TheBandedPeach

Yep, I thought it was crazy as well. When I said I was eating 1- 1.5 cups of food and not losing any weight, she said no way, only 3 bites should be eaten. I am supposed to get my nutrients through liquid vitamins.

My doc said 3 bites... maybe 6. I'm not allowed to count calories. only bites. Mine is so loose I am still able to eat an entire cup or more of food. Hopefully that will change soon. Hope that helps.

It just depends on your Doc. Some don't even care. Mostly 'cause they say it makes you more hungry, (and a little hard on your gall bladder which has to work overtime as it is because of all the drastic diet changes), but that's just cause it gives you energy which in turn speeds up your metabolism, so it's kinda like... "hmm"... I drink it anytime I want.

Hey, I'm a poker nut too! ...But that aside... It's never too late to start feeling amazing. :Banane47: It will be work, but damn it's the best work I have ever had to do. It's the real kick in the (excuse language) ass that I really needed, but most of all, no matter what any other bandster may say... It does have a magical way of "forcing" you to do what's right. :welldoneclap:

I didn't have any diet requirements except the 5 day clear liquid fast right before the actual surgery. I was on Medicaid at the time.

I'm going through the same thing and I am 3 months post op! I have been in the ER 3 times for it now and they can't figure it out. They don't want to admit that it is the band causing so much pain. I wish I could help! I'll keep you posted if I find out any more answers... The only thing I can say is that most people stop feeling pain after a little while. My situation may just be rare.

I read this and sorry I am not much help, except that I heard there is something real important about apricot kernels that can help to heal breast cancer the alternative way. I believe that you break open the shell of the pit and it's one kernal a day....It isn't out there much in the public yet, but definitely something to research and look into. I wish you the best of positive energy and graced luck. :clap:

Yes, i did and OUCHIE! It hurt me, real bad. My fiance' had to give me them. I also was not told until the day of surgery. Phooey... :crying:

I think that's a PHENOM idea! Besides, i like drinking cold, cause it makes my band feel tighter (mine is too loose right now) Can't wait to try it! :Dancing_wub:

I heard that as your stomach shrinks, it tends to growl at ya.....

Hi there...a few questions.... How many fills have you had? Do you live in a warm, cold or seasonal climate? What's a typical day of food like? Have you talked to any of your band docs yet to see what they say? Maybe the diet they have you on does not work for your body. Have you tried alternatives? Switching to all natural foods can make a GIGANTIC difference. I ask and am interested because I had asked the same question recently until it finally, out of the blue just started kicking in and working.... :crazy:

It's definitely adding up!

Ok guys, so I experimented and all I can say is the band is moody and weird! I was outdoors all night 2 days ago in HOT, HUMID 80 degree weather and my band was so tight I felt like throwing up after 4 bites! That is the first time I felt like that in the 3 months since surgery.. the next day was the same when we went out in the heat shopping all day... today I have been in an air conditioned house..and want to eat the house! LOL I truly wish I could figure this out... good thing is... :lost1.5lbs: in 2 days!!! WHOOT WHOOT!!!

:welldoneclap: I ate a baby slice of my best friend's gluten free birthday cake 2 days ago out of respect for her (as well as supporting her on her gluten free diet due to a severe gluten allergy she has). I left half on my plate which included the marshmallow-y fondant with one bite taken out of it. This is the kind of thing we do after the band vs before the band, and that's why it works. :success1:

