shelley2b

I'm interested too - I liked the Metagenics stuff they gave us after surgery but haven't found anything else I like.

Got to love stories like that - I'm at the beginning of my journey. About 8 weeks out of surgery - and these stories keep me focused. You look fantastic!! Seen your photos...

I've had a 4cc fill - my first - and I still don't feel any restriction (or very very little) other people in my fill group were feeling restriction before any fill, and I've read lots of stories of the restricted-not restricted-restricted variety. I think our bodies are not really designed for a 'machine' inside, and sometimes things change... if you need more restriction, definitely get another fill, and don't worry about it. s

Hi guys, I had my first fill last week. I was banded on Dec 19th - had no restriction whatsoever. I tried to diet myself, but had a few slip ups. I ate steak, I had a full plate of chinese food... it was like before I was banded. I just had my first fill 4cc's last week - first of all, it doesn't hurt. The needle is a little bit painful, but it's quick and you shouldn't be nervous. As for restriction, I felt the band tightening inside me as I was being filled - then nothing... I drank the Water they gave me with no problems, and started eating pretty normal food after a 1 day Protein shake diet. BUT... yesterday I was in the airport in Denver and had a burrito... the Tortilla got stuck!! I hadn't had anything get stuck before, it wasn't nice!!! It only lasted about 2 minutes, but I guess that's the first sign of any restriction. Now I'm finding that I'm feeling less hungry - although i can still eat a full plate of food... I went to dinner on Friday night and had loads of vegetables... well more than the 1 cup that they talk about. I guess I'll hope to feel more restricted after my next fill.

Hi all - I was banded on the 19th Dec and I've been staying home to recover - I was told to stay on clear liquids for 5 days... but I only managed it for 4 days. Then I've moved on to full liquids in the last 3 days - but I'm sooo hungry that today I ate some melted ice cream and 3 scrambled eggs. Am I doing damage to my stomach? How do you know if your pouch is stretching?? Is this normal? Or do most people not feel hungry during the liquid phase. Is it OK if I progress to mushy foods now? Or do I have to follow the directions? Let me know your experiences...

Hey guys - don't worry too much. Ask your doc if you're concerned, but they told me that it's very very rare that you'll have a tear or loosen the stitches. That being said, you should definitely stay on the liquids as your doc prescribes. It's something to do with healing and scar tissue. s

Hi all - just thought I would post another update. Things here are now going much better. I'm now on the doctor recommended mushie food phase of my plan... I'm moving back to solid foods in a day or so... can't wait! But, I'm definitely not as hungry as I was before the surgery. Might be because I'm now not used to eating so much, or because there's been a change in my stomach size, but I'm finding that some protein and a few veggies is doing me quite nicely. I'm back on the treadmill everyday - in fact, I've got to go to do that next - and am feeling stronger. The weight loss is moving again... it's all good. I'll post another update after my first fill which is scheduled for the 21st Jan. s

I think you've all done wonderfully well... from 10 lbs all the way up to 100 lbs each pound takes a lot of sweat and focus to take off. My thoughts are that people are mostly self-obsessed. Those of us who are bigger are interested in whether someone is gaining or losing weight... but at least my skinny friends/family or my 'fat but don't care' friends/family are so into what's going on in their lives and their heads that they often either don't notice, or can't be bothered to comment on someone else's weight loss. Also, they tend to have a picture in their head of what you look like - and unless it's DRAMATICALLY different... you just look the same to them. For what it's worth, pat yourself on the back for the effort you've put in and the success that you're achieving. I tell myself that i'm a good girl every time I get off the treadmill - although I stopped being a girl a long time ago - it just makes me feel better.... a bit proud of myself. good luck and keep on moving. s

hi guys - how do you get your weight loss ticker thing onto your signature? i have one, but I can't seem to get it on here.... any chance you can help??

Here's a recipe I use... for Turkey Burgers - they travel well for lunch and taste great. 1 lb ground turkey (really lean - good low fat protein) 1 egg 1 chopped onion 1/2 chopped red pepper 2-3 tbsp ketchup or bbq sauce (your choice) garlic powder paprika Mix them all together (if you need mushier food, you can mix them in a food processor)... then add some breadcrumbs to make the mixture hold together. you make them into burgers, and then bake them at 350 for about 30-40 minutes. You can eat them cold or hot and they taste great. If you use the food processor they are really easy to digest too. Hope you like them - I like them loads better than tuna fish.

staying on your clear liquids for a bit longer will help you in the long run... the band will heal in better and you'll be less likely to have slips and issues. good luck - it was hell for me too... banded on 19th Dec.

We're all in the same boat - I was banded on the 19th Dec - I lost about 16lbs pre-surgery and then lost 7 afterwards.... then nothing - for about a week - all the way through the full liquid phase. I'm finally now on my pureed food stage, and things seem to have started moving again. I've lost 2 lbs in the last couple of days. I think it's helping that I'm walking every single day - I'm up to about 3 miles. I think as soon as I'm on the real food, it will get even better so that I can fill up on lettuce and stuff. Anyways - good luck to everyone on this... I think the more we watch what we eat and exercise - we'll do well.

