heidi49

Well at least it sounds as though this experience is fairly normal, and on the plus side our tickers all show good weight loss! :scared:

If it's any consolation, I have exactly the same problem (and about the same fill level) every once in a while. Usually I am just at the right fill level, losing gradually but steadily. But about every five or six weeks, I will have two or three days when I am suddenly experiencing much more restriction, and have trouble getting or keeping anything down. Then things return to normal again and all is well. Go figure!! I will be interested to see if anyone else has an explanation for why this happens.

Here is the answer that I got when I asked the question about carbonated drinks last week, on the Mississauga Surgical Weight Loss Centre patient support forum board (the clinic staff run a Q & A section called "food Questions for the Surgical Weight Loss Centre"). I asked them: I know that carbonated sodas (even diet) are not permitted on the lap-band diet, and I haven't had any since my surgery nor have I missed them (much to my surprise!). However, I wondered if the same restriction applies to carbonated mineral waters e.g. Perrier Water or San Pellegrino. Is it the carbonation or the aspartame that is the problem? Or both? The response from them was: The only problem with carbonated water is that some patients may find it difficult to burp up the gas if that becomes necessary. Other than that, there should be no problem. The problem with aspartame in diet sodas is that it acts as an appetite stimulant. I hope this answers your questions. The Surgical Weight Loss Centre You might find this response helpful... in my case I will go ahead and have the occasional sparkling water, but stay away from the diet sodas.

Hi Ang. I used Medicard to finance the full $16,000 cost of my surgery (done last June). The term of the loan was for five years (my choice), and I am paying $472 per month. Best money I have ever spent - finally I am in debt for a good reason!!

I think many of us have those kinds of second (and third, fourth and fifth!) thoughts when we get near to having the surgery. It is a big change in our lives, and even if we welcome it there is still always the fear of the unknown, and also the fear of failing at weight loss yet again. Eating certainly provided me with a lot of emotional comfort and physical satisfaction over the years, and it's not easy giving up a reliable friend like that. However, for me the choice was pretty clear, because my steadily increasing weight was causing the walls of my world to close in more and more i.e. I couldn't walk or move properly anymore, I had more and more joint pain, worsening diabetes, etc. So while I was afraid that I would really miss and mourn the ability to eat whatever and whenever I wanted, I was even more afraid of ending up a cripple or else prematurely dead. In reality, I haven't missed the overeating scarcely at all (I can't believe it's me saying that!). The pre-op and post-surgery diet periods do give you the chance to break the cycle of overeating, and to experience some quick initial weight loss which is highly motivating. More importantly, I really don't experience physical hunger with the band, so the desire to overeat is rarely present. I still desire and enjoy eating a wide variety of high quality and interesting foods, but I do not feel compelled to eat huge quantities of anything. In fact, it takes a lot of hours for me to feel like eating again after a meal, because I feel full for a long time. Which is the whole point of the band!! I am only about a third of a way along with my planned weight-loss journey, but I am already enjoying MANY benefits from those lost pounds, more than I had ever anticipated. I did have second thoughts before the surgery, but with the benefit of hindsight I am extremely glad that I went through with it.

I was banded on June 21st by Dr. Cobourn at the Surgical Weight Loss Centre (Mississauga) on June 20th of this year. I have lost 33 pounds - pretty close to what you have lost. Most people lose only slowly or not at all during the first month post-surgery (when you are healing), and then at the usual rate of 1 to 2 lbs. per week. So I figure that losing 16 pounds over the past 8 weeks post-surgery (which is what I have done) is right on target. The three or four other people who I know where banded at around the same time have lost similar amounts. I think that we all lose at our own rates, and much depends on where you originally started (the more you have to lose, the faster it comes off initially).

With the Optifast, you should start to feel a lot less hungry by about tomorrow (when ketosis kicks in). The veggies which are allowed did help me a lot, especially when I prepared them in different ways - at least for me, hunger is as much mental as it is physical. It's not all about how much you eat, but how interesting and "satisfying" it is in other ways as well. I used veggie broth, a little soya to make stir fries, and also ate a lot of crunchy vegetables like radishes and dill pickles. But maybe that's just me... You can also have some veggies which aren't on the list which the clinic gives out (e.g. tomatoes both fresh and canned), as long as they are low-glycemic. Check some of the calorie/glycemic lists on the internet to be sure, and also don't hesitate to contact the clinic if you are really struggling, as they are really helpful with any questions or concerns.

Unfortunately, if you are being banded at the Surgical Weight Loss Centre by Dr. Cobourn, they don't like you to have chicken broth during the pre-op diet. If you find the Optifast and veggies too hard to tolerate (some do, some don't), then you should just give the clinic a call and talk to the nurses about it. They sometimes suggest other things that people can have, depending on your personal medical condition, BMI, etc. I know that for some patients they will allow plain chicken breast, for example. But you really need to get advice based on your own individual case. Good luck!

I had my surgery on June 20th (two weeks ago) with Dr. Cobourn at the Surgical Weight Loss Centre in Mississauga. My experience with him as a surgeon and with the clinic itself has been very positive. He was very informative during the consult, and very warm and supportive the day of and since the surgery. All of the staff that I have encountered (especially on the day of the surgery) were very caring, helpful, approachable and responsive. I was kept fully informed throughout the whole process, and the physical setting and the attention that I received on the day of the surgery from the nurses and the doctors (Dr. Cobourn and the anaesthiologist) helped to make it a much less painful and scary experience than I expected. I actually had some extra complications leading up to the surgery, because my pre-op ECG three weeks before the surgery date indicated that I might have some heart trouble (turned out to be a false alarm). Dr. Cobourn and the nurses at the clinic were really helpful and proactive in getting me in quickly for some further diagnostic tests, letting me know my possible options, and keeping me informed when the test results came back. The followup since surgery (including my post-op checkup this week) has also been terrific, with quick responses to any questions that I have had. I really highly recommend Dr. Cobourn and the SWLC - I hope that you have an equally great experience!