MountainMan

Amen! I've been struggling to get up early in the morning...but if I exercise, I don't have time for devotion. If I read/pray, I don't have time to work out. I finally decided to prioritize and put Him first and trust that I'll lose weight despite little exercise.

My experience was that I didn't use most of what I bought...I had no appetite and it was all I could do to sip a little protein shake and water throughout the day. The one indispensable thing for me was a heating pad!

I drink a lot of black coffee. My doctor said it isn't a problem as long as I drink enough water to offset any potential dehydration. It hasn't affected my weight loss at all as far as I can tell.

My doctor is pushing me to attend support groups. I attended a couple meetings pre-op and two more after surgery, but they were terrible. Each one I went to was all angry women complaining about their husbands and men in general. Plus, 90% of them were gastric bypass patients. I felt totally out of place. It seemed they looked at me with disdain because #1) I am male, #2) have a Lap Band, and #3) don't have as much to lose as many of them. There is definitely no support, and I will not be going back. Is this typical, or have you found groups that are more accepting of men?

I was specifically told not to worry about calories, just eat 3/4-1 cup of food or until I am satisfied. I probably take in roughly 1200-1400 calories/day and jog for 30 minutes. Anything less than that and my weight loss slows way down.

I also had "severe sweet tooth." Once I was banded it left completely, and I have no desire for sweets. I don't know how common it is, but so very thankful it worked that way for me. The band has given me control...I can eat sensible, healthy meals and be satisfied, period. Here's my two cents: If you go into this adventure with your mind made up that you will succeed and failure is not an option, you'll do fine. Regular follow-up is crucial!

I couldn't lay flat for the first four nights after surgery (I slept in a recliner - fitfully). After that, I returned to my bed and couldn't lay on my left side for a couple nights. But seven days after surgery I was sleeping like always, no discomfort at all.

I had a second fill two weeks ago, and up til just recently I felt no restriction. My appetitie was huge and I could put away quite a bit of food...certainly more than a cup. But the last two days I've experienced stuck food, sliming, regurgitation - all that stuff I've heard about. Is it really possible to not get restriction until two weeks later? Or can restriction come and go without any notice? I finally figured out how important it is to eat slowly, take small bites, and chew like crazy. On the one hand I'm glad that I finally have a limit to my appetite, but I really don't know what to expect any more. If nothing else, it's making me a very careful lapband patient.

My nutritionist advised me not to count calories, just eat small, nutritious meals. I think I'm getting roughly 1200 to 1500 calories/day, but she said I should be losing more. It's definitely a fine balancing act. I'm going to continue eating the same way and increase my exercise and see what happens.

The trick for me is to not let myself get too hungry. If I'm ravenous I tend to eat way too fast, despite the dangers.

I got my second fill yesterday, so I'm up to 4cc in my band. I can definitely feel a little restriction now, unlike after the first fill. I hope this feeling will last and lessen my ravenous appetite! I only lost four pounds the past three weeks. My doctor didn't seem concerned at all. However, I saw the dietician later in the day and she said I was "losing like a woman." Ouch! She said she expects to see her ladies lose 3-5 pounds a month, but wants the men to lose 8-10. I felt pretty low all day...before the band that would have been enough to start me on a monster binge. But I'm tired of beating myself up, so I woke up today and decided to just shake it off, do the best I can, and hope for better results next time.

I experienced exactly the same thing...my doc said that my body was used to starvation from the pre-op diet and post-op liquids, so when we start eating, the body will hold onto everything and it's not at all unusual to gain weight until the fills. Don't lose heart; this is just a hiccup in the process, and you WILL lose weight soon enough!

I'm about a month out from surgery. The first week I lost 11 pounds because I had no hunger at all. The next three weeks I lost just two pounds total. I'm scheduled for a possible first fill in a few days. I've been told that it might take four-five fills before I get any restriction. I've also read that the most weight loss occurs in the first few months after surgery. Do most people just white-knuckle it until they hit the green zone? How do people lose so much without restriction? Do some lose very little and really hit their stride in four-five months? I guess I don't know what to expect... Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Hello...I'm a new member to Lap Band Talk Forums. Thought I'd share a summary of my experiences so far. My surgery was on March 8th with Dr. Fisher in Colorado Springs. I couldn't have asked for a better surgeon and team - very professional and caring all around. I chose them because of their Center of Excellence designation and extensive experience. My weight at the start of the pre-op diet was 306. I lost 12 pounds on the 10-day diet, and another 11 pounds the week after surgery. The last two weeks I've lost only two pounds total. My next appointment is in early April and perhaps I'll have my first adjustment then. I was quite anxious having never had surgery. Although it was a bit harder than I expected I would do it again in a heartbeat. My surgery was at 9:00 a.m. and I was home in the early afternoon. The first four days post-op were very uncomfortable - not because of incisional pain, but bloating. I took plenty of Gas-X as advised but it didn't do a thing for me. I was pretty miserable and starting to wonder whether I'd made a mistake. But I awoke on day five feeling like a new man, and within a week after surgery I felt good as new. (I should mention that I also had a hiatal hernia repair at the same time, so that no doubt contributed to some of the discomfort.) At this point I'm eating up all the information I can from this site. I want to do everything in my power to be successful. Thanks to all who share their wisdom!

I was prescribed Percocet tablets every four hours. I cut them in half to make sure they'd go down. It worked well for me - took the edge off and made me sleepy. The only thing I didn't like was the wild, vivid dreams I had while taking them. I didn't need anything after the first couple days. My best friend was a heating pad...I highly recommend it!