My Gastric band diary

[jinkles]

Update!

Hi again everyone.

Well I am due to see my surgeon again on Monday (1st time since the op). I think I have only lost 4lbs since having the band, I lost 13lbs on the pre-op diet, taking me to 17lbs in total so far. Is this about right??? I think I will ask him when I'll be having my 1st fill as I am going away for 2wks on the 14th feb which I think is when I should be due for my 1st fill. I might try and pursuade him to do it before I go away.

I'm also wondering how much weight others 'bandsters' lost post op and pre-1st fill. x x

 

[julieann]

Hi there, i had my band fitted on the 13th nov, so roughly about 9 weeks ago and have lost 2 stone since. I had my first band fill on the 4th jan at which time the nurse only put half a mil in because when i had the band fitted the surgeon put 4 mils in then, which to be honest has done me a favour because i have had restriction from the word go, but i know that all surgeons are different and some only fit an empty band at the time of fitting. xx

 

[jinkles]

update

Hi again,

Well it was my first day back at work yesterday (i'm a care assistant working with alzhiemers). It was very busy as we have had several new residents all of which require alot of personal assistance and considering we were also short staffed I was shattered when I got home after my 10hr shift!!!
I'm back in work today for a repeat performance.

I took a cup a soup and a small tub of low fat yogurt for my meal at work, only managed to have the soup as was so busy. Will take the same today and see how I get on.

I am consuming between 500-800calories a day, but don't seem to be losing much weight. I am seeing my surgeon tomorrow for my first post-op check up. I have lost about 5lbs since the op, so I hope he will be pleased with this.

 

[jinkles]

1st Pre-op appointment

Hi again, I've been to see Mr Cheruvu this evening, I've lost 1st 6lbs!!! Whoohoo!!!.(so much for me thinking I'd not lost much weight) He has scheduled my 1st band fill for three weeks on Thursday

 

[cazbandy]

Hi all, I think I have started with the struggling stage and am thinking more and more about my 1st fill. I was told to stay on a mushy/runny diet for 4 weeks but I am starting to struggle with this and have started eating some 'solid' food such as pasta and noodles. I am also eating larger portion sizes than I was told to as I feel hungry within 1/2hr of eating the recommended 6-8 tablespoon portion. Are u supposed to feel full without the resriction. Also will I stretch my small pouch with eating more than the recommended portion size?????

Hello there, great losses...but just a little word of advice, stay away from noodles and pasta for a bit, they are not really a good option so early on. It was 2 months before I even tried them and to be honest I struggle with rice and pasta and they have empty nutritional value.

It can take up to 5 fills to get it right, so don't worry too much, this is a long game.

 

[jinkles]

Hello there, great losses...but just a little word of advice, stay away from noodles and pasta for a bit, they are not really a good option so early on. It was 2 months before I even tried them and to be honest I struggle with rice and pasta and they have empty nutritional value.

It can take up to 5 fills to get it right, so don't worry too much, this is a long game.

Hi cazbandy, thanks for ur reply.
I have found absolutley no difficulty with any foods yet in fact I feel like I could manage anything if i'd let myself. I'm managing on willpower at the mo. I do feel full if I eat about 6-8 tablespoons of food then 1/2 hour later i feel hungry again (apart from 1st thing in a morning, I don't feel hungry till late on) When I have eaten pasta i've only had a very small portion (less than what my 2 yr old has) and blended it into a homemade sauce, my dietician said this was ok on the mushy stage after band but may be difficult after fills.

I have read on other threads that most people who have the band have difficulty with pasta,rice and other specific food, I don't, so I'm wondering is there something wrong or is it just because I havn't had a fill yet?

 

[cazbandy]

When they put the band in, its usually empty. Some have 1cc in, thats what mine had apparently.

So after all the swelling goes down, basically you are as you were before and its not until the adjustments are made that you get good restriction. Try drinking more fluids between meals, that can help. If not make up loads of fat free vegetable soup and heat a bowl of that when the peckishes come to stay.

I had my first fill in November, so my band is up to 3.25cc (10cc band) and I have some restriction.

A typical meal for me might be , a salmon fillet, 3 halfs of potato, and lots of spinach. It fits on a side plate and I can usually finish it. I take 20 mins over my dinners now, the slower I eat the fuller I seem to feel.

White bread is now a definite no-no, and I don;t worry about pasta, there are so many other foods that I like, like gnochi....mmmm

It will take more than one fill to get really good restriction. My next one is February 23rd and hope that helps. I am still loosing weight, about 1/2lb to 1lb a week, so as long as it heads downwards, I don't mind.

 

[jinkles]

When they put the band in, its usually empty. Some have 1cc in, thats what mine had apparently.

