Kiera

I find that oatmeal helps a lot. I have also been taking a Fiber suppliment from time to time (powder mixed with water) and that helps too. I have had to resort to the ocassional Correctall because of it. I seem to average a bowel movement every four days or so now and as long as it does not go any longer than that I seem to be ok. Instead of orange juice try some prune juice. And as the other poster said, get in lots of Water, extra even - if you can handle it. I hope that helps!

I was completely useless the first week post-op, all I wanted was to sleep. The second week got better and by week four I felt pretty much normal. Just give yourself as much rest as you can and you will be fine. I could really feel the bulge of my port for the first few weeks and it was distracting as heck. Once the swelling went down I hardly notice it unless I poke around for it. I was terrified it was always going to stick out like that, luckily that was not the case.

Sandy, You are doing great! I am going in for my first fill on 9/11. Guess that makes us "fill buddies." I have to have a small surgery that day to turn my port around since it decided to flip over in there (darnit). I have lost just over 40 pounds to date but I am hoping the fill will make a big difference. Isn't it great to have your old "skinny clothes" (such that they were) hanging of you?! I just cannot wait to drop a few more sizes so that I can actually go shopping and find things that fit. I have gone from a 26/28 to a 22/24 so far. If I can get down under a size 18/20 soon enough I will actually be able to shop at more normal stores. I just cannot wait!!!

michelle, Dont worry, everything is going to be great! Are you all packed and ready to go? A couple hints for your hospital suitcase: Chapstick and lotion because the oxygen mask really dries you out and they will not let you have water right away so the chapstick can be a big help. Shoes that you can slip in and out of easily - you don't want to be bending over and dealing with laces first thing. Something to do, a book, some magazines, puzzles, crosswords, etc, whatever keeps you entertained. Hospitals are boring places, LOL. I wished I had thought to bring my cheapy cd player and a few CDs so I could tune out (I had a roommate). There are lots more things like that but these three were the top of my list. Just thought I would share in case you hadn't thought of them. Good luck, let us know how you are doing when you get home!

Nancy, I was scared off a bit by the ghostly types of RNY patent too - not to mention that whole rearrangement of my innards. There was NO way in heck I was letting somebody cut into my stomach and bypass intestines and stuff - blegh. I kept reading things about older RNY people who had to take medication for a medical condiditon and they could never be sure how much of the drug was actually getting absorbed because in bypass not all the nutrients do get absorbed, that is part of how it is supposed to work. But that is also why they tend to have that ghosty coloring - their bodies are not taking full advantage of the Vitamins and minerals in the food that they DO eat. It is not 100% necessary to look like that but you have to follow a very strict Vitamin and Protein supplimentation program. But I like the fact that I know that while my eating is restricted everything that goes in gets digested just the way nature intended! I am still very careful to take my vitamins and protein suppliments each day though just in case. I feel better now than I have in years to tell you the truth. I am really glad I have done this for myself. Wow, with your surgery appointment right around the corner I bet you are anxious. I know I sure was the week before surgery. I distracted myself by cleaning my house within an inch of its life (so to speak) so that I would not have to do anything when I was postop. Or at least that was the excuse I was using. Are you all ready to go?

A two year old huh, well, that will be a challenge. All I did the first week was sleep. I don't think I would have been up to handling a two year old. My doc told me no heavy lifting (of 15 pounds) for the first two weeks. A two year old at least is a bit self mobile (than a 6 month old for example who has to be picked up for every little thing) so she might be able to manage after the first week but I would say that she should try to get as much help as she can in the first week for sure and the second week too if she can swing it. The weightloss varies from person to person. In the beginning 10 pounds a month is not unreasonable but it does tend to slow down after that to 4-5 pounds a month. It is really going to depend on her metabolism, how much exercise she can get and how well she can stick to her diet plan... The band does not "cure" obesity, it still takes work. The bonus is that it is harder to fall very far off the diet wagon because you can really only eat so much. I have lost 40 pounds since the end of April and I am just tickled pink. I would be thrilled if it was coming off faster but I was not able to get my first fill so I am still able to eat fairly normally. Even still I am really truly glad I did this for myself. I feel like I have taken control of the one thing in my life that has been the most out of control. For me it is definitely empowering!

