SolracSpree

What really puts things into perspective is the comments from YouTube users. Like wow, some people.

I am in the same boat as you. I am now 1 month post op with no fill. I am always hungry. I eat chicken at 2 and hungry again by 4. I was doing well with sticking to my caloric intake (1,000cal) but here in the past 3 days, I have been going over. But I am not going to sit here in misery while hunger consumes my every thought. I am making smart choices in what I eat, and only eating no more than 1 cup of food at a time. But instead of 3 meals a day its more like 5.

So here it comes, a rant. If was bound to happen and here it is. WARNING: there will be lots of negativity Okay so today must just not be my day. I couldnt fall asleep until 5:00am. Then woke up at 8:30am from a nightmare. I was hungry and I wanted something to keep me full. So I chose 1/2cup baked beans and 1/2cup refied beans. They kept me full all of what 2 hours, normally it keeps me full longer. GREAT. So 11:00am i'm hungry again, I ignore it for an hour at noon I cant do it anymore. I have a protein drink. No joke an hour later Im doing chores and my stomach says hello again. So I saw screw it im taking a nap. I nap until 4:00pm, wake up hungry. So im thinking grits & eggs because normally they keep me full. Overcooked the egg, threw it out. Ate 3/4 cup of organic grits. It seems to be setting on my stomach just fine but who knows how long this will last. So far 618 calories and 45 grams of protein. I plan on have quiona and chicken for dinner. Which will put me right at my 1,000 calorie limit and put me at 65 - 75 grams of protein, depending on how much I can eat. I am really discouraged right now. I am trying to look at the grand scheme of things but it is hard. I teach the rest of the year and it is a tough school. I 100% need my summer break to recover and have some fun before school sucks the life out of me again and it seems like this summer I haven't been able to do that. One complication after another. Its 4.5 weeks out my stitch is open, i'm always hungry and I wont be able to get a fill until my stitch heals. Well judging by the looks of things that wont be for a while. So im just destined to be hungry for the rest of summer? I would eat more but im terrified of my band slipping, and even dense protein like grilled chicken keeps me full for like an hour or two. I cant exercise because my weight pulls down my stitch and makes my wound open more. It has honestly increased in size since 2 weeks ago. The doctors are not comforting. Its pretty much 1)antibiotics will heal your wound and 2)hunger is part of the game, get over it. I think too, I dont have anyone or anything to blame. Blame myself? No its not my fault (other than being this big in the first place) Is it the docs fault, no? Its just life. There is no one to blame Im doing to start another drawing hopefully this can ease my mind.

Combining yesterday and today. YESTERDAY: Not much to say other than I went out to eat for the first time last night. A friend of mine and my boyfriend went out to TGI Fridays. I got an appetizer plate to share with everyone for 1 variety and 2 portion. Food was great, no idea of the calories but I hadnt gone anywhere near my calories for the day. I planned what I thought was 1 cup of food but must have been 1.5 cups because I was finished and full. This got me worried because I have heard about bands slipping and all sort of stuff. I dont have a fill so no PBing or sliming. About 30 minutes later I felt fine so I dont think I overdid it took much but I am going to really have to stuff my measuring cups so I can figure out what 1 cup looks like when I can physically measure it. Or maybe I should put a measuring cup in my purse? Who knows. But after my full feeling passed I felt great. I had went out, ate awesome food (for the most part healthy) and didn't drink with my meal. WHICH I ALWAYS DID BEFORE. Baby steps I guess. I have talked to someone else on here who has told me that we dont magically become experts at this after we have the band, you have to learn along the way. Strangest thing was after I got home I weighed in and the scale was the lowest I have seen it ever (ive stalled the past 3 weeks). Went down 2 pounds. So that was odd. TODAY: Today uneventful except it marks 1 week until I move!!! YAY. But because of my stitches being stupid I have been given instructions to not do any lifting. This means my boyfriend and the males of my family are moving me instead ( to the 3rd floor) ::::evil grin:::: Also ate out today as well. No food in house, gotta fix that. This time was Chili's. i got the kids meal grilled chicken breast with sweet potato fries. I had 3/4 of the chicken breast and 5 fries. My boyfriend ate the rest along with his pizza. So this kept me full for 3 hours maybe? I can eat a cup of grits and it keeps me full for 5 hours. I feel like the strangest foods keep me full while others do nothing. I will be experimenting with food over the next week and see if I can find a trend. Well good night and best wishes to my fellow bandsters.

