happy2lose

I've been on antidepressants for 14 years now. I am currently taking 40mg Celexa and have been for the past 5 years. Although I am losing weight, I work my butt off for the results that I have. I sometimes wonder if the meds. are causing me to lose slower then most people. I hear of bandsters that do very well and don't exercise at all so this is why I wonder.

Welcome Heather!

Do some weight and resistance training at least 3 times each week. My starting weight was 330 and I have done really well at maintaining and gaining more muscle as I lose weight. I work out at Curves 4-5 times each week and also bicycle regularly and love it. Best of luck to you.

I actually purchased some before getting my band but haven't used it. I'm afraid to try to swallow the capsules now that I have restriction.

I'm so sorry for your difficulties. Walking is a great way to keep your lost weight from coming back on and will also help you with the depression issue. Why are you not allowed to raise your heart rate?

A prime example of different rules from a different surgeon. I was able to swallow my pills after 1 week. Only had to crush them for the first week. It is always best to follow your own surgeon's instructions. Oh, and I never did congratulate you on taking control of your health. Have a great day!:thumbup:

Keep in mind that different surgeon's have different post-op instructions. It is NEVER a good idea to start eating too soon. I was on a clear liquid diet for 2 weeks before I was able to move on to full liquids for the next week. I wasn't allowed yogurt, mashed potatoes or anything with any consistency until week 3. It isn't easy but we all go through it. You will survive!

What you are feeling is completely.......NORMAL for this stage. Hang in there, once you can start eating mushies you will feel better. Everything you described is typical. Yes, you can take pills. You probably don't have any restriction yet and wont until you start getting fills. Be sure to cut your larger pills in half before taking them just to avoid any stuck issues. It is very important that you follow your surgeon's post-op instructions. Eating solids too soon can cause you problems later. I recommend you find a good therapist that specializes in eating disorders to help you along the way. Take care, Donna

I agree! I used Muscle Milk on my pre-op diet also and it worked out great. It also tastes good.

If you are at your sweet spot and are getting stuck regularly then you have a behavioral issue to address. Modifying my eating behaviors has been really hard for me. I tend to eat too fast trying to keep up with my family at the table. I don't usually realize this until I start to feel stuck. I find that after eating a few bites I get stuck because I have eaten too fast. This is called "first bite syndrome". It happens when you are really hungry and tend to rush your eating. Slow down and rest between bites. Set your fork down if and wait a few minutes before the next bite.

You need to walk more to get rid of the gas.

Are you certain you have 9cc? It seems a little strange to me that you have only had one fill and are already at 9cc. There are many bandsters on this board who have had their bands for much longer and still haven't reached the 9cc fill level. I have the older style 10cc band with 2.28cc fill and I cannot eat bread at all. I would be more inclined to think maybe you have .9cc fill.

Most likely what you are feeling is your port under the skin. It is where the largest incision is located. I'm not sure why you haven't noticed it sooner unless it was swollen and you were not able to feel it until now.

Hi all, I'm Donna and I'm also a 2009 Bunny Bandster. This is my first time posting on this thread because I never really took the time to notice it before. It looks like you all are doing really well with your weight loss.

Congrats on your weight loss. That's awesome! I haven't had UTI's but I have already had 3 yeast infections in the past six months. Having never had this problem in the past, I think it is from all the exercise and activity causing moisture to accumulate.

I agree with Jachut. I too experience this first bite syndrome often.

Yes I have noticed this to happen. Also noticed when camping it happens too. My take on it is that if for any reason you slow down on your Water intake the band either tightens or the stomach swells. It is very important to keep well hydrated at all times.

Chewable Papaya Enzymes are a must have. Carry them wherever you go so they are always available. Sometimes when I am stuck I drink a few sips of Water and the water will make me throw up whatever is stuck. Leaning with your chest on the the kitchen sink will also help you to vomit after drinking water. It applies the right amount of pressure right where you need it. When all else fails I stick my finger down my throat and repeat until it comes out. I hate to state the obvious but what the heck was your mom thinking? It's just wrong to put something in your food that is going totally against what you are trying to accomplish. You had surgery because you want to lose weight. Sneaking bread in your food sounds a little like sabotage to me.

The fill policy is a biggie. I would ask how aggressive the surgeon is with fills. I would want to know how long it is going to take to reach proper restriction and how frequently they will give you a fill. Some doc's make patients wait 6 weeks in between fills. I see many people in these forums complaining because it has taken them so long to reach proper restriction. Some of them are taking 8 months to get there. I have the older style band and at first worried it would become a problem at some point but it only took me 2 fills to get good restriction or my "sweet spot" so I began losing immediately. Best of luck to you.

You have taken on quite a challenge for yourself doing all this over the holiday season. You will surprise yourself how wonderful you will do though because you now are motivated to change your life. Your success during this time will really help to keep you motivated. You will think to yourself, if I can stick to this pre-op and post-op diet during the holiday season I CAN DO ANYTHING! I wish you great success! You can do this!

TexasGirl, There is a huge difference in fill level between 8.5 and 6.25. I don't know why doctors are so drastic when doing an unfill. Just .25 cc's can make the world of difference. My advice to you is get another fill. Try increments of 1 cc at a time. Get yourself on an exercise routine and you will step up your weight loss significantly.

Yeah! What Plain said.

Elfie, Have you done any research on the gastric sleeve? I've heard that people that have the sleeve no longer experience hunger. Just a thought!

I guess I see things from the perspective of wanting to be healthy not just to lose weight. I hope everything works out for you ElfiePoo

I am always a little sore after a stuck episode too. I actually posted a very similar question after my first stuck episode. I think the first few months as new bandsters we tend to worry about every little ache and pain. I have learned to relax some now. I look at it this way.....If something happens, a flipped port, slipped band, etc. Its gonna happen whether I worry about it or not. So relax! Everything will be fine.