Sojourner

What type of work do you do? The more physical exertion you have to do with work, the more important it is for you to take time off. I definitely would be taking a minimum of a week off...this may be laparoscopic surgery, but it still involves incisions and the need for healing time. You definitely don't want any incisions to come open...

Congrats! Well done...

The more reading you do on this site, the more you will realize that each surgeon has slight variations in their pre op and post op guidelines. Pre op I was given an entire manual that took me from the pre op diet through to maintenance after achieving your goal weight. Many of the foods you mentioned are on my "forbidden foods" list. My surgeon is fairly strict when it comes to diet. Each meal is to have 3 oz of lean Protein and 2 oz Fiber carb, measured by volume, after being cooked. Carb choices are fruits and veggies only. It's essential for you to follow the guidelines provided by your surgeon. The more diet compliance you are able to develop now, the easier it will be for you later. Best wishes for your successful journey...

While recovering at home, remember to continue to walk for a few minuted every hour that you are awake. It helps to both keep the gas inside you moving, and significantly lowers the incidence for development for DVT. Best wishes for a successful journey...

My surgeon charges $200.00. During the first 6 months all fills are covered by your program fee, which was paid at the pre op appointment. That was the only fee not billable to insurance.

I can relate to your post; my weekend don't seem to be my own. We seem to eat out alot, and also parties to attend. I try to find the most diet compliant choices available, and watch my portion sizes. At restaurants, I either order from the kids menu if they have healthy choices, or take the majority of my meal home with me for additional meals. At parties, I usually have a glass of ice Water in my hand, and that both reminds me to keep drinking my fluids to stay on the full side, and keeps me aware of making healthier choices with the food there. We do have special challenges on the weekends when our daily routines get challenged, but we can still enjoy the time and experiences with forethought and planning.

The interpretation you applied to my response was not accurate; if you have negative, demeaning things to say dont post them about me because i would rather not hear it. This was not my intention...sorry if you got to wrong impression. This forum is to learn and share best practices. My response was only in answer to your questions. Your inaccurate interpretation is nothing I have control over. That you were able to be honest and admit your "cheating" on your pre op diet is a strong and helpful awareness. But cheating so early on can, not will, set up a difficult precedent that I wanted to help make you aware of. That was an insight I understand, and thought it would be helpful for you to know about. Maladaptive eating patterns have a psychology behind them; the more you understand how this may apply to you, the more successful you can be with your weight loss. It would benefit you to not make vague generalizations about the rest of the population of the forum participants. "But i bet you everybody cheated on there pre-op and if you say you havent i am pretty sure you are trying to lie to yourself." And with this statement, you are wrong. You have no clue as to my level of motivation to be successful with my weight loss journey. Until you have the facts and supporting evidence, it's not accurate to judge others. And for the record, I was 100% compliant with my surgeon's instructions during the liquid phases of my pre op and post op diet. And that's no lie, and I am totally accurate with my recall. As for "beating yourself up" for your lapse in choices, you are being harsh on yourself. We tend to be hardest on ourselves, but that is energy better channeled in a positive direction. It does not serve a valid purpose. We are human, and will not be perfect every day for the rest of our lives. If you thought my response had an "attitude"...that's only your belief...and not the reality of the spirit in which my answer was written. Best wishes for your success...

As my surgeon explained to me, not everyone will achieve the level of restriction with fills that will keep them from getting hungry. My surgeon I guess is in the minority of surgeons who does not want to risk over filling the band and then end up with the need to unfill it. I have only 3.5cc Fluid in my band, and I know that if I don't stay aware of what I am doing while eating, I could easily get food stuck. Also, over time, as your tissues heal, you level of restriction will fluctuate and your body adjusts, so the idea of optimum restriction is not a set value. Many people on this forum have written about waking up in physical distress with reflux, and experience sliming and/or stuck incidents. I don't want to be one of them. I prefer to learn effective coping skills to manage my hunger with less restriction and not worry about possible negative consequences with having my band too tight. My fills have reduced my hunger quite alot, but I still get hungry between 3.5 -4.5 hours between meals. That's when I need to use free fluids and distraction to keep me from eating when I'm not supposed to. I do my best to not eat any sooner that 4 hours after the previous meal. And I do know the difference between head hunger and real hunger. In my case, I have experienced weight loss related complications (the band is not responsible), and I am scheduled for surgery later this month (again, not related to the band). Many surgeons will unfill a band entirely if you are going under general anesthesia; my surgeon said that my band does not need to be unfilled, as it has much less restriction. You should not be scared...it will be a decision between you and your surgeon as to how much fluid should be in your band. It will also be your decision as to how much risk you want to accept for possible negative consequences with stuck episodes, reflux, or other possible consequences as your level of restriction is increased. I have chosen to have more peace of mind and take more responsibility for my weight loss, and have less fluid in my band. I need to stay in my comfort zone when it comes to my health. Other's mileage may vary. Best wishes to you for a successful journey...

