contraband

I was banded in August 2007. I have lost a little over 40lbs. I have only had 2 fills (total of 7.0 cc's in a 10cc band). I just started getting the pain you are all talking about 2 weeks ago. Possible causes from reading all the posts: 1) I started swimming 4x/week and maybe pulled a muscle, but I started swimming in January, 2) I'm eating too much, which I definitely am, 3) hernia, or 4) gall bladder. Also the pain was really bad today...it feels better when I push-in on the area that hurts. Also today when it was hurting a lot I walked for about a half an hour and it went away. I don't know what it is. Tomorrow I am going to eat smaller portions of softer foods (applesauce, oatmeal,...etc...) and call my Doc. Please keep me posted as will I. Thanks for listening, Ellen

for the past 3 days I have been getting periodic stomach cramping. It feels like I should pass gas or have diarrhea but I just have the cramps. I also feel bloated after even liquids. I got banded 8/3/07. down 35 pounds. I'm hoping it's just a stomach virus but worried it's band related. Anyone else haved this? Ellen:help:

Hi everyone, I was banded on August 3rd, 2007 and as of the last time I checked I was down 22 lbs. I have a lot to go. However I am feeling well and eatings regular foods. I do chew like crazy though. My fear is, that since I stopped full liquids I find I am not getting full very quickly. I don't feel like I am overeating but I think I shouldn't be able to eat as much as I am eating. My Doctor warned me that during the pureed/mushy/regular food stage I may feel hungrier and may even gain a few pounds before my first fill. Has anyone else heard this. I'm eating fruit w/ skins, meats, a very small amount of bread (all thoroughly chewed) with no problems. I am eating much smaller amounts though and no sweets except a fudgsicle at night. How much should I be able to eat at a sitting before my first fill. When I showed my friend what I ate for Breakfast she said I shouldn't be able to eat that much and I better go for a fill. She had a gastric bypass. So, I'm confused and a little frightened. maybe my Doctor didn't put the band in...just kidding...but still worried. Here's what I ate yesterday: Breakfast 2 eggs (1 yolk) 1 slice cheddar cheese 1 potato latke lunch 1 leg and thigh Tandoori chicken dinner (my husbands birthday party) 1 buffalo burger (patty only) w/ ketchup and pickle a couple bites of a a hot dog (no roll) I licked some icing w/ my finger 2 pieces of grilled tofu snack 1 fudgesicle Doesn't that seem like a lot of food to be able to eat for someone w/ a lapband? Thanks for your responses I need help..I think my head is my biggest problem but I'm not sure. Ellen

Hi lisa, I just read your message. I got my first fill (5cc's ina 10cc band) about 1.5 weeks ago and am not feeling very restricted still. I just read what Jack wrote too and it makes me feel better. I am experiencing changes but they're not as drastic as I want them to be and I would love to stop eating when I feel "satisfied" but as of yet I have a hard time w/ that, always have. I don't weigh myself so I don't know what's going on w/ that, but I still need to add exercise and have not been willing yet. So that's my story. How did your fill go? Ellen

that seems very extreme, are you sure that's right. I was on clears for 2 days and FULL liquids for 2 weeks. Clear and full are very different. That seems dangerous to me. Ellen

Hi Hana, I would love to start a group or a meeting for phila. area bandsters. I know I could use the support. I got my first fill (5cc in a 10cc band) 2 weeks ago. A couple days after my fill I felt like I could still eat a lot more than I think I should be able to. I lost 1 more pound, a total of 22#, before my first fill. I haven't weighed myself since my first fill and it's been a little less than 2 weeks. I suppose I should be happy the scale is going down instead of up but I would like it to move a bit faster. I also have not been exercising, so I shouldn't complain. I need to remember this is not magic, it's just a tool. But if I could decrease my intake by myself I wouldn't need a band. I will talk to my doctor. Enough about me, how are you doing and would you be interested in a support group of some kind?

