June 2007 Bandsters

[o2bthin 0]

I didn't have to worry about eating all the 8 oz of chicken (actually my portion breast was 5.4 oz out of the pkg) because my dogs ate it, but I don't know that I could have. I think with any diet or recipe, you have to adjust for your restriction level. I am due for another 2 cc in my band, and at that time, I may only be limited to 1/2 cup of food. Right now, I can eat about 1 cup, unless I eat too fast or get the first bite thing.

When I'm free-for-all eating, I can't control myself and forget about counting calories....I don't have time or the energy. I just eat what I want, healthy low carb and low fat, but a lot fits into that range, and I don't lose. I am lucky if I lose 1 pound a month, exercising all the while. I'm just the type of person that has to follow a diet to lose, plus exercise. I will probably have to low carb my entire life due to my diabetes and insulin resistance. That's just me. I don't recommend any diet to any person, I just tell you what's working for me. I'm still trying to figure this out and make it work for ME.

I still am holding onto the dream that my band will do the work, tell me when not to eat more, tell me what foods won't work, make me feel full, content, never be hungry, lose my cravings.......

[Ange123 0]

I am currently in the holdong pattern waiting for my first fill. although it is scheduled for 27th August. (Special;ists in NZ prefer to wait for healing before filling.

when I had my surgery my specialist presented me with a picture of a Cyst !!! Bugger and then advised I do need to do something about it.

So I made a appointment with my Gynae and she sent me for Ultra Sound , then I had to have a MRI scan (that MRI was awful) any way I went back to the gynae on Wed and she said that the cyst is the size of a tennis ball and it has to come out Grrrrr. I had had a hystorectomy last year and lost an ovary then so I only have one and it is doing over time growing. so they have booked my in for the 14th September I have no choice.

I now feel frustrated cause if I did not have the surgery I would have no clue that I had a cyst.the only upside is I hope it weighs a lot i guess every little bit helps.

My question is will I still be filled with my impending surgery ????

Does any one know.

[insubordination 0]

Not sure about that Ange. I guess you should ask your banding Dr for his opinion. I'm so glad they found this problem. A tennis ball!?

Please keep us posted.

O2B - the dog story was hilarious. They can really help you on your lap band experience.

BCrazy, I guess the fullness is different. A bit higher up but definitely still the stomach. It can back up in the mid-lower chest too. I'm not sure why. Maybe it is food waiting to go down? The burping and gurgling starts with a vengeance. It is different for everyone, I'm sure.

[ja9va 0]

Stef and bcrazy, How many brussel sprouts and broccoli spears can you eat with your Protein? 2 or 3? I have a problem fitting in vegies and I love them, because if you eat 4 oz of protein that is the amount you are to stop at? It is all hard balancing it out. the same with fruit.

pippz thanks for the added info on the fill and the air pushing it out. I will be curious to see when I go next Friday for my second fill how much is really in there. I to have a hard to find port, and they won't be using a flouro this time either, it will be in the office. It should be an experience!

Rhonda, loved your Dog story!! My dog has done that to my dh several times, and I LOL when it happens. I keep telling him not to leave it on the counter close in his reach... it is not good but funny. Your diet is a lot of food and not sure with the band you can fit it all in, but like you said you can modify. And it is what works for you!!

stef Hang in there with the weight gain. It was less than a pound, but i know how frustrating. You are exercising a lot which sometimes builds muscle for a short weight gain to turn around and lose more! At least that is what they told me when I was pi--- this happened to me!

[TexasFire 84]

Stef and bcrazy, How many brussel sprouts and broccoli spears can you eat with your Protein? 2 or 3? I have a problem fitting in vegies and I love them, because if you eat 4 oz of protein that is the amount you are to stop at? It is all hard balancing it out. the same with fruit.

stef Hang in there with the weight gain. It was less than a pound, but i know how frustrating. You are exercising a lot which sometimes builds muscle for a short weight gain to turn around and lose more! At least that is what they told me when I was pi--- this happened to me!

