LapBandit

I've eaten them without incident. But, they are very hard to chew down well enough! Just be careful!

My surgeon doesn't believe that pouch stretching is a real threat unless you are just plain old stuffing yourself every day. I can eat 3 cups sometimes and he says that is just fine. Eat until satisfied, but not stuffed. Talk to your doc, though to be sure what is the best plan for you.

I wouldn't think there is cause for alarm. PMS and all those joys related to it can cause crazy things to happen to our bands. My restriction is all over the place during this time. Do your best, don't stress and wait until you are back to normal before you evaluate your situation.

PB stands for Productive Burp. After the band, you won't be able to vomit like most people. The band prevents digested food from coming back up past the band. What most of us experience is an almost burping sensation where undigested food from the pouch comes back up. Usually this occurs after something gets "stuck" or if you've eaten too much.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!! I Hope You All Have A Wonderful Holiday!!

Very, very normal! Unless they're painful. The band can irritate some muscle (which I don't know the name of) but any way, this can cause a hiccups reaction in a lot of people. I usually get them if I'm too hungry or too full. Some people report getting them while eating as if their bodies are signalling that they've had enough to eat. For me, the whole hiccups thing calmed down quite a bit about a month following surgery. Now, I just get them once in awhile.

Cheeseburgers...not a good idea. You know why!! :eek: My doctor was OK with scrambled eggs during mushies. However, I've known a few people to have trouble with them. I can eat Egg Beaters just fine, but did PB on regular real eggs, which were scrambled. Rice is just fine with me too. Personally, rice has been fine but I only eat whole grain brown rice because white rice is almost as bad as the cheeseburger!! You'll learn how to experiment with foods. You'll just need to take it slow but you're right to want to explore. You should eat a variety of foods and the only way you'll know if they cause YOU trouble is by testing it out. One idea, if your looking for mushies ideas...I loved eating fat-free refried Beans during this stage. For some reason they were just very satisfying to me and really filled me up. I still enjoy them sometimes! Hope this helps! Good luck!

Yep, these guys know the tricks. You've got to shake things up. I'm not sure about liquids for a few days but it might work. Otherwise, changing your calories and especially changing your exercise routine will usually snap me out of a slump. Your body gets used to what you've been doing and starts to get lazy about burning calories. When you suddenly throw something out of the ordinary at it then usually your body will wake up and start paying attention again! Good luck and hang in there...you'll get things going again soon!

I don't recommend Slim Fast in any version to anyone. I was a Slim Fast user and ended up in the hospital getting my gallbladder out as an emergency surgery. Per my surgeon and doctor they both agreed that Slim Fast is not nutritious and it contains so much sodium and other "junk" that using it on a regular basis can cause problems such as sludge in the gallbladder. Plus, I never thought it helped me lose weight anyway! Regular old protein shakes are probably the better option.

I might consider doing something like that. But ralheit is right...just make sure you're comfortable enough to not let it affect you negatively. It may be too much pressure or it may just be the thing you need to help you stay on track. Hmmm, interesting question. Let us know what you decide!

Oranges and the such can be tricky. If you try to stick to the actual flesh and not all the membrane stuff then it will probably go fine. But, I cannot just eat an orange normally because it's almost impossible for me to chew the membrane stuff down. (I know this sounded gross but hopefully you know what I'm trying to say!!!)

I also can hear a slight "pop" when my port is accessed. That's probably all it was.

http://www.lapband.com/lapband/aboutlapband.do I think this is the site you guys are thinking of. There's a lot of good info on their site. It's the site for Inamed lap band system but I think they recently merged with Allergan so their sites have gotten all mixed together. It is confusing!

I second that opinion. It's exactly what I'd suggest too!!

http://www.lapband.com/lapband/portal.do This link goes to the Inamed website, the main supplier of the Lap Band. There is some really good info there including little videos of the procedure plus explanation of how the band works. It may help. Good luck!

You should eat until you're satisfied, not full. I think of it this way, if you practice your good bandster habits like pausing between bites and you realize that you aren't really needing the next bite then you're probably satisfied and can stop. Unless your doctor specifically recommends a certain amount of food then you probably don't really need to worry about measuring or limiting yourself to any certain amount. Just follow the rules: slow eating, no liquids w/ meals etc. and then add listening to your body and you'll begin to naturally learn what the right amount is for you.

