davsil

I am 4 weeks out and don't get my first fill the 1st week of October. I have no restriction. And I've heard from too many other folks that it can take several fill to get real restriction. So, while it isn't where I wanted to be, for now I'm treating this as though I'm on a strict diet. I've never done so before but this time I am keeping a food journal. And I can only say it is really helping me. I'm using the Lose It! app on my iPhone which makes it easy to do. Keep a good attitude. It will kick in in time and you'll get the restriction you need. Don't let this in-between period beat you.

I read your post and I don't know that I have any words of wisdom other than to offer support. You need to speak with your doctor and the hosptal administration and let them know that they are failing in their duties. I'm sure the hospital has a patient advocate who will work to get you the care you should be getting. If your doctor won't so his job get another doctor. And there are medical boards to go to to file complaints.

I have a Wii Fit and its a great tool. I'm actually looking to start a "Couch to 5K" routine with it. That way I can do the walking in the privacy of my basement. I was talking to a co-worker about it this morning and she has the Wii Personal Trainer and loves it. I also read some good reviews of the new Wii Resort which is the update to the Wii Sports that comes with the console.

I know this is an oft repeated cliche...but the band is just a tool. It is not a cure-all or guarantee. Just like buying a hamner - if you don't put in some elbow grease it ain't gonna pound the nails by itself. So why did I get the band? Because it is a tool. And a good one if used correctly. By restricting the amount you can physically take in it will help you control your portions. And if you don't deliberately eat-around the band by having high-calorie, low nutrition junk food it will work. If you use the tool properly it will work. I also agree with the person above who found that the 3 week liquid diet helped adjust to smaller portions and not having all the while bread and Pasta, etc. After that I can live on a lot less food. No one can make this decision for you. It took me a long time to decide to do this. But now that I have I'm glad for it. Good luck.

I'm new to this - just banded 8/24/09. But the holiday has been a topic of discussion. My mom is making the dinner and is very supportive of what I'm going through. My plan is a small amount of chicken Soup (4oz) without a matzoh ball. (That's a hard choice.) One piece of fish with a little horseradish. And a little bit of roast chicken and whatever veggie is served. I have not had a fill yet so I don't have any restriction. But I don't want to get of the path I'm on. I can enjoy a little bit of each thing I want if I'm careful. Good luck and good yuntif. (sp?)

I'm right there with you! I was banded 8/24 so I'm 3 1/2 weeks out. I'm starting to eat real food and have no restriction yet. I'm scheduled to see my Dr. 10/2 and he'll decide at that time if I get my 1st fill. I want a fill! In the mean while I'm treating this as though I'm on a strict diet. I'm weighing & measuring my portions. And I'm documenting everything I eat with an iPhone app called Lose It!. I've never done either of those things before but I'm really finding it helpful. Its really helps keep me focus and within the boundries I've set myself. I also refuse to go back. I spent WAY too much on this - and it is too important to my life. Good luck getting through this time. Hopefully once we get filled and have restriction it will become a little easier.

I got banded 8/24/09. Can I join in? I've just started eating real food this week. WooHoo!! I can't wait to get filled. I don't have any restriction yet. So I'm sticking to my diet guidelines but it ain't easy. I want this tool I purchased to be fully active in helping me get where I want to go. Good luck to you all.

One exercise I enjoy, is a great exercise and was fully endorsed by my Dr. is swimming. It's highly aerobic, low impact and uses all parts of the body. I join the gym I belong to largely based on their having an olympic length pool so I can swim laps.

I just started mushies this weekend. (WooHoo - real food!!) I found the Isopure banana Cream protien powder is very tasty. I make a breakfast shake of 4oz. skim milk, 2/3 scoop of powder (the right amount for 1/2 cup of milk/water) and 1/2 a real banana. This has about 165 calories and 21 grams of protien. I'm also eating the Greek yogurt and hummas. I also broke down and had a can of sardines. Yum Yum. And they are soft & flaky so I think it was OK. (And healthy.)

I think a lot of this depends on your body and physique. I'm a 6'1" male with a large frame. My Dr. wants me to have between 800 & 1200 calories a day. I would imagine that smaller people might have different daily goals. I've just started mushies and yesterday was the first time I went over 800 calories. It was hard to find calories on liquids. I think tracking calories & protien is essential. The band is a tool. If you don't use it properly it won't work for you. I'm using an iPhone app called "Lose It!" and that is helping keep me on the straight & narrow.

I also like to swim and want to make this a core part of my exercise routine. I'm 3 weeks out from banding and just saw my Dr. this week. I asked him about exercise and he wants me to start slow. (No weights yet at all.) But he felt swimming was a good choice and that I could start now.

My Dr. had me meet with a nutrishionist b4 my surgery. And she runs a once-a-month group as well. Her guidelines are for no more then a 4oz piece of protien (checken, fish, meat, etc.) at one meal. (Which is a 1/4 pound and a small but real portion size.) She also advises against rice because it can be sticky and cause obstruction but had no issue with potatoes. (Mashed I would assume.) Pasta in limited amounts. And as always...chew, chew chew.

