SashaWLS

Hi there, Was inspired by B-52's post comment where he said he eats like a bird and thought I'd ask those of you who've been successful how much you all eat a day, roughly... I just had a (big) hernia fixed and am back to being a band newbie. It's weird and exciting and want to adjust my expectations to what a "normal" amount of post-band food is. I know I overeat. Thanks!

That cop out line is the biggest BS ever!! WHY SHOULD IT BE HARD? People get surgery all the time and this is important. No one would think twice about it if it were, lets say, surgery to fix your knee more quickly than doing "naturally" through years of physical therapy. It's ridiculous. It's bias. Because inherently there's some lame belief that you did it to yourself and therefore you deserve it. But that's not true. This is medical. Read this, it was my tipping point. When I read it, I felt so helpless that I just thought WTF and got the surgery: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope-fat-trap.html?_r=0

Totally know the feeling!!! Sounds like you need a different flavor profile. Enough with the dairy foods!! Try some salsa or baked Beans, hummus, or something tangy/salty... What about one of those green smoothies? Maybe you are craving something vegetable based? What are you craving?

I can't advise you, but I wish I had done this years ago. So many years of frustration and feeling uncomfortable that could have been avoided!! For me, the surgery has turned out to be (even after having a slip fixed) a total non issue!!! I went from a size 24 to a 12 (granted my 14s are tight at the moment) but in general I feel thin and the whole thing hasn't been a big deal. I was TERRIFIED of the surgery, felt like a failure, like this was the last resort, my life was over, yadda yadda. But surprise. It was pretty awesome and worked as advertised... My only question for you is about life stage and maturity—how "rebellious" are you? Because you are going to have to be careful if you do things like go out and get waisted with your friends. Puking is not good for the band, and if you're going to experiment with other things you don't want to inadvertently damage yourself. If you're not going to go nuts and harm yourself, if you're pretty stable emotionally, it's a good option. Good luck to you!

Is your issue that you can't eat what you want? Or that you can't eat it the way you want? You should be able to eat solid Protein if you chew enough and take time between bites. I'm a binge eater, and want to eat fast, in big volumes. The band doesn't let me do that, and it's incredibly frustrating. Is that what you're experiencing? On high-emotion days where I want to stuff my face, I get mad at the band. But I'd feel the same way with any bariatric surgery that won't let me eat...

That's my doc! He's a rockstar.

Hi there, Had surgery Tuesday to fix a hernia and band slip and have not had a BM since them. My stomach is pretty hard and boated, and aches, but not sure if that's from the surgery or from constipation. Even though I'm on liquids, I should have had a BM by now, right? Have had Milk of Magnesia every 12 hours for the last two days and still nothing... Thx

