YngGram

I am here. Had my surgery in Richmond, hit me back. Jay

No blame here, so take this as it is given. Most of us have had the same issues, it takes some learning about what works for you.

1. You might not be able to eat the things you have chosen. Some can't do chicken, or beef or something fried.

2. Slow down, also try eating alone. With a recent fill I have found that if I talk I will have a problem of some sort with the meal. It's been over a year but this started with the last fill.

3. If I drink and eat I am done for. I seem to take in to much air and create a bubble in my chest very, very painful.

4. Small bites well chewed.

5. Don't drink at least an hour before eating, might make it a little better.

6. I am tighter in the morings so I do a Protein drink. Since the fill I am also tighter after 6, so dinner has to be by 5 or I can't get more than 2 bites down.

Now this is BIG, at 4 months how are you clothes fitting? I wasn't loosing on the scale but my clothes had gotten to big. Sometimes as the body adjusts to the change the weight might not come off, but relocates moving from the tummy, legs, face or the back. Giving the smaller size pants and a better overall appearance. You aren't doing it wrong, listen to your body. You don't want to be uncomfortable so stop at 2 bites, wait an hour and have a Protein Drink or some yogurt. You may have been given info from the dietian about Snacks or 5 or 6 really small meals until you stomach is done healing.

The doc had me use Carnation Instant Breaksfast, made with Skim milk, Boost or SlimFast; like that I could get them easily. These do count as meals and liquid (I was to go for about 64oz. daily), but I found that they filled me enough to the snack time most often until meal time again. You can't go only liquid but you don't want to try to eat to soon. eggs are good as well as cheese products and when you move to meats, eat it first.

Oh- I wish it were a problem. My band lets the following things through with no stoping or fighting back:

1) popcorn

2) RECE Peanut Butter CUPS ( THOUGH i ONLY EAT A MINI)

3) ANY TYPE OF CHOCLATE (AS LONG AS NOT CAKE OR DOUGHNUT)

4) ICE CREAM (BUT NOT WITH CAKE)

5) ICINING

I thank the lord I usually don';'t keep much of that around house on any regular basis. But catch me at the wrong time of the month and I'll eat it all!!!

Are you me or am I you? Popcorn going in right now.

The loss is from diet change and surgery stress. I have had several surgerys over the years and never had this happen, so I am going with the diet change and the main factor. I take Boiten and my hair still came out, just not real bad. The Protein is always mentioned when this is talked about but I don't if it's because we now get more than we did or less??? It started about 4 months after surgery and lasted about 3 months. My bald spot is almost gone :cursing:

I won't repeat all that has been said about being in the "wrong" place, it all applies to me. I was banned in March 09. Doing really well, I felt. Only about 75lbs. down till Sept. I got a fill in Oct. 09 and still wasn't loosing but was holding and inches were coming off. Not much exercise and I didn't measure because I didn't want to. It's not for me and I knew this going in, I have to do this my own way. I don't remember being hungry so it was working. My lifestyle is all over the place and i am away from home nightly and can't bring in my own foods. No life control because of my recreational activy (pool). In Jan. I was getting stuck at least weekly with it building to daily and then every meal was a problem by June. I had an unfill and i have put on about 8lbs. since. I got a fill last Mon. and just started back on solids. I don't feel any restriction yet, but I already know my mind isn't right yet because tonight I ate way more than I really wanted. I just ate because I had it (Navy Bean Soup) and I kept going back until I was uncomfortalbe. Time to get real and get myself back together.:thumbup:

I had my 3rd fill on 10/14/2010 THUR. Today is the first day to eat solid foods.

Breakfast was JayRObb potein with fat free Milk.

lunch was 3 oz chicken, 2-3 broccoli florets and a dab of potatoes with skim milk.

After about 5 hours or so I made dinner for the family and set out to eat the same thing I had had for lunch. I ate the chicken which was moist and chewed well. I ate one floret and felt like I need to burp. The food did not feel stuck (that is a different and more painful).

Finally the thick stuff came up - no food came up. I felt better for a moment and thought I would be okay. Then after about 5 minutes I just felt terrible and naseated and my whole dinner came up.

I am trying to figure out if the dinner meal was one bite too much?:thumbup:

Was I still full from lunch?

It did not feel like I feel when I don't chew enough, or eat to fast.

I also question if I was hungry enough to begin dinner.

Was I eating because it was time and not because I was hungry?

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

Brocciol will get me every now and then. You may be tight from the fill, I am tighter in the mornings but some folks it's evening. Potatoes don't go down well for me, no matter the form. I feel indigestion with them, the brocciol does well in a stir fry or boiled to death, steamed doesn't go at all; three or four minuets and it comes back up. I had a fill last Mon. (follow up to the un-fill in June), this is my fouth. Previously restriction had been good, but I don't think so with this. I will be picking around the edges tring to find my spot again.

