marfar7

You'll get thru it, I promise. That first 4 weeks that I was on a liquid diet, I could've eaten anything that passed my window. When I'd go to Albertsons 3x a week to stock up on tomato Soup and Jello, I'd smell the deli fried chicken and I almost gave in several times. I didn't tho. I did cheat and go to soft foods (mashed potatoes, applesauce, etc) a week early cuz I was soooo starving. I regret not following the rules. Good luck to you! You WILL get thru it! Marci

Me too! Luv my salads. My husband eats all the meat and veggies he wants (including lotso salads). He just doesn't eat fruit, starches, sugar. It's the giving up of the bread and fruit that will get to me tho most, I think. Thanks! Marci

It'll be 3 yrs for me on Oct 1. I'm 15 lbs from my goal of 135. I can't seem to be able to get these last few pounds off! The first 100 lbs were much easier! I was down to 144 this past Dec (right before getting married), but after my band slipped and I was unfilled, I gained back about 16 lbs (managed to lose 10 of those so far). My husband has had success with lo carbing it. He's lost over 80 lbs this past 3 yrs (gained back 20 of it since meeting me almost 2 yrs ago!) I have a hard time lo carbing it - I luv carbs so much! He thinks life would be so much easier if I would just eat meat and veggies. Even yogurt and fruit to him is considered "junk food". I luv my band and the fact that I can eat whatever I want, just much less of it and still lose. But it doesn't seem to be working anymore. I'm still eating a toddlers portion and nothing is budging. Should I bite the bullet and try the lo carb fad? I majored in nutrition in college and know that carbs are healthy in moderation (healthy carbs that is - like wheat bread, brown rice, whole wheat Pasta, fruit, etc), but I also see how the lo carb "movement" works for most people. I can't imagine my life without bread, pasta, fruit, and potatoes. I usually eat 1 pc of whole wheat bread a day, 1 pc of fruit, maybe a few bites of pasta or potatoes. Not THAT much. Would it help me lose that extra 15 lbs I have left to lose? While I'm so proud of the fact that 3 yrs ago I started at 248 and as of today I weigh 150, I would be so much happier with myself if I actually reached my goal. I actually already met my dr's goal (150), but I still feel fat (especially the back fat). How do you lo carbers do it? Do you feel deprived? Do you eat fruit and just stay away from starches and sugars? My husband seems to think that if you're not in ketosis, you won't ever lose weight. Well I proved him wrong (lost more than he did while eating carbs!), but it's hard to argue with something that seems to work for most people. And my PA is very anti carb. I always get a lecture when I see him about my carb intake. Just wondering....should I keep to what I know works (eating everything just very small quantities of it) or mix it up and give the lo carb thing a try? Marci

I go to the gym 4 times a week, walk at 4.0 mph on the treadmill at 3% incline for 45 minutes. I do 20-25 minutes of weights. I walk my dog twice a day. I guess I could bump my cardio up a little. I think my exercise is right where it should be tho. I just wanted opinions on the lo carb diet. Thanks! Marci

So, I just posted a topic on carbs a few minutes ago. Wondering if it would help me take off the last 15 lbs if I lo carbed it. My husband keeps to less than 20 a day. You can have up to 60? I don't know much about lo carb diets, I've lost 100 lbs by eating whatever I wanted, just much, much less of it. But these last 15 lbs won't budge. My husband has lost 80 lbs doing the low carb thing (he tries to stick to less than 20 gms a day tho). But about twice a month, he gives in and eats a whole 1/2 gallon of ice cream. That's what I'm afraid will happen if I give up carbs - I'll eat too many when my cravinggives in. Where did you learn about the lo carb diet? I'm not real big fan of Dr Atkins. Thanks! Marci

Yeah! Congrats! Only 10 more days of liquids, the on to healthy eating! Good for u! Marci

I also love shrimp! Eat it about twice a month (either peel and eat shrimp or fried) with sauce. No problems... Marci

Well, my 3rd "bandiversary" is Oct 1. I'm almost to goal! I started out at 248 and as of this morning, I weigh 150 (135 is my goal). I was down to 144 this past Dec (right before I got married), but after a slip and unfill, I gained some back. If I could just quit eating at nite I could probably take off the last 15 lbs in the next few months! Hope everyone else is doing well! Love, love, love my band! Even tho I've had some issues with it the past 6 mths or so (a slip, not fixed yet with severe reflux at night) I would do it again and again. Marci

