kandiceb

I agree Cindy. But I am now not hungry...ever, so what I am dealing with is the head hunger. I am a creature of habit and I have made it so I do not eat any more than two Snacks a day. They can either be a 60 calorie sugar free pudding or my higher calorie favorite...full fat yogurt with pineapple, banana and orange Isopure Protein powder. That one is closer to 250 calories by the time you add it all up. Anyway, I can only have two daily. I can't eat Breakfast excepting my GoLean package of hot Cereal so that leaves dinner. I always eat out with the lunch bunch at the office and they watch what I eat for me. Dinner is always 3 to 4 McNuggets on the way home. I drink like a fiend inbetween meals. I don't pick. It is started picking, I wouldn't quit. I also try and walk 2 miles a day, half at break and half with my dog when I get home. I will admit it did help that when I would sneak a bite of the string cheese that I gave my dog while I ate my pudding that I would choke on the cheese. Now that I am less restricted???? Need another fill I guess. For $17,000 I want to let the band do as much for me as possible. I IS Hard. Take care.

This thread is very helpful. I've been over restricted since my last fill and have chosen to live with it. I just have to be careful. My weight loss is ok and I'm not eating "slider" foods. But for the last two days my restriction has gone down. I've not pushed it by eating what I know I can't eat, but I am able to eat more than normal. My test is whether I can only eat three McDonalds chicken nuggets or four. Normally, I can only eat three and would throw up the fourth. Two days ago the drive thru accidentally gave me a 6 piece instead of a four and I was able to eat all six pieces. I could also eat more at lunch yesterday. Now I am NOT hungry. I can just eat more. I don't intend to overdo just because I can. I've come too far and have paid too much and am enjoying my new look to mess it up now. I guess I'll just watch it. If I start getting actual hunger, I'll get another fill. There is really a difference between head hunger and REAL hunger. However, if my restriction is really tight, I am not able to fullfil my head hunger as easy as before. My Protein bars, which I LOVE, don't go down. I must not be alone in this though. I certainly hope this is common. I've not messed up my band any. At least I don't feel like I have. Hmmm. :confused2:

I am at 7.4 in my 10 cc band. I can't eat breakfast well so I slowly eat a runny GoLean with added flax meal for "go" power. I keep to solid foods for lunch and dinner but can't eat more than 3 McDonald's nuggets as an example of volume. I can't eat pasta. I must eat very slowly but I eat out at lunch daily with my "lunch bunch" at work. I just make sure I eat my yogart with 25 grams of protein powder added and take my vitamins. I also drink a lot. I'm not sure I would get a fill before a trip to Hawaii. It takes me three or four days to get my fill to "take". Good luck and have a great trip!!

I just can't eat eggs. I was going to depend on them for my Protein as I don't like meat. The person giving me my 6th fill said that they work best when done in the microwave. I've not tried it. I'm too tight because I just can't eat in the morning and sometimes at lunch. I can still drink and I keep trying. I'm finally out of the 190's so that is a big plus for me. Hang in there.

"OMG I am going with my friend on an Alaskan cruise in May" Christasha...which cruise are you on? I'm on the 7 day Inside Passage starting May 4th on the Star Princess. I'll be on the cruise...but I certainly won't be eating much. Four to six spoons of food is my limit now. I don't care. I AM EXCITED!!!

I was banded 11/06/07 and am currently at 7.4 ccs in my 10 cc band. I am probably overfilled as I can't eat much...maybe four to six bites at a meal. Get more in your band. It DOES work. Take care

I doubt you damaged yourself with the bow tie Pasta. You are probably really restricted. I can eat three to four spoons of food then I am done. It hurts to eat more. It was ok the first day of the fill, then it got worse. I am about four days out and I can eat maybe six spoons depending on the time of day. You might want a bit of an unfill if you can't get more down in a day or so. I make sure I get two chewable Vitamins and I also eat a cup of yogurt with the powdered Isopure Protein giving me 25 grams of protein. I lost five pounds last week. I hope you open up just a bit...but you have to eat something!!!

