November 2010 Bandsters - post op

[muelle 64]

This is the first time I've posted on this thread. I was banded November 29, 2010 and have lost 54 pounds. I feel great, I started exercising (finally) about 2 weeks ago and that makes me feel even better. I've had 3 fills, and have 4 ccs in a 14 cc band. I feel full after only a bite or 2, so I think I have pretty good restriction. I've had no complications and still have not regained my hunger, which is great Good luck to everyone and keep up the great work!!!

[mamaj 2]

Hi all,

It is nice to hear updates on everyone. I was banded Nov. 16/10 and have had a few problems, but overall everything is going wonderfully well. Started with 3.5 cc's in a 10 cc band right from surgery day and had pretty decent restriction right from the start. After four weeks, was getting hungry every two to three hours so I had 0.5 cc added and felt a bit more restriction once again. Slowly the hunger was coming back again so had another 0.25 cc's added which ended up being too much. At 4.25 cc's, I was getting stuck a lot. Got 0.2 cc's taken out, which was better but still a bit too tight. Finally last week had another 0.1cc taken out. So, I am now at 3.95 cc's and feeling really good. Not getting hungry all that often, so can go four to five hours between meals, and eating the right size "Bandster" portions leaves me feeling satisfied. Also keeping track of calories in and out by wearing a BodyBugg and tracking everything I eat and drink really conscientiously. Sticking to 1,000 calories per day, making sure I am getting 60 grams of lean Protein, and drinking 64 oz of Water. I do fine MOST of the time, and that is good enough to make me happy and to be losing steadily. So far, so good! Keep up the good work everyone!

Cindy (Mamaj)

[al0vely 24]

I get confused the more I read here since there are many ways people describe if their band is working. At my fill at the end of February my nutritionist told me the band should be what lets me know it is time to stop eating and if my fill wasn't working to come back before my next appointment at 3/31. I went in for another fill on 2/11 which worked for a day or 2 but I am back to where I was with a total of 3.5 in a 10 cc band. I still don't think I have that situation yet others have where the band is working and feel I still could potentially overeat. My weight loss during the month of February was only 1 or 2 pounds.

I am using an 8.5" paper plate for my meals at home and I eat the entire plate and feel full afterwords most of the time. A typical evening meal for me usually includes 3 - 4 ounces of meat (chicken, pork loin, shredded beef, for fish), a lettuce salad, and a carb (most often potatoes). Breakfast most days is 1 serving of steel cut oats with walnuts, raisins, and splenda after my morning exercise (20 - 30 minutes on either recumbent bike or treadmill). lunch is often homemade Soup, chicken or tuna salad (salads may include egg, mayo, relish, celery, (chicken salad only):nuts, waterchesnuts, green onions, grapes) with crackers.

I just started my most consistent exercise routine last week and managed to exercise 5 days out of 7 and I lost almost 2 pounds during this same time period. I am hoping to be able to lose 5 - 10 pounds per month consistently over the next 6 months without sacrificing my hair due to the lack of Protein.

For those who are only able to eat a few bites ... how do you get enough Protein to remain healthy?

[tchaho 0]

I get confused the more I read here since there are many ways people describe if their band is working. At my fill at the end of February my nutritionist told me the band should be what lets me know it is time to stop eating and if my fill wasn't working to come back before my next appointment at 3/31. I went in for another fill on 2/11 which worked for a day or 2 but I am back to where I was with a total of 3.5 in a 10 cc band. I still don't think I have that situation yet others have where the band is working and feel I still could potentially overeat. My weight loss during the month of February was only 1 or 2 pounds.

I am using an 8.5" paper plate for my meals at home and I eat the entire plate and feel full afterwords most of the time. A typical evening meal for me usually includes 3 - 4 ounces of meat (chicken, pork loin, shredded beef, for fish), a lettuce salad, and a carb (most often potatoes). Breakfast most days is 1 serving of steel cut oats with walnuts, raisins, and splenda after my morning exercise (20 - 30 minutes on either recumbent bike or treadmill). lunch is often homemade Soup, chicken or tuna salad (salads may include egg, mayo, relish, celery, (chicken salad only):nuts, waterchesnuts, green onions, grapes) with crackers.

I just started my most consistent exercise routine last week and managed to exercise 5 days out of 7 and I lost almost 2 pounds during this same time period. I am hoping to be able to lose 5 - 10 pounds per month consistently over the next 6 months without sacrificing my hair due to the lack of Protein.

For those who are only able to eat a few bites ... how do you get enough Protein to remain healthy?

