JUNE 2009 Lap Band Surgery

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

Ok so I had my first fill this past Monday he put in about 1.2cc and well as I expected with that amount I fell no different. Still no restriction and for some reason this week I have been really really hungry all the time, maybe close to period time I guess I don’t know.

I go back in on the 27th for my second fill and around 1cc more is what the surgeon was telling me, and I can go in about every 2 weeks until I get closer to the right fill, so that’s not so bad.. He said he wants me to get to the point where I am eating a 1/2-1/4 a cup of food and that is all I need. Well currently I am a long ways from that so I guess will see how it goes.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to not overeat and/or indulge in things that I know I shouldn’t. Granted it is better than before surgery but still not anywhere close to where I would like to be. I just don’t like being hungry and craving all of the things that I shouldn’t eat :-(. Does it stop at some point?

And I question to anyone who has had a few fills now and has some restriction, do you get the same feeling of satisfied that you did when eating before surgery? Or is it different? My surgeon said that some people don’t feel full or satisfied they just feel a bit of discomfort at the band site, and that if that does happen you want to stop eating before that point. I am worried that I won’t feel satisfied and I don’t want to hurt anything by accidently eating too much. I have been lucky so far. I have not vomited once or had anything feel stuck, or really feeling anything at all! I hope it changes so I can start utilizing the band because my will power only lasts so long that’s why we did this in the first place right . I know it’s a slow road and that’s ok but right now I feel like I am at a pit stop with a flat tire.

:scared2:

I actually wrote about some of this in yesterday's blog. The post is called Panic. I'll copy some of it here.

I can't get in till August 11. That means that from now until then I'm going to be going on willpower alone.

It's amazing how comforting it was knowing I couldn't eat more than a certain amount without causing myself discomfort. I would feel that approaching fullness and know that I didn't want to PB (productive burp where the stuck food comes right back up with the burp relieving the discomfort), nor did I want to be slimed--think how your mouth starts watering when you smell food or even think about it. You've already started the digestive process, only the extra phlegm that helps wash down and moisten your food overproduces after a BP and there's no room in your tiny tummy so it comes back up while still being produced. Gross, I know. And enough to make you not overeat. Experiencing this phenomena once was enough.

I just about had a panic attack when I actually felt hunger for the first time since before my surgery. I don't know how to handle hunger. Most of the time I avoided it by eating before I felt it. Every diet I've ever been on was made miserable by having to endure hunger combined with cravings. I can remember following good diet advice--don't go to a party hungry, you'll overeat. So I would eat ahead of time and still binge on the party food.

On Oprah, Oprah tends to ask the question what are you hungry for. She tends to go with the emotional eating pardigm. Well, I'm hungry for food. Sure, codependency and ADHD and, for sure, confrontation, all trigger binges in me. But I just plain like food. I love chocolate in just about every way possible. I love spicy foods, whether Mexican, Thai, Ethiopian, Chinese, or Indian.

If you want to read more or follow more of my journey you can go to IF YOUR STOMACH OFFENDS YOU, TIE IT OFF

Blessings on your journey.

[SandyT 8]

Hi all...

I haven't been here in a while, and I'm glad I came back. I have been having some of the same challenges I read that you all are having. I had my first fill on 7/7 and haven't noticed much change at all. I seem to be able to eat anything and my appetite seems to be increasing. I am getting hungrier quicker and need more to satisfy me. It's hard to just focus on eating right. I'm hoping I will start getting some restriction after my next fill and things will get easier. I haven't lost any weight in the last 2 weeks. So I guess knowing I am not alone in this struggle helps. Hang in there everyone....we have to be strong! :smile:

[luckyfive101 6]

I have experienced seems like ALL OF THE PROBS you guys are discussing! Finally got a good fill and have started to lose again. Hit the HALF-WAY MARK this week! Yippee! 75 down, 75 to go! Believe me.. you WILL GET RESTRICTION at some point if you hang in there.. and then you will miss the time you could EAT ANYTHING as stated above! lol! Keep up the good work!

[keamreeves 0]

I had my 1st fill 7/9/09 and it seems that I have not lost any weight since I thought I was doing something wrong. After reading some post I realize I am not the only one struggling with this thing. I am walking 4-5 days a week, getting in my Protein, and fluids. I will keep my head up and unlike in the past I will NOT!! let this send back down the road that got me here in the first place.

[Stum-belina 0]

Astera, I've had 2 fills. I have a 9cc realize band and i have in 2 cc's and i only feel restriction if i eat any bread products, otherwise i have to check myself or i would be overeating all the stinking time. It's more than frustrating, i go in for another fill next week and will continue to get fills every two weeks until i hit the right spot. I'm really worried i am going to fail at this also. I've only lost 25 lbs since my preop diet that started on may 21st and my surgery was on june 1st. I have finally started walking and weight training, maybe that will help. Good Luck to you!!!!

