AndreaL

I was banded on Nov 16th and was curious about where my fellow Nov/07 bandsters were at with their fill levels and weight loss. I had my 5th fill last night and am now at 9 ccs in a 10 cc band. I haven't had any solids since the fill. Started this morning with some hot tea and then my Protein shake. I'm about to try some fruit and cheese for my morning snack to see if that goes down. :smile: I lost 25 lbs on the pre-op diet (aka 3 week torture session) and 22 since my surgery. I have been yo-yoing up and down between fills and am a tad frustrated, but trying to remain positive. Any other Novembers out there that would like to share? :tongue2:

Wow. It sounds just awful. I was too tight after a fill and that's exactly how I felt. PB'ing EVERYTHING, even water, and tons of pain and pressure when I tried to swallow something. I'm sure your surgeon will have answers for you.

I've now lost a 5000 BTU air conditioner and an ostrich egg. One pound away from an elephant's penis!! :sneaky:

Hey Everyone!! I thought I would share this yummy concoction I came up with. IT TASTES JUST LIKE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS!!! I'm on solids, but after fills I'm pretty tight, So I usually take it easy in the morning and stick with mushies. I was tired of plain old Protein shakes and yogurt, so I came up with this: Ingredients: Cream of Wheat Fat Free Evaporated Milk Water Frozen Blueberries vanilla extract Splenda (or other sweetener) Directions: Prepare the Cream of Wheat as instructed on the box using the Fat Free Evaporated Milk and Water (I use half/half proportions, but you can do any combination of the two, it's creamier with the Evap Milk). When the mixture thickens, removed from heat and add 2 tsps (or 1/2 tsp per cup) vanilla. Separate into 1/2 cup portion sizes and add 1/2 cup frozen blueberries and 1 tsp (or one packet) Splenda. It's great for the mushie stage, or for those of us who are really tight in the morning and need something warm to get us going. Enjoy.

You ever have one of those days when you wonder what the heck you spent $15,000 for??? I did everything right!! Recorded every single thing I put in my mouth and counted ever stupid calorie, gram or protein, fat and fibre and still gained a *&%#$ pound!! I have been struggling with the same 5 stupid pounds for a month!! I just had my surgery in November!! I shouldn't be plateauing AGAIN (already did that around 30 pounds of loss)!! I need some encouragement!! Anyone??:tt2:

Caryn, PB is "productive burping". Basically, throwing up. This will happen if you eat something that won't go through the band and gets stuck. It can also happen if you overeat, drink while eating (once on solids), eat too fast, or don't chew enough. It's not as bad as vomiting because it hasn't gotten to your stomach and mixed with the bile in there, so it tastes the same as when you swallowed it. HOWEVER, it is by no means pleasant. It is slightly painful and if it you do it alot, it can lead to band slippage or erosion. The first time it happens, you will probably feel like something is stuck in the band and then it starts to move its way back up. You usually have plenty of time to get somewhere private. Sometimes I find that just getting up and walking to the washroom helps to make whatever is in there pass through the band.

Denise, This will be the first of many times you will be scratching your head asking "Why isn't the weight coming off when I am eating so little?" I am still asking that question a few times a week. I have plateaued a couple times (in the middle of one now), and I yo-yo up and down. I keep being told that I won't start losing regularly until I reach my "sweet spot". 5 fills and 9ccs later, I'm still trying to get there. My progress is also a lot slower than I thought it would be, but I'm trying to take it one day at a time. There are days I want to fling my scale out a freakin window, but I just keep thinking that at this time next year I will be in a great place. You have to set small goals and look ahead at the big picture. We have taken the first step on a very long and winding road and there will be plenty of bumps along the way, but there will be an AWESOME reward at the end!! Remember why you did this and think of that every time you see that same number on the scale day after day. :biggrin:

An elephant's heart and an average human brain for me.

Your body has probably just gone into it's "starvation mode". It thinks you are starving so it is trying to hold onto everything it has. Don't worry. You are probably due for a big loss any day now. Stay positive. There will be many weeks that you don't lose anything and can't figure out why. Your body is used to getting everything in excess so when you stop it goes into shock. It will start coming off soon.

Caryn, You will definitely notice that you will be able to eat less and less after each fill. You can eat alot of regular food, just make smart choices. Choose low fat over full fat when you can, and choose leaner cuts of meat. I'm not a big fan of sugar free items, so I try to eat fruit when I am craving something sweet instead of resorting to "fake sugar". You will learn what is best for you. There is nothing wrong with eating "regular" food, as long as it is in moderation. Take care.

Sorry Cookie, I missed that you were still on liquids and here I am filling your head with thoughts of mashed potatoes. LOL Yes, go drink your Protein, try the Instant Breakfast if you can find it. It tastes the least like "protein" of all the drinks I've tried. The strawberry one tastes like milk with Strawberry Quick. Pretty yummy.

