Leaderboard

I keep reading posts where people are saying their doctors, friends, spouse, trainers, parents,,etc are saying that weightloss surgery is "cheating". I don't understand it. Cheating life? Is that what they mean? Do they think we should bust our asses to the point of no return,,even if we are sick and diseased and can't function like they can? So if a man uses viagra,,does the pharmacist or his wife tell him he's cheating? If anyone uses a battery powered tooth brush verses the manual ones,,is that cheating? I'm sorry, I have to vent..it just pisses me off..pardon my french! My sister has such mixed feelings about getting wls..even though she is diabetic, has blockages in her carotid arteries,,has barretts esophogus, sleep apnea, pitted edema,,,etc..etc....all because she thinks people will think she cheated or took the easy way out. Easy way out? Why in this world does it matter how a person loses weight?? I think I'm at higher risk of disease because I'm on a constant yo yo if I continue trying to lose weight the way I have my whole life. Some people just aren't mentally or physically capable of losing weight the traditional way..I'm one of them. My sister has health issues and so do I. I'm not wanting the weight off to impress anyone, surprise anyone,,look like a super model or anything else. I just want to live again, why can't people shut up and just say...do what you have to do to get the weight off? Life long skinny people need to keep their mouths shut because they will never know what this is like,,never. And fat people who want to talk smack about the surgery are just jealous because they didn't have the idea first. So then all they can do is cut it down or tell you it's cheating because they don't want you to be thin because then they will be the "fatter one". It's like the perfect excuse for people to talk you out of having the surgery,,never mind I'll end up dying young because I'm ill and getting the fat off will help me live.

Hi all, It's day 3 after surgery, or day 2 depending on how you count it. I am feeling a bit better and I haven't had any of those gas pains in my shoulder or anywhere else, so thank goodness for that. most of my pain is in my lower belly, i suppose from the incision inside my bellybutton. it just feels like when i move everything is going to fall out. i have 3 incisions. one in my bellybutton, one near my breastbone (center of chest, it makes it difficult to breathe) and one on my left side where my port is. I haven't felt like doing much besides laying around, but i have tried to make myself pace around the apartment just to get moving. it gets a little easier every day. the thing that is the most difficult for me is getting enough liquids. i am supposed to have 64 oz of fluids per day for the next 10 days. I probably had plenty in my saline bag while in hospital, but yesterday i may have had about 25 oz of Fluid total. i am drinking things literally a teaspoon at a time. i was trying to make myself drink a teaspoon of liquid every 10 or 15 minutes, but it's very difficult. i was able to get down 1 and 1/2 bottles of a Protein drink, so i at least got some protein in. the chicken broth seems to go down the easiest and of course, i had my popsicle. my sweet husband decided to try an experiment with the V8 splash that i'm drinking. we have ice trays that make tiny pellets of ice, so he froze some of the V8 splash and it went wonderfully. i was able to eat a bowl full of them, probably 4 oz of fluid in just a few minutes. he made some popsicles out of the V8 overnight, so i'm gonna try to eat some of those today since they have more calories than my sugar free ones, and i need the calories right now. anyway, that's kind of where i am at the moment. just struggling with getting enough fluids down and lacking in the energy to do anything. i'm going to take a shower today, believe me i smell like i could use one, and then we are going to try to take a walk to the park at the end of my block a little later. fingers crossed that all goes well. good luck to anyone that has a surgery coming up soon.

Is there some other reason you want to be home schooled? I've got a high-school senior and I know it can be a tough place. If you get banded this summer, you will have plenty of time to recover from the surgery and figure out how you want to handle eating. Who knows...you may have some significant weight loss, gain some confidence and have a great school year. Cindy

