lisacaron

So for me, I not only told my trainer that I had WLS but I gave them a quick bio about myself. This is someone new who does not know you. They may not know for instance in my situation that I broke my foot 6 years ago and certain impact jumps cause it to hurt. So they modify they impact on those types of things so I don't have bone pain in my foot. I have some instability in my knee so we work on exercises to help strength that weakness and build it up. I gave them some background as to my nutrition and intake, as well as what my goals for "fitness" and strength training are and what I hope to achieve by seeking their services. I explained about my WLS tool, and even gave a brief blurb of "education" on what a WLS tool is, and how it's used not as a crutch or a miracle cure but as a way to help me reach my overall health and fitness level. I have one trainer who also does nutrition and as I am studying this myself I shared with her what a few of my daily meal plans were and my intake and we share some info on nutrition that has helped me in my studies. They are there to help you and the more information they have about you and what you want to achieve the more they are able to understand and help you to reach the goals you set for yourself. I have found that people in these jobs really want to see their clients reach their goals and they will really take an active role in helping you to achieve them.

@@asheyrae in the early days of your surgery your are going to be quite swollen internally and it will not be easy to eat and drink at the same time or directly after you start to eat those solid foods. So doctors will tell you not to do it, and it's good advice. The old school of thought was that drinking after a meal or with your meal was pushing food out of the "pouch" through stoma and causing it to empty quicker and there for making the person hungry again sooner. With the advancement and studies of the band it was learned that food moves through the stoma in approximately 1 minute after a bite of food is consumed so a sip of Water or beverage after that bite is not going to have an effect on that bite since it would have already moved from the upper chamber above the band to the lower chamber below the band. That said however you don't want to have food in your mouth, or just swallowed and chase that with the beverage. This can result in that pushing of food, and or "stacking" of food in the upper chamber of the stomach and esophagus and make you very uncomfortable or as others have said force the food back up and out. In the even that this does not happen it can also cause some distention in the upper chamber where it could depending on the amount of food and Fluid stacked in it expand and extend over the band again causing discomfort and further band complications. So following the Dr.'s rule of thumb not to eat and drink together is a sound one especially in the early stages of banding. Eventually you will be able to sip water with your meals, especially with the spicy ones and/or dry meats.Follow Dr.'s orders that's the main thing, and you will do great!!

So I will tell you what my personal trainer told me about cardio. Fasting cardio is the best cardio work out to do to burn fat. Fasting cardio is done prior to eating usually first thing in the morning. Since there is no readily available food to burn off the body will naturally choose to tap into the fat stores for energy and continue to burn from this store through out the day. Here is a good article on the subject. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/assessing-fasted-cardio-training.html Now for me personally, I agree with what he told me and what the article says. I have tried this for a few days...and my issue is I really am not a morning person..but I have seen the difference that week to this one. So I am working on getting my butt up earlier and getting in that morning sprint.

Toot Toot!!! Wooot Wooot and a Ra RA RA for you!!! Awesome!

This was a great article! It really is difficult for people to understand that even with all the food that is available to us today, that a person could still be malnourished. The unhealthy choices of food are abundant and often more readily available and cheaper then the healthier alternatives. Making us both unhealthy and obese at the same time. It's easier to purchase the Mars that is readily available then it is to travel to the supermarket or produce store to purchase the apple.

It has taken me really over a year to find my "green zone". My doc is conservative with the fill process and that was a good thing for me since I was able to really work on my band mechanics. Eating small bites, measuring out food, eating when I am truly hungry and not just cause I can. Just as I found that sweet spot that stopped all the hunger and cravings and volume eating just cause I can...I got sick and had take Fluid out. Then a few months of "stress" I decided it was best to be a little looser and get through all the challenges. Now I am back at that "green zone" but it is 15 months since I was banded. The time it takes is the time it takes. We are all different, some never need a fill and they are in that green zone from day one. The best advice is to follow your doc and listen to your body. You'll get there when ya get there.

Exactly at room temperature all these things including pudding and fat free milk are liquids so you can do it!!! Even yogurt is a liquid at room temp. So when you feel like "eating" sit down with one of these choices. Soup also..is a liquid my friend just don't get the type with anything chunky in it.

