greyhoundmom

i feel so bad that you went thru all that! the tip about the hot tea may help many of us out of that situation should we run have a 'long slime' like that! take care!

hi! i haven't been having obvious anxiety symptoms as much as mood swings. and i agree, it's food related. i used to be able to eat something to calm me down. now i'm trying not to do that and i feel it. yesterday was particularly bad. phew. my poor husband. i'm hoping as i get my plan together too - that this will level out. our bodies have been thru a lot with this surgery and all the changes. the recovery from surgery is stressful, anticipating how the band will respond to what we eat can be stressful (for me for sure!) and the difference in food and the impact on brain chemicals all add up to a rocky road for a while until we get used to all of this! hang in there. we are on the right path. i find i'm not sleeping very well either. i'm more comfortable in bed because i'm smaller but i'm waking up and can't get back to sleep. i think it's all the same thing - this big life change. take care and be extra nice to yourself when you feel anxious. i've had panic attacks in the past and working hard to keep your mind thinking 'this will pass and i'm ok' will make it a little easier.

hi! cream of wheat works for me but i have to put a lot more Water in it than the packet says - it has to be runny. otherwise it is too think. i have had 2 slime experiences. both from left over bbq chicken that i microwaved. it gets too dry. my experiences have only been about 5 and 15 minutes. 3 hours - that must have been horrible! i had lot of pain with it too - could tell something was stuck. i have also heard that cold tightens the band. i drink iced tea all day long and it's ok for me. but as others have said, cold tightens and maybe you are having a stomach spasm from the cold too. i had that when i started Optifast because i was putting ice in the drinks and they were shocking my stomach. maybe try room temperature drinks for a little while. maybe this is just temporary.. good luck!

hi all! i feel a lot like you do fluffy cat. i just went grocery shopping the end of last week and bought some good stuff so i can cook (healthy stuff but i can cook again - as i haven't been so much - my husband has been having take out or frozen meals while i try to figure out what i can/should eat!). i was surprised to find i wanted to cook! then i had my nutritionist appointment last thursday and she suggested another fill - for me that means 4 days of liquids so i won't be able to cook after all! for at least this coming week - my 2nd fill will be monday afternoon. i think we can still cook and enjoy our food - just in a different way. it's something we have to learn and get used to. it's nice that we have to go slowly with eating - because i find that i savor what i eat a lot more than i used to - and i look forward to it even if it's just a small amount! when i want to eat something and i start and my band says stop, i find i get frustrated because i want to eat more of what i'm eating - not even a lot 1 cup instead of 3/4 cup! but then i think, well it's doing its job then i feel better mentally. stress and boredom definately lead me to want to eat. i have the 100 calorie snack pack Cookies and i take my time and have one of those. it helps. and it's only 100 calories. as long as i limit myself to 1 pack. it is a learning experience that's for sure! for boredom i try to distract myself by doing something (can be very hard when you are in that 'i don't feel like doing anything' mode). for stress, i try a small treat like the 100 calorie cookies or a sugar free pudding cup. i should/will eventually learn not to think of eating in these situations, but i'm not there yet. oh, and i find almost 8 weeks out after banding, i'm still pretty moody. my husband totally puts up with me thankfully. i agree pridej we have to think of ourselves during this transition period until all this becomes '2nd nature' which i hope it will eventually!

hi! my dr. requires 2 days of clear liquids and then 2 days of full liquids after EVERY fill - before returning to solid foods. it's a pain really. the PA says it's in case the fill irritates the stomach. i have a fill monday and am not looking forward to liquids all week. the good side is the pounds do come off faster on liquids..!

hi there, i'm with you - i've been a bit stuck and i do exercise! i can relate to your back pain - i was out of commission for 3 months last year due to a back injury and it was awful to not be able to exercise and move around well. take care! someone posted somewhere out here recently that she was advised to have a 1 day high calorie day every 1 or 2 weeks. i have read that in other literature too that it helps boost fat burning/metabolism. like 2000 calories in 1 day then go back to normal. if you've been to curves, the book they have on diet and exercise suggests this type of thing also. i haven't tried it. but am considering it. since i eat so little, i'd need to eat higher calorie food for 1 day. i love avocado and have avoided nuts - i might add a little of both - good suggestions! i have a fill appointment tomorrow to see if i can get a little more help from the band. hang in there - this is a sometimes very slow process!