I would like to introduce you to my two new best friends...Frozen Wild Bluberries and Frozen Sunburst mangos. These two things are great when you have that "head hunger". It is really hard to get out of the habit of eating while doing mindless activities (like watching your fav tv show). So I will put my 1 cup serving of frozen fruit into a bowl (the mangos I have plain, the blueberries with 1/2 cup of vanilla fat free yogurt) and watch my show and munch away. The mangos are like having a little treat. They are like a little fruity sorbet. You can't eat them fast because they are so cold and they are conveniently cut into bite size pieces. My nutritionist recommended them for those time when you really want to eat something, but don't think it's stomach hunger, or for when you are really hungry and need to tide yourself over until meal time (like afternoon or late evening snack). I've founds them to be extrememly convenient as well as satisfying. I absolutely HATE yogurt, but putting the blueberries in is great. They are naturally sweet and as they thaw they give off quite a bit of juice which makes the yogurt really sweet and not tasting like yogurt at all. This is a bonus for my fellow yogurt haters.

Cookienay, Be careful with the low calorie count. Your body will go into starvation mode and you will plateau. Try to keep your calorie intake to at least 1000 a day (my nutritionist says 1200 is the best level). I know it's hard at this stage, but your body needs energy to heal and you don't want your metabolism to go on strike!! There are about 300 calories in an Instant Breakfast so if you can add two of those to what you are having now you should be in good shape. You can also try having some mashed potatoes with skim milk and some shredded cheese (even a little cheese whiz light) or low fat sour cream on top. This will give you some Protein, quite a few extra calories, and it's quite filling.

Cookienay, It is normal to be hungry after surgery. Your band is not filled. There is no restriction. You will feel like this until you get a fill. You definitely need to get in the Protein. If you don't have the protein, you will be VERY hungry and be tempted to eat the wrong things. You can't overdo it with liquids at this stage because there is no restriction so you don't have your "pouch" yet, so whatever you have will just slide all the way straight to your stomach as it did before the surgery. Try having some protein Water or even regular water (as much as you can) right before you eat. This will trick your stomach into thinking its full faster. I know the Protein shakes are bad, but have you tried Carnation Instant Breakfast? I find that the most tolerable. Mix it with skim milk. The more milk you put in the thinner the consistancy, and there is a fair amount of protein in the milk itself. If you can choke a glass of that down before your soup, you will not be able to have as much of the soup which is probably higher in fat and has WAY too much sodium (as all prepared foods do). If you are eating alot of the canned Soups, make sure to increase the amount of water you drink to balance out the sodium. Your stomach rumbles the same way when you are thirsty as when you are hungry, so before you decide that its food you're craving, have a drink and see if that does the trick. It may just be your body telling you to have a drink.

Target and Walmart have great mix and match tankini style suits. They are cheap and you can find tons of solids (browns and blacks mostly) in different styles. I like to buy one bottom and a couple tops to mix and match. They are only about $10-20 per piece, so you can get three or four different combos for the price of one suit at other stores. This way, you aren't spending $100 every couple months when you grow out of the "old" one, and you don't have to worry if your top half is a different size as your bottom half. Walmart also has "maternity" style suits which I find to have more support in the boob department and are a little more flattering in the tummy area because they aren't so tight.

Caryn, Don't feel bad. You aren't restricted right now, so the urge to cheat is SO strong. It will get better after you start getting fills. Heck...I'm at 9ccs and have had 5 fills and I still had a piece of cake at a birthday party on Saturday. It was a TINY piece, but was just enough to curb the craving. Don't beat yourself up about it. You will have days when you slip of the "band"wagon, just hang on so you can pull yourself back up.

Usually with slippage you have alot of pain when swallowing and you vomit even your own saliva when you try to swallow. It sounds like you might just be to tight. Try getting a little defill and see if that helps. If all else fails, ask your surgeon. He will definitely know what to look for with slippage.

Have any of Doctors ruled out an ulcer? That would definitely cause you to be unable to eat, and if it is a bleeding ulcer, the blood loss would definitely make you weak and dizzy and if it is irritated, that could cause an infection (leading to the fever). If it happens after a fill, the irritation of having the band adjusted in a fill could trigger the ulcer to become inflamed. Vomiting would also irritate it. One other thing, when I was pregnant, I was highly anemic and got the "fade to black" thing when I stood up to fast or was too active. Have your Iron level checked. However, I don't think anemia can cause the other symtoms you are having, but you never know. If I were you I would march into my doctor's office and DEMAND that he find out what is wrong. At your age, there should be no reason why you have to feel like you do. Just to add, I read an article recently about sugar free gum and consumption of aspertame. Do you chew alot of sugar free gum, drink diet drinks or eat alot of food sweetened with aspertame? Apparently quite a few people have recently found to have a sort of allery of sensitivity to aspertame (which also goes by many other names). The sensitivity or reaction includes quite alot of the symptoms that you are having. You might want to look into it. There is also literature that aspartame sensitivity can be linked to depression. I found this on Diagnose-Me: Treatment: Aspartame (Nutrasweet) Avoidance - I noticed quite a few of the symptoms you mentioned here. Hope this helps. If you want to send me a PM, I will try to find that email that I had and send it to you as well. I apologize for the length of this. "Adverse effects reported from short-term and/or long-term use of Aspartame include: Seizures and convulsions, dizziness, tremors, migraines and severe headaches (triggered or caused by chronic intake), memory loss (common toxicity effect), slurring of speech, confusion, numbness or tingling of extremities, chronic fatigue, depression, insomnia, irritability, panic attacks (common aspartame toxicity reaction), marked personality changes, phobias, rapid heart beat (tachycardia - another frequent reaction), asthma, chest pains, hypertension (high blood pressure), nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, swallowing pain, itching, hives / urticaria, other allergic reactions, blood sugar control problems (e.g. hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia), menstrual cramps and other menstrual problems or changes, impotency and sexual problems, food cravings, weight gain, hair loss / baldness or thinning of hair, burning urination & other urination problems, excessive thirst or excessive hunger, bloating, edema (fluid retention), infection susceptibility, joint pain, brain cancer (in pre-approval studies on animals), death. Aspartame Disease may mimic symptoms of, or worsen: Fibromyalgia, arthritis, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease, lupus, multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS), diabetes and diabetic Complications, seizures, Alzheimer's disease, birth defects, chronic fatigue syndrome, lymphoma, Lyme's disease, attention deficit disorder (ADD and ADHD), panic disorder, depression and other psychological disorders."

