Cocoabean

You know, HB, your story is too funny! Sorry, but it made me laugh. Take the discount next time. They offered it, you didn't ask for it! No harm, no foul! My hubby now qualifies for some senior discounts. ARGH! I feel so old. (He is 10 years older than I). My face deflated like a balloon with the weight loss. I used to love long, thin necks. Like whats-her-name in Pirates of the Caribbean. Now I look at pictures of myself and all is see is this skinny neck and wrinkles around the eyes! Then I try to think oh, I look just like the heroine in Pirates! HA! Yeah, right! 47 years old, I DON'T think so! But hey, I have a long, thin neck anyway!

Zen, here's hoping for a call-back! Nan, I was a central valley-ite for a while. Sacramento and Red Bluff (by Redding). I loved it up there! My job brought me down here. Love it here, too. Home is where you make it.

Oh my gosh, Diva, look at you!! The sleeve obviously agrees with you!! Wowser!

How did it go??? Nan, you joining us in San Diego??

Like the others have said, it depends on your insurance. My preauthorization included surgery and one year of follow-up care including fills. After the year when I call for a fill my surgeon submits another preauthorization request. That takes a few weeks, then his office gives me a call to schedule the fill. Give your insurance and surgeon a call to check. I honestly didn't think to ask the question ahead of time either. I was happy to hear that fills were covered!

I agree there are different kids of posts. I also agree with your last part that it is OK to not like the band. But I also take exception when someone who doesn't like their band and posts that they hate their band here, without any reason why, then gets upset with me when I ask questions about the circumstance of their statement. We should all be here to help each other. If someone just states, "I hate my band, it doesn't work." I assume they want help in figuring out why the band isn't working. So I look for more information about their situation. It is an open forum, and if all the person wants to post is, "I hate my band." Fine, venting is fine. But anger at me for wanting to help, not so fine. Cleo's Mom, I know you have issues with your band, you've also stated what those issues are. Same with Elfie. You two still try to help bandsters to be successful. Not to drag others down and say that's it, the band sucks for all. But to just state the band doesn't work for most people and state it over and over. Well, that doesn't add any help to the forum in my opinion.

Does your insurance cover a sleeve? Some don't. If they cover a band, they should cover a bypass. With a BMI of 67, you certainly can benefit from any of the procedures. I hope it all works out for you!

Thinking of you, Shammah! Karen, yay!! See, I mentioned you and Zumba, and you Zumba'ed back into the thread! Woot! I went shopping with a friend yesterday. Did you know I am a size 1? Ha! Chicos has a very odd form of sizing. But I got 4 new pair of pants and 3 sweaters. How fun! Got rid of 3 pair of pants in the closet. It is odd to be wearing clothes out rather than growing out of them! Found a great sale at Banana Republic, 40% off their clearance stuff. Got a pair of Cords for $9.00. Too bad I could not find more! Stacie---did the headaches coincide with the new BCPs? Migraines can be hormone related. I had a doctor take me off birth control pills completed trying to get my migraines under control. Turns out mine are not hormone related at all, but I am just curious about the timing of it for you. I was put on a medicine called Topamax in September 2009. It is an anti-seizure drug, but has worked miracles for my migraines. It is also one of the few preventive medicines that does not cause weight gain. I used to go through Imitrex (maximum of 9 per month) like it was candy, and when I took them they did not stop the migraine like the were supposed to. I'd run out about half-way through the month. Now one 9-pill bottle lasts me about 3 or 4 months. Ok, gotta get back to work!

Glad you told your family, but I am not sure I understand you post. Are you saying you don't know when you would start the different phases of your pre- and post-op diet? I don't know what dark liquids are, I have never heard that phrase before. Each surgeon seems to be different in what they require. They should provide you with that information. Do not rely on this forum for that. (Not that I think you are doing that). If you are unclear, call the office and get clarification. To anyone here, if your doctor is unwilling to clarifiy information for you, find a new doctor. Msthang, best wishes for you!!

Maybe somewhere in the middle? Two eggs and one slice of bacon? At least you could make a smiley face!

Hi Misty, welcome! That does indeed sound like restriction. Congrats! Go slow, you don't want to get stuck. My hubby and I struggle with menus, also. He is the cook, as he is retired and I am not. We do shake and bake chicken thighs. Pork chops (they go down fine, chicken breast does not--go figure). Salads. Steak (very small bites!). I am the non-fish eater in our house, and I've gotten dreadfully stuck on the fish I do like . With the meat we usually have a green veggie and some form of potato, of which I eat a little bit. We don't really do recipes, so I am not much help there, hopefully some of the other folk on here will have some good ideas we can both pick up on!

