mom2cjpx4

If I have pain in my chest it means I ate too much or something is stuck. If I have a that little "lump" or uncomfortable spot right between my breasts it means I'm full. I try not to get to that point. My cue is I hiccup. If I hiccup, I know I've had enough. I suppose it is the same thing as a burp, but I don't burp (don't all come flying at me, I've never burped - it's just the way my anatomy is!) My husband was banded five days after me and he burps when he is full or had enough - that is how we know. I try to only put on my plate what I think I should be eating and stop at that amount. It also helps - at least for me - to stand up towards the end of your meal. Every time I do that, when I'm not sure if I'm full or not, I will almost always hiccup, and then I know I'm full. For instance, today for lunch I had four wheat ritz crackers, four slices of reduced fat cheese, a handful of almonds, and a slice of cheese pizza on wheat crust. I ate all the cheese and crackers, almost all the almonds, and got 3/4 of the pizza done. I didn't think I was full but someone came to the door and I stood up to get it, hiccuped, and that was it. I was done.

I was 326 at my highest and able to use it with no problems. I didn't know there was a weight limit!!! FYI - I have the Biggest Loser and LOVE it! You can use it with or without the balance board, too.

We have Wii fit and Wii fit plus. Love them both. I got the Biggest Loser for Christmas. I REALLY like that. It's your own personal trainer. The exercises are GREAT! You can do the routines they set up for you or pick which areas you want to work on (lower body, core, upper body, etc.) You can do a short duration of 16 minutes or longer for 23. They have weigh ins and challenges, etc. They break up each routine so you don't feel like you're doing the same thing the whole time you are doing it. You can also enter your calories, etc. I'm so not motivated to go to the gym so this is perfect for me. You can use it with or without the balance board. My 10 year old daughter is even using it!

I'm supposed to do 65 g of protein and having trouble with that. I eat a scrambled egg with fat free cheese (10 1/2 g) melted on top for breakfast. Have a shake mid morning for a snack (I use the one you buy at Walmart, one scoop gives you 26 g but I try to put a scoop and a 1/2 to get more protein) and then I make sure my lunch has protein (chicken, turkey, cheese, cottage cheese, etc.) If I need a snack mid afternoon I do a cottage cheese or hard boiled egg and at night I do another shake or I've taken a liking to mixing a sugar free jello with two spoonfuls of sugar free cool whip and 1/2 scoop of choc protein powder (13 g) and mixing like a mousse. Sweet and light. This menu every day gives me more than my recommended protein. I don't have to do both the shake or pudding at night and the afternoon snack but one or the other. HTH.

I am still just so confused and uncertain about this whole thing!! I was banded on 12/11. At four weeks I was allowed to go on full regular diet because I had no problems whatsoever tolerating food. I had my first fill of 1cc into my 10 cc band (it already had 4.5 cc in it from surgery) two weeks ago so I'm at 5.5 cc in a 10 cc band - I still don't feel restriction. I try and portion out my meals to what I think I should have and stop eating at that amount. I don't feel hungry after stopping eating but don't feel full or restriction, I just stop because the food is gone. The problem is when someone else serves me (like at a relatives or when going out to eat.) I have trouble with the portion, don't realize if I'm full or not, and eat more than I know I should. I still eat WAY, WAY less than I did prior to surgery but more than I should be eating. (for example: prior to surgery I could eat a whole club sandwich on italian bread, an order of regular fries, appetizer and dessert with two sodas. Last night I had 1/2 a club sandwich on wheat and about six sweet potato fries) I don't snack - only eat three meals a day. I don't think I'm eating enough either. I don't take in 1,000 calories a day, I'm more around 500-850. I get another fill on 2/10 - thank GOD - because even though I have been losing weight slowly, I feel like a failure and that I'm not doing what I'm supposed to or that this hasn't worked. Anyone else feel this way, experiencing this?

