Cocoabean

Weight loss with the band is a slow jog, not a sprint. Especially while you are trying to find proper restriction. Some doctors will allow fills as close as two weeks--maybe less, some don't. It sounds as though yours might not. You could call in a couple weeks and tell your doc how you are doing, and ask if you can move the schedule up. The worst that can happen is you get told no. My surgeon liked to go at least a month between fills.

Congrats Sandman! Welcome to the losers' bench!

For me-- chicken breast and soft, doughy breads are off the menu. Dark meat chicken is fine. Hamburger must be eaten with great care. I am fine with spagetti Pasta, but lasagna or ravioli is questionable. It tends to remain in a glob going down no matter how much I chew it. Popcorn is no problem for me. Shrimp is fine, I got stuck on fish for the first time last week. Beef is fine if cut into small pieces and chewed well. Beef ribs can be a problem because the meat tends to come off the bone in big bites. I haven't had a problem with potatoes. As crzytchr said, it has a lot to do with how tight your band is. Also, most of my stuck episodes these days are pilot error. Too big a bite or not chewed enough, and I am in trouble. Paying attention to what you are doing while you are eating will help you to be a successful bandster.

I did medifast for my pre-op as I had it from a previous diet attempt. I have to say I am not a huge fan, but it got me through. Some of the Soups are OK, but very lacking in salt (I love salt!)--no big surprise there. The bars are not bad and at least let you chew. The shakes I had to just slam down. I survived it, and made it to my surgery. I lost 8 lbs in the two weeks of my pre-op. The medifast program allows for one "lean and green" meal each day. So I got to include some real foods each day, that was nice!

Right! It's all about MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!! :wink2::redface::w00t::redface::thumbup: (now quietly heading out of the thread--for now)

(Wondering if the OP thought such a simple post would create this may replies.) :thumbup:

10 days post-op. Hadn't had "real food" since probably 2 weeks before, so that is what? 24 days without "real food" and someone brings a trigger food into the house? Trying to heal, starving, and possibly cranky. Yeah, I'd not want my trigger foods in the house, IF it could easily be avoided. If not, then I'd have to find a way to deal with it. I do realize that our family members must eat. I respect them, but they need to respect me as well. During the immediate post-op phase, perhaps some special care is needed to help us get through. Yes, I'd want to vent also. I believe this is the place to do it. Along with speaking to the husband about it. My husband drives a manual transmission. I drive an automatic. If he broke his foot, I would drive his vehicle for a while so he could use mine. I'd not say, oh, too bad for you, I like my car so I will be driving it...you figure out how you are getting around. Last time I checked, we were a team who helped eachother out. My two cents. Feelings are neither good or bad, they just are.

Hi Desertmom, I found this: What side effects do users of Meridia report? The more common side effects may include: Abdominal pain, acid indigestion, anxiety, back pain, constipation, cough increase, depression, dizziness, dry mouth, flu symptoms, headache, increased appetite, insomnia, joint pain, loss of appetite, loss of strength, nasal inflammation, nausea, nervousness, painful menstruation, rash, sinus inflammation, stomach ache and sore throat. So if you are having reflux/gastritis problems because of the band, it looks as though Meridia might not be a good choice until after your revision. I am sorry the band did not work out well for you. It doesn't work for everyone. :thumbup: Best wishes for a full recovery!!

First off, punch him in the nose! :confused: Then lick his fingers! Really though, if solids aren't in your food plan yet, you shouldn't eat them. chicken can be a hard food to eat with a band, and getting stuck so soon after surgery ..... I could not imagine the pain. Yikes!

From what I have read here, most surgeons don't do a fill when inserting the band. But there are some surgeons that do put some in during the procedure. My surgeon did not put any fill in my band during the surgery.

As Humingbird said, appeal it if you get turned down the first time. Many, many of us have appealed and won! Don't give up hope. My own opinion is that the insurance companies find any way they can to turn us down in hopes we'll give up and go away. If you can make a good argument on appeal you can win. In the mean time, keep getting your ducks in a row with other requirements they might have like nutritionist visits, psych evals, blood work and the like. Best wishes! I did!

Yay!!! Thanks for the update, glad the unfill worked!

I have BCBS California HMO or whatever it is called. I appealed the 6 month diet requirement by using weight watchers records. They accepted it for that. I don't see why they would not accept it as proof of weight. Here in California weight watchers scales are certified by the state weights and measures board of equalization. So, even more accurate than a doctor's scale. I'd submit it! Best wishes!

Gack!! That is just a huge scary thought!! :biggrin:

Well done!! Keep up the good work!!

I was the second case of the day. My doctor said if I was doing well he would release me that day, but that I might spend the night. He did say if my surgery had been later in the day I would have spent the night. I checked in a 6:30am. I went home around 5pm. I believe that out-patient is considered anything less than 24 hours. The only problem I had with going home was when I woke up in the middle of the first night and the pain meds had worn off. I could not sit up on my own! Was very glad DH was there to help me up and get me more meds. Otherwise I was very happy to be home.