I was banded on the 19th Dec 08 - and I've now been recovering for a week. At my highest, I was 243 lbs - wow! Even writing that scares me.... I don't know how I got up to that weight. It's not like I'm inactive, it's just that I can't control my eating. I'm the type of overweight person who can be healthy as anything for a few weeks - and then I fall off the wagon and start eating like a pig. What I figured out is that when you over-eat, it's really easy to eat 5000-6000 calories, but when you're working out and being healthy, to make up for that one 5000 calorie day takes weeks.... You have to eat less than 1,500 calories a day for weeks to make up for a binge like that. Anyways, I lost a bit of weight before the surgery and I've lost like 7lbs since the surgery - gosh that's a lot. I was thinking this morning that it's been like 3 days at the same weight and I was getting a bit discouraged, but 7 lbs in a week is more than anyone could really ask for. So at surgery I was 228 - and now I'm at 221 lbs. I can't get it off fast enough. I've started walking on my treadmill yesterday - and today I did 30 mins at a pretty slow pace because I don't want to overdo it. I'd love to hear from any of you who are ahead of me or at the same time - I'm really looking forward to getting back onto normal food and being able to really get physical again. At the moment I'm feeling OK, but I'm just always tired. s

Hi guys - just thought it would be worthwhile to let you know. I just spoke to my doctor and they said that I'm totally fine! They said that if you eat something solid - like steak or chicken or a sandwich - then your stomach would churn and likely tear the stitches, but that it's very very very rare that you would do any harm eating soft and mushy food like the eggs and ice cream that I had. I'm so relieved... They do the progression of liquids and purees to be extra safe, but not to worry... Whew! I'm so relieved!! Anyways - for all of the rest of you out there, still worthwhile doing exactly what your doctor is telling you to do, but don't worry too much.

gosh - maybe i'm the only one who hasn't... I was banded on 19th Dec. I lost about 7 lbs in the first week after banding (and some before) but then nothing since. Although I did see a Biggest Loser program yesterday where it talks about how everyone on that show has a crappy second week. Guess we're all different. Oh well... glad to hear that you lot are doing well.

hey - I'm in the same boat. I had my surgery on the 19th Dec, I lost some weight pre-op and about 7 lbs post-op but i've been steady steady despite only having about 2 Protein shakes and a couple of bowls of Soup per day. Who knew that you could maintain your weight on that little food. Personally, I think my body is thinking that I'm starving it - I usually lose more weight when I'm eating more but healthier. That being said, I was tempted to start eating more normal foods, but someone on the site said that I could rip/tear the stitches in my stomach if I did that - so it reinforced the fact that I need to be thinking about healing at the moment, not about losing weight. I've been walking about 2-3 miles every day, to build up the good habit, and I'm just not going to worry about it until I'm back on normal food (another 2 weeks) and feeling my old self again. Keep the faith - I'm sure it will work eventually, or all of these people wouldn't be such advocates for this thing. s

Hi guys - i've been back on the full liquids for 2 days now and am doing OK - i've upped the Protein drinks and that has made a big difference - especially knowing about the damage that I could do if I come off them. I was banded on the 19th Dec and my doc says full liquids for another 3-4 days - then I get to go to pureed food... and he's got a track record of very little slippage with his patients. I'm going to stick to the plan like glue.... I'll call tomorrow and ask about the stitches --- but I feel fine. Great in fact - so I'm hoping it was no big deal. I never felt any pain whatsoever, so hopefully my stomach is fine and the scar tissue can heal over the band. Thanks for the advice - we've got to get this info on the Pre-Op bit of this site.. It's so damaging for people not to know this before their surgery. We're all apt to cheat - that's why we need the band in the first place... oh well... live and learn. S

Be really careful - I was so hungry that I started eating eggs - then some nurse lady on the site told me that eating mushies or solids too early can make your stomach churn (like it normally does during digestion) and then can pull at or even tear the sutures that they put in to keep the band in place. While each surgeon is different - definitely do whatever yours is recommending.

Hey - give yourself a bit of a break! Sounds like you've been doing really well - and the difference between this time and last time is that you have a tool to really help you if you get it to work properly. Do the best you can for the next week or two - then get back on the programme in the New Year and stop stressing about it.... I'm totally the same as you! I've only just been banded and wondering why the weight's not dropping off. We're all in the same boat, so take heart and relax. Breathe out.... s xx

Thanks guys - I'm back on the protein shakes and soups today and all things seem OK - I've started taking some benefibre too.. hoping that it will help to get things moving. Chat later.

Hey - don't worry about the surgery - because you're younger, you'll probably have a quicker recovery time than most of the rest of us... just make sure that you follow the post-op diet to the letter. I didn't know but if you move onto mushies too quickly you can cause yourself all sorts of complications down the path. Good luck and relax - I'm only 1 week after surgery and I'm already feeling almost back to normal and getting on the treadmill every day for a little walk. s

hey - thanks restless monkey... I didn't realise it would be such a serious thing. i'll get back on the protein shakes and the soups first thing tomorrow. why don't they tell you the seriousness of this stuff when you get the surgery done. I got a full book of literature, and it doesn't say anything about it. Thank goodness I managed on the clear liquids for most of the time... do you really think I need to ask my surgeon? Wow - thanks.

I did mine in Toronto and it was $16,000 Canadian - which would definitely leave you budget on your insurance for fills locally. Good surgeon too - Dr. Yau at Slimband. Have a look at their website.

I wouldn't do yoga if I were you - just because you'll be stretching your stomach doing backbends. It's more the incisions than the pain of it... I had my surgery on the 19th Dec and I'm walking. I walked 3 miles yesterday. Good luck! S

Hi guys - I'm on 'full liquids' so that means protein shakes and soups... I'm finding that I'm pretty hungry at the moment. When I was on the clear liquids I was losing LOADS - I know I'm not supposed to be worried about it at the moment though. I noticed that one of you dropped 11 lbs already - what are you doing?? How are you feeling? Have you started going out yet?