These are the small successes we experience along the journey, and they do begin to add up to something big and significant...a healthier and happier you! Continue to feel positive about the progress you have made! Best wishes...

I have an allergic sensitivity to surgical/medical adhesives, and get red, angry and itchy welts from contact with them. Aveeno has an anti itch lotion which helped me...and my surgeon allowed me to use 1% cortisone cream after the incisions were closed to sooth the welts. I hope you feel better fast...

Because every doctor has their preferred treatment protocols and a slightly different approach to their medical practice and how they manage the care of their patients. You only create negative feelings if you make a habit of comparing yourself to others. If you don't agree with the medical advice being given to you by your surgeon, find a different surgeon. If you believe that they are qualified to render medical opinions and trust their judgement that you are paying for, I suggest you make a choice to stop questioning their expectations and protocol, and become compliant with your diet. If you "cheat" on your diet compliance, the only one you are potentially harming is yourself.

Beware of the "slippery slope" when you give yourself permission to cheat on your diet, and you are still pre op. If you are already having difficulties with your diet compliance, what other permission will you be giving yourself in the weeks and months to come to be non-compliant with your diet post op? Getting through the weeks of pre op and post op liquid diet is definitely a challenge. however this is the time to hone your coping skills for diet compliance and to understand that if you want to be successful with your weight loss, diet compliance and exercise are what it takes. Even now, after 2 fills and nearly 6 months post op, I am still having to use distraction and drinking Water to help me manage my hunger every day. Understand the psychology behind why you are cheating on the diet now...it will help you develop some additional coping skills. Best wishes...

I use the Wheybolic Extreme protein powder from GNC. I prefer the chocolate and Cookies 'n cream flavors. When mixed with 8 oz of 1% milk and 1.5 scoops of the powder, each shake has 37 grams of 100% whey protein isolate, are very low fat and very low carb...and to me have no chemical after taste. Atkins shakes do not have the 100% whey protein we need for proper nutrition, and they taste better than most premixed shakes I have tried. I only use the Atkins shakes when I am traveling and don't have access to a blender.

You are not going to influence other individual's opinions; so don't allow yourself to be "irked" about it. It's just a waste of your time and energy. There have been spirited discussions on this forum in the past with some members feeling that they could "not relate" to forum participants who began their weight loss journey weighing "only 200 something pounds", and actually referred to people weighing in the 200-250 pound range as "skinny", when the member had begun their journey at over 300 pounds. I assured her that anyone who was "5 ft something" and weighed 200 plus pounds was definitely not "skinny", and that the individual's reasons and needs to loose weight were different for everyone. No one should be judged about the WLS surgery based on their size; there are too many mitigating reasons which are not common knowledge to judge others. I don't judge others, and expect the same courtesy in return...

I also have chronic pain issues associated with arthritis...and it has been a difficult road for me with exercise post op having to adjust to life without NASIDS. I have prescriptions for opiate medications, but only use them as a very last resort as they do nothing to address the pain issue which is the inflammation. Many medications are available in other forms, such as liquids and chewable. Check with your prescribing physician to identify which medications are available in band friendly forms. Over time I have been able to adjust to taking up to a medium size pill without much difficulty, you just need to have a sufficient amount of liquid to swallow it with. I have been advised by my physician and my son (a licensed pharmacist) that one should not open capsules, and any medication which is time release formulated cannot be crushed as you would risk an overdose of it. I've basically learned to cope with a higher daily level of pain...and to be honest, it has interfered with my abilities to get in the proper amount and type of exercise. Doctors can be difficult to get information from also; my orthopedist who has managed my recovery from multiple pelvic fractures has advised me to exercise only in the pool with low impact Water aerobics or swimming laps, and my bariatric surgeon wants me to take "brisk walks" daily, oblivious to what I have repeatedly told him about my continuing recovery post accident. He has said that he does not consider exercise in the pool as the type necessary. That's been frustrating to the max for me. You need to identify what you feel your pain tolerance levels to be. Prior to having my band, NASIDS kept me relatively pain free, and I was able to walk several miles almost daily without difficulty. Now it is a daily challenge for me to get cardio exercise and still be able to walk afterwards. Best wishes as you consider your options...

