Betsyjane

Panera it is!

One week to go. Good for you. We'll throw a party, my dear. I agree with the entitlement. I also thing that for me, the behavioral aspect is strong. I have paired food with everything in my life, so everything triggers eating...boredom, TV, computer, social life, loneliness, driving, seeing a food ad, visiting my mother, working. Good grief!

TriVon: Everyone is different. Here's what I experienced: I went to surgery, and was nauseous as I came out of anaesthetic. They put a patch on me and gave me some sort of medication. I went home the same day. By the time I got home, I was still groggy and was beginning to feel gas pain. They have to blow you up with gas so they can see what they are doing, and the pain often gets referred to your right shoulder. I used liquid Tylenol and a heating pad for it, and I walked a lot, which they said helps. Within an hour of getting home, I slept in a recliner for hours. When I woke up, I was no longer groggy, but had that annoying shoulder pain. I walked, rested, and complained about my shoulder the rest of the day. The next 2 days, I was up and about but still had the pain. I just kept on liquid Tylenol and the heating pad, and pretty much putzed around the house without a problem and without assistance since hubby went back to work the day after my surgery. Other than leaving lifting tasks to him, I was mobile. I probably could have returned to work on day 4, and ideally, I would have planned to take a week off instead. The shoulder pain went away around day 4, and it was really my only major inconvenience. By day 7, my appetite came back with a vengence. Then I was in Bandster Hell waiting for my first fill so I could live the bandster life. I leanred patience.

1. I can eat most things now...I've just learned how much I need to chew to get some things down. But some foods just aren't worth the effort to me anymore, so I'm happy to cook whatever and either give myself a small portion, or eat the things I can and not serve myself the things I can't. It's not like having a craving and then not being able to eat...It's just not being interested in some foods. Oddly, I've also found I'm great at buffets because I can get a bite of a bunch of things....but I don't miss being able to pile my plate full. 2. It's funny. When I said to my Dr. that I didn't know how I could lose weight or stay on a pre-op diet, and that if I could, I might not need the band....He agreed! I just did the best I could. Post-op, I did well until the swelling went down from surgery and then I could eat a bunch until I got my fills, but still lost weight, so it was at least partially working. I think everybody understands that we do our best, but we are really needing the band to make a difference for us. 3. I gave up Diet Coke because of the carbonation, and am surprised that I havne't missed it, and I sleep a lot better. I still occasionally have a Frappacino Lite for 150 calories, and I would have coffee if I drank it. In fact, I know bandsters who have coffee in the morning because heat opens up the band for the day so they can eat. I think what's important is to listen to your Dr. and to your body and see what works for you. 4. I think what happens is that things get stuck and we unstick them ourselves....and then decide we need a slight unfill so things don't get stuck anymore. In my experience, things that get stuck either end up going through becasue we produce enough slime to slide it through, or it comes back up in a PB. I don't know about instances of stuck stuff just staying stuck. It's more that after it happens, we decide if we weren't chewing well enough, or if we need a little less restriction. Keep asking questions! It's a big learning process and a great journey.

I think it just takes spouses awhile to adjust. We go into this researching and preparing, and our spouses are kind of just along for the ride until reality hits.

Ran across this post and thought you might enjoy it...banded 10 years! http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f15/ten-years-lap-band-38936/

Hey Klover...I was in the same shape...gaining all the time! The band is not easy but it is such a relief! I either lose...or don't lose...but I don't gain! Sooo coool.

If I have said anything harsh, I apologize. I truly have your best interests at heart, and I know I have a sensitive spot when I read posts of strangers recommending that husbands get kicked to the curb. I'll be careful.

Teah, it really is bandster hell until you get the enough fills to hit your sweet spot! Teaches us patience, doesn't it?

Bless your peapickin' heart. How nice to hear about a 10 year veteran. Thanks so much for being with us.

WHOA! Take a deep breath. There are rules to living well with the band. You got the band for your health. Follow your band rules. No matter what others struggle with about our bands, the band is very personal, and you are in charge of going through that great journey following the band rules so you get healthy. It's not what happens to us in life that matters...it's what we do about what happens to us. Don't make this about your husband. Make this about yourself and being true to your health and your band rules no matter what obstacles arise. Work on changing "He is forcing me to eat", to "He is being a minor inconvenience, and my eating behavior is my responsibility". In a way, this is a good thing. If you can resist pressure from him, you will have enough practice to resist pressure from the rest of the world too.....like food ads on TV...fast food places, etc. He's just giving you opportunities to practice. Set up a plan. Ideally, you might want to be thinking about an egg fro Breakfast or a Protein shake....meat and vege for lunch, meat and vege for dinner...a fruit snack.... Whatever. But your focus has to be your plan and not him. You have plenty to do to set your courswe without putting energy into his course. Don't use him as an excuse to get sidetracked.

13th works for me. Anybody up for someplace in Atascocita?

