Rachel412

I'm a little worried for you. If you don't know what you're doing, do you like to read? I'd suggest the book Bandwagon. It's a big book and it's worth every penny. You have to let your stomach heal because 1) you probably have stitched around your band that encase it with your stomach- sort of like making a sleeve in your stomach for the band to sit in. This helps the band stay in place. 2) The band is new to your stomach and needs to settle in to where it's supposed to be. If you're eating normal good again, you could "knock" the band out of place (for lack of a better term). You need to control your eating now because this is the hardest part of being banded, but it's not going to get easier for you any time soon. Most people don't feel the band working (which means you're not hungry for 4-5 hours after a small meal) until they've had 3 or 4 fills, which will probably be at least a couple of months away for you. THIS IS THE HARD PART. We all have to go through it. If you eat normally now, you're going to have it much, much harder once you start getting fills. Did your surgeon give you any aftercare directions beyond what you should eat? Do you have a post-op appointment?

It's only 5 days, well 4 now... remind yourself plenty of people have to do it for TWO WEEKS. If they can do it so can you.

Well, it's "normal" just like a band slip, or erosion is normal... it's happened before, but it's not a good thing and it's not supposed to happen.

Yep, sounds like you're too tight.

Yes, it still happens even when the band is stitched into place. It's another good reason to keep your band from getting too tight- too tight leads to vomiting, leads to slipping.

That is NOT good. It should be stitched or hooked in place and not moving. Call your surgeon!

Sounds like you're doing fine! Remember your hunger probably WILL come back as you get closer to your first fill. If you get used to eating the small portions now, you'll do so much better with your band. Keep on rocking that band!

How long will your doctor be out of the country for? Seems like most surgeons require 2 weeks in between fills. YES, people do get a fill that doesn't seem to "kick in" for 12, 13 days.

Yes, you have to wait the whole 6 months before it's submitted because your doctor has to prove you did it. My surgery was really soon after my paperwork was sent in- between 2 and 3 weeks. I'm GLAD I couldn't get the surgery fast ,though when I found out about the wait period I was heartbroken. Use this time to learn as much as you can about what you have to do post-surgery, you'll be glad you did!

Hi! This thread might help you... http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/131158-surgeon-gave-impression-gastric-bypass-was-better/

Hi Simone! I LOVE your story about how you got your band, and what I love most is that you left his office a month after you had the surgery. That's awesome You're having an amazing amount of success. I'm sure you'll be able to lose the last "few" pounds. Welcome to the site!

I saw the title of your post and thought it was a new kind of potato chip Sounds cool! Does it come with the bells?

I couldn't have any sort of food until 2 weeks past surgery. If you tried mashed potatoes and it didn't go down so well, stick to your protein shakes for a few more days. You don't want to disrupt the healing of your band site.

I'm usually between 50 and 75 grams. No bread, just fruit and a little bit of high protein and fiber cereal in my yogurt.

It's definitely normal to still be in pain at this point.

True, they're different, but I know I had plenty of both after surgery so the Gas X did help- particularly in the very beginning when it hurt to try to burp!

So far I haven't found anything that I *can't* eat. I don't know if it helps or hurts, but I can feel when everything I eat or drink passes through the band. So I'm always so aware of it... but I've tried bites here and there of pretty much everything, and haven't had a problem yet.

It's fine to find a new doctor. Just make sure you know their policies on charging for fills, and make sure you're comfortable with them!

congrats! do you know how much you have in your band now?

Make sure you tell them what you eat in a typical day, what your biggest challenge is, and what kind of non scale victories you've had. You'll do great!

Yep, what the worm above said. You'll get out of it what you put into it. Some people only lose 20 pounds. MOST people lose a good amount. SOME people lose ALL of their excess weight, and get fit and skinny and fabulous. How will you do? That's up to you. Really, it's a diet with a bonus helper. Until you get to a good fill level (possibly 2, 3, maybe more months after surgery) you will be going on willpower alone. The band does not do any of the work for you- ALL it helps you do is feel full faster. It won't prevent you from eating unhealthy foods. Ice cream, chips... that stuff slides right through the band without a problem. Yes, excess weight is the difference between your ideal and current weight, provided your ideal weight is realistic.

I would think that you'll do well with a band if you're used to higher end foods. If you're addicted to the foods that are shoved at us at every turn- full of fat, salt, and sugar- then it's hard to understand that you'll need to limit it. But there's nothing wrong with having a small steak or some delicious seafood! Protein will be your focus once you're banded, and many of the foods you mentioned are high in protein. Perfect! Street food, well... you'll have to pick your battles with that But if what you crave is gourmet foods, I think you'll be just fine.

I don't have any suggestions, I just want to congratulate you on your amazing loss over the last 3 years!

Will one day of "cheating" lead you down a bad road? Will a beer trigger you to eat other foods you shouldn't? If so... don't do it. Honestly, you're way too new to the band to be "cheating", in my opinion.

You need a small unfill so you can tolerate the healthy foods and not have to resort to ice cream. Also, you should keep repeating this to yourself, which Lap Band Gal has on her blog header- "If hungry isn't the problem, then eating isn't the solution."