Question:
Is it Working?
i had my surgery on 10/30/08. My highest weight I got up to 268, than I lost a few pounds and was 263pounds 2 days prior to my surgery. Today I am weighing 256. My concern is that I don't really feel restricted when I do try and eat. I'm not really hungry, but I know I should eat and drink something. I've expressed this to my doctor and she she told me the liquids were going right through and I could move on to the next stage of the foods, so at this point I am on solids. Even than I still don't feel full, I just stop because I'm not hungry. My sister had it a few months ago and my recovery has been different from here's. I've read about stretching the pounch/stomach. How will I know if mine is stretched? How will I know if it healed properly? I'm going for my first fill in December, will they be able to tell if something is wrong at that time? Will I not feel that restriction until my first fill? — ctgoby1 (posted on November 13, 2008)
November 13, 2008
It is very doubtful that you have stretched your pouch as of yet. Even if
you are not hungry, please be sure to get your protein in. In the
meantime, be assured that what you are experiencing is not unusual. Sounds
like your stoma has healed very quickly, therefore you are able to eat with
no problem. This being the case, you probably won't feel restriction until
after you get a fill or two. I know you want restriction now and weight
loss now as we all did, just know that you are doing great and it will
happen. It is also important that your surgeon fills your port slowly as
each time your stoma will swell and need time to heal. If they put too
much in all at once, you won't be able to swallow your own saliva. Hang in
there, this isn't a race. Slow and steady weight loss is what it is all
about. Remember, everyone is different, consider yourself lucky... you are
able to get food and fluids down and not dehydrated or sick.
Congratulations and welcome to the loser's bench. Remember, protein,
veggies, water, vitamins, exercise and emotional work. Work through your
problems and stressors and not eat your way through them like we used to
do.
Dawn Vickers
— DawnVic
November 13, 2008
Be patient is the most important thing. I am down 41 lbs (officially, 50
unofficially) in 5 1/2 months. It will take you awhile to get to that
"sweet" spot as some call it. Meaning the point where you lose
weight and feel that restriction. I had my surgery in May, and felt like I
never had any restriction, even still now sometimes, but it takes awhile to
get to that point. I am filled now at 6.8 ccs in my band. My doc filled
me pretty tight this time because I had not lost anything in 6 weeks. I'm
sure you have healed fine and no stretching of the pouch. Each time you
get a fill your'll feel restriction for a day or so, you have to remember
that its a tool and you yourself have to do some work with it too. Making
better food choices (my down fall, especially with 3 kids, it's hard), and
pushing yourself away even though you may not feel "full" but
just satisfied. I noticed that I feel like I can eat and eat and eat, but
if I get interruppted during dinner, and have to step away from my plate, I
come back and I feel full then. Even though when I was sitting there
before I thought I could finish it. It's definately a mind set for me. I
always thought I had to "finish" the plate, but now we need to
just put less on the plate, and push ourselves away when we are satisfied.
You stop when your are not hungry, thats your satisfied feeling. It's good
you stop eating then. Keep up the good work and you'll be down in no time.
— Carrie S.
November 14, 2008
I think you are doing well if you are not feeling hungry. Keep in mind that
you are not supposed to eat until you feel "full" but until you
are satified. I think we always have in mind that we are supposed to quit
eating until we are full and cannot put any more food in us, but you now
have to think about stop eating once you are satified and not hungry
anymore. I don't feel the restriction while eating (I just get satified
with less amounts of food), but I definitely can feel some discomfort if I
overeat. When I went to see my doctor last time, he didn't do any fills.
Basically, if you are continuing to loose weight as the lap band was
designed to do (1-2 lbs per weeks) then you are on the right path. I
know...I wish it would be faster! But also, going slow gives time to your
system to adjust. Just remember to stay away from any carbonated drinks and
try to stick to healty food.
— cp3260
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