RandomRan

The amount of belly fat is a factor, the thickness of the tissue inside the lining of the stomache is factor ... everybody's bodies are different. What matters most is that you have the proper restriction for weight loss. One of the symptoms of needing an unfill is weight gain. Too tight of a fill forces people to eat sliders which you can eat and eat and eat. You definately don't want that! Rest assured, the amount of fluid it takes for you to have restriction doesn't matter ... what matters is PROPER restriction when it comes to weight loss!

I was on clear liquids for only 1 day, then full liquids the rest of the week. Then mushies for weeks 2&3, 4th week was really well chewed food.

YES! food processor is KEY! Here is one more idea for you. Quick, easy, totally satisfies my sweet-tooth too ... it is another pumpkin recipe, but a much quicker to prepare one. I take 1/3 of the can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling), add the Pumpkin Pie Spice to it (it has cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg ...) and some Splenda to taste (I like the Splenda for baking that measures like sugar). It seriously tastes just like pumpkin pie without the crust and is about 50 calories.

WOW! 600 is LOW! I have a quick, easy, kill-the-sweet-tooth-craving favorite that is only 50 calories, low carb/low fat. Scoop out 1/3 of a small can of pumkin (not pumpkin pie filling), mix in Pumpkin Pie Spice seasoning (it has nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon ...) and Splenda to taste. It tastes EXACTLY like pumpkin pie with no crust and pumpkin is a healthy vegetable to boot!

Great job keeping yourself in check. VERY hard to do. I told my husband a couple days ago I was contemplating eating his arm off while laying in bed. I was SO HUNGRY! Great that you are making good food choices and ate a little too much chicken, not a piece of pie. Kuddos. Not sure if my first fill did anything today because I'm still on liquids, but I can say that the Protein powder is keeping me satisfied, so maybe that's a good sign? I will say, it was almost painless (the fill I mean). I was nervous all morning, and then it was NOTHING when it happened. Good luck! Randi in Cali

Congrats on having your date! I started my pre-op diet 2 weeks prior to my surgery on 10/23. Beginning 2 weeks prior to surgery, I have tracked my calories every day and stayed between 750-850 every day (the first couple weeks after surgery, I had a hard time getting over 600 calorie, but Doc said that is fine as long as I was getting at least 50 grams of Protein in.) My best advise to you is "act as if." Act as if you are filled. Small bites the size of an eraser, chew 20-30 times each bite, wait 30 seconds before the next bite goes in your mouth. A lot of folks tend to get frusterated after surgery when they are sort of "in limbo." Surgery has come and gone and they want to be losing weight, but are not. I have seen a lot of discouraged people waiting for that magic first fill to make them lose weight. Then the first fill comes, and they feel like giving up because they don't have the proper restriction yet ... people lose faith that the band will work for them. It can take 3,4,5 fills to get it right. My first fill was today and am am thrilled. I have lost over 35 lbs already and am feeling great. I don't know yet if I have any restriction because I'm still on fluids only tonight, but if I don't have restriction, oh well, we'll add some in 4 weeks. Restricting your clories forever and ever amen to 800 calories sounds ROUGH, but if you can keep your excitment going and do it a couple to a few months on your own, before you know it, you will be properly filled and the Lap Band will help you maintain those calories without hunger (or minimal). My two best pieces of advise are 1) Pick up a food processor if you don't already have one. You will be on mushies and soft foods for a long time. It REALLLLLY helped me. 2) Track your calories. You will be suprised how many calories are added/reduced just by making easy choices. For me, it keeps me accountable to myself. Good luck!!! Randi in Cali

Unfortunately for me, Gas-Ex didn't work. It took over two week for the pain to go away completely, but in lessened along the way. Good luck!

GAS!!!

Better late than never! I am joining the Christmas Challenge today. 4 weeks to go, starting weight is 180, goal is 172!

Thanks and same to you my dear!

Call your doc just to be on the safe side. That can be a sign the band slipped. You are probably just fine, but I'd make the call just to be sure.

YaY! Congrats! My first fill was today too! 6.4 cc's in a 10 cc band. Doc has me on liquids for 24 hours, so not sure how eating will go, but so far, I can't feel any restriction at all with my shakes. How about you? Feel any different? Nice job on the pre-fill weight loss. Keep it up girl! Randi

Such a cute idea ... I just may have to do the same. Congrats on the weight loss. Look at you, kicking Thanks Giving Dinner's butt!!! Keep it up girl!

