Sojourner

I am scheduled on November 3. This is not my first "rodeo" so to speak, but feeling anxious to move forward to lose weight and get some of eroded health back!

At any time that you are having difficulty with not being able to eat and/or drink, you risk getting dehydrated. This could be nothing, but definitely call your surgeon's office for their qualified medical advice. I hope you feel better fast...

Wishing you well now that your surgery is so close... To be successful with this journey, among many things, are motivation and emotional support. From your post, it seems that you have everything you will need for a successful journey towards health and well being. Best wishes!

Glad that everything went well today! I understand so well about how wonderful those ice chips can be... As others have already posted, your recovery begins today. Prepare yourself for the many great achievements ahead... Best wishes for your successful weight loss journey...

What were the directions given to you by your surgeon? Are you drinking enough fluids to maintain proper hydration? In the recent past, have you consumed significant amounts of caffeine? Headaches can be a symptom of both dehydration and withdrawal from caffeine dependence. Since you are preop, it essential for you to follow the directions given to you by your surgeon. If you are not certain if something such as soups are allowed, call them for additional clarification.

No, I have not encountered the situation you disclose in your post. However, it is a definite benefit to you that you have a team of physicians who are willing to be proactive to discuss your medical condition and share insights and possible solutions. About 10 years ago I had 2 different physicians who were very egotistical and "territorial", and refused to discuss my case with each other. Their lack of communication nearly cost me my life. Kudos to your PCP for their dedication to you, their patient!

Wishing you the best of good luck as your surgery date is almost here... With your insights and attitude, expect great success with your journey. Looking forward to following you along the way...you're quite an inspiration!

This is an excellent topic to explore...and the points you and some OP's touched on seem to be Spot on with accuracy. The primary reason so many of the veterans of a few years back are no longer on this site is because there was such angry backlash dished out by some of the members who asked for help or questions, and then would receive angry, sometimes laced with profanity, responses back. I agree with the majority of what has been posted, and I also make choices to discard thoughts or ideas which I see as not good for me and my approach to weight loss. Black and white, all or nothing thinking is unhealthy and inaccurate. And it has led to some anger on this site. I always let other posters that this is what has worked for me, other's mileage may vary. We are so individual, no two will have the same experiences through their journey. Understanding that will go far to avoid some of the verbal strife I have read. I have shaken my head at some of what I have read on here through the years, and moved on. I would hope that others would have the same courtesy. We are basically here for the same reasons...successful and healthy weight loss. Best wishes to everyone to reach their goals...

There are so many mitigating factors by individual that it is difficult to answer your question. In my own experience, and the amazing group of women I still keep in contact with that I met on this forum, there are very individualized long term results. My experience is knowledge to recognize the better part of long term success with maintaining weight loss is how well you have internalized your needed changes in your relationship with food and eating. The psychology behind the how and why must be dealt with to maintain weight loss long term. It is much more difficult to maintain weight loss than lose the weight. Self awareness of what and how much you eat and exercise are mandatory. If you are not monitoring your thinking and food related behaviors you risk gaining weight, because your previous unhealthy behaviors easily return. This journey is a daily one...the surgery gives you a tool to change your eating, but does nothing to revise faulty thinking in your behaviors relating to food. Most of us have regained a portion of weight we lost, perhaps original goals were not healthy weights. No one has "given up", but some have relaxed self discipline to a realistic level. Some continue to lose weight at their own slower pace. Some continue to work on their faulty thinking. All are still committed and thankful for their healthier lives and lifestyle. Many of the veterans chose to move on with their lives, and were aware of an ongoing resistance of newer members asking questions, not liking the veteran response, and feeling that it was not worth the time and effort to try to help others who did not really seem to want help. I lost my band to medical complications nearly 2 years ago. I successfully kept most of my weight off, however weight comes back, in my opinion because it is quite difficult to manage on the unrealistic small portions long term. I am scheduled to have a different surgery next month to give me the tool I feel I need long term for better health. My doctors and I do not consider myself a failure, many banded patients long term require a different surgery to help them maintain their healthy weight. I addressed my faulty thinking a few years ago and am moving forward with continuing motivation and new tools for continuing success.

When you are experiencing medically related difficulties, it is always a sound decision to contact your medical team for guidance and suggestions. I hope you feel better fast.

You are wise to begin your search for a Protein shake brand that you like or at least can tolerate. Find out the specific requirements of the program your surgeon uses. These can vary widly. My first surgeon required 100% whey isolate protein. The same goes for Vitamins. My first surgeon required a specific chewable bariatric Vitamin, however others have posted that they were allowed to use children's chewable vitamins. Best wishes for a successful journey towards better health...

Don't leave home without your chapstick! Good luck...!

