ElizabethAnne

I was told the carbonation can cause gas and it might cause the pouch to stretch. As others have said, "flat" soda is fine. I used to drink Diet Mountain Dew multiple times daily but find I no longer crave it.

Welcome! I hope you'll be inspiring others with your success story someday.

Mentally, I'm at a low spot right now, and I am about to write a whiny post, which I don't like to do. I am normally a positive person, but I am also realistic and "choosing my attitude" doesn't seem to be working for me, so I am hoping for some encouragement.

I am hungry almost all of the time, though I am following all of my guidelines. And it's not mind hunger because I do feel full for an hour or two after I eat. I am doing lots of exercise but the scale isn't budging, and I am questioning why when I am working so hard.

Frankly, if my surgeon doesn't give me a fill the next time, I am going to tell him I have been questioning why I even had WLS. If it weren't for the scars on the surface of my stomach area, I sometimes temporarily forget that I have been banded. On one hand, I am happy that I am having no physical problems as a result of WLS. And I truly didn't expect to be "cured" of my hunger issues. However, I obviously did anticipate life would be easier with the band than without or I wouldn't have pursued surgery.

I have seriously been considering taking a Phentermine tablet to help get me through this. On the day of my surgery, when I questioned whether I could still take it after surgery, my surgeon said I could, but I could tell he didn't want me to. He said I wouldn't need to. Therefore, I don't want to let him down. My goal is to make it to my next doctor appointment, which is July 27, without an appetite suppressant.

I am hoping each day for a weight loss. I know I shouldn't weigh every morning when I am in a slump like this, but I'm obsessed with the scale; normally it is a great motivator when I am working hard. I got up to walk this morning at 4:30 so I could get my 10 miles in before the heat becomes unbearable, but as we all know, it's so hard to stay motivated to exercise when the scale isn't moving. Hopefully, it will happen soon.

I am done ranting (just writing about my frustration has helped) and do have a question. How much of a difference did the first fill make in your hunger? Could you tell a slight difference or nothing at all? I understand this will vary from person to person due to the many variables. On the day of my surgery, my surgeon said it would likely take six fills for me, so I am not expecting a huge difference. However, I do hope it's noticeable.

Thanks!

I saw a turtle bead yesterday at Pandora---it is so cute! Deb has a wonderful idea with that bracelet!

Julie, you have a great attitude about losing slowly, and I know you're right. Slowly is definitely better. And as momab50 once wrote, we didn't gain this excess weight overnight.

I've always enjoyed turtles but am now trying to gain an appreciation for the turtle's pace as I pray for patience and a fill.

Werther's also has a sugar-free mint and a sugar-free coffee. Both are good, but I like the cinnamon flavor best. I found them at Wal-mart.

I go in for my 3rd visit on the 18, my weight has basiclly stayed the same for the last few weeks but i know thats from me not eating the proper foods, this month has been filled with all kinds of extra activity (birthdays, 4th of july, birthdays)(cake, ice cream,all kinds of deaserts)so what i am trying to say is i dont know if i will get a fill or if i am going to get my butt chewed for not behaving. lol

I can relate to what you are saying. I go for my second dr. visit on Friday, July 27. I am so embarrassed that I have gained weight after having WLS. I walked 10 miles today and am hoping I will be able to lose the four pounds I gained while on vacation. Realistically, I know he's likely had another patient who has had the similar struggles, but on the other hand, I don't want to disappoint him because I've failed to follow the rules. I'd rather him chew me out than say little-to-nothing, which I am expecting him to do. I am hoping so badly for a fill.

Deb, I haven't had any pain like you described and am sorry you're experiencing this. Did you call your doctor or did it go away?

I definitely struggled with mind hunger while we were on vacation. In past years, sadly, I ate pretty much what I wanted. Not all that I wanted as I did try to limit quantities, though. This year, I did not have control of my food environment as the same types of food were availablle to me that I'd had access to in the past. I found myself taking a bite of this and a bite of that. Not because I was hungry but rather because I wanted to taste the particular food. That bad behavior led to even more food cravings. I was able to stay out of the poor food choices most of the time, but I found myself substituting these cravings with healthy foods when I wasn't technically hungry. Therefore, I ate way too many calories.

Thanks for describing your stuck/sliming experiences, Deb. I don't want to be stuck, but I think I need to experience this. I gained 4 pounds on vacation. I am eating too much again , and I wasn't able to walk as much as I usually do.

Today, I am super hungry but am back on-track. At least for now.

Congratulations! Like momab50, I love your turtle bead idea!

Elizabeth your doing so fantastic I bet he was worried bout you losing to fast if he put a fill in. Remember that isnt a good thing either. We all need a nice steady loss. I hope you have a fantastic time on vacation!

Thanks, Deb, for the encouragement! That's exactly what my husband and I concluded. It stinks to have to wait another month to be considered for a fill, but I will get through it.

iguess you just need to look at the positive side.... that you wont have to worry on vacation.. im sure the dr will see your point of view if things change.... just take each day as it comes. ive just had my second fill two weeks ago.... i was losing weight but he decided to put 1cc in me. im still waiting to get over the problems that i experience post fill..... im not having any more fills if i continue to lose. im not exercising yet im losing about one pound a week.

You're right, Judy. I need to be positive and am mostly past the disappointment. The last two days I've only walked 5 miles instead of 10 (due to the scorching heat), which has helped decrease the hunger pangs.