OK so you can do this!! Start your day with some nice warm coffee. Use some sugar free creamers to flavor it up if you like, tea if you like that. They are trying to prepare you for the restrictions you are going to have after surgery, and prep your body for your surgery. Keep yourself always drinking something. When you have your slimfast if you can put it in a blender with some crushed ice and make it thick so it takes you a while to drink it. Even if you are at work they have those new small personal blenders you can use. This is totally doable, most of us have done it in one form or another and as soon as you get through it and have your surgery you will be a pro at after care and you will stay compliant with the Dr.'s orders. Really if you have to chew use some gum, get all kinds of sugar free flavors and chew away don't swallow. Drink flavored Water and always be doing something to stay busy.

Great article. Any time I feel myself slipping off the tracks I get myself back to band basics and remember what I did when I was first banded and reset everything including my attitude

@@beckyparks what does your pre-op diet consist of? It's normal to feel a little weak and light headed as your body is going through a bit of a detox at this time. Though I am banded I found that what helped me was to be doing something every hour. If I wasn't having a shake I was drinking Water, on my pre-op I was allowed to have yogurt and fat free sugar free pudding. You have to make this at home with fat free milk and sugar free pudding mix but it gives you something to occupy yourself while making and it's good. I would wake up and start with usual cup of coffee, but had to switch to decaf on pre-op. Then I would move to my first shake of the day around 8 then I would have some water at 9 and then some yogurt at 10 more water at 11, or decaf tea or coffee if I need a switch up from the water. Even a sugar free ice pop now and then breaks it up and gives you the "crunch" factor. if you can have Soup I would make that my lunch and dinner "option" on that hour and then shake shake shake and water water water. I made it through my 2 weeks. It was the full of Clear liquids that made me a bit bonkers but I made it through. Just keep yourself drinking and eating something and your tummy won't know your hungry cause you will always have something in there. Gum is another awesome way to chew without eating!! You got this!

@@asheyrae you have a very positive outlook and attitude about it and that's a big help in getting past any road block! Best of luck to you, I bet you will do great!

@@Shauny08 my advice is keep going!!! I know the road to weight loss with the band can be frustrating at times. You read and hear about people who are losing 4 pounds a week and your lucky if you lose 4 pounds in the month...and suddenly it can become a big source of frustration. Take a second and check your frustration, what exactly is frustrating you? Are you doing everything you can to help the situation? Or are you relying on the band do to all the work? What is your definition of "restriction"? What is it that you are looking to accomplish? and what have you done toward achieving that goal? Lots of questions....but in asking sometimes we find our answers. When you look at fill level and "restriction" you should not be looking for the band to "stop" you from eating. It is not creating a small container for your food to sit in and tell you OK your full that's enough. What it is doing is slowing down the rate that your food passes from your upper stomach into your lower stomach. Think of an hour glass and the way the sand moves through it. The tighter the pinch in the middle the slower the sand will move. The looser the pinch the faster the sand will move. Also think about the texture of the food you are eating. Are you eating solid foods that you need to chew chew chew? Or are you choosing more softer foods that will slip right on past the stoma and through to the lower chamber of the stomach? Choosing solid foods will help to engage the band and the muscles in the esophagus to signal the nerves to tell your brain that you have had enough after a cup full of food. If you are choosing soft or slider foods then your not engaging your band well and you are not going to get the response from the Vagus nerve to tell your brain your full and you will keep eating long past that cup of food. If your not measuring your portions, try doing that to start. Give yourself 20 minutes no more and no less to finish and once finish walk away from the food. If you are truly hungry have some more, but if you are not after 20 minutes then you are done. If you continue to eat after 20 minutes you are eating into your next meal so stop after 20. You should be satiated for at least 3-4 hours between meals, if your not and you find that you are hungry again after an hour have some Water and asess if you are truly hungry for more fuel or if it's more emotional or mental hunger. If it's the later try doing something else you like to do, read or go for a walk listen to music. If your still hungry then have a light snack. If you find that you are hungry between meals often and it's not head hunger you may need to keep tweaking your fill level until you reach that sweet spot. It takes time to learn how to live in harmony with our band and it takes time to find the optimal fill level that works for you.

