karma2

Hang in there. I experienced a lot of the same things you have. I was banded on May 11th and lost 13 pounds right away doing the liquid thing. Then, I started adding foods back in and added all the wrong things. I didn't have any restriction and for some reason, I thought this band was going to magically melt the bad foods I was eating. I didn't gain any weight back but completely stopped losing! I went for my first fill on July 5th. I had 1cc put in ( I already had 1cc from surgery). I felt a tiny bit of restriction but was still able to eat quite a bit. I began to think that this was all just a waste of money. On August 16th, I went in for another fill. I weighed exactly the same (185) as I did on July 5th. The doctor put .5cc into my band. I went home and thought this must be it. And it was! After about a week, I started to experience that feeling that everyone talks about. I knew when I was getting full. I knew when I was eating a food that wasn't going to work for me anymore. I still didn't lose any more weight even with my newly found restriction. This is when I sat myself down and really thought back to the day of my surgery. I remember the doctor asking me if I was ready to work with my band. I remember him telling me that it wouldn't lose the weight for me...that I would need to work with it to make it happen. That was on September 5th. I finally stopped eating the candy, cake, cookies, chips (that go down sooooo smoothly) and started eating only healthy things. I cannot get anything down my pouch in the mornings and have to be very careful at lunch. I eat a yogurt every morning for breadfast and even that sometimes moves slowly through my stoma. I started exercising and saying no to all sweets. When I'm eating now (healthy of course) I am very full after only a 1/2 cup or so. I usually eat salad first then the meat and that usually is it for me. I love it. I did experience the closest thing to a PB the other day. I was at work eating lunch and got to talking...I ate my salad and then was eating a piece of chicken. I think I forgot to feel for that "full" feeling and went back to my desk in extreme pain. I started to salivate and got lightheaded. I had to go take a walk around the building. I took a small sip of warm water and I could feel it start to loosen up. One more sip of warm water and I felt it go through. PHEW!! That is not a pleasant feeling at all. You will quickly learn what you can and can't eat. And the painful feeling from eating the wrong food will always be in the back of your head helping with your willpower. You can do this. I have lost another 4 pounds and thankfully am starting to see a major difference in my clothes. Once I stopped fighting the band and actually used it for the tool it is, I am seeing the weight come off. It's such a wonderful thing we have. Use it correctly and you will see results. I think of it as a weightloss tool. Nothing more than the "points" that you are allowed with Weight Watchers. You can go over your points but you won't lose weight. Nutrisystem gives you the meals but if you eat more than that, you won't lose weight. Our band gives us the ability to eat a very small amount and not feel hungry. We have to eat the right foods and throw in some exercise to make this happen. This is not a magic machine. It is simply a TOOL. It is all up to us whether we use it! I think that once you find that sweet spot with restriction, you will love it! Stay on these boards--they have great info!

I'm not sure about the lifting thing. I would say the first few days you shouldn't be lifting your baby too much but after that, just take it easy and lift carefully. As far as telling people...I am almost four months out and still the only people that know are my parents, boyfriend and best friend. The hardest part about keeping it quiet was the liquid and mushy stage in the beginning. I just told my coworkers that I was trying a "smoothie" type thing. I didn't have a lot of restriction until my second fill last month so it wasn't very hard to hide it. Now, I really can only eat a little bit at a time and sometimes need to get up, walk around and wait for "that feeling" to pass. I am just careful with my selections and tell anyone that asks that I'm just not very hungry. To anyone that wants to know how I'm losing my weight, I simply say--" I eat less and take my time at meals." And that is no lie. Good luck!!

I was banded on May 11th and just had my first fill on July 5th. The doctor put 0.5cc in my band. I already had 1.0cc from the time of my surgery. I'm not sure if I have restriction or not. The 2nd night after my fill, I ate a few bites of a pork chop--cut up very small--and after a couple of bites, my chest began to feel super tight. It wasn't actually pain but it was extremely uncomfortable. I got up and walked around then took a small sip of Water and it went away. I continued eating and everything else went down just fine. The next day for Breakfast, I had an egg and a spoonful of hashbrowns. It went down with no worries. I wasn't too hungry after that small amount. For lunch, I had the pork chops again--cut up very small--and the same thing happened. After about 5 bites, I had that same feeling come over me. This time I did not take a drink, I just walked around. Then, I was able to take about 5 more bites before I decided to call it quits. I wasn't feeling that same thing I just decided that I'd had enough. SOOOO, IS THIS RESTRICTION??? My doctor said I could come back within a week if I wanted to and he'd adjust it for free. I'm wondering if what I'm feeling is true restriction or if it's just a weird thing that happens with certain foods. Oh, I was able to swallow two Nyquil caplets (they aren't too small) and it was no problem at all so I know my opening is at least the size of a dime! Thanks for any help with this... Barb

