cookielover

The first thing you need to do is put the past to bed; don't call yourself a failure because you are still here working it out! The other thing you have going for you is a little bit of restriction. You haven't found the sweet spot yet, because I know from experience it is very hard to "move past it" with a normal meal. When you are done...you are done! Here is my way of life and it works well for me: I drink my 8 glasses of water. (I use Crystal Light for 2 of them, because sometimes I feel like a water buffulo.) I stop drinking 15 minutes before a meal and I wait 60 after the meal to drink. I eat three small meals a day. I stop when I feel the slightess bit full. (This one is the hardest to do. Especially since I am not at my sweetspot yet, but there are times when my band gives me glimpes into the future and it tells me to stop.) I use toddler plates, spoons, and forks. (This is a mental thing, so I am never tempted to put more food on a big plate to fill it up.) I always eat my protein first, veggies second, and the tiny bit (if any) starch last. If I do get hungry between meals I do allow myself a small healthy snack, but I have to follow the drinking rule so it can be a pain in the butt sometimes. Before bed I usually have a protein shake. I always have one Starbucks tall, half sweet, non-fat, no whip, mocha everyday. Other than that I have cut out all sweets, fatty food, junk food, and soda. I exercise everyday- even if it is just walking for 20 minutes with my dog. I hope this helps-you CAN do this! We are here for you. :clap2:

When I woke up the day after surgery I thought, "What the hell did I do to myself? How is this thing suppose to help me lose weight? I want a do over!" I was in pain from the surgery and my life was about to change...for the better. I just didn't know it yet. I spent every minute on this site looking for support and virtual hugs. Fast forward three months later I am hoping to give the hugs and support now. I feel great, and the weight loss is only a small part of my overall success. I am so glad I had this opportunity to get this surgery-it has changed my life. I believe in myself more than I ever did before. I am so glad that I didn't get a "do-over". Don't let the rants and the venting run you off into the ditch. This is a safe place for people to come when they are experiencing difficult times. If I run into a wall with my band this is the first place that I come to.

I have the same tight issue in the morning too. I consume a high protein shake for breakfast, and if I am still tight at lunch (which is rare, but still...) I have another protein shake. I always make sure I consume something. Sometimes I am not that hungry so I don't drink that much, but I figure it is always better to have something in my tummy then to be on empty. If I let it ride and I dont eat; at dinner I will be starving...and starving...and starving.

The lapband will aid anyone to their weight loss goals if they follow the program. The thing with the band is it levels the playing field for me. I am not overly hungry all the time, therefore I am not in as many positions where I can cheat. I find success through a balanced diet high in protein, and I also exercise everyday. I have given up fatty foods, soda, junk food, and sweets. I am not sure if I would get the band to lose 50 pounds as I see this as a "last resort" measure, but I have not walked in your shoes. I sincerely wish you and your family the best of luck. Keep coming to LBT it is the best resource for information.

Water is very important to recovery. I know it is a pain in the butt sometimes, so Crystal Light is an excellent idea! I have no idea if I was catheterized during surgery. I know that not too long after the surgery I did have to go to the bathroom because of the IV. The nurses were going to give me a bed pan, but I wanted none of that I rolled out of bed and waddled to the bathroom. Good luck- You are starting a very exciting journey!

I second what Faith said. I can say without a doubt if my surgeon had told me to stay on liquids for a month I would have. I paid 15,000 for this band and there isn't anything I wouldn't do to make this work. No matter how much you may miss food right now; you will miss your band more later if it happens to slip! That being said I do wonder why there is a vast time difference in food stages?

I had glue and steri-strips. I love it I almost have no scars. YEE-HAW!

I had my period a few weeks after my surgery and it was more bothersome than normal. I didn't call my doctor, but I assume that it was more painful because I just had surgery on my abdomen. Also I wasn't eating a lot of food due to the post-op diet, so I might have been a little malnourished too. Surgery causes some serious stress on your body, so your plumbing may be a little screwed up. Try not to worry. Call your doctor if you start to hemorrhage. Make sure you don't dehydrate, and get plenty of rest. It did get better for me; esspecially as I lose weight my periods get easier!

