MissCT234

I just had a fill about 10 days ago. It was my second fill, and I am up to 5 cc. Water went down fine as did liquids for day 1 and 2. Mushies were a bit harder day 3 and 4 as I ate a bit too fast or they were not mushie enough. But solids have been difficult. (They were the last time as well and it took me like two to three weeks to get to a comfort zone.) But this time I have had some real vomiting experiences. I have had this really full feeling for about 24 hours. Feels like the food is at the top of my stomach and end of my esophogus. I really don't want to unfill if this will pass. But I cannot seem to eat much at all. Had 1/2 an egg and 1/2 slice of cheee for breakfast and then a few almonds a few minutes ago. That is all along with some coffee and juice and I feel like I have eaten Thanksgiving dinner. I did have some PB late morning and then an actual wretch....UGHHH I am so scared I slipped the band. What does that actually feel like? Anyone know? CIndi

Yeah..I definately need an unfill. I just hope I haven't had a slip. It was not just one PB..I have PB all the time...well a lot. But today I had a half of an egg with 1/2 slice cheese...threw it up....8 almonds..threw it up...1/2 of yoplait yogurt (3 oz?)...pbed it...so...even water is difficult today... I am really really scared. CIndi

I can usually eat whatever I want as long as I eat slowly and carefully. I CANNOT eat fast food for the most part at all. I get sick if I eat McDonald's hamburgers or things...but occassionally when we are on the road I might get a 4 piece chicken nugget and I can et 2 or 3 and be full... Bread is something I struggle with usually. I can eat it occassionally and it is much better if it is toasted..but not much. I cannot eat more than one slice and that is a lot. I do eat sweets sometimes. A bite of cake at a party or a cookie. ANd I have had a few break downs when I did eat too many Cookies. Unfortunately for me...crackers and cookies and ice cream can go down fine..but meat can be an issue at times. What I have finally realized...and I am still new at this..is that if I DO NOT eat in between meals..I can eat what my family eats in a small amount and very slowly ancd carefully. And that is neat. It is fun to go to a BBQ and only eat one small rib while everyone is feasting on a quarter of a rack. ANd I am perfectly happy with that! I struggled this summer for a while. I was vomiting a lot. I realized I was doing three things wrong...stress was abundant in my life. And I seem to have PB issues and vomiting issues when I am stressed. I was eating in between meals because I was throwing up and so then I would munch on crackers. ANd when I felt like I was stuck I would drink with the food and that only made it worse. I also was not losing very well DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So now school is back in session. I am eating better and not eating in between..though I may have a mid afternoon snack if I am eating a late dinner which is normalk at our house. And I am losing again. I am disappopinted in myself..or I was actually. ANd I felt like a failure cause I hadn't lost as much as I "SHOULD" have. But I am not going to "SHOULD" on myself and I changed my attitude last week. The results? I finally got past a weight that I always struggle to get by whenever I diet and I had bounced around it for almost a month. YIPPEE> I have only lost 43 pounds since May but I can live with that. Shoot..it is 43 more than I lost last year all year.,. and I am happy. Keep up the good work everyone. I resoect those who can be very regimented. Biut I am one who will binge or act out if I am deprived totally of something..so I am happy to take it slow..and live as normal as possible..in reasonable quantities. Who caould ask for anything more? Cindi:drool:

I had my first fill two weeks ago. I was losing very well but eating in between meals and starting to not feel so full. (My surgery was May 5 and I have lost 35 pounds.) So they said I should get a fill..which was an absolute breeze...no problem drinking a glass of water...no problem with liquids day 1 and mushies day two...but solid food has been difficult. I have found myself the last day over the toilet after every meal. Crappy food goes down great...ice cream or crackers....but chicken, tuna, hot dogs, burgers...all of that will usually come back up. I am feeling sore today...so should I just go to liquids for a couple days to give my stomach a break? I am so afraid I caused it to slip...though I can still feel when the food "goes through". Needless to say I have not lost any weight this week. But I lost 5 pounds the first week after the fill...so what to do? I don't do protein drinks but I do Carnation Instant Breakfast for breakfast..and yogurt goes down well. I could eat almost a half of sandwich yesterday...and I kept it down. Yogurt stays...course stupid stuff like chips and popcorn will stay down. And I don't want to be eating those...I just feel like everything I am eating is coming up so maybe I am hungry. To be honest..right now I am not sure I can tell because I am a bit sore........ Thanks Cindi