Yes, it is designed to stay w/ you permanently. However, it is removable if necessary. Honestly, I'm not sure the band has been around long enough to know how we'll all turn out 20/30 years down the road. I don't see much indication that it should cause us any problems, but time will tell!

The only thing I've ever heard is that we should try to avoid ibuprophen (sp) because it has been reported to cause problems after long-term use. I pretty much take whatever I want and haven't had a problem. But, if I had to start taking a real medicine (not vitamin) every day then I'd probably check w/ my doc first. However, medicine for a cold which will only last a few days means you're probably OK taking whatever makes you feel better!

Yep, I eat salads. I eat a variety of foods. For example, breakfast is Special K Protein Plus cereal w/ fat free milk. Lunch is usually a turkey breast on a low fat/low carb wrap w/ spinach, fat free cheese and mustard. Dinner is usually chicken breast w/ whole grain brown rice and broccoli. In between those I am also supposed to have 3 "mid meals" which are usually either protein shakes, a South Beach protein bar or maybe a piece of fruit w/ cheese. I don't count calories or measure either. Hope that's what you're looking for.

Happy Bandiversary! Wow, one year and goal reached. You can't ask for any better. Good job!

I agree...starting with the treadmill is a great starting place. For me, the key is not to go so overboard that I hate it after a few days. So, set small goals at first and keep working toward a better, longer workout. Maybe the first week shoot for 15 minutes 3 or 4 times per week. Then the next week shoot for 20 or 25 minutes etc. This way you are moving you buns plus you're accomplishing a goal. Honestly...I hated exercising too at first. But once you get yourself in a groove you'll start to physically and emotionally feel better plus because you'll be mastering goals like 20 mins X 4 days a week (something manageable) you'll also gain confidence in your ability to improve your fitness which will motivate you to keep setting new goals! You'll get there!

Wow, honestly I was not 100% sure. I had doubts that it would work and I also really struggled with the choice between gastric bypass or the band. I struggled with "what will life be like?" "can I do this?". But, I considered these things to be normal thoughts especially because I understood that this would be a life-altering decision. With all that said, I felt comfortable with my decision to go forward. I felt like it was right for me. I'm not sure that I've ever concluded that anything was 100%. So, I'd say it's normal to consider the negatives and have a little doubt but if you can honestly still say that you feel OK with your decision then that may be all you need-even if it's not 100%. (I'm just sharing MY decision making process and I'm not recommending someone have surgery if they have real doubts or are uncertain. Sorry, just my little disclaimer!!)

I'm not sure of what my valentine's goal should be...hmm, I'm probably going to shoot for 225. OMG, I can't even believe that a year ago that number would have been an impossibility and now I think it may be possible. It would be a stretch though...almost 30 pounds in 3 months. I'll keep thinking about it. Thanks Ericsmom, you're sweet! I will have my sister take my pic before I leave for the party. It's in two weeks. Darn, if only I had a date to go w/ my new dress. Maybe for next year's party, huh?

I agree w/ vinesqueen about the "normal portions" concept. My doctor says that if you're eating healthy food then go ahead and eat until satisfied. So basically, I don't agree with the concept of bandsters only supposed to eat 1 cup or whatever at a time. Baloney...at least for me. It takes a lot more for me to feel satisfied and my doctor is fine with that. Your description sound like you need a fill. When your restriction isn't right it becomes easy for old habits to start sneaking back like gulping and eating too fast. So, if you've got room in your band then talk to your doc and ask for a fill. Good luck!

Well, two interesting things happened this weekend. One is good, one is not good. First the good...I volunteered to run an errand for a friend at the mall and the parking space I found meant I had to park at Macy's and walk through. Well...I was walking past all the pretty cocktail dresses and started thinking about my office holiday party so I figured I'd check out the selection. Mainly to see what size I was into, not because Macy's is where I can afford to shop!! Anyway, can you believe I found a simple, but pretty, black cocktail dress and decided what the heck, I'll try it on. It fit and I actually decided that I might fit into the next size down so I tried and it fit!!! I actually bought a size 18 "normal looking" dress plus it was massively on sale so I got a $90 dress for $30!! I actually had to hold back tears as I walked out of the store because I couldn't believe I just bought a cute little black dress in a size I don't think I've ever bought before. I can't believe it! Now today, I had to be a dork and try eating a Granny Smith Apple normally, skin and all. WOW...be careful with apples folks! I slimed and slimed then PB'ed til I worried about slipping my band. YIKES. Dumb move.