My surgeon advised me to only eat high protein foods. He doesn't want me to eat anything that isn't high in protein. I asked about items like salad or a burrito, and he said no. The salad has too much non protein food in it, and the burrito has a tortilla, which doesn't have protein. He wants me to eat only meat, nuts, cheeses, and eggs until I loose my desired amount of weight. I am not allowed to eat any slider protein foods either, like yogurt and ice cream. It has to be solid protein only. Soups are not allowed for me either. I lost 29 pounds with no fill in my band since Nov. 2010. I just got my first fill three days ago, 2.5cc in a 10cc band.

Best wishes on your journey,

tchaho

[muelle 64]

I am one that gets full from a bite or two, plus I only eat once a day, sometimes not even that. My surgeon says not to eat if you aren't hungry and I have no hunger, so I have to make myself eat. I make sure that the couple bites I eat is high in Protein, usually chicken or fish. I was worried about lacking in Protein because I have never done the Protein shakes either, but I seem to be doing fine health wise. I take Multivitamins, and prenatal Vitamins (for my hair and nails) and tums for Calcium. I know my experience is not typical, and most people wouldn't agree with my diet, but this is working for me. I am a little over halfway to my goal at 16 weeks post-op and feel great. I have enough energy to get up at 5 am, six mornings a week to walk/jog on the treadmill for 30-45 minutes and still have enough energy to get through the day. Let me just point out that I am not advising anyone do what I do, I am just sharing my experience Good luck!

I get confused the more I read here since there are many ways people describe if their band is working. At my fill at the end of February my nutritionist told me the band should be what lets me know it is time to stop eating and if my fill wasn't working to come back before my next appointment at 3/31. I went in for another fill on 2/11 which worked for a day or 2 but I am back to where I was with a total of 3.5 in a 10 cc band. I still don't think I have that situation yet others have where the band is working and feel I still could potentially overeat. My weight loss during the month of February was only 1 or 2 pounds.

I am using an 8.5" paper plate for my meals at home and I eat the entire plate and feel full afterwords most of the time. A typical evening meal for me usually includes 3 - 4 ounces of meat (chicken, pork loin, shredded beef, for fish), a lettuce salad, and a carb (most often potatoes). Breakfast most days is 1 serving of steel cut oats with walnuts, raisins, and splenda after my morning exercise (20 - 30 minutes on either recumbent bike or treadmill). lunch is often homemade Soup, chicken or tuna salad (salads may include egg, mayo, relish, celery, (chicken salad only):nuts, waterchesnuts, green onions, grapes) with crackers.

I just started my most consistent exercise routine last week and managed to exercise 5 days out of 7 and I lost almost 2 pounds during this same time period. I am hoping to be able to lose 5 - 10 pounds per month consistently over the next 6 months without sacrificing my hair due to the lack of protein.

For those who are only able to eat a few bites ... how do you get enough protein to remain healthy?

[MsJeannetteA 0]

I am one that gets full from a bite or two, plus I only eat once a day, sometimes not even that. My surgeon says not to eat if you aren't hungry and I have no hunger, so I have to make myself eat. I make sure that the couple bites I eat is high in Protein, usually chicken or fish. I was worried about lacking in protein because I have never done the Protein Shakes either, but I seem to be doing fine health wise. I take Multivitamins, and prenatal Vitamins (for my hair and nails) and tums for Calcium. I know my experience is not typical, and most people wouldn't agree with my diet, but this is working for me. I am a little over halfway to my goal at 16 weeks post-op and feel great. I have enough energy to get up at 5 am, six mornings a week to walk/jog on the treadmill for 30-45 minutes and still have enough energy to get through the day. Let me just point out that I am not advising anyone do what I do, I am just sharing my experience Good luck!

Do you find that you are losing muscle mass as well? Only eating once a day? Wow. I don't have the restriction that some you fast losers have (40 lbs + since 11/10 surgery).

I'm able to have 2-3 meals a day... small meals not heavy meals. I'm not losing muscle mass, which is something I don't want, because I don't want hanging skin.

[Melly26 0]

I would not be a happy camper with no carbs!! I am doing weight watchers and its helping tremendously. i was stalled at a 10lbs loss for 2 months after surgery and this ww diet jump started it back up again. I can still eat a pretty decent amount, but just recently i started eating only when my stomach growled. In my prebanded days i would eat breakfast right when i woke up whether my stomach was growling or not. Head hunger is my biggest battle. Its confusing to me how some people only needs a few cc's and they are at there "sweet spot", and im almost to my fill max and not satisfied.

I have some restriction, but i wish i had the no hunger part! Its great to see what some of your surgeons tell everyone. I didnt realize that average amount of people lose under 50 lbs the first year. Good luck to everyone and keep up the excellent work!

