phenry

I am in a similar situation. I went quite some time without a fill and I could tell I was starting to eat way more than I should. I was getting bad about grabbing little snacks here and there too. And not the healthy type! I wouldn't know why you should go on liquids for that many days before the fill....but my doc always tells me 2 weeks of liquids after the fill. I think he is a little extreme...so I am going to do full liquids for a few days...then slowly go back to soft foods. I am reevaluating myself...I think carbs are my problem. I had surgery in June of 09, lost 30lbs, then stopped. I think I have been on more of a maintenance tyhpe diet ever since. A little to soon for maintenance...I still want to lose about 40 pounds! I am hoping this fill I got on Wed. will help. I never did do the 1/4 cup of food thing, so I guess I have been "under" filled for some time now...always really. I just have to keep telling myself that this is my chance...if I can't lose weight this way, I will be in trouble! I think the new year calls for a new attitude and a reality check! Good luck Dianna!

I feel like I have definately been eating too much! I never have done the 1/4 cup thing. I do eat less than before surgery, but my weightloss has stopped completely. Actually it's been the same for about 6 months now! Today I went and had a small fill. I am at 7.5 with a 9m band. I truly hope this tweek does the trick! Doc says liquid for 2 weeks, but he is a bit of an extremist. I am thinking 5 days like others have mentioned. Wish me luck everyone...I hope I can tell a big difference once I go back on solids. Doc wants to see me in 2 months to see what this does for me. I find it intersting how different people are eating different portions.

I agree....up your protein! When I get in a pickle and I am "starving"....I keep that canned chicken breast meat and tuna in stock. There is usually a big bowl of prepared salad in my frid, so I grab either tuna or chicken, mix it with a little mayo and add that to my salad. Those imitation crab sticks are good in there too. Then I add dressing and that will almost always fill that empty spot in my tummy. There will be tons of advice available on here also of what others do for quick hunger fixes. You will learn what does the trick for you and just be sure to always have it on hand. I love meat, but my problem is since I do have restriction, many things just don't go down very well. Forget anything on the grill....it gets stuck nearly every time. I made hamburgers on the grill the other night....I got a few bites in....then it got stuck so I had to stop eating. Just recently I have learned to recognize the feeling of the very onset of getting stuck. When I get the feeling a problem is happening, I spit out what is in my mouth.....every bit.......and wait it out to make sure it goes down.

I have been banded for a year now. So far I have lost 35 pounds, so yes, it can be very slow. But.....the extra weight sure didn't get put on you overnight and it sure doesn't come off overnight either! I learned to say to myself...as long as I am doing the right things, as best as I can, I know it can't be wrong. My doc says as long as the scale shows some weight loss when I come in every three months...then not to worry. As you get your fills, you will start to feel restriction more and more. Try to teach yourself to have some mental patience. This will be a long term comittment so you may as well settle in for the long haul. A pound at a time my dear....before you know it, you will be shopping for new clothes because your others no longer fit!

I just broke through to onederland! It has been a long tough road so far I must admit. I too seemed to be stuck at that frustrating point where the needle on the scale just doesn't want to budge, almost like it hasn't ever used the numbers below 200 or something! One thing I did was to stay off the scales. I almost think I was sabotaging myself whenever the weight started to budge....like...okay....look at me, I have lost a couple of pounds so I guess I have earned that brownie....and let's put a scoop of ice cream on there too! Once I stopped weighing myself every 30 minutes, it seemed to help. It's still slow....I was banded a year ago and have lost about 35 pounds. I would like to lose about 35 more. It may take another year to do it at the pace I am going, but as long as it is going down...I can wait!

Last time I was stuck badly...I lay over the arm of the sofa with my head going down towards the floor and it came out. Sometimes I have little stick episodes where the food eventually passes. These don't last long. But when it is a bad case of something being stuck...oh my...it hurts!

