Enchanted

Ah...I get it now. So...on soft foods, I ate tuna...lots of tuna. I was allowed to mix with 1T of mayo. I was allowed 3 ounces of meat and 6 ounces of veg if desired. Salmon is another option that worked well for me. No potatoes or other starches. While pre-op, a friend suggested that I try eating as if I was banded to see if that would work. Totally not realistic for me. I'm glad it's working for you!

There's so much debate over good vs bad carbs. I cut everything with added sugars (even the fake sugars for me) and stick with non-starchy vegetables. This means, I pass on potatoes and corn and stick with the green vegetables. I neverrrr eat rice or Pasta. I looked up Brussels Sprouts. They have 8 calories, 1.49g carb, and .5 gram fiber each. Meaning that their effective carbohydrate rate is 1 gram each. Here's a link: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/ To further complicate things, throw in the Glycemic Index. The GI ranks foods according to their impact on blood glucose levels. The lower the number, the better it is for you because it's not going to impact your blood glucose level as much. Here's a link to an explanation: Glycemic Index: Which Foods Have a Low Glycemic Index? Whew. I hope this doesn't sound preachy. It's not meant to be. I do not follow the GI at all. Too much effort for this girl.

To not have any follow-up care and gain only 15 pounds in two years is verrrry good. But now you're back and ready to dive in again - good for you. I totally agree with Cathy. Get to the doctor. You're not the first person to go missing for awhile and definitely not the first person to have weight gain. I stopped going for follow-ups and gained, too, but I'm back on track. When the nurse gave me a little bit of a rough time about not eating right, etc, my response was a casual, "I know I've not been doing everything that I needed to do, but I'm here now. At least I came back." I got back into the good habits by following the post-fill instructions to the letter. By the time that was over, the cravings were gone. Good for you for getting your head back in the game. Good luck!

I'm not sure I understand. You don't have the LapBand? Why are you eating as if you do? Maybe I misread?

Carbs cause cravings - usually for more carbs. If you deeply cut your carbs (get nearly all of your carbs from non-starchy vegs), your cravings should decrease within a couple of weeks. Until then, try some of the sugar-free hard candies (suck, don't chew). Instead of Hershey Bars, there are some sugar-free puddings if you absolutely must have something chocolate. Start making small changes. Reward yourself for doing well. (Lose five pounds, buy something small for yourself.) You'll get there. xoxo

You can definitely get some irritation from an unfill. Switch to liquids / soft foods for a couple of days and that should take care of it. As a side note, my doc will not do unfills for special occasions and trips. Makes sense.

Rock on!!! Good for you.

Day of fill: nothing but Water Day 2 and 3: shakes only Day 4 and 5: soft foods Day 6: back to a real diet When the fills weren't do anything, I used to mostly just skip ahead. However, the tighter I got, the more I was able to see the purpose of it. It's irritating to your stomach when you have a fill. Things are swollen and different and you want that to heal before you give your stomach a big job (like digesting).

You absolutely have the right to know and should be insistent - or - ask for a copy of your medical records, they are required by law to provide those. As someone else mentioned, your doc should also be withdrawing everything in the band at each appointment and measuring it. If you develop a leak, this is the only way to find out.

You are definitely having the symptoms of being too tight. Staying too tight is not healthy so you should go get a little unfilled. I have struggled tremendously with finding that elusive "sweet spot" - the place where we are tight enough to not be hungry, but not so tight that we're up coughing at night. I've discovered that it's mostly related to my period - right at ovulation, I get a wee bit tighter and stay that way until my period starts. My plan is to go to softer foods the day or so before ovulation and stick with those to see if that makes a difference at all. I know it's frustrating, but you really do need to hang in there and go get that unfill. xo

Jojo...one of the things I learned at my last visit was when the nurse asked me if I'd been "getting into the carbs again" when we were talking about my hunger. Pretty much what you said is the explanation she gave me when I admitted my munching on carbs - that they end up making you feel more hungry...and then you think the band isn't tight enough because the hunger is real. Of course, she said this as I was getting a fill. And now that I've had the fill, I'm not hungry. So maybe it wasn't exactly true in my case, but it does make sense

This really stinks and your doctor should have seen you since you are so concerned. Call them back and just say, "I'd like to make an appointment." I'm sorry you're having trouble. It must be scary to ask for help and then not get it.

