kbinaz

Being banded has made it even better being a foodie, because now I can indulge my passion without giving myself a guilt trip. I eat everything I ate before banding - love exotic cuisine, my vacations revolve around food - and now I don't have to constantly berate myself for enjoying too much of the food I love. I used to watch restaurant critics and see the massive amounts of food they'd try at a restaurant. I couldn't figure out how they could do it. Obviously they take small portions of each thing so they can review it. I was never able to eat like that. If I ordered an appetizer, I finished it. Same for each course. No wonder I have a weight problem! Now I eat like a food critic! I try stuff, share with others, have one bite of dessert, and walk away feeling like I just ate a ten course meal because I am stuffed! It's awesome!!! I wish I had been banded years ago. And I still enjoy cooking new things, too. It has allowed me to enjoy food as always without the struggle of overdoing it.

Nobody is going to die if you have a little pasta. I wouldn't recommend it every night, but when there is an occasion and you are with your family, it certainly won't hurt you. The less simple carbs you eat the more weight you are going to lose, but life is to be enjoyed and if pasta is that big a part of your life I think 1/4 of a cup is fine. Remember, you aren't going to be able to eat large quantities of food so even when you do indulge in pasta, it isn't going to be a huge plate. You don't have to sit and eat a plate of cottage cheese while your whole family enjoys their meal. You can enjoy a lot of really good food. When I have pasta I make sure I have some sort of protein, too, and make sure the protein portion is larger than the pasta portion. You can have salad.Have some chicken or whatever (a meatball, veal, whatever you like with pasta). This 'not having any fun eating at family get-togethers' was not the big issue I expected it to be. Because I eat so slowly now and take small bites it doesn't really seem that different. As someone above said, they are all shoveling food into their mouths and not even enjoying it and taking huge bites and you will be there daintily eating your little portion and you will all finish at the same time and all feel just as satisfied when you are finished eating. And you can get on the scale the next morning and the number will not have gone up and may even have gone down! I used to hate the day after a big family get together because the scale would always reflect it. Now that doesn't happen because of the small quantities. This is the very best part of being banded - I can share meals with loved ones and not have to bring my separate, special, food. I eat what everyone else eats. And the band doesn't allow me to go overboard. It really is freeing!

1. The port. Not so much an issue. It is a little freaky at first because you can feel it (from the outside, when you touch your stomach) and it is kind of odd thinking about this strange thing inside you but honestly, 5 months post op, I never even really think about it. I'm not sure if you'll be able to see it after I lose my weight but I don't really care. I'm kind of past the bikini stage anyway, and I doubt it is going to be visible under clothes. 2.I know it is scary when you are facing this, and I had the same feelings and wondered if I was going to be able to "Do this". I was positive I was going to be the one person in the world who could not lose weight with the band. Well, it turns out I CAN do this! There is a learning curve and so the best advice I can give you is to do what you are instructed to do and be patient. At first it all seems kind of overwhelming and you have to think about everything so much (how much protein, what should I have for breakfast, what if I PB in public...etc... ) you wonder if you will ever be able to just relax and be you again. I promise, you will be back to normal but it will take a few months. 3. The first day (day of surgery) kind of goes by in a blur. I wasn't really in that much pain. I was very sleepy at first and it was basically just getting to the point where I could pee and stuff so I could go home. The first few nights are rough - it is hard finding a comfortable position to sleep in. I wish someone had warned me about that. I slept in a recliner the first few nights. If you are lucky enough to be a back sleeper, you will be fine! Get creative with pillows and stuff, comfort can be found, it just takes creativity! After day two, I was feeling much better, stopped taking my pain meds and had stopped wondering why I had done this to myself! BY day 3- I was HUNGRY. I mean really, truly hungry. I was allowed to eat on day 4, so it wasn't too bad to wait until then. I was allowed soft proteins from day 4 until my 1st fill. So I could have eggs and cottage cheese and refried beans and I was extremely grateful! Some people aren't hungry for weeks. That's something to get in your head right now! Everyone is different and no two people have the exact same experience after banding. Some lose all kinds of weight right away, some don't. (I lost 12 pounds in the week after surgery, then lost 0 for the next 1 1/2 months - not fun.) Some require several fills to get restriction, some don't need any. Remember that it doesn't make you 'good' or virtuous to not need a fill and it doesn't make you 'bad' or a failure to need them. Get the fills you need to get the restriction you need. You can do this! Good luck with your upcoming surgery and keep us all posted on your progress!