Well....vomiting is a personal thing and maybe one person vomits different than the next...but yeah, it isn't like a real vomit for me either! When I have the flu or a stomach bug...now that is real vomit. Can you all believe we are talking vomit????? HA! I guess with the band, no subject is off limits. We have all types of changes don't we! Anyway, I think what a real vomit is...that forceful, through the nose, sour, burning, heaving puke that spews forth like Mt. St. Helens. A food stuck vomit is simply the culprit.... accompanied by a mouthful of slime....making it's way in a less forceful, less obtrusive manner, back up through the esophagus and out the mouth. More of a blessing than a curse. Anyway, that's my take on my personal vomitting experiences! Sorry...didn't mean to be overly graphic here...but someone did ask!

I got some hamburger meat stuck last night. Good Lord it was painful. It went on for over two hours. First time it has ever been that bad. I called the surgeons office, but he had already left. The lady at the office said I needed to go to the emergency room right away. I really didn't want to go through all that, but hey, if it's stuck and not going up or down, you HAVE to do something! My husband said "Lets try one more thing". He had me lie over the arm of the couch with my head going down towards the floor. He put a bowl down there by my mouth and starting patting my back. I just "let it happen"...and all the hamburger came right up! Now of course this is gross and I hope no one is reading this during lunch, but let me tell ya, it was FAR better than driving 45 minutes to the emergency room. Then I would probably have to wait a few hours to see a doc or wait for my surgeon to come. It gave me immediate relief. I am on liquids for a day or two so the irritation can heal up. That was a close call for me. It is one lesson I will carry with me from now on. I think I just got too hungry. I wanted some meat and I wanted it now...so I ate too fast! Different things work for different people, but those who have been stuck know...you are willing to try about anything to make it go away!

I am losing soooo slowly too. I had my 3 rd fill...I have restriction, but even with that...things just don't seem to "budge" at times. Right when I get a fill, because I am on liquids for a day or so, I lose...then it seems to stop. It does get frustrating because I do have restriction and I am eating way less. One thing I need to work on, I tend to eat a little bit when I am hungry instead of eating a meal. Therefore I graze a little over the course of the day. Maybe that doesn't hurt some people and maybe that is not what is keeping the scale from going down...but it is where I am going to try to make a change to see if it works. I believe it is a trial and error situation to see what your body responds to. Also I want to start doing some calorie burning exercises. I must admit, I have not been getting much exercise at all. I am not giving up yet...I know this will be a long road before I get to where I want to be.

I would be interested. I don't want to drive to Louisville for meetings!

Hey Dean 123...what part of Kentucky? I am near Louisville.

I hear ya about the goodies. I am thinking about baking up a batch of oatmeal cookies or something more healthy. I can substitute the sugar with Stevia (sp) and add nuts and try to make them as good for me as I can. Plus not eat them all at once! Ho ho ho...it is Christmas and all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...buried in a nice warm cookie! LOL!

who knows what the exact measurement is...there probably isn't one since our pouch size may vary. My best idea would be...eat till you feel full. Not bloated...but full. I just had my 3rd fill and I am hoping this is the sweet spot! So far I have discovered with this fill that I am able to still eat what I want (so far) but I am eating cautiously until I learn what this new fill is going to be happy with. I have also noticed that I eat less now and feel full much sooner. So, I know something changed with this fill. Today the kids had pizza...well darn...it's hard to say no to pizza, but I also know it is easy to get stuck on doughy products. I just ate the top off of one small piece and I feel like I am good to go until the next meal! The top is the best part anyway for me...so I am quite happy right now! Sorry to get off track with your question, but just wanted to add a little something about my personal experience. Good luck and happy holidays to you all.

