Is it only me? Help!

[spiffy86 0]

Caryn<

I am so happy I found your thread. I was banded the end of December and have lost 21 pounds so far (I am finally looking at the 200's again ::glare: I was starting to get nervous the last week. I am in classes right now for my master's degree, teaching in a new classroom and have an active family,. I have been getting those old feelings to curb my stress by eating it away, I actually did go through the Taco bell drive-thru because "dammit I earned it" (I did just get one taco and a small lemonade but felt very defiant) I am going for my first fill on Tuesday and hope that i will be getting the full benefit of my new tool (I am very encouraged by what i have read about what a difference the fill makes) Good luck to all of you and i am feeling very lucky not to be in this alone

Peace, spiffy in seattle

p.s. how to you change the weight on your ticker? Do I have to create a new one or can I just update this one?

[Bandana 0]

KAT,

I wish my surgeon had gone into the explanations about the different phases of foods from liquids to soft solids, etc. I too like information and need to understand why. This probably would have helped me. No one even explained to me the cuts and stitches I would have after surgery and I asked the nurse if I have stitches and she didn't know because I was bandaged up. I usually ask questions and I need to take a more involved approach. I wish I had joined this forum before my surgery. Your wisdom is greatly appreciated.

[Bandana 0]

Spiffy,

Good luck with yout first fill. I'm scheduled for March 7 and hope, no I will stick to my post op diet until then. You and I haven't come this far for nothing. Hang in there and I will too.

[Kat817 19]

Thanks Caryn!

Spiffy, if you just click on your ticker, you can sign in at the site, and just enter your new weight and it automatically changes. Great job---you should start noticing some health changes, every bit you lose makes big changes. I started noticing the changes at about a 10% loss. Hope your first fill is an easy one, and brings the change you are looking for!

Kat

[DLW 0]

I have a question about the PBing. I've had it I think 2 times since my banding 11/5/07. My question is... does it happen to anyone else like it does to me. The slimming lasted for 3 hours the first time with very little coming up. The 2nd time it lasted 1 1/2 hours. Slimming, spitting the foamy stuff up and then I literally got sick to my stomach and threw up just a very little. It was a piece of meat, very small. I did make sure to chew well too. That is why I don't understand why it happened. I haven't heard of anyone on here having this last so long like me. Am I just fighting the throwing up part too much or is there some other issue I don't know about. It was pure hell the first time and I was exhausted after. The 2nd time I was just pretty much spitting up the "foamy flem" until I finally got sick. I'm sorry about being so graphic but it was the only way I could explain my predicament. Please forgive me for it.

Dianne

[beachgal 0]

I had my surgery 1/28/08 and did good on my post op diet for 3 weeks but then I started "cheating". Am I the only one??? I have not had a fill yet but when the food is by me I will eat it. I don't feel I have control. I am very ashamed that I did this surgery and feel good enough to eat regular food and "cheat". Please tell me I'm not the only one and that I'll have more control after my fills.:blushing:

I was banded on 2/4/08 and am very surprised at how much food can get through the band. I am sick of drinking things and have had pizza, and sandwiches. Even though I'm not supposed to, I start to eat but don't stop until I feel full and by that time it results in noises coming from my stomach and diarrhea. I don't know how I'm supposed to get 50 gms of Protein without drinking those shakes that I can't stand.

[beachgal 0]

I forgot to mention that my first fill is 3/4/08 and from what everyone says it's supposed to be a big help.

[Stevenbek 2]

I have had my first fill and in the three weeks following I lost 9lbs. I was very excited about my progress. Now it's been almost 5 weeks and I am at the exact same weight. I feel like such a failure. I am able to eat quite a bit more than when I was filled and I find myself not wanting to pick up the phone and make that phone call for another fill! I am embarrassed that I have not lost any more weight. I am eating more than I know I should. I am afraid to face the truth. The surgery truly is a tool and mentally I am still that fat girl that finds comfort in food. Overall, I have lost about 70 lbs from pre op to now, but I still have about 120 more to go, I don't know if I really have it in me to be successful.

[Crazy4MyK9 0]

Hi Kat,

Thanks for your awesome posts! I also had strict guidelines for my post-op diet. To be honest, I'm dumbfounded when I read how some folks here have been instructed. I searched many websites from reputable hospitals, and all of them had very similar post-op diets. I just hope everyone will be OK. I know the post-op diet can be tough. I went through 2-3 days of depression. My only cheating was dipping my finger in a ketchup packet. How desperate is that!

Anyhoo, I have a question from your first long post. I didn't know that the surgeon pulls the lower stomach over the band. Did you learn this from your surgeon?

I feel for anyone in the post-op diet phase. I know it's rough. Hang in there, and try to do anything to keep yourself and your mind occupied.

[beachgal 0]

I know I'm pretty new at this, but in some of the things that I have read, it is very important for your to make that call and speak to your doctor. I know I would because I would be pissed that I wasn't losing anything for 5 weeks. They are there to help you get through this to your successful completion. And losing 70 lbs already is nothing to be ashamed of - congrats! But do call your dr.