I just wanted my 1400th post to be on this thread! Yay for me! Now, back to your regularly scheduled posts.

Hey Melody, he knows what he likes! Does he have an Irish Setter?

Hi Jan, welcome! This thread is my favorite! Just join on in!

Bypass or band, tiny bites are a must. At least in my education classes it was "chew, chew, chew" for both procedures. The nutritionist said meat bites should be the size of a pencil eraser. Bypass patients' pouches do not grind, food bites must be small and well chewed or it goes no where. I asked about the size of your bites when you got Fluid removed wondering if perhaps there was a solution for why the band wasn't working for you. I am sorry the band was not what you expected. I do hope you are able to resolve the issue and find what you are looking for. Any of the current WLS procedures will involve changes to your eating habits. Bypass has dumping, you might not be able to eat that cheesecake without cramping and diarrhea. Sleeve has possible strictures and can stretch. Fortunately with the band, you are not happy with it, you can have it removed. The other two? Reversal cannot happen easily.

Some surgeons require you to lose prior to surgery to show commitment to the program. Sometimes it is the insurance company making the demand. My surgeon's rule was that once I began the two week preop diet, if I gained weight my surgery would be canceled. A weight gain would prove that I did not follow his orders.

Outside of your husband, you don't need to tell anyone about the surgery. It just isn't their concern. I don't see how you could hide it from him. Assuming you live together and share a bed. This maybe touted as a less-invasive surgery than bypass, but upon your release from the hospital, you will not be moving like you normally do. Are you planning to do this while he is away or you are on a trip? You'll have specific pre and post-op diet requirements. You'll have to explain those away somehow. What about as you get fills? If you get stuck on something, that is kind of hard to explain if your husband doesn't know you are banded. The port can be felt under the skin. That could be scary for someone who doesn't know it is there. Not to mention the fresh scars, although there is the single incision procedure now--if your surgeon does it.

Well done, Mattie!! Keep up the good work.

Hi Stephanie, welocme!! We had Karen on this thread who did Zumba, haven't seen her around in a while, but she loved it. Exercise is the word I most hate when it comes to weight management. 98 pounds is awesome! Keep up the good work!

Hi Swirl, Sorry you are having troubles. I just want to put in my two cents...FWIW. Before you had the unfill, were you taking very small bites? I know when my band is tight I need to take very small bites, or I'll get stuck. If I tried to take bites the size I ate pre-banding, I'd need an unfill. BUT, I have been overfilled, and gotten an unfill, that was a miserable time! ugh. Here is how the band works for me. Your mileage may vary: I still eat most of the foods I ate pre-banding. Portion control was my biggest issue. With the exception of chicken breast there are no foods that will give me constant problems. My portions are smaller now, but if I sat there long enough I could eat in the same quantities as before. But I take my "I am satisfied" signal as time to stop, and put my plate away. A meal with 2-3 oz of solid Protein will keep me satisfied for about 3 hours. Sometimes longer, especially if I am distracted. Without the constant hunger I had pre-banding, I don't have the compulsion to graze all day. If I choose to, I can snack on an entire bag of chips at my desk. They go down very well. So do milk shakes and most other highly processed foods. So, I make the choice not to eat those kinds of foods. I do not journal my foods. It was important to me that I not do that after my surgery. I wanted a "normal" life, whatever that may be. Just recently I downloaded an app to track a couple of days just to see where I am calorie-wise. I was shocked to see 1700 calories a day! That is where I need to be to maintain my weight, which is fine. I am happy with my weight now, but I thought I was eating around 1400. It was eye-opening to say the least. I do hope you will find what works for you! Best wishes to you!

Oh how well put!! I do use the word "restriction," but it is somewhat of a misnomer. Emma, I didn't start losing until about 5 months post-op and my fill level got to such that my appetite was truly under control. Try not to compare yourself to others, it just gets discouraging.

