crazycoolbutterfly

One of two situations: 1. Because you just received your first fill and just getting used to restriction you are learning to "listen" to your body. The band is a tool that you will learn to use properly, it takes time. Therefore, your fill may not have "kicked in" as of yet. I know my fills don't kick in until about week 2 or 3, then I can really feel the restriction! As time goes, It can vary from day to day, sometimes really good restriction, other days it could be better. 2. Most people feel the band "loosen" up later in the afternoon, however be aware! If you are taking your protiens early and know that you have met your calorie intake, you will need to use WILLPOWER to control yourself from eating too much. I know that getting another fill is not the answer because you don't want to be SO tight that you cant even hold liquids. And I know that you got the band to HELP you, but you have to help it too... work in sync and you will be alright. OH, and also drink water, or any other low cal liquids BEFORE you eat...sometimes you may "THINK" you are hungry, but liquids can hold you over until your next scheduled meal. Hope this info helps :-?

OH HOW I MISS CAKES!!!! 9 months post-op and once a true lover of all types of pastries, but NO MORE!!!! I have tried and failed, I guess you could call that success!!! I have had been able to take a TINY bite and been alright, but not a whole slice or anymore than a forkfull... maybe you will -everyone is different.

I found this posting from lastyear. I saved it on my file that I like to keep postings, kind of like a journal. Many of you may not need this reminder but it comes in handy as a quick reminder.... Lap Band - Have You Wondered What Happens AFTER Lap Band Surgery? By Helen Hecker If you're thinking about or seriously considering lap band surgery, you may want to know what the routine will be like after the surgery. Often just knowing this to begin with will help you make a decision as to whether you want to go ahead with the lap band weight loss surgery or not. Of course you will want to find out the cost of lap band surgery also. These are the usual recommendations that bariatric surgeons or lap band doctors suggest for lap band surgery patients; these also apply to all gastric banding patients: Only eat 4 ounces of food at a time. And if you still feel full after 30 minutes, you may need an adjustment to your lap band. Leftovers should not be eaten - they are often hard to swallow. Reheating any leftovers can dry them out so they can get stuck easier. Don't eat any well done steak or any type of doughy bread. If you haven't lost any weight in the last month - yes this happens - then are you eating too much food? If this is so, then you may need an adjustment. The esophagus doesn't really come alive until noon or so. If you somehow can't tolerate a solid breakfast, then fix a healthy all-fruit smoothie. You can make this with bananas and a combination of fresh and frozen fruits. The adjustment of the band depends on how you feel at night. If you're starving at night, then you may need an adjustment to your lap band. If you find you're vomiting a lot then you need to decide whether you're eating too much food, eating too fast, not waiting between bites or taking big bites, or not chewing your food thoroughly. No one should eat if they are upset or anxious, even more important for lap band procedure patients. Stress in the esophagus makes swallowing difficult. Now if you find you haven't been able to eat a certain food the last three times or so that you tried, then you probably still won't be able to eat the food tomorrow either. Microwaved food can become very "rubbery" and difficult to swallow. Microwaved food is missing many nutrients also. So it's best not to eat any microwaved food. It's important to understand that you can't eat like you did before you had the lap band system surgery. And it's very important to exercise even if you have the lap band. This may seem unusual but it is highly recommended that lap band or gastric banding patients take up a new interest or hobby. A hobby not related to food is best. This will keep you focused on something else other than food. If you can - start a new hobby that is physical like power walking, playing tennis, playing golf, yoga, hiking, joining a health club, dancing, square dancing, playing basketball, etc. Anything that will keep you up and moving and away from sedentary activities like TV, cards, bridge, computer games, etc. Get outside and get charged up by the energy in the air and sun.

THANKS everyone!!! Your words of praise and encouragement is wonderful! Thank you!!! I will be walking a 5K on Sunday with my twin teenage boys here in Houston. They will be running it most likely, MAYBE I 'll try to keep up with them - I can dream, huh? I hope that this weekend isn't as freezing as last! And trust me, if I can do this YOU can too!!!

