Hat has everyones biggest challenges been this far? or your biggest adjustment?

I've been banded for 16 days and I think I never realized how much I drink while I eat. In fact, pre-banded I remember how much Water I tried to drink while eating so I would feel full faster! now not only can't I drink while eating, I have to wait up to an hour after eating! Huh! Funny how things work!

In my support group they've advised us to drink right up until we start eating, like you said it helps you feel faster. My understanding is that drinking during food makes it slip through more so you don't feel as full long, it moves lower. It's been one of my greatest challenges too. My dr. says 2 hours after eating, I keep trying for that and have yet to make it but have at least moved from 1/2 hour after til 1 hour after. With time it will come. For me the hardest part has been "bandster hell". I've been depressed about not losing faster even though I KNEW I wouldn't but still HOPED I would. I've been discouraged about eating only what I should and still being hungry and moody. It's getting a bit better and I'll be having my 3rd fill soon and hoping it brings me closer. I have 1.5 ccs in my band right now. Being good about vitamins and exercise and journaling has helped me feel better and trying to get over the hard times. Don't give up.

I hear you about learning how to eat without a beverage next to you! I find that one of the hardest things is not gulping the water... learning how to sip, especially when you are really thirsty, is very hard! I can get my first fill in 2 weeks and the Dr. I see starts with 5cc's and then from there I get 1cc every two weeks till I find my sweet spot! Crazy how it works but am anxious to get to that next part... I am almost 3 weeks post op and feel good but am ready to move on! Good luck to you and best wishes on your journey.. you can do it!

My biggest challenge has been being prepared; I was never big on packing snacks. On road trips, we'd hit a drive-thru or mini mart and just grab. There are pretty limited healthy options when you're shopping the convenience store. It took me a few times of being "stranded" without healthy, or correct consistency, foods to learn my lesson. Plan ahead!!

Hat has everyones biggest challenges been this far? or your biggest adjustment?

I've been banded for 16 days and I think I never realized how much I drink while I eat. In fact, pre-banded I remember how much Water I tried to drink while eating so I would feel full faster! now not only can't I drink while eating, I have to wait up to an hour after eating! Huh! Funny how things work!

this is one of the hardest things that i have to deal with as well . for bfast i have a small black coffee first.. .and five minutes after i have some Protein. other meals i have to wait for a drink.. thats hard.

on monday just gone i had the worst episode of being stuck i could imagine. my tummy wasnt feeling all that great over that weekend... i should have known what was going to come.. gastritis has been going around here.

anyway, i ate a piece of steak which was well cooked and moist. i must have eaten too quickly because it soon became apparent that i had to stop eating. this was about 6pm. there after, for at least four hours, i vomited continually. my pouch was so inflamed i couldnt even tolerate my saliva. it was just awful. i was sore for days afterwoods.

i mentioned it to my surgeon yesterday when having a very small fill. He said it wasnt good at all and perhaps i should look at going vegetarian?

i dont think i could handle just being vegetarian. so.. i have to look very carefully at how small the pieces of meat are BEFORE I SIT DOWN TO EAT. just like i would cut up my small childrens meat on their place... im going to have to do the same.

for me the issues are still eating too quickly if running a bit later than four hours with a meal.. and being distracted. I have to have a good solution for both these if im going to be free of being stuck.

Has anyone had vomiting for four hours without stopping? it was bad. i felt so ill.

im wondering about some gastritis as well as i said. Anyone had gastritis? how did the pouch cope with it all??

My biggest challenge has been being prepared; I was never big on packing Snacks. On road trips' date=' we'd hit a drive-thru or mini mart and just grab. There are pretty limited healthy options when you're shopping the convenience store. It took me a few times of being "stranded" without healthy, or correct consistency, foods to learn my lesson. Plan ahead!![/quote']

What do you pack for snacks? I was just on a trip and had this same problem, nothing healthy to eat. I have another trip next week and want to be prepared.

What do you pack for snacks? I was just on a trip and had this same problem, nothing healthy to eat. I have another trip next week and want to be prepared.

..and ive got a trip by plane thats going to take us the best part of a day as well... thats coming up early nov. i need to know what i can take for snacks as well. any advice welcome.. thanks.

You may find that steak just doesn't work. I very rarely eat steak.

As for Snacks, depending on how far out you are... I take LF Peanut Butter cheese crackers and only eat two to tie me over until I can eat. Or a half dozen almonds, dried fruit, cheese, multigrain crackers (I love Special K crackers), individually packages prunes, or turkey Jerky. I always have a snack available and have a drink in my hand at all times.

Good luck all!

