kristik99

I was banded in September 2009. I initially only lost about 20 lbs and have gained all of that back. I went last May and got a fill because I could eat almost anything from the prior fill. He didn't give me much, but I have trouble eating any type of meat without some kind of sauce on it. So, I fill up on things that go down easy and most of those things are very high in calories. I just started a diet program and I need to be able to eat lean Proteins, but I also need to be able to still have that full feeling that I get with having some restrictions. Any tricks or secrets to getting these foods down? The 2nd thing is that I just really feel freaked out by having this lapband. I really feel like I made a bad decision and did not research my options very well first. Just want some perpective from others, I am at a really low point right now, trying to lose weight, feeling terrible about myself, feeling bad that I basically wasted $12,000 on surgery...

Thanks, guys! I was pretty low yesterday, mostly feeling awful from this diet I am on and going through carb withdrawal. I am going to see a new dr tomorrow, my dr is no longer practicing. I am going to get him to do a slight unfill and see if that makes a difference with eating fish and chicken. I am trying right now to get some fish down and have to keep taking small sips of Water because I get "stuffy." Not really stuck... I am seeing now that I am on an actual diet that is fairly strict that my band does work. I cannot eat everything they want me to eat and in the amounts they want me to eat them. A cup of veggies and 5 oz of fish inone sitting? No way! I am going to get the lap band removed, but I am going to wait until I have lost this weight and gone through maintenence. I am not getting another type of surgery. I do not like having a foreign object in my body, it really bothers me.

I just got a call that Dr. Spivak is retiring and moving back to Israel to care for family.

What does the doctor do if you have pouch dilation? Do you have to have your band removed?

I am wondering if I should have gotten the band. I know three people irl that have the band and two have had slippage and the band rubbed a hole in their stomach. One is my neighbor and she had emergency surgery, but is fine now although they had to remove her band. The other is a lady I know only slighty, so I do not know what her circumstances were or who her dr is, but she is in the hospital right now in a coma. The newspaper said that the band rubbed a hole in her stomach and she has sepsis and all of her organs shut down. I am nervous and really wish I had not done this. I did a lot of research beforehand. I chose one of the best doctors I could find and knew the risks, but also know that what has happened is rare. But, if it is so rare, why do two of three people I know have problems??

I was banded in September and have only lost 15 pounds, but gained back 3 over the holidays. I had one fill early November, quickly realized it wasn't enough but decided against another one until after the holidays. I went back to the dr on Tuesday to get another fill and mentioned that while I can eat alot more than I think I should be able to, bread and rice are getting stuck. He would not do the fill, he said that I must be eating too many slider foods and that I needed to lose 10 pounds before he would do another fill. Anyway, I knew this and I just need a swift kick in the pants!! I went right back to my old ways. Soooo, started Weight Watchers, and it is amazing how filled up I get now that I am on a regular diet. But, I can still eat a lot more than ought to be able to and I get hungry so fast.

Thanks for your advice everyone! I appreciate it. My dr was actually very kind and is one of the best lap-band surgeons (if not the best) in Houston. I did a lot of research before I chose someone. I did agree with what he had to say and I have not been following the rules. Through the holidays, I ate quite a bit and mostly slider foods. Now that I am on Weight Watchers, I am surprised at how little I can eat. The good food does fill you up more than the junk! I at a small piece of turkey, some fresh spinich, and a few spoons of brown rice for dinner and I feel like I am going to explode. An orange will keep me full for two hours, but if I eat a banana I will immediately be hungry. I just need to eat filling foods... Again, thanks so much!

I actually think I could eat it now, I need to get a fill. I found a recipe for spicy chicken and rice soup that looked good, but am a little scared to eat the rice. I am wondering if it is loose in a soup instead of clumped together if it is easier to get down?

I was banded on 9/16. Before surgery, I only told a few people. My husband, my mom, my sister, and two close friends. After, I decided that I was not going to keep it a secret, but I wasn't going to go out of my way to tell anyone. My mom, who is usually my biggest support besides my husband, has been terrible. I am so hurt by what she did today... First off, everytime I have eaten with her she has announced that I can't eat it or asks me if I can eat it. Today, we went to lunch with a big group. I ordered and she asked me if I could eat all of it. I said, "Why do you want some?" Then when it came, she asked again if I could eat it. I said no and she announced to the table that I had had lap band surgery. I did not care if they knew. But it was awkward and it wasn't her place to tell anyone. Then there is my husband who constantly asks me how much weight I have lost. It is only 10 pounds, but I got my first fill on Tuesday and I expect it to be more now. Ugh, I feel like I am under a microcope.

I had my first fill on Tuesday. He put in 4 cc under fluoroscope. He said it looked good, but I feel very little. I just ate two eggs and a piece of toast and don't fill overly full.