Thanks everyone. BillieG - most peoples stitches dont look like this. Mine have opened and developed an infection

So this is Day 1 of my blog. I figured I have spent plenty of time on the site why not make a daily blog. WARNING: Now this is going to function more like a public diary, most question I post on a questions thread. So this is at the end of week 3 for me. I went to the doc today (well his assistant) because these dang stitches are not healing. I am on another antibiotic for another week. She looked at my stomach commented on the rashes ( allergic reaction ) told me the incision wasnt too bad and was pretty much done. (((see attachments))) I also asked about hunger because the past two days... Whoa buddy I have been starvin'! So she took me off the pureed diet and told me soft food for 1 week (not 2 yay!) as long as I tolerate soft food well I can progress to normal . I was reprimanded for eating too much protein. She told me too much protein can cause kidney failure. WHAT?!? crazy right. Never go over 90 grams are much instructions. So when I asked her what to do if I got hungry since protein shakes are not really an option (depending on how much im at) she basically told me to deal with it. Well... umm okay? After leaving the doctor office I go home and my phone has BLOWN UP with messages. Apparently my brother has been calling nonstop today. Backstory - grandmother and brother were both nurses brother went back to school grandmother retired.This past weekend I freaked about because my incision still looked infected after my 1st round of antibiotics. It was weekend doc office closed so I asked if she could look at them. She did I called after afters nurse got refill blah blah blah blah... So my brother calls me asking if I left doc already. I told him yes and long story short my brother doesnt think I am getting the appropriate care. He asked me to come see him tomorrow. Is brother being overprotective? Maybe But I am in NO PLACE to fool around with an open incision so I will go tomorrow and see what he says. Cant trust anyone else like family right! Last topic of the night - FOOD! I was put on soft food today and I was excited! So I cooked lemon pepper fish, sweet potato, and peas. Well I did 1/2 cup of fish 1/4 pea and 1/4 potatoes. 1 cup all together MISTAKE! I have been eating 1 cup of food but it never struck me that 1 cup pureed food IS NOT the same as 1 cup of solid food. Well lesson has been learned I will stick to 1/2 food total and if I'm hungry I can pick at some more. Im at 863 calories... might eat some cheese to bump it into 1000 as the doc ordered. 72grams of protein. I think I can do this... Fill in 2 weeks, cant imagine eating 1000 with a fill. We will see.

Do you have any restriction?

I had a Wii and now have a WiiU. I like it for a mild workout like Wii Fit (tracks my weight and progress). Then I have work workout games like Zumba for more intense cardio (and boy it will get you sweating). I have several friends with XBOX kinect who love it too though.

Today I went to see my brother. He and his wife are/were nurses in ICU. My brother left for another medical job and now works from home and makes bookoo money. Anyway after a discussion between him and my grandmother (also a nurse) he wanted me to come by and see him so he could look at my stitch thats open and infected. So I get there. Brought my loving dog to meet his and he proceeded to look me over. He and his wife looked at the wound and had disagreeing ideas. Brother thought the wound should have been packed, wife says it was too shallow. They both agreed that the office should have done a culture (?) to see which exact antibiotic I should be on. They took out two big boxes filled with medical supplies and gave me a goody bag. It included some gauze, some awesome clear bandages that are waterproof, some antibiotic ointment, sterile saline, some rapid absorbing gauze (neat as well) and some other stuff I dont remember. Anyways my brother told me if its not better by next week he will join me for my doctor appointment. Aint he so sweet. (Background - he is 10 years older than me and we HATED each other like with a passion, so now that im older its funny we are concerned for each other). On with my day, took my dog to the park. He was silly, left came home watched Iron Man, chatted with fine people on here. The only odd thing was I have the strange heartburn thats coming up. I ate a granny smith apple with peanut butter (skin removed) and about 30 minutes after I got heartburn. This happened again with my next meal Cheesy ground beef. I took an hour to eat that because I kept getting distracted but I dont think it was because I was getting full or had my "soft stop" I had only had 4 bites when it started. I posted a thread and we will see if I get any answers...