Hi May Bandsters! I was banded on May 11th and just had my first fill on July 5th. The doctor put 0.5cc in my band. I already had 1.0cc from the time of my surgery. He told me that if I didn't feel any restriction to come back within a week and he would add about 0.2cc more for free. So.....now I'm trying to figure out if I have restriction or not. I've never felt it before because I could eat anything and it just went right down. The 2nd night after my fill, I ate a few bites of pork chop--cut up very small--and after about 2-3, my chest began to feel very weird. It wasn't actually pain but it was extremely uncomfortable. I got up and walked around then took a small sip of Water and it went away. I continued eating and everything went down just fine. The next day for Breakfast, I had an egg and a spoonful of hashbrowns. It went down with no worries. For lunch, I had the pork chop again--cut up very small--and the same thing happened. After about 5 bites, I had that same feeling come over me. This time I did not take a drink, I just walked around. Then, I was able to take about 5 more bites before I decided to call it quits. I had a banana too and it was fine. My question to all of you~~IS THIS RESTRICTION??? I am debating whether or not to call my doctor on Monday and get another 0.2cc of fill. Thanks for your comments--they are greatly appreciated! Barb

That's how I did it. I watered (or with Lactaid milk) everything down to a very liquid consistency. Even yogurt. And I used baby food too but watered it down a lot. I put all the campbell's soup through a blender before eating it and always added a little more water than it called for. Whether or not it was the right thing to do, it went down great and I didn't feel like I was starving!! Barb

Well first of all, you're getting your band placed on my daughter's b-day!! Woohooo what a great day. I am not 12 days out from my band. The only thing that helped my diarrhea was to come off Clear Liquids early. I made the Portugese soup recipe (really runny) and I think that really helped turn me around. I also take some instant sugar free pudding and mix it with Lactaid milk (I also stopped regular milk and went to Lactaid) and that was really yummy. I made it super runny so it was drinkable. I also started eating cream Soups. I drink lots of Water though. And Gatorade. I would definitely follow your doctor's orders though. I know that I was really taking a chance going to cream soups before my two weeks were up but I couldn't even be at work with the diarrhea. It was so terrible. Good luck with your band! Remember, it really is true that each day gets better and better.

Here's a little concoction I just love: 1-2 TB Simply Jif Low Carb Peanut Butter 1 small jar baby food Bananas Stage 1 1-2 packets Splenda (depending on your tastes) 1/4 c or more Milk to make it as smooth as you want I throw it all in my little mini food processor and it's so yummy!! Just thought I'd share since the liquid stage gets sooooo boring!

Well, I'm happy to report that I've only had one bout of it today. And thankfully, it was after work. Thank you so much for the advice. I didn't know that about Immodium but it's great to know--more is not better. Last night, I made the Portugese soup that is posted online here and I liquified it so it was almost water. It isn't the BEST tasting thing but it's better than plain broth and stuff. It actually takes my hunger pain away. I also have some plain vanilla yogurt here that I'll mix with flavored water and see if that helps. Great advice. I knew I could count on my "Band family" to get me over this hurdle. Barb

I just want to say that I am in the process of making the Portugese Soup recipe that Kat posted on this thread. My stomach is rumbling right now. Thanks for the recipe as this liquid stage is a real downer with the same old boring foods! I'm going to make the Egg Drop Soup next.

Hi everyone. I'm officially a member of the BAND CLUB now!! I was banded on 5/11 by Dr. Aceves. Everything was so nice there. Now that I'm home and back to my "real" life, I'm finding that this liquid thing is really hard. My stomach is always making noises. And they are LOUD. If it's not growling, it's gurgling.........if it's not gurgling, it's churning........if it's not churning, it's getting ready to explode. And if I'm not by a bathroom.........well, that's just my bad luck. Everytime something goes in my mouth, it just doesn't stop until it comes right back out the other end! Talk about an unpleasant surprise. I haven't told any of my co-workers yet so they will certainly think I've come down with a serious illness when I go back to work tomorrow. I still haven't came up with a glorified response yet. Well, just wanted to let everyone know that I'm back...already looking forward to the "mushies" but other than that--I AM SO EXCITED!!!

This is a touchy subject but is there any way to stop the diarrhea during this liquid phase. I have to go back to work tomorrow and I'm dreading it. Everytime I put something in, it comes back out. It's not just once or twice a day. It's ALL DAY LONG!! I have taken the maximum amount of Immodium allowed for a 24 hour period and it does nothing. I'm only on Day 5. I don't know if I can go another 9! Any suggestions???

Well, the time has finally come...I'm leaving tonight on an airplane. I've been nervous all day. I'm excited though. My doctor did not put me on a pre-op diet so I've been enjoying every last one of my favorite foods. I'm having a hard time letting go of food emotionally. But, I'm sure I'll be fine once I have my mind on something else. Congrats to all of you who were banded this week and last. This thread is so huge that I'm afraid I won't be able to read all the posts after being away for 4 days! I'll send an update as soon as I'm able...

Hi Valerie. I have encountered some very rude comments from the couple of people that I've told too. They seem to think that a lap band is just the "easy way out" while I'm looking at it as a tool to help me. That is the biggest obstacle along my path--the comments from anyone I tell. Oh well...I'm doing it for me and no one else!! Good luck