MerryHearted

I chose the band because there was no slicing & dicing of internal organs, it's adjustable, reversible, and much safer. Plus the data that shows that band patients lose just as much as bypass patients if you look 2-3 yrs out. I've heard so many horror stories of RNY gone bad that there's no way I would have chosen that route -- at least, not at the weight I was when I chose the lapband. If anything would have gone wrong, I knew I would not have been able to forgive myself for putting my husband and toddler daughter through it. Most docs won't fill for at least 6 weeks after surgery -- our bodies need time to heal. But every doc is different. I think weight loss during the first few months is typically much less than after you get to your sweet spot on fills which might take awhile. I'm almost a month out and haven't lost much. (most of my loss on my ticker was pre-surgery). Although I have seen that some people have had a big loss during the liquid phase. I sure didn't. Go to tickerfactory.com and walk through the steps, then copy the code from the first section into your signature box (use the "User CP" in the upper right to get to the signature area). I'm sure there are detailed directions somewhere around here on the board. Congrats on getting banded!

Praying for you here too -- let us know how you are doing.

What I want to know is -- does the liquid poop stage ever end? Seriously, it's a looooong walk from my office to the bathroom at work, and sometimes I barely make it. Then the blatting as it all comes out is horrific, you know how acoustics are in big tiled bathrooms. I wonder if half the building can hear it. Really -- someone tell me that once I'm fully switched to solids that the liquid poop stage will end... a little gas I can handle, esp burping, but this?!!!

Congrats Michelle!! Bet you are so excited now. Nov 8th will be here before you know it.

A heating pad can be wonderfully soothing -- I got one that auto-shuts off after an hour and keep it on low. For some reason I get really cold at night if I don't eat much during the day. The heating pad really helps with being able to sleep.

I agree -- try Soups and casserole type dishes that are soft. I found that a couple ounces of baked chicken breast, cut into very tiny pieces and then simmered in gravy worked well too. Super soft and moist. My husband made a nice, squishy meatloaf the other night (used 2/3 ground turkey, 1/3 ground beef). I put a slice in a bowl with a little Water and nuked it and mushed it up -- looked an awful lot like canned cat food, but it was delish. I'm just a couple days behind you... we can get through this!

I have PCOS too and I was cautioned that it *might* help with the PCOS symptoms but might not. However, I'm going to work this band for all its worth as regular dieting just has not worked for me -- I always gain the weight back and then some. If I were in your shoes I'd strongly consider the band. (of course, since I went ahead and got mine. ) I have not lost a lot of weight since surgery -- most of that 30 lbs was lost pre-op. But then I'm only 3 weeks out and just getting going with exercise. You might also try joining "SmartBandsters" Yahoo group and asking on there if anyone with PCOS has lost a lot of weight with the band.

I have the old Sweatin to the Oldies videos, which I really like. But they get old after doing them a gazillion times. Has anyone gotten any of his newer stuff and is it as fun as the old ones? I mean the "60's Blast-Off", "80's Blast-Off", "Latin Blast-Off", etc. Just curious before I go blow a bunch of money on new DVDs.