RxTracy, Thanks for that info. I feel a little better now. It seems like I am the only person out there that is in the "9s". I was getting a bit worried. I do feel restriction, and can not eat ANYWHERE near what I used to, but I am definitely eating more than 4-6 ozs and am getting pretty darn frustrated. With every fill I keep thinking "ok...this HAS to be the one". I am really glad I found this place. It's a comfort to know that others out there are thinking and feeling and experiencing the same victories and setbacks.

WOW Hollyberries. That is AWESOME!!! I just hopped on the scale this morning and I'm UP 3 POUNDS from my fill on Wednesday. I haven't even been eating anything bad and I've been keeping a food journal so I know EXACTLY how much protein, fat and calories I've been taking it. THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!! I didn't pay $15K to GAIN WEIGHT!!! I am SO frustrated!!!:thumbup:

Wow Robin! 60 Pounds is Awesome!! Congratulations! I was surprised to hear that no one has had to go above 6.5 ccs. That's got me thinking....most of the people I have communicated with at the Center I had my procedure done at are between 8ccs and 9 ccs. I wonder what he's doing that different?? Things that make you go hmmmm. It would have been great if I could have been at full restriction by 6.5 ccs!! I would be a lot further along loss-wise than I am now..that's for sure!

I rarely to never eat frozen dinners. I make grilled chicken breast most of the time and load up on my veggies. I will eat my Protein and then eat the veg until I'm full. I start with a small amount and it feels like I have eaten nothing. I can't drink after I eat because it makes me PB. Sometimes I trick myself into thinking that I'm not still hungry and then I can go an hour and my stomach is growling again. It's so frustrating. I hear all these people saying they are full on a tiny bit of food and I'm eating massive amounts of veggies just to keep myself from eating anything bad. Well needless to say, since veggies are mostly Water, the feeling of being full doesn't last too long. I don't want to eat a whole whack of meat because it has more calories and fat. I eat my daily required amount of protein if not more, but I don't want to get into the habit of eating a whole chicken breast again. I'm going to the health food store tonight to get some of the taste free Protein powder and start drinking a shake before I eat. We'll see if that helps. And thanks for all your replies everyone. :tt2:

That is really strange that the Dr. wouldn't give you a fill. Isn't that what the band was put in for?? Well it seems that 9ccs is NOT enough. I still have to eat about 3 to 4 cups of food to feel full. GRRRR!!! I'm getting SOOOO irritated!!!! It seems like EVERYONE is losing weight but me!! I have been losing and gaining the same 5 pounds for almost 2 months!!:tt2:

Good to know about the band actually holding more. Thanks. I am really tight in the morning as well, or if I try to drink something cold, it won't go down. After I have some hot tea in the morning I lose that restriction. So it seems to never be at the right spot. It's just one of those days that you feel like you're going nowhere and its very easy to forget the success that you've already had when you keep seeing that same number on the scale (or when it goes up with no apparent explanation). I have resisted SO much temptation this week and I just feel like I got kicked in the teeth when I see that number go up after how good I have been. I want my reward!!! If I can't reward myself with Lay's then I want to be rewarded with smaller numbers dammit!!!! :tt2: Thanks for listening to my bitchfest. I will check out that slow losers thread.

Thanks. It's just been one of those weeks. I had my 5th fill on Wednesday and I'm at 9 ccs in a 10cc band and I still want to eat everything in sight almost all the time. There is no way I am even close to the 1cup level. Last night I had half a chicken breast and 1/2 cup of steamed cabbage. That didn't come anywhere close to filling me. So I behaved and went back for another 2 oz. of chicken and still nothing. I had 2 1/2 cups more cabbage which FINALLY made me fill full. The only difference is that I can feel the food going through the band, but it isn't sitting in any "pouch" before it passes. I only have 1 cc left available for a fill. If that doesn't work I am going to scream!!