Getting Banded Feb.2nd

[Pamela]

Well, this weekend wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. I normally eat all the fattening stuff on the weekends. This past weekend is the first weekend at home with my new band. I did fine except on Friday I had too many liquid calories. I had two margaritas with my best friend and then later we got a small hot cocoa from 7-11. It tasted really good so I know there had to be a lot of calories in it.

Saturday was better and I drank a lot of water. I blended up some spaghetti and it tasted pretty good. I had that for lunch and a protein shake for dinner. I don't really feel any restriction at this point but that is because I am still on liquids and mushy foods. Those just flow through the band but I am still in the healing process. I am 11 days post op and have 11 more days before I can get eat solid foods. Once on solids, I should feel fuller faster and longer.

I also bought a new digital scale. I didn't want to weigh myself until I felt a difference in my clothes but I couldn't resist. However, I am only down 5 pounds since surgery. I feel like I should be down at least 10 pounds considering the lack of calories in my diet. But, your body adapts to that lack of calories pretty fast. I have been trying to drink 700 calories a day with my drinkable yogurt, soups and protein shakes. I don't want my body to be in shock when I start on solid foods so I am trying to even my calories for the two phases. I was on a 300 cal per day when on clear liquids. So, my body might be adjusting to the added calories over the recent 4 days.

I am not discouraged one bit. 5 pounds is great and I am excited to loose much more than that in the future.

More later.

[cabux]

Well, this weekend wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. I normally eat all the fattening stuff on the weekends. This past weekend is the first weekend at home with my new band. I did fine except on Friday I had too many liquid calories. I had two margaritas with my best friend and then later we got a small hot cocoa from 7-11. It tasted really good so I know there had to be a lot of calories in it.

Saturday was better and I drank a lot of water. I blended up some spaghetti and it tasted pretty good. I had that for lunch and a protein shake for dinner. I don't really feel any restriction at this point but that is because I am still on liquids and mushy foods. Those just flow through the band but I am still in the healing process. I am 11 days post op and have 11 more days before I can get eat solid foods. Once on solids, I should feel fuller faster and longer.

I also bought a new digital scale. I didn't want to weigh myself until I felt a difference in my clothes but I couldn't resist. However, I am only down 5 pounds since surgery. I feel like I should be down at least 10 pounds considering the lack of calories in my diet. But, your body adapts to that lack of calories pretty fast. I have been trying to drink 700 calories a day with my drinkable yogurt, soups and protein shakes. I don't want my body to be in shock when I start on solid foods so I am trying to even my calories for the two phases. I was on a 300 cal per day when on clear liquids. So, my body might be adjusting to the added calories over the recent 4 days.

I am not discouraged one bit. 5 pounds is great and I am excited to loose much more than that in the future.

More later.

Pamela,

You are really an encouragement to me. I was banded 2-16-97 by Dr.Ramos Kelly in TJ. Am back home and doing well. I never noticed how good food smells! I thought I would attack the guy sitting next to me on the plane home when he started eating a sandwich they offered! I treated myself to tomato juice, not clear, but you gotta do what you gotta do. It is a good thing that I like soups. Take care and heres to getting on the "skinny side of life"

Cheryl

[Pamela]

Cheryl,

I am now 14 days post op and I really feel great! The mental hunger does get easier over time but there are still a lot of old habits to break! Every now and then, I want to reach for a chip or I catch myself looking aimlessly in the fridge for something tasty. However, the lapband has stopped me from putting so much stuff in my mouth. I would have eaten A LOT by now if I did not have this band.

Hang in there and stick to your liquid diet for the time your doctor told you to. I decided that I was going to treat my band right and allow it to heal properly. I didn't want any chance of a slip or anything else to go wrong because of me eating something I shouldn't.

Good luck!!

[doclynch]

Pamela =D> I am SOOO proud of you.

Keep up the good work.

Randy

[FurEllie]

So there's a chance I might be sold as a sex slave? AWESOME

Thanks for the updates, Pamela. I've got 1.5 more weeks to go and I'm SO excited. I'm going by myself also - did you have trouble getting around the SD airport on your way back? How did the boullion cubes/Crystal light go? I KNOW I'll be sitting next to someone who's eating and I'll need something mentally to get me through the 4 hour flight.

[Pamela]

The only think I ate/drank at the airport was a passion fruit tea from Starbucks. I also had an orange juice on the plane and I always have a bottle of flavored water with me. Take some fruit punch Crystal Light on the go packets in your purse (whatever flavor you like). You can mix that with a bottled water and sip on it at the airport. Oh, I also chewed gum and that helped keep my jaws busy. I didn't use the chicken broth cubes but I do love them. You'll do fine!

