Hi guys:

I was banded on august 13. I've been on liquids for the most part but yesterday my friend made me some slamming Soup and it had baby carrots, celery, cilantro, tomatoes for color and some chicken broth and dark meat chicken.

I have to admit I had a piece of that chicken. and today I had a hand full of raisinettes. I am not finding myself hungry but being that the past two days I am picking at stuff (including guacomole, yesterday as well), I am a bit depressed today. My band is not filled. I have not made an appointment but I will on Monday when I go to NYU for my esoph exam.

I sort of feel scared and i sort of feel like I am going to fail at this since I have been picking. No excuses. I just tested the waters and I feel bad about it. I didn't go over board but a hand full of raisins here, some chicken there..... you know what I mean?

How are you guys doing? Anyone experiencing the same thing?

Hello. I was banded on Aug.20th and I still am not very hungry. My stomach is making lots of noise, but I do not feel hungry. I have been on liquids and get to go on full liquids tomorrow. I have had some fat free jello. chicken noodle broth, no noodles and lots of decaf tea with splenda. I can't wait to taste the cream soups and apple sauce tomorrow. Just be patient and everything will work out.

Nulife2be

thank you,

/n

Hi all! Hard to believe I am almost 2 weeks out. I'm on full liquids but I have had about 4 thinly sliced pieces of cheddar cheese in the past 2 days. I just needed SOMETHING. I had no problem with keeping it down. Which, I hope doesn't spur me on to indulging in other things. The thing is that it's not as if I am starving. Maybe I'm just bored. But, I keep trying to convince myself that once I start EATING, I may never stop. And, then where will I be? That's what is keeping me from overindulging. With all of that being said, I really want to encourage you NOT to get depressed over wanting to eat or eating some "forbidden" foods. This is a process. And, these early weeks are the times to learn. I will get my first fill in 4 weeks. I think then the real "living" with the band will begin. Right now....it's healing and practicing. So don't beat yourself up and don't let yourself fall into a pattern of feeling badly about yourself when you slip up. Look at what you just did.......you made a huge step in the right direction....one that you should be proud of and one that will change your entire life! Stand up and BE PROUD!!!!! :clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2:

Hey, Nilsa -- I'm right there with ya, Hon!!! Trust me. I'm wanting to pick -- I've not done anything that required real chewing yet, but some pasty things that I could work around in my mouth until they pretty much dissolve to nothing.

I figure its partly the quantity, but it's largely the FLAVOR and the process -- the longer I take to eat something, the less of it I actually consume. So I'm focusing on only eating things I REALLY love and enjoy and that taste great!

I expect to do a LOT MORE homecooking now!

So far so good on my end. I got banded on August 15 and just today I started craving actual chewable food. I'm trying like hell not to cheat tho, but I did eat a noodle. God! A noodle! The nerve! Hahahaha.

I'm down 21 pounds also since pre-op which thrills me but which also seems a little fast? I dunno. I can definitely see it in my face if not elsewhere. It's a great start!

I want to eat food but I'm just not hungry. Each morning I have my shake (this morning I used a no sugar carnation packet, Silk, and unflavored Protein powder for 32 or so grams of protein total -- it was a little chalky but palatable nonetheless). Then another liquidy thing for lunch and of course dinner. I throw some Jello and popsicles in the mix for a treat. I've also been sucking on Dove low sugar dark chocolates. Just one here and there -- it's nice to have a treat.

I hope the time goes fast. Even if I'm still not feeling terribly hungry, it will be nice to be able to use a fork and knife to eat again. Hehe.

Good luck to all!

15 Days out. My recovery has been great. Moved to mushies 3 days ago. Careful folks. when you heal and hunger comes back, it is easy go go nuts. I think i over did it with food today. stomach hurts a little. Doc showed me the pics of the surgery and band, it was pretty cool. I am going back to more liquids and soft foods, because I have know restriction and I find myself falling into old habits quickly. I actually had an icecream shake today. I am down 20 lbs since Aug 1, but I have put on 1.5 lbs in the past 3 days. Back to protien shakes for me until i get a fill. Everything else has been awesome, no pain, scars are healing nicely. Hang in there folks, but watch out for the Mushies stage. When you heal you have NO restriction and your stomach will want some payback! Stay strong!

Hey ya all, I'm 2 weeks post op, I was banded on the 7th, and had my post op follow up yesterday and I'm cleared to go on soft foods now, so I tried a piece of turkey breast and nope not ready for it, but I did make a taco soup with ground turkey, black Beans, tomotoes, cream of chicken soup, fajita season and it went down find, and it tasted good, I could only eat a 1/2 cup I tried to eat a little more but stomach said no! Everyday is getting easier, just walk, walk a lot. I'm down 39lbs since 7/22 so I know the walking is helping.

Hope everyone keeps up the good work!

Julie

hi Everyone!!

First At All, So Sorry For My English, But I Am A Spanish Speaking Person.

I Was Banded On The 16th, I Move Into "regular" food 5 Daus After-op.

I Don't Drink While I Am Eating, And I Feel Hungry Sometimes.

...........i Dont Know What To Think

Banded On 8/16/2007..........bmi=31

HI missnilsa and all,

I've been out of this board the last week. Went back to work full time, foster son came home from sleep away camp, and still not feeling great.. nerve pain.... AND the clincher is getting my son off the internet totally so proving to him I'm not on it a lot too. ha hah ha.. I'm just suffering cuz i'm losing out . but i guess that's life..

I went for pre op on Tues. as they were concerned about my pain and everything looked normal. Thank Goodness for that!! The nerve pain is still there and will still be there for a while.. as she must've cut through some. but it is slowly getting better.

