Blue_Eyes

Glad to hear you are feeling better. That is alot to go through in your first week of being banded. I'm surprised they put a fill in at all, I guess every doctor is different. My doctor leaves the band empty to allow time for all the swelling and healing to take place. My first fill wasn't until 6 weeks after my surgery. Good luck and keep us posted.

I tried a little cup that had honey in the bottom and you just stirred it up.

I was thinking it might be more tolerable for me if I didn't eat it for a sweet fix and more along the lines as a dip or salad dressing if I mixed in some spices or powdered ranch dressing.

I have used it in place of sour cream for taco salads, etc. And i know someone on here posted about making the spinach dip with Knors vegetable dip mix or something like that... You may do better with it as savory dip than a sweet fix. I've made taziki sauce with it for gyro burgers!

What makes the Chobani different from other greek yogurts?

Every single time I have tried greek yogurt, it turned my mouth inside out and I hated it.

Chobani is very rich and creamy and I find it holds me over the best, don't know if it's different from other brands you tried. I tried the Athenos (sp) and the Dannon one and both were not as creamy to me. When you have tried greek yogurt in the past did you add some kind of sweetner to it? It definately has a bite if you don't add stevia or something to it.

Congrats & Good Luck tomorrow!! You will be so glad you made the decision. And the liquid diet is to shrink your liver so it's not in the way for surgery. I had to do 2 weeks before surgery and after the first couple of days it was just routine. My friend had to only do 2 days and she is having all kinds of trouble with soreness I guess because they had to move her liver out of the way....

The best tip I can give you for after surgery is to get moving. I had to stay overnight for insurance purposes and as soon as came out of the haze of anesthesia after being in my room I started walking the halls, slowly, but still. It will help with gas pains and help the soreness because you won't just be laying down.

Love Chobani!!! I buy the plain,FF, 100 cals I think 18 Proteins and 7 carbs for 6oz. I usually add 2 or 3 packets of stevia and a tbsp of Peanut Butter or SF Perserves for Breakfast, yummy and filling. Lately I can only eat about half and I'm full. You can also use the plain yogurt as sour cream and add seasonings to it and use it as dip for chicken, beef, pork.

30 before and 30 after.. Don't know if I'd meet my Water intake every day if I had to do an hour and then 2 hours.

I did alot of research before choosing which option to go with, but for me the band was definately it. Like Kristy29 said everything inside you is left alone and the band is added, BUT if anything should ever happen it can be removed. Unlike with the sleeve and bypass they cut off and reroute things inside you and that cannot be reversed. It's all a personal decision, but for me I went with my instincts and everything inside me told me to choose the band and I've never had an ounce of regret since my surgery. Just realize with the band the loss can be slower, but I have a friend that had GB and she said there were bandsters in her support group that were loosing faster than the GB and Sleeve patients. Good Luck in whatever decision you make!!

Blue_Eyes - it looks like the two of us got banded pretty close to the same time.....mine was 11/16/09. I started at 290 and I'm down to 225 as of today!!! I actually managed to gain 7 pounds between my surgery and my first fill in January. Been pretty steady since then.

Hey Howdy! Seems like we are loosing at the same rate too :biggrin: I need to update my ticker, but I'm down 65lbs also. I have a Realize band and have 8.5cc's in it right now and feel like at my next fill I will be at my sweet spot (fingers crossed). It has not been the easiest road to WL, but I knew that getting the band was totally different from other WLS What kind of band do you have?

And please - don't you be so judgemental! We are stuggling every day ourselves to keep on the right track - it's not any easier for us than for you. Not one of us that posted an answer has been lucky - we've worked our butts off!

Boy did you hit the nail on the head...lol! It's not all rainbows and butterflies in bandland, but I wouldn't change my decision to have it EVER!!! I'm way healthier now than I was.

:biggrin:

Sounds like you got angy because no one agreed with you, but I too agree with everyone that a person must get their issues with food under control before any type of WLS will work. Yes food tastes good, but you have to come to terms with why you over indulge. I also know people who had Gastric Bypass, lost weight only to gain it back because they never learned how CHANGE their eating habits and in the long run went back to their old ways. And just so you know not everyone has "dumping" syndrome I know a couple and both of them had GB one can eat as much sweets as she wants and her hubby can't and he can eat savory rich foods and she has to be careful. Good luck in whatever option you decide.

I was an avid straw user before surgery and at my last appointment I asked the PA if it was a big deal and she said it won't hurt my pouch, but it may make me uncomfortable. She said I can try using a straw and see how it goes if I get too much air and I am personally uncomfortable just stop using them. Hope that help :thumbup:

My PA that does my fills said it would take continious overeating to stretch the pouch, but I am interested to see what others have to say.

How did your surgery go? When I spoke with Amber she said that I should plan to spend one night in the hospital...is that what you did? Do you have any advice?

