SHOULD I BE SCARED OR IS THIS NORMAL

04/22/07 I am getting a lil scared. I am 2 1/2 weeks post op and I am not feeling full like I was. I don't go in for my first fill until May 18th. I got all screwed up when I went to the damn Dietician with a group of people who had surgery the same time as I did. Here I am following the program to the letter, scared I'm going to mess something up and the rest of them are eating like they are on week 5. So I came home and tried some other stuff to eat, chewed well, drank 1 hr after I ate and was fine. So now I am eating normal. I only eat about 800 calories a day, probably 30 carbs a day or less, but I don't feel full. I just don't eat because I am scared. I don't know what to do. They are adamant they don't do fills for 5 wks post op. I better not gain my 27lbs back. I don't see weight loss on the scale. Hmmmmm. I am not hungry at all, not full, so I don't know what I am.

Dee Dee, I am sorry I don't know anything about the lab band....here is a link to the lapband board. Hopefully you could go there and find out some information pertaining to your situation. I wish you the best. Jodi http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/lapband/

Hi Dee Dee, Let me try to sort this out from experience. 2.5 week postop is still a healing phase. You don't have a fill, so your restriction, after the swelling, should be zero. I think you are caught up in terminologies that don't seem to match other people's. For some, being full is not being hungry. You are neither. If you can stick to 800 calories a day (and I'm assuming that's your doctor's/dietician's orders, you are doing just fine. At your stage of the game, I weighed about 320 pounds and my calorie allotment was 1800 calories. I "attempted" to eat 1800 calories, but it was tough when I didn't feel well. I always ate more than 800 calories and lost very well. Everyone's target intake is very different, so don't compare too much. With the band, you are shooting for 1-2 pounds weight loss a week. A deficit f 500 calories from your BMR (basal metabolic rate) is usually enough to accomplish this. We all heal at different rates also. With the band, being able to eat "normally" at 2-3 weeks is fairly common. Your stomach is healed and you haven't gotten a fill. All changes (or should) once you begin fills. You should stay the course and continue following your instructions to the letter. You must trust that the plan set before you will be sufficient to get you where you need to be, even if it seems drastically different from others. I wish you well ... oh, one more thing, you will not gain "fat weight" eating 800 calories, so those 27 pounds should be fine. You might need to eat more at some point to rev up your metabolism and lose more -- some do stall taking in under 1,000 calories, but this is also a very individual cir****tance. Onward! Frances

Thanks Frances, I should have just sent you a note personally. I am only getting in about 800 calories for some reason. So I started to write down what I am eating and drinking to see what is going on. I don't want to go into what the Dr. said was a starvation phase, which is when you don't eat enough you hold on to what you eat and don't lose much.

Hang in there Dee, most patients have that first month a little rough because they have an empty band. The band is usually not filled when installed, this is to allow your body to adjust to the presence of the band... and to allow you to adjust your eating... so at the moment your restriction is minimal. When you're healed more, your surgeon will discuss doing fills with you and go from there. Many band patients get worried feeling they should have lost more, or should feel full on amounts comparable to bypass patients, but this is not so... especially when your band has not been filled. And 800 calories will help with you losing weight... the protein and water are your focus points.... Just relax.... This too shall pass

Hi Dee, I try to check the board everyday, but lately things have been weird with work and moving. If you need to email me, I'm constantly in email at [email protected]. I firmly believe that there's a fine line between "too much and too little" so I found what the stats and figures were suggestion for me personally and made efforts to stick to it. My doctor's office and nutritionist found out how many calories I can take in and "maintain" my weight. I'm forever trying to take in that minus 500 calories. This gives you enough to lose and not feel hungry. Some of us do need more. It's best to ask the office what your target is and make every attempt to meet it while adding good, quality exercise -- walking is included in that category. Let me know if you need anything and we can talk more if you like. By the way, you are doing really great. Frances

Hey everybody, I just want to Thank All Yall for the information. You guys have calmed me down. I decided I will not get on the scale until after the day before I go to my first fill. I am back to walking abou a mile in 20 minutes. Because it is hot as the dickens I am also going to the gym at work to do my walking. So again THANKS TO ALL YALL