HeatherinCA

You will never be full with a 1/2 cup of food, that's just nonsense! There is no way you would be getting enough nutrition that way, or even if it did, it wouldn't be mentally satisfying. I eat 1 to 1-1/2 cups a food per meal. It's supposed to be like 3oz protein, and some veggies and a little starch per meal. 1200 calories a day. Fills take a couple weeks to get in your system anyways. I did have a different view of the band before surgery, and I did expect the 1/2 cup of food thing to be true, but now living with it, I know that isn't the case. But the band does keep my hunger at bay, I'm just learning to work with that, and to not eat, when I'm not hungry. I think for me, if I got another fill I would just start getting stuck, but overall it wouldn't help me eat less.

Best you can do is watch your calories and exercise!! The hunger should eventually subside... also make sure the hunger isn't mental. My brain always wants tasty food, but my body doesn't. My advice, don't focus on fills, or how much is in your band, the most important part and 80% of the journey is diet and exercise.

Pretty sure I didn't have one, and soon after I was able to get up and pee. Also you've been without liquids for at least 12 hours shouldn't have too much to pee

My credit is good, and they still wouldn't approve me for all of it, my parents took part and I took part, but I ended up just switching insurance to get it covered. It was a better deal to pay $450 a month for a PPO than to pay for health insurance, and for the loans. I have no idea where else you could go, it's pretty hard to get financing for anything these days because of the banking crisis and recession.

What? No way! I eat fairly normal sized bites. When I'm at home i use a baby fork to make sure nothing is too huge. If anything i like to cut it small so it lasts longer, and makes the small portions more satisfying. If it's so small and mashed so tiny it'll become a slider food..

That sucks something doesn't seem right at all if you are sick that much!

Eww Cabbage haha. Doesn't alfredo have like 100 grams of fat..? I love turkey meatballs with marinara, it's tasty! don't miss the Pasta.

I didn't choose, I just chose my surgeon. I have a lapband. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Everything is a million times different than you think after you have surgery.. like the way it functions, and how it feels. The problems are pretty rare, as far a erosion and all that. The last thing I'd worry about is if you are going to get enough restriction, it's different for everyone, and regardless you do most of the work, the band just helps with hunger. I would just make sure you chose a well qualified surgeon at a center of excellence, don't worry about which band.

I don't eat em, too many calories, and most are nasty... but if I had to, it would be to replace a meal. But the Balance ones are pretty good I used to have those

Yep! This part is much better yay real food! Also keep in mind it can take a couple week to really feel the fill so don't get discouraged.

I'd go back and make sure your band is in good shape. But you have to commit to it!! For me, I do 80% of the dieting, the band helps me out with 20%, like keeping me from being hungry all the time, and limiting my portions a little bit.. But 80% is me controlling what I eat, and how much I exercise. The band won't stop you from eating. Don't ever let it get so tight you can't eat solid protein.

Good thread!! Hmm guess I will post some. I know this isn't the same for everyone, and maybe I'm lucky, but I can eat anything, nothing gets stuck, or makes me throw up. I was so scared when I would read this board pre op thinking that was going to happen all the time. If you can't eat hard Protein (after you heal), you probably have too much Fluid in your band. The pain is pretty bad for the first 3 days post op. It was worse than I thought for such a "simple surgery".. just thought I'd mention it. Get a heating pad. Also, when you need to lie down, or sit up or down post op, take a big breath before you move, it'll help with the pain when you have to move your stomach It is nearly impossible to poop (haha gross, but you pretty much have to take something every few days to make it come out, since you don't eat very much) Buy the gummie Vitamins they taste better than the nasty chalky chewable kind. I actually enjoy taking them now! and like everyone else said the band won't stop you from eating, or make you full after eating 1/2 cup of food it's just not like that! I eat, i have to watch my calories and what goes in. It's a learning process. I eat about a 1 to 11/2 cup of food per meal (after healing), not 1/2 cup. I always had this vision that you eat like a 1/2 cup of tuna for all your meals forever, it's simply not true. I can eat regular food and regular meals, I just am satisfied with less.

I went home after, mine was like 10 am or something. I was probably there for 12 hours. I wish we had gotten a hotel, the drive was brutal because of the pain! I think you only stay overnight if it's required by insurance maybe? Or if they have to do something like repair a hernia during surgery.

I don't know what to say? I don't see why it would be your surgeons fault if it didn't work? Unless he implanted it wrong...

You can do it!!! Just follow the rules, you'll feel better about it I know it's hard, but after the first month it's much easier.

This. I still have to pick and choose what I eat everyday. Learn about calories and portions... you can't be skinny and eat fat people food, doesn't work that way.

See what your body says, I can eat a good amount, but I'm not hungry, so I figure I'm good. How long can you go between meals? If it's 4-5 hours, and if you are losing weight I'd say you are good. LOL everytime I see your avatar i think of this episode of the Simpsons. Homer gets a lapband to impress marge. Then he has like all this extra skin he holds back with a clothes pin haha Uploaded with ImageShack.us

My guide book from my surgeon says to do it, mixed with Water and sip it..

Yea, basically you don't want the band to be full of liquid when you need to be eating. Since we eat so little. I haven't seen my nutritionist since pre-op. I don't feel the need to see them all the time... but yes every doctor says different things, but I would think the liquid things is pretty much the most important....

That makes sense Jacqui. It's just hard for me to physically understand it! It's all a little strange. Yea for me the lack of hunger is full force, but I don't have much restriction (I can eat anything). I guess it does work differently for everyone. But in my mind, I see the band has a hole.. food is gonna go through, I can't see how it would ever stop the eating completely. Seems like a lot of the sensations and feelings are different now. I was so used to being full to the brim after I'd eat, now it's just a light feeling. Which takes some getting used to.

Right, I think I feel the same as you. I eat, then I'm full, but I can still eat more, I have to restrain. It's never to the point I can't physically eat anymore. If I over eat sometimes I get a little gassy, but nothing really stops me. It's almost strange, because I'm never really hungry, so it's hard to gauge when I'm full, but I know I have to eat. I do the same, eat what I want, then I pick at my plate. Or sometimes I eat when I'm not hungry, to eat for the sake of eating. I was just curious, because we see SO many posts everyday, people wondering why they can eat so much, and when they will have "restriction" or they have 9ccs in their band, and can still eat... I know everybody is different, but my hunger would be gone forever if I had 9ccs in my band! I barely have any now. It doesn't seem healthy to me that people can't eat Breakfast, and are eating maybe a granola bar and 1/2 cup of tuna a day... PBing is when food gets stuck and you vomit it back up, but i think it comes up like slime and in one piece. I do that too, I'll eat my dinner, and then I get up, if i'm still hungry later i'll have more, but it's usually never the case that I need more. I eat around it too, or after an hour or so after a meal I could eat again which I do sometimes.

Pretty much... did you talk to your doctor?

Yes, the band controls your hunger, it presses against the hunger nerve or something? I never get really "hungry" I wouldn't say I get really nauseous... all these things feel different though.

Yea it's about 1-3lbs a week after that savour the first few weeks haha, gives you a good jump start.

I got mine about 5 weeks after surgery.. I think as long as you are on solids you should be fine. @Che sounds like you have plenty in your band if you are full for that long, why would you need more?