Phranp

Jachut you hit the nail on the head for me! My fight is not with food, the problem for me is in my head and the way I allow food to control my life. This band/tool is really a big help in making me look at the reasons I eat. I am NOT that fond of food ... I DON'T like to cook and I HATE being in the kitchen. But, historically when something happens in my life -- good or bad -- I am ready to eat over it. Well, since I have so much restriction now, the thought of eating when I am not hungry is a bit repugnant to me. So, instead I have been doing what my therapist has been trying to get me to do for a year now -- think about WHY I want to put something in my mouth. It's not easy looking my fears in the face, but I am finding that it's not the end of the world either. I'm not a person to weigh and measure and I have failed at every "diet" I have ever tried. But, just this morning when someone in my office told me (after I had refused a piece of cake) "go on, it's the holidays, give in", I thought about it and decided that I wasn't hungry and the truth is that I didn't really want it. It has been liberating to look at food differently. Slow and steady ... Also, for those with diabetes, in January 2008 I went into emergency with my blood sugar at 917 ... I was delirious! Fortunately, I wasn't alone and my doctor was meeting me there. It was so bad that I couldn't answer the questions they were asking me. Good thing I was there with a friend that has known me for 40 years. Anyway, after being banded and losing a mere 20 lbs I am no longer on any diabetes meds. I am a Type 2 diabetic and yes, I am atypical; all I know is that "for me", the band is working in ways that I never imagined. Slow and steady ... We are all different and I hope for the best outcome for each and every one of us. Happy Holidays!

Unfortunately, I am definitely and evening snacker. The good news is that with my new restriction (BTW, in my original post I meant to say "now" I am tight", sorry about that) I am eating less at night -- even though I am able to eat more than I could at breakfast/lunch. Oh how I wish I weren't a "night snacker", my life would be so much easier. I will work it out though, me and my band. LOL

Sorry to hear you are having problems. I know it no consolation but I was banded on June 15 and am struggling to keep 30 lbs off. It's not a big struggle, to be honest -- but I have stopped getting on the scale as often because I hate bad news. I struggled at one point going up and down 3 lbs. Now it's down 1 lb, up 1 lb, down 1 lb. I didn't think I needed another fill but after I had a cold and did a lot of coughing it seems that I can eat more ... sometimes this is soooo frustrating. I am trying to get in for another fill but by docs office seems to be averse to giving me an appointment. Add all that to the fact that the last time I had a fill it was a traumatic experience because my doc had a hard time getting the needle into my port (I was shaking like crazy when I left his office and bleeding quite a bit). I have a tentative appointment for Tuesday the 15th but if he has surgery that day he will cancel my appt. Getting another fill will probably help us both. Good luck.

I am soooo confused. Since the fill I had in early October I have felt that I was at my "sweet spot". I was supposed to return for a doc visit just for a check up in early November but, since I didn't think I needed a fill (and since my doc moved to Beverly Hills the parking is RIDICULOUSLY expensive and impossible to find on the street - yuck), I opted not to return for a while. Well, now I can't decide if I need a fill or not. My weight loss is pretty slow but steady and in the right direction -- down. Lately though, I have been feeling hungry -- like right now -- AND, I know longer feel as tight in the morning and at lunch as I did a month or so ago. I had scheduled and appointment for December 3rd but cancelled it because I am afraid that if I get even a small fill I won't be able to swallow my breakfast (a protrein drink). My daily regimen has been pretty satisfying and filling for the last couple of months (breakfast = protein drink, lunch = Lean Cuisine, dinner = protein[meat, poultry, fish], starch, and veggie. But, of late I am getting hungry during the day AND I am able to eat more at dinner. I am sorry if my post is a bit confusing, but I am confused myself. Do I need a fill or not? Should I just stick to my current food plan and eventually the hunger will go away or what? Any and all advice would be helpful. Thanks.

