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Mine doesn't hurt, when I drink a Protein shake I feel full. Doc said it may take a week or so to feel the fill! I think I feel it now. My hunger is head hunger, as I always have head hunger!

I'm not here to start a political debate or argument so I hope the posters on this thread stick to the topic! The fact of the matter is, in several places in the USA weed is now legal, and in many other places it's decriminalized, and statistically people with bands will live in said areas. OK, so now that that is out of the way, what are your tips and tricks to keep the munchies in check? Please share your ideas! I usually: - Pre-portion out foods before getting high - Try and make good choices for comfort foods. For example I like savory and sweet foods when I'm baked, so I prepare things like meat and a pre-cut fruit for dessert. Sometimes if I'm craving ice cream, I throw berries and mango into a blender with a tsp of sugar and almond milk. It's amazing! - Make a note to yourself while sober to remember NOT to overeat! You don't want to undue all your hard work from the week. - Eat extra slow...now that I don't eat slow now Hope to hear some good ideas! And for those health nuts (trust me I am one!) I use a vaporizer and it is a very casual habit of mine (not that I think frequency matters).

yes thats great! I'm 3 weeks out and only lost 14 lbs IN TOTAL!!

I have been having a VERY tough 3 weeks. :think My sister and her husband are separating and getting divorced. Its been very stressful and i have been going back to my OLD habits. :angry I am very depressed and been eating and eating and eating and not exercising. I keep making excuses and i really can't get back into the swing of things. My uncle's Cancer came back and he needs a bone marror transplant and we can't find a donor. We had one but that person backed out. :think The doctor already mentioned that he will die if he doesn't get one. So lets just say the stress level around here is HUGE. I keep thinking Oh one more day won't hurt. Yeah well one more day has turned into 21 days. I don't think i have gained much which is good but i can't seem to do anything right. I want to loose weight. I want to become healther,I DON'T want to fail. I keep dreaming about making it to goal. I am only down 57 lbs, My sister is already down 65+..I have a slow thyroid but i can't blame everything on that. I do get some protein but i don't think its enough. I have 127lbs left to go. I keep feeling like its never going to get there. I DON'T want to be fat the rest of my life. I have dealt with weight 20+ years and i can't stand it anymore. I want to have boyfriends. hell i want some FRIENDS. Ugh... I have a trip coming up in May. Its for work. I would like to hopefully be at least another 1-2 clothing sizes down. Right now i am in a size 26. I want to be at least another 25-50lbs down. I think i can do this if i stick my mind to it! i need some encouragement. Bigtime.

Our family eats a ton of beans and I love finding new recipes with them. This sounds GREAT and my kids LOVE limas. I will make this later in the week and come back and post the review!

Well, technically still my first since I freaked out the first time. But, I need it for sure! The past few weeks have been not so good. I lost focus, ate larger portions, drank wine, ate when I wasn't hungry, etc. The scale shows it, too. Funny how that happens and how surgically altering my body still hasn't made that fact stick in my brain yet! OK, all that is in the past. New start, new focus and a fill. I also picked up a copy of Jackie Warner's book "This is why you're fat". I learned a lot about sugar and its addictive hold. I went through my pantry and was shocked at how much sugar is added into "good" food! My favorite Kashi cereal has 13 grams per serving and I eat it with skim milk which has another 13 grams of sugar! Good grief! I'm going to follow her nutrition & exercise advice and see how it goes. I am ready for Onederland for sure! My goal is to be there before the start of basketball season, November 1st. I'll keep posting, that has a way of making me accountable!

I'm one week post-op! Felt a little "pop" when i bent over to pick something up off of the ground which is freaking me out a bit. I think i may have popped a stitch on my band or port There is some mild pain right around where my port is and I really feel like holding the spot when I'm moving. I think its time to call the doctor.

Thanks for this post...I was beginning to panic. I was losing so much hair I literally had a trail everywhere I went. I started the Biotin about 3 weeks ago and it slowed down almost immediately. It's back to the normal shedding amount. Also, my dr said the first 6 months its typical for a surgery patient to lose hair as well. The Biotin has worked great!!!

