Calling All MARCH '09 Bandsters - We need a name!

[Texasgal09 0]

After reading all of the posts today (4/19), it seems obvious to me that each of us have our daily struggles. I am afraid I may be eating too much. I have my fill scheduled for the 27th of April; however, I would like to get it sooner. Since I fell on Friday, I would also like to see what is causing my sharp pains in my stomach and side.

But this is the "word" for today: Perserverance. I think I can speak for all of us when I say that our decision to have this surgery was not one taken lightly. For me, I knew my health wouldn't allow me to go very long without doing something serious about my weight. It hasn't been all "downhill", but I know that through perserverance, the desired results will prove to be worth all of the sacrifices and problems along the way.

We can do this group! With our suggestions and positive feedback, we will all succeed, right?

[SillyGoose 0]

You could be a motivational speaker! Or one of those coaches at half-time you see in the movies, where the team pulls it together for the win.

Thank you, however, I cannot take credit for this one. It was something that was taught to us at church last night and I felt that it could easily apply to all of us struggling here as well. Non-the-less, I still expect and believe!

O.K. I will try not to let it get to me....And although I won't put the scale up I will try not to weigh daily.....Thanks for the motivation and your weight loss thus far is impressive...Good Job....if I had 30 plus lbs. gone I would freak so much over the 3 to 5 lbs. that torment me....

I just wanted to let you know that the weight loss I've had so far has NOT been consistent. It has been a constant battle. I had to do a 6 month pre op diet while trying to lose 5 to 10 percent of my body weight before I could get surgery. At one time, I had lost about 20lbs. Then I had to quit smoking and gained quit a bit of it back. Then I lost some during the pre op liquid diet. Needless to say, I only lost about 24 lbs during the 9 months I spent waiting for surgery (that adds up to only 2.6 lbs a month!). I then lost 11 lbs after surgery right away, but as soon as I started regular foods, I've lost nothing! It's been almost 4 weeks since I've seen a loss and was feeling very disappointed like you.

Just keep pushing through - the restriction will come sooner or later!

Edited April 20, 2009 by SillyGoose

[xgrl 0]

Does anyone have this issue. After I eat no matter what it is I burp for about 15 mins. It drives me crazy.

YES!!! everytime I eat and sometimes when I drink just Water which is weird....I have to tell the people I work with and my family that I'm sorry but it feels so good! they don't make a big deal about it and I don't make it loud or anything but it's still kinda funny to me...

[teachergirl 0]

Just got on the scale, and up 4lbs from original loss, too! I am upset also, frustrated because I know I am eating less (albeit not always the wisest choices), and the scale keeps inching the wrong way!!! I know that my close are fitting me better...or some actually too big! And yet, 4 pounds! ARRRRRG

[conetha 0]

Everyone is right! Expect and believe! You will do it!

I haven't had my surgery yet, but as a nurse, let me tell you. Your belly was pumped full of air and things were moved around in there. Organs don't like that so they swell up in protest from being touched! Pretty soon they'll forgive and forget, as long as you give them everything they need to heal up - Protein and lots of water!

I believe in the power of positive thinking, I've seen it bring patient's back from the brink. Practice some relaxation techniques and positive visualizations. Visualize yourself getting smaller. Fake it til you make it, hold your head up high as if you just weighed into Onederland.

We are all in this together- thank God for the internet!

THANKS Shellynnrn........That gave me some hope!!! I just love this forum, I know I can always find the answers to my questions, with some positive support.

[xandriacharlee 0]

HI Xandriacharlee, I was also banded on 3/30, I would love for us to be support buddies :crying:

Congrates on your band. I still have not figured out how to put my ticker up but I am working on it. What are you able to eat now? Because I almost can get anything but I get full faster. I can not eat bread at all, so I do not even try, but most anything else, seems to be easy. So I am sticking with counting calories. I am eating 1,000 calories aday and doing pretty good. :eek:

[conetha 0]

Congrates on your band. I still have not figured out how to put my ticker up but I am working on it. What are you able to eat now? Because I almost can get anything but I get full faster. I can not eat bread at all, so I do not even try, but most anything else, seems to be easy. So I am sticking with counting calories. I am eating 1,000 calories aday and doing pretty good. :smile:

Hi Xandriacharlee, Copy and paste your URL information off of the ticket page and paste it in your signature. I think that is what I did. I have been very afraid to eat scared of things getting stuck, I have tried, eggs, fish and chicken. I would really like to eat some steak. I am really struggling with getting enough Protein and calories in a day. Are you drinking Protein Shakes everyday?

