Stroganoff

You are being way too hard on yourself. Could you tell me what kind of words of advice you would give ME if I told you that I had a protein shake and half a tuna sandwich and felt like I was failing miserably? I bet your words would be kind. You need to learn to be as kind to yourself as you are to others. Even the walnuts are not that bad. You are learning! If you are taking in new knowledge and adjusting your lifestyle how can that be failure? Obviously you have not hit the "sweet spot" yet but it is coming. Soon enough you will look back on this and laugh.........if you can even remember it! I am proud of you even if you are not.

Make sure you tell them when you go in for your fill that you are hungry all of the time. At my doctors office they told me that the amount of saline they put in depended on the person's progress and hunger. It might be different for you but it couldn't hurt if they are willing to give you a little more! Stay strong!

Hello all I thought I would stop in and give you a good laugh. I wanted to share something I am now experiencing with my wonderful lap band journey. I am currently a nursing student and I have 10 hour clinicals every Saturday. I was quite excited about my clinicals because I thought being on my feet would definitely help with the the weight loss since it is better than sitting on my butt in a cubicle. Well I have not seen an improvement in weight loss but I can live with that I know it is coming. What is not so fun is the gas!!!!! Hello all of this walking is making me sound like my grandma......you know the type everyone knows one.....the tooting train! It is like it with every step comes a new note. Of course nothing about this is quiet and unnoticable so I make several trips to the restrooms. Of course I am so greatful at the end of the day to get to the privacy of my own car. I think my professors think that I am a slacker and trying to get out of helping with patients LOL. I think this week I will have to let them in on my little issue. Go ahead laugh away even I can admit it is funny! I hope noone took this as vulgar.........it is just a fact of life especially now..........and still funny!

I have had my first fill and I am still in the same boat you are now so please don't get your hopes up. It will take a while to get the right amount of Fluid in the band. Even as I type this I completely feel the same discouraging feelings you do. I really do try to make good decisions on my food choices but when you are hungry all of the time it is hard to be good. Maybe we are not the only ones having issues because it seems people are checking in less. Who wants to give an update when there is no weight loss to report? Now that people know they ask me all of the time........it sucks to say I haven't lost anymore!

Well the lump feeling yes but when something was actually stuck (cucumbers) it wasnt as severe.....at least once I threw up. I had the lump in my chest and got sick but I could kinda tell something was still there. It took two more trips to the restroom to remove the dang thing. Have you ever tried to drink something after you have lump in your chest? I have and it was major pain. I think I will just give up scrambled eggs for now. I have a banded friend that still can't eat scrambled eggs and it has been over a year. I think you still keep eating because this is learned behavior. We learned to believe that fat people should be ashamed to eat food and especially any food that is unhealthy..........so we ate the stuff in private. It was almost like if others didn't see it then it didn't happen. Well you feel like because you have the band you should have all of this control and why would you eat bad stuff after everything you went through to lose the weight. So yet again you feel ashamed of what you are eating. I really wish the people that have been banded for a long time would get over telling the newbies that crap. If you think for one minute all of those bandsters were perfect and this new life style just fell right into place for them then you need to stop believing their lies. This false vision that you are not on the same track as everyone else is tail spinning back into old habits. Maybe you are even feeling a little deprived which is another reason people secret eat. You need new motivation to help you get back to better habits. Print pictures of people that you wanna look like. Give yourself a very small goal to reach. Go buy something a size smaller that you really wanna wear. Change you sleeping habits so that you are not awake for a long time after your kids. Find a friend that can really be supportive of you during this time. You are at least acknowledging your bad behavior with food now just work towards correcting it. If you are going to eat something bad just eat a little. As it stands you are torturing yourself with guilt. Maybe you can split your food up. Eat a little then go do something else like wash dishes. If you are still hungry then eat a little more. Just keep doing this and eventually you wont be hungry. Also trying brushing your teeth....for some reason this changes the minds want for more food. I hope some of this helps and good luck. You do deserve this you just have to make yourself believe it!