I felt pretty much normal at 1 month post op. The port incision stays sorest the longest, and that was even pretty much back to normal at 1 month.

bibo07-you should be really careful after the fill- my doctor has me go on liquids for 3 days, but I am never able to last that long! I do clear liquids the first day, then switch to mushy food like cottage cheese and yogurt. You just have to be careful because you can swell after a fill and you don't want to damage anything. I swell quite a bit and feel a lot of restriction for the first 5 days or so, then it settles down and I can eat normally again. Everyone is different so just take it slowly and cautiously. It will be fine. It shouldn't hurt at all. If you are overfilled it might be uncomfortable to eat and if that lasts after the first week you should get an unfill. Hopefully, though, your doctor will fill you gradually enough that overfilling won't be a problem. That is why most doctors are pretty conservative with fills. I have had almost all my fills while pms'ing, so I don't think it is an issue. I am usually looser during that time then get tight when my period comes. Anyway, good luck with your fill and don't stress out, it really is not bad and it is getting you toward your weight loss goals!

Hi, I was banded 10/26/07 and have lost 30 pounds, so I am not doing that much better than you. I can get really discouraged when I read posts on here from people who had surgery the same month as me and have lost twice as much weight, but then I think about how I was doing before being banded and I couldn't lose even 1 pound and keep it off! And I haven't gained! So there are victories! Try not to focus on the negatives, try to rejoice over the 25 pounds you have lost! I have lost more weight than ever this past month because with my 5th fill I finally got restriction. Is it possible you need a fill? I don't know how much you have in your band but I am up to 7.5 ccs and it has really helped me limit my food intake a lot. Up until this fill I really struggled because I felt no restriction. Don't be afraid of fills, they are your friend! Don't try to do this without the proper restriction or you will drive yourself nuts! There are plenty of other October '07 bandsters out here who have lost similar amounts of weight, so we are definitely inside the norm. Don't despair... just do everything you can control and let the rest go.

Most doctors have a certain protocol to fills and give everyone the same amount, especially for the first fill. After that they ask how things are going and use that as a guide. I was able to express my frustration at not having any restriction after my first fill and they gave me a little extra for my second. Please, don't be discouraged if you don't get much restriction with your first fill. It will come.

There is truth to the fact that we need to control what we eat even after banding but it is also true that until we have the restriction we need the band is not helping us at all.It has been compared on this website to having tires with no air in them, and I think that is a good analogy.It makes me sad when doctors pressure people who have only had one fill to diet and imply that they aren't doing what needs to be done. If any of us could diet the weight off, we would do it and skip the whole major surgery thing. What would be the point of the band? The band is designed to work with restriction and you don't have it yet. You may not have it for several more fills. If only your doctor would be supportive instead of kicking you when you are down. I know exactly how you feel - I went through the same thing. I didn't get any restriction until my 5th fill and could also eat anything and lots of it. Once I finally felt restriction I was able to really control what I put in my mouth. I am not perfect and I slip up occasionally, but I can assure you- restriction makes all the difference so don't give up on yourself. Just be patient and keep getting fills til you get restriction. You are going to be amazed at how much easier it is to do what needs to be done when you get there! Hang in there! You are not a failure!

I went through this exact same thing when I was first banded and was soooo discouraged. And my doctor only gave me 1.5 cc's each fill! So it took what seemed like FOREVER to get restriction. But finally, with my 5th fill, and 7.5 ccs of fluid, I got restriction and am off and running on losing weight. It was really hard being patient and I hated every minute of those months but I am so happy now. And in a way I can honestly say I am kind of glad for the slow start because it allowed me to get used to restriction slowly. I didn't just wake up one day only able to eat tiny amounts of food and the small amounts of my fills helped me avoid over filling and I am thankful for that because being too tight is not fun. I will admit I was jealous of people who had fills put in during surgery and whose doctors gave 3ccs at a time, but in the end it kind of all levels out. You all end up at similar spots after one year of being banded. In ten years we will look back and it isn't going to matter if we got restriction in one month or five.

This is exactly what happens to me. I tend to eat like crazy the week before my period and crave sweets. The next week is usually when I lose all my weight because as soon as my period comes I am really tight again. It all evens out. I find even when I 'binge' a little during pms it is still nothing like what I used to do because I am just not capable of overeating that way anymore.

