MargieK

I would say this is what restriction feels like, but if you are really worried you can always call the OCC. They are really good at answering questions. I can always tell when my pouch has emptied out because I get a big burp. I used to get a lot of burps right after I ate, but that doesn't happen as much now (5 months after good restriction). I always think of the band like a stopped up sink (can't remember where I read that). Once the water goes down you'll hear some gurgles from the air that was trapped underneat the water. It's really weird getting used to what the band feels like. I get a tightness in my chest when I've eaten too much food at once. You'll also have a learning process as you find out how your band is. I didn't feel restriction until after my 2nd fill, but you might be one of the lucky ones with immediate restriction. Margie

I did 1 hour and 45 minutes on my dog hike today. Thank goodness I have two young dogs who love to hike in the woods as much as I do. My hardest thing with exercise is getting started and they have no problem letting me know when it's time for a walk - 3 times a day, every single day, rain or shine. It was actually snowing this morning when we took off. I figured I would do an hour, but we just kept going. 1 hour and 45 minutes - woo hoo! I already updated the ticker, but I still have two more walks left for today. I started thinking about my goal of 10 hours of exercise every week and I was wondering if that was too much. I usually do 8 hours a week, so I didn't think 10 hours would be that much of a stretch. But then I figured out it would be 1 1/2 hours a day 6 days a week, and an hour on my rest day. I'm going to keep the 80 hours on my ticker, but if it takes me 9 or 10 weeks to complete it that's ok. It's still a good goal to shoot for and I think I can do it if nothing totally unexpected happens. I also figured out that I can save my blog posts as a draft, so I've been recording my exercise every day and I think I"ll just post on Saturdays and Wednesdays. I weigh myself almost every day, but I'll report on my weight on those two days as well. So here is the recap: Thursday I did a little over an hour and curbed my dinner time eating. Friday: morning: 1 hr 10 min walk, plus 10 and 15 = 1.5 total. Eating was not good yesterday. I was hungry all day long, but I did focus on fruits and veggies as much as I could. I made a veggie curry for dinner and that was pretty good. I do best on a diet of high protein, veggies, and good fats, but I'm just not that into meat right now. Sat: 1.75 hrs morning, will record rest later. Edit - did another hour, so the total for the day is 2.75 hours. If I can do this two days I week I'll be able to make my goal no problem. Plan for next few days: Sunday - go to gym, do 1 or 2 dog walks = 1.5 hrs Monday - long hike day, plus 1 or 2 more walks = 2 hrs Tuesday - easy day, 3 short dog walks = 1 hr Wed - gym again, 2 dog walks = 1.75 hrs

Sherri, Thanks for your comment. The band has been a great decision for me, I hope you are as happy as I am. It really helped me to read all the messages on the forum. Margie

It's noon on Thursday and I had a great nsv (non-scale victory) today. The scale has stayed the same over the last month or so, but today I tried on a pair of pants that have been too tight in the thighs. I only tried them on because I didn't want to wear my baggy jeans and I it was too cold this morning to wear my capri pants. Surprise, surprise, they fit! And they didn't fit two weeks ago, so I've lost inches even though I haven't lost pounds. I am so happy. This is exactly what I needed to help motivate me to the next step. Yesterday I did meet my two goals Exercise: about 45 min dog walks, 45 min tv dance workout. It was raining most of the day, so this was pretty good. Dinner: did eat my goal portion, but didn't do so well on eating the rest of the day. Oh well, at least I did a few things right. Today I'm keeping the same goals. One great thing I learned from my fitness coach is if you don't meet a goal, don't try to overdo things to catch up. Just keep it the same until you do succeed (or figure out why it's not working). I'm still smiling about the black pants. They were even a bit baggy when we got home.