It's been almost 3 yrs for me and I stiil occasionally feel discomfort where my port is. Usually it's just after a fill or unfill, but last nite, it felt bruised. Haven't had a fill in months. I think I might have slept on it wrong the nite before. Good luck! Marci

As soon as I got restriction (5 mths post op), I started gurgling whenever I ate or drank anything. People around me could hear it! I posted on here and was told it was totally normal. I don't know why it stopped about a yr later (occasionally still I'll gurgle but not often). And burping? Still do that often. Especially if I eat too fast. Good luck! Marci

I totally understand how you feel. I've had my band almost 3 yrs now and recently had a slip. After my unfill/refill, I haven't vomited at all (I guess thats good). It's been a couple of months. I was just telling my husband the other day that when I vomited, I realized that the band was working. Now it doesn't feel that it's working (even tho I'm pretty much keeping what I lost off). I know that the band is still working cuz I'm full on a small amt of food still - but never vomit. It's still nice to be reminded that our bands are working - in a physical way! Marci

I'm one of those rare ones that can eat almost anything (cept pineapple chunks and thick pizza crust). I eat sandwiches, rice, Pasta, bread, etc. I only eat a few bites of anything tho. It's all trial and error. Try it very slowly. If it works, yeah! Marci

I've been PB'ing for almost 3 yrs. I call it vomiting tho, cuz I wretch over the toilet just like vomiting, the only difference is it's just food, no stomach acid. I caused my band to slip about 6 mths ago. I don't advise vomiting or PBing. Good luck to you! Marci

I wasn't required to diet pre-op. In fact, I had my "last meal" the nite before surgery (Outback ribs!). But I was on a liquid diet for 4 weeks postop and that was the hardest thing to do. But we all do it. You can do it! Good luck! Marci

About twice a week I eat breakfast. Sometimes I wake up hungry and I'll eat some yogurt, or an egg and a pc of bacon. Most of the time tho I'm not hungry till around 1 or 2. I don't know about you but eating when I wasn't hungry is what got me in this mess in the first place! My first meal of the day (whether it's 7 am or 1 pm) is only a few bites. If I do eat breakfast, I can always eat more the rest of the day. Like today, we went to Red Robin at 2pm. I can usually eat about 5 fries and 1/3 of my burger (when I eat breakfast). I didn't eat breakfast this morning and managed to eat 2bites of my burger and about 3 fries. A Red Robin burger is usually 3 meals for me. Before being banded, I could've eaten a whole one plus extra fries! Anyway, you just wanted to know about breakfast, huh?! Marci

Totally normal. For the first 5 months following surgery, I was starving all the time. Ate pretty much like I did preband. Till my 3rd fill. Then the magic started. I felt full on a toddlers serving. Worked. Lost over 100 lbs in the last almost 3 yrs (actually in 2 yrs, kept it off for a year now). When you start getting fills, you'll notice a difference. Need to be patient until then. You can either be good, diet, count calories, or do what I did - just wait for restriction. I was tired of dieting and counting stuff. Don't do that anymore. Pretty much eat what I want - just MUCH less of it. Good luck! Marci

For the first 5 months following surgery, and until my 3rd fill, I didn't feel any restriction whatsoever. I ate just as much as I did preband. After my 3rd fill, I at a toddler size meal and would feel like I was going to vomit if I ate another bite. After almost 3 yrs of fills/unfills/tweaking (and a slip), I still can only eat a toddlers portions, a bigger toddler. I notice myself eating a little bit more (especially at night) than I did 1 yr ago. I've still got about 16 lbs to goal, and they are the hardest 16 lbs ever. If I just cut out the crap I put into my mouth and go back to eating the way I did 2 yrs ago, I would probably lose it in a couple months. But yes, a little bit of food satisfies you after you've gotten enuf Fluid in your band for restriciton. Like someone else said, it's different than the "full" feeling you have now. It's more of a pain and knowing if you take one more bite, it'll make you ill. Good luck! Marci

