vickyd

I had my surgery and just had my first fill on March 2nd. I had lost almost 10 lbs over the past month but it had become more about willpower than anything else because I was getting hungry within a couple of hours of eating...the PA who does the fills looks at not only how much you have lost but also your hunger levels and how much you can eat at a sitting when determining whether or not to do a fill. Maybe you didn't get one because you arent hungry between meals. The way I look at it is I would have liked to be one of the few who can do it without a fill but if I feel like I need one then I will get one. I am happy that I lost 45 lbs without a fill and hopefully I will continue to do well now that I have had one.

String cheese for snacks, rollups using turkey sandwich meat and laughing cow cheese, grilled chicken strips (pre-packaged from the grocery store), sliced cucumber, baby carrots. For fast food, I like Wendy's or Quizno's chili, grilled chicken from KFC, or a plain taco and pintos and cheese from Taco bell.

I had the same problem after surgery with feeling like I needed to burp but nothing was happening...try walking (even if it is just around your house). The only times I seemed to be able to burp out the gas was while I was walking. Also, you stated that Muscle Milk is a lactose free Protein Shake - that is not the case. I have a milk lactose intolerance which became worse after surgery and my NUT told me to stop drinking Muscle Milk because it contains lactose (I was using the powder and mixing it with soy milk but the lactose was still causing problems). Once I changed to a lactose free protein shake (Isopure from GNC - not the fruity ones) I had less gas and bowel issues.

I use it and love it. I even print out my daily log and take it when I go in for fills. It helps me address any dietary issues with the NUT.

I'm in... Name, real or screen~ Vicky Age~ 45 Weight on February 28th~ 280 Goal Weight for March 31st~ 269 Exercise Goal for March~ Train for 5K Dietary Goal for March~ Reduce carb intake Personal Goal for March~ Go down another pants size Date Banded~ 12/2/10 Total Weight Loss Since Banding~ 45 pounds Also, if Lindsey doesn't want to do stats anymore I will volunteer...

Vicky checking in today at 280 - down 1 lb from last week and 6.4 overall for the month (3 lbs short of my goal - partially thanks to TOM showing up ). I have an appointment Wednesday with my surgeons office and I am fairly certain that I will be getting my first fill at that time - I haven't needed one up until now but given my low numbers for February combined with the fact that I can, and sometimes do, eat more than I should portion-wise I think I need one now... BTW...are we going to have a March challenge?

I had the same thing. After a week of it I contacted my NUT and she had me switch up my protein powder to a lactose free one and, although it didn't stop the diarhea it certainly helped it not happen as often.

Along with the gas-x strips try walking around the house. Even though I was using the strips I didn't start getting relief until I started walking...

Along with the gas-x strips try walking around the house. Even though I was using the strips I didn't start getting relief until I started walking...

I think you definitely need to make sure your head is in the right place before having the surgery...you need to be able to make the right food choices and limit your portions even after surgery. I am so happy with my band and part of me keeps asking why I didn't do it sooner but, honestly, I don't think I would have been successful with it years ago because my head wasn't in the right place. I would have been one of those people wondering why my band didn't stop me from eating McDonalds and not understanding why I wasn't losing weight. Make sure you're ready to make the sacrifices that come with the band and you have a good chance of being successful. Good luck with your journey...

Great idea for a post, Elfie! I'm gonna chime in on a few things I wish I had known... I wish I had asked my surgeon where will my port (port incision) be located? I assumed that everyone's port was put in the same place but that is not true. My incision was at waist level which was very uncomfortable while it was healing because my waist band kept rubbing on it. Post-surgery instructions vary from surgeon to surgeon. A lot of people post on here asking when they should transition from Clear liquids to liquids to mushies to solids but what my surgeon told me may not be what your surgeon wants you to do. Follow your surgeon's instructions - there is a reason your surgeon wants you to do it that way. If you think you need to transition to the next phase earlier than instructed, contact your nutritionist. Test-drive Protein shakes before you need them. If you wait until you are on the liquid diet to start trying Protein Shakes you could be setting yourself up for a difficult road. A lot of companies offer sample packs you can order so you can try different flavors. Protein shakes are very personal...everyone's tastes are different.

You are obviously motivated - and quite frankly, that is a big part of being successful. I have said before that I wish I had done this years ago but, honestly, I don't think my head would have been in the right place to be successful with it until now. Definately, do the research and make sure all of your questions get answered before taking the next steps. You might also want to attend a support group in your area...my support group does get people coming in pre-surgery just to ask questions and we are all too happy to answer whatever questions people have. I, too, was nervous about the surgery, but it really wasn't bad at all. I wasn't in a tremendous amount of pain and it was worth it... Good luck to you!

My surgeon's office also tried to push the sleeve instead of lap-band because of the amount of weight I needed to lose. I told them that I had thoroughly researched all types of WLS and felt very strongly that lap-band was right for me and they let it drop. I actually feel like I want to work harder to prove to them that I was right...what can I say, I'm stubborn that way. If you have done the research and feel 100% comfortable in your choice, then stick to your guns... Good luck!

To answer your question...yes, if I only ate 800-1,000 calories a day and exercised 3x per week I would lose weight. The problem is that I couldn't only eat 800-1,000 calories without help. I don't think I could have lasted a day. The band helps me feel satisfied on less food and be able to go 4 hours between meals without wanting to chew off my arm. Yes, the exercise motivation still has to come from myself as well as the motivation to make healthy food choices but the band helps make it possible for me to do it consistently. If you can do it on your own (and maintain the loss over time) then go for it...if you need some help to get and stay there then the band can be a useful tool. It is a decision that only you can make...

