kathm

Hi Diana, Unfortunately, I cannot get another fill until 15th January, and my surgeon does not work in consultation with a dietician and psychologist. I basically see the nurse once a month and she does the fills as necessary and advises me on food issues. It sounds like you have a really great and supportive surgeon and team helping you. Keep up the great work. Thanks for replying - it's good to know I'm not alone. Out of interest, was your surgeon concerned that you may have stretched the pouch when you were gaining weight?

Jack - would def be interested in more info. Anything that helps is good with me. Thanks Nana - maybe I'll have to take up knitting or sewing to occupy my hands in front of TV. Thanks for the support.

Thanks for your support everyone. I spoke to my nurse a week after the fill and said there didn't seem to be restriction, so I am scheduled for another fill on 15th January. Yes - I was a binge eater before banding, but I would have been able to control it better if I had been seeing results beforehand. I guess I was hoping that the band would make me physically unable to binge, so if I was stressed or depressed I would have maybe one Tim Tam, not a whole packet, etc. Insubordination - you may be right about the "issues" thing, and as for keeping busy in the evenings, I know it's a great idea, but I am on the go with 3 boys aged 5 and under all day, so when they go to bed I tend to crash in front of the TV. I suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as well as depression, so by the time evening comes I am absolutely exhausted. Thanks again for all your help and suggestions - I just hope I haven't wrecked things!!!

Hi, I have not been on here for a while as I have been becoming increasingly disillusioned. I am nearly 8 weeks out from surgery, and am on normal food again now (have been for several weeks). The issue is that even sticking to between 1000-1200 cals a day and sticking to the bandster rules really well I was not losing ANY weight at all. I had my first fill on 7th December, and have noticed that I need to chew things very well -especially if I have any bread - or I get a stuck sensation. I have had no PBs though. I felt like restriction started to kick in about 10 days after fill, but only lasted for about 2 days and since then I have been able to eat much more than I should be able to. To make it worse, I am in a period of depression at the moment (not helped by no weight loss despite being good - not even noticing any real inch loss since op either). The last 5 days I have been bingeing in the evening, and can't seem to stop myself. If I had been seeing results it would be easier, but knowing that I was following the rules and not getting anywhere has really crushed me. I know I should be stronger, and I risk wrecking the band, but I am struggling sooo much at the moment with no restriction telling me I have to stop eating. Please help.

Thanks for the replies. I was worried that I might be stretching the pouch - but it's good to know I am not alone with this.

I am 4 1/2 weeks post op - due for my first fill in 4 days. I am pretty much eating whatever I want now - the only restriction I feel has been on 2 occasions when I rushed and didn't chew as well as I should have. The problem I am having is that I know I am eating too much, but am having problems stopping - I am hoping that when I get restriction this will go away. When I say eating too much - I am still eating nowhere near as much as I did pre-band - but no weight is coming off. In fact I am putting on a few pounds - which brings me to my 2nd question... Did you find yourself constipated and retaining Fluid after having the band? I guess what is making me even more unmotivated is the fact that I am eating less than I used to but gaining weight. Any ideas on these problems please?

Hi, I am just over 3 weeks post op, and although I lost quite a lot on Optifast the 2 weeks pre-op, I have only lost 3lbs since then. It is very discouraging - the 3lb loss since surgery includes me putting 3lbs back on then losing again!!! Lots of people have said that they didn't lose - or even gained weight before their first fill, so I am trying to hold onto that idea. Also, although the scales don't seem to be moving much, people are noticing that I am losing - are you losing inches, maybe, but not pounds yet. I don't have any answers for you, but just wanted to say that I am having these feelings too, and I am sure that once you have restricyion you will do great. Good luck.

I take Effexor XR 75mg and have been taking it in capsule form from day 3 post surgery. My pharmacist said there wasn't a liquid equivalent, so my surgeon said just to take it with a bit of Water, then take a 2nd swallow of water afterwards. I have had no problems so far - but then I haven't had a fill yet either.

Great tips - I will be trying some of those. Unfortunately for me, as mother to 3 boys under the age of 5, going to "time out" sounds very appealing!!!

Hi, Thanks to those who replied. I spoke to the nurse yesterday - it is her who takes care of the dietary side of things. She has ok-ed me to have soft foods with plenty of chewing, as the swelling around my stomach has obviously gone right down if I am hungry and able to tolerate soft solids. She has also said that she will do a fill on my next appointment (in 3 wks - 5 wks post op) so the future is looking brighter. RE: the weight gain. We have come to the conclusion that it may have been caused by the fact that the Optifast diet is designed to put your body into ketosis, and now that I am on mushies a lot of the easy mushies are quite high carbs. Hopefully my body should sort itself out soon and continue to lose. Thanks for your replies.

Hi, (This is a long one - sorry) :help: I am just 2 weeks out from surgery, and have to confess that my food intake has become more mushy consistency than the thick liquid I should be on for the first 4 weeks. I have also had a few bites of solids (soft solids, and well chewed). I have had no problems tolerating anything I have tried, and I have been very careful to stay below 1000 calories - mostly below 800. The problem is I am not losing at all - I lost 1kg in the first week post op and have now put that 1kg back on. I did 2 weeks of Optifast before the surgery, and lost 10kg (22lbs) but now that I am banded I am not doing well. It is so demoralising - at my weight I should be able to eat way more than I am and still lose weight. I am using optifast shakes and Protein powder to make sure I get my protein in, but I am still hungry with the small portions. It was this which made me increase the texture of my liquids to more mushy in the hope that it would fill me up more. This weekend I was really bad - only time I may have exceeded 1000 calories. We had friends visiting on Saturday night and they got pizza, so I got a Turkish take away (quite soft rice with a spinach and feta filo parcel. I pretty much ate 1/3 for one meal, 1/3 several hours later and 1/3 for my evening meal next day. I also had a smallish dish of hotcakes with rhubarb and apple for my lunch on the Sunday. All the "solids" I had were quite soft, and I chewed them well and took it slowly, but had no problems at all. Now I am scared that I will have done some damage by taking solids too soon. All in all I am feeling like a complete failure - rushing the post op diet and not losing anything since surgery. My mum paid for my surgery and will kill me if I don't succeed. Please be gentle with your responses - I am feeling pretty low as it is. Thanks for reading my whinge.

Hi All, Had my op on 31st October, and all went well - apparantly my internal anatomy is great, but I am a real bleeder (quite literally!!!). The surgeon was concerned that he might have to open me up because of it - but thankfully not. Today is day 5, and although still uncomfortable around the incisions, it has eased a lot. I am still getting gas pains on and off, and am pretty tired. Went for a potter around the shopping centre for a whole 20 mins today, but was then exhausted. My main concern - apart from wanting "normal food", and having to stick to liquids, then mushies for ages - is that I seem to be easily able to take 1 cup of full liquids or even a bit more at a time. Should I be able to take that much at only day 5? Am I at risk of stretching the pouch or making the band slip? Thanks to those who have posted recipes for the liquid stage - I intend to try several out. So far, done the ricepudding drink, which is really nice. Sorry to waffle. Hope the other new bandsters are doing well - we're all in Bandland now :clap2::clap2:

Thank you both for your support - it's now 3am and I'm back awake (not surprising really) See you in Bandland!!!