Below is a response I wrote that was inspired by a fellow bandster on this forum who had concerns as she felt she was "cheating" during her Full liquid Diet phase. My response to her.... As some people on this LapBandTalk forum know, I was getting very discouraged at different points in my journey...Here is something I have thought long and hard about since reading your post... "Cheating" is a harsh and possibly damaging word. If we feel we are "cheating" with our food, then we are still in a "short term" frame of mind and not in the new life yet. We have one foot in those crystal clear waters, but not both. By feeling as if we are "cheating" we can beat ourselves up again! We can fall even further down the path of destruction as a way of subconsciously punishing ourselves. It's your bodies instinct to want to eat real, solid food, not just to drink it. Of course it's possible for some people to struggle to fight against their nature! You don't need to be reprimanded, you need more support. Not to mention understanding of why it can be harmful to force your band to work so hard so early on while it's still trying to heal. It's a fact that this is harder for some then it is for others. No one told me how I was supposed to feel and act before surgery and how to prepare the mind for this. It was a desperate attempt to save my life as I'm sure the same for many others out there. I didn't have time to sit and wait until my brain finally "got it". I needed a tough SHOVE into an extreme reality situation AS SOON AS POSSIBLE in order to "get it"! If your having a hard time, there is a reason for it and a solution needs to be found. Not just with a physical device and a simple doctor's order. This can be very scarey, and very overwhelming at times. It's never something to be taken lightly. We may think we have our heads in the right spot, to then just lose it again later. When we feel we are losing our heads again, we cry out for help! Your already doing the right thing just by coming on here. That takes phenomenal courage! Great job for having true woman ballz to do that! WE decided to do this in the first place. WE decided to take charge of our bodies, and WE can continue to be our own bosses. Let me say this....When I told my nutritionist (who was assigned to me by my Surgeon's staff) about my recipes in detail, she was amused and positive. She felt I was on a real good track and also there was nothing wrong with choosing healthier option Soups instead of junk soups like Campbells (as recommended). I whole heartedly disagreed with the kinds of liquids my doc was choosing for me which were PACKED with artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners. My choice of soups actually had LESS calories & fat with night and day difference in ingredients. She saw no problem in me taking charge of my life, as well as when I talked with my assigned psychologist about this. The nutritionist allowed me to get creative on the flavorings of my Protein shakes and use my own sugar alternative instead of the typical sugar free sweeter (Aspartame) that was found in most everything I was told to have. I was taking charge because it's finally time! I felt very strong about my opinions and research on these healthier options (I may be overweight, but I grew up ONLY eating healthy, organic and natural foods..just way too much of them, along with lack of exercise due to a physical disability...) and more then a few of the doc's staff agreed that my surgeons idea of a healthy "after band" diet was out--dated! The only thing I was told was to be careful on the weight and consistency of the foods, and to make sure that if I used something like Peanut Butter that it was to be extra, extra smooth and in scarce amounts. Many bandsters are allowed a mushy faze after a few weeks, and I felt that it was wrong to be on liquids for so long. My gall bladder later proved that correct. I consistently lost at least 1- 2 lbs every week while on this specific full liquid diet... I lost nothing the first week when I was on the original one I was given. (Way too much artificial crap and my body sure as hell rejected it!) I stopped losing the second I started on solids staying strict to the mini bagel sandwiches I was told to be eating, etc.... I have hardly been unable to lose any more since and needed to get creative & take charge again as well as find lower carb options that are bulky enough to not slide thru immediately. That's my body, so watch yours and see what happens for you. What matters most in the very beginning is the time it needs to heal and that you get your protein & nutrients in. Be gentle to your band (it's your new best friend) and save yourself the ouchies later. I agree with Jim...Take a breath and remember why you chose this in the first place. We can do this! BTW..I weighed in yesterday morning and lost 2 more pounds this week after reaching out for help on this forum ; ) It's the first time I lost any weight since starting on solids 6 weeks ago. Good Luck! <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"><img border="0" src="http://tickers.myfitnesspal.com/ticker/show/909/6236/9096236.png" /></a><p style="text-align:center;width:420px;"><small>Created by MyFitnessPal - Free <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com">Calorie Counter</a></small></p>

Your very welcome! Jay Robb also has great Protein bars for later when your on solids, but just a warning that they can be kinda dry...

Great job! :waytogo: Your very welcome, happy to help my fellow Bandsters any time I can!

