vickyd

I think that people are hesitant to say anything especially when you are very heavy. I didn't get any comments from people who dont know about my band until I lost 50 lbs. But now they are coming fairly often...last month I was on a business trip and saw a lot of people who hadn't seen me since surgery and their reactions were priceless! It really made my week! Hang in there...people will start to notice...

Stevenjoec-You can certainly be stuck and not throw up. What you are describing is exactly what happens to me when I get stuck. I have been stuck several times...normally on pork or chicken (especially canned chicken) but I have only thrown up twice.

Bring very loose fitting clothes to wear home from the hospital (my port incision was right at my waist-band level so this was very important for me) and bring a pillow to put between your belly and the seatbelt during the drive home. In addition to gasx strips, get some liquid pain reliever (your doctor will probably give you a prescription but if you aren't in that much pain this will help) and a heating pad. I found that the heating pad helped a lot with the gas pains. Also, make sure to walk as much as possible (even if it is just around the inside of your house) because that will help move the gas out. Drink sips of Water or crystal light as often as possible and don't be suprised if you are either constipated or have diarrhea (both are very common). Good Luck!

I had to do a 2 week pre-op liquid diet consisting of Protein shakes, popscicles, Jello, broth (I had to have between 80-120 grams protein and less than 800 calories) and I was very suprised at how easy it was. The only day I had trouble was Thanksgiving Day for the obvious reason. On that day, I did cheat and eat a bit of turkey (with my Dr's permission so I guess it wasn't technically a cheat) but I wasn't starving during that time. After surgery, I did 2 weeks liquids and 2 weeks mushies before moving to solid food. I am one of the lucky ones who felt restriction right from the beginning (most people don't but there are several of us on here who did) so I wasn't hungry at all after surgery. To date, I have had 1 fill (3 months after surgery) and never went through what others fondly call "Bandster Hell". At this point (5 months post op) I eat between 1,000-1,100 calories a day and can go 4-5 hours between meals without being hungry. The most difficult thing I have had to get used to is the fact that I no longer feel "full" after eating...I measure out my food (3-4 oz protein, 1/2 cup veggies) and eat only that amount and when I'm finished I'm not normally full but instead I'm no longer hungry.

I am lactose intolerant so the two shakes I like are Isopure from GNC (not the fruit flavors) and Muscle Milk Light.

My surgeon told me that the most important thing was to stay hydrated right after surgery. As long as you are sipping on water throughout the day then you should be fine for now. When you are on full liquids you need to try to get your protein in because otherwise you will start feeling weak.

Awesome!!!

I was also going to suggest that you get the sample box from Unjury. This will give you a chance to try the different flavors before you commit to buying a large quanitity. One of my favorite drinks during my pre-op phase was the Strawberry Unjury added to Crystal Light lemonade...it tastes like strawberry lemonade and was a nice break from all of the vanilla and chocolate protein shakes (which can be a bit much after a while). I didn't like the Unjury chicken soup protein powder because it lumps up if you heat it too much and I don't like lukewarm soup (the taste was good, just couldn't handle the temperature).

The long term complications of so much vomiting is that your band could slip. As far as how do I know when to stop eating...from the beginning, I have weighed and measured all of my food (4 oz protein, 1/2 cup veggies). I eat until the good is gone (or until I feel full) and then I stop. For the most part, I'm not full when I stop eating but I am not hungry anymore.

Melody - LMAO I'm in the same boat with needing everythng lifted or tucked...I told my DH the other day that my body is starting to look like a melting candle...everything is heading south (and I am only about half way to my goal weight). When I finally hit goal I'm gonna be tucking the girls into my pants...LOL...

It is impossible to answer your question without having some more facts...When was your surgery and how much have you lost? How many calories are you eating each day? Are you exercising? If so, how much?

You feel the same because you don't have restriction yet. There are some people who feel restriction immediately after surgery due to the fact that their surgeon starts them out with a small fill or just due to the placement of the band. The vast majority of people require multiple fills to even begin to feel restriction. Unfortunately, right now is going to be all about willpower until you get to the proper fill level. Don't feel like a failure...this is VERY common (just do a search on here for "Bandster Hell" and you'll see what I mean).

