Calling All MARCH '09 Bandsters - We need a name!

[alexis14217 1]

P.S I was banded 8 days ago!

[FabBy50 0]

I think that I have hit a plateau too, I was banded March 16 the first week I lost 11 pounds and then kindof stopped losing. I have not gotten on the scale for 5 days and it better have moved some by now or it might just get broke!!!

Im also onto the mushies, I have been eating refried Beans, cottage cheese, canned fruit and Soups. I still don't have hunger pains and have had trouble getting my liquids in.

Good luck everyone

Bernadette

[LifeStartsNow 0]

I have not lost ANY weight since the mushies started!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have not even eaten that much. I am hungry but I am working out........what is the deal? Anyone else experience this? Is there a problem? I am getting really frustrated.

You are NOT alone. I've not posted much lately b/c I think I'm the only one not losing....ugh. :nopity:I've barely lost 4lbs in the last 3 weeks. I'm dilligently tracking my calories - never more than 1200 per day. I'm not working out - b/c I'm tired I think from the lack of calories. I didn't try solids until after 3 weeks. Even WITH solids, I can't eat eggs - that was one of my first things I tried - it just stuck in my throat and made me salivate like crazy. I dilligently got protien requirements - but slacked in the past week b/c I wanted to change things up to see if I could jump start the weight loss. I'm not eating around the band - I swear my body just doesn't want to let go of this weight.

My plan this week is to eat 1200-1300 calories one day, then cut down to 900 the next day in attempt to jump start my body. I even increased my Water intake. I'm taking a liquid Vitamin everyday. And need to start walking on the treadmill. I noticed when I increased my calories to 1200-1300, I'm a LOT more hungry during the day. If I just don't eat, I'm not as hungry. That's something new.

I'm really happy for everyone who is losing so much. I just wish I was with you all! *sigh!*

Edited April 3, 2009 by LifeStartsNow

[Linlayni 0]

I really feel for you too! I lost 8 lbs the first week and now nothing. I don't even think I am eating 1200 calories. I heard this happens, your body reacts differently to the food, but I am working out. I am doing a half hour on the treadmill each day, yesterday, twice! It is so frustrating. My friends who are just dieting are losing more than me after surgery.

[Laptastic 0]

Guys, I wouldn't freak out about not losing weight yet. Unless your doctor put a fill in, the only restriction you've had is from the swelling. I've been told to be patient, restriction, weight loss, and no hunger are coming. At this point, I'm just trying not to put any of the lost weight back on before I get at least one fill. We'll all be ok. I want the weight gone NOW, just like you, but we have to suck it up and wait.:confused:

[Pezo 0]

I too am getting very worried.....I called a lady I met at a weight loss support group and she has lost 9 lbs. in the 6 months she's been banded....She says she has no restriction and has just had her 3rd fill 2 days ago.....She says shes working out but her appetite is as though she never had the surgery.....THIS CONCERNS ME....I gave her support and told her to hang in there....Please tell me that we are not suffering for nothing....I'm sorry to bring the morale down but I just had to vent my concerns......But I know that us Lucky Loser's got alot of LUCK so we WILL SUCCEED....

[SweetReesie 0]

Pezo,

I am not sure what that lady was doing. I had a friend that had lapband last year and she only lost 40 pounds. But I saw what she was doing. Eating Cookies, ice cream, milkshakes, the frosting off of cake. We went to the same surgeon and I asked him what could have gone wrong. He told me to come in every time I notice that I am eating more than 4 oz. As of today I was told I can go on mushy foods and couldnt wait to have an egg per my drs instructions...and also started weighing even though I knew I wouldnt finish it all just so I cld be in the habbit. Remember the band is a tool and can either succeed or fail!:confused:

[jennibells 0]

Linlayni and Pezo-

I feel your pain, I too am in the same boat. I lost 6 lbs the first week and nothing since. I do remember this from the first time around and I know it is normal. The band gives us restriction and right now when there is nothing in the band we have no restriction. Also we are eating foods that go right through so most of us are going to just maintain if not gain a pound or two until we get restriction and go on regular food. Once we go on regular food we will notice some restriction just from having the band there but after we get our first fill we should notice more restriction. If we continue to eat mushy soft foods after we have our fill it will still go right through and we will not loose or gain a few pounds. I know this because I did it in the beginning last time because I was too afraid to eat regular food. Basically all the foods we are eating right now we should not eat after we go on regular food. This time before we get our first fill and before we feel restriction is called "Bandster He!!" because it is horrible wating to loose weight after you just had weight loss surgery. We just have to hang in there and be patient, we will get there:grouphug:

[Pezo 0]

I wasn't told anything about sticking to 4 ounces......Should I only drink 4 oz at a time and should I measure my mushies.....I have been trying to put my food in a lil 1 cup ziplock bowl like on the biggest loser....Last night I had 1 cup of mashes taters and 1/3 cup of sugerfree banana pudding....I did feel satisfied for the first time so far....DO YA'LL THINK IT WAS TOO MUCH....

