kbinaz

Hi- I just want to let you know that this will get easier! I remember at the very beginning thinking it was taking too much thought and how was I going to be able to have a band and a life! But it works out. I'm not sure why you have only eaten mashed potatoes and eggs. Is it because you are afraid to try other foods? My doctor had me on soft proteins four days after surgery and that meant I could eat eggs, chicken,turkey,fish, refried beans, cottage cheese...lots of stuff. As long as you follow the post-op instructions from your doctor you aren't going to hurt anything and you should be eating more than it sounds like you are eating. Instead of mashed potatoes, though, you should be eating protein. Your body is trying to heal and protein is what helps it to do that. Don't be afraid. Take it slowly and follow the rules for eating that I'm sure your doctor told you about (eat slow, chew well, small bites etc.) As for the weight gain, yes it is quite normal and don't stress out about it. The month or two after surgery is not for weight loss, it is for healing. You have fluid and swelling from the surgery and weird things are happening to your body. Don't worry about it. Do what your doctor told you to do and you are going to be fine.

Hi and welcome! I know what a hard decision this is for you - I had to make the same one and it was really tough. I qualified for both LB and GB. Unfortunately nobody can decide this for you. I can only tell you why I am glad I made the decision to have the band - I'm sure if you asked GB patients they would tell you they made the right choice!! Just get educated and you will do fine no matter which way you go. So, why I chose the band over bypass...I love food and liked the fact that with the band there are no forbidden foods. (there are some foods that are hard for some people with the band but for the most part if you can eat it you can have it)I liked that the band did not permanently alter my digestive system. Everything remains the way God made it, I just have two pieces of extra hardware in there!! If something happens to me I can have it removed (or unfilled) The weight loss with the band tends to be slower than with GB. I think this is healthier and probably causes less hanging skin issues, although that probably depends more on how much weight you have to lose. I also liked the fact that the band is a restrictive tool not malabsorptive- in other words I get all the nutritional value out of every bit of food I eat. I don't have to take a lot of vitamins to remain healthy, I can eat enough food to get the proper nutrients. The downside of the band for some people is that you have to do your part with the band. You will not just automatically lose weight like people with gastric bypass do. But it sounds from your post like you are pretty disciplined and can do it. I hope I have helped. I know this is a tough choice, but like I said, keep getting information and you will figure out which way to go. Does your doctor do both surgeries? That would be easier if you decided to go with the band. Hope all goes well for you!

Sorry, it's me again... Forgot something... You also need to remember that although you are eating a smaller amount of food you feel as if you ate a big portion and feel satisfied until your next meal - that is what was missing for me pre-band. I could eat a good sized meal then feel hungry again before the next one and feel like snacking constantly. I don't snack at all now because I don't feel like it.

Hi, you asked some good questions and your concerns are all things we all think about and need to be addressed. You are right to consider all these things. I have only been banded since October 26,2007 and am not really all the way to total restriction so I am not an expert. But I will tell you that the 'food yearning' issues I was so concerned about have not been nearly as bad as I feared. I can eat pretty much everything - including bread. You do have to eat slowly, take small bites and chew stuff until it is mushy, but really that is how we all should be eating anyway. Watch a skinny person sometime and I guarantee you they will be eating more that way than a fat person! Another thing I want to point out to you is that there seem to be a lot of people on this sight who I think (this is just my opinion) are too tight and too restricted and overfilled. The purpose of the band is to lose approximately 5-10 pounds per month. You can easily do that by keeping your caloric intake around 1000 calories. I see people on this sight all the time who are eating 500 or 600 calories. There is a thread on here for posting your daily food journal and if you read some of them they look like a food journal for a hamster. In my pre-op education I was told that I should be able to eat approximately 1/2 of what I used to eat. That really isn't that little. That is what most of my skinny friends eat when we go out. The reason I decided to have LB instead of GB surgery was because I do love food so much. With the lap band you can enjoy food still. Please don't let that be the reason you decide not to have the surgery. As you read posts on this board, remember that there are a lot of different people on here and we are all different and go to different doctors. I plan on only getting as much restriction as I absolutely need to continue to lose a safe amount of weight and still enjoy food. I agree with you that food is one of life's great joys and it is not wrong to enjoy it. If I wanted to lose 20 pounds a month I would have had gastric bypass. The other real factor that led me to the surgery was thinking about life AFTER I reach my goal (and now I really believe for the first time I will reach it!!!) The band will allow me to stay at my goal weight and not be constantly worrying about regaining all my weight. The band will always be there and will always be my special tool to help me stay on track. How loose or tight it stays will be up to me and me alone!

