proshooperLinda

What kind of carbs are you eating? How much Protein are you getting in a day? I supplement with Protein drinks to make sure I'm getting enough protein. I could get enough from food but it's like an insurance policy for me. Linda

Most important is you eat your protein first, then and only then do you consume any carbs! What kind of carbs are you meaning? Beans,fruits and veggies are good carbs - white rice and breads are not so good for you! Everyone loses at a different rate so don't compare weight loss! Slower loss is good for you in the long run good luck and happy losing! Linda

I hope when you say yogurt you are eating Greek yogurt as it's so much higher in Protein and it will make you feel fuller longer. Applesauce would not last with me so I hope that isn't a major part of your diet now. My doctor said to eat every couple of hours so I think 2-3 hours is a good time frame to look at. Are you able to eat scrambled eggs yet as that will stay with you longer too. Good luck and happy learning your new band!

OMG - have I been there before! No such thing as mindless eating anymore! First time I got something stuck I thought I'd have a panic attack as I couldn't breathe - it hurt so bad and I started sweating really bad and foaming...then I learned to throw it back out! Amen for writing this!

The idea is first protein then water and other liquids. There is a product called LiquiCel that is like the shot of protein. Target carries it but you have to ask at the pharmacy for it...it's not cheap but worth the price - check out the per oz. cost to compare and the taste is better than a lot of the other shots out there. There is also Isopure which is 40 grams of protein in 20 oz. of water so it counts for both! I find it at GNC and Vitamin Shoppe if you have them locally. Good luck and do the best you can! And sip. sip, and sip all day if you need to!

Fever is a sign of a problem - not something to be managed! Call your doctor before it develops in to something more severe! Since I don't run any fevers ANY fever would be an issue for me to be worried about. Please don't mess around with it - OK?

I thought about revising my LB to the sleeve as I've had problems with fills - being too filled and having acid reflux (severe) for several months after twice now....but my insurance only allows one weight loss surgery so I'd have to pay for it. At the time I was thinking about it as then I wouldn't need fills and I'd have faster weight loss. I belong to one support group where the sleeve is done as much as the lapband unlike my other support group where 90% of the people are RNY patients...and the sleeve people have less problems with malabsorption of vitamins etc. so they don't need as many supplements and they seem to have better weight loss. I'm still on the fence but I figured I'd try to follow the lapband plan more closely and see what results I get it that...time will tell if I'm willing to go in to debt for a revision...just my 2 cents... Linda (Since my surgery I've lost 52 lbs. but still want to lose 40 lbs. at least...and I'm 18 months out of surgery - at least with the lapband you still have the window of weight loss with band adjustments unlike the other surgeries - or am I deluding myself?)

This link is very good as it explains why restriction is NOT the goal of the lapband. I'm over 18 months out of surgery and this explains better than a lot of my visits with my doctors office what I should have been told! Click the link for a very good good explaination! I bookmarked it so I can go back and read the other pages too...good luck all on our weight loss journey! Linda

I hope no one takes this an attack on anyone in the group! I know there are doctors doing the surgeries and then they let people loose without much guidance as we get them in our local support group. I eat thin crust pizza and other carbs - not everyday but I do eat them...I was just reporting what had worked for me when I was first banded - protein first...ANYTHING else AFTER! Had I had a doctor like that and no support group I probably wouldn't have lost as much weight as I have...just wanted to clarify my point. Linda

I'm sorry it took me so long to get on this website but seeing your post really makes me MAD! I would ask for any other person in that practice and I would report her butt so fast! That is no way to talk to a patient! I know the first month after my surgery a lot of my hunger pains were gas build-up and when I took Gas-X they went away BUT I still had hunger pains. My stomach wasn't used to being empty! At 3cc that's not much of a restriction and they should be seeing you about once a month! I live in the Williamsport, PA. area so I can't help you with another provider or help that way. I had to find another provider as my insurance changed and Geisinger wouldn't take it and I couldn't afford $900. a fill...I think you should stick with your office if you can but I would definetely let them know what a horse's ass she is! I have 7cc in my band and am getting a decent restriction at that - for now. Good luck! Linda

Take a deep breath! Relax...I'll tell you right now you will have that thought quite a few times before you actually have the surgery. The key is to expect it and understand why you're having it! It will be a major change in your life - for the better mostly. Find yourself a local support group for bariactric patients and go to it a few times. The things you'll hear may scare you but in the end EVERYONE says even if they had complications it was something they would do in a heartbeat! I don't hear of many complications with the lapband but they can happen. I've never known anyone that has had any problems - other than if you get an overfill and that will only happen once because you learn. Good luck with your appointment and come back for our support! Linda

WOW - I don't believe he could be that naive! We got heavy eating what we feel like eating! Granted the band will restrict how much we eat but I think more guidance would have been helpful! We can eat sugar and ice cream etc. but if you take this time to retrain your tastebuds you'll lose more weight faster! The "rules" say eat protein first - that way you have room for the most important thing in your diet. Lean protein - like fish, chicken and turkey if you can digest that. At first SOFT proteins are best - fish, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt come to mind. Good luck with your weight loss journey but honestly Dcotors like yours makes the SUPPORT GROUPS very important... Linda

The saline isn't thick - it's just a saline solution that way if it leaks out the body can handle it...they pull out the solution to measure how much you have in the band so that irritates the stomach anyway...then after they measure it decide how much more to add to it....at least my doctor does. I wonder if I had a bug about 2 weeks out and that's what caused my problem. I've had problems with too much of a restriction that didn't occur until a couple days later - but at that time I hadn't had too many fills yet so I let a slight overfill go - and paid dearly for it, causing reflux for 3 months to heal! I could swallow so I thought I was OK - now I know how I should feel after the fill plus they only added .5 cc last time and it's been fine since then. Good luck trying to find out more...I've been curious since as many fills as I've had I really haven't had too many problems. Linda

Have you had any fills of your lap band since then? If we haven't had a fill it's too easy to eat things we shouldn't and end up getting more calories than we need.

