tallgirl

I would like to know what the 5 day pouch test is too....never heard of it.

Hello there, I know you left this a while ago, but I just decided to go back here to this site to get help and make sure that I re-learn everything. I got banded in October 2010, and found out that I was pregnant in April 2011, and from that point on I was eat, eat, eat..... I had lost around 45 pounds when I first got the band, and I was in the zone...I wasn't hungry, nothing got stuck, I lost weight, and I felt awesome. Then now, 1.5 years after I have gained everything back, but 10 pounds, and I feel bigger than EVER! It is so sad. I just had a fill, but that was such a small one, that I am going back next week to get another fill. I am so tired of eating. I have anxiety every time I stuff myself, because I know I shouldn't be doing this...I should be eating some tuna and be full and happy...but nooooo, here I am eating everything I can lay my hand on. So I am back her on this site, hoping to get back on the horse and make myself work the band the way I did before. So basically, just wanted to let you know that you are not alone here...!!!! Good Luck to you and to all of us!!

My Dr. and Nutritionist told me that I should stop drinking 10 minutes before I eat anything, and then wait 10 minutes after I eat. And this has worked good for me, no problems. But sometimes I am just too full from eating, that I can't drink anything, even if I wanted to.

Oh honey, do not feel bad. There are plenty of us people out here that it takes longer for to lose weight. I was banded on October 12, 2010, and I have lost 31 pounds. And I am THRILLED that I am down that much. I have to be honest, in the beginning I was reading posts on here all the time, comparing me to everyone else, and it felt like I was the only one that was down 1 or 2 pounds each week.....that it took waaaay to long for me to lose weight. But then I snapped out of it, and stopped the comparisons. I am who I am, and I am happy that I am down 31 pounds, and I am doing what I can to make this band work for me. Yes, it is hard sometimes to not eat the yummy candy, etc... Sure it is, that was a part of our lives for so long, and if I think that I can just snap out of it, I am delusional. It takes time to change our lives and even longer to change our brains. So for you to have lost 40 and some pounds, PLEASE be happy about that and be proud of yourself. We are all taking it one day at a time. So if you feel that you have eaten too much one day, let yourself feel horrible, and try your best to remember that feeling for as long as you can. It will make it a little easier to stop eating the next day. That you can't feel your band, that sucks babe! That I don't know what to tell you, but obviously there is something wrong with it if the Dr. feel that he can't put anything more in the band, and put you on pills again. Very weird, and that sucks big time!! So, to wrap this up, 40 pounds is awesome...and taking it slow will be better or your skin anyway....you don't want to look like an old wrinkly bag when you are skinny! HA....at least that is what I am telling myself!

In regards to the lifting, I am not sure. I don't have kids, so I didn't have to worry about that. But in regards to the pop, you can have a pop if you can tolerate it. You can try to have it after you have been healed and you feel "normal" and know your limits with eating. If you can drink it without feeling too bloated or gassy, then you can have pop. It won't hurt your band...that is what my Dr. told me, and he is one of the 8 Dr. on the Lap Band Board....or whatever it is called. I tried my first one yesterday, but I didn't like the feeling it gave me. So I won't have it again for a while. I am good with water!!

I got banded on the 12th too, and I am down 13 pounds. I am THRILLED about that! I haven't lost weight in years, so that I am able to lose now, is a wonderful feeling!!! I have no restriction at all! I can eat anything. I try of course not to eat any Halloween candy, or pizza with the family, but it is hard. If I had an ounce of normal willpower not to eat, I wouldn't be fat to begin with. So when I gained 1 pound last week, I didn't freak out....but then all of a sudden...this week I was down 3 pounds!!! And I have honestly no idea how that happened. But I am happy!!! I was told several times, that before you get your fills, you won't even notice that you have the band. And seriously, if I didn't have the little scars on my tummy, I wouldn't think I had it. So I am looking forward to my first fill, so I can feel a little bit of restriction again. Then my new friends....it is a downward slope to the "normal BMI Land"!!! Good Luck everyone!!!

