2muchfun

You're right, it is crazy. You can still eat the foods you love, only you won't be able to eat them by the wheelbarrow anymore. No one can take the spoon out of your hand but you. Most all of us had some kind of attach before being banded but 15 lbs could make your doc cancel your surgery if you can't get yourself under control by June.

I hear ya! Sometimes I just sit back and say screw it. I'm too tired to eat any longer. Never thought eating so slowly would be a weight loss bonus

I don't recommend my way, but here's what I did. The band seemed to make me eat less from the start, but I could still eat far too much. I just noticed that I was feeling full** quicker with less food. But not enough to lose fat. So, I started eating healthy foods. Fish, chicken, salads, veggies. Diets suck and the reason I failed on diets was because they made me feel deprived and uncomfortable. So, I ate more food during BH but I ate more healthy foods. I lost 12 lbs the first 2 weeks post surgery and did not lose or gain any weight for the next 3.5 months. Then, my 4th fill took me right up to the green zone and then I started losing. I know that's a long time to wait to see results and I wasn't very happy about it, but it's now in the past and I learned from my BH experience. tmf **Full is the operative word here. Early in my journey, I didn't know the difference between full and satisfied. I now know the difference and I can stop eating when I'm no longer hungry. I don't have to eat and push myself till my stomach feels like it's bloated. It took me about 10 months to figure this one out.

If you've increased your weight lifting program, you're probably replacing lost fat with muscle so you won't see the results on the scale but should see it in less body inches and looser fitting clothes. Click on this link to better understand how this works?

Do not go into this thinking that the band will help or make you lose weight. You're the general in charge of your band. It won't do anything unless you use it as it's intended. Many people here have lost hundreds of lbs. Floridays above lost 224. There are before and after pics on the forum where people look like they were never fat. There are many uncomforable days for many of us on this journey. Stuck episodes, Bandster Hell, short term liquid and mushie diets, inadequate fills, overfills and the list goes on. But, for most of us, it's worth it to be healthy. tmf

No it's not. You can enjoy food, only enjoy it in much more moderation.

Your stomach is just another muscle that is susceptible to swelling just like the rest of your body. Think about the lapband as if it were a ring around your finger? If your body(finger) swells due to TOM, sodium, alcohol, carbs(complex and simple), stress and anxiety, so can the gastric lining of your stomach. This can be the perfect time of year for most all of the swelling reasons previously mentioned. The lining of your stomach can swell making the stoma a very small opening for solids to pass through.

No need to go on any diet at this point. It is important to keep your caloric intake as low as you can handle until you're out of bandster hell. But, you may not be eating properly. No offense, but it sounds like you don't understand how this whole thing works? Here is a link to a series of videos that may educate you on how you should be eating to receive the magic the band can offer. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/166857-the-eight-golden-rules-lap-band-videos-by-dr-paul-obrien/page__hl__alex#entry1962873

I was banded 11/28/11 and no one ever mentioned plication to me. Had I known, I may have opted for band w/plication too. Research the pros and cons before you decide?

I try to stick to paleo as much as possible. It works fine for me.

You may still be swollen so drink cold water to help reduce the swelling. You may also have to call the ER if you can't keep water down?

You shouldn't be looking for a full feeling. You can get that if you eat too much just like before surgery. You're looking for the satisfied or satiated feeling. That's the feeling where you feel like you are no longer hungry. It's an elusive feeling for new bandsters and can take some time to understand the difference between cravings and true hunger. Jean McMillan posted earlier today and you can see her magazine article on the right side of this page. She stated: "NO WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY OF ANY DESCRIPTION WILL KILL THE EATING DEMONS IN YOUR HEAD" This is so true! The lapband can temper those cravings but it's up to you to discern the difference between wanting to eat more simply because it tastes good and eating less due to less hunger. Good luck. tmf

I believe if you drink it in moderation you should be fine. Some people don't do well with artificial sweeteners but if you have no reaction go for it. I have no reaction to sweeteners but then I usually only have one package with my coffee in the morning.

No, why do you ask?

"NO WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY OF ANY DESCRIPTION WILL KILL THE EATING DEMONS IN YOUR HEAD" Darn!

I understand that asthma thing. My wife also suffers from exercise induced asthma. It's taken her years to get in shape and struggles even now to stay on top of her exercise regimen. She rarely ventures far from her aspirator

I do know what plication is and there are several here who have had much success with it. Sort of wish I would have known about it before my surgery but I'm OK with what I've got. You should do quite well.

Don't rock the boat. Be happy, don't worry. tmf

Then you are doing quite well. But to answer your concern regarding the stuck episodes, try the slider food test to see if you might be eating too fast, too big and not chewing well enough? If you have no problem with slider foods then maybe you aren't eating like a bandster? tmf

LOL, yes you did! The point I try to make about hijacking is this: When you start a new topic, hundreds of people see that topic and can reply to your concerns. Jumping in a current topic and asking questions about your own journey will only be seen by a handful of people, so you won't get the exposure you would get if you started your own topic. Having said that, I don't know what imbrication is? Questions? Anything that you're curious or concerned about should be asked. tmf

Missy said: "Band or no band, weight loss boils down to basic math. If you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight" So, Stephanie, this is what losing weight boils down to, always. You will read here people who still use Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, atkins slimgenics etc. But the vast majority of us simply eat less because the band allows us to feel satiated/satisfied with less food. The reason we are/were fat is simply because we ate too much. The band does not stop you from eating too much, it allows your mind and body to need less fuel. Oh, the cravings may not all go away, but for many of us they are diminished to the point where the addictions are more manageable if not eliminated. So, there is no fad diet unless you want to consider eating healthy food a fad? I can still eat what I ate before surgery but I now eat less and I'm happy to eat healthier foods. Me, my stomach and my mind are so stinking happy with the weight we lost, we don't miss the pies, cakes, fried foods, fastfoods of the old me. It's definitely a life change. If you think you can leave the junk food, crap, fried and processed food behind, you can be successful and not feel deprived. tmf

Seems like most women have their band deflated during pregnancy? Might be something to think about till the baby's born?

Don't take this the wrong way as most people usually do? You've hijacked this thread. No problem, we all do it but for you to receive good advice and comments on your situation, you should start your own topic. That way more people see it and more people will respond. But, It sounds like you've never had to learn to eat like a bandster to me? 30 lbs since June is not a lot. It's not bad but not great either. Learning to eat small bites, chew them to mush and do it all very slowly is one of the most difficult challenges of the banded. Try this? Eat some Soup. Something like a slider food? Maybe even a few crackers. Do they still cause you to throw up and hurt your stomach? If not, you're not eating properly. tmf

A little more clarification. When you have surgery, most surgeons don't fill the band. Your opening(stoma) is large. food can pass right through. For most of us we could eat anything we wanted but having the band seemed to peak our hunger during this period before getting fills. I was in bandster hell for 4 months. it was awful. I lost 12 lbs the first 2 weeks and then nothing for the next 3.5 months. But, my 4th fill gave me enough restriction that I left bandster hell and my 6th got me to the green zone. tmf

Bandster Hell VS Green Zone! Bandster Hell is the period of time between surgery and when you get enough restriction that you feel you are not starving or constantly extremely hungry. Usually a few fills will temper the hunger cravings. Green Zone is when you're band is adjusted to the correct point for you and you feel satisfied/satiated for up to 4-5 hours after a meal. This is where you should be losing the most fat. tmf