bambam

Glad I could help Mac. These bands can be so fickle. I am up at 4:30 each morning but don't have breakfast until my stomach growls, usually 6:30 or so (per doc's order). Then by 9:30 it is growling again no matter how much protein I have at breakfast - I try to put it off for an hour and usually have lunch between 10:30 and 11. Luckily my employer is flexible with my lunch breaks. Then I can go until 5-6 p.m. before dinner. I don't get it! I talked with my doctor's office and they said my body may just need lunch that early, as long as I can go that long between lunch and dinner they said not to worry about it. It's a learning curve!! Good luck with your recent fill!

Doctors seem to vary somewhat, some want you to eat on a schedule and others say eat when hungry. Maybe check with your surgeon's nurse? My doctor says eat only when hungry. I wouldn't skip a meal (too few calories isn't good either) but in my case it would be delaying it until my body is asking for it. It may just take a few days for your body to adjust to the fill.

I've had the sliming once and they desdcribed it perfectly, but for me bringing up the food wasn't "easy." It was an hour long process. I'm not a good barfer, never have been. I still burp at the end of each meal. That's my signal that I'm full. If I try to eat more after that, it's not good.

I'm a side sleeper - can't sleep on my back. I slept on my side immediately after surgery. I did find putting a thin pillow across my stomach helped, especially cushioning the portal incision. I rolled with it from side to side at night, pressing against it really helped me turn over. When I was in the hospital I asked the nurse if sleeping on my side would hurt anything and she said no.

While this surgery is a huge decision, to be honest the surgery isn't bad at all. When you go to the operating room they'll get you hooked up to different machines (they work fast you'll likely have 5 people or so working on you doing various jobs). Once they start your anesthesia (won't be long) you'll drift off to sleep. When you wake up from surgery you'll be groggy. I can't stop shivering when I wake up - I think they said it is the anesthesia. I did have some nausea following surgery, but I didn't get sick. Ask for some ice chips as your mouth will be dry, but take them slow, I took them a bit too fast and it made the nausea worse briefly. The recovery for me was pretty easy. I went home the following day. I had read where people suggested putting a pillow across your stomach for the ride home (to protect from the seatbelt). I used a pillow immediately out of surgery and slept with it every night for about 2 weeks - putting it across my stomach. It just kind of cushions the port incision (largest one) and makes it easier to sleep as I am a side sleeper. It also made rolling over at night easier. I'm sure your surgery will go well. I really didn't have any jitters - I was SOOO ready to begin a healthy life. I have had no depression either. It was too exciting to see the scale going down. Do I miss being able to pig out on potato chips and donuts? Sometimes, but I'm enjoying my weight loss, shopping for smaller clothes, and my increased energy more than I miss those things. Good luck!!! Keep us posted on how you are doing!

I'm not sure about what others are doing, but I add just my regualr Protein powder to my pudding (choc for choc, vanilla for vanilla). I also add vanilla Protein Powder to my yogurt. I don't use protein powder every day, just if I'm low on my protein. Hope this helps!! P.S. I usually add just a half scoop, doing a whole scoop is a bit much for me anyway.

I didn't have any shoulder pain and had a fairly easy recovery, but there is one thing I wish I had reinforced to myself. As many of us do, once I had the band and saw results with the preop diet and the week right after surgery, I was panicking when the scale stopped moving and actually went up and down the same 3 pounds for the next 4-5 weeks. While I was well informed and had read on the boards MANY times not to expect weight loss during this period, I guess I fell into the trap of "I have the band, where's the weight loss???" That is no one's fault but my own. If I had to do it all over again, I would post little notes all over the house saying "This is a time for healing, not losing, stay off the scale!!!"

Once in a great while I wish I could eat more too - mainly with the foods I used to binge on - BBQ potato chips or donuts. If I see someone going to town on one of those, it makes me wish I too could go back to snarfing down as much as I want. Sick huh???? Most of the time I'm like Restless Monkey - I'm thrilled that such a small amount can make me content - and then I think so THIS is how thin, healthy people do it!!! It's nice to not really care about food most of the time. Now instead of thinking about the next meal constantly and what do I GET to eat... come meal time I'm thinking what do I NEED to eat. And I'm not constantly obsessed with food anymore. If I eat potato chips when others are around (3-4), I nibble on them bandster style. But for some reason if I'm alone and have some, I snarf. I guess it's the embarrassment I used to feel at eating like I did - I would eat them fast and furious when alone so no one knew.... yeah right! I'm really best off avoiding those foods, rarely have them, but if I do I do better when I'm around others. It's amazing what you learn about yourself through this process. I'm wanting to eat more less often as time goes on - the pain that is associated with it is a wonderful deterrant!

