December 2010 Bandsters out there?

[HeatherinCA 10]

HI, I lost a total of 23 pound, 15 of them were pre op. I was banded on the 23rd. I am begining to eat real food and I am afraid I will gain weight or not lose anymore. Is this normal to stop losing once you begin eating "real" food? And how much can you guys eat at one time? I am having a hard time feeling any restriction and that worries me. I am not getting a fill until the end of Jan. Is that when I will feel the restriciton?Also, just wondering, when did you guys stop feeling any pain? I still feel like I have a cramp or a pulled muscle where the port is. I have a hard time bending and walking I feel the pull of the muscle. Anyone else experience this? It almost feels like aconstant gas bubbleCongrats to you guys who have lost so much! Thats a real accomplishment!~LORI

My weight loss has been about 1 - 2 pounds a week since I started food. I think i need to be a little more careful with what I'm eating, but I'm still not eating very much. Also my doc said next week i can amp up my exercise.

23 lbs in 4 weeks is amazing, you probably don't need a fill. Are you hungry at all? I'm only down 6lbs since the 14th, and I know it is because I haven't been able to worked out, the day after I got the OK to start working out I had a kidney stone attack and had surgery, again, this Tuesday and am not allowed to exercise until this coming Tuesday.

Nope, I mean I physically want food because it tastes good, but I'm not hungry. I've been eating tons of Protein eggs for Breakfast, chicken salad for lunch, ground turkey for dinner, oatmeal for a snack. I have no idea how big my band is or if there is anything in there. After I eat my small meals when I stand up I'm full in my stomach. It's not bloated full but I can feel the pressure.

Someone at work today notice I'm losing weight.. Yeah!! I told them I'm working with my Dr. and he has me on strict diet. Still haven't told anyone about being banded. I was banded on the 27th... and have been doing really well. However, I'm starting to "think about food".... I even had a dream I was eating a tuna sandwich.... geeeeeeeeeeee I'd love a tuna sandwich!!! I think it's all in my mind... cause I'm not really feeling hungry. I'm still on liquids and maybe I feel I just need to bite into something.Anyone in the same boat?

LoL a dream about tuna. Tuna is good!

You could try gum? I haven't yet, I've seen mixed things about it.

Ohh tip for everyone.. well idea. Lately I've been going to more specialty grocery stores when I'm out and can't make lunch and picking up a little tub of chicken salad or turkey or tuna salad it's SOOO good. I had turkey salad with cranberries and walnuts in it from Bristol Farms tonight and it was delicious. It's usually the right size too. Sometimes you can't always eat something good when you are out alone, stopping at a grocery store is a great idea. Watch the calories though, make sure it's not totally crazy.

Also my old trainer always used to tell me (she just tweeted this):

Fat-burning cardio tip: treadmill incline 15 to 40% (all the way uphill), speed 2.0 to 3.5 (no holding the hand rails), 45min-1hr 3-5days per week.

we would always do this, or go hiking in the hills.

[Jess55 97]

Someone at work today notice I'm losing weight.. Yeah!! I told them I'm working with my Dr. and he has me on strict diet. Still haven't told anyone about being banded.

I was banded on the 27th... and have been doing really well. However, I'm starting to "think about food".... I even had a dream I was eating a tuna sandwich.... geeeeeeeeeeee I'd love a tuna sandwich!!!

I think it's all in my mind... cause I'm not really feeling hungry. I'm still on liquids and maybe I feel I just need to bite into something.

Anyone in the same boat?

That felt good, right someone noticing you are losing weight. I had a few people say that it looks like I am losing weight, and that is only from the one week pre op and 9 lbs post op. It felt kind of good. I just told them I am watching what I eat. Only three people at work know that I had surgery and for the time being I want to keep it that way. I have a feeling in the future I will tell them, just not right now. Also just from that loss my scrubs are finally to big on me, so my boss is ordering me new scrubs, yay! I can't wait til they get here, I kind of feel like a slob in my old ones right now...LOL.

As for HeatherinCA treadmill idea, I used to do the treadmill, now I do the elliptical, but I remember when I was doing it, I always held on because if I didn't I felt like I was going to glide right off of it..LOL Can't wait 'til Wednesday and I can start lifting again..

[vickyd 24]

Someone at work today notice I'm losing weight.. Yeah!! I told them I'm working with my Dr. and he has me on strict diet. Still haven't told anyone about being banded.

I was banded on the 27th... and have been doing really well. However, I'm starting to "think about food".... I even had a dream I was eating a tuna sandwich.... geeeeeeeeeeee I'd love a tuna sandwich!!!

I think it's all in my mind... cause I'm not really feeling hungry. I'm still on liquids and maybe I feel I just need to bite into something.

Anyone in the same boat?

You are doing great! It is such a motivator when other people notice that you are losing weight!

I agree with you that when you are on liquids you just start to want to eat anything that requires chewing...be patient, you will be on mushies soon!!

[vickyd 24]

Well, it turns out that my husband does know what he is talking about sometimes (don't tell him I said that )...these past couple of weeks where my weight loss has been stalled he has been telling me to increase my calorie intake a little bit...easier said than done strangely enough. Well, yesterday I ate right at 1,000 calories (I have been around 800 each day) and this morning I am down 1.5 lbs...go figure. I am going to try it again today and see what happens...hopefully this is what I need to do to get my weight loss jump started again!

[tntbelt 1]

I am 3 weeks post op and at first it was hard to even get my meals in but the past few days I have been so hungry in betweeen meals. I am eating a lot of Protein and drinking lots of Water and satisfied with my small meals but ready to eat again in 2-3 hours... It's frustrating because I don't want to mess this up, I think I am ready for a fill My appt isn't til the 19th so I am going to have to hang tough for a little bit longer.

