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Hey everyone...I have a question I've been thinking about for a few days and I just can't figure out on my own. What is your experience in knowing when you're full? I eat, and when I get that "full" feeling, I stop. But then a few minutes later I can tell that some has fallen into my stomach and I eat a few more bites. I probably am eating 1/2 - 3/4 cup of food this way. I'm wondering if I should be stopping right then...cause I'm not. I PB only once in a blue moon (or a time or two during the week before my period when my band goes into lock down). I think I'm at a good restriction because I'm still loosing as I have been...but I'm wondering if I need a fill to keep the food in my pouch longer... What is everyone else's experience with this? When do you say "I'm done!" Megan

Well, happy Leap Day everybody. I thought I would feel better today, but I don't really. Daughter called and so much as said it is all my fault that her cellphone bill was $20 higher than she thought it would be and that don't expect her to be calling that much any more unless it was to my cellphone. It is not me who calls. It's her dad. And all she has to do is quickly remind him to call on his cellphone. Besides he already gave her a tank of gas and $200 extra this month. It's always something with her. Next thing on my list is hubby. He drives me insane. I just want to go back to bed and pull the covers over my head. I have written before about his health issues and his spending. A couple of months ago he bought a small aluminum fishing boat for $2500. I thought, "Oh,great! Something else that will sit in the garage unused." When I saw it I was mad. It looks like shyt and I told him he got took. "Oh, no." he says. "I got a good deal. It's perfect. It already has a trolling motor and that's all it needs." Well guess what? That perfect boat just had to have a small outboard and we just had to drive 2 hours up and two hours back to buy one. $2000 later he has a new motor for a fishing boat that hasn't been out of the garage in 2 months. Then to top it off, a buyer for the Ranger bassboat appeared. Hubby has talked about how, since it has not been in the water in almost a year and the fact that he can't handle it alone, it would be a good idea to sell it and use that montly payment to payoff credit cards. Well, he sold it but we had to come up with another $2000 to pay it off. This is not leaving much in savings. On top of that, the very same day he sells the boat, his buddy from the boat sales place calls him with "a great deal that just came in". Hubby gets all excited and tells me he just may have to go see it cause it would only be about $10,500 and we could get the money from our home equity line and not even have an increase in our payment. Of course, we don't even owe the equity line anything and it was opened just for the care of the house. I feel cheated. There are so many things I would like to have and they do not include a boat. I find myself wishing he would just go away. I don't have anyone to talk to about it. I only have here to vent because no one here really knows me. I find that I don't really care about my diet or my eating. My band raises it head every once in a while and lets me know it's still there, but I am not using it as a tool like I'm supposed to. Started back to Curves yesterday and am going to try to go there at least three times a week. Got some extreme baking to do next week and the week after so at least I will have an actvity to occupy my thoughts. All for now.

I have not written in quite some time-I think about two years to be exact-alot has changed in my life is WLS-luckily including my weight-I began my WL journey at around 280 lbs and prior to getting pregnant I was about 180lbs! I have much in my life to be happy about-especially that I am just about 6 months pregnant (will be officially tomorrow) with my first baby. My husband and I are expecting our baby girl on Thanksgiving-which is interesting b/c about three Thanksgivings ago I just went through lap band surgery. I am so happy that I am in a loving, supportive marriage-my husband and I both have jobs in this difficult economy-and I am lucky to have a job I enjoy. Even with a variety of aspects in my life to be happy about I suffer from bouts of severe depression and anxiety which I have been struggling with and I am currently not on any medication-trying to stay that way during the pregnancy, but it is becoming increasingly difficult.

i was the same way, i got my band two weeks ago and for the whole first week i had a lot of gas pain. Ya it is normal i also took a couple gas-x thin strips my doctor told me i could after i talk to him about the gas pain. he also said when i start eating more i will no longer has gas pain. well good luck

Sorry to hear about your separation..... A huge life change going on while you were trying to change your life, that's for sure. I've read numerous times that the band is there to be worked when you're ready to work with it. If it were me, I'd get back into the doctor's office for a nice long visit, and see where I'd stand as far as fills ago. Then, I'd get back to band basics..... Regularly scheduled fill appointments. Maybe go on a week of liquids. Up the Water intake and the exercise routine. Log onto a food diary, like MyFitnessPal. Cut out the carbs and the crappy, refined foods. Recommit to living a day at a time. Continue reading posts from this site, and reaching out like you're doing now. Look at it as a DO-OVER. Time to focus on YOURSELF! Best Wishes!