[tytrice 0]

I had my surgery in July of 07 and still have not loss any weigh so don't feel bad

[tchilambe 0]

Kat and Caryn:

you are my angels - you are talking about what I needed to hear and exactly when I need to hear it. I am four weeks post banded and I am in hell. I really want to do right but I am really hungry and I cant seem to get the satisfaction from the liquids.

* I dont know what to eat for Breakfast because the Protein shakes have made me puke. Cant stand the taste!!

* I am not a cheese person, although I am trying cottage cheese

* I am meeting my Water required intake through Crystal Light - 2 Quarts

* I am eating regular solids especially meat but the quantity watched

* I am mentally struggling with this outlook towards eating, especially the high Protein, no fruit and veggies approach. Its undoing all i know about eating - theoritically! i miss my veggies.

* For the first time I have heard my stomach growl of hunger in a longtime which is a good feeling - although its pretty embarassing in business settings - but it just shows that I was stuffing myself all these years and never gave my body a chance to feel hungry.

* I have not had a fill - its scheduled for 03/03/08 hence I have resinged to the fact that my real bandster lifestyle will start after the fill - is this a wack way of thinking?

[tchilambe 0]

Kat and Caryn:

you are my angels - you are talking about what I needed to hear and exactly when I need to hear it. I am four weeks post banded and I am in hell. I really want to do right but I am really hungry and I cant seem to get the satisfaction from the liquids.

* I dont know what to eat for Breakfast because the Protein shakes have made me puke. Cant stand the taste!!

* I am not a cheese person, although I am trying cottage cheese

* I am meeting my Water required intake through Crystal Light - 2 Quarts

* I am eating regular solids especially meat but the quantity watched

* I am mentally struggling with this outlook towards eating, especially the high Protein, no fruit and veggies approach. Its undoing all i know about eating - theoritically! i miss my veggies.

* For the first time I have heard my stomach growl of hunger in a longtime which is a good feeling - although its pretty embarassing in business settings - but it just shows that I was stuffing myself all these years and never gave my body a chance to feel hungry.

* I have not had a fill - its scheduled for 03/03/08 hence I have resinged to the fact that my real bandster lifestyle will start after the fill - is this a wack way of thinking?

[Kat817 19]

Stevenbek---call your Dr. The fact that you have stopped losing is one of the factors they use to determine that you need another fill! There is nothing to be ashamed of--that is how it works! When you lose weight, often the band loosens due to the fat pad around or over the stomach diminishes some, and allows the band to loosen--requiring another fill. Just call, they will get ya fixxed up! Lots of surgeons figure about once a month is average for fills----you fit right in there!! As time goes on, you will be more able to feel your way forward with whether you need another fill or not, right now it sounds like you do! NOTHING to be ashamed of, and only 5 weeks, girl there have been people on this site, who have avoided the Dr, for years!!!!

tchilambe---what stage of foods does your surgeon have you on at this point? Mushies or a full diet? You know society says we are supposed to have breakfast foods in the morning, but it is not a law!!! Find somethings you do like to eat and have them! Sorry, I just re read, you are eating meat......ok!

I do not eat strictly Protein. I eat salads, and lots of veggies---less fruit than I would like to---but it is something I have to eat really slow, because most of it has such a high Water content, it tends to try to make me PB! I do it, just very slowly!!!

During mushies, I ate lots of cooked carrots, and still do! I eat Cereal for breakfast---I just cannot eat much of it! I eat yogurt for breakfast most days---it is easy, I can eat it as slow as I need to, I am tighter in the morning---so breakfast is small and slower than later in the day.

I eat lots of Beans....peanut butter....that type of thing, good Protein, they are higher in carb and calorie counts, but I do not over eat them, so have ate them all along.

I am not a perfect bandster!! I eat everything in moderation!

I try to keep healthy in mind---as opposed to a certain diet. Picture the size of your new pouch, and attempt to fill it with healthy food! With that in mind, I will eat my meat and green veggies, before I eat the starchy ones...but I will still have some.

I drink tea....lots and lots of tea!!! I did switch to Decaf tea-----and it is with Sweet & Low--not the healthiest, but it is how I drink it! I try to do some Water each day too---but I subsist liquid wise on tea. Not the ideal, but I like it! I do drink Crystal Light too, and know of people who live on it for fluid!

You will probably notice some difference when you get your fill, you might not get restriction right off the bat. But if you are at a point of being filled you should be back on a full diet, and you CAN have vegetables! And even fruits--just be careful, and thoughtful as to a health point. You do not have to eat nothing but meat for the rest of your life!

Find foods you do like, and stock up! Bandster Hell will pass--------it just FEELS like it lasts forever!!!

Crazy4myK9---yes, my surgeon had a band he let us mess with and handle. He used the sheet on my hospital bed and showed me this is your stomach...this is what I am going to do. And showed me where he would stitch, and how the scar tissue would form. Where he would be holding the liver back....all the little details of that sort. He was VERY thorough---and I was full of questions!!! And what I didn't ask, my DH did!!

Kat

[amamastime 0]

I was told by my doctor that the stomach noise is not in fact that your stomach is hungry, it is just empty. It took a good two months for my stomach to not make so much noise. When in a business meeting, yeah it is embarassing. However, I handled it one of two ways; either explain that breakfast/lunch/dinner didn't agree with you or drink some Water and comment how stipping a (meal name here) isn't good for the body.