Congrats Vicky!!! Definately plan on spending a night. Dr. Wooldridge likes for all his patients to spend one night so that he can make sure everything goes smoothly and there are no complications. I spent the night and as soon as the meds wore off I got my but out of bed and walked the halls as much as possible. I think that moving helps you not be so sore. Good luck and keep us posted.

I sometimes mix a TBSP into my 6oz container of plain Chobani yogurt add a few splendas and you have Peanut Butter fluff...yum.. I usually do it if I'm wanting sweet and sometimes I stick it in the freezer for a little bit which makes it sort of like ice cream.

Congrats Vicky!!! He is a great doctor, not to mention not bad to look at too...lol!! He is very patient and very easy to talk to if you have questions. Amber the PA is very nice too, she will be the one doing the fills after your first follow up appointment after surgery :cursing: Good Luck, I'm here if you ever have any questions or you can email me at kboudreaux@cox.net

Hey everyone! I'm from the New Orleans area too! I was banded on Nov 5, 2009 by Dr. James Wooldridge at Ochsner.....love, love, loved him and the hospital staff. He is so nice :scared2: Good luck to everyone!

Yep! I was only allowed liquids..period, no fruit no veggies! It's hard, but after the first couple of days it gets much better. I struggled thru the first 4 days and then it was easy. I drank 4 protien shakes a day and Water in between or broth. Good Luck you can do it!!! Just keep your mind set on the goal.

I am at 8cc's with some restriction, more some days than others. I go back next week and am hoping to get another fill. My PA said she usually sees Realize patients hit the mark between 7 & 9 cc's, this is her opinion only with her patients.

Had my surgery on a Thursday morning and went back to work on Monday. I have a desk job.

When I went to my appointment in March I asked the PA that does the fills when does she usually see patients reach the "sweet spot" or "green zone" with the 11cc band and she said that everyone she has done usually hits it between 7 and 9 cc's. I'm crossing my fingers cause right now I'm at 7.5cc's (I think I have a little restriction) and I go tomorrow so wish me luck and btw I am almost 6 months out so it has been hard at times to follow the rules with no restriction. And good luck to all of you out there that are waiting to hit that spot!!!!

Hey Dee!!! Welcome to lapbandtalk!!! You will find ALOT of useful info here and lots of people to help you along the way. It must be a love/hate with your date....seems so far away, but it will be here before you know it. This will be one of the best decisions you ever make for yourself. I know it was for me, I only wish I would have done it sooner in life, but I'm totally happy and wouldn't have gone any other route as far as other wls. Good luck!!!! and CONGRATS!!

Blue Eyes - I have a Realize 11cc too - first fill is scheduled for 4/14. I'm still on the "puree" stage and I'm finding that I have some restriction i.e., sampled some cooked ground beef with the expected result but that by the end of the day I can easily eat a cup of pureed food. Can you describe what your restriction feels like. Do you eat solids?

Hey Jax! When I first got my band I had some restriction too I guess from the swelling and stuff after surgery, but I found that as I healed I didn't have as much. I have seen alot of people talk about how they are "tight" in the morning but "loosened" by the evening. I usually eat a 6 oz container of Chobani ff greek yogurt with a couple of packets of splenda for Breakfast and that gives me no trouble in the morning. As far as how restriction feels I can't really say, I don't even know if I have it yet quite honestly. I'm so scared of stretching my pouch that I limit my intake to what it is supposed to be 3 oz of protien and 1/2 c of veggies and I stop. I am looking forward to the day when I eat a couple of bites and am full without stopping myself.

I've heard of people having tell tale signs called "soft stops" for when they are full....like hiccups, burps, runny nose and I have had the runny nose thing happen Friday when I ate lunch so I took that as a sign to stop. I have had 2 small stuck episodes, one last month with a piece of squid at a sushi restaurant and one just yesterday with a piece of soft pretzel cause I didn't chew it enough or maybe took to big of a bite. Let me tell you they are not nice and hurt like hell but at least the ones I had only lasted about 10 minutes, I've heard and read about people that had them last for alot longer.

Good luck with your fill and keep me posted on how your restriction is going.

Such an inspirational thread. CONGRATS to everyone who has made it!!! Can't wait to be part of that one day

I agree it sounds like you might need an adjustment to get you back to restriction.

Sam C I wouldn't worry too much just yet. Have you had a fill yet? You will have to be in charge of your portions until you starting getting fills and then you may even have to continue this until you hit your "sweet spot" or "green zone" which varies for each person. I had my 4th fill this week and I guess I will get to test it tomorrow when I get to eat solid food. I have the Realize band (11cc) and am at 7.5cc's hoping that this is the one. My doctor says he usually sees realize patients hit the "zone" between 7 & 9 ccs but like I said everyone is different.

LOL I named mine "mona" because since I got it my stomach moans alot....lmao :Banane20: