HeatherinCA

Did they give you nausea medication? Take it... I luckily was never nauseated, but I do have the medication. Are you not aloud Protein shakes? or are can't you just not get them down? Whatever you do, just sip small amounts every 5 minutes. Call your doctor!

If you aren't hungry, shouldn't need one really. Eventually when you lose weight the fat pad shrinks and you will get hungrier. Then you should get a fill. 5lbs a month doesn't seem so spectacular though that they would not fill you because of that. @Day Dreamer, sometimes the restriction of just having the band is enough to work for some people.

Are you drinking at least 60 grams of protein shakes? That should make you feel fuller. Liquids just suck though, no way around it. But protein shakes FIRST, then if you want other things then have it.

My bill was $29,829, looks like my insurance paid $6,039, and I paid $2500, plus like $400 more for the anesthesiologist. Yea it's all medical politics I'm sure. It's hard on insurance (sick people costing too much, not sick people not buying insurance) and it's hard on the doctors because some people can't afford to pay or don't pay, insurance pays them less, equipment is expensive, lawsuits, malpractice insurance all that stuff. It's complicated!

I didn't try anything too funky! Just did my shakes first (always premixed kind!), then I'd buy different varieties of Soups, i'd have maybe once a day, like tomato, butternut squash, pureed bean Soup. For me, when I was on liquids I didn't have much of an appetite for different things. I still have a cabinet full of soup, bullion, chicken stock, and 10 different nasty Protein powders and all that crap haha. Be careful mixing things into shakes, the calories can add up fast. The shakes already have a lot. sugar free pudding is good, and fudgsicals. For me though, I was usually looking for something savory since all the shakes are sweet

What does it feel like after eating the 1/2 cup of food? You don't eat 1/2 cup of food, after healing it's about 1 cup to 1-1/2 cups per meal. For me dinner is like 4 turkey meatballs with cheese and marinara, lunch is 1/2-3/4 cup chicken salad with 2 flatbread crackers, Breakfast either 3/4 cup dry oatmeal (prepared w/ water) and half a banana, or 1 piece of toast and 2 eggs or egg beaters. Basically keeping it 1200 calories a day. Eat mostly Protein then supplement with other things (usually veggies, but I'm not a big fan) What does it feel like to be full? It feels the same, but you are never bloated, thanksgiving dinner full. Thats how I would always feel pre-band, from over eating.. it's just a light pressure now, or a little gassy. Basically you eat slowly, then you stop when you are satisfied. Basically your measure should be am I not hungry? After you get filled, you go several hours without hhunger (I can go 4 or 5) What does it feel like to be stuck? I haven't been stuck, so I can't help you there. With the exception of some people who just can't digest certain things (like untoasted white bread), or if you take a monster bite of food, you shouldn't get stuck a lot, if you do your band is probably too full. Use baby utensils when you can. What does it feel like before you throw up? Again I haven't, but I heard its pretty painful! You will know if you are stuck. What does it feel like when you are throwing up? What does it feel like when you drink Water and if you drink it too fast? Normal. I can drink as much as I want as fast as I want. I mean I never have like a gallon at a time, but i can take a few big gulps no problems. Water goes right through... Just don't drink with meals!

Oh yea I did the last meal thing ahha. But really, you can eat anything with your band it's not the end of the world. (assuming your band isn't crazy tight) But you do have to remember if you don't stick to a 1200 cal diet, you won't lose weight, but that doesn't mean you can't have McDonalds. You can have a hamburger and a small fries it's 480 calories. You just can't have a double quarter pounder a large fries and a coke, and an apple pie. For me, i'm satisfied with eating less! It's all about learning correct portion sizes. For me, I eat out a lot, i just try to check the nutrition if I can! Most chain restaurants have it posted online, or you can get it at the restaurant.

I've heard about it. Totally an LA thing, they have raw food restaurants here. Haha "spoiling quickly" is a bandsters worst enemy, takes me like a week to go through a bag of anything ahha. I just don't think it's a realistic lifestyle...

Have you tried seeing a different doctor? Maybe they an figure out what's up.

