honk

Personally I was'nt even on solids at 3 weeks. A former poster is right the band does'nt fix our heads. Once on solids I was buying crunchy honey roasted peanut butter. Had to stop buying it all togeter because I was eating it out of the jar.

My doctor said if you're going to count calories which he does'nt really support to stay around 1200. Personally for protein I stick to chicken/turkey, fish. I would avoid high fat choices like beef, pork.

Please check your blood pressure. If it is elivated call you PCP right away if this has lasted over several hours.

NO. Please contact your doctor before modifying your diet. Your stomach is trying to heal from the stiches that are holding the band in place. I drank stock intead of broth and added mrs dash non salt flavored seasoning.

Lapband sched May 19. And, I have a few questions: 1) In general, how difficult is it to take pills? I have a few things I have to take that do not come in liquid/chewable form. How do you handle swallowing meds during recovery and after? I have always been able to take my medicine. 2) After the healing process, how does the band feel? Or can you feel it? Can't feel it at all. 3) How long before you got your first fill? Thanks in advance!!! 4-5 weeks 4) After surgery, how long before you felt well enough to start exercising moderately? Day 4 started back at the gym (treadmill, no incline, slow speed) 5) Has anyone had mild-to moderate acid reflux that is controlled with meds before the band? And, how is the acid reflux after the band? Is it better or worse? I had milk reflux, turned out I had a small Hernia which the surgeon fixed. 6)I have seen on a lot of posts that after the band, there is less hunger. I actually am never hungry because I typically eat before I get hungry. So, after the band, are you not thinking about food or does the lasting feeling of fullness really diminish the hunger? Are you chomping at the bit for the next meal, or do you kind of forget about eating until all of a sudden you realize you need to eat? The band did'nt really help me until about my 5 month. By that I mean I did not get any restriction; took about 6 fills. I bought a good digital food scale and measured all my food. When it's was gone I stopped eating; no seconds. Thus the bandster hell; only eating small portions even though you are still hungry. Now that I have restriction I can go 4.5-5 hours without being hungry. It's important to really understand when you are truely hungry vs moderatly peckish and or bored. For example at work they often have meetings were they serve food. There are often left overs. I will walk to the coffee station and the Cookies are looking me in the eye. I ask myself are you hungry or do you just know cookies taste good? I have lunch about 12:30 on the drive to the gym I have a Ready To Drink Protein shake at 6:15, leave gym at 8, eat dinner about 8:30. I will say by 8:30 I am pretty hungry but that is 8 hours. 7Because eating is so tied to my emotions, and once I am no longer living to eat, I just wonder if I will pic up other compulsive behavior? Have any of you started doing other destructive things to replace the emotional salve of eating.) I don't think I would call myself a gym rat but I do exercise an hour a day 7 days a week. I tell myself if I want to eat dinner I have to go to the gym and or go for an hours walk. I always want to eat dinner. I also don't have trouble sleeping.

Yes, very normal to gain weight during hospital stay. Personally I weighed myself the two days after surgery and I was the exact same weight as the day of surgery. I was however up every 20 minutes the night I was in the hospital urinating.

I started loosing a lot of hair at around month 4; and it lasted for about a month. Per blood work my protein levels were fine. I did start taking 5000 mg Biotin. My hair loss stopped after about month. Was it the Biotin? Not sure. Could have been just a reaction to the surgery.

I am at restriction and can eat any food I want. I eat chicken most days. I've only had a probelm once eating a reheated piece of turkey. I've gotten stuck on baby carrots a couple times but because I was really hungry and ate to fast. And that was before I was at restriction. I have baby carrots everyday for lunch (with hummus). My doctor says if you can't eat 3 oz of solid Protein you are too tight. Am I loosing slower because I don't want my band so tight that I can't eat certain things? Who knows. I want to live a normal life and not worry about having a stuck episode in front of coworkers. That said I choose not to eat certain things because they are high in calories and low in nutrition: rice, bread, crackers

I agree with a previous poster you should start measuring your food. If you are at home or packing your lunch measure your food out. My doctor calls for 3 oz of solid Protein. When the food is gone you're done eating. Easier said than done I know. Start of with your protein. For now choose low fat/cal options. Once you have fills it will start to help. Also if you have access to a gym go as many days a week as you can. If you don't belong to a gym does your local high school have an outside track? Most public tracks are open 7 days a week until dusk.

I think we all had fears at some point or other. Personlly I had already had a stroke at 39. The doctors could not say 100% that it was because of my wieght but they could'nt disprove it either.

This is a hard question to answer. While I did not own a scale at the time I would say at my highest I was about 380 size 26/28. Pre and post surgery I have lost 140 pounds. But there was a previous poster on this thread whose highest size was a 16 that's smaller than I am now. Being a size 20 is a huge victory for me. I no longer feel like I am so fat that people stare as I walk by. However I'm sure there are peope who think I am grossly overweight. In fact I am still morbidly obese. The issue I have with the BMI charts is that I exercise 7 days a week and eat a very conservative diet; but am still considered morbidly obese. I will say that men never opened the door for me at my highest weight. Now they always do.

I buy my protein at Vitamin Shoppe as they are much cheaper.

No Fruit! Esp. since your doctor said not to add solids yet. I was not on solids until week 5. I'm not trying to be mean but you need to follow your doctors orders. They are not to punish you but to let your stomach heal.

