mrsto

I was approved the first time. My BMI was close to 41, and I had a very mild case of hypertension. Also - reflux. I'm not sure which thing got me approved quickly, or if it was a combo of everything. But I'm only 6 weeks out and already off the blood pressure meds. I'm insured through Anthem Blue Cross.

I was also told, no gum. They say it causes a lot of gas. I put it to the test a few weeks ago, and I was Totally gassed out! I was shocked, because prior to surgery I always chewed gum. Now I keep Tic Tacs in my purse, for the times I feel the need to "freshen up".

I also have a difficult time. I keep a 32oz bottle at my desk throughout the day, and try to drink a 16oz bottle while I'm in the car. Most days I end up having only about 40oz. I'm working on it.......

I'm doing pretty well, but I'm somewhat in the same boat as you. I can take larger bites than what I read here, and though I chew it pretty well (most of the time), I don't have the feelings that I read from others. I DO know when it's time to stop, and that is somewhere between 1/2-1 cup of food; lets say.....chili. But even if I take a bigger bite and don't chew it to a pulp, I still do not have any issues. I've had one fill since surgery, and now have 6.4 cc's in my 10 cc band. I'm also wondering if I need another fill. I have an appointment with the nurse on Monday, and I may ask her to put in another 1cc. It would be great to stay satiated for a full 4 hours or more. Sometimes I wonder if it's actually the plication that's doing the job. I guess I'm up for a stuck/slime episode, to make sure I have the right amount in my band.

There was one post a couple of days ago. The font was SO tiny, I stopped reading part way through. 57 year old reading vision is bad enough as it is!!

I LOVE to hear your excitement about moving forward and taking the bull by the horns. You can do it! You BOTH can

Your incisions look pretty good! I was so black & blue, especially around my belly button, and where they injected the heparin. But they only did that periodically while I was in the hospital. Now, a little over six weeks out, you can hardly see much of anything. My port incision mostly, but that's looking pretty good, too.

I wanted to have blended soups during that phase, but they said, no. So I followed their orders, as I've done (for the most part) since being banded. But I'm really struggling with fruit & vegetables. Not fruit as much as something.... green. I have only 12 more days until I can have soft cooked broccoli, green Beans, squash & carrots. Also - ripe melon and canned fruit (in it's own juice). Then 4 more weeks after that, all of the leafy greens and fruit. Although, they say to peel any fruit or veggie with a tough skin.

As much as many of us wish that we had the "right" answer, the reality is, only your doctor can diagnose what is wrong. Even if others have had a similar onset of pain, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's the same as what is going on with you. Hopefully you will have the results of your scan sooner than later. Wish I had a better answer.....

SO true! I can't speak for anyone else on this site, or anywhere else....but I will never be perfect! I can be damn good, but I spent too many years in therapy to let go of the drive and need for "perfection". A little over eating here & there; I can live with it. As long as it's not a regular practice. So Terry - what was for lunch? I hope it was gooooood

I love these forums.....SO many different post-op instructions... I love brussel sprouts, but I'm not allowed to have veggies and (most) fruits until I'm 8-12 weeks post-op. I've questioned this at my office visits, and they say that because we can't drink with meals, veggies cause a lot of gas sitting in the stomach. I am allowed bananas, avocados and apple sauce, but nothing else from the "garden". I told them that I feel REALLY unhealthy not having greens & fresh fruit. But they tell me that it's setup that way for a reason. But I really like reading all the other protocols. Honestly, the other night I made a frozen Atkins meal; chicken with broccoli. My plan was to eat the chicken & toss the greens. Well, some of that broccoli made it onto my fork, and I was FINE. No gas.....no pain, nada. I've been pretty diligent with my program; not perfect, but good. But I'm not sure I can hang another 4-8 weeks without some veggies. I'm totally okay not eating Cookies and crap, but this piece of the puzzle makes no sense to me. Has anyone else's doctor told them to hold off for 8-12 weeks on veggies? At the 8 week mark, I can have very soft cooked ones; but they give a list. Then at 12 weeks I can have the rest, including salad. I never thought I'd be craving fricken salad!!

Costco has it.....if you have one where you live.

Another way you might find her, is to call your insurance company. They should be able to look her up if she's still contracted with them.....at her new location. Hopefully she didn't leave the state!

GEEZ!! Google her. She may come up that way. You can also hook yourself up with another bariatric surgeon, but make sure you get your records from the one who did the surgery. It sounds like all you need are fills, and a bariatric support system. If you can't find your doctor online, talk to a couple of other practices. BUT - GOOD FOR YOU! You made the call......the first step!