[Big Momma is Shrinking 0]

Hey Bandsters...

I thought some might like this link...

Lapband.com - LAP-BAND® Recipes: Browse, Rate & Share

there is something here for every stage and it does not require a id # or membership to access the recipes.< /p>

Happy Shrinking

[xandriacharlee 0]

Hi Xandriacharlee, Copy and paste your URL information off of the ticket page and paste it in your signature. I think that is what I did. I have been very afraid to eat scared of things getting stuck, I have tried, eggs, fish and chicken. I would really like to eat some steak. I am really struggling with getting enough Protein and calories in a day. Are you drinking Protein Shakes everyday?

I am trying to keep up the shakes, but mine are so sweet. So I drink one a day. the only meat I can get down is chicken. I am to scared about steak. I am going to try my ticketer wish me luck.

[tomjerry 0]

Yes, I quiet like March Madness....as well..

How is everyone going....

[conetha 0]

Yes, I quiet like March Madness....as well..

How is everyone going....

Hey TomJerry- I see you have had to fills. How are you feeling? Do you have any restriction?

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

Hi everyone~

Thanks mommashrink for the link. : ) Welcome to some new faces. I haven't been online much lately. Too busy finally putting myself on the list! And then being a mom and a wife.... I swear, eating healthy (shopping for everything, cooking healthy, etc...) and exercising is a FULL TIME job! I sometimes find myself slumping back into my old habit of being too tired too exercise, etc... and so I hired a really MEAN trainer at the YMCA! (She's not really mean... just makes me do things that my body doesn't like doing.. like lunges and squats). She is weighing me weekly, just to have one more check and balance in place. The first week we scheduled 3 x and this week, 2x. I might stick to that. The other days I can do something. This week again was really frustrating to me. Although I ate no more than 900 calories a day and exercised 5 times in 7 days... I only lost one pound! It just makes me so mad that the weight isn't MELTING off like on the Biggest Loser! There have been some dangerous stuff in the house that my 5 year old begged me for at the grocery store the other day. (note to self... do not bring Nelson shopping again). I have yogurt covered pretzels (190 cal for 7 tiny pretzels!) and Entemann's chocolate Covered donuts (300 whopping cal/each). I did have 3 pretzels... then looked at the calories and closed the box. (these are sold in the PRODUCE section!!!) IT should be outlawed. I sometimes have Mom guilt though. My son is adopted and does NOT have our genetics and is tall and thin and a VERY picky eater. He will skip Breakfast and lunch altogether if I don't insist on him eating something before school. I don't want to make him a member of the clean plate club like I was as a kid... but then he has to eat. And I prefer he eat his lean meat and veggies and THEN if he wants a treat he can have one. I have started just letting him not eat when he is obviously not hungry (especially on weekends). I think that is one of my biggest problems is that I never knew when I was truly hungry because we always ate on a schedule and because there were starving children in Africa! Yet, the nurse in me wants him to have enough nutrition for his brain to grow, etc. So many people say, he will eat when he is hungry. The thing is, he rarely wants to eat and then he wants goldfish only! I am sure the flip side to the coin would break my heart to have a chubby kid who I couldn't get to stop eating (like my mom had with me). I will tell you guys this... at night... when I get hungry and find myself in the pantry, the first thing I do is feed the cat a treat or two! Then go back to doing whatever I was doing. LOL. He is getting bigger, but I stopped snacking. ; )

Fill #3 is next Thursday! I wonder how much he will put in. I still don't feel any restriction really. However, twice while I was eating fast and didn't chew, I got the "iron fist" feeling. I stopped.. took some deep breaths and it passed after a minute or so. I have not had any of the saliva pouring or hiccups or anything like that. Each of those times I had taken a big bite and didn't chew enough. I know this sounds nuts, but I almost don't want to tell my dr (even though I will) for fear it will make him put less of a fill in! I of course don't want TOO MUCH! But I am tired of going in for a fill and not having ENOUGH!

