Summerrain

I haven't had any alcohol since being banded only because I never was a drinker but tonigjt I will to Celebrate the new year, staying in the city at a classy hotel with friends and am going to enjoy a glass or too. My surgeon and nutritionist have said its fine to have wine if I want too. Moderation is the key.

My husband is over six foot tall and slim, when I met him I weighed 130 pounds, he has never had a weight problem I did and I got obese all on my own. I also have an 18 year old son and 15 year old twins (male and female) , all are within a healthy weight range. I have always cooked good healthy meals, I just ate too much, they all still have their treats or junk food from time to time and none of it bothers me anymore because right now getting thinner and healthy is more important to me. I don't expect any of my family or friends to not eat what they like in front if me, I had/have the issue not them. My husband and kids have all been supportive because they all saw how unhappy I was with my weight and even though I still have a way to go I am so much happier now. My daughter walks with me sometimes and my sons and husband cheer me on everyday. I can now walk through a food court in a shopping centre and none of the food jumps out at me anymore and if the kids do get something I can sit with my Water while they eat and I don't even drool over the food. I had to make the changes not the others in my household as I was the glutton not them.

I don't understand the feeling guilty for needing a fill. That's how the band works, the fills help get you to the greenzone. Once you get enough fills and are in the greenzone then it helps with staying fuller longer and for me personally stopped the snacking and nighttime snacking. So no need for guilt feelings, fills are part if the process.

I'm in melbourne, Australia. Have private health insurance, the op cost me nothing, was fully covered, had to pay 150 towards my overnight stay but if I go hospital for anything else now in the 12 month period I pay nothing, I paid 4,300 out of pocket, this covers me for life for all fills, unfills, consultations at the Bariatric centre, that total also covered me for two nutritionist appointments and dinner with a group and nutritionist. Oh and I claimed part of the $4,300 at tax time, 20% I think it was.

Fingers crossed those scales flash a nice loss for you. Have your clothes been getting looser in those two weeks?

First of all you need to stop drinking to try pushing the food through, it doesn't work as you've discovered and it will cause you to pb. Before banding we could do this but not with the band. Secondly after every fill we need to relearn how to eat, are your bites small enough? Try taking very very small bites and chew well and wait a minute or more between swallowing before putting more food in your mouth. Sounds like you have some irritation happening too with all the stuck episodes so might be a good idea to go back to liquids then mushies then reintroduce solids to let everything settle down. Eating and drinking with the band should not be painful. The size of the bites should be about the size of a fingernail, yes that small! I used to think my bites were small enough till my nutritionist showed me exactly how small small is in the land of lapband. Not sure what your instructions are regarding drinking whilst eating but if you feel you must drink whilst eating you must also apply the minute rule with drinking. Take a tiny bite, chew well, swallow, wait a minute till the food has been squeezed through the band then take a tiny sip wait a minute etc. I think if you slow right down with eating and take your small bites you should be ok.

I don't calorie count, my nutritionist taught me portion control and I have a list of the amounts of Protein, carbs etc I'm to have at each meal. I've been on so many diets in the past that I've just about memorized how many calories are in foods. We are all different and have to find what works for us, as you can see some swear by calorie counting others don't and each one is successful. Good riddance to calorie counting for me!

This is a tough phase you're going through you have to find the strength to get through it. Why are you only eating mashed potatoes on your mushie stage? You know with a blender you can mush all the good choices up and it will make things a bit more interesting. Even if you see your doc and you get a fill it won't mean you will hit greenzone right away, you may be one of the lucky ones but if not its going to take a few fills and a few months to get there. Try keeping really busy, maybe go for walks when you feel like you're loosing it. It will get easier you just have to find ways to get through this tough stage and it will all be worth it.

I suffer from mild reflux from time to time but have had it since my twenties. I take a medication called somac, not sure what it would be in the USA. About a month ago I have a severe case of acid, nothing to do with the band, illness bought it on, somac helped a bit. One day my daughter sick of seeing me so miserable she made me sip some coke and within hours the acidic feeling started to disappear, it was like the coke neutralized the acid in my stomach. Not saying this is what you need but it was a fluke it worked for me so for a few days I sipped on just a bit of coke after eating. My band was tight but only because I got sick. I'm back to normal now and all us good. Your doc will hopefully give you something for it and hopefully you can get back on track quickly.

