JoJo1

Me too, plus I am way less hungry!!! Hugs!!!

If you are only eating 30 carbs a day, it automatically cuts down on the fat. Without bread or potatoes, or rice, there isn't much left to put fat on. Plus we do need some fat in our diet, to assimulate many Vitamins. I don't think we need to eat a stick of butter or anything, but I do think you can relax a little on fat if you are limiting your carbs... Fat is high in calories so it is good to use healthy ones. Avacado, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, etc..... Hugs!!!

I am a diabetic, so during mushy, I had to stay away from carbs. I found that I could do it just fine, even though it took a little thinking to come up with a way. I cooked cauliflour and mashed it. (This is quite good) I ate chilli and added cheese for more protein. I found some low carb soups and added cheese and cottage cheese for protein. I ate low fat string cheese. I blended meat and thinned to the consistency of mashed potatoes. There are ways to do it, however, it is true that right now, you need to just heal. This is in someways the hardest time, because you are so anxious to lose weight. It may take 4 to 6 fills before you have enough restriction to make the progress you hoped for. I have only had two and have all the restricion I need right now. Hang in there, have patience and try to to worry about anything. By the way, there is no such thing as normal in a band life!!! Hugs!!!!!

I would wait until after your cruise to get your fill. Sometimes, you won't know for a couple weeks if your fill is too tight. It would be tragic to go on a cruise and find out you are unable to eat or drink at all. Emergency rooms are not easy to get to or fun to go to for this reason. I was filled a full two weeks before a trip, thinking it was enough time. I had a lot of restriction but was doing fine with it. I had some wine the night before we left and did not know that I would be tighter in the morning after alcohol I swallowed my Vitamin which usually not a problem, but this time, it was a problem. I had an 8 hour flight, and spent the whole time wondering if I was going to have to go to the emergency room when I arrived on the other end of the country. I was not able to keep down even Water. I finally decided not to eat or drink anything at all for awhile. When we got to our destination, I was starting to feel better, and it ended up being fine, but I was very anxious for about 6 hours there. It was a combination of new fill, alcohol, altitude, and taking my vitamin too early in the morning. It was a valuable lesson. I would have waited if I had known about all of this so thought I would pass it along.

Your description of reflux sounds more like a stuck episode to me. I have had a couple small bouts of reflex. They happen at night, I start coughing and have a bitter taste in my mouth. A drink of Water and a couple tums seem to fix it for me. I have read that it can feel painful like a bad bout of heart burn, so that is probably why you think being stuck is reflux. Being stuck can also feel like heart burn. This is probably one of those subjects that has a ton of different interpretations. The thread starter sounds like she is having allergy symptoms. No I do not think that type of coughing will harm the band. Hope what ever you are allergic to passes soon.... Hugs

I have discovered by reading hundreds of posts, that there is no such thing as normal. Everyone's experience is different!! I thought I would hit a plateau by now but I have found the key is the miles and miles I walk every day. Are you exercising? Nothing expensive about a walk. I started with a couple blocks and when it got easier, I increased until now I am averaging 5 1/2 miles a day. I was amazed at how I was able to find the time when I decided I like the way I feel after my walks. My goal (wish me luck) is 7 miles every day!!! Maybe you will get a jump start now that you have restriction and will get excited about moving around a little more... Hugs!!!

When we get the band, we are so excited, we can't even wait to get started losing weight. There was a part of me that also did not believe the band would work for me. I didn't tell anyone I was getting it because I imagined that I would have them all staring at me and talking about me after it didn't work. Now I tell everyone, because not only does it work, it is still working.... LOL..... Amazing huh??? Those first few weeks seem like an eternity, and it is very hard to have patience but it is so so worth it!! Hugs!!!

It often takes me more than 20 minutes to eat which is weird because I have practically inhaled my food for my whole life. My doc said 30 minutes but it often takes me 40. Lighten up because there are a lot of things that seem like they won't work. I did not think I would be able to drink all the water I needed by waiting an hour before and after meals. It did not seem like there were enough hours in the day for that. I found that I am fine if I wait a half hour after meals anyway. Also all the nutrients we are supposed to need don't fit into 3 one cup meals a day and two snacks. I don't get them all in so I just try to vary my diet so I can get them all in two or three days. I am healthier than I have ever been. I am happier than I have ever been... Amazing!!! Hugs to all!!!!