[EmsMommy 0]

Well, add me to the list too. I'm 3 weeks post-op and experiencing this as well. I saw my surgeon last week, and he says he wants my band to stay empty right now, until it completely heals. My first fill will be on August 13th. It could have been the 6th, but we will be away that entire week!!!! Ahhhh!!!! So, I will trudge along myself and try to follow the rules as best I can. It was/is discouraging and depressing. Last night I went to my first support group though, and that helped a lot. I am going to make sure I check in here every night as well. It helps to know I'm not alone! Last night a nurse said.. you should count your calories and exercise. And I said.. well if I could do that and lose weight I wouldn't have gone through this whole thing!!!!! I was annoyed. lol... She is a toothpick too! grrrrr..... :bored::thumbup:

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

We are not alone. I'm so glad. We're all struggling. We're all human. Last night I wrote in my blog about, "If only we could band our heads." I couldn't do diets either. Counting calories, carbs, points, whatever. Drove me nuts--nuttier. If these things worked for us we wouldn't have gotten the band. Right now we're back on willpower, but its our combined willpower and relying on our Higher Power that will get us through this time. Check out my blog at:

IF YOUR STOMACH OFFENDS YOU, TIE IT OFF

[spud.mama 7]

Hello Everyone!!

I haven't been here in a while cuz I am inbetween homes right now and not following a diet AT ALL. STRESS!! I have been afraid to get on here cuz I feel guilty for not following the program. I am now at the point that people keep asking me if I've lost or what I'm eating... And today I told my best friend that I will tell her when I have lost (with a little bit of attitude). So I am very glad to hear ya'll are having a hard time too in your own ways. I perceive to have a place to live by next weekend, in the mean time I am just living to eat. lol But am here on this site and atleast thinking about what I need to do. I go for my 2nd fill in a few days, that should help more if I stop having dates with Ben and Jerrry :thumbup:. My doctors fill agressively so I need to get ready and practise taking small bites again and re-learn the rules. Problem is--my manual is in storage, but I know I only need it for the support. Ok, I'm done. Thanks for listening!

[keamreeves 0]

Today I am so hungry!!! I think because I am so tired for some reason. I feel like a complete loser the scale has not moved is a week or more and I am weighing myself twice a day like a nut case. I am putting that scale away so I can't get to it and the scale at the job is off so I know I won't get on that one. I just need to take a step back and relax. I am going on vacation next week and I hope I don't have to deal with the issue of being hungry since I am going to be at Disney World with some of the best food around. I feel like such a failure and I don't know why it seems that eveyone is going through the same thing unfortnately. I wish we didn't have to deal with this still even after the band. I get my second fill Aug. 20th so hopefully I will have more restriction with that fill. Good luck guys and hang in there DON'T GIVE UP THE FIGHT !!!!!

[JulieM. 0]

Ya'll I believe we are in what is called "Band Hell". Most of us are over a month out. Our insisions are healed and all the expectation of a new life and new hopes are at our front doors to speak. We are realizing its not as simple as all that. We are in the time frame of healing and getting to the sweet spot. For some of us it will be sooner than later. Until we get there it is a process of willpower and white knuckling it. We will be hungry until we have restriction. Or at least thats what I have gathered in hours and hours of reading these message boards. My Nutritionist said 4 oz of food is all my stomach would hold. I've got news for her....not true. I feel like I have been given a bill of goods. Yeah maybe I'm not doing my part to the letter of the law but what they said isn't the gospel either. May I say again BAND HELL. This is so much a process of emotional growth as much as physical. Its comforting knowing I'm not alone. Maybe in a few months we can look back at this and know it was just a phase and time really did solve everything.

[spud.mama 7]

Its comforting knowing I'm not alone. Maybe in a few months we can look back at this and know it was just a phase and time really did solve everything.

AMEN!!!!

[keamreeves 0]

:thumbup:We have to share every experience no matter how small because it may help someone else in their struggle.

Ya'll I believe we are in what is called "Band Hell". Most of us are over a month out. Our insisions are healed and all the expectation of a new life and new hopes are at our front doors to speak. We are realizing its not as simple as all that. We are in the time frame of healing and getting to the sweet spot. For some of us it will be sooner than later. Until we get there it is a process of willpower and white knuckling it. We will be hungry until we have restriction. Or at least thats what I have gathered in hours and hours of reading these message boards. My Nutritionist said 4 oz of food is all my stomach would hold. I've got news for her....not true. I feel like I have been given a bill of goods. Yeah maybe I'm not doing my part to the letter of the law but what they said isn't the gospel either. May I say again BAND HELL. This is so much a process of emotional growth as much as physical. Its comforting knowing I'm not alone. Maybe in a few months we can look back at this and know it was just a phase and time really did solve everything.

[Lady Lap Band 71]

I had my 1st fill 7/9/09 and it seems that I have not lost any weight since I thought I was doing something wrong. After reading some post I realize I am not the only one struggling with this thing. I am walking 4-5 days a week, getting in my Protein, and fluids. I will keep my head up and unlike in the past I will NOT!! let this send back down the road that got me here in the first place.

i dont think you are doing anything wrong...i dont think one fill does much at all!

[EmsMommy 0]

I think I came across that term too... in all of my pre-op reading and pouring over my laptop... Bandster Hell or Band Hell. Yeah.. that's where we all are. Pull up a chair and get comfy. UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got my Protein in today, and I'm proud of that. There, I said something positive! Baby steps.... :thumbup:

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

Yesterday I was on another thread "I'm here to help" on lap band mentors I think. Jokes were flying back and forth and it inspired me to write last nights blog on the importance of humor--something I think we can all use. It's called Look for the Smilemarkers. check it out at IF YOUR STOMACH OFFENDS YOU, TIE IT OFF