say7418

Thanks everyone for the thoughts and input. I have had 4 days of increased calories and have lost 4 lbs. I don't really know what to think about what the office was telling me. I plan to talk to the actual doctor and make sure that he knows it and make sure they know that increasing my intake is what jump started me again.

I was too tight and had an unfill. Now I am tight, but not too tight. I did full liquids for about a week and then have been on mushies for a few weeks now. I am basically trying to take myself back to the learning curve in the beginning. I just can't figure out how I'm not losing weight when I am eating such a low level of calories.

For those of you that track, how many calories per day have you been told to target? I have been doing 800-1000 and 60-80 grams of Protein and I thought that would be really good, but have maintained my weight for the last 10 days. When I went in today, they told me that my calories needed to be closer to 600 and I can't imagine doing that. I was banded over a year ago and have struggled since the beginning. In Dec and Jan, I gained 17 lbs. I went in and they tightened me really tight and I still can't do anything really dense (breads, heavy meats, etc.). I've about given up on being successful.

I can take the 250's fine. I just take 3 of them. I have taken my fills slowly though so it might change once I get really tight, but right now it hasn't been any kind of issue.

My problem is that my doctor didn't give me a diet. I have been banded for almost a year and am really just spinning out in nowhere unable to get any control over portions or cravings. I am going in tomorrow for a Saturday appt and am thinking about asking them about doing Jenny Craig or something where things are already measured out and prepared.

I was (and am) a total pasta addict. I still can't eat "long" pasta (spaghetti, linguinie, angel hair). When it does make me sick, it is clear that I am just swallowing whole pieces. With other pastas, I can tolerate them some if I make sure that I am VERY, VERY careful about chewing and stop as soon as I start to feel uncomfortable.

I don't have an answer for you, but I am in the exact same boat. I feel like I am STARVING at night and can eat any and everything. During the day is a totally different story.

You said that you had found out you were pregnant. I know that, for me, my two pregnancies have totally shifted where my weight is. My stomach is still huge now, even though I am lower than I was when I got pregnant with either one.

I am trying to make a list of foods that are not well-tolerated so I know to just stay away from them. I know Emmi says asparagus. The dietician teaching our pre-op class said she can not have anything with breading on it. Any others?

Did you have any issues with the pills? I am on 250 mg (I take 3 of them). My surgeon said he doesn't think they are too big. Thankfully, I take my meds at night and it seems that people have more trouble in the morning.

My surgeon does a 800 calorie a day pre-op diet for two weeks before. It is to shrink your liver to enable visualization during the lap.

I don't have to do liquid diet, just an 800 calorie per day diet for the two weeks pre-op. I started last Friday. I understand about the stress issue. My husband was sick all last week and was in the hosp Thursday and Friday and now I am stuck in the house with two stir crazy kids! I am doing the best that I can and have been pretty successful (getting more like 1000 some days, but no MAJOR slip ups). I am self-pay. My insurance has a complete exclusion. Because of this, I got to boycott a lot of the wait and all and was able to move through pretty quickly. I actually just went to the seminar last week, but had been to one years ago when I considered the surgery. I was scared then of what would happen with getting pregnant. So, I called them the day after the Jan seminar and they got me going before I went to it. I had my history and consult on Monday and then went to the seminar Tuesday. I was supposed to be going to the Support Group meeting tonight, but it was cancelled. Let me know if you hear anything. Maybe with close dates, we can be supportive of each other. My BMI is currently 53.

I am scheduled to be banded on 2-19-10. I have loved working with Dr. W's office so far. I am really nervous about the surgery (not the actual surgery, but after). I was supposed to go to the support group tonight, but it was cancelled with the snow. I was hoping to talk to some new banders.