I have seen it with some people on other boards. Not will all the posters, just some. So many say, "Oh the after care with the band is horrible!! All those doctor visits..it is never ending. DON'T DO IT!" Oh, really??? I've had 4 fills in two years. Yeah, horrible. Way too many doctor's visits.

Hello All, Today is my Two Year Bandiversary! I am down a total of 63 pounds from my all time high. I am 5 pounds away from a normal BMI (149). My weight has been stable for several months. I feel so good where I am that I haven't been strongly motivated to lose the rest of what I need to in order to get to my orginally selected goal of 140. I am maintaining my current weight with ease. I eat to my appetite level and concentrate on making good choices and not eating junk. I am hopeful that this means I will not easily gain the weight back. I am more active than I was two years ago because being more active is easier than it was. How nice is that? I've lost weight, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol. I've gained size 10 clothes, self-esteem, and self-confidence. I'm not the largest person in the crowd. I don't feel as though people are looking at my plate and judging what I am eating. I've had no complications. I hope to keep it that way. Best wishes to all as we journey on to healthier selves!!

I'd suggest bringing something for back support. Remember posture! I recall just getting exhausted trying to stay comfortable sitting in my chair. Then I'd start to slump, and that would increase the pain. Get up and move around as often as you can. Even if just walking for 5 minutes. Keep your Water close at hand and sip, sip, sip. As others have said, you will not be taking in many calories, so your energy level will be low--from that and from the trauma of the surgery itself. I will say that it is amazing what you can do when you have to do it.

I have a desk job. I had my surgery on a Friday, there is no way I could have returned to work on Monday. I went back to work the second week, but wished I had not. I did half time that week. I came down with a cold during the first week post-op and that really took a toll on me. Perhaps if that had not happened I would have been fine returning the second week. Others on this site have returned within a few days. Everyone is different, but you should have a back-up plan in case you cannot return as soon as you are hoping.

My opinion, time to kick the old doc to the curb. I have called my surgeon with troubles twice. Each time he called me back within 20 minutes. I will admit both times I called during normal office hours, but still, when you are having problems...you need to know the doc is going to get back with you. If you cancel the appointment, tell them why. They need the feedback! Besh wishes!

Hey Ayana, I didn't mean exercise from a move the body standpoint (even if I did misspell it-sheesh! I always think there is a 'z' in that word!) but from the standpoint of using more will power over your portions. If your band is looser to allow rice and bread to go down, larger portions of other things will go down as well. Now exercise from a move the body standpoint can counteract that as well. With the band YOU are in the pilot's seat. YOU have say over how tight or loose you want the band. YOU choose to eat healthful foods or slider foods that go right down leaving you hungry for more. YOU put the food on your plate, and ultimately into your mouth. YOU move your body out the front door to take a walk or go to the gym.

I think it is very rare to convert to an open procedure. I've read of surgeries not being completed. I've not read of one being done open. The best thing you can do for yourself is to stick to your pre-op diet. Even if you don't lose the number of pounds expected, having stuck to it, you will know you did your best for your body. The recovery for an open surgery would be in the 6-8 weeks range. I don't think you'd be allowed to return to work in a week if that were to happen. I think the incision is along the entire abdomen from North to South.

The band is definitely NOT fast weight loss like a bypass patient. And the time before good restriction is reached, yes, it is willpower that gets us through. I don't know about you all, but my willpower sucks, thus I needed WLS. Don't beat yourselves up if you are not losing at a pace you feel you should be if you are not at restriction yet. Reading the posts on this thread, I am seeing an average of about a pound a week for many of the posters. Band patients with good restriction can expect 1-2 pounds lost per week. So you are doing great. Yes, when you have restriction it will get easier, but not necessarily faster. I did not feel good restriction until my third fill, and that one put me over the top and I needed some taken out. Patience! You'll get there. :smile:

Hi again, I am not sure I really follow your question. 27% full? The actual amount in your band really has nothing to do with it. Some people with a 10cc band will feel restriction at 2cc some at 8cc. It depends on the individual's anatomy. It is a team effort between patient and doctor to find the proper amount of fill to provide the restriction that is acceptable to the patient. There is no magic number. Some people like their bands tight, some loose. I prefer mine fairly loose. If you want to be able to eat rice and you get a fill that will not allow these foods to go down, you can get a slight unfill. The issue with having a looser band is that you will need to exercise more control over your food choices and quantities. So you need to decide if you can do that in order to have these foods in your daily meals. I honestly cannot tell you what my fill amount is. It is somewhere around 5cc, but I lost count long ago. I have a 10cc band, so I guess you could say I am 50% filled, but that is not what I care about. What I care about is that I am able to eat a wide variety of foods, I am able to eat small portions, and I feel satisfied between meals for 3-4 hours. I hope this helps.