Is my Lap Band working?

[Sandraz1036 10]

I had my lap band surgery on January 16th. I followed the two week pre-diet and have successfully completed the two weeks after. However, I am a little concerned. After almost 4 weeks of eating a very light diet, mostly liquids, I had my first real meal tonight and then some. I had baked fish and spinach at first for dinner. I was still hungry and indulged in fat free sherbet. Shortly after that I was still hungry and had two heaping bowls of oatmeal. Is there something wrong with my Lap band? Why was I able to eat this without having the food get stuck, etc. Is my stomach healing and possibly, I won't have full restraint until my first fill which is Feb. 11th.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

I don't want to put on weight after successfully losing 25 pounds in 4 weeks.

Kindly advise and thank you.

Sandy

[2muchfun 8,927]

Your band won't work it's magic till it's adjusted properly. That might be 1 fill or 6. What you're going through happened to almost everyone of us. It's normal.

Some doctors leave the band unfilled, so the stoma is wide open. Each fill shrinks the size of the stoma/opening until you feel restriction/satiety. I could eat anything I wanted for 4 months till my 3rd fill gave me some restriction/satiety.

Hang in there, this will be a thing of the past someday but for now, it's still just another diet.

tmr

[2muchfun 8,927]

BTW-Did your doctor clear you for eating solids? That's unusual?

tmf

[Sandraz1036 10]

Yes, I was given the o.k. to eat mushy food on my third week which started today. Everything I ate was mushy and listed in the food list. From what I am finding out, each doctor has there own opinion on what their patients should eat during these weeks following surgery. I couldn't wait until my third week which started today, and boy did I cure my hunger pangs. I was just so worried that something was wrong since I could eat as much as I did. Thank you for easing my mind. I am glad this appears to be a normal thing for everyone. I am looking forward to my first fill. I've come this far and I don't want to fail. Thanks for replying to my message. It really means a lot.

Sandy

[2muchfun 8,927]

Yes, I was given the o.k. to eat mushy food on my third week which started today. Everything I ate was mushy and listed in the food list. From what I am finding out, each doctor has there own opinion on what their patients should eat during these weeks following surgery. I couldn't wait until my third week which started today, and boy did I cure my hunger pangs. I was just so worried that something was wrong since I could eat as much as I did. Thank you for easing my mind. I am glad this appears to be a normal thing for everyone. I am looking forward to my first fill. I've come this far and I don't want to fail. Thanks for replying to my message. It really means a lot.

Sandy

Yes, good news is, you're normal. Bad news, welcome to what we call Bandster Hell! I was in it for 4 months but it's worth it.

[Sandraz1036 10]

Bandster's Hell, Hey I like that! That fits perfectly with how I feel. For as much research as I did and all the questions I asked, I still find myself second guessing how this whole thing works. Any tips or advice you can offer?

[2muchfun 8,927]

I managed to not gain any weight over the 4 month period(of Bandster hell) by trying to stick to healthy food. I didn't follow the 1/2-1 cup rule most of the time but I ate healthy foods like chicken, seafood, salads, veggies etc.

I did seem to find that I could feel satisfied by eating less food which is what the band is supposed to do. But I could still eat slider foods to my hearts content the few times I exposed myself to these foods. Slider foods are taco bell foods, ice cream, chips/dips.

Start watching for the signals that you're no longer hungry or no longer feel like you need or want to eat. Hiccups, runny nose, pressure near your sternum, burping can all be signals you can stop eating and feel satisfied for hours. These are all subtle hints and you really need to listen/feel them. Don't drink and eat at the same time. Eat Protein first.

Here are some very good videos for you to study. Obey your doctors orders but this Dr, Dr O'Brien, is one of the foremost bariatric surgeons in the world. These videos will give you a much better understanding how this all works. Much of the stuff we heard in seminars and nutrition classes lacked clarity. These videos can clear some of the fog. Good luck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa3Lwt6ElIs&list=UL Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4jYJipQ7vc part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wbdhf44ZweI&feature=relmfu Part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF3TCKUn3YI Part 4

Edited January 31, 2014 by 2muchfun

[Sandraz1036 10]

Thank you so much for your tips. I really appreciate it. I will definitely look at these videos. Unfortunately, I did not have to attend a seminar and am a little disappointed with the place I chose to have the procedure. It felt like a car wash. In and out very quickly. The doctor met me 5 minutes before the surgery and never afterwards. Most of my research was my own. However, the place was very clean, and they did have a very nice and experienced medical staff. However, I think this surgery has become so common to many physicians that it is no longer looked upon as a big deal. I think the surgeon is just very confident over his work. I never have to see him again unless there is a problem. I found this to be weird as I thought I would have at least a follow up visit after surgery but this was not the case. My advocate has not called me once after the surgery to see how I am doing. With the above said, I am so glad I found this site. I think any questions or concerns I may have, others have gone through the same, and can offer advice like yourself.

Very much appreciated.

