I'm here to help...

[freespirit63 112]

My fill was 5.6 and I kept defilling until I ended up on empty which eventually I would have to do because I am having surgery. My reflux is as such....I have no heartburn, just feels raw and like I have a chunk sitting in my esophagus. You are right, I eat more then a cup of sliders but good Protein I sometimes can eat 2 oz, sometimes 5 oz. I make bad food choices and eat Desserts. I still have to contol what I eat and I suck at it. Any ideas what I can take for lunches? I can no longer eat sandwiches. I really do want to change.

[Great2BThin 5]

Eva, the wedding is March 26th. She is inviting about 160 not sure how many RSVPS we will get yet as some of them I know won't come, they live far away etc.

I wondered when you said you cut down a tree as I don't recall AZ having a whole lot of trees. Glad you got your yard cleaned up. WE won't be doing any yard clean up for a few months, but look forward to spring already. I couldn't believe it, Target had all their swimsuits out already.

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

My fill was 5.6 and I kept defilling until I ended up on empty which eventually I would have to do because I am having surgery. My reflux is as such....I have no heartburn, just feels raw and like I have a chunk sitting in my esophagus. You are right, I eat more then a cup of sliders but good Protein I sometimes can eat 2 oz, sometimes 5 oz. I make bad food choices and eat desserts. I still have to contol what I eat and I suck at it. Any ideas what I can take for lunches? I can no longer eat sandwiches. I really do want to change.

Raw doesn't sound good. What foods make it feel like that? Does it feel like that all the time? Do you feel the chunk all the time or just when you eat or just when the food is stuck? You need to be more specific so you can ask your Dr. the right questions and give him the right info.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Free Spirit, when I posted I hadn't read that you haven't had a fill. It sounds to me like you have first bite syndrome. To get your Protein during the day when a lot of people are tightest, you may need to go back to Protein Drinks and other protein mushies like refried Beans, SF pudding and yoghurts (yoghurt also good for reflux).

If you have first bite syndrome make that first bite only a teeny tiny portion, much less than 1/2oz. Wait a few minutes, take a teeny tiny portion. Repeat until your band starts opening up. Stop eating whenever you start to feel the pain or the reflux come back. Try to get in 3 or 4 oz of protein. Do not follow with sliders. The protein will make you feel full.

Drink a lot of SF liquids between meals. I like to to drink Decaf that's at least 1/3 1% milk to keep very digestible protein and milk sugar which doesn't raise your glycemic index and gives you a steady supply of protein. I use Splenda.

Do this for several days and you'll see the lbs dropping which will make the fat pad around your stomach shrink and your band loosen. You'll become much more comfortable eating after a few days of this.

The sliders you are eating are keeping your fat pad from shrinking and keeping the band too tight even without fills.

Again, if you have the burning acidy kind of reflux then you need to see your Drs. ASAP.

Cheri - she could have a haital hernia - slippage as she challenged her band or even ulcers. Alot of pple here on lbt say that if they eat too much or to late at night they get the acid reflux - and it's bad for the band -

IMHO you shouldn't be drinking meals and I lost 50 lbs since 1/08 which was my last fill and haven't needed a fill since - so the whole fat around the stomach issue isn't always true.. Yes some pple have fatty tissue around the stomach but some don't so we can't say that's a given with Free..

[IndioGirl55 32]

My fill was 5.6 and I kept defilling until I ended up on empty which eventually I would have to do because I am having surgery. My reflux is as such....I have no heartburn, just feels raw and like I have a chunk sitting in my esophagus. You are right, I eat more then a cup of sliders but good Protein I sometimes can eat 2 oz, sometimes 5 oz. I make bad food choices and eat desserts. I still have to contol what I eat and I suck at it. Any ideas what I can take for lunches? I can no longer eat sandwiches. I really do want to change.

Have you been ck'd for a hiatel hernal?? Ulcers??

Ok you are eating normal hard Proteins - depending on what type of meat I eat - I can eat more if it's soft meat or less if's it tough met..

Bad food choices will do it every time... Sorry to tell you that :0)

I make one pot wonders - to take to lunch at work - or eat left over meat/fish & veggies for lunch...

