yarddawg72

All - I have found over the last five months that my weight loss stalls every once in awhile. I have gone for like 3 weeks without loosing. It is important to realize that at times, you body is dropping inches and keeping weight for a bit. We do need to make sure we get enough protein and enough calories. We each have a different level of optimum calories and protein. I have found it best to absolutely cut out all carbs wherever possible. I switched to soy protein and it seems to work better for me. With exercise, your body needs more calories or it will go into store mode. I usually do not measure my calories so much as my protein intake, 70 to 75 grams for me. When you start getting fills, things will pick up faster as you begin to feel restriction. I have gone a little extreme since my banding, or so my friends tell me. They call me protein man and the carb nazi. be sure to talk to your doctor, after all you paid him a ton of money to help you through this. This is one the best things we could have done and it is soooooo worth the struggles to see the pounds and inches melting away.

Hey there TK, Sometimes when I don't get enough calories, my body starts to store everything instead of burn. I have gone through a few stalls and almost always it seems I ate less or started to work out harder and needed a few more calories. Not too many of course, but even 100 calories seems to keep the fire burning so to speak. I too was warned about carnation and ensure. I use soy protein powder with only 6 grams of sugar or less. It seems like any sugar at all, and my body goes back to its old habits, burn the sugar and store the rest. It is a learning process for all of us. Always talk to your Dr. and see what he/she has to say. Adnd Frog is right sometimes you are getting smaller but not loosing. Good to record measurements when you record your weight too. Keep your chin up, you'll start puree foods soon and it will be a bit easier, although you will still take a protein shake or two a day. I need right around 70 grams or so but everyone's different.

You are doing good from the sounds of it. The gas will go away faster the more you walk. I had to sip fluid and protein shake like every 15 minutes, even used a timer to keep track. The pain meds will help a lot too. If you find a comfortable position to lay, remember it. The measuring cup/spoon will be your good friend for a few days. Soon enough you will feel better and the drinking will get easier. If the whey protein does not work for you, try some soy protein, works wonders for me. Keep your chin up and get ready to watch the weight come off :-)

It does get better, you will be on "normal food" soon enough. Keep up the pace and get as much fluid and protein as you can. I actually switched to soy protein cause the whey stuff made me nauseous.

the gas will go away with the walking, no quick fix for that. I just tried to drink as much fluid as I could, didn't get 64oz. kind of hard at first. I had to resort to literally drink one ounce every 15 minutes. Used a timer and everything. Just keep sipping.

I don't think you stretch the pouch with one episode. I ate too fast at Thanksgiving and felt the same way, my whole body felt bad. I watched my intake for a couple days and still felt restriction. It just hit me that I was full but I had already taken like 10 bites past that. A big attention grabber, huh? It will get better, I think we all do it once. Hey kids don't believe its hot till they burn themselves right?

Well I started back to work after 3 days. I had to stop the pain meds to do that though and I was miserable. As long as you don't do any lifting work should be okay, if you can take the pain meds and work DO IT. Just don't try to lift anything or run or anything, sitting and walking are okay though.

Hi Susie, Kevin from Madera, CA here. My advice: start saying good-bye to all your favorite foods one by one. This will smooth the blow to your system. I dropped the shakes and frappacinos little by little. Bread was tough but it is the worst for the band from what I've heard. You'll be surprised that you will loose some weight even B4 the band. After surgery you will hurt a bit, take your pain meds, they help. Don't try to be a hero and go back to work after two days like me, not worth it. You will have to sip fluids and protein shakes, I had to switch to soy protein cause the whey stuff made me nausious. Within a few days the drinking will get easier and the weight will start to come off slowly. Usually your doctor will move you to puree after 10 days to 2 wks. You will iss food a little but not as much as you enjoy loosing weight. You start to feel better even before you look better. Keep your chin up and get ready to do some smiling.