:lb9: and congratulations on making a decision that will change your life for the better! This surgery has given me SO much and I am so happy to give even more to my loving and supportive family because of my better health. Good luck with your pre-op weightloss, to me it was the toughest part. Be sure that you can ask ANY question and someone will give you honest feedback...take care.

I think it is an aquired taste, but like Jude mentioned, there are several ways of prepping or adding flavor... I buy mine at our local Sam's Club (I'm not sure if you have one near you) but it comes in a yellow box...(I can't remember the name right now, but maybe tomorrow I can get the name of it) Anyway, you take the pre-packaged individually wrapped fillet and bake it, it's already completely seasoned and prepped for you. I have it with steamed carrots or green beans, which makes it nice and light. You can try it with salsa, cheese sauces, wine sauces, lemon sauce, orange sauce, etc... Here's a recipe I found online: Salmon patties: Ingredients: 1 can (approx. 7 ounces) salmon 1 egg 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper 1 onion diced olive oil, enough to cover bottom of skillet 1 Fresh lemon Preparation: Remove skin and bones from salmon; drain well. In mixing bowl, combine with egg, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and onion. Make patties about 2 inches in diameter; fry in oil until brown on both sides about 10 minutes. Sprinkle salmon patties with salt. Cut and squeeze fresh lemon on pattie before or after cooking. Servings Per Recipe: 5 Amount Per Serving Calories: 212 Total Fat: 10.1g Cholesterol: 79mg Sodium: 775mg Total Carbs: 9.3g Dietary Fiber: 0.6g Protein: 20g

:lb5: Lucyxyz, I would like to say thank your for taking the courage to post some of your intimate and very sad part of your life with us. I am so sorry to hear about our babies, I hope that one day you are blessed with a wonderful, healthy baby. As for your weightloss, that is ASTOUNDING, you have done an excellent job with yourself. I'm sure your trip will be fun and don't focus on your faults, but on your success. You have done it once, YOU CAN DO IT again. Take care and keep posting, support is available 24/7 here online. :lb9:

I am post 9 months post op and I still can't have solids in the morning... it's just a fact of my new bandlife now. From what I understand, many people experience the same thing. So I have protien shakes, or yogurt for breakfast. On occasion, I can have a TINY oatmeal or scrambled eggs...but it depends on how I feel. One of the first things I do in the morning is drink water at room temperature. This tells me how I will be able to tolerate the rest of the morning. If it goes down pretty smooth, its a good sign I can have some eggs. If it takes a while, its protien shakes or yogurt. As for fluoro, it can be used for both - locating the port and viewing the liquid to check restriction. Just depends on the experience of the doctor. I have had two fills with fluoro and one without, my next one will be without. If it is your 1st fill, I would recommend fluoro because they can also check for any problems. As for finding your port, an experienced doctor will find it pretty quickly. You may have to hold your breath, or suck it in for a few moments while lying down so that he/she can get a better feel for it, but they will find it. It is rare that they aren't able to locate it, even if you are not able to do so. Good "fillings" to you both :-D

Thats good advice Jude... I think that will power can only go so far in the beginning... As a month goes by and no weightloss occurs, we kick ourselves for not getting a fill earlier. I'm scheduling my 4th fill for next week, I wasn't going to because over the holidays I couldnt eat more than 1/4 oz of food at one time. I think it was because of stress or just because I was just constantly on the go and it was COLD outside. The weather seems to be getting warmer and my band seems to be getting looser. Right now I am using more willpower than band power and it's getting harder and harder to do... especially because I feel like I am getting into my old habit of "well been doing really well for a while now, I deserve some junk food or slack time". BUT that's what got me here in the first place, so 4th fill here I come. ~Julie

I havent had a cheeseburger for well over 8 months!!!! I too learned the hard way, I cut the burger in quarters, then I took the tinest bite, chewed slowly and within a few moments I knew that was it for burgers. Sometimes I crave one, but then I remember how it feels and I quickly change my mind.