One pot wonder -Brown cut up bite size pieces of chicken/ground turkey/pork chop with some zuchinne, onion, bell pepper, garlic sauted in a little evoo - add a can of tomate sauce - a little Water - cover and cook until done..

I eat limited carbs/starches - I usually only eat them for dinner ..

Desserts - I still eat my sweets - but they are sugar free -

SF dannon lite & fit yogurt - add some fruit to it - sf fudgesciles - sf pudding - sf Jello

Here's a menu

What about exercise??

[freespirit63 112]

My hernia was repaired during lap band surgery. Raw feeling if I have not eaten for 3 hours.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Jessice & Free & Everyone who needs a refresher course on Lapband

Here's the official website - it's another great tool..

Life After Surgery

I was invited to the council meeting in June 08 where they asked us experienced banders to help with the design of this website and question us as to what life of a bander is like and what info to share with newbies..

There is great info here - tracking tools - discounts to Curves and other places too - you can track your weight loss and calories too here. This was all done after I had gotten to goal..

[IndioGirl55 32]

My hernia was repaired during LAP-BAND® surgery. Raw feeling if I have not eaten for 3 hours.

I will get that feeling (really a little heartburn sometimes) I chew gum and it goes away..

[freespirit63 112]

Thank you I will check out the site and will try gum

[llkb4me 1]

Jessica, Good luck tomorrow, you'll do great. Hope to see your post soon as you feel good.

Cheri, thank you for the good information, we all need to see that.

Cold here today also, I think it was around 2 this am up to 23 tonight, windy though.

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

Yea, Janet, I think Free Spirit's best bet is to get to the Dr. ASAP.

Free Spirit you need to have hiatal hernia, slippage, and acid reflux ruled out as well anything we can't think of.

But going to liquids and/or mushies till you've got it figured out might give you some immediate relief from the pain as well as get you off the sliders that are bad for you. As long as its high Protein. Cautiously introducing solids one at a time will allow you to test which foods are causing the trouble or if its the way you're eating them, and give you more info on whether the band, the food, hiatal hernia, pbing or acid reflux are the problem. There are medications that can also cause reflux. You really need to get your info together and take it to the Dr., maybe more than one doc. Especially since you haven't had much support from your surgeon.

As you can see, we all want you to experience success and get to the bottom of your problems. We've got some nurses on this thread like Laura. (Peasout). But, just like food and the band, you've got to take control of it. You've got to analyze what you're doing, what your pain is like, and which advice sounds right to you. You need to talk to your Drs. We can't do that for you.

Cheri

[IndioGirl55 32]

Ok gang I have spouted off enough tonite - I need to go eat and watch some t.v.

Have had a good healthy eating day :0) - I did my Wii for about 45 min burned 200 cal (Sunday's are usually a non-exercise day for me) so that's a plus :0)

No naps :0) - House didn't get cleaned did 1 loads of wash - but got my target shopping done - hit marshalls - got some new exercise clothes (that I didn't need ;0)..

Anyway - going to go veg so I get up and go to work tomorrow... I have to work all week - 5 whole days - my next furlough friday isn't til 1/15 -

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

Overlapping posting goin on. So its not hiatal hernia. Raw feeling might just plain be hunger. You're not eating the solid Proteins that stay in your pouch and keep you full. Maybe you need to eat small amounts more frequently, but stick to the proteins whether liquid or solid.

[ifyourstomachoffendsyou 1]

Had a great time with my grandkids. Was happy to have them over and happy to see them get picked up.

Back to work tomorrow.

I have discovered that Dawn dishwashing detergent removes grease spots better than anything I've ever tried before in stretch cotton tops. Doesn't take out the color either.

Which is great because that's mostly what I bought. Some great styles, including by Vera Wang in cotton knit.

Cheri

[IndioGirl55 32]

Had a great time with my grandkids. Was happy to have them over and happy to see them get picked up.

Back to work tomorrow.

I have discovered that Dawn dishwashing detergent removes grease spots better than anything I've ever tried before in stretch cotton tops. Doesn't take out the color either.

Which is great because that's mostly what I bought. Some great styles, including by Vera Wang in cotton knit.

Cheri

Been using it for years - and it's a great jewelry cleaner too..