I am not in the US so I won't be much help with finding doctors or dealing with insurance but with regard to your primary care doc I would suggest going to http://www.inamed.com/products/obesity/us/clinician/lapband/prodinfo.html and printing out all of the clinical info and taking it with you to give to your doctor. That at least will bring him up to speed. There is also a patient page at http://www.inamed.com/products/obesity/us/patient/lapband/prodinfo.html which might have more info about the surgery and everything. Here is the link to their patient guide: http://www.inamed.com/pdf/health/94829E_LB_Patient_Book.pdf

jadrad7, It really depends on the kind of problem you are having exactly and how severe it is. I used to have lots of heartburn before surgery but now that I am eating less I have NOT had ANY problems at all. Both surgeries create a pouch so I would be highly skeptical of that RNY is better for this than LapBand. If anything I would expect it to be the other way around since the band is adjustable. I would take a good look at the doctor who is telling you this and see if they are more focused on RNY. It seems like doctors with RNY backgrounds tend to be a bit biased in their dealings with the band. Make sure you have a doctor who is commited to LapBand. If in doubt you might try inquiring with a few other doctors to see what they tell you. Good luck!

I was on Medifast a few years ago. I believe I was on the Medifast 70 - I liked the chocolate ok. They are not horrible but I would NOT recommend them for more than a month because (for me at least) they got really old... But its a diet shake so you can only expect so much... I would recommend that if you are going to go for medifast that you order one of each of the boxes that sound good to you. The boxes only have seven servings in them so you figure you will go through them pretty quickly. They are not cheap - but they DO have all the Vitamins in them and have far fewer carbohydrates than something like Slim-Fast. I currently use straight up Protein powders. http://www.wlssuccess.com/champion.htm The thing that is different with them is that they do not have all of the vitamins and stuff so the medifast is probably better for when you are not eating any other foods and the protein powders are better when you are getting some of your vitamins through food. If you do the medifast one trick I learned is to buy the vanilla and then get some flavorings to put in (many flavors also work with chocolate). These days I use sugar free syrups by http://www.davincigourmet.com/page.php?page=742&s=0&&category=2 because it is an excellent way to make your own exotic creations and flavor to suit yourself. I use them in everything actually - I am hooked! Amaretto is really good, danish pastry is heaven in oatmeal and replaces sweetner. I add various flavors like watermellon, raspberry and strawberry to Water to make it more palatable - it makes it easier to get all that water in. Its much better for you than soda and you can flavor it any way you like. One little trick I picked up around week two or three when I started feeling a little hungry again and the shakes were not cutting it so well anymore was to freeze banana chunks and then toss them into the blender with my shake (in place of ice). They thicken the shake up and cool it all in one move. The other side benefit is that you can stock up and you don't have to worry about them turning brown! You will probably also want to find yourself some Fiber powder. One of the only side effects that this surgery has had for me is that now I only have a bowel movement about once every four or five days unless I help it along. I find that taking extra fiber and the ocassional bowl of oatmeal (on the runny side not real dry) helps tremendously. One little treat I eat now is sugarfree granola mixed with yoghurt. I don't think you want the oatmeal or granola until at least week three though. If you can swing it I recommend trying to sit tight for at least the first week after surgery in Mexico (if you aren't already planning to). If you are anything like me you will not be wanting to do much of anything that first week - outside sleep that is. Good luck with everything!