One has to rely on will power and coping strategies to manage diet compliance, and your initial fill likely will not provide you with a significant amount of restriction. Head hunger is a part of the recovery process...and you need to be able to use tools such as distraction with a project or exercise or drinking your necessary "free fluids" to manage it. You are likely also able to eat many of the foods you previously enjoyed, but are not on the approved list of healthy food choices post op. Just because you can eat those things does not mean that it is proper to give yourself permission to do it! Plateaus are a normal part of the weight loss process...and I have reached them periodically with every approximately 10 pounds of weight loss. I believe Mis73 should have some good posts on this topic in the archives. She has discovered, at least for her case that by varying the amount of calories she has daily she can break through a plateau. Look for them for additional information... As I don't count calories, only measure portions by volume, I simply use exercise and try to vary it. Eventually you do get off the plateau, but some people are more patient than others...and I have become a patient person! Shaking up your routines, both with eating and the type and speed of your exercise should help. The body does adapt itself to routines...and that's when the plateau typically occurs. I hope this information will help you...best wishes...

Following the bandster diet is mandatory if you want to consistently be successful with weight loss. Different surgeons do have variations as to the instructions they give their patients, so get closely acquainted with what your surgeon has advised you to do for diet and exercise. Pay particular attention to healthy food choices and the size of your portions. And do your best to be diet compliant every day... Exercise is also essential for success...so get moving. I know how difficult this part can be...but it does help. Best wishes...

I'm not a physician, but from what I have read usually when a band slips, you are not able to keep anything in your stomach. Your surgeon's office should have an on call physician coverage to field questions of this nature 24/7. If you find the pain too great to tolerate, I would not wait until Monday to get in contact with your surgeon.

Where is your port located?

I had to wait 14 weeks post op for my first fill...so I can relate. What others have written is true...you have to begin to use your will power to comply with the diet requirements as specified by your surgeon. Most important: just because you can eat something you know you're not supposed to have doesn't mean that you should give yourself permission to do it. There is no better time than now to begin compliance with your diet: portion control, meet your protein goal daily, drink your fluids, and exercise.

When our limits are tested, we are able to look inward to tap into a reserve of inner strength which we never knew we had...that's been my experience. Last year was the year from h%#* for me and my husband...multiple hospitalizations for my husband with cancer, my near fatal car accident, causing multiple bone fractures and a severe concussion, the 5 months of physical therapy to regain the ability to walk unaided, surgery to remove a tumor which thanks be to God was benign, a heart attack for my husband...and the list goes on. I prayed alot, for the first time in my life, I had to see my physical limitations. I had to depend on others at first post accident for basic and simple things. One takes so much for granted until they are confined to a wheelchair... We all have some trials in life...and you have had more than your share. But, look inward to discover your inner strengths. They are there...you and I are both proof of that. We're still here... Best wishes...

It's essential to use Protein Shakes during the times you are required to be on a liquid diet...i.e. pre and post op and after fills. It's accurate that we should not rely on protein shakes for our daily nutrition, and that eating healthy foods should become the primary source for protein and proper nutrition. But all bandsters will need to be on a liquid diet at some points during their weight loss journey...so it is imperative to have one or more that you find tolerable or even actually like. Using protein shakes during those times is necessary. I don't believe that any bariatric surgeon would tell patients not to use protein shakes for augmenting their diet while newly banded and while having to be on a liquid diet. Protein shakes are not designed to replace food; only to augment proper nutrition.

While completing my liquid diet phase, both pre op and post op, I tried to maintain a structured schedule for my meals (Protein shakes and 1 cup of raw salad veggies) and Snacks (SF popsicles, SF Jello, plain chicken broth), and as much Water as I wanted. That helped me to get the required nutrition daily. While each surgeon has their preferred instructions, protein shakes which contain 100% whey isolate protein are considered to provide complete protein and the best choice for bariatric patients. My surgeon stressed the importance of using this type of protein. Best wishes as you begin your journey...

If you are undecided, and feeling like you need to overcome being scared about the surgery, it tells me that you are not 100% committed to making the life style changes required to be successful with using the band as a weight loss tool. For a bandster to be successful with weight loss, it requires daily compliance with your diet, a commitment for regular exercise, and letting go of the maladaptive eating patterns which contributed to your weight gain. If you don't have that level of commitment for change, then I believe you will likely set yourself up for negative feelings about you, your band, and may even label yourself as a failure. It's a better choice to wait until emotionally you are ready for these required changes. Best wishes...

When it rains, it pours...you have had an amazing journey, and are an inspirational success. You are having your coping limits severely tested, and your strengths are many. You will also get through this...and the upside is that you have so much experience and knowledge to utilize and help you get through your present situation. Remember that past performance is the best predictor of future success... As others have written, get a second and maybe a third opinion before you make your decision and have any additional surgery. Different doctors do vary in their preferences as to how they approach their practice and their preferred treatment protocol for patients. Happy that you have a "miracle baby" to brighten your days...sending you positive thoughts and prayers...