SoccerMomma73

OMG, I'm so sorry you've had such a tough journey but glad you're getting back on track. I'm new to this and just figuring it out myself so I don't have a lot of advice. I have discovered that when I get home from work in the evening and start dinner I tend to be ravenous and have a hard time not nibbling on everything I can get my hands on, so, I've started eating either a 4 oz container of low fat yogurt or a string cheese as I'm leaving the office....it's not enough to fill me but it's enough to keep me from feeling like I'm starving and nibbling on everything. Once I'm "hungry" I'm virtually unstoppable so I'm trying to avoid getting hungry. (I've had 1 fill and am doing well but obviously not at my sweet spot just yet!) Good luck with everything, we're pulling for ya!

When you stand you take pressure off your abdomen which is going to take some pressure off your stomach/band too....I'd go with the post above and stick with liquids for a couple days then mushies while things get back to "normal" if you continue to have problems or have true pain you need to call your doc. (and congrats on the amazing weight loss!)

Miralax was my best friend the first couple weeks :w00t:

The whole not being hungry thing was a bizarre exeperience for me too. Loved every second of it...and then....at 4:00 a.m. on day 7 I woke up STARVING TO DEATH and stayed that way until I could start mushies at day 14....then it turned to not starving but a little hungry a lot....Then I got my first fill and am now day 4 from that and back to the Not hungry thing....It's awesome! But sadly will probably pass too in a few days. Maybe you'll be that lucky bandster that never goes through bandster hell and just stays full all the time! If you do hit it just keep in mind that it is temporary and it's all worth it! GOOD LUCK!!!

Oh God, I'm a scale whore too...

I'm new to this and still not on a regular diet but I've already experienced what you're talking about...we went out for mexican at work yesterday and I had a bean burrito...no chips, no beans, no rice...just a bean burrito. While it was yummy I was very melancholy over the whole thing. Not that I am coming even remotely close to regretting getting a band, oh no no no. Love it beyond words (so far)...just hadn't prepared myself for a mourning period for food...I suppose I should have realized this beforehand since food has been my best friend and source of comfort for 30+ years....Still worth it though. Had to retire my first pair of fat pants this week and it was awesome! (I'm 1 month out today from my surgery).

I didn't find this web site until a couple weeks post op and NO ONE at my doctors office mentioned that I'd be starving to death a week post op....I was starting to think I'd made a mistake and would always be starving to death until I found you guys! That was a really tough time for me. Pre-op I knew what I was getting in to and there was a definite date where it would be over....They're both miserable but neither will kill ya, you just might think it will :w00t:

I work in a family practice office and spend the day walking back and forth past 2 sets of scales....then throw in the set at home. It's killing me. I decided this Wednesday to put the scales in my house up and only get them out every Wednesday morning to weigh...yeah, they're still sitting there and i'm still weighing daily and thinking about weighing again every time I walk by....There has to be medication for this!!!! BUt so glad to know I'm not the only addict.

Welcome to the band, burp your heart out and walk your bums off!

My doc would let us add 1/4 cup fruit as long as you pureed it 'til smooth. The only reason I survived those nasty shakes was by adding SF jello and/or SF pudding...add ice and blend 'til smooth and it's almost not terrible! Enjoy!

Okay, over all, you're health is worth more than $600 but darn that sees steep....it wouldn't have stopped me, but I'd have had to whine about it a bunch anyway.

I'm 48 hours post first fill and in absolute heaven. I know it's likely temporary but I'm savoring every second while it lasts..and now I'm remembering why I had this surgery in the first place. I had a little breakfast around 7, had a nice little lunch around 12:30, ate what I wanted without problem and was very satisfied, at a little dinner around 6:30. I got a teeny bit hungry around 5:00 but was driving home and had nothing to snack on so just drank my water and was fine....this is how is should be. Just enjoying it instead of worrying how long 'til my next meal... I do realize I'll likely loosen up over the next couple days but it was so nice to have this time to revive me and remind me how it will be someday soon on a regular basis. Good luck to all of you starving before your first fill, I hope you get at least a few days of heaven like I have!:thumbup:

Just tread water and do the best that you can until you get there...and you will get there, it just seems like eternity those last couple days. Remember the big goal, a week is nothing! You can handle it and you'll do great. Good luck, I'm cheering for ya!

WooHoo!!! You go girl! It's so nice to hear someone ready to enjoy life, I hope your husband is ready for you to dance him into the ground!

My five year old son says I burp like a pirate now...I think he's proud of me! And ya know, there's just not really any way to stop 'em, I've tried!

My first was yesterday too and while really minimal pain over all, it was WEIRD....Yes, I watched, yes I'm a freak, they had me sit up and then put some in, took some out, I kept looking at this little port thing sticking out of me thinking well that's just freaky...but all in all it was a piece of cake. Majorly cool that they can do that!

