July banders-work together

[allfallbabies 0]

May I join in here? I was banded on July 27th. I have lost about 23 lbs since starting the pre-op diet two weeks out. So I'll take that. I am on regular food now except bread, beef and oatmeal. I have my first fill on Monday the 16th. I also go back to work that day as well. I am not feeling hungry often and thought I would miss food more than I do. I am a foodie to the core. The Protein Shake and Soup diet pre-op about killed me. I craved texture. It is interesting how all docs are different. Mine is actually banded and I think that helps. He can empathize with his patients.

I feel lucky because I did not have tons of issues post-op with gas or taking a deep breath. I got sent home with a cool little thing to suck air through (spirometer, I think is what it is called) and it really helped. I walked and walked and walked. I think that helped with the gas.

I am nervous to have that fill since I am still losing and not really hungry between meals. Mostly I am eating to get in the Protein I need.

[Nicole74 4]

So excited to start "mushies" in 2 days!! Iv done really well on the full liquids but started a couple days ago with some runny mashed potatoes and yesterday had so me refried beans..both went down fine with no issues. The Beans fill me up though quick. I found though since Sunday I have not lost any weight...I last 16lbs in the 1st week so I should of known it wasnt going to last!! I am scared that once I start eating more im going to gain. i did start walking tonight and need to keep that up to help me! my first fill is sept. 7th

[Dawn5115 0]

Just an update.... for you AND for myself.

Tomorrow morning will be 2 weeks!! :w00t:

I'm so excited that i moved on to puree/mushy tonight! (12 hours early) Roasted chicken and mashed potatoes (blenderized with broth of course....LOL). Go me!! I've gone all this time with no pain.... and now I've got pain on both sides.... one must be the port and the other the band? Not really worried, just a bit uncomfortable. My first doctor appointment..... 19 days post-op will be on Wednesday. I'm planning a weekend of mushy food and swimming!!! :wink2:

*and to myself and those losing so much weight on the liquid diet.... do not freak out when some of it comes back. Losing so fast is Water and waste.... it's the 1 or 2 pound weeks that will stay off for good!! (I hope)

**and to my well meaning friend that has never ever been on a diet..... STOP ASKING ME HOW MUCH WEIGHT I'VE LOST!! I'm giving this process MONTHS and YEARS .... not a couple of weeks of starvation. (but I know you mean well )

[quilterlu 0]

Dawn5115, moving to mushie is so nice. I have now moved to soft foods so I am exploring a few more foods. If you like califlower besure to puree it - tastes really good.

You reminded me why I did not tell anyone I have been banded. My family knows but I did not want to be plagued with 'how much have you lost". This is a life changer and a much slower weight lose than gasteric bypass. I do not think the general public understands. Hang in there.

How is everyone else doing?

[Garland417 0]

I have a quick question, have you lost 30 lbs since the surgery. I was banded on 7/13 and I have only lost 12 lbs. I drink plentey of Water take in 10 grams of Protein per day I am doing everything correct even walking 3 miles in the morning and 3 miles in the afternoon. Looking at the scale is getting a little discouraging.

[quilterlu 0]

Garland417 this may sound supid but at the last support meeting they said if you are not eating enough you will not lose weight. Your Protein should be 70+ gm and 700 - 1000 calories. You are definitely walking more than I am.

They also said the weight lose is 0 - 2 lbs a week. The speaker said remember I said zero! So I take this to mean do not be discouraged. 12 lbs is great!

[Isa Bella 0]

Dawn~ I totally can relate to your frustration. I only told my parents, sisters & 1 friend who have all been very supportive since the beginning. HOWEVER....my friend who lives few blocks away whenever she see's me always asks me how much I lost & tells me It does not looks like you have lost any weight. She told me this 1 week after surgery. The surprising thing is Her sister had it done a year ago & she knows how it works etc. I keep reminding her "Its just a tool & its a slow process" but same thing happend next time I saw her. I decided for at least a short while that I wld just text her & walk my dogs in opposite direction.

