2muchfun

It's a little early to be concerned over not losing weight. How long have you been in a plateau? Can't be very long since you were banded 2 months ago. Most people would love to have your success so far. A 2 month plateau may be time to be concerned, but a week or two is nothing. Just keep on doing what you're doing. It's all about math. Burn more calories than you consume for success. tmf

If our pouch is behaving as it should, shouldn't the food be pushed through the band in one minute? Would your situation be an example of a pouch that is not behaving normal? I can see if the band is too tight that food may not go through in one minute, but for me, I can eat two bites and be stuck if I am too tight, eat too big or too fast. For me, the discomfort of having more than two bites in my pouch is very uncomfortable and it stops me from eating anything until the obstruction is cleared. Stuffing 1 cup or even 1/2 cup in my pouch would be incredibly painful and ultimately impossible. Are you saying that your pouch did not give off any indication that it was full, such as a stuck episode? I do recall maybe a year ago someone else reported a dilated pouch and esophogus and it puzzled me as to how that could happen since getting stuck is so uncomfortable for me that I can't imagine dilating my pouch or esophogus due to the pain involved? I did notice that a small study indicated that this happens with patients with pre-existing conditions? "Patients with pre-existing LES insufficiency appear to be at risk for pouch dilatation and esophageal decompensation despite normal band position and normal stomal width" Well, that sucks huh? Good luck. Are you going to have your band removed, unfilled or stay the course? tmf

2 weeks isn't much of a plateau and yes, you are only in the beginning of your journey. Many more miles ahead for you.

Kool, I don't measure at all. I think early on I did but after some time you know how much you're eating and once your band is adjusted properly the band will help you make that decision. But, to answer your question, a measuring cup is the amount you are too eat. Some things like salads will be more than one cup and I wouldn't be concerned over a pile of spinach, cucumbers, lettuce etc. Just try to keep the Protein and carbs within one measuring cup. jmo tmf

Doubtful. You should be eating real food to make the band works it's magic. Slider foods like this may be healthy but they don't give the satiety a real band friendly meal would give. Proteins from meat, vegetables and fruit can stimulate the vagus nerve so that you are more satisfied for longer periods. jmo tmf

The sweet spot for many of us is when you can eat one cup of food and feel satisfied for 4-5 hours. The sweet spot or green zone is elusive and transparent. I had it for many months and didn't know it. I caved to my head hunger/cravings since I wasn't able to tell the difference. Feeling full is not the same as being in the green zone. That just means you ate too much. Hopefully it's more apparent to you. tmf

Good news, bad news is? I can eat steak as long as it's tenderloin(most expensive) and sometimes a real good ribeye. Very small bites, lots of chewing and I'm full with 6-8 ozs. Small side salad maybe? How often do I partake? Maybe once every month or 6 weeks. For some reason steak just doesn't appeal to me like it once did. I guess that's one of the benefits or downfalls of the band. Some of the foods that once gave me pleasure, are now just another bland food. It comes and goes too. So, don't even think about a sirloin or any leftover steak after you start feeling restriction. Leftover meat is usually dry and can cause a stuck episode. tmf

Looking good dude. LOL..great placement of the door handle in that first pic!

I too was told before surgery that some foods will be off limits. Steak, bread, some fibrous fruits, rice and so on. So far, I can eat anything as long as I eat like a bandster. tmf

You're new to the forum so take what I say with an apology up front. You've hijacked this thread. It's not a problem since many of us do it. But, just so you know, when you do this, only a handful of people will see your post and you won't get many responses. To get the most exposure you should start your own topic in any of the forums and your topic will appear on the right side of the page where hundreds of people can see it and offer you great advice. I know hijack seems like a volatile word but it's really not. And I'm only responding so that in the future you will receive more and better advice? Having said that, my doctor didn't require a pre-op diet so I'm not much help. As far as exercise goes, I needed no motivation. I already know that I've always been more successful losing weight when I exercise. Start by walking, then maybe jogging. I prefer biking. Some here like to bike on the roads but I'm a chicken**** and only bike on walking/biking paths. Exercise for me has to be fun and something I enjoy. If you hate walking or working out in a gym, you probably won't be likely to do it. Good luck! tmf PS...I like your kitty. I have 4.

