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My fills have always been in the morning, and the doctor asked that I not eat anything after midnight and liquids fo 24 hurs after. Made it sound like stuff might come up if my stomach was full when they added restriction.

Given that the criteria for most insurance to cover the procedure is 100 pounds overweight, LB will benefit health if you don't cheat the band. I did't have major health problems: blood pressure slightly elevate, cholesterol was excellent, heart perfect, no diabetees. But the facts are simply that a person can't carry that much extra and not eventually have health problems. What really got me to do it was seeing some other parents playing with their kids in a way I just could'nt. Playing tag or football. I was just too out of condition to run. I don't know if that is health or not. And yes, I'm hoping that I will be more attractive to my wife. I don't know if

I was 319 when I met with my surgeon and started the pre-op diet. He didn't even consider RNY for me. He only goes that route if he believes the weight must come off more quickly for health reasons (major heart conditions, etc.) or if the patient is more than 400 lbs. My mother had bypass back in the late '70's and has so many more complications and food restrictions than I've had with the band. But there was no band at the time and if she hadn't done it she'd be dead.

I'm impressed that you were able to stick to mushies for 5 weeks. After 2 of liquids and 2 of softs I was going out of my mind craving something with texture. Expect to put a little back on with solids. It's okay. Until your first fill, you aren't exactly on the program. This is about healing and learning how to eat with the band. Your stomach hasn't had to work on processing things for a while, so you need this time. I freaked when I gained back some weight during this time. My doctor won't do fills for 2 months aftr sugery, making his patients go full month on solids. What it teaches you is that it isn't the band that makes you lose weight, it is what you put in your mouth. Also, if you don't learn to eat the correct way (how, not what), you can cause the band to slip. So don't panic if you put on a few. Work on small bites and chewing. Then when you get your fill you will have success.

I had a similar experience as Tasha,though when I called back everything hadn't been sent. Once they got everything in, it was less than 2 weeks.

68 since the pre-op diet started. I believe my ticker is current for my total since banding.

68 since the pre-op diet started. I believe my ticker is current.

I'm surprised you've been able to drink any. I tried a small amout of a coke after my first fill and doubled over in pain shortly after. It was like 10 times worse than the worst gas pain I've ever had. No more carbonation for me.

I got the immersion mixer and love it. I used it 3 times a day post op, making my protein drinks into shakes, crushing up veggies in soup to give it a little body. But it does have some noise. Not like my big blender, but more than the magic bullet.

You don't say how much you've lost. It is possible that your stomach has shrunk and thus you've lost restriction. My first fill left me really restricted and I lost 7 pounds in a week. Then, a few days before my next fill, I was suddenly starving. That second fill did nothing in terms of how much I could eat. I just had another and, at 5 cc's in a 10 cc band, I can really tell a difference. But that is just the day of the fill. It may last a couple of days or it may last two weeks. These things are so bizaare and the daily change in restriction is really taking me some getting used to.

I drink coffee every day. In fact, after my surgery, the hospital brought me a cup as part of my clear liquid dinner. You have to be very cautious at coffee shops like Starbucks. Even the sugar free fat free stuff is loaded with calories. Check out the nutritional info for a place like that before going in so you know what to get and how that will impact your day.

I noticed the same thing about hot drinks and the opposite from cold drinks. Sometimes a cold beverage, even water, will get stuck without any solid food. But I've had no problems and gotten relief from hot drinks. I was warned not to drink them before a meal though. It does open things up a bit and lets you eat more than otherwise. So I was told to hold off on any drinks 30 minutes before and an hour after a meal.

I have kids ranging from 9 to 15, so we go to a lot of fast food places. I can't eat burgers at all, they always get stuck. I can eat most chicken nuggets or strips. The bowls at taco bell work pretty well. I usually get salads at ChickFilA and either the Chili (which my doctor says is bad because it usually goes through the band easy) or a chicken salad at Wendy's (but I can't eat the whole thing). I eat chicken strips at Whataburger and haven't been in a McDonalds since before being banded.

My doc said the same thing, except on fill days. He says you get calories and protein, but they go right through the band and aren't as filling. So, you end up being hungry again soon. The day of my last fill (he requires 24 hours of liquids only), I noticed this to be true. I'd have a protein drink and be hungry a couple of hours later.

Yes, definitely.

Playing outside with my boys: running, playing tennis, swimming, camping. That's the reason I got the band, to improve my health enough to enjoy them while they're young.

Hang in there ALS. I went through the same thing, as have most on this site. Also, don't get your hopes up too much on that first fill. It did help me for about a week and a half , but I've heard from a lot of folks that they didn't even notice. I also hit a plateau, even gained several pounds, between when I started solids and had a fill. Then lost that plus another 5. I just had my second fill and it has started to slowly come off. I can still eat more than what I've been told to eventually expect, but do notice more restriction. It keeps getting easier to eat less. Be strong, keep plugging away. The fills do help.

I have been struggling with some of the past addictions since banding, primarily smoking. For the first month or so, I was really craving a cigar. But fought it successfully. What's the point of going through all this only to sabotage my health another way? Now if I could just find a way to get my wife addicted to sex...

I have that problem when I drink something really cold. My surgeon told me cold drinks can cause the esophogus to constrict, making more restriction. It doesn't happen all the time, usually first thing in the morning or if it has been a while since I've had anything.

Ever since my surgery (November 6), I've had terrible gas. Not so much pain, but passing wind like crazy. Getting to be a little embarrassing. I thoguht maybe it's the increase in protein, but I didn't have this when I was doing the Atkins fad. Anybody else have this problem?

24 hours liquid only, then normal band eating.

They can do a type of upper GI to see if there is any fluid. I'm one of the odd ones that noticed restriction. At 3.5 for my first fill, I couldn't even drink water and they had to pull .5 out. But it only lasted a couple of weeks. Most likely, the first PA missed both times so you may only have 2 cc's in. That won't cause much restriction. But really impressive to have lost more than 50 pounds without restriction.

I have to say, my boys think it's a riot, while my wife and daughter are disgusted. Just saw my doctor today. He said it goes away in about a year.

Like Texasweb, my doc told me it made the surgery easier. The liver shrinks somewhat as does some of the fat around the stomach with a crash-type diet like this. Personally, I'm all for anything that makes the surgery go better, but by the 4th week post op I was dying for something to chew. Do whatever you think is going to help you transition to life with a band.

I think this is an individual question. For me, it hasn't really been what I eat, just how much. It's like my brain has no off switch for when I'm full. The band helps me feel full, and stay full. But there is a pyschological impact in getting the band, to me. Going through the suffering of the pre and post-op diets, the band hell of hunger before the fill, and the sugery itself makes me want to follow the instructions. When I don't want to exercise, I ask myself why I went through all that suffering and expense to not do what I need to lose weight.