I use flavored or plain yogurt, Protein powder, little milk and ice

or

Crystal LIte orange drink (or wal-mart brand), lemon juice, Protein Powder, and ice for a pick me up citrus Protein smoothie

I have a can of natural soy Protein Powder, I don't really like the taste of it and will replace with whey when it's done. I also have Super Advanced whey Protein powder (52g per serving) in chocolate. This one goes well in my coco at night. I also find chocolate with a little instant coffee fills me like food.

fruit can be added, I keep frozen because we use so little. Don't forget fruit has lots of sugar so if the yogurt is flavored I skip the fruit unless I'm going for a combo flavor like orange/strawberry.

esv2000,

Frist acknowledge that you were looking for an easy out, then accept that you may not have heard everything you were told. Next, get ready for 6489 people to post here and tell you that the band is just a tool...and so on.

I didn't excatly think the way you did, but kind of. I might even had been hopeing because I don't do well with diets. In 11 months (seminar to now) I have learned the following about BAND LIFE!

1. In prep I gave up on my own sweet tea, started eating from a smaller plate with one serving, only eating when hungry and lost about 3 pounds the first week.

2. The gym is still not my place. If I manage to go I do the bike for a mile or so, 1/2 hr. on treadmill. My mind won't let me do more.

3. chicken was my friend from Nov. to Mar., ate it in some form or the other daily with a veggie.

4. My 2 week liver shrink diet rocked! It was high Protein, low carb, had lots of food and I wasn't hungry.

5. The early changes did make the real changes easier. I now have about 3 glasses of sweet tea a week. I have treated myself to german chocolate cake because I refuse to feel deprived.

6. Going slowly with my fills has been right for me, 3 in 7 months. Now at 6cc and I think it might be my sweet spot! It's been less than a week, but 1/2c made me happy today.

7. I have been eating so much less than before, with this last fil I think it will go to even less. The challenge will be to eat the right foods.

8. If I don't get my Protein and my fluids I don't feel well and I don't lose any weight. (July and Aug. keept dropping and gaining about 4lbs.)

9. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!!! It tells you what to do if you can understand what it's telling you.

10. SIZE 12 (STRETCH) JEANS LOOK A HE** OF A LOT BETTER THAN SIZE 22.

I did 1 1/2 days liquid, 2 mushies as directed. I'm at a pool toury this weekend and food options are not the best. This morining I had 1/2c oatmeal and 4 spoons of yogurt, no problems getting it down. I don't feel as tight but did get a slight headache after about 2 hours. Was able to eat some grilled chicken and salad, feeling much better. I just wish I had won my pool match, blaming it on the headache and not the dumb scratch I made on the eight ball!

My first two fills I really didn't feel any different, other than a liitle more restriction. On Mon. I had my third, now at 6cc. I have been a WITCH since, I don't feel irritable but I have been looking for a fight. I am truely tighter in the AM, especially now and sipping something hot is not making it ease up. Had frist meal for lunch yesterday without a problem. dinner however was three bites and of to the bathroom. Ate some deli meat and a little salad last night; was getting weak. I have been tight all day today. Tried some Cereal this morning and it was no go, lunch didn't work either. I did get in some chicken tenders this afternoon and about a 1/2 c of Soup tonight the result is major bloating. I have not been hungry,but I am in a team competition this weekend and I can't pass out because I don't have anything in my system. I have been sipping tea and coffee and Water. I fell like I drank way to much and will pop! But I know I won't because I can't stop burpping!!! I hope I am still a little swollen and this will ease up, oh yeah the weather has been bad.

I got my third fill Mon. to 6cc. I haven't stopped burpping since during my waking hours. Guess things are just trying to find their right place.

I had 2cc I think. I have had 3 fills in the last 7 months. I find that the first week or so the band seem to change some. For most it seems to tighten up. Make sure you are getting in your liquids, they seem to hold off my hunger.

My doc had me do a "Liver Shrink" for two weeks. It is to help with the band placement. I think it also helps to get the right mind set for after surgery. Those first few weeks of eating are so very different from what we had eaten previously. I didn't have an amount to loose, but I followed the rules and did loose; it was high Protein. I was told that the liver fat was the target.

You might be OK, the guidelines can be found online. I was 5'1 240lbs., but we are retired and I think that makes it harder. I had some comorbids, and a history of failed weight loss attemps. My process went smoothly, and was covered 75% for me, non-network facility. Pretesting was covered as any of my other medical care. The Center of Excellence I used included my nut. classes, and was will to set up all the test I needed. I didn't use that because I live over an hour away.

First appt. was Nov. 17, 09 did the testing around the holidays. Submitted to TriCare in Jan. and got approval in just over a week. The big waiting was the doctor's scheduling. I don't have problems getting my follow ups though.

