starletkt

hi! i could have wrote this post. i was banded 7/1 and have lost 54 lbs! i can't complain but i feel the same exact way you do... sometimes i have to stop myself from eating more than i think i should and other days, i can take 2 bites of something and get stuck. i even feel the same way about my dr appts. i try to voice my concerns so i can get some feedback and they're like 'you're doing great! can you lift up your shirt?'. haha! i go for a fill next week... good luck to you!

that is awesome!!

it isn't bad at all... i personally think the prodding to find it is the worst! my PA doesn't use fluoro or lidocaine and she pushes around, finds it, cleans the area and jabs! haha she makes you do a crunch too. it doesn't hurt, it is just an uncomfortable minute or two!

i am certainly not an expert but i am seeing successful results so i'll key you in on what i am doing. i find that i am tighter in the morning so every am, i have a Protein shake. i change it up- sometimes it is fruit based w/ a vanilla powder, sometimes chocolate w/ coffee added. i use unsweetened soy milk (same protein, less sugar). by doing this, i start out with 26-30 grams of protein before i even start my workday. appx 300 calories for a mid-morning snack, i'll have something worth about 100 calories... handful of nuts, a few apple slices w/ cheese cubes, a yogurt. 100 calories for lunch i either have a lean cuisine or i make something with chicken... chicken salad in lettuce cups, on low carb crackers, tortilla chips. i make my own dressings with different things- greek yogurt, mustards, vinegars, i mix it up. i use Beans a lot too. i just try different things to see what i like. appx 300 calories mid-afternoon snack, same as morning 100 calories dinner- i might have a lean cuisine if i didn't have one at lunch and i'm busy. otherwise, i have a protein (chicken, beef or vegetarian product) and something with it (depends on what i have- beans, veggies). again, i do a lot with sauces to change it up. appx 300 calories snack, same as morning/afternoon 100 calories this puts me at ~1200 calories. if i don't have a snack, i might splurge a little more on dinner. i am very strict with my protein... i always get at least 80g a day. i drink a TON of Water and sometimes for 110 calories, include a protein shot (26 grams!). if i go out, i do not stray from this. i am notorious for ordering the kid's grilled chicken wherever i go. i feel like i have good restriction but until i feel great restriction, i have to control everything i eat. i work out about 3 times a week and walk as much as i can. the key is to eat enough to sustain your metabolism. there were times when i eat too little thinking i was doing the right thing. plan your grocery list and stick to it for a week or two, it will pay off!

well i am just reading this, so your surgery is long over! i too had dr. pham do my lapband procedure and i LOVE him! he has such a great personality and made me feel extremely comfortable. he does his job very well and i am proud to have committed to this with him as my surgeon. i hope your surgery went smoothly and you're on the losing track! :smile2:

bob- my #1 fear was getting stuck and it didn't happen until 2 1/2 months out... it is painful because it is literally stuck, sitting in your esophagus but it passes. it either has to go down or come up. i knew it wasn't going to go down anytime soon because my pouch was full so i leaned over the sink and opened my mouth. the saliva kicks in and i spit a few times and then up it came with no assistance by me. i HATE throwing up so i was glad i didn't have to do much. it isn't the best feeling in the world but it shouldn't be too concerning either. you'll be able to breathe and just the mindset of knowing you'll be uncomfortable for a few minutes will get you through it!

i eat a lot of grilled/braised chicken, veggie burgers (no roll) and morningstar farms 'chicken' products. i'll add a little potato or veggie but i always focus on eating the protein first. i find dressings very useful to jazz anything up- low fat/sugar. i do whole wheat bagel thins, toasted, when i am in the mood for bread but i only use the top or bottom. a little peanut butter or laughing cow... it does the trick. i haven't touched red meat, pasta, rice or bread yet and i might not. i can't imagine i would be able to tolerate it.

i just had my first fill a few days ago... the pressure and crunch of the needle were enough to make me never want another! i hope i coast on this fill for awhile.

i just had my first fill last wednesday and i feel the same way! i don't feel any differently than when i went in with an empty band? i swore up and down that the PA must have missed my port and it didn't go in but i talked myself down. they do this everyday and i read that sometimes it's the matter of .5 cc after a 2nd or 3rd fill. i think the biggest part of having a band is playing the mental game... and this is part of it.