Dana, I understand what you mean, I also tend toward emotional eating. There are two things you need to do in order to tackle this. Grapple with whatever it is that is making you feel the need to eat. See a councelor, change jobs, lose the Jerky boyfriend, move, do whatever it takes to change your environment an get those naughty stressers out of your life (I was just tossing out examples, not making any leaps of assumption there ). Secondly, only YOU can control what you put in your mouth. Only YOU can decide that you will not let the outside world dictate your eating habits. You have to decide you WANT to be on the diet wagon. If your fat is part of the stresses making you eat you have to head that off at the pass. Make a mantra for yourself - ie "Nothing tastes as good as THIN feels!" or "I may not be able to control ____ thing that is happening right now but I CAN control what I put into my body!" Keep reinforcing yourself. When the stressers are getting to you try getting AWAY from the kitchen, go for a walk or something. You CAN control what you eat, I find it helpful to only go shopping once per week and I never buy anything that *I* should not be eating. If my hubby wants junk food then he is on his own and he keeps it tucked away where I don't see it. I call this dieting through lazyness because if it is not in the house and I don't have any other reason to go shopping I usually cannot be bothered. It is even more effective if you walk to the store (I dont have a car). I have found that I do well when I have a one cheat Friday arrangement with myself. The way that works is that I allow myself one "bad" item each friday IF I have been being good all week. It makes it easier to fight off that midweek idea of eating someting bad for me. It gives me something to look forward to and it also helps to keep the "cheating" in hand. If you must eat something - really MUST cheat then consider taking a careful look at what you want. If you are just dying for chocolate you might consider getting some Protein bars. http://www.wlssuccess.com/bars.htm I really like the Detour, Uturn and Oneway bars, they taste just like a candy bar and they offer you 30 grams of protein. They still have quite a few calories but AT LEAST you are getting something out of them besides empty calories. They are also much much more filling than a snickers bar, it's not a fix but it is at least better for you. Another thing to consider - if you are an ice cream and milk shake sort of person get yourself some good protein powders http://www.wlssuccess.com/protein.htm and or some sugar free syrups http://www.davincigourmet.com/page.php?page=742&s=0&&category=2 and make yourself some smoothies, milkshake type drinks, etc. These can be so good you feel like you are cheating but you aren't really. One thing I think is really important is that you give yourself "outs" things that taste decadant without sabotaging your dieting efforts. If you set the goal that you will only eat bland boring diet food you will be bound to want to cheat, it's natural. Whatever you do please please please do not allow yourself to eat and throw up, that way does lead to problems. Even if you don't go bulemic you can ruin the enamal on your teeth because your stomach acids can wear away the protective layers of your teeth. You owe it to yourself to stay healthy and safe and making yourself throw up is NOT taking care of business. I would start right now with making a diet plan for yourself - start with just one week. Plan out everything you are oging to eat and do not allow yourself to eat anything else. On day seven allow yourself a small "bad dessert" to Celebrate your week. You can do a week, just take it one day at a time. At the end of the week - after your cheat start the process over again. I hope this novel has something useful in it for you. You CAN do it! Hang in there.

Alexandra, I have not had that hard of a time with telling, but I came up with a way to describe it that I think works (for the uninformed anyway). This is how I explained it to my grandma: <blockquote>*** I am not having that stomach stapling or bypass kind of surgery - that's WAY too drastic for me! They aren't going to cut into my stomach or rearrange my inards or anything like that. All they are doing is adding a little silicon doughnut shaped band around my stomach to create an hourglass shape in there. The top half of the hourglass is smaller than the bottom half. That means that when I eat the top half of my stomach fills up and I feel full. Then the food works its way down through the restricted part and into the bottom half of my stomach where it gets digested normally. The band is adjustable (without further surgery) so they can restrict how much I can eat until it is just right and I am losing weight comfortably. If I get sick or pregnant they can unfill the band and I can eat more normally. If there are any problems or later down the road I want to go back to eating freely or some other improved weight loss method comes along I can have the band removed an everything is just right back to the way it was pre-surgery.***</blockquote> This explaination does not get into the gory details of fills and stuff but it was enough to give her the idea and releave her worries. She came back later with more pointed questions of course but the basic explaination seemed to do the trick.

Hi Bobby, I really don't think you should be eating "normal" foods yet. My doctor recommended liquids and mushies for the first month to six weeks (basically until the first fill). He has been doing this for over a decade so I trust his experience on this one. By eating normal foods too soon you could cause your band to slip and or possibly stretch your pouch. I would recommend sticking to Soups, Protein shakes, and that sort of thing. The soups I had were not clear broth or anything, just veggies and meat that were a bit on the overcooked side so that they went down easily. I lived on Knorr brand instant hot and sour Soup (just add Water and an egg) for a few weeks there. If you are in doubt about what to eat you should contact your doctor and just doublecheck.

