need2lose2

You know, i think both of you are right. When i'm given restrictive food choices and i don't like my choices, i tend to retreat and do the opposite. I've always been much happier when i didn't have to constantly think about or plan my foods. The way you described how you eat, cindy, is what i heard about having the band is like and it's precisely why i chose it. Thank you for setting it straight for me. pugsx3, i will do just that. I will see how the greek yogurt does and how the cottage cheese with fruit does. I'd be happier with those than a salad with beans. The nut gave me the guidelines cuz i was gaining weight and not losing at all. I'm at a weight right now that was more than i was before surgery. The nut thinks that by giving me a restrictive food list as well as menu, i should start losing weight, but it only made/makes me miserable!!! Will hopefully get out tonite to try out some protein bars and stock up on greek yogurt!

See, that's where i have problems. My nutritionist says not to eat greek yogurt or cottage cheese or ricotta for meals because those are soft Proteins and they will go through the band quickly and not keep me full. For meals, she wants me to have solid proteins. I can have the yogurt or cottage cheese for snack. That's why i struggle with lunches. Having said that, i think i'm going to check out the Protein bars. I am not hungry in the mornings at all and find myself tighter then than during the rest of the day. It would alleviate the lunch struggles cuz then i would have the eggs on toast with veggies. Do you find yourself hungry between having a Protein Bar and lunch?

What is your average day's menu?

It's why i could never be on those high protein diets. Uch. When i told my nutritionist that i cannot eat a 4 egg white omelette (with cheese) for breakfast on its own, she said it was ok to put the omelette on a piece of whole grain toast and have tomato slices as well. So in each bite, i get something other than they gummy whites, kwim? I struggle with lunch, however. I don't like deli turkey or any deli. I don't eat fish. And i like to have chicken or beef for dinners. The only things i could possibly have as Proteins are Beans on salad or veggie burgers with salad, but i don't always have them on hand and i bore very easily. Like i said, for dinner, when i have my protein (which is a cooked meat, usually), i need to stack my fork with a piece of protein and the vegetable as well as some of the carb (i try to stick with just the veggie)

When i get that stuck feeling, i start having these growling noises coming from the back of my throat (or top of esphagus, i assume). Anyone ever get that?

It can become quite embarassing when among other people.

Oh no, sorry if i wasn't clear. I am able to get the amount of Protein down, i just don't like to eat protein alone. I am struggling with that tremendously. When i eat chicken, for example, i just can't stomach eating only chicken. If i have a cooked veggie on the plate, i need to take add a bit to my bitefulls of chicken. Or add a bit of brown rice to the bite. I don't think i need an unfill; i am struggling with the decision on if i need another fill. For the most part, i can get through a meal, assuming my bites are small and chewed, with no problems. Sometimes i feel full. Other times, like tonight, i can eat more or start looking for something to eat. I'm trying to figure out if it's head hunger i'm feeling or if indeed i need another fill.

Hi. I read through this entire thread and feel much much better that i am not alone. I had my surgery on Sept 19, 2011 and they inserted an 11cc band. My first fill was 3cc. Felt nothing. The second fill was 2cc. Nothing. The third fill was another 1.5. Started feeling restrictions with first few bites but could then eat anything. Fourth fill was another 1cc and the fifth was another 1cc. I am now at 8.5cc (as of 2 wks ago). I'm still not sure if i'm at my sweet spot. When i take the first few bites of food, i do feel restriction, but only because i ate too fast or didn't chew well enough. If i eat very slowly and take small bites, i find i can finish my portion. I'm wondering if i need a fill or if this is what the sweet spot feels.

Thanks so much for the great advice. For some odd reason, Proteins do not make me full. That's why i had so many problems with most of the diets i went on. That's why i'm frustrated. I need to have the carbs with the proteins to help me get them down, as well as be satiated both physically and mentally. You guys have lost so much weight. It's been 7 months since my surgery and i've only gained! I wish i could say i've lost 20-30-50 lbs in the last 7 months. Have all of you experienced the pb'ing, sliming, and vomiting? I have experienced all 3....can i confide in you about something? Last week my husband and i went to a sit down dinner. I had half of the appetizer which was a mashed potato and meat filling wrapped in pastry, and a bowl of Soup because i wanted to leave room for the Protein (main course). I had the grilled chicken with a side of green Beans. Great, right? Well, i took 2 very small bites and chewed carefully..........and i got stuck!! Getting stuck in public is terrifying and i was trying real hard to ignore it while socializing at the table. I finally got up saying i was going to the restroom and when i got there, there was a line of people and i was dying to wretch it all up. I quickly went outside the building and around the bend.....as i got there i gagged and pb'd and then i vomited it all up! Boy did that feel good afterwards. I'll never forget that feeling. UGH

Sometimes i am actually hungry at dinnertime, when i end up eating too fast and getting stuck and needing to vomit. Other times i just eat dinner cuz well, it's time for dinner. I'm still conditioned to eating at certain times whether i'm hungry or not. But then, if i didn't eat dinner, i'd be looking for food a few hours later.......Ugh, it's all so confusing and frustrating! I sometimes wonder i even got the band in the first place....the foods that i'm supposed to stay away from go down easily with no issues, and the foods i'm supposed to be eating get stuck!! Can someone explain that logic? LOL

Thank you guys. I'm feeling better knowing that i'm not the only one having issues and setbacks. The protein bars sound like they would really help after having a meal where i feel deprived (like grilled chicken over a salad). I do have fruit. I do have other healthier snacks that my nutritionist did not tell me i could have.... Maybe i'm concentrating on her menu and allowances too much? I cancelled my fill appt for monday because while i feel i can eat greater quantities during the afternoons, when it comes to dinnertime, i do feel restriction after a few bites. I'm a bit hesitant to be any tighter when i can't get around how the band is supposed to work for me. My worst fear is being too tight. It scares me that i'm already at 8.5cc in an 11cc band so i'm going to give it another week and see how the restriction feels (it's been 2 wks since my last fill).