My sixth fill on 2/6 is really different. The first day was pretty normal. However, on the second day I could only eat 4 spoons of my morning oatmeal. I could eat three spoons of my lunch chili relleno. dinner was 4 McD's McNuggets and I should have stopped on the 3rd. This is really different. Today I ate all my oatmeal (Kashi Go Lean individual package w/added ground flax) but it took a long time between bites to get it all down. I could only eat about 1/4 cup of my chili for lunch...if that. I think I am finally at the "sweet spot". I also lost three pounds this week after being on a plateau for over two weeks. On a different topic, I got on the scales one day and found myself down four pounds. It took me two weeks to get back to that spot as the next day I was back up four. I hate it when I do that. I just can't seem to stay off the scales. I must like pain. :glare:

I just had my 6th fill. The nurse did a Fluid check and I wasn't nearly as full as I thought I was. I was told at the last fill mid January that I was at 7.5 in my 10 cc band. Nope. With the fill she gave me today, I am at 7.4 cc. Oh well. I am apparently loosing at a rate of 2.45 pounds per week according to their charts. Their scales weigh a good 7 pounds heavier than mine at home. Since I started with mine, I go by my scales. I'm not at the sweet spot yet. I walk and do floor excercises about four or five times per week and try to stay within the 1200 calories. Since I eat out at lunch, I've probably gone over the 1200 calories. Oh well. Onward and downward. Take care.

I though about going back on my next visit scheduled for 1/24 but I will cancel the appointment. I can't eat a full 1/2 cup of some things, mostly meats and I need the Protein. I need protein and I'm not supposed to be drinking my protein. If I don't lose at a decent rate...I'll rethink this. This is all such fun. /sarc I am in for the long haul...a complete change in my way of eating. I also want to pounds to come off...but keep my hair!

I think my 7.5 will do me for a while. It has gotten tighter over the weekend and I am limited as to how much solid food I can eat. HOWEVER, as Stranger said, there is ALWAYS the craving for something and that is only HEAD hunger. I don't feel regular hunger now. I guess the object is to make it something low in calories. I do like the no sugar pudding Jello has. It comes in banana/chocolate, mint/chocolate and a couple others with those two being my favorites. They are only 60 calories each so that beats the heck out of ice cream. That is easy for me to say because I really don't like ice cream. I like "whole cream on the top" yogurt with banana/orange/pineapple Isopure protein powder. THAT is my downfall. I'll just add more time on my treadmill to offset my vice. :tongue: Take care all.

I'm pretty sure I'm at the best restriction because I am not able to eat a lot of my favorites, like the spicy chicken strips sold at the grogery store. I usually grab a couple for me and one non-spicy strip for Sam, my cocker spaniel. I just can't eat them. I've really had some very painful experiences and it is always while I'm driving. I also can't eat nuts. eggs don't work well. I was planning on eating eggs as my main source of Protein but that went by the wayside. I eat a lot of tofu. I've gotten "in" to curries lately. I had about three small bites of roast beef last night and had to give up on that. It is a good thing I still have Protein powder left so I can add some to my yogurt or I would be really short on my protein. I guess 7.5 on my 10 is where I need to be. I usually forget my Vitamins so I'd better start remembering those. Weight loss? I'm still 45 down from my highest but not moving. It takes will power even at a good restriction to not eat my favorites. It is just a good thing I don't like ice cream. I need to work out more. I've been off my tread mill because I've been fighting a 3 week session of a cold. I need to get back on and ratchet up the calorie useage. Bottom line is you can work around the band if you want. THe band is a great tool but it is up to us to use it correctly. Hang in there everyone.

I'm of the use it or lose it camp. When I go on vacation, I come back nearly brain-dead. It gets harder every year but don't give in. I try Sudoku and Word Search puzzles when I'm on vacation to keep my mind going.

I think this one is it. I had trouble eating my oatmeal this morning after my fill. I am even having trouble drinking much though I did eat the oatmeal slowly and did drink after the hour waiting period. So I really hope I am there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All other fills felt like nothing and took two days to kick in.

I just got my 5th fill this morning. I'm at 7.5 cc in a 10 AP band. I had trouble eating my morning oatmeal after the fill. I can only take sips of coffee. None of this has happened after any of my other fills. It usually has taken a day or so to kick in with each preceeding fill and this one hit immediately. I hope this is it. I have to be careful to eat slowly and only eat small amounts. I certainly don't want to stretch my pouch. I DO hope this one is it. Take care all.