Or in the band as the case may be. That was one of the weirdest things I've ever felt! It was a piece of cake but felt very very odd. I apparently have a 14 cc band now complete with 4.4 cc of saline. I'm on liquids for 2 days then mushies for 2 days then I get to take the next step up and start MEAT...ground meat but still, meat, woohoo!! I have restriction today and would love love love it if it stayed with me but am guessing I'll be like most everyone else and lose this wonderful feeling of fullness in the near future. Next fill (if needed) scheduled for Feb. 15, my doc will not fill before 4 weeks, even if you're starving won't do it. Life is good, on to the next stage of the journey! WOOHOO!:w00t:

An awesome self discovery I'd say! I'm a chewer...I miss chewing and am ready for something a little more substantial!

Or in the band as the case may be. That was one of the weirdest things I've ever felt! It was a piece of cake but felt very very odd. I apparently have a 14 cc band now complete with 4.4 cc of saline. I'm on liquids for 2 days then mushies for 2 days then I get to take the next step up and start MEAT...ground meat but still, meat, woohoo!! I have restriction today and would love love love it if it stayed with me but am guessing I'll be like most everyone else and lose this wonderful feeling of fullness in the near future. Next fill (if needed) scheduled for Feb. 15, my doc will not fill before 4 weeks, even if you're starving won't do it. Life is good, on to the next stage of the journey! WOOHOO!:thumbup:

Connor is 5 1/2 and is the light of my life. He was 5 days old (yes five days old) when, err, the police called and told me there was a warrant out for my husband and that they felt my son and I were not safe...That was the day we left and the last time we saw him so it's been just the 2 of us since the beginning (with grandparents to help, thank God). It was an interesting beginning but we are awesome, he's my side kick and I am apparently the most awesome mom in the whole wide world if he is to be believed. He has been hysterical with this surgery, held my hand when I walked down stairs, kissed my tummy to make me feel better...he's a good kid, AND was starting to get a little tiny bit chubby so this has been good for both of us. And now...it's time to take care of me! All I can say is keep working towards your goal. I'm still new at this (first fill today WOOHOO!) and just can't wait to see what this year holds for me. I've had days that weren't easy and bandster hell is a pain in the butt but it's so worth it! Good luck with everything, I'm very proud of you for taking the time to start taking care of you!

My office Christmas party was smack dab in the middle of my 2 week liquids, I e-mailed my nurse and said "hypothetically, if I went out to dinner and had a drink or two would there be any issues?" She responded "hypothetically there wouldn't be any problems so hypothetically enjoy yourself but get back on the diet the next day". I love her :thumbup: I also cheated with celery, cauliflower, and egg whites...the egg whites (I take the yoke out due to calorie content) filled me better than anything....I behaved better post-op.

My questions would be fill related. How often can you have a fill, does he/she allow variation from patient to patient or is it a set 4 weeks, 6 weeks, whatever between. How do they determine how much to put in, again, a random number? Or do they work with you while filling to see what makes you feel resistance? You want someone who will work with you and isn't stuck with a set formula of we do A then B then C....Good luck!!

The staples of my full liquid diet and the only things that kept me from starving TO DEATH were the greek yogurt (that i hated but could add a little splenda to and tolerate), pureed bean soup, and then another woup that consisted of homemade chicken broth, fat free refried beans, salsa, and some low fat sour cream pureed to heck (at times I added cheese to this but usually didn't). The refried bean soup was so good my five year old ate it as much as I did! You can do it, you'll get there! (but if it doesn't get better call your surgeon and see if he cares if you move to mushies early)

My first fill is scheduled for tomorrow! YAY!! When I got home Friday I had a message on my answering machine to remind me (like I could possibly forget this appointment) and telling me to call and reschedule if I was sick, had a cold, rash, or open sores. I have none of the above but I do have 3 small scabs right along the incisions (5), I e-mailed my doc's nurse (whom I absolutely adore) to make sure this wasn't an issue today and she said it might be, to come on in anyway but not to be too disappointed if he wouldn't do the fill until they were totally gone. So now, I'm ANXIOUS...they don't look infected, they aren't red or draining or anything and are fairly small (the width of the incision and at the longest 1/2 inch long), but can't be picked off, lord knows I tried! Anyone ever had issues with this? Due to scheduling issues at work I won't be able to make it back to the surgeon's office for 2 weeks if they cancel me...The thought of 2 more weeks without a fill...OY! Keep your fingers crossed!!!:smile2:

Wow, you and are are twins in the relationship department! My weight issues date back to childhood but I too married a man who later decided he wanted to quit his job and sit at home (this, naturally, was announced AFTER I got pregnant, not before). We divorced (he actually ended up going off to prison, not a nice guy) then died from uncontrolled hypertension at the ripe old age of 39....So I too am living the life of single mom with no support....Can you say STRESS??? Anyway, good luck with your appointments, it's all worth it in the end for a healthy you!!