2muchfun

You're kindof in no man's land right now. It does sound like you could use a small fill. Some bandsters don't want to change their eating habits. You know, eating slow, small and chewing big? And sometimes we believe we're already doing this, but maybe not? You should look for those satiated signs that you don't need to eat any longer? It's not how full we get, or how restricted we are. Look for being satiated for up to 3-5 hours between meals. If you're not there, maybe a small fill and a re-evaluation of how you're eating is in order? And plateaus are quite common. Even month long plateaus. Especially this time of year. tmf

It happens. Be good, eat what your doc tells you to eat. You may be hungry until you get a fill that gives you some restriction. tmf

Please fill in your profile so we can know you better and advise you better? tmf

I'm not sure how you could possibly get enough nutrition out of that much food? You might ask him how many calories he's suggesting you consume? Unless that golf ball was loaded with fat I don't see how you could get over 600 calories a day? I guess if you're satisfied with just that size of meal it should work? tmf

I've tried one small part of it and yes, it's very tough. I settled on the 10 minute version of it. There are about 6 different routines that last 10 minutes each. I like the video they sent except they spend way too much time trying to sell you other stuff. tmf

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. Go back to liquids, cut back on sodium, alchohol and sugar. If tomorrow is the same as today, call your doc. Just my opinion of course. tmf

Medicare is only 3 months away and I'm thinking it's time.

1/2-1 cup of food per meal is suggested. Every doctor will be different but most don't recommend a set amt of calories. It's going to depend on your sex, size and activity level. tmf

For years I've tried to understand why I was fat. My mother and father were not fat and I was an only child and no one ever made me eat anything I didn't want to eat. Crap, I have no excuse other than I'm a gluton?

I looked at your profile. Welcome to one-derland! tmf

First, please fill in your profile so we can know you and help you better? As the other comments pointed out, this is normal and should not be of any concern. I lost 12 lbs the first 2 weeks and then nothing the next 3.5 months. Plateaus can last weeks or even months. Although, you are not far out enough to even experience a plateau. BTW-If you don't know this already, throwing up is a huge no-no. Your stomach will wretch and convulse to eject whatever is in it and this can tear apart the sutures holding your band to your stomach. Remember, you have a very small upper pouch and still a large lower stomach. So when you vomit, both will be gyrating to force whatever is in there out. tmf

So true. Over these holidays I'm finding myself standing in the kitchen for some reason and grab something to munch on even though I'm not hungry. Old habits die hard. tmf

I bike but I bike mostly paved trails and some pebble based trails. Usually it's a 15-30 mile ride but since my bike is a Gary Fisher Crossover, I get a good workout with all the hills around Denver area. I've never had joint pain from biking. I can't walk or run anymore due to bone on bone knee pain. I think tennis did my knees in many years ago. Since my knees are so bad, I sometimes get cortizone shots but the best I've found for knee pain is synvisc. It lasted 5 good months and now that I'm at the end of my 6th month, I can really feel that it's wearing off. Going down stairs is a killer. So, I hope to go in later in January for my injections. tmf

My experience was similar but now, 6 months later, I can look back and I know I would have done things different. I too was getting stuck a lot. So, I went in to have a small amount removed. Since then I've been too open and seldom get satiated on small amounts of food. I look back and I now understand that I believed I was eating like a bandster but I really wasn't. I still ate too fast, too much and chewed too litte. I'm going in next week to have that small amount of saline put back in. I believe I can now eat like a bandster and get more from my band. Cheryl is right. Make sure you're getting enough Protein and look for the satisfied signal. No need to feel full. You spent so many years with that feeling and so many of us relied on the feeling to sooth and compensate for us. Eat slowly, eat small and chew big. tmf

There's no reason to feel like a failure over an unfill. An unfill is just you be proactive and tweaking your band so that it works it's magic for you. And it probably won't be the last time. Our bands are not static and can lose Fluid on occasion which would mean you need a fill. No fault of your own of course. Then there's our own bodies? We retain Water, suffer edema in our gastric lining and many of us have colds and other episodes that effect the band. So having an unfill is the same as having a fill. Why not call it an "adjustment"? After all, you will need these adjustments for the rest of your life. You're doing the right thing as almost everyone of us have done so many times. tmf

Try this(link below). What you ask for is posted nearly every day but there is no sticky post. If you just watch carefully you should see what you ask for. Or, perform a search in the box up above in "Forums" for things like Pre op or post op instructions post op diet etc. http://www.peachtreebariatrics.com/docs/Gastric-Band-Patient-Manual.pdf

1200-1400 calories for me. 500 is way too low imo. Your body will shut down it's metabolism because your body thinks it's starving. You should be able to lose more weight if you consume more calories. At least that's what I gather from reading posts over the last 3 years. Try mixing it up. Maybe 500 for a week and then 1200 for a week. tmf

I beg everyone's forgiveness for hijacking this topic! So, for you, imagine carrying around three 20 lb bags of litter? And, people like Missy and Floridays probably can't even lift the weight they've lost. So, folks, when people tell you that the lapband doesn't work, don't believe it. imo tmf

121512, I recommend you watch all 4 of these videos. It will give you much insight into how the band is placed, how to eat and how this whole lapband magic works. Part 1 part 2 Part 3 Part 4

OK, now you're just braggin'? 75 lbs in less than 5 months isn't a lot of weight? OK, Roja, grab those 3 extra large bags of dog food in the pet food isle at your local grocery and walk around for a while Now me, I've lost 50 lbs and we have cats so I imagine what it was like to drag around 2.5 20 lb bags of cat litter. Sometimes I buy two and then go down to the basement with both on my shoulder. Wholly crap, that's a Sh**load of weight to carry around. You should be beaming ear to ear over how much success you've accomplished! tmf

Understandable. Even many of us who had surgery in the States expected to lose lots of weight immediately. I don't recall anyone mentioning "Bandster Hell" to me during my seminar/support group phase. I too was pissed that I had to wait till I got some kind of restriction before the band started to do it's magic. Then I got 2 fills and still was starving and not losing weight. And it sounds like my experience is typical? But now, looking back on the whole experience, it was all for the good. It takes so long to learn how to eat with this band and become one with the band. Good luck and trust me, you'll soon have this love/hate relationship like many of us do(mostly love). tmf

First, please fill in your profile so we know you better? Second, I really doubt you overdid it. Many of us had setbacks during the first month. It's a difficult time especially since it's the Holidays. BTW-Eggs(whole or whites) can be one of the toughest foods for us to eat early on and even after we're in the green zone. Sounds like your band is working perfectly if you are full or satisfied. tmf

Many, if not most, new bandsters do not eat like a bandster. I know after 2 fills I thought I was doing it right. I thought I was eating the right foods too. I met with a nutritionist late in my 4th month and she set me straight. I made some minor changes to what I ate and snacked. The 3rd fill and her advice made all the difference. But, I still slimed(and still do) 1-3 times a week due to distracted eating. That's where I revert back to my 63 year eating habits and eat too much, too fast and do not chew enough. It's possible that you are too tight of course. But evaluate why and when you get stuck and slime before you decide to have some saline removed? tmf

Standing "O" for the not so big guy now!!! tmf

Quoting B-52 "Until there's restriction, It's just another diet" tmf