marjon9

I found (and many others say) that the best way to deal with hunger at this phase is to drink things with a lot of Protein. If you have Protein supplements mix them into what you are drinking. Or go to the health food store and get protein shakes. A lot of them are really not too bad. They really make a difference with the hunger.

I also agree with mary to call your doctor's office. They will have suggestions for you on what to eat and also help motivate you to follow the rules. It is important right at this time to let yourself heal.

This phase passes quickly.

Woah woah... slow down for a sec.

Do you guys really think that "when he gets mad he threatens to remove me from his coverage" really warrants ending a marriage, or compromising integrity and happiness in order to use someone for a surgery?

Obviously we don't know much about your situation, but I think that him threatening to remove you from his policy is FAR from reason to end the marriage, or use him just to get the surgery and dump him afterwards.

Surgery can be a very emotionally charged situation. Especially weightloss surgery and all the hype around risks and complications, and fear of future changes. Will she leave me once she loses the weight? Will I have more "competition" and need to worry about things? Will I still be attractive to her if she loses weight and I haven't? Etc.

And if it happens around more than the surgery, then its his way of feeling in control.

A lot of people refue to go to counseling. It doesn't mean they don't care.

I understand where you are hailing from on this, Wheetsin, and of course one comment from a man doth not endeth a marriage. But when you read the posts from janiee, you must admit, one can hear the echoes of much more than this one comment.

So Mark.....you can ONLY eat if you have those enzyme tablets??? So really you are probably still too tight, huh?? I would think that the tablets would be good for an occasional "stuckness", but to have to take them w/every meal would be a pain in the butt I'd think!

But Congrats on the loss!!! Good news is it sounds like you won't be needing a fill anytime soon! LOL

Kirsten, it is true that so far I need the tablets pretty much every time I eat. At least it is a reliable solution, so far.

My hope is that any residual swelling in my stomach will go away if I stop PBing all the time, and that gradually I will be able to eat normally without the tablets. But it is true, I have been oddly restricted. I've had symptoms that usually prompt people to offer the advice: "You need an unfill." Which is weird because I have not had any fill yet. But I'm hoping it will all settle down.

At least for now I have a reliable solution to my PB problem. That in itself is a welcome first step.

The only thing papya does for me is taste bad, and make my PB orange.

Hey, colorful PB is a positive. Remember, the cup is half full

of orange PB.

Thanks for the tip, Kirsten. Adding throat lozenges to my list.

Thanks Marjon, adding papaya enzyme to my list.

Wow, you are one week away now. I remember that moment well. It's an exciting time. I see you are in "Hunter/Gatherer" mode for lap band supplies. I also remember that well.

I am sure it will all go well with Dr. K and his team.

Keep on posting!

Hello Dr. K bandsters, I want to pass along a little update.

Up to now I've had considerable difficulty being over-restricted and unable to eat anything, even mushies, much of the time since banding. This has been a concern to me for obvious reasons, especially since it resulted in frequent PB episodes. Not good.

So, I read about preventing PBs on this forum and noticed that some people recommend papaya enzyme tablets. It seemed a little bit too "New Age" for me, but hey, I was born in February, so for me personally This Is The Dawning Of The Age Of Aquarius. :hippie: So I decided to try papaya enzyme.

I drove over to the health food store in my tie-dyed 1960 Volkswagen bus and purchased papaya enzyme. When I got home I set up my experiment. I ate a few small bites of pot roast, chewing as if I had the munchies, yet knowing that the pot roast would likely get stuck and I would probably PB.

Well, sure enough, it got stuck, the golf ball descended, and the sliming commenced. A PB was minutes away. Then, with the excitement of Thomas Edison in his youth, I popped a few papaya enzyme tablets, chewed them up, and much to my delight and surprise, they worked!! Within a minute I became unstuck and the golf ball departed for the middle of that fairway in the sky.