"Nobody likes a lecture".....Oh the irony! Lecturing the forum to not lecture in one of your first posts is quite ironic isn't it? I don't know if your comment looked good in your mind or are you just staking out your territory as the new kid on the playground? Many people come here for advice. Some may look at the advice as a lecture, others may see it as guidance to make it through some tough times. Some people come to the forum and need support, positive support, some come to inspire others with their success and others need a kick in the a$$. Many members only post supportive comments. Some of us(me) seem to lean more towards the no bull, just the facts kind of comments that can be misconstrued to be mean or lecturous. Take the comments as you want, leave the ones you don't want. Sorry if this sounds like a lecture, it's not. It's advice from just one forum member. Welcome to the forum and I look forward to your supportive comments! tmf

Symptoms of pouch enlargement include lack of satiety, heartburn, regurgitation and occasional chest pain. I've never had it, and I've only seen one other on this forum who had a dilated pouch. For most of us it would be very painful to continually overfill our pouch, so I don't think it's a very common problem with the band.

This topic comes up so often you should just use this comment(minus catfish) as a template. Or do you already?

That's just not right? If you can eat regular food and it passes through your stoma but water can't, that makes no sense? I would speak to your doctor and or nutritionist? Fluids should have no problem passing through the band.

Slider food will only give you satiety for about 1-2 hrs.imo So, if you're good for 3 or more hours you're fine. I think I look more for the low glycemic index type meals. I love the enchilada suiza but it's mostly carbs so I don't eat many of them. The turkey with green Beans is very low in carbs and low GI.

Great post!!

It's only excess fluids evacuating your body. Once you start a regular diet much of it can return. tmf

I agree with your mindset. Starting fresh and at the beginning is best. tmf

I have one or two of these a week myself and I do like the smart ones over lean cuisine. Just be aware that most of these are slider foods, so they just slide through your pouch without giving you the satiety a normal fresh meal would give you. You may feel satisfied for a shorter period of time. And yes, the sodium and carb counts are sky high so be careful. There are a couple that are lower in carbs but for the most part they're all too high in salt and carbs. tmf

Is your "Local doctor" a bariatrics surgeon or your PCP? The point here is that using an outdated/discontinued product increases the chances of a failure. I would imagine more than 50% of the 4CC band product experience success, but wouldn't it be safer to use a more reliable product? There's a reason why surgery south of the border is so much cheaper? If a Mexican surgeon has very little exposure to follow-ups, it's quite easy to offer a less effective product since there is little chance a patient will make the trek to have a revision(if that's even possible)? tmr

Bananas are one of the foods that many of us have problems with? How about real food, like fish, chicken, salads, veggies? Can you eat an apple if you chew it up good?

For you newbies, here's a post link that is a must see. It was posted by Alex the creator of this site and is loaded with information. I recommend you watch each video. Some of the information may conflict with what your doctor or nutritionist might tell you so always follow your own doctors orders: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/167435-look-at-my-face/#entry1967504

Most doctors want you to be on liquids for 24 hours and then soft/pureed for 24 hours before eating normal food? Did he not say? Most people you speak of are a few days out from a fill. A fill can cause irritation to the stomach lining at the bandsite which can also cause some swelling. This swelling minimizes the stoma/hole between pouch and stomach. That's why they want us to take it easy after a fill? Be careful. Don't eat any pizza or hard solid food right away or you may meet Mr. Stuck accompanied by Miss Slime. tmf

We have a few band bashers. Their problem is that facts are not on their side so they use hyperbole and opinions to support their claims. You will find support, advice and guidance here. Your doctor should always be your first source for diet requirements, pre and post op dietary plans, pain and fill questions? We have hundreds of successful bandsters here. We have just as many who are struggling but come here for advice. Good luck on your journey and don't fear because you won't be alone. tmf

Well, then you better learn to eat very small and chew very big if you don't want to get stuck. But, the reality is, you probably will get stuck at some time if your band is adjusted properly. There are some lucky ones who managed to lose a lot of weight with no or few fills so they don't have the restriction that some of us have. I'd like to think these patients have a very sensitive vagus nerve that doesn't need a lot of stimulation to give them the satiety feeling that seems so fleeting for many of us. For me, it's no big deal. It's uncomfortable and inconvenient, but it's also a sign your band may be near or at the ideal fill level. tmf