Jack

She reports some of her findings & observations in Seattle clinic regarding an evolving look at diabetes, obesity & metabolic abnormalities sometimes overlooked. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKVUZLSvaEs&list=PLRtX8DKNS2yUx9uIBGIWiRC4l3glENsQl Second hour has 'conspiracy of health' Dr. Gregory Smith They bring up some concepts worth considering. If it sounds too conspiratorical just set whether they've got any material new to you. Since I was in practice for over 30 years, I've seen a LOT more that of common occurence and mostly ignored by news, governement AND medical realms. I'm not familiar with the moderator Doug Schrader. Comments?

while not given much in the way of answers I'd like to be able to list, at least her commnets got me thinking along the lines of something besides the old 'really doesn't apply' kinds of stuff we all have run across.... And I have no idea of her success or effectiveness. What is gratifying is her willingness to look at some different markers to investigate the 'why we overeat' as a society and individuals. I know for myself, if I eat corn-based fructose anything, I do get tremendous acceleration of the Overeating Gear even with 'no hunger' signs being evident. This predates the altered DNA corn issue by decades. She touches on a wide range of potentials without solving much, agreed. Now, back to your normal programming.....

"I'm not hearing any solutions."........that's the hard part....

works for me, click on the picture or the arrow..... Hope it works for some to hear. The presentation of Dr. Cooper in discussing a some of the interesting questions I've had to ferret out over time, would have been far easier if I had heard this years ago.

Thank you B-52 for a marvelous explanation of what works for you. I am largely in agreement with your program. Turning to previous posts, Certainly there is large rooms for discussion of this very subject. "How we lose weight" vs "How we produce energy" as related to 'appetite' and 'hunger' could be doctoral dissertation thesis for dozens of us here. In the 'eat/ vs 'no eat' realm, whatever the appetite trigger may be, whether ghrelins or leptins or the tiny area in the ventromedial hypothalamas that measures certain arguable bodily functions, the old school discussion of Krebs cycle and the 'glycolosis vs glyconeogenesis' mechanisms can not be ignored. A brief 12:00 lecture here https://www.khanacademy.org/science/mcat/biomolecules/carbohydrate-metabolism/v/glycolysis shows a decent rendition of one of these. Hard science is always changing based on research, while 'behavioral science' is based on who can present the more convinced support of their own opinions....hence, I've tended toward the 'behavioral' aspect of Eating/Overeating/Sport Eating. I did considerable research leading up to my own Band in 2004, including lengthy interviews with a coupld of the OHSU Med School Research team, who were at the time investigating such then-new discoveries as the leptin-ghrlen mechanisms. Their work was fascinating enough, but time and the rest of My Own Life has kept me away from up to date reports. In a nutshell, evidence at that point strongly indicated there were multiple causes for each aspect of what Bandsters have encountered and report regularly here. For myself, the Band placement itself was 'magic' in that the uncontrolable 'eatEatEAT' controller mechanism was somehow in full throttle, and that admittedly abnormal sensation was abated. Eating was no longer the center of my existence. I learned some behavioral techniques along the way, to assist in moving me toward my goal. I recently attended my 50th High School reunion. Although I was "30#" above my goal, I still weighed less than at HS during teh JFK era so long ago. And I have to retune my own discipline to step away from the return of some Bad Eating Habits, which upon inspection all violate my own Eating Behavior Premises. So whatever mechanics and physiological models of weight management, the Band remains a Tool that serves me best when I follow the lead my Symbiant tries to evoke. Gardening and yard chores do wonders for my discipline. We've just had a large ice storm the past several days, and this AM the Silver Thaw was transforming! Read your research materials, do your exercise, tell us all what works best for you. I may borrow your ideas to lose another pound!

The reality I for one have experienced about 'restriction' haven't ever been worth the anxiety I thought I had about that very issue. "Restriction" while a physical measurement, is only a gross and temporary aide as our Rational Brain learns how to train our eating behavior and tame our Belly Beasts in a time frame our Adult Emotional status can learn to control. I believe a constant state of "restriction" is not the goal. It is a necessary step for one such as myself, as it gave space and time to learn how to do something I lost track of somewhere in adolescence. The unfettered emotional and irrational aspect of my eathing behavior took over what Normo Eating Behavior should have been. Bandsters progress through phases not only in 'food' but in 'eating behavior', which at first is the obvious Band Restriction. And for me that is/was a most necessary step. Learning to use my Brain to moderate my eating behavior such that I eat when hungry and stop when not hungry, is/was a major goal. The real tool in the longer term is not just physical 'Restriction' IMHO. That area is quite elastic and the potential is for your Dr to help you maintain a functional Band. It IS essential to understand what his goals and methods are so you can help with that process. I too have a 'little dialation' but not so much. Some days it is difficult to tell whether it's my Band, my pouch, my Belly Beasts, or my Brain that is in control of what/how much I eat. Sometimes it is merely my elbow, that continues to bend regardless of hunger/satiety or sport eating mode. At least that's how *I* see my own issue. YMMV.