Hello All, and Happy Friday!! I was banded last Tuesday the 12th. I had 1 week of thick Soups, pudding, etc....anything that you can pour. I did fine that first week, I didn't have any pain at all, and I was good with eating. I am now able to eat anything I want, but the Dr. told me to start with softer foods, egg salad etc... Now, when I started to eat regular foods, my problem is that my brain is still not understanding that I can't eat all the foods that I want. I am having a really hard time with only putting a little bit of food on my plate. I think this is because I have been a BIG eater all my life. All of my plates have been filled to the brim with food. So now I am having problems with stopping myself from eating too much. So, I guess I just need to know if anyone has had this problem too. That it takes a little while for your brain to follow your stomach. Because right now, I feel horrible. I feel horrible that I can't stop myself from eating too much. I feel horrible that I can't feel satisfied with 1/2 cup of food on the plate. And this has already caused me to think that I have failed the band. That I am not working it like I should. :thumbup: I know, it has been 10 days since the surgery, so I shouldn't be too hard on myself. But it is hard to sit here and wanting to slap myself silly because my stomach is too full and I should have stopped eating when I felt that it started to fill up....but instead I kept eating, thinking..."well, I hardly ate anything..."!!!! I feel so irritated with myself. Okay, I will pull myself up and start again. I have lost 11 pounds so far, so I will just have to keep it fresh in my mind that I have to MEASURE!!! That seams to be the problem I have....I have to measure my food....THEN WALK AWAY from the kitchen! Sorry for the long rant....just feeling scared and stupid for not listening to my body. But I will do everything I can to work this band! Did I tell you I lost 11 pounds!!! :w00t:

Thank you Chuckie for your suggestion to sip on some broth...I think that might help me. And you are soooo right, I am missing that overly full and heavy feeling in my stomach. I know it will take time to change my way, and some smaller plates will help me I think. I will look into the Protein supplement. Thank you for that! Katiejane, congratulations to your band! I know what you mean, I feel fine now and "normal". I also have a dog, who is a professional beggar of foods...so perhaps I should let her have some....that might not be such a bad idea! Good luck and have a wonderful weekend all!!

I too have PCOS, and have been bleeding like it is going out of style. I was bleeding all the time, so they put me on Birth control. I have just been banded on the 12th, so I don't know yet how my periods will be. BUT, I have heard that when you lose weight like you have, the periods will regulate themselves, and we won't bleed so much. Well, I hope that is it...cause I would love to throw my BC out the window! Good Luck with everything!!

I am also 1 week out of surgery, and my Dr. told me to do 10 minutes before and after. So that makes it a little easier for me. Cause I too love to drink water while eating. But as everyone says, I will get used to it.

I do not like Cauliflower at all, I think it is the smell that is making me feel that way. BUT....I was doing the LCHF diet (Low Carb High Fat) and boiled a head of Cauliflower, sapped it in the microwave to make sure that all Water is gone. Take a fork and mash it, add heavy cream, butter, salt and pepper for taste.....and Woila....awesome food! I was VERY surprised that it tasted so good, and it is a very good source of Protein....if you are worried about carbs.

Ahh, look at that! I just asked that question in another post...like 2 minutes ago. Sorry, I should have looked further down on the list of topics. But I am soooooo happy to hear that the throwing up will be different after the band. That is all I need to know. I am good to go now! Thank you!!!

This is also something that I have been thinking about. I also have a total phobia of puking. I just won't do it. I will lay on my bed "deep breathing" for HOURS....just so I won't have to go and throw up. I have always been like that. And now, I am scheduled for the Lap Band on the 12th, and I am freaking out that I will be sick when I wake up. I will let them know in the hospital that I am VERY scared of this...and hopefully I will get the medication necessary to help with that. But I guess I am wondering more about what happens when you get the stomach flu. It might be a stupid question....but I was just wondering if that can make the band move or something? I don't know....all I know is...that I am scared of puking...and hopefully I won't ever ever ever have to do it again....EVER! Good luck to all of you!

I also have PCOS and the pain is horrible. I am getting banded in 2 weeks so now I am getting a little worried about the PCOS and if it will get worse. I was hoping that the pain was going to go away....with the weight....? But....the band is going in, so I will just deal with the pain. I tried IVF's and IUI's a few times, and I couldn't get pregnant either, which is the major part for me to get this band. So I can lose enough weight for the PCOS to get better, and then, hopefully I can get preggers. Have a good day all of you!!!

I have thought about that too. My dad was an alcoholic too, and I have had my years of drinking too much. But for the last 5 years, I never drink.....so I am hoping that alcohol won't be the addiction for me. I just went and got a bunch of yarn...yup, yarn, so I can start making scarves for a friend of mine, she sell them. I know that I need to have my hands busy. If I can't eat...then I have to have my hands moving and doing something else. So, I am hoping that I will be busy making scarves all winter long, so I have some time to understand this new me. I hope that you will find something wonderful to do with your family. I also hope that I can transfer my food addiction to jogging ..... or something. Well, I can dream can't I?!?! I am having my surgery on October 12th....so it is just around the corner. Good Luck to you!!!!

I think you will be okay. My surgeon only needs us to eat Atkins for 1 week. The Bariatric Center that I go to changed their rules only a few weeks ago, they also had the 2 week liquid diet before surgery. But with all the new information and studies, they changed it to 1 week of Atkins, and you will get the same results with the liver. Just do your best with the time you have left, and you should be okay. But if you will feel better, call the Dr.s office, tell them and hear what they have to say. Good luck!!!!

