Instyle98

Well now I'm confused. In your initial post you said you were eating 8-12 ounces of oatmeal or soup and 8 oz of chili, but then in your next post you stated you are only eating 2 oz. Oatmeal is a carbohydrate, all 8 - 12 ounces of it. The carbohydrate load of Chili and soup will depend on how much of it is comprised of Beans, noodles, potatoes, carrots, peas, rice, etc. I only asked what you put in your homemade meals because while organic is good, home cooked can still be laden with calories depending on what you put in it. You can still buy in bulk or make stuff yourself, just portion it out ahead of time and/or freeze stuff. I realized that the price of ready made Jello in those little containers was ridiculous at the rate I was going through them, so know I buy the box stuff and when I make it I simply put it in individual containers that I can conveniently grab. I still buy stuff at Sam's Club and I portion it out before I freeze or store it. I am also still learning to make smaller portions for myself and learning to live without having that very full feeling. It's tough - I know that, but there are books and websites that you can go to for help. I spend a lot more time reading nutrition information and figuring out how many calories I'm putting in my mouth. I like the website Skinnytaste for recipes. Even though you have a lap-band, there are still some foods that you have to avoid if you want to lose weight. Later you can have them in moderation, but in my opinion at this point they just have to be on your no list. For me those foods are candy, most bread products, white potatoes (I occasionally eat a small spoonful of plain baked or roasted sweet potato), white rice, white Pasta (I don't eat any pasta), chips, sugary drinks, fruit juices, almost all fast food with the exception of salads and stuff like that, whole milk, products, ice cream, sweets, etc. I empathize with you because I am one of the most undisciplined people there is. You just have to remember each and every time you put something in your mouth that it does add up. I'm not saying you can't eat something, you just have to remember that depending on what you choose, it just may take longer for you to reach your goal. I don't really have a nutritionist either. While the center where I had my surgery provided 2 nutrition appointments because my insurance required it, they didn't really give me that much information. It was pretty basic. My post op instructions were pretty basic to for once I got on regular food. They were 1 Protein shake in the morning, grilled chicken (or any turkey or fish), tossed or veggies for lunch and the same for dinner. Eat protein first and then veggies. That's it! I don't quite follow that (for now I can't drink another Protein Shake, but will resume them later), but I am careful what I buy, prepare and eat.

Are you eating canned soups that are creamy or contain carbs like Pasta, rice, potatoes, corn or peas? What are you putting in your Chili? Doesn't Udon soup have a lot of noodles in it? By suriami fish do you mean the fake crab (Surimi) that has a lot of starch and sodium mixed in it? Toasts, rusks, whole grain crackers are carbs. It sounds like you may be eating a lot of sodium and carbs and the weight will not come off if you're doing that. Are you drinking Water or no sugar added beverages (not soda)? You need Protein, protein! Stop buying Junior Mints. The more you eat that stuff, the more you will want it. If you need something sweet, eat some cocoa roasted almonds or something. I hear you on the sweet stuff - I have a sweet tooth the size of the Grand Canyon! Right now for that I eat sugar free puddings, Jello, yogurt with fruit, fruit, etc. Start your mornings off with protein. That will help. As far as not wanting anyone to see you, you will have to get over that and go out and walk. Besides if they are people you see on a regular basis, pretty soon, they will be seeing a whole lot less of you! If I see someone walking, biking etc., I never think bad of them especially if they are large. I actually applaud them and think that I should be out there with them! Can you find a walking buddy? Wear headphones and listen to music or audio books and don't think about those other people.

I had my surgery on a Monday and when the nurse called to check on me (not sure if it was Tuesday or Wednesday, I was on drugs) he told me to remove the bandages and that I could shower - no special instructions. Since I was still pretty sore and swollen, I knew not to scrub my tummy. Like someone else said it took about 2 weeks for the steri-strips to come off. I wasn't long before I decided to soak in the tub and boy did that feel good!

I know! Before surgery I told my husband that I was hungry all of the time (during the pre-op phase), but that was good because it meant I was doing something right and he thought I was crazy! Whenever I feel like I want to eat something I shouldn't, I just tell myself that it's okay to eat it, but it will just take longer to get where I want to be. That other food will always be around later if I really choose to eat it. I used to eat stuff as if it were my last chance to have it, which is crazy.

