Acadia

You're on the right track, you are aware about what you're doing, many people aren't and they mindlessly eat. I used to do that. And when I got the band I thought it was to restrict me from eating more but when I was too full (too much fill that is) it was horrendous. I was in my green zone of being satiated without realizing it and had 1 cc (my last fill) removed. Now that I know it's up to me to stop eating I'm losing again. I could sit and eat 4-5 cups of some foods. But now I won't. I drink a big glass of crystal light 15 minutes before a meal, eat my meal slowly, pausing after each bite (you learn to eat things cold), and I stop when I know I'm eating because it tastes good. There really is a difference between eating to be full and eating because it's good. I think you're at the point where, if you switch to whole grains and snack on Fiber dense fruit and/or Protein between meals, you'll start dropping again. Eat like your baby does, small meals every few hours. Since your baby is keeping a schedule it may help you keep a schedule. Eat after your baby does when your baby is content and won't mind you taking time for you.

I'm working to compete in a figure competition so my goal weight will likely fall around 125 lbs with a lot of work. I imagine I'll be fine around 140 though and my Dr would like me around 150.

You may not want to wear flip flops, look for slip on shoes instead. You can fall very easily in flip flops and you don't want to right after surgery.

For eating you won't be for a week or two. Get Jello (mix with 1 c Isopure clear Protein drink and 1 c hot Water to make a high protein snack), crystal light, Protein shakes you enjoy, broth, single serving Soup (tomato and such), yogurt, frozen fruit bars, milk (cow, soy, almond) things like that. That will tide you over the first 1-2 weeks. You likely will not want to leave the house the first 3-5 days. After that get heartier Soups you can blend smooth, milk, protein shakes still, veggies you can purée (try to avoid potatoes), apple sauce (sugar free), pudding (add protein powder), oatmeal, bananas, fruit you can blend, ice, hummus, other soft foods that don't need much chewing. That should tie you over through to week three. After that look for fruits, veggies, whole grain crackers, oatmeal, tofu, fish, soft meat if you eat meat, and everything above. Stay away from anything refined, white products (flour, sugar), cakes, candies, pastries, Pasta (except small and whole wheat), breads, fried foods, breading, etc.

Get an unfill. Having fluid take out, even a tiny bit, can mean the difference between your green zone and hell.

The only chewable I take is my multi and it's two One a Day sours. It's a sweet treat as well (sours are not very sour at all). Everything else I take are full size solid pills including: Vitamin D (Gelatin cap), calcium (solid pill), magnesium (solid pill), zinc (solid pill), cinnamon (gel cap), lysine (solid pill), omega-3 (large Fluid gel cap), prilosec OTC (solid pill), DHEA (solid pill), birth control (solid pill), allergy pill (solid pill), and B1 (gel cap). I take them all at night and all at once and I'm in my green zone (but will be scheduling a 0.25 cc fill in July).. You can take solid pills, you just have to experiment to see what works best. Keep a cup of hot tea near by to drink after taking them during your experimentation phase to dissolve them faster if they don't go through immediately. The only time I don't take mine all at once is after a fill, then I break solid pills in half (those that can be) and eliminate my Omega for a week. The band isn't about restriction. It's about helping you learn to eat when hungry and only until satiated and not eat the rest of the time.

For calcium I use the Citracel petites. They are the size of maybe two peas put end to end and very round like a little barrel. They would be perfect for blocking the stoma but I know if I can't take them, then I'm too tight.

I've never had issues with corn. Whole kernel or popped. It's one of my go to roughage foods. Try, as someone else said, creamed corn. Or regular corn without the meat.

Gasx only works for gas in your intestinal system, the pain you feel after surgery is from gas on your torso body cavity. Gas x won't touch it. Nor will pain medications. Walking, massaging, hot moist packs (fill a tube sock with dry riepce, about four cups,tie the end, microwave for two minutes and use as a compress). Walking will move it around and break it up a bit, massaging will break it up kore and work it into areas that can eliminate it. A hot moist pack will expand the gas and move it around and expand your tissues to allow them to accept it to get it out of your system. I had gas pain for four weeks after surgery and just had gallbladder surgery and it's almost four days with excruciating gas pain. Keep moving.

At two weeks you should be fine for anything but plank / pushups and crunches. For arms, lift weights, heavier the better. You don't Darry your groceries in ne item at a time so don't lift 5 lbs weights. Lift as heavy a weight as you can where you can only do 8-10 reps. Work with a trainer initially if you can. Otherwise, for body weight, do wall pushups, squats, lunges, jumping jacks (with a belly band), Jack knives, walking, running, leg lifts, etc. Look up military or body weight workouts. Fat will come off everywhere and you'll naturally tone everywhere.

Plus the search on this site really doesn't work well. I say ask the questions you need to. I have however found that searching google for 'lapbandtalk' and the words and/or phrase helps and finds posts whereas the built-in search doesn't, especially if you want to know something NOW and can't wait for replies.

You may have slipped the band up, you may have expanded the pouch, you may have moved around too much and disconnected the tubing causing your fill to leak out, you may have done all sorts of things. The only way to tell is to go to the dr and do a barium swallow under fluoroscopy. Do it now or suffer the next two weeks. An hour now seems like a smarter decision. And don't drink and don't eat crap food. You're just priming yourself for future incidents and ultimately failure. And I think you are aware of this, otherwise you wouldn't have posted. It will be fine but you need to get checked out and get back on track.

