JMinDallas

Congrats! Welcome to the starting of the new you! I was banded almost 4 months ago. I am 35 and have 3 kiddos. It's amazing how much better we feel with some weight gone! I actually want to play with the kids and have fun doing it! Yeah for the mushies! So much better than drinking your food! And good for you on the scale. I too didn't own one, and didn't get on it except for dr appts. I liked to be pleasantly surprised each time, and I was. I did buy a Wii balance board and now weigh myself once a week on it. Keep up the good work!

We were told 10 to 1. So if it has 100 calories, it should have 10 grams of Protein, or pretty close. I am now preferring Protein Bars, and found the premier brand that is 280 calories and 30 grams of protein. The Protein shakes I use are still the ones from the dr, Optifast, which I like. I haven't paid too much attn to fat or carbs.

I'm almost 4 months post op and haven't yet had a PB or have I thrown up (as mentioned before except once when I ate too much ice cream 2 wks post op). I think you have to really listen to the way you're feeling and know what you can or can't handle. I've read a lot on here about others experiences over certain foods, so I then take it easy when I try those (like Pasta or bread). I've learned I can't do bread very well, and pasta is so-so. Sometimes I can other times I can't. I have been lodged/stuck before. It can be very painful and usually occurs when I've taken too big of a bite without chewing it enough. It hasn't lasted more than a few seconds or maybe a minute, but then it finally unlodges itself. I too was scared initially to throw up, so I've tried to be really mindful of what I eat, and also not get to big of a fill that I can't eat anything without throwing up.

Make sure you have lots of time to devote to shopping and trying things on! :thumbup:

No regrets at all! I had almost no pain, besides the gas pains, that do get almost all of us. I too would say about one week after surgery and I was back to normal completely. I haven't felt deprived at all either. I'm actually excited each time I go to the dr to be weighed. When would I ever have loved the scale before!!

You describe almost exactly how I felt yesterday! I was shopping in the 'normal' size clothes (looking for XL or baggy L) when I felt like people were staring at me wondering what this big ol girl was doing shopping in their sizes! I then told myself to stop imagining things! I was almost overwhelmed with the selection of clothes. In the bigger sizes, there is usually just one small section, but in the misses clothes, OMG too many sections to go into. I stayed close to the clearances too. I can't believe I fit into a size 12 shirt down from an 18/20. It was snug and I probably wouldn't wear it yet, but to actually fit into it and button it up was so awesome! Keep up the good work!!

I've been on a steady weight loss of 1-2 or more lbs a wk. I definitely noticed the help when I had my 2nd then 3rd fill. I think I might need a pinch more fill (go in another 1 wk) to reach the good spot. But I must agree with everyone else. I started journaling last week on my phone w/myfitnesspal, and I've really been able to get a good look at how much or how little I was eating. I didn't realize I really wasn't getting enough Protein, only abou 30-40 g, when I assumed I was getting a lot more. So that has really helped me to focus better. And too before I eat something I check my app to see how many calories it is and do I really want to 'waste' that many on this item. You mentioned you've had one fill...I myself noticed I was hungrier after the 1st fill. It really did takethe 2nd fill to notice more of a difference in not being as hungry. Keep up the good work! You've done great on ur weightloss so far!

The rules loosen a little as you get further along. I can drink all the way up until it's time to eat. Once I eat, I can't drink during or for 30 mins after. Personally, I hurt really bad if I try to drink while I'm eating. I rarely do it, but once in a while I forget while we're out to dinner. I also can guzzle liquids with no problem, unless I have just had a fill. Best advice is to keep following the rules, so when you get fills you're already in the right mindset.

Any suggestions? I tried mixing it with grape juice and it has a weird smell to it. It doesn't taste too much different, but I think the smell is grossing me out. And how should I mix it? In a blender with ice? I just stirred it with a spoon...maybe that's the problem... I know the website said SF drinks, so maybe I'll try SF kool aid next. Thanks for any suggestions!

I didn't take any pain meds either. I took liquid tylenol for the first 2 days, and only at night. It was more to help with the gas discomfort so I could sleep. Once I used the gas-x regularly I didn't take even the tylenol. I had no pain at all except for the gas.

I too had a bad cough about 1 wk post op. I was scared to death it would slip everytime I coughed. When I went for my first fill I kept thinking, they're going to find it's slipped and I can't get a fill. Thankfully all was well! I worry since I'm self pay...but now a little over 3 months post op, I don't worry much at all.

I couldn't agree more! As another poster mentioned, I rarely go into ones that start with I'm hungry. I too never went through a Bandster Hell. I ate smaller portions, and have always lost weight each week. I know at times I make mistakes and eat things I shouldn't, but overall I'm really proud of myself and the decisions I've made. I've also never thrown up (except once 2 wks post op when I made a dumb decision and ate too much ice cream and dry heaved), and have never had a stuck incident where it wouldn't go down (might have been lodged for a bit, but with the help of the chicken dance it went down!). If we look for the happier outcomes, we CAN be successful!!