I'm in. I live in Phila. but was thinking of starting a group too. I would love to meet anywhere. Ellen In Philly

Hi Everyone, I'm fat because of many different reasons, one being heredity. My whole family is obese except for the ones that exercise compulsivly. I wish I had that compulsion. I have been fat since I was 2 years old. There's a picture of me at Thanksgiving from when I was 3. I had climbed-up onto the counter, stuck my head in the turkey carcus and was eating it like an animal...ha ha ha so cute. I was very active in sports through highschool so I didn't balloon up too much but I still weighed around 180 while I was playing hockey, lacrosse, and basketball. I really became the largest when I stopped using drugs and alcohol in 1987. I gained 40 lbs in rehab. In 1991 through OA I lost 100 pounds by stopping sugar (all forms), flour (all forms), dairy and weighed and measured everything I ate. I was also exercising 3x/week. I kept the weight off until I got pregnant in 2001. Then I went crazy. I suppose it was all the emotions surrounding becoming a mother coupled w/ being a compulsive over-eater, decrease in activity, and increased consumption. Ultimately, I ate the wrong things at the wrong time of day, I stopped exercising completely, I think being on anti-depressants also added weight, not because of the medication necessarily but because I didn't feel as much guilt about overeating. Why am I fat? for physical reasons (heredity, inactivity, eat too much), for emotional reasons (fill the void, boredom, happy, sad, any emotion for that matter). I also have a family history of celebrating w/ food...I like that. I love to cook and have people over for meals. I continue to do that w/ the band. THANKS FOR LISTENING, ELLEN BANDED ON 8/3/07 WEIGHT 274 LBS ON 8/2/07 WEIGHT ON 8/14/07 255 WEIGHT ON 8/27/07 253

Hi Nilsa, How do you do the ticker? I can get to the website but I can't figure out how to get it onto my page. Come to think of it, I can't put anything permanently onto my page. Thanks, Ellen

Hi Everyone, My name is Ellen and I live in Philadelphia. I had my band placed on 8/3/07. I weighed 274 the day before my surgery and as of today I am at 253. Two of my wounds are infected and my Dr. started me on Cipro (an antibiotic) today. Besides my painful wounds, I feel great. I haven't really started exercising yet because my knees hurt too much. I am pretty much eating smaller portions of all the foods I usually eat minus the ice cream andor cake that I usually would eat at nightime. I'm a little worried because i'm not really feeling full quick enough and I feel like I have no restriction. I really lost the 20 pounds in the first 2 1/2 weeks and have only lost 1 pound since. Everyone is telling me that this is normal before my first fill. Anyone having this kind of experience. Glad everyone is doing well. Ellen

thank you everyone for your responses. I feel better now. But did anyone else have this same experiences? Ellen

Can you guys let me know what types/brands of soup you're eating during the full liquid stage? I got some organic soup in a re-sealable box from whole foods. I tried the creamy tomato yesterday...it was delicious. Then I remembered that I was advised to stay below 7g sugar per serving, where this soup is 17g...whoops. So, I am looking for alternatives. Ellen in Philly

This is what I ate today. Day 2 Full liquids 1. sugar-free Carnation instant Breakfast made w/ 2/3 cup skim milk 2. Dannon light and fit yogurt (iron pill) 3.1/2 cup sugar-free pudding (folate pill) 4. 1/2 cup sugar-free pudding (calcium chews) 5. 2/3 cup creamed, strained Soup 6. Water throughout the day 7. Sugarfree popsicle 8. 1 cup strained tomato soup What are you (full liquid) people eating/drinking today Thanks, Ellen

Thanks everyone. You've all helped alot. It's one week post-band. Today I ate: - 2 chewable vits - 1/2 Odwalla super Protein shake - 1 cup thinned cream of wheat made w/ skim milk, butter, and 1/2 maple syrup - 2 calcium chews - 2 Tbs hummus - 1/2 cup pureed/thinned red fish chowder from whole foods - 1 organic fudgesicle - iron, folate - Water throughout How am I doing? I'm worried I'm not getting enough protein? What do you think? Thank you in advance for your feedback. Ellen

Hi Jacgui, This morning is the first morning that I have felt like I am part of the land of the living. I pooped again and went out for breakfast w/ my husband and son Sam (5 years old). I had oatmeal watered down w/ skim milk and a little butter. I had about 1/2 cup. I also drank 1/3 cup skim milk. It was delicious, it went down fine (I ate so slow) and I didn't feel like I was eating any crap nor did I feel deprived. This is all thanks to you and Chickie. Ellen

