gatorgal

It really will get better! If you're still hungry after 1 cup, then have a bit more. I honestly did not measure a THING while I was healing, and I lost weight the entire time. Of course, I ate what the doc told me to eat, and I didn't eat except for meals, but I did not measure anything. Don't go hog wild, of course. You'll look back on these days and think that they were no big deal. When you're putting on skinny clothes and loving the way you look, you will know that Bandster Hell was worth it all! I went shopping today and for the first time in 20 years, I did not have to shop in plus sizes. Life is good when you follow the band rules and let it be the tool it was designed to be. YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!

I have a small band (4 cc), and I was worried about being overfilled, too. (I'm currently at 3.1 cc.) My doctor said that my band could actually take up to 5 cc. I don't know if this helps you at all, but I wouldn't worry just yet. You still have 4 cc of band "left" which is as much as my band holds all together. Work with your doctor to find the right spot for you and your band.

I think we waited about a week. He can't hurt you unless he's worried about the incisions. I say have fun trying it new ways! The more you lose, the more you may want to experiment anyway!

Good luck finding one that you like. This thread appears regularly as many people have trouble finding one that they can tolerate. I tried bunches, bunches I tell you, and I ended up with EAS Advantage shakes. I can also tolerate Muscle Milk Light. Both can be found at WalMart. However, everyone's tastes are different, and you'll have to find your way, too. Good luck!

I was allowed eggs on the mushy stage. What about deviled eggs? It's protein.

I'm about 4 1/2 months post op, and I find that I'm tired all the time. I thought that it was because of the stress of my life: husband, two kids, full-time job, full-time Ph.D. student. However, I've noticed that even when I do manage to get 8 hours of sleep, I'm still tired all the time. Someone suggested B-12. I'm also cold all the time. Someone told me it could be because I'm drinking so much Water. Anyone else dealing with these issues? Should I be thinking that they're related to LB surgery and weight loss?

Thanks for all the feedback. I''m not on any other meds, so I don't think that's contributing to the problem. I have my annual physical coming up just after Christmas, so I'll be sure to discuss all fo this with my doctor. I had heard about the lack of B-12, but I didn't think about the thyroid.

Actually, yes. However, during the week when I work, it's much easier between breakfast and lunch as I am busy. Having said that, I'm always tighter in the mornings, so even on weekends when I'm home, I don't feel hungry between breakfast and lunch. If I'm going to be hungry, it's going to be late afternoon. That's why I keep cheese or almonds or a South Beach Protein Bar handy. The dense Proteins seem to do the trick for me as I've noticed that when I do eat softer ones, I get hungry much earlier. I have had four fills and am at 3.1 cc in a 4 cc band. I am very close to my sweet spot though I don't think I'm there yet. My doc and I are reluctant to fill me any more since I'm doing so well and since we're heading into the holidays where I'll be traveling. He doesn't want me to be out of state and be needing an unfill, so I'm going to stay put at least until after Thanksgiving. That will be a real test as I will be around lots of food. However, it will let me know if I'm serious about keeping off what I've lost. Remember that my body is going to be completely different from yours, so be careful not to compare your success with mine. You've lost weight, and that's the important thing!

My nutritionist said that I need to make sure that my Protein is "dense" protein rather than soft or slider-type Proteins. So, instead of eating scrambled eggs, I eat a boiled egg. A boiled egg takes longer to digest because it's denser. Instead of eating cottage cheese, I eat LF cheddar. I've found that the denser proteins really do make me feel fuller longer, so I'm not as tempted to eat. Typical menu for me includes boiled egg (breakfast, around 7:30 a.m.); 6-8 rolled up slices of thin deli turkey sometimes spread with laughing cow cheese, 1/2 an apple (lunch, around noon), handful of almonds or a piece of string cheese (snack, around 4:00 p.m.), 3-4 oz solid protein like grilled chicken, lean steak, or fish/shrimp, small salad w/ LF dressing or 1/2 c veggies (dinner, around 6:00). If I need a late-night snack, I'll usually have a SF pudding or something to satisfy my sweet tooth. I never drink with meals, and I make sure to get at least 64 oz. of Water per day. The denser foods seem to do the trick for me. Hope this helps! GatorGal

I tend to react to stress by eating, too, so I decided not to keep any trigger foods in the house or in my office. If it's there, I'll find a way to eat it. Instead, my kids know that if they want ice cream, we'll ride our bikes to Baskin-Robbins where I'll buy it for them (but not for me). I buy chips in single-serve sizes because I won't open them--I tell myself they are for the kids' lunchboxes. I've done odd things like brush my teeth rather than reach for food as I don't like to eat after I've just brushed my teeth. I even keep a toothbrush in my desk at work. Probably the biggest thing I've done is to carry around a Water bottle all the time. If I drink water, I'm less inclined to pick up food to eat. You can find something that works for you. It's a matter of removing the temptation and finding a replacement behavior that works for you. You can do it!

Congrats!!!

A high-protein breakfast was my doctor's first diet rule. I'm guessing it has to do with metabolism, but for me, it helps me not to graze during the morning. I am usually tight in the morning, so I can't eat right when I wake up. I usually drink about a quart of water in the a.m. (from 5:30 - 7:00 a.m.), drink about 1/2 mug of hot coffee, then eat a boiled egg while I'm driving to work at 7:15.

Your questions are not stupid. Most of us have asked them ourselves at various times as we travel this road called Living with the Band. Better to ask them here than try to get info from uninformed people!