Sorry you are frustrated - we've all been there. My suggestions are to put the scale away for a week, increase your calorie intake by 100-200 if you are exercising a lot, and give yourself some time!!!! You are still healing from surgery. Weeks 2-6 after surgery I gained and lost the same 3 pounds. My doc said not to be surprised if I gained during that period. So don't stress out this early - give yourself time to heal, eat a few more healthy calories, and weigh again in a week or two. You'll read some posts by people who are fortunate enough to lose in this time period, but most of us bandsters don't.

Emma - You've done great too!! Sorry the last 6 weeks have been hard - it's frustrating not to see the scale move. Remember to keep looking at your measurements when the scale doesn't budge. Don't let the scale be your only definition of success. My hair loss is slowing, still losing it, but slowing. If you haven't talked with your doctor about it maybe you can call his office.I know "Are you having hair loss?" is a question I see on every form I fill out at my followup visits , so I think they anticipate it. You may want to find out what your doc suggests for a supplement, if any, I really don't know anythig about them. I've just kept plugging away and making sure I get my protein in, knowing it will eventually stop. Have you tried increasing your calories by 100-200 a day or so if you are really active? Maybe your calorie count is too low. Or maybe just switching your foods if you tend to eat the same thing most of the time. Those were suggestions my nutritionist gave me when I had a slow period and it worked. Keep me updated!!

I started losing hair at 3 months too. I think sometimes regardless of how much Protein we get in or what supplements we take such as the Biotin (I don't take it) I think our bodies are just reacting to the stress we have put it through with the surgery and the weight loss we have had so far. From what I've read it does stop and the hair regrows. I've noticed a decrease already, so it's not something I'm stressing over. Hope this gives you some reassurance!!

You are ahead of the curve!!! I'm not a nutritionist or a lap band surgeon :crying: , but here's my take on things.... You lost 5 pounds in 5 days, which likely is part fluid loss. To lose 5 pounds you actually have to have a decrease of 17,500 calories if my math is correct (3500 per pound), which is impossible for the average person over 5 days . So IMO you have lost some fat and some fluid - so it could simply be your body is rebounding a bit and trying to catch up - with some fluid fluctuations. My suggestion is give it time and see what happens... let your body adjust some more and eat as your doctor suggested. It should all fall into place.

I'm like Sunshine - I get that pain when I have taken one bite too many. It isn't comfortable! I really need to start listening to that burp, hiccup, or little squeak in my throat that is my signal to step away from the food!!! For some reason, sometimes I think "there's just one little bite left"... but uffda, that one bite can make a world of difference. Sorry I'm not of more help. It's amazing how we can all be so different following the same surgery.

What you are experiencing is normal. Most bandsters don't lose during this period - you are still healing. I lost and gained the same 3 pounds weeks 2-6 postop. My doctor told me not to be surprised if I didn't lose, that I may even gain. You will see some people post who continue to lose during this phase, but it seems the majority of us lose very little, maintain, or even gain a little. Just continue to let your body heal and follow your doctors instructions. Once you start getting fills you will notice the weight coming off (although it can take several fills for some people), so have patience and just trust the process. Good luck!!

Hi Emma!! I started losing hair at 3 months postop as well. I get a lot of Protein in so I don't think that can be the only factor to dictate whether or not we will have hair loss. I think that the stress and changes our bodies go through with surgery is the main culprit (at least in my case). From what I've read (and I didn't take time to read all the responses here) it is only temporary and the hair will grow back. I guess it's just another one of those things that some people experience and some don't. Glad to see you are doing so well! Keep in touch. bambam

I don't know what your doc prescribed for a preop diet, but if you are supposed to have protein, try to get some more in. One thing I was allowed to have was Anderson - Erickson chocolate milk with Splenda - no sugar added (this may be a regional product only). I would heat that up and it was like hot chocolate for me. I also liked it cold with chocolate protein powder and just a smidgen of malt powder to make it taste like a real treat.

For me when I was at that stage I knew I was satisfied when I really didn't care if I took another bite or not. Hungry and satisfied will get more clear the further out from surgery you get. At this point you almost just need to eat the amount recommended by your doctor (so your intake isn't too little), let things heal, and before long you'll be relearning your body's signs all over again.