I was allowed to go onto mushies as of Friday.. and BOY am i going nuts! Can't stop myself. i feel no restriction AT ALL! But i definitely am eating less than I'm used to. I found myself sucking on choc. mints!! I'm horrified!1 and then before I was hungry and grabbed a peanut chew and chewed til it was gross and mushy but had one! WHAT am I doing ot myself??

So, I totally get you .. it's soo normal. It's more that i'm soo excited to after 4 weeks finally be able to eat... I'm definitely going ot have a harder time now that I'm not restircted and find that nothing is bothering me. Of course I'm not eating regular totally but even the little cheating is OK.

I WILL NOT BEAT MYSELF UP OVER THIS!! I'm STILL eating less than before, forusre! AND, THIS IS WHY I HAD SURGERY! Cuz, I can't do it on my own. SO, let's hope that the fills will help and then I will know forsure that this was all worth it.

Good luck and NO BEATING UP ON YOURSELF!!!

Hi guys:

I was banded on august 13. I've been on liquids for the most part but yesterday my friend made me some slamming Soup and it had baby carrots, celery, cilantro, tomatoes for color and some chicken broth and dark meat chicken.

I have to admit I had a piece of that chicken. and today I had a hand full of raisinettes. I am not finding myself hungry but being that the past two days I am picking at stuff (including guacomole, yesterday as well), I am a bit depressed today. My band is not filled. I have not made an appointment but I will on Monday when I go to NYU for my esoph exam.

I sort of feel scared and i sort of feel like I am going to fail at this since I have been picking. No excuses. I just tested the waters and I feel bad about it. I didn't go over board but a hand full of raisins here, some chicken there..... you know what I mean?

How are you guys doing? Anyone experiencing the same thing?

I was banded on the 16th, and I totally gorged on reeses Peanut Butter cup icecream! I am so depressed!

I am doing great! If there wasn't the port there, I'd hardly believe that I was banded. ...well, apart from the whole 'restricted food' thing. But it's odd, you'd think that the food amount would require mental adjustment and for me, that sudden change in volume is second nature. Maybe I just needed the physical sensation?

But I haven't done so well with food at times. >_< I found that if I made sushi 'for later' (it is mushy enough for the mushy stage, apparently?), it was impossible to have it sitting in the fridge without eating it... so I had to throw it away. And I've still not gotten used to wasting food. lol

Wow!..........I wish I could say that nothing could be better, but that's just not the case. I was banded on Thursday 8/23 and to my surprise I was an out patient. I found out just days before. I have had other abdominal surgeries (appendix and gall bladder) so I kind of had an idea of what I could expect. But even with those surgeries I spent at least one night in the hospital and was glad I did. Coming home Thursday wasn't the funnest thing I've ever done, but I survived thanks to my husband and daughters. Friday was a bit better but the bloating from the gas was no walk in the park! I was able to get some jello and boullion down and tried to keep up with my water intake. I still struggle with that. Sipping 4oz of water for 30 mins was harder than I thought. Surprisingly Saturday was my worst day. I expanded my intake with a few bites of a sugar free popsicle.....which I threw up. That scared me....it was a harmless popsicle! I continued with broth, jello and water and was feeling listless. I was hoping to feel a little better than that. Not that I thought I was going to be able to run any marathons, but listless? With some proding from my husband, I tried 4oz of sugar free Carnation Instant Breakfast and viola! Energy! What a concept! Add some protein...get some energy! Today is a whole new day. Thankfully, because it was the first day of school for 2 of my 4 children. I have to admit I am feeling hungry. I look forward to the mushie stages....sadly it's at least a week away. When my husband cooked dinner for everyone last night, the aroma permeated the walls. I was ready to start gnawing on the walls! Anyone else feeling hungry?

:faint:

Hi everyone, im 8 days out of surgery and starting to feel HUNGRY for real food... thought I was doing well but the SMELLS are killing me. Just feel like locking myself up at times lol... hubby has been real good and waiting for me to go to work until he cooks his steak! I know not long to go to the mushy stage and most of the time its ok, but when I walk outside in the evening and everyone has their BBQ's going, I am so sure they are doing it to tease me...

No pain, no more gas and physically feeling fantastic. Good luck everyone, I know we can all do it. Thank goodness for this encoraging site!

Hi guys! I went to NYU today for my esoph and post op incision check. I'm told I am healing really well. The attending told me a few things about my band. As we were told, this band is the new AP band which is why we don't feel so restricted and can eat whatever we want, practically. It is good to still watch what we eat. I am down 4 lbs since the surgery, I am told - but the attending told me that I should "enjoy" my time before the filling but still be responsible. He said he was glad I didn't gain weight because many of the others did gain - once they realized that the restriction is not there yet.

I will say that although there is no restriction, I still feel different. The food feels differently going down - and that isn't my imagination. I'm ok with it though -- we shall see how it goes after this.

thanks guys! KEEP ME POSTED!

Hi everyone, im 8 days out of surgery and starting to feel HUNGRY for real food... thought I was doing well but the SMELLS are killing me. Just feel like locking myself up at times lol... hubby has been real good and waiting for me to go to work until he cooks his steak! I know not long to go to the mushy stage and most of the time its ok, but when I walk outside in the evening and everyone has their BBQ's going, I am so sure they are doing it to tease me...

No pain, no more gas and physically feeling fantastic. Good luck everyone, I know we can all do it. Thank goodness for this encoraging site!

Hey you! hang in there. you are moving to mushies soon. It wouldn't hurt if you started a day earlier but if you do; get something really smooth like "Farina"; and use some Carnation Milk (the evaporated kind, fat free); some Cinamon and Splenda.... mmmmmmm so good! and very filling. For me - the hard part is not drinking at the same time as I'm eating. that is tough. and I miss my coca cola! I love coca cola. I don't want to think about it; makes me want to cry!

/nilsa