Before my third fill, I was always eating a 3 oz. portion of protein, and I could eat a full cup of veggies. Now I can't even get close to that...probably 1/2 a cup or less of veggies, maybe a bite of fruit for a little something sweet at the end.

Thanks for the encouragement on my gain this week. I weighed this morning and was 209.2, so that takes care of my gain twice over! I know these things can fluctuate so much, even within a single day, but I'll take it! LOL

[Suzzzie. 3]

I am currently in the holdong pattern waiting for my first fill. although it is scheduled for 27th August. (Special;ists in NZ prefer to wait for healing before filling.

when I had my surgery my specialist presented me with a picture of a Cyst !!! Bugger and then advised I do need to do something about it.

So I made a appointment with my Gynae and she sent me for Ultra Sound , then I had to have a MRI scan (that MRI was awful) any way I went back to the gynae on Wed and she said that the cyst is the size of a tennis ball and it has to come out Grrrrr. I had had a hystorectomy last year and lost an ovary then so I only have one and it is doing over time growing. so they have booked my in for the 14th September I have no choice.

I now feel frustrated cause if I did not have the surgery I would have no clue that I had a cyst.the only upside is I hope it weighs a lot i guess every little bit helps.

My question is will I still be filled with my impending surgery ????

Does any one know.

I have a co-worker who had an ovarian cyst removed last year - it was just slightly smaller than a volley ball and weighed 33 pounds!! When she came back to work she was so stinking skinny! Lol.

Good luck to you and your surgery!!

[TexasFire 84]

Before I started flipping houses, I held an executive postition at a large company. I stopped by my old office to say hello yesterday...I hadn't seen these folks since Spring, before the band. When I popped into one the programmers' offices, he couldn't even speak...his jaw open! He couldn't believe the difference in my weight! What a great feeling! :whoo:

[Ange123 0]

thanks for the support, I willdefinately keep you informed,

Take care all tallk soon

[lo2us 1]

Hey y'all. Been mega busy this week and haven't had time to check in for a while. I hope everyone's okay!

I'm starting to feel run down and very tired. Probably the worst I've felt since post op. I know I have gotten in enough Protein. Anyone else experience anything like this?

I go for my 2nd fill on Monday afternoon and plan on discussing it with the doc.

[mjsafari 0]

I think I finally have good restriction, at least for now. I am 2 days out from my 3rd fill. I am only able to eat small amounts at one time, I have to take VERY small bites and have to sip any fluids. This is good! I hope it stays. I finally broke my plateau! Going to the state fair in 95 degree weather, the day after a fill is what did it! :-) I didn't eat any "fair food", all I had was one big lemonade. I was planning on a bite of a fried Twinkie, but I felt full most of the day, so I didn't even want that.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

[TexasFire 84]

I'm glad you are feeling good...feeling restriction...and broke your plateau! And getting out like that to the fair must've been fun.

Fried Twinkie?!?!? What in the world...?!?!? As if a Twinkie weren't bad enough...they are frying them now?!?!? LOL How do they come out looking?

[Suzzzie. 3]

Stef - Can't believe you've never heard of a fried Twinkie!! Lol. I've never had one, but I"ve seen them. They even featured them on the food Network once.

OK all - I'm depressed. It's cause I can't eat. Lol. Isn'tthis what I wanted? So my fill is good, for now at least. I've had to force myself to get in 70gm of Protein today... and I can't imagine eating any more. Water has been a struggle too - and that has NEVER been a problem for me.

It's not that I'm over-filled or its painful or anything. I'm just not hungry in the slightest. Which never stopped me before either - but I have head hunger. I want food... but I just know that it will take me so long to eat it or whatever, and I don't even bother with it since I"m not hungry. IS that crazy? So not being able to have access to binging I was wanting ice cream. Ice cream has always been my #1 comfort food since I was a little kid. ANd i knew it would go down easy. So when I was out running errands earlier I stopped at the grocery store. But I didn't even get out of my car cause ice cream didn't sound good. I wanted it cause I know the creamy cold comfort that it would provide - but then all I could think about was who sickly sweat it would be in my mouth and how even with it being a melting food and that it would go down easy, that I still wouldn't be able to eat as much as I used to... the amount it took to make me feel numb (emotionally, not from the coldness.)

