HeatherinCA

It just matters when it controls your hunger for several hours... everyone uses the band differently. Some people get restriction having the band just in place. I agree with Jacqui, I can't imagine having a really tight fill for the rest of my life.. it's not normal to eat nothing and get sick all the time. I need to deal with my problem, and making the decisions of what to eat. Otherwise I would probably gain it back after significant weight loss if I didn't learn how to eat correctly.

Well, you are still on liquids correct? make sure you get 60+ grams of Protein Shakes in a day that will help. Also all your water! In the long run, the fills help with hunger, that is the bands main goal to make you less hungry. You get your first fill about 5 or 6 weeks after surgery. Eventually you should be able to go about 4 or 5 hours without eating. That means your band is in a good place

I don't supplement any Protein, I get more than enough with my 3 meals. If protein is the main focus of my meal chicken breast or eggs or something like that has like 20g+ of protein For me the bars have too many calories to be a snack anyways... i'd rather just eat my meals.

I think Isopure is the only option.. are you sure you can't have regular ones? I had Protein shakes with my clear liquids, not only isopure. But yes, put some SF Kool Aid or Crystal lite in it, makes it taste better

Living room, I don't have a dining table my place is too small

Wow that's awesome guys! I have a fill, but basically you don't anymore when your hunger dissipates for several hours between meals. I actually didn't have much hunger when I got my band, but now I feel perfect. I'm almost never hungry. I don't really want anymore (at this point) I feel good, and nothing gets stuck, I like having options!

Haha I totally read your post wrong, but I typed this out so I'll leave it. My pre-op was Clear liquids and Protein shakes for a week. Well, in the end you eat normally. Just watch your calories. But the first few weeks are pureed foods, soft foods and liquids. For me I had liquids the week before, clear liquids and Protein Shakes only. I'd have my protein shakes 3-4x a day, then I'd have some broth or sugar free Jello if i wanted something else. Then after surgery for 7 days I was aloud full liquids, So I had lite creamed Soups, sugar free pudding, but still pretty much just the protein shakes. My advice PROTEIN first. If you then want broth or whatever have that, but make sure you get the protein shakes down, they have the nutrition and will keep you from being hungry. Then I had pureed food for 10 days, which for me I did a LOT of oatmeal, I did stuff like tuna salad, egg salad, chili, small ground meat, thicker soups. (I know some people are even stricter, but that stuff worked for me, just make sure it's things that are really easy to slide down and digest), I would only eat maybe 1/2 cup at a time Then I had soft foods for 10 days, which is pretty much everything, just no veggies, or things that are hard to digest like tough protein. I could start crackers, I had eggs, and more of the things above. Same here maybe 1/2-3/4 cups Then regular food on day 28. Now, I eat regular meals, I just keep them small maybe a cup, cup and a half of food. Make sure I eat lots of protein. You just have to watch calories and fat. Especially when you eat out, those meals can have thousands of calories. I generally have 3 meals maybe 350 calories each, then I'll have a snack 150ish calories.

Don't get frustrated, just start over the next day. It happens. As far as exercise, just move, whatever you can do will help in the long run. Walking, doing errands, or something low impact like an exercise bike.

My doctor said eat light the day of your fill (I had Breakfast, then i just did shakes till my fill in the afternoon), and then liquids for 24 hours after.. but I know some make you do liquids for a few days or mushies. For me, I got a big fill 5.5ccs, I felt really odd the first 3 days after, when i'd eat, I'd be full for like hours it was the weirdest feeling!! It didn't hurt, just felt strange. Felt normal after a couple of days. But some doctors give really tiny fills then i'd doubt you would have that feeling.

Yea, I'm at 5.5ccs I got it a few weeks ago (I got all mine at once). I just really started to notice I'm never hungry, it's crazy! I mean I still want food, but no physical hunger, I can go a good 5 hours without eating. Like this morning I ate around 9:30 some oatmeal, then I went out to do some things, andIi didn't get to eat lunch till around 3:45. I wasn't starving, I had some hunger when I went to eat, but crazy my mind wasn't focused on eating the whole time. I don't think it'll ever stop me from eating, but I think I know now when I'm satisfied. It's hard to get used to not having the bloated-full feeling. YAY! Jess that's awesome, I could never get into Old Navy jeans. I wish I could though, I think they just don't work for my shape. But I do love Old Navy!

I was at my parents last night, and they are doing weight watchers and we made something like that. It was eggs, cottage cheese, cheddar, turkey bacon and scallions. It was alright, I liked the idea, but didn't come out as good as I would of liked.