I never thought I would get excited going into a new food state but would always looks forward to what new item I could add to my menu. )

Im 4wks this coming Mon & have been doing really good. Never had much of an appetite UNTIL TODAY!! I have increased my exercise as of yesterday & may take me a couple of days for my body to adjust but Im keeping full by drinking lots of liquids. I am eating 3 meals a day with 2 Snacks. taking min 70 grms Protein and around 800/1000 cal. I do not get my 1st fill for another 2 weeks. Im hoping this hunger is just a temporary thing. Worst of all I have been craving popcorn since yesterday also. Dont know if its just the salt or what. I have the Weight Watchers 1pt individual packs but not sure If I shld even try it. IM HOLDING STRONG!! :<{

[Dawn5115 0]

BEWARE CONSTIPATION!! Sorry for the icky subject.... but I was so happy about moving to puree on Thursday... Friday afternoon I was uncomfortable... Friday night I was crying in my bathroom and wondering if I would have to go to the emergency room (which I cannot imagine doing!). No one told me about Fiber, softners, or whatever. I thought no food for two weeks meant no.... you know. We worry about Protein every day.... what about the FIBER, girls? Perhaps I missed that warning? But it is one mistake that I pray none of the rest of you experience. Not sure? --- take a softner!! * just saying.....

[Dawn5115 0]

Dawn~ I totally can relate to your frustration. I only told my parents, sisters & 1 friend who have all been very supportive since the beginning. HOWEVER....my friend who lives few blocks away whenever she see's me always asks me how much I lost & tells me It does not looks like you have lost any weight. She told me this 1 week after surgery. The surprising thing is Her sister had it done a year ago & she knows how it works etc. I keep reminding her "Its just a tool & its a slow process" but same thing happend next time I saw her. I decided for at least a short while that I wld just text her & walk my dogs in opposite direction.

I never thought I would get excited going into a new food state but would always looks forward to what new item I could add to my menu. )

Im 4wks this coming Mon & have been doing really good. Never had much of an appetite UNTIL TODAY!! I have increased my exercise as of yesterday & may take me a couple of days for my body to adjust but Im keeping full by drinking lots of liquids. I am eating 3 meals a day with 2 Snacks. taking min 70 grms Protein and around 800/1000 cal. I do not get my 1st fill for another 2 weeks. Im hoping this hunger is just a temporary thing. Worst of all I have been craving popcorn since yesterday also. Dont know if its just the salt or what. I have the Weight Watchers 1pt individual packs but not sure If I shld even try it. IM HOLDING STRONG!! :<{[/QUOT

*sorry about your walking route change--but I understand!! But I've found that not telling is also hard. I find it hard to convince my brother-in-law, old classmate, and some friends, that I (of all people) don't want to go out to eat. My husband acts like my stomach area is now a 16K breakable antique when my nephew comes running at me. (that got several odd looks from the sister-in-law) The day after surgery we had unexpected drop-by family from out of town... I was of course sleeping and "sick".... but they were shocked/hurt that I didn't get up to see the baby.

*and popcorn is one of the few things I've cried over since surgery. Popcorn and a movie was more of a comfort and craving that I knew. If you have it.... let me know how it goes!

[Garland417 0]

Hello Everyone !!!!

I was banded on July 13th and on July 27th I started walking 3 miles in the morn and spending 1 hour on the eliptical everyday in the evenings. Does anyone think this is too much exercise. I'd like to know your thoughts or opinions. Thanks again !!!

[2beskinny 4]