I want to say, again, (I've said it many times on this site) that wanting and needing restriction does not make you weak, or bad, or an undisciplined person. The reason I spent thousands of dollars and had major surgery is because I do not have what it takes to restrict myself from putting food in my mouth. Yes, the band is just a tool and yes, I have to do my part too. But what is the point of trying to do it without restriction? If restriction allows me to go five hours without obsessing about food and feel satisfied between meals, I want it. Putting off fills, or denying myself a fill til I lose a certain amount of weight is pointless. It is not putting the band to the use it was intended for.If you can get by with eating 700 calories a day without the proper restriction, why did you have surgery? I can't do it and I am tired of people on this site making me feel like a loser for being that way. Fills are not 'wrong' and those of us who need them are not bad banders. Hip hip hooray if you are losing scads of weight without restriction but I think you are missing the point of the band. :tongue2:

Gosh,I wish I lost 75 pounds. I've lost a whopping 18. But I'm happy I haven't gained! Congratulations!

I have plenty left, I wish I could mail them to you. My main goal post surgery is that a great percentage of weight I lose will be there, and I have only lost 18 pounds so far so there is still hope. I have this fear that I am going to get to my goal weight and they will still be there in all their glory and I will look like some kind of freak. I feel for you,though!

The eliptical machine I use works the arms, too, so that is why I prefer it. I also find it less boring than a treadmill and it gives me less problem with my heels - I have achilles tendonitis and heel spurs so it is lower impact on my feet. I think it burns more calories, too, but you can get a really good workout on a treadmill by increasing speed and incline. Also, remember on the treadmill you shouldn't be hanging on. That helps burn more calories, too. I'm concerned about the eliptical you mentioned being so cheap. You might be better off with your good treadmill.

I follow the drinking rules exactly (I'm kind of anal about rules...) and have never had trouble getting my full 64 ounces in. (I'm allowed to drink 30 minutes after a meal, not 60) It takes some planning but it's not that hard. You eat three meals a day, right? Well, I pour a 16 ounce glass full of water 30 minutes after breakfast and make it a point to finish it as soon as I can. That is 1/4 of what you need for a whole day. If you do that after each meal all you need to do is squeeze in one more 16 ounce glass somewhere and if you keep it in mind you can do it. Drink your 16 ounces after dinner then get one in before bed. This keeps you from snacking, too. Like anything else, it just takes retraining yourself. I have never had trouble getting pretty good sized drinks of water down. (and my doctor said you should be able to take a good sized sip). Water is the very thinnest thing to go through your band. If you have trouble getting water down you are really going to have problems with food! The key for me I guess is to take the glass of water and sit and drink it until it is gone before I go and do something else to distract me. Other wise it is meal time, I'm hungry and I'm in trouble!!

My doctor doesn't allow protein drinks either. We aren't supposed to ever drink calories. If you are having trouble with meats, maybe you need to try a different kind. There are a lot of ways to get protein without drinking a protein shake. Eggs, refried beans, chicken-white and dark meat, turkey-white and dark meat, tuna and other fish, tofu,cottage cheese. Remember that you aren't supposed to drink with meals...well a protein shake is a drink. You will get protein from a shake, but you aren't going to get much satiety. You are going to feel way more hungry way sooner with liquid protein than with dense proteins. If you can only manage to get protein from a drink I think you are too tight. I was told that if you are properly restricted you can easily get the proper amount of protein. So far it hasn't been an issue for me. I'd follow doctors instructions.