I repeated the experiment the next day with chicken, with the same glowing results. So, I'm eating as a normal banster now, :hungry:, no PBs. I'm finally starting to feel like I am actually living the bandster life now, rather than recovering from band surgery.

I'm down 25 pounds so far as well, but I credit that as much as anything to the liquid diet. I hope I can keep heading in that direction now that I can eat something. 15 more pounds and I'll arrive in Twoterville. :clap2:

If anyone else tries this thing with the papaya enzyme I'd like to hear if it works for you as well.

So, that's the latest.

Torch a fat one for me!! :biggrin1:

Peace, Love, Turn On, Tune In, and Drop Out. :faint:

It's hard to know too much from just one post, and there may be more to the story. But from just the description you provide your husband's behavior is off the chart of "normal marital ups and downs." I agree with

Cascadian's description of the behavior as sadistic. It's hard to imagine having any sort of a loving relationship with a sadistic person. It sounds to me that your world at home is so disfunctional and corrosive to the spirit that fixing that is a good bit more important for your health than even losing weight. I would seriously consider getting yourself free from this situation and then figuring out the weight loss later, especially since you say your husband will not go to counseling. The lap band is not that expensive. You can find a way to do it on your own when the time is right.

Of course, it's easy for me to say this posting on a forum. And all I have to go on is just your one brief description of your situation. But from what you tell us, your situation is cancerous and simply intolerable. I would think about dealing with that first.

The auctioneer at the wedding was pretty funny.

That's true. I actually find baldness or partial baldness attractive too, for reasons I dont really understand.

Note: I am not including combovers here!

So I guess you don't like the "beard combovers" they showed in that Superbowl ad? I can't understand why. I think they look great. I'm starting to grow my beard out now so I can comb it over just for the look of it. I'm not even bald.

Marjon,

Thanks for the quick response!

Did your tastes change, like WHAT your head was craving?

Yes, my tastes have changed as well. I used to love bread, Pasta, pizza. I ate sandwiches all the time. Now I don't even think about that stuff because there is no room for it anymore. With a smaller stomach you have to be pretty deliberate about eating nutritious food. If you use up the room you have stomach on fluff, you can become weak. For a while my biggest problem was finding a way to get in enough calories to avoid feeling weak. How's that for a change of perspective.

And when I do eat I often find that I enjoy it even more than I did before. I have to eat slowly and chew very well so this sort of forces a person to really taste the food. In the past I would just stuff the food in without paying much attention in a sort of shark-like feeding frenzy. Food just has a different role now. Now I enjoy the amount I need to feel healthy, rather than wallowing in a feeding trough in response to some sort of a compulsion.

I do want to mention that I am not suggesting that everyone has or will have the same type of experience I do. One of the more interesting things about the band is that there is so much variety in the way different people experience it. I'm just describing my own experience.

I just want to say how excited I am that I have found a solution to my PB problem, at least for now. I decided to try the papaya enzymes that people talk about, and they work really well for me. Holding my breath did not help at all. But the papaya enzyme works for me better than I could have hoped.

I've been banded about a month and I have been very, very restricted so far, unable to eat anything, even mushies, most of the time. When I've tried to eat solid food or mushies I've gotten "stuck," and felt the golf ball, and ended up PBing, almost every day for the last couple weeks. I've really been worried about it because I know I can risk a slip that way.

So, I went to the health food store yesterday and bought some papaya enzyme tablets. They taste sweet, are sort of chalky, and dissolve in your mouth easily. They are not unpleasant at all.

Last night I ate a few bites of pot roast. I chewed it really well and ate very small bites, but I still knew for sure this would get stuck. I figured I'd just PB it up if the papaya enzyme did not work.

So, I felt it get stuck, I felt the golf ball, I felt the the hiccups, then the slime starting. I popped in a few papaya enzyme tablets, chewed them up, and the golf ball subsided in less than a minute, I was unstuck shortly thereafter, and felt fine in a few minutes. I tried it again today with chicken with the same result.

