MuffinBirdie

Well I FINALLY figured out why my appetite was so incredibly out of control following the band revision surgery I just had. Since there was no fill in the band I wasn't ever feeling satisfied from ANYTHING and my head hunger was the worse I can ever remember having! I was actually worred I might GAIN weight because I was constantly drinking SlimFast, Boost, having Soup, a fudge bar or this or that. Nothing made me feel satisfied even a little bit. So anywho - I finally figure it out! Slimfast & Boost both have a lot of sugar in them and the Soups I was drinking had high fructose corn syrup. Well, I cut out all the sugar & corn syrup in my diet and I am doing WONDERFUL. I got a diabetic version of a Slimfast type drink that has no sugar in it at all (for breakfast) and made myself some homemade egg drop soup (50% less sodium then buying it and no corn starch added) along with some sugar free ice cream, sugar free fudge bars and carb control yogurt. Well, I am sooo full now and I have NO cravings. I am SHOCKED, I mean SHOCKED at how big of a difference there has been literally over night by cutting out the sugar and corn syrup. Just thought I'd throw that out there for any of you who are having insane cravings like I was. I felt like I was trying to break a horrible addiction or something!

Thanks! You're doing extremely well too!

The reason I wouldn't use cow milk (fat free or otherwise) is because it has a lot more sugar in it then soy milk. Plus, soy milk has a lot of Protein in it (which helps against hunger) and is all around better for you than cow's milk (though I agree cow's milk taste is better). The biggest difference is you need to add a couple of packets of Splenda to the pudding because soy milk is not as sweet as cow milk. Other than that, I don't think its a major taste difference, minor yes, but its still good tasting. Make sure to get plain soy milk, not flavored.

I have heard that some people keep a "vomit suppresent" (if that's what its called) on hand to keep that from happening. I had a band slippage that I think was caused from a long intense sickness that caused a TON of vomiting and extremely bad coughing. But it lasted a long time and I don't know of anyone else whose dealt with that much coughing and vomiting - so my guess is you wouldn't have to worry about it. A relative of mine also has the band and she's had your typical illnesses, flu, cold, etc and has never had a slippage because of that. Mae

I did! They'e right above your post. Oh, one more thing about using light soy milk for sugar free pudding - you'll want to add a couple of packets of Splenda to make it sweet enough otherwise its not very sweet tasting. Mae

Thank you! Here are the recipes: Egg Drop Soup - 4 Cups, 160 calories total 2 - 14oz cans low sodium chicken broth 1 - tablespoon rice vinegar 2 - teaspoons soy sauce 4 - egg whites 1 - tablespoon *optional* flour for thickener (or even better buy soup thickener) 1 - tablespoon *optional* ginger I also add a few green onion chunks for flavor, but remove them after cooking since I can't have solids right now. Bring all ingredients on the stove to boil except eggs - once boiling drizzle in egg whites. **************************** Creamed Soup - 3 Cups, 280 Calories total 1 - heaping tablespoon "I can't believe its not butter - LIGHT" 1 - cup Water 1 - tablespoon parsley 1.5 - cups light Soy milk (plain flavor) 1/8 - cup Potato buds 1 - Teaspoon *optional* onion powder 1/2 - teaspoon *optional* dill weed 2 or 3 - tablespoons *optional* flour for thickener or use soup thickener above 1 - teaspoon *optional* flavored base or buillion cubes, I prefer veggie base Bring melted butter, water, dill weed, onion, parsley, flavored base and soy milk to boil. Slowly mix in flour for thickener and simmer (stir the flour in a little cup of water prior to adding to soup to keep there from being lumps). Mix up runny Potato buds seperatly in HOT water and let sit for a couple of minutes so they absorb all the water, they should be runny. Add Potato Buds to soup last and mix well. **************************** Both of those soups reheat REALLY well so I make a huge batch and then just pull it out of the frig later. I use light Soy milk instead of milk for the pudding too, since Soy milk has HALF the sugar of regular milk and has a lot of Protein. Good luck! Mae