hi there, i recommend this book! it has a wealth of info on how to live with the band and pre-op stuff too! [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Laparoscopic-Adjustable-Gastric-Banding-Achieving/dp/0595311148/ref=pd_bbs_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217524353&sr=8-3]Amazon.com: Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding: Achieving Permanent Weight Loss with Minimally Invasive Surgery: Jessie H. Ahroni Ph.D. A. R. N. P.: Books[/ame] my surgeon said to call immediately if there's any vomiting - to get a prescription to stop it. (tho i would rather have it on hand already - that's a great idea!). you could slip your band (so i've read) but once it's healed in place after surgery it's probably less likely especially if you follow your dr's orders. but it could happen. it's one of the risks. some people - maybe most? - do vomit some from eating with the band but i hear it's much less intense - more like a big burp. that type of vomiting is different than when you are sick from the flu (less forceful). hope this helps!

triser72 - i have the opposite problem - i get bored without food! i eat my little bit, get full and then want more but am full so i stop. then i feel very bored and make myself get involved in something non-food related. this is very interesting to me. i already knew i ate when bored. and this definately proves it to me even more! i find that what i do eat, like you snuffy, is precious since it's so small and i pick what is so tasty, that i'm not bored with food itself. so far. i think the idea of treating yourself to good and different stuff is a great idea! might perk up your taste buds (but not too much). i need a lot of mental challenge or i get bored and stuck in a funk. so i have noticed since surgery i am getting back into hobbies and social things that i believe i may have replaced at least some with food before. for a snack, i've been using the 'Protein 2 go' packets from GNC. they are 10 grams of good quality protein and you put them in Water and shake them up. mixes nicely most of the time and tastes pretty good. 50 calories. other than a cold bottle of water which you get can most places, no need for microwave. when i'm in my car, this is a great snack!

hi all, long2bethin - wow you are making great strides! 7 lbs in 2 weeks is so fast! i'm sorry about your gallbladder tho. i hope that goes well and you feel better quickly! i still have mine and hope it stays healthy. i had my nutrition appointment today and i seem to be averaging about 1.25 lbs per week. she suggested i move up my 2nd fill so i just called. they can do it monday! i was surprised that it would be so soon but it works out - the following week i'll be on vacaton and i don't want to be on liquids then. i'm hoping for a very small fill because i don't eat much as it is. but i have been up to about a cup or a cup and 1/2 at a time and that is definately more than i was able to eat when i was losing faster. long way to go but this band is doing it's job - tells me when to stop and before surgery that sure wasn't happening!

thanks fluffycat! a lesson well learned believe me! i don't want to do that again if i can help it - and i can if i listen to my body and the band!

i'm having the same learning issue - i was in a hurry to eat before going out last night and i had left over chicken. not much but it must have been too dry. first time ever sliming. yuck. i had pain and thought oh i have to eat so i can leave so i just slowed down and chewed more. WRONG. i should have stopped eating with the first pain. i paid with the sliming but after 10 minutes, all was well and i left the house for my appointment. just had liquid Protein last to make sure i had some nutrition! today, i hope to be a little smarter after this experience! i'm trying to 'embrace hunger' in that i don't treat it as urgent - it's just a message that i do need to eat something soon. not right this minute. i have hypoglycemia and before surgery hunger meant imminent low blood sugar so eat immediately. and now, i am just hungry. not having a low that forces me to eat right away. it's interesting how the low blood sugar has gone away!