That's amazing! Good for you! Will check out the Cliff bars. I have stayed away from protein shakes because #1 the nutritionist said i need to get the protein from solids, and #2 i got sooo sick of them from pre and postop times, that i can't even stomach thinking about them. lol

oh yeah, forgot to mention that i do exercise so at least that part is going well. I do toning dvds in the mornings and then walk for 45 at night.

Thanks! I know i have to take it more seriously. The eating that is. As far as Protein, most of what i like are soft ones like greek yogurt, cheeses, milk, hummus, Peanut Butter, etc. The solid Proteins that i eat are chicken, chopped meat, Beans, eggs, and i can tolerate tofu (although i've never prepared it). The nut is allowing me to have my egg white omelette on a piece of toast cuz it just grosses me out to eat it alone. That's usually my Breakfast. For lunch she recommends salads (with chicken or beans) but that has never ever filled me up unless i had a sandwich to go along with it. I am still hungry after that and end up going for a bowl of high Fiber high protein Cereal. The reason why i feel like giving up is because i feel so deprived and whenever i feel deprived, i go for the foods i'm not supposed to be eating (and somehow those go down perfectly, and in great quantities). I'm wondering if i should even get a fill at my appt this monday. I mean i can get through the egg on toast with sliced tomatoes pretty well. It's dinner that is always my problem.......in those first few bites, either i'm not chewing well or i'm eating too fast cuz i'm not concentrating and then i get stuck.... what do all of you eat for your meals? lapbandaddy, i'm with you there. Protein was really never the star of my plates. I always ate protein but not in such great quantities and certainly not by itself. What Protein Bars have you found to be good?

It's been a week since my first fill and i've not lost anything. Wearing same clothes as before the surgery..........kind of depressing..........trying to exercise.....not feeling much restriction. I just can't get on the scale because i think i've actually gained more weight based on the way my clothing fit. Sorry.......not feeling too positive.

Thank you for your advice! It's great to be part of a group where we're all in the same time frame of surgery and can support each other. I've started exercising as well......i do lead a pretty sedentary life but i push myself to at least get some aerobics and toning in every day. With 3cc in the band, i don't really feel much restriction. It takes me less than 15 minutes to complete a meal and i've got no problem getting in much more than the 1/2 cup some here have difficulty getting down. These next 6 weeks are going to be long ones.

I'm with you here. I see everyone losing and i'm at a standstill.....even gained a few pounds when i transferred to soft foods. I was banded on 9-19 and had my first fill on monday. She only put 3 cc in and said it wasn't much but it's what they normally start you off with the first fill. Honestly, i don't feel much restriction and i have another 6 weeks to go before my next fill so it's going to be very very difficult to keep control. I've not been doing so well with exercising but now that i've been given clearance to do any exercise (especially abs), i have started doing aerobics and toning this week. Hoping for the best.

You're very smart putting off the fill till after thanksgiving. I could not imagine being on liquids while cooking or being around so many yummy foods! Besides, i'm a grump when i can't eat........am a grump today cuz i had my fill this morning......HATE being on liquids. Have a great trip!

LOL. I never thought to ask anyone at the office what happens with antibiotics.....those are often horsepills! Glad they go down easily. I guess every office is different. I think i would've liked to have had the fill under fluoroscopy but it was never offered........well, at least you won't have to wait so long for your next fills when you have appts with the pa or np. That's good. Hope you're feeling better and are resting well.

That's why i chose to see the PA as opposed to the doc.......do they have one in your doc's office? My surgeon is only in the office one day a week which is very inconvenient, and i was told by the nut in the office that the PA does as good of a job with the fills as the surgeon. She didn't offer to show me a swallow test or anything like that. It was a really quick appt and i just had to sip a 1/2 cup of water in the waiting room to make sure it went down. Would love to see how my band is working inside of me...... Hope you feel better. Do you need to ask for special antibiotics (liquid or smaller pills) so they go down through the band? Or does it matter with antibiotics?

Had my first fill this morning. Didn't think it would hurt as much as it did but it didn't last long. The PA found the port very quickly and inserted correctly the first time. She put 3 ccs into the band; said it wasn't much but it's what they normally put in at first fills. I have to be on liquids for 2 days and then back to normal food. I really hope i'll start feeling restriction because i've not felt anything during these last few weeks and ended up gaining and getting depressed! I hope for the best.

That's wonderful news!! Congrats!!

I'm so sorry to hear that. Thankfully you are ok now. I"m not understanding why the surgeons or PA's are not finding some people's ports! Don't they feel it through the skin? I can feel mine now. Don't they write in the chart how to find it or any other pertinent info? Seven times going in and out to find a port that he/she inserted just sounds strange! Hope today is better for you.

Good luck to all of you who are getting your first fills!! I sent an email to the pa telling her that i'm not feeling any restriction no matter how much i eat and that i've gained 4 lbs in the last 2 weeks. I think the office is closed today so i'll probably hear from her tomorrow. I guess it could go both ways....either she will give me an earlier appt for my first fill, or she'll tell me to watch what and how much i eat until my scheduled appt. The way i figure is that if i was able to do that so easily, i wouldn't have needed to get the band, would i?? We'll see.

read your blog post and am happy for you that they figured out what was going on. Wonder why no one else picked it up...specifically the surgeon after all the preop testing that they do!!