Since I've been following this liquid diet with no sugar or corn syrup the weight is FALLING off. I am having a lower body lift Sept 8th and the lower my weight, the better the end result (I can gain back to an easy to maintain weight afterwards). So I'm thinking, with the weight coming off so easily that I will try to lose down to 120-115 pounds for the LBL because then they can make the skin even tighter - this will be especially helpful for my thighs. Chances of me eating everything on the list below in a single day is rare, so I'm getting only about 500 calories per day and I'm not hungry at all OR craving any food (its actually weird to feel satisfied from so little). I am just so tickled with this. So here it what I've been eating and the calories (total) in each:<O:p <O:p Calories - Item<O:p</O:p 125 - chocolate sugar free Choice Drink (only 100c in vanilla and strawberry)<O:p</O:p 280 - Creamed Soup, three cups (just 280c in ALL three cups!)<O:p</O:p 160 - Egg drop soup, four cups & four eggs (no yokes)<O:p</O:p 100 - 1/2 cup Ice cream, sugar free (chocolate/peanut butter - yum!)<O:p</O:p 90 - Sugar free HUGE fudgecicle (carb control, not just "no sugar added")<O:p</O:p 80 - 1/2 cup Butterscotch sugar free pudding with light soy milk<O:p</O:p 60 - 1 Carb control yogurt<O:p</O:p If I somehow managed to eat ALL of this in a single day its still just 895 calories total. There is just no way I could eat all seven cups of soup! And that is without any restriction right now. <O:p</O:p I make the Soups myself (super easy) so that I have control over the amount of sodium and other ingredients in them. For instance, I use just one heaping tablespoon of "I can't believe its not butter Light" for the creamed soup and low sodium broth for the egg drop soup. There is a lot of sodium in this diet so I'm drinking extra Water. I find it easiest to get the extra water down by using Crystal Light "On the Go" packets. Only 5 calories per 16.9 ounces - you use them in a bottle of water which is what makes them so easy. <O:p</O:p So even if you're not currently post-op (or if you are and have reached a plateau) you could try this for a week and see a bunch of weight just drop off - plus you can have Desserts (which makes a huge difference for me personally). It’s obviously not something a person could do for a really long time (by the way, I’m taking liquid Vitamin supplements every day) but it seems to be excellent with getting weight off quickly. I am already down to 130 pounds which is nearly 5 pounds falling off in just a few days. Hope this helps somebody. Mae

I have a family member in MI who needs fills - how much is a fill and does it include floroscopy? Thanks!

Congratulations!!

A revision is necessary if the band slips. I was violently ill with much vomitting and hard coughing for a week and I think that is what caused my band to slip.

As I said at the beginning, I have no fill - when there is no fill in the band its almost like not having it. Especially if you have the larger Lap Band, as I do. The fills are what make the band work. Plus, if you're not eating solids, even a band with fill won't keep you full for too long.

I did hear from Dr Miranda today and she said I could start eating yogurt today and shakes on Thursday. Hurray!

Hello All, Well I had my revision on Thursday with Dr Ortiz and his staff. I must say I was totally blown away by he and all his staff. They were exceptional. As long as you know nothing will happen on time you will be extremely happy if you should go with them. The facilities are very clean and everyone was very knowledgable. I am glad I went to him. The surgery itself went very well. Revision surgeries take longer since they have to remove any scar tissue and the old band. But I now have an entirely new band - the LapBand and the port is now in my side instead of on my sternum. I don't have any fill yet and the doctor will not give me a fill for eight weeks since a revision causes a significant amount of trauma to the stomach. He doesn't want to traumatize the stomach any further until it has had plenty of time to heal. Getting a fill too soon my cause another slippage and he said he doesn't like replacing them a third time so I need to take care! I don't plan on doing this again so I'll follow his rules! They didn't start me out with any fill in my band (like they normally do) so unfortunately all the liquids I'm drinking now are going RIGHT THROUGH ME and I'm starving every hour which is a pain but well worth the trouble of having a properly fitted band. I haven't suffered any acid reflux since the surgery so I take that as a very good sign! I am sore but the majority of my pain is in my shoulders from the gas they used for the surgery. Getting up and down are pretty painful though. But just sitting doesn't hardly hurt at all. I find this surgery was more painful than my first band surgery. Question for those of you recently banded: Do any of you remember if Swiss Miss chocolate mix (that you mix with water) is allowed the first few days? I had some today (my third day) and I am wondering if that's alright. My first band doctor said it was and I can't get a hold of the nutritionist until Monday, so I thought I'd see what you all have to say here. So some additional news I'm very excited about... I'm getting a lower body lift this September 8th by Dr Quiros! It is only $5700 which is far less than I had anticipated - because I don't have nearly as much skin as some do, so prices vary from person to person. I am beyond excited to finally be getting some plastic surgery. I won't wear shorts because my legs sag and I have no butt and my belly looks like an 80 year old's! This is a major step for me in my "final transformation." I know it'll leave a scar, but a scar is WAY better then hanging skin - even though its not that much skin. I asked Dr Ortiz if it was okay to get plastic surgery so soon and he said it shouldn't be any problem. So yippee!!!! I am so excited. Next I'm getting an arm lift (saggy arms run in my family) and a boob job!! I'm so excited! You can see Dr Quiros' website at http://www.cosmedclinic.com/ I hope you are all doing well! Mae