[Guest brockwayn]

Hi Garden Gal and everyone else.

I was banded on Dec 2 and also have about 85 lbs to lose. So far I've lost 34! I am pleased for the most part.

The only thing that's been bothering me is I have this pain in my left side that doesn't seem to want to go away. It's more so when I take a deep breath, sneeze, cough, or try to bend over, etc. And I would say the pain is just above my belly button and about 5-6 inches to left of my belly button. The doctor keeps telling me it is probably just scar tissue and I need to heal.

I, of course, am a worry wart so I think there's something serious wrong...but who knows.

So I'm glad to be here and as I research the boards hopefully I will find someone who had something similar.

Hello! I am trying to figure out this forum and how it all works so bear with me! I was banded Friday, Dec. 3rd and have about 85 lbs. to lose. Diabetes runs in my family and I felt like a time bomb and have never been able to keep the weight off. It just crept up and up. I am very active and want to be able to exercise without the aches and pains. I am 5' 10" and 55 years old. I would like to stay in touch with those of a similar situation.

I had a great experience so far and had my band done as an out pt. procedure. I was out at SAM's the very next morning and haven't had alot of pain. Today I did laundry and walked at the mall. I plan to return towork for awhile on Monday. I was fortunate to also have had it done laproscopically and had a great surgeon, Dr. David Provost. All I can say is so far so good!

[Loriland3 0]

Brockwayn,

I have the same pain. It feels more like a cramp and hurts when I move and bend over. My Dr. says its fine, that it is the muscle healing from having something stitched to it and a foreign thing inside. I have no idea, but I am goving it one more week and if no improvement I am calling my dr. As of now, I wouldnt worry, I think we are still in the healing stages.

[HeatherinCA 10]

As for HeatherinCA treadmill idea, I used to do the treadmill, now I do the elliptical, but I remember when I was doing it, I always held on because if I didn't I felt like I was going to glide right off of it..LOL Can't wait 'til Wednesday and I can start lifting again..

I always feel like I'm not getting a work out on the elliptical IDK why. Probably need more resistance.

You have to do ALOT of exercise is the point. When you are trying to lose weight, 20 minutes on the treadmill isn't going to cut it. You gotta burn 3,000 calories to lose a pound. I'm sure some is better than none, but mind as well step it up so it works for you.

[Guest brockwayn]

It is such a relief to hear that someone else has the same pain. Will you keep me updated on what your doctor says? The worst part is having the panic that something is wrong, you know? Thanks for responding!

Brockwayn,

I have the same pain. It feels more like a cramp and hurts when I move and bend over. My Dr. says its fine, that it is the muscle healing from having something stitched to it and a foreign thing inside. I have no idea, but I am goving it one more week and if no improvement I am calling my dr. As of now, I wouldnt worry, I think we are still in the healing stages.

[HeatherinCA 10]

I had the cramping, but it went away about a week ago, I don't feel anything when I bend or move anymore.

Oh gosh I love being able to go to the gourmet grocery stores and picking out something small, it feels so special! I'd never wanna do that pre-op because it would be so expensive! Cause I would need so much food. Now I can get a nice little dinner, a scoop of a special salad, or 1/2 a sushi roll for under $8! I'm such a cheap date now. LOL

Anyone have any luck with bowel movements. I got a stool softener, but it didn't seem to do what i want. i just want to go regularly. (I know weird topic)

[Loriland3 0]

I had the cramping, but it went away about a week ago, I don't feel anything when I bend or move anymore.

Oh gosh I love being able to go to the gourmet grocery stores and picking out something small, it feels so special! I'd never wanna do that pre-op because it would be so expensive! Cause I would need so much food. Now I can get a nice little dinner, a scoop of a special salad, or 1/2 a sushi roll for under $8! I'm such a cheap date now. LOL

Anyone have any luck with bowel movements. I got a stool softener, but it didn't seem to do what i want. i just want to go regularly. (I know weird topic)

Heather, I took Miralx yesterday and by the evening I went. I am going to try it for a while and then once it gets somewhat regular, I will switch to metamucil or something, or just watch my Fiber intake. TRy Miralax, it works!

[tntbelt 1]

What is everyone doing for exercise??? I went to a Zumba class tonight and absolutely loved it!! I didn't know if I would be able to make it through the class but I did better than I thought I would. I am thinking about starting the couch to 5k too but I don't have a treadmill but might try to start on the gazelle until spring.

[HeatherinCA 10]

I wanna try Zumba but I'm a little scared haha.

Oh gosh I went hiking today for the first time in a long time (we are lucky to have good weather almost year round), and it seriously winded me!! We have a couple trails around here. It's probably 3 miles, depending if you start at the top or the bottom, you go up, then down or down then up. It took about an hour. Pretty intense going up hill. Felt like a much better work out than when I was walking flat.

[tntbelt 1]

Heather: I was scared to try it too... I have been pretty inactive for over 5 years and get winded just walking up and down the steps in our house. It was hard, If I had been by myself I probably would have given up 20 minutes into it.

I am just not comfortable with going to a gym yet and wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this one. I was afraid I would be the big girl with no rhythm about to have a hard attack in the back but there were women of all sizes and they were all exhausted and running to their Water in between songs. I felt comfortable and did much better than I thought I would. It was so much fun and I can't wait to go back

[blueshell23 0]

Hello everyone! This is my first time posting so I will apologize ahead of time. Anyway, I was banded on Jan 5th and I am feeling ok, no major issues just tired of the same old liquids....it is so great to have everyone here to talk with. My weight when I started this process was 249 and the day I went in for my surgery I was at 233. I am having a really hard time drinking the Protein shakes...yuck, yuck! But hopefully, seeing everyone else's stories will keep me motivated! Good luck to everyone!