Sojourner

Not rude...amazed...Were you for real??

Was this thread for real? NMBB has alot to learn...Enjoyed all of the posts. You all have a world of patience. PG66 summed it up nicely...I lift things up...I put them down!

Maddysgram is correct...it all begins with your surgeon's instructions for post op care. What were those instructions? Post op is your time to be healing, and allowing your tissues near the band to adjust to the band. I seems that you are trying to eat real food way too soon. Try to break the habit of "drinking" anything...and learn to sip everything liquid. If you eat food too soon post op, you risk harming the stitches and the band placement.

You know...I'm going to get a complex if people around here don't stop crying...

Your intolerance for food while traveling might have something to do with the change in climate features that your system is accustomed to. I live in a very warm, very humid climate, and have not experienced anything like what you wrote about. We are scheduled to travel to a climate very different than the one I live in soon, and will also be at a much higher altitude. I'm going to hope that I won't have similar experiences as you have had...I will be certain to post about it if I do... I hope your're feeling better now...

Maddysgram...you're too much! I'm no wiser than you are...but thanks for the kind compliment!

It's really too soon for you to be eating slider foods...this is your time to heal post op. You need the optimum nutrition for healing. That's what the whey Protein shakes are formulated to do. The liquid diets are a &*$%#...no doubt about it, but there are valid medical reasons for them. Let your surgeon's office know how you are doing post op, perhaps they will have some helpful suggestions for you.

Your body can get stuck in a rut of predictability...try changing your daily number of calories and/or your exercise routine, type and intensity.

For the bandster diet, you have to make your meal choices carefully. I'm allowed 3oz of lean Protein and 2 oz of Fiber carbs per meal, measured by volume after any cooking. It's important to eat your protein first, as that's more essential for proper post op nutrition. I'm allowed one serving of a complex carb per day, such as sweet potatoes, but mostly I prefer steamed broccoli and cauliflower. For lunch I usually fix a small salad using compressed romaine lettuce. I miss having so many veggies, but now that I have the degree of restriction I have, often I'm unable to finish all of my carbs. My surgeon would not approve of drinking V8 or any other type of juice. Post op all of your nutrition should be coming from solid foods.

The answer is "no"...my nutritionist referred to juices of all varieties as liquid carbs...a slider if ever there was one. The bandster diet requires one to get their calories from healthy solid food choices, and as Honk shared we are discouraged from drinking any calories. The only liquid calories I have these days are an occasional Protein shake when I have missed reaching my protein grams for the day.

Years ago, my husband shared a "playful threat" with me...that "If I ever weighed more than he did, than he would divorce me". I was 118 pounds at the time, with a wide margin of safety... The years passed, time took it's toll on health and mobility. Stress generated from grad school, parents terminal illnesses, prescription medications, and having a son in the US Marines on active duty in a war zone also affected my emotional well being... scroll ahead to 2010 with serious health concerns for my husband and my near fatal car accident. My weight increased through the years, and surpassed my husband's at some point. I cannot recall when that was...and he stopped teasing me about the "divorce". A couple of months ago I announced that I was finally the same weight as he was...he smiled at me...and said "the threat's back on!" We will be married for 40 years next June...for better or worse, in sickness and in health. He's been so supportive of me and my efforts to loose weight...I think he's a keeper! So CG...my reason for sharing this is that your husband does love you, and seems to have taken his marriage vows seriously. Don't allow your negative thoughts and assigning your beliefs to others to affect your joy of life and living. You share so much happiness and joy with others...the scale does not define the amazing and uplifting person you are! Best wishes...

To me it says something very positive that you and your husband are still together after all this time... I've also felt ashamed to meet my husband's coworkers in the past...but many of them have also had issues with fighting their weight...and I would hope that they are not superficial people who would judge a book by it's proverbial cover. If they do, they are not worth your time or energy to even think about...IMHO!

Sorry you have had such a rough start to your weight loss journey. You've had an additional set of challenges to contend with...and feelings of regret are quite common. Try to get back your focus on the reasons why you chose to have your band placed...and take a day at a time and use this time to heal and feel better emotionally and physically. I also have experienced some medical complications...and questioned my wisdom to have WLS. I refocus myself on the alternatives of the health that my weight was stealing from me, and my journey becomes easier to comply with what I know I need to do for me. I hope you feel better fast...

Thanks for sharing some wonderful "pearls of wisdom" with all of us! Congratulations on your weight loss success, and also for reacquainting yourself with you...another part of the journey. Best wishes for your continued health and success...

Add to Mis73's post... Are you exercising on a regular basis? For me, no exercise = no weight loss. Successful weight loss with the band will not be achieved without your learning how to use your weight loss tool...AKA your band. Managing your hunger, making good choices for your meals (lean Protein, healthy, fresh Fiber carbs), measuring your portions, and exercise have all been central in my journey with my band. We each have to be an active participant every day for weight loss success. Best wishes for your success...you will be successful if you want to be!

