MollyRN

Ok - Almost 8 weeks post-op - everything is going extremely well. Have had 2 fills and felt great - eating very little and only twice a day - consistently losing 2 lbs per week. Last week I started to go back to the gym - nothing crazy - but about 40 minutes of cardio/weights. Now my eating is OUT of whack - I am starving after the gym, which makes sense to me so I have a Protein shake and I assume the rest of the day will be normal - but its not. I feel hungrier than normal all day - I have headaches if I don't eat more. I feel completely messed up - on top of that, in the last week - I have not lost any weight. I know that exercise is good for you - and I know that I will not stop. I just need some advice on how to handle my hunger. Do I get another fill? I can't be burning more than 250-300 calories in the workout - so the 200 calorie Protein Shake puts a lot of that back. So what gives??

I read somewhere that you can get swollen from a PB or from overeating and that's why we have fluctuations in restriction - that it is swelling driven. But I also have seen people talking about increased restriction during their periods and things like that.

I lost weight through bandster hell - but only because I put my best dieting face on. Don't take the pills - this period is so short and you can do it if you stay focused. I don't have a desire to eat Cookies - but this is mostly because I am full after I eat the things I have to eat. I think finding that spot where you feel satisifed really works - of course, it does not work on the emotional eater as well - and they told us that up front. Emotional eaters need additional support - and even apidex isn't going to help us with that.

You are doing so well!!! May I get to 79 lbs some day - in spurts even!!! It's not a diet - EAT WHAT YOU WANT (focusing of course on protein) but get that band tight and eat only a little bit of it. This is a NEW way of living. Are you in your sweet spot? I think I might be in mine - I can eat almost anything - but I eat so little of it that it hasn't affected my weight loss at all. Don't get bored - you can do it!

I'm in! This rocks :smile:

Vitamins and protein are not really a concern the first couple of days - hydration is. I did start mixing some protein powder into my water and drinks by day 3.

For mine, we just needed a certain BMI and proof of sustained attempts to lose weight (aka, nutritionist, doctor)

I know that we did not have anything other than a 2 week liquid diet pre-op. Of course, that was if we met our insurance's requirements. I know a lot of people who had gastric bypass who had weight loss requirements pre-op - but it seems like most lap band people just had pre-op diets (and not even all people had that!). I did lose 10% of my excess weight in the pre-diet though... but like I said, that was not a pre-stated goal.

I almost hate myself for asking you this... but are you eating enough?

My doc told me that 4ccs just fills the band - doesn't even tighten it yet, if you know what I mean. The difference between 4 and 5 for me was AWE INSPIRING. I had 6 and they had to back out one. At 4, I had no restriction - so we all have our spot - just practice the habits they want us to and you will get there.

I am at 5ccs and I can't do sushi rolls - first of all, it is too big of a bite - and second, the seaweed isn't that friendly!!

I agree - muscle milk light rocks. I even like the strawberry or banana one....

I agree that these recommendations are so we PRACTICE and become COGNIZANT of what we are putting in our mouths. Because when we get fills and when we actually get tight, the band tells you how long to wait - don't worry. You won't be counting 90 seconds off in your head, you will be FEELING the food, stop and then hopefully pass. When the doctor tells you something to do BEFORE you have more than 4ccs in your band, DO IT. It is for practice. It will help you later.

I eat around 1300 calories per day, 80grams of protein, 30-90g of carbs I have been a steady 2lb per week - I haven't started working out yet - tomorrow the kids go back to school and I go back to the gym!

Weights before cardio is good for fat loss. Lifting weights burns off your sugar stores and that means that when you do cardio, you are working on fat burning rather than sugar burning.

You are doing great - keep it up. Check out my blog because I am writing about exactly your question. I thought getting the band was the band. Then I thought my first fill was the band. At my first fill the nutritionist told me, we installed it but we havent turned it on until today. At my second fill on Wednesday (and unfill), they said the first 4 ccs of a standard lapband doesn't really do anything more than inflate the band. After 4 ccs, you start seeing a difference. Ah.... they were not lying. I am at 5ccs now and EVERYTHING SINGLE THING I SWALLOW stops and then passes. The putting down the fork thing and waiting, it was no lie. It takes me like an hour to eat now. The first or second fill will fix the hunger issues you are having. GOOD LUCK!

Congrats Amanda - you are doing really well! I just got my second fill and things have changed dramatically for me. I giggle when you say going out to eat is not worth it - I was just writing about that on my blog today. Eating has become SUCH a chore for me since my last fill on Wednesday. It's not even worth it!

Elcee - I have to admit that I giggled when I saw geographic tongue - but no....I don't have anything like what they list there.

Thanks everyone for all of this input. The PREDOMINANT issue I have is the metallic taste, but my tongue feels the way it would feel if I ate a ton of citrus fruit, you know what I mean? I am going to my PCP tomorrow - will write back with his determination.