The band isn't supposed to provide restriction. It's supposed to provide a reminder to stop eating when you've had your 1-2 cups of food (amount depends on the food) and help you eat slower so your brain sees that you're full faster and will keep you feeling not hungry for 4-5 hours. Not hungry Is the key. You may still WANT to eat but if you're not hungry you shouldn't eat. When you are physically restricted then you run into issues with sliming, pbing, vomitting, nausea, overeating sliders, etc. Which can all lead to weight gain and band slippage. Are you eating more because you can or because you're hungry? If the former, then no amount of restriction will help. You'll still be able to eat sliders easily. Write down what you eat, measure your food out and stop eating after the 1-2 cups. It's a tool, like a hammer, it can't actually do the work for you, it's going to sit there until you learn how to use it correctly.

Any fiber drink mix should work and won't make your system work too hard. If it doesn't work, mix 1 L of water with 2 tsp natural sea salt. Dissolve the salt in hot water first then mix with a large quantity of cold water to make it easier. It will go through you FAST. Be near a toilet. And make sure you have around three hours because it can take a while to clear out completely.

A Brazilian wax is safest. You are on your back with legs spread for this surgery so it's nice to be clean. And a wax won't grow back for 4-6 weeks, whereas a shave will start immediately. Get the wax around 3-5 days before surgery to allow swelling to go down.

According to my surgeon 20% of lap band patients require gallbladder removal within 18 months of surgery.

FitBit. $99 for the device, tracks your activity and sleep, allows you to track your food online, and is completely private unlike myfitnesspal, which has legal authority to use anything you post (photos, words, etc) anyway they want. I use Fit Bit in conjunction with The Daily Plate.

Get a slight unfill. Being too tight will cause weight gain (because you revert to sliders) will cause swelling and vomiting and many more unpleasant symptoms. I speak from experience.

Definitely get an unfill. Even 0.25 - 1.00 cc can make a HUGE difference.

After fill #1 (1.5 cc), I was in my green zone and I didn't even know it. Because I didn't know what the green zone really was, and because I was expecting to need several fills before feeling that 'satiated feeling' (based on other people's experiences), I went for another fill of 1.0 cc and was too full. Had that 1.0 cc removed, and am between my green zone and needing another very tiny fill (0.25 - 0.50). While I could probably use another tiny fill I know that isn't an option right now as I'm having gallbladder surgery this week. However, even after that, if I realise that the band's goal isn't to give me restriction to the point of stopping me from eating then I don't actually need another fill. The band's goal is to make you think twice about eating when you're not hungry and to help you eat a normal amount when you are hungry. Right now, I can do that - if I make the effort. I can still overeat if I want - but even those who are over filled can overeat on their sliders. So instead of getting another fill after surgery I'm going to wait and keep my food measured and logged so, as I lose weight and my band gets looser and I need another fill, I'll still be in control and the fill will just help dampen my appetite without affecting my ability to eat. Like Rachel said, a fill should keep you satiated for 4-5 hours between meals. It shouldn't physically hinder you from eating 1.5-2 cups of food at a meal. I believe that's where many people

Unless I eat something like soup, that I know will go through without issues, I could get stuck and I can't be vomiting in my cube.

Men often don't know how to word things. He may have simply been saying that you are looking looser (this is a good thing, it means you're losing weight) and oddly, that extra skin can make someone look like they are gaining weight because the skin isn't tight. Working out with weights will help bring your skin in and fill you out with muscle instead of fat. YOU may want to go apologize to him for jumping to conclusions and tell him that it hurt when he made those comments because YOU interpreted them negatively and didn't take the time to ask him what it is he was seeing that seemed different. You are too close to how you look to see what others can - he was simply being honest, regardless of how you chose to take it. Instead of being insulted you could have said, "Really? I'm looking flabby? I hadn't noticed since I look at myself everyday, but that's good! That means I'm losing more weight! You're probably right that it's time for me to step up my workouts to try to pull some of this old skin back in." Instead, you chose to be insulted and chose to take it out on him. Had you been positive, and if he really meant it as an insult, that would have made him rethink what he said to word it better or to not say it again. Being negative and overreacting in response just makes the situation worse. No one can make you say or do or feel anything - they can only present you with a stimulus, it's up to you to respond. The second you go on the defense, you've already lost.

If your Dr. said Clear Liquids, pick up some Isopure. It's pure Protein - clear like crystal light - no carbs. You can't live off of it but it fills you up. As for straws - you can use them. There is absolutely no evidence they cause problems.

Why do you want more restriction? It sounds like you're in your green zone but you're deliberately overeating. Keep a food diary writing down what you eat, how much of it, when you eat it, why you're eating (are you really hungry), and include what you drink. Then count all the calories (or use something like The Daily Plate). See where you're overeating. Any form of band isn't supposed to stop you from eating, it's supposed to allow you to stop eating sooner because you're full (on less food) and to stop you from eating when you're not actually hungry.

The band's purpose is to make you not hungry, make you not think about food, not want to eat (even when you're not hungry). It won't prevent you from eating anything. No reason to have last meals and overindulge. You will be able to eat anything you want after surgery - just smaller amounts of it. Even bread and Pasta - bread might be really well toasted, but still.