How hard is the banded diet to live with?

[debi]

Hello everyone. I really need some feedback on living with the banded diet. I had a visit with the surgeon's nutritionist and nurse practitioner this past Tuesday. This visit is a prerequisite to meeting with the surgeon (pre-op tests, office visits... and it goes on and on.)

Anyway, I was given a list of pre-op, post-op, and living with the band foods. There was a lot of information about foods to avoid, foods that work well with the band, suggested recipes/reading...

My husband looked over the information when he came home from work on Tuesday night, and he said, "This is crazy! How are you going to live like this the rest of your life??? Peeling grapes, eating tiny bites, avoiding steak, pork chops, bread??? Why can't you just eat less and exercise more and lose the weight normally? At least when it's over, you can eat like a normal person once in a while? How the hell can you live in NY and worry about eating a slice of pizza? You even have to worry about getting a damn stomach virus if you get this surgery! It's nuts. You're creating problems in your life that we don't need at this point in our lives." And these are just the highlights of what he said.

Needless to say, he's very down on this procedure, but he wasn't in the beginning. In fact, when I started out he was very supportive. Trouble is I don't think he was listening to the obstacles (never does). He was just focused on the final result. Now that the surgery is closer to becoming reality and he actually took the time to read something about it himself, he doesn't think I should go any further. As far as he's concerned, I should cancel the appointment with the surgeon because he thinks this surgery would complicate our lives way too much. I'm 55, he's 58. He is retiring soon and wants to "enjoy" life, not spend it watching me eating "peeled grapes with soup."

Okay, so my question is: how tough is banded life? Is it true for most of you that, even after you've reached goal, you can never have a moderate serving of rib eye at Outback? Or a slice of pizza? Or a hot dog on a bun at a barbecue? How about vacations? Do you go to Paris and forego the crossaints and skip the pasta in Italy?

Please share with me the real facts on living with the lapband. My husband's reaction has really made me think twice about this.

Thanks... Debi

[Mrs Sabre]

Debi, I'm not at goal yet, but I am succeeding thus far. As far as things I can't physically eat because they get hung up, they are soft/doughy breads, dry chicken, & raw/crunchy broccoli. That's not to say I can't eat these things whatsoever; it means I have to watch how they are prepared and be particularly careful of how I eat them. I have to emphasize, these are the things I cannot eat. Different people have trouble with different foods.

Probably 95% of the time, I eat by the band rules. Nothing to drink for 30 minutes before or after meals, eat very slowly, chew very well. I eat my lean protein first and then my good carbs ... fruits & veggies.

With that said, I've been on vacation. I've eaten desert. I have a slice of thin (crispy) crust pizza once in a while. I will have a piece of wheat toast with my eggs for breakfast. I can manage a bite of warm soft yeast rolls once in a while. I've never tried grapes, but frequently eat raisins without problems. Because of how you eat with the band, I've also discovered I savor the flavor of my food more than I ever had before! That's a big plus that isn't brought up very often.

I love my band! For the first time I feel like there's hope for long-term success, and I don't feel deprived by a completely regimented "diet". I do have to do my part by making smart, healthy food choices; eating the correct way mechanically; listening to my band and putting my fork down when I'm satisfied; drinking my water between meals; and exercising. Do I "cheat", you better believe it! This is a lifestyle, not a diet. This is meant to be ongoing and permanent. If I couldn't have desert once in a while, I wouldn't have had surgery.

I hope this helps? Good luck & God bless!

[Kathy]

Debi, I have been banded over 18 months, and while I was super-tight after surgery and it really effected the way I ate, as I lost weight and lost restriction, I have returned to eating a "normal" diet. Just less of it. I'm notoriously "not tight" now, though. I do not like a tight band but it is time for me to get one last fill to help me with the last of my weight.

A few months ago, I enjoyed a lovely dinner at Outback in Ashville with some of the banded ladies here. I ordered a Prime Rib, steamed veggies, and salad. I ate all the salad and veggies, and a tad less than half the steak. I had horseradish sauce and au jus for dipping small pieces of tender meat and it was a lovely dinner. I did gather a wad of "unchewable" meat that I, as politely as I could, spit out along the way. Cocktail napkins are handy in nicer restaurants with cloth napkins, right? Other than that, I ate well, no dessert, and enjoyed my dinner.

