jguttery

Ok fella's, I'm about 2 weeks out from sugery... getting banded on 11/1. The nutritionist said after sugery... no cabonated beverages because it can stretch the pouch. Do any of y'all have the occasional beer or cocktail?

I would not recommend it... I had to google it to find out what it was. It is basically a re-invention of the Sacred Heat Diet, does not have a lot of nutrietional value. I tried the Sacred Heat Diet about 1 year pre-band, and lost about 7 pounds in the first few day.... then gained about 15 back. A co-worker, cycled the diet for about 3 months every two weeks and dropped about 40 pounds... and has gained at least 60 pounds back. Remember, that sound nutrietion and calorie counting will get you further than any fad diet will.

Don't let one slip up haunt you... it happened you realize it. Learn and continue on. Sounds like you realize what triggered overeating. One thing that might of triggered it was all the carbs. I know for me... carbs just add more to the cravings. Mashed potatoes and crackers (starch carbs) and Candy (suger carbs) can both trigger my appetite.

When I had my first fil.. it seemed to take a day or so before I started filling any tightness.... I had a fill on a Thurday and by Saturday I felt tightness. Was that way thru tuesday with that Monday being the worst stuck episonde I have had so far, 5 hours of sliming!!!!!!!! By Tuesday I was feeling better!

I wouldn't be concerned about a overnight weight change... now if it stayed there for a good week or so be concerned. But overnight is probably WATER!!!!! Now with that said... I do the same thing to0!!!!!!! But usually after the 3rd time stepping on the scale, I then realize what I am doing to myself. Also remember that weight can fluxuate at during times of the day.

Okay I am going to have to admit that somedays I skip breakfast... or might just have coffee and yogurt. Mainly because my band feels tighter we I first wake up. As far as protein and calories are concerned, my general feeling it doesn't matter how much or how little it as its concidered a meal or snack and they all add up to my daily caloric intake. Easiest thing for me to remember that there is no such thing as free calories.

This is such a great statment... it all falls back to calories!!!!! It's surprising how many calories a person can take in if they aren't counting. I have been slacking on counting calories lately and I can really tell. I got to get back to counting and measuring portions!!!!!

If you are vomitting that much, you really need to consult your surgeon. That much vomitting isn't healthy for you or your band! My hunger increases at night too, but only when I am at home (I work nights) bored and get in a grazing mode. Please talk to your surgeon soon... he/she can find out what is going on.

My surgeon and I had a talk during my last fill (my first fill actually). He was happy to give me the fill but told me "There will have to come a time that you will have to not be able to depend on fills." Another words what he was saying that I will have to learn and make a lifestyle change where I am not tempted to over eat and not depend on the band. It's hard to do... and I am certainly not there yet. If I am tight where I can't eat... that's not good,. no fill and overeating that's not good either. So sometimes it's just mindset and willpower telling myself that I have taken in the calories need to substain my obdy physically for that day and anything else is head hunger. Not the best answer for you, I know!

I have had a few stuck incidents, but only two slime incidents. If I take too big of a bite or eat to fast and get stuck, I can usually just go to the bath room and it will come right back up. However if I REALLY get stuck and it won't come up or go down.... then the slime starts. For me is a thick mucusy substance. I was told it was caused by the esophogues trying to create lubercation to pass the food thru. Worst instance was about a week ago..... go stuck on a flour tortilla and american cheese. As soon as a swallowed that last bite I felt it........ waited it out, nothing. After about an hour, realized it was gonna be a long wait and headed to the drug store to find some papaya enzyme tabs. They didn't have any.... went back home and was running to the sink about every 3 minutes. A friend and I left for a road trip, and for the next 3 hours I sat in the passenger seat, plastic bottle in hand., sliming the entire way. Finally when we stopped, for gas... a restroom trip and a good heave later it cleared. Neeless to say, tortillas and cheese don't have any appeal to me anymore.

Has anyone out there changed their Goal Weight from what they originally intended? I orignally had planned to get to around 195, but from the beginning I told myself not to concentrate on a number, but more on how I felt overall. Pre-band, If I was at the weight I am now I would be perfectly content. However I know I should drop another 20 lbs or so. So I guess the big question is, after another 20lbs, would I be selling myself short if I maintained there?

It didn't have any major issues immediately post-op, although I did noticed a little decreased flow. Then about 2 month later, just like you stated... felt like and old man trying to go and a little burning sensation. Figured it was a little dehydration... increase fluids no help.... then started feeling really constipated and everything I tried didn't work. Turned out to be a UTI.... a couple of days of AZO and everything was back to normal.