Thanks..I think you are right, Today was such a great day! OMG! Like it was before the fill! No vomiting, no PBing...no pain! I had an instant breakfast this morning...then at snack time (I'm a teacher..can't seem to break the mid morning snack!) I had a half of a package of 100 cal crackers....at lunch I had the other half of a bag of crackers and some yogurt..couldn't finish a small container! The in late afternoon I had some potatoe and turnips...then this evening I had a Protein bar and a 1/2 c of blueberry icecream.... I probably didn't need the ice cream...but because we had the basketball academy late tonight I ate early and then had a Protein Bar.... BUT!!!!!!!!!!!! NO PAIN...oh and I also drank a lot of Water BETWEEN meals and NOT WITH MEALS! Thank God..I was worrying and I need to make this work for me. I need to. Cindi

Hi there! I too am a snacker. I am trying to stick to three meals but I often have a snack. ALmonds chewed really slowly are good. sugar free popsicles are great or a piece of string cheese and a few whole wheat crackers. I know there are many here who will say those are poor choices...but I am losing steadily and I do not feel deprived at all..I think that is the key to success as well...attitude. I have lost 35 pounds (okay 34) and my surgery was May 5. By the way...I was on liquids for two weeks, mushies for two, then solids. My hospital served me custard two hors out of surgery! Take care...and try hard to avoid the chips. (Those go down way too easy for me...) Cindi

I feel really fortunate! I was banded on May 5 and my doc put 2 cc in a 10cc band. I felt pretty restricted I think. But about week 5 and 6 or 6 and 7 I started grazing. I couldn't eat a lot at one time of most things but I was increasing my food intake. (ironically I lost more weight during that time.) I had my first real appt with my nutritionist and nurse last week. I discussed food choices and some changes I needed to make and they gave me 2 cc fill. I definately can feel it. I can always drink a lot. That is normal as far as I know. But I cannot eat much and things I was eating before do not sit well now. I have thrown up more but not violent and not in huge amounts...just learning that I have to stop at that first small burp and not when I want to stop. I go back in three weeks and I am not sure what they will do. But I am losing a lot more right now. I have lost 34 pounds and I am happy with that. Cindi

Okay..sorry but I am just checking to see if my weight tracker got updated.

I know that after surgery I also suffered from constipation. My nurse at the bariatric center suggested some real fruit juice..like cranberry juice so I did have a glass of that each day and it really helped. Good luck. I am coming upon 2 months post surgery and I am sooooo happy. This is the best thing I ever did for myself. Sugar free popsicles can still save me in the evening. And propel water since I was a soda addict and I love the flavor of grape propel. Cindi

Sitting here sobbing over the season finale of greys anatomy. How ridiculous. I am just feeling all this stuff I haven't felt in a while...probably cause I can stuff them with food..or at least I did in the past. Today was my first day back at school.I brought my Breakfast but never made tome to eat it so I had egg salad for lunch and then when I got home at 5 I was Starving! well, okay..hungry. And I ended up overeating. Ihad about 500 cal of some junk...nothing to get stuck but still..calories that were empty ones. At least I had the intelligence to stop at 500 cal and not 5000 as I would have had in the past..so I will give myself a bit of credit. But I need to always be concious of WHY I am eating. I was hungryl...but I shouldhave added some veggies to my dinner...or something healthier. ANyway..wanted to share. Cindi

I'm with you worth the weight...MOST of the time I am thrilled that I am only able to eat small amounts. In fact, I get disappointed if I can actually finish the bowl of soup! It is amazing to me and I thank GOD every single day that I feel the restriction so early and can sit and know that when the time comes, 1 slice of pizza is going to make me full.. I will say though,. that ice cream is dangerous. It is my biggest comfort food and though I can manage to eat 1/2 cup (frozen yogurt) my head sometimes thinks I want more. I wait...and sure enough in a half hour there is NO WAY I can get any more down. I also find that if I drink the required amount of liquids (5 16 oz bottles) I am not able to eat anything but my allotted foods. That was the problem yesterday when I overate....I had not had anything to drink and I let head hunger get confused with real hunger. Cindi

