DBAGuy

I looked through this part of the forum, and didn't see a thread like this. I go for my first fill on July 5th, so I don't have any restriction yet. During the 'mushy' diet stage, my nutritionists were very firm about only having 4 -5 oz. of food per meal, 3 meals per day. My understanding is that, once I'm at my 'sweet spot', that's how much I'll eat...about a 1/4 cup of food per meal. Just wondering if that's pretty much what folks have...that's two tablespoons of a Protein and two tablespoons of a fruit or veggie. thanks, DBAGuy

Poking around on the net (one of my favorite ways to fill a few minutes of down time), I'm seeing information about bariatric surgery patients and what they call addiction transfer. Carnie Wilson (of the group Wilson Phillips) became an alcoholic two years after her gastric bypass surgery. Since she no longer used binge eating as a coping mechanism, she turned to martinis (up to 10/day). There's arguments between professionals as to whether the dramatic weight loss following surgery essentially 'starts' the other addiction or whether it is only folks with predilection toward addiction that are affected. Anyone have any experience or knowledge of this? My nutritionist mentioned it almost as an aside during one of our pre-op classes, but I don't know how 'real' a phenomenon it is... Here's some links: InteliHealth: The new Addiction while some of the data focuses on alcoholism, others talk about gambling and 'over shopping' as substitute addictions. (edited by DBAGuy to add links and line of text after links) (edited again by DBAGuy to get rid of a bunch of odd character combinations that appeared after the first edit...)

Hmmm...interesting. The site says that most people think they're ideal body weight at 6' 0" is 230 for men at 49 years old. I really think that is a bit on the heavy side. BMI says 140 - 184, and I am shooting for a control range of 190 - 210. To me, seems like its best to set a range rather than a specific weight as your goal.

Here's a snippet from the UC Berkely Wellness newsletter: (UC Berkeley Wellness Guide to Dietary Supplements: Chromium) "Bottom line: So far the most carefully conducted studies on chromium have shown no benefits for weight loss. One large clinical trial conducted in China found that chromium was helpful for those with diabetes—but the Chinese, including those with diabetes, are less likely to be obese than Americans, and their chromium levels were not evaluated at the start of the study. Clinical trials in the U.S. have so far produced no clear evidence of benefits from chromium supplements. Low levels of chromium are characteristic of diabetes, but there’s no evidence of a cause-and-effect relationship, or any reason to think Americans are deficient in chromium. Laboratory studies have found that chromium picolinate (the most popular form of the supplement) could damage genetic material in animal cells, which suggests it might cause cancer. This is only preliminary evidence, but nobody knows whether chromium picolinate, particularly in large doses over the long term, is safe. There are more reliable ways to prevent and treat diabetes. There is no good evidence backing chromium picolinate for weight loss, building muscles, or reducing blood cholesterol. Nobody should take chromium picolinate, especially not young people." There really isn't any 'shortcut'...all the research I've done online shows that none of the OTC weight loss stuff (fat burners, etc.) really make a difference. Getting healthy requires self control, and the band is just an assist to your self control. It is easy to 'eat around' the band, whether your addiction is ice cream (that's mine...), milkshakes, chocolate, potato chips, beer...whatever...none of those will stay in your pouch and make you feel satisfied, but will add plenty of calories. The simple math: 12 x (your body weight) = the approximate number of daily calories to maintain that body weight. If the total number of calories/day (what you ate - what you exercised) is 500 less than what you need to maintain, you'll lose about a pound a week. For me, 12 x 290 = 3480. If I reduce my intake/increase my exercise so that my daily total is 2480, I'll lose about 2 pounds per week. If I get to 1480, it will be about 4/week. Just a thumb rule, and it isn't exact for anyone, but it gives us a sense of what kind of target we need. I don't follow any particular diet, I just don't eat much of whatever I'm eating, and I avoid the foods I mentioned above. <!-- InstanceEndEditable -->