In July 2008 (six months ago) I began training for a half marathon scheduled for January 2009. Woodlandsfit is part of an organization called USAfit, which is nationwide, and even in Canada. Upon joining, I was nervous, intimidated, and plain scared. Nervous because I wasn't sure what to expect from myself or the group, or what they expected from me. Intimidated because several people at our first meeting were not only experienced runners and walkers, but several have ran/walked several marathons and even ultra marathons (which are 100 miles plus)!!! And scared because I wasn't sure if I was setting myself up for failure. However, I have always felt that failure isn't an option when I set my mind to something. So, I slowly began conversations with a few people. And yes, the first person I spoke with was the training head coach. I began to tell him my story about how I haven’t been fit for well over ten years, and that I have NEVER been a runner, much less a walker - and that I would be surprised to see what I could accomplish during the next six months. He asked me, "why are you doing this?" and I answered to him that "I was doing this for ME. I am determined to take time out for myself and have made a commitment that I intend to keep with myself". And he replied, " you will be amazed with what you will accomplish in January, you will go farther than you ever have gone, I know you will". And guess what? I have and I did. I must give credit to my lapband. I know that exercising was and is always part of staying fit, but eating smaller portions in 2-3 hour increments is a huge plus. Because as I trained, I listened to my body's signals. I would drink water, propel, or vitamin water more than ever. I even began buying them by the cases at Sams club. I continued my morning protein shakes from Optifast, ate more steamed veggies, and added more salmon to my diet. In between snacking is rare, and when I got the urge, I would drink chocolate milk. Believe it or not, chocolate milk is the best drink within 30 minutes after a work out. I learned that it contains the perfect balance or protein and carbs for your body to replenish energy and make muscle. For me it stopped the carb cravings and kept me full. My band has helped me pick foods that are better for me, especially while training. I figured out that I can eat foods I love, without all the fat and extra calories and in small portions. My training schedule wasn't overwhelming, or exaggerated. It kept me on pace and I came to look forward to the 6am morning "long" walks. (and I am NOT a morning person at ALL) I made new friends, I learned so much, and RE-learned even more. I missed a couple of Saturdays due to vacation or my children's activities -but I wasn’t "punished or made feel bad" about it. My coach said, "just continue with the schedule and don't beat yourself up about it, see you next week". WOW, I was so used to kicking myself for eating the wrong thing, or missing a work out- that to brush it off and move on was new to me. It felt good to NOT feel guilt, pressure, or anything but ACCEPTED. It is said that when training for an event, DONT EXPECT TO LOSE WEIGHT. Because an athlete must eat more, to gain energy and make muscle, than normally. When the nutritionist announced this at one of our weekly Saturday seminars, I couldn't believe it. I thought to myself, well what's the point? The point is you are conditioning your INTERNAL body, which in turn will help tone and maintain your EXTERNAL attributes. You know the saying, "beauty comes within" well it does. Not only in attitude, personality, but organs, muscle, blood, etc...all count for internal beauty. I did lose weight and I have improved my internal beauty. On Sunday, January 11, 2009 at 7:05am, I began walking my first half marathon EVER!!! First of all, a half marathon is 13.1 miles, while a full marathon is 26.2 and an ultra marathon is 100 miles (or more). I started well and met Carolyn from Louisiana, she was walking just for fun while her daughter was running the half marathon for Boston qualification. She and I walked together the majority of the time. The hardest part of beginning a long walk is finding your pace so that you don't tire yourself out before the end. So, Carolyn who is TWICE my age was a great walking partner because I told myself, "if you can keep up with her, then you can do this". At mile 5, she took a restroom break and I continued walking which put me ahead of her by 5 minutes. At mile 6.5 which is half way finishing mark, she caught up to me. By mile 8 I was tiring and she and I talked about our children and other things. I drank an energizing drink and swallowed a packet of energizing jelly beans, while she drank water and swallowed an energizing gel. We walked hard. Harder than I ever walked in my life, not because I was trying to win or beat her, but because I wanted to finish. I told myself that I would NEVER do this again. At mile 10, I began to fall behind her and felt like I wasn't going to finish. She noticed and reassured me that I was doing great and that I could do this. I told her she was awesome, she answered that God was carrying her. I could feel my eyes fill to the brim with tears. I swallowed hard. Then, she held my hand for the next mile and we walked in sync and in silence. I will never forget those moments. There was another rest stop at mile 11.5, and she asked me if I wanted to take a break and I said "if I stop, it will be permanent because I wont be able to pick up momentum again". So we continued together. There was an uphill at mile 12, my legs felt like they were numb, my back was aching, and my right shoulder was hurting. I fell behind Carolyn, but I couldn’t hold her back again. She continued on ahead, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Every step of the way, I kept reminding myself of my family, of picturing myself finishing the line, of anything and everything that made me happy, and that if people in handicapped situations can this - then I can TOO. I finally saw mile 13 coming up and suddenly felt a burst of energy, an overwhelming joy and more tears. I didn't cry at as I crossed the finish line. I think because I was in "shock and awe" or because I was so numb with overwhelming emotions that I didn’t know whether to laugh, scream, cry or what! I had amazed myself, I had finished. Inaugural USA FIT Marathon and Half Marathon 1/11/2009 - Houston, TX (Katy @ Terry Hershey Park) Half marathon 13.1 miles Completed in 227 minutes or 3 hours and 47 minutes which breaks down to 17.32 minutes per mile Start time: 7:05 am and end time : 10:52 am The weather was FREEZING! 42 degrees, with the wind at 8-10 mph and felt like 32 degrees and high winds 4 am is the time I crawled out of bed 4 pm crawled back into bed My head coach and walking coach treated me to a wonderful brunch and we talked about the next upcoming events. I WILL do another half marathon sometime this year. I just hope that I will be someone's angel as Carolyn was mine that day. Thanks for taking the time out to read this and "listen" to my story.

