hokiemama

For me, it would be knowing that feeling full, does not happen in the stomach area anymore. I started a topic about this today because it's interesting that we have to learn new ways to know when to stop eating, after being banded. I wasn't told that the full feeling would be in my chest. It makes sense, but I found myself asking random people if that meant you were full. The answer was "yes". The other thing that may have been helpful for me was NOT to get banded right before Thanksgiving. I thought it was a good idea to have the surgery right before the holidays so that I would lose during that time for once. Looking back, I think that put extra stress on myself that didn't have to be there. It's hard enough to learn and stick to the rules during "normal" times, much less during the most food abundant time of the year. I don't regret it at all, but it did make it harder.

According to my surgeon: If you are eating 4 oz meals of high protein, NOT DRINKING for 15 mins before and 60 mins after eating and you get hungry before 3-4 hours.....it's time for a fill!

Duh! I have not been journaling! Oh, I'm going to start today! Thank your for your broth/potatoe idea! That does sound like a good warm treat! Quick too! I had to journal for my first 2 weeks to make sure I got my Protein and liquid in. After that, I stopped. I really need to so that I can keep a closer eye on my nutrition. I have just focused on the scale but I need to remember the protein and Vitamins so I don't have hair loss or other deficiency side effects! You are doing awesdome girl! I enjoy your comments.

Wow, I didn't even have gauze or bandages with my surgery. My surgeon used the clear dermabond/glue stuff on my incisions. I didn't even have a band-aid. I was allowed to take a shower 48 hours after surgery but was told not to take a BATH for at least 2 weeks. They did get a little itchy when scabbed over. My incisions healed nicely though. As for pain around the port area....HECK YEA! I was surprised at how sore that was. I have just started being able to sleep on my left side. It just takes time to heal.

Wow, I didn't even have gauze or bandages with my surgery. My surgeon used the clear dermabond/glue stuff on my incisions. I didn't even have a band-aid. I was allowed to take a shower 48 hours after surgery but was told not to take a BATH for at least 2 weeks. They did get a little itchy when scabbed over. My incisions healed nicely though.

I hope your fill went well. I also hope that you asked your doctor these questions and were given good information to use. As was said, all doctors have different guidelines. My surgeon requires a liquid diet for 2 days and then soft/mushy diet for 2 days after a fill. He actually does all adjustments in the hospital so he can see exactly how the band is working. For me, I stood up to an x-ray looking machine and drank a few gulps of barium liquid. He showed me my band and the liquid flowing through. It was neat. He then put some saline in the band and had me drink another gulp. He added a little more and had me do the gulp. When the liquid flowed the way he wanted it to, he said it was enough. It did not hurt at all. I was very nervous but it was a very quick procedure. 5-10 mins. I then had to sit in the lobby and drink 4 oz. of water before leaving to make sure it wasn't too tight. No changes with pills or other things after the fill. My surgeon is very firm about NOT drinking 15 mins before or 60 mins. after meals. He said this defeats the purpose of the band and you will fill hungry too quickly. Good luck!

Yeah, I got beat up on here when I talked honestly about my slip-ups and asked for help with motivation. (I got some positive support also). It does seem like so many people on here are able to stick to the rules almost perfectly.....however, I am not as good. I really want to stick to it and I do try, but it is a totally new way of living for me (us). I never stopped when "satisfied" and always had to feel like I was about to pop before I stopped eating. THAT was what full felt like to me. Now, to feel full in my chest is really weird and doesn't feel as satisfying. It's hard to get used to. We are trying to break habits that have been there for years and years. There's a lot of behavior modification that has to take place at the same time and we are all not going to be perfect right away. I think it's a learning process and I try to look at myself compared to MYSELF pre-surgery. I compare how much I used to eat to what I am eating now. It's MUCH less. I know my weight would be dropping much faster if I followed the rules very strictly. But we are all different and this is a journey that we have to figure out along the way. Good Luck. Do the best you can. You will succeed!!

Wow. Carnation Instant Breakfast (no sugar added) is what my surgeon required me to drink and keep down before being discharged to go home from the hospital, the day after surgery. I also like Myoplex Lite and EAS lite (pre-mixed) protein shakes. I didn't care for the taste of Muscle Milk light, which is also on the "good" list from my surgeon at post-op.

Brooke: Thank you for letting me know about the recipes on lapband.com. I tried one today and LOVED it! The speghetti squash was very tasty! I didn't put meat in my sauce but otherwise, I followed the recipe. I found the squash a good replacement for noodles. I am very picky about veggies. I don't like a lot of them, but this..I will eat again!!

I was banded on Nov. 15th. I noticed post-op that I would get a sharp pain in my lower abdomen when I bent over too far. I figured that was normal right after surgery. It has happened less frequently now, but I still get it at times. Usually when bending over or at a specific "intimate moment" with my hubby. It's way below my port. It's below and to the left of my belly button. It's definiately a muscle pain. It's very sharp like a cramp and really hurts. Does anyone else have this?