My understanding: Fills have (at least) two effects: it increases the volume of the inflatable ring on the inside of the band, and it irritates the stomach where the band is located. Because of the irritation, you can get some swelling. You don't to do a big fill because the swelling could shut you off completely, so the doctors generally like to start off with a 'foundation' fill (for me it was 3 ccs), then give periodic, smaller fills to 'tweak' the restriction. Some doctors use flouroscopy so that they can verify liquid can still get through the stoma after the fill. My doctor doesn't...it varies. Right after surgery, when all you have is the band and no fill, some folks will feel some restriction due to the fat layer on the outside of the stomach. Others won't. From reading these forums, seems like many folks don't get 'good' restriction until the third fill or so. That's why, to me, it is important not to rely solely upon the band to limit how much you eat...work on self-control, exercising your will, and make use of the band. I didn't have much self-control, which is why I got so overweight...but I'm exercising it now, along with using the band, to change my approach to eating.

My plan was to stick with the 4 - 5 oz. of food while I was in the mushie stage, because I wanted to view the band as an assistant, not as a taskmaster...I forced myself to stick to eating small amounts of food, and only 3 times/day so that I'd be more ready to eat healthy amounts once I did have real restriction. I've had my first fill now, and have some restriction, but if I get hungry in between my meals, I drink Water or soy milk. For me, the battle is just as much mental as it is physical, so I really focus on eating slowly, mixing Proteins and veggies/fruits, and not eating very much.

the problem is that, even with good restriction, if you don't eat the right foods, or don't follow the rules (not drinking while eating, avoiding high calorie liquids, ice cream, chocolate, not eating slowly, etc.) you can still get too many calories/day. One of my last attempts at controlling my weight before my surgery was going to a PhD therapist that specialized in weight control...she helped me see that so much of my eating habits were emotional and stress related. I think that my sessions with her really set the foundation for my success (so far) with the band. She also helped my with work/life balance issues, which helped reduce my stress levels. I truly believe that 'mindset' is a huge part of success with band surgery...moreso than with bypass. There was no stigma attached to me seeing the therapist...I do have to report it when my periodic re-investigation comes round for my clearance, but my work was very encouraging about it.

I had sharp pains at my port site that slowly got better over the first seven days. I'm a big fan of contacting the doctor any time I have questions...I'd rather have them think I'm over cautious than have a problem that isn't caught early.

I completely agree with Faithmd. I don't see many other folks actually advertising for the same practice over and over again. Those that have connections are open about them...Mattintosh appears to be evasive about it, and that is concerning. It can't be impartial advice if you're connected to them in any way other than just being a patient. This forum, I thought, was for impartial advice.

Not trying to sound negative, but it is important to know that the band won't limit the amount of junk you stuff in your face if you're eating the wrong stuff...the band will have very little, if any, effect on liquids or food that quickly turns to liquid (ice cream, chocolate, etc.). The band will limit the amount of bulky, solid food that you can eat at a time, if you don't drink while you eat. The sooner you drink after eating, the shorter time you'll have the 'full' feeling, because what you're drinking will help wash the food out of the pouch and down into your stomach faster. Sorry if I seem pedantic, but I think it is important to look at all aspects of the life change that is required to be successful after banding.

I have the 10cc VG band, and had to 'arm-wrestle' my doctor to get my first fill...he said I was losing weight well enough that I didn't need the fill. I told him that I was losing weight mostly through self-control (had a bit of restriction early on), so he gave me 3 cc's. I feel like I have some restriction again, but I am really working on training myself to only have 4 - 6 oz. of food per meal...for me, at least, the mental part is just as important as the physical restriction.