[muelle 64]

My skin was starting to get a little saggy, which is what prompted me to start exercising a couple weeks ago. Since I started exercising I have regained my muscle tone and am losing a little faster. My metabolism has always been very slow and I've always had to eat very little to lose weight. Pre surgery I could take in the average amount of calories per day, and I would still gain weight. I've just always been that way.

Do you find that you are losing muscle mass as well? Only eating once a day? Wow. I don't have the restriction that some you fast losers have (40 lbs + since 11/10 surgery).

I'm able to have 2-3 meals a day... small meals not heavy meals. I'm not losing muscle mass, which is something I don't want, because I don't want hanging skin.

[ape087 1]

Hi everyone

Im glad that everyone is doing so well. I on the other hand am not. I am stuck on the same 15 frustrating pound loss since surgery. Ive had my first fill of 5cc's in december but Ive moved across country and am having an absolutely dreadful time getting my records transferred over, so no help with fills. I hope to get that taken care of soon, so I can mark one more thing off my list.

I know a big part of my weight sticking around is stress. My husband is currently in Japan assisting in the humanitarian relief, and I tell you, if that isnt stress I dont know what is. Hopefully he will be home soon, and that will be off my list too. Until then, what do you guys do to relieve stress?

[DebWS 1]

I would not be a happy camper with no carbs!! I am doing weight watchers and its helping tremendously. i was stalled at a 10lbs loss for 2 months after surgery and this ww diet jump started it back up again. I can still eat a pretty decent amount, but just recently i started eating only when my stomach growled. In my prebanded days i would eat breakfast right when i woke up whether my stomach was growling or not. Head hunger is my biggest battle. Its confusing to me how some people only needs a few cc's and they are at there "sweet spot", and im almost to my fill max and not satisfied.

I have some restriction, but i wish i had the no hunger part! Its great to see what some of your surgeons tell everyone. I didnt realize that average amount of people lose under 50 lbs the first year. Good luck to everyone and keep up the excellent work!

The growling stomach part is exactly what I am experiencing, and what moves me to eat. I'm pretty good at not eating "just because" -- the times when I find it hardest are late afternoon -- which is also when I get the growling tummy stuff...and late evening, when I see my husband going for the dessert and dammit, I want something. I'm not big on sweets, generally, but a little cheese with a few crackers is pretty appealing. I think I'm going to try having a Laughing Cow lite cheese and apple or pear ready and see how that does...other suggestions welcome!

Deb WS

[DebWS 1]

Hi everyone

Im glad that everyone is doing so well. I on the other hand am not. I am stuck on the same 15 frustrating pound loss since surgery. Ive had my first fill of 5cc's in december but Ive moved across country and am having an absolutely dreadful time getting my records transferred over, so no help with fills. I hope to get that taken care of soon, so I can mark one more thing off my list.

I know a big part of my weight sticking around is stress. My husband is currently in Japan assisting in the humanitarian relief, and I tell you, if that isnt stress I dont know what is. Hopefully he will be home soon, and that will be off my list too. Until then, what do you guys do to relieve stress?

Ape,

This is stressful!

I would suggest exercise. I have to say that I love my Zumba class, and that might be appealing...or something that is not just treadmill routine, but distracting and fun.

Best wishes with getting your records moved...and please let your husband know that I thank him for the good work that he is doing!

Deb WS

[Cangel76 1]

Hello ALL....

I am fighting the band process a bit. I know I wanted this but I also want to be able to eat. I hear these horror stories of people who are not starving but hardly eating. They are loosing clumps of hair and feel tired and yucky. That isn't healthy either.

I haven't been exercising lately because I started baby sitting for a friend, when I get back from Florida I will start up again.

I started off at 234, was 217 the day of surgery, 222 after surgery. LOL I am now down to 188-190, by the end of the evening I am 192 sometimes. It is all about not drinking enough and eating weird things.

Since being banded I have lost some hair and that is bothering me a great deal. I made sure to stay up on my Proteins and still lost hair, after becoming depressed, I was eating crap and still loosing weight. That has changed. LOL

Though I don't have a food addiction persay, I am a poor food choice person. I know what is healthy but don't feel like putting in the effort to make it.

Breakfast is hard because I am sick of eggs. I usually have one Protein Shake and a piece of toast with banana or something.

Then for lunch I am always craving Sushi, so sick of chicken, but everything else gets stuck. Sadly, seriously sadly, I can still eat a decent amount.

The other part of surgery I never expected if I do not keep on a schedule for eating I get super gassy. It is embarassing. I now keep a shake with me when I am running around, but that doesn't stop the problem completely.