Hi TanksMama, Welcome to LapBandTalk! We are given the post-op diet by our doctors (whatever it may be) because it is what that particular surgeon has found to be best for the procedure/technique he uses. He feels it gives his patient the best chance for a good outcome. This is especially true for immediately post-op, but applies for the rest of our lives. The band is anchored down with a few stitches pulling the stomach over the band. The stomach grinds when solid food is eaten. The risk of those stitches pulling is high if they haven't healed and we eat solids too soon. That's why we are put on liquids even though we may be very hungry post-op. That said. You ate a big mac. Ok, I am assuming that since you posted here about it, that you are not in excurciating pain and are not vomiting. If your surgery was in the very recent past, please please get back on your post-op diet. If not, forgive yourself and move on. Signs of a slip are reflux and vomiting. Along with an inability to get foods down. It takes time for a slip to develop. Until you get your fills and find proper restriction, you will be able to eat in quantities similar to what you could eat prior to surgery. As you find restriction, that amount will reduce. But if you push it, you can increase your chances for a slip.

Find out what your surgeon's post-op requirements are. He might not allow you to ride a ride for 8 weeks. It also sounds as thought you are unsure of his post-op diet requirements. But note that just because you are allowed to return to solids on day one of your vacation does not mean you have to. You can stay on mushies until you are home and closer to your surgeon. As a note, I was on Clear liquids 3 days post-op, then full liquids until 1 week, then transitioned to solids as tolerated. I did not do a puree stage at all. A friend of mine was on Protein shakes for a month post-op. So don't assume anything with post-op orders that you see here. Each surgeon is different, each case is different. With all that said, if I could postpone it without risking the insurance approval, that is what I would do. Rather than have the stress of a complication disrupting my family vacation, I'd wait. But do consider the timing of the surgery, if it is very soon after the trip, you might be on a liquid diet with no band while on a family trip. That could be a drag, but not impossible. Best wishes for whatever decision you make!

Oh my goodness, I am so far behind! ((((BOBBIE!!!!)))) Good to see you girlie! Sorry about the poundage, that totally sux. I've read others here using prescription appetite suppressants with a band. The discussion always brings a debate of why get the band if you are going to take the pills, taking the pills don't help you create new habits, and so on so forth. My two cents...if they are safe for your body, and help you get through until you reach proper restriction, go for it. Crystl, what a drag about the break in! Counselor, with Crohn's, the gluten problem doesn't show as an allergy, right? It's all about the digestive system? Melody, gotta agree with Shammah, 1 pound a week is a good loss rate. I averaged 3/4 pound. Of course, I know why I lost so slowly (wispering, "lack of exercise"). Just keep slogging along and in a year you'll be down 50 more! Leigha, saw Bob's update on FB, he looks great! The skin removed, a bit gross. Elcee, was wonder about your BP cause mine was high before surgery, now is low-normal. Sometimes it drops unexpectedly--when I have been standing longish periods (like 30-40 minutes). I gray out and get sweaty, nauseous, and wobbly. I did a 24 hour Holter monitor, but not the BP monitor. Nothing happended during that time, of course. My primary care doctor says this is something he sees in his weight-loss patients (not only surgical). My band doc's nurse practitioner says it is not band related. I thought perhaps it was Vagus Nerve stuff. It's been a wild a wooly week here. Had three days of training at work. On the second day, our trainer's daughter delivered her baby, so our trainer abandoned us. We made do and got through it. Fortunately, she gave us warning that it could occur, so we had contingency plans. But it was three days of lunches out and one dinner out with a co-worker from out of town. I am NOT going near a scale for a few days! MIL had two doctors appointments this week. DH takes her, that always sends him into a funk. At this point there is not much doctors can do, but they won't come right out and say that. Plus she won't answer their questions honestly. Cardiologist asks yesterday if she gets winded easily. Oh no, she says. She can barely get from livingroom to the bathroom without stopping to catch her breath. DH corrected that fib. She's been told again and again to keep her legs elevated all the time to help drain the Fluid, she does it for 15 minutes and thinks she is doing great. Then she complains about her legs. They bother her the most, but she won't elevate them. Whatever!

Hi Everyone, My New Year's Resolution to not get stuck lasted 8 2/3 days. shake and bake chicken thighs and a salad did me in last night! It was a doozy, too. Elcee, what is your BP doing? Mine likes to drop unexpectedly. My doctor says he sees it in his weight-loss patients, not just surgical patients, but those who've lost significant amounts. I did the holter thing, but it would not drop. I seem to do it after standing for a prolonged period of time. Stacie, I had a headache all last week. I think it was sinuses. Yours sounds like sinus to me, based on the location. But mine will often start as sinus that triggers a migraine...just lovely! Anyway, not much new in my world. We are finally drying out here!