La_madam

Jello is liquid, does your Dr. not know that??? Protein drinks will give you more energy. Have one, it will not hurt you, it is liquid, grab a ready made in the can serve it over ice.I was feeling thesameway until I added the Protein Drinks then I felt much better 6 weeks on liquids does seem like a very long time, mine was only 3 weeks. I think alot of us doubted our decisions while on the liquid phase, we all missedfood, but trust me it does get better. Just hang in there you will see and you will look back on this and be greatful you followed though and did not give up!

Trish is it like a side ache, like the kind we used to get from running too fast when we were kids? I used to get a pain like often for the first 6 months after my band Could it be your gallbladder Here is a great link with gallbladder info..many who loseweight fast have problems with their gallbladder. http://www.markfuscomd.com/gallbladder.htm

I have OCD took paxil for it which was my demise with my weight gain I can relate to you very well, their is no drawer or closet left uncleanedin my home. I have 3 boys and peoplecan not believe how clean my house is.. Like you Iam always on the go Plus the fact we can no longer eat out of boredom like we did pre band makes boredom even more difficult

I went to Mexico and it was the best thing I ever did...I would still be fighting my insurance company 16 months later..

SOme U.S. Dr.'s have strict guidlines they follow for fills, it may be only giving .5 cc's at a time or waiting a certain ammount of time between fills or both. They really want you to work with your band and not rely on it to do all the work where as Mexican Dr.'s give fills more frequently and more aggressively. It all depends on the Dr. Here is a good site to read about fills, it will help ansewr your questions http://lapbandtransformation.com/Adjustments.htm

Esmeralda, my band sister got pregnant 4 months after her band surgery and had 2 fills prior to her pregnancy , she was never unfilled and had a beautiful healthy baby boy. She is a member here, her names Vtobon, send her a PM she will be glad to answer any questions you might have.

SOme bandsters arefortunate to have restriction with the placement of the band, I had it for 9 weeks post op. COnsider yourself fortunate and go with it for as long as you can, if you are losing without a fill do not rush it. Even with my fill level right now,, somedays I feel like I have zero restriction and can eat anything then the next day it is back. Fickle bands we have. One of the main rules of a bandsters is to eat Proteins first, the veggies & salads, then fruitsand then carbs if you have room. Hare proteins keep the pouch full longer. Keeps you less likely to be hungry so soon

You are normal, you have not had a fill yet, the fills are what gives you restriction and make you eat less. The band was designed ot be filled to work at it's best ability.With no fill it is only normal ot be able to eat anything and everything in large quantities. Yes tell your Dr. you were eating real food in the event something is not right with your band. ( which I m sure it is fine) The liquid phase is designed for you to heal and for your band to anchor in so it has less chance to slip. If you eat too soon after surgery you are at higher risk of slippage since the digestion process of real foods is a work out in your stomach with all the churning and turning it takes to digest. My Dr. required 3 weeks of liquids also he beleives it is very important for the band so set into place sort of anchor into place and have some time to build up scar tissues , makes it less likely for it to slip in the beginning. I was also told that he first 6 weeks post op should not be about weight loss but healing. Any weight loss during the 6 weeks post op period is a plus! We have the rest opf our lives to lose this weght. It did not come on overnight and it is not going to come off over night either.

How exciting Esmeralda...I agree with Vera, everything happens for a reason Congrats

If going to Mexico for surgery, cheaper is not always better. It is very competitive in TJ. So if it is a couple of thousand dollars less with another doctor, you need to ask yourself why. A couple thousand dollars extra to have a more experienced Dr. in TJ is well worth it in my opinion. I could of had mine done in TJ for alot less but I feel I went with the best Dr. in TJ. The extra I spent was well worth his expertise, and how many bands he had placed. Just my 2 cents.

