:welcomeB:

This marks the official beginning of the May 2006 Band Crew for June. It will be great to keep up with those we've come to know and get to know those who were banded in May and just joining LBT. Everyone is welcome!!

Don't get left behind.....jump in and enjoy the ride!!

DrewsLou - sounds like your doing awesome. I havn't been out for dinner yet, but I can hardly wait. I used to order what I thought would be the biggest portion, but now I can order what I really feel like eating. That's cool. Don't be too hard on yourself, sounds like you have a lot going on, concentrate on yourself and getting your husband back home soon, then everything will fall into place. Take-care!

How much is everyone eating?

I only am eating about 1/2 cup at a meal. I usually do not eat breakfast-stomach is just not ready-and I am a lifelong breakfast gal. I have lunch-either a protein shake or a small mushie. I am still on mushies. Dinner again a small mushie. Miss my veggies crisp but it is OK. Small snack in the afternoon or I notice I rush dinner and can get into trouble. Not a lot of hunger.

I could never ever eat 2.5 cups of food.

Banded May 25.

Down 15 at my last weigh in. (only weigh myself one time per week.)

Hey Everybody. I just added Laurie Jane & brother and Purple Weeble to our list of Merry Maysters 2006 on page 4 and that puts us around 106 folks on the list. We just keep growing and growing.

Myra

Hi All,

I went for my first fill today. My Doc gave me a 1 cc fill in my 10 cm band. I thought he would put me on liquids for a day or two but be said I could eat normally, just chew well and avoid any food that have given me problems since being banded.

I was really surprised. My doc tends to take the conservative approach from what I have read on this site. I was all prepared for liquids but not looking forward to it.

Hopefully I will only be able to eat a cup of food at a time now and stay full for quite a bit longer. We'll see!

I want to be like Murples!! I am only 3 wks post-op and have no restriction. Im still on soft food and I'm sure could eat as much as I want. And some days I have. I have even eaten not so soft food with no problem. I want to call for a fill, but I feel like such a pig!!!

CLOE,

Don't stress and worry over this! You are not a failure! You just don't have proper restriction yet. I know it is frustrating when you see others who are losing weight before thier first fills, but there are just as many who, like you, have no restriction yet.

I lost and gained the same 3-4 pounds for about 3 weeks. I didn't even attempt to eat the portions that restricted bandsters do! I would have starved. What I did instead, was try to make healthy food choices, get in enough Protein and Water, and count Weight Watcher points. The point system gave me perameters to follow since the band wasn't doing that yet.

I know it is hard right now, but you only have 2 or 3 more weeks before your can get a fill. Hang in there and don't beat yourself up in the meantime!

I am really really frustrated right now. It has been a little over two weeks since my surgery and physically I am feeling good. I have even lost about 10 pounds since surgery and my clothes fit great...but I checked in with my doctor's office and I feel like I just got chastised for what I have been doing so far.

Dr. Spivak recommends liquids for only 2 days and then straight to soft and semi-solid foods (cooked veggies, fish, etc...). But I have noticed that almost everyone else here is on liquids for several weeks and honestly, that is what I am comfortable with right now...I guess this leads into my phobia -- I think I am scared to eat solids. I don't really know why. I have not PB'd yet, but I know I eventually will so I don't think that is it. I definitelt don't want to PB in public so I try new things at home. I have eaten a little bit of fish two or three times, but I would much rather have my Soups and Protein shakes so that is what I have been doing.

Basically my doctor's office said this: get off the liquids, no soups or mashed potatoes or Beans or any of the stuff I have been eating. They want me on cooked veggies and fish ONLY with the exception that I can still drink a shake for Breakfast since I have never been able to eat in the mornings. They said try 1/4 cup of veggies at a time and 1oz. fish at a time.

Oh, and they jumped on me about calories because they said I am not getting enough. I was told that I need at least 800 calories a day in order to lose weight and I have been getting significantly less than that...not on purpose, it's just all I can eat right now. I HATE counting calories and I thought I wouldn't have to with my band...but now I am having to count calories from the opposite end to make sure I am getting enough...and I have to make sure I am eating often enough....I really don't feel hungry yet so if I am having a busy day I can easily forget to eat for 6-7 hours at a time and essentially end up skipping meals.

What do I do now? I paid way too much money and have wanted this for way too long to screw it up. I don't want to have to set timers for myself to remmber to eat, but if I have to I will. And I am bad at counting the calories, but I have heard several of you mention a website that tracks calories for you...I think it was fitday.com...and I can try that.

As for my phobia of transitioning from liquids to solids...and advice? Do I really have to make the switch this soon? When did you make the switcth...or when are you planning to?

I am scheduled for my first fill on July 10th.

:help:

Hi Mandy,

While I don't usually tell people to go against doctor's advice, I also think it is important to listen to your body. You probably still have significant swelling from the surgery which is why you are not hungry and why your body is craving liquids.

When your swelling goes down you will probably start craving foods with more substance. I would suggest listening to your body right now.

Your doctor is right about one thing, though. You should try to get in some more calories. You can probably find a Protein shake with more calories and one that you can mix with whole milk. You can also try eating creamier soups or simply adding cream or milk to them to give them some extra calories and Protein.

It's only been a couple of weeks so don't stress too much. I know counting calories is a pain. It feels more like bondage to food than freedom.