Going for my first fill tomorrow Can't wait to get the party started, so to speak. I've been doing well, actually not been too hungry, but have battled my appetite a few times (and won, by the way). I found myself eating some honey roasted peanuts tonight (they were my son's and they were laying in front of me on the table) and I mindlessly grabbed a few and started eating them. Then I was like, "what the hell am I doing? I don't even WANT these!" Boy, old habits die hard. My goal for next month (until fill #2) is to stop obesessing about the scale. I have weighed myself constantly and watched the same 3 pounds bounce around for weeks. Finally over the last 3 days I dropped 3 pounds (FINALLY!). I am exercising well (added a little job to my walk) and am eating between 1000-1200 cals. per day (70-100 grams of protein). Overall, I am down 8 pounds in the 4 weeks since my surgery. I had set a goal for myself of 10 pounds each month, but I'll take 8. I feel great and have been able to wear some clothes that were too tight to wear before I started the pre-op. I am fitting into a lot of my sz. 16 pants again. Feels great. Can't wait till I can fit into my 14s...I have a LOT of those Thinking of joining my gym again and doing a class I used to do a long time ago. It's called 'power' and is awesome for strength training - uses lot's of weights. I want to add that in 3x a week in addition to walk/jogging daily. I hope my energy and optimism lasts for a long, long, time :cursing:

[lageil 0]

hI

I was banded on July19th and I went for my 2 week check up and have lost 10lbs since surgery. The thing is, I went on vacation during the 2nd week and long story short I was stuck in an airport for 10 hours with nothing to eat so I ended up eating normal. I chewed chewed chewed but everything went down just fine. I no I have no restriction yet (1st fill Aug 31) so needless to say Ive been eating normal since even though Im suppose to be on mushies. I did mention it to the dietician and she just said to get back on track which tomorrow starts the soft food phase. But I read some post here and some people have a hard time even with mushies...makes me wonder. I cant eat the quanity like before and I dont snack between meals so??? The dietician even said to cut back on my Protein intake that Im getting too much which will deplete my calicum in my bones. I just wonder why I can eat normal...bread and everything.

Any suggestions?

[rcain03@hotmail.com 1]

Hi!! I was banded on 7/30 and today was the first day I have been out of bed! I go back to work in the morning and I am so scared I will end up laying on the floor of my office trying to get the gas pain to go away! I am also to the point that I am afraid to even drink anything because its stopped and i am enjoying the rest! I hope we can all help each other threw this! We have a lot of weight to lose in the coming days, it would be great to do it together!!

Sorry, to say...but, laying in bed until today is probably what your problem is. You have to get moving each and every day. The more you walk...the more your body will dissipate the gas. Good luck though..and I can say that Gas X really helped me out alot through the first couple of weeks! :cursing:

[Isa Bella 0]

Going for my first fill tomorrow Can't wait to get the party started, so to speak. I've been doing well, actually not been too hungry, but have battled my appetite a few times (and won, by the way). I found myself eating some honey roasted peanuts tonight (they were my son's and they were laying in front of me on the table) and I mindlessly grabbed a few and started eating them. Then I was like, "what the hell am I doing? I don't even WANT these!" Boy, old habits die hard. My goal for next month (until fill #2) is to stop obesessing about the scale. I have weighed myself constantly and watched the same 3 pounds bounce around for weeks. Finally over the last 3 days I dropped 3 pounds (FINALLY!). I am exercising well (added a little job to my walk) and am eating between 1000-1200 cals. per day (70-100 grams of protein). Overall, I am down 8 pounds in the 4 weeks since my surgery. I had set a goal for myself of 10 pounds each month, but I'll take 8. I feel great and have been able to wear some clothes that were too tight to wear before I started the pre-op. I am fitting into a lot of my sz. 16 pants again. Feels great. Can't wait till I can fit into my 14s...I have a LOT of those Thinking of joining my gym again and doing a class I used to do a long time ago. It's called 'power' and is awesome for strength training - uses lot's of weights. I want to add that in 3x a week in addition to walk/jogging daily. I hope my energy and optimism lasts for a long, long, time :lol:

Congrats on the NSV:thumbup: I had mentioned that I decided not to weigh myself but I wish I had measured myself. I have been fitting into clothes that were to tight also. What an awesome feeling. I want to hear how your 1st fill went.

[TheUrbanWasteland 0]

Hey guys...

I was banded on the 22nd of July.... apart from my heart not wanting to keep beating after surgery & a blood clot I've been super great !!!

I want one of those gave up diet coke shirts tho !!! I went cold turkery from diet coke & meat 12 weeks ago :frown:

This has been awesome so far and I cant believe I've lost a third of my excess weight already !!

Rach.