It's late and I only read the first couple of posts on here but this happened to me too and I had horrible bleeding at my dental cleaning the other day. The hygenist and the dentist both said it was just my body reacting to the stress that it had just gone through (i.e. drastic change in diet and the surgery and recovery.) I had my surgery 12/11 so I'm only four weeks out. I am an avid brusher/flosser and have routine dental care so there was no problems there. I take all my vitamins, etc. They do not think it is a health issue at all.

I just had my first fill today. They put 1 cc into the 4.5 cc I already had in my 10 cc band. Not sure if that will work or what, we will see. For breakfast I eat two eggs scrambled or egg beaters and melt a bit of fat free cheese on top. Mid morning I have a Protein shake made with skim milk. lunch varies, it could be chili made with ground turkey, meatloaf with ground turkey, 1/2 a baked potato with steamed broccoli and fat free cheese, egg salad with light mayo, chicken salad with light mayo, etc. If I need a snack mid afternoon or before dinner I'll have a sugar free pudding or a yogurt or a piece of reduced fat cheese or sometimes I take a teaspoon of Peanut Butter. For dinner I have many of the things that eat for lunch or I will have grilled or baked chicken, steamed vegetables, etc. I'm not a big red meat eater and I don't like fish. I have begun to love my Quesadilla maker. I buy wheat wraps and make quesadilla with fat free cheese, steamed broccoli, chicken, and refried Beans. You can do it with any kind of ingredients you prefer. My husband does chili, refried beans and adds sour cream on top. At night I will have a protein shake or my new favorite thing is sugar free chocolate pudding, sugar free cool whip, a bit of Protein powder and whip it up into a mousse. Someone told me to make "ice cream" sandwiches with sugar free cool whip and chocolate graham crackers too. I'm going to try that this weekend.

Everyone is different. I read some people have the surgery on Friday and go back to work on Monday. I could NOT have done that. I had surgery on 12/11 and there was NO WAY I could have went to work on Monday. I took the next whole week off. By the next weekend I was still pretty weak and difficulty sleeping and just felt awful. I took the following week off, too - which happened to be Christmas. I picked a bad time, I guess. LOL. But by the 28th I was ready to get back to work. I didn't really need the whole two weeks but certainly needed at least that first week.

I had my first fill today as well. They added 1 cc to the 4.5 cc that was already there. It was a bit painful. They had to put the needle in three different times because the doctor kept hitting the side of the port and he was moving the needle back and forth and around in circles. I guess I thought it would just go in and that would be it. I bled quite a bit too. Didn't expect that. Was able to drink fine. Two days of liquid diet. I came home and had soup. 1/4 of a can of soup and I was full but 1 1/2 hours later I was HUNGRY. That was disappointing. Was thinking I would stay fuller longer. I know soup is a slider so guess it is sliding, LOL. Am just hoping after the two days when I'm back on regular food that I will stay fuller longer....

Thanks for the tip on the liquid vitamin. I'll have to check it out!

I'm trying to increase my calories but I just don't know what to eat to do that and don't want to overeat. My husband doesn't seem to have any problem and is losing like crazy!! I suppose I'll have to try to sneak in another snack or maybe have an oatmeal for breakfast and have my protein shake mid morning. I'm just not hungry and don't want to eat if I'm not. KWIM?

I take my vitamins but they make me SEVERELY nauseous. Anyway else get this way?

I can so relate. I'm four weeks out. I have no restriction but I do limit myself to 1/2 cup of food at a time, twice a day. I have protein shake for breakfast and MAYBE a snack at night (sugar free pudding or a yogurt or a protien shake) and that's it. I'm taking 600 calories MAX a day and exercising 1/2 hour every night with either Wii fit or Wii Biggest Loser. Nothing too strenuous but enough to get moving and burn some calories. I also work full time during the day and try and get up from my desk as many times throughout the day as I can to keep moving. Since my surgery day I have lost 13 pounds but but lost 9 of that the first two weeks. The past two weeks I have lost only 4 pounds. I do notice my clothes fitting looser and my face is thinner. I am addicted to the scale. I weigh myself several times a day and I work at a medical office so we have scales there and I use them. I am going to have to stop doing this because it is becoming a problem. I get my first fill on the 13th and I'm hoping for some restriction and some more positive results after that. I am discouraged so I can relate to how you're feeling.