Don't rule out that there may be something else in the Vitamins that caused the flushing, aside from niacin. It will be interesting to see what your blood work shows. Do the liquid vitamins have anything "extra"; things like ginseng, ginkgo, green tea extract or other "energy lifting" elements? For me, I've found that sticking to the basics is what works best. One time I ended up in the ER with chest pains, which ended up being from some new vitamins I took. They had all sorts of energy promoting components, which had a very negative effect. I think they were called Alive! (exclamation point included). Alive.....really? That bottle went right in the trash - LOL

Ursula, here is a link to a thread from Monday, which is about the very same thing you are going through. Read through it; a lot of good responses :-) http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/169595-second-thoughts/

I agree with all above. If your hesitation is about being on the hot seat with your doctor, don't let that stop you. BELIEVE me, he's heard and seen it all before. My doctor told me that 30% of banded patients do great; 30% fail completely, and the ones in between lose about 1/2 of their weight. Though you are disappointed with yourself, you are not an unusual case. If you really and truly want to get back on track & resume moving toward a healthier you, then pick up that phone today & make the call. As PattyGril said, they are there to help you, not judge you. Possibly your fear of THEIR judgement, is nothing more than a projection of your own SELF-judgement. Turn that judgement into action, and you'll be on your way Good luck!

Is self administering the B12 shots an option? I would totally do that! Right now I'm taking sublingual B12. That's what my doc recommends.....for absorption issues. I don't know if I'm deficient, but I will get the blood work done in the next couple of months.

If you're on liquids & really hungry, try some Soups. Campbell's Creamy Tomato was a life saver, and very satisfying. Have some cream of chicken or potato; just strain out the solids. The sweet Protein shakes get old really quickly. I got so burned out on them, I still gag at the thought of drinking one. But I do like the Premier chocolate.....if I'm going to have one. When I get a fill, they require only 24 hours on liquids. Then "gently" start eating solids.

I've always felt that it all boils down to calories. I use MFP for tracking my calories and grams of Protein. I try & stick to 1,000 calories, and at least 60 grams of protein. In order to meet my daily protein intake, eating a lot of high fat/high carb foods probably won't get me there. There are some exceptions; things like Beans, which are carbs, but they're high in protein. I think the best thing to do is focus on your daily calories and protein. If you're eating a lot of high fat protein foods, you're going to run out of calories pretty quickly. Nuts are a good example. They're healthy and have some protein, but the fat makes them a high caloric food. You have to play around with what you like, and see how much bang for your buck you get out of it. Stick to your daily allotment, make healthy choices, and make sure you stay satiated throughout the day.

I'm 6 weeks post-op, and I took to small bites pretty quickly. Sometimes I zone out and take a bigger bite than I should, but I haven't had any issues; no stuck episodes (yet). Sometimes I wonder if I'm even banded, because I'm able to eat pretty well. Albeit, I don't scarf the way I USED to, I'm not having any issues with the new mechanics of eating.

It sounds like an appointment with the nutritionist at your doctor's office would be a good step to take. They should be able to clarify your concerns; answer your questions and help get you back on track.

I LOVE that he went public with his decision to better his health through WLS. Though we live in California, my husband and I are huge Chris Christie fans. We love his politics, and hope he does run for president some day. He's got OUR vote!

No need to feel silly. It's a BIG decision; one that you gave yourself time to think through before jumping in. Lets face it......if hindsight were foresight, we'd ALL be thin and rich!

Over a year ago, my neighbor told me that she had bariatric surgery 9 years ago (gastric bypass). I had NEVER given any thought to surgery, but was intrigued listening to her. At that point, I looked all over the internet, and after reading all the different forums & what people with the various surgeries go through, I nixed the whole idea. A few months passed, along with another few extra pounds added to my weight, so I revisited the idea of WLS. My husband and I attended a seminar by the doctor who I decided would do the procedure, and that next week I was on their doorstep for my initial exam. That was in November 2012. After racking my brain and obsessing about which way to go, I settled on the bypass. Over the handful of weeks after that decision, I was stressed out all the time, not sleeping, etc. Then 10 days prior to my surgery date, I TOTALLY freaked out and cancelled it. I decided at that point that I wouldn't do anything; too extreme, and that I would just live with my fat self. Well, that lasted about two weeks (and ANOTHER 2-3 pound gain), so I revisited the lap band. I decided to add the plication, which caused some extra stress, but I'm glad I did it. The point of my story (and I'm sure many others), is that I knew as sure as I'm sitting here typing this, that if I didn't move forward with some sort of WLS, that I would continue to gain weight. My metabolism is a mere shadow of what it used to be, and any time I tried to follow some sort of plan, I'd toss it aside when I "felt" like indulging. It was so clear to me that the only way I was going to turn this thing around, was either Divine intervention, or surgery. Well, lightening hasn't struck & the spirits haven't intervened, so I did what I needed to do. Not an easy decision, but a necessary one. Since being banded 6 weeks ago, there have been several times where I new I'd being chowing down whatever, whenever. If it weren't for the band, I probably would have gained another pound or two, instead of dropping 17. I have no regrets, whatsoever.