Hi John...glad you're feeling better. A couple of things come to mind after reading your posts... 1. You definitely need to talk with your lapband doc about this and not your GP. Our diets are all different now that we have the band and GPs are not all knowledgeable about the band and not all have loads of patients with the band. So...talk with your surgeon or their office, let them know you're starving - they will probably have you increase by drinking a Protein shake 2. coming off of carbs makes people feel so tired and sluggish...that might be some of what you're experiencing 3. my doctor is also VERY strict about calories. while in the losing phases, he says 600-800 calories each day is good. You're the only other person I've met who is so low. (Congratultions?) I hope you continue to feel better...but do call your doctor..I worry about you eating chicken when you should be eating mushy foods according to your doc. You're still healing from major surgery and should be following the rules that your doctor sets forth for healing (not following what you hear on the boards or what some other doctor is telling you unless you're changing doctors?). xo

I'm sure she meant grams - as no one is eating .13 grams / day. But...130 grams of carbs each day would be waaaay over what I'm supposed to be eating. My doc is into lean Proteins and carbs only from non-starchy vegetables.

I had gas problems / pain from the inflation of my abdomen after the surgery. I did not have trouble with intestinal gas. If it's intestinal gas, have you tried some of the GasX strips?

A friend of mine and I have a rule. When the other suggests calling a doctor, we do it. I think if someone here who has been through the same surgery suggests calling your doc, you probably should: 1. that's why we pay them 2. peace of mind 3. risk / reward (calling costs nothing...not calling could be trouble) So...call. What can it hurt?

Yikes. I hope you're recovering from your surgeries. Hopefully, it's going to be smooth sailing from here on for you. xoxo

When the band is filled to the proper level, you will feel satisfied much sooner than you would without the band. (You will also not be hungry for a longer period of time.) Bandster Hell is that time between surgery and when the band is filled to the proper level. Getting to the "Sweet Spot" can take awhile and multiple fills. Patience and dedication is needed during this phase of things. As to the Band being only a tool - it definitely is. You are in complete control of what you put into your mouth. If you start drinking chocolate shakes instead of Protein shakes - you're going to have trouble.

I am usually pleased with what I eat. I don't eat all of the same foods that I used to eat, but enough of them to not miss any single thing consistently. I think what's been important is that I cook good food for myself. I'm eating less of it and want the highest quality I can get. Meals can still be special and fun - they are just different now. xo

In the days before surgery, I was not nervous at all. I was sure and determined. I think some of this comes from all of the preparing - the tests, the support group meetings, etc. And . . . I was 100% sure that this surgery was the right move for me. Maybe that's what is going on with you? (I was a tiny bit nervous in the hospital - but anyone going into surgery is.) xo

Before surgery, I had to lose 5% of my body weight. I wasn't given a particular diet to follow - but it was suggested that I start by replacing one meal / day with a shake and work my way up to two shakes as Meal Replacements. Every doctor has their own requirements. Your surgery is in two days. I would urge you to call your doctor - let them know how much you've lost and ask them if it's going to be enough. Two bites here and there probably will not make a difference. Two meals here and there probably will. For what it's worth, at pre-op sessions, the team at my doc's office specifically said that the pre-op diet is not a test to see how you'll do post-op. They know we have food issues. The weight loss pre-op is to shrink the liver to make the surgery easier for everyone.

Hi....I think lots of people only took a few days off. I took less than a week (but I work from home). It also seems like people over 40 heal more slowly and might need a little more time. You'll probably be ok. Maybe let your job know that you may need some more time off and you will give them as much notice as you can. Good luck with your surgery!

Of course you're having problems with food. If you didn't, you wouldn't be considering this surgery. My practical suggestion is that you try to start cutting things out - but just a little at a time. Instead of the sandwich, get one of their salads. Instead of a meat sub, get a veggie. Instead of mayo, get vinegar only. Giving up what we love is hard. You don't need to do it all at once. Doing it this way will also lead you to the transition of the band and losing that pre-op weight that is usually required. Bottom line....you're ok.

Some of that gain may be from getting rehydrated after surgery. You are probably able to drink more. But...you can definitely gain weight on mushy foods. Be sure to eat your Proteins first and then whatever non-starchy veg you're able to eat. I'd avoid the crackers - they offer nothing in the way of nutrition and everything in the way of carbs and calories. xo Edited to change: WAIT to WEIGHT....shocking.

I am relatively certain that my doc doesn't do it. The severe restriction of calories coupled with the risk of dehydration.