hi! if you are willing to change your lifestyle then that's what counts. if you do that AND use the band - and have patience - i believe it'll work out fine. it is not magic but it is a miracle. it's up to each of us to make it work. i had the same fears going into this as you chic28. i knew i was committed to making it work. i read some posts here before hand and had to stop because it was scaring me out of it. only you know yourself and if you believe you can do it you will. also, the band program i went thru had very good information on what and how much to eat and that really helped make this work. and what i couldn't find thru them, i found in books - look out on amazon - there are good books out there to help you make the most of this tool. some days my attitude is not so good, other days it is great. just like before surgery. but now i have the band to help me even more than just sheer determination and i'm glad i did it. i would do it again. i'm slowly losing and sometimes i get stuck (the scale that is) but then it moves down again. this is not easy. it's not fast (tho for some people i can see it is faster than for others). in all honesty, i think people who think this is a quick fix are the most sorely disappointed. this is a huge learning process and you have to work with the band to make it work. and with your dr. to get to the right fill level for you.

hi, this whole process is as much mental as it is physical. just getting the band - even with 5cc's prefilled (as mine was) does not mean you'll lose weight. you have to change your habits to work with the band. it's a tool. it's not like gastric bypass that makes you lose weight no matter what you do - at least for the first year it seems. today i'm having 'goldfish' crackers as a snack and sure they go down fine and all but i KNOW i should not be eating them. i need to throw them away - make a decision - and stop having empty calories even tho they 'fit' and 'don't make me sick'. why am i eating them? they taste good. that's about it. it's up to me to make good food decisions to lose weight - even with the band in place. this is just like any other program in that there are rules and you have to figure them out and find what works for your body and your band. if anyone is thinking the band is a cure in itself for obesity is misinformed and maybe needs to do more research. a friend just asked me today - is this easy? i said heck no, it is not easy and if you think is, you are probably looking at the wrong procedure. is it effective? yes. but it takes a lot of work and patience and trail and error. i would like a quick fix for sure. realistically, it's not going to be quick. what ever is anyway?

hi there, anyone having trouble with any foods in particular? i have tried canned salmon (like tuna but i don't like tuna) with low-fat mayo 2 times now and even with mashing it with a fork then chewing it like mad - it feels stuck - can't eat much of it. first time, i got pain across my stomach to both sides so i stopped immediately. today, just got a lot of pressure but not the pain - that's only after a 2-3 ounces at most. so far that's it for me. i have been cautious and haven't tried too much yet. i'm on full soft foods now. had fun grocery shopping today - getting some REAL food!

hi kevinsmom, i've heard that if something seems 'stuck' drinking something acidic - like juice (one emergency room nurse said they actually have you drink meat tenderizer dissolved in water when someone is stuck at the emergency room! BLECK!) - may help dissolve it and move it along. sorry to hear about your troubles -hope it clears up fast. if you go to the dr. let us know what they say because i'm sure it could happen to any of us! good luck!

hi all! i think this is the best thread yet! congratulations everyone!! i hope pre-ops find there way here for encouragement! i went clothes shopping yesterday while my car was getting fixed and i had no choice but to hang around nearby. i was a little scared to shop. my 'fattest' clothes hang on me but i can still technically wear some of them. i don't want to buy much knowing i will (and praying i will) continue to lose lbs and not need the interim sizes for long.. so. i went to avenue (hopefully for the LAST TIME tho that store has been a life saver for me for years) and i was absolutely shocked to go from a tight and frantic size 26 pants (before surgery and Optifast pre-surgery) to a loose 20!! even 1 pair of 18 shorts FIT! i bought just 1 outfit. and underwear (bra size from a 44 to a 38- i actually got measured because my old bras are coming unhooked on me as i walk around during the day).i didn't buy any more because i'm waiting to go down more. and i don't even know what the heck i want to wear now anyway - i'm so used to crappy clothes. what style? what colors? i don't know but it'll be fun eventually figuring that out! YEAH! i think i said 'oh my god i don't believe this' out loud in the dressing room when those 18's zipped up! cathychatts - congratulations on your promotion - that is great news - especially in this economy - good for you! i'm not flying till november and i'm so pysched like many of you are to fit in the seat with comfort! finally! keep up the good work everyone - it is work! but finally now it is something that DOES work!

