MistyD65

It is completely normal and even expected for you to stall and, yes, even gain a bit when moving to regular foods post-op. Don't panic. It sounds like you are doing the right thing, although you didn't mention exercise. If you are not exercising already, now is a great time to start. It really makes a difference. As far as fills go, start taking notice of a few things - how much can you eat at one time, how long does it take you to eat, how long is it after a meal before you feel hungry again. You may, indeed, not need a fill right now. I am one of those bandsters who seemed to have some restriction from the beginning. I had one fill of 0.6 cc at 6 weeks post-op (in a 4 cc band) and I have declined fills at my previous two appointments. I like the fact that I can eat pretty much whatever I want, I've never PBed, and my weight is coming off steadily. Yes, there are some times when I wish I was tighter, when my own self-control leaves me and I eat more than I should, but so far those times don't happen that much and I am always able to get back on track. So, give your body a bit of time to adjust to having real food again, exercise, keep being careful with your eating, and be mindful of your hunger and when it occurs. You seem to be on the right track for success!

Oh gosh, Cheetos - the hard ones, not the puffy ones...and the Kroger brand is even better than actual Cheetos to me. I can't get my husband to give up his chips, so there are usually Pringles, tortilla chips, Fritos and cheese curls in the house. Putting them all in a big paper bag works pretty good for me - out of sight, out of mind - but sometimes the salty/crunchy cravings hit. The amazing thing is that 98% of the time I am happy with just a couple of chips, where before I would have eaten half the bag. I'd prefer they were just not in the house though.

I've just gotten back home after visiting my parents for over two weeks. I started out with the best of intentions regarding my eating, but after a few days I stopped trying as hard. When I weighed this morning I was expecting the worst but had, surprisingly, only put on 2.2 pounds. Still, I went carb crazy and need to get that out of my system, so I'm starting detox/5DPT today. I'm looking forward to getting those pounds off, plus more, hopefully. Anxious to get back to Curves, too. Wish me luck!

My experience is similar to Heather's. I don't pass gas any more than before the band, but I do seem to burp more.

There's been some great advice given and I don't really have any to add. I did, however, want to comment on the quote above - for the NP to say that you are "supposed to walk away from the table with the 'stuck' feeling and work through it for the next couple hours until you can eat again" is just unbelievable. Getting stuck is NOT supposed to be something that occurs with every meal. Rather, it is an indicator - you are too tight, you ate too fast or didn't chew well enough or took too big a bite, or maybe this is a food that just isn't going to work for you. I've been banded for 6 months and I have never PBed. The few times I've gotten stuck were because I ate too fast or didn't chew well. Also, for anyone who is frightened by threads such as this, just remember something - the nature of forums such as LBT is that people are more likely to post about problems they are having than about being wildly successful. The folks who are rolling smoothly along with their bands don't really need to come here and post about their experiences, although many do. It's kinda like the news - bad news gets much more coverage than good news. But that's one of the things I appreciate about LBT. It's a "warts and all" source of information, the good and the bad. And it's best to have all of the information you can gather on something that is going to affect the rest of your life the way this surgery will.

Since you have vomited a few times, it wouldn't hurt to do liquids for a couple of days to allow any swelling to go down. But after you've allowed things to rest, if you are still having trouble with solids, you should check back with your doctor.

And that's the hardest thing - Unfortunately, for most of us, "satisfied" is a head thing more than a physical thing. I ran into that very early after moving to soft foods. I ate the recommended amounts for my meals in the recommended time frame (about 20 minutes) and my brain said MORE!! But when I checked my hunger level, I realized that I was no longer physically hungry. So I had to overrule my brain and say "No, I have had all I need." It is not easy, especially when you are a volume eater, as I was, but it does get easier.

The Wendy's chili is probably ok if you are sure to chew it very well. Your breakfast sounds like too much to eat at one time, to me. Maybe 2 eggs OR oatmeal, but not both for one meal. Your best guide is your physician's and/or nutritionist's instructions.

Last week: 247.2 This week: 245.8 Lost 1.4 lbs I'm out of town visiting my parents for a couple of weeks, and I'm determined to stay on target as much as possible. I won't be able to get in my daily Curves workouts, but they have a stationary bike and I brought along some resistance bands - let's see if they ever come out of my suitcase! lol

I weighed today,since I'm going to be out of town tomorrow. 245.8, down 3.6 lbs since the start of the challenge. 6.4 to go!

The Protein Blitz drinks are not in the least bit milky. Give those a try if you can find them. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!

See if you can find Protein Blitz by Designer whey. These are ready-to-drink Protein drinks that, to me, are like drinking Kool-Aid. They come in Grape, Orange Mango, and Fruit Punch. A 20 ounce bottle contains 30 g of protein, 120 calories, 0 fat, 1 g of sugar, and are lactose free. Vitamin Shoppe and GNC carry them. Another you might try is Isopure. They are also clear, fruit-flavored ready-to-drinks, but I didn't like the taste of them nearly as much as I liked Protein Blitz.

TOM = that Time Of the Month

Well, I don't see a thread for this week, so I'll get one started! Last week: 249.4 This week: 247.2 Loss: 2.2 lbs

PB is "productive burp", which often happens when some food gets stuck and won't go through the stoma, usually accompanied by sliming, which is thick saliva produced by the body to try to help move whatever is stuck. PBing is different than vomiting in that when you vomit, food that has already passed through the band into the lower stomach moves back up through the band. You want to avoid vomiting, but PBing occurs fairly often if you are too tight, don't chew well, or eat a "problem food". Here's a list of commonly used abbreviations: Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum - FAQ: Lap-band Abbreviations

I was just about to ask this same question. I noticed that the "Thread Starter" designation stopped appearing during the last week. I miss it, too! As Marianne said, it is a useful addition to threads, especially longer ones.

This morning before beginning my workout at Curves I decided to hop on their scale...the good, old-fashioned balance type scale. And, lo and behold, I had to move the large slider from the 250 notch down to the 200 notch!!! I haven't been able to do that since 1993! I love my Lap Band!

That's the one..in Crossroads Plaza.

I'm a little confused. I've always thought that the numbers after the decimal point in our weights refer to tenths of a pound, but I've noticed most here referring to them as ounces. But aren't there 16 ounces in a pound? So, if my math is correct, each tenth of a pound is just over 1 1/2 ounces - give yourself credit for every little bit you've lost!!

11 am is fine. You know, I've been dying for some French onion soup from La Madeline. Would there be ok? I'm pretty easy. Might be a good idea to exchange cell numbers too (in PMs of course!)

Last week 249.4 This week 247.2 Loss 2.2 lbs!! Woohoo!!! Holiday gain plus another 1.6 gone!

My "official" WI is every Friday morning, so I'll post my weight tomorrow. I'd rather just stick to my one weigh-day.

Awww, we'll miss you! We'll definitely plan something again soon. Gloucester, looks like it is just you and me for Saturday. Are we still on?

Yeah, there is really no such thing as "normal" when it comes to fills. There are so many different factors that come into play. Make sure, when you go for your fill, that you can express to your doctor how you have been doing with hunger and eating. Be able to answer these questions about yourself: How much do you eat at a time? How soon after eating do you feel hungry again? How long does it take you to eat a meal? What are you eating? All of those things will help your doctor determine an appropriate fill for you.