I'm sorry you're having problems after you get a fill and am hoping you'll feel better soon. One pound a week with no exercise? That is awesome!

Thanks for your reply. I appreciate your encouraging words.

anyone know where Julzs is, havent seen any post from her in awhile?

I've been wondering about her, too. Hopefully, she's just super busy.

Thanks, momab50! I'll look for some the next time I go to Walmart.

Also, congrats on your weight loss! You are doing well! Keep working hard...

Okay, perhaps I am obsessed with finding new foods to try since being banded, but I have discovered a couple of items I wanted to mention. I have learned about a lot of new products, thanks to others' postings on LBT. However, please keep in mind that I do live in a rural area, which generally means the product may have been around for awhile and that it simply hasn't been available in our geographical area. So when I say "new" foods, I guess I should say "newly available to me."

First, for those who crave candy, Werther's Originals has a sugar-free version with cinnamon that is very good, with very few calories. And because I don't find them addictive like chocolate is, I can easily stop with 1-2 pieces.

Secondly, I have been craving bread, Pasta, French fries, popcorn, and many other carbs. This is Week Four of my post-surgery diet, which means I am allowed to have a multi-grain bread. I was a little concerned about that, though, and as badly as I wanted toasted bread, I wasn't willing to risk getting stuck. However, while I was waiting for my turkey at the deli-counter this week, I noticed a product by Flatout named Hungry Girl Foldit Flatbread. It has 90 calories per serving, with 7 g Protein and 7 g of Fiber. I toasted it and think it's wonderful!

I met with my surgeon yesterday for my post-surgery follow-up visit. I was all set mentally for my first fill (one of his nurses had told me earlier that I would likely get one if I was having no complications), and guess what? No fill. He said he didn't think I needed one. He is a man of few words. In the short time I had his attention, I tried to persuade him that I am ravenous an hour or two after I eat and that I am losing at a steady rate only because I'm walking 10 miles daily and following the "rules" perfectly. He didn't seem concerned that I'm losing only because I am highly motivated right now. His focus seems to be solely on total weight loss. I do trust that he knows what he's doing, and I certainly didn't expect this weight loss journey to be easy--- guess I was just hoping for easier than it had been before. The positive side is that I won't have to worry about being too tight when my family and I are on vacation.

I talked to the dietitian, and she gave me some guidelines to follow when shopping for Protein Bars, which I thought might be helpful to others:

Look for:

1. At least 14 grams of Protein

2. Less than 20 grams of carbs

If anyone finds a good one, would you please share the name of it? I looked at many labels yesterday but discovered most do not fit these guidelines. I did buy some chocolate Peanut Butter flavored ones at Target (Market Pantry brand) that almost fit (14 g protein/21 g carbs) the guidelines. They kind of, with an emphasis on "kind of", taste like a candy bar.

Yay for you! Keep working hard and you will get there.

Still researching liquid Vitamins, need a multi-Vitamin, Calcium, Iron and melatonin. Any advice or suggestions welcomed! Thanks!

You might want to consider Centrum chewables for a Multi-Vitamin. Of course, check with your surgeon and dietitian. I have been using the chewables since before surgery. I buy them at Wal-mart.

Wow, Elizabeth, since June 5th you have already lost 52 lbs?? That's amazing, congrats! What are some of the foods you eat regularly? Thanks!

No, Ashley, I've lost the 52 pounds since I had my pre-op visit with my surgeon in January. I asked him that day if I could start losing weight and he said yes.

I've actually lost 11.8 pounds since surgery. As far as foods are concerned, I am on the Week 2-3 Post-Op Diet, and have been eating turkey, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, lots of Jello with applesauce mixed in, Protein drinks, green Beans, baked potatoes (no skin), and pudding. Next week, I move to the Week 4 Diet, which is a regular low calorie, portion controlled diet. I can hardly wait.

Welcome, Ashley! I don't live near you, but I want to encourage you to post your thoughts here at LBT. Before my surgery (June 5, 2012), I spent countless hours here and was able to gain a wealth of information. So far, I am happy I made the decision to be banded. I have not had a fill yet and am not experiencing any true restriction, but the thought of vomiting definitely helps me stay on the diet I was provided and control my portions. Consequently, I am losing weight and am motivated. I am hoping for a fill at my surgery follow-up appt. to help with the hunger.

This is a great topic to post! I'm not to regular foods yet, but I have wondered the same thing. For now, I have been relying on Protein Shakes.< /p>

Yay for you! Your surgery date will be here soon. I remember feeling both nervous and excited. We all have different experiences, but recovery from the surgery wasn't nearly as difficult as I had anticipated.

I hope your surgery goes well. Keep us updated, and be sure to ask any questions that you have.

I have three post-op diets and each is slightly different. I met with a dietitian twice before surgery who gave me a post-op diet; a different dietician the day of surgery who provided a diet I was to follow; and I have a post-op diet from an Allergan booklet that my surgeon's staff provided during a pre-op meeting. I decided to follow the one that was given to me the day of my surgery because the dietitian stapled her card to it and said I could call her with questions, which I have done.

I've been able to have soft foods on Weeks 2-3. The same types of foods carolinagirl2012 listed. Next week I move to the Week 4 diet, which is a regular low-calorie, portion controlled diet. I can hardly wait!

Hang in there---you will eventually get through this!

Neither dietitian used term "mushy" but rather "soft." I was told to think of the consistency of baby food.