2muchfun

Which hospital?

I'd add creme brulee' to the list of forbidden foods

It will vary from patient to patient. If you have the want power you can make it happen. It's all about finding that spark that makes you want to feel good, feel healthier and look good too. No one but you will know what's in your heart and mind? My advice would be to not put a lot of pressure on yourself until you can completely commit to it. Otherwise extenuating circumstances like school, illness, stress from family issues will cloud your judgement. If you can't commit to going 100% then maybe go 75% and try to maintain your current weight till you can really hit it. I'm speaking from personal experience now. tmf

If you are on a PC, go to the upper right hand side of this page and click on the arrow beside your name. Click on my profile and then click on edit my profile. If you access from an IPad or Iphone good luck. tmf

I have a few glasses of beer or wine every week. It's empty calories but I'm in this for the long haul so if it takes me a few months longer to get to my goal, I'm OK with it. You should run it by your doctor of course. Here's what one doc says:

64 going on 65 here. There are many of us old geezers on the forum. tmf

BTW-25 lbs in less than 5 months is still good. I only lost 12 lbs the first 4 months. Then maybe 20 by 5 months. Don't compare yourself to some of the other bandsters who lose 50 lbs in 3 months. tmf

The short answer is no, you won't feel restriction with every bite or even most bites. If you chew properly every bite should pass through the stoma without you even feeling or knowing it. You need to read the link Missy gave you? It's not about feeling restriction, it's about not being hungry any longer. Being satisfied with what you've eaten is what you should be seeking. Feeling restriction simply means that occasionally you will have short stuck episodes. This is a signal that your band is there. Take a large bite, don't chew or eat too fast and you'll find out if your pouch is dilated. If you have a habit of overeating and ignore the stuck signals, you can dilate your pouch. But it's rare. BTW-Please fill in your profile so we can know and advise you better. tmf

Welcome to "Bandster Hell"! This is the stage that can go on until you get a fill that gives you some restrictioin. Like others have said, your band is wide open and at this point you can eat most anything you want within reason. However, your band was sutured into the lining of your stomach and stretching it or having a stuck episode could compromise the good work your surgeon has done. I don't think you comprehend how the band works. Dr. Paul O'Brien has 4 videos on how the band works. Here are the links and I urge you to watch each one thoroughly so you understand the why's of the band: Part 1 part 2 Part 3 Part 4

That would be a question for your doctor? A rational answer would be "as tolerated" at this point. Don't expect weight loss until you start getting fills. tmf

Again, facts(proof?) please? Anecdotal assertions are not facts fyi. Mark Twain: "A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes"

You've been asked before to cough up the stats, facts and studies to back up your wild accusations? Let's see the facts? No BS, no spin, just the facts m'am?

Naan is a problem for me. Lamb, chicken are delish.

Either you are too tight or you're not taking small enough bites, chewing enough or slow enough. jmo Try not to throw up. You can cause your band to slip. tmf

Being distracted by the TV, friends whatever, can cause me to slip back into my old behaviors of eating fast, big and not chewing properly. I think it's quite common. Sitting down and concentrating on each bite is a lot of work. At least for me it is. tmf

Tomato bisque is fine. Tuna tartar should slide down easily too? I'd watch the bread/crackers they'll serve with it though? I look back when I was young. I entered high school at 5' 6" and left the same height. Freshman year I wrestled 121 and senior year 141. I've been down below 150 several times while i was in my 30's. It may be a little too thin and too much to expect but I still have my dreams. I'll try to stay ahead of you as long as I can. BTW-Kirschenbaum was loved by many and it was a huge shock when he retired. I had planned on using him till he left his practice. tmf

Is Weaver a new doc in town? Did you have your surgery at Skyridge? My doc is in the South office wing of the hospital. BTW-It doesn't sound like you're deprived of fluids. Professor? I don't think so. I feel like I'm in Lapband 101B at this point. My success waned back in the fall and I'm trying to regain my traction now. The Holidays kicked my keester this year as they always do. Our stats are similar so I'll consider your entry as a new challenge and try not to let you out-lose me

Your stomach reacts to the environment and your personal eating habits. Eat a lot of sodium, throw in TOM, stress, allergies and medications, all can effect how much Fluid your body retains. Your stomach being part of your body reacts the same. Think of your band as if it's your ring finger. Some days your ring can be super loose and other days, very tight. Your stomach is a muscle reacting to it's environment. tmf

Your insurance will determine how long it takes to have surgery. Some make you jump through months of hoops before you're eligible. Most docs would go to surgery in a matter of a month if not for insurance. In some ways it's a good thing. It gives you time to research docs, research forums, support groups before you take the plunge. I see many forum members who come here and don't have a clue how the band works, what their responsibilities are or what their support group should be doing for them. tmf

How much do you drink? Not much to worry about unless your pee is dark yellow or you're constantly thirsty and don't drink? Drink when you're thirsty is what some doctors recommend. Don't drink if you aren't thirsty. Your body knows when it needs fluids. jmo tmf

Gotta love those large roasted chickens from Costco! I buy one of those probably every 2-3 weeks and it tides us over for at least two meals. tmf

I apologize to the veterans but my story one more time is: I was banded 11/28/11. I lost 12 lbs the first 2 weeks and then nothing for the next 3 1/2 months. I was in bandster hell for 3 1/2 mos. Late in March of 2012 I received my 3rd fill and I sat down with my nutritionist. The nutritionist really set me straight about what I'm eating and how it's not helping my band to work right. She set me straight and we eliminated some foods that were causing me to stay hungry. The new foods(healthy fish, chicken, veggies) along with a slightly tighter band led me to the green zone finally. I highly recommend you speak to your nutritionist. It sounds like you're eating mostly slider foods? That's fine if you keep your caloric consumption low but you will be hungry much of the time and will be wasting the effect the band(tool) can do for you? tmf

Gretch and Marina, I can't follow you around and witness what and how you eat but your posts seem to fall into the category of bandsters who can't or won't eat as most bariatric and nutritionists suggest we eat. You may be too tight now it sounds like? If you could back off say .25 CC and find a way to eat slowly, small and chew big, you might find the green zone or sweet spot again? I'm saying this from personal experience. I could be wrong, but this(eat slow, small and chew big) is how the band is intended to be effective. The band is not static as our bodies do adapt to the band and the pouch muscles do get stronger and more efficient as they can push food throught the stoma much easier. This can give us the illusion that our bands have loosened. But it's just a signal that we need a small adjustment. I'm just responding out of my own experience and as we all know, each body reacts differently to the band. tmf

Losing weight around your waist has nothing to do with losing fat around your stomach. You do have a right to be angry about the slow fills. You should take your anger to your doctor and insist they give you 1 cc fills till you start to feel restriction. Some doctors milk the system if they get paid per fill. Follow the money? tmf

It doesn't matter. Doctors wait to see your stomach to determine what size they use. tmf