I haven't been in one, but I'd just tell em. I don't think it's that weird. I would spare all the details though. They don't need to know about PBing and stuff haha. Especially, I see from your ticker you aren't at your goal yet, I don't see why it would be a problem. If they can't support that then, they have no business being with you anyways! I'd assume most guys would be thrilled to know you are working on getting skinnier.

If you are hungry, then you should be due for another one. They can only do it like once a month though, because the fills take a few weeks to take effect. Just keep an eye on your calories, if you are gaining, you are eating too much.

That's mean! This is by no means an easy way out. I don't think skinny people quite understand the addiction, and disease part of obesity. I'm not fat by choice. Sure, I like food and all that, but it's uncontrollable. Nobody would intentionally eat themselves to 300lbs. The band for me is just built in motivation, it's always gonna be there. It doesn't do the work for me, and I still have to diet and exercise, but we need some physical restraint, and to retrain ourselves on what is a proper portion.

Hmm I guess. I don't know that I'd spend $2,000. A ton of this battle is mental though, it could be helpful

Name, real or screen~ Heather Age~ 25 Weight on February 28th~ 259 Goal Weight for March 31st~ 249 Exercise Goal for March~ 3x a week (I've been slipping! and I had an injury that prevented exercise for the past 2 weeks) Dietary Goal for March~ Count calories Personal Goal for March~ No more oatmeal after dinner Date Banded~ 12/13/10 Total Weight Loss Since Banding~ 39 (well 40, since I'm a few days late)

I gave up caffeine in November, it sucks for a while because of withdrawal, but now I don't notice or miss it. Also you are probably just still tired from surgery and healing

You will never be full with a 1/2 cup of food, that's just nonsense! There is no way you would be getting enough nutrition that way, or even if it did, it wouldn't be mentally satisfying. I eat 1 to 1-1/2 cups a food per meal. It's supposed to be like 3oz protein, and some veggies and a little starch per meal. 1200 calories a day. Fills take a couple weeks to get in your system anyways. I did have a different view of the band before surgery, and I did expect the 1/2 cup of food thing to be true, but now living with it, I know that isn't the case. But the band does keep my hunger at bay, I'm just learning to work with that, and to not eat, when I'm not hungry. I think for me, if I got another fill I would just start getting stuck, but overall it wouldn't help me eat less.

Best you can do is watch your calories and exercise!! The hunger should eventually subside... also make sure the hunger isn't mental. My brain always wants tasty food, but my body doesn't. My advice, don't focus on fills, or how much is in your band, the most important part and 80% of the journey is diet and exercise.

Pretty sure I didn't have one, and soon after I was able to get up and pee. Also you've been without liquids for at least 12 hours shouldn't have too much to pee

My credit is good, and they still wouldn't approve me for all of it, my parents took part and I took part, but I ended up just switching insurance to get it covered. It was a better deal to pay $450 a month for a PPO than to pay for health insurance, and for the loans. I have no idea where else you could go, it's pretty hard to get financing for anything these days because of the banking crisis and recession.

What? No way! I eat fairly normal sized bites. When I'm at home i use a baby fork to make sure nothing is too huge. If anything i like to cut it small so it lasts longer, and makes the small portions more satisfying. If it's so small and mashed so tiny it'll become a slider food..

That sucks something doesn't seem right at all if you are sick that much!

Eww Cabbage haha. Doesn't alfredo have like 100 grams of fat..? I love turkey meatballs with marinara, it's tasty! don't miss the Pasta.

I didn't choose, I just chose my surgeon. I have a lapband. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Everything is a million times different than you think after you have surgery.. like the way it functions, and how it feels. The problems are pretty rare, as far a erosion and all that. The last thing I'd worry about is if you are going to get enough restriction, it's different for everyone, and regardless you do most of the work, the band just helps with hunger. I would just make sure you chose a well qualified surgeon at a center of excellence, don't worry about which band.

I don't eat em, too many calories, and most are nasty... but if I had to, it would be to replace a meal. But the Balance ones are pretty good I used to have those

Yep! This part is much better yay real food! Also keep in mind it can take a couple week to really feel the fill so don't get discouraged.