Am I the only one....

[mysti_kal209 1]

Okay, so I am very newly banded (May 20th) and Im already feeling defeated! I know that I am supposed to be on my liquid and Protein based liquids, but I have already cheated. Had a few solids here and there, and even a binge session. Have I messed everything up? I have my follow up appointment tomorrow, and Im almost scared to go. I do have a lot of pain in my stomach area, could it be that I have prolapsed my pouch? I thought I was going to do so well and I already feel like giving up. Has anyone else experienced this? I am really looking for some comfort and encouragement. Thanks!

[CheckYes 46]

Binge six days post op? Do not do that again - ever! You risk doing serious damage to your sutures, pouch, band and esophagus.

The liquids are important because food causes your stomach to contract during digestion and that should be avoided so your internal stitches can heal

The good news is that tomorrow is a new day. Do the right thing - follow your surgeons orders to the letter. I hope your surgeon checks everything out tomorrow. Please tell him/her what happened. You might get read the riot act but you will learn the reasons behind the strict post op instructions.

[rick1951 0]

I just had my band done on May 23, 2011. I have felt hungry but it passes. I just get a drink of Water or Protein or Jello. NEVER EVER binge again. If you do, you just wasted $30,000.

Binge six days post op? Do not do that again - ever! You risk doing serious damage to your sutures, pouch, band and esophagus.

The liquids are important because food causes your stomach to contract during digestion and that should be avoided so your internal stitches can heal

The good news is that tomorrow is a new day. Do the right thing - follow your surgeons orders to the letter. I hope your surgeon checks everything out tomorrow. Please tell him/her what happened. You might get read the riot act but you will learn the reasons behind the strict post op instructions.

[ShrinkyDinkyDoo 2]

You're not the only one with these problems. I cheated on my Post op diet too.....not quite a binge, but I ate an apple with Peanut Butter on it. Im not quite sure what I was thinking, In my brain I felt like I was making such a healthy choice, and then after I ate it and the pain started, reality clicked back in place and I remembered that I was still in mushy phase, and my innocent apple could have just ruined everything. I had awful hearburn and a tummy ache for days. Luckily a few days after this was my nutrition appt. And she told me that the band, and your body are both very strong, and the surgeons take a lot of steps to provent the band from slipping. What most likely happened is that you just made an already sore spot on your body, very angry, and now its swollen, and irritated, and painful. I was supposed to take it easy for a few days, and then jump right back in to introducing new foods. That was weeks ago, and after following her advice, Im happy to say, everything turned out great. This band isn't what I expected......YET. I still have excellent hopes that great things are going to come of this. I just started to work out again, and I have found that, that makes me feel fuller longer. I dont know if its because Im all hot and sweaty and food doesnt sound as good, or because im otherwise entertained so im not sitting there bored, and tempted to eat, or because after working out for 30 min,, indulging in a cup cake just doesnt seem worth it. I have a lot of weight to lose, and no support system other than this forum, so Im fighting an up hill battle, but I want it so bad. Your journey has just started. I know your hungry, and resentful, because dang it, you're still HUNGRY, (after my first fill, i am still hungry too) but this band works, we have seen it on countless success pages, so I have faith that if I screw up one day, I wake up the next, and start fresh, and soon I will be a skinny hot momma too! And YOU will TOO!!! Hang in there, it gets better!!

[dlynn1635 1]

I was sooooooo hungry right after surgery that I really felt that I had made a HUGE mistake getting banded. I was hungry the same night of surgery when I finally woke up at home and it just got worse from there for about 6 weeks!!

That was 10 months ago and I am so glad to say that with will power and determination the band has worked wonders for me. When I went in for my post op visit, I met a lady in the waiting room that had been banded for 6 months and she told me to drink instead of eating during this phase. It is hard to get in the 64oz of Water daily anyway and I should use the time between meals to drink drink drink and it took the edge off my hunger and I was able to go longer between eating. My surgeon told me that he would have been surprise if I was not hungry because I had no Fluid in my band and he offered me a diet pill til my first fill. I didn't take to offer, I told him the purpose of me having the band placed was to learn a different way of eating and taking a pill was not going to help me with that. So needless to say the first few months were what is referred to as bandster HELL but I did it and lost weight to boot. I reached restriction after my 3rd fill and all has been really good since.

I say this to say we have all fallen off the "band" wagon, but all you can do is get up brush yourself off and move on up the road to better choices from there. Don't keep persecuting yourself because that is not productive. Just say okay today was a bad day, but tomorrow and the days to come will be better.