Hope everyone is hanging in there!

peasout~ Laura

[Pezo 0]

Hang in there Peascorps.....I have a friend that felt nothing until after her 3rd fill and I was getting worried for her but as of this week she has some restriction....I can feel ya on the weight loss.....Were starving and still the scale won't give us any slack...And as for the flip side I have a 9 year old w/ Autism and he wants to eat constantly but he is already 145 lbs. and it is a daily fight to keep him in check he has always been big 10lbs. at birth 32 lbs. at 4 months and has keep up a steady pace since then...His Dad is diabetic and I fear that he will inherite it if we can't get the weight under control.....Keep up the good habits (like I can preach that) I find myself telling people stuff that I HOPE is true like we WILL get there.....

[rachaele1 0]

I haven't been on this web site in almost a month... honestly... because I am ashamed of myself. I researched bariatric surgery for nearly 10 years before I finally had all my kids (5 beautiful red-heads) and the military insurance (Tricare) would cover the lapband instead of only the RNY, which I thought was too invasive for me.....but now... ugh...I had my lap-band on 26 March. It is an 11cc band (that's larger than most). I was 252 and I am honestly scared to death to step on a scale to see if I have lost anything. I know I am eating less than I was before, but I read books about people eating 1/4cup yogurt for breakfast, 1 soft egg for lunch, a Protein Shake for a snack and a light dinner, maybe 3 oz of shrimp and 2 BITES of sweet potatoe... and I am JEALOUS of these people... I want to feel full after eating almost nothing... but I honestly eat almost anything.

I am scared.

I bought a couple books with low carb/high Protein recipes in it and so far - they are pretty good. It ain't Gramma's chicken casserole, but it's good food. One book, Before and After, has been very helpful. The author had RNY 6 years ago, so some of the info (the no sugar and dumping info) doesn't apply, but the rest has been at least helpful enough that I don't feel completely alone.

I eat too much. My surgeon is in the states (I live in Italy) teaching US doctors how to do the surgery - so I can't have my follow-up with him till at least 1 May. I will beg him to fill the band as much as possible... I didn't go into this surgery lightly and I desperately want it to work.

I try to stick to 85 (at least)grams of protein a day and no more than 25 grams of carbs. I drink constantly (except around meals) and track what I eat most days... but the fat jeans still fit well... :rolleyes2:

[newdicarlo 0]

Oh no Rachaele1! Please don't feel that way! I think most of us truly understand how you feel--that's why this time is called Bandster Hell--they really aren't kidding! it is a hellish time.

I only lost a couple pounds from the day of my surgery to the day of my first fill--6 weeks later. I was banded on March 2 and weighed in at 261 and went to my Dr on March 10 for a checkup and weighed 257. My first fill on April 15? Still at 257! I also expected to feel immediate results--and was so convinced I was doing something wrong. The day before my fill ate an entire sub from Jimmy John's, the whole thing!

My Dr's nurse said to "eat until you are full, you may gain, but that's OK, this time is for healing and you shouldn't expect to lose--if you do, it's a bonus!" She was telling me that if you can eat a chicken breast, great, if you can eat the whole chicken, it's OK, just to tell them so that when you do get restriction, they can fill your band appropriately.

I also wanted a "big fill" and guess what--my Dr. filled me to 4 cc in a 10 cc band and it was too tight! He took out half leaving me with only 2 cc--I was so disappointed--but, I do have restriction. I've lost 5-6 pounds since then and I'm doing what you are doing--lots of Protein, watching what I'm eating, and I'm also walking for 30 minutes 4-5 days a week.

I promise, it WILL happen, just give it some time, take a step back, re-evaluate and convince yourself--you have the drive, you just need the band to function properly and until you start getting fills, there is no restriction at all. Hang in there! You are doing all the right things! :rolleyes2: