mrslamica

I was having the same problem...it was because I have a VERY sensitive gag reflex...also I was eating too fast and too big bites. Are you concentrating on the following: 1. Your bite of food should be no larger than the tip of your thumb. 2. You should chew each bite 20-25 times. 3. It should take you atleast 20 minutes to eat your meal. If you are doing all of the following it MIGHT be that you are too tight. But in my case, I was not. It was my gag reflex (and it wasn't really me throwing up- no heaving or hard straining- it was more of a spit up or the food simply coming back up effortlessly) and me not taking small enough bites and chewing well. Hope this helps!

Just joined!!! This will be my first official challenge, even though I was banded on March 12th- things have been sortof slow, I am down a total of 33.5 lbs and I am beginning to add excercise and NO CARB diet to my lifestyle. I have had a few set-backs (wedding planning, dad had a severe heart attack and double bypass surger- NOT overweight or bad eater and some family situations that have been stressfull). But I am making time and energy for excercising especially cardio and weight training for my stomach and arms- gotta look GOOD for my wedding in 2.5 months! Good luck everyone, here we go!

Hi guys, banded March 12th 2010. I've had a very slow loss thus far- 33lbs. BUT I have also been planning a wedding and my dad had a MASSIVE heart-attack and double bypass surgery in September so I missed 3mos of fills. I just went yesterday and it's liquids for 2 days- minus the bite of noodles I snuck last night (I chewed them up really really well even tho my soontobe hubby told me NOT to eat them, he was right). I am hoping to looooooose more and at a faster pace since this fill will put me at 6.75cc and the nurse said between 6.5 and 7.5 is most people's sweet spot! I love the Bariatric Institute of SW GA...those girsl ROCK!!! I had a lot of questions and felt discouraged yesterday only loosing 8lbs in 3mos, but she reminded me it was a LOSS and not a GAIN and that jumping back on the bandwagon was easy since I am through recovery and through the rough spot! I am very very hopeful that this is my restart to loosing- since my wedding is in t-minus 99 days and counting. If I can loos 5lbs per week I could loose 70lbs before my wedding...which would kick me out of the 200 club and put me right at a size 14, which was my original goal- I'm just gonna have to work REALLY REALLY hard and Water, excercise, water, excercise...like it's NOOOO tomorrow!!! Wish me luck!!!

Hello, I was banded on March 12th 2010. I currently have 6.5 cc in my band. I still have snacking cravings-today has been really bad. I've tried crackers...and even some backed lays...but I'm still STARVING!!! I know about the normal "fruits and veggies" ideas for Snacks, but does anyone have any inventive ideas to help ward off my hunger in between meals. I go for another fill Aug. 16th...which I will need as I have restriction, but I am not at my "sweet spot" as of yet. Please help...I'm starting to beat myself down about my food choices !!!

You're healing. You're hungry bc of your clear liquid diet...that would also explain the headache. I didn't stop hurting until the 5th day...that's when it got better for me. Hang in there and make sure you are getting enough liquids in, the headache might be bc of dehydration...my doc had me drinking 64 oz of Fluid daily...and really still does! Be prepared from now for the next 3-4 weeks its gonna be what we call "Bandster Hell" where you are hungry- and you will feel like you can eat whatever you want...but you have to remember that you are healing and NOT to push the limits! In 6 months, this healing period will seem like a distant memory. What doesn't kill us only makes us stronger!!!

Maybe I should clarify- they were peanut butter crackers...it's all I have at work right now...I guess I didn't say it, but I KNOW they aren't good for me, that's why I'm asking for assistance.

Can't do artificial sugars...it gives me pain in my stomach...but I might wanna try the canned chicken (don't like tuna) and see if that helps me any...thanks! Oh yeah...Greek Yogurt is too sour for me.

It affects me that way too. I could never figure out why I would have those pains in the night when I had my Crystal Light and I figured out it was the artificial sugars. I have quit that and now just do 1/2 1/2 tea with lemon and I am satisfied. My Dr. told me the best thing to do was to use natural sugar- but in extremem moderation (like the tea) to add a little sweet, but not damage my body. I understand you being worried, the first couple times it happened to me, I thought something was wrong with my band...then, by process of elimination, I figured out what it was- removed it- and now I'm happy!

Okay, I was banded on March 12, 2010. I have lost 25 lbs since surgery...which is mediocre. I went for my second fill last Wednesday and I got on the scales this morning and I am GAINING weight!!! I am sooo frusterated at this point I have been gaining and loosing the same 3lbs for the past month and a half and I am sick of it!!! I walk/jog 4 days a week, I eat nothing but Protein protein protein (60 - 80 grams per day), I don't drink with my meals, I'm not doing slider foods or sugary drinks. I stay away from caffeine and carbonation. I am doing things by the book getting 1100-1300 calories per day in ( I cannot loose eating less than 1100)...and still NOTHING!!! :biggrin: Maybe I need to vent or maybe this was not a good idea for me to do this. I am starting to feel pretty hopeless about loosing because I am not...and have not for almost 2 months now. My restriction is there...it's not great but I don't feel as though I am over eating...I just don't know what to do at this point, those old feelings of "I'll never be thin." are creeping back up and I don't like it...I'm a little scared and a little worried.