[nveritz 0]

Calling all of my fellow March Banders! Congrats to all of us on making it through the month!! I hope everyone is feeling as good as I am! :confused: But I do need some help...

I have started a website for all of us to buy inexpensive clothes as we switch sizes. Right now, it is small, but I am calling on all of my fellow Bandsters, to go on the page and subscribe to my newsletter! Times are hard and I want to do something I have a passion for...and it's this!!

Please click on the link and at least subscribe to the newsletter...I will periodically send emails to invite you back to the site as it gets bigger and better! Thank you for all of your help in support...I couldn't ask for more!

http://stores.ebay.com/shrinkingsizesaftersurgery

[Linlayni 0]

I am just going off of the fact that if you are fat, or overweight if the fat term offends, eating less that 1200 calories and exercising should = weight loss. What does the band have to do with it, restricted or not?

[jennibells 0]

Everybody is different but in my case I have gone on diets and eaten less than 1200 calories and not lost weight. Everybodys body reacts differently to different kinds of food, in my case my body does not do well with carbohydrates. If I go on a diet where I eat only Protein 1200 calories or less than I will loose weight but I cannot stick to that for the rest of my life. The band allows me to enjoy some of the foods I like but in very small portions and I still loose weight.

I dont know about you guys but when I am eating only mushy/soft food I tend to eat alot more calories than I think because it just does not satisfy me, I get hungry an hour or two later and end up eating again. I cannot wait to go on normal food again and feel satisfied for long periods of time. Before I got the band I was HUNGRY ALL THE TIME! I remember telling my doctor that I dont remember a time when I was not hungry and that is when he explained how the band works and how we have nerves at the top of our stomache and when we have the band we eat a small amount of food, fill up the pouch which the nerves sense and send a signal to our brain that we are full. The band has allowed me to feel full for the first time in my life and I love it:thumbup:

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

Hi Lucky Losers!

Welcome to some of the newbies... hugs to those of us who are frustrated... and high fives to the ones who feel great, feel better, or are losing!

I've had a very frustrating last 3 days. I hopped on the scale 3 days ago before heading to the gym. I had gained 5 lbs! I had not eaten or drank a drop. I had not pooped either. I am NOT PMSing, I had my period a week ago. (sorry men for TMI), I did not have an unusual increase in sodium, and I had not eaten off my allowed amounts/calories.

Sun/739 cal./63 g Protein, Mon/776/83, Tues/911/76, Wed/704/70, Thur/933/76g, Fri 830/61g

I have the realize band and it has the online program that has a food and exercise diary (which are very user friendly) and recipes and hints, etc. But there are a bunch of online food diaries. My dietitian and surgeon's nurse BOTH recommended keeping a very accurate food diary. ESPECIALLY in the beginning. We didn't get morbidly obese by eating a couple extra yogurts. (I didn't at least). That being said, it is very easy to eat more than you think you are. I am measuring EVERYTHING I eat & drink (when I am home.) I bought the Biggest Loser scale at Bed bath and beyond. I think it was $15 or so. It's very easy to zero- you put a plate on it and then turn it on and then just put your food on. After you add your first item- you just shut it off and on and then it zeros again for the next item. You stick to 2 oz. of a Protein item and then 2 oz. of other. I found it difficult to measure stuff in measuring cups.. as I only have one 1/4 cup and am not going to wash it 10 times a day. My nurse told me to aim for 800 calories a day. 600 being the absolute lowest and 1000 being the highest. 3 meals a day (4 oz. total) and no snacking in between. The only "snacking" is liquids or protein supplements in liquid form. If I get hungry, I first try a sugar free Jello or Popsicle. If after 20 min I am still REALLY hungry, I brush my teeth. (then food doesn't taste as good)... after that if I am still really hungry I have one of the weight watchers 60 cal. yogurts. I do have soy milk (I like the light vanilla versions) 8th Continent Light is only 60 cal. a cup. I add a scoop of Protein powder like unjury (that has 20g of protein) and then 1/2 cup of a low cal fruit. (like no added sugar frozen blueberries or peaches). This usually helps zap my hunger. If I am not near my magic bullet/blender then I drink a Muscle Milk Light. (160 cal and 20g of protein). If I am still hungry I leave my house... go for a walk or bike ride.