This is my very first blog post. I don't know if anyone will ever read this, but I'm going to use it as a motivational tool for the next two months. I realized today that I have exactly 8 weeks to go before I take a trip in July to see some work colleagues who I usually only see once a year. Last July I was pretty depressed about my weight and hadn't made the decision to be banded yet. I got banded in Sept. and am really happy with the results right now, 8 months later. I'm at 158 pounds right now, and would love to be in the 149s this summer. So my goal is 1 pound per week for the next 8 weeks. I think that is doable for me. I'm going to use this blog to make myself accountable to my weekly goals. Today my goal is to get 1 hour of exercise in today and eat less food for dinner than I did last night. I have gotten a little sloppy in the amount of food I've been putting on my plate. So I'm going back to eating out of a bowl, and having about a handful of protein and about a cup of veggies. One small goal each day, I know that's all I need to do to stay on track.

I drive 5 hours to get my fill and I pay for a hotel room, but it's still less expensive for me than going back to the OCC. I think my doctor charged $195 for the first time, then $170 after that. I needed only 2 fills with her, I could have probably done just one if I had been willing to be more aggressive on the first fill with her. I did go back to the OCC for my first fill just to make sure everything is ok. You might want to explore options that are within a day's drive from your home, or maybe even close to family members so you could combine that with a visit. I think it is really worth it to have a very good fill doctor. If have someone who knows what they are doing, you should only have to go once a month or so for the first few times. Getting fills is an art, not a science, so it can be really hard to get to just the right restriction. When we decided to invest in this surgery, we also made sure we had enough to cover 3 fills (with travel expenses). You have to think of it as part of the expense - because if you don't have the right restriction the band doesn't work. But... if you are too tight you run the risk of inflaming your pouch and then having to get a complete unfill and starting the process all over again. I am not a patient person, but I made myself be patient during the fill process because I thought it would be worth it in the long run. I am happy that I did that - and extremely happy with the results of the band now that it's been about 4 months since I got to my sweet spot. If only the band would remove chocolate cravings . Margie

I was asking Dr. M. about doing ab workouts after the surgery and he told me that there is scar tissue that will be hard at first, but then it will soften up over time. I also had sharp pains about the first month after surgery, but now I hardly ever feel it all. Just some dull pain when I lift something the wrong way. Margie

The one thing that really works for me is to have veggies or fruit with every meal. I keep bags of frozen stuff because I can't eat that much at one time. My husband is not that much of a veggie eater, but I'm not much of a meat eater so I always think about what veggies I want before I think about the protein. Being on the band has been hard because I used to use a lot of veggies to help fill me up. I also bought the vitafusion gummies on Angie's recommendation and one of those a day helps things out too. And if I ever have a really bad problem, I use this tea called smooth move (they have a chocolate flavor). Just make sure you are near a bathroom the first time you drink it. It usually works overnight, but you never know how your body will react.

Hi, I have the same size band and you can see my fill levels from my stats below. I had restriction on my 2nd fill and now I'm at my sweet spot 2 weeks out of the month and I'm trying to decide if I want to get a little bit more. My weight loss has stalled but it's because I went crazy with chocolate for awhile and I've been a little lazy about following the band rules. Did you really mean to say that you are drinking your protein? That's probably not helping if you are doing that. My fill dr. said to always start every meal with solid protein because it is the most difficult to digest. I'm getting back on track by measuring and logging all my food for awhile. I don't like doing this, but it is really enlightening to see just how the calories add up during the day. I try not to beat up on myself too much, if I didn't have an eating problem then I wouldn't need the band. So I just try to do my best and keep correcting my course along the way. Restriction helps us make better eating decisions, but we can still eat way too many calories if we don't change our habits. I hope you can find what works for you, I know how frustrating it can be to feel stuck.

I would also recommend: hard-boiled eggs cottage cheese with some frozen fruit addded (I prefer blueberries) string cheese and sliced lunchmeat with whole-grain crackers apple or pear and peanut butter (take a knife to slice the fruit) carrot chips or slice cucumber and hummus or low-fat cheese dip Since I've been banded my best breakfasts are protein and veggies. If I start the day with carbs then I seem to be hungry all day. You might want to experiment with different meals and see how long it takes to get hungry again. Margie

Gorgeous! I bet you feel great too. I know a year ago at this time I was in total despair about my weight. I got banded in Sept. and now I have a new lease on life. I am absolutely certain I added at least 20 years to my lifespan. Way to go Debbie!