Thanks guys....Today was a better day. I made sure I drank a lot which is something I have not been following through with and I planned my meals. I had my eggs this morning at my desk and then had one of those little cottage cheese and fruit pack thingies for lunch. I will admit I was still a bit hungry after that but I waited out my hour and then drank a lot. For dinner I had tuna..and sdome frozen yogurt. Tuna didn't taste as great as I expected, but I didn't put any onion or anything in.... I must say...I am loving my magic bullet...it makes life so easy. We have to leave at 4:30 a.m. tomorrow to go to CT for a basketball tournament. It is like 4.5 hours away. Thankfully, I don't have to drive. Wasn't sure driving a 12 passenger van three weeks after surgery with 10 teenage boys was such a great idea! So we got one of the coaches to drive. I have packed my food. I am very proud of myself...I made up two small dishes with my boiled eggs for breakfast the two days, and then three chicken salads in small containers for lunch and dinner as well as a cottage cheese thingy. I am also going to bring one or two yogurt cups and a banana so I am not tempted by all the food the boys have in the room. I WILL DO THIS LADIES...oh and the kicker is..I lost another pound this morning after all my worrying last night. I think sometimes you have to mix it up a little...not with junk food, but mix it up a bit to keep the weight loss from stalling... SO>>>in two and a half weeks I have lost 12 pounds add that to the 9 pounds pre op diet and I have lost 21 pounds in a month! I'll take it. Enjoy your long weekend. Cindi

WOW! I think 30+ pounds sounds like a LOT. I have lost 11 pounds in the first two weeks. But I was NOT on clear liquids...I lost 9 on preop for a total of 20 in four weeks. CIndi

Did you have an endoscopy PRIOR to your surgery? I am just wondering if the polyps developed in the last year or if you had a clean endoscopy before the surgery. My surgeon wanted me to have one prior o my surgery and it was a breeze..in fact he did my endo and a colonoscopy before my surgery. Cindi

Dicev-- I am glad you like the quote. It is how I feel. I get panicked sometimes thinking maybe I am not doing well on this or maybe it won't work..but then I go back to that quote. Failing truly iis NOT an option..I have to make this successful no matter what it takes. Cindi Oh..and by the way..I had to go away this past weekend. I let the folks at the conference know ahead of time that I had a restrictive diet and the chef was amazing. He asked what I ate at home and he prepared pureed/blended foods and Soups for me for each meal. Most times the folks at my table waned what I had! Cindi

Oh Crystal, I am so sorry to hear what you have gone through. I would assume that he will redo it in a couple of months after another strict liver reducing diet. I will keep you in my prayers. Are you experiencing any pain from the surgery or since he just did some exploratory are you feeling pretty healthy? Good luck and keep us posted. Cindi

[[The band is a tool. If a tool isn't used right it can hurt you. You have to go into this knowing that you WILL NOT CHEAT... cheating and self abuse is how we all got fat in the first place.]]quote I refuse to call anything CHEATING> This is a life long process. I can agree that sticling to the post op diet is important..but ice cream is a full liquid. And though it is NOT something one should have on a daily basis I think it is something that needs no criticism. I ate ice cream a ciouple of times...I will say it is in SMALL amounts..about 1/5 to 1/8 of what I used to eat. 1/2 c was more than enough to make me full. And I have lost 11 pounds in two weeks...so I think if I can lose like that and still have an occasional serving , and I mean SERVING, of ice cream...then I will live with that. I have written down everything I have eaten and I will share that with my nutritionist. I am sure i am making a few mistakes..but I am doing well compared to where I was..and I will continue to do better. CINDYLOOWHO...don't eat it every day and don't exceed 1/2 cup but once in a blue moon is probably okay. Cindi

WOW...I guess I am a big baby. I am a kindergarten teacher and I had slews of sick time so I originally asked for two weeks off, but was still feeling tired last week and still sleeping a lot so took three more days this week. The nurse at my school told me to take the rest of the week and even next week if I need it. don't intend to..I feel great right now just tired...also my little ones like to run up and throw themselves around you so I was a teensy bit worried about the port til it was fully healed. Cindi

