oldiebutgoodie2

I may be wrong, but I would say that if you don't get the STOP feeling from the band, then it is too loose. I'm not "filled" yet, so maybe I'm wrong. Elsewise, why did we get the band? Good luck to you. Do not give up! Not an option! :-)

I very much enjoyed reading your about your experience, and I appreciate and agree with your views on life, the band and this amazing web site! Continued positive journey for you!

when were you banded? I won't get my first fill til the 2 month mark. How did your dr. do the fill? Did it hurt? Do they numb it in any way? My friend is in the med profession, so she put a numbing jell on her skin before she went in cause her dr. doesn't numb! That's one question I'm going to ask my dr. before I go in for a fill! My friend told me they have you sit up and sip while the needle is still in the port--did that happen to you?

First of all, I love the saying under your name! Secondly, I suggest you go to the topic title of success stories. I just discovered it today, and it is sooo encouraging! Many mention times they went through like you, so I think you will be able to relate....and see and believe "this too shall pass." Good luck to you! You are going to do great!

so glad you made another appt. If the fill isn't giving you that STOP feeling, then I'd say your doc needs to add more! Here I am talking like a pro, and I haven't even had my first fill yet (I'm 3 weeks since surgery....get first fill at 2 months). Did you doc tell you how much your band is filled? How much he added? I plan to ask my doc all the details once I enter that phase. And I definitely would re-book an appt. if the recent fill isn't working! Good for you. Post what happens. Good luck to you. 48 lbs is amazing. Keep up the good work.

so so cool!! can hardly wait for my first fill, so I can have that stop sign too! That's what it is all about!

My nurse practitioner said that yes, there is such a thing as too much protein. But that happens only if you consume over 120 grams per day over a long period of time.

super good luck on your journey. I am at 3 weeks post surgery and am feeling great. Actually, felt pretty normal after 4 or 5 days. If you're near a costco, they sell Premier, a chocolate Protein ready-made drink that has 30 grams protein in 11 oz. of wonderfulness. I now drink one a day to help reach my doctor's required 80 grams protein per day. When you start feeling a little better (and a little hungry!), remember protein is your friend! I have never felt physically hungry! Again, super good luck! I think we have all made such a great choice in getting the band....and I can't tell you how much this web site has helped me! Throw any question out there, and there are kindred spirits out there who will be supportive and oh so helpful!

204 lbs lost! What an inspiration! And you are almost at goal! Super congrats! But just curious, why stop at weighing just under 200? Are you tall?

wow! Size 10 pants!! So cool! I was thinking I would be happy when I get into a 14-- not any more! Sky's the limit, right?! You started at about the same bmi as me, so you're living proof it is possible! Thanks for the inspiration! Good luck to you with your continued success!

OK, the super yummy quiche (Chili Egg Puff) recipe, the skinnied down way (but "normal" people still love!): Ingredients: 2 1/2 C egg beaters 1/2 C flour 16 oz. fat free cottage cheese 1/2 C liquid "I Can't Believe it's Not Butter" (or similar) 8 oz. fat free grated cheese of your choice 8 oz. reduced fat grated cheese of your choice 7 oz. diced green chilis 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt Mix all the ingredients except the chilis.. Blend in the chilis. Pour mixture into 9x11 baking pan that has been sprayed with Pam. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until center is firm and the top is lightly browned. I divide this into 12 pieces. Based on 12 pieces, each piece is 142 calories, and 18 grams Protein. But as you will see, these pieces are pretty big. So I'm eating a half a piece as my meal, which equals about 3 oz.. They "keep" great frozen individually in baggies, keeping one piece in the fridge pretty regularly for easy microwave heat-up. p.s. for variety, you could add sauteed mushrooms and/or little pieces of ham to the mix.

Hi, Julia, You are so wise. I took to heart everything you said. I have been discouraged a bit, thinking I would lose every day, cause I was eating so little! You said all the encouraging things my Mom would have said to me. Thank you so much. Best of luck to you in your continued success.

Hi, your question could best be answered by your dr/nurse practitioner. That being said, I also don't feel satisfied with my 3-oz. meals. But I have come to appreciate and savor the tiny bites, and after the "meal," wait the minimum 1/2 hour and then suck down (lots of little sips all day long) liquids and Liquid Protein. I take in 8 glasses of liquids a day and 80 grams of protein. So I have never felt physically hungry since the surgery 3 weeks ago. So bottom line, my best friend is lots of protein! Good luck to you!