I didn't have any restriction after my first fill, but I haven't had much put in with the 2nd & 3rd fills to get good restriction. It's definitely an art, not a science, and personally I think it has a lot to do with what your body is doing on the day you get your fill. I always scheduled my fills for right after my period because I usually gain 2 lbs of water weight the week before. It sounded logical that I would get a tighter fill if I was less bloated. But now after several months I realize that my band is tighter two weeks after my period and fairly loose the two weeks before. Go figure. My weight loss has stalled, but I am losing inches pretty good. I haven't decided if I'd rather be a little too tight 2 weeks out of the month, and then have good restriction right before my period (when my appetite is a bit out of control). But if I do get another fill it will definitely be during pms week. I'd also recommend waiting 2 weeks after you get a fill unless you feel really, really open. A fill could feel different after 2 weeks. And... I also think once we get to a good fill level it does just take small amounts to make a big difference in restriction. There is a fine-tuning process and sometimes it really does take time to get it right. Margie

Hi Debbie, Did you try playing around with the setting for the RT editor (or whatever it is). Didn't you turn that off/on a few weeks ago? Just a shot in the dark. I was able to add some text to my signature just now. Margie

I used the time to figure out what protein drinks I liked and to practice chewing and eating my protein first. I made up my own diet based on what I needed to lose. I wish I would have tried more cream soups because I really got tired of sweet stuff during the liquid diet post-op. Boy did I get a wakeup call when I started being mindful about chewing. I was in the habit of inhaling my food. Margie

I thought I was going to have a really hard time giving up my diet coke, but I realized that I was mainly drinking it to fill me up when I was hungry and to give me a caffeine boost. Poweraid zero has been my replacement drink. It might help to figure out why you want to have that and then find a replacement. For example, if you like the sweetness, you could try getting some flavored splenda packets or Torani syrup and adding those to different beverages until you find something that satisfies you. What I think has really helped all my cravings is taking my vitamins every day and making sure I get enough sleep at night. I take a sublingual b-12 tab every morning and I think that helps too. And whenever I need a caffeine pick me up in the afternoon I get some exercise - go figure. Margie

Hi, One gallon is 64 oz right? I usually drink that in a day. Restriction can really make a difference, it took me about a month to figure out how to adjust and still drink enough water. I can't drink a lot of very cold water, it tightens up my band. What I do is fill up 2 33 oz bottles every night and then drink from them during the day. I mostly work at home, but I took a couple of water bottles to my client's yesterday and just made myself take a 10 minute break to drink 12 oz. I can't chug water like I did before, and I probably drink most of my water in the mornings and at night after dinner. It's a little weird if you are used to drinking whatever you want whenever you want, but the band is all about making new habits. I have to decide if I want to drink or eat, I usually can't do both. If I drink too much before I eat then I'm not hungry. And I don't drink anything for about an hour after I eat (I wait for the big burp that tells me my pouch is empty) It just takes some time. I'd also recommend you move conservatively on the fills. Give yourself at least a month before your next fill to see if you get too tight. I've only had restriction for 2 1/2 months, but I have noticed my band tightens up in the 2 weeks after my period. Margie

Scrambled eggs worked for me on the first day. Dr. Miranda suggested it to me when I asked her. I agree about being careful, you just never know what kind of restriction you will have - and the weird thing is that it can change from day to day. Enjoy your first meal Margie

My secret is Aidells Chicken Meatballs, they are very moist and aren't rubbery out of the microwave like turkey meatballs can be. My favorite is teriyaki and pineapple. http://www.aidells.com/sausages/descriptions/details.cfm They are 130 cal/ 11 grams protein for 3 meatballs, I can usually eat 4 and have room for a 1/2 cup of veggies. I can buy huge bags at Costco for $12, I don't know if they are available at all grocery stores. Definitely consider making your own protein shots. I'd also recommend checking out the recipes at unjury.com. Another thing I've tried is using a high protein cream of broccoli soup as a gravy when my chicken or turkey looks a little dry. I got the soup mix on sale when I ordered my liquid vitamins at bariactricchoice.com There is a blog called theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/ that is written by a woman who had bypass. She has a lot of great high protein recipes and ideas for getting a lot of nutrition into small amounts of food. Hope this helps. Margie

I was figuring you'd be there pretty soon. Congratulations, you've really worked the band. That is so amazing. Disneyland here you come!

