lingling

Thinwithin: "petulant inner foodchild" LOVE!

Hey guys

The scale does not always show the extent that even the amount of weight we have lost so far has improved our life - so I thought it would be cool to have a place where we can share in the exciting things that aren't shown on the scale but that we should congratulate ourselves on too!

Like tonight I went to get some pajama pants out of the drawer, and I thought - oh no, I won't put those ones on as they are tight as, but then I thought perhaps they won't be so bad - AND THEY WERE LOOSE!!!!! OMG!!! :biggrin:

I have bought new underwear in a size 18!

I can wear my bra without the bra-extender at the back to make it fit around my body (as embarrassing as that is) :tt2:

I am starting to feel a bit sexy and a bit more like a woman than a "nothing"!!

ISITWORTHIT - please go see your doc now!

Yep, I messed up my diet mainly by starting to integrate mushy food quite early - just basing it on my body's response which was fine - and then by integrating normal but mushyish food before I should have but again listening to my body - and it was fine, I must say I wish I hadn't as it makes me anxious about if my band is okay or if it has slipped (not knowing what it would feel like if it had) so I guess that's my main reason for wishing that I had stuck to it.

Hang in there - be kind to your body - it's healing - one way of dealing with it I found was to focus on consistency rather than what it was - I know probably not the best to do in terms of WEIGHT LOSS - but I thought to myself, long term, its better if I eat icecream but my pouch heals if i am gagging for something...? my two cents.

Yes, like you WOULDN'T believe!

I guess it stems from the belief that has been ingrained in us since we first were overweight and tried our first diet and reinforced every time we failed to lose weight or we lost weight and then failed when we regained it (with interest). The belief that we cannot succeed at weightloss and that it is impossible for us to be thin.

Well you know what honey, we are going to prove ourselves wrong! Bandster hell sucks - you go from no appetite at all to the hunger and desire for food that you had pre-band, yet your gut is covered in scars, you burp a lot and you are $10,000 out of pocket! However, it will get better! Trust me, if you follow the instructions on this diet, it will work and it will stay off! Why would you be any different to the hundreds, nay, thousands of people that have had success with the band. All of them got to be overweight by the same demons that got us here, and the band works for them - just check out their success stories and photos - and it will work for you!

Its really interesting to see that since we are all getting to the "mushies" or normal food stage - and we haven't been filled to restriction, that our weightloss has slowed and we are now either having a little gain or only a smallish loss each week. It is important to remember that this is ONLY the beginning and that this is NORMAL for the band process. Hang in there everyone and keep your eye on the END GOAL! WE WILL GET THERE!!!

Am just waiting to see if a few more people post their friday weights and then will upload the spreadsheet! Hope everyone's having a good weekend! xx

I went back to the doc the next day for 1cc more in my band - I think I have 5cc now - felt a bit of restriction initially - but not a considerable amount. I am drinking with my meals so that DOES NOT help, I know!!! I have an appointment for the beginning of next month, for another one but they will let me make an appointment at any time for another one - they are all free in the first month. What I don't know is what I should feel like at restriction and when I am in the "green zone" how am I meant to tell if I need a fill?????? HELP

I was really worried about this too! I like Gin and Tonic, Beer and Wine and was freaked out that I wouldnt be able to drink any again!! (sounds bad! haha) anyway, the long and the short of it is this:

Two issues

1) alcohol

2) carbonated drinks

1) The same level of alcohol that you had pre-band will get you twice as tipsy post band. No idea why but it does.

2) Carbonated drinks. Yes they "could" stretch your pouch - but only if you gulp down enough so that your pouch is full and the bubbles make it expand before it can "drain" so take smaller sips. To be honest I had a few glasses of champagne and didn't tell any difference! Just try it and see - but take small sips, there is a lot of "Scaremongering" I think re: things that can cause slippage -eg don't use straws as too much air etc. You have to explore for yourself

There is a lot of debate on this in another post on here somewhere - but mainly people are biased as they have one or the other. Most surgeons will push one more than the other - and its probably a lot to do with a) the funding and perks they get from the company and :thumbsup: whatever they feel works. As although they'll push the one that gives them perks, they're hardly going to use one that they know has a lower success rate - as it makes them look bad. End of the day I think they're probably much of a muchness.