My pre op diet said tea but didn't say coffee so I went without it. The day of surgery the doc said..pshhtt..you can have coffee. Why did you go without it? SO I drink a cup of coffee each day. It doesn't seem to bother me. They actually gave me coffee in the hospital for breakfast my first day. So I guess for me it is okay. Cindi

WOW..again, everyone has such different directions. I had surgery on 5/5. I was given custard as soon as I left he recovery room and was in my room. I must say I was shocked. I could have full liquids from teh beginning. I cannot say that those first few days I ate much of anything. Some Jello, some Protein shakes... But now I can have mushies and I am eternally grateful. Fish and potatoes and milk in the blender is delish. I went away this past weekend for a conference. I must admit that after the 2 hour drive..that turned into three because I tooka wrong turn, I slept a LOT. I actually didn't get to socialize much at all because I would sleep after all my meetings. The chef was wonderful! He made special meals for me and they were wonderful. I am a teacher and still have not gone back to work. I was planning to go back tomorrow but decided I just was not ready. Still have low energy an dmy kindergartners take a lot of energy! The school nurse has said to stay home all this week and even next if I am not feeling 100%..but I am planning on going back on Thursday. Anyway...our energy will increase each day and we will all be grateful when we can get into smaller clothes or walk longer distances. Cindi

It is so interesting to see all the differences in how we all felt and how we all progressed. I was given custard only a few hours after my surgery! I was actually shocked! I asked for ice chips only moments after waking up. I am still a teeny bit sore in the port area or when I get out of bed or sit up/bend over without thinking of going slowly. (I was banded on 5/5) but overall I am feeling great..tired, very tired. I sleep a lot and usually get a nap in during the day. I do think I need to be more concious of the amount of Protein I am taking in. I cannot figure out how to get in 60 g of protein without a Protein shake. ANd Bridget...I am from Maine too! I had my surgery in Portland. I didn't even know there was a doc in Biddeford doing this surgery! Take care, You all will feel better soon. Cindi

May I just say how encouraging it is to see so many foks here who have lost 100 pounds or more in a year or 14 months! I am SOOOOOOOOOOO encouraged and it is part of what keeps me focused. If y'all can do it, so can I. I lost 90 pounds once on my own in about 14 months but then gained it all back. That is why I did this...I thought I could do the food plan, but I needed a tool to help me keep it off and to help me get refocused if I started gaining it back. Thanks so much folks. Just so you know how very encouraging it is! I think ALL of you have a lot to contribute to a group. And by the way..I love hearing about the struggle part of it as well..cause I know I am not alone. A few people make it sound like it was really easy and they never went off track at all. Perfection is achieved by few>>>but it is great to heat that although the road was bumpy< it led to real weight loss> Cindi

I was right where you are on day 5 and 6. It was toture I felt so hungry. But then I read Salsa's recipes and it made sense that I just needed to make my "soups" more nutritious and hearty. SO I pureed fish and potatos and milk so it was like a chowder and I tried kidney Beans and spaghetti sauce..tasted like chili. Some folks have said that ricotta and cottage cheese and spahetti sauce to a soup texture is also good. My understanding is that all of these will work for full liquid/pureed stage depending on their thickness. I cannot eat more than 1/2-3/4 cup and I am truly full. I guess I am blessed because other than those couple of days between 5-7 I have not felt hungry and small bits of food are satisfying. I can't say I am dropping TONS of weight but I lost 10 ounds since the 5th. I guess that is 10 pounds in 10 days. I'lltake it! Cindi

I understand that one has to have willpower. BUT when someone says to someone who is very hungry and has not yet been filled ..JUST use willpower..the peoblem i have is the JUST, like it is easy. I realize that this is a tool, and I have had to sue willpower a couple of times so far. And I also think there is a difference between using willpower and following doctor's orders..I wouldn't even dare try popcorn or a sandwich at this point. I guess what I was trying to say originally is that for someone to be crying out that they are struggling and feel they are failing at this..saying use your willpower is kind of a slap in the face. I think it needs to be more: Man, I know it is hard BUT here are some things that might help. Just my thoughts Cindi