Today marks two years from my lap band surgery, and I can honestly say it was the best decision of my entire life. Here are a few rambling thoughts about my success story, as well as some of what my life is like now... When I started I was 266. I think I last weighed in at 172, but I think I've lost since then, so I'm somewhere in the neighborhood—or pretty close to—100lbs down. When I started I wore a size 22/24 pants, and now I'm wearing a 14ish... Tops were 2-3x, now I'm in a 10-12. I recently realized that my "style" doesn't AT ALL match who I am on the inside. I'm awesomely cool on the inside, but I look pretty dowdy and conservative because I'm still wearing the styles that looked good on me when I was heavier. So I am slowly trying to upgrade my closet with funkier, younger looking things. I have a neck!! It's a really cute, long thing that attaches my head to my shoulders. My head no longer looks like it's sitting embedded into my shoulders. I also more importantly have a lap!!!!! My daughter can sit on my lap and not slide off. That was not possible before. I can run up the stairs in the subway and don't get out of breath. I have no scars on my belly at all (thank you Dr Fielding at NYU, you're a rock star!) My stomach is pretty flat and doesn't have that much extra skin, but sadly those little fat-fold creases in my upper arms have not gone away with the weight. So while I can wear things that are fitted in the waist, I don't feel comfortable wearing t-shirts. 3/4 sleeves are my best friends. Same with my legs. I'm cursed with fat knees, so I won't be wearing cute little summer dresses with my legs showing. I cross my legs all the time!! I couldn't at all before. When I started, I couldn't see my lady parts at all when I looked in the mirror because my stomach "apron" covered that area entirely. Now, if I stand just right I can almost see my c-section scar. That's amazing!!!! I have a little triangle of light that comes through my thighs when I stand with my legs together. WOW!!!! Never thought that would happen. I can wear heels all day with no problem! I don't really think about food during the work day. I used to stop for breaks all day long! I still overeat at night some, my old bingy self is still in there, but I do reach a limit where I have to stop. But for the most part I still eat the same kinds of things I used to, just not as much. I can eat anything, though not a lot of anything. Usually I have a big coffee and maybe the middle section of a ham/cheese square from Starbucks for Breakfast (if that). lunch is usually a large Soup and a piece of bread. dinner is usually a small plate of something. I'm mostly a healthy eater—probably 75-80% healthy choices, but certainly not all. The rest of my food is total junk. I love sour cream, it's a weakness. Also love ice cream now, but often can't finish a whole cone. When it's that time of the month I can eat most of a Chipotle burrito bowl if I go slowly. But when it's not that time of the month I'm about 6-7 bites and then done. I still eat a lot of sushi, though have some trouble breaking down the seaweed, so I usually spit that out. I still eat steak, but I have to cut it tiny and often end up eating the fat (sad admission). I have some trouble with Indian rice, I have no idea why. I eat a lot of salmon and corn on the cob, but can only eat about 3 bites of the corn usually... I'm still CONSTANTLY amazed that I fit in tiny spaces when I'm on the subway. Seats that I would never dare try to squeeze into now have extra room and surprise me! My stamina at work has DRASTICALLY improved. I think more clearly. I work faster. I'm less tired. I am more engaged. My brain just works better. I don't have a fog in my head anymore. But most of all, this whole experience has been easy. I know a lot of people say this is the hardest thing, but it hasn't been for me... This surgery HAS done the work for me. I don't make any special effort, I don't diet, I don't work out. I would still LOVE to stick all this food in my face that I used to, but whatever, I can't. Next. It's truly amazing that I could ever feel that way. Maybe it would feel harder for me if I were really dying to reach my goal weight. I mean, I've been banded for 2 years and I'm not at goal! That might drive someone else nuts, but I don't care. If I get there, great, if not, I'm thrilled with myself as I am now... I've achieved everything I wanted to out of this surgery, and the rest is a nice bonus if it happens someday. I don't think food or even my body that much. And oddly, I'm still slowly losing weight.

Hi there, Had to have half my Fluid removed due to acid reflux and now have crazy chronic diarrhea. It was really bad the first few days, then got a little better, and now my stool is soft again and the stomach cramps are back. Has this happened to anyone else? Is this just my stomach adjusting? Or is this something else. Would love advice from someone BTDT. Thanks!

Can you find a new doctor to do the after care? I wouldn't have a whole new surgery just because my doctor doesn't offer after care anymore. Doesn't seem like a medically valid reason, especially if you were having such success.

Sorry for the multi-topic header, but I have a rambly topic to discuss... My obsessively poor eating, and the massive amounts of guilt I feel about it. Since getting my band 2.5 years ago, I've lost nearly 100lbs. My life has changed, my tastebuds have changed, everything has changed. Life is grand. But I have a LOT of guilt around my bad eating habits. I'm working on changing it, but I was wondering if anyone else has had this issue and successfully turned their diet around? I used to love tangy, spicy, salty foods. Hot sauce, artichokes, hearts of palm, balsamic vinegar, mustard, olives, onions, tomato sauce, etc... But my taste buds have changed completely since my lap band. NONE of that tastes good to me anymore. Some of it gives me heartburn, but mostly it just doesn't seem appealing. What does seam appealing is fatty foods. ALL kinds of fatty foods. Creamy Soups, sour cream, avocados, chicken skin, the fat off the edge of a steak, salmon, anything with a butter sauce, Pasta with creamy tomato sauce, alfredo sauce, etc... It has officially become a problem. I saw the doctor a few months ago and she said my cholesterol was very high. And since then I've eaten more and more fat. I walk around feeling guilty, and yet I've had trouble changing my habits because nothing sounds good to me. And because I've been "band-binging" on the really bad foods. Meaning I'm not eating huge quantities, but I'm eating ALL my calories from fat... Today is a good day. I had 1/4 egg sandwich with avocado and veggies for breakfast/lunch and nuts for a snack. But even with that I don't feel like I've done a good job, and I'm not satisfied. I crave eating sour cream with a spoon. Has anyone broken the cycle? I think I'm also a little depressed, so that may be playing into it. But I'd love any stories of hope. I'm walking around feeling like I deserve to have a heart attack. Which is kinda messed up...