Well the lump feeling yes but when something was actually stuck (cucumbers) it wasnt as severe.....at least once I threw up. I had the lump in my chest and got sick but I could kinda tell something was still there. It took two more trips to the restroom to remove the dang thing. Have you ever tried to drink something after you have lump in your chest? I have and it was major pain. I think I will just give up scrambled eggs for now. I have a banded friend that still can't eat scrambled eggs and it has been over a year. I think you still keep eating because this is learned behavior. We learned to believe that fat people should be ashamed to eat food and especially any food that is unhealthy..........so we ate the stuff in private. It was almost like if others didn't see it then it didn't happen. Well you feel like because you have the band you should have all of this control and why would you eat bad stuff after everything you went through to lose the weight. So yet again you feel ashamed of what you are eating. I really wish the people that have been banded for a long time would get over telling the newbies that crap. If you think for one minute all of those bandsters were perfect and this new life style just fell right into place for them then you need to stop believing their lies. This false vision that you are not on the same track as everyone else is tail spinning back into old habits. Maybe you are even feeling a little deprived which is another reason people secret eat. You need new motivation to help you get back to better habits. Print pictures of people that you wanna look like. Give yourself a very small goal to reach. Go buy something a size smaller that you really wanna wear. Change you sleeping habits so that you are not awake for a long time after your kids. Find a friend that can really be supportive of you during this time. You are at least acknowledging your bad behavior with food now just work towards correcting it. If you are going to eat something bad just eat a little. As it stands you are torturing yourself with guilt. Maybe you can split your food up. Eat a little then go do something else like wash dishes. If you are still hungry then eat a little more. Just keep doing this and eventually you wont be hungry. Also trying brushing your teeth....for some reason this changes the minds want for more food. I hope some of this helps and good luck. You do deserve this you just have to make yourself believe it!

Incase anyone is interested I had 3 ccs on my first fill. The needle did not hurt but it was a little uncomfortable when she kept digging around in there. She kept trying to get saline out to see if the doctor had prefilled me. I told her he had not put anything in during surgery but she didn't listen. She opted to used a different needle because she didn't like the first one. This time she injected saline in and pulled it out only to say "oh it seems like he didn't put any saline in during surgery" Freaking really? I think I just told you that. Anyway I haven't felt a difference with the 3 ccs. I have learned that I cannot drink while eating which is crazy because I was taught to always drink while eating to digest food better. I have learned that I cannot eat scrambled eggs because they seem to gather in the pouch instead of going through the band which is strange. I could feel it getting uncomfortable so of course I drank water because that is what my instincts are when something is stuck............ and I had to make a b line for the restroom. I am slowly learning I guess lol. I will gladly answer questions about fills if anyone has questions.

I think there are more people out there that secret eat than you think. I think you might do a bit better if you eat slower. I know it is crazy hard but just do it. Don't watch tv or talk to anyone because it will distract you. Really concentrate on when you don't feel hungry not necessarily feel full. Just try it a few times and you will be so proud of yourself for eating "right" that it will make you want to continue that behavior. We have all grown to have an unhealthy relationship with food and it will take a while to reprogram that. As far as the lap band helping.....give it some time. It takes several months to get to the point of restriction which will be when we see the help we were looking for. I don't think the doctors really prepare us for how long it will take to see the true results. Yes in the beginning when we are on liquid diets we drop quick but then it slows down or stops or sometimes goes up. This is temporary!!!!!!!!!! Keep the faith long enough to get to the sweet spot. We can do this! Don't be ashamed of the things you have done in the past or even currently. You have come to terms with the fact that you need help and you are actively trying to help yourself. This will be a bumpy road but so worth it!

I had my lap band at the beginning of August and have already had my first fill. Is anyone else having constant issues of soreness around your port? It had completely went away until I went back for my fill and the woman had to stick me twice. The first needle she moved around a bit in there so maybe that is what is causing the soreness. It kinda feels like bruising. I know I can over do things sometimes too. I so danced my bootie off this last weekend and I am sure I shouldn't have. I told the NP that there was soreness and she acted as if this was normal. I am ready for this to go away already..........but still worth it. Also my weight loss is crazy all over the place now. I don't think I get in enough protein though. I still eat lots and lots of refried beans because I know they are safe. I have had the unpleasant experience of a cucumber getting stuck because I was starving and didn't chew good enough. My fellow banded friend said not to worry about the weight loss so much until I hit the sweet spot because then it will fly off. Why must we get a little bit at a time instead of loading us up early on and backing down if it is too much? PHEW .....lol I guess I can quite whining now. Hope everyone else is awesome.