Yes, you do have to make adjustments to eating. Once you learn how your band works, it's easy and normal. The first few months are the learning curve. It's really fine. I eat pasta and bread and pizza. I'm also a slow loser, so I guess you take your pick, right? With this last fill I'm getting, I'm aware that, for a time, I may need to give up some menu items. That's okay. This band is adjustable. If I maintain my weight, I *could* get a small bit of saline taken out and be able to eat a wider variety.

That's my experience. I hope this posts, my 'puter is acting up....ick.

[Jeannine]

In addition to the wonderful replies already posted here, I would like to suggest that your husband may be reacting to the upcoming changes by feeling concern for you and feeling threatened a bit about the coming lifestyle changes. When you first start discussing getting banded, it is a little like a fairy tale. WHen reality gets closer, sometimes we subconciously panic. I don't think he was being negative as much as he is in love with you.

Good Luck

jeannine

[Kat817]

I agree with all you have been told. It IS a different way of life than what you are leading now, but most of us desperately needed a change. For both our mental and physical health.
I eat steak, I eat less of it, and it has to be tender. Same with pork chops, ribs, roast...anything! Dry chicken is a problem for me. I eat pizza, if it is thick or pan crust, I eat about 1/2 a slice, I eat it slow, and chew well, and have no problems. I eat a full slice of thin crust usually. Now that amount may seem awful to you and your DH at this point, but it really isn't. Usually if you are out to eat together, you are busy talking, and taking in what is going on around you...you will not both be focused entirely on what you are or are not eating. And since you will be chewing well, and eating small bites, slowly, you will finish your slice in about the same time it takes DH to inhale his usual amount...in fact he may still be waiting on you!! I personally don't sit and watch what or how others are eating, I am attending my own dinner...so by the same token, no one usually pays any attention to me and how I am eating. I always have a take home box tho!!!
I eat grapes, and I do not peel them. I am very careful to chew the skin well. The problem is, if you don't the skin can act like a dam over the opening of the pouch into the larger stomach. And personally if I get to goal weight, and someone were to tell me I could never have grapes again...I'd just eat another fruit. Thin is better to me than grapes!!!
I do eat differently, but have managed vacations, family dinners, work functions, and many, many meals out with friends, and done just fine. I am careful with what I choose, and acknowledge that if dining out, I may not be able to make as wise of choices as I do at home. However it is a trade off for being confidant that I won't have problems with my food. For instance, I often will choose potatoes with gravy, because the gravy makes eating both the meat and the potatoes easier. At home I would not have them as often. I would choose a lower calorie option. I will lose weight eating either one, but I will lose it faster watching what calories I take in.
I do not eat nearly the portions I used to...but I LOVE knowing I am full after a small amount, and I will not be hungry for hours on end. And my body can burn that food and not pack on the pounds as before. It is liberating in ways I cannot describe!!!
Yes a serious stomach virus, that would have you vomiting non stop, could be bad. In that case you see your Dr. rather than the usual toughing it out. You can be given a shot or suppositories, to stop the vomiting. My husband has not been banded, but he had a VERY serious GI bleed last month due to throwing up...so it can be dangerous regardless of being banded or not.
Your DH loves you and the life you have, he does not want to disrupt it all, and that is understandable! But, in my opinion, this surgery has given me a new lease on life. We now go for a bike ride, rather than to dinner...our life has changed, but for the better.
We also have spent a lot of time shopping...buying size 14 & 16 instead of 24!!!
Good Luck, read a lot, and keep the lines of communication open with DH. If he has questions----ones he wants answered by banders who have already been there, send him here, we will be honest, and answer anything he wants to know!!!
Kat

[kelliebelly]

I felt the same way before being banded, but I was willing to give up anything food wise to lose weight.
Now I have been banded 18 mths or so I dont really miss anything. I cant eat bread and I am glad because it was one of the things that I ate alot of. Anything else I can pretty much eat a few bites of and I am satisfied with that. Its hard to imagine now for you that a few bites of something will satisfy you, but its true.
Sometimes the head plays up a bit with food, and my eyes are bigger than my belly, but most of the time the band keeps you in line. It is only a tool and you have to work with it, but if you go in with eyes wide open and the motivation you will most likely be very successful.
A few months after banding you will not even believe when you think back to how you lived your life without the band, and why you waited so long to get it. You will probably also find yourself thinking how you used to eat so much food. I think back and it makes me sick thinking how much I used to eat and it is so great to eat a small plate of food and be "full".
Good Luck with whatever you decide.