I went from a size 22 and went to buy capris and fit into a size 16, that was the most wonderful moment EVER. So now I know I have to refocus.

Banding isn't a one way trip, it isn't point A to point B, we have to stop at C, D, E, F, and maybe our final destination is D or F or K. Part of this is learning about who we are, why we choose the foods we do.

Since surgery I am craving Sushi (I get it with the soy wrap) and Mexican. All things that lack a great deal of healthy food choices. I sometimes eat cheese and Triscuits for Breakfast, six crackers with cheese because it is like 20 grams of Protein.< /p>

I don't know, thinking of getting another fill and need to get back to exercising, because since I stopped going 3-5 days a week I have noticed a huge change.

Celeste

[Diamondbeys 1]

Wow!

I just realized how long it has been since I posted on here. It sounds like so of us are having luck with the weight lose and others are struggling. I have to say I was one of those people struggling up until the beginning of March. After my first fill, I had a hard time get adjusted to the band. I was vomiting almost every time I eat. I was eating way to fast and not chewing enough. I finally have gotten the mental aspect figured out. I have found that I can't really eat in the morning. If I do, I might get a Egg White flat bread from Dunkin Donuts, but it would take me 3-4 hours to eat it. I found since it was taking me so long to eat, I wasn't drinking enough. So now I have a shake for breakfast and I am back to drinking all the Water I need. I then have a small piece of chicken or fish, or a package of tuna fish for lunch. dinner is either chicken or fish or another shake. I sometimes have a Detour Protein Bar if I am feeling hungry in the afternoon or I am going to work out. I get well over my 60 grams of protein in a day.

Also in January I lost my job. I was only out of work for a short 2 weeks. But starting the new job threw my work out schedule off. I just finally got back into a routine this month. I have noticed a HUGE difference. Not only do I feel great (more energy), I am sleeping better (finally off my sleeping pills), and I am losing weight at a consistent rate. I am losing on average 3 pounds a week for the past 3 weeks (I weigh in on Thursday only as this was the DOW of my surgery). I go for my 2 month f/u on Friday after my first fill and I have no intentions on getting a fill. I think I am one of those luck people that has a dr who isn't afraid to be aggressive with the first fill.

So for my work out routine this month, I do Zumba tone twice a week, regular Zumba class, and Brazilian Butt Lift once a week. This week (actually today) I added a run/walk. We did 3.5 miles .25 run and .25 recovery. I felt great afterward. I am doing it with this girl from work. She likes to workout and wants to be a personal trainer, so she is prefect to help me train for a 5K. That is my goal. I want to do it before I go on vacation at the end of May. I think working towards a goal like that will really help. I am watching the Biggest Loser right now and I say If they can do it, so can I!

Good luck and keep up the hard work. You will get there.

Mel

[Rachel T 0]

Hi guys!

I just wanted to pop in -- good to see everyone doing so well~!

Sometimes I get discouraged. I've been working really hard at this, and I suppose my weight loss isn't bad at all - I, like many, just get impatient.

I get REALLY hungry sometimes too. The last fill I had, the doctor told me to avoid any 'snacking' (aka a yogurt mid-day, etc) to monitor my hunger levels. Now sometimes I'm out of control hungry.

I also was involved in a rather freakish accident and had my hand broken by a 10 pound dog! This concerned my regular physician - so he'll be checking my Calcium levels.

All in all though, it's a bumpy ride - but I know there's calmer waters ahead.

~love to all!~

[DeeDee40 3]

Hey everyone. Gosh its been a moment since I posted on here, but I had to stop by and say hello to everyone. I have been doing pretty good. I am down 30 lbs since my surgery on Nov 11th, 2010. I have not been excerising as much as I would like (mainly because of my hellish workload I have right now.) I am jumping back on the band wagon as we speak!!!! I have many episodes of food getting stuck and you would think i know by now. I will say its getting much better. That is the worst feeling (being stuck). so I am trying to chew everything like a new baby so I can do better.

I will say I feel much better. I am now taking the stairs instead of elevators when I can and getting my butt up to take my son out on these beautiful colorado days! I took so much for granted before and now I will be a running around mom, doing different activities I would have never dreamed of before. My husband loves the energy level and we are having some fun. I just signed up for kickboxing lessons (that should be interesting)!. I go to my first class next week. WISH ME LUCK!!!

I will say my doctor and his office have been great. Before the surgery and after. I have had some struggles and they have been there every step of the way for help and guidance. Dr snyder and amanda have given me a start to a new life!

Hope everyone is doing great and I will try to start checking in more often. I miss my fellow BANDSTERS!!!!!!

Dee