I think it is different for everyone. Personally, I don't want my band so tight that I am PBing all the time. I have had one fill and consider myself at a good fill level - I eat 4 oz protein, 1/2 cup veggies at lunch and dinner (breakfast is usually eggbeaters and turkey sausage) and I can go 4-5 hours without feeling hungry. There are no foods that I can't eat (including bread and pasta) but I choose not to eat bread, pasta, potatoes and rice because I have found that I lose better (and feel better) if I keep my carbs under 40g per day. Regardless of fill level, you still need to find a way of eating that works for you and that you can stick with...in the end, willpower is still a huge factor (at least for me).

They will not let you drive yourself home...one of the first questions they asked me while they were prepping me for the procedure was "Who is here to drive you home?" I was fine to walk out to my car (no wheelchair needed) but I was very drowsy and wouldn't have been safe behind the wheel. As far as eating goes, they gave me juice after the procedure and then told me to wait an hour before eating. Your throat may feel a bit scratchy but otherwise it was a snap.

It's hard to tell...I was fine to be back at work in 5 days but others have a harder time with recovery. Since you are going to be attending training sessions, as long as you are just sitting then you should be ok.

Definately bump up the calories. My suggestion would be to raise them to about 900 - 1,000 at first and then slowly increase them until you find the level you lose the most effectively. A lot of people on here who track their calories stay in the 1,200 a day range but I have found that I lose most effectively if I stay between 1,000 - 1,100. Everyone is different so you need to find the right level for you. Also, as you increase your calories try to keep the additional calories as Protein as much as possible. I'm not sure if you track carbs but I was able to push past a plateau by bringing my carbs down to 20g for 2 weeks (now I keep them in the 30-40g range). Just a couple of suggestions...Good luck!

Name, real or screen~ vickyd Age~ 45 Weight on May1st~ 253.2 Goal Weight for May 29th~ 245 Exercise Goal for May~ To increase walking distance to 3 miles Dietary Goal for May~ To keep carbs below 30g per day Personal Goal for May~ To find a new job Date Banded~ 12/2/10 Total Weight Loss Since Banding~ 71.8

I have never heard of a doctor saying you shouldn't be able to eat until 4 hours after getting up. There are some people on here who are tighter in the morning and have to either wait a while to eat or choose slider foods in the morning but I've never heard that this is how it should be...strange...

Spring Fever Challenge These are the results as of today. I will post the final results later in the week.

Vickyd checking in at 253.2 (down 4.2 lbs from last week) and exceeding my goal by 1.8 lbs !

I have the same problem with dairy. You might also look into the lactose free protein shakes - Isopure and Muscle Milk Light are 2 that I've tried.

I agree with Rachel...try weighing and measuring out your food and stop when the food is gone. Right now, a lot of the journey is about willpower. The other big thing I had to learn is that I no longer eat until I am full but rather I stop when my measured food is gone. This doesn't leave me feeling full but rather no longer hungry...if I eat until my brain tells me I am full then I am eating way too much. Just a suggestion...

I think others have hit on some good places to shop...one thing I have been doing is for pants I only buy a couple of pairs that I can wear with several different tops. That way I don't feel like i am spending too much as I go through sizes. I do spend a little more on tops because I can get away with wearing them longer. The strangest thing for me is that while I used to be able to go in and buy without trying anything on, now I always end up taking multiple sizes into the fitting room because I am never sure what size I am...it's a nice problem to have !

I'm in

I think it's good for you to be asking these questions. IMHO too many people go into this surgery not understanding that a lot of people don't feel restriction from the beginning, the band won't make you make healthy good choices and you may be restricted in what foods your band can tolerate. If you choose to have surgery then you need to understand what the band will and won't do. That said, I can tell you that I did feel restriction from the start (I have had 1 fill in 5 months) and there aren't any foods my band won't tolerate (including bread and pasta) so I have to make good choices about both the foods I eat and the quantities. Yes, I could have lost some weight without the band but I have never in my life been able to lose 70 lbs so for me the band is definitely worth it. I don't know all the specifics of how it works (like you, I have seen a ton of conflicting info) but I DO know that it does work FOR ME. The band doesn't work for everyone and if you aren't willing to do your part then it isn't the right surgery for you. Good Luck!