Thank you Betsy for weighing in....I was waiting for you! I have done a low carb diet before and not had these issues. In fact, I feel like I am really not working that hard on what I am eating - Proteins first and really that is it. I am losing 2-3 lbs per week and I feel really good. I will make a doctor's appointment at my regular doc about this. I don't have my typical signs of yeast problems - which I have indeed dealt with in the past. As far as this having to do with surgery, it started about 6 days into my pre-op diet so it cannot be related. I have not tested my ketones but I think I will buy the sticks today just to have that measurement in mind. Thanks.

Completely agree about the pain things - in fact, that's my current topic on my blog. I absolutely did bring this up with my doctor and they didn't seem really phased by it. I am eating about 1300-1400 calories per day and there are SOME carbs in the mix - although I admit, most of it is Protein as I really only feel good if I am eating about 65-75g of protein per day. I really just wondered if there were people out there who had the same thing and when it went away... My nutritionist sent me to a website that contains the following: What is ketosis? Is it dangerous to be in ketosis? Ketosis is among the most maligned and misunderstood concepts in nutrition because it is often confused with ketoacidosis, which is a life-threatening condition. Ketosis is the accumulation of ketone bodies in the body, which is the end result of fat metabolism. When carbohydrate intake, as well as calorie intake, is sufficiently limited for a long enough period of time, the body is forced to use the fat stores for energy. When fat is burned (metabolized) it produces ketone bodies, which are then used instead of carbohydrates for energy. Excess ketones are excreted through the urine and their presence can be measured by testing the urine with a ketone stick. Ketosis is a natural adjustment to the body's reduced intake of carbohydrates as the body shifts its primary source of energy from carbohydrates to stored fat. Ketosis is not an abnormality nor does it present any medical danger to the patient. Ketosis only presents a danger to the patient if the patient is an insulin-requiring diabetic, i.e. a Type 1 diabetic. Everyone is in SOME degree of ketosis all day. The most sensitive tests of ketosis ("NMR" and "blood ketone level") show that we all have ketones under any condition. For instance, anyone off the street (not dieting or exercising, having just eaten) may have a ketosis reading of 0.003 to 0.01; most of us are up to about 50 after not eating overnight; after completing a marathon, runners have readings of over 100; in the first week of a diet (whether or not it's "ketogenic"), the readings are around 200-300. It would be difficult to make a credible argument against ketosis, which has been used so successfully with both healthy people seeking improved fitness and nutritionally fragile children with epilepsy, diabetes, and cancer. What is Ketosis? Simply stated Ketosis is a measurement of fats burning. Burned fat is broken down into Ketones, which the body uses for energy. When you burn a larger amount of fat than is needed for energy, the left over Ketones are excreted through the urine. Ketones can be measured by checking your urine with a Ketone stick. A pink to purple color indicates that you are in Ketosis. In addition to losing fat more rapidly, most people report feeling less hungry and more energetic while in Ketosis. Because the body burns fat stores, after it burns available carbohydrates, the Lean for Life weight loss plan is designed to help you achieve Ketosis by limiting your daily total carbohydrate intake as well as limiting total calories. Most adults achieve Ketosis when their daily carbohydrate intake is somewhere in the range of 50-100 grams. Dietary Ketosis itself is not dangerous to a normal, healthy person.

Agggghhh.... After all my complaining and research about the metal taste in my mouth, I am pretty sure now that I am in full ketosis. From what I read, it seems like a highly positive thing - meaning my body is no longer burning glucogen and has switched instead to burning fat (primarily because I consume practically no carbohydrates). But seriously, can someone tell me if I have to live with the taste and pain in my mouth forever? Any long time bandsters have this issue? The nutritionist says that I don't have to eat carbs if I don't get that far (meaning, eating Protein first and then veggies...and not getting to carbs). I think I have about 30grams per day of carbs.

Betsy....I love you. I look for you and your comments. I had my first fill last Thursday - and the majority of my time with my surgeon was talking about exactly what you said here. I lost 5 lbs in my bandster hell period up to my first fill (in 3 weeks) and I did it by dieting honestly. I was starving. But I knew that I had to hang in there until the band was "turned on." My doctor spent awhile explaining RESTRICTION - RESTRICTION does not mean that you cannot eat things....It means that you don't get hungry for a long time. I wish people would use this term correctly on this site. The flow thru is RESTRICTED, not our diets. Our diets have to be SELF RESTRICTED. We have to make good choices and we have to take responsiblity for the things we put in our mouths. So if we are unwilling to do some of the work, the band isn't going to pick up the slack. I am excited with my first fill - got 4ccs and today I ate 2 times and finally feel full for about 5 hours between meals. That is band restriction. Molly restriction was the decision to eat chicken instead of a cupcake

I had my surgery on July 26.... this was mild pre-op but now, I might as well be sucking a penny!

I got 4ccs on my first fill yesterday. I asked how he decides and he smiled and said, "experience." When I was leaving, the nurse said that my doc was a little aggressive with the first fill but that the pay off would be good - MY FINGERS ARE CROSSED! I am scheduled to go back on September 13.