I am a diet controlled diabetic (no meds), so it was rough for me during mushies only. Here is my favorite recipe for low carb, kick-ass pumpkin soup. The only ways I tweak the recipe are: 1) I found fat free half & half made by Land O Lakes and it works well. 2) I add Pumpkin Spice Mix to it. A lot of the same spices, but I tend to like more of them than the recipe calls for. 3) I like sicy foods, so I add quite a bit more cayenne pepper than the recipe calls for. http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/soupsandsalads/r/pumpkinsoup.htm Congrats and good luck! Randi

Hi there. I'm 4 weeks post-op and have no restriction either. My first fill is this Monday! YaY! My advise to you is "act as if ..." Beginning two week before my surgery and to this very day, I have not eaten over 800 calories in a day. Normally, I could not manage this, but knowing that the day will come that I will be able to do this and not be hungry gives me the will power to push past it. What i have been doing is eating a TON of veggies. Right now, I have a 4 oz chicken patty in front of me with over a cup of green Beans. While i am aware green beans may not be so easy to eat after my first fill, when I eat, I "act a if" and am cutting my food into tiny pieces and chewing each bite 20-30 times, waiting 20 seconds to my next bite. If you do this, meals last a LONG time and for me, it makes it easier to stop if I have been eating for 40 minutes. OK, the flip side ... let's take the worst case scenerio ... what if your will power is not up for that ... what if you find yourself snacking and eating too much ... if you put it in perspective, what is one more month of the rest of your life? In the not too far future, you WILL have a fill, and you WILL have restriction. Don't beat yourself up. Do what works for you and know you already have begun this journey ... you took a huge step and had surgery! Good luck! Randi in Cali Oh, and yes, journaling EVERY bite is key for me. Keeps me focused.

What a fun idea! These pics are not from today, but this is the same hike I just finished about 1/2 an hour ago. Today, we had lots of snow! It was just breath taking (and slippery)! Heart Rock in the San Bernardino Mountains, CA.

YaY!!! Congrats! Keep kicking butt!!!

You have lost a bunch of weight very quickly! Great job. You RAWK! I did the same thing ... so when 3 days went by with no change on the scale, I was frusterated. I went to the Mayo Clinic's website and searched for "weightloss pleatu." It really helped me to understand why the weight first fell off ... then not so much. Everyone says "Water loss in the beginning ... blah blah blah ..." but this explains medically what happens and it makes sense. You really can't lose more than 2-3 lbs a week in fat. What that feels like is DAYS of starving with no weightloss. SUCKS! Since you RAWKED it the first 3 weeks, your honeymoon phase of rapid weightloss is over, BUT you will still continue to lose 2-3 lbs a week. My guess is that what you say "no weight loss" what you mean is, it's been DAYS since no weightloss, not weeks. It will come off. You can not eat 600-800 calories a day and not lose weight ... you are burning more calories than you are eating. HANG IN THERE! Congrats on your success so far. - Randi in Cali Oh ... one more thing ... as to not slow down your metabolism, you need to be exercising. Your calories are low so your body wants to hoard them. I am walking at least 30 min a day. I don't have to walk 10 miles and burn a ton of calories as I am eating 700-800 a day. I am just exercising enough to keep my metabolism going.

What a great daughter you are! Everyone's recovery is different. Some people expierence almost no pain ... for others, it's intense pain. The good news is, eventually, we all get through it and we all heal. Lot's of good info on here ... tons of great posts. Best of luck to your dad. Randi

Hang in there! I was banded on 10/23 ... I have a good friend who was banded 6 weeks before me ... day two, she said it felt like she worked out and had sore muscles, but that was it ... by day 5, she felt 100% back to normal. I have a high pain tolerance and thought it would be a breeze for me ... WRONG! My port was SUPER painful. Even in week two, I had to prop pillows around me in bed to not hurt laying on my side. I was miserable. I am now just shy of my 4 week mark, and it still feels a little tender and hurts if I wear jeans, but in looser clothes, I feel pretty good. I almost went back to kick-boxing tonight, but decided to give it one more week as to not aggrevate anything. I promise it does get better. Hang in there! Randi