You girls are so funny! Especially you Shurmeka! I can just imagine them rushing up on you! I enjoy going to the gym and have made a few friends there already. I guess I was just down on Monday and didn't realize. I went back to the gym yesterday and today. There is one girl there who always says good you here again, but in a nice way. She's been helpful. I bought some new workout clothes too, since mine were so baggy. I'm sure that will make me feel better too, to at least look a little less frumpy in my 40 lbs ago clothes! :thumbdown: Thanks again for the pep talk!

You know I had never had them before. I tasted them a few wks ago with some sugar and it was really good. Is it high in Protein?

I too was banded by Dr Kim on June 29, 2010. I've lost 40 lbs so far and going strong thankfully. I live in N Dallas area.

Good you went to the ER instead of waiting! Glad your feeling better!

I'm in N Dallas area. I'm a SAHM and FT worker from home...I do accounting. I'm also a foster mom, currently empty since we just adopted our 3rd kiddo.

My stomach growls too after I've eaten oatmeal for breakfast! :thumbup: I would ignore that tummy growling sound. Drink Water or something else you like, like Crystal Light. That helps me get through. I've started drinking a Protein Shake for Breakfast and I notice it keeps me from feeling hungry or hearing the growling sounds until lunch. I'm at my 3rd fill...a little more cc's than what you have, and I notice a difference. I do get full sooner. My stomach was growling last night when I went to bed, but I know I wasn't hungry. The NUT actually told me the stomach growling is a good sign because it shows your metabolism is working.

It was hard for me at first, but I tried to work on it. I would drink whatever was in my cup before serving myself food and I wouldn't fill my cup up. At restaurants, I do order something to drink, and I try to drink all of it before the food comes. But as others have said, once getting fills, it makes it impossible to drink while eating...and you'll learn the hard way. Starting with my last fill, I reached for my glass to take a sip because my food was a little lodged and I thought drinking would help. What a mistake that was! It hurt and made me even more lodged. I would say to try and practice good habits now, so when you do start feeling more restricted you'll already have good habits.

Yes, you're still swollen. If you can't keep things down, then you should get a slight unfill. If you're able to keep fluids down, ride it out and it gets looser as the swelling goes down. I just had another slight fill 3 hrs ago. I'm drinking a Protein shake, and it's taken about 30 mins and I'm still not quite done with it.

Thanks for your story. I can only imagine how scary that must be. Good advice about the flu and an unfill. Take care of yourself! And may I say what an awesome job you have done with the amount of weight you've lost!

You'll be fine and it is totally worth it! I realized don't read these boards too much, or read them and take from them what will work for you. I haven't had any problems with eating anything I want...all with good moderation. Now that I've had 2 filles, I do need to watch what I eat. Ex, I notice I don't do too well on bread. I have taken small bites of it, and I'm ok, but I wouldn't consider having a sandwich. I do fine with pastas and rice, but just watch the amount I eat. I've even had slices of cheesecake and have still lost weight! I eat real food, not Protein shakes (except for fill time or for Breakfast when I choose to). Besides one episode, where I ate too much ice cream only 2 wks post op and dry retched, I've never had an episode of getting truly stuck or even PB'g. I do eat smaller portions, and start out with a small plate or bowl. I've actually been using my toddlers plates/bowls which has really helped me with portion control. I was scared too at first, but I am so glad I stuck it out and did it. I feel so good, and fitting into smaller clothes sizes is awesome!

How do you know it's not going down? Is it getting stuck? Or can you just not drink anymore if you tried? I noticed at first, I couldn't drink as fast. I had to take small sips. What helped was drinking out of my toddler's sippie cup. It would only let me drink so much at a time. That helped to get an idea of the amount of liquid I should swallow at once. I did keep a cup of Water by me all the time, so I could be sipping constantly. When drinking the Protein shakes, I could drink maybe 4 oz at a time. You just had surgery. Your stomach is swollen and needs time to get used to the foreign object inside it. Give it time and you'll soon be saying you can eat everything! :thumbup:

Ditto Elfie. Eat mushies, very soft stuff for now. Cream of wheat, cottage cheese, maybe very soft egg salad. I had another cc put in with my existing, and I notice a big difference too. I really have to watch what I eat and make sure I take really small bites and chew a lot. Sometimes it still gets lodged a little. It's all a learning curve still.

THANK YOU to whoever posted a few wks ago about doing the chicken dance to get lodged/stuck food to go down! :thumbup: I went out to eat last week and took a big bite of bread without thinking (too busy talking). It was stuck! I wasn't sliming or anything, but I could feel it painfully sitting there. Normally if I shift around a little, it'll go down, but no luck. I excused myself, went into the restroom and put my hands under my armpits and started waving them like a chicken. Maybe 10 times later, I could feel it sliding down. I couldn't believe it worked, but it did! So anyone out there who gets stuck, give it a try. It really does work.