TKW

If I drink with meals I eat double what I would if I don't drink with my meal. It could all be in my head and what I've conditioned my self to believe but that's how it is for me.

I count calories, don't pay any attention at all to carbs. I've been very successful. I eat anywhere from 1000 - 1200 calories a day. I'd say most days my carbs are between 50 - 75. Good Luck!

I don't have a problem with bread if I eat it very VERY slowly. But I NEVER drink with my meals. I agree, if you can't tolerate it, don't eat it or eat it and be satisfied with filling up quicker... both seem like win/win situations to me!

Yeah... doesn't it feel great. It took me a year to get to the "sweet spot"! Keep up the good work!

Sometimes when you get something stuck and throw up your stomach will swell up and the band will be tighter. It's good to do mushies or liquids for a day after a bad stuck episode. I was stuck once for a good 3 - 4 hours. I just could not eat for a couple days after that. Take it easy for a day, however... fluids should go down fine. Good Luck

There is nothing I can't eat if I eat correctly. small bites, chew good, eat slowly. I don't eat a lot of bread anymore because it can give me problems but I can eat it if I'm very careful. I find the band to be 1/3 of the equation. Yes, I do have to work out and I do have to make the right food choices. In my opinion, if you don't combine all 3 of these, it may not work the best for you. That being said, there are days I don't work out and there are days I go to the Dairy Queen. I do these things on occassion but not consistantly. It seems to work for me! Good Luck with your decision!

Wow... amazing!

Yeah.... good luck!

I was terrified and feeling some of the things you are feeling (not wanting to go out) . I have always been heavy but very happy, the last few years that happiness has gone away. After 2 - 3 years of contemplating the lap band I finally took the leap and did it. It is very scary but I am so glad I did it. I'd do it agian in a heartbeat. It is time to start taking care of you, and doing things for you. You sound like a great sister and a very caring person. I don't know your brothers situation but my family has worked with handicapped people for many many years. My mother was the director of a day program for adult mentally handicapped people. She also took in 2 adult women who lived with her for 16 years, she passed away and now they live with my brothers family. They have become part of our family. Sorry, I'm going on, my point is, both these girls have parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, cousins. Sometimes them best you can do is to set them free. It helps them find their independance. We have a very large handicapped poplulation in the city I live in. There are many, many group homes, foster homes, independent living places, day programs, job opportunities for these individuals. I'm not suggesting you stop taking care of your brother, I don't know your situation and perhaps that is what you want, but I am suggesting you start taking care of you. You matter too! Your story really touched me, I wish you luck !!!!

I have great restriction at 5.6 cc in a 10 cc band. I was lucky, I had some restriction with an empty band. But it took me almost a year to get to the point where I was full on less than 1 cup of food. Good Luck to you!

I can eat watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberry, banana, peaches, grapes but apples give me a heck of a time. They are really the only fruit I have trouble with.

I've been stuck a hundred times, oddly... never on steak. I eat it once a week. Maybe I'm just extra careful cuz I know that steak is a problem food for so many. Give me shrimp and it's practically stuck before I get it in my mouth!

today I had chicken salad on vegi crackers and some watermelon and cantaloupe.

Well sometimes you just hit a plateau, who knows why, even if you seem to be doing everything right. I have seen a lot of people on here say to increase your calorie intake because your body goes into starvation mode if you are eating too few calories. How many calories are you eating in a typical day. If it is under 1000 try increasing it to 1200.

that's great. No, i don't think he will give you a fill if you still are feeling the same (although all Dr's seem to have different standards). Some people lose all their weight and never get a fill! Continued Success to you!!!

Hi Mary - I could also eat and eat and eat. I felt some restriction right from the start with my band but it took 4 fills to get to the point that I would feel "FULL" on less then a cup of food. I get full really quick now. That being said, it doesn't always stop me from nibbling or wanting to munch on something, especially at night. Your head has so much to do with it. You really need to learn to listen to your stomach!

Definately not a mushie, you can eat it when you are on solid foods. I eat salads all the time, I never have a problem with them getting stuck, but some people have a lot of trouble with them. Chew, Chew, Chew!!!

I was tired of the same old, same old... so I went to my first Zumba class last week. I loved it and it was a great work out! Lots of great ideas here!!! Thanks everyone!

1 year and 2 months ago I weighed 432 pounds. I'm hoping by the end of the week to weigh in the 200's for the first time since High School 30 years ago. I'd do it again in the blink of an eye!!! Good Luck to you!

Haven't taken even a sip of a protien drink since 2 weeks after surgery. I don't have trouble getting in my protien (most days). A lot of people drink them on a regular basis. I don't care for them... Also, it is liquid calories that don't fill you up because it goes right through your band. Good source of protien though. Good luck to you!

I did not have to do the liquid diet either. My BMI was in the 60's . My surgeon wanted me to lose some weight (liver shrinkage), but no specific amount. He told me he would not do the surgery if I gained "any" weight. I lost 18 pounds in 2 1/2 months. Good Luck to you!

Prayers for you both!

Sort of sounds like a slip to me. Can you keep liquids down? I have thrown up where I had a hard time eating anything solid for a couple of days but liquids went down fine and stayed down. Hope it is just an irritated stomach. Good Luck?

I think we all have those thoughts that we may "fail" again. It took me 2 years to commit to having the surgery. It has gone very well for me now I imagine where I would be had I commited earlier!!! No regrets... love my band! Good Luck to you!

The most important thing about "snitching" little bites while you are healing is that you could cause some serious damage if you happened to get somehting stuck and ended up throwing up. You don't want to do anything to make your band slip. Your stomach is most likely swollen so a "stuck" episode could happen quite easily. It is hard, be careful but don't beat yourself up because you took a nibble of something. I was guilty of it too!