I am not a good example, as my body responds to trauma by retaining Water. My doc told me most people lose 10-15 pounds because they can't eat much - I was in hospital for 10 days and actually gained 30 pounds (all water retention in my legs). I didn't even start on any solid foods until day 9 in hospital. Today is exactly 7 weeks since surgery and I am still up about 3 pounds from surgery. My appetite was pretty non existent for about 2 weeks, then I had a few troubles with a fickle band, but I would say I have been back to normal appetite for about 2 weeks. If they are doing it as an open surgery, it is a big deal as they are cutting through muscle. The lap band surgery is nothing in comparison. The most important things are to follow your dr's instructions, control your pain and not doing anything abdominal for at least 6 weeks (i.e no vaccuming, don't lift more than 10 pounds). I think I did really well (except for the water retention) because I was very fit before I went into surgery. It is really important to be physically strong before the surgery, so you want to make sure you eat really well for as long as possible before surgery (you do not want to be nutritionally deprived in any way). If you are having trouble eating a nutritious diet (including fruits, vegetables and carbs), I would consider an unfill before surgery.

ok group... I didn't know where to put this, so I found the January thread and I'll start here.. I've joined curves this week.. My plan is to go Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursdays, Friday off.. do yard work on Saturdays, house cleaning too.. and zip on Sundays.. Once I get home I can't get myself motivated to do anything. I was walking but that went bust. I did some free weights, but that went bust too.. I've been stuck at 69 pounds for two weeks now.. Its time to get moving. I found the Protein drink at GNC in the tube, 42grms.. much more easier to take, 3+ oz to drink instead of 20oz.. I use the Isopure in tea, which is ok.. but I get tired of drinking all that.. some days just plain Water is good. I've added cottage cheese to most meals. Mostly a tablespoon or 1/4 cup. I need the dairy.. and a piece of fruit. strawberries, berries, kiwi.. somedays they don't go don't to good, but I give 'em all a try. My hubby cooks on the pit for me, chicken, brisket.. I then cut it up and vaccum seal for my meals.. He has been great about cooking for himself, adding smaller things for me. like steams veggies and such.. He's strickly a meat and potato man. I still have my chocolate.. probably why I'm stuck for two weeks!! LOL can't give it up!! I did pizza, or lets say I tried to do pizza. har the bread was the worst!! So eating the topping is the new 'pizza' for me and just one slice, a big one.. but I use to eat 4 or 5 slices, so that is new for me. How is everyone doing? Summer is here and I hope all is busy and those pounds are dropping off... GAWD! I love my band... :incazzato:

If this is all at once yes then I'd be worried but if it is over the course of a day I may not be that worried- He will however the more he heals and the tmore he increases to solid like food have no choice but to slow down- the liquids go down pretty easy for most- he is lucky he doesnt get nauseated or vomit because of eating that fast. If you are monitering his intake that much- is he assuming any responsiblity as well?? You have to remember that each doctor has his/her own post op diet- personally lobster bisk is a very rich soup- at 2 weeks out I could muster about 5 tsp in about 10 minutes- if it continues he may want to talk to the dietician. I personally am addictied to the food network both before and after surgery- I love to cook and I love to learn- I dont know why that would be a problem....

HI, i was very big you can have a look my pictures, my weight was nearly 15.10 stone i have done my surgery 3rd Sept 2008 2 years back ,i think i have best ever decision made,i spent £5.000.i lost not that much i am now 13,8 but its worth it.the main thing you can,t eat much food,i must say its tool might be my choices was not enough good,last 6 week i lost 5 kg.hopefully i will be on track.its up to you but you worth it.best wishes for you.

I know I was definately not ready to go back to work after a week. I know some people were able to do it...just not me. I am glad that I had a full 3 weeks. At that point I was able to go back to work. I also felt better when I was able to eat mushy food. Good luck!