Been there, done that ... just this past Saturday! LOL I wasn't bored, I was busy and had a birthday lunch and then a formal dinner to go to ... it was a crazy day! I felt like I had eaten soooo much food. I hadn't actually eaten that much -- I can't, I'm at my sweet spot -- but, I knew I had eaten more than I should. I was soooo full that I couldn't keep the food down and had to stop. I was very nervous because I hadn't been "out and about" in quite some time. Historically, I eat when I am nervous -- that has yet to change (though I hope it will in time). Head hunger and habit hunger I find to be the hardest to eliminate. The journal idea is really good, though I don't do it nearly enough. Hang in there Tracy and I'll do the same ... we can do this! I try not to beat myself up when old habits kick in -- it won't help and always hurts. I just jump back on track and try to do better tomorrow. All the best to you on your journey ... and eveyone else too!

My doctor didn't really put me on a "food plan". My doc is very different from many that I have heard about on this forum. My doc would tell me after each fill (until about the 5th fill) to to eat solid foods so that I would know if I had restriction. So I made my own food plan based on a 1200 calorie per day intake. I do protein shakes for breakfast because in the morning I am tight and eating food (except oatmeal) is uncomfortable. The shake holds me till my lunch at noon. For lunch I eat a Lean Cuisine which is quite satisfying since I hit my sweet spot. For dinner I find that if I get enough protein with dinner that I do not get hungry before bed. But, sometimes I am forced to have a snack between lunch and dinner because, before surgery one of my co-morbidities was Type 2 diatbetes. I stopped taking my meds (i.e., 1000 mg 2X a day) about 1 1/2 month after surgery. So, when I don't get enough calories for lunch I have on a few occasions become hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) and had to eat a snack to get through the work day. I would suggest that while our docs may be trying to guide us, we really need to listen to our bodies as well. I snack as often as is necessary to stay healthy. I consider myself to be a reasonable person, I know that overeating is what made me fat, so I make different choices when I have to eat more than I planned.

I was banded June 15 and am a mere 30 lbs down (need to change my "Ticker"). I didn't feel any restriction until my 4th fill and didn't hit my sweet spot until my 6th fill. It is so funny to me how different each doc can be. I do know that when my doc moved to a new office that has this "special chair" for doing fills, he was able to get me to my sweet spot. He lays me back till I'm almost upside down, finds my port, sticks the needle in and then sits me up -- not all the way up, but enough that I can drink Water after each fill. If I can swallow the water without a problem after "x" cc's then I am good but (and this happened to me), if I can't get the water down my throat he knows he has put too much in and removes it until I am comfortable. That was about a month ago and I have seen much better weight loss results since then. There is nothing more frustrating than having a "tool" (the lap band) that you cannot use! I hope you get restriction soon. Best of luck to you!

I was diagnosed with A-Typical Type 2 Diabetes in January of 2007. I was feeling really sick, exhausted, and all the other symptoms. I finally went to the doctor and was immediately sent to the emergency room. My blood sugar was 917. I left the hospital 4 days later with insulin and metformin. Within a week I was taking only a third of what I was originally prescribed and off insulin within a month. Ultimately, I was taking 1000 mg of Metformin 2 X a day. Even that got to be a little too much and I went to 500 in the morning and 1000 at night. Anyway, I called my endo a couple of days after my surgery and he said I could stop taking metformin asap. I waited about a month and a half to stop completely. I continue to check my blood sugar and it has been very good since I was about 20 lbs down. Here's my issue, - and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this - my blood sugar has been too low on a number of occasions since I stopped taking my meds. It usually happens when I change my diet to lose more weight. My numbers aren't crazy low (low 70's to 80), but I don't feel well at all when I am in the 70's (never did) and I get really shaky. Anyone else experiencing low blood suger after being in "diabetic remission"?

My former sister-in-law works in the same bldg that I do and sometimes we would go to lunch before my surgery. She is a few inches taller and a few pounds heavier than I am (before surgery), and has been trying different things to lose weight (water aerobics, Weight Watchers, nutrionist), all to no avail. When I told her that I was going to have the lap band surgery she wrinkled her nose and said "that's okay for you, but I'm going to do it on my own." (Mind you, she hasn't lost a pound after a year of Water aerobics 2-3 times a week.) I said, "cool, to each her own". Well, about 3 weeks ago she called me and after telling me some other stuff she started talking about the lap band surgery. She said that "she couldn't possibly do that, it's unnatural" ... "Putting something in your body that God didn't put there". I said "oh, like hip replacement or an artificial heart?". She then said that she had to go to a meeting and that she would call me back. I was surprised when a couple of hours later she actually did call me back. She talked a bit and then I told her that no one was going to make her have lap band surgery so she didn't have to worry about putting anything "unnatural" in her body. I told her that it's a personal choice and not the answer for everyone. Well, she hasn't spoken to me since! LOL! Trust me when I say, I AM GOOD WITH THAT!! LOL