Looks like I've hit the spot finally. I am at 7.5 cc's with this last fill this morning. I had a lot of problems getting down my oatmeal. I had to do it slowly and carefully. I hope I've hit the mark. I've never had such a quick reaction in my fills. It usually takes a day or two to kick in. I now have to be careful what I eat and how much I eat. I don't want to mess up my pouch or get stuck...neither one is good. Take care all.

Quoting from Whitepants: "Just recently in being on Lap Band Talk and another site, I now know that the new band is a 4cc band. So, I'm wondering how some patients fair on that, when it takes some people about 7cc to reach restriction? For those that are reporting on their 4cc band, I haven't read of one reaching their restriction yet? If you have please let me know what they've had to say. Thanks." Actually, I believe the newest band is the AP band which comes in either 10 cc or 14 cc size depending on your stomach size. That, according to my doctor, was introduced in June of 2007 though NWWLS has been using it several months before being a testing ground for bands as that is all they do. I could be wrong though...it HAS happened before!

I was banded on 11/06 so hang in there. It does work if you follow the plan. I'm at a point where I'm not hungry again like I was just after surgery. My biggest battle is head hunger. You can do it if you keep at it. I'm not the best example as I usually eat regularly after each fill...no mushies or just fluids. It works for me. I just don't eat between meals except two Snacks a day neither one of which is high in calories but is high in Protein. Take care!!

Misery does love company!!! Thanks for the morning laugh!

I am hoping my next fill 1/17/08 will be "it". I can eat about 1/2 of what I could at 6.5. So maybe 7.5 will be my "mark". I have to be really careful of what I eat. I had an egg salad pita sandwich yesterday and I had to get my can of pineapple juice out just in case. I stopped for a bit and it went down eventually. Unfortunately, it wasn't worth the effort. I eat out daily at lunch with the lunch bunch and we tried someplace new. Yuck. Anyway, I hope the 7.5 will do it for me until I drop some more weight. I've hit my second goal...first was "Onederland" and second to weigh less than my husband!! Yea!!!! 45 down and 64 to go!! Take care all.

I am hoping my next fill, 1/17/08, will bring me to 7.5 and that will be my sweet spot. I am very close now. I really like the fact I can get fills every week until I'm there. I'm down 45. I'd like to make it another 64 but that may be too much. I'm sure the next 45 will be a lot slower than the first 45! Take care all.

Great!! What size band and how many cc's total in your fills?

I had my fourth fill last Wed. the 9th. I'm at 7.0 in my AP 10 cc band. I'm up for my fifth next Thurs. the 17th. I think I am almost there. I appreciate the fact that NWWLS in Everett WA has a proactive fill schedule. I go in every week until I hit the spot. Head hunger is still there but actual hunger isn't. If I wait too long to eat, I eat too fast and I've saved myself about 7 times with my pineapple juice. It hurts like hell to get close to PBing. I've never actually thrown up however. I guess I am just a slow learner. Take care all.

I also have the APS. You can see my fill procedure per the standard in NWWLS where I was banded. The last two have been very small because I'm getting to the correct restriction. I'm not there...but I am close. I can go three hours without being hungry. In fact, I am rarely hungry. The hunger I'm facing is "head" hunger. This is where the band doesn't help. I just still feel I can eat too much...about a cup if not more. I am losing weight so I can't complain.

Good Morning All!! Great site! I just got my 4th fill this morning. I have 7 in a 10 cc AP band. The nurse indicated that some people don't actually get a restriction that allows them to only eat 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup. I can eat a good cup plus. I don't really get hungry though. I get "head" hungry. That is the trying thing. No matter what your restriction is, you still have to say "no" to things you may want to eat. I went all through the holidays at the office and didn't eat any candy or sweets. My downfall is Brown Cow whole milk plain yogurt with orange, pineapple & banana Protein powder in it. That stuff is GREAT!! This tells me that we still have to use our "won't" power more than we talk about. The nurse told me to only put on my plate what I should be eating. That would work but I'm always eating out with the "gang". This means I've got way too much on my plate that I can eat. Granted, most ends up in a doggy bag, but I feel I'm probably still eating too much. I'm probably beating myself up because I've lost 43 pounds from my highest. I'm currently fighting the office "crud" so I can't exercise as breathing is hard enough now as it is. I hope to get over this in a couple weeks. I've had it for two already. I hate crackling when I breath but it sort of goes with my gurgling stomach. I'm a regular walking orchestra! Take care all.