TitanVA

I just had my third fill that took me from 5.5 to 6.5 cc. At 5.5 I could eat almost anything. Now at 6.5 I have really good restriction. Makes me really watch what I eat and how fast. I think another .5 or so and I will be at my sweetspot. I can still eat more that I want. Maybe 3/4 to a cup, but have to eat slow and small bites. Chris

Have you tried the South Beach diet wrap meals? I love these things. 220 - 250 calories and 20g protein for 2 wraps and i can usually only eat 1. Suprisingly tasty. My wife eats them becasue she likes them and she is not trying to lose weight. They are like $2 at Walmart.

I think the main issue is that caffeine is a diuretic an could raise the chances of dehydration. You are already going to have touble getting all your liquids in at first so they want to assure you do not get dehydrated. Most docs will allow caffeine after you demonstrate that you are getting a good amount of fluids in. I started drinking caffinated teas after about a month or so, but I really don't drink that much of it and don't miss it that much. after about a week or so off caffeine you won't even think about it. Good Luck, Chris

I agree that a free day may help keep you on track but what happens as you get closer to goal? I follow Jachut's line of thinking that nothing is off the menu really. I think that puts food up on some pedastal which I then find myself thinking about nothing other than getting to that free day or free meal. I think a big part of this whole process is the mental change about the way we all see food. If you want to treat yourself go for it. Having a small treat every couple of days will probably take some of the stigma we put on unhealthy foods away and I doubt there would be much difference in weight loss if you had something not so great when you wanted it vs. building up a weeks worth of anticipation to have those foods. As others have said once you get restriction you really can't eat enough to have a negative effect. Chris

I have not done the pizza but I generally have one of the wrap meals or the chicken salad meals for lunch at work. Low calorie, high Protein and they taste great. I have pretty good restriction and I have no issues. If teh pizza is thin and crispy I can eat it. I can not eat anything soft and doughy. Chris

As has been said it may be the type of bar. I do the pure Protein bars as well as a few others and they fill me up, if I can even eat them all. The small Pure Protein bars have around 200 calories and 20 grams of protein. Don't remember carbs but it is low. I have found that the bars that are made of soy crisps( looks like a rice crispy treat) are not as filling and not as nutritional. The pure protein ones are like little gut busters. They sit with me for hours. Look at some of the online stores as well as walmart, you can usually find them for a little over a buck. It's all about experimenting until you find one that fills you up and tastes good. Chris

My Doc told me no caffeine for 2 weeks. He said it was a diuretic and could dehydrate you and since many people have trouble getting their fluids in right after surgery they don't want any risks of dehydration. I drink caffeine now with no problems, mostly my caffeine comes from tea and yerba mate. I gave up the carbonation but was told I can have it if I want and can tolerate it. Many can not tolerate it. I have had maybe 3 sips of a coke since my surgery and I had no issues, but coke does not taste right anymore. Chris

I just had sushi the other day. I asked them to cut the pieces in half for me when they made it. Salmon, Tuna and Halibut. 2 pieces of each cut in half. I think there was a bite or 2 left. Had no issues with the rice. I have 5.5cc in my 14cc band and I feel pretty tight. I can eat most foods if I eat slow. If I tried to take a normal bite and swallow fast I get stuck on almost anything. Plus it was nice to order and only spend $6 instead of the $25 I used to spend when I got sushi. YUM.

kagoscuba, Have you really given up steak? Have you tried filet mignon yet? I can still eat it real well. I usually eat about half of a 7 oz filet and a few bites of steamed veggies. I have not dropped caffeine either. Could not function without it. My doc told me the main reason for no coffeine was risk of dehydration in the beginning because it is hard to get all your required fluids in.

My advice would be to try and eat more whole proteins and vegetables since you are recently banded. I don't think you stretched your pouch but pizza would not be on my list of weight loss foods. A slice and a half of pizza probably has 500+ calories or more depending on the size of the slice and toppings and minimal nutritional value. Definitely get in for a fill and try and clean up your diet and the weight should start coming off. Good luck.

I was not told of anything that I can't have forever. There are many dietary restriction for the first 3-6 months but after that I can eat anything I want if I can tolerate it. You will find that everybody can tolerate different foods. Follow your Docs orders and go slow with new foods.

I just started eating salads and I have not had any problems. I actually eat one every day for lunch. Lettuce, raw broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, tomatos, dressing. Just had my first fill and they go down fine, just have to eat slow.