I like the "magic wand" analogy...the band is not magic. Yes, it will help you to eat less but you also have to do the work to eat better. There have been people on this site who are very upset that their band is not working the way they expected it to, but the fact is if you only change the quantity of the food you eat and not the quality then you will have a problem losing weight...just because your band helps you to only eat half of the double quarter pounder with cheese instead of the whole thing, you are still eating almost 400 calories! You also have to keep in mind that for most people it takes several fills to reach good restriction so there can be months where you feel like you and your willpower are doing the majority of the work. In the end, everyone's experience with the band is unique. Be patient and willling to work to figure out your own path...at first it takes some trial and error but, for me, it has been worth it! Good luck!

I agree with the others that you are not ready to have this surgery. In order to be sucessful with the band, you have to do your part - if you are not 100% on board with changing your lifestyle then you are just setting yourself up for disappointment. This is elective surgery...no one is making you do this...if you aren't ready to make the sacrifices of having the tests necessary to get approved for the surgery then you aren't ready to have it...

Thanks for the info everyone. I am going to try to pay attention to when I feel the pain and see if it happens after eating or at other times too (I haven't really paid attention to the timing before)...I don't think I am over eating since I weigh and measure everything I eat but if the pain does correspond to my eating I may try eating a little bit less to see if that helps at all.

Lately, I have noticed an almost constant discomfort in my left shoulder and upper arm - even though I haven't been doing any arm or shoulder exercises (It isn't extremely painful, but rather annoying actually). I've noticed in some other posts that there are others having this same issue and I am wondering if any of you know what causes this and what, if anything, can be done to make it go away.

I agree with Heather...that just doesn't sound right. I, for one, don't lose if I am taking in less than 1,000 calories a day and my NUT wants me to eat 80-120 grams of protein a day to keep my energy levels up and to avoid hair loss...IMHO, less than 65 grams of protein and less than 900 calories a day doesn't seem healthy...

I was banded on 12/2/10 so it isn't from surgery but there are several people on here who have experienced non surgical, non exercise related shoulder pain (Elfie, I hope you see this and respond)...

I also got mine from my surgeon's office and agree with what everyone else said about the children's menu. What I have found to be helpful is to ask if I can order a lunch sized portion when I am out for dinner. Lunch portions are much smaller and thus far no one has refused my request (and they haven't even asked to see the card...I just explained that I had WLS and they agree to let me do it). The other option is to order a dinner portion, ask for a to go box when it is served, set aside the portion you should have and box up the rest. You will be able to get 1-2 meals out of the leftovers...

Checking in today at 281 (down 2.4 from last week). I am so happy with this number because I was on a business trip last week and unsure what my food choices would be. Luckily, I was in Tampa so there was a lot of fresh seafood on the menu at each restaurant we went to and the city is laid out such that we walked to the restaurants instead of driving. Also, I didn't need a seatbelt extender for the first time in years!! I don't know if I will make my challenge goal but I would REALLY like to get out of the 280's by next week...

I have to weigh and measure everything I eat (for lunch and dinner - 4 oz Protein, 1/2 cup veggies). Through all of this I have found that in the past, I never paid attention to that full feeling. I just ate until I absolutely couldn't eat another bite. Since surgery, I have had to learn how to listen to my body - and that's not easy. Most meals, I don't feel full but I eat until my plate is empty. I'm not "full" by my old definition but I don't feel hungry anymore. There have been some times when I did start to feel like I couldn't eat another bite before my plate was empty so I made myself stop eating. I am slowly learning that "full" has a different meaning to me now... Another tip that has been helpful is when you go out to a restaurant, have the waiter bring a "to-go" box when your food is served. Before you start eating, determine how much your portions should be and box up the rest. If it isn't on your plate you won't eat it. I learned this from watching a co-worker...she does this every time we eat out and I later found out that she lost 75 lbs several years ago and has kept it off.

I've been on a business trip since Monday and this trip has been full of NSVs. First, I didn't have to use a seatbelt extender for the first time in years. Then today when we went out to lunch we walked 4 blocks each way to and from the restaurant. And again for dinner we walked 3 blocks each way to the restaurant. None of these things would have happened 3 months ago...I wouldn't have been able to walk that far. Even more than the 41 lbs I have lost, these things really show me how far I've come!

I can only speak for myself, but I felt restriction from the beginning. I thought it was just swelling but it has remained (even though my surgeon confirmed there is nothing in my band). Every time I go in for a "fill" appointment they have me fill out a questionnaire indicating what foods I am eating, how often I eat, portion sizes, if I ever get stuck, how long I can go between meals, etc. The PA looks at my responses, along with my weight loss and makes a suggestion on whether or not I need a fill. So far, I haven't had one. When I eat, I weigh out 3-4 oz Protein, measure out 1/2 cup veggies and put it on my plate. When it is finished, I stop eating (or I stop eating before the food is gone if I start to feel full). I don't feel full the way I used to define it (not being able to take another bite) but rather I feel satisfied (not hungry) and can go several hours without eating again. I don't know why my band is working for me without fills...maybe it is the placement...who knows. I have found that everyone's journey with the band is different...