Melissannde

Every doctor will have a different schedule for refeeding after banding. Why would you want to go through the surgery to start eating solids so soon? The slow progression to solid foods is to let the band settle in and make a good seating around the stomach. When you eat solids too soon, the stomach works harder (peristalsis) to break it down and you are running the risk of breaking stitches and band slippage. PLEASE try to stick to the post-op diet that your doctor prescribes. 4 weeks does seem like a long time, but surely it's not just Clear Liquids.. Call your doctor's office and try to get in and talk to the nutritionist or dietician. Be honest about what you've been doing so that they can help you. You've come too far to risk messing up now.

Some suggestions: 1) are you journaling your food intake? if not, give it a try. Pen & paper or online, doesn't matter. I prefer online cause the sites have the calorie/protein/fat/sugar info already.. don't have to look it up. I use www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate (and it has smartphone apps too), but there are lots of others out there and many are free for the basic version. I used thedailyplate for almost 2 years before I paid for it. 1a) I also print out about a weeks worth of my food journal when I go in to see my doctor. This helps us both see how I'm doing and whether I need a fill or just to make better choices. 2) I don't depend on the band to work as "restriction". I can always eat more. I measure out my 3oz of Protein and 1/2 cup of veggies and eat that and stop. 3) try not to eat the white carbs or high glycemic foods. These are things like white bread, Pasta, potatoes, rice & corn. At the very least cut down on them. Eating these type of things spike your blood sugar and make you hungrier sooner. I do eat a little bit of bread, but not often and when I do it's whole grain.. like Ezekiel bread. Veggie carbs are usually fine except for corn & potatoes. 4) Are you drinking with your meals? If you are, try really hard to stop. Wait at least 30 minutes after you eat to start drinking again. Keep your fluids very low calorie.. 10cal/ 16 oz or less. Water is even better, but I know we get tired of it sometimes. 5) if you're not doing weight training, consider doing so. Weight training is not to body build, but to sculpt and to build muscles. Done right, you won't get muscle bound, but will get definition. And muscle burns more calories even when you're just sitting around. 6) I wouldn't get another fill right now. If you're already pbing on some foods, you might be too tight. It seems counter-intuitive but we can actually stall our weight loss by being too tight as we tend to eat softer higher calorie foods then. But talk to your doctor about this. And see suggestion 1a. 7) When my weight loss slowed way down, I started taking monthly measurements. I'm still losing, but it's so slow compared to the beginning of my journey that I needed something to encourage me. Seeing the inches come off helps. 8) Make an appt to go in and talk with the nutritionist or dietician who works with your doctor. See if they have any suggestions for you. Hang in there. (I started at a 5 to 6X.. now at 18 or XL or 1X.. I'd be thrilled to be a 14. It's all a matter of perspective isn't it?? ::smile:

Burping is my soft-stop signal. Meaning when I'm eating and start burping, I better stop or at least slow waaaaaayyyy down or else the next thing I know I'm over full or stuck. I think with gastric surgery, increased noises are the norm.

I don't think of it as a "diet". I think of this as a life-style change.

If you have the realize band (and I think you probably do as I don't think the lapband comes in an 11cc band), the AVERAGE amount of fill to start getting really good dimming of hunger is about 7cc's of Fluid. This can be different for all, but since you're now at 5cc's, you are creeping up on where you need to be. Don't be dismayed at your doc only giving you 5. Mine does rather conservative fills because he says that it can take up to 2 weeks for a fill to make itself known. I had a fill 22 December.. and exactly a week later I suddenly got tighter. Why? who knows. Try drinking extra Water (or other low calorie stuff) between your meals, that helps me sometimes. And you may want to reconsider thinking of the band as offering restriction. I can always always always eat .. and I do get hungry, but not as often. What the band does for me is to let me eat a smaller amount of good quality Protein and veggies and not be hungry again for 3 to 5 hours. Some days are easier than others.. it's just the nature of the band. She's known as a "fickle b*tch". Hang in there. It should get easier.

If you're missing the fizz, not much I can suggest. If you're missing the caffeine, and your doc says it's ok.. try coffee or there's a caffeinated Protein drink called "Click" that you might like ( I don't care for it myself). I have become a big coffee fan.. with 1 tbspn fat free half/half & 2 tbspn s/f Choc. syrup (torani or davinci brands). Other things I drink: Water, Powerade ZERO, diet snapple, Propel, Lemon flavored water (forget the brand name.. but it's non carbonated). Try all different kinds of Crystal Lite (and the store brands there of.. Target has margarita flavored !! and I like the Kroger store brand decaf tea with lemon) Ever so often I will have a Fuze Slenderize but not regularly as they are 20 calories a bottle and I try to stay at 10 cal/16oz. Oceanspray has diet versions of its cranberry drinks that are OK in moderation. Keep trying, you'll find something.

