BTW-If you just go to the top of this page and look for surgeons in Denver, his name and information will appear.

Most doctors do fills in their office which usually is not in a hospital. He removed a cyst from my wife's hand about 12 years ago and I believe his office was near Swedish. tmf

Della, thanks so much for posting today. It's always good to squash these myths and rumors as soon as possible. You have made a great decision to make yourself healthy for the rest of your life and you are not lazy and you are not ignorant. Your research prior to this dishonest article should show that the band is not only safe but effective. Does it work for everyone, no it doesn't. "Pay attention to your dreams and not your fears" "A lie can travel half way around the earth before truth puts it's boots on". Mark Twain

"If you have a choice of losing weight with diet and exercise (which most people do, if they're honest with themselves), or having a lap band fitted, think carefully, and choose the diet and exercise program before the 'quick fix' of an adjustable gastric band." Cassandra James So now we're also dishonest? "The Lap Band is the 'Lazy' Way To Lose Weight - Although most gastric band users say they've "tried everything" to lose weight, they really haven't. It's extremely rare for a person not to be able to lose weight with diet and exercise but, in today's 'quick fix' society, many would rather do what they think is the 'quick fix' of lap band surgery without realizing it's a life-changing surgery and often not for good reasons. Stop thinking about easy ways to get thinner, stop eating as much and start exercising. Almost everyone can do it. You can too." Cassandra James And Lazy?

Cassandra James is not a health care professional and knows nothing about the lap band. She's one of those typical naysayers who will call you lazy(it's in her article) for using surgery to lose weight. I'm glad you posted this because this is an illustration of the ignorance of people who know nothing about the struggles the obese must suffer. Virtually nothing in this articlel is true. Do you think for one second that surgeons would use this technique if 60% of the patients would fail. The malpractice insurance to cover so many claims would be overwhelming. tmf

I'm sure you're looking at the old study of the Allergan band from 94-97 and only includes 82 patients from the very beginning of it's inception. Here's a much more recent study that includes nearly 3000 patients using newer bands with better technology. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00464-009-0858-8

Please post a link to this research you speak of? tmf

Can you post the link to this "research"? There are some disparaging studies around that only use patients/cases from the mid 90's when the band was first introduced. Many revisions to the band have taken place over the last decade. I've also done much research and I've never seen any studies that suggested the band is only good for 10 years? But, if it is only good for 10 years or even less, I'm good with that. Better to be healthy for 10 years than die in less than that time. tmf

For me, no food is a problem as long as I follow the rules. Dry chicken can be problematic if I eat too big or too fast but if I eat a tiny bit, chew to mush and wait a minute between bites, all is well. But, why live like that? So I seldom ever have to eat foods like this unless I happen to be eating out and get stuck with Shitty food like this. For me, following the rules all the time is a problem. I seem to be easily distracted. TV, conversations, extremely hungry can all cause me to eat too much too fast.

Not everyone has gas pain. I had a minor case but I think some people also have a low threshold to pain. For me the surgery was a piece of cake except it took me a week to recover from the trauma of all the meds, anesthesia, anti biotics and fluids pumped into my body. I felt as though I was drugged for a week even though I didn't take any meds or drugs post surgery. tmf

One more thing. I have no children at home so I've been able to stock my shelves with nutritious food(in lieu of fruit loops, ho hos, PB&J) if I do make a mistake and snack. Do not have chips, crackers, sugary treats, white bread, ice cream just sitting around where you can be tempted. I try not to have any of these items just sitting around where they are easily accessible. Instead, I have fresh fruit, jerkey, walnuts, low fat cheese sticks and pickles because sometimes the last meal does not last till the next full meal. tmf

It's taken me over a year to figure that one out. I still find myself in the kitchen with a handful of nuts or an apple chewing away and realize I'm not really hungry, I just like food. Some people are emotional eaters, some have disorders or addictions to sugar. I just love the taste of food. And my waistline shows it. The last couple of months I've been able to think before I eat much more than before. I stop, I listen(is it empty) to my stomach. If it's just me wanting to chew on something I drink some Water or some water with MIO in it and return to work. I'm not always successful but I'm seeing progress. It doesn't come overnight for many of us. "When a craving doesn't come from hunger, eating will never satisfy it." Michelle May

Here's the cynic in me. Follow the money. Your new surgeon is not a non-partisan participant in this discussion. He may be telling you what you want to hear? tmf

So you have corn kernels in your throat? I have no experience with anything hanging around in my throat so I can't answer that? Seems like a good swig of Water should wash it all down? tmf

What is corn skin?

My stuck feeling is a feeling of pressure right around where the sternum is. Feels like a golf ball sized balloon has infllated. Most stuck episodes last about 30-45 minutes for me and then they are behind me. Once the episode begins, I can't eat or drink anything until the pressure subsides. It's usually not painful, just uncomfortable. But on occasion, it creeps up on being very close to painful, but only for a few minutes. Some people experience some swelling from these episodes. This would increase the chances of getting stuck on even smaller amounts of food or even Water if their band is tight. tmf

What have you been eating that you would need enzymes and tenderizer? Vomiting can cause your band to slip and at the very least, cause edema around the band. This swelling can shut down the flow of everything and you need to call your doctor. tmf

I'm sure your doc gave you post op instructions? The nurses in the hospital usually give you written orders? If you have a new band, you're starting from scratch and I would think you're on Clear liquids for however long your doc prescribes and then pureed and onto soft foods maybe 3 weeks down the road. The new band has to settle in, swelling from the sutures and then the sutures must heal so I would follow the same routine as when you were originally banded. tmf