Sojourner

I needed to have surgery for another abdominal problem, and was required by my band surgeon to have the other surgery and receive medical clearance from the other surgeon before I was allowed to proceed with my band surgery. There are different surgical specialists...my bariatric surgeon only does WL procedures. I had to have a colon specialist complete my other surgery pre op for my band. I also have been advised to have my gall bladder removed for medical issues which occurred post op for my band. I have been referred to a general surgeon for this surgery. Unless your bariatric surgeon is willing to do the other surgery, generally you are referred to a different surgeon for the other abdominal problems. At least that's been my experience thus far...your mileage may vary. Best wishes...

The amount of restriction you will feel may vary from day to day; there are many contributing factors. Some have to do with your stress level - I often cannot drink Water while driving due to the level of stress I feel while driving. Others may be the time of day that it is - many have written that their band feels too tight in the morning to eat Breakfast, so they have a Protein shake instead of trying to eat. Also, over time you tissues adjust to the level of restriction, and you may feel it less. During the time that you have gradually increased your restriction with fills, you should have also been adjusting your eating patterns and lifestyle. From what I know, eventually some additional willpower and healthier eating habits will need to assist you with maintaining your weight loss. Being only the tool that it is, you will need to continue to do your part with healthy portions and food choices, along with exercise to reach and stay at your goal weight.

I've stayed with cotton knit tops, mostly looking for "ruched" side seams and necklines. They can hide many body imperfections without looking like you are wearing clothing that is too large for you. I have not gotten brave enough to wear sleeveless tanks yet, but I live in the south and need to wear short sleeves in the hot summer. I've also invested in a few pair of "Not Your Daughter's Jeans" Capri pants and shorts which are very stretchy and forgiving of many lower body imperfections. They are not inexpensive, but you sometimes are able to find them on sale at Macy's or Bloomingdale's. You can wear them for 2 sizes larger after you have shrunk out of that size, so I do feel that I am getting my money's worth from them! Spanx and other "body shapers" would be horrible to wear in the already hot summer...I just would be way too warm to tolerate them! I will contemplate some plastic surgery for my tummy and upper arms when I am closer to my goal weight...

I enjoyed the content and information...thanks for sharing!

Be careful about inducing vomiting...this is a potentially band disturbing event. It does make good sense to know what your food tolerances are and to be mindful and aware when you eat...focus on small bites that you chew well. I'm not certain if some of the stomach acids would be present in a stuck episode, but that would be a question to ask your surgeon. Repeated vomiting can harm tooth enamel if the stomach acids are present.

You should definitely let your surgeon and primary care physician know about this pain. Are you experiencing any nausea? I have had similar pain, and also nausea, and have discovered through the series of medical tests that it is all related to my gall bladder.

I'm still loosing hair at 5 months out. I take my Vitamins daily, Biotin daily, and meet my Protein goal daily. I have had several surgeries through the years, and have never experienced hair loss before. Everyone seems to be different about this, as well as so many other band related topics. I'm just doing what I'm supposed to do, making good choices with eating the right foods and supplements, and hoping I will stop loosing my hair soon.

You have already received quite a few excellent responses to your question, and just by reading them you can appreciate the diversity of reasons. It was good to read that you are researching this WL tool, so you have a clear understanding about what the band is and how it works. And also about the life long commitments you need to make for lifestyle changes. For me, I received a huge wake up call when my physician's office called and requested me to schedule an appointment with the doctor to discuss the results of my recent blood work. That had never happened before. I learned at that appointment that my A1C level had risen to just under the diabetic thresh hold, and my physician was prescribing that enroll in the diabetes education class so I could learn how to make better food choices and reduce the level of glucose in my blood through diet. No one in my family had ever been diagnosed with diabetes...and that's when I started to ask questions about the band and if the doctor felt that I was a good candidate for the surgery. He said I was a good candidate, and was still concerned that during the 6 month required diet I would cross the thresh hold and have to be officially diagnosed as diabetic and put on medication. I know that I would never be a compliant diabetic with regular testing my blood, and I had options...the band. It didn't take much deliberation for me to make my decision...though my surgery was delayed for over a year by unforeseen medical complications. I have no regrets in making the lifestyle changes, and have never looked back. My health and most of my mobility has improved, and I'm focused on the future and having a healthier me. I have experienced some complications related to the weight loss, but nothing that having the band has caused, only my weight loss. Best wishes as your research continues...