Marybell, Those were excellent insights into your current situation...and they are something to build on with. Those who get into situations with their band being too tight are the ones who want to use restriction and rely on the band which is only a tool to loose weight. For every individual who experiences negative outcomes with the band, there are many who have been successful. I have made the decision to keep my level of restriction relatively low, and have been very conservative with having my band filled. I definitely have restriction, but question that I am in the "green zone". I choose to take on the major part of the responsibility for my weight loss to manage my hunger. This is a journey and not an event...I've felt like I have had to "fight" to loose every pound that I have. But I also understand the alternatives I will face if I do not loose my excess weight. Continue to do your research...ask questions and learn. I know that the band is not the only surgical procedure who has an active forum. Learn as much as you feel you need to...but move forward with knowledge and being prepared to make the commitment to life long life style changes for your success. Best wishes as your consider your options...

I was sorry to read of your experiences with your band and the resulting issues...a nightmare of major proportions. Chronic pain and discomfort does quickly wear down your coping skills...so do your best to take care of you. I hope they discover the core issue of what is going on for your sake...take care and please keep us posted on your progress. Best wishes...

Your post reads to me that you have not yet started the process of understanding that your relationship with food needs to change...learning to eat to live instead of living to eat. Retooling your thoughts about food is a process, not an event and many do have some symptoms of grieving over the loss of their friend, "food". Food is not your friend. Food and maladaptive patterns of eating have taken you to the point of wanting to have WLS. With the band, if you follow the rules, you will not be choking on your food. You likely, with proper restriction will not even want to have more than 1 roll of sushi. It's important to do your research before deciding on what procedure you want to have...and also important to discuss your options with your surgeon. One does not choke on food if they eat slowly, take small bites, and chew everything well, and their band is not too tight for them. The major issue for you as I read what you wrote is you're still not on board with changing your relationship with food. Don't be sad about not eating everything you want...say your goodbyes and move forward and be healthier and happier. Until you make progress with addressing that issue, I believe that you will struggle with diet compliance and become discouraged and/or angry. Don't let that happen to you... Best wishes...

Your surgeon or their staff will only be able to help you find solutions to your issues with fills if you communicate to them what is going on. Have you been communicating with them during the entire time you have been experiencing difficulties with tolerating your fills? I believe that we each need to be our own strong advocate when it comes to our medical issues...and communication is the key. My experience with physicians has not been that they are out to "soak" their patients for additional money for unnecessary procedures. You apparently have a unique set of circumstances, that's not the surgeon's fault. Try not to be discouraged or angry...get back in touch with your original reasons for wanting to have your surgery, and focus on your goals. If you don't have goals, this is an excellent time to identify some. Best wishes...

I don't believe that I could tolerate eating more than a cup sized meal. Eating slow is what makes the difference for me. I feel full before I reach the 1 cup volume. Even before having my band, I never liked the feeling of being "over stuffed"...and I wouldn't want to consider the negative consequences of attempting to over eat now. I am aware of the "soft signs" I'm full, and that's the end of the meal.

Yes, I had to have my gallbladder removed a few weeks ago when I was about 6 months post op from my band surgery. Mine was considered to be an "atypical presentation", as none of the testing revealed any gallstones (ultrasound and MRI), and my pain was initially on my left side. Then I ended up being hospitalized for pancreatitis. Further testing (HIDA scan) showed that my gallbladder had stopped working entirely, which precipitated the inflamed pancreas. I was experiencing waves of nausea, and then the pain switched to my right side. Since the pancreatitis attacks generally get worse over time, I was advised to have my gallbladder removed. Now there is no more pain, and no more nausea. My significant weight loss apparently exacerbated my gall bladder condition...and no one knows why or when it stopped working.

My band has made all the difference in my weight loss...I could not have made this much progress and avoided Type II Diabetes without it. I now understand how much work it takes to loose every pound...still definitely worth the effort to learn how to use this tool!

Another example of the differences surgeons will give their patients...I have to abstain from all eating and drinking for 3 hours before a fill. Following the fill I need to be on liquids for the rest of the day and also for the day after...then 24 hours of mushies.

You might look into a pill cutter, in addition to a pill crusher. I had to crush my pills for 2 weeks post op, and there was nothing I could find to disguise the extreme bitterness of the crushed pills. I have one prescription which does not come in a smaller size pill, so when I need to take one, I cut it in half. A perfect size for me. If I take the pills, one at a time, with about a minute between each one, I have no problems.

Gas X is not for the type of post op gas which makes a person so uncomfortable. The best remedy for post op gas pain is to walk, and keep moving as much as you are able to easily tolerate. I also used a heating pad on low, which did help me alot.