It is exactly 1 week before my surgery on Sept 3rd. I am still on my UNJURY protein shakes which have helped me loose weight... and I am hoping to loose about 15 more pounds prior to surgery so wish me luck! So far only 1 of my closest friend knows and I plan on keeping it that way. I went to a pre surgery workshop yesterday which helped me in understanding the whole surgery procedure and I can honestly say 'I CANT WAIT TO GET BANDED' the wait is killing me. Good luck to everyone else who is banded or on the journey to being banded. This is a crazy weekend for me becuase I am moving from one apartment to another, and hoping to have everything moved and situated prior to my surgery... can I say stress much. Good luck :laugh: "Sharing is caring"

I was really nervous yesterday. I was supposed to be getting my first fill. Before he got started, though, I told my surgeon that I had been coughing and that I had some pain in my chest. So . . . he listened to my lungs, prescribed me a z-pack of antibiotics, and told me that I could get my fill next week if my respiratory infection was gone. :biggrin: I was bummed, because I'm hungry -- I'm staying under 1100 calories a day, and working out, but I'd have loved to get my fill. But, he said that if he gives me a fill and things are tight in my chest and I cough a lot, my band could slip and he wanted to play it on the safe side. So . . . fingers crossed for next week!

What a bummer but better to have a dr who is cautious. The first couple of fills don't usually make a lot of difference so I guess you're not missing out on much. 1 week isn't long to wait especially if the cough is bad enough to cause damage. Good luck.

My surgery is a week from today as well. I'm just starting the preop diet and today hasn't been too bad. I've been doing protein shakes every 3 hours and supplementing with water in between. Hopefully the rest of the 6 days wont be as bad. Good luck to you!!!

well, the day is finally almost here! my dh is getting banded this tuesday the 18th. after being postponed and having to have his thyroid removed, he is ready. im really excited to start this thing together. i just hit my 3 week out mark so im ready to get started with him. the doc was pretty pleased with his progress so far. he has lost 25 lbs pre op so that will make it that much easier. he had a really hard time telling his family what he was doing. his mom turned out to be very supportive but on the other hand, his dad did everything he could to discourage him. i know hes having a hard time with this but i told him we are in this together and we will succeed with or without his support.

It's been a slow weight lost but I feel great. Down 85 pounds since surgery date. March 27, 2012. 100 pounds all together.... I have hit a major stall. Haven't lost weight.. Help!

When I first started, my goal was about 185, which was a reasonable expectation based on surgeon's averages. Then, as I started losing, and the weight was just falling off and I saw others achieve a normal BMI, I changed it to 145. Then, as time went on and the weight stopped coming off, no matter what I did, I changed it to 155. I have never actually hit that number, and at three years out it's a lofty goal in the back of my mind. Now my real goal is to maintain my loss. The number on the scale still matters to me, but less than it used to. I am a smallish, normal sized woman, and thanks to plastics, I don't look like I've ever been overweight. That's success beyond my wildest dreams. That's a long answer to say you may have to be flexible.

I was banded in 2003. At first I had good success. I had lost 75 lbs. I started to learn how to cheat the band. Then I had a slip. I have been completely unfilled since 2006. I have gained back 45 lbs. I feel horrible about myself latey. I decided to go get another fill, which I will on 4/16. I just do not know what to eat! I truly do not know what to eat as a banded person. I know bread, potatoes, cokes and ice cream are not my friends! It is just me and my daughter in the house and she is leaving for college so I do not really cook and we end up at the fast food places alot. The exercise is not a problem with me. I do a spin class 3x a week, a pilates/yoga 2x a week and a ultimate conditioning class once a week. It's the food that is my problem. I have decided to tell everyone I know that I am getting refilled in hopes they will hold me accountable. I should also mention I cannot eat fish. yuck!! Any thoughts would be appreciated. I do not want to fail again. I do not have insurance so this surgery was an out of pocket expense and they also makes me feel horrible that I have failed the 1st go around. Any menu suggestions?:thumbs_up:

I took a week off from work after my removal and that was mainly because I had a large amount of abdominal swelling ( I looked about 7 months pregnant!) I had a small amount of pain from the removal, but; the best part was that my reflux was gone 72 hours after removal!!!