Gadgetlady-I can relate. I like to keep a very tight band (my choice) and some days for whatever reason, I don't get enough good food down....and then I head for the ice cream. I've been tempted to get a slight unfill, but my weight loss is doing well now and I seem to be losing a little stomach fat so the restriction is slightly easing. Iknow with a little less fill, I could get my good calories in more easily and wouldn't resort to ice cream for calories...just out of habit and desire. There's something oddly satisfying in knowing that if I conquer ice cream, I can lose more quickly. As it is now, I like my slow weight loss and not thinking about the band so much. It's downright pleasant to know that I can cruise along and lose instead of gain like the old days...and that when I get really aggressive about it, I can lose more. Right now, cruising feels great.

Here we go again. Yes, people struggle. It usually does not become a lifestyle and "The truth about the band". What you describe about yourself sounds like an overfill. Please listen. I doubt if anyone here has forgotten their early banding days, and yes, those topics are covered for folks on this site. This is about the difference between learning from sturggles and an ongoing struggle that you talk about as if it is the norm. It is the norm for people who are too restricted and need a slight unfill.

I'm glad the negatives are here, but I prefer them expressed and requests for help. I think we're all bristling at the heavy handed post. On the good side, the original poster has gotten lots of feedback that can help her with her band. So the thread came out OK anyway.....

Slimfast CArb Control is good, but it's not a clear liquid. Isopure at GNC and on ebay is a clear liquid with no calories and mucho high Protein. I'd go for some of that right away! Protein will help so much! Frankly you aren't eating enough to sustain a gnat yet. It will get better.

I think maybe this thread should be The Truth About When to do Something Different With Your Band. I don't mean to be facetious. It truly is a clear set of warning signals that a person is too tight. In that way, it's an instructional thread.

I really had to confront that I ate when I was bored...and that TV is boring! I had to confront that I go in a trance when I eat, and start to eat mindfully. It's a real learning experience, but you go through it bit by bit, like peeling back an onion. You learn patience with yourself, and you just learn until in starts to feel natural.

Harley Girl.. I have just started to get that "mature bandster" feeling where I don't obsess so much about it and just do portion control. I'm heading where you are..... It's peaceful.

Here are some examples. As a binge eater, I used to be able to sit in front of the TV and go into a trance and stuff my face for hours. Now I try to eat without the TV on, but when I slip....grab a can full of mixed nuts and sit in front of the TV like an automaton, I am truly stuffed after 8-10 nuts, if that many. And I am putting the can back. As a sugar freak, I used to be able to eat everything and anything. Now if I screw up and go get ice cream at Dairy Queen, I know I can still get it easily through the band, but instead of feeling defeated by my lack of self control, there is no self-hate. It's just a mistake and I'l do better next time, and I go to the gym and work off the calories. As a grazer, I used to be able to eat all day. As a bandster I should also be able to theoretically. But much of the time I'm full and not interested. And if I do graze, it's more likely to be a bite than a plate. I have my perfect days too, but I think it helps to know the realities...that we aren't perfect, but that things just don't get catastrophic anymore.

Hey, if we could lose the weight without the band pre-op, we might not need the band! I don't get that pre-op diet thinking at all. For goodness sake, don't blame yourself! We're all obsessively morbidly obese and out of less extreme options! I have never been comfortable with calling my band a tool. It's my best friend and at times my annoying friend. I have never been successful with weight loss, ever. I'm a binger, a grazer, a sugar addict, a couch potato....and I'm losing weight. It is harder than I thought it would be...and it works better than I thought it would. IT basically turned the IMPOSSIBLE into just HARD WORK. I can live with that. I think part of what makes it a tough concept is that we have all done hard work on ourselves before and failed miserably. The band gives us success for our hard work. Shoot...even when I screw up royally, I just stop losing until I get myself back on track. Before the band, I would be yo-yoing up to new high weights when I screw up. I figure the band just gives us what normal people have...the ability to work hard to change our health.

Hi newbies! Welcome to the journey.

Are any of you feeling more, er, normal lately? I think I'vr started passing into the "mature bandster" phase. I still struggle and learn, but I'm less obsessive about it. I seem not to need to think about my band all the time...and some days, I don't think about food a whole lot.....

It's been interesting to me what a learning curve I've had with the band. You've PMed me about your education and your business accomplishments, and that's wonderful. The band is something new for you, though. It's something new to learn about. That doesn't diminish your accomplishments in any way. It does mean though that you are still more in the role of student than teacher. Your original post was a bit inaccurate for a lot of us, but was presented as fact. I believe that is what has caused some alarm. One of the things to think about is that with an appropriate fill, you should be able to eat slowly and chew well, and get between .5 and 1.5 cups of solid food down per meal. If Soups are your only option, then you may be too full. Living with a too tight band increases your risk of eventual pouch dilation, and it makes for an uncomfortable existence. There's a lot to learn....

Well, speaking for myself, I don't need more of a fill because I can eat meat, steak or anything else. I'm chewing well and know my band well by now so we live in relative harmony. I don't spend time over the toilet. I don't have a lump in my esophagus, and I know "MANY MANY" bandsters who could say the same. Bye all. I'm headed to another thread. Not interested in getting any additional condescending private messages....