Sandy

[terrydumont46 1,954]

Sandy, i don't know the type of place you had your surgeon, but for your lapband to work properly you will be needing to see someone at least once a month to have little fills in your band. you get used to each fill until you are in what we call the green zone or sweet spot. a place that you can't eat more than a cup of food and stay satisfied for h4-5 hours between meals. when i was in the place you are now i swear i ate a 8 oz rib eye steak. i thought the band would stop me and it didn't. but now 2 oz would be pushing it for me. the real purpose of this time period in a successful bandster is to get used to eating a cup or less of food 3 meals a day. you will be hungry but believe me once your band starts to get adjusted you will be glad you measured your food and learned during what is called bandster hell. good luck to you and good luck making good choices. those videos that 2 much posted are really great videos. please be sure to watch them.

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,721]

yes the band is working

and you will do fine...you were only banded

a couple weeks ago.....the first 4 to 6 weeks you

are healing and very swollen....TMF is right, go slow

those video's offer great wisdom and knowledge.

just because one has a band does not mean they will get

stuck or they can eat as they did before...although some say different...for example: i have not ever been stuck and i am nearly 20 months post op....you will learn, eat slow, take small bites and enjoy eating and def eat Protein esp when truly hungry and not when one thinks they are.

again, let your body heal up properly and now

is a great time for you to get your mind into the game...as now you wil find as the swelling is going down, you may start to be hungry or hungrier...drink a lot, stay busy...eat to live and not live to eat anymore..

congrats on your recent surgery.

Edited January 31, 2014 by ☠carolinagirl☠

[Sandraz1036 10]

TerryDumont46; Carolinagirl and 2muchfun:

Thanks for your feedback. How long did it take you to hit your sweet spot with the fills? How do you know your at that point? What do you feel like? What will my first appointment be like for my fill? Do they have an amount that they start you with and go from there or do they inject you and ask you how you feel? Does it hurt when they inject you? Will I feel sick afterwards?

Carolinagirl, wow! You lost 153 pounds. How long did this take you? Has the weight steadily come off or did you have a difficult time in the beginning and finally saw the weight come off later on? Hell, all of you guys are doing great! I can't wait until I lose enough weight where people notice and I am forced to buy new clothes. I can't wait to lose this extra person.

Any tips you can provide me with? I want to be successful. My husband is a little hesitate that I will succeed only because he has seen me try diet after diet with no success. However, I told him this lap band was going to be what made it happen. I am confident that I can do it this time.

Sandy

[Bandista 7,466]

Hi Sandy, so glad you found this forum -- glad to have you here! I have learned so much from the people here -- far more than any information I've gotten through my surgeon and the materials I was given. One thing stands out -- all are protocols are different and so are our bodies. It's hard to know how long it may take to reach the green zone. I was banded in November (and on mushies day 8 by the way), then first fill about a month out. Some people have a partial fill at the time of surgery -- also called a primed band. A few people have band and Plication. I just had a regular Lapband procedure with no fill but I think my followup schedule is fairly aggressive -- 11 scheduled visits with the surgeon in the first year following surgery. This is when I realize how important that relationship is. My surgeon is great but the follow up appointments are a little wham bam thank you, ma'am. I've really followed other people's journeys to the green zone here on the forum so I'd know for myself when I am there. My surgeon describes the goal as being satisfied on a tennis ball sized portion of food for 4-5 hours. I'm so glad 2muchfun posted those you tube videos -- those were so helpful for me. I have had five fills and may be in the green zone. I won't know for a few weeks. But what I do know is my appetite has dimmed considerably and I feel able to distinguish between real hunger and old habits (evening grazing in my case). You will get there bit by bit. Follow up for fills is very, very important so make sure that is all set. And keep in touch here -- read, ask questions, ignore the occasional BS and keep thanking yourself for deciding to turn your life around. Best wishes to you!

[Bandista 7,466]

Oh, one more thing. Tell your husband it takes time to get the band working for you and under no circumstances should you feel under any pressure. This is not a diet, it's a lifestyle change and it doesn't happen overnight. He will be glad it's not just another diet you are on as you will be able to fully enjoy food, just in very small amounts at appropriate intervals. That's my goal anyway, and so far so good!

[Sandraz1036 10]

Hi Bandista:

Thank you. I am very happy I found this Forum as well. Unfortunately, I had my procedure done through True Results and I won't be seeing the surgeon ever again, unless something goes wrong (Knock on wood). They seem to be a lot less formal and personable. However, the process was quick and I was able to obtain financing through them for this procedure. So it worked for me. Hearing others have gone through what I have is very comforting. I was really concerned the band wasn't working since I was able to eat such a large meal yesterday. After yesterday, I have been good, though. I was just so hungry and was waiting for the band to kick in which it never did so I got real worried. My first fill is scheduled on 2/11. I do plan on having this done every month at least for the first year. Should everything go well, I believe I should be at my goal weight at the end of a year anyway.

I understand where my husband is coming from. However, this is why I chose this particular procedure because I don't want to deprive myself from food I love. I just want to be able to control my portions and be in control of myself.

Again, thank you.

Sandy