How about using the yogut to make a Protein smoothie. I add powdered low fat milk and protein powder. Or you can just add protein powder to the yogurt. Another thought would be to drink a protein bullet. Walmart carries New-Whey Liquid Protein 42g protein 0 sugar 0 fat. I find it a little pricey but keep a few on hand for the days that get crazy schedule wise.

Ha, I asked the same question! I picked up a couple at the Maiden Form outlet. For some reason they bother my back and are just in the drawer, I keep trying to wear them, but no luck yet.

I started taking B6 and Aloe Vera, they are for dgestive health and motabilizm(sp). My gas in general calmed way down.

I got a fill yesterday and was told my low profile port had tilled up. This was my second x-ray fill and she had me lie down (after 4 tries) to insert the needle. I had to get off the table with the needle in so she could fill. I had a fill in July in the office and the PA didn't seem to have a problem so I guess it happened in between. It was mentioned that the weight loss may have been the cause. 207 first time 177 yesterday. No mention of repair, they just made note for next time.

My primary reason for the band over other WLS was that I thought my mind would need time to accept the changes I would need to make to my eating habits.

The weight is coming off slowly, but the office feels the pace is right for me. I have had 2 fills and 1 scheduled tomorrow. This has been the way I wanted it. The big thing for me is that I don't feel that I'm being denied anything. I can eat bread, beef, chicken, and pizza. I just have to keep in mind that a taste of it is not all of it.

When I get all my fluids in I don't have a problem with hunger. I can't make myself exercise regularly but I am now ready to eat the right protions. Currently a cup is not a problem and it should be half the amount. I am getting this fill tomorrow because I think I am ready for more restriction, I am now ready to give up some of what I'm eating.

Your weight is coming off, and just maybe your doc knows what he's doing. Remember this is just a tool not the magic wand. It will work, bu you must work with it. You have to make changes in your life to get the changes you want.

I have an x-ray fill scheduled tomorrow. My first was this way and the second in July was by the PA without a problem. It is the practice of my doc to do it this way when there has been some time in between fills. This allows them to check for band slippage. Also the fill can be more aggressive this way since they can see how much restriction there is.

I think this is a hard question to answer since everyone is so different. It's hard to "prepare" yourself but some of the things you might start are:

Eating with a smaller plate/fork

No liquids on the table

No straws

Use a 1/2 cup to measure your foods

Taking bites about the size of the end of your little finger

Putting your fork down between bites & CHEW, chew, chew

Eating all your Protein first & then your veggie

NO COLAS

Getting rid of your "trouble foods/snacks" that you overeat on. Clean out the refrig/pantry

Explain to your friends/family that this is NOT a rapid weight loss situation. It is a 1-2 pounds a week program and requires a lot of hard work on your part.

Be prepared to need Fiber to help with any bowel changes.

Have some Gas-X strips on hand for after surgery. They help some and so will walking.

Don't be disappointed that it might take awhile to get enough "fills" to have good restriction.

Good luck. Hope everything goes well for you.

DANG!! This was all straight from my head, get out of there!! I started making changes in Nov. didn't have the surgery until March and I think it made my life much easier.

The smaller plate, putting on only what you plan to eat and DON'T REFILL!! I gave up my " SOUTHERN" sweet tea completely, not much of a soda drinker. I figured if I made it without tea, I could give up anything.

The band is great, but you are the control. If your head isn't into it, nothing will happen. You can eat "around" the band by eating more often than you should, wrong foods and pushing your limits.

Try to pay attention to what makes you eat. The stressers that make you reach for the chips.

I need the band and I am still working to understand it and how it works in my life.

Couple of thoughts: Exersice makes you hungier, muscle weighs more than fat and Protein lasts longer to help keep you satisfied. Check your measurments, that is where your success is showing, be proud!

I had an appointment today that cleared a few things for me. I don't want anything in the mornings and the best I can do is a SlimFast on the days I work. I have it just so I won't fall on my face. I was told that the band can loosen durning the day and you can be more hungry because of it; the food flows through more quickly. Don't over-chew food, makes it flow fast. She suggested that I have a slice of deli meat rolled as a snack.< /p>

I will have a fill on Mon. and am frightened to have it (3rd), I don't have a lot of restriction and I want the weight to come off but......I don't want to be stuck! I won't back away from this, and I am tired of being OBESE!

chocolate is my downfall also. Because of this I use chocolate Protein Powder, slimfast, sf hot chocolate, love them 40 cal fudgepops. To pump me up some, I add a pinch of freeze dried coffee & some vanilla extrac.

YES YOU CAN! Just saw my doc today and I was told that if you over chew the food goes down to fast like slider food. He saw aim for a cottag cheese consistancy and this makes the stomach work better.