I'm 2 weeks out from my surgery. My Dr wants me to stay on the strictly liquid diet for 3 weeks. From what I can tell almost no one else's Dr goes that long. And I'm having a hard time. I've been pretty good sticking to his rules. But when did most of you start eating mushies? Three weeks just seems a long time. Thanks

I got mine on 8/24 so I am in my 3rd week. My doc wanted me on basically clear for the 1st 2+ weeks. I saw him yesterday and he OK'ed fuller liquids so I can finally have some tomato Soup, etc. But then he doesn't see need for much transition time on mushies. Once I hit week 4 I'll have a day or two at most and I can start on real food. I will be taking it slow just for my own peace of mind. I think I'm doing well (no indigestion, no throwing up at all, nice weight loss) so I don't want to screw it up.

I saw my Dr yesterday and he OK'ed more full liquids WooHoo! But he wants me to stay on liquids for the 3rd week. I am doing what he tells me. And...I've dropped 29 lbs from my last weigh in about 2 weeks pre-surgery. So that's a really good thing. :thumbup:)

I am 6'1" and started at 408 lbs with a BMI of 54. My Dr also does by-pass but never tried to talk me out of banding. He also requires an evaluation with a shrink and he said I was a good candidate for banding. Reading on one of the band manufacturer's web sites their statisitc show that about 60% of the people who get banded will lose half of their excess weight. And only about 10 - 15% will lose all their excess weight. So having reasonable expectations is important. I want to lose all my excess weight and that is my goal. But if I only lose half - and keep it off - I'm so far ahead of the game I can live with that. (Figuratively and literally.)

I was going to mention in my previous post - I've never been one to keep a journal or log. But I found an iPhone app, Lose It!, that I really like an I think is helping me. It can track not just calories but nutrients like Protein and exercise. It convienient and is helping keep me on the straight and narrow.

I'm 2 weeks in - still on liquids and my weight fell off the cliff. My scale tells me I'm down about 32 pounds since about 2 weeks pre-op. I'm really happy. And 3 people have told me they think my scale is accurate. But, I think the weight loss is starting to level off. And I think that's natural. You always lose a bunch at the beginning of a diet. A lot of it is Water weight. Now comes the work. I'm hoping all this time on the liquid diet will help me in retraining myself in portion control. I'm survivng on 4oz liquid meals. I think smaller real food meals will make me feel full. (Fingers crossed.) <a href="Weight Loss - Diet Ticker"> <img border="0" src="http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wNehEyO/weight.png"></a>

Reading my previous post here I hope it didn't sound shrill or preachy. That wasn't my intent. But in reading through this site and many of the questions there are a lot of people struggling to lose their weight or disgusted and giving up. And I'm wondering if those are the same people eating at Micky D's and slurping down the Spagetti-Os? I'm just starting out on this journey so I have no high ground to stand on. But - as is stated repeated like a mantra - the band is just a tool. Just like you can by a saw and it ain't gonna cut the wood without some elbow grease if you don't put in the effort to avoid bad choices it's going to be less successful. This isn't easy. Yes, sometimes it will be unavoidable and you'll find yourself in a fast food place. And then making the best possible choice is the best option. But I'm going to do my damnedest to not give these fast food companies, who have done so much damage to me over the years, any more of my money.

One observation: fast food is what helped get a lot of us here in the first place. It will be unavoidable in some situations. But, I think, instead of, "what fast food can I eat?" the better question is, "what can I have instead of the fast food?"

Your doc is letting you have Cream of Wheat and creamy Soups this quickly? Mine wants nothing that thick or creamy for 3 weeks. (Today is 1 week for me.) I'm finding the Isopure powder to be both the smoothest mixing and the best tasting. And it has 50g of protien to 12 oz. of Water. (3 4oz servings) I'm also looking to boost calories from around 700 a day to at least 800. (As per doc.) But I'm finding it hard to figure out where to get those calories from. An extra protien drink was the doc's suggestion.

My surgery was 8/24 so today is one week!! And I feel good. My doc wants me on liquids for 3 weeks. That seems to be longer than most. But I like him and I'm going with his advice. And right now I'd be afraid to eat anything more solid. My scale is telling me I've lost 30 lbs since 2 weeks pre-op. But I don't believe it. I spoke to my doc this morning and he wants me to increase my calories to at least 800 a day. I've been closer to 700 a day. But I'm not sure what else I can eat to find another 100 calories. (There's a problem I NEVER thoguht I'd have.)

Today is my 1 week anniversary of getting my band. I think I'm doing OK. I find after about 60 - 90 minutes my belly begins to growl but if I have a little bit of liquid, even Water, it feels better. I'm just making sure I get at least 80g of protien every day. I don't think we're supposed to have any restriction yet. Reading through some other posts it appears that it takes many people 2-3 fills until they really feel any restriction. I find I'm getting about 600 - 700 calories a day on the liquid diet. (My doc wants me on that for 3 weeks before mushies.) Does that seem right to you folks?

I am also brand new at this. I just got banded Monday. (8/24/09) I've been recovering at home all week and starting to get used to this new life I've chosen. I'm on clear liquids now and unless I have a little something ever hour or so I start to feel nauseous. But I also have learned that I don't know what it really feels like to be hungry because I'd always eaten to much to actually be hungry. First thing in the morning seems to be the worst because I'm really hungry and my stomach is letting me know about it. I had a lot of the same concerns you have and held off a long time before actually getting this done. But I'm good with my decision and I'm going to use this tool to find the success I need to have. I think having support is critical so I'm glad there is a site like this to help.