2muchfun

Spreading out your meals as you state can temporarily help people lose weight but that's for the non WLS dieter. We're not on a diet although some still treat it that way. It's way too easy to go beyond snacking or eating just 250 calories. That's why they ask us to seek satiation. The lapband technique is to become satiated with 3 meals a day. If you limit your intake to 250 calories/meal you probably won't be satisfied and will require the snack. This is basic training for all of us. We all have to strive to find that balance where we can eat a healthy meal and feel like we don't have to eat again in 2 hours. I confess to snacking some days but it's usually an apple, pear or pickle. tmf

You deserve this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrM7Fu19vDc

Well, there always has to be at least one contrarian in every thread so here goes. Go to about 6:30 minutes into this video. I'd recommend you watch all 4 videos. But, you should follow your doctors orders. Maybe 6 months out when you are one with the band you might want to experiment with drinking while eating but in the beginning, follow your doctor's orders. I did and it didn't seem to be that difficult. Remember, 6:30 into the video and on:

How many CC's are in your band is irrelevent. Think about your stomach near the top. This is where the band is wrapped around. Everyone's stomach is shaped differently. Every stomach has a different depth of lining and fat surrounding it. Surgeons may place the band higher or lower on your stomach and the shape of your stomach plays a part as to where the band is placed. It's more an art than science. So, if my stomach is thin near the top and I have little fat surrounding my stomach and the lining is thin, it will take many more CC's to close my band than some others. Hope this helps? tmf

You need to fill in your profile or offer more information if you want advice/help? tmf

I'm 11 months, 20 days out from surgery. Not nervous at all. Having prime rib and all the other regular stuff. The band won't let me eat too much. But, I'm going to enjoy what I can eat and I'll make sure I divvy it around so I get a taste of it all. If I gain a few lbs, it's just Fluid retention. It'll come off in a few days. No reason to give up living at this point. tmf

Yams/sweet potatoes should be OK as well as mashed potatoes and gravy. I wouldn't recommend turkey at all. Too dry and you cannot afford to have a stuck episode or throw up session so soon after surgery. You could jeopardize the sutures holding the band in place at this point. No bread at all. It takes many months to learn how to chew properly and it's so easy to be distracted and shove a forkfull of dressing in your piehole. If you do eat anything solid, include a spoonful of gravy to help it slide down. pumpkin pie should be OK in small quantities. There will be more Thanksgivings. It's not your last shot at great food. tmf

I lost 12 lbs the first two weeks after surgery and then none for 3.5 months. I didn't feel any restriction till my 3rd fill and then I started to lose weight. I don't think I would have lost as much had it not been for my nutritionist's advice at that 3rd fill meeting. I didn't find the green zone till my 6th fill. tmf

PB'ing is the result of being stuck. When food can't pass through the stoma your body creates slime(flem/saliva) to help the stuck food pass through your esophogus. It takes time and sometimes you can force a burp that dislodges some of the stuck food(along with some slime) and of course you should spit it out. I've never been good at the productive burps. I can spit up some slime and that reduces the pressure in my esophogus but I seldom see any food come up. tmf

Soup is a slider food and won't ever fill you unless you are too tight. tmf

Dreamer, you assume correctly. However, before the green zone you will spend some time in Bandster Hell where you seem to be hungrier than pre surgery. We have one forum member who's slogan is: Until there's restriction, it's just another diet. So, for most of us, it was still a diet for the first several months. You may be one of the lucky ones? tmf

Once you get enough restriction you will find the green zone(cross fingers). The weight seldom ever just falls off. It takes time and it's usually 3-8 lbs a month with occasional 2-3 week plateaus. But usually not until you find the green zone. We all have to find our way with this band in our bodies. Some count calories, I choose not to. If you eat the right foods and you are in the green zone, you will naturally consume fewer calories. Exercising a lot helps too. I like to think of this process as if it's not a diet. Counting calories is a diet for me. Eating good healthy food in the right quantities and having enough restriction that you feel satiated after eating less food is what works for me and many others. But we're all different and find our own way through this maze. tmf

It's very normal. I lost 12 lbs the first 2 weeks and then nothing the next 3.4 months.

I would think your surgeon will have a much better idea than anyone on this forum. tmf

You should bite small and chew big and do it very slowly. And, welcome to the lapband world. Don't expect to feel full or satiated all the time. It took most of us 6 months or more to finally figure out how to live with our bands. Don't fight it, try to understand why? Remember, you have a hole the size of a chickpea(or smaller) in your stomach now and it will take time to push meats and breads through. You may think you're are obeying the rules but it takes time to learn to eat properly with a lapband. It sure took me 6 months or more. tmf

Skin removal is only an option and would be entirely up to you? The rumblings seem to be a normal occurance for most of us but decrease over time. Remember, you've had major surgery done to your stomach. Your stomach has been stitched around the band and those sutures could still be painful. Or, you're hungry and the lack of Protein or starch is causing your stomach to demand you feed it? tmf

Short answer? No, you won't. tmf

You make a good point about being one with the band. And of course, we all become one in a different way. I think the doctor's guidelines in the beginning seem to be all encompassing of all patients. And we should all follow our doctors orders. But as we progress down the lapband road towards successful weight loss it seems like most of us discover methods or solutions to enable the band to work with our own bodies and lifestyles. Sometimes a nutritionist might suggest eating a different way or we pick up helpful band friendly advice from forums like this one. One size does not fit all I think most of us will agree. And I think most doctors would not argue with any patient who strayed from the basic rules of banding surgery as long as the patient is seeing progress and is not eating or behaving in a way that could damage their body or compromise the band. Being one with the band is a slogan I've seen with most succesful bandsters and is the antithesis of the posts I've read from those who are failing and fight their band. tmf

Like others have said, follow your doctors orders. But, Banderwonder and a new dawn are both right. I can't drink and be stuck at the same time. The pressure just increases and causes a lot of sliming. There are some doctors here in the states and many in Australia who recommend that you can drink right up to a meal and then you can sip fluids one minute after each bite. One even recommends wine with your meal. The video series from Dr. O'Brien are incredibly informative. This is part 3, go to about the 6:30 mark to learn more about his take on fluids with meals. Good luck.

Aftercare is just or more important than the surgery itself. Be very sure you have more than adequate post surgery care and advice before you decide to save a few dineros. Saving money is all good but not at the expense successfully losing weight. jmo tmf

Prime rib, sweet potatotes, dressing, home made ice cream, pumpkin pie, salad, wine. tmf

Sounds more like you're either too tight or you're not following the band eating rules. I get stuck several times a week but I can trace it back nearly every time to eating while distracted. In other words, I resort back to my pre-band eating days and take too large of a bite or eat too quickly or don't chew adequately. If you follow the rules and still get stuck, you probably need a small unfill? tmf

I didn't see anything mean or critical in lapbandsters post? 18 lbs post op is super. Wish I could have lost that much. But, many of us don't. You should be doing cartwheels or the Happy Dance? tmf

I'm doing about the same as you and I've only gained about 4 lbs in the last 2 months. I'm not going to sweat it though. Thanksgiving is 10 days away, Xmas is 7 weeks, no need to torture myself over the holidays. I'll just try to make wise decisions when I can and try to avoid the places where excessive sugar lays waiting for me. January 2nd is not that far away and if I can keep my weight where it is, I'll consider it a victory. I typically gain 12 lbs or so every holiday season. Keeping it under 5 would be a moral victory. The band will still be there in January and I'll take full advantage. Happy Holidays! tmf