2muchfun

All meats, veggies, salads with olive oil and some kind of vinegar, cheese, deli meats, eggs of all kinds, seafood, cream cheese in celery, pickles, cottage cheese, NO FRUIT! Simplest diet you'll ever be on. Just don't eat anything with carbs in it. If you have a kindle, the atkins book is real cheap. And there are many sites on the net that emphasize low carb dieting. tmf

First, you should fill out your profile so we know you better? I don't know but I do know it takes quite a while and lots of continuous overeating or eating too quickly. It looks like you're new so if you ate something or too much, your pouch is not stretched. If you eat too quickly for several months, you could wind up with a stretched pouch. But in almost all cases, you would be having many stuck episodes resulting in a stretched pouch or esophogus.jmo tmf

Back in August and September, the cherries were piled up at the grocery store. I love em. I bought a few lbs of them and me and the wife enjoyed them. But I always had this fear of swallowing a pit. That pit is probably just slightly too big to pass through my stoma. I never swallowed one but I can see how that would be a real problem? I would imagine I'd have to have a complete unfill to allow it to pass? tmf

After your fill you might want to try changing up your diet. Maybe go on a low/no carb for a week or increase your caloric intake so your body kickstarts it's metabolism again. Or, go the other direction and lowball your calories to around 800? Just mix it up and change your exercise routine while your at it. Just don't do the same things you've been doing. Mostly I would recommend staying away from processed foods like breads or any grains at all for a bit? tmf

They have for me. But it's mostly because you have to go on liquids for 48 hours. That's like a fast in itself.

You will feel a lump in your chest the size of a golfball and you may have saliva(slime) bubble up your esophogus causing you to spit it out. The lump in your chest will feel like a lot of pressure and some mild to severe pain. You have food stuck in your pouch and your stomach is trying to massage the food through your stoma(band opening). Eating more will only cause more pain and could cause the food to come right back up. Do not try to drink it through. That will only make it worse. Stand up if you are able and walk around. It may take 5-45 minutes to pass through. tmf

Dee has a point. So many of us try to drive down those calories per day to the point our bodies slow down our metabolism. It's called starvation mode. It may be OK for a few days but I wouldn't recommend it for more than a week. I've found that running my caloric intake up to 1600 calories a day over a weekend has had some benefits to losing weight and breaking up a plateau. There are some bandsters who do make this their routine and have found success with 600 calories per day. But, it's no way to live imo. Eating healthy foods can fill you up and satisfy you. tmf

22 lbs in 5 weeks in awesome. Nothing to be concerned about at all. You don't say how long you've been at your plateau? Can't be very long? It's not really a plateau until it's a month long. There are so many things that affect your weight. TOM, sodium intake, carb intake, anxiety, stress, meds all can make your body hold excess fluids. Most of us find that we can go a week or two with no weight loss and then over a few days we drop 3-5 lbs. It's mostly water retention most likely? tmf

My 6th fill in June of 2012 took me to the green zone but I was getting stuck a lot. So, I went in and had .5 removed. I still get stuck occasionally but it does seem like I'm hungry far too often and I can eat too much and seldom feel satisfied. I'm going in for my 8th adjustment this Friday and I imagine it will be .5 or less. .25 would be fine with me. I don't mind sneaking up on this green zone again, only, I hope I'm smarter this time around? Looking back I believe the reason I was getting stuck so often and had .5 removed was because I wasn't eating properly. Oh, I ate the right foods, just not the right speed and bite amount. I think I've learned how to eat smaller, slower and chew more now. At least I hope I've learned this lesson. I do read a lot of my fellow forum members can eat less than a cup of food and feel satisfied and not eat for 4-5 hours. I need to be there. tmf

I was banded a little over a year ago(11/28/11). I lost 12 lbs the first two weeks and then nothing for the next 3.5 months. Then I got my 3rd fill and met with my nutritionist. The weight began to fall off after that. Relax, what you are experiencing is very normal and has happened to many of us. Seems like I was hungrier after the surgery than ever before. But, I was a good boy and ate healthy foods, but maybe not the 1/2 cup I was told to eat. tmf

The detox is a good idea and maybe mix up your calorie intake. Try increasing your caloric intake to make your body increase it's metabolism. Not enough to gain weight of course, but maybe 200-400 for a few days? I stalled at 7 months but it's mostly my own fault. I'm hitting it hard starting today. tmf

Being hungry every 2 hours is quite common though. Many of us don't find the green zone for many months or even a year. In the meantime we struggle with the hunger but try to eat healthy. You may need to lower your expectations? tmf

Many people fear doctors and seldom stand up for what they want, but it looks like that's not one of your problems I think you'll do well! tmf

No trapezes tmf

FYI- I was banded 11/28/11 so we're about one year apart. I experienced the same except I only lost 12 lbs that first two weeks. I had my first fill around 01/05/12 but it didn't do anything. I didnt start feeling any restriction from fills till my 3rd fill in late March. But I was able to eat less those first 4 months thanks to the band. I was starving most of the time it seemed like but the band helped me eat less so I didn't gain any weight during those 4 months. You're in what they call bandster hell, and until you start to get some restriction from your fills, you will probably remain there. But 25 lbs is awesome so you're well ahead of the game. Just concentrate on eating slow, eating small and chewing big because once you get restriction, you don't want to get stuck(and most of us do). Good luck. As forum member B-52 says "Until there's restriction, it's just another diet". tmf

More severe WLS costs more so obviously they earn more. Or, maybe your surgeon has had poor luck with the band but then you have to question, why? Is he just not comfortable with the band or has he not done enough of them to become proficient? I changed surgeons due to the staff of the first surgeon being worthless. Glad I did. My surgeon never questioned my decision and even encouraged me to go that route. You might want to re-evaluate your surgeon choice? tmf

Just saying that finding another patient from Fort Carson could be difficult but looks like you found one.

Perfectly normal or maybe just a little extraordinary? tmf

destynee is so right. Please do not say this is the easy way out. This has been very difficult but the best part is, it's not impossible as my previous efforts were. tmf

This is a long shot? Although I have seen at least one post from a patient from Co Sprgs military? Good luck. You might click on the search link above to the right? Enter Evans or Tricare or colorado springs and see what comes up? tmf

6 for me.

1996? Wow, that's a long time ago? I was still skinny in 1996. Seems like some of the foods you mention are no longer on anyone's list? Is it possible that surgical techniques were very different back in the beginning of band? Did they place your band lower so you actually have a large pouch that stores food longer than 1 minute? I can't see where the swelling of food would be an issue with anyone's band now, but 17 years ago? Who knows? tmf

I don't see it as a problem but most doctors still see it that way. I'm not sure if they just aren't buying into the food passing in one minute explanation or they haven't spent the time to research it? Could be that so many of us have so little control over our eating habits(evidenced by our big a$$es), doctors are afraid we'll abuse the privilege and follow each bite with Water or soda pop which would wash the food through too quickly. I'm thinking your grandma was onto something? tmf

RE: Drinking....Keep in mind that this is this surgeon's protocol and may not be your surgeon's protocol. I think most doctors still adhere to the no drinking rule. I agree with you on the 1500 calorie intake rule. I have no problem with it since I include a little cheese and olive oil in my diet as well as whole eggs sometimes. I also eat more than 1/2 cup most every meal. Then again, I'm going in for a fill next week since I'm not feeling that restriction I felt 6 months ago. tmf

Gatecrasher, you should start your own thread/topic if you want responses. Otherwise members won't know which response goes to which poster. tmf