Dave, you can't compare food portions post-banding with food portions pre-banding. That's because it's completely different. Once you're healed up and start getting fills, (usually starting about six weeks after surgery), you won't be able to eat like you once did, and you won't want to. The placement of the band at the top of the stomach puts pressure on the Vagus nerve, which controls hunger and production of ghrelin, the chemical that causes hunger pangs. So you'll eat a smaller meal, but the miraculous part is that you'll feel full after a small amount of food. And if you're feeling full, and are not hungry, you can safely stop eating without any problems. It doesn't matter that you only ate a fraction of what you used to, your stomach THINKS it's full. And that is the magic of the band. If you use it right, you can eat less and not feel like you are not eating a typical full meal. Once you get out of the habit of eating "big," you'll be able to focus on eating healthy, and eating smart. And the natural side effect of eating smart is weight loss. Easy, simple, and remarkable weight loss. You made a comment in your reply to my last post that it's our culture, and that everything is about food. I used to think that, too. Then I learned that holidays are about family. Food is just something we do to have a reason to get together. My family still knows and loves me as much as before. And we still get together. They eat "big," and I eat what I want, until I'm done. I still socialize and enjoy the time together, but the one difference is I eat less than I used to. Oh yeah, and I take up a lot less room at the table. Okay, you asked about my recovery. I'll try to be brief. Ask me if you want to know more about anything: I had surgery Monday, December 6, 2010. My doctor did not require a pre-op liquid diet. They put me on high Protein, low carb instead, to try and shrink my liver. I only had to do one day of clear liquids, on the day before surgery. During the surgery itself I had a hiatal hernia and a ventral hernia repaired, so where most band patients end up with five or six incision sites, I ended up with thirteen. I spent two nights in the hospital because they wanted to monitor my recovery, since mine was so involved. I was discharged on Wednesday, Dec. 8th. I had several weeks of sick time available to me from work, so I opted to take three weeks off work for recovery. My surgeon required three weeks of liquid diet after surgery. Nothing pureed or creamy. Only Protein shakes, and liquids you can see through. I had no appetite for quite awhile, and managed to get along drinking two ounces of Protein shake every hour from waking up till going to sleep - about 16 hours a day. In between the protein shakes I was drinking 64 ounces of Water daily, roughly four ounces per hour for those same 16 hours. Things went along normally for the first week, until I hit the only speed bump I've had. I discovered I was lactose intolerant, something I never knew. On the Monday one week after surgery I started having "dry heaves," but I wasn't throwing anything up. My body just had the wracking spasms that go with that. After consulting my surgeon (who was about two hours away), I made a trip to the Emergency Room. They gave me a single pill, and the urge to throw up instantly stopped. They found I was dehydrated, and gave me two bags of fluids via IV. After that I was fine. My Nutritionist and I went through trying a number of alternate liquids for protein shakes, different kinds of milk, soy, whatever, but nothing helped. I finally started drinking ready-to-drink shakes (Muscle Milk Light and/or Premier Protein Shakes, both of which were great, taste good, and filled me up perfectly with no side effects.) They worked great, and from there on out I was fine. At the three-week mark I went on soft foods for a week, (slider foods, thicker Soups, creamy stuf, and pureed foods.) It was like heaven. Then I did a week working my way back onto solid foods. The first thing I had was Wendy's Chili. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. It was amazing, and remains my "go to" food when I need a high protein meal that's easy to get, tastes great, and is perfectly band-safe. By the time I was back on solid foods, I felt absolutely normal. I can't feel the band at all, and I was ready for facing life as a bandster. At six weeks after surgery my hernia repair doctor (who had done his part during the band surgery) cleared me from all restrictions. I'd been on a "light duty" thing, not allowed to lift more than 15 pounds prior to that. On the same day, if I recall things correctly, my surgeon gave me my first fill. It was 3cc's, to go with the 3cc's he put in during the band placement surgery. So I was suddenly at 6cc's in a 14cc band. A month later I got another 2cc fill, which put me at 8cc's. A month after that I got a .5cc fill, putting me at 8.5cc's. And just today I got another .5cc, so I'm now at 9cc's. My surgeon's team and I agree I'm right at my sweet spot now, and I probably won't need any more major fills - just small .1cc or .2cc fills from here on out. My hunger is well under control, and I can go four hours or more without feeling hungry. You asked about my daily routine. For the last few months it's been pretty consistent: I've chosen to follow a modified South Beach