It would be a good thing for you to get in the mindset right now that this will be a process. It does take time. There is a great variation in how fast and how much an individual will lose in the first year or even months. Being overweight is a result of a lifetime of bad habits and overeating. Once you are banded...as long as the scale is showing some weight lose...don't sweat it! Prepare for a long journey...and remember...if you didn't have this done you probably wouldn't be losing anything. Expecting too much too fast is the worst thing to do. I have been banded 6 months and I am down 25 pounds. Slow...but it is coming off. I had my 3rd fill this week and I think each time I have one...I find myself eating less. I do eat what I want however.

my doc tells me two weeks of liquids after a fill! I think he is just extra cautious. I must admit...I have never stuck to the two weeks thing. I usually go 3 days...then very gradually add mushies to see how it feels. One thing different though...this is supposed to be the fill that brings me close to the sweet spot hopefully. I think I will proceed with great care. I sure don't want to end up in the emergency room for Christmas.

interesting topic! I think it just comes down to what works for each of us as individuals. Eating healthy is never a bad thing...and if you can eat healthy most of the time, and every now and then eat what you want and lose...that is great! Some people have sweet tooth problems or carb problem areas...of course deep down inside, we know what our weakness area is. I myself have been eating what I want...but at the same time, I ask myself...what is the best choice for me for breakfast today...or lunch...or dinner. I should say "I try to ask myself everyday". I have plenty of days where I grab what is convenient. Those types of foods are rarely the best choice...but I think the main thing is...I realize that they are not the best choice and therefore I don't eat them till I feel like I am going to pop. I am lucky because I like all kinds of foods. I enjoy cooking too.

My starting BMI was about 36. I got banded in June, but my surgeon moves VERY slowly with things. I just got my 3rd fill this week and my weight loss so far is only about 25 pounds. That's okay though. As long as it is moving in a downward direction...I am good. I am hoping to feel some restriction now. I have been eating less, but in no way do I feel like I have restriction. Right now I am on liquids until I can start on mushies. My doc always wants me to stay on liquids for 2 weeks after a fill. After he leaves the room, his nurse comes in and says stay on liqiuds a day or two...then try runny mushies and move up slowly from there. I think that is all planned. The doc just wants to cover his hiney I think.

my weight is coming off slow. I have lost about 25 pounds since June12th. That's okay though. As long as it is going down...then I can wait. It is better if it is coming off slow. It depends on how heavy you are at the time of surgery too. It comes off faster the more you need to lose usually. Then it may slow down a bit. Wow...62 pounds is a good loss! Congrats!!!!

A MERE 30 pounds??????? 30 pounds is a lot! I was banded June 12th and I have lost about 15-20. I have had 2 fills but right now feel little restriction. Only when I eat certain things and mostly in the morning. I can still hold more than I should be eating, however I do eat less than before being banded. I know this is going to take time, it seems some people lose more slowly and I am one of them. that's okay...as long as the scale is moving in the right direction!

I will have to try it. I got stuck with a bite of chicken the other day. It was my first really bad episode of getting stuck. That is a really good reminder of what not to try to chow to quickly on!

That's GREAT! Congratulations!!!!! I am close myself...however my weight loss is extremely slow as I have not reached the sweet spot yet...so although I am eating less, I still am not losing at a 2 pound a week rate. I have been banded since the middle of June. I get another fill the first week in Dec. It will be my third. My doc moves forward VERY slowly. That's okay. I am not depressed because of the slow loss. As long as it is on a downward trend...I can wait for results. I mean it did take 52 years to get this fat...so all I have is time to enjoy the ride!

So...if you are not at your "sweet spot" yet, over eating or eating more than a half cup or cup whichever it may be....will NOT stretch out a pouch? Is that because the food is still sifting through the pouch down to the larger portion of the stomach?

I am liking the way things are going after my second fill. The weight loss is slow...but that's okay. At least I can eat what I want...just not as much of it. I will see how this goes and if my loss is the recommended 2 pounds a week, then I will be happy to keep chugging along like this!

Yes...it is far too soon to be worried about feeling hungry. Things will change as you and your band evolve together. Right now try to concentrate on healing. The weight loss part will come when the time is right. Your body has been through a lot! No wonder your tummy is rumbling...it's mad! You probably are hungry too. That is all normal. Just follow your doctors diet plan to help get to where you can start adding more foods...then when the fills start, you will gradually find yourself eating less. This doesn't happen over night, take your time and take care of yourself.