MistyD65

Hi everyone! Sorry, I've been out of town helping take care of a sick friend for almost 2 weeks, but I'm back home now. We definitely need to plan another get-together - we've not been successful in getting a big group together yet, but I'm still hoping for it.

The best thing to do is to follow the eating plan your doctor or nutritionist has given you. For example, I was to eat 3 oz of tender chicken, turkey, fish or pork and 1/2 cup of veggies for supper during the soft foods stage. For lunch I'd have 1/2 cup of chicken or tuna salad with 6 crackers. I often felt like I could eat more, but when I really checked with myself, I found that I was no longer hungry after eating the recommended amounts. So, the *wanting* to eat more was just that - a want. And doing what I *wanted* regarding eating is what got me overweight to begin with.:biggrin:

Welcome to LBT! Make sure to check out the Houston area threads in the Texas Support Groups forum Texas Local Lap-Band Support - Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum . I live in Katy and have met lots of Houston folks here...even some in person! It's great to have access to others on this journey. You'll probably learn more here than from your doctors... lol...I like to call it "warts and all". You'll hear about the hard parts, the frustrations, the "I didn't know it was going to be like this" as well as the triumphs, joys, and excitement of the band. Ask questions, explore, read, then ask more questions. An educated bandster is more likely to be a successful bandster. I look forward to hearing more of your story!

My port is tilted too. And my surgeon said about the same thing - that we'll watch it and it will probably have to be fixed in the future. Sometimes I have a sensation that it is pulling at the remaining stitches; nothing painful, really, just a momentary slight pinprick. I go back for my second fill on the 27th, so I guess we'll see then if it has moved any more.

Keep trying with your insurance company, but please don't consider taking out a loan if you have no job and no way to pay it back. You don't want that hanging over your head.

Last week: 265.2 This week: 265.0 2 tenths lost this week. 39 total since surgery. 40 is in my sights!!!!:smile: Woo hoo for tenths of pounds! lol I wasn't really expecting to lose any, and wouldn't have been surprised by a gain, since it is that TOM and I've had the munchies all week. But I have worked out at Curves every day and my "pre-munchie" calorie count is usually a little low. So the extras may actually have helped. Also, when I give into my munchies it is much different than it used to be. I can be happy with 2 chips or a few pieces of candy corn, or 1/8th of a Reece's Peanut Butter pumpkin that I cut into pieces, put into a ziplock bag, and hid behind the butter in the refrigerator.:frown:

She HAS tried to get a fill from her doctor and she posted this thread to ask for advice in finding another doctor, or place to get fills.

I like to roll it around a low-fat string cheese stick.

Hi Stardaly and welcome! I really wanted to use Dr. St. Laurent, but he is not in my network and my insurance won't cover ANYTHING for an out-of-network bariatric surgeon. I am happy with Dr. Ricardo Bonnor though, and he is very close to home. He has also just joined the Journey Lite staff. I've been trying to get a Katy/Cypress area support group going, but Ike kind of shook things up. A few of us have met, and had a blast. It's wonderful to be able to talk with people who are on the same journey. Where in Houston are you? If you are in my neck of the woods, and interested, I'll add you to our list. I'm a bit embarassed to admit that, like Kacee, my weight has really been coming off since surgery. I read about so many folks struggling, yet I'm having a relatively easy time of it (knock wood). I'm 10 weeks out and have lost 38 pounds. And I really feel that I have made some strides towards thinking like a "normo" (as Jack calls them) regarding food. My first big epiphany came a couple of days into the soft foods phase. I had finished eating the amount of food that I was supposed to, took stock of myself and realized that my hunger was sated. However, I was kind of surprised to realize that, regardless of not being hungry, I still wanted to eat more. Realization #1: Thin people stop eating when they are no longer hungry, overweight people stop eating when they have had all they want or when it is all gone. There have also been some moments, when I am about to prepare a meal, that I find myself almost upset about the small amount of food I'm about to eat. It didn't matter that I knew I would no longer be hungry after eating that small amount. I wanted to eat a LOT, darn it!! But, being aware of that feeling, I was able to face it down and get past it. I'm still fighting the "eating for entertainment and to combat boredom" monster, but it is getting easier and easier.