Thanks Tia! I am a week out and is good -- I think anyway -- to know what is coming so that as it does I have information on the fact that this is normal and will go away so I don't have to worry about it when it comes. You go girl! We shall see this through it's natural course and be better for it!

jumped on the scales at work today, down to 61.3kgs (134lbs) have lost in 10 days 1.2kgs (2lbs) will only weight now on fridays, well be seeing my family in 3 weeks, hope to be at least 59.9kgs by then cant wait to be out of the 60,s

I had DS surgery June 12 and felt slight soreness, nothing unusual, felt ready to 24 hours laterPOD 1...then it hit with a ton of bricks, POD 2, excruciating pain, high heart rate and inability to walk.. had a cat scan it was negative for leak... POD3my surgeon wasn’t convinced and Wanted too keep me to see how I was feeling wasn’t quite up to par but pain controlled still walking, every 3 hours slow but steady..POD4 woke up with fever103.9 and heart in 120’s. Plan was exploratory lap 2 hours later, came out of OR with 3 drains and a NGT to decompress stomach and a PCA..for pain control, he found a teeny tiny leak, restitched it and covered with muscle. Washed the cavity hence the drains. Now on antibiotics and fluids...And another week here in the hospital. The upside I have a great team of nurses and docs at a nationally accredited metabolic and Bariatric center... I’m getting awesome care. I read so much research studies and articles prior to the DS I knew the switch has more complications but greater results! The benefits outweigh the risks .... peace and live my bench buddies !

Hi all, happy Friday!! I have an odd thing happening when I swallow, I'm wondering if it happends to any of you and what your Dr's say about it, mine is of no help. I had surgery in February, all of my anatomy pre-surgery tests came back perfect, surgery went perfectly, nothing was out of the ordinary. 5-6 weeks after surgery I went in for my first follow up appt and (hopefully) a fill... my Dr does fills using an x-ray, I stand in front of it, my band shows up, I swallow the barium Fluid and we watch it go down, pool up a little and then slowly flow through my band. It's pretty cool! Except here's the odd thing that happends - when I swallow, it doens't ALL go through the band, it will pool up, sit there for a few seconds, and then here and there the fluid will start to drain through the band. After watching for a few minutes it still doesn't ALL drain through, there is still a bit left handing out above the band, eventually it does all go through. So the first time we saw this (6 weeks post op) my Dr said he never saw it before and I must have some food stuck in there, or I must be too tight, he gave me a total unfill (I had fluid in there coming out of surgery, although he doesn't know how much, maybe 6cc's he said - but I TOTALLY don't believe him that I had 6cc's, I would put money on that, he made that number up, yes, my Dr lies to me and I can prove it). He said come back in a week. After a week, the same exact thing happend (remember I now have NO fill AND that day from first thing in the morning until my appt I didn't eat a thing, only drank) so this confirms that it isn't because of a stuck peice of food and it isn't because I'm too tight. He gave me a 2.5cc fill that day, told me to come back in a month. Went back Wednesday of this week, SAME THING happends still. He did not want to give me a fill, but he also isn't doing anything else to figure it all out and he's just wasting my time (SO many issues with my Dr). I told him that I can't keep waiting for this to change on it's own, it hasn't changed in the month and a week that we've been watching it, if we're not going to do some tests or something different then I want to ignore it for now and move on with my weight loss, please give me a fill and get me back to some restriction - PLEASE! So he did, I'm at good restriction now and hopefully will see some weight loss results. Anyone have anything similar happening? Dr is now calling it a "spasm" that happends in my throat when I swallow. Some facts that might be helpful to know: 1. I've never been stuck 2. I've never felt discomfort from it, never have felt like I was choking or couldn't get food down 3. Remember that it isn't because I was over full, because it happends when I have NO fill Thanks for your 2 cents!! Melissa

I too just came from my first fill today! I asked my doc how big my band was and he told me it was 11cc. I also asked him how much fill I would be getting..I got 3.5cc which he said everyone gets the first time. He did have to numb me before he filled me because I hate needles and almost died when I saw the length of the fill needle..lol! He said I could get filled every week if necessary..but I don't think it will be. I really didn't need this one. I've lost about 40lbs since I was banded on 05/31/11.

