3-month out, got a few questions

[TurboDriver 2]

Hey guys and gals, hope things are going well with all of you with your battle.

I'm 3 months out (Surgery on 1/18) and I've run into a wall sort of, and I have a few questions that my surgeon didn't really answer very well.

Sorry for all of these, I don't personally know anyone that has had the band, so you guys are my support group

1. What is the thing I can feel that sometimes pokes out a little on my lower left (heart) side? Doc says it's part of the lap band system. I don't think it could be the port because when he does fills, he has to stick the needle in all the way...and this thing is just under the surface. Is it part of the tube, or some kind of mesh (since it's right next to the 'big' incision)? Or did he leave a pen in there?

2. Ok so, for me, I lost 25 pounds in the first two -to- three weeks. Then I hit a wall. Seemed to happen when I started eating again. In the past 8-10 weeks I've lost maybe 5 pounds. Now, I know I'm eating too much. Protein Bar for Breakfast, Protein Shake for lunch, then a pretty big meal for dinner. No calorie drinks all day. I exercise half an hour a day doing cardio on my elliptical, then every other day I also do some curls and bench presses because I'm built like a t-rex. I know that the weight lifting might add some weight, but I'm being very realistic that there is no way I'm putting the muscles on that fast. What gives?

3. When you eat, and you're properly adjusted, how soon can you tell the food goes through the band? I'm really confused about this one. I have an AP band (14cc) and I have 6cc in the band right now. My problem is, after I take a bite, a few seconds later, sometimes, I can feel it pass through the band. My surgeon told me it was because I wasn't chewing enough, and that is probably true, but isn't the food supposed to sit above the band for something like 4 hours before it goes through? Isn't that what's supposed to keep you feeling full? My thinking is (based on the doctors theory) if I chewed it really well (which I usually do) then no, I wouldn't feel it pass, but the main question is, it would still pass in the same time, if not sooner.

4. I'm concerned about how much food I can eat. How much? well let's see. Feel free to yell at me because I know I shouldn't have eaten this much, but alas, I did... One time I ate about 80% of a small pizza. Another time I ate 2 pieces of lasagna, several pieces of bread, then had a piece of apple pie and 2 scoops of ice cream. Now I know that is way too much. I think part of the problem is #3 (if not most of the problem) but the other problem is I somehow still eat fast. Here's the deal though, even when I make a very conscious effort to eat slowly, if I eat what is probably a correct amount, I am still really hungry 30 to 45 minutes later. I am on an antidepressant (Luvox) and I know that doesn't help, but even going down from 150mg to 100mg has not helped. The other odd thing is that I certainly have felt food get stuck, but I've never PB'd. The food has only come up once, and I re-swallowed it (yuck I know, but I was at a friends dinner table and didn't want to gross them out). Most of the time the stuck food sits there a little while, then goes through on its own.

I'm not sure if this helps but I do hicckup pretty often. I've done some searches on here and it sounds like for some people it's normal, while others it means they are full.

Sorry this is so long, really need some good wisdom on how to tackle this monster. It's so depressing to exercise so hard every day yet not loose anything.

[TurboDriver 2]

Just wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts on any of these problems...Especially the part about how the band is supposed to work. Isn't the food supposed to sit above the band for several hours?

Thanks!

[kll724 3,055]

Your band is there t help. It doesn't take all your desire to eat away. I have had many times where my desire was more than my stomach and band would allow. You must eat slower, then the band can do its work. If you eat real fast, the food might get stuck. Calm down, follow the rules and you should do fine! Karen

[reverie 49]

1. It's probably the port

2. Are you tracking what you eat? You could easily be eating too much or too little. Why are you doing a Protein Shake for lunch? Convenience or..? Rarely will liquids keep you full. Try eating whole foods. Use a website like dailyburn, fitday, or myfitnesspal to track your calories. Also buy a digital scale to measure all of your food. When you start tracking, depending on the number, play around with it. I started at 1200 calories and upped 100 calories each week; I am now at 1700 calories and only now am I losing again. It's a game of testing the waters.

3. No, I don't believe it should sit there at all. Mine doesn't; I usually feel it go through. You should feel satisfied for 3-4 hours however, if you have good restriction/are eating properly.

4. I eat fast as well; work on it. You may even want to buy baby utensils to get yourself used to it. Sometimes a hiccup can indicate that your body doesn't want anymore; I get one sometimes, other times my nose runs a little.

Hope that helps some.

[stateofzen 46]

You may be feeling the port-- the edges of it anyway.

I have no idea if my food sits in the top pouch or moves on through, but I would imagine it moves through. Honestly, surgeons are all over the place on WHY the band works. Some say it is the small pouch, others say it is the band putting pressure on a nerve that controls hunger, etc. I suspect well-chewed food moves through. I can't see why it wouldn't (my band isn't all that tight, but it gives me satiation).

Stalling in weight loss after you start regular foods again is normal. However, your part of the equation has to kick in at that point. If you continue to eat large volumes, you are going to increase your chances of a band slip or a esophageal prolapse.

Shoot for "not hungry" when you eat, not "full". Get small plates and never eat off a regular sized one again if that's what it takes. The hardest part of all of this is figuring out the behavioral stuff that we have to contribute to the process-- and I agree, it is hard! Don't beat yourself up if it takes you a bit to figure out-- just don't give up!