Keep up the good work, don't worry about the weight loss for now, and listen to your body! I'm sure you will turn a corner with regard to food soon!

Good luck!

I also agree, you need to listen to your body. It's weird your dr. wants you doing that. most other drs. want you to stay on liquids as long as possible. :rant:

Hi Mandy,

Not everyone is on liquids for weeks. My doctor told me Clear Liquids for a week after my surgery then move into mushies the next 2 weeks, then solids the 4th week. Basically I eased into the mushies. I would make soups and eat mostly the broth, but I would take some of the vegetables and (usually) chicken, and put it in my Magic Bullet to make a thicker broth. It doesn't look too good, but it tastes good! haha Then I would also make like chicken salad (blend it in the Bullet) or tuna salad. Those both went down easily as long as they were blended a little. I gradually added more solids to my meals, just to get used to it.

My question about your doctor's instructions is that everything is still healing after the surgery, and if you start eating solids, the stomach starts doing its normal thing..... digesting. You don't want your stomach doing too much work within the 1st 2 weeks after surgery.

I have scheduled my 1st fill for July 12. :rant: Good luck!

Cathy

I am really really frustrated right now. It has been a little over two weeks since my surgery and physically I am feeling good. I have even lost about 10 pounds since surgery and my clothes fit great...but I checked in with my doctor's office and I feel like I just got chastised for what I have been doing so far.

Dr. Spivak recommends liquids for only 2 days and then straight to soft and semi-solid foods (cooked veggies, fish, etc...). But I have noticed that almost everyone else here is on liquids for several weeks and honestly, that is what I am comfortable with right now...I guess this leads into my phobia -- I think I am scared to eat solids. I don't really know why. I have not PB'd yet, but I know I eventually will so I don't think that is it. I definitelt don't want to PB in public so I try new things at home. I have eaten a little bit of fish two or three times, but I would much rather have my soups and Protein shakes so that is what I have been doing.

Basically my doctor's office said this: get off the liquids, no soups or mashed potatoes or Beans or any of the stuff I have been eating. They want me on cooked veggies and fish ONLY with the exception that I can still drink a shake for breakfast since I have never been able to eat in the mornings. They said try 1/4 cup of veggies at a time and 1oz. fish at a time.

Oh, and they jumped on me about calories because they said I am not getting enough. I was told that I need at least 800 calories a day in order to lose weight and I have been getting significantly less than that...not on purpose, it's just all I can eat right now. I HATE counting calories and I thought I wouldn't have to with my band...but now I am having to count calories from the opposite end to make sure I am getting enough...and I have to make sure I am eating often enough....I really don't feel hungry yet so if I am having a busy day I can easily forget to eat for 6-7 hours at a time and essentially end up skipping meals.

What do I do now? I paid way too much money and have wanted this for way too long to screw it up. I don't want to have to set timers for myself to remmber to eat, but if I have to I will. And I am bad at counting the calories, but I have heard several of you mention a website that tracks calories for you...I think it was fitday.com...and I can try that.

As for my phobia of transitioning from liquids to solids...and advice? Do I really have to make the switch this soon? When did you make the switcth...or when are you planning to?

I am scheduled for my first fill on July 10th.

:help:

I tried to post this the other day, but my computer glitched and it didn't work.

I am 5 weeks out from banding and down 29 pounds. No fill yet. My doc wants to wait til my weight loss slows down before doing a fill. I feel pretty good, can eat a cup per meal during the early part of the day and more at dinner. I am trying to ride my stationary bike 4 to 6 miles a day.

Glad to hear most folks are doing well.

Robyn, I am so sorry to hear another surgery is in your near future. You will be in my thoughts.

Happy losing everyone!

OK, I'm on my second week of mushies (surgery May 23rd) and ever since I lost the initial weight gain after surgery (went from 207 before surgery to 215 day after) I have not lost anything. I go up and down the same two or three pounds.

Anyone else had this same problem? I have one full week left on mushies and then on to real food for two weeks before I get a fill.

I am discouraged even though I keep telling myself that I am only in Bandster Hell but is it normal not to lose anything when you aren't eating too many calories?

Seeking reassurance. :think

Janey,

Are you supplementing what you're eating with protein? My guideline from doctor is to get at least 60 grams of protein daily and the only way to do that is through supplementing with a quality protein of some kind.

Just got back from my second fill. The first fill was 1cc.... there was only 1/2cc left in my band! What the hell? He said he has seen that happen a few times and that it's really nothing to worry about. Anywho..... I know have 1.5cc's in my band! Accordning to his scale I have lost 5.3lbs since my last fill 3 weeks ago. Not too bad I guess but I would like it to be more! I guess the fat didn't come on overnight it's probably not going to leave that way, eh?

Peace!

DrewsLou got me to thinking...how much is everyone getting on their first fill? I have found little info on the actual size of bands and how much they hold. My friend had surgery 2 days before me and we both got our first fills today. We both asked the dr how much our bands hold and of course how much the fill was. My friend got the answer of 5cc capacity and a fill of 1.5cc. I got the answer of 12cc capacity and 4cc fill. Either way, we both got our bands filled 1/4-1/3 of the capacity. So, I tried to find why I have a much bigger band and the closest answer I could find was related to my BMI before surgery which was higher than my friend and because I carry my weight around my middle and my friend is evenly distributed all over. Does anyone else have a better answer or know what size their band is?