These are great questions, and here' s what my own personal 'version of reality' is: 1) No, 'fullness' and 'stuck' are not the same sensation; 2) re: " I've not yet ever had any feeling of fullness or satiety. " The really BIG discovery *for ME* was to discover the difference between "hungry" and "NOT hungry". As basic as that seems now, the importance had escaped me for decades. Metaphors and analogies may all have their flaws, yet to me here's the best way I can respond: "Full" is the John Phillip Sousa Band blaring its way down the esophagus and marching in place in your stomach. That's the sensation I grew up to seek and justify whether I could/should/would continue eating. It had nothing to do with hunger. Such external controls as "is there any more"; "What can I have next"; "Here clean up this last little bit" and "of course I'd like another helping" until it was all gone. "Satiety" is a bird song in a forest glade, while you enjoy the quiet away from the bustle & hustle. It is reflection and discover that 'no I'm NOT 'hungry' but could/would/might eat more given the opportunity. 'Stuck' is the nausea & discomfort of and Eating Error of too much/too fast/too dry/too poorly chewed/ etc. It is wanting to get rid of the discomfort and 'PB' or urking or vomiting or throwing up or whatever your upper gullet does to rid the excess bolus of whatever you choked down. Slime & watery eyes & vague thoughts of never wanting to do it again are intensified depending on just HOW stuck with WHAT kind of food we have ingested. My own 'first REALLY stuck' was about postOp 4th week or so, having nibbled a few triscuits somehow I launching into a swallow-them-whole-ALL-NOWWW!!! phase and, yes...."stuck". Didn't know whether to call EMTs or just lay down & die. Second time was a month later, on solid foods.....took a single (small) bite scrambled egg & grits.....mistake...was on a road trip....managed to goo & drool & slime & slather my way over the next 200 miles hurling out the window about every 2 minutes. Not so pleasant then either....yet it gave me a close look at the difference between 'full' and 'stuck' ....and yes, helped define 'HUNGER'. So I would hope these experiences can help you define the answers you need for your questions. And I encourage continueing to seek out the difference bewteen 'hunger' and 'satiety'. A most useful concept, in my ongoing journey.

complex issues we all face, tieing emotional/eating/hiding out/overeating/avoiding/ and being willing to re-boot & jump back in a skill that helps us all continue re-inventing ourselves. You've taken some great steps & all I want to do is say WELCOME back to LBT vets. Cheers on your journey.

At 3 weeks postOp I didn't want anything beyond the liquids & mushie phase. Chinese Soups yes, but there was little else I wanted or even though I could risk eating. Don't know what your Dr has recommended....my first 'real food' following the mushie phase was a poached egg. It took a long time to get it all down...and it really was a taste sensation. I recall developing a fondness for a tiny swirl of Peanut Butter swirled in a 1/2 cup of yoghurt....and still have it now & then. Even now 9+ years postOp "Chinese food" means most of it goes home for 2-3-4th meal. Soft noodle soup was a hit when I was able to eat that too, about 5-6 weeks postOp. Don't break whatever your Dr. told you. I wasn't able to eat rice for a long LONG time postOp. Maybe soft squishy stuff. Are you using a blenderizer yet?

great post Katy!!! Thanks for the update and details.

I've run into a thousand different reactions and a million personal opinions and have lost track of what difference any of it makes. We can't change what others do/say/think. We CAN change our own behavior. 'Being in control of myself' has given me considerable relief from having to respond to what others do/say/think.

Congratulations on your success!!! re: "the BIG picture instead of taking things one day" IMHO 'each day' IS 'the BIG picture'.....in the grand philosphy of 'wei-wu-wei' as I apply it to *my* life (however in error it may be) those tiny grains (whether sugar, sand, or 'days of our lives') individually SEEM like but tiny images like the mirrored ball at the prom---yet the qualities and characteristics of each separate tiny piece adds and modifies and summates to make the BIG picture....so they are inseperable multidimentional interrelated phases of each other. There are a lot of RIGHT ways that individuals find that work for themselves, based on a few principles and guidelines. As long as we take daily steps (little picture) in the direction of our goal (big picture) our progress is demonstrated by sucess. What kind of shoes we wear or the pace of our journey is not as important as that we continue onward. The details important to some are less so to others. We succeed by action based on results; focus on the goal helps maintain our proper actions. Our rational brain controls those actions. Certainly your results demonstrates your actions are properly focused. Hope this isn't too dopey sounding.