Watch out for starchy foods like pasta, they are high in carbs and can keep you from losing weight as quickly. Also, I recommend NOT eating your dinner after seven in the evening - or only allowing yourself only one small snack if you do. You might also try switching yourself around so that lunch is your "biggest" meal of the day and keep dinner light. That way the calories you consume are more likely to be burned off around the time you eat them. Food late at night does not get burned off because you go to bed and are immobile, during the day you are at least walking around and moving. Try to get away from the softer foods that dont go down so easily, and be sure that you are not drinking lots of fluids with your meal. Both of those things allow you to get more in than you may realize you are eating. I hope that helps.

onemoment, I agree with bbrecruiter2000 in that you should try to find a pool that you can use. There is no way that your doctor can expect you to lose 10 pounds a month if you are not able to exercise... Exercise makes a big difference! The only suggestions I have based on your diet is to watch the dressings and make sure you aren't eating creamed Soups with lots of carbs. I seem to do best when I have the absolute minimum amount of carbs in my diet - that might be the case for you too... Hang in there!

As early as it is for you it is not surprising that you would still be having gas pains. I still get twinges in my shoulder even now 3+ months out. I would not be overly concerned about it unless it is painful enough that you are seriously uncomfortable. I was completely miserable the first week myself though... Of course it never hurts to call the doctor if you are unsure though! You have to let your body guide you. If it is the equivelent of stubbing your toe then no worries it's probably perfectly normal. If it is more like a serious charley horse or sprain then you should talk to the doctor ASAP. If you are unable to keep any food of fluids down or your vomit is discolored or anything then call ASAP. If in doubt it is best to call just for peace of mind. I hope that helps. It is perfectly normal to be uncomfortable as heck the first week - it sort of goes with the territory. I found that I half hour walk at about 6 days out made the gas disappate some so you might try that if you have not already. Take special care when drinking to not gulp air - I find that if I get a little over full every swallow I take after that seems to contain a portion of air and it just makes me more and more uncomfortable until I PB. That's probably just me though. Also, in the beginning they gave me shakes with milk in them and that REALLY exacerbated the feeling of gas and discomfort. After I switched to Protein drinks that are not milk based I was much more comfortable. You might try alternating what you are drinking to see if that makes any difference.

One little trick I learned in my first weeks after banding was this. Get a bunch of bananas, peel them, cut in big chunks and put in a container in the freezer. Then use the chunks like you would ice cubes in your shakes. The frozen bananas make the shakes more filling and cold at the same time. I also did this because I was getting leg cramps after surgery and bananas always seem to deal with that for me so it was the obvious choice. I also ended up buying some Fiber powder because since surgery I only seem to have a bowel movement every four or five days (sorry if TMI). The thing I discovered is that the fiber powder is quite filling. It is even a tasty if you add a sugar free syrup like the ones made by www.davinvigourmet.com (these are really good, I recommend them). I ate lots of instant Knorr Hot and Sour Soup. Because you stir an egg into it the soup is quite filling and the bits are all small enough to eat in your liquids and smushy-food period. All these little tricks can work on the pre-band diet you are on.

I had a few problems with bloodsugar levels post-op but I found that by spacing my shakes about four hours apart and it evened me right out. Once I was back on "normal" food I have not noticed any problems.