Good luck on your surgeries tomorrow! Keep us posted!

I wasn't sure which I wanted at first. The True Results people discouraged me from getting the sleeve. I went with the band because it's not permanent and if I have problems, it can be removed and it's a less traumatic surgery since they aren't removing anything. I don't even know if my insurance covers that type of surgery. If I were to consider something like that I would probably look more at Lap-Band with Plication rather than the sleeve. I'm newly banded and so far, so good. I guess you would really need to hear from folks that are a couple years out from having their surgery to be able to make a fair decision.

He did my lap-band surgery 12/31. I liked him. They get you up and moving pretty quick after surgery.

Hang in there! Drink you shakes and start letting yourself learn to recognize the feeling of being full. If you watch TV, record stuff and zip through the commercials so you don't have to watch any of the food advertisements. If you are like me and enjoy cooking programs - DON'T watch them! You can do this!

It will greatly depend on what you insurance requires. Mine required a 4 month waiting period during which I had to have 2 nutritional consults, a psych eval, records showing a minimum of a 2 year history of obesity, and a history of previous attempts at weight loss. Then I had to complete the requirements of the surgery center/surgeon - lab work, PFT, ECG, medical clearance from my cardiologist, and 2 week pre-op diet. The time went by faster than I thought it would. They were ready to do the surgery before I was!

Hang in there jsws91 - you're time will come!

It's not fair...I was set up! LOL!

Ladies - You look fabulous!!!

I just received the same message! Poor skinny dude! LOL! I wanted to send a note back that said if you want to send me money, just send it in a big box!

Please keep us posted on your status! That must have been very scary for you. Sending good thoughts your way for no more problems.

His profile says he weighs 65 lbs. LOL!

Good luck JhonnieB! As they say - see you on the other side! Remember your next phase is all about recovery and healing. Follow your doctor's instructions and worry about the weight loss later!

Are you kidding me?!! Boycott a store because they put some yummy, sugary, pastries on sale? This is about taking responsibility for you choices and actions. That would be like an alcoholic saying, "Poor me, I'm trying to stop drinking, but alcohol is everywhere. They even sell beer and wine at the grocery store!" How about a law against fast food restaurants, all you can eat buffets, donuts, sodas, candy? I don't mean to sound harsh and flame me if you want but the whining and blaming have to stop. Perhaps those of us with overweight parents and grandparents should just give up. It's their fault too that were fat! It's not like we walk in to a store and if you're overweight, you get charged more for your food than the thin people. Perhaps diabetics should complain and get a special discount on what they get. BTW, overweight people cost this country more money. Overweight people tend to have more health problems, take more sick days from work, go on disability, etc. Someone complained about the cost of weight loss surgery. Well, for heaven's sake, if you weren't obese, you wouldn't need the damn surgery. Of course it cost money. Perhaps plastic surgery should be discounted for unattractive people or people that need it to feel better.

I made my own chicken and beef broth before surgery because I can't stand the stuff straight from the can or bouillon cubes (low sodium or otherwise). I also stocked up on light white grape juice, light cranberry juice, no sugar added apple juice, crystal light, 0 calorie flavored waters, no sugar added fruit and juice bars, sugar free throat lozenges, sugar free Jello, sugar free pudding, low calorie hot chocolate mix, low calorie cream soups such as butternut squash, tomato, black bean etc. (mostly the ones that come in a little box), Greek yogurt to make smoothies and some frozen fruit to add to the smoothies. Stuff like that should get you through the first couple of weeks depending on what your post op diet instructions are. In the beginning, I had no problem with the Protein shakes (I used mostly Unjury), but right now I can hardly stand them. If I need to add protein to something, I use the unflavored unjury. It's tolerable in jello, puddings and stuff. My favorite thing to add to jello is unsweetened applesauce. You can replace all or some of the cold Water with it. It doesn't add a lot of calories per serving, but gives it more flavor and a little bit of a different texture.

Well, I will admit that my post was a knee-jerk reaction. I know better than to do that so if I offended anyone or seemed insensitive, I apologize.

