NWgirl

Some people do not lose much weight the first few months post op because they do not want to white knuckle diet. I would just advise that you watch what you're eating and following the Protein first idea. I would also stick to the 1c rule and eat as you get hungry, just to avoid any possible dialations (however unlikely) until you get better satiation. This period is what everyone likes to call bandster hell, but it will pass. Sent from my iPad using LapBandTalk

I really enjoyed Lipton cup of soup cream chicken (tasted like chicken top ramen minus the noodles) and roasted red pepper with tomato soup. The hardest part of the post-op diet for me was boredom with food. Just get over this hurdle and you'll be golden

I agree that if you cannot eat properly even when you are following the right eating habits probably means you are too tight. I would definitely schedule an appt ASAP to get some fluid removed and have a heart to heart with your Dr.

I have not heard that but I have heard peppermint tea works. For some, the GasX works and others it does not (it is not really designed for the internal gas we get).

depending on insurance requirements, it could take anywhere from about a month to six or seven. Some companies require a 6 month supervised diet, and others just need clearance testing. If you have your benefits book (or you can call customer service), you should be able to see the requirements laid out very clearly, including all testing requirements.

My insurance company took 2 weeks to approve. I actually called at two weeks and received a call the next morning saying I was approved. I have Anthem BCBS. Don't stress out about this and don't look at all the other posts saying "I got approved in 2 hours!" because all companies vary in approval times and people who have more issues are more prone to get approved faster. Also remember if you satisfied all the requirements that the company set forth and they deny you, you can appeal or you can take legal action.

Mmmm yum I would think sugar free would be okay as well, but it couldn't hurt to check with the Dr just in case.

I didn't actually get gas pains til almost one week post-op and they lasted about five days.

That's great it worked out well for you, but there was someone else a couple weeks ago who chose to not follow the Dr's diet and even though she lost 15lb +, the Dr closed her back up without a band because her liver was still too large. I hope you're feeling well.

That is not always true, although more common than not. I get at least the minimum Protein required by my nutritionist and have experienced hair loss. Sent from my iPad using LapBandTalk

I love my fitbit aria scale. It does regular weight, fat percent, and lean vs fat body mass. It's very important we lose more fat than muscle, so the scale helps me track that. I would also recommend the fitbit ultra activity tracker...

I would recommend finding a local running/walking store as they are trained to watch gate, etc and find you a shoe based on that.

I have experienced hair loss starting about month three. I started taking a 5000 biotin supplement before surgery and do not know if it has helped or not. The pill itself is very small and squishy. My hair has always been thick, so It's hard to see any places of loss but I see it in the brush each morning.

3.95-4.19 in Portland, Oregon. Sent from my iPad using LapBandTalk

The vomiting that your talking about is referred to as a PB or productive burp and is not the same as regular vomiting. It happens as the cause of user error, either by taking too big of bites and not chewing the food well enough, drinking while eating, or eating foods that expand (like breads). I still eat bread but have to take small bites and chew or else it obstructs the opening to the stomach. As for hair loss, it can be a reaction to general anesthesia or it can be a result of not eating enough Protein (a good way to find protein needs is body weight x 0.3 = minimum grams of protein per day). As for reflux, it is caused by your band having too much saline, which is referred to as being too tight. Being too right can also lead to stuck episodes, PB episodes, or someone eating slider foods (chips, Cookies, milkshakes) because they cannot eat nutritious foods. The remedy for this is to have a slight removal of saline. Some panic is normal prior to any love changing thing, so your fear is understandable.

I got delayed pains from the gas too and I was on full liquids for two weeks. It will be gone soon. Sent from my iPad using LapBandTalk

Like previously stated, follow your Dr's preop to a t. Just a few weeks ago a woman who lost 15-20 pre surgery was closed back up because she chose to do her own diet and didn't follow the liver shrink diet and her liver was still too large.

It really depends on what Insurance plan you have, they can all vary on requirements even if they are under the same insurer. Sent from my iPad using LapBandTalk

That's a really quick progression to normal foods- most post-op diets allow normal food at 1 month out. Are you following your surgeons food plan? Sent from my iPad using LapBandTalk

If you log into your benefits website, you can look at the benefits book and see if coverage is available for WLS. This will also list any requirements. Sent from my iPad using LapBandTalk

I have anthem bcbs national plan through Kroger. I was not required to do any supervised diet and was required to go to an anthem approved center of excellence. Start to surgery was two months. Sent from my iPad using LapBandTalk

The following link is a comparison I put together pre-surgery between the Vitamin contents (in percentage) in Centrum, Opurity, Bariatric Advantage, Celebrate, and Flintstone Vitamins. http://thebandedblog...c-vitamins.html

I was told no gummy vitamins, as they do not have the appropriate level of nutrition. I was told I could use Centrum Chewables and a chewable calcium. I did buy the Opurity band vitamins when I first had surgery, but decided they were way too sweet for my liking.

I have been overweight most of my life, so I am expecting that I may have some loose skin. I'm already halfway to my goal, and the only thing I can gripe about is that my upper arms seem a bit more jiggly, although it seems like it is fat in the skin.... I'm not too worried about the skin issue now, as I am 100% focused on losing the weight. If I have lose skin, I'll deal with it when the time comes.

I am supposed to be on liquids for 48 hours and then back to regular foods.