Ditto to what the others have said. I have no regrets but I won't sugarcoat things, either. The band is not magic. While it is a tool, I have to make the choices about what goes in my mouth, how much I exercise, and how much Water to drink every day. If I choose not to work the band rule, then the band will not work. So, no regrets about the band. Instead, glad for new perspective in which food does not rule my life any more.

The nurse-practitioner at my surgeon's office told me that there is conflicting research on the effects of artificial sweetners. She did not tell me to avoid them, but she said that if I hit a plateau, I should lay off of them for a while and see if I can't break through the plateau. In general, I avoid them b/c I don't tolerate them well and I hate the aftertaste, but I have also avoided them as I don't want to hit a plateau.

Good advice, all. My doctor did not tell me anything except that I needed to follow the "rules" and I'd lose weight. I guess I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing since I'm down 51 pounds in 4 1/2 months and am losing steadily. I eat small portions, I choose the foods I eat carefully, and I exercise 4-5 days a week. However, if I ate ice cream and mashed potatoes all day, I'd not have lost nearly as much. So, to me, it's how I work the rules. Work the rules and you'll lose the weight. If you have a good doctor-patient relationship, you'll do well. I went in today for what I expected to be a fill, but as we talked, reviewed my food diary, and discussed my plans over the next two weeks (much traveling), we together decided not to do a fill so that I would not chance getting stuck while I was out of town. With my ability to talk things out with him, with his nurse, and with the nutritionist, it's not hard to work the rules. Focus on what YOU can and will do! gatorgal

How about writing my dissertation for me? No, seriously, I had surgery at about the same time that I began my research for my dissertation, and I have found that I am so consumed with gaining new knowledge that I often forget to eat. What about taking a class at a community college? Lots of choices: photography, flower arranging, cake decorating, lots of general education courses, etc. I live in a very historic city, and when I finish my dissertation, I'm going to take a course to become a certified tour guide. Just some thoughts!

You know, I had a long talk with my doctor and nutritionist about "cheating." My nutritionist--who is three years post op and has maintained her 110 pounds loss that entire time--told me that if I can't live with the band and make the choices that work for me, then I made the wrong choice to get the band. My birthday is this week, and she told me to enjoy a small slice of cake if I want it. She told me to go out to a restaurant that I want to go to and to eat what makes me happy on my birthday. The band should keep me from eating too much, and by allowing myself to indulge cautiously, I will not feel deprived. SOOOOO, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, remind yourself of your goals, and quit living with guilt. You're smart to put your feelings in writing and to share with those of us who are walking in your shoes!

Just got back from monthly weigh-in. Despite the EVIL Halloween candy from Saturday, I still lost six pounds since my fourth fill three weeks ago. I'm satisfied with that. I've noticed that as I lose more weight, the pounds are coming off more slowly. However, I've not had a weight gain since surgery, and that makes me very happy. I will have another fill in 1 1/2 weeks and am hoping for my sweet spot, but even if it doesn't take me to that spot, I know I'll be OK. I've learned how to make the band work for me, and I'm a better woman because of it. Looking forward to Thanksgiving and being with the family rather than eating myself into a stupor. Next weigh in--another six pounds? Stay tuned. . . . . Gator Gal!

I agree that lying has a way of catching up with people. I've never had anyone ask about scars, but I have had people ask how I've lost so much weight. I tell them that I've worked hard at eating less and moving more. If they keep asking, I'll tell them about the band. The truth is that I HAVE worked hard and moved more--the band just helped me do it. I like other's suggestions to tell folks that you had minor surgery. It's the truth, and if people aren't satisfied with that and they're not people with whom you are comfortable sharing, then I would leave it at that. Most of the time, people won't push for more info. Good luck!

Halloween candy is EVIL, I tell you, EVIL! I got in to some candy, and 5 miniature chocolate bars later, I feel horrible. It's a good thing I worked out extra hard today, cuz the guilt is killing me more than the chocolate probably will. Next year, I WILL NOT BUY CANDY THAT I LIKE! Tomorrow is another day, and the leftover chocolate will go to work with my husband. My kids have been instructed to hide their candy in their rooms!

I think it's an individual decision. My primary care doctor and I discussed a do-able weight for me, and my surgeon agreed that it was attainable for me. It's at the high end of normal, but I'm also 45 years old and don't have the skin of a a 20-year-old. While I set an overall goal for weight loss, I did NOT set a time goal for when that weight has to be off. This would really defeat me. Instead, for each 10 pounds I lose, I Celebrate in a non-food way: pedicure, new pair of shoes, facial, etc. Again, I don't set a certain time for myself to lose the weight, but the little "woo hoo" celebrations keep me focused. Hope this helps! I'd make sure to talk to your doctor so that you can be realistic.

I went shopping over the weekend because I have no clothes that fit anymore. All of my pants are falling off, and my shirts just hang. So, my sisters took me to an outlet mall and made me go into the regular-sized stores. Lo and behold I bought a pair of size 14 trouser jeans. 14? Are you kidding me? The last pair of pants I bought were a size 24. To say I'm excited is an understatement. I'm pumped!!!! I love my band!

Thanks, all! If I can get to a size 14, anyone can. I have not been this size since high school, and I graduated high school in 1981! I flirted with 16s/18s about 18 years ago but gained it all back and then some following a sojourn in Europe. Now, I'm confident that I will keep it off thanks to my band. we3601, I was banded on June 29. All but 9 of those 55 pounds in my ticker were lost post-surgery, so the band has been a wonderfully successful tool for me. I know we all lose at different rates, so don't base your success on anyone but yourself. You'll get there, too! GG

Congrats! I hit it two weeks ago and am still thrilled. Enjoy it!