Needing a fill does not make you a failure. It has nothing to do with how 'good' you are or how 'bad' you are. It is totally dependant on your physiology and every single person is different. (we just discussed this at our last support meeting so I am on my soapbox!!!) Everyone needs a different level to reach their sweet spot. I have 6.5 ccs in a 10 cc band after four fills and I need another fill- I feel I'm almost there but not quite. You know if you are getting the maximum benefit from your band and you are being a wise patient to get how ever many fills you need to get the results you deserve. Don't feel bad at all. Get another fill!!! We aren't supposed to be suffering with feelings of starvation just to show how 'good' we are! We are supposed to be using this tool to help us and so if you need more help go for it. My doctor allows us to have fills every ten days if we need them (and if they deem them necessary - if you are losing five pounds a week you aren't getting a fill!) Hopefully this helped.

The only thing that stood out to me in your post was that you had soup and then was hungry. That is because soup is basically a liquid (just like drinking with your meal). The band is designed to keep you feeling satisfied but that only works if you eat solid dense foods. (especially dense protein) I find if I eat a meal of a chicken breast and vegetables I am not hungry for hours. Don't cancel the fill appointment yet, concentrate for a day or two on eating a lot of dense protein, a lot of fiber (refried beans, vegetables, apples) and keep track of how long you stay full (or satisfied). The goal is to stay full for four to five hours after a meal. Don't snack between meals, don't drink at meals, and follow the other rules for eating with a band and that will give you an idea of whether you need a fill or not. I have trouble going strictly by amount of food. I can eat a lot of salad. I can't eat a lot of chicken. I have to listen to the signals my body is giving me.

I already replied here once, but I've been thinking about Oprah and decided that if she wants to continue living in that agonizing place of constantly worrying about what to eat, how much to eat, how to stop eating, have I gained?, have I lost?, Will I gain it back....hey, go right ahead more power to her. I chose to have this tool installed because I know it is going to allow me to finally reach the right weight for me and not be constantly stressing about gaining it back. And it is still requiring a big commitment from me. I wish she understood that part of it.

It depends on your doctor, usually also depends on your BMI. My doctor didn't require one for lower BMI patients. They all vary.

Hi- This one is for the ladies who are banded. I'm curious to know how you all deal with PMS now that you are banded. I am pretty new at this, but notice I am more hungry a week before my T.O.M. and really crave sweets still. (Obviously this wouldn't change with the band, I'm hormonally the same as before!) How do you guys handle it and what else do you notice about that time? I read in a book that the author (who is banded) can eat more a week before her period and her doctor said that is normal, your body and band adjust to the need for more calories or something. Has anyone experienced that? What other things have you noticed now that you are banded? I'm curious.

Okay, please don't laugh but I've been thinking. (dangerous). I'm wondering about the tubing connecting the port and the band. How come the fluid they inject goes right into the band? Wouldn't some of it kind of linger in tubing? Can it get out once it goes into the band? Could this explain why sometimes you feel more restriction than others? It seems like when they do a fill it takes effect immediately when there are several inches of tubing. I don't get it. Am I crazy? I guess I have too much time on my hands but anyway, that's my question! Now go ahead and laugh!:eek:

I look at the band as another tool, just like a personal trainer or a chef or whatever you choose to use to help you achieve your goals. I am not at all ashamed of the route I have taken to achieve weight loss and there will always be people who don't get it. Oprah is clearly one of them. She seems fixated on getting to the root of the reason for gaining weight. I'm all for that - therapy, whatever, it's all good ...I just want to lose weight too! And with the band you still have to work on the emotional stuff it just helps you deal better. She didn't seem to get that.

I'm not going to even read it! Nothing against you, but I am really trying to keep positive and do what I need to do. There are always going to be people who fail and people who succeed...I really believe that any of us who follow the 'rules' for the lapband and do what we know we need to do will be successful and can stay successful. We all knew going into this that it is possible to cheat or eat around the band and gain weight. Don't let stuff like that discourage you, stay on course and you will get there.

For me pain usually means eating too fast - that can even happen with soft foods sometimes. Eat really slowly and see if that helps. I doubt you hurt your sutures after three weeks and eating tuna but if you are really concerned you could ask your doctor. Of course if you ask you know they are going to make you go in!!! First see if you feel better when you slow down.