[Tricia K.]

The only things I cannot eat post-banding are white breads (including cakes, cinnamon rolls, et al), celery, asparagus, coconut and baked chicken breast (it's too dry). Of course, I stay away from the bad stuff like chips, cookies, etc. but do treat myself every now and then.

If it were as easy as cutting back and exercising, we'd all be doing that. Unfortunately, for most of us, that's just not the case. What most people don't realize is that if we were to eat bandster portions without having the band, we would never feel full. Our bodies would go into starvation mode and we'd lose more muscle mass than we would fat.

Best of luck to you. I hope after reading these posts, your husband is more supportive of your decision.

[tattooedsuess]

Everyone has given you some really good advice. I am 2 years out and am sitting here eating steak as I type this. I dip it in Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette dressing to make it nice and moist, but that just adds flavor. If I find a piece that is too chewy, I just take it out and set it aside (here at home no one sees anyway, out in public I'd have to be a little more discreet).

As far as peeling grapes......I've never heard of such a thing before. I eat grapes, and the tiny bites thing you will get used to. It's no big deal, really.

Everyone's bands are so different that it's hard to sit here and guess for you ahead of time if there's anything that you'll need to avoid or not. Some people have no problems with anything at all, and others have just certain things that set our bands off. Each person's band has all its own personality, just like we do.

Please don't let the food thing hang you up. You adjust to everything over time, and you'll soon discover if anything will bother your band or not. Even if 1 or 2 things bother it, just think of all of things that you'll still be able to eat!

[Jachut]

Last 3 days:

Saturday night - a 40th birthday party. 2 glasses of champagne, a chardonnay, 2 pepsi's, countless morsels of fingerfood.

Sunday morning - toast, then an awful, stressful, BUSY day, ended up going through the Maccas drive through at 2pm due to screaming starving kidlets - had a quarter pounder (couldnt finish it). Sunday afternoon, arrive at birthday party for friend's daughter, nobody to be seen in the park. Unbeknownst to us the venue had changed due to threat of rain, we didnt have our mobile with us so didnt get the message. Went to the pub instead. Had 2 gin and tonics and a cappucino, before heading out for mum's birthday dinner. Chinese banquet, more wine, and back to my sisters house for coffee and birthday cake.

This morning: morning tea with girlfriends, gigantic muffin and very very big cappucino (Ok, 2 cappucinos).

My banded diet isnt hard to live with AT ALL.

Ugh. I'm afraid to get on the scales. I need a very very pointy shoe up my clacker, time to get back on the job I think.

Normally I eat well and regularly and totally like a normal person, I can eat everything although I think that will change soon, I'm going to go in for a sizeable fill, I really am needing one.

[debi]

Thank you so much for your replies. I had my husband read them last night and he said, "Okay, so it looks like you can eat." I told him I want him to come to the surgeon's appointment with me in December so he can ask his own questions. I think he will. I just don't want him thinking that soup will be my lifetime diet. That made for a very tough debate over the benefits of the lapband.

I think my husband and I are both a little apprehensive about follow-up care. I live about 40 miles north of New York City and will have to travel into the city if there are any problems. I tried to find a doctor closer to home, but the practice I first went to were very gung ho for the RNY. I really felt it was important to have a doctor who believed in the lapband and would encourage me. I don't want to deal with an "I told you so" attitude from my doctor. As you can probably tell, I'm already good at second-guessing myself -- I don't need a doctor to encourage it.

The nurse practitioner told me that vomiting is something to be avoided since it can cause a slip. So I asked him what happens if I get a stomach virus? He said to come in for an unfill so vomiting would be safer. I told him I didn't think we were talking about the same virus, because the one I'm referring to won't allow you to be away from a bathroom for more than 15 minutes. He just smiled and told me not to worry so much. Yeah, right! Have any of you ever had a virus like the kind I'm talking about? What did you do? I guess it's on my mind because I had it a couple of months ago, and I was really sick. My son got it first and my husband and both got it within 48 hours.

I've already decided that I probably won't opt for very aggressive fills, as I can't be running back and forth for fills/unfills multiple times a month. From what I can tell, that seems to be a choice I can make. I think, in my situation, that would work out for the best.

As you can probably tell by now, I'm the kind of person who likes to have a Plan B before I even start on Plan A, so I tend to drive myself crazy when it comes to big decisions. Throw my husband into it and I'm spinning.