I have no idea why this works for me, and I have no way of knowing whether it will continue to work. But it has worked great so far. I'm so relieved. For those who PB a bit more often than they would like, I say give this a try.

Hi Cascadian. I ain't no expert, but I'll chime in with a few observations.

What you are saying is essentially correct. The idea with the band is that after you eat a few bites you will feel stuffed. But it's not quite that simple.

To try and give you an example, did you ever try and use rabbit ears to get a picture adjusted on one of those old black and white TVs? If you did you will recall that you had to constantly adjust the rabbit ears. It was tough to get the picture just right. And even if you did, it was likely to change the next day, or the next week.

The band is sort of like that. When you have it working just right, you feel stuffed after a few bites. But it needs adjustment in the form of "fills" and "unfills" until you and your doctor settle on just the right amount of "restriction." When you find that perfect restriction it is called the "sweet spot." You can reach it after one fill. You can also miss it after 9 fills. A few people say they never find it. Some people have it just from the surgery and never need any fills.

So, it's really hard to predict how the adjustment process will work for you. But once you get it adjusted right, the band does effectively control stomach hunger.

But it's just a tool, and head hunger is your own responsibility. The band can't help with that, and some people do manage to defeat the band eating chips and ice cream and never lose any weight. (A few people also don't lose weight when they seem to be doing everything right, but those people are pretty rare.)

Yes, a McDonalds cheeseburger is a big portion with the band. But beyond that, you may well not be able to eat something like that. Probably more than half the bandsters have trouble eating bread at all. And more than that, since you are so limited in what you can eat, you need to really pay attention to getting the nutrients your body needs into the little amount you are able to eat. With that in mind, you would rarely want to waste the space on worthless fluff like a McDonalds hamburger bun. Bandster nutritionists recommend that you start with Protein items, then eat vegies and maybe some fruit. You also need to take a Vitamin supplement and Calcium supplement, and drink a lot of Water (which is a big task in itself, since most people can't take big gulps with the band). I also have started taking some cod liver oil to get the Omega 3.

So that's a little overview of information I've learned from reading a lot of posts on this forum and a little bit of personal experience.

Good luck getting it all figured out. So far I'm feeling like I've really done a good thing here by getting banded.

I just wanted to pass along my experience with this item.

I've been banded for almost a month and I've been having an awful time with too much restriction. Much of the time I have not been able to eat anything solid at all, even mushies have been too much. At least 2/3 of the time I've tried to eat anything beyond liquids, I've participated the ritual we all know and love, the PB. I've been PBing almost every day for a while, which is really not good, especially so soon after surgery. This has been quite a concern to me.

So, I've spent some time here on the forum looking for how to avoid PBs. It seems that holding your breath works for a lot of people. It does nothing at all for me. I've seen talk of pineapple juice and meat tenderizer. I'll try the pineapple juice. I'm not too keen on tenderizing my innerds if I can avoid it. I've also seen mention of papaya enzyme. I was quite skeptical about it, to be honest, but I thought I'd give it a try.

So yesterday I went to the health food store and bought some papaya enzyme tablets. I ate a few bites of pot roast, very tender, chewed to smithereens, swallowed it. And, of course, as usual I got stuck. The golf ball came next. Hiccups were not far behind. And I knew that the slime was hearing the call to duty. A PB was minutes away.

So, I opened my little bottle of papaya enzyme. They are sweet tasting chalky little things that dissolve quickly in the mouth. Nothing unpleasant about them.

Almost immediately the golf ball started to subside. Within about a minute I was unstuck. This is the first time since I've been banded that I experienced a golf ball that did not lead to a PB. I was impressed.

I tried it again today and it worked again. Not only that, I've been able to eat some solid items without getting stuck at all.

So, I don't really understand how any of this works. I don't know if it will continue to work. But the papaya enzyme has had a remarkable effect on me so far. I'm pretty happy about it. I feel like I can finally start to eat food again.