Here is a post from a Yahoo group, I hope it helps. Basically, the surgery itself is probably the cause, and yes, it takes a few months past the surgery before you actually see the hair fall out because of how your hair cycle works. You're saying 6 months instead of two to four, but every person's body is different. ------------------------------------ Telogen Effluvium ? What Is It? ? Symptoms ? Diagnosis ? Expected Duration ? Prevention ? Treatment ? When To Call A Professional ? Prognosis ? Additional Info What Is It? At any given time, about 85% to 90% of the hairs on the average person's head are actively growing (the anagen phase) and the others are resting (the telogen phase). Typically, a hair is in the anagen phase for two to four years, then enters the telogen phase, rests for about two to four months, and then falls out and is replaced by a new, growing hair. The average person naturally loses about 100 hairs a day. In a person with telogen effluvium, some body change or shock pushes more hairs into the telogen phase. Typically in this condition, about 30% of the hairs stop growing and go into the resting phase before falling out. So if you have telogen effluvium, you may lose an average of 300 hairs a day instead of 100. Telogen effluvium can be triggered by a number of different events, including: * Surgery * Major physical trauma * Major psychological stress * High fever or severe infection * Extreme weight loss * Extreme change in diet * Abrupt hormonal changes, including those associated with childbirth and menopause * Iron deficiency * Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism * A new medication Because hairs that enter the telogen phase rest in place for two to four months before falling out, you may not notice any hair loss until two to four months after the event that caused the problem. Telogen effluvium rarely lasts longer than six months, although some cases last longer. Although losing a great number of hairs within a short time can be frightening, the condition is usually temporary. Each hair that is pushed prematurely into the telogen phase is replaced by a new, growing hair, so there is no danger of complete baldness. Because hair on the scalp grows slowly, your hair may feel or look thinner than usual for a time, but fullness will return as the new hairs grow in. Symptoms If you have telogen effluvium, you'll notice more hair than usual accumulating on your pillowcase, on the shower or bathroom floor and in your hairbrush. Your scalp hair may feel or look less dense than usual. Often, though, the hair loss is subtle, and other people may not notice anything different about your hair. Diagnosis Most cases of telogen effluvium can be diagnosed based on medical history and an examination of the scalp and hair. If the hair loss has been occurring for several months, there may be visible thinning Patches, but often the hair loss is not dramatic enough for a doctor to notice. If you have large bald patches, you probably don't have telogen effluvium. If the doctor gently tugs on some hairs on your scalp and four or more hairs come out, you probably have telogen effluvium. Also, the hairs will look like hairs in the telogen phase - they will have a white bulb at the end that was in the scalp, and will not have a gel-like covering around that end of the hair. You may be asked to gather all hairs that fall out of your head over a 24-hour period, and count them to see if the hair loss is truly excessive. Losing fewer than 100 hairs in a day is considered normal. You also may be asked to gather and count lost hairs every one or two weeks to see when the shedding starts to decline. In some rare cases, if there is reason to doubt the diagnosis, a biopsy of the scalp may be done. In this procedure, a small piece of the scalp that includes several hair follicles is removed and examined under a microscope. Your doctor also may do blood tests to check for conditions such as thyroid abnormalities that may be contributing to hair loss. Expected Duration Typically, hair loss begins two to four months after the event that triggered the problem, and lasts approximately six months. New hairs begin growing immediately after the hair falls out, but significant growth may not be noticed for several months. Prevention Nothing can be done to prevent most of the types of physical shock that can start telogen effluvium. Some cases may be caused by a poor diet, and these might be prevented by eating a balanced diet that provides enough Protein, iron and other nutrients. Treatment No treatment for active telogen effluvium has been proven effective. Some causes of the disorder can be corrected. For example, if you have a poor diet, consult a dietitian to help you balance it. If the hair loss began after you started a new medication, talk to your doctor to see if the medication should be discontinued. Many times, however, the cause is a specific event in the past, and you can expect that the hair will grow back. In cases where hair growth has not returned to a satisfactory level, your doctor may prescribe minoxidil (Rogaine), a lotion applied to the scalp that stimulates hair growth in some people. When To Call A Professional See your doctor if you experience excessive hair loss or obvious thinning patches on your scalp. Prognosis The outlook for telogen effluvium is very good. Most cases run their course within six to nine months, and the hair usually grows back. In some cases, the disorder may last longer. In other cases, not all hairs grow back. Additional Info American Academy of Dermatology http://www.aad.org/ Last updated July 14, 2005

If you have tried a series of diets and never managed to keep the weight off, then the band is probably right for you. Let's see: 1) You didn't mention your height, but unless you're quite tall then 252 probably qualifies. It's based on BMI, plug your height and weight into a BMI calculator and see where you're at. If it's 40 or above, you qualify straight up, 35+ with co-morbidities you also qualify. If your BMI is below 35 and you are here in the US, you may have trouble finding a doc to band you. I hear you can do it in Mexico though. 2) The problem with "going natural" is that most people can't stick with a diet long term. They end up going off the diet, going back to bad eating habits, and regain all their lost weight + some more. While there are ways to get around the band (liquid calories like milkshakes), in general the band will help you not eat too much so even if you stop following the bandster rules (like "protein first, then veggies") you will likely not regain all your lost weight because the restriction is still there. If you get cravings for junk food like chips you can't eat the whole bag. The band dampens that hungry feeling. 3) There are many people who do simply eat "normally" but in smaller portions and lose great amounts of weight without doing the "protein first" thing. It's just a good idea to pay attention to Protein because you don't want to lose muscle mass, you want to lose fat. So it's not a "diet" per say, it's following some basic rules to make the band work best for your weight loss and overall health. Does that make sense? 4) Yes the band is meant to be permanent. If you take it out, you'll likely regain all your lost weight. 5) From what I understand, once you're at goal you need to adjust the band far less often, but you may need to occasionally. It's really important to have aftercare available -- pick a doctor nearby who offers great support and aftercare. Without aftercare the band isn't nearly as effective. If you do go with Mexico, make sure you can afford to fly back there regularly and/or have a local doc willing to take care of the support & fills. From what I understand, a lot of band docs in the US don't like taking on bandsters done in Mexico for the aftercare, so ask first before you get banded. 6) I've only been banded for a couple weeks and I don't feel the band or the port, although the port area was quite sore after surgery. I can feel the port under my skin if I put my fingers on that area but it doesn't hurt anymore. And I notice the band when I eat -- the sensation is up between your breasts. But you don't "feel" the band sitting there on your upper stomach. 7) How many fills varies per person, and it's not really the number of fills as each fill will not be the same size. Depends on your fill doc, the restriction or lack of it that you already have, etc. The "maximum" is only that once the band is completely full you can't really add more. But it's rare to have it completely filled and not have the restriction you need. 8) I don't know of other good alternatives because dieting never worked for me -- I always regained my weight and could never stay consistent with exercise, particularly at my higher weights. There is the RNY but that's quite invasive and I wouldn't personally choose it or recommend it. Good luck deciding! Have you gone to a lap band seminar given by a local doc? That's a great place to ask questions and get info and a lot of docs require it before allowing you to make an office appt anyway.