I will not be weighing until the last day of the Challenge, Monday, Labor Day. I'm hoping to be at the century mark by then

Pork is not a mushy, it is a solid. Mushy foods : Refried Beans oatmeal Cream of Wheat Scrambled eggs Cottage cheese Hummus anything you have to really chew is a solid

Yes cranberry juice is considered a clear liquid

Drink lots of cranberry juice between now and your surgery. Cranberry juice works great for bladder infections

I'm happy for you Vines, Good for you not letting the scale dictate your success with your band. It's eye opening to see all fo the changes we go through , not just what thescalesays. Thanks for posting it, maybe more will be like you and not get discouraged when they do not see thesclae moving i nthedownward direction. My sclae had not moved in a long time but everyday the same people who see me all the time keep asking if I havelost more weight. Evewn though thesclae is not moving my body is changing and I'm losing inches which to me is much more important then what thesclae reads.

Nykee The first 6 weeks is all about healing not about weight loss. Eat whatever mushy foods you want. Eat whenever you feel hungry, notthink you are hungry but truly hungry. The band is with you for a very long time now, you have therest of your life to work with the band..right now is the time to focus on healing. ANy weight you lose during the first 6 weeks is a bonus. I did not exercise until afterthe first 6 weeks. I wanted to make sure my incisions were all healed and my port was secured in as well as my band. I did notwant any concerns of my port flipping or my band slipping. It is also normal to be able to eat alot, you have no fill yet, the fills arewhat make you eat less. The band is designed to be filled to work at its best capacity. So it is normal to not lose weight wqithout a fill and to be able to eat anything and everything without a fill. Dont get doscouraged if you see a slight gain when you transition from mushy to solids, that is normal and to be expected. Dont weigh everyday either, sure sign to sabatoge yourself if you do, you wil drive yourself batty. Good Luck

When is your vacation? When do you get to start solids? If you are on solids while on vacation you can eat anything..a healthier choice is always better however.

Muffin, great detective work I know it holds true for me, If I eat carbs in the morning I crave more carbs and am hungry all day long, same goes with sugar for me. I keep my carbs and sugar intake to a minimum and only eat them late in the day so I do not graze all day. More Protein, less carbs & sugar keep my hunger under control.

Shoulder pain is most likely where the gas has settled. Walk Walk Walk....it is thebest medicine.

I was banded by Dr. Ortiz also..I had gas pains. Walking is the best medicine. Walk as much as you can. Lying down doing nothing makes it worse. Heating pad also helped me as well as Gas X but walking first and foremost!

I was told not to exercise until the 6 weeks post op..for 2 reasons, 1. to make sure Iam healed and that band has anchored in and my port incision has a chance to build up scar tissue to avoid a flip 2. To make sure I was on solids and have enough calories to work out. They did not want me working out while on liquids. You have the rest of your life to exercise, get healed first.

The good thing now versus pre band is you are realizing you are eating totally out of emotional stress and anguish.. Now the hard part..to not give in to stress or frustration. You are in control, no body else. ....do not let the moods, actions , words etc.. of others make you deviate from your plan and your motivation . Then they win and you lose. Screw all of those people with their attitudes, words and threats. You are a stronger person then that...Take back the control! Keep telling yourself I'm not going to binge today because of someone else's actions! I'm going to be strong and do this for me. I deserve this.

Very hard to find a US doc who does fills on the Swedish Band or any other band other then the Inamed band they are out there but far and few between.

Lou, it is very hard to stretch your pouch with no fill so dont worry there, also you will have a hard time feeling any kind of restriction eating those softer foods. For me alot of my restriction comes with the foods I eat, solid Proteins like chicken ,beef etc..give me great restriction but softer foods like cheese sliced lunch meats, mashed potatoes offer me no restriction. Restriction also comes from getting your fills which you have no fill so it isd quite normal ot not feel restriction If you feel there is an emitional eating problem, go and tal kto someone find theanswers. It is true we must do some of the work with the band to be successful. We do have to changesome of our ways,, no doubt about it, the band is no magic wand and the lbs do not fall off. Hang in there maybe once you start getting your fills your eating habits will change . I know for me when I am filled just right my obsession for food goes away, it is great! Even if I feel the urge to ea the crap food the bestthing is with my current fill level I dont eat much of it. You are not a faliure, you will succeed. DONT GIVE UP!

From all I have seen and heard Dr. Ortiz has a beautiful facility in Cancun. I had my surgery with Dr. Ortiz in TJ and was very pleased. I was able to have my husband stay in the same room with me the enitre time other then when I was in for surgery. Even at his new facility in TJ my husband was able to stay overnight with me in my room.