als74

I have talked to some other people who had the bullet. They said they burn out quickly, but are so great they go buy another one right away. I don't have that kind of money. How did you bullet hold up?

If you set it up, let me know. I will shoot you any info I find along the way my journey. It would be great to start something like that for people banded like us. It is one thing to read product reviews by people, but to have it reviewed by banded people would add some credibility.

I hit a plateau for a few weeks, and was told to eat more. It didn't makes sense, but I increased from 1000 to 1200-1300. It got me off the plateau. And if you are working out, you are burning more cals- so your body is freaking out and storing up. Eventually you will start to loose- but muscle- not fat- if you are not eating at least 1200 cals. You body is just defending itself. It feels like all I do is eat- and this last week I lost 3.6 lbs. Try increasing cals for at least two weeks and let me know if that worked!!

Oh- and make sure they are good cals (veggies, meat, dairy)- not empty cals. I heard a glass of low fat milk before bed was good.

I am not sure where to put this question, but I was hoping for some suggestions on products that will help cooking be easier and healthier.

I prefer products that can be used in the microwave or on the counter- not stove- and are easy to clean.

I am looking for your opinion on steamers, George Forman products, things that travel well, anything that has made your life easier and more healthy.

I am almost 7 weeks post op and doing well. I love my new healthy eating style (love steamed veggies and seafood) and want to keep going. Help a gal out?

You know what would be great? To have a section on product suggestions and reviews that are band friendly.

I lost 3 1/2 lbs this week. WOO HOO!!!!! 260 today!

Same happened to me. I was losing lots- about 4-5 lbs a week. Then about 4 weeks out, I plateaued. I got the same advice to eat more cals. It took about a week after i started eating 1200 cals and today I finally started losing again. If you eat the same amount of cals daily, and it is less than 1200, you body will stop losing and start storing. I hated eating more- but it is working now. Trust me. I didn't think I could do it, but I ate 4 meals instead of 3 to get it all in. I just ate some extra crackers and more Beans and liver sausage. The only bad thing is I get hungry more now.

Has anyone else noticed that after eating, you get what they call the full feelting (upper stomach pressure) but still have a bottom empty feeling? With stomach growling and everything?

I finally started loosing again. Only one pound, but hey- I will take it!!

My goal for next month is 10 lbs. I get to start exercising and get a fill, so let's get it off!!!

I was at a plateua for a few weeks, but finally am losing again. I don't want to get too excited, because it is only like one pound, which could easily return tomorrow, but I am enjoying it today!!!

I get my first fill on Monday- which is ironically the first day I get to start on solids. Yeah- like THAT will happen. I think they doc office did that on purpose...

I called the bariatric center once to ask about wine. My friend got my a really great wine for X-mas, and I just wanted to know when it would be ok to drink it. She kept saying "you shouldn't be drinking at all!" She finally said no sooner than 12 weeks, but sounded displeased I had asked. When I had refried Beans two weeks out, she got pissed about that too. I don't even WANT to ask!!!! I know they would say no, and a lecture would ensue...

My doc doesn't like caffeine, I drink it anyway. I would not drink it, however, just to get more energy. I too suffered from the lack of energy, even though I was drinking coffee. It is just natural to be zapped after having surgery.

I just had surgery again 5 weeks ago and I am exhausted after being up for 6 hours, I mean completely drained. I also hate feeling like this, and I have to return to my job teaching next week. Those kids are going to eat me alive!

I also teach, and went back to work after one week. It was kind of funny, because walking down the hall I felt like the walls were moving- I almost passed out- it was crazy. I told the kids about my surgery, and for the most part they took it easy on me. Now, if they start acting up really bad, I grab my stomach and bend with groaning. It is mean, but they stop to ask if I am ok and try to be good for a little while. LOL

Are you exercising? It sounds counterintuitive, but I get more energized when I can drag my tired body over to the treadmill.

Actually I know exactly what you mean. I can't wait to start working out. I work at a large school, and walk around there on any given day. I am going to start really working out as soon as I see my doc on the 2nd and get his ok:thumbup:

The B12 is a good idea. I take two multivitimans and two Calcium pills a day, but I never remember to take all four (cause I can't take them at the same time), so maybe I will ask my doc about some b12 shots...

