mls19

Thanks Mona, I hear ya on the restroom issue while dining out. I also am a quick eater, and with kids at the table, the Agida factor tends to go up alot - and I just eat quickly to be done - not a good combination of stress and eating. I continue to work on it, often walking away they start up - but it's not the only cause of all the PBing. Trying to start over and find my will power and inspiration again - so much harder the 2nd time around!! merle

Hi all, I haven't been on here forever - years. After reading some of your recent troubles, I just had to chime in. I've ben struggling for at least 18 months or so with even feeling like I have a band - nevertheless losing any weight. I'm terrified to weigh myself and feel like I'm at the weight I started at, not that I ever lost more than 30 lbs. I had Dr. Tavakoli do my surgery and have no idea if he's still there. Have recently been thinking how to get back on the "band-wagon" and re-dedicate myself, as my daughter's bat mitzvah is 20 months away and wouldn't it be nice to be down 100 lbs by then - very doable as that's just 5 lbs/month. However, although I am often hungry, eating way more junk than I should, I still have regular PB issues and still can barely eat any good veggies and struggle with salad. The shakes are so difficult for me to do because I never feel satisfied with them. I am definately an emotional eater and eating for all the wrong reasons. I also have a difficult to find/fill port and am super sensitive to any fill - usually resulting in just more PBing...ugh!! Anyone have any inspiration/ideas to share with me? When's the next group meeting? I never had any luck with the nutritionists there as all their advice didn't really work for me - but I need to try again as my kids are giving me too much grief, I feel lousy and my husband just ignores my night time binging - all not good!! Thanks so much, Merle

I too struggle daily wtih my band restrictions. Most of the time I can't eat chicken, but sometimes, like tonight I can eat a BJ's rotisserie chicken no problem. It has to be extra juicy I guess. This frustrates me because planning and eating meals is very tempermental. Also sometimes I can have alot of restriction and others not enough. However if I make my fills too tight - all I do is throw up everything. I'm still looking for that proverbial "green zone" my surgeon tells me about. M

I'm in a mixed boat with eggs too and each fill it gets worse and worse. I agree they have to be slightly undercooked and very soft - so for me, sunny-side up works best with a couple extra whites. I can't eat scrambled no matter what - I immediately PB. I can eat hard boiled eggs in a salad and after my recent fill the salad has been causing difficulty. I could never eat them as egg salad, just like tuna or other salads - just too dry to go down without water! Heck, just about anything is still too dry for me to go down without water. You'd think after 6+ mos. of this, I'd get the hang of it - but I have yet to adapt, I guess I was a big water drinker with my meals...M

I'm going to try hard to get to Monday's meeting - i could use some support!! I'm sorry I had to miss May's meeting. hope to see lots of folks there.... Gin, I had my surgery at the faulkner and it's much less hectic than BWH. It's pretty nice there, and you get a private room, lovely nursing staff and quick attention if you have a problem. I've had other procedures/surgeries at BWH and can't say the same for Boston....M

Sorry if this is a duplicate post - I couldn't find one like it. I was banded Oct 07 and have lost 30 lbs to date - but not more since Jan 07. I am stuck. I now realize the band is not the panacea I was expecting. Anyways, my dilemma is this: I am having a really tough time saying no to eating. I am not always hungry - but my appetite is always raging. Even though there aren't "bad" foods in the house, I am still eating more than I should and just don't feel satisfied by what I am eating. What's wrong? Where's my motivation and how do I get back on track? Anyone else going thru this? I want my determination and motivation back to keep me losing. I can get another fill, to 5cc (10cc band) but when I have done it in the past, I PB almost all proteins! I'm so frustrating and disappointed both in myself and my expectations...anyone have experience with this? Thx, M