I was banded in March and have had 3 fills. I'm content with my restriction for now. Here is what a normal day is like for me: Get up at 4:30. 5:00 - Cup of Tastefully Simple Chai - this is my one splurge and since I don't really care for tea or coffee, it's my hot drink in the morning. My doc says to eat when I get hungry so breakfast varies. I work from home so this is easy to adjust... anyway... Breakfast: 6:45-8:00 Might be a Protein bar Banana (have had low potassium) Water between meals Lunch: 11:00 Usually 3-4 ounces of protein A dairy (yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, etc) WATER between meals again. Dinner: 6:00 Another 3-4 ounces of protein A veggie I occasionally get hungry between breakfast and lunch. Not sure why I can go so long between lunch and dinner, but I occasionally have a snack in the morning if I really need it. I try to make it something high protein like cottage cheese, etc. At this point I'd rather have a small snack if needed than be tighter. I think you have to learn when your body is hungry to some extent and just listen to it. My meals include everyday foods like chili, meatloaf, chicken, loveeee burgers with fat free cheese, etc. We dine out quite a bit and I just order the best I can and eat much less. I occasionally treat myself to a sweet as well, but not very often and a very small portion. For me it is just much easier to eat protein at each meal and to have a full serving of either dairy, fruit, or veggie. I don't like having a small spoon of fruit and a small spoon of veggie with each meal. I'd rather do a larger portion of a fruit (like most of a banana - less wasteful) . It just works well for me. I mix it up, just make sure I get a serving of each in a day. Obviously what I was doing before the band wasn't working and I want to follow the band rules as much as possible, but I think to some degree we just have to try to eat NORMAL. I know where deprivation has gotten me in the past. Luckily with the band if I do have one of my trigger foods from the past, it's not going to let me do the damage it did before. But at the same time, I have to be in the mindset that I have to change my style of eating as well. Just a lifestyle change, not a diet. I've found shredded beef doesn't work for me, so I don't eve attempt steak and some other cuts of beef. Otherwise, bread is the only food I've had issues with. I haven't had the desire to give bread another try, just to painful thinking about it! I log all my food and exercise on dailyplate.com. I don't exercise daily, I'm still sporadic with that, so that's something I need to work on. Sorry this got so long!

My surgeon won't do a first fill before the 6-week mark. After that he wants you to wait at least 2 weeks between fills to give yourself time to see how you respond.

I totally understand how you are feeling. I tend to be able to eat more at breakfast, a little less for lunch, and a small dinner. Just the opposite of what most bandsters experience - especially those who are tight in the morning. I don't get it. My larger breakfast also doesn't seem to last me as long as my smaller lunch and dinner - even though I am getting plenty of Protein. I am usually hungry about 3 hours after eating breakfast, but can go 6 hours after lunch before having dinner. Go figure! I'm just trying to go with the flow I guess. I'm losing and really don't want to be any tighter at this point, so it is what it is! Anyone else having this experience?

I have a sit down job AND work from home, but I took 2 weeks off and am glad I did. I was worried about being uncomfortable and having to sit for 8 hours. With a previous nose and sinus surgery I was very tired and slept a lot so for 2 weeks so I worried about my ability to concentrate on my job when I returned to work after my lapband surgery as well. While this recovery was much easier, I really didn't want to return to work and struggle with my ability to concentrate. People really vary in how quickly they recover. I have a SIL who had the same surgery and went back to her job after 3 days, so it is really an individual thing. Hopefully you can take some more time off until you feel you are ready to return to work.

I panicked weeks 2-6 after surgery. I lost and gained the same 3 pounds during those 4 weeks. I had read enough that I KNEW it would take time to heal and that I probably wouldn't start losing weight until I started getting fills and restriction, but at the same time I had the band and was ready to get this weight loss thing going... so where was the weight loss??? It's hard especially when some people seem to lose easily during this phase. BUT most people don't lose much if any during this time period. You had a major surgery. Be patient, give your body time to heal, try to follow your doctor's eating guidelines (what, how much, and when), get plenty of Water and Protein. The more you can do to follow his guidelines now, the easier it will be as you progress. My doctor told me I may actually gain before my first fill. I ended up losing 3 pounds from weeks 2-6. You just have to stick with your doc's plan and have faith that it WILL work. Once you start getting fills and restriction you'll notice the weight starting to come off.

I'm sorry you had so much trouble with your first attempt at a fill. Luckily mine have gone smoothly. I'm sure when you go in and have an x-ray done it will go much easier!! Maybe someone will come along with a similar experience, but in the meantime hang in there!!

You got your first fill much earlier than me - I had to wait 6 weeks. I'm guessing you are just still healing. It takes a while for our bodies to recover from surgery. As long as you are following your doctors instructions regarding food portions, eating healthy, getting your Water in, and exercising some I wouldn't worry about it, but would just give your body more time. I'll be anxious to hear what your doctor has to say. Let us know! Maybe someone will come along who has experienced the same thing though.

I burp (or get a little squeaky sound in my throat) when I'm full. I also burp if I get stuck - it seems to help, but doesn't come as easily then.