@@WheelCrazy I agree with TMF above. Give the Dr. a call and have the placement of your band checked and let the doctor determine how much if any Fluid to remove. You should not be choking on anything in your sleep or need to sleep sitting up. This is also very dangerous, you could asphyxiate if you aspirate (breathe in) the vomit. Let us know how you are doing please after you speak to the Dr.

@@Mikee57 nope give the Dr. a call today. You have probably cause a bit of significant swelling in the stoma and may need to have some fill removed, but let the doctor check your band and make that determination. The best thing to do after a stuck episode is to go to liquids for a few meals to allow any trauma to the stomach and esophagus to heal and swelling to go down. 3 days is long enough to wait and if you are having pressure when lying down and/or sleeping it is time for a call and possibly visit to the Dr. Go to liquids and make the call my friend.

@@jenns_history I agree that this post is very disturbing on many levels. First I would like to address the issues that you are experiencing. As a few have posted above you should not be PBing and sliming constantly. This is not a "normal" thing for banded patients. We do experience it upon occasion if food has a hard time passing the stoma but it is not something that should happen daily or with each and every meal. If you had gotten something stuck it could have caused the stoma to swell and make eating anything else more difficult causing more PBing and sliming with each new thing you consume. The best course of action after a stuck episode is to go back to a liquid diet for a few meals to give the stomach time to heal and reduce the swelling. If this has been going on for long enough that people at your work place are noticing that you are having an issue then you absolutely need to see your doctor and have the fill reassessed and your band checked. As to the issue of your workplace, I find their handling of this situation totally inappropriate and offensive. I'm sure you felt offended and embarrassed. Your employer handled this situation terribly, and their behavior is disgusting, that said you must take some responsibility for what is happening to your body as well. If you are experiencing a medical issue, you should not be in your office or place of work and you should be seeking medical attention. That is what you need to be doing now. Having to run to the ladies room or trash can for every bite is not proper band behavior. So make an appointment with your doctor, and your HR representative!!

@@Kathytej Surgery, any kind of surgery can be scary. Don't worry, it's great that your Bariatric Dr. gave you some insight into what to tell your Gyn surgeon. Everything will go smoothly, and you will feel better without all the pain every month. My misery started with my ovary, and what they thought might be ovarian cancer because of the size of the cyst they found on it. It was about the size of a grapefruit, but it was a benign cyst and they were able to remove it and the ovary without complication thank goodness. Your going to do great, and you will feel so much better once you are out of pain. Please keep in touch and let us know how you are doing after your surgery ok?

@countrysweet I had my hysterectomy prior to banding. However I wanted to mention to you that I had my surgery done laproscopically and removed vaginally. The two incisions were at the bikini line and very low well under my stomach. They may need to enter via the belly button but you can ask that of the doctor before surgery and advise them of the tubing and banding. If you can let your bariatric surgeon know you are going in for this surgery and have him consult with the surgeon who will perform your hysterectomy so that they can work together to prevent any complications. Best of luck to you my friend! I have to tell you that having my hysterectomy @ 40 was a bit scary but it turned out to be one of the best decisions I could have ever made. I was in so much pain and experiencing so many issues that the removal of it put an end to. It has been three years since, and I am 100% better.

@@jlj1110 some good advice above. The plication mimics the idea of the restriction (smaller container) of the stomach in the way that the sleeve does. However it does not as stated above involve removing any portion of the stomach instead it is folded in upon itself and stitched in place sort of like a football. There for it does not have a malnutrition component to it. Since there is no removal of the larger curvature of the stomach the glands that reside there are not removed. This is an advantage with the sleeve that the placation does not have. Plication is reversible and sleeve gastrectomy is not. Both my husband and I have been banded with plication and we were able to see the difference in the decrease of volume in the food that you are able to consume right from the start after surgery even without having a fill in the band. If plciation is an option for you I would strongly suggest doing some extra research, though I would tell you that I am very happy I was able to have the procedure done with my band and at the time the study was still in the trial or beta phase. Best of luck to you! Let us know how it goes!!