OMG, I thought I was the only one. I got banded on 12/11. I can't even walk around the mall without getting tired out. Grocery shopping requires a nap afterwards. I work full time outside the home and when I come home I just want to sit on the couch until 9 when I can go to bed!!! I don't want to do anything on the weekends either. I'm trying to get the protein in but having difficulties with the fluid. Hoping this gets over quick because I just can't handle it.....

I do have a nebulizer and some Albuterol - thanks to two children with asthma!! I will borrow it from them tonight and call the doctor tomorrow. Maybe a round of inhalers is needed to get through this initial bout of symptoms. Just concerned me that it happened after eating. Of course I'm a bit food paranoid since surgery. Always waiting for something to happen when I try something new and never knowing what to expect......

I'm 17 days out. Don't have alot of energy. Not too sore though. I tire easily. I used to be a six pack a day of diet coke drinker and had to give that up when I started my two week liquid diet pre - op so I think that is what is kicking my butt - no caffeine. I am going to start coffee. I took two weeks off work, went back today. I think the combination of the surgery, four kids, and the holidays just did me in! I wanted to start wii fit tonight but I just can't drag myself to do it. LOL. I'm thinking a protein shake and a good book in my warm bed is going to do it for me. Other than the tiredness I feel 150% better than I did a few days ago.

I am 17 days post op. I have been allowed to move on to meatloaf, egg salad, tuna salad, chicken salad, etc. type of diet. Tonight for dinner I had some chicken salad and decided to try 1/2 a wheat roll with it. CHEWED til it was mush but about 10 minutes after I have been coughing profusely - the point that I am gagging. I cannot stop coughing. It's almost like a choking coughing. Has anyone else experienced this? Is this from the food? Is something going on? I have had a flare up of my asthma ever since surgery, I believe the anesthesia exacerbated dormant symptoms and at night I do cough profusely and have been taking Nyquil but have not had a coughing reaction such as this during waking hours. Just not sure what to do and how to relieve it at this point. UPDATE: I'm thinking this most definately had to do with the wheat roll or possibly the chicken as I have not had either before tonight. It has now been two hours since this coughing episode began and it is nearly over so I'm assuming the food has now passed, or at least considerably passed, and I'm feeling some relief. Now to decide which of the two is the culprits and to avoid those. Really hope it's not the chicken, however it was extremely moist, blended with a bit of chicken broth and some reduced fat mayonaise. Barely had to chew it was pureed so fine, so I can't imagine.... Still would like insight from anyone who has gone through this.

If you have a sweet tooth, like me, this is what I did: sugar free Jello sugar free cool whip 1/2 scoop of unflavored Protein Powder or Sugar Free Chocolate pudding sugar free cool whip 1/2 scoop of chocolate Protein powder I mix it all up and make a mousse out of it and it's a nice low cal sweet treat with some protein as a bonus. We also have had alot of creamed Soups, low fat, such as cheddar broccoli but you can puree any of your regular soups (chicken noodle, vegetable, etc.) and they really don't taste that bad. If you're hungry, pretty much anything tastes good! Other than that it's the usual shakes, broth, yogurt, pudding.

