NWgirl

Get a new Dr. You are the one paying him for his services, so for him to be so rude is astonishing. How are you supposed to succeed at this without the proper support? What happens if you gain a few pounds and are too embarrassed to return, thus gaining more weight? I would start calling local Dr's and find someone who actually wants to help you.

The reason Dr's don't like to give fills two weeks or less before you are out of town is because it can take up to two weeks to actually "feel" the fill. If you get too tight and your Dr is not around, it's problematic. Also, like the others said, 20 pounds in that short amount of time is awesome! According to my weight graph, I have only lost about 22 since my banding 4 months ago and I am perfectly content with the downward trend! It's more than just a get band = lose weight game, there are a lot of mental aspects to it all.

When I gurgle, it can be a prelude to getting stuck. I make sure to stop eating for 10-15 minutes and let the problem pass. I also make sure to chew my food to a finer consistencty if that happens.

I think the usual suggestion is to wait about a year after you've finished losing weight. This way, if your skin is going to get smaller, it will. It also assures you can maintain that weight because it would be pretty pointless to get a TT and then regain some weight.

I was also outpatient and left a few hours after. Some surgeons do require patients to stay overnight, no exceptions. Also, others may have more serious medical conditions that warrant overnight observation.

I brought a small travel pillow into the hospital with me, it really helped to hold it against my stomach while walking before they would discharge me. Sent from my iPad using LapBandTalk

Most doctors seem to require you attend an orientation prior to being scheduled.

I'm sure you've bought a shoe by now, but I would recommend going somewhere you could be fitted, such as a running/walking store.

The only thing you can do is make sure to get enough protein in and possibly take a biotin supplement. Sometimes the hair loss can result from general anesthesia, which is not something you can prevent. I had some hair loss that I noticed while brushing but it seems to have gone away.

I would suggest carrying a water bottle and drinking at least a bottle between each meal. The first month was hard for me to get all the required water in, but I can now. It may take some planning, but it can be done.

No, could it be acid?

follow the directions your doctor gave to you and not ones that another person's Dr gave to them. If your Dr wanted you to follow a different diet, they would have made it clear.

The easiest one for me is the Pure Protein ready to drink shakes available at costco or Sam's Club. The best bet is to find low car and fat and high protein. Unfortunately most pre-made shakes (think Atkins or slim fast) are too high in carbs and fat and low in protein.

The reason you should wait is because your stomach could be swollen and irritated because of the increase in fill, so surgeon's like patients to wait until the swelling has gone down before they start eating again. Also, as you get more restriction, each fill could be a learning experience on how/what you can eat. By starting back at the basics, you listen to your body about textures it is able to handle.

Sometimes the food is more a mental than physical game, and it can really stuck. Keep your head in the right place and remember why you are doing this.

My tiny, skinny mother-in-law loves to say that you can get a free lunch at Costco by going around to the samples!

I love veggie chips! Although, beware that some flavors/brands are extra, EXTRA salty.

If it's your insurance, then I am sure they will stick to it since they want to see if you are really dedicated to getting the procedure. From their point of view, why pay $$$ for a person who is unwilling to lose 10lb on their own through diet change? I would suggest talking with a nutritionist if you have access or just going on a pseudo pre-op diet consisting of two shakes and one healthy meal a day. Also drink only Water and a lot of it.

As others have stated above, it is your decision to tell or not tell. Legally, your employer cannot disclose what you're having done- you could get your Dr to write a vague time off letter stating that you are undergoing surgery and will need to be off on these dates. I have seen people use the excuse of hernia repair, lady problems, gall bladder (careful of this, unless you've already had your GB removed) so they didn't have to tell. For me, the question never came up. I timed my off time to correspond with a required work convention in Vegas, so I got almost a good week off with a little work here and there before I had to go back. I work in the restaurant business and was fine to go back and be on my feet all day the week after.

Loseit!

I did end up staying up on the Lapband site and watching a movie with my honey until about 2am. I had to turn around and wake up at 4:30 to be at the hospital by 5:30. Just try to veg out and not think of all the crazy scenarios that could happen

My Dr does not use any kind of numbing agent. The first fill she had to move the needle around a bit to get it into the correct spot on the port, but all fills since have been spot on the first try. I have had four fills now, and they are not painful enough (in my opinion) to warrant a numbing solution. I literally did not even feel my last fill, but did end up bleeding more than usual- that was unusual.

I love my Ninja Pulse, food scale, salad forks/plates and small spoons. I also love my muffin tin because I can make band size portions.