I've had a delayed reaction as I felt the restriction - a little at first - then about 2 weeks out I felt greater restriction to the point of throwing up to relieve the pain and the frothing after eating to the point it was happening after just drinking liquids - even water! I ended up having to have them take out saline for relief! I think once you start throwing up it irritates the stomach and band area to the point of swelling making the problem worse! Now I know after a fill to follow a liquid diet for a couple days just to be sure not to irritate it further. Sometimes a stomach bug will have the same effect on us but at least if we follow a very soft liquid diet until we recover it tends to minimize that effect. Good luck! Linda

The only thing you can do is to ignore. If it's someone that you value their opinion - just thank them for their input. Being obese is a greater risk factor for death than the surgery! I pray you have no complications - but even the people in our support group that have had problems said they'd do it again in a heartbeat! Everyone will feel obligied to give you their opinion - it's up to you what you do with it.

When my reflux was VERY BAD my coughing was also as my throat was irritated by the acid. Nexium doesn't sound like it's working. As far as the ER they are usually staffed by NEWer doctors - just out of school so they actually tend to have more current info than most other doctors. I was sent in for an upper GI to a hospital that does NO bariactic surgery and they were looking at my band and found what my problem.was...Granted I'd have been more happy at the hospital that did the surgery but I was equally happy now knowing I can trust this place if need be. Please don't let the fear of weight gain stop you from seeking help. Hopefully this is only a small speed bump on your journey. Better to live well than die skinny! Don't let it get that serious! Yes, I do mean to scare you - but only because I care! Good luck.... Linda (PS - I would go back to a liquid diet for now because all the throwing up causes swelling which then makes the band tighter - worrying about band erosion and band slippage to a lesser degree...actually more concerned about band twisting as that can cause the problems you're having. I just had fluid taken out as this week after a band-fill a month ago progressively was causing more pain. throwing up and swelling...now I feel human again and it took 1.5 cc's out..and I lost 3 bs. after it was taken out!)

I don't do that - unless I want it to come back up! Sometimes that is my last resort - unless I want to suffer for a long time...I find just "running" up and down the stairs a few times is enough of a jog to loosen it....good luck all... Linda

I've tried many brands - the only problem I have was the thickness. Make sure you're getting liquid protein as the meal replacement is THICKER. I like the vanilla and chocolate as you can add sugar free flavorings or syrups to them to change up the flavor. GNC total lean 25 is OK and if on sale a good buy. The first seven days of the month you get extra discounts so that's the time to buy...Good luck. Linda

A friend of mine told me about this - and it's called gravity...just kidding! You're dislodging the stuck food and that won't cause problems. It's better than all the misery and the foam and saliva getting you sick and ready to throw up. I have tried going up and down the stairs as that helps also....like you said to ideally avoid the situation but it can sneak up on you and you'll think everything is fine and BAM...there it is! I honestly don't think it has any effect on band slippage as I don't really know what causes it...but my friend has been banded over 2 years with no problems from the jumping! Good luck..Linda

Are you just drinking or what stage of food are you eating? If it's still soft food you might not really feel a restriction even with that fill...you don't want to be miserable honestly! I had a fill in late Jan. and the last couple of weeks I was having real problems keeping food down. Wasn't losing weight even though I couldn't eat or drink much of anything. Monday they took out 1.5 cc and I've lost 3 lbs. because I can drink enough fluids and am eating more protein! Who would have figured! Good luck with your journey! Linda

Just so you know - it can take a combination of adding fiber and making sure you're drinking enough liquid also or you can get severely constipated and that is hell! Been there and done that before surgery and after...stool softners are good also. Contrary to some beliefs you don't get dependent on them honestly! walking helps too - I guess it's the gravity effect! Good luck all - Linda

like all others I was a very warm person - now I'm freezing and my hands are always cold! It's been 16 months since surgery and it's getting better! I'm not too hot during the summer and that's a good thing! I find myself holding hot coffee or sugar free cocoa in the evening! It will get better - honest!

54Shirley...please post the name of the drug as I'm always looking for something that works better. I know when the weather changes I will have a bad reaction to it...if you're in the US please let us know as different countries have different names for their drugs...hoping you're in the US personally. Thanks for any info... Linda

Are you getting in your water? That will cause your urine to be very strong and irritating and feel like that! High Protein content can affect your urine the same way I found....the smell will be very strong too. Miralax and Benefiber are very good and work well too - my doctors recommend both to me. Good luck and feel no shame with asking questions as that's what we're here for - each other! Linda