kind of eating plan, with higher protein, lower glycemic carbs. I avoid (note I didn't say "never eat") fried foods, heavy sauces, and Desserts. So when I'm looking for a meal, I will gravitate toward a higher protein option. I eat "real world" food, not "diet food" because I know I have to function in my own life. I eat out in restaurants regularly. I don't drink alcohol, or anything with carbonation. I know some bandsters do, but I choose not to. I don't miss it. I do use artificial sweetener (Splenda, or one of its derivatives) when I want to sweeten something. I do drink coffee, tea, and unflavored iced tea often. When I wake up, I have a cup of coffee while getting ready for work. In the car while driving to work I have a ready-to-drink Premier Protein shake. (160 calories, 5grams of carbs, 3g sugar, and 30g of protein.) It kick starts my metabolism, and balances my blood sugar. About an hour after getting to work I have what I call a "naked sandwich." It's a Breakfast sandwich without any bread: A fried egg, a sausage patty, and slice of cheese. About 300 calories, and about 20g of protein. I'm good to go till lunch at that point. For lunch I usually have some solid protein, like a grilled chicken breast, roast beef, steak, pork loin, or similar. I may mix it in a salad, usually with a touch of a vinaigrette dressing. Sometimes I'll get a grilled turkey BLT sandwich, and set the bread aside. I'm fortunate to work at a hospital, and the cafeteria offers a pretty good selection of choices. If the volume of food is fairly large, like a full-sized sandwich, I usually only eat half of it during my lunch break. I take the rest back to my desk as leftovers, and I may or may not eat it as a mid-afternoon snack, if I need it. When I leave work I go directly to the gym, where I work out for about an hour or so. I usually ride a recumbent bike in the "fat burn" mode, but lately have been gradually adding some weight training. On my way home I may grab some dinner (like Wendy's Chili or their half-sized Apple Pecan Chicken salad. Maybe a Sourdough Chicken Club sandwich from Jack in the Box. Good stuff!) I don't get the "meal deal" at fast food places - so I'm not tempted by French fries or soft drinks, and I usually peel off the bun or bread and set it aside. Later in the evening, if I feel the urge to have a snack, I'll eat a cheese stick or two, or a cup of lowfat yogurt. I don't keep "trigger" foods in my house. No junk food, desserts, chips, or empty calories. And I drink water all day long. I keep a bottle of it with me at work, in the car, and at the gym, a tall glass with ice water at home, and anytime I'm awake. It really helps. If I go out to a restaurant for dinner, I try to select something higher in protein, and substitute steamed vegetables for any sort of potatoes. One favorite is at Olive Garden. They have a Steak Toscano. 12 ounces of grilled to order steak. I eat about a third at the restaurant, then take the rest home, where it makes two more meals. It's very filling, and the whole thing is only 400 calories and has 20g of protein. That's about all there is to it. As you can see, I'm following what works for me. I am NEVER hungry, I get in at least 100g of protein every day. I take my Vitamins and supplements daily, I drink lots of water, and I work out regularly. I was banded five months ago this past Monday, and as of today I've lost 83 pounds, with more to follow. My surgeon says I'm doing exactly what they expect, in terms of weight loss, and they are very encouraged that things are going so well for me. I hope this gives you some real world tips you can use. I learned what works for me, and I do my own thing in terms of how I eat, and what it means for me to be banded. I don't measure anything, and as I said, I drink with meals. But I eat slowly, I chew thoroughly, and I take small bites. All that is in deference to how the band works. I manage it, but I don't let it manage me. The rest is in the details, sorting out how to make the most of it. Hope this helps. Dave

Scale finally moving again! Post op 3 week mark tomorrow, down 14 pounds. I think it is because I am excersing more. Hope to hit 20+ by 4 week mark.

4 weeks post op today and 21 pounds down

I'm at the same place you are. I look better than ever, but I see the loose arm skin and the belly fat. I always thought that people who wore a size 10 were thin. Well, I don't think that anymore, but I do think I'm normal. I had quite the revelation this year, when I went to parent's night at the high school and realized that in almost every class, I was the thinnest person in the room. Yeah, maybe I'm not "fat" anymore, I'm not sure I'll ever feel thin. One more thing....after years of being the fat girl, I find I'm an advocate for every overweight person out there. Whenever someone trashes someone for being overweight, I am always chewing them out. The minute you lose weight, the thin people start telling you about the fat and lazy so-and-so they know. I feel the need to point out that they have no clue what obesity feels like and most overweight people have spend years trying to lose weight by any means possible. I may look normal, but I'll always be a part of the fat team. Cindy

Absolutely not!! It just shouldn't be done in a fit of anger and the child should know exactly why it is being done.