als74

I was eating less than I was supposed to (500-600 cal) because I was enjoying the weight loss (and starving by the way). When I met the dietician the other day, she got angry with me and said this is a time of healing, learning to eat right, and that loosing weight should be last on my list. She said "IF you loose weight, ok, but that is not the goal until the fills come in." I tried to justify what I was doing, and that the more I ate, the hungrier I felt. She had NO sympathy. I ate close to 1000 cals today and I hate it. I feel like I have been eating all day. I did chastize the nurse for no-one telling me about Bandster Hell. She had nothing to say to this, but I know they never told me I would be starving for several months with no restriction. If I had known, I might have gone with bypass!!! I feel your pain, and I am sorry things are rough for you. I can't wait to hear from you in a few months when it is "supposed" to get better:blush:

Congratulations! It is wonderful how our bodies begin to heal itself!

Always go for the foods highest in Protein. Mashed potatos might fill you up, but they are more starchy. Find a calorie website and look some stuff up. Don't worry so much about calories, but look for high protein, lower fat.

I am reading a lot of people with port flippage. What causes this so I can avoid it!!??

What happens if it does slip? What do they do? Is it surgery again? Do you have to start over?

OK, here is the skinny on the drinks. Ask yourself (or the coffee place this quiestion) how much protein is in this drink. If the answer is little to none, you are hurting yourself. The cals and carbs give you a brief burst of energy, then no real fuel to go on. What burns up next? The protein in your muscle. So if you must have the drink, have it with some protein. A hard boiled egg and slice of turkey bacon, oatmeal, something. Coffee drinks are NOT a substitute for a meal just because they have calories.

Your band is not tight enough to hold in the food. You should be eating/drinking 4-8 oz. It might slow down a the band, but it is still going right through. So the hunger you are feeling is just from giving your whole stomach little bits of food all the time, so it is never really full, and digests quickly, so it is hungry all the time. The only thing that helps me is to not drink for 45 min after eating. It sucks because I love to drink with my meals, but I have to start practicing sometime...

My dietician refused to talk calories or fat , for her it is all about the texture and digestion.

Some foods require more digestion, and cause the stomach to "move" more, with the posibbility of ripping stitches. Every doc is different, mine says not refried beans until the end of the 3rd week:thumbdown:

I am full liquids and can have cottage cheese, creamed Soup, veggie soup, bean Soups, (which creamed and bean are Protein AND starch...) oatmeal, yogurt, stuff like that. I recommend (though not a doc) Breakfast (oatmeal or yogurt) protein shake/drink for snack lunch (cottage cheese- 1 cup)4-8 oz protein shake/drink for snack here or after dinner dinner (1 cup of soup, with a couple crackers in the soup)4-8oz Lots of Water in between This is what my day generally looks like.

If you are not of full solids, and not getting enough protien, then yes, drink protein shakes for you inbetween meal, not as a replacement though.

I know you have heard that right now is about healing, not loosing weight, but I hate that! If I am going to suffer, I want some results darn it! That being said- even if you are eating little, make sure it is Protein, not starch. You may be temped to have crackers and mash potatoes, but protein burns fat first, and carbs burn carbs and leave the fat. Drink your protein drinks/shakes, and don't cut out meals. It is better to eat small things several times a day. It keeps you matabalism going. If you starve yourself, your body will rebell and store up.

We accept both support and criticism pretty well here (personally speaking). If I put out a thread, I would want honesty. It is important that we support but do NOT enable. Please don't think we will get mad at you for expressing your opinion. I think there is an overwhelming concern for the burger person, because there really could be damage, and we want everyone to be successful. Sometimes tough love is needed. I just got yelled at by my dietician for having refried beans 12 days out of surgery. I really hope they talk to their doc as soon as possible.

I can eat it and it fills me up, but it makes me dizzy, like it messes with my blood sugar a little too much.

I get those burp/ hickups all the time! But sometimes I get them without havin eatin or drank anything at all. I eat about a cup of food, which usually makes me fell satisfied (not really full, but not hungry either). Treece, I must be very hard to try do the lap band (especially the beginning) with so much stress. I am sorry to hear your son has been scik. I have never been able to make a major change like the band when I am under a lot of stress. That is one reason I had to go to the shrink. They were worried that I would convert back to old habits if something major happened. You are brave to under take this at such as difficult time. I hope you have lots of help and support at home.

Thanks to my psych eval, I had to go to 12 sessions with a counselor before they would even send my paperwork into the insurance co. I started the process in April, and didn't finish until October. It really sucked. I had my dietician appt today, and got yelled at for eating refried Beans and eggs before I was "ready." I did get to add some Soups and crackers to my menu, then on the 16th I get to add some real soft foods. Eggs, braunshweiger, veggies, yum!

That surprizes me that your doc or nurse didn't explain that your stomach is pulled over the pouch to keep it in place. I was told multiple times by multiple people. How else did you think it would stay in place? Maybe yours is different. You should ask your doc.

I was banded on Dec 22. I was on a liquid diet two weeks before, clear liquids 1 week after, full liquids (including creamed soups, cottage cheese, yogurt, and oatmeal/cream of wheat) the second week after, and today I go to the clinic where I hope they put me on soft foods. Sort of like Jenn1984. I am down 23 lbs (13 pre-surgery, 10 post surgery). I am only losing weight because I am forcing myself to consume less than 800 cals a day.

Ok, I read on another thread that if you eat foods before you have healed completely, you can rip stiches from where the put the stomach up over your band to keep it in place. The more solid the food, the more likely the rip. When your stomach had more to digest, it moves around, thus causing the ripping. I would definately talk to your doc and have him check to make sure all is still ok...

Face and stomach. Actually, the scale showed me loss before I ever SAW it, but I am starting to see it now. However, I am down 23 lbs from 295, and as I heard it said, it is like throwing a deck chair off the Titanic. Ok, so maybe I am down 2 deck chairs. I am not real excited yet, because I have always been able to lose 20 -40 lbs. I will be excited when I am under 200 and keeping it off. Sorry if I sould like a party pooper, I just don't have enough energy for the excitement.:wub:

Did you loose any weight before the surgery or after on the liquid diet? Did you follow the diet or cheat a little. It really is about calories. I am only taking in 600-1000 cals a day, usually closer to 600, and am losing a little each day. What are you eating, and how much?

Please go to foods and nutrition and take my plastic surgery poll. I accidentally put it there instead of here:tongue_smilie:

I am going to redefine what normal is for me. Before, normal was tired, munching, bored, and unmotivated. I want my new normal to be satisfied (not hungry or full), energetic, busy and happy. I feel better, but I am so tired from lack of calories...

Try to look at your fruits as the forbidden chocolate. Let it be the strawberry that stares you down, and cave in. If you pretend fruit is now you "chocolate" you will enjoy it much more. Plus, there is that new sugar sub (Tuvia?). You can still have some sweets. Just remember. EVERYTHING IN MODERATION. There are many foods that are healthy that taste good, you are just fixating on the bad ones. You just have to re-program your mind. Try an exotic cheese, or mango slices, anything that makes your tastebuds dance and sing. Junk food starts to taste all the same after a while anyway...

I noticed the Kellogs Protein water was very helpful in controlling the hunger. My big problem right now is not getting full, but staying that way. I will be starving 15 minutes after eating and being full. I am having a hard time not drinking while eating though, which I am sure makes a difference. I have a dietician appt at the bariatric center tomorrow, and I am really hoping to be put on mushies.