These ate great! I really do love hearing that in some way or another we are all going through the same thing! Yes what I am worried about is talking to big of sips when I start to work out again!

this is one of the hardest things that i have to deal with as well . for bfast i have a small black coffee first.. .and five minutes after i have some Protein. other meals i have to wait for a drink.. thats hard.

on monday just gone i had the worst episode of being stuck i could imagine. my tummy wasnt feeling all that great over that weekend... i should have known what was going to come.. gastritis has been going around here.

anyway' date=' i ate a piece of steak which was well cooked and moist. i must have eaten too quickly because it soon became apparent that i had to stop eating. this was about 6pm. there after, for at least four hours, i vomited continually. my pouch was so inflamed i couldnt even tolerate my saliva. it was just awful. i was sore for days afterwoods.

i mentioned it to my surgeon yesterday when having a very small fill. He said it wasnt good at all and perhaps i should look at going vegetarian?

i dont think i could handle just being vegetarian. so.. i have to look very carefully at how small the pieces of meat are BEFORE I SIT DOWN TO EAT. just like i would cut up my small childrens meat on their place... im going to have to do the same.

for me the issues are still eating too quickly if running a bit later than four hours with a meal.. and being distracted. I have to have a good solution for both these if im going to be free of being stuck.

Has anyone had vomiting for four hours without stopping? it was bad. i felt so ill.

im wondering about some gastritis as well as i said. Anyone had gastritis? how did the pouch cope with it all??[/quote']

I don't know about gastritis but you should stay away from dry meats and sinewy meats. Try some chicken thigh cut up in eraser sized piece to start and have it with some sauce, which helps. I like to mix cranberry sauce with ketchup and bake chicken in it. You can have BBQ, whatever. Just not creamy and fattening. Beef in the crock pot tends to go down well too. Until you get used to chewing meat up thoroughly like liquid you have to be careful. No need to go vegetarian - thats extreme.

I don't know about gastritis but you should stay away from dry meats and sinewy meats. Try some chicken thigh cut up in eraser sized piece to start and have it with some sauce, which helps. I like to mix cranberry sauce with ketchup and bake chicken in it. You can have BBQ, whatever. Just not creamy and fattening. Beef in the crock pot tends to go down well too. Until you get used to chewing meat up thoroughly like liquid you have to be careful. No need to go vegetarian - thats extreme.

i think its extreme as well... and i know that i wouldnt be able to stick with it anyway... so i have to pay much more attention to the sized portions of meat... cut it up well before i even start... so a not to have a knife or fork in my hand while eating. and just stick with a teaspoon. its all a learning process. some lessons are hard to learn though. lol.

For travel. I always have protein bars and almonds. . I buy Greek yogurt at the airports. I also pack and check my bag with the premier pure protein shakes in my suitcase for the hotel.

My biggest struggle is actually because of the weight loss- extra skin. Right now I'm taking at least a full size, if not two, bigger than necessary because of the excess skin on my tummy. My thighs aren't a lot better, either. It's awful, I look like a Shar Pei.

My surgeon is planning to do a tummy tuck on me this winter or spring and I seriously can't wait.

So I had this Surgery, Jan of 2012, and I was 265 and now I am 200. But I am noticing now this last 50 is hard to loose, and I had a biggest loser melt down this week, and just ate every sweet, etc. I need to stay focused, but getting bored with same food, salad, etc. How do you guys stay on track?

Hey Newbie, im very new at this, but sometimes, I think and let me tell you I have only be banded for almost 3 weeks, that I really dieted the wrong way.

Honestly, there is so many things I felt like i gave up while on a diet. Simple things like juice, pasta, rice etc. Not that i miss any of those things, but I just think to my self, my weight issues didn't necessarily steam from what I was eating but how much I was eating.

Like i said i have only been bended for 3 weeks, but I am started to notice somewhat of a change in my mental health. What I mean by that is, obviously i am still on soft foods, but I have noticed I can't even if i tried eat as much as i used to or have a desire to.

I think maybe what you should try is put the salads a way for a week and just enjoy what you love in small portions. have a half cup of pasta with tomato sauce and make your own pita garlic bread. which would turn out to less than 400 cals for dinner.

Just a thought but I think you are where I have always been on a diet, bored with salad. I do love salad but goodness you can only have so much of something before you get sick of it.

Try it, you never know.

I'm about 4 months post op and my biggest challenge has been my inability to eat meat. It just doesn't sit well with me anymore & it makes me sad:(. Let's face it, I'm a southern born black girl and we will fry up, smother or sautee anything with 4 legs:). I can't do steak at all & only dark chicken, which I'm not a huge fan of. It's frustrating. I think I may have to just stick to seafood & vegetarian style dishes.

My fav go to snack is chex mix cereal, wheat or cinnamon. I put it in a plastic bag & through it in my purse. Buying the cereal is cheaper than the pre-made snack bags, plus you can add your own goodies if you like. I also eat a ton of Luch meat as a snack.

I'm sorta a rebel when it comes to drinking, I still drink during my meal & it doesn't seem to effect me. I don't drink as much but I do take a few sips.