[FurEllie]

The only think I ate/drank at the airport was a passion fruit tea from Starbucks. I also had an orange juice on the plane and I always have a bottle of flavored water with me. Take some fruit punch Crystal Light on the go packets in your purse (whatever flavor you like). You can mix that with a bottled water and sip on it at the airport. Oh, I also chewed gum and that helped keep my jaws busy. I didn't use the chicken broth cubes but I do love them. You'll do fine!

Thanks, Pamela!! I just had one of the Unjury boullion packets and it was quite good. I might take a few of those as a back up. I just have a sneaking feeling I'm going to hungry and might attack the person sitting next to me who has a meal

[mommyrkr]

Congrats on the will power Pamela. My husband was very surprised too. I had no solid foods at all for a month! Never thought I could do that. But I sure hope I never have to again!

Solid food is just around the corner.

Becki

[Pamela]

:-h "Hello everyone". I can't believe that I am 21 days post op!!! It looks like I get to eat real food tomorrow. However, I don't know how excited I really am about it. I mean, food has been the enemy for so long. I guess it's not really the food that is the enemy rather than the amount that I used to eat. I am going to be prepared for tomorrow with a meal plan that I will put together today. I plan to eat a protein bar for breakfast, Lean Cuisine for lunch and a small dinner. No snacks in between. If I get hungry, I will sip on chicken broth. I am hoping to go long as possible without needing my first fill. The main reason for this is that I can't find a fill doctor in my state for a reasonable cost so I am going to fly to Tijuanna. I am hoping that I can wait until the middle of April or early May. I have a Florida trip planned for Spring Break in March so I can't turn around and go to Mexico too. I will if I HAVE to.

So far, I am down 10 pounds which doesn't seem like alot considering my post op diet. But I am happy with it and I am now going to the gym. Last night, I walked 1.5 miles and did some light arm weights and leg weights. Next week, I plan to amp my workouts up!

Good luck to you all and I will check back in a few days to let you know how my solid food eating plan is holding up.

[dietingqueen]

Pamela,

Just checked in and saw your post - Can't believe you are 21 days out - yippee. Congrats on your 10lb weight loss and all the positive changes you are making in your life/lifestyle. I know you will do great - keep up the good work and enjoy your 'first meal' tomorrow. mary

[FurEllie]

10 pounds in 3 weeks with NO FILL is great! Just think how excited you would have been to have lost 10 pounds in 3 weeks before you were banded

[Teri]

:-h "Hello everyone". I can't believe that I am 21 days post op!!! It looks like I get to eat real food tomorrow. However, I don't know how excited I really am about it. I mean, food has been the enemy for so long. I guess it's not really the food that is the enemy rather than the amount that I used to eat. I am going to be prepared for tomorrow with a meal plan that I will put together today. I plan to eat a protein bar for breakfast, Lean Cuisine for lunch and a small dinner. No snacks in between. If I get hungry, I will sip on chicken broth. I am hoping to go long as possible without needing my first fill. The main reason for this is that I can't find a fill doctor in my state for a reasonable cost so I am going to fly to Tijuanna. I am hoping that I can wait until the middle of April or early May. I have a Florida trip planned for Spring Break in March so I can't turn around and go to Mexico too. I will if I HAVE to.

So far, I am down 10 pounds which doesn't seem like alot considering my post op diet. But I am happy with it and I am now going to the gym. Last night, I walked 1.5 miles and did some light arm weights and leg weights. Next week, I plan to amp my workouts up!

Good luck to you all and I will check back in a few days to let you know how my solid food eating plan is holding up.

Pamela,

Wow, it is hard to believe you are 21 days out already. Great that you have a plan to. Good luck! and happy losing.

Teri =D>

[Pamela]

Thanks everyone for your support!! You all are great! >

[Guest blueskies7890]

Pamela,

I too can't believe you're already 21 days out. It seems like just yesterday you were talking about your pre-op diet!

Sounds like you are doing wonderful. I am so glad for you! I know what you mean about how much you would have eaten if you were not banded. I'm three days post-op and am a quantity eater. Obviously I haven't been able to eat like that lately! It will be nice to be satisfied with one chocolate chip cookie instead of 5.

You said your incisions were almost invisible already! Wow! I look at mine, three days after surgery, and wonder how well they will look by that time. How bad was your port pain? Mine is still hurting pretty bad, but I am not thinking, "when can I take the pain meds again" anymore like I was.

