bambam

I'm the same way. I can only sleep on my side. I was sleeping on my side immediately after surgery. They gave me a pillow in the hospital and like greyhoundgirl I too used it to help roll from side to side. Once home I did the same thing every night for about 7-10 days. Just using a thin pillow crossways across your stomach seems to help support and cushion your incisions.

Hiya Linda!- I lived on these in my mushies stage for breakfast!!! They were a great source of Protein and easy to make mushy. Of course they aren't as low fat as fish, but the band is about making a lifestyle change that will work for life, and that means eating in moderation. Good seeing you the other night!!

It was several weeks before I was interested as well. It really varies, I've read some people were ready within a week, but for me I was still sore and sensitive, especially near the port area. My hubby and I had a lot going on with our schedules at that time, so in addition to all that I was tired, not from surgery, but just from a busy schedule!

Boy, did I need to read this thread!!! I am one month post surgery, lost 15 preop and 10 in the first week after surgery, and have been maintaining ever since. I've been obsessed about the scale numbers as well. I know this is a time for healing, I've read it on the boards for months, but then I see others at about the same stage as me and they are losing and I think what am I doing wrong??? (First fill scheduled for next week). I finally put my food scale and journal away - I was obsessing about how many calories I was eating, how much Protein I was getting in, how much Water, etc. BUT I haven't been able to get away from daily weigh-ins. I think Monica's (sp?) post said what I needed to hear - you deserve to just enjoy life and quit obsessing. So I'll continue with my smaller portions until I have more restriction, be more dedicated to faithful exercise, keep off the scale except for once a week, and just enjoy the changes I have already noticed. Thanks so much for posting this BigPapa - and congrats on what you have accomplished!!

Steph congrats on your surgery tomorrow!!! In addition to what everyone else said - this is my tip: I'm a side sleeper. In the hospital they had an ice pack on my stomach and placed a pillow over it. This really helped me move from side to side. It still hurt, but it cushioned my incisions. Even when I returned home I put a thin pillow across my stomach when sleeping, placing it from side to side, and used that for 1 week or so. It just made sleeping on my side more comfy and cushioned my port site especially. Putting pressure on the pillow when turning just made my incisions feel better. Your surgery will be over before you know it!

Malissa - I'm in the same boat as you. I was banded a month ago. I lost 15 pounds on the preop diet and 10 pounds the week after surgery. My doc's office said to eat 1/2 to 1 cup of food at a meal. I was eating 3/4 cup. My weight has stayed the same for the last 3 weeks. My doc told me I may even gain in this period before my first fill. I talked with the nutritionist who thought I was eating too few calories, so I increased my meal size to 8 ounces (closer to 1200 cal a day at her suggestion). That did help me to lose a couple of pounds I had regained but I'm still at the same spot (within 1/2 pound) of my lowest weight after surgery. I'm not exercising a huge amount, but I'm more active than I have ever been and I'm proud of myself for that. I'm trying to keep the faith and tell myself this time is for healing and my body will let go of the weight when it is ready.Just my opinion, but I think we tend to forget how much our bodies have been through in the last month. I'm down 25 pounds in one month and have been recovering from surgery, I really think we need to give our bodies time to adjust. In the meantime until my first fill I'm trying to make good choices, keep my portions under control, and drink Water like crazy. It WILL come off!

I needed this reminder. I'm one month postop today and really have no restriction. I started out really good with small bites, but they have progressively gotten bigger as time has passed. I need to get back to small bites again or I'll learn the hard way! Thanks for the reminder!

I was banded March 10. I lost 15 pounds on the preop diet and 10 pounds the week after surgery. Have stayed the same since then. Am eating about 1 cup of food at a meal. Nutritionist thinks I may be eating too few calories, so have upped to close to 1200 a day. Scale is still staying the same but I'll take that at this point as my doc said I could gain some back before my first fill on 4-22. Looking forward to getting that. I can pretty much eat anything, really no restriction at this point, just a feeling of satisfied after about 8 ounces.

