jennybean

I had baby Cereal (rice). Milupa raspberry rice cereal. It was yummy! I mix it with cold milk. I still have it for Breakfast sometimes!

I quit 4 years ago. This makes perfect sense to me because when I quit smoking, I turned to food. Now that I quit food, I could easily turn to smoking. I have heard that we tend to trade one habit for another. Congrats on your weight loss! You are doing really good.

Banded people have a "Reset" also....I do it about every 6 weeks or so, but just for a few days....does put everything back to that "New" feeling.... The problem with banded people though, is that the band is adjustable...and after surgery we have to go through a series of adjustments to get to that place were the band and process begins to work optimally.... You have to be at a certain place, in order for that reset to return you to that place....but a reset is not going to get us to a place where we were never at in the first place.... When many people have complaints, etc, with the band....the first concern is whether or not you have the band fully adjusted to where it should be....it can take months, and many people NEVER get there....BIGGEST negative to the band, IMO, is that it is left to the individual where they want it adjusted...then turn around and say it's not doing anything.... The sleeve on the other hand....much to it's credit, is that it is installed and then that's it...(sort of)..you can't adjustment up or down...it just is.... B-52, what do you do for the "reset"?

Wow, you are doing amazing! Keep up the good work!

Haha, great post! I embraced it too. Funny, my husband did the liquid diet with me too . Good luck with your surgery!

I really like that blog post. It was very helpful and I think I need to focus on the same. Thanks!

Me too. I have had two fills and delayed restriction with both. Still not in green zone but wonder if the on and off restriction means I am getting close? Yesterday was great, but today I am starved. It is currently like a roller coaster. Also the nurse at my clinic says some people don't feel the effects of a fill until 2 weeks later. This is why they only fill at my clinic once per month no matter how you feel.

I quit about 3 years ago, this is when my weight went out of control (way before band). I used Champix (called Chantix in the USA) and LOVED it. I still miss smoking but it is an awful habit, so I will never go back. Good luck, I know it is hard! I smoked for about 20 years uggh!

I am two months out and have not lost since post-op I had a completely empty band after surgery and 2 fills of 2.4 cc in total. I also have a 1 hour commute each way to work, so I know what you mean. I am tired and not enough time in a day. I try to take a 30 min walk at lunchtime....heck what else are you going to do besides eat and read your email. I read that most people dont lose until the 3rd fill. Maybe you need a fill? Are you really stuck or just eating to big of bites and too fast? I read on here that most sucessful people eat very tiny bites and chew extremely well. I know I am going to have to get under the 1000 calorie mark in order to lose weight. It may also be possible that eventually you may have to do low carb? Not really sure....that might be me as well down the line especially for the "losing phase". I know in the past I have only lost weight eating meat and veggies and very little fat. No fruits, no bread, no starchy veggies, no sugar at all. I am from the same area as you and have self-paid as well, so if this doesnt work I will be poor for nothing

Don't sweat it. That is about all I lost. You will be fine. Congrats!

When you get fills does it feel sore like you are being pinched at your band shortly after the fill?

I said I was having "surgery" thinking nobody would dare ask what kind of surgery.......BUT every single person did ask LOL. I said hernia and it was very believable and has worked so far.

Wow what a great answer! Right now I am eating between 1200 and 1500 calories. I NEVER lose weight eating that amount of caloires. I have suspected this for a long time and pretty much have proved it now. On this amount of caloires, I basically maintain. The only time I have ever lost a substaintial amount of weight was when I went on the Dr. Bernstein Diet (I think this is mainly a Canadian diet not sure if you have heard about it). It limits you to about 600-800 calories and you get Vitamin B shots under doctor and nurse supervision. It is grossly expensive. It works, but most regain extremely quickly after you run out of $ and have to stop the program. So I know I have to be under 1000 calories in order to lose, this is why I decided on the band. Glad to see the calorie count will go down, hopefully soon! I also feel stuffed a lot when my band is tighter. I was wondering if this is a problem??, because they say you should not feel stuffed.

Well it felt like I was too tight (kind of like a stuck episode but no food was eaten). I almost thought I had to go back to get an unfill but it eased-up quite quickly (within a couple of hours). So no pain ever??....even when you get close to the green zone and a little tight due to swelling from the fill?

That is great! Can't wait until I get there. Is this the quantities you eat on a daily basis? I am finding that my band tightness fluctuates so much that every day is different. Some days I can't get enough food and others seem pretty good....very up and down right now. I am still new and only have 2cc's in my band, but my band has be tight from the start so I think another 1-2 cc's and I may get to the green zone or pretty close.

I personally think you are only trying to help. You have done lots of research about the band and want to share what you have learned. I think you are very passionate about the topic and people may take you the wrong way sometimes. I don't take everything from here as gospel....I take what I want and try to use it to my advantage. Many of your posts have been helpful to me for sure. I am thankful there are people like you who have experience and are willing to share here.

My doctor agrees with the 45 second rule. He thinks your bites should pass through the band within 45 seconds after swallowing. If you wait at least 45 seconds after your last bite, you can have a drink. He thinks that the old rule to wait 30 minutes does not make sense now that they know what they know about the band and how it works. He says food should not be sitting in a "pouch" above the band. It should pass through quickly and hit the nerves that signal satiety along the way. I see all doctors have different ideas on how the band works. I think the doctors are still learning how the band works and we are kind of guinea pigs at this point. Hopefully sometime in the near future they have it all figured out and will have a set of rules to follow that are consistent and that work. Until then, it seems like trial and error is what will be happening.

I am the same, just over 1 month and have only lost 15 pounds since pre-op started.

This is so true! If I lay off carbs and/or gluten for a few days, it is amazing how my puffiness goes down! Give it a try! And for sure watch your sodium intake as well.

Ketosis causes bad metallic breath. Not sure what you can do, except chew gum BUT some doctors say NO GUM. As far as no restriction, I am in the same boat. I just had my first fill and still not really much different. It will take a few fills before you get the real work from the band.

I am thinking about buying the Fit Bit Force, but I have tried pedometers before and even a bumpy car ride adds many steps, so I gave up because it was so inaccurate. I am hoping that someone can convince me that the Fit Bit is more accurate and worth the $

Yep, I was hungry, some days more than others. For the past two days, my band was pretty good, now today I am starving and can't get enough. I am now 4 weeks post op and going for a fill this Monday - hopefully it helps! I have not lost any weight in three weeks, but have not gained either. p.s. 2 ounces??? That is not very much. What are your post op instructions?

I was scared. I also had some post-op complications that made me upset, but now only 4 weeks post op and happy so far and the best is yet to come!

Have you tried mashed califlower? Cook it well, mash it. Add some cream cheese and/or sour cream, salt and pepper. Or just melt a kraft silce of cheese on it. Also, zucchini is good peeled and boiled until soft. Drain and add some butter (or butter spray) and salt and pepper. Both of those are very mild and may sit well with you. Also low in calories.

I am the same. I am 4 weeks post op as of tomorrow and have only lost 15 pounds since pre-op. And none of that is in the last couple of weeks. They are not really expecting you to lose weight at this point. You are healing now. Once you start getting fills, it will be a different story!! Don't worry