It sounds like you have a huge load (no pun intended) on you right now. What I mean is, there are some huge stress factors in your life!!!!! I would like to suggest that you might want to talk to a nutrietionist. Also count those calories!!!! Nachos are my favority cheat too, and I'm not saying to not treat yourself to them, but eat some protien before hand so I don't fill up on the nachos. My band is tighter in the mornings too... so breakfast for me is usually yogurt or soft eggs after a cup of hot coffee. Hot liquids seem to loosen my band a little. There will be ups and downs in weight loss...... but that does not mean you are failing, you have already recognized the weight flux.... now you just need to make a plan to decide where to go from here. As far as your friends weight loss, the band works differently for each person... her journey is her journey, just as yours is yours. You just have had a couple more hills to climb. There are four other banders in the area at my work..... each one has had different weight loss rates. Believe me there is no way that you are a loser (in the bad way)!!!!!! Hang in there, you can do it! Make yourself a small goal, maybe something like a 2 or 3 pound loss by whatever date..... and use every bit of the detmination that I know you have to reach it.. small goals build into larger ones.

HungryMel- If you have done your research, are aware of the procedure, the lifestyle changes required, and the risks and complications; then you have made the right decision for yourself. As stated so many times before on this site...the band is only a tool. There is no magic bullet with any of the WLS's. You can find great support and information with this site. Hope you stay around!!!!!

Everyone has a different journey regarding which ever WLS they choose, and every WLS comes with it's own complications, success stories and unfortunately failure stories. I remember when Gastric By-pass was the fade, stomach stapling started 30+ years ago and until recently banding was the most recent, hottest procedure on the market. For me, there was no doubt in my mind that the Lap-Band would be my chosen procedure. It sounds like you have made the best informed decision for yourself. Best of luck in your journey!!!!!

It's hard to say if you are stuck or not.... when I get stuck my mouth usually get watery and I feel pressure/burn in my sternum area. If I get stuck really bad, then the slime starts. Truthfully you do not want to throw up if you can help it. It sucks I know. Last week I was stuck for about 5 hours, and the papaya enzymes seemed not to help... only made the slime a nice fruity flavor. Hope you feel better soon!!!!!!

You are still in the healing stages and right now is not the time to worry about weight loss. Let your body heal. With that being said, please don't sabatoge your band but more imporantly don't sabatoge all the hard work you have put into your journey already. As a quanity/binge eater myself, I know all to well the temptation of "let's see if this will be okay" or "let's see if I can handle eating this". I was the perfect pre-op and post-op diet patient, nothing off my nutrient plan passed my lips, until I was back to regular foods. Then started testing the waters, and the "sliders" , however I realized that I was sabatoging everything I already accomplished. It's easy to get off the wagon, and it's harder to stay on it when you know there are foods that you can get away with. As far as diet sodas go... I was told they can stretch the pouch..... they only time I have one anymore is if they are FLAT. FLAT FLAT!!!!!!

My PB craving has really kicked in the last couple of weeks..... it might be a protien/carb thing. I try to limit myself on how much and how often!

Eileen, Thanks!!!! It really took me changing my mindset about food, overall lifestyle, and a lot of small obtainable goals! My sugeon and I both discussed the amount of weight loss at my last appt. He figures it has a lot to do with metabolism rate vs calorie intake, which is one thing I have always believed in since have surgery. Less calories in, than calories burned a day = weight loss.

Yogurt was a slider for me, until I had a fill a few days ago. Hard breads like crakers, crouton... right on through. Your right, not all sliders are bad and I don't the few crackers I eat a day as being bad..... that said however once I figured crackers slid on thru, I figured out chips would too. So I really have to tell myself no sometimes. Steak hasn't bothered me yet, however chicken I have to be careful with.

I went through everything you are thinking right now... at about the same time out from surgery that you are now. All the can I do it? Is this the right thing? What if it doesn't work? You name it, I thought it. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Best of luck in your journey!!!!!!

TanksMama, Like a few others have said, you probably didn't do any damage, however you might want to give your surgeons office a call and discuss it with them. Those of us that have had WLS obviously have had it for a reason. The one suggestion I would like to make, is to try to make sound decisions. Believe me, I love Wendy's Baconators and used to be able to put away two of them. But that's what helped me get to where I used to be at. There will always be temptation, but don't sabotage all the work you have already put into getting banded. The band will only do for you what you do for yourself. Best of luck in your journey!!!!! John

Very well said!!!! Post-op is a time for healing!!! 5 pounds down already is great. Hang in there and don't let the scale discourage you.

Congrats on your NSV!!!!!!! I love NSV's.. mine today was I put on an old pair of jeans just to see how big they were on me. I couldn't believe that at one time they were too tight and now I was able to pull them out about 6 inches!!!! Once again congrats!!!!!

I have always understood sliders to be food that tends to slip through easier... and it seems that everyone has different sliders. Crackers, chips, even Nachos and most Pasta seem to pass through quickly for me. But I had some yogurt yesterday and couldn't have more that 1/4 of a cup.