Okay....Honestly....I would gain the weight. I think I would. Cause I am like you, I have a really hard time losing weight. And I know I wouldn't want to "make peace" with how I look now...so I would gain it to get to 40 BMI. Just letting you know what I would do. Good Luck!!!!

I just need to vent a little. I am a woman with PCOS, a pituitary gland that is spewing testosterone like it is going out of style, and fat. I have been trying to get pregnant for about 7 years now. I am 35 years old. The last 3 years I have spent doing 4 IUI's and 2 IVF's. I have 1 IVF left on my insurance. The Dr tells me that everything look good down there and that he can't figure out what the problem is. Now...it is pretty clear that it is my weight that is standing between me and a baby. I am almost done with my 6 month supervised diet, PT and psych consult. I am going to a seminar with my surgeon tomorrow, and hopefully the rest of the tests will be done soon. I am so super excited about the band, and I can't wait to get it....I just want to scream DO IT NOOOOOW!!!! :biggrin: So now, since I am almost there, and will be loosing weight to (hopefully) be in the normal BMI range, I am hoping that I will be able to get pregnant. I am also scared that I will be at a normal BMI...and still won't get pregnant. Well my fellow bandsters....I know I am not alone in here that is trying to get preggers. I am sorry for taking up space on here and ranting about crap....but I guess I just wanted it off my chest...AND, a woman in my office just had her baby girl this morning, and another one told me today that she is 4 months. So, I am feeling sad and blue right now...and figured that I can always share with you all. Good Luck to all of you!!!!

To CindyMinnesota: Wow, Thank You! I am scared but happy at the same time. I am of course one of those women that think that I will be the one that will fail this. And won't be able to lose the weight....but it seems like most of us feel like that. I am just having such a hard time understanding that in a few months....I might be able to lose weight...and actually see it. Sure, a few pounds here and there.....but I never had to buy any new clothes or anything. It's like I can't wrap my head around me getting smaller. When you have lived fat for so many years, it is hard to visualize yourself as skinny. Well, not skinny, but you know what I mean. But it is happening. And you are already in the race, you are already in the game baby!!! And I can't wait to have it done. I can't wait to get that feeling of fullness, after just eating 1/2 a cup of ...something. I am so happy that you got it done and are a few steps ahead of me....cause you know I will bombard you with questions!!! Have a good weekend and be safe!

Ladies....THANK YOU!!!! You have all given me so much hope! I know that this band will help me in so many ways. And of course I hope that I will get pregnant without having to go through another IVF. So... CindyMinnesota...I am hoping that I too will get "fertile as heck"!!! That would be wonderful. I am going to have this band....lose weight...become a smaller version of myself...and then hope and pray that this will help with the baby problems. BUT...I am also doing this for health reasons. Obviously the PCOS and testosterone problems. I also want to feel better, lighter, be able to ...hrmf..jog!!! I know...jog! And...damn it...be able to wear a tank top in public! So again...I THANK YOU all for responding, and I knew I couldn't be the only one here having these problems. I am now super excited and so thrilled to be on this banding journey! Good Luck everyone!!!

OHHHH, I hope that I will be an August bandster too!!! I started my 6 month program in Feb, and I have 2 PT and 1 Dietitian visit left. Then it is off to see the surgeon. I've heard only good things about my surgeon, so I look forward to meeting with him. I am 6.2 ft and 274 lb...never been this big before...so I am looking forward to starting this new life. But I am like so many other people on here....eat, eat, eat! I have never been eating like this....non stop. And yes, I think that I have to eat it NOW, cause I can't touch it later. Stupid brain :yikes:! I am both nervous and happy and excited and scared. But mostly, I am very very relieved that this fat life will be over soon. So, I will let you all know when I can yell....I got accepted!!! OHHHH, I can't wait!!! Good Luck everyone!

Dear Kristy29; I know exactly what you are talking about. My husband was not supportive of me getting the Lap-Band either. We have been arguing back and forth for months about this. I am getting it so I can loose weight and become pregnant. So every time he is mad, he say.."so, we can't have a baby because you can't loose some weight?" Well....yeah, I guess so. So this last time we argued, I told him that he really need to stop or get out! I AM getting this Lap Band! And I AM going to loose this weight and become healthy. I tried to explain to him that me with food is like any other addict. You sit there with a bottle of Vodka and ask an alcoholic to drink it....he probably would. He needs help from people around him to stay away and make better choices. I told him that it is hard for me to stay away from food and desserts when he keeps baking and buying it. Yeah, I know that I have to change all of that, and I know that it is up to me. All I am saying is that it is hard...it is hard being addicted to food and feeling like you are always hungry. After our talk he said "okay, I will be supportive, anything you need"! So, last couple of weeks, he has been eating all of his goodies in the basement, and he doesn't tell me about it. And it is working for me! I just wanted him to understand that it is hard for me, just like it is hard for him to stop smoking!!!!!