tanqueray

Hi everyone, I was reading over some of the posts on this site and some bandsters have stated they lost a shoe size. What's that about?? Come on folks, here we are replacing our clothes and now shoes too? Does this happen to everyone? I tried looking this up on the internet and can't find a reason a person would lose a shoe size. Not that I am complaining...there's always a good excuse for a new pair of shoes, but I am really curious as to this phenomen. Since I have lost a lot of weight (61 pounds in 61 days) I am replacing some of my old clothes and can now wear heels for the first time in years! So, here I am happy as a clam buying some new heels and then I read my feet may shrink and I may need new shoes again. So, my friends, anyone lose a shoe size? Can anyone tell me why this happens? (I could see losing width in your feet due to less weight on the feet, but the actual inches in your feet--why?)

I did Mag...nothing much. You'll be in the bathroom many times, but after a few hours, the need to have a BM goes away.

You go girl! Congrats.

Here is my two cents--I have had great success (61 lbs since 9/3/09) and credit this to primarily one thing--I track EVERYTHING I eat into a software program. (I have a Realize Band and as part of their services, you can use their web site to track food and fitness and more) Writing down all food is the key--one never knows how many fat, calories, and protein a food has until you have to enter it into a software program. Also, you need to really harp on your surgeon and nutritionist to tell you exactly what type of "diet" they want you on after you are on "regular" food. For example, too many carbs are a no-no but how many carbs are good? I had to ask my nutritionist at least twice as to what her recommendation was--it is 136-150 grams per day. Well, if you figure a banana has 27 grams of carbs, you are almost utilizing a quarter of your carbs on one piece of fruit. So, bottom line of what I am saying is that success is more than just excersize (although that is also crucial in my success), it is knowing what nutrition is going into your body.

I have to chime in here. I went for my first fill on 10/26 (banded on 9/3) and my surgeon didn't want to put a fill in at all. He said since I was doing so well without any restriction (at that time I was already down 52 lbs) he felt I didn't need it. I was adament that I wanted something so he gave me 3cc's. (I have a Realize band that holds 12cc's) Anyway, that didn't do squat and I called and asked more more and he said he does not want me reliant on the band--it's just a tool and that I don't need a fill. Regardless, I am getting another one on 11/17 because my insurance is changing on 12/1 and I will need to pay for fills on my own because of the new insurance. So, yes, there are doctors that don't want to give fills.

Have you tried the protein puddings? They are really good and gove you 15 grams of protein with 7 carbs. I get them at Bariatriceating.com. I love the choc chip with marshmallow. I usually add a little Splenda too since I like them a little sweeter. Also, I know that people with bands are told not to drink protein, but if I can't get enough through food, both my doctor and dietician say I can drink shakes too. So I have a chocolate shake made with skim milk and that adds up to 23 grams of protein.

Before I was banded, I purchased the cookbook "Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery" by Patt Levine and Michele Bontempo-Saray. This book made my mushie stage wonderful. Each recipe is full of protein and flavor and the authors tell you how much you can eat depending on what type of surgery you had (they list lap band, bypass, and bpd-ds) and what weeks you can eat each recipe. The forward claims that all the recipes taste the same whether pureed or chopped and I thought "yeah right" but it is true! They have a whole chapter on soups and you can eat any of them at the mushie stage. I especially love the Chicken Artichoke Soup. I don't eat any seafood and can't stand cottage cheese so this book was a lifesaver. I was banded on 9/3 so I recently came out of the mushies (which my doctor has people on for three weeks) and into the chopped foods. Good luck! P.S. Another savior for me was canned black bean refried beans with some low fat shredded cheese and sour cream.

I posted a thread yesterday about how many carbs people are eating daily and what the correct allotment is-- my dietician at my surgeo’s office answered my email today and below is the answer: The minimum amount of carbohydrates that is recommended is approximately 130 mg. So for me personally, I am eating within my limits. (yeah)

I should have put this in my post earlier...I use the "Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery" Cookbook. All the recipes are high in protein, low in fat and I have LOVED everything I have made. (especially the Chicken Artichoke Soup) I really recommend this cookbook. The recipes enable me to eat more, only occassionally have a shake, and get all my protein needs in with tasty food.

I love the Wonder Slim protein powders. I think that really fills me up. I get them at Bariatricchoice.com. I also have found their protein bars are great and fill me up too.

Question for the group...how many grams of carbs are you eating? I have a Realize band and track all my food consumption on their web site so I know exactly how many carbs I am consuming. But what is "normal" for us bandsters? I am going to email my nutritionist but I wanted to hear what others are consuming too. Thanks. This site is marvelous and I can't imagine going through this journey without this site.