I prefer scrambled eggs to hard boiled but my doc actually recommends hardboiled to scrambled eggs because they are better tolerated. Sorry your band doesnt agree! I learned apples are a no-no

Ok. So 2 times today and 1 time yesterday I have gotten a slow burning pain between my chest right above the bottom of my sternum. Is this heartburn? (I never experienced heartburn before) Any reason this might happen. I read before heartburn can mean your band is too tight howeverrrr I only have 1 cc in my band (havent had a fill yet only 4 weeks out) so that doesnt make sense. It has happened when I ate - an apple w/peanut butter - ground beef with cheese I learned real quick not to eat 1 cup of solid food at a time. So I ate 3/4 cause 1/2 usually isnt enough. The pain in bothersome but not terrible. Its dull and lingering.

Yay for band buddies!! I always like to find people who are banded on the same day as me so I can see where others are at and their experiences. I have had the sick feeling too and its hard to tell if it hunger sick or just sick... I have gotten truly sick once since being banded and I did not want to eat at all. I finally settled with mashed potatoes.

52 pounds in 5 weeks wow. I am only at 27pounds lost, wish I had that success!

Sorry not getting - I HAVE a lapband

I am 24 and getting the LapBand. No kids. But I plan on having them! As pinky punk said they want you to wait at least 2 years. I am sure there are complications with the lapband and pregnancy but I KNOW there are complications with being obese and pregnant.

My swelling didnt go down until the end of my 3rd week. How much are you eating at a time? Is it certain food that causes it? What are you eating phase are you in right now?

I gain 30 pounds using Depo Shot and my face broken out in the worse case of acne you ever seen!

We are band twins. I was also banded june 20th. Me and you seem to be on the same hunger schedule. I have lost 27 pds and the past two days I would eat and 2 hours later I am hungry. It sucks I even got in 100grams of protein (still hungry). Ate over my 1,000 calories limit. Talked to the doc today she said its normal happens to everyone and thats why I havent lost weight int he past 2 weeks. I have a fill in 2 weeks if my stitches are healed by then. Wish you the best of luck. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!

Just got back from the doc she said 60 - 80. Yesterday I had over 100grams and she told me not to do that again as it can lead of kidney stones and possibly kidney failure 0_0

Girl I know your struggle. I was told 1000 calories at the beginning of week 2. No where near it, stayed 700-800. Beginning of week 3 I was starting to get there but now im close to the end of that week and I AM STARVING. I cant stay under 1200 calories. For example today I had Isopure 160 cal Grits 140 cal Cheddar Cheese 70 cal Mashed Potatoes 80 cal Pureed Chili ( 1 cup) 240 cal Mozzarella 70 cal Protein Shake 100 cal Another cup of chili ( 240) cal Protein total = approx 110 Calories = approx 1,100 I have been hungry all dangum day and all day yesterday. But my nurse said its normal. Hunger will subside when I get put on soft food. She told me pureed is the hardest stage because hunger comes back but the food isnt very filling. We will see. Scale moved up from 2 weeks ago. Dont know what the surgeon is going to say Friday I flux around 248 - 250 but 2 weeks ago I was 247. We will see....

They have hypoallergenic tape at Walgreens and CVS. My stitches are infected so I have to keep them covered but i'm allergic to bandaid adhesive. The tape plus gauze have worked miracles

I recommend chewing ICE. I went to the movies today and I used to always get a large popcorn but I only ate it during previews. (weird i know) But instead I went to the concession and asked for a cup of ice. It feed my need to chew something and the hand to mouth motion was comforting.

Question, in general what type of diet do you follow?

I wish I could eat food again. I am 3 days from being 1 month post op and still on mushies! Im sure things will get better once I get to that point though.

OK So I am 3 weeks post op and fairly new to the world of the Lap-Band. With this being said sometimes I have NO IDEA what you people are talking about. So I wanted to start a list of acronyms often used on the site. For example- WLS - weight loss surgery ( pretty simple but still) PB - Productive burp (?) Is this a "nice" way of saying throwing up? NVS - (???) NO IDEA PLEASE ADD TO MY LIST! I hope this is beneficial to other new bandsters as well who might be too embarrassed to ask what these mean or can not figure it out in context.