Hi All, Well there is definately a difference between my first band surgery and my revision. There is no fill in the band at all and I am STARVING. I've been on Clear liquids up until I had some tomato Soup this evening (same consistency at Slim Fast) and that finally took away the terrible hunger pains I was having. I mean, it was actual PAIN. And it's only been four days since the surgery. I am surprised I am so hungry even though I don't have any fill. Anyone else here had a revision have the same experience? The doctor did mention to me I didn't have to be on the clear liquid phase for as long as normal because I would be hungrier, but this is bad! Hopefully when I add yogurt to my diet tomorrow that will help some. Any thoughts? Mae

Well, I'm not getting it at the same time as the lower body lift - though that's not a bad idea! But my nose is wider and rounder then I'd like and I feel it gives me a girly, rather then womanly, look. So I want a narrower nose too. It was cute when I was a kid ... but I'm ready to go a little beyond cute! Mae

My new band is the large Lap Band, my old band was a small Austrian band my previous surgeon had made specifically for him. So I guess I shouldn't be so shocked about the difference in appetite. Now that I've allowed myself something with some substance (tomato soup) I am feeling SOOOO much better. Tomorrow my diet will consist mostly of SlimFast and/or Boost and yogurt so I should be in a MUCH better place tomorrow. Yogurt never sounded so goooood. Thanks all!!! Mae I'm craving a Wetzel's Grateful Garlic Pretzel like there is no tomorrow.......... hehehe

I'm having the same procedure Sept 8th, who is your surgeon? I will be very interested to hear how it goes for you and what it feels like post op. Good luck! Mae

TJ, Mexico is only a three hour drive for me since I live in Long Beach so luckily its not that far away. The consult was fine, I told the doctor I pretty much want everything done (lower body lift, breast lift & augmentation, arm lift, nose job) and he asked what area I hate the absolute most and that's the area we'd start with. My belly and hips are the worse. While they are acceptable by an older woman's standard, I do not accept them being only 26 years old. Dr Ortiz's staff is who referred me to Dr Quiros. He and Dr Ortiz are friends and just around the corner from each other. His office was imaculate and the before/after pictures (which there where more in his office then any other PS place I've been to) were fabulous. His patient's in the waiting room just loved him (which says a whole lot) and his staff was very friendly. The PS will not interfere with the band/port at all. Dr Quiros works on lots of lap band patients. I have to go back 10 days later so if you were flying in from somplace you'd want to be there about 11 or 15 days altogether.

I was 250 when I started. Before my band slipped and they took a bunch of fill out I got down to 125. I gained back 13 pounds but I expect to see those slip off during my month on liquids and shouldn't have to worry about putting them back on since I'll be restricted again this fall. I will most definately post pictures of my new body after the plastic surgery! Mae

No, it was a discounted price luckily. I am so thankful for that because it would have been a major undertaking for me to take on ANOTHER band loan. I just paid off the first one last year! Plus, it would have meant I couldn't get the plastic surgery. Mae

I actually preferred the sternum location, but maybe my mind will change once things have healed from this surgery more.

Acid reflux, especially when you lay down is one of the biggest symptons of being over restricted. Also, if you cannot eat ANY meats, even when you chew them extremely well, often times that can indicate being over filled.

Hello All, I'm sorry I've not been too active on the board. It is true that after you've lost all your weight, you suddenly have much less free time. This is a good thing I think. Anyway, my revision surgery is Thursday with Dr Ortiz in TJ Mexico. I leave Wednesday morning at 6am (yikes) for pre-op. I am so glad to be getting it done. This last month I've been surprised at how much I've suffered with "last meal" syndrome. Things like fried pickles (my FAVORITE) I have a difficult time eating once I'm fully restricted, so I totally pigged out this last month. I've enjoyed the food, but I will enjoy having my 123lb body back much more. Its amazing how much more ten pounds does when you're at this weight. I figure the ten pound will easily come off during the month on liquids. I went and bought a huge variety of liguid foods today so I'll have all sorts of things to choose from - which is VERY important. Liquids get old fast as it is - if you only have Slim Fast it'll get old even faster. Mae

It is most likley because you are swallowing more air now than you were prior to being banded. Pay special attention when you chew and swallow - you will find its hard not to swallow air when you are swallowing such tiny amounts of food. That might be the issue.

Are you taking any sort of fiber supplement - or where you when you were on liquids? Going from liquids to solids will often cause that kind of disruption in the intestine. Especially if you weren't taking a fiber supplement.