My opinion - start now to focus on changing your eating habits. The band can help with controlling how much you eat, but it is relatively easy to circumvent it if you really want to do so...eating ice cream, drinking milk shakes or caloric soda, eating potato chips or other Snacks that essentially form a 'slurry' that goes through the stoma quickly... From my surgeon/nutritionist team, I'm told that the major cause for people to not lose the expected weight after band surgery is simply not following the eating/diet guidelines provided. For me, it is 3 meals/day, no snacking, and 4 - 6 oz. of food per meal. No high-calorie drinks (juice, soda, etc.), and no drinking right before, during, or right after a meal. For me, the band (so far) has required nearly as much mental focus as any other program I've been on...it would be easy for me to eat 8 small meals/day and drink plenty of calories...getting 3,000 calories/day can be done without too much effort, even after getting a band. So...I feel that the mental component is every bit as important as getting the band. The band helps, but if a person isn't willing to commit to following the rules, it may be disappointing.

Just for full disclosure, purposes, I have to ask - Mattintosh, are you in any way financially connected to Getbandednow? I've seen posts where you talk about what 'we' recommend to patients, so it seems that you're in the industry somehow, and you're frequently telling folks to got to getbandednow. So, because some are seeing a possible conflict of interest, can you let us know?

Sad part about Alli marketing...it only 'encapsulates' part of the fat you eat...so, if you're a carb addict like me, Alli would do very little for you. Just like every diet aid out there, including bariatric surgery, its more about changing your approach to food than the diet aid.

My surgeon/nutritionist team strongly recommends severely limiting alcohol intake. They've never said anything about irritating the stoma, but their biggest concern is the carbonation from beer causing stretching, and the 'empty' calories from any alcoholic drink. They say a very occasional drink isn't horrible, but they don't want me to get in the habit of drinking frequently. I try not to give people medical direction unless I'm relaying it from my surgeon/nutritionist, and I try to be careful to point that out. Not sure if Mattintosh is relaying policy from his surgeon or from the company he apparently works for (getbandednow.com)

The Isopure drinks are nice, because they aren't shakes...I don't really like drinking shakes all the time. Also, they're pretty low calorie, so I don't cross horns with my nutritionists, who say (like yours) not to drink my calories, since it goes right through the stoma and it is easier to go over your calorie limit.

The thumb rule I most often see for men is 12 x current weight = number of calories/day to maintain that weight. If you figure out your daily 'calories in - extra calories burned by exercise', and keep that about 500 calories below the calories to maintain, you'll lose a pound a week. Keeping it 1000 calories below will lose two pounds a week. I hit the treadmill every day, and have just recently gotten back to playing golf for the first time since surgery. If it is a nine-hole course, I walk it if they'll let me...not up to walking 18 yet.

My first master's degree is in network security policy and management. Here's a link to a site that talks about how Limewire hackers can get into your personal files: Limewire hackers One of the problems with these P2P clients is that they aren't very well tested, and hackers can frequently find vulnerabilities to exploit. Since products/websites like these make it easy for people to illegally share material, it is a haven for folks that like to embed trojan horse programs into downloads. Everyone complains about spam e-mails...did you know that most spam is sent from home computers that have been taken over as 'zombies'? Hackers plant remote control software on your machine, then sell the IP addresses of thousands or tens of thousands of machines to spammers, who use them to send out e-mails. P2P file-sharing sites are a popular way to get the remote control software onto your machine. Soulseek started out as a very small, tight-knit community that traded mostly electronica/trance music, which didn't have strong copyright enforcement. However, as other sites have gotten into trouble with the RIAA, more folks are migratingn to Soulseek, and its profile is getting more visible. These sites always try to include disclaimers that they "don't encourage the illegal trading of copyright material", but if enough of it goes on, the courts will shut them down. The music industry has filed suit against Limewire for copyright violations. The RIAA has also been known to go after individuals for downloading copyrighted material. So...use these sites at your own risk.

If you're talking post-op, I was on a 'full liquid' diet, and I ate fat-free/sugar free pudding, yogurt, sugar free jello, and chicken or beef broth.