I had my surgery on 12/11. The shoulder pain was pretty bad for the first few days but Tylenol worked and it wasn't bad after that. The pain where my port was (on my right side) was HORRIFIC for about eight days. It felt like a burning sensation and like my guts were ripping out. Sorry if that sounds too graphic but I don't know how else to describe it. I thought I had maybe injured myself by bending or something so I called the doctor and they said it was normal. About day nine the pain was almost gone and since then gets better and better. I couldn't sleep in any position but my back and had a terrible time getting out of bed for about nine days too but now am able to maneuver and last night I could sleep on my port side with a pillow propped. I feel almost 100% back to normal. I did have the constipation about day five. It was HORRIBLE and lasted for about three days. I ended up taking a stool softener and it worked after about 12 hours. My problem now is hunger. I go to the doctor tomorrow and am hoping he is going to let me start some sort of real food. I have had no intolerance to anything so far, no nauseau, no gas. I am just hungry!! Give it a few more days and you will feel better.

Banded on Friday, 12/11, and hubby was banded this morning. Wondering what this adventure will bring. I won't lie, the first few days were horrible and I did have some regrets. It's getting better now but I'll be glad when I get to some normalcy. Once results start to show, that will be a plus, too. I mean I've lost 5 pounds since surgery but imagine that was alot of water or something. I also lost 7 pound from pre-op appt on 12/2 until surgery on 12/11. I won't get used to those kind of figures though! LOL

Thanks Cathy. I hadn't seen anyone report on the constipation and was embarrassed to bring it up but as this is all new to me I figured I'd better ask! My NUT has me on an every hour consumption - 4-6 ounces - but I can't finish what I'm supposed to yet before the hour is up I'm STARVING. At noon I get soup and at 5 yogurt, 6 broth, and 7 a protein drink. Other than that it is just water, milk, or gatorade. I thought the goal was to be fuller longer between meals but it feels like I'm training my body to be hungry every hour.

My longest incision is on my right side mid between breast and belly button. Where it hurts is the incision to the right of that, way over on the right hand side but kind of in between the two so maybe my port is in between and that is why it hurts. Yesterday and today I had tomato soup with my protein powder and 4 ounces was enough to gag me but didn't fill me up for long. I'm going to try something different tomorrow. I hate this hungry feeling. Oh and now constipation has set in. Is this normal? Each day brings a new problem!

I wondered about the sugar free jello, too, because I was on it pre-op and does melt in your mouth - it is kind of like a liquid. They said it gets stuck and causes blockage but I thought if I took small bites and let it melt it would be fine. I bought baby spoons to eat with so I could learn to eat smaller portions. Right now I'm supposed to be doing something every hour but I don't feel like it and if I don't, then I'm starving come evening time so today I will follow the every hour plan and see if that makes a difference. I feel dumb because I don't know where my port is. Is that the pain in my lower right side that hurts? I thought the port was going to be higher. I feel a little better today. I'm glad I took the time off of work because I couldn't imagine having to go to work full time and heal and adjust from this. Thanks for your input and advice. It is greatly appreciated.

I was banded on Friday, 12/11. The vicodin made me extremely nauseated and as I'm not supposed to vomit, I didn't take it. The gas pain in my shoulder was bad but it is tolerable. The worst is the pain in my right side. It feels like my guts are being ripped out (sorry if that's too graphic.) I also had trouble breathing but that is getting better. I am coughing all the time though and when I cough it kills me - on the right side. I can't bend over to pick anything up. Also, I couldn't tell if I was hungry or full but now I'm starving! I'm afraid to eat too much as I don't want to get sick. I was on clear liquids but today was supposed to start full liquids. My doctor says no jello (says it will get stuck) and didn't mention anything about pudding but others say they do pudding so I'm confused. When I do eat, it isn't keeping me full long enough, I don't think. I'm supposed to be doing something every hour (water, protein shake, juice, milk, gatorade, yogurt, broth, creamed soup, etc.) I am just overwhelmed by this whole situation......

OMG, Jacqui, we live the same life! This is me and my dh NOW - a week before surgery. I can just see this is how it is going to be afterwards. The only problem is I can see us having major problems afterwards if it continues and we will grow apart. He does not like to exercise and will not even go for a walk if I ask him to. Scary how similar our experiences are...