Mine told me to do baby food consistency for 24 hours. I posted to you in the other thread, but I haven't had any problems. I had 4 cc's and I think I can eat almost anything. Of course, I am not, but I think I could! I guess everyone is different. For breakfast I had an egg and a half of a sandwhich thin and I did not feel full and was starving after a couple of hours. I woud call your dr.l

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the advice, etc. I did talk to her today and she said she was sorry and that she shouldn't have said anything. She said there is a spark in my eye that she hasn't seen in awhile and she is proud of me. That made me feel better--and she has verbal diarrea and I have always known that about her! As for my husband, he is very supportive, but thin and just can't understand how I feel. The surgery cost a lot of money so I am sure he is wondering when he is going to see the results of the money we paid! REbecca, my dr put in 4 cc's and I can harldly tell the difference. I would definately call and see what is going on!! I really think I could eat anything.

I definately need a fill. I was a bottomless pit yesterday, never getting full. I had made cookies to take to church and then forgot to take them and I had several. I am going to call the dr today!

How much can you eat? I posted on Wednesday saying that I didn't think I needed a fill. Went to my dr on Thursday and he agreed, but said that in a week or so he thinks I will change my mind. Since then I have been pretty hungry, but now sure how to gage if I am eating enough or too much. I was banded on 9/16. For dinner, I ate at Cheddars and had the lunch portion of the salmon which was a small piece. I ate half of the fish, most of my green Beans, and half of the mashed potatoes. I just got home and ate a cookie. Is half of a lunch portion a normal amount to eat? I am stuffed right now and wish I had not eaten the cookie :confused: . For lunch I had some turkey lunch meat, a few whole wheat crackers, and a cheese stick. I was hungry about an hour later and ate a banana.

Of course I will talk to my dr about it tomorrow. I am at 4 weeks today. I get full really easily. Today, at lunch, was my frist day to eat at a restaurant and to eat a semi normal meal instead of Soup. I got red snapper, mashed potatoes and green Beans. I ate maybe a corner off of the fish, most of my mashed potatoes a(it was a small portion) and a couple of green beans. I ate a bite of creme brulee. I am so stuffed I can hardly move. Before surgery, I would have eaten the whole thing, plus ordered a salad, plus had a whole creme brulee. I am wondering if I should wait for my fill? It seems the band is working the way it is supposed to...I have not had anything get stuck except for some tuna fish a week ago.

Oh, no Hartco! I wonder why you are so sick???

No, I did not. He said he suspected that in a week or two I will change my mind and need a fill, but if I didn't need one right now, then that is great--he also said that the x-ray machine wasn't working right, so it would be good not to get one that day anyway. Now today, I am starving and I should not be ready for lunch yet.

I've gone through some of the recipes and tried them, but I would love to know what others are eating. I am getting a little tired of mushies...two nights ago I had my husband bring me a piece of cheesecake from Luby's and that was my dinner. It was good, but not the best choice :smile: I have done Lentil Soup twice and blended it. I have made the black bean soup recipe that is in the recipe section and blended it and it is good. Lots of potato soup and mashed potatos. I eat scrambled eggs every morning. I tried fish and it got stuck, so my dr said to wait another week and try it again. This is what I had yesterday... Breakfast: coffee 2 hours later--scrambled egg with cottage cheese in it to make it runnier. Lunch: cottage cheese mixed with salsa Snack: yogurt Dinner: Went out to dinner, had a bowl of baked potato soup. Tonight I am going to make a big pot of vegetable beef soup for the family. I won't eat the meat, just the veggies and blend it up and that will give me something to eat at work the next couple of days.

I would think as long as you are in your weight range of a healthy weight, that is where you want to be, not some magic number that your dr wants you to be. You need to be where you are comfortable and where you feel healthy and can maintain.

I posted last night because I ate fish and it felt stuck. I thought it was a fluke, so I ate tuna today and it feels stuck again. I ate about two hours ago. I chopped up tuna really small and mixed it with mayo. Trying hot tea right now and am ging to call my dr when I leave work.

Gas X has dissolving strips that work pretty good.

That is good to know. Water ect is going past it, but it feels clogged. I guess maybe there is just a little bit? Not sure. I have eaten both boiled eggs and scrambled eggs and have had no trouble. I am scared to try chicken.

I am on mushies, and could try fish this week. I called the dr and they said it takes some people longer, so to go back to my softer mushies and try fish again next week.

I was allowed to have fish starting today. I thought I chewed well, but maybe not. It feels stuck--I ate about 3 hours ago. It doesn't hurt, just bothers me. Please tell me it will eventually either go down or come up!!