Hi, Weesie, My dr allowed me to add solid food in week 2. In week 2, I got to eat 2 whole ounces (!) of real food, 3 times a day, supplimented by liquid Protein the rest of the day. Week 3 has been 3 oz. per meal, and week 4 will be 4 oz. per meal. It seems like so little, but it's great training to take small bites, putting your fork down after each bite, and picking your food choices wisely! Stuff you like that is high protein, and that is pretty substantial, so it takes longer to chew and savor! After a week of 2 oz. meals, 3 oz. seems like so normal a portion! Sweet potatos and meatloaf sound fine (thanks for the suggestions!). Just remember to chew LOTS before swallowing. Not sure I'm the best role model, but my 2 and 3 oz meals include tuna salad with small crackers (remember small bites and chew at least 25 times before swallowing!), a 2 or 3 oz piece of fish and about 2 or 3 Tbs. of baked potato (without skin, using low fat sour cream and spray "Can't Believe It's Not Butter"), 3 oz of thick homemade bean Soup (kidney, pinto and black Beans, onion, celery, diced tomatoes and seasoning, ground turkey and lean ground beef), ...freezes well in individual containers boca burger (veggie burger), and this yummy low-cal/high protein quiche I make. I'll send you that recipe if you want-- I make it in a 9x11 pan, and cut it into individual servings and free them, keeping one in the fridge at a time for easy access to warm. Each 3 oz serving is only 70 cal. and it's 9 grams protein. I also make high protein pudding that is 20-25 grams protein per 3 oz serving (depending on how much Protein powder you put in)! I just get sugar free instant pudding and mix it with 2 cups non fat milk and 3 or 4 scoops unflavored protein powder. shake well and refrigerate for a least a few hours. I also do a similar dessert with unsweetened koolade and freeze those. I have one of my puddings or "dreamcycles" every night....I don't count that in my meals! I choose to count it as part of my protein liquids! But I'm still losing...an average of about a 1/2 lb a day...so it's working for me. The first week of real food was so scary! I was so afraid I would blow it and eat more. But with all the protein every day (my dr. says 60-80 per day and I usually hit 80), I have yet to be hungry. And I look at my "meals" as tasty suppliments to my secure/no-chance-of-cheating protein drinks! Super good luck to you! What a great decision we have made for ourselves!

I have gotten light-headed on and off since my surgery 3 weeks ago. Turns out, my blood pressure has taken a nose dive! According to my nurse practioner, that is not all that abnormal, as I have lost sort of a lot of weight in a short time, and my diet changed drastically, from carbs, etc etc (!), to practically straight protein! She said the combo of those two factors sometimes affects new banders that fast! So cool! So I am going to my primary doctor on Friday too, to talk about getting off of some of my blood pressure meds! Hope yours is as easy of a fix! Good luck to you! p.s. I had the shoulder pain for about 3 or 4 days. Hot pad and vicidin kept it in check!

So did your dr. say anything about it?

What an amazing, surprising side benefit to this wonderful, life altering procedure! Thanks for sharing.

Thank you thank you for your wise advise and suggestions! I do measure my intake, and I do track my Water and Protein each day....but I do it the old fashioned way....on a chart my sister made up for me. I love it, because without keeping track, how do you really know when you've had enough? That is amazing that you only had one fill! My doctor is stressing the lesser fills, too. After your fill, did you go back to liquid Protein again for a few days? How do you gradually eat more if your stomach and the opening are the size of a ping pong ball? So how much do you eat at each meal? They tell me that eventually, it will go up to one cup or 1 1/2 cups for each meal, which seems like an awful lot right now! I soooo agree with you about my outlook about going to the dr now!! I also feel like this is so the answer for me. Can hardly wait to get to what you have achieved! Super congrats to you. And again, thank you so much for sharing your wonderful thoughts and ideas.

Thanks for the advise. Can you remember any thing else that was helpful for you during the first month after surgery? When did you get your first fill? How many blood pressure meds were you on? How soon after your surgery did it positively affect your bp? When did you start weaning off them? So you are totally off all by meds now? Fantastic!! That is one of my big goals! Very good news that once I am off all of my bp meds, I could drop up to 10 lbs! Great! Congrats on your weight loss! And on your great improving health!!

sounds good to me! congrats!

onederland! hahaha! just got it! :-) you're doing great! Keep up the good work!

Thanks for the info, and the yummy recipe! I'm definitely going to ask about the portion reasoning at my 1st support meeting tonight! Keep up the good work! And keep those great recipes coming! :-)

Neat! Thanks for the referral to the website. I'm always looking for good recipes. And congrats on your success so far!

I got surgery the day after you. I cut up my pills in forths. All those pills times 4! So at my one week check up, my doc said I could cut the bigger ones in half, and take the smaller ones whole. Just take one at a time. It has worked out just fine. My tune may change after my fist fill!

I don't mash anything (too disgusting to even try!)...I'm in week 2 and can eat 2 oz of real food, 3 times a day. I have eaten tuna, salmon, eggs, bean soup (with ground turkey and ground lean hamburger in it!). I take tiny bites and chew at least 25-30 times before swallowing, and put my fork down between bites. I eat at about the same rate as everyone else at the table eating regular amounts.