I absolutely adore Dr. Fitzpatrick. I'm pretty sure I'm at my sweet spot right now, so I'm kind of sad I won't be seeing her again for awhile. For someone who doesn't use fluoro, she just seems to know what she is doing. I would have been at my sweet spot at my first fill with her, but I was terrified of being overfilled and she took a little more out so I'd feel comfortable. I have nothing bad to say about the OCC, and I would use them if it just didn't cost me so much in time and money to get there (mostly time - I don't like being at the mercy of the airlines). Looking back I'm really glad I sort of eased into restriction. It is a huge difference - at least it was for me. And I had been practicing the tiny bites and 1 cup of food since before surgery. It's so hard to understand until it actually happens. It is really worth it to find a fill doctor you can be honest with and who will really listen to you. Margie

I have had 1 fill at OCC and 2 w/Dr. Fitzpatrick in Oregon. I don't know how to do the vote thing for my information. Margie

I actually didn't start losing weight on the liquid diet until I started adding 1 - 2 tablespoons of pesto to my soups. (about 120 cal per T). My daily exercise included about 45 minutes of dog walks (hills) and I think I just wasn't getting enough calories. Metabolism is such an unknown thing though. It is so frustrating. I have to keep repeating to myself "slow and steady wins the race". For me the band was not a quick fix (although I wish it was) but a long term solution. What your body does during the liquid stage may have nothing to do with your weight loss for the next year. Keeping track of my results by inches instead of the scale has been much more rewarding for me. I actually look forward to trying on clothes that I haven't worn in a really long time. Margie

If you find any great non-meat high protein food, please share them in the forum - I would love to have more options. I don't know if you eat whey protein, but if you do I'd recommend unjury.com. They have an unflavored protein powder if you wan't something that isn't sweetened. It does have a taste though, which is why I haven't added it to a lot of my meals. I might have to experiment with it some more to find something it goes with. Margie

Hi Janelle, I'm not much of a meat-eater, but I have found that I have to be very diligent about getting in my 45 - 60 grams of protein a day. I can only eat two meals a day, and I pretty much stick with a cup to a cup and a half of food. I try to do close to 15 grams of protein per half cup, and you can see on the list from the website that 1/2 cup of beans only provides 8 grams. I've started eating a protein bar as a snack, or peanut butter and an apple. I don't mean to share this as a discouraging note for vegetarians, it's because this is something I didn't really think about until I got restriction. My previous eating habits were based on volume and lots of water content. I loved beans and veggies, but now beans don't seem very nutritious to me, and I had a very uncomfortable experience one night after eating a cup of broccoli with my half-cup of chicken. It's a weird mindset trying to get a lot of calories/protein in small amounts of food, but I think this is part of the process of being restricted and following the bandster rules. I like Kristy's idea of doing protein shots, I might just start doing them in the morning. Right now I'm just getting about 4 grams of protein from the creamer I add to my tea. I have been trying hard to not have liquid meals, but my fill doctor said I might not be getting enough calories and that was why I wasn't losing weight. What a bizarre thing for me to hear. : ) I have been losing inches though, and I think it's because I am focusing on high protein foods. But thanks for the link, it had some good information. Margie

Thanks for sharing that your pouch is back to normal. I have been a yoyo dieter for about 30 years, so I know what it feels like to be back at the same place again. But... now you know more than you did before and it sounds like you are more resolved to get back on track. I am happy for you, and I really appreciate your sharing your story. It helped me become more patient with the whole lap band process and that is exactly what I needed. Margie