Hi- for those of you who've experienced a slip, what did it feel like? I'm having some chest pain in the last 3 days. I thought it was because I was overeating some, but today I was determined to stop the second I felt uncomfortable and realized I was in pain most of the day... It feels like something's squeezing me, not sharp shooting pain, rather a dull ache that's worse if I lie on my stomach and better if I lie on my back. I've eaten very little over the course of the whole day today (1c cottage cheese, 1/2c raspberries, less than 1c quinoa and veggies between). I tried having a Protein shake and feel it going down ok... Any thoughts? Obviously I'll call my dr tomorrow, but you guys usually know what's up... Thanks for any advice.

Maybe you can scrape up $200 to meet with someone else out of pocket?

@lisacaron, definitely the texture and feeling are a big part of it... The fats feel good going down, soothing, silky, and I've struggled with heartburn. I did have the band loosened about 2 weeks ago—I was suffering terribly with heartburn and starting to get some reflux, but that's totally gone now and I'm starting to feel better. And actually, until you asked i hadn't put the two together, so perhaps that's as much of it as anything, and maybe the cravings will go away as my esophagus heals.... But I think it's also just comfort food. Kinda like taking drugs. I eat the fats and my body goes "whoosh, relax!" I'm SO stressed out at work and crazed with life that I'm kinda like the rat who presses the button over and over and over again. Thanks for your kind reply, and for asking a question. A lot to think about here...

Time for another opinion. I don't think PCP's are the best qualified to give advice on the specifics of Lap Band after care...

I didn't get it under control. I went INSANE before surgery and binged like crazy. I think I gained 15lbs even... Good luck to you. The surgery is awesome.

Get that spray stuff to make your throat numb. Mine was all torn up from the tube they put in there during the surgery. My favorite thing post-op was REAL chicken broth with dill and stuff in it.

Go to NYU Langone WLS... They're FANTASTIC!

I never decided to get the band. I never got above 60-70% decided... One day I said to my husband, "if I'm really honest with myself and speak from a place of strength (because I used to do that but somewhere along the line stopped) I'm going to say that I need this surgery." I didn't decide to get the band. But I decided to go to an info session, and I brought him. At the info session they told me to get a consultation with the surgeon. Again, I didn't decide to get the band, but I went to the consult with my husband. At the consult the surgeon tole me to do the insurance paperwork . While there, they booked my date. I turned to my husband and said, "well, the train's moving, I guess I'll stay on and see where it goes." Here I am, 2 years later, down around 100lbs wearing a frigging size 10. So thrilled!!!!

Get your fill. If you can overeat you may not be tight enough. I got stuck more when I was looser because I had the mistaken illusion that "I can eat that!" The tighter I got though, the less my mind was able to mess with me.

B-52, I haven't been online in a while but I remember your posts from when I first joined. You've always inspired me, and I love your attitude and "what do you mean this is hard?" POV. I hope to join the exercise obsession at some point. It's not out of the question, it's just out there in the distance if I want to jump in...

OMG YOU LOOK AMAZING!!!! I wasn't considering having my lower body touched, but jeeze, that's incredible.

Thanks so much!!! I'd love to join the meet and greet!

I try to eat only real food. I also try to avoid eating those edible, food-like substances made from chemicals as they're not ACTUALLY food and they mess up your hunger signals.

I understand how you feel, but honestly, you'll figure it out and it'll be fine.. Just take it one step at a time and try not to overthink it. The experience will be different than you think anyway, because you don't know yet what your body will tolerate or not. I can still binge on popcorn. But mostly what I eat feels natural. Sometimes I feel like I'm going to go crazy if I don't eat, and then I have two bites and I'm stuffed, and then happy. Don't worry so much, you'll find the level that makes you comfortable.