If you are a little too tight, you will find yourself preferring slider foods. They are easy to binge on, because they go through and don't make you feel so full. I don't have binge days per se, but I do have days where I do a little too much snacking. I feel guilty about it and then start over doing better the next day. I am consistently losing a pound a week, so I think I am okay so far. Maybe you should just swear off of slider foods, and then maybe when you do over do it, it won't take as big a toll....... Hugs!!!

Actually there is a little tiny bit in there. It is about .5cc. It never comes out, so even after an unfill that stays in. They say the band is empty because it stays there, so for our purposes, it is empty. My doc explained this at my last fill. He always empties the band before a fill to make sure there isn't a leakage. When I noticed the difference in the two numbers, he explained it to me. I was initially worried that there was a small leak. Best of luck to you!!!!

Believe me, it isn't that easy to ruin the band. You are fine, but I do think you need a fill. Whenever you are worried though, it is a good idea to run it by your doctor. Hugs!!!

I still think full is completely different than before banding. It took me quite a while to figure it out, but to me, it is a little like you are describing. I don't think it is uncomfortable, just a tightness that was never there before I was banded. If I am stuck, it is quite uncomfortable. You may want to thin down your yogurt and protein shakes for a day or two to allow healing, then be sure to sip them so they aren't building up above your stoma. hugs!!!

That isn't what stuck feels like! I am 7 months out, and am at my sweet spot. I try to drink muscle milk in the morning mixed with my coffee. I can only get about a half of a cup down. I end up wasting some of it because it is just not going down. It isn't stuck though, because after I get up and move around, it goes on down and is fine. I can eat after my walk, but first thing in the morning? No. I think you tried protein shake a little too early. Of course it is different for everyone, but I tried to drink V8 a little too soon because I felt hungry, and it didn't work out either. You should go back to clear liquids for another day, then start out with a thinned down version of the shake you are using. Hugs!!!

You did not mention anything about a fill. Have you had a fill yet? Many do not feel much restriction until the 3rd or 4th fill. There is not really anything you can do about sweet cravings except stay away from them. Over time, it dissapates and you won't crave them so much... Hunger is usually best remedied by eating protein. Protein in solid form, meat,pork,chicken, fish, low fat cheese, eggs, etc. Try to stay from anything liquid other than water, as liquid calories go straight through your pouch and therefore are not very satisfying. Choose your carbs wisely. veg and whole grain sources are the best carbs. If you hate a particular type of meat, don't eat it. There are many choices out there for protein. Convenience foods, even though, I do use them sometimes, are high in salt and fat, and sugar. They work occasionally in a pinch, but a solid diet of them will keep you from losing. I personally don't know anything about Lindora. Hope some of this helps... Have a great week...... Hugs!!!

Some of the hunger is caused by drinking your calories!! Those calories go straight through and do not have time to make you feel satisfied. If you are allowed, you should be eating solid food and mostly protein. This is important. If you are still on mushies, it helps to get protein in there. Cottage cheese, other soft cheeses, very soft salmon, tuna, etc. Carbs make you more hungry. We tend to use those pre made protein drinks, but some of them have a lot of carbs packed in there too. There are a lot that do not, so read the labels and as soon as you are able, eat solid food. One poster here mentioned wanting to feel full. I had to learn to give that desire up. Even after I got full restriction, I was aware that I was finished for that meal but the full feeling is not even the same as it used to be. I am fine with it now, but there was a while that I let myself focus on that. It wasn't productive, and now I hardly ever think about it. Focus on the protein and I promise it will get better!!!! Hugs!!!

Most of the bands they do in Mx are smaller to begin with, so you will likely feel some restriction for a while. As the swelling goes down, you will become more hungry. Then in 6 weeks or so, you will be getting your first fill. It depends on how aggressive your fill doc is but you could feel a lot of restriction after the first fill. Don't worry, they know what they are doing, they have been doing it for a long time. Just follow the instructions and you are on your way!!! Congratulations on your journey!!

Most resturants sell soup or chille I ate out the first time on mushies at Wendys!! Their chille was perfect and tasted so good. Now I make chille at home and then I can monitor the amount of fat etc. I put it in those little one cup containers they sell by the Glad wrap. I freeze them and then I can just grab on on my way to work. Best of luck with the mushies!!!!

