faithmd

It's not a site. Go to the Search function on the blue tool bar near the top of every page. Click on it, then type in what you want to search for. In this case we'd suggest you type Bandster Hell You can go Advanced Search and then search for thread titles only that have Bandster Hell in them, too.

For a few of the band vs bypass threads, scrool down to the bottom of this page, there's a few listed there with links. Hope this helps!

Go with your gut. Do you want the Band or do you want Bypass? If you want the band, remember the doctor works FOR YOU. Write down your reasons for each, and then look at them. There are simply LOADS of threads here where folks have written why they chose Band over bypass, do a search and peruse some of them again. Look through Alex's News thread and find the data about band vs. bypass five years out. Then print it and take it to the doctor if you have to. The only way I'd ever have the bypass is if something were medically wrong with me that I HAD to lose weight FAST. Other than that there is no way you could have convinced me to have bypass. There are LOADS of folks here who have BMI's greater than 50 and are VERY successful with the band. I'd find a new surgeon.

Liz, you might want to order some unflavored Unjury powder from Welcome to the UNJURY Homepage You can add it to anything cold or warm up to about 120 degrees or so. It should help quite a bit. Also, I'm not sure which Atkins shakes you are using, but the Matrix is an EXCELLENT product and much higher quality protein. Good luck! Remember stress REALLY decreases your milk supply. It may not be the lack of protein that dropped your supply, it may just simply be the stress of surgery itself and all the worrying that goes along with it.

WasaBB makes an EXCELLENT point, if you can stay on clears longer, do it. WasaBB: ONLY 10 more to GO!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!!:whoo::whoo:

Just be careful with anything with artificial sweeteners in it, especially Splenda. It causes soooo many people to crave sugar, it makes me really hungry to drink Crystal Light. I use Stevia (a plant leaf extract available in the health food section of most big supermarkets) to sweeten caffeine free tea or make my own koolaid or lemonade and it doesn't make me want to gnaw my arm off. Just a suggestion.

I have not personally used an attorney but have heard that obesitylaw.com is a good resource and are quite effective.

Depends on who your insurance is. Sounds like she gave you referrals to surgeons that it should cover. Double check that first before you choose one of these docs, please. A good place to read about docs is over on obesityhelp.com Do a search for the doc's name and there should be independent patient reviews there. I had considered Deol and Krause as MCare (my insurance) pays for them as well as UM (but they hadn't done a single band yet) and the group at Hurley in Flint. I went to information sessions for each (Krause and Deol and Hurley). I was not happy about the hidden charges that no one told me about in the info session for Deol or Krause. I called their offices later after I read about the "mandatory support group fee" or whatever it was called and they 'fessed up about them. I'm sort of glad now that I didn't go with Deol since she's moving. That makes life sooo tough because lots of surgeons won't touch someone elses' band. If your insurance pays for Port Huron (Boutt and Bhesania) or Hurley (Obeid, Farhan and Wagner) I'd check them out, too. I don't know alot about the Bon Secours group, or the DMC group. I am fairly happy with the Hurley group.

Thought I'd chime in on the AP band. Yes, it is an Inamed, it is the latest band released from them. The AP small holds 10cc/mL the AP large holds 14cc/mL

In fact it is VERY common to GAIN weight at least until the first fill and in some cases until you get proper restriction. That may not come with the first or the second fill. It may take a few.

Everything you asked is a yes, and is totally normal.

Sounds like you are totally normal from all I've read around here and other places. I know, it's annoying, but that's the way it seems to go.

No this doesn't mean you can't get anymore fills. It means that for now you need to wait a bit. What do you mean you are eating more than you want to be? How much do you want to be eating versus now much do you eat? You should be able to eat 1/2-1 cup of food at a time (according to my nutritionist). What food you do eat should be good choices. 3-4oz Protein and then 1/2 cup of two side dishes of veggies. Some people here report only being able to eat 1/4 cup. To me that is way too little. But if it works for them and their surgeon and nutritionist are happy with what they are eating, then fine. Are you losing weight at about 1-2lbs per week ON AVERAGE? It sounds like you are. You say you've lost 3lbs since your last fill two weeks ago, that is good and right on target. As you lose more weight, the fat pad that surrounds your stomach will shrink a bit and you will lose some of the tight restriction, you will loosen up and will need another fill. Hope that helps.

Sounds pretty normal to me. Try to sip sip sip non-caloric and non-caffeinated liquids all day between your "meals."

Hello gloharmar, and welcome! I take it you haven't read through the entire thread, and that's okay. But personally not only do I get in 80-100+ grams of protein a day, I take a MVI, Calcium, and biotin supps. Didn't help. Well, maybe it has, maybe I'd be bald without them... It's a good suggestion, though.