This is a little toughas I am adjusting to my new fill. Prior to my fill I was able to eat anything and just did not let myself eat alot. It was not too bad. I just had my first fill of 3.5cc in my 14cc AP large band. I really have to concentrate to eat slow now or it feels like I sw3allowed a golfball. My current menu is: Lemon Mate tea in the morning. Brerakfast: Usually 1 scrambled egg or a Protein bar Snack: If hungry a couple pieces of Jerky. I make my own jerky and I eat a ton of it throughout the week. Makes a great healthy low fat low carb snack. Lunch: I usually do a small salad with different veggies and a few bites of chicken or turkey. I get it at a local saladbar. It's nice to have lunch only cost 1.50. It is probably the equivalent of a cup of salad. Snack: Usually a Protein Bar. I find if I am doing stuff or busy I don't want anything to snack on. If I am sitting at my desk, I usually start craving something. Dinner: Varies but usually whatever my wife makes, just a real small portion. My wife maid spaghetti last nightm which I really can't eat, so I had 6 small shrimp with cocktail sauce. And then usually another few pieces of jerky in the evening. It seems like a lot but my portions are pretty small and I eat pretty slow. If you have not tried Protein Bars yet I would recommend them. They fill you up bigtime and taste pretty good. You can find them with as little as 175 calories and 20 grams protein. Sometimes I just eat a half of one and I am content. I think the secret to this is that you can't restrict yourself to much. If i want a cookie or 2 I eat them. No big deal. But I can eat 1 instead of where i used to eat a box. I don't sit around eating Cookies all day, but it keeps me sane knowing that I can eat something if I want it and have the control to not go crazy. Good luck

Had my surgery on a tuesday and went back to work following tuesday. Could have gone the monday but had my follow up so I just took the day off. Chris

What does your Dr. want you eating? Are you still suppossed to be on the liquid diet? At 1 week out my Dr. moves his patients to mushies, which includes tunafish and full soups, just no Soup with big chunks of meat. If you are allowed to move to mushies I would say you are fine, but if your Dr. wants you on liquids stay with liquids. It should not be much longer if you are 8 days out. Chris

I have been tryong to stick to 1/2 to 3/4 cup at a serving. My hunger has come back but if I stop eating I definitelt get a full feeling within a few minutes. I have found that I stay full from Breakfast to lunch but at about 2:30 or so I am ready to hurt somebody. I started eating a small Protein bar in the afternoon and it has helped big time. The bars are soft and fill me up big time and I get another 20 grams of protein in. Chris

I am 3 weeks post op and can sleep on my stomach. The fist 2 weeks I was still a little too sore to but that has passed. Good luck. Chris

BCBS FEP here as well. I had a $100 hospital copay and copays for my Dr. visits, but that was it. Everything else was covered. Chris

Carman, I too was banded on the 9th. I did not get my energy back until I started advancing in teh mushy stage. For the first week on liquids nad the first couple days adjusting to mushies I had no energy. Walking to get Water wore me out. After a week and a half on mushies I feel great, like I never had surgery. I notice that once I started getting my preotein in my energy came back. I actually have more energy now than before the surgery. Concentrate on getting some Protein in you and it may do the trick. Good luck. Chris

Munchkin, I will try and take a stab at this from a guy's point of view. I don't think he is trying to be unsupportive, but he feels he is trying to support you. When you say he is riding you what do you mean. Is he questioning your cheating on th preop diet, making comments yelling at you etc. If he is yelling at you I agree with everyone else tell him to shut up and he is not helping. All he sees is that you just started and you are already cheating. If the doc put you on a pre op liquid diet it is probably for a reason, so maybe he is concerned you are not following it. A slip up once in a while is no big deal but if you are not drinking your slim fast or following various other parts of the pre op diet you can't expect him to support that. Do you really want someone that is just going to agree with your cheating and tell you it's no big deal? I bet he has watched you struggle with your weight and wants to help you suceed. We as men are just not as subtle as women would like us to be. Good luck in your journey, Chris

Good luck tomorow. As already stated it all depends on your tolerance for pain. Are you staying overnight in the hospital? I thought my nurse kept pumping me full of narcotics but she just kept giving me toridol(sp) every 6 hours which from what I am told is just glorified motrin. Really not much physical pain but plenty of gas. I took gas-x and walked and moved around alot and that kept it moving. If you are home I don't think you will be up to going to a party. For the first couple days every time I got up I got light headed and broke out in a sweat until I sat back down. I think that was the lingering results of the anestesia though. Good luck and let us know how you are doing. Chris

Summer, I had surgery by Dr. Tran on 10/09. They are a great office and two great doctors. If you have any specific question feel free to ask. Chris

I have the same feelings. Each day I get hungrier and hungrier, but I have noticed that it does not seem to bother me as bad as it used to. I had my surgery on the 9th and just started my soft/mushy stage yesterday. I lost 17 lbs. in 6 days on the liquid diet and was so happy to move on to mushies. Last night I had a 3 oz. can of tuna mixed with some mayo, pickles, and pepper with 4 low fat crackers. I felt completely satisfied. Lovin my band so far.

I was banded on Tuesday as well and have been fairly lightheaded and nautious as well. I think it is mainly due to the pain meds as well. i have to make sure I take them after eating some soup or something substantial. As long as i do that I am fine. I can't wat to get to mushies.

HI everybody. First time here. I am getting banded on October 9th by Dr. Halmi in Woodbridge, VA. Just wanted to say hi to everyone. Chris