To the original poster I would speak with your doctor about adding fruit. Presurgery if you are on a liquid diet they may not want you haveing fruit. Yes it is natural sugar and carbs but will increase your calories. Also post op I was allowed to have Protein shakes but no fruit. After surgery you don't want your stomach moving around to digest the fruit (even though it's been blended). I would ask your doctor/nutritionist what protein powders they would recommend. My doctor said whey Isolate powder (not all whey isoalate is the same, isolate is a more concentrated protein that is easier for your body to digest.) I buy my protein at Vitamin Shoppe, I find their prices much better than GNC. People that work there are pretty good and they know what is popular. And by popular what tastes good and does'nt get returned. They have a return policy that if you try and don't like it you can return for store credit. I was told chocolate is always better than vanilla because chocolate is a stronger flavor and it is harder for vanilla to overcome the protein taste. I buy Dymatize Elite Gourmet Vanilla, and Gold Standard double chocolate. I'm 7 months post surgery and for Breakfast every day I add half a scoup of vanilla whey isolate to a container chobani greek yoghurt (with benefiber, and splendra), and 1/8 cup of kashi go lean.

My biggest concern would be sitting for 5 hours with the possibility of a blood clot. I would speak with your doctor. Personally I probably would have been find to go out of town. I was very lucky in regards to pain and was only on liquid tylenol. On day 5 I went back to the gym. I will say however that I did tire easily and was taking a nap every day the first week.

I have seen egg beaters that comes as egg whites with some egg yolks.

For me first two weeks were Clear liquids (7 days) and full liquids (7 days). So first 7 days I had chicken stock (which is better than broth more flavor). Next 7 I had Pacific brand Soups which come in a 16 oz box: sweet red pepper tomato, squash. Sometimes found in the "natural" isle because they are organic. I did find them one time at costco in 32 oz boxs sooo much cheaper. Larger will be good while you're on a liquid only diet. I also added Mrs Dash non salt herb flavorings in week two. If you put them in while the Soup is heating up it reconstitutes the garlic (which did'nt hurt me). Also I started off getting low salt broth and it was horrible if I was not going to eat anything else I was going to enjoy what I was eating. I was also allowed to have low fat/cal Protein shakes made with milk. Remember when it comes to full liquids to be careful about the calorie and fat content. Yes it is a time of healing but you can find a good low calorie veggie soup (100-150 cal). Getting a cream soup will have lots of calories. Week 3 I could add low fat cottage/ricotta cheese, plus continue smooth soups. Week 4 I could have canned shredded chicken which I mixed with laughing cow cheese instead of mayo. Week five solids.

Mixing protein shakes at home is fine as long as you choose low cal/fat/carb versions. All protein powders are not created equal. I used ones that are 110-120 cal, 24 g protein, less 4 g carbs, less 3 g fat. Perhaps the "no homemade shake" rule you heard is referring to not making dessert milkshakes.

There is no reason for anyone to know you had surgery. Most of us on this board work outside the home; and probably half do not tell their coworkers. For 7 months after surgery I had a job were I worked from home. To be truthful being at home where all the food is can be a challenge. Now that I go into the office I take my food for the day and that's it. I don't buy anything at the cafe or have any of the free hot chocholate at the coffee station.

A week before my surgery I ended up having to postpone because a preexisting bloodclot was not resolved. Clearly I had to wait but i was DEVISTATED. I ended up having to wait 4 MONTHS. So I know how you feel.

Each person has different experiences regarding what they can and can't eat post banding. My doctor says you should be able to eat 3 oz of solid protein at lunch and dinner (mornings you might be too tight); if you can't you are too tight. In my opinion if you can't eat solid protein without using water to get it down you are too tight. I can eat any food at restriction.

I don't think you damaged yourself it that's your question. My doctor only requires 1 day full liquid and 1 day mushies after a fill. So your doctor must be super stricted. One thing I will say is that I did not get restriction until 10.7 cc's in 11 cc band. So it could be a while before you get restriction. As posted previously try to research in advance food choices so you can choose the best option. Also reading "Eat This Not That" can give you some ideas. For example there are less calories and fat in a Dunkin Donut's egg and canadian bacon english muffin sandwich than there is in a low fat blueberry muffin.

Knock on woood have never thrown up. I have had 3-4 short stuck incidents. They have ranged in pain produced; the longest lasted about 10 minutes. I have been very lucky some people report stuck episodes lasting for hours. I have gotten stuck on two things baby carrots and chicken"sandwich" made with a romain lettuce leaf. The carrots happened because I ate really fast and did not chew. If I chew correctly and dip in hummus not problems. My "sandich" was a fluke I have it every day for lunch and only had a problem once.

Started having lots of hair loss months 3-4. At month 7 slowed down/stopped. I had started taking biotin which I continue to do. Don't know if it helped or not. Could be that the shock of the surgery.

Once on solids I would'nt recommend chicken/egg/ham salad as it is a slider; and often made with mayo (high in fat). I make chicken sandwhiches every day for lunch using a Romaine lettuce leaf, spread low fat laughing cow cheese on the spine, chicken breast strips, mustard. Roll it up and enjoy. For 3 oz of chicken I usually need 3 lettuce leaves. During mushies and post fill I mixed shredded chicken with low fat laughing cow cheese instead of mayo. The other plus is it can be microwaved.