I remember feeling as if my stomach gotten hit by a bus. My theory is if you are in pain- take a little bit of pain meds. That is what they are for. If you are worried call your doctor tomorrow. Don't worry it will get better, but for some of us it does take some time. I didn't feel better for about three weeks or so. I did a lot of walking, and that did seem to help. Good luck.

My port area feels "pinchy". It has been feeling pinchy for about a week. Up until now I haven't been bothered by my port at all. I am not one to touch my port often, but I do know that it was flat against my skin. Now when I touch my port feels like it is sticking up...lumpy under the skin. I have tried to massage it back into place, but it hurt to massage so I have let it be.<O:p</O:p <O:p</O:p Prior to my port being a pain I went snow shoeing. I wonder if my vigorous workout in the snow could have caused it to twist. I know for a fact that it was not stitched into place, so I guess it is always possible. <O:p</O:p <O:p</O:p Does anyone have any suggestions? Has this happened to anyone else? Should I be concerned? Before I bug my doctor I always check here first...it's kind of like research.<O:p</O:p

Dana- I am so happy you finally got what we have all been wanting: RESTRICTION! I hear you loud and clear- now is the time the the band comes to the dinner table. Up until now the band has been with you, but not front and center. You could eat fast, eat pretty much what you wanted. It was the best of both worlds- lose weight and eating wasn't that complicated. I know because I am speaking from the non-restriction side. Last night I had Pasta for dinner and I was happy as a clam, because my portion was small, I was full, and I still got to eat pasta. I didn't even have to pay too much attention to how much I chewed. I just took small bites. (Man this band is SO easy. AND the best part is I am losing weight!) However, if I continue on this path my weight loss will become non-exsistent, so I have to get a fill this month. Chances are if everything goes right I should be sitting with you in your boat. I totally understand where you are coming from. Good luck!

You'll get there...I have been eating like a pig myself and I realized that I need a fill too. I have not been exercising too much because of travel and the holidays. (I will not beat myself up.) We are in this together. 35 pounds qualifies for superstar status! Just wait until next week you'll waste away.

I was reading through the posts and thinking to myself: "How would I feel if I wasn't losing weight after 2 months?" I would feel pretty much the same way: FRUSTRATED and ready to vent! Whatever the reasons her doctor, her eating habits, her stress, she should be allowed to vent to us. We are the only people that truly get it. The words of wisdom that I receive here are words I literally live by. I am so glad that I have somewhere to go that I can talk about anything. Bandster- I can tell by your tone that your day has brighten up a little bit. I don't know if it was anything we said, but I know that when I need support this is the place I go, and it helps me. I know 2008 is going to be your kick-ass year. I am glad you came here when it got really rough, because that's what we are here for!

Bandster- I have been right beside you during your journey with the band, as we are part of the Tens. What you have been experiencing with your health has been rough to say the least. (I know all about it, because I read about it on the other board.) I too am a self-pay, and I paid 14,400 for my band. I can only imagine what a disappointment I would feel if I was not losing any weight after shelling out that kind of cash. But I got to thinking, do you think that your tummy issues have anything to do with your weight not moving? The two may be connected. Your fill is only 2 weeks away- thank goodness. I know it is tough believe me. These bands outta come with complete instruction manuals. For heaven sakes I bought a calculator and my instruction manual is a actual book- I bought this band- and I got a handshake and a "good luck". I am so glad there is LBT, otherwise I would be huddled up in the corner. Remember we are here for you. We can't fix your money issues, but we can support you.

I am sorry for your loss. You and your family are in my thoughts today. God bless.

I want to live somewhere warmer. I live in BC, and while we don't get a lot of snow even a little is too much for me! As for the shovelling thing, I would pay someone to do it for me. If I don't want to do it- I pay someone else to do it. I think it is a simple philosophy. In 10 years after my daughter finishes school and moves out my husband and I are heading south. I am going to get me a lemon tree too!

I take pills daily. I talked to my doctor, and she said it was ok to crush them all. I am brave so I take them straight up with water. I don't want to associate any other flavors with my nasty pills. (I have never missed a dose, but I do admit that sometimes my husband has chased me around the house with my cup of crush pills and water. YUCK! But I knew that I would have to take the pills crushed before I signed up for the surgery.)