I am also from the Houston area (Kingwood) and I was just recently banded August 4th. Although I do like the website I have to admit I get a bit frustrated with it. There are so many people I don't feel like I have a connection with anyone yet. I do have one friend who has had lap band and I go to her for everything but I am starting to feel bad for bugging her all of the time. My family is supportive but I don't feel like anyone understands because they are all skinny. I would love to get involved with a closer group of bandsters. I do not have the time to meet up in person but would love some online support. P.S. Does anyone know if salad is considered ok during the mushy food stage?

Thank the little baby Jesus! I had my surgery on August 4th and lost 9 pounds the first week and a half. Then absolutely nothing. I was really beginning to freak out because I didn't realize that this is normal. I am so glad to know that I am normal and I didn't do anything wrong. Sometimes this website is filled with wonderful information and support and then other times people scare the heck out of you with everything you can screw up if you don't do everything perfect. My friend who has had the procedure done told me that it is normal and the weight will start coming off again once I get my fills but I was really convincing myself that I had screwed something up bad. I actually like weighing myself everyday because it helps to keep me on track. When I am presented with not so good food choices I always think about the scale I will step on in the morning........and I walk away. Thank you so much for starting this thread you have made my weekend! So relieved.........

I just wanted to drop in and introduce myself. My name is Stephenie and I am 32, married, and have 3 kids who are 11, 13, and 15. Let me just say that teenagers suck! Anyway, I am 5'4" and started out at 236 pounds with a BMI of 40. I had my lap band surgery a week ago today and my current weight is 219. Let me just tell you I am ecstatic. I actually started looking into lap band about 2 years ago but my insurance at the time wanted to make me jump through hoops to qualify. I am quite sure once I jumped through those hoops they would have still tried to deny me because they were that kind of insurance company. In February my husband's company switched to BCBS of New Jersey so I decided to submit my insurance info and see what they had to say. I believe my first visit was at the very first week of June. On that day Cindy Canino from True Results became one of my favorite people in the world. She told me there were no more hoops and that all I needed was blood work, a psych evaluation, and to see a nutritionist. Not much in this world can make me cry because I am very strong get it done kind of woman but let me tell you I cried like a little girl and didn't care who saw me. I had all of my requirements done a week later and then the psych dr had to submit a report but they were able to submit my info a few weeks later. I was still rather skeptical that I would get my approval because that is how things work for me. I did set up a surgery date for August 4th just in case and had my fingers crossed so hard Iost feeling in my hand. On June 22, 2011 that same beautiful woman called me to tell that my approval came back from the insurance company. WHAT? No appeals or hoops or rejections? Finally my day had come. The one thing in life I have done that was for me and me alone was actually going to be a reality.!!!! Again I cried like a little girl standing at the front door of my office building where I work. Everyone walking by thought someone had died. I calmed down enough to really just laugh. Free at last free at last thank God O mighty I was free at last. Yes I am a little dramatic and long winded but basically my story has brought me here. I am an active participant in the lap band community and I can't wait to see what life has to offer. I was a blessed person before with amazing family and friends but I had one huge hurdle that made me feel like crap and want to hide away sometimes......my weight. Well now I have the same amazing friends and family and nothing to stop me from anything I want to do. Damn it I am crying again! It is a pleasure to introduce myself, please feel free to say hi or become my friend.......I am not shy in the least! Steph

Unfortunately teenagers do suck that bad. Thanks for the congrats and words of encouragement. I have been kinda down the last few days because I went from losing a pound a day to nothing. When I switched over to mushy foods is when the weight loss stalled. I have evaluated the mushy foods I have been eating and realized that it is because I have introduced some carbs back into my diet and not as much protein. I guess I figured that until I could eat regular foods again I would still be losing weight eating the refriend beans and mashed potatos because the amount was so small. Well today I have decided that aparently that is not what works for my body so time to find healthier options. I have gone back to drinking at least one protein shake a day and avoiding carbs. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the weight starts moving again. I don't expect to see a pound a day but a few pounds a week would make me so so happy!