GNC has a very liberal return policy, and with a receipt and unused product they usually have no difficulty to allow for a return or exchange for their products. I also am curious as to why your surgeon does not permit using Protein powders? Best wishes for a successful weight loss journey...

It's a big decision, and a major commitment to be taken very seriously. Probably more so than even choosing to get married. But it reads that you are approaching this life changing event well grounded and understanding that literally your life depends on moving forward. Good luck to you, there will be some days more difficult than others. Keep your focus on the prize of improved health, and a positive support network around you. Best wishes for a very successful journey.

I agree that shame and guilt can be major players with our sense of self perception. Not every stray from our diet should be considered a full relapse. Minor lapses can and will happen. To believe they won't is to place a need for perfection in compliance can place an impossible standard of perfection as the only acceptable level of compliance. None of is is perfect. That's reality. That less than perfect belief can set some people up for failure. It is a double edge sword, because a lapse can become the proverbial slippery slope towards a return to full addictive behaviors. Forgiving yourself for less than perfect behaviors seems a healthier approach towards addiction recovery than a demand to oneself for perfect compliance.

It's essential for you to work with a trainer who understands that their " one size approach" to fitness is not going to work for everyone. You are risking serious injury by making demands on your body which it seems to not be quite ready for. Perhaps someone at the surgeon's office or your local "Y" would have some suggestions. There are ways to manage increasing levels of fitness and remain compliant with your bariatric diet. I completed a half marathon, needed only a few small jelly Beans to replenish carbs, and sipped Water constantly. I found when you eat low healthy carbs diet for extended lengths of time, I needed only minimal sugar carbs to keep my energy up, and constant water. I am concerned about your injuring yourself by trying to work out at a level you are not ready for. It can save you months of pain and inactivity if you work into fitness at your pace. You and your trainer do not read like a good fit to me. Best wishes to achieve your goals...

Though I have not had my revision to gastric bypass yet, I have been doing a fair amount of research into the procedure. Most importantly is to keep your medical team apprised of your current conditions. They are the best and most reliable source of how to cope with and manage the current issues you are experiencing. They have answers for you beyond what the forum may provide. I also know that we have a "honeymoon" post surgery, and we need to make the most progress with weight loss during that time. When you feel that you are not following your food plan, it is time to get in contact with your NUT also. I hope you feel better fast...

When to comes to other people, including those we regard as friends, having an expectation that someone " has to support you" with a decision you make is not being realistic. If you have never taken the first steps on a WLS journey, your friend likely has no accurate understanding of what changing your life style means. Give her an opportunity to understand as time passes. Another poster suggested healthier boundaries...that seems like a good choice. When it comes to success with a journey towards better health, I always keep in mind the old mantra from Weight Watchers.."If it is to be, than it is up to me." Best wishes for a successful journey...

I am "late to the party" and wanted to add that it is important to have your step analyzed to determine if you need a neutral shoe or one which corrects for pronation. My son recommended I go to Fit 2 Run to help with being fitted by a specialist. I need a neutral shoe, and for the past 6 months have been training for a half marathon, during which I will be walking. Brooks Glycerin 11 with orthotic inserts has allowed me to train for months without any discomfort or injury to my feet or legs. Which is amazing to me as I had surgery on both feet in 2013. EBay has them at a range of prices. The 11 is last year's model, and I prefer them over the new for this year Glycerin 12.

