undecided and scared

Hi
I'm new to OH and have been referred to Dr. Pace in St.John's NL, No reply as of yet..Not so scared of surgery as the life long change in eatting.Has anyone had second thoughts after it was done due to the change in eatting.I don't know much about the eatting part after.Can some one explain what happens?Thank you all so much.

Hi, welcome to the forum. Every surgeon has their own rules for eating. Usually you are on liquids for 3-6 weeks. This will give time for healing after the band surgery. Some programs have you drink protein drinks. Check with your surgeon and find out what he requires. Usually when you start eating real food, eat your protein first. Protein, fruit,veggies and fiber is what you would need to eat. Breads, pasta and rice are not tolerated well. These foods are high in starch and fat. Speed is the big issue for the band. Get a kitchen timer and time your bites 3 minutes apart. This is how you learn to slow down and recognize feeling full. Also take small bites and chew well. Get a baby spoon and salad plates to eat from. You have to trick your brain with thinking you are getting a lot of food on a small plate. Everyone has foods that go down easier than others. Each person is different. When trying new foods do it in the evening. THat is when your band is most open. Most people find it difficult to eat in the morning. I am not that way but it is a very common thing. Hope this helps. Good luck.  Mona

HI there,

I have never had second thoughts of having it done after wards.  I have my days that I have cussed my band because of not losing lol but no second thoughts.

Since I got the band I still eat all the same foods as I did before , the way I look at this band and this is just me only.  The band is ONLY there to help curb hunger and portion control that is it. The band to me is not about restricting me from foods that I cant eat this or that .  I never did want the band to do that for me and I wont live that way either .

I enjoy all the same foods as before I got the band.  I jus****ch my portion control now , and I watch how much I eat of certain foods.

I was never a big pasta eater so I dont eat alot of pasta now , in fact I have only had it once in 5.5 months , but that is my choice.

I still eat bread, rice but not every day and once  it again it's portion control.  I still eat pizza, McDonald's but I make better choice's when I go and when I eat pizza I eat two slices and I'm happy with that and walk away.

I eat about a cup sometimes a cup and half of food per meal ., it depends on what I'm eating on which way I go .

I eat around 60-80 grams of protein per day
50-80 carbs per day
fat I try to keep around 50 or below per day
and calories I eat around 1100 to 1400 per day .

I dont get the full sensation anymore like I did before I got the band , but I get this satisfied feeling that I dont need no more foods.


But it dont matter how much saline you have in you , you can always eat around the band, the band dont stop you from eating at all.  I can eat around mine all day if I wanted to .

also you do need self control and will power also the band dont do all the work for you .  You have to learn to step away and say okay that is enough we dont need no more .

I have lost 50 pounds so far (haven't been on the scales for a week and half  now retaining water ) I have lost over 30 inches now and I'm pleased a*****h .


When I first started a vet on here told me its all about Moderation not Deprivation and I live by that rule 100% of the time .  If I want something I eat it , but now I am learning how to eat them foods in moderation :o)

There is a huge psychological adjustment to eating tiny portions after weight loss surgery.  I originally had the Lap-Band and had it removed 3 weeks ago because of complications. I now have the VSG.  With both of them you had major changes in how you can eat even after the recovery period. 

You learn a lot about eating and hunger that you didn't know of before hand. You will learn hunger is different than "head hunger" which is different than eating socially.  I don't care who you are or how dedicated to your surgery you are, but at some point you will try to binge and push your limit and your surgey will respond accordingly.

I will tell you this, from having both surgeries now, the VSG gives you more of a "warning" than the Lap-Band does and the feeling of being full it a lot easier to read.  I never really got full from the Lap-Band unless I was either eating around it (i.e. slider food) or got stuck on non sliders.  With the VSG I get a feeling of full at a certain point, like I just ate a Thanksgiving dinner. So far with the VSG I only get a "stuck" feeling if I eat too fast.  With the band I was getting stuck if something wasn't slick enough. For instance I never really could eat white meat chicken breast unless it was ground up finely with mayo.  The only kind of chicken meat I could eat was dark meat.   I couldn't eat steak AT ALL.  Ground meat was okay but nothing too solid.    Mind you from what I hear from other bandsters this is not usual, but my band did start tightening on it'sown, which is why I had to eventually have it removed.

Thank you all so much for your knowledge.New here.So glad I joined.Alot of info to absorb.Thanks to all of you maybe be a little easier.

sorry me again.just wanted to know how long you wait for surgery after consultation?Also what do you have to prepare for surgery?Thanks again.

I was self pay so I didn't have to do alot of things that insurance requires you to do.  I saw my NUT the first time in Aug and I had my surgery in Nov.

Right before surgery I had to do a 14 day preop diet .  I was allowed two shakes one in the morning , one in the afternoon and then 1/2 cup of protein and 1/2 cup of veggies for dinner and that was is it.

I could eat as much jello as I wanted though .  I did cheat and add a salad with my dinner but then I found out later I was allowed to have it lol.

During that preop stage you will be hungry, you will be tired, and you will be very very moody .  I was not the most pleasant person to be around at that time.

The first three days are the hardest . I was so hungry when I went to bed I had to drink a glass of milk before bedtime at least it filled my tummy up to sleep .

Thanks Steelerfan .That's great info.Does'nt sound to bad.The moodiness must be the worse.My Dr.told me one person got really angry after his operation because he loved eatting and now no longer could.I'm sure it has to be really hard to give up the way you lived all your life.How long does it take to get use to it I wonder?


                                                                                                                                  Newfie88

Newfie,

To be honest it hasn't been that bad , but for me I was never a sweets person, I was never a snacker I just didn't know how to eat healthy meals or when to stop at meal times that was my biggest problem .

I was a fast food junkie that is where alot of my problems was and like I said no****ching portions.  I could care less about carbs but give me a steak or any kind of meat and I can chow down lol.

For me if I deprive myself of the foods I want then I will eat everything else to make up for what I want.  It's just much easier to have what  I want and eat that item in moderation and that is what I have learned through all this in five months.

Now the biggest problem is knowing the difference between actual hunger and head hunger.  That head hunger can get you into trouble if you don****ch it.  

We talked about this in support group .  There was a lady that ran and got fills because of head hunger and fills dont take head hunger away that is something you and you alone have to work on .  You can run to the doc and get fills every six weeks but the head hunger wont go away .

That has been the hardest for me is head hunger especially during the time of the month . Some times I give in and sometimes I dont it depends on my mood for the day to be honest.

your eatting patterns sound alot like my own.I too love meat .Don't snack much.Eat to much at meal time.Yes I agree the mind is what sets the whole stage for success.Thanks again