I get my fill Feb 2, one more week! It's not like I am suffering, but how much liver sausage and cottage cheese can a girl eat? I am really ready for chicken and fish. Some people might laugh and say "you have made it this far, what are a few more days?" Torture- I say. I was on liquids for 4 weeks (2 before and 2 after), then soup/outmeal consistancy for a week, pureed for week 3, semisoft for 4 and 5, then on to reg food. That is a long time for someone with an overeating disorder!

Thank you for your wicked doc comment. They are evil- aren't they.

This makes no sense to me. I was given sheets and told what I could eat 6 weeks out. Finally some real solid food. I start full solids the day of my first fill. Ironically I will have to do start the process over to protect my swollen stomach- what are they playing at? 6 weeks till solids my ass!!!!

I completed the six-month supervised diet, the support group meetings, the pre-surgery testing, the letters of support from my PCP and others and, like a good girl, submitted it to my surgeon's office. I was approved by my insurance company on December 30, but have yet to get a date.

When will I get a date?!

My insurance coordinator told me all my paperwork was in and that she'd passed my information along to the scheduler. I followed up and left a phone message with the scheduler and still no date.

I want a date! Is this normal? Why no date?

Losing it in the Motor City:confused:

I feel you pain. I made the decision in March of 2008 to have this done, thinking I could get it over the summer and not miss work. Well, after going to McLaren and talking getting my phych eval, I was excited and ready to go. Then her results came in and she said I needed 12 sessions of therapy to deal with my "emotional eating," and another 6 weeks of group therapy after that... HA. I did the 12 sessions and took myself to Hurley. I am happy I did, but had to get my surgery over X-mas break- which really sucked. That is a long wait when you are psyched up and ready to go!!!

Serious question everyone. I am exhausted, and have been ever since I started this journey. I am taking everthing I am supposed to, eating lots of Protein, vitimans, Water, getting 1200 of calories, etc.

I have a hard time getting up, and when I get home from work, I am so tired I have to fight not to pass out in my chair. I fight it, then when I lay down to go to bed, I can't sleep for some crazy reason. What is going on? This NEVER happened with ANY other diet I have been on- especially with high protein.

AND...

Can someone please tell my why the heck I am not supposed to have caffine? There better be a really good medical reason, cause I am suffering without some form of caffine.

If you are wondering, I am 5 weeks post op.

P.S. I am ornery (like PMS- but not).

You are right Bam, I AM getting really good advice/support from this thread. What a great group of encouraging people. I am still on my plateau, but for some reason have stopped caring. I am just too busy! I have SO much to do this time of year. It is IEP hell time(I have like 10 due in the next few weeks!!), semester grades, goal and objective reports, papers to grade, ARG!!!!!

I have taken your advice and just learned to relax. I am only worried because for some reason I can eat more than I used to. This caused a problem, because I was starving and ate to fast and had "the pain." My mouth was watering and I thought I might urp- but it passed in about 5 minutes. I was lucky I guess. That is what sucks about having 20-25 minutes to eat eraser sized bites of my 1/2 cup of refried Beans and steamed veggies.

I quit counting calories for a while. I mean, I eat the same darn things almost every day and know what is in them. I have been eating closer to 1200 cals, but it is not moving the scale. I am getting 60-80 grams of Protein also, so I am good there. I could probably drink more Water, but I can't leave my classroom because my students are real yahoos, and will probably do something very naughty if I am not in the room. So I drink a lot (of water) when I get home.

Thanks again for all of your support- you guys and gals are great!!!!!

My first fill is Feb 2nd. And really, I get full for the most part when I eat, so I don't really think it is a fill issue. I eat until I am full, which depends on what I eat. Thick foods like refried Beans, tuna, and pitas fill me up quickly, while other foods don't fill me, but make me no longer hungry. Of course, I do want a fill, because the fullness does not last long.

I am just worried. I sometimes read about people who were banded, eat right, and never really lose, not matter how many fills they get. I have hypothyroidism, so my doc said it would be harder for me to lose, and I am already working so hard on what I eat (just like there is no band).