[vickyd 24]

Since everyone else has handled the first few questions, I 'm gonna chime in on the last one. The best advice I can give you is to buy a food scale and start weighing and measuring your food. I, like many others, eat on a salad plate rather than a dinner plate. I weigh out 4 oz Protein and measure 1/2 cup veggies and that is all. I eat with a salad fork and try to make my meal last as long as the rest of my family's meal even though I am eating quite a bit less than they are. Put your fork down between bites, have a conversation, etc...anything to slow you down. I also do not drink at all during meals...I don't even put a glass on the table for me so I'm not tempted...and I wait 30 minutes after I finish eating before I can have a drink. The results of this is that I'm not hungry any longer (I wouldn't use the word full because I rarely feel full - at least not the way I used to define it). I think that getting used to no longer feeling "full" has been the biggest challenge for me because I have had to change my whole way of thinking about food. Unfortunately, the band won't take away your mental hunger or desire to eat...that takes a lot of work on your part.

Don't beat yourself up about the things you think you are doing wrong. We all have a lifetime of bad eating habits (or else we wouldn't be getting banded, would we? ) and it takes time to change those habits. Also, be willing to "tweak" things to make them work for you...try to change up your daily calories, reduce carbs, increase exercise...whatever works best for you. The band works differently for each of us, the trick is figuring out how to make it work best for you...

[TurboDriver 2]

Thanks all of you for your suggestions and help. I guess I misunderstood how it works. I think there might be something there about the nerve thing because I was not hungry at all after the surgery (when it was swelled up).

Someone asked about the Protein drink...The reason I eat it for lunch is because I find it's an easy way to make sure I'm getting enough protein, as well as it doesn't mean I need to go out of my work for lunch (costly, but more importantly, unhealthy) and it means I don't need to prepare a meal

[HeatherinCA 10]

1. Probably the port! ahha.

2. You said it, "you know you are eating too much" that is why you aren't losing weight.. 900-1200 calories or it won't go anywhere. Simple math. 1/2 hour of cardio isn't burning 3500 calories required to lose a pound. 1/2 hour of cardio burns maybe 200-300 calories... depending on intensity

3. The food goes through. I would imagine It kind of piles up on top and trickles down into your stomach. You aren't hungry because your band is pressing on your vagus nerve which prevents the hunger hormone from being released. It doesn't sit there for 4 hours.

4. I don't know what to tell you except if you don't follow the 1200 calorie diet, you won't lose weight. There is no way around it. I can eat whatever I want, and I can eat a decent amount of food. But, I don't, or I will gain weight. If you are still hungry then you need another fill... or make sure 100% it's not mental, 90% of this battle is mental.

[HeatherinCA 10]

Thanks all of you for your suggestions and help. I guess I misunderstood how it works. I think there might be something there about the nerve thing because I was not hungry at all after the surgery (when it was swelled up).

Someone asked about the Protein drink...The reason I eat it for lunch is because I find it's an easy way to make sure I'm getting enough protein, as well as it doesn't mean I need to go out of my work for lunch (costly, but more importantly, unhealthy) and it means I don't need to prepare a meal

Yes, if you are still hungry all the time then you need another fill. You will definitely know when it starts working the hunger drops off.

Protein Shakes for a meal are fine, but is that ALL you have? Cause they have a lot of calories. If you are eating your protein for breakfast, lunch, and dinner you should be getting in all your protein.

[Swan56 6]

I just wanted to chime in a bit. Someone mentioned it above and it's so true. I have found out that I don't really ever get to the "full" feeling either. If I get there, I usually end up being uncomfortable. I had to train myself to eat until I wasn't hungry anymore. I think that most people don't really know what full is. The full feeling most people know is being overly full and at times, miserable. That is obviously most true for most of us... afterall, that's probably how a lot of us because overweight to begin with. And like someone else said, it is a mental battle as well. I have been craving chocolate for days... days... lol, but I will have my sugar free or fat free pudding and that has to tide me over because I refuse to waste that many empty calories (and carbs) on things that have no benefit. I'm only about 3 weeks ahead of you so I'm still learning as well. But it's getting easier.

[TurboDriver 2]

Thanks Heather and Swan

Yes, for the meal, I only have the Protein drink I did notice how many calories they have.

You guys are so right about the calorie math. I really need to learn how to stop at "not hungry"

I beginning to think I might need to eat more at lunch, so I'm not so hungry when it comes to dinner.

[vickyd 24]

Thanks Heather and Swan

Yes, for the meal, I only have the Protein drink I did notice how many calories they have.

You guys are so right about the calorie math. I really need to learn how to stop at "not hungry"

I beginning to think I might need to eat more at lunch, so I'm not so hungry when it comes to dinner.

Some of the things I do for lunch that are quick to put together are turkey meatballs with marinara sauce (the meatballs are frozen so I just throw a servings worth in a container, add sauce and then I just have to heat it up for a minute or two at work), leftovers from dinner (just be careful because meats can dry out when you re-heat them so you may need to add a bit of stock to them to keep them moist), pre-cooked chicken burgers or chicken sausages (I get mine at Sam's Club) - just add 1/2 cup of veggies and go. All of these are great for Protein, very filling and require just a couple of minutes to put together. If you do find yourself hungry after lunch, try a high protein snack - some string cheese or babybel light cheese are both great Snacks and don't have a lot of calories (and the protein will keep you full longer).