Besides that, my port incision has healed nicely now. I feel like I am finally a living, breathing bandster, instead of a person recovering from surgery. :clap2:

I am considering surgery in April due to a trip planned in March. Are there any other "older" patients out there? :phanvan

Am I crazy at 57 to be considering this surgery? I have 100 pounds to lose to be a "normal" weight and have other issues like Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. I feel like the band is the perfect tool to support my weight loss process, and not regain the weight. Which has been a lifelong pattern. I'll be watching and hope to hear from you.

Thanks,

Hi Mini, honestly the best place to start is to read this thread:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/weight-loss-people-t21117.html?t=21117&highlight=older

This topic has come up a lot lately. I'm 54 and banded about a month now. I'm happy I did it. Remember, 60 is the new 40.

Best of luck on your journey.

Same vague answers are in order here as well. Some people talk about being able to feel the port. Some people also say that they could start to feel it once the weight came off. I can't feel it now at all. Not sure about after the weight comes off.

After the mushies phase, you can go back to eating normal foods in smaller portions, but it is also true that most bandsters find that they can't eat certain things. For some reason a fair number of people have trouble with chicken. Almost everyone has trouble with bread, although it seems to be easier if it is toasted. Some people can't eat vegetables, or salads, or fruit, etc. etc.

Another thing to keep in mind. Since you will be eating less you really need to focus on what you are eating so you get in enough nutrients. I'm not a nutritionist, but everyone here seems to be focused all the time on getting in enough Protein. Since you can't eat a lot, you need to eat protein first, then vegetables and fruits. You also need to take Vitamin and Calcium supplements. I've also started taking cod liver oil for the Omega 3. So, even if you "can" eat Twinkies, you are just not going to have the room for it, if you want to stay healthy.

As a final note, keep in mind that I'm not an expert here. I did not even stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. What you are getting from me is what I've learned here over the last few months, and my own personal experience being banded for the last month. There is also a wealth of other knowledge and opinion on this forum. A lot of these same issues come up for a lot of people. I recommend doing some browsing. I think you will find it interesting and valuable.

But if you have any other questions I'll see what I can do to answer them.

Unfortunately I have to answer this one in a vague manner as well. It's just hard to say what your symptoms will be. A lot of people do have pain and discomfort where the incisions are. Many people also talk about gas pain in the shoulder. I guess with this surgery they need to put some air inside you sometimes which takes time to get out. Others have nausea. I had none of those things. For me, I had a general weakness and other things like a cold, diarrhea, and a little bit of extra concern because my port incision was draining for over a week after the surgery. So, it's just hard to say. Most people say that if they have to go to work, if it is a desk job they can get through it even if they need extra days. I can just say that for me I am very glad I had some extra time.

Like most things with the band, it's not the same for everyone. I have a desk job and I still did not feel up to going back to work for over 10 days. A lot of other people are back to work in three days. I would say for planning purposes, I would set aside at least a week to recover. If you feel fine before the week is over, you can always find something to do to take advantage of the extra days.

I was banded in 4/06 and am just now having Constipation problems...well i think that is what it is...dull constant ache in stomach and lower right side back pain. i took laxatives and they did not work. anyone else have this problem 230/160/145

lisa

Lisa, if you have a dull constant pain in the stomach and lower right side back pain, and laxatives don't work, I think it is time to consider something besides constipation. I would go to the doctor pretty quick. It may be nothing, but constant pain inside the body seems like something to look into.

Hi there 4 weeks. yeah good for you. Have you found a shut off valve??? How ong before you could go back to work am hoping to get banded myself in the next 3 moths

Hello a1m1bishop. Yes I have found a shut off valve. That's what the band is. An unforgiving shut off valve. When you have a fight with the band, the band wins, every time. I had a little bit of a rough time recovering from surgery. I felt like crap for about ten days. Many people recovery more quickly. I went back to work in two weeks. Some are able to go back in a few days. As you spend some time looking on this site you'll find discussion of these issues and many others that will come to your mind. Enjoy.