I'm scared the same thing will happen to me soon. About 6 mths ago, I started having really bad night reflux. I withstood it for a couple of months because I was afraid of losing my band. Finally went in and I had slip. He took out 1/2 of my 9cc fill and let it rest for a month. I went back in, and they started filling me without doing a follow-up xray to see if the slip had fixed itself. I was fine until my 2nd fill, then I started having the severe nighttime reflux again. Went back in. Another xray showed that the band was still slipped, exactly the same as it had been. He took out the 1cc fill he had given me a few weeks beforehand. Now I have regular nightime reflux and daytime heartburn. I take Prilosec rx and OTC Zantac. It does nothing. I'm afraid to go back to the dr's for fear they'll tell me I'll have to have it removed. I've lost 104 lbs with it and am scared to death I'll gain it all back. So here I suffer with the reflux and heartburn. And it's a 6 hr round trip visit to the dr's office and $160 + xray costs every time I go in. I'm just taking it day by day, praying that I'll wake up tomorrow and it'll just pop back into place. Now, the reflux isn't as bad as it has been in the past, but I can no longer sleep on my sides. Have to sleep propped up on 3 pillows on my back to sleep at all. So, I know the fear of having to reband. Good luck with your band. Hopefully they won't have to reband you. Marci

I always have a hard time with yogurt. Takes me about 30 mins to eat 6 oz of it and then I want to throw up. You might be too tight. I'd give it a few days and if you still can't eat anything, talk to your doc! Marci

And here I thought you were going out on a date with a guy! Silly me. Congrats! Marci

I now wear an 8 also. Actually a 7/8 cuz I hafta wear junior pants cuz my hubby says the womens makes my butt sag. It's been almost 3 yrs and over 100 lbs ago that I bought a pair of capris that were a 22 - the largest size I've ever been in. It's totally possible! I still am bigger on top and wear between a large and XL. Guess I still have those Swedish shoulders my mom always told me I had. Make sure you try them on from time to time. I think I skipped over size 12, went right from 14s to 10s. Good luck! You can do this! Marci

My port area is bruised every time I get a fill for a couple of days. If I remember back that far (almost 3 yrs now), I can't remember if my port was bruised after surgery. But it is everytime I get a fill - so it makes sense that it's bruised after surgery. I wouldn't worry about it... Marci

Hi! The previous poster was right - there's no such thing as a dumb question! No, it'sbeen almost 3 yrs since being banded for me and I can't feel anything inside of me. Now, the port is a different story. I can feel it thru my clothes. The more weight you lose, the more it will protrude. No one else ever notices it tho. Cept my husband - he calls it my "contraption". As for getting stuck - my advice: EAT SLOWLY. For over 2 yrs, I ate too fast. Learned from Army basic training. If you didn't eat in 5 minutes, you didn't eat. I would eat too fast, get stuck, and end up vomiting all my food up. It got to be my normal. Until about 6 mths ago when my band slipped from excessive vomiting. Now I eat VERY slowly, and chew my food VERY well. I've only had 2 stuck episodes since - both I had to vomit to relieve the pain. It's the only thing that works for me. DON'T drink while eating either! That'll just give the food thats in there the "cork effect" and make all that you drank come quickly back up. At least it does for me. I used to time it for 45 minutes after eating, I could drink. Now I can just feel when the food is into my tummy and then drink (usually 30-60 minutes) The only time my port is tender is for a couple of days after a fill. My PA numbs the area so I don't feel it when he give me the fill, but it turns black and blue and feels like it's bruised afterwards. Other than that, it doesn't bother me to sleep on it. It does feel weird when you press on it, like there's something growing inside. No biggie tho. I'd take them all over my body if I meant that I could lose 100 lbs again! Good luck to you! Have a fantastic surgery! Marci

I was on full liquids for 4 weeks. That's considered a long time tho, my dr's choice. I went straight to soft foods for a week (scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, tuna salad, egg salad, refried Beans, yogurt, puddings, etc) Good luck! So glad that period is long overwith! Marci

We play poker on Sat nites, so I'll eat finger food. I made chicken salad sandwiches. They'll probably be chicken wings, pizza, and other finger foods there. I usually take a bite of everything. Too bad I have to save my Olive Garden leftovers for tomorrow! Marci