Sojourner

Very happy for you...great job and you are looking wonderful! Happy new year!

I ended up needing a slight unfill after a stomach virus. Prior to the .5cc removed, I was having daily issues with getting close to s stuck episode. Since then, no issues. I will discuss with my surgeon about having .25 added at my next appointment. My learning curve continues...

Perhaps you should be asking your surgeon this question? Really, Bandster life is all about leaving unhealthy habits and poor food/beverage choices, and choosing a healthier lifestyle. That said, why would you find it difficult or even consider drinking empty calories which have no nutritional value? You are empowered to design your journey any way you choose...but keep your surgeon informed about your choices. There have been significant health risks associated with carbonated beverages. Do your risk/benefit analysis, speak to your surgeon...then be your own person.

Prescription strength NSAIDs are not a good idea...IMHO. But you should ask your surgeon for their suggestions about what medications to take, especially if this is a recurrent medical condition. We are not physicians...and it will always be better to direct your medical questions to your surgeon or medical team. I recently had foot surgery, and was also given a prescription for 800 mg Motrin, and did not bother to have it filled. I have taken a 200 mg Advil liquigel (permission given from my bariatric surgeon) several times a day to help reduce the inflammation and manage pain. I would not have taken the Advil without my surgeon's knowledge and permission. I hope you feel better...

I also have been coping with several orthopedic issues, but I still add steps around the house, and have attended Water aerobics classes at the local "Y" to work around my physical limitations. I am presently 16 days post op from foot surgery, and put away my walker to start taking slow steps around the house. To quote my late, dearest mother, "if there is a will there is a way." I continue to live by those words... Others are correct...begin to adjust to the bandster way of life now, and the transition will be that much easier later post op for you. Protein shakes too early mean that you may tire of them while you must be on them. When I was pre op, I did adjust my portion sizes, and used drinking water to help me manage my hunger. Best wishes for your success...

Though I have not traveled for that length of time post op, a few suggestions that helped me on my relatively short sojourns were to plan ahead. I always travel with a few bottles of Water to stay properly hydrated and to help stave off hunger if it's too soon to have my next meal. Keep healthy Snacks with you in the event that you are delayed with having your next meal. Nuts travel well and don't need refrigeration. Be careful to continue to watch your portion sizes, and get some exercise as often as it is possible. The most important thing, as Cheryl shared is to revise your thinking about food; yes you will be traveling to exotic places...but is the local food really the main reason you are there? How about looking at the local customs and scenery your priorities, along with your research the priorities... Safe travels...

Here's the scoop: reflect on how you became obese...I'd wager to say that snacking and the high calorie foods with next to no nutritional value were a significant part of the journey towards obesity. You had your WLS to loose weight; if you want to be successful with that goal, you need to avoid maintaining the poor eating behaviors which made you obese. Bandster life is about changing your relationship with food, and adopting a healthier lifestyle, which includes nutritionally sound food choices and exercise, to name a couple. They make so many "foods" available at the grocery store which assist the individual to believe that they are making progress with lasting weight loss when in fact all they are doing is enabling the individual to maintain their poor choices with food. You can get "sugar free" chocolate, but it still has calories. Those "protein" chips are, in my opinion, deficient in the protein content. As others have said those chips may even lead you down a slippery slope to return to former snacking habits. Everything we choose to eat needs to deliver big on nutrition...even if they are available at your surgeon's office I would not risk going back to poor eating behaviors. IMHO...other's mileage may vary...

Did you receive any pre and post op education from your surgeon? Were you given any written instructions regarding diet requirements and/or what to anticipate with this type of WLS? As others have said, just because you have had a band placed, you will not automatically loose weight. For successful weight loss you need to monitor your food choices to be low/minimal fat and carb, and it is absolutely essential for you to meet your daily Protein goal. You also need to begin a commitment to exercise regularly...this is really not a diet, but a life style change. That said, sufficient water is essential to remain properly hydrated (severe dehydration is something which can sneak up on you and land you in the ER), AND flush the fat metabolites from your body. Water also wards off constipation...just a few of the reasons drinking water is so important. Water also does not stay in your pouch, but you do need to be careful to acquire the habit of sipping your water and not chugging it. This forum has a wealth of information to help you make this most important adjustment to life post op. Remember, this is a journey, not an event. Best wishes...

Thank you Cheryl for sharing these most valuable "pearls of wisdom"...we can all benefit from learning!