OK, is ANY of this making sense? And i crazy here? I"ve never just not eaten because of not being hungry. Appetite has never had anything to do with me eating... I could always eat anything at anytime. I preferred going to all you can eat buffets when I wasn't hungry because I could eat more then than I could when I was hungry - which is weird in itself.

Seriously, I've walked to my freezer a dozen times today and looked at this frozen cheesey garlic french bread thing and wanted it so bad... but it just wasn't worth the effort it was going to take to eat it. Lol. I'm crazy, aren't I?

[hottytoddy 0]

OMG... I have now slimed!

Attempted to eat a french fry tonight. BIG mistake! I felt pain like none other... eyes welled up... felt like I needed to puke. I went in the bathroom and it felt like I was puking but all that came up was a big pile of clear, thick slime! The french fry passed on through after that.

I think that is partly how the band works. It totally takes the joy out of eating. It's just not worth it anymore! I am 2 days into my 2nd fill (2ccs of omnipac in a 4cc band). I'm still not sure what restriction is. I'm not hungry as much, but I feel food going through my band.

I've heard that the band sends a signal to your hypothalmus in the brain just by being in the spot it's in on the stomach. It tricks the brain into thinking you're full. I think there is something to this. I'm not even sure food actually stays in the pouch.

If I eat small bites, I feel the food go through the band. If I eat a large bite, I have horrible pain and slime/pb or it passes very painfully. This just doesn't make sense to me. If the food is supposed to stay in the pouch for a long time, why do you pb instantly? You would think it would hang around in the pouch for a while and then you would pb later when there is just no way to pass it.

I think the brain is tricked and the joy of eating is lost... and that's how the band works! Or at least mine!! Just a thought...

[mjsafari 0]

Stef - THANKS! I am happy also. Deep Fried Twinkie - dipped in funnel cake batter and stuck in the deep fryer long enough for that to cook. The sponge of the Twinkie kind of absorbs the funnel cake batter and the creamy inside gets all gooey. It is VERY sweet - I had 2 bites a couple of years ago way before the band and couldn't eat anymore, so after my fill, it didn't even sound good anymore.

I have not actually PBd or slimed yet - but I definitely have the stuck feeling if I eat too large a bite! It hurts!

[Suzzzie. 3]

OMG... I have now slimed!

Attempted to eat a french fry tonight. BIG mistake! I felt pain like none other... eyes welled up... felt like I needed to puke. I went in the bathroom and it felt like I was puking but all that came up was a big pile of clear, thick slime! The french fry passed on through after that.

I think that is partly how the band works. It totally takes the joy out of eating. It's just not worth it anymore! I am 2 days into my 2nd fill (2ccs of omnipac in a 4cc band). I'm still not sure what restriction is. I'm not hungry as much, but I feel food going through my band.

I've heard that the band sends a signal to your hypothalmus in the brain just by being in the spot it's in on the stomach. It tricks the brain into thinking you're full. I think there is something to this. I'm not even sure food actually stays in the pouch.

If I eat small bites, I feel the food go through the band. If I eat a large bite, I have horrible pain and slime/pb or it passes very painfully. This just doesn't make sense to me. If the food is supposed to stay in the pouch for a long time, why do you pb instantly? You would think it would hang around in the pouch for a while and then you would pb later when there is just no way to pass it.

I think the brain is tricked and the joy of eating is lost... and that's how the band works! Or at least mine!! Just a thought...

I've wondered the same thing. I mean, I know food now passes through the band slowly, so that we can't eat fast now... but it can't stay up there, or else we'd be sick, right? I mean, yesterday my smoothie was going very slowly through the band and it was uncomfortable when it was above the band.