I am getting sicker by the minute and can't wait to get home from work. I had lots of plans for my weekend, but it doesn't look like they're going to happen. My sinuses have are now draining into my chest and my asthma is kicking in. Aside from the fact that I could barely get my lunch down (a Lean Cuisine with all of 240 calories) is there anything I should know about treating a cold with the band? In my pre-band days I always liked to eat a "Ding Dong" or two -- I don't know why, just made me feel better (and bigger) when I was sick. Now, not so much. Anyone suffered through an ugly cold with the band?

@HappyHomeCC My mom is 89 yrs old. She is blind from diabetes and still seems to know me when I visit. It was EXTREMELY difficult to put her in a home. No one in my family on either side has ever put a parent in a home. But I was raising my sis two children and working and could not care for her. My siblings were useless. I try to appreciate that my mom is alive, but her quality of life seems lacking to me. I am sorry to hear about your dad. I know how hard it can be. I pray a lot, it's all I can do. Keep the faith.

Thanks everyone! Yes, my band is tighter while I am sick ... the mucus, as I suspected. The fever has all hunger at bay. Apples2, my mom is still alive but in a convalescent home with Alzheimer's related dementia. I wish I could call her. It's been a long weekend being sick because I have been antsy, while at the same time I don't have enough energy to do anything. I'll be glad when it is over!

Thanks Enchanted ... I'll stock up on my way home.

Hang in there! And, give serious consideration to finding a new doc. Like Cleo's mom says, many surgeons are not experienced in with lapband from surgery and beyond. My doc, though he hasn't admitted it, obviously doesn't know a lot about weight loss or aftercare for the lapband. Fortunately for me he is a kind man and just wants me to get to my "sweet spot" (I think I'm either there or so close it doesn't matter -- as of two weeks and 7 lbs ago). My doc doesn't give me a lot of info on eating but he also doesn't berate me at all. The first time I even got on the scale was at my last visit and that was because I stepped on the scale myself, he didn't ask me to -- I was banded JUNE 15TH!!! I have been doing my own research and this forum is really great too. My process has been slow but, because of my age, I think that is a good thing. Don't give up, this will get better as you get more restriction. Please do not be too hard on yourself. All the best to you!

I TOTALLY understand stress/anger/bored eating. I have only recently stopped eating before going to sleep. Part of my hunger before bed was head hunger (usually stress) but part of the problem was because I didn't get enough Protein that day. I have since changed my eating habits and keep healthy Snacks in the house for times when I haven't eaten enough protein. But, for me, the most helpful thing I did to stop stress/anger/bored eating was to continue therapy with my obesity specialist. When I looked into getting the lapband I decided that I would start seeing a therapist to be certain that I was doing this for the right reasons. Also, knowing that I am an emotional eater I wanted a therapist to help me manage that problem before I had the surgery. My therapist has been a BIG help. Just having someone to talk to about what I'm going through with changing my eating habits has been invaluable. It is also helpful seeing a therapist because instead of eating over my frustrations, I can talk to my therapist. She even invites me to call in between appointments if I find myself overwhelmed and unable to manage my eating. If you don't want to go into therapy you might try writing about your emotions before picking up that cookie. I know it doesn't sound like it will work and, in fact, at that moment it might not, but when you read it later it can help you stop yourself the next time. I hope this is helpful in some way. You know what they say "different strokes for different folks". Good luck!

Unjury or Muscle Milk get my vote! Oh so tasty! I am lactose intolerant so I use soy milk .. still tastes great.

It is so true that it depends on the doc. My first fill was 3 weeks after surgery then every two weeks thereafter. My doc's goal is the "sweet spot". I got a fill today ... in this special chair for lapband fills ... I won't know until tomorrow whether I am finally at my sweet spot. It is true that the band is a tool, but if your band isn't giving you restriction it's as if you don't even have a tool. Good luck, hope you hit your sweet spot soon.