I am by no means experienced but I am obsessed with reading posts and I paid attention to what the dr said about dieting. A little bit of chocolate every now and then will not hurt but it does matter where you calories come from. Protein is what everything in your body is made up of. If you do not get you all of your protein everyday then your run the risk of starting to lose your hair and such. If you eat the protein in your meals first then move to vegetables and then to fats and carbs you will find it is much easier to stay on the low carb high protein diet because you will get full before you make it to the bad stuff. Your weight will drop off without even trying really. I will say that a girl has got to have her chocolate from time to time though. I hope this sounded more helpful than judgemental because I promise I understand how you feel.

I haven't read every single post but I have notice a lot of gas pressure or heartburn like pain. Everyone in my dr's office told me that gas x strips would be my new bestfriend. If you haven't tried them yet you should. They are a major relief to that pressure pain! I haven't had heartburn since the surgery which is a major relief. I use to have heartburn every day and sometimes at night so bad I would vomit. They found out during surgery I had a pretty big hernia that was of course repaired. Just the absence of the heartburn was worth the surgery for me! I hope this helps some of you.

Hello everyone my name is Stephenie! I am 32 years old married to a very skinny man and I have 3 very skinny children. They are 15, 13, and 11 years old. I started at 236 pounds, 226 the day of surgery, and I am currently 217 pounds. I had my surgery on August 4th with Dr Reilly in Houston Tx. I am not really sure what my largest weight was because I have yoyo dieted my entire life and the heavier I got the less I would weigh myself. You all know the drill because Iam sure you have all done it. I don't know if I have gone down a size because my clothes were tight to begin with and I am sure I was wearing the wrong size. I wish all of us the best of luck! I am so glad to have others as a support system to know what I am going through. My tiny family is very supportive but I just don't feel like they fully understand. Time for life to begin and I can't wait to eat it up.......life not food!

Gp to www.tickerfactory.com and create one. It will give you the codes afterwards use the one for BB. Copy and paste it into your settings under my signature.

I had a BMI of 40 to start with but I can still relate to people telling me that I didn't need it. This was the first thing I have done in my life that was for me and strictly for me. I tell anyone I want and don't care what they think. I have learned that those who matter don't mind and those who mind don't matter. I am surrounded by people who only want the best for me and what makes me happy. Even the few stubborn ones who think diet and exercise is the answer caught on. Diet and exercise is the answer but some of us need help in the appetite department. Stand up for yourself and be strong in your decision and you will find that people will back down. We are all making an effort to make our lives better and others can't understand that then we don't need em. Do what you have to do to love yourself and then worry about the rest of the world (maybe). Where were these people with all of their wisdom and encouragement while we were getting fat?

My screen name really has nothing to do with food. My bestfriend's autocorrect would always try to replace my name with stroganoff when she typed it in so it is just a joke that I now use it.

Hello and welcome. I too am a newbie. Let me first say Kudos on not smoking for 14 days that is huge!!!! I was banded August 4th which was a Thursday and I returned to a desk job yesterday Wednesday the 10th. I probably could have returned a day earlier but when I started getting ready to come into work I got tired. Once the soreness subsides then fatigue is the worst part. Of course I over do things and worked 10 hours not counting the 3 hours of drive time to and from work. I then took my daughter shopping for school supplies. Lets just say I am a glutton for punishment. Start out and slow and easy and a week should be fine. I hope that helps and I hope the rest of your presurgery time flies by.

Hello Lorraine, My name is Stephenie and I had my lap band surgery on the same day as you. I have actually praised God for the invention of sugar free popsicles. I love the way they taste and it feels like I am eating real food.....actually chewing and everything. I was told to stay on the liquid diet for two weeks so you are so lucky. I have stopped drinking the broth because I too got burned out quickly. I had to buy pizza, chicken wings, cake, and icecream for the family because today is my son's birthday. I have to say that sucked. I cooked tacos for them yesterday and that sucked too. I just sat by and opened a popsicle. I wasn't hungry afterwards and my scales says I lost 3 pounds since surgery. This is going to be amazing, we just have to stay focused.........and eat lots of popsicles lol. Is your incision still bleeding or did it bleed just a little? Steph