It has been just about a year since I visited this site. That date coincides with having my band removed for medical reasons. I am not writing this post to "bash" the band. I am thankful for my opportunity to lose weight with my band, and to get my life back. I wanted to let others know that should they have the misfortune of having to have their band removed, it is not the end of your healthier life. I wanted to share my experiences, as I know what an emotional journey it has been for me, and to perhaps inspire others to never give up on themselves. Unlike many others who opted to revise to another WLS, I chose to not have a revision because my PCP advised me to give my inflamed GI tract a rest, as there was excessive scar tissue at my band site. I am amazed that if not careful, I am still able to get food stuck, even after the initial adjustment post band removal. I believe I knew from the beginning that I would not have a long relationship with my band. I decided to make the most of my banded life, and embraced my new banded lifestyle. I was the poster child for diet and exercise compliance. And I feel I was reasonably successful with losing 90+ pounds during the 22 months I was banded. Now, about a year later, I have gained 5-6 pounds. The surgeon who removed my band told me to expect to gain around 10 pounds. I feel good about not gaining 10 pounds, but I need to be vigilant every day post band, as I was while I had my band to make healthy food choices and control my portions. What has worked to help me to maintain a healthier weight: Continue to eat like a banister. I still choose a lean Protein and a produce carb for every meal. My portions are still band sized, with the exception of adding a couple of ounces of lean protein for meals. I look for signs of satiety, and leave leftovers on my plate. Exercise continues to be a priority, both cardio and toning. Snacks are limited to Greek yogurt, pumpkin seeds, and a few raw nuts. Above all I am thankful for the opportunity to have lost weight, and with continued good choices for diet and exercise am so far maintaining a healthier weight. I never achieved my goal weight, a huge disappointment for me. However, there is so much more on the positive side for me. I am now in training, and on pace to complete my first Half Marathon in February. This event is on my bucket list! There are the same challenges every day, with or without the band. I have to manage my hunger, drink sufficient Water to help avoid eating between meals and in the evening. I keep my mind active with other focal points. My best practice I want to share, is that awareness and mindful eating is a life long event for anyone who has had to battle their weight. So is getting active with exercise, and continuing to be dedicated to your goals. My enduring motivation to continue to make good choices is always to remember how much my overall health has improved. I had several serious co-morbidities prior to being banded, and now am able to walk for miles with no pain and without getting winded. Most of my health issues are resolved. I am mindful that I could lose all of the benefits I have gained through weight loss if I lose my focus on my healthier habits. Those habits have become internalized, and now are second nature. Can I eat more if I wanted to, yes. I feel good about choosing not to. Can I choose slider foods that are high in fat and calories? Of course, we all can. But for me, it just feels better, both physically and psychologically not to. Am I hungry? Yes, most times than not. It is my accepted "normal". I wanted to let others know that losing your band can be a very scary and anxiety provoking event. This past year has been a proverbial emotional roller coaster for me. But it does not mean that it is the end of a healthier life and inevitable excessive weight gain. Do I sometimes question the wisdom of not choosing to have a revision? Yes, and I know that if my weight ever were to get out of control I do have the option to choose another WLS. Above all, I understand that my future with my weight is dependent on the choices I make every day. I am up for the challenge, every day. And we all take a day at a time. Best wishes for continuing success to us all!

Technology challenged, as always. A couple of pictures taken this Fall, 2014. Life is great!

There are a number of reasons for experiencing reflux with a band, and definitely if your band is adjusted a bit too tight is one of them. It is excellent advice to contact your surgeon first thing in the morning, as they will be the best source for the medical advice you need to address what is happening in your case to cause the reflux. Be very wary of anyone who offers medical advice on a forum unless they have the proper credentials to do so. It is reckless and capricious for anyone but a qualified physician to suggest to you that your band might have slipped.

There has been a lot of excellent information already shared on this thread, and I agree with most of it. What I wanted to add is that carbs are the enemy of the person who is trying to lose weight. This is a direct quote from my bariatric surgeon, and validated by my experience on my weight loss journey. We do need some carbs in our diet for it to be all inclusive and healthy. What type of carbs you choose makes the difference. "Produce" carbs, such as berries, melons, some varieties of Beans, and vegetables provide Fiber which contributes to feeling full longer and avoiding constipation. They also don't trigger the cravings often seen when the refined and unhealthy carbs we commonly become addicted to are eaten, such as the ones found in pastas and breads. To this day my husband is unhappy that I no longer eat some of the same meals that he does. The other evening I had part of a grilled chicken breast and green beans, while he had a salad, grilled chicken simmered in spaghetti sauce, and a dinner size plate of pasta(he still has a 34" waist). The point is we had almost the same meal, just different carb choices. It has to be that way if I am to have any hope of maintaining my weight loss. My health is my priority. WLS brings a new lifestyle. it can be more of a challenge with a hectic schedule and a family to cook for, but it is not mission impossible. Good luck and best wishes...

Wether you gain some, all, or none of the weight you lose as a result of WLS is the responsibility of you, the patient. When I had my band removed 6 months ago, the surgeon advised me to expect to gain 10 pounds. He also told me that if I made the effort to eat healthy, watch my portion sizes, and exercise, there was no reason I should not be able to maintain a healthy weight. Today I still choose steamed veggies and not the baked potato. I don't eat bread. I still scoop up a bowl of ice cream for my husband and take a frozen Greek yogurt bar for my evening snack. I still don't drink with my meals. I can't remember the last piece of candy or cookie I had. I still exercise 4-5 days a week. The list goes on and on. But the point is that when the band came off, the healthy habits were in place. All WLS patients have eating choices to make every day. Hopefully you have received some good guidance and education from your surgeons to redesign your relationship with food and lifestyle. I know that it is still early for me, I am only 6 months out without my band. But I am cautiously optimistic that I will never be obese again. I have made healthier eating and exercise a priority in my life. Every day I Celebrate being able to move and enjoy life...and to date have gained 3 pounds back. We all take a day a day at a time...and a choice at a time. Make yours healthy ones.