Thank you all for coming out and participating in our group today!! It was awesome to see some new faces and some familiar faces as well. Jyo- your comment made my day. I am glad that you got something out of the meeting and I hope it was a fun time too! I will post the next meeting date soon. As well as a date/location for our first Long Island meeting! Stay tuned!!! Thank you all for your support!!

@@zara gray rowe you got some great advice above. Terry is right on the $ with the symptoms for a slip. Don't look for trouble, the best advice is to avoid trouble by following Dr.'s orders and band basics. Just because you can eat more doesn't mean you should eat more. Try to portion out your meal and when you are done eating see how you feel. If you are truly still hungry eat a bit more. If you are satisfied with it then walk away. If you find that you are hungry again in a few hours, try having a light snack or drinking some Water. If you find that you are hungry often between meals or need to have that little bit more after eating your meal, then it's probably an indication of needing some more volume added to your band. When we first get a fill it can take up to 2 weeks for it to settle around the band, and for some getting a fill can make the stoma a bit sensitive for a few days. Since it's internal we don't feel it other then to feel a bit of restriction. If that goes away it doesn't mean that the band is not working it just means you aren't swollen anymore. The band is still there doing it's job, it's slowing down the passage of the food you are eating into your stomach. So eat take the time to enjoy your meal, and then give it a few minutes after the meal to be sure it's really hunger, if it's not your than done eating. If it is really hunger then eat, but note these things to tell your doctor on your next visit.

@@Christina.Rose have you already ordered your wedding dress in the size 20 and think you might need to take it in up to a 16? When is your wedding? 4 sizes is a lot to take in alterations at some point you will end up reconstructing the whole dress. Depending on the time frame for your wedding your gonna want to try and stay pretty consistent in your weight if you can the closer and closer you get. If you plan to lose a lot of weight right before, try to order the smaller size but maybe an 18 so you can always take it in to a 16 if needed. Wedding dresses can have complicated sizing depending on the material and the style Aline, Mermaid, etc. Always best to check with the seamstress doing the alterations they know and trust me they won't lie to you just to make you feel good I got married at my highest weight ever...but I couldn't have been happier and I still love my photo's even as hubby and I have lost over 60 pounds each

@@Amazongoddess sadly the approval rate has more to do with the insurance company and how fast they move through the process. The person's weight and co-morbitiy really doesn't have much a factor on how fast the approval comes in. Stay on top of your insurance company. Call them up and get a status report. Make sure they have everything they require and get an estimated time from them. The waiting time stinks, but it's a good time to start preparing for your upcoming surgery. Take the time figure out what kind of shake you like the best, try some brands and flavors. Start getting things in order for your surgery, any kind of things you might/need for home. Supplies etc. get your home ready for some R&R as you recover from your surgery. Do things now that you won't be able to do right after surgery like planting or painting or heavy lifting type things. Most of all read up! Alex Brecher has some awesome books out about all the different surgeries and what to expect after surgery. Come back here for support and questions...and fill the time with stuff that keeps you motivated and focused on your journey it really helps make the time fly by. Best of luck to you!! your going to do great!

I was not trying to say that she did or would give them to the kids. Some think they are "health" food but they really are "special" food for those of us that need the higher protein intake. I would keep them out of reach just in case. I have young nieces and they also think I"m eating a candy bar when I have a Protein Bar, and you know they do taste pretty good today. I would rather go and get them a snickers bar then have them eat that protein bar. They might be hyper from the sugar but they won't have renal failure I remember when I was a kid, Protein Bars and drinks really tasted like medicine! When I was 16 I got very sick, and I could not chew or eat anything I had blisters all in my mouth and down my throat. I was also very skinny about 90 pounds soaking wet and now not eating..Dr.'s prescribed some nutrition drink (ensure I think it was) and that stuff was terrible!! I was fearing the liquid diet for surgery because of my experience with that nasty stuff but that was almost 30 years ago and boy has the taste in those drinks changed!!