hi everyone! i think we can all relate to what's being said here in one way or another! i too find i'm emotional at times. and while i do have restriction (don't hate me but i have since surgery and my first fill made it slightly more - 5.5 (5 was prefilled at surgery) in a 10cc band) i get frustrated because i still want to eat after my band tells me to stop! so that's another take on it. many people gave me great advice before surgery - one told me "this is an individual journey - it's different for all of us but eventually we wind up with the scale going down". the amount of patience we need to have and the faith that we must have in this process is enormous. so hang in there and know it's going to take time. it will work. it's a matter of when and how but we are all over the hump of the surgery and that's a huge huge step!

hi there, i just passed the 30 lb mark today - YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 31 lbs down. i did optifast 5 weeks before surgery so this includes that - 17 lbs since surgery on 6/10. this band WORKS just have to have patience!

hi there, you all sound wonderful!!!!!!!! congratulations! i seem to be having ups and downs. not about the band - i'm glad about that - just in general. i'm waiting for the ups to break thru! i'm sure they will! the ups are really nice - i am hopeful and excited about the future just like you all sound! we spent last night on a tall ship at a catered event and i had Water and 2 appetizers while about a zillion were going by on trays for hours. i was proud of myself but i actually got sea sick (not all the way sick but quesy and i thought i was going to lose it) and i couldn't believe it. i've never been sea sick in my life and i've been on a lot of boats! the weather here has been very hot and humid and that is not my favorite - keep same inside - so that's probably it. i'm starting a meditation class this week and i'm excited about that! i can't seem to still my mind. continued happiness everyone!

congratulations cathychatts on your restriction and your exercise! last night the band did it's job for me - again! - i had more on my plate but i was full and that was it. i really wanted more in my brain but my band said no. so now i am having the leftovers for lunch today. it is amazing how this thing works! enjoy the restriction!

hi flowers, i had restriction after surgery - turns out my 10cc band was prefilled with 5cc's at surgery. so some do have restriction right out of surgery even after swelling goes down. i have not had much to eat since surgery because of the restriction (which i think is good!). i'm going on a cruise too! not till november tho! have fun everyone!

hi all, went to the beach today and i felt so much more comfortable walking thru the sand! it wasn't as hard as it used to be. and my bath suit still fits but there's plenty of room in there and not that long ago i was busting out of it! it was hot but i wasn't sweating profusely like i used to. all NSV's! oh, we ate at a seafood place and i used to just love fried clams (well yes i still do and i did feel envious a little). but i was also sickened by the HEAPS of fried food that the people around me were eating! i would have liked 1 fried clam at least but i had a small lobster bisque (not low fat i know - but pureed and a small portion and indeed very good!). from this new perspective, i can definately see why obesity is such an epidemic! if i can survive just fine on this small amount of food - it shows we clearly do not need such volume and thus we are overeating oursevles to death. i think this now even tho i thought my portion choices before surgery were usually moderate and appropriate. interesting to hear others saying similar things - about how they feel seeing others eat 'regular' portions of food!

no trouble, this is a good thread - i've learned about smooth king - never heard of it before and i'm sure others will enjoy the gladiator! i have to be serious about sugar in any form - so do others i'm sure but pobably not the majority of people. thanks for bringing this up!

hi moe128! i'm in raymond nh - between manchester and the beach! asimmons, you can get the nutrition stats at this site for the gladiator (click on nutrition info link below). they don't show carbs and sugar for just that one drink - it's got dashes instead of 0's or numbers. my guess is it varies depending on which 2 fruits you pick so they can't put the stats on their website. Nutritional Information for 20 oz. Size — smoothie King Gladiator® 180----1-45150-Build Up see the dashes - that doesn't mean 0 - other drinks have 0's when they mean 0.. it still sounds yummy. the low-carb ones sound good too - but they seem high fat (typical low-carb i guess)!

this has been a strange event for me! my chairs are suddenly feeling too low - my desk chair at work - my car seat in my car. i felt suddenly like i was sitting on the floor a couple of days ago! couldn't see out my car very well. felt sunken in front of my computer. then i realized i had to raise up both chairs! i think because my butt and thighs have gotten smaller, all that extra padding is no longer propping me up in my chairs!! how weird (and excellent!) is that??