Sojourner

Some people, myself included, have strong concerns regarding having parts of their insides rearranged and removed. That was one of the reasons I chose the band. I was the one who was encouraged by both my PCP and bariatric surgeon to do my research and decide on my type of surgery. As others have written, every surgery will come with some risks for complications. Band surgery has a lower mortality rate. Though I have experienced medical complications from my surgery, these were weight loss related and not caused by the band. None of the WLS procedures is a magic bullet that will cause you to shed a hundred pounds...you have to change your relationship with food; understand that you must eat to live and not live to eat. If stress or your emotions are your triggers to overeat, you need to learn a different set of coping skills to manage your life. Turning to food is not an option if you want to be successful with weight loss. You will need to adopt a healthier lifestyle with better food choices and include exercise several times a week in your life. There is much research out there and other sources for information. You should discuss your options with more than 1 physician...as in my experience physicians do have their biases, and a second opinion to consider sort of evens the field. Best wishes as you consider your options...

There are many factors to consider...and only you can make your final decision. The best choice is an informed choice, so I encourage you to do your research thoroughly. Be certain that you understand all of the changes you have to commit to making for a lifetime... There are numerous medical considerations, and be certain to understand that the band is only a weight loss tool. As with other tools, you need to learn how it works, what you need to do to make it work with you, and understand what it will not do. Too many people believe that it will do the work by itself...I can tell you that I have battled daily to remain compliant with my diet to loose every pound I have to date. However, this is a healthier lifestyle, so I really have no complaint. I have no regrets for choosing to have my band surgery...though I had lost significant amounts of weight before and managed to keep it off for 25 years, one's age, medication issues and sluggish metabolism do catch up with you. I was nearly diagnosed as a Type II diabetic...and that was the deciding factor for me. This forum is an excellent place to ask questions and learn a wealth of valid information from individuals who are on their weight loss journey.

Protein does the best job with this...everything from eggs to chicken to grilled salmon. I seem to get hungry much sooner after after a meal when what I've had is a small salad...and my carb for the meal was romaine lettuce.

Congrats on your post op progress... I did not have any issues with dry heaves post op...but this is not a good thing to be happening. Are you taking any pain medication? Prescription pain meds are notorious for causing both nausea and vomiting, especially if you are not accustomed to using them. Call your surgeon ASAP to advise them what is going on; you don't want to risk harming the placement of your new band. Best wishes...

It's not just Aetna when it comes to having to navigate through reams of red tape to get approval for surgery...I have had to deal with many insurance companies through the years both as a subscriber member, and as a medical services provider. Every insurance company offers many plans...so it may be the level of coverage that your policy provides and not the insurance company that causes the additional issues with the approval process. In my experience with Aetna, from both the provider and subscriber perspectives, they were one of the better insurance companies to work with...as opposed to Tricare and Cigna. Others mileage may vary...

There are many white and blush wines which do not have any carbonation...I.E. Riesling, Pinot Grigio, and Chardonnay. Chardonnay can be "sparkling" or "still" (without any carbonation)...so read your labels.

It reads to me that you are still experiencing a stuck episode...and that your band is likely too tight. My surgeon advised me to stay on a liquid diet for a week to see if I would be alright after my last fill felt too tight in his office. He was right; I followed a liquid diet for 5 days post fill, and after my tissues adjusted, I was alright. Though I did not stay on the full liquids for the entire week, I went back to eating food only after I felt better and thought I would be able to eat. I'd go back to a full liquid diet for the rest of today, and call your surgeon's office in the morning to advise them what is going on with you. Feel better...

No need to panic...you're doing positive things to distract yourself. If you can, bring a chapstick to the hospital with you...my lips got incredibly dry! Sending positive energy and prayers for your fast and uncomplicated recovery. Best wishes...

Yes, insurance is convoluted and frustrating...and I'm truly sorry to read of what you are having to go through. I agree that the reasoning Aetna appears to have used in their decision is flawed in a major way. I also went through Aetna for my surgery...however I had several weight related comorbidities. The insurance coordinator at your surgeon;s office should know the exact words to use in your appeal process. Good luck...and never give up!