Every practice usually has a specialist to deal with the insurance companies, so they are aware of the exact verbiage needed for approval. In my records, essentially for 18 months there were no records for my weight being recorded. I was advised by the insurance specialist to write a letter to be included with the rest of my medical documentation and 3 years worth of medical records to explain why this important piece of information was missing. My primary care physician had much previous experience in medically supervising the required diets, and the verbiage in his letter of medical necessity also documented my history of being overweight and my weight related comorbidities. With the medical professionals who know the needed verbiage and the insurance specialist, I was approved with the first request. My BMI was 38, but I had 4 weight related comorbidities. Ask to speak with the insurance specialist at your doctor's office to determine what medical documentation may have been omitted. Best wishes...

The longer you participate on this forum, the more differences you will read with instructions given by surgeons to their patients...each doctor has their preferred protocol. My surgeon required a 2 week pre and post op diet, so I was on liquids for 4 weeks. And post op, I could not even have the fresh veggies! The low carb liquid diet is prescribed to shrink your liver, to allow the surgeon to have better access to place your band. Obese people tend to have more fat in their livers. So, I hope you are using the sugar free jello. You really should find a Protein drink that you like, because likely periodically post op you will return to drinking Protein Shakes after fills. I have to return to a liquid diet for 2 days after getting a fill, then 1 additional day on soft foods. I would continue to search and try several more brands until you find at least 1 that you do like...and be certain to read the nutritional values/ingredients label. You should look for shakes which have a minimum of 20gr protein per serving, and the best protein for bariatric patients is whey isolate protein. There has been some heated discussion on the forum about whey protein, but it is still considered to be the gold standard for bariatric nutritional needs. I use the Wheybolic Extreme (1.5 scoops) from GNC (chocolate and cookies 'n cream flavors). When mixed using 1% milk, I get 37 gr of protein per shake. You should also have been given a number of protein grams to have every day...try to meet that goal. BTW, the day before my surgery, when I could only have Clear Liquids, I had to host a luncheon (I had agreed to do that 6 months prior to having a surgery date) for my woman's club. While everyone was enjoying their chicken salad or quiche, I enjoyed sipping my iced water...you do what you have to do. My band surgery had been delayed for over a year due to unplanned medical complications, so when I finally received medical clearance, I ran with it before anything else could happen to delay it again! Best wishes as you continue on your journey...

Relish and celery tend to be more fibrous, and may irritate the area around your new band as they are more difficult to digest. You can add other seasonings to improve the taste - I used onion salt sometimes. But yes, essentially just the meat and mayo to keep it moist.

I agree with Mis73, you irritated the tissues of your stomach, and need to give it rest to heal. If you have a tendency to be anxious, after a day or 2 of a liquid diet (my surgeon requires 2 days of liquids following a fill) it might help to begin with eating soft foods for a day and then return to your basic regular foods. Best wishes...and keep up the great job!

I encourage you to become a "label reader"...and start reading the nutritional value labels. Muscle Milk, along with most all of the other premixed shakes I've seen are deficient on the amount and types of protein we need to maintain health. You should check into the protein products which are recommended by your surgeon and the dietitian. You need to get the most substantial amount of protein you can with every shake. And, though it has been heatedly debated before on the forum, the gold standard protein for bariatric patients remains whey isolate protein. I can get 37 gr of protein with every shake using 1% milk mixed with 1.5 scoops of Wheybolic Extreme Protein powder from GNC. As you move along your journey, you will read it stressed often that getting enough protein every day is a top priority for bandsters. You may need to try several different types of protein powder before finding one that you like. Generally, the premixed shakes are not the best choices for optimum nutrition, and the better choices will not be found at your grocery store. Your relationship with food will need to change, and you will have to slow your eating down to small well chewed bites. When you scarf your food down, you miss the subtle signals from your stomach that you are full. Pre op you can get away with it, post op, you may get to experience the negative events of getting food stuck...never happened to me yet, and hope it never does. But many others on this forum can tell you about what happens if you try to eat too fast having a band with some restriction. Not a pretty picture... Believe in yourself...and your abilities to be successful in this journey. The band empowers you to be successful, but to do so, you will need to follow the rules. You will determine your level of success with your band...and it's all about the choices you make every day. Best wishes...

Our digestive system needs some solids/fiber to work properly...have you ever read the disclaimer on the packaging of the GNC Protein powders? While on the pre op liquid diet, I was allowed to have 1 cup of salad veggies of my choice every day. Staying properly hydrated is extremely important, because dehydration can cause many problems. Be sure to compensate the fluids lost with drinking some additional fluids. Hope you're feeling better now...

Learning how to live with your band is a trial and error experience. Everyone seems to have some differences with tolerances...so you need to know you to be able to avoid similar situations in the future. I'm discovering how much my feeling of restriction varies widely...and how for the first 5 weeks following my first fill I felt no restriction, and now I do and almost got something stuck for the first time. How sometimes while driving, I'm unable to drink Water...I'm guessing feelings of stress have something to do with creating the band tightness. Out of necessity, I have had to eat a few whole grain crackers almost daily to help cope with nausea that comes in waves. I take small bites, and chew them to paste. I'm guessing that I will have to schedule my surgery...though I still have a slim hope to be able to avoid it. Continue to learn about your own tolerances...and try avoid comparing yourself with others, as we are all unique individuals. Best wishes...