I have to agree with ElfiePoo. And even though my surgeon isn't banded (as far as I know... he's never said he was) he recommends almost the same program.. 3oz Protein & 1/2 cup veggies. He doesn't suggest the grains/starches, but I doubt he would have a problem with them as long as they didn't stall my weight loss or make me want more carbs. As to "making this work for you", I'll share my own experience. Even though the doc said 3oz protein, 1/2 cup veggies.. I was SMO (super morbidly obese) at the beginning of this journey and I just could not get by on 3oz. I ate 4oz of protein for a few months until I was comfortable with only eating 3. And guess what.. I still lost really well. I was losing at almost 4lbs a week at the beginning. So fast that I had to almost beg for my first fill. Once I went in for an appointment and told the nurse I had had 1/2 cup of chicken salad for lunch, but that it didn't hold me. She said 1/2 cup is more for RNY (bypass) .. that as a bandster, I should be eating closer to a cup. As always, YMMV. Just some things to consider.

Centrum makes an adult chewable. Then there's Celebrate, Fusion, Bariatric Advantage & Building Blocks which are all focused on the WLS community.

What were you doing/eating when it happened again today? Can you pin it to any certain food or activity? Yes, do discuss it with your doc.

Nope, wasn't told that at all. And I know it's not true for everyone. I've ALWAYS been able to eat breakfast and have lost weight very well. I didn't start doing the coffee first (to loosen the band a bit) until almost a year out. The coffee is a precaution to get my vitamins/supplements down. Some of them are on the large side and I can't find a chewable version of glucosamine (for my joints). Back to my breakfast oatmeal.

Some people think that an enzyme in pineapple juice helps digest foods. The problem with the juice is that it's full of sugar. You might ask if you can try papaya enzyme if the juice stalls your weight loss. The papaya comes in chewable tablets and does the same job as the pineapple. I've usually heard the pineapple or papaya recommended as a help for stuck issues instead of a preventative. I suspect it was the unfill also that made the difference. Glad you're feeling better.

Food addiction will probably also require some talking therapy. I'm slowly convincing myself of that fact as I still can't quite conquer the evening eating even with a really good fill level. As to the band itself, my only regret is that I didn't get this obesity taken care of before it caused cancer. I had a chance and blew it. I'm fine now, caught the cancer very early and have a 97% chance of having a complete cure from surgery alone.. but there are repercussions from the surgery that I have to deal with every day.. not huge ones, compared to other cancer survivors.. but still I could've avoided them completely if I had gotten the weight off sooner. Just something to think about.

For toning, I do body pump. But that's a gym class. It is lots of fun though.. it's weight lifting (small weight for toning, not large ones for body building) to popular music. I enjoy it so much I could do it daily if they didn't require you to take a day off between lifting.

I'm not good at working out at home.. I need the motivation and encouragement of others at the gym. BUT everyone is different!! I've heard that the Leslie Sansone "Walk away the Pounds" DVD's are good. I have two friends who do them and enjoy them. One has even gotten her husband to join her. Do you have an Xbox or a Wii? They both have Zumba available for them. I hear that while not really an exercise program, that Dance Dance Revolution is fun and will make you sweat. When I first started exercising I had a great companion in walking my dog. If you don't have a dog, could you borrow a neighbor's to take for a walk? That could even work into a part-time job if things worked out. What do you dislike (I try really hard to avoid the word "hate", it's so strong and powerful) about the gym.. is it that particular gym or any gym? Could you try another one? Do you dislike working out alone there? Could you hire a personal trainer (they aren't cheap, but some places they are cheaper than others.. )? Just some ideas to explore. Good luck! P.S. One of my sisters (non banded) took Ball Room Dancing classes for exercise. She didn't lose lbs, but reshaped. I bet if she had been careful with her food intake, she would've lost lbs too. There's also bike riding or swimming (indoor pool this time of year for the Northern Hemisphere..LOL)

No, it's not normal at all. Throwing up, while it sometimes happens for various reasons, should be avoided as much as possible. Please call your doctor and get back in as soon as possible. If they won't give you an appointment in the next few days, make sure they understand that you are unable to keep food down. Push comes to shove, go and sit in the office until they can work you in. Daily vomiting is really risking slipping the band or other dire consequences. Best of luck to you.

It is an adjustment to learn to drink so much. Kudo's to you for making it a habit pre-op!! One thing my doctor says in his post-op instructions is to WORK UP TO drinking 64oz of Water or very low calorie (5 to 10 calories per 16 oz) fluids a day. That it may take a week or two to be able to drink that much post-operatively. The other posters are correct, Jello and popsicles also count as fluids. I keep a bottle of water or something to drink beside me all of the time. You'll get there.