That all makes sense to me. I think you are making the right decision. I just think it is something to think about when you have a low BMI. The band is not particularly risky to your health, but it is a major life change. The band forces you to make this change because in its way it is rather similar to a brick wall. You are not going to drive through it even if you feel like a "binge." That's why it works, but that is also why it can be quite a challenge. When you get the band, you start a whole new life.

Did you see the move "Splash" where at the end Tom Hanks joins the mermaid Daryl Hannah for his new life underwater? The band is sort of like that. Nothing is ever the same again. (Unless you take it out, of course.)

I have been obsessed with researching everything I can about the band and people's post-op experiences. I think I have over-researched and am now feeling very discouraged about the band.

Tremendous Gas Pains, PBing, Ports Flipping, Need for Revision Surgery, Slippage, Erosion, Unable to Eat Certain Normal Foods EVER (grapes, rice, bread, salads, leafy greens, red meat, chicken, etc., etc., etc.), Not Losing Weight (particularly after the first 18 months) - I am freaking out.

I want the band to help me not have my life so food-centric. It seems to me that there are so many people out there who have had so many significant problems that they have to think/worry about food every moment of their days. I am seriously beginning to wonder if I should even have the surgery. I am in good physical shape - it isn't so much what I eat as much as the sheer volume. I have read numerous stories from banders stating that since they aren't able to eat ____ they are making what I feel are bad food choices in order to "just eat something." I feel desperate about my weight and have been hoping that the band would finally provide me with the extra control I needed - now I am wondering if it will even bring more stress and problems in my life. :help:

Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated.

My comments may not be like most of the others. I am not certain that lap band surgery is strongly indicated in your case. You have a relatively modest amount of weight to lose. If you get your BMI under 35 you won't even be "seriously obese" anymore, just obese. Even now, you are not morbidly obese. Many doctors would not even be willing to do the surgery on you with this BMI, and insurance probably will not pay for it. (You've probably already found it, but you may want to look for a thread on here called "Lower BMI Bandsters." There might be some additional information for you that would be useful.) The band changes your life significantly. I think a person with 65 pounds to lose should think more than once whether this surgery is right for them.

It is true that the complications that involve serious health risks are extremely rare. Even slippage and erosion are almost never serious health risks unless ignored. A port infection can be serious, but again, it is almost never serious if it is taken care of when it should be.

The other items on your list are ordinarily just minor inconveniences, at worst. Gas pains and other pains are associated with the surgery. These pains are almost never significant after the first week, two weeks at most. There is almost never any pain once the surgery has healed.

It is also true that many people find that they do not tolerate various types of "normal" foods, and just tend to stop eating them. This can be anything from steak, chicken, bread, Pasta, rice, vegetables, salads, etc.

But on the other hand almost everyone can still eat a wide variety of foods, and after a while people tend to stop missing the foods they don't tolerate well. I used to love bread and Pasta. I no longer even want to eat these foods, and I've only been banded about 4 weeks.

In addition, the foods that I do eat really do taste much better. Many bandsters have this experience. Rather than wolfing food indiscriminately, I now take the time to taste it, and the difference is significant. I can honestly say I "enjoy" eating now more than before, even though I may never again eat spaghetti, pizza, or even a sandwich.

And it feels wonderful to lose weight. I'm down almost 25 pounds so far. Already I can tie my shoes more easily, get in and out of cars more easily, I fit in a size smaller pants already, and I feel like I am going to be free from my CPAP machine (for sleep apnea) within months, I'll be able to shed my blood pressure medicine, my pre-diabetic condition will not turn into diabetes, and I'll be able to have a more active life all the way around.

But in your case, I'd think about it twice. You say you are "desparate" about your weight, but you are still within a range where diet and exercise may really be able to work for you.

Good luck figuring it all out.