I've had blessed moments of 'being uninterested' in food or eating. Without trying to establish whether that is or isn't "a rule", I prefer to think that in our overall experience at trying to approximate what "Normos" do in their eating habits.....most of the ones I know have periodic moments of a few days without interest or hunger. I view my own episodes, as being a sort of reset between what 'wanting to eat everything all the time' and actually learning what 'hunger' and 'appetite' really are. My own notions are still being revised in this area, as the decades of abnormal eating behavior leave me wary of making generalizations. I like to think that beyond the green zone, there is a GOLDEN zone, where we grasp a view of a new food-eating-lifestyle in just enough different a pattern, we don't recognize it or know what to do. Regardless of those precious episodes where I didn't have hunger/appetite/motivation/interest in eating.....I didn't eat as it wasn't 'a problem'. Yes if it had continued days or weeks, THEN 'a problem'.....but my own periods were 3 or 4 days running, THEN appetite kicked in and overcame the intellectual aspects of 'what do I WANT' etc etc. There have been times where I was tired of whatever my food was at the time....but after years on various food log programs, there are patterns which I stray from seasonally perhaps. I consider 'not being hungry' or 'no appetite' sans symptoms of approaching illness, is *my* new normal.....but YMMV. We just don't have to eat every day all the time, IMHO.

Welcome to your New Life Maria7!!! I was 58 at Banding 10 years ago. My worst postOp day has been better than the best preOp day 10 years before surgery. Take your time, read a lot, expore your New Life and ENJOY!!!! Cheers on your journey.

It wasn't much of an instruction during my own postOp.....and I don't use 'em anyway.

I've got mine from 04....same office, same head MD.....a couple of the same office staff....she trains a couple of pass-thru surgeons each year....

IN the 9+ years since my BandOp, I've NEVER had ANY hiccups. That may be odd, yet here I am. Nor do I belch (hardly ever) where preOp it was fairly frequently. Don't know what to make of it, if anything.

congratulations on deciding what to do to help yourself....I no idea of how to link to your site, but as a Bandster you will likely get quite familiar with doing research on the internet. Cheers on you jouney.

I found something made of snap pea compote, baked in a very pea pod shape and with certain spices I really enjoy. Every once in a while I get some along with the meal. Something like 190? calories a bag, which easily lasts...well maybe not so easily....but it typically can last thru a couple days with caution.

maestrita: Sorry to hear of your troubles with the Band. Thank you for posting what your experience has been, and that you have found a better solution. Hope we will have the chance to hear your periodic updates as you recover from the new procedure. Your information shared may well help someone else avoid what you have gone through.

While not exactly crunchy, I developed a fondness for frozen blueberries. A table spoon of those with my morning Holy Shredded Wheat (yes, finally got back to that!) a little skim milk or often just warm Water, a squirt of stevia, I'm set for morning crunchy time.

I think the ports are pretty rugged. Mine is 9+ years old, never leaked, and they hit it every time the first time. IF the average adjustment is "4 times a year" that's 3 dozen + surgical access to my silicon port window. While adjustment sticks have not always been "comfortable" they've never needed more than 1 insertion to hit it. And except for the first few where I was apprehensive, anesthetic shot only a couple times the first year. While the stomach can stretch, and I may be in error, the location of the pouch is a very stout mucular area, which is not so much affected by the gravitational and fluidic effects of over eating.....as located there too are the most numerous mechanical proprioceptive receptors.....although I may have forgotton some of the detail in all those human antatomy and physiology classes I took so long ago. I think our most variable part of the entire Bandster postOp experience, is individual psychometric and emotional response to a similar and fairly standardized surgical procedure. The variations between Bands too are not as volatile as the response of whomever the patient is....and we all have a host of variabilities unpreditable and unknownable, as our adaption to the stress of a New Life centers around New Behavior we were never able to accomplish preOp. The various flusters and anxieties I had as a New Bandster were certainly helped immensly by the combined experience and encourangment of the fledgling LBT of a decade ago. cheers to us all on our journey!!!

re: "start eating "crunchier" textures eg vegetables cereals, do these types of foods keep you fuller for longer?" yes, along with a most essential sensation of 'chewing and swallowing' and taking actual bites of something solid... Jicama was a great help, as was Water chestnuts. There was a very tenuous balance between 'not enough' crunchy and 'too dense' crunchy. I believe such nuance is a personal issue that is acutally a delight to discover in the new eating habits we all must embrace. Even now though, it is way too easy to retreat to carb city in place of more appropriate dietary intanke.

My own "first fill" was 6 months postOp.

In ways, I see a corollary with how we feel about ourselves somehow 'not measuring up' to the compulsion to over eat until we gag and get the slimes....."I haven't suffered enough yet". The ease with which we can feel guilt and depession today for the eating sins of last year, while assigning the unfulfilled expectations of a slim healthier tomorrow, remains a mystery. The recipe for sucess requres ACTION! Every day we take a step in the direction of our goal. There is no time to waste on distractions. We have energy to focus on that one step. Cheer to all of us on our journey.