For me - I don't focus on the band as what will make me lose weight. I'm focusing on changing my life, including my approach to food and exercise. My first fill is July 5th. Since I went on mush foods post-surgery, I've focused on only eating 4 - 5 oz. of food per meal, because of the commitment I made to myself by getting the surgery. Limiting myself now, I think, will make it easier to limit myself when I get restriction. I don't want to get restriction and suddenly have to make the mental change. The lapband almost works as a background reminder for me right now...I could go back to eating what I ate before surgery...2 or 3 meals worth of food at each meal, but I've made that commitment to myself, and the reality of my surgery helps mentally reinforce that commitment. I realize this doesn't work for everyone, just trying to describe my approach and how it is working for me. By all accounts, the time between surgery and restriction is tough - the folks here are very supportive, and can help. Good luck, and we're all pulling for you.

With me, it all depends on my exercise...if I allow myself to be 'too busy' to get on the treadmill, I notice my energy level dropping. Getting back into the routine picks it right back up.

I may be heading for that myself. The ultrasound prior to surgery showed that I had gallstones...guess that is fairly normal in overweight folks, especially if you have high cholesterol. One of the side effects of rapid weight loss is that it can also cause gall stones (sheesh!), so my surgeon let me know that in a few months, I may have similar pains as you did, and need my gall bladder removed.

I drink the Isopure Protein drinks as part of my daily Water requirement. Isagenix (mentioned in a post above) is sold as part of a Multi-Level-Marketing program, where you sign on as an associate to get a better price, then sell to friends and relatives and sign on other associates to get a % of what they sell, etc. Also, although they advertise that their fat burner product doesn't have added caffeine, it has green tea, which has caffeine... Just like so many unregulated diet supplements, it is hard to find any, and I mean any, independent studies that back their claims about the beneficial effects of their ingredients and, indeed, whether or not theirs any cleansing happening. the website Junk food Science has a blog entry on this: Junkfood Science: Can you really cleanse your way to better health? Because we're all wanting to lose weight and improve our health, it is easy to fall prey to pseudo-science and marketing...it is a multi-billion dollar industry, and the last thing they want is to have the FDA start treating them like real medicine. However, the FDA is starting to take notice...several of the more popular fat burners/diet aids companies were fined earlier this year for false advertising...

another critical reason for getting your protein: When you reduce your calories, your body will burn both fat and muscle to get the needed energy...muscle wastage is a bad thing, especially since your heart is a muscle... So...by adding Protein and exercising, you're building muscle instead. Again, my nutritionists recommended against use of the 'bulking' or 'weight gain' Protein shakes because they have high calories and don't stay in the pouch...being liquid, it runs right through into the stomach, and doesn't provide the 'full' feeling that solid food would.

Again, I'm not a nutritionist, but it looks like the GNC product you listed is NOT focused on weight gain, and is probably a reasonable Protein source. I found this on BodyBuildingForYou.com: "So What's The Big Difference Between Whey Protein Isolate and Concentrate? Most of the whey protein powders you find will contain mostly whey protein concentrate with some whey protein isolate mixed in. You'll also find a lot of pure whey protein concentrate, and some whey protein isolate. Comparing the two, whey protein isolate is more expensive than concentrate - because it's of higher quality(more pure), and have a higher biological value (BV). Whey protein isolate contains more protein with less fat and lactose per serving. Usually, isolate contains 90-98% protein while whey concentrate contains 70-85%. Whey protein isolate is the highest yield of protein currently available, and it comes from milk. Because of its chemical properties, whey protein is the easiest to absorb into your muscles. Obviously, with its high concentration, whey protein isolate 'would' be the best to use, but like all great things, there's always a downside. It's more expensive, and just because it's more pure, doesn't mean it'll give you more muscle and size. Its extra concentration may not justify the extra costs for you." So...my nutrionists strongly recommend whey isolate, but what I'm seeing is that there may not be that big a difference. Whey protein appears to be better than soy or collagenic for absorption.