So after all the swelling goes down, basically you are as you were before and its not until the adjustments are made that you get good restriction. Try drinking more fluids between meals, that can help. If not make up loads of fat free vegetable soup and heat a bowl of that when the peckishes come to stay.

I had my first fill in November, so my band is up to 3.25cc (10cc band) and I have some restriction.

A typical meal for me might be , a salmon fillet, 3 halfs of potato, and lots of spinach. It fits on a side plate and I can usually finish it. I take 20 mins over my dinners now, the slower I eat the fuller I seem to feel.

White bread is now a definite no-no, and I don;t worry about pasta, there are so many other foods that I like, like gnochi....mmmm

It will take more than one fill to get really good restriction. My next one is February 23rd and hope that helps. I am still loosing weight, about 1/2lb to 1lb a week, so as long as it heads downwards, I don't mind.

Thanks for the advice.
I keep telling myself that having the band is no quick fix and I have to be patient. Sometimes it's harder to take your own advice than it is to give it, that's why I love this forum!!!!
x x x

 

[shelbell]

Congrats on the loss :clap: thats great going!

 

[weight loss hopeful]

congrats on your loss. Ive lost 28lbs since my band on 28th nov 08. Im happy with that. Hope you get some restriction on your 1st fill. I had mine last week and he put in 2.5ml and said it should be sufficient for now but i will need more fills to get it totally right. Take care R x

 

[jinkles]

congrats on your loss. Ive lost 28lbs since my band on 28th nov 08. Im happy with that. Hope you get some restriction on your 1st fill. I had mine last week and he put in 2.5ml and said it should be sufficient for now but i will need more fills to get it totally right. Take care R x

Hi weight loss hopeful, Congrats on ur weightloss surgery and ur weightloss so far. How did ur first go? Does it hurt? and do you feel like you have some restriction? Sorry about all the questions! x x x

 

[SkinnyWannabe]

Hey Jinkles! thanks for sharing, im on the Pre Op Diet at the moment, my surgery is due on Monday and is always nice to read about what to expect... You must be so happy with your weight loss, i know i would Congratz!!!

 

[jinkles]

another update

Hi again everyone,

I'm still doing ok with this new eating plan although I have started to get more hungry so have therefore decided to restart the pureed/mushy stage so that I can keep control of my portion sizes (If I let myself I think I could eat the same size portions as I did before the band).

I had an awful shift at work yesterday, it's now common knowledge that I've had the band and have received several comments such as ''don't you think you've taken the easy way out'' and ''didn't think you were a selfish person'' and I think the most hurtfull comment was off a so called friend (who has been classed obese herself) said ''after all you went through to get your 2 beautiful girls, you went and risked your life knowing you could be leaving your children without a mum''
Very hurtfull comments I know, but I'm not letting them get to me I know that I've made the right decision in having the band and the people who matter in my life care, understand and 100% support that decision.

oh yeh I will definatley be watching 'The wright stuff' in the morning, shud be interesting viewing!!!!

 

[teen]

Try to ignore what the people at work say You only have to work with them not live with them As long as you have your family and true friends support stuff the others they prob jealous cause they aint got the balls to do it them selves

 

[Sambucca]

sorry to hear your colleagues are not supportive. At the end of the day, people are ignorant and only aware of the horror stories. Dont let them bully you though hun, and if you feel it gets too much you should report it to management.

They will be eating their words when the weight falls off, and then their ignorance will turn to jealousy.

 

[sarahhj]

Yeh im really lookin forward to the wright stuff and to see he reacts to weight loss surgery xx

 

[jinkles]

Hi all, I've had a bit of a naughty day 2day, been picking at bits of food all day and had larger portions of normal meals. In fact I think I've probably consumed more calories 2day than I have all week!!!! So now I feel really guilty, I just hope I can move on from it and start 2moz afresh.
And on another downer my grandad is in hospital not looking too good! ;-(

 

[SkinnyWannabe]

awwwwwwwwww sorry to hear about your grandad! hope he gets well soon.

 

[kee28]

well done hun or ur band im having mine done 2morro whoo hoo lol is the pain bad when u first wake up thats all im dredding lol and my port hole i dont want to even know its there or i will pass out lol im such a wimp i nearly passed out when they took bloods on wensday ahahaha

 

[jinkles]

well done hun or ur band im having mine done 2morro whoo hoo lol is the pain bad when u first wake up thats all im dredding lol and my port hole i dont want to even know its there or i will pass out lol im such a wimp i nearly passed out when they took bloods on wensday ahahaha

Hi kee28, I did feel some pain as soon as I came round after surgery, if you feel any tell them straight away, I did and they gave me some morphine ahhh!!lol. I didn't feel my port at all for about 10 days because of the swelling, and I can't really feel it now it's more like you know it's there than feel it's there.