Hi Lilith - Next weigh in is in 24hrs - Friday in New Zealand. Feel free to join in!

I wonder... there is probably pros and cons to both sides, I know for me the biggest barrier was not the cost (I was 2/3 selfpay and 1/3 insurance pay) but was the fear of the process etc and the fact it was so life altering. The motivation to change will be the big variable though - as my doc reckons that the band always works - its the compliance of the people that makes it fail or succeed.

Go get a fill honey - it will make all the difference I am sure!

I have no idea - but I have the same problem!! Maybe its to do with the speed we are eating - remember it takes 20mins to feel full - so maybe we are eating too fast?

Hey there

My doc said that reflux is when your band is too full. However that doesn't seem to make sense if you have it when you're totally empty! Maybe you should get something for the reflux - like Losec.

Thanks so much for your post

The hunger feels like EMPTY gassy stomach it feels like a physical thing - rather than head hunger. But I myself have thought what if this is gas rather than hunger. I feel empty and like i THINK i remember that going without food feels like.

What is up with my DOC!!

Hi everyone

I posted this in the main post op forum, but thought I'd post it here. I am a bit confused. My doctor implied to me that I should basically not feel any hunger. At All. Provided I was at the right amount of fill.

I am 5cc in a 11cc band, and although I am easily filled up - and am eating SO much less than I used to, I am very hungry between meals. I am torn about going back for a fill and between waiting it out. The others in the main forum implied that hunger is normal - although my surgeon implied that I should feel how i felt for the two weeks after surgery which was that I could have gone 2 weeks without food and just didn't care. I wonder which is right.... the latter sounds correct, but who knows. I am going to stick it out for a week or so and then go back to my doc, but what have you guys been told? Should you feel hunger when in the "sweet spot"?

pspmtnac, I think I had 3cc after surgery, or a bit anyway - doc wasn't clear. 6cc sounds like a lot, but don't think it matters if you feel okay!!!

You'll be sweet!! Don't sweat it - just try to stick to instructions from now on!!

Congrats!!

Oh darling! Hang in there. I was so MISERABLE in my second week, I was losing my mind and SO down in the dumps. I don't know if it is anesthetic or if it is just such a huge emotional adjustment or what - but it was awful. Going back to work was my only saving grace. I guess I felt so many things:

I felt disgusted with myself that I'd had to resort to this

Its not fair that I had to do this

I felt so scared it wouldnt work

I felt anxious it wasn't working fast enough

I felt like I would mess it up and fail.

I felt alone

They say that fear of failure and anxiety often manifests itself as anger and depression in the first month or so. We have done something HUGE to our bodies and HUGE to our lives, and the fear of it not working when we have been so excited but mainly as this has been our LAST RESORT - is very very scary.

Please know we are all in the same boat and that we are here, and feeling just as scared and just as vulnerable. Try to keep motivated and your eye on the END goal - where you WILL get - to a healthy weight - because you CAN do this!!! Look in the success forum with the before and after photos - cut out hot pics from magazines and make a scrapbook - sweet hot skinnyness is coming - so hang on baby!xxx

OH i wish it did!, but for the most part its alot of will power on your part before you get to the "sweet spot." Good luck with your journey:thumbup:

I just want that feeling like when I was post op when I couldn't care LESS about food. Surely that is the "Sweet spot"? I want to get back there? Won't I?

I don't know if I am confused - but should the band stop all my hunger completely? Or should I still want a few meals a day? I had the impression that when filled correctly at the "Sweet Spot" I would have no hunger at all - like I was for my 2 weeks post op.? HELP!

I went back for my second fill today - am still hungry! But need to be realistic I guess - I have eaten today

6 crackers, 1 coffee, 1/2 an apple juice and porridge (195cal)... maybe a bit of hunger is normal????

I think this covers it!

It's called Bandster Hell:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f294/bandster-hell-3-8wks-postop-hungry-no-restriction-92901/