Ok sounds great! I wouldn't mind talking about our Dr. T experiences too..mine hasn't been very good and found a forum with other Dr. T patients too who feel they had the exact same experiences as me, as me with them. Keep me posted on when you are free through email on here and I will work on getting the word out through the forums for people who want to start meeting up in Oak Park. Maybe once a month?...

I should have rephrased that one part better.... they were talking about how DRINKING warm liquids loosens the band and drinking cold tightens it... Yeah, me too I am really wanting to understand that part better....

That's funny, mine says no liquids 30 minutes AFTER a meal but before a meal is fine...

I know Forest Park! I grew up 5 min away in Oak Park where my parents live and in fact will be in that area today! I have an appointment with Dr. Teisenga, who was my surgeon and works at West Lake Hospital and has his own little office on Harlem too. Maybe we should meet at the support group that will be on the 18th of July? I am trying to find out where, but I am assuming that it will be at West Lake Hospital on Lake St. Let me know if you can make that date. It's a Monday. Maybe others will see this on here and want to join or I can ask people at the support group too if they want to join. It will be my first time going, so I'm a little nervous. There is a place in Oak Park called The Buzz Cafe...Maybe we could all meet somewhere like that or similar. Any ideas?

Thanks so much!!! That is very kind of you. I'll be sure to update you if it ever gets published and email you a copy of my book in a yr or 2 when I'm done writing it!

There is a super high Protein, super high nutrient, low carb, gluten free grain from Africa called Quinoa! It can cook like rice, but also be ground into a flour to use for any and all baking. It reminds me a lot of Cous-Cous. In health food stores and online you can find it! My fave brand that I buy from Whole Foods Market is by Ancient Harvest -Quinoa Pasta, Flour & Flakes...(Just remember that the noodles need a much shorter cooking time because they cook faster and can get mushy.) They taste the closest to white noodles as I could find and taste REALLY good. Most friends I serve it to actually prefer it to white pasta! I had forgotten to mention that. They mix the Quinoa with Corn flour to make the noodles, but I bet if you made the noodles yourself, you wouldn't even need the corn! Here are a bunch of recipes that Whole Foods Market has on their website using Quinoa. QUINOA RECIPES from Whole Foods Market

I agree with Peaceful and Maria!!!! IDENTICALLLLLL experiences! Dr. T treated me the same way, spent no time with me and I have found my blood pressure rising each and every time I have an appointment there. I truly got on Cecelia's (please excuse my language) ass about things pre-surgery, too! Julianne is wonderful and the Doc named Christina who is there now is very sweet, but also seems a bit difficult to get real information out of. I will do my best to be at the meeting on July 18th!

Thanks so much for the support guys! I was extremely nervous posting this due to how strong my opinions are. I just want to help those who get down on themselves all the time and self destruct, as I am a pro at it myself! Hugs to all! :grouphug: To Butterfly: My gall bladder started breaking down due to the drastic diet changes that I was going through for the Band over the period of 7 weeks. I found out that over 60% of Weight Loss Surgery patients end up needing it removed. The docs don't want you to know that. They told me I needed to get it removed immediately after I was in the ER twice for extreme pain due to gall bladder attacks. LUCKILY I like to find alternative solutions, I did the research and was able to SAVE my gall bladder! I did a special diet for 2 weeks straight and the next gall bladder tests they did came out negative! My doctor's jaw dropped to floor! She could not believe that I was able to heal it, let alone in only 2 weeks! They told me there was no way to save it. WRONG! Here is how I did it... Got off of ANYTHING friend or greasy Got off of ANYTHING acidic like tomato & orange Lowered my egg intake to almost none Increased to a high volume of organic cucumbers and real organic beets Lowered my coffee intake Here is the article that helped me! -------> HOW TO SAVE YOUR GALL BLADDER If someone doesn't mind telling me how to post blogs on here, I will blog details about it For now it will just have to be a new forum post.