Hang in there, those requirements are not easy to get around, and in most cases, are impossible. To do the required dieting shows the insurance that you are ready to make a change and can follow doctors orders. That is sooooo very important with the Band. BTW, I had to do 12 months, and then had to do another month because I hadn't lost the required weight in 12 months. so it ended up being 13! Six would have seemed like cake. Though right now it does seem daunting. You CAN do it. In many cases it takes a few months to get through all the required pre-oop testing and appointments with the nutritionist, etc... You can be working on that while your six months is going by. And do NOT miss one month's appointment. You MUST go EVERY month for six months. You miss one and you reset the clock.

Many people LOVE their bullet. Please don't think that it's crap, because it isn't. I just wasn't completely happy with the way it pureed foods. It does a GREAT job with most protein drinks. I've read a couple comments from folks who like to use lots of ice, or who use globs of peanut butter, but most folks love their Bullet too. I just wanted to mention that there are other options with more power for a LOT less money. But the other options do not come with as many cups as the Bullet does. However, you should not mix your protein drink and sit it in the fridge and sip on it all day, they say the protein begins to break down after a while.

I'm not sure I see a lot of difference. I DO know that I ordered new bras afer seeing the pics from thr trip we took to Traverse City a couple weeks ago. I look like I've got long ones in the three month pic. The before pic is the one I mentioned in another thread that I have posted on my fridge. It's from October and I'm guessing I was about 365-370 in it. I'm about 305 in the lighthouse pic.

Dumping is a one way bypass patients stay sort iof honest for a while. but then lots of them grow out of that dumping problem. How many bypass patients do you know that 4 or 5 years out are as thin as they were 1-2 years out? I know of NONE. EVERY one of them has gained back a good chunk of their weight. Now it is true that they are still smaller than they were in the first place, but if that's the case, I would much rather lose slower with the band (and not everyone does) than have my intestines cut and rerouted for the same amount of weight loss. a confession: Sadly I eat more Oreos now than I ever did. I don't think I had an Oreo cookie in a couple years, now I CRAVE them. ARRRGGGHH!

I'm sorry, but I have to agree with Laura. There is a chance this might not end. But there is also a chance I will someday win the lottery. Do your best to keep up these good spirits, for me Bandster Hell wasn't as bad as I've read it was for others, but it still happened. And yes, the cravings came back, the head hunger came on BIG time. But you get through it, just as you get through life, one day at a time.

Honey, you needed that bottle right then, don't beat yourself up over that! A few calories (and 2200 is my average day) is not going to hurt right now. You are doing INCREDIBLY well for what all is happening to you. I would NEVER kick your ass. What's your four letter word, cake? I'll tell you that's not worth it, but a five letter word: "vodka" is. I think you're starving because you are beyond stressed. Completely understandable. A puppy? He really does need his head examined, again. I agree, he HAS GOT to get help, for you, for him, for your kids. Even if this doesn't help the two of you stay together (I am guessing the damage is irrepairable), he desperately needs the help so that he can be the best dad he can be. Your girls don't deserve to see him act like this. But he doesn't get that right now, I'm guessing in his mind he's doing the right things and you are doing the wrong things. He's ill.

Good luck alfie! I stayed away from the Magic Bullet, I know lots of people love them, but considering I was planning to puree real food frequently and give my blender a workout, the Bullet just doesn't have enough power for me. It is only 205 or 250 watts, I can't remember which. 205, I think. Walmart sells a version online that is 350 watts and is less than 1/2 the price: Back to Basics 3-Speed Brushed Chrome Personal Blender Express, BPE3BR - Wal-Mart If you are not a Walmart fan, you can get it a bit pricier at: Back TO Basics Products BPE3BR 350W Blender Express I just went ahead and purchased a regular Oster 450 watt that came with a personal sized blender jar. For $40 I got a 450 watt blender, a personal size blender and it had a food processor attachment, too! Also from Walmart.

Just remember, if you start Rogaine, you can NEVER stop it, or you WILL lose EVERYTHING you would have lost had you not used it. Starting Rogaine means using it for the rest of your life. Forever. That's why I haven't started it.

That's a heck of a goal, but if anyone can do it, YOU can!!!! Okay, I'm going to be much more conservative because I'm still going to try to fly without a fill for a bit: Name.............Chall. Start Wt......Current......Chall. Goal......To Go losingjusme...........273.....................273. .............238...............35 faithmd................303.....................303...............283...............20

I would guess you are still on liquids or at the very most, mushies? Liquids in=liquids out. It will sort itself out soon.