It's hard to make a suggestion without knowing what else is going on. Are you following your surgeon's eating plan, eating proteins first, staying away from "slider" foods, getting enough calories, exercising regularly?

I've always thought that if you weren't "lined up" just right when using a bidet, there'd be water everywhere. But I've never tried one, so that's just my impression.:thumbup:

Oh wow, that class looks like it would be SO much fun! And I didn't realize the teacher was a guy until he started talking.:confused: That's great!! And congrats on your loss Roheryn. Last week: 268.6 This week: 265.2:hurray: Loss: 3.4 pounds!!! Total: 38.8 pounds!!! I worked at at Curves every day this week, plus worked in the yard for a couple of hours several days. For some reason I decided to jump on the scale Wednesday, only to be up 4 pounds from last week. But when I weighed on Thursday (after giving in to an oatmeal raisin cookie on Wednesday after my workout) those 4 were gone, plus an extra 2. I tell you, eating in the middle to upper range of my recommended calories really seems to work for me. Off to Curves now.

Breakfast: Lite Yogurt (80c/7p), Scrambled Egg (70c/6p), low-fat shredded cheese (13c/1.6p) Lunch: 1/2 cup Tuna or chicken salad made with Tostitos Spinach Dip and sugar-free sweet pickle relish (tuna 137c/22p, chicken 177c/24p) 15 All-Bran Crackers (108c/1.65p) Dinner: 3 oz of ground beef, chicken, fish or pork (140-160c/22-26p); 1/2 cup of vegetables or potato or refried Beans. Snacks: string cheese, Protein drink, etc. if my calorie/protein count allows...and sometimes if it doesn't Even before my first fill, I was only able to eat about 1 cup of food at a time. When I reach a cup, I really start to feel it - like a stitch in my side, but at the position of the band. The food does seem to pass on through afterwards pretty quickly, because I start feeling hungry again after about 2 hours. Plus, occasionally, I've gone out to eat and have had no problems. At a pizza buffet I had one slice of pizza and a salad. At a mexican restaurant I split a fajita dinner with a friend (didn't eat the tortillas or rice, but did have several chips and salsa) and another time had my favorite burrito but only ate half, plus had my first post-surgery margarita (took about 3 hours to drink it lol). When I found myself out and about at lunch time, I got chik-fil-a nuggets. And you know what? When I started giving myself some leeway (within reason and wisely) I started losing more weight! And I feel like I am actually having times where I think like a thin person regarding food! Not all the time, of course, but more and more often. And I'm excited about that!!:wink2:

Hi all you August Bandsters! If you haven't already, make sure you check out the August 2008 Bandsters Support Group here on LBT. August 2008 Bandsters - Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum

If you stop and think about it, the way we ate before getting banded, the way of eating that caused us to need the band, is NOT normal; it's not the way a person of appropriate weight eats. I for one don't want to go back to that. I do understand what you mean though. The first month or so, until you start introducing regular solid foods back into your diet, can make you feel like a bit of an outcast. It is a shame that so many social things seem to revolve around eating and drinking.

I've had a pair of FitFlops for a while. I saw them advertised on the Bath and Body Works website and tracked some down at Macy's. I don't know that they've really done anything for me, fitness-wise, but they are pretty comfortable for flip-flops. They run about $50.