No regrets here but I remember feeling nervous and anxious leading up to the op. when they were wheeling me to the operating theatre I wanted to jump off the bed and run I was so scared of what I was going to do to myself. Once I started healing and feeling better and losing weight I knew I had made the right choice and wish I had done it sooner. You're going to go through many emotions after being banded also and I think that's also normal, it's a big change to how we used to be. It's not only a physical change but very much a mental adjustment also. The times I'd get down I'd go to the before and after section of the forum and see all the success stories and I'd say I can do this, I want to be a success too. It's a new way of living and it's going to be tough at certain stages but once you get to where you need to be with fills and you've added in some exercise you will feel fantastic.

Well it's Boxing Day here in Australia and Christmas is over. Had a great day yesterday with family and friends. I cooked for everyone, turkey, ham, roast pork loin, lots of vegetables and salads, pudding, sweets. I did really well and ate my Protein and vegetables. Wasn't even hungry when we sat down for lunch but I joined in anyway with eating, didn't even finish what was on my plate but what I ate was delicious. I had one teaspoon of pudding and a one teaspoon of a yummy dessert I make and I was satisfied. After lunch everyone was struggling with overly full tummys and the urge to sleep. I was energetic and constantly on the move cleaning up etc. I didn't have any alcohol, was never a drinker anyway but I did have a glass of non alcoholic wine and sipped on that throughout my meal. Jumped on the scales this morning and I'm two pounds down from yesterday, must have been from all the effort I put into cooking for everyone yesterday. The first Christmas I have truly enjoyed food wise because I enjoyed a bit of everything without the over stuffed feeling. Hope you all had a fantastic day with family and friends and to those that did have that bit extra no guilt feelings the next day!!! The effort will be better spent on getting back on track and moving forward.

Merry Christmas to you too and everybody on this forum, hope you all have a wonderful day.

I'd say as the others have said probably just a bit to much food and your body is not used to it. It takes a lot of abuse to cause slips, that's what my doctor told me.

Excellent post! Tomorrow I'm cooking for all my family, 25 people and this is my first Christmas with the band. I know I will have my Protein first then veggies or salad. It's not even going to worry me if I have any sweets or not. For the first time ever I'm not going to be complaining I'm going to explode from all the food and just watch everyone else suffer lol. To be so not interested in all the food is such a blessing.

Yes all normal, I think it was a good month before my bloating disappeared.

I'm not dieting either and haven't from day one of getting banded. For me the whole idea of getting the band was to stop the yo yo dieting. I know I can have anything I want but to be honest the things I do crave now are good wholesome, fresh foods. I no longer crave cakes, sweets, Cookies, ice cream, chips etc. I used to have chocolate once a week but no longer crave that anymore. Now I crave fruit for sweetness. Another thing that's changed is when I go shopping, if I don't have a list of things I need I come out empty handed. Have totally lost all interest in food unless its meal time. This band has done wonderful things for me.

I've been ok with lettuce so far, I do shred it very fine though so I don't make the mistake of putting to big a piece in my mouth.

From time to time I get the coughing and its one of the signs for me I've had enough. It's odd sometimes I get a runny nose other times its the coughing.

I've been banded nearly six months. At the beginning of this year I weighed 366 pounds, no quality of life, was always tired, everything hurt. This morning I weighed in at 280 pounds, some of the weight I lost pre band but the majority post banding. Best decision I've ever made re loosing and keeping it off. Had I have not had the band I would have given up once I hit a plateaue, with the band even though I hit hurdles from time to time I just keeping marching on because this amazing tool I have inside of me helps so much.

Hi Donna, hope you're much better healed. As the above poster said just have a little bit of what you desire, don't deprive yourself because I know personally in the past if I have done so then I eventually cave in and have more. This new lifestyle is not about deprivation like before, it's about making healthy choices everyday but when there is a special occasion it's ok to have a little of what you desire. This is how I see it. Just enjoy and don't stress and once it's over get back to your healthy choices. Good luck!

I was on my computer till it decided to log me out if the lapband forums. Managed to see your pics, you look amazing. So good to hear you're not in much pain.

Well it seems today my band has decided I will no longer be having sandwiches. Up until now I've had no problems with bread, today I can't eat bread, go figure. So odd how I seem to have so much more restriction since being sick. Not complaining, saves me from going to get more fills.