Congrats on losing 38lbs.. that's fantastic!! The above suggestions are good 1) try chewing gum. I do this a LOT when I want to eat, but not hungry and it's not "feeding time". 2) looking for a non-food related job. Another thing you might try is behavior modification. This helps to change your attitude and behaviors concerning a certain subject.. in this case, food. A good book on this is "The Beck Diet Solution" by Judith Beck. It also has a workbook. If you read the book and do the exercises, it will help. I'll admit I have the book, have read it, but haven't done the exercises ..yet. But even just reading the book helps a little. The name of the book is misleading.. it's not a diet, it's not even a book about dieting. It's about how to change your thinking and behavior. Good luck!!

spanx(catherines), flexees (bealls, kohls), sweet nothings (walmart). www.aswechange.com

He needs to have his band checked. Either make that 4 hour trip or find a new bariatric doc where you live now. In the meantime, putting a pillow under the mattress isn't enough. You'll need to put bricks under the bed supports at the head of the bed. if this night coughing IS due to reflux (and I'd bet it is) if not tended to could eventually lead to aspiration pneumonia. don't want to go there if you can avoid it. Get in to see a bariatric surgeon asap.

This makes me wonder if you are eating too late at night and therefore aren't hungry in the am. You don't have to eat breakfast food at breakfast time.. anything that appeals to you (well almost anything.. LOL) should be fine. I'm like Honk, I don't do mornings very well, so I get up and have coffee and take my Vitamins and become alive again. I fix my oatmeal the night before in my crockpot so it's ready for me and I don't have to think about it. Good luck on finding something you like.

Texas two-step chicken 1 1/2 cup picante sauce 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar ( I use splenda or the brown-sugar splenda blend) 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves Mix picante sauce, sugar and mustard. Place chicken breasts in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Pour mixture over chicken. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Tangy-Ranch Chicken 2/3 cup Ranch dressing ( I used Ranch dressing mix, dry) 1/3 cup FRENCH'S® Classic Yellow® Mustard 3 tbsp. brown sugar (splenda or brownsugar/ splenda blend) 4 to 6 (5 oz.) boneless skinless chicken breasts Directions: MIX salad dressing, mustard and sugar. Pour 1/2 cup sauce into serving bowl. COAT chicken with remaining sauce in 3-qt. greased baking dish. BAKE chicken at 350°F for 25 min. until cooked. Serve with reserved sauce. I thought this was too sweet when I made it the first time, next time I will cut back on the splenda. With both of these, try baking with tin foil covering the pans .. this will help make the chicken more moist & tender.

My nutritionist and doctor said that they would never tell anyone not to have their coffee. They do recommend being very careful about the creamer and type of sugar (prefer that we use none or artificial). Those that have nutritionists who think coffee is dehydrating, I'm sorry. Perhaps show them this from Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeinated-drinks/AN01661 I don't remember how long I went before I started drinking coffee again, but I know I didn't have it for at least the first few days. I used to not be a big coffee fan, but I LOVE it now. I have a few cups every morning with fat free half & half (1 tbspn per cup) and s/f torani chocolate syrup with a dash of peppermint powder. oh.. it tastes like drinking a york peppermint pattie. There's tons of s/f syrups out there.. good in tea too (and if you can't convince your nutritionist to relent on the coffee tabu, tea has much less caffeine than coffee..).

And I do low fat because of gall bladder issues (and I do NOT want another surgery): Most days brkfst is Steelcut Oatmeal with chopped apples and 1 turkey sausage link about 10 or 11 am I have a Protein drink or skim milk after working out 1 to 2pm lunch is 3oz protein & 1/2 cup veggies. Yesterday was smoked salmon (chicken of the sea), 1oz of weight watcher's cream cheese, 3 crisp & light wasa crackers and 10 baby carrots. If I need something to tide me over, I'll have a snack around 3 or 4.. generally high protein, low cal. cheese stick & apple, low carb yogurt, 90 cal cottage cheese, etc. 6 to 7pm: supper, again 3oz protein 1/2 cup veggies. Last night was baked chicken and whole okra. I try not to eat after supper, usually fail. If I do eat, I keep it low cal & light. 100 cal popcorn, a container of cottage cheese, 100 cal. almonds, etc.

Actually, some people can have surgery and not have pain. There's a syndrome called "Congenital Insensitivity to Pain". I had a patient with that problem once. It is a problem.. she burned her fingers many times as a child and didn't realize. And some patients get given reasonable post-op pain meds (liquid hydrocodone) and some get really poor post-op pain meds ( I got given Darvocet.. which didn't do a damn thing for me). Yes, cutting into the abdomen is going to result in pain for most. Different people perceive pain differently. The treatment of such pain makes a difference too. Scolding folks doesn't help.

Seems like this would be a good thread to add a link to the article "It's Not about Restriction" http://drsimpson.net/newsletter/March-2010-Lap-band-surgery-newsletter/March-2010-Lap-band-surgery-newsletter.html