Days off of work really depends on each person, I think, and on your surgeon's recommendation, of course. I had no ill effects from the anesthesia but some do, and that can really effect your recovery time. As far as the post-op diet, each surgeon is different in what he requires after surgery. The first 4-6 weeks are really for healing-letting the band settle into place, letting the stitches that hold the part of your stomach that is wrapped around the band completely heal, letting the swelling go down. Eventually you will be able to eat most of the things you eat now, but you have to listen to your body and band. Many find they can no longer eat soft breads, Pasta, rice, stringy meats, and so on. Some have no problem with them at all. You DO have to change your eating habits though. Healthy foods, with an emphasis on low-fat Proteins, should be your way of eating for the rest of your life with the band. That's not to say that every once in a while you can't splurge and have a treat. But the band is just a tool - it's up to you to learn how to use it correctly and apply it. These forums have a wealth of information on both the good and the bad of lap band, so read, read, read! Best of luck as you take your first steps on this exciting journey.

I also was only on clear liquids the day of surgery, but then moved to "modified full liquids" for 3 weeks, which was basically clear liquids (water, broth, diluted juices, Crystal Light, popcicles, etc.) plus protein drinks. From there I moved to soft foods.

Well, each surgeon has different recommendations for post-banding diets, but I think the following are some pretty universal "Band Rules": Take small bites Chew, chew, chew, chew, chew. And then chew some more. Don't drink before, during or after meals. (This one has lots of variations. My surgeon says stop drinking 30 minutes before a meal and don't drink until 1 hour after.) Eat your Proteins first. I'm sure these will be added to as more people post.

Go back and read your post and weigh your successes since banding against this one "trespass." You should really be proud of yourself for what you have accomplished on your own. Everyone falls off the wagon every now and then. Just get back up on it!:tongue2: And don't put too much importance on the one pound you gained after last night. Instead, get back on track, weigh in on your regular day next week, and you'll probably see that this one evening of debauchery (lol) didn't have as much effect as you feared. However, there is no shame in getting a fill if you think this could become a common occurrence. After all, that's why you went to the expense and effort to get banded - to have a tool to help in your weight loss. Just curious - has your doctor given you an explanation for his pushing you for a fill, even with your success without one?

Getting too few calories can keep you from losing. I stalled out for a couple of weeks after moving to soft foods. I was getting 700-800 calories a day. Once I got myself to 1000 or more, the weight started dropping off again. And consider only weighing yourself once a week. I started out weighing myself every day right after surgery, because it was so exciting to see the pounds coming off. But after a couple of weeks, when things slow down, it is just frustrating to weigh daily. There are going to be daily fluctuations - up and down - in your weight for a myriad of reasons. So don't set yourself up for frustration by weighing daily.

I have United Health Care and they would not pay ANYTHING for an out of network doctor for weight-loss surgery. If you are in Humble, you should check out Journey Lite. JourneyLite - lapband, lap band, LAP-BAND, LAP BAND, Realize band, weight loss, weight loss surgery, weight-loss, weight-loss surgery, Houston, Tampa, Cincinnati Unfortunately, they are not a Bariatric Center of Excellence, which was another requirement from my United Health Care insurance. Good luck in your search!

Last week 270.2 lbs This week 768.6 lbs Down 1.6 this week!! And I'm out of the 270's!! 35.5 total!!:w00t: And I start at Curves today. In fact, I'm due there in 17 minutes!! Bye!

Personally, I'm staying away from all carbonation. The discomfort most people report from it far outweighs any benefit or pleasure it might give.

I've been on soft foods for almost 5 weeks now. I am supposed to be getting between 1000-1200 calories a day, but for the first couple of weeks was only getting 700-900. My weight loss slowed to a crawl, lucky to lose a pound a week. Lately, I've been more consistent in getting over 1000 a day, and in the couple of weeks that I've been doing so, I've lost 3 pounds each week. I do think that my body was holding tight to everything it could get when I was eating under 1000 calories. I had the same experience when I was on the Points program at Weight Watchers about 10 years ago (when it first came out). I lost more weight when I would eat at the high end of the Points range. So yes, I do think it can be a problem if you are not eating enough each day. My nutritionist recommends 1000-1200 calories a day, or 1200-1400 depending on activity level.