Again, thanks to all of you for answering my questions. Please feel free to offer me any advice. You've all been so helpful.

By the way, if it was your 40th birthday Jachut, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Sounds like you had a great time.

Debi

[tattooedsuess]

Debi,

With the vomiting thing.......

They are right. We should not be vomiting at all. BUT if it happens it happens and should not be panicked over.

I am pregnant and suffer baaaaad morning sickness. I throw up EVERYDAY and hate it. I wish I didn't, but I do. I let my surgeon know and she said to just take my Zofran (anti-nausea) and to try to avoid it. She added that taking these precautions should help avoid slippage.

I'm not trying to sound blazzah about puking. It's not a good thing for bandsters. But I'm just trying to come at it from the angle that it's not the end of the world if it does happen.

I also have to drive pretty far to see my surgeon. It's about a 2 hour drive from here. I knew it would make it a little tougher for follow up care, but she is such an awesome doctor that she is worth it. She treats all of her patients like family, and you never feel like you're bothering her. She gives hugs freely and is so encouraging and wonderful. So I encourage you to make the drive if you feel that this doctor is going to treat you well, as well as do what is right by you - as opposed to going to the closer one who is pushing RNY. When you find a good doctor that you click with, the drive is worth it all in the end.

I hope I've encouraged you even further. I know that making plans ahead of time and all of the what ifs can be so scary. Sometimes just having a bit of reassurance makes all of the difference in the world.

Good luck to you!

[debi]

Hi, Kelly. Thanks for the reassurance. The Zofran will be one of my Plan B's. Is it actually helpful?

I can empathize with your morning sickness. I had it with both of my pregnancies. That was a long time ago (my children are now 34 and 30.) When I was pregnant with my firstborn, I was sick until my sixth month. I couldn't eat anything until late afternoon and couldn't stand the smell of coffee or citrus, especially oranges. I was sick with my second pregnancy too, but not as long, and the smell of coffee and citrus bothered me again.

My doctor is George Fielding and he's affiliated with New York University Hospital. He's in practice with Dr. Christine Ren. I only saw him at the information seminar. He seemed nice and he had a sense of humor, but he doesn't come across as warm and fuzzy. I don't think Dr. Fielding will ever give me a hug, but he's a very experienced surgeon, and that's part of my Plan A. I get to actually meet him one-on-one in December. I hope he's easy to talk to. His nurse practitioner is a really nice, warm sort of guy. I would have loved to have a doctor closer to home, but I'm sure it will be workable. Unless, of course, I'm nauseous and feel like vomiting! This will be the first time I have surgery and general anesthesia, so I'm pretty nervous about it.

I hope meeting the surgeon helps my husband to feel better about things. He just thinks diet and exercise should do the trick. Maybe Dr. Fielding can help him understand it's not that black & white.

Regards... Debi

[Jachut]

No, wasnt my 40th, thanks anway. I've still got 9 months to go! I'm going to be a STUNNER by then, lol.

[debi]

Jachut, I'll bet you already are.

[Maryb]

For me getting over the mental I can't ever have that again was the hardest obstacle. I don't care now if I never have a slice of bread, pizza, or Diet Coke for the rest of my life. Eating is no longer the most important thing in my life! Eating healthy is the most important!

Gone are my sugar and carb cravings! I feel like I have been let out of prison. I am no longer under the bondage of fast food and empty calories. Now who wouldn't want to live like this?

[debi]

Thanks for sharing about the food cravings, Mary. I'm concerned about "head hunger" too. The responses to this post about living with the banded diet have helped me relax about leaving all my beloved foods behind, but I worry a little about how I'll deal with the head cravings.

Why do you think you lost those cravings? I probably should make this another topic about head hunger. Does the band do something to diminish the cravings or is it the abstinence over time that dims the appetite? or is it simply being so thrilled with losing weight that you lose the desire to make bad choices? You're not the first person who has said this, so I'm wondering how the band helped you with this problem.

Thanks... Debi

[Goannabanda]

Last 3 days:

Saturday night - a 40th birthday party. 2 glasses of champagne, a chardonnay, 2 pepsi's, countless morsels of fingerfood.