THANKS MICHELLE, you always have great tips how to do things... and you look AMAZING, AWESOME, GREAT JOB!!!! Such an inspiration, as always...

Thanks everyone! Oh, andJazzyJude, and I love your recipes....and my family loved the chick cordon-blue everytime.

WWWOOOOOHHHHOOOOO :-D 9 months down 5 sizes down 70 pounds down So many positive things have happened in the last 9 months! Its been FUN, adventurous, and of course trying at times. I just want to say hello to all the people I met that day and hope all is well, and of course extend my hello to everyone else here on the board. My lapband has helped me come to some new realizations, hopes, dreams, and inspirations. Here are some of MY learning Tips: *do not weigh yourself daily or weekly- MONTHLY- should be more than enough, when in doubt go shopping for jeans. the loss isn't always on the scale, but in the inches *accept the fact you have lost weight and now fit into slimmer clothes so THROW away, give away, just get rid of the old clothes *join a walking/running/swimming/cycling/ANY support group, it's better knowing you have someone to call, talk to or expect before/afer your workout than no one at all *when in doubt, order the cream SOUP and a water (just don't drink the water and the waiter/waitress will not have to refill) *know that the lapband is your new best friend, and like any one or anything else that is important to you it needs TLC and lots of attention *if portion size is your problem, like mine is/was, instead of testing yourself on how much you can eat of your 1/3 cup servings, test yourself how much you can NOT eat - if two or three spoonfuls of food is all you need to feel "full" then deal with it...tell yourself you are doing GREAT and throw the leftovers away or have your waiter/waitress take it away, you don't always have to eat your entire portion to feel good about yourself *take your vitamins, work closely with your PCP, and stay hydrated (water is best, but propel and diet teas and sugar free juices work well also) Best wishes to all for a successful 2009 in all aspects of your life!