Hi Raj, I was banded April 28 (5'7", 299# on surgery day, 36 years old) so I am not that far out but it is also fresh in my head, so I will try to answer your questions from my own experience. I was worried about the bed. It was not too bad, they took me to the OR on the rolling bed and I was awake so I helped shimmy myself onto the main table. I was still "out" when they put me back on the rolling bed so I guess it went ok, I did not have any lumps on my head (LOL) so they must not have dropped me. I did not eat much of anything solid for the last two days before surgery so I didn't have to worry about having a bowel movement around/after surgery (I recommend that - it makes life much easier). You at least will be lucky in that if you have to pee you can get the little "bottle with the handle" and don't have to do it on that darned bowl... Men have it so much easier! The nurse kept trying to make me use the bowl but I finally got up and snuck to the bathroom when she wasn't looking because I just cannot pee lying down - I just CAN'T!!! hehehehe. (hows that for embarassing?) Pain: I went home with nothing but tylenols (I am in belgium where they are not as big into pain relief) and I was a bit miserable but to tell you the truth I slept so much that first week that it didn't really matter. If you consider yourself a bit of wimp painwise be sure to request a STRONG pain med for youself before you leave the hospital. I would have LOVED to have a few vicodin that first week. Do NOT plan on doing ANYTHING the first week post-op, just let yourself heal, you will be happier that way. I think I would have been ok to go back to work at 2 weeks out. I was able to take a third week so I did - just because I could. The surgery affects everybody differently so it is good to keep your options open as to time off. The stairs will probably not be a big deal, just be prepared to hold your tummy as you walk up them (to prevent jiggling) and you should be fine. Just make sure you have somebody to help steady you just in case you feel a bit wobbly. I did not have gas so much at first, but I still have a lingering pain in my shoulder that only seem to bother me when I AM gassy or have eaten a bit too much. I had that when I had my gallbladder a few years ago too, I guess my body just holds on to those surgery gases longer than most. It is not excruciating or anything, just sort of "twingy". As to the liquid phase, I bought myself the local equivelant of Optifast or Slimfast and some broths / instant Soups. For the first two weeks I was not the LEAST bit hungry so it was pretty easy to stay with the full on liquids, but I did find that it worked best for me if I was having a shake every four hours or so while I was awake. I would avoid slimfast type shakes though because they have way too many carbs. I am always surprised that more doctors do not start their patients out on something like Medifast http://www.medifast.net or Optifast http://www.optifast.com (both offer soups and non sweet stuff) for the first few weeks. Those liquid diet products have much more balanced nutrition than those carnation instant breakfasts and stuff like that that I have seen people say their doctor recommended. You might discuss these options with your doctor or nutritionist. Be sure that you get some Vitamins for yourself. I use children's chewable vitamins as they are something you can start right away without them getting stuck (just chew well). Things to take to the hospital with you: * Chapstick and lotion!!! that oxygen mask dries you out like you would not believe. * Shoes that you can slip on and off (no shoelaces to tie, no bending over, no having to ask for help to put them on - trust me on this!) If you have these you will not need to worry about slippers or anything. * Wear loose non-binding clothes to the hospital and wear them home again (saves packing all kinds of clothes) It was cool so I simply wore my sweats since they are the comfiest clothes I own - it does not matter what you look like, comfort is king!!! I brought my PJs (a large T-shirt sort of thing) and I would recommend that or a second set of sweats. If you are going to walk the halls you will NOT want to be doing that in the hospital gown. Just be sure that whatever you bring has big loose sleeves so that you can get the IV bag through it (to put them on or to change clothes) - short sleeves are easier to deal with. * Something to read or word puzzles or anything like that that appeals to you, hospitals are boring - especially if you get an annoying roommate! I wished I had brought my CD player & music but didn't think of it. * if you obsess about time bring a travel alarm to put on the night stand. My nurse would not let me wear my watch, I have no idea why but it made me nuts! Well, this has turned into quite the novel, I hope it helps!

Larry, Try drinking a LOT of Water about 15-20 minutes before you eat your meal. This is sometimes referred to as water loading. It will help to fill up the larger section of your stomach so that when you eat your meal you feel fuller. Have you had a fill yet? I am prefill due to a flipped port and I know that I am able to eat more than I should because of the lack of restriction. Remember that "suposed to" is a killer word(s) - don't beat yourself up with it. You may not feel full on half a cup of food, that is hardly unusual - esp if you are pre-fill. I would suggest trying to NOT think about fullness at all. Just eat your scheduled food and try to simply stop and go do something else to distract yourself from food. Depending on where you are in your postop diet you might try to eat more filling food - chicken breast for example. I find that concentrating on Protein makes me feel fuller much much faster than if I just munch veggies or something. If you are experiencing "the hungries" in general check to make sure you are getting enough protein each day. I forget how many grams you need each day but there are tons of sites out on the internet where you can find that info. There are a couple of sites where you can track your food intake and they will tell you all the levels of calories, protein, Vitamins, carbs, etc. Hope that helps! Hang in there!