I was banded March 10 and was eating about 3/4 c at a meal. I talked with my dietician who felt I was eating too few calories and suggested I add a few healthy snacks. I really hated to get into the snack mindset (his office is VERY against snacking) so instead I increased my meals to 1 c. (my doc's office suggests 1/2 to 1 cup at a meal) so I'm at the "max." That has made a big difference. Sometimes that can hold me over til meal time, other days (like today) it doesn't, but this is just bandster hell and we have to rely on willopower until we start getting fills. Follow your doctor's instructions, but if you are really hungry talk with them about possibly eating a little more at each meal. The worst they can do is say no!

Loose sweats, a tank, a zip-up hoodie, and slip-on shoes.

I don't put a drink on the table either. As soon as I'm done eating I look at the clock so I know when I can start drinking again. When we got out to eat and they automatically bring water I push it far away from me so it isn't within easy reach.

I have olnly been banded a month, but my SIL was banded last August. She was just telling me about this. Her doctor's nurse said just as some days your rings may be loose and another day they may be tight, the same is true with the band. I guess I thought either you were the type who couldn't tolerate food right away in the morning or you could, I didn't realize it could vary from day to day in one person.

I went to WW for a year and had thrown away my card with all my weights on it. I have BCBS and I got copies of my bank statement showing my payments to them for that period of time to prove I was going. They were fine with that as proof. Just a thought.

My DH and I don't have any children at home as we are empty nesters. Some nights he made his own meals and some nights I cooked for him. Honestly, while I was in the liquids stage I wasn't even hungry so nothing was tempting. As I got into the mushies then I got a little more excited about what to make for dinner! I thought it might be hard to eat pureed salmon, meatloaf, etc., but by then it was HEAVEN!

I'm 3-1/2 weeks out from surgery (March 10). I lost 15.5 on the preop diet and have lost 10 since surgery. My weight has been the same or up and down the same 1 pound in the last 2 weeks. I was eating about 6 ounces at a meal. My surgeon told me I may likely gain some weight back before my first fill on 4-22., but he thought I was doing great. However, he said if I was able to stay with 6 ounces a meal I would continue to lose. Since that wasnt happening I talked with my dietitian. She thinks I am eating too little - 900-1000 calories a day. She encouraged me to eat 1100-1200 and see what happens. I've increased my meals to 8 ounces, still feel comfortable with that amount. Now that I know I am getting plenty of Protein in I need to back off on my meat portions and get more fruits and veggies in - am going to try 4 oz of protein, 2 oz of veggies, 2 oz of fruit. Have started to feel my hunger returning this week a bit. I'm starting to feel hungry between meals at times. I really have not had any problems with any food at this point. I feel very satisfied after 6-8 ounces. At first it was more a feeling of losing interest in what I was eating, but now I am sensing what the new "full" may feel like.

Same here. I'm only 3 weeks postop and I know this is a time for healing not focusing on weight loss, but my dietician recommended I increase my calories as well. I was eating 800-1000 calories a day. She told me to try to get closer to the 1200 mark, that I was putting my body in starvation mode. Never in my life have I been told I wasn't eating enough!

I'm 3 weeks postop and these are items I found helpful: 1. JCPenney's version of the Magic Bullet, much cheaper and worked like a charm. I also didn't have to rewash after every "meal" as it comes with several "glasses." If you get it on sale it can be anywhere from $20-39. 2. A strainer - $2 - while on liquids I could have Soup broth, but not the veggies, meat. I'm not a canned broth fan so would make a can of pot roast soup for instance, strain the chunky stuff out for my hubby and enjoy the liquid only. 3. Miralax for constipation. 4. Just bought a Taylor food scale from Target - it has a glass base. It has a tare feature so you weigh only the food, not the plate. I think it was $39-49 - I've bought cheapies before but this one will be the last one I need to buy for ages. It is really worth the extra money. Hope this helps!