Sunday morning - toast, then an awful, stressful, BUSY day, ended up going through the Maccas drive through at 2pm due to screaming starving kidlets - had a quarter pounder (couldnt finish it). Sunday afternoon, arrive at birthday party for friend's daughter, nobody to be seen in the park. Unbeknownst to us the venue had changed due to threat of rain, we didnt have our mobile with us so didnt get the message. Went to the pub instead. Had 2 gin and tonics and a cappucino, before heading out for mum's birthday dinner. Chinese banquet, more wine, and back to my sisters house for coffee and birthday cake.

This morning: morning tea with girlfriends, gigantic muffin and very very big cappucino (Ok, 2 cappucinos).

My banded diet isnt hard to live with AT ALL.

Ugh. I'm afraid to get on the scales. I need a very very pointy shoe up my clacker, time to get back on the job I think.

Normally I eat well and regularly and totally like a normal person, I can eat everything although I think that will change soon, I'm going to go in for a sizeable fill, I really am needing one.

hmmm, Jacqui - I thought you were supposed to be studying??? Or what that also a bit of post-exam weekend let-your-hair-down in there?? LOL!!!

Seriously, Debi, Jacqui is normally a role model of down-to-earth good old garden variety common sense. There are many experienced bandsters around here (in my case, especially my fellow Aussies: Jachut, Kelliebellie, Chickie and others) that helped me to see that it is possible to live and eat a normal life with a lapband. (love your work ladies!!!)

I got this band, rather than trying any other method of weight loss surgery simply BECAUSE at the end of it you can essentially still eat a NORMAL diet without adverse side effects, just LESS of it.

I didn't get my band to spend the rest of my life following any sort of "diet" plan. I already had a reasonably healthy family diet (based on fresh foods, and low fat, low salt and low sugar), I just ate far too much of it. That's not to say that now I have a lapband I'm going to stop monitoring what I eat, as now I have reduced my food volume, it's more impoprtant than ever to make sure that my overall diet is as healthy as possible.

I also worked out that it wasn't necessary to get too hung up on what foods we "can't" eat after the banding. For many bandsters there are foods that can cause problems, at least some of the time. But in un-banded life, most of us already have a list of foods we avoid / don't like / won't eat. At the end of the day, if I add a few more foods to my list, either because my band can't tolerate it, or I can't be bothered with the effort / taste of chewing the heck out of it to get it down any more, then so be it.

Good luck with your decision. You are blessed to have such a caring and concerned husband. Spend plenty of time together researching the lapband - reading / posting / talking with health care professionals, and real live bandsters before making your decision. It sounds like your hubby is starting from the same place that mine was at. It didn't take long until my hubby realised what an opportunity this procedure was, not only for me, but for the benefits that my banding would have to him personally as well as for our whole family in the future. I'm only a band baby at this stage, but I'd do it again in a heart beat.

[Kathy]

Does the band do something to diminish the cravings or is it the abstinence over time that dims the appetite? or is it simply being so thrilled with losing weight that you lose the desire to make bad choices? You're not the first person who has said this, so I'm wondering how the band helped you with this problem.

Thanks... Debi

Yes and Yes! I haven't had a fill in over 13 months, so I'll let you know *when* I get one (hopefully soon) if the hunger is diminished. I've been stuck in the 170s for a good while now and I'm ready to lose enough for a Tummy Tuck. It's time to get the ball rolling again, and head hunger is for sure, a factor! I find that if I walk away, even though I'm not done eating (head hunger) and tell myself I'll go back, most times I don't. Sometimes I'm REALLY hungry, most times, I just think I am. It's an art, figuring out which it is on any given day, at any given meal :rolleyes:

[Kat817]