My gas pain in my shoulder when I woke up from surgery. It was AWFUL!!! I was in so much pain, but I didn't realize that it was gas so I let the nurse give me morphine for the pain. I absolutely HATE morphine. I regretted it almost immediately. So I asked the nursing assitant to bring me an ice pack and pillows to elevate my left arm. It didn't really help. Finally, a new nurse came on duty and she gave me a hot moist pad and I finally got some sleep! It took a couple of weeks before the pain went away. I used the hot moist pad (I took it with me when I left the hospital) on my shoulder when I went back to work. EVENTUALLY the pain went away. A lot of people on this site recommend walking. I am sure that walking is very effective. I hope you feel better soon. Congratulations!!!

This past Friday I had my third fill. My doc said this might be the last one. He had me drink Water while filling my band and the water felt like it was bubbling up into my esophagus. I was on liquids for 24 hours and then eased into food the next day, per my doc. Here's my issue, if I take too big of a bite or eat too fast I seem to feel it in my esophagus, but once I slowed down I am able to eat more than a cup. It's not that I can eat a lot, but it is more than I think I should at the "sweet spot". I have an appt with my doc next week to see if I am sufficiently "filled". While I don't feel like I have quite the "right" amount in my band (4.5 cc in a 10 cc band), I am afraid that if I get another fill the pain will be much worse in my esophagus when I eat. Am I confusing two different things or am I asking for problems if I get another fill? Help, please.

Patience is a virtue -- not usually one of mine, lol. I was banded on June 15, 2009 and I have lost 17 lbs from pre-surgery till now. My doctor is very conservative with his "fills". Last week I was just as frustrated as you are. I am a little better now. I keep telling myself that this is a process that takes time. I am at 4.5 cc's in a 10 cc band. Exercising is a problem for me because I have spinal stenosis and have lately been in a lot of pain. This puts me in a kind of "catch 22". If I exercised I would lose more weight, but I can't exercise because I am in too much pain, as a result my weight loss has to come from eating less and I don't have enough restriction!!! Talk about frustration. Now, with my fill last Friday I am feeling some restriction, but before that - nothing, nada. So, I understand your frustration. But, hang in there. Take a deep breath and know that you can do this! My doc thought that this fill would be my last but I will be expecting another fill when I see him next week. This is a process and I truly believe that I will hit my sweet spot soon. You will too!

Congratulations and welcome to the club! I was banded on June 15th. Unless you had a fill during surgery (some, but not many I've heard of, do) you will not feel restriction until your band is filled -- and that may take a few fills, depending on your doctor. I have not experienced restriction with liquids. But I must say that this morning I had a Protein Drink before going to work and had planned to eat a piece of fruit for Breakfast, but I do not have the appetite for it now. Too full. I had my 3rd fill this past Friday. I now have 4.5 cc's in a 10 cc band. It is only with this last fill that I am feeling any restriction at all. Keep in mind what we read on this forum all the time: the time right after surgery is for healing, not for losing weight (although you will probably lose some ). You are very lucky to have the single incision. I have 4! All the best to you!

Thanks for the info. Believe it or not my doc does not give me much info ... I had to do a lot of reading and I use the forums. If I ask a question, he will aswer, but when I go in for a fill I see him for maybe 5 mins. It has been a challenge to say the least. I appreciate the information I glean from this forum. Thanks again.

I have seen on these threads something about a "pre-op diet". Can someone tell me what that's about and how long you have to be on it before the surgery? I have the initial consultation with the surgeon on Monday the 23rd. I am very anxious about this. Thanks.

There are two things I just don't understand about banding (probably more things, but 2 things today lol): 1. If I have a 10 cc band (which I do) and another person has a 10 cc band and we both get a 2 cc fill for our first fill, why would such a fill be a restriction for one person but no restriction for the other. I have heard time and time again that it depends on the individual whether a fill restricts. I don't understand how the same cc's would not produce the same result. 2. Why would a fill take a couple of weeks for one person to feel a restriction and for another person it might take a couple of weeks? Please enlighten me. Okay, maybe I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but at least I seek to understand. lol Thanks. F

okay, makes sense ... thanks.