At only 4 weeks post op it's very important not to vomit. You are still healing. I am struggling not to each JUNK as well, but I am at least watching the portions. Fortunately haven't vomited at all and hope to keep avoiding that. You can do this!! We are all on this forum because it is NOT easy. We have to help each other out. Most of the time, I am my own worst enemy. I like to eat, often for no reason. It's a habit and sooo hard to break. This is going to be a rough journey but do your best. That's all you can do. Don't beat yourself up and instead love yourself enough not to damage your new little pouch. 9 lbs. is great by the way! If you are like me, I would usually gain 9 lbs from Thanksgiving to Christmas, before the surgery. Don't compare yourself to other people. Compare yourself to you before the surgery. We all have moments of bad decisions but hopefully those decrease over time (who knows). But even if you choose something that isn't healthy, keep it small. You don't want to vomit and cause slippage or consistently overeat and cause your pouch to stretch. As far as starving before having a fill.....my surgeon said continue to measure and make good choices. He acknowledged that the hunger would get worse and said to add healthy snacks like cheese or other proteins. His main concern was portion control. Also, since you are still 2 weeks away from your appointment, call your doctor and see if they can give you a fill sooner. My doctor was willing to give a first fill at 4 weeks if needed. Let them know the difficulty you are having and see what the options are. Good Luck! You CAN do this!!

Let's get back on track! No time like the present. You posted and asked for support, so you have not given up and still want it. Go back to measuring your food and get all of your water in. I think those two rules alone are a good start. No more than 1/2 cup per meal (is what my doctor says). Can you take 3, 10 minute walks today? If not, try doing 2. Any movement will help. It's easy to to get in a rut but you have to take the steps to get back on tract. You will be proud of yourself for getting back to it. You went through the surgery and pain for a reason. You want to be healthy and happy. Go for it! YOU have the choice to make it happen. It's tough, but there are SO manny people on here fighting the same battle, and winning. Go for it!!!

I hit a plateau when I went from mushy foods to solids. For about 2 weeks, the scale didn't move. It was frustrating. I had lost 17lbs when I plateaued as well. One thing I noticed is that when I do not get all of my water in, the scale doesn't move. It took me a few days to be able to figure out how to drink so much without doing it around meals. Look at how well you have done so far!! I think most people slow down when the food stage changes. You will pick back up soon. Keep following the rules and it HAS to!! Great job!

Well, I was SO motivated in preparing for this surgery. I read all of the booklets, did my research, and I was READY! I could not wait to get banded and I "knew" I was going to be very strict and do exactly as my surgeon instructed. Now, LESS THAN 2 months post-op, I am not doing as well as I should. I did fine on Thanksgiving and Christmas due to being on liquids or soft/mushy after my first fill. But as soon as I could start on regular foods, I'm "slipping up". Yesterday, I measured and did well all day. I got my water in AND exercised. But around 9:00 last night, I had a "mini binge". I ate a Little Debbie cake AND some chocolate dipped pretzels. I knew I would feel horrible afterwards, but did it anyways. I said I'd do better tomorrow. Well, that's today. I had 1/2 cup of cottage cheese for breakfast, 1/2 cup of chili with Greek yogurt for lunch, exercised.....then ate a 4 oz. bag of COMBOS!! What is up with that???????? I beat myself up terribly and the guilt is awful, but in those weak moments....I do it anyway. I am very glad that I had the sugery and I know I'll meet my goal 'someday". I just don't understand how I could feel so ready and motivated and lose that motivation so quickly. I thought I'd make it at least 3-4 months before I started "cheating". My surgical group only meets once per month for support group and I don't think I need psychotherapy. This forum is very helpful and I'm wondering if any of you lost your motivation so quickly and how did you get it back? I see people saying you have to have control and do the work. Well, lack of control of my eating is how I became obese! I know it isn't "easy" but I truly thought it would be a little easier than without the band. I know I have only had one fill also, and I do get full quickly with much less food than before...I'm just mad at myself! for breaking the rules so quickly.

Thanks to all of you for the response. I am feeling much more motivated and positive today. I know what I did wrong and I'm correcting it. I brough a healthy snack in to work today to have "just in case". I know I have to take responsibility for my actions and make more changes. If I don't...the scale will show it. I'm 8 lbs. away from being in the 100's for the first time in 6 + years! I CAN do this and I will! You are ALL an inspiration! We can all do it and will support each other along the way.

It is so crazy how different each surgeon is with their protocols. I think it gets confusing sometimes when reading forums and what other surgeons say that contradicts what my surgeon says. I pretty much go with my surgeon since I trust him completely. (My Nutritionist is the on the same page as my surgeon). So there is always the question about the amount of food....what measurement to use. My surgeon says your entire meal should FIT IN a 4 oz measuring cup! He said weighing with a scale is NOT the same. He said the pouch is designed to hold the size of a 1/2 cup of food total. Weight of the food is not the issue. Now, I've seen very different responses on here about weighing with a scale. I wonder why there are such differences? I've even seen where some people's doctor says they can have up to 1 and 1/2 cups of food. Well, I just had my first fill and the 4 oz. measuring cup full fills me up for now. I am going to try to stick to that and see how it goes. It's time to get this weight off!!