One more question. Does Dr. Ortiz encourage or discourage his patients to burp?

Oh and by the way, you could find a future fill doctor just south of you, in Texas. That's where I am

[Pamela]

Blueskies,

I did not hear anything negative about burping. I thought the band made you burp because I have some burps come up that I didn't know were there.

My port was pretty sore for a whole week. You will be surprised at how well you incisions will look at 14 days post op.

Good luck to you!!!

[Teri]

:-h "Hello everyone". I can't believe that I am 21 days post op!!! It looks like I get to eat real food tomorrow. However, I don't know how excited I really am about it. I mean, food has been the enemy for so long. I guess it's not really the food that is the enemy rather than the amount that I used to eat. I am going to be prepared for tomorrow with a meal plan that I will put together today. I plan to eat a protein bar for breakfast, Lean Cuisine for lunch and a small dinner. No snacks in between. If I get hungry, I will sip on chicken broth. I am hoping to go long as possible without needing my first fill. The main reason for this is that I can't find a fill doctor in my state for a reasonable cost so I am going to fly to Tijuanna. I am hoping that I can wait until the middle of April or early May. I have a Florida trip planned for Spring Break in March so I can't turn around and go to Mexico too. I will if I HAVE to.

So far, I am down 10 pounds which doesn't seem like alot considering my post op diet. But I am happy with it and I am now going to the gym. Last night, I walked 1.5 miles and did some light arm weights and leg weights. Next week, I plan to amp my workouts up!

Good luck to you all and I will check back in a few days to let you know how my solid food eating plan is holding up.

Pamela,

How are you doing since being able to eat solids? Any difference? I know with Kyle and I, it didn't seem any different for us until we started getting the right amount with the fills. I hope your doing good!

Teri

[Pamela]

Well, I had my first PBing episode this weekend. I had hoped that I would not experience this but I also knew that my old habit of eating too fast would kick in at some point. This was my first weekend on solid foods after my post op diet. I haven't had my first fill so I thought that I wouldn't really have much restriction. I decided to eat some cold left over chicken out of the fridge which was dry as heck. I took a bite and then another and BAM, it got stuck! I couldn't swallow my own saliva after that so I was in the bathroom trying to regain my composure and sure enough.... up came the chicken. I threw up about 4 times and I'm thinking to myself.... How much dang chicken did I eat??? Once it was all said and done, I felt better and I didn't eat anything for a few hours. So, I guess I do have some restriction even though I haven't had a fill. This is good news!

The moral of this story for me is that I really do need to concentrate on changing the way I eat. I need to take smaller bites and chew longer. I also need to wait a minute before taking the next bite of food. Eat your protein first because that can prevent you from eating the more fattening stuff. After that chicken episode, I wasn't thinking about eating anything else. I saved on calories that night.

I think I ate too much yesterday because I made a bad snack choice (ice cream & no the low fat stuff). I am back on track today and I can salvage any wrong that I've done. I was down another pound this weekend and hope to loose a couple more this week!

The week days are much easier for me because I have a schedule and I can plan my meals around it. The weekends are not scheduled at all so we eat whenever we feel like it. I have to get the weekends under control. This will be key to my success.

Good luck to you all!!!

[Guest blueskies7890]

Ugh Pamela sorry to hear about the PBing episode! I guess it happens to the best of us

I think I heard that we should revert back to liquids for a couple days after an "incident." What did you do, and how did you feel the next couple of days?

[Pamela]

After my PB episode, I didn't try to eat anything else until my next meal. That is what Dr. Miranda told me to do. She said that if something gets stuck or you PB, don't keep trying to eat the same meal. Discontinue eating until your next meal time. I think if you are still suffering from the episode, liquids would be best.

I don't have much restriction right now as I am waiting for my first fill. I am making healthy food choices and use portion control. However, I don't feel full real fast but I do feel satisfied with less than before the band. I didn't realize how hard it would be to not drink when or after you eat. I'll catch myself reaching for something to drink to help wash down the food and then I remember the rules, wait 1 hour after eating to begin drinking water or whatever.

All in all, everything is going well and I am still losing weight. My 1 month bandversary is this Friday March, 9th so I plan to weigh on that day. I'll let you all know what my scale reveals.

Until then....Good luck to us all!

[Pamela]

Today is my one month bandiversary! I am officially down 18 pounds so I am feeling pretty good. It is getting a little bit tougher now that I don't have any restriction. My first fill is scheduled for April 14th with a doctor in Dallas. I am relying on old fashioned will power and the new eating habits I have formed over the last month. I am eating much less than before the band but I feel hungry more often and don't feel full for very long. This is to be expected as the band has healed and is in need of a fill.