I have raw spinach nearly every day in in my salad for lunch, with no ill side effects. This is not band related. I does seem more like a viral or bacterial infection. Don't neglect it...and it's most important to stay properly hydrated. I ended up hospitalized for severe dehydration after being ill in a similar situation to what you described. If you're not feeling better tomorrow, let your surgeon know what is going on with you. It would probably help to go back on a liquid diet for a day to allow everything to calm down. I am currently coping with gall bladder issues...though everyone is unique, typically diarrhea is not considered a symptom of gallbladder disease. Waves of nausea, gas, and intense pain are more common symptoms. Hope you are feeling better...

This is a journey and not an event...this journey has allowed me to acquire a life skill which eluded me for years: patience. Relax, and take a day at a time. Focus on your diet compliance and exercise, and the results will become obvious.

The best part is that your dream will become a reality...it has for me!! Stay the course, and keep your eyes focused on the prize! Best wishes...

Different surgeons have different instructions...and I definitely agree that to consult with a dietitian would be time and money well spent. Basically, I was advised that every meal has 3 oz of lean Protein and 2 oz of a Fiber carb...this is measured by volume after the food is cooked. I was given an entire manual from my surgeon's office which outlined acceptable food choices through every pre op through achieving maintenance stage.

I was instructed to begin a full liquid diet 2 weeks prior to my actual surgery date. Best wishes as you begin your journey...

You really do need to use a blender to make the shakes as smooth as you can. The shake should be more palatable that way...if you want to make them thicker, I used 1% milk and added a couple of ice cubes. GNC has their "Wheybolic Extreme"...I use the chocolate and Cookies 'n cream flavors since day 1...and I still actually like the taste. I only use 1.5 scoops of the powder for a 37 g Protein Shake when mixed with milk. You may have to try several brands/flavors before you find one you like.

Replacing one addiction with another addiction is not uncommon. If you understand the psychology behind addiction, it is a cycle that can be broken, but it takes time and perseverance. The band will help to moderate physical hunger, but "head hunger" has to be managed through understanding it and learning ways to adjust your habits and thinking so that you don't give in to it. Physically, once you have restriction, you will not be able to eat the large portions, unless you learn how to "eat around the band". The people who choose to do this are generally ones who are trying to change the dietary rules to meet their own perceived needs, instead of understanding that there are valid reasons for the rules to be in place. That type of flawed thinking is a hallmark trait of an addict. There are many unhealthy slider foods to choose from, but if you want to be successful with weight loss, you have to learn ways to avoid giving into it. Your relationship with food needs to change entirely; it will not be your friend. You will no longer be able to seek solace from the stress and boredom of life with food. You need to accept that we must eat to live, and not the other way around. As you will often seen quoted on this forum, the band is only a tool. You must learn how to use it properly for it to work as it was designed. Best wishes...

I have continued to enjoy my iced coffee every morning since 3 weeks post op; I did not feel coffee once a day was too risky, though I know I am supposed to only have decaf. My understanding is that the caffeine is a known stomach irritant, and the last thing we need is an irritated pouch. I'm also on Prevacid, and have not experienced ill effects from my once a day habit. I have not had any cravings for carbonated beverages...though there have been several occasions which I wished I could have a glass of wine...

I'm a strong advocate for each person taking a proactive role in their own self care, all aspects of it. The issues you have written about should have been addressed with your surgeon months ago, and he/she are the best resource for you to get some of the answers you are seeking. If your surgeon does not provide you with solutions or does not take the time to address your concerns, that would be a strong signal to me to find another doctor. They are not donating their services to you; they are compensated well for their expertise. Consulting with a dietitian would be very helpful; there are a number of foods you mentioned which are forbidden on my list of allowable food choices. They would be able to help you come up with a viable diet to loose weight with. And each bandster has to learn how to work with their band to be successful with weight loss. Just because you can keep down slider foods and foods which contain way too many carbs does not mean that you should be eating these things. When you find yourself in a stuck episode, there is nothing better to do than go back on liquids, allow the area to calm, and then start back with Protein shakes. I've read some posts which people had the sleeve as an post band alternative. I just did not like the idea of my internal anatomy being permanently altered. Best wishes as you search for a solution...

Drinking "free fluids" (SF/FF) does help with helping to manage your hunger. I still keep a bottle of water with me, and sip from it frequently...