I LOVE to read everyone's NSV!!! GREAT JOB to ya'll =D> I recently began noticing some NSV's in my life: I now wear a size L, from a 2x and sometimes 3x! I can sit comfortably and with some space in my doctor's office waiting room/ lobby chairs without feeling like the chair is swallowing me or having to try to squeeze in between the armrests! LOL My shoe size is now a 6.5 D width, when I used to wear an 8 I am actually able to see definition in my arms and legs from my exercise routine! IT DOES PAY OFF :lb25: I look forward to posting some more NSV's soon, like buying at Victoria's Secret for Valentine's day in February :girl_dance: and of course joining ONEDERLAND!!!

I know how you feel. I signed up also and no instructions were sent....have they responded?

You look great! Love the pix, motivation and inspiration

So, after being on liquids for 3 days, I had an Upper GI done and saw my band status. Nothing stuck, but very snug. So I continued on liquids working onto solids for 3 more days and then TADA...all better. I'm not sure what was going on? But it could have been anything: stress, menstrual cycle, not chewing properly? I know it wasn't an overfill because I had a fill in July which is way too long for that tightness feeling. As a matter of fact, before I began to get ill, I was thinking of getting another fill because it had been a long time. I was getting hungry at night, so I had thought about it but put it off. Either way, this reminder is allowing me to give myself more attention. Sometimes I get into the mode of things and feel everything is fine, but I need reminders to tell double check my actions. In some other case, someone mentioned their band just closed up, without a cause? It's interesting to read others issues, but I appreciate the fact we learn from one another. In my case, I learned to make sure to take things nice and easy, slow down and take extra time for yourself. I even started using the baby spoon method and measuring my portions again. Things are pretty back to normal, as a matter of fact at night i am getting the hunger pangs even after I eat. So I eat a little more, at the point where I know that I shouldn't be eating. So I will being seeing a fill doctor.I am continuing my exercising and hydration and I will be seeing a fill doctor on the 19th.

Good luck on making your decision of a lifetime!!! Probably one of the best if you decide to go for it. I don't know what "eating around the band" means, but it sounds like cheating---which I don't want to know about at all! With all the money, time and energy I have invested in this surgery I am not about to try to cheat or find out how! IT"S NOT WORTH IT As for travel time, I had my surgery in Mexico and traveled two days later back to the US, and did very well. So it depends on you and your body and committement because you will be on a liquid diet for at least 7-12 days, then work your way to cream soups, mushy foods and so on through solids - which averages a minimum of 21-30 cycle depending on you and your doctor and your body. During this stage all you need is water and soups and then pretty much want to start with soft foods before going into the "tougher" foods like red meat and bread.

I would suggest to do the pre-op diet recommended by OCC, you can buy it from the estore and it works!!! I lost 12 pounds in under 15 days! Good luck in journey of fun"filled" success

dont be sad. You have lost weight and should focus on the positive. I know it is very difficult to feel that you haven't lost enough, but remember that the band is only a small percentage of what is helping you lose weight. Eating healthier options and exercising are also very important. Trust me, you probably are thinking, I already do all that and still have a slow process. You are getting your fills on time and eating no more than 4 oz per serving, and drinking at least 64 oz of water? If not, than start that first. Than work the exercise and healthier food as you can. Ask for support from friends or co-workers, or here online (like you did today) and someone will help out. don't worry this journey is long, frustrating, and downright upsetting BUT you have invested alot of time, money and motivation- don't waste that. Google the topic : how to break a plateau or go to mamamichelle profile and she has lots of topics on how to make sure you can check your fill info, plateau breakers and motivating info. take care and the best is yet to come, you will succeed! ps. NEVER EAT and DRINK at the same time!!!! or even within 30 minutes...try to wait the 60 minutes!