Jacqui, Thanks for the response. Tonight I thawed some organic peaches that I had cooked and froze. I blended about 1/2 cup of them w/ a 1/2 cup of organic yogurt in my "Magic Bullet" processor. It was delicious. I ate almost the whole thing. I'm concerned that maybe that was too much but it was delicious. I read that I should only be eating 2-4 tbs. of food per meal. How can that be right. Is that right? I read it in WLS for dummies. Thanks, Ellen

Hey Jacqui, I pooped today....woohoo...Well I know this makes my day. So, just to be clear, when you were on full liquids you ate the stuff you mentioned in your last post? So, I can have regular lowfat or nonfat yogurt (not that light and fit crap) blended w/ fruit. And I can have dinner w/ my family by just blending up what I give them? I think I need to re-adjust my thinking. Before I got the band I ate a lot and was almost completly inactive but I ate very natural, whole foods most of the time. I love to cook and eat vegan food, vegetables, fresh meats, all kinds of stuff. I was sad to think I had to eat all of this fake crap once I got the band. I hate that stuff but was willing to do anything I was told because my way wasn't working so well. I may now be able to eat foods that feel clean and make me feel good but now I just need to eat very small portions and incorporate exercise. If this is true then it's my dream come true because I've always wanted to eat well and moderate. It makes me want to cry that this may be possible. So, I'm not quite sure what I'm asking here but thanks for opening my eyes to these possibilities.

I don't know about you, but when I'm having a party for my son I'm usually running around so much that there wouldn't be enough time to sit and have a meal. I suggest you have liquids during the party and eat when you can sit, chew and have a peaceful meal. If it's a sit down, then chili or veggie chili would work. Have toppings on the side for like shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, guac, chips. Have fun, Ellen

Shannon, I hadn't gotten my period for 6 months prior to surgery. I was banded on 8/3/07 and got my period the next day. The same thing happened to me the day after I got married. Yes maybe it's stress release but I would have it checked-out to be on the safe side. Ellen

Thank you for the info. Where are you from? Ellen

thanks again. that roast dinner sounds amazing. I also love Indian food. Any problem for you w/ the spice? Ellen

hi Chickie, I'm really impressed w/ your weight loss. I would love to follow in your footsteps. Can you tell about your journey and include foods you have been eating. i got the band on 8/3/07 and will be on my 3rd day of full liquids tomorrow. I have another 1 week 4 days on fulls then I move to pureed, then mushy, the regular. Thank you, Ellen

Thanks Chickie, I am on full liquid, not solids yet. Jacqui, I didn't even think that I could buy some organic yogurt and fruit and blend them. The same w/ Protein powder, organic milk and cocoa powder. I guess I was just following directly from my lists. Thank you for the ideas. Ellen

I bought the bullet. So far I love it but have only used it for protein shakes that I blend w/ ice to make them more milkshaky. I am only on day 2 full liquids. After 2 weeks on full liquids, according to my doc, I will be able to eat pureed foods. Then I think my bullet will come in very handy because i can make one meal for my family (a meat, a veggie, and a starch) and I can puree mine w/ the bullet. The bullet seems great and will have many other uses too. I can even make my own hummus...No I am not a Magic Bullet salesmen. Ellen

I got the band on Aug. 3rd. Started full liquids today. Feel good but a little groggy from the pain meds. I'm excited to get on my merry way. Starting weight: 271 lbs. Dr. Kirkland did the surgery. I'm looking for members in Philadelphia. I have a 5 year old boy starting kindergarten in Sept. I have been heavy all my life w/ the exception of a 10 year reprieve when I stopped eating sugar and flour, weighed and measured everything I ate, and exercising. I re-gained my weight when I got pregnant and haven't been able to loose any. In fact, I have been gaining. Obesity runs in my family and I'm so tired of dieting. I'm excited about the possibility of loosing weight. I've never been skinny and don't expect to be, but If I could be healthier, be able to be more active (I used to be very athletic) and fit into regular size clothing, I will feel better about myself. I've tried everything from OA to Liquid protein since I was 8 years old. I am 43 now. Thanks for reading.