So, all that being said. If I am sticking to low fat, sugar free items and staying under 1000 calories... how the HE!! do you gain 5 lbs?! Well, the only explanation is Fluid. I did forget to take my BP pill for two days. Maybe that had something to do with it. I didn't drink as much Water the day before the gain... that has a lot to do with H20 retention and the #2 issue. I took a good healthy dose of metamucil... and (I know TMI) but lost 2 lbs. the next day. I am still 3 lbs up. I also started working out with a trainer this week. (sudden starting of exercise can lower your metabolic rate... but only temporarily) I did all sorts of things my body hasn't done in a LONG time. (lunges, elliptical, weights, etc..) Perhaps a combo of all of these are factors for the gain.

I'm one of those obese people in the health care field. I know way too much about all this stuff and am proof that knowledge regarding health does not mean power. But I will tell you a few things that may or may not help explain this. The first week after surgery, when we are on a clear liquid diet with only protein powder... our bodies are FREAKING out! They think we are on Survivor on a deserted island. We go into a sort of semi-starvation mode. Our metabolic rate does slow down but it doesn't stop. A sudden decrease in calories causes our bodies to catabilize (devour our muscles and other lean mass). That's why it is so important as soon as you can, to exercise. The body will use energy from your liver and other organs first... then lean muscle.. and then fat. So you have to keep building up your muscle. Now, we are losing some fat too, just more muscle than fat. That's also why it is so important to get adequate protein. Now, your protein source is important. When choosing a protein supplement.... look at the ingredients. The preferred kind of protein is ISOLATE... not CONCENTRATE. Isolate Proteins are more easily absorbed by the body. They are pre-digested so that 90% or so can be absorbed as opposed to concentrate where only 20-30% might be absorbed. That's why when you drink some of the cheaper prepared Protein drinks (like slimfast or EAS or Atkins advantage) you can get bloated and sometimes get diarrhea or have to go to the bathroom really fast. They are simply a lower quality protein and aren't absorbed as easily. So when choosing your protein supplements... if your Dr sells products in his office- they usually are some of the best choices. Most of the products designed for the bariatric patient have isolate protein whey. Sometimes it may have both.. just try to pick stuff that has isolate first then concentrate 2nd on the ingredient list.

A friend of mine who had the band back in November told me that whenever she hit a plateau or worse, when she was gaining, that she would stop eating regular food and switch to bariatric stuff. She said it always kicked her weight loss back into gear. www.bariatricchoice.com or www.wlsvitamins.com

I don't work for any of these companies and am not selling their stuff. It's just where I got some of my stuff. I also recommend the obestityhelp.com and their magazine. One lady at my surgeon's support group ate ONLY bariatric stuff for the first 3 months and lost 60lbs. Also keep in mind you guys, just like on Biggest Loser, it's not HOW MUCH you lose.. but percentage. Those of us who are bigger are going to fall faster... than someone who is 100 pounds lighter. Also someone who has been dieting before surgery is going to lose weight slower than someone who has not been. My Dr. didn't require a pre-surgery weight loss diet. I think that is one of the reasons the first 30 days the weight came off so easy for me.

Getting back to fluids. It is soooooooooo important not to drink anything 15-30 min before you eat. And the most important thing is to wait 30-60 min after you eat before drinking anything. Otherwise you wash the food right through the first stomach... and then you are hungry again.

I will hop off my soap box now. I hope this info helps a little. If anyone has a specific question... or wants to send it privately in a message, I would be more than happy to try and answer it. One thing I know for sure... your dr's office works for YOU. If you did not get answers to your questions, call them and ask to speak to the nurse or nutritionist. IF you didn't have a pre-op appointment with a nutritionist/RD then make an appt. They will really help look over what you are eating and help you get more bang for your buck (calories). Also, if your dr gave you different advice than what I am saying... then PLEASE do what your dr told you to do. I am ONLY telling you guys about my experience and what my dr advised.

I wish someone would put me in a drug induced coma until my fill. SIGH. And I hope my fill on Tuesday helps this hunger. This Suc&s!

Peace my fellow lucky losers,

Laura

P.S. I was in Peace Corps about 15 years ago. I lived out in the middle of bumfudge in South America. I went from 230 to 160 lbs during those 2 years. I had no electricity and no running Water. If I wanted veggies I had to buy them in the nearest city an hour away or grow them in my garden. I only ate tuna or Beans because the meat they sold in my village was not refrigerated. There were no restaurants where I lived. Everything I ate had to be cooked. I had to walk or ride my bike to get any where. I thought I had this obesity thing conquered. It was the best weight loss program EVER. I returned to the U.S., started grad school, started my old bad eating habits... and shot up to 250 lbs in a blink. Anyway, that's where the peascorps name comes from.

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

wow...that was a long message. Sorry! :welldoneclap:

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

I found this blog a couple weeks ago. It's a lap bandster from the UK. She actually explains things pretty well and it's interesting to read.

Theresa's Gastric Band Blog