Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum - Considering Dr. Kirshenbaum

[MissMom24 2]

Hi Dee~

I am down 5 this week!!! YAY!!!! I guess that ALL that gym time is working. Hopefully it will just keep on coming!

[MissMom24 2]

YOU WILL LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your band Cheryl!!! It is by far the BEST decision I have EVER made!

WELCOME!!!

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Hi Dee~

I am down 5 this week!!! YAY!!!! I guess that ALL that gym time is working. Hopefully it will just keep on coming!

Congrats! I've got to hit the gym like a mad woman this coming week. I've been working a lot of extra to save money for my daughter's tuition! So I've neglected my body! ARGH!

[deboregon 0]

Okay, Miss Dee, put this girl down for -8.4 this week!!!:tt2::tongue2::wub:

Finally, good movement downward!! That is almost 57 pounds for me since the first of August! I can't wait for the pool to open to start an exercise program....since I haven't exercised at all since surgery:eek::coffee:

We are finally having family over for xmas dinner since everything was postponed due to the unnatural snowstorm we had! Sheesh, we can finally take down the tree tomorrow!

[jmegirl 2]

Okay, Miss Dee, put this girl down for -8.4 this week!!!:tt2::tongue2::wub:

That's outstanding!!! GO Deb!!! :coffee:

Oh, I can see all my smilies on the right side of the reply box now. Yay! Looks like they fixed something!

[MissCheryl 0]

YOU WILL LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your band Cheryl!!! It is by far the BEST decision I have EVER made!

WELCOME!!!

MissMom,

Thanks! I'm very excited!

Cheryl

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Okay, Miss Dee, put this girl down for -8.4 this week!!!:tt2::tongue2::wub:

Finally, good movement downward!! That is almost 57 pounds for me since the first of August! I can't wait for the pool to open to start an exercise program....since I haven't exercised at all since surgery:eek::coffee:

We are finally having family over for xmas dinner since everything was postponed due to the unnatural snowstorm we had! Sheesh, we can finally take down the tree tomorrow!

Oh my Goodness Deb!!! You need to adjust your goal now!!!

You're almost there!

[Amethystjade 1]

im down 7lbs for this week!! woot, that fill really helped because i couldnt keep anything down at first, but I think I have it somewhat down now.. It was great meeting you all at red robin! I cant wait for next time!

Now back to work, and I need to catch up on all of these post for the last week!

[Dan-in-OC 0]

Hey there banders. Still new here and only 4 days post surgery (1/7). I have another newbie question.

Following the diet dr k. recommends I find that I am only able to eat (read drink as I am liquid still) a cup or two at a time. however I get hungry very quickly, usually every hour or two. Is this normal? I don't even know what to feel or what it will feel like to be restricted.

Good news is I am down 10lbs since my surgery and down 23 total since pre-op.

[julie.ann 1]

Hey there banders. Still new here and only 4 days post surgery (1/7). I have another newbie question.

Following the diet dr k. recommends I find that I am only able to eat (read drink as I am liquid still) a cup or two at a time. however I get hungry very quickly, usually every hour or two. Is this normal? I don't even know what to feel or what it will feel like to be restricted.

Good news is I am down 10lbs since my surgery and down 23 total since pre-op.

Dan remember that liquids should go right through. They shouldn't get held up. It is fine that you are getting hungry so quickly. Your body is also spending alot of energy healing. Listen to what your body tells you. Make sure you get plenty of Protein as soon as you start the shakes. I even bought the shot of 42 gms of protein that comes in a test tube looking container. (3 oz in each on) I just couldn't get me protein in otherwise. Once you start eating the swelling you have might put you into banders euphoria for a while. That lasted for about 3 1/2 weeks for me. Then you enter bandster hell which is where you have no restriction and have to work hard to not eat too much before you can get in for your first fill.

If you are hungry eat/drink. Again this is a time for recovery NOT WEIGHT LOSS! Sure weight loss before your first fill is nice, but don't focus on it.If you lose weight, but don't heal right itis not worth it!

Take care and keep us posted!

Group Hug!:thumbdown:

[jmegirl 2]

Hey there banders. Still new here and only 4 days post surgery (1/7). I have another newbie question.

Following the diet dr k. recommends I find that I am only able to eat (read drink as I am liquid still) a cup or two at a time. however I get hungry very quickly, usually every hour or two. Is this normal? I don't even know what to feel or what it will feel like to be restricted.

Good news is I am down 10lbs since my surgery and down 23 total since pre-op.

Dan I'm so glad you've joined our group. Feel free to come here with all of your questions!

I've read so many different reactions to hunger following surgery. Some people don't feel hunger for up to a week and have to force themselves to get in their calories/protein. Others are faced with hunger every few hours starting almost immediately. It's really a crap shoot as to which group you'll be in, haha.

Personally, I didn't feel real hunger until about Day 6, and even then, I didn't start getting hungry every couple of hours until about 3wks post-op, at which point it was almost time for my fill, so I didn't have much Bandster Hell to go through - thank goodness! I have terrible will power!

What you have to remember during this time is that you are not supposed to be losing weight. Sure, it's nice to see the scale move, but you're healing from surgery right now, and for the next 4-6 weeks you're going to see the scale do a lot of great things...and maybe even some not-so-great things. The important thing is that you follow what your body tells you. When you're hungry, eat. Because your body needs nutrients in order to continue the healing process.