Yes, my band is definitely tighter in the morning...and sometimes I have to be out of bed and active for an hour before I can contemplate breakfast. Sipping a hot/warm drink does seem to help me. This is a learning curve, and I've discovered that essentially my band has a mind of it's own. Some days I can tolerate cool water in the morning, other days I can't. A food well tolerated for months will suddenly create issues for me and goes off my list of tolerated foods. Be careful with dry foods such as crackers...they are notorious for causing stuck episodes. After any event, such as a stuck episode or fill, it is best to follow your medical team's instructions...my surgeon advises me to stay on liquids for 2 days, and only soft foods for an additional day.

One key to success is to have strategies in place to help you through the hunger between meals at this stage. Even today I use hunger as a reminder that it is time for me to begin sipping my required daily amount of Water and other SF/FF fluids. There are sensors in your pouch which will trip and send the "full" signal to your brain. However, I time the hour until I can have something to drink again. That strategy helped me get through the notorious "bandster hell"...and be aware that a first fill will not likely create sufficient restriction to dramatically curb your hunger. This will always be to some degree a "head game". Best wishes...you are off to a great start!

WOW...you certainly have a story to share...and I must say that I also felt that your approach to life with your band was not one that I agree with. And from what I have learned through life with my band and from my surgeon you have taken some fairly serious risks to your health and well being. I disagree with your opinion: Crazy people like me will have it tightened to the point of being on a perpetual liquid/mush diet until goal, and then a setting that permits you to maintain thereafter. The difference between these types of peole is those who are motivation to win vs those who are not yet wiling to give up food as a crutch. I have been both of these people...and I have opted to win. This is not a game...this is life. And we choose to have a certain level of quality of life. I believe that the motivation for success comes from within...and the successful individuals are self determined and want to be successful. I am one of those who are motivated for success, but choose not to place my health and well being at risk in the process of loosing weight and having a better quality of life. There are many others who are of the same mindset: I've followed my surgeon's instructions and still had some medical complications. I don't even want to consider what would have happened if I had chosen to become my own physician... I also strongly believe that we need to refrain from giving medical advice to others...unless you have the proper credentials to give such advice. Your post was in that gray area...I believe it is imperative to advise others to consult with their medical team for guidance and not tell others what they should do if they want to be a "winner". This must be gender specific, as I believe that life with a band is a journey towards health, not a race divided by the winners and losers. Best wishes to you for your continued success...

Are you sure your surgeon stresses "dry" solid food???? My surgeon has stressed the importance of choosing moist foods, such as dark meat chicken/turkey and to stay away from any foods which are too dry or over cooked. I do notice a difference, and will get dry foods stuck if I eat them. We can't rely on Protein shakes long term for proper nutrition, and if you read the disclaimer on the packaging it will tell you that. If you are not actively looking for ways to solve your problems, you are correct; you will become your own "self fulfilling prophecy" and become bitter and disappointed. There are many ways to avoid that...this is a forum for support and to share best practices. There is a wealth of solid information contained in the threads of this forum...do some research and it may help you. No one but you can turn yours into a success story.

What did you eat? Did you measure your portion size and remember to chew every bite 20-30 times? You have not really shared some vital information for insights to be shared...if it persists and something like a few sips of milk or a Tums do not help, get in contact with your surgeon or medical team... Hope you feel better fast...

I really don't understand the spirit of your post...I believe that most of us who have been through "bandster hell" never forget those weeks or months. I know that memories of those times are etched indelibly in my memory. As for your perception of a lack of support, I read the thread, and felt that those who responded did offer you emotional support. Just what type of support are you looking for? Last time I checked, none of the individuals who post on the forum are able to read minds...perhaps it would be helpful for you to attend a local WLS support group at the medical center where you had your surgery done... BEE well...

This journey is a process and not an event...you did not become obese overnight, nor will all the weight you want to loose be gone rapidly. Patience is a life skill I've had to learn during the past 10 months. Peace of mind is a priceless commodity...so look for what would reassure you that you really are on the "right track", because you are. It might be helpful if you consulted with a nutritionist who would be able to assist you with identifying good menu choices. It is therapeutic to "vent", and to let go of your anger and frustration, so posting is a good idea as well. If you continue to follow your surgeon's instructions, and continue to exercise, the weight will come off. Take a day and a pound at a time...

I've never heard of a "home sleep study" before. I would think there is a significant difference in how you are monitored, however I am no expert. I've dealt with Aetna and their "approval boards" many times though the years. Did you consider having your physician or yourself appeal the decision? I've had positive outcomes when an appeal was filed. Good luck...

This is a concern best addressed with your medical team. Like Chez, my surgeon advised that I could take a 5000 biotin daily.

Be aware of your carb gram intake...post op while you are healing, you need to be certain that you have enough Protein first. Refried beans and rice are high in carbs...