Ok guys: Here is my thinking on this. I would NOT get a fill right before the holidays. With all the festivities and feasts it would be awful if you spent most of the time in the bathroom PBing. So I talked with Dr. HUNKY today and we both agreed that no fill for me till after the holidays. Here are some tips I am going to incoorporate this holiday season. Add to them as you see fit. Just copy and paste them to keep the list complete.

1. Just make better choices and eat less.

2. Use a smaller dessert plate for your meals instead of the humongous plates.

3. Remember to think in terms of a teaspoon of everything if you must try everything.

4. CHEW CHEW CHEW

5. NO liquids with meals

6. CHEW CHEW CHEW

7. If you must have dessert then cut a piece of pie or cake in 1/4 and only eat that much.

8. Protein first, Veggies second, then if you have room eat some stuffing but remember only a teaspoon.

9. Join in the football game outside or ask if anyone wants to go on a walk after you all eat.

10. CHEW CHEW CHEW

11. Have an emergency number of a close bandster if you feel the need to call someone. In case you feel like pigging out call one of those numbers.

12. CHEW CHEW CHEW

Love you guys.

I agree with you Penni...I'm going to cancel my fill for next week..not just becasue of this post but becasue I'm still losing something every week. I am deathly afraid of being filled too tight...Somedays I have great restriction and some days I dont..its about following the rules and making better choices. I think instead of adjusting my band..I'm going to try adjusting my attitude and adjusting my brain for awhile. I want to challenge myself too..to see if I can make it through the holidays and still lose slowly without the help from a fill..I think it would be great for my mental outlook to achieve weight loss during the holidays..I can ever remember losing weight during the holidays so I'm challenging myself..

Hi Penni,

well i am getting banded the 29th of Nov. so i want get my first fill until

six weeks after that so i am just wondering what i wll be able to eat by

christmas.Can anyone give me some ideas.Just wanting to know how to handle

this.Thanks

Eva

Eva: I wouldn't be in a rush to get a fill. Some doctors have a regular fill schedule and try to stick to that. Some docs like mine work with the person to see if the fill is needed. I have been banded since April and I have gotten only two fills. I am not at my sweet spot just yet but decided to not get a fill over the holidays. My doc thought that was a very good idea. IT makes me be more responsible about what I eat.

Now onto your question of what to eat over Christmas. It really depends on what your doc gives as your diet to follow post surgery. If you can eat solid foods by then I would try some of the turkey, ham, any veggies, jello, stuffing but last and only if you have room. Just remember the band rule. Protein first, veggies next, then starches or desserts if you have room. Remember to take small bites. I tend to cut everything up like I was a toddler and that seems to work for me. We are all young at heart anyway. LOL!!

Hope this helps.

I am getting my first fill on November 30. This will be my first one after surgery. I have not had one yet so I do not know what to expect. I do know that I can eat too much right now. I am eating sometimes around 4 oz of food. I follow all of the other rules, but I know that I over eat.

Any word of wisdom on what I should do?

How do you know you overeat??? 4oz of food is not a lot. And by the way, you have lost 25 lbs in less than a month post surgery. THAT IS GREAT!!!!

My doc and nutritionist said that I should only be able to and should only be eat 1 oz of meat and 1 oz of vegetables per meal.

Is this normal??

I am very happy with the weight lose. I want it to keep going, but worry about my first fill and the Holiday's. I already have planned what I will be able to eat. So hopefully that will help with your list Penni.

I think I'm a glutten for punishment, but I'm going for a fill this afternoon (my third). I truly believe that the holidays shouldn't make a difference. Knowledge is power, and there are several very effective tips to help with my discipline (not my strong suit).

I'm still able to easily polish off two cups of food at most sittings, and my weight loss has remained at 30 lbs. since the procedure.

I wish you all strngth and enjoyment over the holidays!

I want to get a fill because I can eat what I want but I need fill info no one will help me.

Hi Penni,

I have a fill scheduled tomorrow at 11:00 am. I am having it done now so that way if there is a problem, I can have something done about it before Christmas. I want to get the last 20 lbs off once and for all!!!

Babs in TX

334/188/170

-146

6/23/o3

Well, I had an unfill (to 0.5) last week (due to reflux), I'm eating too much,I'm not exercising, and I've got the croupy crud. Feel yucky. Only good thing this week has been my 2 hats from Teresa and Becky. Thanks, gals, you probably saved what little sanity I had left! I can't get a refill for 2 months. Scared to get near a scale! I need my fill back!

Hang in there, Marie. The holidays can't last forever. Two months, however, may seem like it. Hope you are feeling better.

I just got my second fill yesterday. I feel like Maurice, that the holiday season shouldn't make a difference. This is for the rest of my life and I am just going to take it day by day. Good luck everyone---especially with all those cookies and treats!! (Definetly my weak spot!!)

Yep. I'm still sitting on 183. I do think I will see my Dr. this coming week as well. I SO wanted to be in the 170's before Christmas. Thank goodness I've maintained this weight, AT LEAST. Goodness knows I've done everything possible to sabotage it.

I am seriously considering the lap band...my doctor and my insurance tell me I can pick which I want - that or gastric bypass....but I know my life and being down with surgery complications, restructuring my body, leaving a bunch of my body unusable....I'm thinking more and more that gbs is more than my busy life can handle...and that the lap band seems like it fits my life a lot better. Y'all are talking about pbing....I can make some guesses by your descriptions...but what is it? what causes it? My husband keeps asking me: What are the worst case scenarios for each surgery? I'd appreciate info on these questions.

Hiya Spud... PB stands for productive burp... it's different than actually throwing up... if we push it and eat more than our pouch will hold we often start producing copious amounts of saliva... have discomfort in the chest region and sometimes couph up a slime covered chunk o food. Now... I know that sounds completely disgusting... but it is something that makes a person think twice before overeating. This can also occur with the gastric bypass... I've seen it happen to my sister numerous times.

The complications that can occur during and after surgery are far less with the Lap Band. THe Lap Banding is usually a 23 hour admission in place of several days with the bypass. I guess I personally just wanted my GI tract to function as it was meant to... just wanted a tool to help me eat less and that's exactly what I got.

As far as fills go... I am really glad I got a fill on December 3rd... It is really just now kicking in and I have great hopes that I can enjoy the holiday without the added guilt that comes from stuffing myself. I'm hoping that this will be my first binge free Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

Darcy