I preferred to keep everything simple during that stage...but just about anything healthy in the way of lean Protein and fresh fruit that can be put in a blender will work. I made egg, tuna, and chicken salads, and had fresh cantaloupe, strawberries and nectarines. All of it went into the blender... I was advised by my surgeon to have every meal consist of 3 oz of protein and 2 oz of carbs. You can use different seasonings to make the meat salads taste different...but avoid super spicy things and keep the protein moist.

You will likely not be able to sustain long term initial weight loss rates. You may have lost mostly "Water weight". The weight loss equation is the same: it will take approximately a 3500 calorie deficit to loose 1 pound of weight. That's why it's essential to exercise in addition to learning how to eat healthier along with portion control if you want a successful weight loss journey. Best wishes for your success...

Awesome idea to reinforce new ideas of eating and fun in the process...everyone benefits. Definitely stay with that unique support group!

Thoughts and prayers for a fast and uncomplicated recovery as your begin your WL journey!

You should not have any issues with the sacraments at your church. You just need to have it be the consistency of "mush" before swallowing. I'm not able to "eat" bread any longer, but the equivalent of a small bite should not be an issue for you; I can still manage communion without any problems.

Sorry Kami...but it's not Missy's responsibility to educate others...she shares what she has learned in an effort to help others. That's the purpose of an open forum...to share information and best practices. What is written is subject to your own interpretation...your mileage may vary...

Yes, I have rediscovered my former self...the one who was always cold. For years she was MIA...but I'm glad she's back!

Best wishes for a quick, uncomplicated recovery and a successful journey...

I reads like you are in good shape with hydration...and all the other posters have shared good advice about sipping often. The one piece of information I did want to share is that nausea is a symptom of severe dehydration. I did not know this, and thought that thirst would be more of an accurate symptom. I was wrong, and ended up in the hospital with severe dehydration. I've gone extra distance to make certain that I never find myself in that situation again! Best wishes...

You need to start making phone calls to other band doctors in your area. It may be difficult to find another doctor who will accept other physicians's patients post op. I would also ask pertinent questions prior to scheduling an appointment so that you can avoid finding yourself in a similar situation again. I know that my surgeon is one of the few in my area that will accept post op patients. Good luck...

Your individual tastes will determine that answer. High quality bariatric shakes and/or the protein powders will generally cost more, and the ready to drink ones are a bit more expensive. Many of the ready to drink ones I've tried do not have the bariatric quality protein, and also seem to have horrible chemical tastes and aftertastes. It's important for you to find at least one high quality protein shake that you hopefully will like or at least can tolerate well, as periodically even post op liquid diet you will need to be on a liquid diet from time to time after fills.

It could be hormone related, so I would think it appropriate to discuss this with your PCP or the surgeon. I've overall had better experiences with my PCP diagnosing my medical conditions than my bariatric surgeon.

I'm not certain if you are allowed to continue to drink fluids during your fast...staying properly hydrated is necessary. Fasting for High Holy Days should not be an issue with the band, just stay properly hydrated. Happy Healthy Sweet New Year!

Different surgeons do instruct their patients with slight variations...but my post op instructions made sense to me... It is not a valid measure of a portion to measure food by weight...you need to measure your portions by volume after cooking. Your surgeon has just created a new small pouch of your stomach; it doesn't make sense to measure portions by weight when the goal is to not stretch your pouch. OMHO...

Now is the time to begin to hone your skills to manage your hunger successfully. You should not rely on having fills to manage your hunger. Restriction will likely not be significant for at least a few fills. Even after you have restriction, you likely will get hungry; I use that as a cue to drink more Water. I was advised to measure my portions, choose only basic unprocessed foods, and have learned to manage my hunger by drinking additional fluids, which for me is usually water.

It is usually the decision of your surgeon whether it is necessary to stay overnight in the hospital based on the patient's risk factors. I discovered that I had been designated to stay overnight because somehow the practice thought I had sleep apnea, which thankfully I don't. I was able to be released the same day as surgery, and I was thankful to be at home. The anesthesia is not what causes post op gas; it is the gas used during surgery to create more space internally for the surgeon to complete the surgery. Gas X and other gas preparations are not designed to resolve post op gas. The best remedy for this pain post op should you have it is to walk...every hour I was awake post op I was advised to get up and walk around the house for a few minutes, which also lowers your risks for DVT developing. Some people have said that rocking in a rocking chair also helps, but I've never tried that. Wishing you a speedy recovery...