Good luck to you!!

[DRobjohns 3]

Don't give up! And don't beat yourself up either. Pick yourself up, brush yourself off, acknowledge the mistake, and move on. I'm supposed to be on pureed food right now (banded 4/26/11) but I just can't do it. I'm doing more "soft foods". And I'm hungry, too!!!!!!!!! But I've read so many stories about "bandster hell" that I've realized that this too shall pass and restriction will happen for me. I have more energy, I'm exercising more than I have in a long, long time. Let's just concentrate on the positives, right?!

Good luck to you!

[phatgirl 2011 1]

Its good to read these responses because I was thinking about cheating. This liquid is driving me crazy. I am starving. I had surgery 5/23 and I'm fighting. But this thread has strengthened my resolve to stay focused.

[Sistersue 12]

Hi all don't forget tonkeep sugar free Jello and Popsicles on hand to help with cravings. I know don't keep all cravings away but they help.

[GB2011 5]

Its good to read these responses because I was thinking about cheating. This liquid is driving me crazy. I am starving. I had surgery 5/23 and I'm fighting. But this thread has strengthened my resolve to stay focused.

I wasn't really hungry after surgery. I guess it was the meds. I stuck to the liquid diet, but had to cheat a little and move into the mushies at day 3 instead of the staying on the liquids until day 6. I got tired of the bathroom visits. The nice thing about the liquid part is it lets your stomach get used to not eating as much. Once the swelling goes down you will be able to eat ANYTHING until you get your first fill so allow the stomach to get used to not holding much. That way when you eat more than necessary you WILL feel that it's too much.

[CheckYes 46]

The sugar free Popsicles worked wonders for me. They are super flavorful and good for post op.

[phatgirl 2011 1]

Yes GB... this liquid has me running to the bathroom. But I'm healing nice not much pain. Have been sleepin on my side since night2, I'm 4 days post op now. And its all going good except for my hunger now. I'm seriously craving food. And not that I can eat lots of it but I just need to chew. The SF popsicles are a god send.

[mysti_kal209 1]

OMGosh! Thank you guys so much! All of your comments have helped pick me back up off the floor.

Turns out, what I call a binge and my doctor calls a binge are two different things lol. So no "official" binge. But I did fall off the wagon, and he said just as "CheckYes" did: NOT TO DO IT EVER AGAIN. And for the same resons. So, I am glad to say Im back on protien liquid and looking forward to losing more weight. 10lbs gone this week! The nice thing is, Im not REALLY hungry. Even when I fell off the wagon, it wasnt because I was hungry, I just had the urge to chew, and chew, and chew more. So I have no fills and yet Im still feeling good. Thanks again to all of you for the support. Cant wait to make some band friends here =)

[phatgirl 2011 1]

Good job My_Turn. All that worry for nothing. :-) now its time for me to make a Protein Shake. vanilla Unjury, 2 % milk and some sugar free vanilla pudding mix. Let's see how this works. Still strugging with the Protein here. If u come across anything simply marvelous please let meknow.

Cheers!

[patyann 14]

Look the truth of it is this - You're human - you will fail - you will suceed. If it were easy no of us would be here. As the old proverb says "Fall down 7 get up 8" Good luck to you- know that you can do this!

[DRobjohns 3]

Good job My_Turn. All that worry for nothing. :-) now its time for me to make a Protein shake. Vanilla unjury, 2 % milk and some sugar free vanilla pudding mix. Let's see how this works. Still strugging with the Protein here. If u come across anything simply marvelous please let meknow.

Cheers!

I use the Unjury powders, too, but mostly the unflavored. I'm having a hard time finding a Protein Drink that I can actually say that I like. I use unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze, unflavored Unjury, a splash of vanilla extract, a dash of nutmeg and a dash of cinnamon. That is the only combo that I've been able to drink consistently. I wish I could find a ready-to-drink shake that didn't make me gag. I hate aspartame or any kind of artificial sweetener, so I think I'm SOL when it comes to RTD shakes!

Glad to hear that you are doing good on Day 4! I also struggled with the liquid phase post-op. You don't realize how much you miss chewing until you can't!

My_Turn -- so glad to hear that your dr appt went well!! Don't ya just love this website?! Whenever I need a reality check or some motivation there are always "friends" here at LapBandTalk!!

We are all FABULOUS!!