I think the constipation issue is common. I can go a week to ten days without a movement. I get a little pain in my left side, and then I know it is time to go. I take milk of magnesia, and the system gets cleaned out. It is not a perfect system. I talked to my surgeon and he told me that in time it will get better. I have to eat my greens and fruit, exercise, and benefiber is great. I am doing what is prescribed, but for now I still have ten days off and one day on.

This is what I do, and I don't know if it is right: eat your normal one to one and half cups and wait an hour and if your still hungry eat again, or drink a high-protein shake. I am not sure if you can stretch your pouch, but I am hardly an expert.

I am struggling too at times! Night time is the worst for me. I am like a eating machine. I am starting to quiet down a little bit. I bruised my tailbone so exercising is a real pain in the butt, but yesterday I walked for two hours. OUCH! As a result I can barely walk. There is a lesson there; I just know it. I am still losing weight, but I know that I could be doing better. I did really well on the post-op diet, because it was dictated to me. Someone needs to dictate the rest of my life too. (Oh that is a sad statement, but oh so true!) I need a lap-band coach. Hmmm....what a good idea! I wonder where I'd find one of those?

I am fairly new to being banded; it has been 2 months for me. I know that I am doing something wrong and I need a little push in the right direction. I get up in the morning and my band is tight, so I have my coffee, meds, and a Protein shake. I load the Protein Shake up with 31 grams of protein. I am full until about 3:00, but I am only a tiny bit hungry. I then have a can of flaked chicken which has 16 grams of protein and green Beans. Sometimes I do have admit I am lazy with lunch and I just eat some pieces of cheese, it is only because I am not hungry. At 7:00 when I have dinner I am famished I can eat my 1 1/2 cups of food, and feel almost full. We normally have some sort of meat dish with veggies, or a meat dish with noddles and veggies. But about 1/2 later I am starving and I eat again! I feel like I didn't eat the first meal, I am even hungier the second time. I can't eat as much the second time because I do have restriction and my band does get tight, and a little cranky. (About 1 cup will go down.) I stay full until about 11:00 and then I need another protein shake. This time it only has 23 grams of protein. I don't think I need a fill because I have restriction until 7:00 pm. It is kind of like my band goes on a break during dinner. What's up? Dispite my best of intentions I have turned into a grazier and a monster dinner eater! My tummy really does hurt at 2nd dinner service. Has this happened to anyone else? How can I stop it and get back on track? I did not get the band to skip meals during the day and eat two at night! I need some advice, because I think I am screwing up.

I have a 9 cc band and I have 6.5 cc in it. My doctor said that I won't get anymore for a while, so I guess I will just have to suck up the hunger. He said that no one has ever needed or even gotten close to filling the band to capacity. I was hoping it wasn't a restriction issue. I will refrain from eating at all cost and see if that can be done. I am hoping this is a "head" hunger issue, because that can be solved. Convincing my doctor for more saline is another issue.

My second dinner is 1/2 hour after my first. It feels like I haven't eaten the first one. Then 3 hours I need a protein shake. I was thinking that I would try drinking when my hunger hits. I usually try to wait an hour after I eat, but maybe an hour is enough time. Do you think some peppermint tea with warm skim milk would be a good choice? I was thinking it would give me the feeling of full, and warmness. Just a thought. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Last night I was craving carbs, so I decided that I would try bread for the first time in two months! I ate toasted whole wheat bread with a PB&J spread. I was being greedy and careless, and all the sudden I got the famous "golf ball feeling" that is always being talk about. I couldn't get the bread to go down or up. It just parked itself in the middle, and I had to wait 5 minutes for it to pass. Today my band feels really tight and I haven't wanted to eat anything. I have been drinking Protein Drinks instead. I was wondering if this "day-after-tightness-feeling" is normal? I suspect that it is, but because I have never had it happen I thought I would check with the experts. (You know to ease my mind.) If this has happened to you; when did the tightness go away? Did you wait to eat? I will wait to eat until I feel better just to be safe, but if someone could shed some light on this- it would be appreciated.

Thanks guys I feel much better today! Back to my old self.