Thanks Marimaru - I am terrified of doing that, because when I last did a slight unfill, I was hungry again! argh! I have never been able to eat chicken consistently well - a few times I can get a few bites down. the dietician says it has more do with chewy tendons than anything else - doesn't seem to matter which cut either. I still cook it and try to eat it in tiny bites... I know my problem is motivation to just say NO. How did you stay on track for so long to reach your goals?? M

thanks Jack for your quick feedback. Yes, I think I will always struggle with being a foodie and having an appetite - just would like to eat less of it all and make peace with food. Right now food in general feels like a battle - there's so much "good" stuff I just can't eat - i.e. chicken - that I feel a bit rebellious and resentful. I can't seem to get over this as every meal is a struggle to figure out what will go down and stay there.... Am working on trying to resolve my lack of satisfaction and over-eating - and I do realize that getting back on track will help - but I seem to lack the willpower to just say NO. M

Ariel, that's exactly how I feel! I bet they would put one at the faulkner (although you still have to pay for parking) if enough of us asked...I'd love to do one informally - I'm in metro west - anyone else around me?? Tiny, yes the patients call him Dr. T because it seems no one can say his name, LOL! Of course he's already shortened it for those of us having trouble - it's really Tavakoliazadeh! I have no idea what his background is but he speaks with a charming british accent (or perhaps it's Australian come to think of it) and is very cute! He's finally engaged and due to be married this summer....M

So glad to found all of you! I was banded in Oct 07 at Faulkner by Dr. Tavakoli - love him and his PA. I have yet to schlep into Boston to an actual support group - anyone been there and can tell me what it's like and if it's worth it? I don't know about anyone else, but I'm down about 30 lbs - and haven't lost for the past 2 mos. due to "head hunger" and having lots of issues thinking I am hungry when I'm not. Also struggling to STILL Figure out what will and wont' go down and when (i.e. time of day)...anyone else with me??

well it's 4 days post-op and I now have a terrible full-blown cold. I am just miserable. Can't stop sneezing and coughing - ouch, as my left side hurts just to breathe deeply, probably from the coughing. In addition to constantly blowing my nose - suddenly I am hungry on top of it all! GAH! I am CIB or similar for the next 2 weeks and am dying to just have yogurt or a mashed potato. Finally broke out some REAL chicken soup today - minus all the good stuff. Anyone get sick right after surgery? this sucks!! MLS19 Dr. Ali Tavakkolizadeh Brigham & Women's Hospital 10-16-07

Hi, did you get my PM? I guess your appt with him went well...are you having lapband? Congrats!! What else can I tell you?

thank you Kacee - I'm sure you're right. I don't think I realize it's a whole new way of physically eating - I thought it was more of a lifestyle issue. I am now taking smaller bites and chewing thoroughly and haven't had that problem since - whew!!

Hi all, I couldn't find this info anywhere here - but I'm sure it is. I was banded 10-16 and just started Stage 3, mushy foods. I am consciously chewing my food, and today I had fish twice - and each time shortly after starting eating, I felt a horrible pain, I imagine where the band is, right at the breastbone - a combo of nausea and squeezing - what did I do wrong? am I not ready for soft foods? I'm totally scared now that it happened again...any suggestions? Thanks, MLS

thanks for the reassurance. I look swollen, but think it's my abdominal hernia he "moved" during surgery. It's not hiatal, so it can wait to be fixed when I'm thinner - but it looks terrible now, LOL!

thanks I will - but just wanted to know what it was and what I did wrong?!

Although your site looks infected and I agree with everyone else - I just want to add one thing. Your redness around the site looks like adhesive allergy. I have it, and that's what mine looks like and it hurts like the dickens. I was never allergic to adhesive before I had my C-sections- then voila. It happened during lapband too - and once I removed the tape, it was alot better. There is paper tape they can give you, but at this point, I'd try to put a gauze on it, and somehow tuck it into your panties/pants to keep it in place, as anything will irritate it. You might want to make a note of an adhesive allergy for future surgeries...

thanks so much for letting me whine and making me feel better. You're right ms. diva - I do have asthma and have been using my inahlers, so a spirometer is a good thing!