Scenario: Every potential date that I email/chat with lately *that has yet to see me in person* brings up the topic. Fact: I am a very curvy hour-glass girl with a big chest and a smaller waist. I'm a 36G - when stated, the guys are practically drooling on themselves. One guy even said "marry me - you've just met the biggest boob guy EVER". ....

Hey TexasRose, what's your phone #? Just kidding.

I think the answer to this kind of stuff relates to evolution and the most ancient and fundamental parts of our psyche. Beyond that, I won't attempt to explain it. But there are some things that are not a matter of choice. They just are.

I also want to comment as an aside that things have certainly changed since I last dipped my toe in the online dating meat wheel. I can honestly say that I never asked a woman her breast size before the first date.

I agree. I just think Jack first needs to write a book confessing about his first avatar. We don't want any political dirty tricks committee pulling it out the night before the big debate.

I Know I Just Had Surgery And Everything Is Still Swallen But I Sip Sip Sip And Get Fo Full - Will This Restriction Lessen Or Is It Possible That I May Not Have To Get A Fill? I Am Not Hungry At All And The Liquids Are Not Bothering Me Since I Am So Full!

I'm not sure when you were banded. If it was just a week ago or so, then the restriction you feel is still the swelling of your stomach from the surgery. It is too early to tell much about any actual band restriction you may have once the swelling goes down.

My situation is a little different. I'm 3 1/2 weeks out from surgery and I still have major restriction. I'm a little concerned about it because sometimes I can't eat anything but liquids even now. When I try to eat real food, slowly and chewing really well, sometimes it goes down OK. Most of the time, however, after one or two bites I get the golf ball and have to PB. I know this is not good, especially so soon after surgery. I'm just not sure what is going on with me. I don't know if this is a sign of a problem, or just that I am lucky to have so much restriction without a fill.

Since I can eat solid food sometimes I feel like this is probably not a slip. But I don't really know that yet. I know, I know, I should go to the doctor.

Anyway. I'm going to stay on liquids for a few days and see what happens.

But as for your question, if you have had surgery recently, don't worry about your restriction. It's definitely normal until you heal a bit.

I was banded on Feb.9th so I am still in the very beginning of my journey. I have been drinking through a straw, is that bad? My doctor really didn't tell me anything other than to drink clear fluids for two weeks. Anything else I've learned from this site or researching the internet. Does anyone know if drinking through a straw is bad for you?? I figured it would help with the smaller sips I have to learn to deal with. Also other than popsicles, Jello and chicken broth is there something else I could eat?

Any feedback is greatly helpful!!

Thanks,R

When you are in the clear liquid phase your menu options really are pretty limited. The one thing I can say is, homemade broth is vastly better than just cracking open a can of Swanson's. And it does not have to be chicken only. Beef broth is great too.

Even if you are not a cook broth is easy to make. Just fill up a pot with a big load of chicken pieces. Wings, legs, necks and backs are fine. No need to use the good parts. For beef stock obviously use beef bones. For both chicken or beef you can brown these in the oven first for a slightly different flavor. Mixing beef and chicken is also quite good. Then, cut up some celery, onions and carrots into big pieces. Throw in a couple bay leaves if you have them around. Fill up the pot with bottled drinking Water (don't use tap Water for this). Then simmer for a long time. 24 hours is best but 12 is really good too. Skim the frothy, scummy stuff off the top once in a while and throw that away. When it has cooked long enough, strain and cool in the fridge. Lift off the fat layer which will become a solid at the top. And then heat, season, and enjoy. It's so much better canned broth you can't believe it.

Also, whether you make your own or use canned, you can boost the flavor even more by using some high quality chicken or beef base. The good ones list "chicken" or "beef" as the first ingredient, instead of "salt."

One good brand you can find in a lot of markets is "Better than Bouillon." You can order this on line as well if you prefer. It's probably cheaper on line. I have to say, it's really good.

Few of us have time to do this kind of thing these days when we are living our normal lives. But when you are healing, and broth is your only menu option, it can be fun and the results are really worth it.