I hope everyone is doing well. I am not seeing very many new posts these days so I hope that means good new instead of bad. :-?

More later.

[Teri]

Today is my one month bandiversary! I am officially down 18 pounds so I am feeling pretty good. It is getting a little bit tougher now that I don't have any restriction. My first fill is scheduled for April 14th with a doctor in Dallas. I am relying on old fashioned will power and the new eating habits I have formed over the last month. I am eating much less than before the band but I feel hungry more often and don't feel full for very long. This is to be expected as the band has healed and is in need of a fill.

I hope everyone is doing well. I am not seeing very many new posts these days so I hope that means good new instead of bad. :-?

More later.

Hey, great for you Pamela!! It's exciting to see the numbers on the scale go down intsead of up. LOL. gotta love it. I am down 18 pounds too! But I had my surgery a while ago, and tried reaching the right restriction with no luck in the beginning, but I'm making up for it now. LOL

Happy Losing.

Teri

[Pamela]

Hi everyone,

I am doing great but my weight loss is at a stand still. I really need that first fill but it isn't scheduled until April 14th so I am using old fashioned will power until then. I can eat more than I need and I don't feel full as long as I want to. All in all, I still eat less than before the band so I can't complain.

I haven't worked out like I need to because I am planning a Florida family vacation for next week and I am running errands every evening to get ready. However, I do plan to go to the gym tonight to do a dance aerobic class.

This whole experience has been really great and I am lovin' my band. I am drinking more water and really watching my calorie intake. I am more aware of what I am putting in my mouth and that helps me maintain my daily calories. It is hard sometimes because you still crave some of your favorite fattening foods but it is much more managable.

The future is bright!!!

[Pamela]

I NEED RESTRICTION!!! Wow, I have absolutely no restriction at the present time. I also feel that I can eat way too much food at one time. I ordered a McDonalds Salad and ate the whole thing. That is much more than 1 cup of food. At one point, I felt some restriction against bread and meat but I think I can pretty much eat anything now. Here I am going on vacation tomorrow for 10 days and I have no restriction. This is almost scary. I guess I will take some diet pills that I have left over from before the band. They will help to curb my apetite until my first fill on April 14th.

I feel like I am back in the diet war zone again. I don't feel satisfied when I eat a small amount and I am really trying to be good. I want to cry because I don't want to gain any weight back and I want to continue to loose!!!!! I've been thrown back in the fire and I am trying to escape untouched.

I am focusing on healthy foods but I am afraid that I have stretched my pouch out because I am not getting full. Gosh, I really need to pull it together before I leave town tomorrow. I am going to see my sister who I haven't seen since my trip to Dr. Ortiz in Feb. I really wanted her to see a "new me" but I look the same. However, my face is a little bit slimmer as I have lost 17 pounds. Well, give or take a pound depending on each day that I weigh.

I hope my fill will really give me the boost that I need because I did not spend this money for nothing. I plan to loose this weight but I am up against those old demons that haunt me daily. It pisses me off that food still has an ugly hold over me. WHY????

I have yet to pig out but it is getting harder to battle each passing day. My mind is breaking and food is creeping into my thoughts. I am feeling sort of low at this point but I just can't allow it to get to me like this. I can do it and I just have to hold on tight!!!

[FurEllie]

Argh, I feel for you! I'm a month after you and already I'm not getting full, even though I'm still liquids. That's why I'm pushing to get filled BEFORE I leave on vacation. I know I'll eat, and eat, and eat....if I could control it, I'd have a few extra thousand in my bank account and no scars, lol. I also feel frustrated because I know people are "looking" for me to lose.

Good luck!!

I NEED RESTRICTION!!! Wow, I have absolutely no restriction at the present time.

[Pamela]

Hello everyone!!! I am back from my 10 day vacation to Florida and I had a great time. However, my eating habits went to hell!!! I meant to weigh myself this morning but got too busy so I don't know how much damage I did. I just couldn't get on a good eating schedule and I would find myself eating all the wrong foods all the time!! It really sucks but I am back on track today and plan to workout the rest of the week.

My first fill is scheduled for April 14th and I hope that will help me out!! I am a little bit frustrated with myself because I really planned to be in more control of eating while on vacation. I'm not going to keep beating myself up about it because I can't change the past.

It's time to get serious again and start loosing more weight. Good luck to you all!!!!