Yea try to weigh less, 1 or 2 times a week. I know for me I can't even poop more than once or twice a week, that for sure fluctuates my weight! Also are you on solids? Because you are eating Soup, oatmeal and Protein shakes... I would try more solid things, just in general.. it should help you stay fuller, and takes more work to digest.

Ya know, I think some people are just dishing out a harsh reality check in some of the posts. I don't know that it's intentionally mean. Yes, some people are.. but in general I think it's to help you! I guess not everyone reads everything the same way. I mean if you post OMG I ate chicken 1 day post op and I got sick! what are people supposed to say to that...? Everyone posts here because they want to help, to share their experiences, or to get help. Also you need to see it from the more experienced bandsters points of view. It's frustrating to see the same thing posted everyday. Sometimes people will get annoyed. Everyone is here to help! So post away! Just ignore the mean people.

First thing to know about this board, is everyone comes on to complain or worry, most of it is pointless things and random hysteria, like I ate 2 days after surgery am I going to die? hahah, not as much to talk about the good stuff. So be careful with what you read. A lot of it is just different than you expect.. but now that I'm on a regular diet I feel fine, I have no problems, nothing gets stuck, I'm not hungry and I'm losing weight. Everyone is different, but for me I feel completely normal, I don't feel deprived and the weight is coming off. The port doesn't stick out, it's under the skin, I can feel mine if i press down on it, but it doesn't stick out at all. I can't imagine it will when I lose all my weight either. I sleep on my stomach, it's fine, yes, for the first few weeks you can't because of the pain. The first week the pain is pretty bad, it's hard to move in general so I couldn't lay on my side or my stomach, but after that I could. Overall I'm happy. I got banded about 10 weeks ago, I've lost 35 pounds. The only thing I would tell you is the band won't stop you from eating. It controls your hunger. Which is great, I'm never hungry, I can go 5 hours between a meal and not eat. But it's up to me what I put in my body. I still have to watch calories and diet and exercise. Keep that in mind. But I can still eat when I'm not hungry, it's a mental battle with food addiction. There will never be a point you physically can't eat the wrong foods. That is why people fail, they get filled and filled and it isn't stopping them from eating junk food and they freak out because they can still eat. Or they get their bands so full they just puke all the time and nothing goes down. Just eat a sensible diet, and exercise and the weight will come off easily, but if you can't comit to giving up junk food and expect the band to do the work you will be in for a surprise.

Mine is there too. Aww that sucks! But hang in there you can do it w/o the fill for now

Are you on solids yet? Well, just make sure you get tons of Protein in! at least 60 grams and stop the shakes and get as much solid food as you are aloud to eat. That should help. I was lucky and I didn't have crazy hunger before my fill. I guess some people call this "bandster hell" I was also lucky in that I got 5.5ccs on my first fill. Some doctors only do 0.5ccs at a time, then it takes forever to be not hungry. Overall the band will stop your hunger, but it won't stop you from eating. Pay attention to your body and what it's telling you.

It takes like a month before your body is healed, you can exercise, and eat normally, and the weight comes off steadily, it's frustrating, but it's a process, don't worry about it. Even so, regular weight loss is only 1-2lbs a week don't expect anything crazy!

Yea, I'm not a big sugar person. I would rather eat a meal, than dessert.. You are right, if I have snacks I'll eat them. Probably not a good idea. I do keep the SF pudding, and jello, nuts, things like that and I do have the hot chocolate. I'm pretty good about not snacking, but sometimes it gets the best of me. NSV I can pull my jeans on and off without unbuttoning the LOL!

You gain weight when you have the surgery, they pump you full of fluid.. I wouldn't be worried. You aren't even on solids yet are you?

Yea, record your diet and see what you are eating, make sure it's under 1200, I know for me it was a big surprise how each little thing adds up. Also make sure you do intense exercise 5x a week. There is a difference between wanting food and being hungry, try paying real close attention to your body is saying. The band just keeps me from being hungry all the time. It doesn't stop me from eating whatever I want, that is what the diet is for. It's hard! We are addicted to food, but we gotta focus on other things.

Well, are you hungry is the question? I definitely feel a little more satisfied after I eat and not hungry for a long time since my fill.

Yea, I always have gas. It's not painful like it was when I got my band, but I still have it.

I have 5.5 and I have virtually no hunger, so hopefully!

Yea it's about sticking to something you can follow for the rest of your life.. which usually isn't a fad diet.

It doesn't really matter because water passes through. If you are drinking food, I'd go slower, to stay satisfied longer. But SLOWWWWWW is the method here for everything you eat, so slower is probably better. Your stomach isn't that big remember, it can't fit 20oz of water.