I used to put whatever protein the family was eating into the blender and thinned it with chicken broth. I sometimes added cheese and then heated it so the cheese was well melted. It is a little more work, but well worth it!!! Pretty yummy too!! Hugs!!!

I have a 4cc band and after two fills, I have 2.75 cc. I had restriction after the first fill also. I was really tight after the second and have now loosened, but still have to be really careful. I love it though, the whole thing is great!!! Hugs!!!!

I only use it first thing in the morning. I bought the Muscle Milk powder at Costco in Vanilla and I put a scoop in my Coffee in the morning. I really like it. It is 130 calories and 26 grams of protein. I might get chocolate next time. I can not eat in the morning, so this works well. Sometimes, I also can't drink the whole cup of coffee. Just stops going down. I eat the rest of my protein in real food. Hugs......

I have really enjoyed reading everyones take on this. I think Laurie is totally right but I also think everyone here is also right. Our perceptions are relative to what we know, so when things or people change, we have to change too. That is the whole problem. Today, I had a person I consider a friend, (who is round but not huge) say to me, "Gee Donna, don't lose too much more Okay?" I smoothed it over by telling her I was jealous of her because she has her credit cards paid off. She smiled and we were fine. At least I hope we were fine. She may have to go her seperate way, but she wont be the first.... Hugs to all......

Amen!!!!!!!!!

There is a reason all of us are too fat. We sometimes don't know what it is, we think we are just stupid, or we think we are weak, or any number of things. Some people, who get the band think it is a magic wand. Get the band and magic happens and we are thin. The problem is, that when it actually happens, the underlying reason we got fat to begin with, rears it's ugly head and for some unconscious reason , we start trying to thwart the progress. We do not understand it at all. We start blaming others, the doctor, the nutritionist, our spouse, our mother,,,,,,,, it goes on and on. You may find yourself in this situation down the road too. It happens to all of us in varying degrees. Some who reach goal, find it way too hard to keep going and gain it back. Some are totally ready to be thinner and keep the weight off. The band is helpful but it is not magic in any way. It is a tool period. I have a client who had bypass surgery 25 years ago. She lost all of her weight, and at 120 lbs, she was shocked everytime she looked in the mirror. She said it was extremely uncomfortable. She gained back around 80 lbs and has kept off 100, but it illustrates my point. Society says we will be happy if we are thin, but it is not so for everyone. If we are not ready we will find a way, even if it is unconsious, to keep it from happening. This will happen in a number of ways. Maybe the band will slip, maybe we will be unable to follow the plan, maybe something will happen to make us unable to exercise, maybe a number of other things will happen to get in the way. If we go inside, and study our behaviors, we will see some signs of the problem. Maybe not. I think if we keep bumping up against a brick wall, it is time to seek some serious therapy and find out the reason. Remember that all of us are not supposed to look the same. Even in the old days, some people were plump, some were skinny. We all need to figure out our own problems and not beat ourselves up over it.... The discussion here is supposed to be a venting ground, an exchange of ideas. If anyone gets worried about other's ideas, it only defeats the purpose of the board. I wish you only the best in your journey!!! Hugs!!!!

I believe protein is important and I use it for most of my diet. I worked hard at it until I went to my doc for my last fill. He showed me how much protein I need and I was surprised by it. He said two 2 to 4 oz servings a day would do it. I do that and I add my Muscle Milk protein to my coffee in the morning and it seems to be enough. I consistently lose 1 lb a week. I feel better becaue I was beating myself up over the whole protein thing. Hugs!!!

Well if you think about it, it is quite rare for people to lose a lot of weight in the first place, so people are just not used to it. Let me guess, it was a person who is also heavy or at least overweight? Some overweight people, try to convince themselves, and some quite successfully, that being overweight is attractive. Also a lot of people just don't feel comfortable with change. You likely have changed quite a bit. I have had this comment made about me along with, "well I don't know where 20 more lbs are going to come from". "Now honey don't lose too much" "Wow how much more are you planning to lose?" You will like hear all of them before you are finished!!! It isn't your problem, clearly they are the ones struggling.. Hang in there!! Isn't it great? Hugs!!!!