Okay, it's been a minute since I last posted a blog. I guess I've been too busy commenting on everybody else's. Anyway, tonite was date nite for Hubby and I. :drool: We went to this popular restuarant here in Texas called Pappadeaux. Wednesday made three weeks since my surgery, so I felt like okay now I can start eating some real food. A little bit of this, little bit of that, no problem right? WRONG!:cool: All the little bits added up to alot, and now I am miserable. I started off with this drink called the Swamp Thing. Nothing major. It's a frozen drink with a lil splash of Sangria right at the bottom of the glass. That was my "waiting for a table drink". I drank maybe a little under a half before our table was ready. I didn't get to finish it. Looking at the menu, Hubby and I decided to order Crab Meat and Spinach fondue as an appetizer. I figured a little bit of this won't hurt anything. So I ate a little bit of that with 1..okay maybe 1 1/2 pieces of Toast that came along with it. DELICIOUS! I should have stopped there..But NOOOOOOOOOOO, I want to stomp with the big dogs. Now it's time to order my main course. I ordered the Blackened ...Wait a sec let me go get the receipt..Wanna make sure I get it right..Press Pause...Press Play....I'm back...Blackened Gulf Fillet!!.Okay, let me explain to you all what this is..Blackened Drum Fish with a Lemon Butter PepperJack Cheese Sauce with Shrimp and Crawfish over Dirty Rice..I know the ones that are on the pre opt and post opt diets are like :tt1:..I'm sorry ya'll..lol..Okay, I ate maybe 5 forks of that (just a little bit)..I knew when I saw the plate I was not going to be able to eat even half of what was on it. I didn't eat any of the shrimp but I just had to have them on my plate. I am in the land of the SeaFood Lovers! THEN, in the middle of eating my food very slowly, let me mind you. I had (just a little bit) of my Hubby's stuffed shrimp. Just the stuffing, not the shrimp. Now this is over a course of 45 minutes. After all is done now I am looking like :tongue2:. Hoping and praying that I don't throw up. So we're sitting there after dinner, I'm watching folks around us just devour the raw oysters. Ya'll I am not talking about 1 or 2 oysters. More like 1 to 2 dozen. At this point I am gagging. In my mind I'm picturing the raw oyster going down my own damn throat. I couldn't take anymore, so we left. Now I am soooooooooooo full. I mean like an unexplainable full...Once I got home, I drank some cold water because I was so damn thirsty and you know they say don't drink while you're eating..And wait 2 to 3 hours after you eat to drink something..What the Hell! Now I am just sitting here, waiting for the digestion to start. F For those of you that are planning to have just a little of this and just little of that for Thanksgiving..DON'T IT! It's not too much you can get into 4 oz without going over board! I have learned my lesson. Damn that, I'm doing all liquids 2 morrow. Thank God, I didn't throw up... Too Toodles

I am 3 weeks out today too! We have lost the very same amount! I am transitioning to soft foods today. I love your "green shake" idea! My Doc wants me to shoot for 2# per week But, I am expecting a stall soon - everyone says it happens.

Applebee's will let you order a smaller portion from their menu at a reduced price. Or at least the one near me does. Haven't been out to eat but 1 time. Not a lot I can eat yet only being 4 weeks post- op. just figured if we went out order regular menu and take home what's left for Breakfast, lunch & dinner the next day Surgery Anniversary 7/30/12

My surgeon and NUT don't like Protein shakes either, as they are high in unnecessary calories and can often become a crutch to many WLS patients. They really, really want us eating real protein from food for many reasons once we are able, about 6 weeks out - one, it's healthier without added calories, sugar, etc, and food protein is obviously digested much slower compared to Protein drinks. That being said, they BOTH realize they are needed in the first few weeks as there is no other way to get our caloric needs in while our tummies are so swollen. They also both say that protein is grossly overstated and many think they need to get in protein, protein, protein, but really we only need about 70 gms a day. People are run down and tired after surgery because of lack of carbs, not protein. So, I think protein shakes are good, even needed in the first few weeks. It's too bad that the Kaiser folks are being so totally absolutely against it.....are we supposed to be eating chicken breast 2 days after surgery?

I am 4 weeks post op this week, I have not lost anything. I go for my first fill on the 6th. But I feel hungry and before you know it I am looking for something to eat, I feel like I am slipping backwards. The more hungry I get the less I pay attention to what and how I eat. Good news is I haven't gained anything either! Any advice on this? Can some one please explain the "green zone" to me?

Best wishes to you. This time last week I was in recovery. You'll do great.

I had the duodenal switch, and my program allowed for 4 weeks off for it. I was very active after about a week, though, and restless, so I went back to work after 3 weeks. My girlfriend, however, had the sleeve done through the same program. They gave her the 4 weeks off as well and she took the whole time. She was a little slower on healing, though, and getting active, so she didn't really get more active for about 2 weeks. We both have desk jobs.

I took off three weeks and this time I feel I really need the time. Starting to work again next Thursday. A two day week is nice to have for starters.

The tighter your waist band the more it pulls on your stomach muscles, mine stung so bad after wearing jeans I put them away for a week. I'll try again tomorrow and see if it still pulls. when I wear loose waist pants or sweats it feels fine.

So i'm about 3 months out and still eat and drink slowly. At 3 weeks....have you started to "feel" the food move into your stomach yet? I forget when I started feeling that...but usually what I do is take a bit, see how it goes down and if it doesn't have any trouble, then I'm okay depending on what it is, cream of wheat I can eat with less angst...meat I have to take really slowly.

At week 3 it is probably real hunger. It took me 8-10 weeks before my band started to do what I was expecting it to do. Week 3 I was on mushies. Different Soups, chili. scrambled eggs, quiche, mashed sweet potatoes. and on and on. At this point it is not about loosing weight or controlling hunger. It is all about fully healing before they can get down to real business.