maclynn

Thanks for checking that out for me, SM. I like the idea of listening to my body also. I'm starting to get a little hungry today so I think it was just a post fill thing. Sorry to hear you didn't have a good fill experience. I've been really lucky so far. Hopefully you'll feel some restriction soon!

Thanks Albacheeser, for your comments. The reason I asked was that yesterday was the day after my third fill and I have either hit my 'sweet spot' or was swollen. I wasn't hungry when lunch time rolled around but eventually ate about a 1/4 cup of food and then managed about a cup of food for dinner. Both times I was more than satisfied. I'm going to monitor how I feel today. I just ate breakfast and what normally had me satisfied now had me really full! I think I'm going to have to cut back my portions on breakfast, though they weren't very big to begin with!

You're welcome, Cheri. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

I have been to see the dietician twice since being banded 5/6 with another appointment in two weeks. The bariatric center that I go to includes follow ups with the dieticians as well as the surgeon. Granted my follow ups with the surgeon, except for the week after surgery, have led to a fill but the doctor sits down and talks with me about my diet and how I feel with the band. The instructions that you received seem to be both vague, and from my understanding, not very good since if you are exercising, less than 1000 calories may be too little and your body won't let the weight go.

When I go to a Mexican Restaurant I order one ground beef taco and a side of black beans (or refried beans but black are my favorite). I then scoop out the middle of the taco and mix with my beans for a satisfying meal. Add a little salsa and sour cream and I'm all set!

That's a great idea! Thanks, SM!

Thanks Jacqui, For the feedback. I agree it seems self-defeating to eat when you're not hungry but then again you need to have enough protein to stay healthy and calories to lose weight. I guess I'll just have to try and figure out what my band and body are trying to tell me. I ended up eating a very small lunch about 2:30 in the afternoon. I'll eat a small dinner by 7 or so even if the tummy says its not hungry to gauge how my body reacts. The lunch actually felt good but I wasn't interested in eating more than a few bites.

Same to you, SM. You are doing fabulous. Thanks for the encouragement. I'll do as you say and listen to my body. Still not hungry but I'll make sure to at least eat dinner tonight!

Sometimes I'll get the hiccups if I take too large of a bite of food. I've been making sure to chew really well these days.

You've got that right. Everything is so new and each person is just a little different. It helps to be able to talk to fellow bandsters though. And thanks a lot. You're doing so great. I wish you lots of luck also!

Hey SM, You've probably hit the nail on the head in the fact that he won't go above 9cc. Today I'm am still full 6 hours later after Breakfast and don't even want to think about lunch. I guess I'll just eat a really late lunch and see if I can get a little down for dinner tonight if I'm hungry. I feel this ache in my chest but have no want of food at the moment. I know that this can't go on since I need to get my calories and Protein in but one day can't hurt, I'm thinking. ^.~

Thanks, Bambam. I'm hoping that this is just an adjustment period. The fill I got yesterday was very minimal, .5cc but I think I was close before that. My meals were keeping me mostly full 3-4 hours. Maybe in a little while I'll get a little hungry since I've seen people say a fill keeps them full for 6 hours. If this repeats tomorrow, I'll take your advise and call the nurse. Thanks again for the input!

I had my third fill today. Since I lost 7 pounds in four weeks and have been staying reasonably full between meals, the doctor only gave me .5 cc. bringing me to 5.75cc in a smaller lap band. He keeps saying it holds 9cc but I've read everywhere else it holds 10cc so I'm a bit confused. Anyway, unless I feel I need a fill sooner, he said to come for my next appointment in three months. I will keep an eye on the weight loss and how I feel and schedule the appointment accordingly. For the first time I felt a little twinge on my insides like my stomach is reacting to the band. I am getting my water and soup down fine so I'm not concerned that I'm too tight. At least not yet! I do know that you can feel tighter days after a fill.

.8 of a pound lost this week. Slowing down again. I have an appointment on Monday. I hope to get a small fill since I'm starting to get hungry again 3-4 hours out. Starting weight 214 Surgery weight 199 Today's weight 176.6 Total so far since surgery -22.4

Congrats! I was banded in May and things are going slow but surely in the right direction. I have by third fill appointment on Monday and hope I get just a little bit more. While I have good restriction, I'm starting to get hungry in 3-4 hours instead of the 4-5 I was experiencing after the last fill. Othere than that, things went great and I'm thrilled to have been banded. Best of luck to you also!

I'm glad there was no reason for concern. Just sorry that your nurse was so unsympathetic!

There are so many differences between surgeons. My doctor only requires me to be on soup the day of a fill and back to normal after that. I tend to each softer food the day after but other than that, my two fills I've had no trouble with foods.

Before banding I suffered reflux every night unless I took a pepcid ac or similar. Since I've been banded I haven't had any acid problems even once. And I've eaten all the foods that normally brought it on.

Unforgettable is right. It is the help with the portion control that the band is best for. I have always been an overeater. I've done the yo-yo dieting which would have me successfully lose weight only to see it creep back up when I stopped actively dieting. Also for me, the band is actually helping me lose weight. I've been trying to lose weight over the past two years with no luck. I had to do the six months pre-certification diet and managed to lose only 18 pounds in those six months. I proceeded to gain 3 back during the wait between insurance submission and surgery, approximately 3 months. Since surgery I've lost 22 pounds and feel great about my food intake. Granted, I've had to make good choices but I do allow myself the occasional treat. But now it's only a few bites instead of gorging myself until I’m stuffed. The band is not for everyone. Not for grazers, people who eat all day long. And not for those who cannot part with/give up slider foods (chips, candy, cakes, ice cream, etc) and bad carbs. Those who are successful are usually those who have done their homework or had a good support team with the bariatric center or both, that have given them the right information to make the correct decision for them.

Nope. Everything was fine. I wasn't freaked out, just thought that was how the incision worked out. It seemed to relax and like I said, I never really noticed when it did so because my boobs are in the way but for some reason decided to look at my scars this past weekend and all was well. I think yours will probably relax also after a bit. Give it time.

Hi Jennifer, I sure know what you mean about chewing really well and still getting stuck. I've been stuck a couple of times now and it has all been beef (not ground beef) and once deli ham so I am sticking to ground beef. I had really tender pork roast last night and didn't have any trouble. I just have to be careful. I hope that your doctor can figure out why you are so tight. I can imagine how miserable you are. (and husband just love to get one on us, don't they? But we always manage to get them back!)

Mine was indented after surgery and I just noticed this weekend that it no longer is!

Hey Jennifer, Congrats on the weight loss. That's awesome. But I worry about not being able to keep things down or how hard it is getting Water in. Are you sure you're not too tight? I can guzzle my water still but I know I have restriction because I can stay satisfied on less than a cup of food for 4-5 hours. And I need to be really careful about chewing. I find that I'm having trouble with beef and have decided to stay away from it, even if it's very tender.

Today I goofed and thought it was jean day. I was thrilled to get into the small size 16 jeans that I haven't worn in a couple of years. I felt so guilty I went to Kohl's to buy some new pants and imagine my delight when the size 16 Lee's were too big and I had to buy a 14! They aren't even tight but a 12 would have been uncomfortable. This really made my week!

Lost 1.1 pounds (I have a new scale and I think this one measures in .2 increments instead of .5). Slow but still going in the right direction. Starting weight 214 Surgery weight 199 Today's weight 177.4 Total so far since surgery -21.6