Maddy1

I use Pure Protein 100% whey from Walmart at half the cost of the tubs in my doctor's office. Good for breakfast in the morning. One cup skim milk in blender with one scoop protein powder (chocolate or vanilla) and 1 splenda plus a small handful of fruit. I also add a handful of ice. It blends up like a chocolate or vanilla shake and its great!

I had significant pain for 4 days after surgery. Couldn't get up from chair or bed without help from my husband. I am 16 days out from surgery and my port area incision is closed but very sore. However, it improves a little each day and that's progress!

After experimenting, here is what I found that I love: Walmart sells Pure Protein 100% Whey very cheaply. Very large container for $17.99. I do one scoop of the chocolate Protein Powder, one cup skim milk, 2 Splenda packets and a handful of ice cubes all in the blender and liquify. It is cold, good and tastes like a chocolate shake. It is finally one I can really enjoy. 25 gms of protein for the chocolate plus 8 grams of protein for the milk and you get 33 gms protein total. Took me a while to find this brand. Add the Isopure Protein drinks (I also love Grape Frost) and you will have more protein than you need. Good luck. It will be ok. I am just a few days ahead of you. Be glad to support you. I am feeling great at 12 days post op.

My doctor told me that she only uses the Allergan Lap Band on larger men when she needs the biggest size available to her. She stated she usually uses the Realize Band as she feels there are less complications with them. She has wonderful statistics so far as any kind of complications.

I am surprised that your dietician did not spend a great deal of time with you discussing this and all other questions related to diet and the types of foods to eat. What you can eat is affected by many things, particularly the amount of restriction created by your band as you get fills. The tighter the restriction, the harder it may be to tolerate some foods. Think white when remembering things that don't work for many people: white bread, rice, pasta because they tend to become gummy in the stomach and many people get stuck on them when they don't want to move through the banded area. Sometimes people can eat rice and pasta if they are small amounts mixed with other things, like in a casserole, which can make it easier to swallow. A lot of this is experimentation, trying a variety of things and seeing what works for you.

But never underestimate the amount of work you have to do yourself. If you follow the rules (which aren't always easy), it works. If you don't, it might not. Everyone says it is a tool and they are SO right.

Its almost as if there is an addictive quality to fat and sugar, isn't it? If you don't let it start, it can be much easier to control, but once you start its like all you think about! Good luck getting on track. We are all human and the same thing happens to people who don't have weight issues. But I am not one of them obviously

Congratulations Cazzy! You have come such a long way.

Seems like we are all new to this process. I was banded on January 9th and have lost 16 lbs. We are all about the same with weight loss so I'd say we are right on target. I am still in the full liquids process for another week, then mushies. How is everyone doing? I had a lot of pain, more than I expected from reading posts on-line, but then I am a little older than many of you and that might be the reason. However, I am starting to get around much better and feel myself definitely getting better.

I was banded 4 days ago and the first couple of days I nearly cried from the pain. The gas was the worst pain I remember having. I was given Tylenol #3 liquid and gas x tabs. I couldn't get out of a chair or bed without alot of help. I understand the feeling that you can't take a deep breath. The one thing I can say, 4 days later I am feeling much better, gas is more relieved and I can get around on my own. I just keep hanging on to "this too shall pass" and support from folks here. You are not the only one who has experienced this

I was banded on Monday and now on Thursday I am wondering why my glucose levels are higher than they were before surgery. Is it because my liver is pumping out glucose to make up for what I am not consuming? Is it a reaction to having surgery? Anyone else experience this and hopefully at some point your sugars started to come back down? I am still taking a total of 2000mg metformin daily. Also, so many people seemed to feel pretty good after surgery and I feel like a truck hit me. Today was the first day I could get out of bed or a chair without help. I actually have had to make myself eat something because I couldn't tell a feeling of hunger separate from all the gas pain. I had no idea it would be quite like this. Am I responding this way more because I am 60? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

No, I am crushing them. My primary care doctor went thru all my meds and we only changed a couple of them.

Thanks so much to both of you for your encouragement. Its great to have the support of others.

At my surgeon's office (they are a Center of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery) the dietician will meet with you multiple times and work all this out. Before your surgery date, you will have a plan to follow and she'll be sure you understand it.

Hi, I am also being banded on Monday, January 9th. I closed up my office today. I've bought everything all of you have recommended or my doctor suggested. I have completed 2 weeks of Optifast and now have 2 days of Clear liquids. I have lost 12 pounds in the last two weeks. So I guess I am as ready as I can be. I am first on the surgery schedule and have to be there early, so my husband and I are staying at a local hotel the night before. My surgery center is over an hour away. Have been watching around here for the last month or so. Thanks to everyone for the support you show to all the new folks. Your comments have really taught me a lot about the realities of living with the band, both good and challenging.

Definitely not the port but any of the things you mentioned could be contributing to it, particularly constipation. Why don't you try one of the things your doctor's office suggests for that and see if it helps relieve your discomfort? Good luck

I agree with everyone above. If she is like that with you, she probably is with other people too. You are paying her salary and if your physician cares about a quality program, they won't want someone like that in their practice. Its all about customer service today, including in a weight loss surgery program. You deserve so much more. I am a nurse and believe me no good health care practice wants people like that around.

I got my cards from the doctor before my surgery. Another thing....my husband and I went out to dinner on a night our electric was out. I am on my Optifast two-week pre-op diet and I took a packet of soup and ordered a cup of tea plus another cup with just hot water. I mixed my soup at the table and had that for my dinner. The waitress didn't seem to mind at all, just curious. The restaurant didn't charge me at all for the extra cup of water. So we still got to eat out together!

My surgery is January 9th and I have been on my Optifast two-week pre-op diet for 6 days. I expected to feel hungry all the time and yet that hasn't happened. I do feel hungry occasionally but it seems to pass quickly and I can make it until the next meal. You get 14 grams of protein with each of the meals and my dietician says it is the protein that helps you be full. I don't know how other shakes make you feel but Optifast seems to help me. I am amazed I haven't actually cheated a meal or two. I have lost 11 lbs as of this morning and it is very encouraging to me.

I think the other thing that ppl are not always aware of is that muscle weighs more than fat, so as you build the muscle, which utilizes more calories, etc., your weight loss might slow because you have less fat to lose and your muscles are utilizing the calories!

January 9th for me. I am self pay so I didn't have to wait. It took me about two and a half months to get all my appointments in and I could have been December but I want to use my flexible spending account to cover about half the cost. I am two days into my optifast diet now and doing well. Good luck to you!

I have BCBS which does cover gastric banding IF your group plan chose that as a procedure they would cover. My employer did not chose that as a covered procedure so I am self pay. $10,000 including first year of office visits and fills.

You really need to find someone, anyone, who can help you for a little while. You shouldn't be lifting more than 10 lbs. and yes, you can cause yourself physical problems by lifting because it puts stress on the stiched and healing areas and they can come apart.

I wondered some of the same things....my doctor told me that band slippage usually happens with chronic over eating/vomiting and that erosion is often associated with aspirin or NSAID usage which affects the stomach wall. Have any of you heard that?

You don't say how big your band is....2 cc in a 5 cc band is different than 2 cc in a 10 or 14 cc band.