What did you put in your meatloaf? Just curious - it sounds like a good idea (can you tell I'm hungry?!). I also found some containers on Amazon that are the perfect size for when I make jello, pudding, tuna or chicken salad, etc. That way I can just grab one when I need it. One of the kinds I got can go in the freezer, refrigerator and microwave I think.

I am not a litigious person, but I would pursue legal action. Find yourself an attorney that specializes in medical issues and takes your case on the contingency that he only gets paid if you win (sue for court costs too, of course).

Don't feel bad. I was banded on 12/31 and my first post op visit isn't until 1/31. I'm hoping to get a fill. Just trying to hang in there. I've just graduated to "regular" food today (well yesterday actually - I started a little early). I'm keeping a lot of sugar free jello and no sugar added applesauce and stuff around to fight off the hungries. If I do eat, I'm trying to stick to healthy protein, veggies, fruit and sugar free drinks. I've made 2 trips to Sam's Club since my surgery, but I have done well so far, only coming home with healthy stuff!

Although I'm newly banded, as with pretty much everyone here I'm very experienced with weight gain and loss. Before I was banded I lost 165 lbs. I didn't have surgery, I didn't have weight loss drugs, nor did I use a program like Weight Watchers, Atkins, etc. I won't bore you with all the details, but guess what? I had some of the same problems. I had to have my gallbladder removed. Why? Rapid weight loss. I suffered a severe Vitamin B deficiency. So severe in fact that I was sent to a neurologist initially because I had weakness on one side, slurred speech, I could not keep my balance and was falling down or tripping a lot, aphasia (Aphasia is a disorder caused by damage to the parts of the brain that control language. It can make it hard for you to read, write and say what you mean to say. It is most common in adults who have had a stroke. Brain tumors, infections, injuries and dementia can also cause it. The type of problem you have and how bad it is depends on which part of your brain is damaged and how much damage there is.), etc. At first they thought I either had a stroke or MS. Turned out it was severe Vitamin B deficiency from rapid weight loss. I had a severe Vitamin D deficiency that caused me to be in pain. The cause was due to rapid weight loss. I could have been angry and decided I was better off being fat! Was weight loss to blame for all of my problems? Not exactly. My unhealthy behavior and obsession with losing weight to be thin combined with body dysmorphic disorder among other things was to blame. I knew I wasn't eating enough, I knew I should be taking Vitamins, but I didn't do it! As you can see if you experience sudden and rapid weight loss without a doctor's supervision (as in my case) and/or do not eat enough of the right foods and take supplements you can have all of the same symptoms you did. I'm not saying your band did or did not cause your problems because I don't know you and I'm not a physician. However it is possible to have all of those things occur without being banded. I don't know what happened to you. Were you compliant with doctor's instructions? I don't know. Was your doctor competent and paying attention to your symptoms? I don't know. Was the band for you - I guess not. Like all methods and surgeries, it's not for everyone. Many of us here have chosen lap-band because we feel it is our last or only hope to get to a manageable weight. Your story simply illustrates the necessity of doing thorough research, weighing the pros and cons and determining if one is willing to follow guidelines. It is important to know your body and report and problems to one's doctor. You can't pick and choose which rules you want to follow and which ones you don't. I'm sorry things turned out so badly for you. Perhaps you would do better serving as an example of what not to do and why the band is not right for some people even though it does appear to work for many others instead of coming off so bitter. Were you fully aware of the risks of the surgery and agreeable to take them? Life is a crap shoot. Things go wrong. Deal with it.

I was banded 12/31 and my weight loss has slowed/stalled. I keep battling with losing the same pound, then gaining it back and I'm not due for my first fill until 1/31. I refuse to give up or get discouraged since I'm less than a month out from surgery and I'm pretty sure my body is still adjusting from surgery and the band. Some days I feel very bloated, other days not. I have Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia so I'm sure that doesn't help. I also need to see a doctor for some foot/ankle/knee pain (heel spur and I don't know what else acting up) so I can get into a better exercise routine. I'll make it, I just have to get past these hurdles!

I was told no bread, pasta or potatoes because it could gum things up.