I can't eat near as much as I used to...I don't think that is the problem I am having, but I am still able to eat more than a cup at one sitting to get full. Thanks for the responses, it's hard to stay positive about this when I DID spend so much money on this "tool" and it's just not working as well as I thought it would. I don't expect a magic bullet by any means...I know this is going to be hard work. My problem is not at the amount I loose per week...I just want to be loosing and NOT at a stand-still.

I was banded March 12th and I'm going for my 2nd fill next week, but I wanted to do some comparing as far as how much I eat versus what you all eat at one meal. I have a sneaky suspsion that I am over-eating and I DO NOT WANT TO STRETCH MY POUCH!!! Some background about me...my nutritionist says I CAN and SHOULD eat whole-grain breads and pastas but in moderation according my my diet serving sizes. I am interested in how much you eat portion wise and what types of things you eat. Thanks!!!

Try a spoon full of peanut butter...low fat, low sodium, reduced fat (whatever). Thats what I do when I get extra hungry...like pains. That has been my secret weapon!!!

I'm down for 25lbs!!! Here we go!!!

My nutritionist said that usually after fill #3 people have restriction, but its different for everyone. I have 3cc in a 10cc band and I do not have much restriction. I can pretty much eat what I want...just slowly and a lot less than I used to before banding. I knew that this wasn't the magic bullet that will make me thin, but I was also aware of the "Bandster Hell" that I am going through now. I lost 17lbs the first 14 days postop and only 2lbs since then ( I was banded March 12th). I have been watching my food intake and the types of foods I eat. You might wanna try walking, I have heard that adding excercise with sometimes jump-start our metabolism and help us begin loosing weight again. I was just released for exercise last week (I had a hernia repair) but I plan on joining a gym this week and begin attendance to see if that will help me loose a little quicker. Hang in there, I know it seems discouraging right now but you are going through the NORMAL cycle. I think at one point or the other we have ALL had second thoughts and gotten discouraged!

I am needing some advice, but need it from someone who has their port in their shoulder area. I was banded on March 12th and my port is located in my shoulder area- between my breast and my arm pit. I am 5 weeks postop but it still hurts at night when I lay on it and I needed to know if this is normal. If nobody has had it placed there, I will have to call my surgeon and ask them, but I just thought if I could have the question answered on here, it would save time and I wouldn't bother them. Thanks!

I had PCOS and that was one of my pre-existing conditions for surgery. I had my first period about 7 days post-op and it was longer than normal, but besides that everything is fine. I have seen a decrease in the time it takes for hair to grow on my chin...I know that sounds gross, but it was one of the VERY unfortunate side-effects of a hormone imbalance. My doc said to expect a change for the better in my hormones.

Anybody get debilitating gas pains from Frozen Yogurt?!? Had some last night and the other week and I was really hurting both times, it took me getting it last night to realize what was causing it... I WON'T BE EATING THAT ANYMORE!!!

Hello everyone! Just checking in. I was banded March 12th as scheduled...and I lost 17lbs in the first 1.5 weeks. But after that I am at a stand-still...is this normal? Anyone else feeling the same way right about now? Congrats to everyone on all the weightloss...I can't wait till my first fill...April 20th.

I didn't say anything about lecturing ANYONE...I don't pretend to have all my stuff togeter. BUT if this woman is saying those type things and she's just now out of surgery one of two things is happening... 1)She's oblivious 2)She's intentionally being RUDE Either way, sometimes the best way to nip things in the bud is to be HONEST...and sometimes BRUTELY HONEST. No lecture required.

Is your boss thin? If she is then don't sweat it bc she will never understand or "get" why that bothers you...just look at it like this, in a year you will be so far beyond the whole "FOOD" hang-up and much more able to cope with those type of comments. If she is big, then you need to explain to her that you have made a LIFE CHANGE and you have done it for YOU. And if she were smart SHE would make a life change of her own. If she is really your friend, she will respect that. I can see where it would be seen as "cruelty" to talk about all of types of food (especially your favorite) right after your surgery, but the fact of the matter is that people who haven't researched LapBand or don't know much about it tend to under-appreciate the whole process that we are going through. And as a result they do not support you properly...or even worse try to stop you from succeeding because it's a common known fact that MISERY LOVES COMPANY. If you guys bonded over food- she is simply continuing the same routine you two had before your surgery and since she has experienced no change in life, she doesn't realize this might be hurtful. I was banded March 12th, and as of yet, I haven't had any of my family or friends (the few that know) say anything negative about it. I have, however, had a change in relationship with a few of my friends...kindof a disconnect...because we had bonded over food- and I didn't realize that was the majority of what we did, talked about and focused on. As a result of MY life change, they began feeling uncomfortable around me and I just had to adjust their placement in my life and although it hurt, I don't need those people that only want to hang out with me because I'm fat...or because I always want to go out and eat...lol!!! I would definately sit down and be honest about how you feel. I don't think she is intentionally trying to wear you down mentally...but she needs to know that this is happening and more than hearing about food from her- you need to hear support and motivation from her. If she cannot provide those things for you and its what YOU NEED, you may have to re-evaluate your friendship, because the toxicity that she will bring into your life will ultimately delay your progress and might hender your ability to reach your ultimate goal... weightloss!!!