More often that not, as soon as you start real foods people tend to gain a few pounds. I was thankful to have just maintained once I hit regular foods. But if this happens, don't fret! We've all been there, we've all done that, and it'll be OK. When I went for my first fill, according to Dr. K's scales I had only lost 3lbs....in 4 weeks. Talk about heart-breaking! But he said not to worry, that I was healing and that any loss was a good one. :thumbdown:

Gosh, I just love that guy. :wub:

[BellaPerdente 0]

Hey Julieann,

I would say that you don't need a fill. IF you are satiated for 4-6 hours - then you are in the green zone. Losing weight isn't always the litamus test, it's rather how much you're eating and how long you're satiated. IF you only eat your 1 cup to 1 1/2 cup and are able to be satiated for 4 hours or greater then you're not ready for a fill.

Everyone of us is different. Some of us have found good restriction early on with minimum fill! I was one of those people and it seems Deb might be too.

We have to remember that "head hunger" is not the same as "tummy hunger" and we have to learn the difference. So if we are able to eat more than our 1 1/2 cup of food, perhaps it's not because we are truly hungry, but because we desire it. Before a fill, I do something that helps me. I diligently measure my food and eat. I take one day and eat solid Protein for each meal, I write down what time I complete my meal and how much I ate, I don't drink for 1 hour post meal and then when I start feeling hungry, I note the time. IF it's less than 4 hours, then I am pretty sure I need a fill. IF it's longer than 4 hours, I don't get one.

I have to confess, this isn't easy. But being too tight isn't easy either! If you talk to Natalie or Dr. K about your fill, I bet they would be more than happy to accomodate you, should your restriction leave before your next appt.

Hi all. Congrats to all the great losses the first week of the valentine challenge. I would like to jump in if I can. I would like to lose 12 pounds. I am going to say that I lost 2 pounds this first week.

I need some fill advice. I am scheduled to get a fill on Wed. I guess I am scared because of the last experience. I read your post Dee and it made so much sense. I really haven't had a real fill since Sept. I get hungry OFTEN, but I still get stuck alot. I think I am getting stuck because I am eating too fast and the bites are too big. I WANT TO FILL FULL WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF FOOD, not just being tight. I thought the fills were to help you feel full not so tight that you can't eat. Should I get a fill????

[jmegirl 2]

Hi all. Congrats to all the great losses the first week of the valentine challenge. I would like to jump in if I can. I would like to lose 12 pounds. I am going to say that I lost 2 pounds this first week.

I need some fill advice. I am scheduled to get a fill on Wed. I guess I am scared because of the last experience. I read your post Dee and it made so much sense. I really haven't had a real fill since Sept. I get hungry OFTEN, but I still get stuck alot. I think I am getting stuck because I am eating too fast and the bites are too big. I WANT TO FILL FULL WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF food, not just being tight. I thought the fills were to help you feel full not so tight that you can't eat. Should I get a fill????

I would suggest you try to concentrate on taking smaller bites and chewing properly, then if you can get yourself used to doing that all the time, try for another fill. Another fill will only make your stuck episodes worse if you don't get a handle on the big bites.

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Hi all. Congrats to all the great losses the first week of the valentine challenge. I would like to jump in if I can. I would like to lose 12 pounds. I am going to say that I lost 2 pounds this first week.

I need some fill advice. I am scheduled to get a fill on Wed. I guess I am scared because of the last experience. I read your post Dee and it made so much sense. I really haven't had a real fill since Sept. I get hungry OFTEN, but I still get stuck alot. I think I am getting stuck because I am eating too fast and the bites are too big. I WANT TO FILL FULL WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF food, not just being tight. I thought the fills were to help you feel full not so tight that you can't eat. Should I get a fill????

Hi Bella!

I totally agree with Jaime! You have to really get on top of the smaller bites and appropriate band choices of food. Not all foods should be eaten with the band, I believe. If you're getting stuck, you're truly not prepared for another fill. It will just make the stuck episodes worse. Remember it's vomiting that causes the most band problems down the road.

If you have good restriction, you're not supposed to be vomiting and PB'g but rather you're supposed to have good satiety. As difficult as it is, Pea Sized bites is what we are supposed to be eating. Pea Sized bites that we chew and chew and chew are optimum.

I would suggest, really monitoring your bite sizes and chewing habits. Measure, take your tiny bites and then see how long it takes you to get hungry. IF you get stuck or vomit with a meal, that's not a true meal that can honestly be used to see how long you're satiated. Does that make sense? If you eat your 1 to 1 1/2 cup of food and are good for 4 hours, then you don't need a fill. But that's consuming your 1 1/2 cup of food (solid protein), no vomit or PB'g, no drinking for 1 hour and then it's time to see how long you're satiated. Feeling full isn't the purpose of the band. It's not good for your band to feel full, we are supposed to just not feel hungry. If you're feeling full, you're packing your pouch and can have a stretched stomach, which would require a total unfill and rest period. We're supposed to eat until we aren't hungry anymore and satisfied, not full.

Think of this - 0 is starving 10 is so full you want to throw up (Thanksgiving full feeling) 5 is not hungry, not full feeling. You should be at a 5 or maybe 6. Seriously being full is not good for your band.

I have to say I have only felt full once since being banded. It was about a week after banding when I drank an entire Low Carb Slim fast drink. IT felt horrible. It doesn't feel the same as it did preband.

What does everyone else think?

[MissMom24 2]

Bella...

Try a baby or toddler fork. I swear it sounds crazy, but it works!