Okay, my personal prespective. Remember, this is just me and my view of things. Hunger is part of every diet. Statistically, that's why diets fail because people are always hungry and say "screw the diet". I was so hungry after the first week. I truly thought I would not survive. Then, while sitting on the couch having a minor pity party for myself, I had a personal epiphany. l am an addict. To food. No control, no “off” switch as to I’ve had enough. That’s why I was fat. (not overweight—FAT!) Hunger is a manifestation of my addiction. Just like a drug addict gets DVT’s when they are going through withdrawal and like someone trying to quit smoking goes through nicotine withdrawal, my hunger pains are the result of withdrawal from my addiction. So every time I feel hunger, I ask myself, “am I really hungry?” or is this a withdrawal symptom. Was I pissed off, you bet I was. I was mad at myself for living with an addiction for years and doing nothing about it until now. However, I can’t live in the past and will only focus on the future. What does that entail? Doing anything I must to lose this weight and become healthy. I understand the frustration about not being told about the hunger, but this is a diet and lifestyle change and I am having trouble understanding why people are mad that they were not told they would be hungry. Perhaps your healthcare team assumed that you would know there would be sacrifices like feeling hunger as part of this process. Or perhaps because I am a glass half full kind of woman I expected the worse and what I am experiencing is exactly that. I didn’t have this surgery to make the band do all the work—I did this surgery because I need to take charge and use it as a tool.

Well, the Snickers Bar certainly sounds better!! :sad: Alas, that was my "old" life. I only buy protein bars that have 15 or more grams of protein. I have to believe (or pretend) this is better than Snickers.

Have you called your doctor? Remember, after surgery people are at risk for a blood clot. My suggestion, call the hospital where you had the surgery and speak with the surgeon on call. Ask your question and get an answer so you can know if this is serious or not. Chest pressure is nothing to play around with. The on-call surgeon may say it's nothing but better safe then sorry.

I am so glad to see a thread that deals with this issue. My port really sticks out. I am 5 weeks post surgery and I started out at 309 lbs--with most of my weight being on my thighs, hips, butt, arms, and boobs but not my waist. I asked my doc about the port issue when I saw him at my post op visit and he said he knew this would be an issue because I didn't have a lot of "waist fat". Like the people said above, it is a small price to pay. However, I have to say...my husband says "no sex while that thing is in you...so I guess I will be celebate for a while. Really, I told him to get over it since the band is here to stay! It's the third partner in our marriage. I am down 48 lbs. since beginning this journey and everything, including a port that you can feel and is slowly emerging as a "showpiece" of my body, is worth it!!

By the way, one more thing. I mix my protein shots with Crystal Light. It gives the shot a better flavor. I get 26 gram protein shots in the nutrition aisle in Walmart. $9.97 for six shots.

I love some of the protein bars on the market. Cliff Bars have a new line that offer 20 grams of protein per bar. I enjoy the mint chocolate. A little high in calories (240) but I compensate for it. I have tried almost all the protein drinks and powders on the market! My favorite is Wonderslim Fruit Punch, which I mix with Crystal Light Fruit Punch. TRULY (and I wouldn't lie on this site) you can't taste the protein in this drink. It's yummy!

My doctor told me to take Milk of Magnesia. It's the only thing that helps me. I tried liquid stool softner and it took 3 days to work. MOM works within a few hours. I too had to make adjustments with the dosage--took too much the first time and was in the bathroom for hours. Now, I take 2 tsp. and it works within 4 hours. This is the side effect of the band that I am not enjoying....

Man oh Man and I ever glad I logged on tonight. This thread is the exact thing I needed to ease my mind. I was banded 9/3 and am basically having my 2 protein drinks and 1 to 2 cups of very thin soup and that's it. I don't tolerate yogurt. Yet here I am, not losing weight! Very frustrating until I read the above thread. I can't thank everyone enough. I feel so much better.

Hi all, I was banded last Thursday, 9/3. My surgeon instructs all patients to follow a bowl regiment the day before surgery so all day I went to the bathroom. Problem now is that I haven't had a bowel movement since last Wednesday. How long is normal? My visiting nurse wants me to take a stool softener but I am hesistant to do so. I would like to know other people's experiences in this matter please.

I was banded on the same day as Audreysmommy and I don't reallly feel hungry. My stomach grumbles but it feels more like cramping than hunger. I was only on water on Thurs, Frid, Sat, and Sund and didn't start protein shakes until yesterday. I HATE them and have difficulty drinking them. I am trying different powders and variations but I am simply not hungry and getting shakes down is increasingly difficult. I do however enjoy my one cup of "creamy low fat soup" that I am allowed. It's great to have a flavor besides Slim Fast in my belly.

I was banded last Thursday, Sept. 3rd. Had to spend the night in the hospital which diasppointed me. My surgeon says that half his patients go home the same day but I had complications from allergic reactions so I needed to stay. Here I am 5 days letter feeling slightly weak and not having as much energy as I am used to but other than that, things are great. Going back to work tomorrow. :mad:

Hi everyone, I was surfing around on the web and found this wonderful resource. I just registered and am having my surgery on 8/6/09. Can't wait!!