My scale isn't moving. Have done a lot of walking lately (ridiculous amount while in the Twin Cities in the skywalk and downtown) and not a pound lost. Talked with the dietician and she thinks I'm eating too few calories, so now I'm supposed to add snacks to get my calories closer to 1200. My calorie intake was 700-900 but in the past week has been right at 1000 a day. Never been told I'm eating too little in my life.... anyway here goes: B: 5 oz meatballs (too lazy to hunt up a fruit) S: 1-1/2 oz milk L: 5 oz chicken S: low-fat yogurt with fresh blueberries D: 3 oz turkey, 1 oz cheese, trying 1 slice diet multigrain bread for the first time since banding S: SF pudding It's hard to get 1200 calories when you only eat 6 ounces at a meal. That amount satisfies me so I hate to increase my meal size. Will try the snack thing and see what happens. It's a learning experience!

I'm down 50 pounds since my highest weight as well. My pants are still fitting too, but are getting loose. I have come to the realization that I was really stuffing myself in my clothes before. Even though we've lost 50 pounds we've lost it in numerous areas, a little here, a little there. My clothes are definitely a lot more comfortable, some I won't be able to wear too long, but for now they fit. I'm just celebrating the 50 pounds gone and knowing my pants finally feel loose for a change!!

Kat - I am sorry to hear about your mother. Bless your heart for taking care of her and for doing what needed to be done for her, even after she passed away. I know how overwhelmed you must feel. My mother passed away Dec 10th and we buried her on what would have been her birthday. I was right in the middle of my workup for my lapband at that time, and of course holiday preparations. One thing that amazed me about it all was the strength we seem to find to do what we have to do, to get things done, and to carry on. While I had to postpone two appointments I kept things moving along and was in for my psych evaluation the next week (talk about being scared - I really wondered what that evaluation would show with that timing). Don't expect too much of yourself at this time. If you don't have the energy or the want to do some things, don't. Give yourself time to heal and time to grieve. It's easier to keep things at bay when we are so busy and don't have time to stop and think, but once things slow down it can really hit. I miss my mom terribly, but it has gotten better day by day. Some days really catch me off guard and the littlest thing that reminds me of her can have me crying. Then there are days when something happens and I think to myself, "I have to call Mom and tell her..." then I remember she's not there to call anymore. But I talk to her like crazy and can just picture her in Heaven laughing at me and my one-sided conversations I have with her. She had the best giggle in the world. I just keep reminding myself of how much she would have wanted for me to be healthier and to enjoy life more. I'm just a message away if you want to talk. My heart goes out to you....no one can ever take the place of our mothers. Hugs, Barb

Okay... you guys are driving me nuts with the Baconator!!! My husband and I joke about that burger all the time:smile: - although I have only tried it once, the combination is one of my favorites. I'm 3 weeks out from surgery and am supposed to eat 1/2 to 1 cup at a meal. I'm eating 3/4 cup (6 oz), with at least 4 ounces of that being Protein, now trying to add in more fruits and veggies. I only make that much, nothing more, so when it is gone, it is gone. Once in a while I don't even eat all of that. So far that keeps me content. I am allowed to have 1-2 cups of milk between meals if I get "hungry" and do that once in a while, but most of the time the 6 ounces is enough. I haven't gone over that as I don't want to get used to taking in more than I need right now. This time before our first fill is when we have to rely on willpower as we have little or no restriction. I drink Water like crazy between meals to help keep me full. This too shall pass! Hang in there!

Obviously I'm new to the banded lifestyle, but if I can help you out in any way with questions or just reassurance, feel free to message me! Barb

Congrats on your approval! It sounds like you have worked hard to get to this point. As always, surgeries carry risks, but honestly it was a pretty easy procedure and the recovery wasn't bad at all. My main complaint after surgery was sore muscles throughout my stomach. I was living with some major comorbidities that I needed to get under control or my future would have been even scarier than proceeding with surgery. Before you know it you'll be banded and onto a healthier life!

Kelley - Welcome to the boards! I was banded 3 weeks ago and have been hanging out here for the last 6 months. There is a ton of information here and lots of nice people. Best of luck!