I just wanted to touch on a few things after following this thread from the start. I was banded in Mexico--but prior to the surgery, my surgeon helped me locate a local (?) Dr. to do my adjustments and follow up care. Well when we began looking for that we found that according to the maps etc., the closest Dr. to me was 4-5 hours away. He arranged for him to do my adjustments, and also spoke with a local sugeon just in case I needed an emergency unfill, or emergency treatment. So far all has worked out just fine, except the MapQuest we used to locate the surgeon had the time and distance wrong and it is easily 6 hours, through winding mountain roads!! In addition, if I had used this surgeon for my banding that does my fills, I may have been a bit disoncerted. He is very willing to let me make the choice to hold off on my fills, but he is very aggressive, and likes to bring strong restriction, he is always telling my SIL (we were banded together) and I that 3 bites should constitute a meal. I would have had major doubts about that!!! And I have never been restricted to a point of 3 bites being a meal! I had concerns over my 2nd and last fill when in the beginning, 6-10 bites was filling me up. It has relaxed, and I am in a good place with it now. But keep in mind Debi, if the surgeon tells you and your DH something like that....it does NOT have to be that restrictive for a steady weight loss.
As for the head hunger, I found a lot of what I was considering head hunger was addiction. Addiction to sugar and carbs! The more I eat them, the more I want them. Eliminating them completely for just a few days eased what I was calling head hunger in immense proportions!! I now eat them again in very limited quantities on a daily basis...because if I eat too eat much, then once again I WANT MORE!! I agree 100% with Goanna, I did not do this drastic of a step to "diet" yet again. The band limits my quantity to the point, that if I use a little basic common sense, and don't fill my pouch with cookies rather than a piece of steak and some veggies, then if I want a few bites of a loaded baked potato with it...I'm gonna have it. Compared to the fact that pre-banding, I would have cleaned the plate! I have lost at a steady pace, and have never, felt deprived. Well not since I was on liquids and my DD come in with a bag of Fritos!!!
Once you are truly not hungry, food takes on a different significance. The nerves that signal fullness are at the top of the stomach, very easily reached once you are banded, in fact many have said their band must lie on them,as they have never been hungry since. Learning to eat til satisfied and not over filling my stomach has been much more difficult for me to learn, than feeling like I have not had enough to eat. Food just isn't as important to me now. I always heard the "Eat to live, instead of Live to eat" but it seemed like an impossibility, but it isn't!!!
Good Luck, I am glad your DH is being open to your interest again!! He will find himself with a whole new wife!!! Emotionally as well as physically I would bet!
Kat

[christa94]

Debi,
i think all of us were right where you are today. uncertain about how life with the band will be and wondering if you could do it. my husband (fiance then) was 100% not with the band when i first brought it up and printed off some information off the internet for him. he actually threw the papers on the table and walked away from them at first!! he was concerned that we would not be able to eat together as a family, and go out to eat or eat on vacation. some of the same things your husband is concerned about. reading posts from real people was not real helpful to him because he is very analytical and was sticking to what the doctors had to say. but, i really talked to him and impressed upon him how i needed to do this. for me. because i was growing increasingly more upset with my weight loss struggles. in our dating phase he saw me go through at least 10 weight loss programs in a year, so he knew and could attest to the fact that i had been trying but the "just cut back and exercise thing" was not a feasible suggestion. i went to mexico and he was really scared about follow up care. and there is only one place in rochester, ny that could offer that care. the post-op diet food lists freaked him out as well, but i reminded him that was only for the first 6 weeks after the surgery and then after that i would eat a more normal diet. but, i did admit to him that i couldn't go out to dinner and eat like there was no tomorrow. and i reminded him that eating like that is what got me in the situation i was in now. now, i don't eat bread at all (maybe some croutons). and you know what, it is for the best. i ate too much of that in the first place. i can have steak or roast beef, but i don't have it often because you MUST chew it very very well. which to be honest, chewing well is what all bandsters must do to help your life me less filled with the hassles of PB and vomitting. i eat dinner with the family every night. what i do is while they eat on regular plates, i eat my small meal on a saucer. it works for me, and it works for them. i have what they have, just less of it. perhaps it would be helpful for your husband to talk to another husband and get a perspective from someone else that had his initial feelings. my husband would talk to him if you like or if your husband is ever willing. let me know. we are in rochester,ny

[Jachut]

Interestingly, I find with the head hunger, it only happens at a time of day when I need energy - by that I mean, I'll be looking for food all afternoon, nibbling here and there, which is my worst habit. And then at 5pm on the dot, it turns off and I lose ALL interest in food for the rest of the night. Its weird.

And with the foods you cant eat, it may worry you now, but you just naturally dont want them anymore once you've had a few experiences with them. I've never PB'd but anything like a doughnut, or a piece of cake, really HURTS going through my band and over time I've just come to not want to eat them. And I NEVER thought I'd say that. They were my most problematic foods.

[debi]

Just want to say thank you to all of you for your responses. They were very helpful to me and they helped to take some of the edge off my husband's worries about me having the surgery. At least he's open to visiting the surgeon with me in December.

You're a nice, uplifting group of folks and I really am so happy to have this forum to turn to for information and advice.

Again, thanks... Debi