Nutritionist? Yes! Pre-op diet? No, I was self pay and low BMI so wasn't required. Was advised to begin eating according to the lap band rules (stop drinking before and after, small bites, chew well, eat slowly) Clear liquids- four days. Surgery day counted as day one. Soft proteins-chicken,turkey,cottage cheese, refried beans, lowfat cheese,fish,low sugar/lowfat yogurt - from day four until first fill. First fill- four to six weeks post op. After fill, clear liquids for three days. Then...Everything! But protein first, then veggies, then fruit, then if still eating, starch. I was told to avoid fibrous vegetables like asparagus and celery, popcorn, gum, and carbonated beverages. Anything else I was allowed as long as I could handle it.

I think you have touched on the key to the band. Yes, you will still want bad foods sometimes - that emotional side of eating doesn't go away overnight. The difference is that dieting is doable because you aren't starving all the time looking around for something to help you reach satiety. I really think the reason I had such trouble with diets before the band was because I was starving. I could follow a program for X amount of time but soon tired of going through the day white-knuckling it because I was hungry. The band gives you that feeling of satiety (satisfaction) for longer so a small meal stays with you longer and you can relax and wait for the next meal instead of trying to feel good (satiated) by eating more. Does that make sense? So you will still have to apply yourself and make good choices, but your good choices will be easier. Then, when you actually see the numbers on the scale going down and have some success, it becomes easier to eat healthy - because there is incentive. I was so "dieted-out" that there just wasn't any point in trying anymore and I had emotionally given up from feelings of failure. The band has given me success and so has revitalized my diet mentality!

Hi Justin, I was banded October 26th so I am a bit further out from you. I've had four fills and this last one finally gave me some restriction. Until this fill I could have eaten as much as you. I felt like a complete failure and was wondering why the heck I had this stupid surgery in the first place if the band wasn't going to help me at all- I was hungry. Now I can tell you that with more fills it will improve and you will steadily see the amount you can eat decrease. It is hard to be patient but in a way I am glad it has taken me a while to get restriction. I think it has been better for me to slowly get used to the idea of eating less. It is a big relief to get the benefits of the band - not feeling hungry and not feeling like you are eating the same as before. Don't stress out too much at this point about amounts. Start listening to your body and getting to know it's signals.That is what is going to give you success once you reach your sweet spot. Once you get good restriction you have to really listen because if you don't stop you cause yourself a lot of pain! Eat slowly, chew like crazy and the amount thing will work itself out when you have the restriction. Hope this helps.

I don't know where you live, but Taco bell refried beans are great in a pinch. Also,Wendy's chili and any chicken sandwich. You can take any sandwich off the bun and eat it so sub shops are great. I order a lot of salads with chicken on them, but I seem to be the only one on this sight who eats vegetables!!! I order a chicken salad and mostly eat the chicken then if I have any room left over I eat the salad. I'm not totally restricted yet so I can usually eat a lot of salad. I have also had really good luck at regular restaurants asking for special things - like just a chicken breast and refried beans- they have been very accomodating. Breakfast is easy - take the filling out of a breakfast burrito or other sandwich. You will get really good at it, just try stuff and figure out what works for you.

I remember feeling as you do, and believe me it will get better. It is kind of overwhelming at first. First you can't eat at all, then when you can start eating you have to eat in a certain way and it is all new and takes so much thought. I started to feel like my whole day was consumed by eating and planning to eat and finishing eating and figuring out when I could drink but not wanting to get dehydrated and oops, did I eat too much, did I eat too fast???? And at first I couldn't even eat if anyone was around and I'm a mom so that had to change....soon it will be old hat and you will be able to do this all really easily. Just be patient with yourself and take one day at a time!

Remember, too, that there are a lot of other variables to losing weight and you have to take those into consideration...How big you were to start with-the larger person is going to lose more at first than the smaller person. What was your pre-surgery diet like? Some people who are banded go from drinking two liters of soda a day to none, cold turkey. That is hundreds of calories they cut out all at once and is going to have a big impact on their weight. Others are drinking a lot on weekends or eating a lot of fast food before surgery. When people suddenly stop that they drop weight fast because of it. I think I am losing slowly partly because I didn't drink soda, didn't eat fast food,didn't drink much alcohol, only had a BMI of 39...that might be some of what you are experiencing, too.