I understand what you are saying, and I just need some tough love. I like to know other people plateaued and got over it. Misery likes company:cursing::w00t:

I am down none!! I would say what my scale says, but it kept fluctuating, and changed every time I got on it. Got on it like 6 times in a row and it changed everytime. It is an expensive digital one, and should give me the same reading if I get on it 5 seconds after I get off it!! But the average is the same. 265.

:drool:This sucks. I have been eating the same things for over a week, and have to keep eating them until Feb 2. Then I get a fill, and switch to solids. I feel myself wanting to slip. I really want something sweet. Not breads really, but a big chocolate candy bar with toffee...sorry. It probably doesn't help you either...I am a reinforcement motivated person though, and with no weight loss (I went from losing 3-5 lbs a week to 0) I am feeling like I did everything this happened with a diet.

Well this has turned out to be a great week for me. I have lost all that I gained last week and even a little more! I am down 7 lbs this week weighing in at 408 lbs!!!

Great job Pete!!! Keep up the good work!!

I am at a plateau, and have been for about two weeks, while eating 800-1200 daily. I was wondering, how long was your longest plateau while dieting (not cheating, exercising, trying really hard to lose)? By the way, I am about 5 weeks post op.

Well, the scale is still not moving. I have been tracking everything I eat on The Daily Plate, and I am sick of it. I am afraid if I don't track, I will eat too much. How long where your longest plateaus?

I am hearing a lot of "but"'s from this poster, and I don't think we are telling her what she wants to hear. It sounds like 1- the band wasn't needed, 2- she doesn't care about the inside of her body as much as the outside, and 3- she is going to ignore our suggestions and continue eating solids.

Of all the people on here, most who oops to real food too soon freak out when they hear what can happen and go back to liquids right away. This poster is argueing with us about her weight and how it should be ok because...

This is rediculous guys, why are you even responding.

My reply is, poster, if you are going to be like that, please don't come here. We will support you if you are truely sorry you have hurt yourself with your mistake and are ready to correct and listen to our advice. If you are only looking for confirmation, look somewhere else.

Hi All,

Wow, I can't believe how much I am learning from you all. 1st of all, I feel great about the 30 lbs I have lost since my pre-surgery liquid diet. However, I am at a standstill (well, gain and lose). After reading on here, I think my problem is salt. I am craving salt and Iron like crazy! So I have been eating a lot of spinach (covered in salt because that is the only way I can stand it) and everything else- salted. How can I break this AND give up carbs and fat and chocolate and caffine and carbonated beverages!!! It is not fair. What else can I do? Guide me!!

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I know this too shall pass. And I have controlled my cals enough now where I only get hungry at times, but I am eating like I would assume I can eat when I am filled (except for today). Like 2 oz of fish and 1/4 cup broccoli. When I was on the liquid diet the pounds fell right off. Now I am on solids and trying to watch my diet, it has pretty much stopped. I have noticed though that when I keep the cals around 800, I do better. The couple days this week I was closer to 1200 I gained. I am really nervous to have more. And those days my cals were higher I had more carbs and fat than I wanted. How do I get in more calories that don't add more fat and carbs, without feeling like I am stuffing my face full. Today I ate at Olive Garden and where usually I am around 300 cals by this time of day, I am closer to 700! I had bruschetta, Soup, salmon, and broccoli (obviously only half). I know I overate, not that I am in pain, but I just KNOW.

Is there a place I can find out how many carbs and fat I should be consuming to lose weight effectivly that fits my body type?

1st fill coming on 2/3. I am worried I am one of those people who loses in the beginning, then stays the same "but not gaining," and never loses any more. I am 265, and that is not an acceptable weight more me to be stuck at. What I really hate is this is where all my other diets get stuck. 20-40lbs gone, the nothing for MONTHS of dieting, and then back to bad habits. I know I won't do that this time, but still.

Sorry this is so long winded- there should be a cap! But when I was in high school I weighed 205 as a freshman. I went on a dietician supervised diet of 1000-1200 calories and ran my ass off in volleyball, and I lost 60 lbs from Nov to June. I was losing 3-4 lbs a week. I stopped at 145, then gained steadily since then.

I am not supposed to be exercising until after week 6, but could it really hurt to start a couple weeks early?