Thanks for the feedback Dave. But I should clarify that I didn't "plan" to cheat...ever! That is part of my frustration. I was so motivated before the surgery and honestly thought that I would be very strict and follow everything correctly. Today, being disappointed in myself, I wrote that I thought I'd make it 3-4 months before cheating. That was me saying "geez, I didn't even make it 2 months". That wasn't to say I thought that I would cheat before or even right after surgery. I honestly thought I was going to be some Lapband Superstar, but I obviously am not.....

Sandi: Thank you very much for those ideas. Yes, they are great ideas! I am making changes and need to make more. The junk food isn't usually in my house....because I will eat it! It was left over from Christmas and I avoided it as long as I could. I almost threw it away and should have, but I ate it instead. The combos were a concious purchase at the store because I really wanted them. That's the only reason. I wasn't really hungry and they weren't even that good. And yes, it would have been a much larger binge before being banded. I know it's a learning experience and I hope I have learned a little more today. I will check out the conference you referred to and I appreciate that. Heather: preparation is definately the key. I didn't bring a snack because my doctor says no snacking. So when I felt like I "had" to have a snack today, I bought combos. Maybe if I had a healthy and satisfying snack on hand, I would have made a better choice. I will plan better tomorrow. Thanks again!!!

It's SO interesting to me that some people cannot have milk for a week after surgery. I stayed over night in the hospital (23 hrs) and my surgeon required that I drink a carnation instant breakfast/mixed with skim milk and keep it down before I could leave. This is his protocol. I mixed all Protein shakes with skim milk. I imagine the taste would not be very good mixed with Water. You all are doing GREAT!! I'm sure it's helpful for those getting ready to get banded to see your day to day progress! GREAT JOB on Christmas too! I had my first fill on Thursday before Christmas, so I was on liquids for Christmas Eve (sipped coffee during the in-laws turkey/ham dinner) and soft/mushy on Christmas day. It was tough, but I intentially had the surgery before the holidays so I would lose and not gain FOR ONCE during that time. It worked!

That totally sucks. My parents tried to "control" my eating when I was growing up and I rebelled by eating more. They thought they were helping me, it didn't, but they didn't realize that until years later when I told them. I agree that you should talk to your hubby about it. Marriage is stronger with honesty. It will sabatage you in the long run if it continues. My husband is the exact opposite. He offers me sweets and wants to eat out all the time. lol. He has made a comment about thinking I will leave him once I lose the weight. Interesting huh??

Lance: Don't get me wrong. It totally matters what you put in the measuring cup! Of course my surgeon wants healthy foods in that 1/2 cup - mostly lean proteins. He discourages carbs, fried foods, sweets, etc. I didn't mean that I figure as long as I just eat 1/2 cup per meal that it didn't matter what is in there and I'd lose weight. I definately know that the little bit of food that goes in my pouch needs to be low fat, low sugar, high protein. I just don't write down the calories and carb numbers and stay in a specific range. I probably should and hopefully I will get there...for now I'm not as motivated as some.... You are doing awesome, by the way! 88lbs in 4 months! WOW

Phranp: Wow, you have done very well not to have strict guidelines. My surgeon only does WLS so I have TONS of info and STILL have some questions. I couldn't imagine having to try and figure it all out on my own. There is such conflicting information. I am surprised that some docs don't provide as much detailed information. Thanks goodness there are forums that exist so people can get information from those who were given the information. Goodness, I feel fortunate now that my surgeon is a little OCD about it all.

@L12- you are exactly right. He wants the meal to measure no more than 1/2 cup. He does not care about the "weight" of the food. Even meats....as long as it fits in 1/2 or less, it's fine. I do think that is an easier way than having to buy a scale and keeping tract that way. I carry a 1/2 cup in my purse. (I have yet to whip it out and use it at a restaraunt!). I do the eyeballing and try to stay at 1/2 cup. He says to measure and that when we try to eyeball it, most of the time we are eating more than 1/2 cup. I see a lot of people on here who calculate every calorie and carb as well, but I don't. I figure, If I'm only eating 1 1/2 cups per day of food total and most of that is Protein....I'm going to lose weight! I may lose it slower than some people though because of that. Oh well, like was said, we are all different and have to figure out what works for us. @Phranp- the breakfast things is a little hard for me. I prefer no breakfast, just a Protein shake. This is against my surgeon's advice. I do try to have 1/2 cup of cottage cheese for breakfast some mornings. I can't eat eggs but mostly I don't have time to eat breakfast or I'm just not hungry. I think his concern is that if you skip a meal, you will be too hungry for the next meal and overeat. So far, I'm not starving at lunch if I have a protein shake for breakfast, so that's what I usually do.

I'm not sure what he recommends for maintenance, since I'm pretty newly banded. I do know that all of the classes, handout,s and support groups consistently say 4 ounces of food per meal. No snacking. He says to eat food that will stay in the pouch. Mainly meats and some veggies. He says not to use protein shakes or soups after the regular diet phase begins. He says they won't fill you up and you need to eat 3 solid meals per day (do not skip breakfast) and limit carbs. He has a high success rate and I do trust him. It just blows my mind at how different each surgeon is about requirements and recommendations.