Well, the gas, for me, is almost a thing of the past now. No discomfort at all. But I'm experiencing a little bit of hunger, which my surgeon told me to expect. He's got me on smooth mushies (yoghurt, creamy low-cal Soups etc) today to combat the hunger. I'm also walking to the shops today - about a 3 km round trip (about a mile and a bit?) to get some supplies for when I go back to work next week. How are you lovelies doing today? Claudine and Moe?

Do you throw it up right away or are you nauseous for a couple of hours? How does it work? I'm having surgery next week and I'm freaking out but Im so excited at the same time! I have never felt such dual emotions!:thumbdown:

I am doing a lot better this evening. I am doing a lot better sipping on my broth and Protein Water. I walked 2 miles today and feel that the gas is pretty much gone. I am starting to feel a little hungry tonight but I can manage. Are any of you on the full liquids yet? My doc wants me to wait a week before starting them. How are all the August 4th bandsters doing?

I've seen multiple guidelines given and have been advised by my surgeons office, but I was wondering what your real-world experience has been. I am having a very hard time figuring out how much time I'll REALLY need off from work. I have a slightly unusual situation: I am self employed and work from a home office, but I have a fairly physical component to my job. I do many tradeshows throughout the year and carry a heavy sample case (about 60lbs.) to client appointments in their offices. For the shows, I pack and unpack my car with the display itself, materials for the display, catalogs (10-15 cases, usually about 40lbs each) and samples, and carry all this in and out of the tradeshow location 2x per day (set up and breakdown) for 5 days running. I also drive in between cities (2-4 hrs per day) and start all over again. For regular client visits, I just have my sample case and individual sample bags I make for my clients (3-4 lbs each.) My case is on wheels, but I do have to lift it in and out of my car. The bags go into a wheeled cart but again, need to be loaded in and out of the car. I am thinking I'll take a week off from everything, then hoping to do "office" type work the 2nd week (booking appointments, quote and project followup, email blasts and the like- all phone and computer work.) Do you think I'll be able to do client visits on week 3? Will I be able to do a tradeshow by week 6? While I'll be eligible for surgery in March, I know I'll have to put it off until May when I am pretty much done with the spring shows. I just need to make sure I'll be ready for a show in mid- July if my surgery doesn't end up happening until mid or late May. (FWIW, I do all this stuff now with all the extra weight I am carrying, so I am fairly strong. Hoping this helps my recovery and the whole tradeshow process becomes easier when I'm not schlepping my own weight in addition to the other stuff! :smile2:) Thanks for any advice you can offer! kagead

Ok, I've had an eventful weekend. I've had my band for years. I recently had a fill last week. Almost from the moment I had the fill I felt too tight but thought I was swollen. It was hard for me to drink anything but I managed. The day after it was worse but I still attributed it to swollen. On day 3 I went to full liquids and had a harder time but again talked myself into thinking it was swollen. That night it was like there was no hole for anything to go down. I could not even drink anything without a bad pain and throwing it up. The next morning on Saturday, I called the Dr. the on call Dr. told me to come in because to get unfilled. He unfilled me and instant relief. I could drink. He said most likely it was mt band was too tight and to take it easy the rest of the day. I was able to eat mushies with no problems on Sunday. Today, Monday, I called my Dr. to talk to my Dr. He was not in but the nurse told me to go back on liquids because I am most likely still swollen. She told me that he will want my to wait a week to get filled again and most likely want an UG to see if it was slipped. I am still sore like I am slightly showllen but nothing like I was. I'm now able to drink with no problems. Does this sound like a too tight fill or slip?

tomorrow is a week since surgery! time flies when you're having fun. :confused:

my surgery is a week from today! i can't wait! :clap2: