I was banded 7/21/11, I went to the doc today and i'm down 19 lbs. I did the liquid diet for a full week and just to "test things out" I tried a very teensy, tiny portion of food. Well it went down fine. Ever since, i've been trying more teensy, tiny bits of food which I chew a billion times and get down no problem. I know that this is because I haven't had a lap-band adjustment/fill yet and because I'm healing, pretty much anything will go down. Is it bad that I'm eating itsy, bitsy amounts of food? This is making me VERY depressed because I know I shouldn't be doing this, but my old mentality, the one that got me here in the first place is what's telling me, try a bite of this, or this. I don't know how i'm going to make it to 3 weeks until I can feel some restriction from my band.

I understand that the band is not a magic pill and that I need to work at it. I'm not expecting pity or for anyone to say "it's ok" because I know its not. I just need help, any ideas??? any suggestions as to what I can do until I get my adjustment?

HELP

Omg I've been doing the same thing! I feel so horrible I feel like I graze all the time on tiny bites. I was banded on July 13th and my first fill is on august 18th and I can't wait for my fill. Since my surgery I've lost 15 pounds but thank god I haven't gained weight which is what I'm scared of! god willing I can get back on track and lose more weight and I'm sure you'll do great with your band good luck to u!

I know your hungry, and old habits are hard to break. That's a key reason that you probably got banded.

The exercise of the elbow to the mouth ain't making it.

You take a risk of hurting yourself.

What will your Dr. say if you gain weight instead of lose it?

If you said what you were doing,, what do you think he/she would say to you.

You need to get it in gear, and get serious. Or you will be disappointed, and your surgeon pissed off,and Disappointed.

So now you think about it, and figure it out.

Start with WHY DID I GET BANDED?

This is where the band will test your will power! U r not winning over it right now which will only hurt YOU in the wrong way. You gotta let go, let God! Pray for His will power to get u through! This is serious!

I think that is just normal. I have learned to listen to my body first and foremost. Dr.'s can go by a guideline but everybody's body heals and changes at different rates. My doctor said to try things out. I would try a couple of bites of things a few weeks out from my surgery too. I felt it was better for me to try something a little more solid to keep my hunger at bay than to constantly raise my calorie count by eating mushies constantly througout the day. I'm 6 mths post op and I can even tell when I need to slow it down after fills. My doctor suggests being on liquids for two days after a fill and then 2 days of mushies. Some times that works fine and other times I am hungry the first day and can take a few bites of mashed potatoes or sugar free pudding. For me, the last thing that was of any good was to beat myself up any longer for not being perfect with it. That's what has led to my weight problem. I overeat one day and then I spend 5 days beating myself up for it and it was a continuious cycle that had to be stopped. That's why I got my band for the extra help and I may still mess up from time to time but I am down 53 lbs and IT's OK.

That's different though. You got the O.K. from your Doc. to try different foods, she has not, and as a result she is saying she is just Depressed because she knows she shouldn't be doing it.

Sure we have all made mistakes somewhere down the line, but she needs to be in touch with her Doc, get the O.K., and she will feel a whole lot better about the whole thing.

I know that's not that hard to do.

This is normal for someone who has only recently been banded.

I felt no restriction at all, and took me around 5 months to get to that "sweet Spot"

I remember at the gym, downing full bottles of Water like it was nothing. Used to graze all day because I was always hungry.

Now, I eat whatever I want, but my band won't let me eat too much. So since my intake is restricted, I choose the good foods first. My choice.

Last night for dinner I had a steak off the grill, and some veggies. Cut small prices, and was only able to eat a fourth of the steak, and half the veggies, if that.

I was banded on 7/21 too!! We are twinners!!! Anyway, I am in the same boat. I can eat anything but I try not too most of the time. I was starving yesterday and on my way to a hair appointment I ate a small hamburger from Wendy's bread and all, a couple fries and a small fruit punch. I felt so bad too but started trying to eat better again today then we had a meeting with olive garden so I had a small amount of Pasta and salad. I can't wait to start getting fills and feeling some restriction. I have only lost 7 pounds so far.

I was banded 7/21/11, I went to the doc today and i'm down 19 lbs. I did the liquid diet for a full week and just to "test things out" I tried a very teensy, tiny portion of food. Well it went down fine. Ever since, i've been trying more teensy, tiny bits of food which I chew a billion times and get down no problem. I know that this is because I haven't had a lap-band adjustment/fill yet and because I'm healing, pretty much anything will go down. Is it bad that I'm eating itsy, bitsy amounts of food? This is making me VERY depressed because I know I shouldn't be doing this, but my old mentality, the one that got me here in the first place is what's telling me, try a bite of this, or this. I don't know how i'm going to make it to 3 weeks until I can feel some restriction from my band.

I understand that the band is not a magic pill and that I need to work at it. I'm not expecting pity or for anyone to say "it's ok" because I know its not. I just need help, any ideas??? any suggestions as to what I can do until I get my adjustment?

HELP

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!

Thank you everyone for your feedback! Jersgirl, I can't believe we were both banded on the same day! haha, we will have to check in with each other.

I DO realize that I should not be stealing little bites, but, my old habits are haunting me. Just as I didn't get this way overnight, the changes I need to make using the band will only happen in small steps over a long period of time. I am making a conscious effort each and every day to make the cheats the healthiest possible. I just can't stick to the full liquids, not just because I'm starving, but because my head is also telling me to EAT. This too I am working on, seeing a therapist! The lap-band doesn't fix the mental part!!!!

When I saw my doctor for my post-op appointment he made it sound as though MANY people do this (I AM IN NO WAY SAYING ITS OK) because they realize ANYTHING can go down, once you've healed, because the hole from the small pouch to the large pouch is big. Once I have a fill, it won't be so easy anymore. He said to stick to 800 to 1000 calories even though I should only be on full liquids at this point.

I feel as though I am chipping away at a MOUNTAIN with a toothpick some days, but I am trying to focus on my little accomplishments! Two months ago, I was drinking a coke a day, a dunkin donuts huge iced coffe every day, making many stops to fast food and just going crazy. I wouldn't dream of doing any of that now...I also took a walk with my kids!!! woo-hoo, 150 calories burned! LOL

So again, thank you!!!! Congrats on your accomplishments everyone and good luck