I have really good restriction and I can eat more than 4 ounces. The point is to eat until you are satisfied and the amount can really vary depending on what food you are eating. Don't get too hung up on numbers. Try to listen to the signs your body is giving you and get used to knowing when you have eaten enough. It is important to eat enough because that is how you stay full until the next meal. I can eat 8 ounces of yogurt and 1/2 cup of berries with about 1/4 cup of cereal mixed in. Technically that is 1 and 3/4 cups of food, but the yogurt isn't dense so doesn't really take up as much room as 1 cup of chicken or vegetables would. So go by how you feel. Measuring and weighing are good for getting a handle on calories once in a while to see if you are overdoing it, but generally you shouldn't strictly go by measuring because it is so variable.

Here is my big fear--- I end up with these little stick legs and arms like twigs and this huge, pinto bean shaped body. AUGHHHH! My watch and rings are practically falling off me so I guess I am getting skinny fingers and wrists. Yeah. That's why I had surgery. Skinny fingers!

I have the AP small band. No complaints. I think they are probably all fine!

You probably don't need a fill if you have lost 22 pounds in 4 weeks and are eating small amounts. Your doctor probably won't even do it because you don't need it. When you DO need a fill, you don't need to be so scared, it really isn't bad. You have had injections before and that is basically what it feels like. I was scared too, before my first fill, but it was boringly uneventful.

Throwing up should not be seen as a diet aid! Throwing up is dangerous for your band and can cause slippage or erosion. You are supposed to be able to eat with the band. Call your doctor ASAP.

I wouldn't spend unnecessary time and energy on the 'what if's'. If you feel okay, don't stress!

I think you are fine- I was told I could take anything. The only thing you have to be careful about it Tylenol because it can be damaging to your stomach if you take to much but this is also the case for unbanded people. Don't stress, but if you still are worried, call your doctor.

jtag10_4 Oh my gosh, that was funny and I'm not under the influence! What a perfect response!

This isn't a comment on the surgery but it still drives me crazy - every time we have a family gathering/holiday get together or whatever, my mother in law calls and asks what she can serve that I can eat. This is despite my repeatedly explaining the band to her and her reading every entry in my blog which also explains everything. I keep telling her I can eat normal food like everyone else, just not as much, but she just doesn't get it. Another person thought my port stuck out of my skin like a chemo port and expressed disgust at having that sticking out of my body.

I would just drink a good red wine. It is the most healthy and you might as well drink something good. I have never heard of low carb wine but compared to white wine, red is pretty good for you.

I felt full faster right after surgery but after about two weeks I could eat exactly the same as before being banded. It was FRUSTRATING!!! But patience payed off and it has been worth it. Restriction is the key. Get your fills!

I am so sorry you are surrounded by so many ignorant people who want to kick someone when they are already down! But the best revenge is success, and so I think you should start planning for that! You are right... only you can make this decision. Those who don't think it's a good idea should pray they are never in the place where they need weight loss surgery. Keep your head up, go through the process and do exactly what your doctor tells you to do and next year at this time you will be on your way to a slimmer healthier you and they will all shut up! And you won't even need to say "I told you so" because your skinny new body and radiant health will say it all for you!!!

I just read in a book on lap banding that there is often a 'loss' of fluid, especially after the first fill, because of air in the tubing. Some of the fill can go back out into the tubing because the tube works both ways- fluid can go in and out. If they didn't unfill you at your second fill to see how much was in there, you might have been working on a wrong assumption (amount wise)for fills 3-5 or whatever. All that matters is that now you know you have 8ccs, because you saw it! And I promise, that 8 pounds you gained is HISTORY!!!

I wanted to second what tralynn222 said and tell you that this is how the band works for many people. There are a few who feel restriction right away and don't even need that first fill, but they are definitely the exception. For most of us, restriction is what makes the band work and it can be difficult to find. It takes time. I had surgery in October 2007. My doctor was rather conservative with the fills, too. In the long run I think it has helped me. I have lost weight at a pretty slow rate, which has been frustrating, but I have adjusted to the changes in eating easier because it has been a slower, more gradual change. Now that I am at my sweet spot (7.5 ccs in a 10 cc band) I know what restriction is finally and the weight is coming off quicker. Try to be patient. I know that is hard, I had a lot of trouble and was very frustrated. The thing to remember is that at the end of one year you will basically be in the same place with your weight loss as those who lost right away - it tends to even out. So we need to look at the overall weight lost in one year and not worry about when each pound was lost.

I am so sorry that happened to you. With all the physical and emotional preparation that goes into facing surgery, to have it cancelled twice is just awful. I would be really upset. They ought to do it for you for free.