2muchfun

I can eat all meats. I have a problem with dry chicken or leftover salmon. The drier the meat, the easier I get stuck. The wife and I eat a lot of brown rice and Beans which gives her the Protein she wants. We also add seafood to our diet quite often. I guess I was thinking along the lines of atkins, vegetarians and carbs. Seems like the perfect storm? tmf

Watch this video. It explains it in finite detail: part 2

20 gms/day of carbs is what Atkins recommends to achieve ketosis. You'll never make it on 81/day. Better find a low carb shake?

Sorry, wrong video. Good one but the drinking explanation is in this video around 7 minutes: Part 3

This drinking question comes up a lot and it's like itching an old sore. You should follow your doctor's advice but I agree with you. In fact, I drink before and right after. Sometimes I sip during a meal depending on what we're having. There is a new theory on drinking and eating and maybe you should talk to your doc about it? Here's why! Watch this video and watch all 4 if you have the time. Go to about 6 minutes into the video to see Dr. O'Brien's drinking theory. part 2

If there are any carbs in those shakes, you won't hit ketosis. imo It takes very little carb consumption to evade ketosis. tmf

Some docs will not do the surgery if the liver hasn't shrunk? My doc didn't care and required no pre surgery diet. But, I think each doctor may modify the diet depending on each patients anatomy and eating habits? I guess I've never thought of this before, but after surgery it's important to consume 60-80 grams of Protein daily. Are you going to be able to do this? Just throwing this out there but is lapband a good idea for vegans? I'm a big meat eater so this is an area I know nada about? tmf

Good luck with doing it on your own. I know that won't work for me, that's why I'm banded. Making your decision to have the band removed or unfilled seems to be based on wild fill fluctuations? Why not try a more conservative approach and have .25-.5 removed and see if that helps? Surely it will make a difference in drinking and that seems to be your biggest concern?

Most of us were able to eat whatever we wanted. It's a time where you discover what your band will tolerate and how restricted you might be. Here's a link to another practice's manual. Maybe you can glean some information that might be helpful. Susan is right. Learning how to eat with the band is one of the most difficult tasks we bandsters have to learn. It doesn't come easy as most of us have been big eaters, big bites, greedily swallowing chunks of food so we can follow that bite with one as big or bigger. Remember, eat slowly, eat small and chew big. Link: http://www.peachtreebariatrics.com/docs/Gastric-Band-Patient-Manual.pdf

Why no fills? If you're hungry, you need a fill or three. Otherwise, the tool isn't going to work. OK, so I went to your overview/profile and I see that you have a very stingy surgeon. In my opinion, that's just not right. Seems like this guy does not understand how the band works and is putting most of the work back on you as if you had never tried to diet before? That is sad. You have a couple of options. One, go in and demand a fill. You may have to get pissy and in someone's face to get your way. Two, find another doctor or office that will give you fills. Either way, you've got to be proactive or risk failure. tmf

Definitely check into a fill with flouroscopy to check out your restriction? And, it sounds like your surgeon may not have been very experienced with fills? A very tight stomach can push back on a fill making it seem like there's no more room? tmf

I think it's natural for our bodies to retain fluids when we sick. That would include your stomach and just a little swelling can create more tightness. tmf

There's that "we're all different" theme again. Now for me, I wish my nerve was a little more sensitive? I find it hard to feel that "stop eating" signal still which comes from that nerve. Sounds like yours is hypersensitive! tmf

What does your doc say? I like Missy's advice. Maybe you could set up some kind of sequence where you get .1 a week or .1 every 2 weeks so that your body can acclimate to the new tightness? tmf

You are so right. Great feeling isn't it? Just make sure you're eating small, chewing big and taking your time at meals. You will see a stuck episode if you don't but thats quite normal for patients who are at this phase.

I've never experienced a slip but one would think it's like starting over again except you get to forego the crappy liquid diet stuff? My recommendation would be too just start eating healthy and track those calories. You've probably fallen into some kind of routine that isn't as band friendly as it should be. Accelerate the exercise routine and try to make sure you're at the -500 calories per day(caloric intake less activity level) benchmark. tmf

"I am the odd ball" We knew that :wub:

Twice a day. Morning and before bed. No harm for me. It's not discouraging if you understand how weight can fluctuate day to day or even hour to hour. tmf

Distraction is one of the hardest things to overcome for we bandsters. It's so easy to fall back to a lifelong eating habit when we don't pay attention. I say this as I sit here with this golf ball stuck in my own chest. Put my omelette back in the fridge since I may not get to it for another hour. I wasn't really distracted, just greedy and ate too fast. Either way, not a lot of fun?

When you eat too much, too fast, too big a bite, food sometimes won't pass through the stoma(band portal). This causes the small pouch to fill up and if you continue to eat, it all backs up(stuck). Being stuck causes your esophogus to create a lot of flem/saliva to aid the food to slide through into your stomach area. It can back up and you spit it out. PB(productive burping) means that sometimes you can burp(small regurgitation) up some of this stuck food to alleviate some of the pressure the food is causing.

If exercise does create some swelling in your stomach, it could be interpreted as more restriction. But it's only temporary. Eating right and getting adjustments are the key to finding the green zone.

My doc said solid food was fine when I had an unfill.

I've used it before and it's fine. I stopped using it because you can accomplish the same effect and add your own spices if you just buy bread crumbs and spice it the way you want it.

Marci(one of my early role models), I was very successful with Atkins, South Beach and the Paleo diets. Basically, your body needs carbs for energy and if you deprive your body of carbs, your body burns your fat supply for energy. it works, but for us carboholics, is so hard to adhere to. You seldom go hungry since you can eat as much meat and allowed veggies as you want. But, I never had the support(hubbie) as you have. It was difficult for me but I was successful and was able to keep my weight down around 150-160 for 25 years. Having kids around was torture(tater tots, peanut butter sandwiches). I still go back on atkins when I plateau. You can drop 10-12 lbs of excess fluids on Atkins. It's not a way of life though. Maybe give it a go and lose 10-20 lbs? tmf

Your doctors are right Catlady, and so are you. You are not using the band the way it was intended. However, as long as you are happy with how it works and can keep your weight off, why rock the boat? But, if you're not getting the proper nutrition, I can see why the doc and nut want to adjust your band? BTW-you hijacked this thread. Next time you might want to start your own topic?