A scale is only as useful as you think it is. If you can NOT obsess about it and just weigh yourself once a day (in the morning is the best time). If you are worried that you will be on it six times a day then you are probably better off without one. As a funny aside note... I have a digital glass topped scale (the only one I could find that went over 300# *sigh*). Well, one morning a couple weeks after I was banded I went in and dragged it out fron under the sink - and lo and behold, MY CAT HAD PEED ON IT! I found myself wondering if he was acting out on my behalf because I was plateauing and feeling pretty miserable about it. LOL. To top that off while I was making this amusing discovery he was out in the hallway tossing up his lunch. Now it could have just been a furball but I have to wonder if he was displeased with what the scale was telling him too and it sent him bulemic! hehehehehe

The following links require registration but I believe it is free. ======= Surgical Treatment of Severe Obesity With a Low-Pressure Adjustable Gastric Band: Experimental Data and Clinical Results in 625 Patients from Annals of Surgery Posted 01/28/2003 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/447511 ======= Adjustable Gastric Band Safe, Effective in Severe Obesity Laurie Barclay, MD Jan. 21, 2003 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/448121 ====== Laparoscopic Gastric Banding: A Minimally Invasive Surgical Treatment for Morbid Obesity from Annals of Surgery Posted 01/22/2003 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/447506

I asked my doc about this issue VERY carefully because one of the reason I want to lose weight is so that I can a more healthy pregnancy. My doctor (who has been doing LapBands on over 1000 patients over the past decade) said it was NOT a problem and that he did NOT have any recommended waiting period - NONE. I was thrilled. He basically told me that as long as the surgery scars were healed it was ok to TTC. He said that in the event of pregnancy he can simply remove the fill from the band to allow me to eat more regularly - or that for some people the unfill is not even necessary. As long as you are eating properly there is nothing to worry about. Mostly I have seen that 18-24 month rule for RNY but it would appear that that is due to the fact that the weightloss is so fast with RNY and the ability to eat a balanced diet is reduced. I would sound your doctor out a bit more pointedly. Get his exact reasons for that 12-24 month guideline, you may find that he waffles a bit on how stringent they should be applied - to you. Obviously you always need to listen to your own doctor, but you might consider a second opinion on the pregnancy thing - especially if your doctor is one who is more RNY focused and may not have had any/many LapBand pregnant patients. I am very happy with my doc's policy though. I am 3 months out and 40 pounds down now and I AM now actively trying to conceive. You have to do what is right for you. Just make sure you know all the facts. If you have not already done so I would suggest seeing a nutritionist. Check out the issues involved diet-wise. Can you eat the necessary food for a healthy pregnancy? Are you willing to put off losing weight in order to have your baby? Pregnancy is not a time to lose weight (obviously) - are you willing to commit to keeping the "eating for two" in check? Whatever you decide to do, just think it through very carefully before you decide. Good luck!

I would imagine that being banded fairly recently you are dealing with a lot of issues (STRESS). I had my band back at the end of April and I know I was on a wild ride for the week before surgery and the first few weeks after. I too had weird dreams. I think that perhaps it goes with the territory. You might start a dream journal if you remember your dreams just so that you can examine them for similarities, it might help you to see where your subconcious is wandering off to when you aren't looking. I had several of the "oh my gosh I am at work and I suddenly notice I am wearing JUST my bra and panties (or less)" I have not had a dream like that since I was a teeny bopper for crying out loud!!! But it was pretty clear to me when I was thinking it over that my dreams are working out some of my body conciousness issues. I was really confounded by the one where I was at my boss' parent's house and I had bike problems and my boss's mom sold my bike and then gave me a small yappy dog to help get me home (like I was supposed to ride it or something, LOL). Now that dream just lacked any logic of any kind - esp considering I don't know my boss's family and they live on another continent. Weird dreams happen. What you do with them is up to you.

There is no way to know for sure other than having your doctor do an xray/floroscope of your stomach. That is the only real way to know. But there are some symptoms to watch for - the sudden inability to eat anything without vomiting, strong pain in your gut, blood if you vomit, that is all scary stuff in any event but it can indicate that your band has slipped or you have some other serious stomach problem going on. Some people experience slippage and have NO symptoms of any kind and keep right on losing weight. If you have no symptoms then you probably have nothing to worry about. My doctor told me that he always has the fills done with the floroscope with the swallow test so that they can see how restricted you are and also so that they can check on the band, the placement of the port, etc. I hope that helps.