So it's NOT just me.... whew!

I did research on my own like you are doing now, and I also asked my gen. physician if he had any other patients who had been banded and whether it was successful. He pointed me to NWWLS (I'm in WA) which is the one I had already picked from my own research, so I proceeded from there. I was back at my general docs office last week for my husband's physical, and while he was being weighed I noticed an ad for NWWLS hanging right by the scale. LOL So yep, definitely ask your primary care doc. Even if he has no recommendations, you'll be able to gauge whether he's supportive or not. Even though your aftercare for the fills and whatnot will likely be through your lapband surgeon's office, your gen doc will probably be doing care for most of your co-morbidities if you have any, and it's good to have someone supportive as your body size and medical conditions change.

Wow, that's bad. They don't let you book the surgery and then have three sessions with a trainer while you are waiting? Or you'd think they'd make you schedule the trainer for a few weeks after surgery so you could get jumpstarted on exercise post-banding. I wasn't able to do much those first couple weeks anyway. Does it have to be the trainer they pick? $400 is excessive for three sessions. Shop around if you are allowed to!

Good luck Vanesa! No worries, it'll go great. I too left the hospital a couple hours after surgery. That's standard procedure with my doc unless something goes wrong. So you definitely need to call your docs office and find out whether someone needs to drive you home right after surgery or if you'll be there overnight. If you are nauseous when you wake up after surgery they will give you some anti-nausea medication and you'll feel better. Mostly you'll have gas and port pain for the first week or so. Chewable extra-strength Gas-X and whatever pain meds they want you on will help with both. And feel free to come here and vent about your gas or port pain if you want -- you'll get lots of support & encouragement from everyone who's been through it.

I just got banded two weeks ago and the gas was the worst the first couple weeks. It's getting much better now! I chewed as much Gas-X as the package said I could, it really helped a lot.

How much Protein are you eating every day? Have less protein for one meal and have some cream Soup like tomato, potato, or whatever. Those run right through the band, so they shouldn't contribute to "pouch fullness". Or if you are on mushies now, have some overcooked vegetables or veggie soup. Cook and mash up some carrots or a yam. For dinner tonight I had a couple small swedish meatballs (about 2-3 oz of meat total), a few bites of overcooked brown rice with watered down gravy (so it was soupy), and about a cup of overcooked broccoli. To me that's a reasonably balanced meal, esp considering the limitation of being on mushies. Last night I had the same thing only cauliflower instead of broccoli. I chop off all the stems and cook the florets until they are super soft. I dropped into ketosis more during my fluids stage and preop because I was doing Protein drinks, but now that I'm on mushies it's not as bad.

There are strips you can pee on that will show you -- ask at your local pharmacy. I am thinking of getting some myself...

Yep, I'm casting my vote too -- it's fun to put faces with the posts. And hey, we're all fat or all started out that way, so you're not allowed to worry about puffy cheeks, double chins, flat hair or anything like that -- it'll just make you look all that much better when you update your avatar later!

I had laparascopic gallbladder surgery in '97 and my doc didn't have any problems with working around those scars. In fact he took a look to see if he could "re-use" any of the sites so I'd have less scars on my belly, but they weren't in the right places. I'm sure you'll be just fine!

Count me in for that! There's the Seattle Bandster bash this winter, and regular Soup nights all over; don't forget to join the Yahoo group PNW_Bandsters for info on get togethers. http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/PNW_Bandsters

Well, no doubt she's out by now, but sending good thoughts anyway for a speedy recovery. I'm sure the surgery itself went great, her doc is an expert.

The Protein helps with not losing muscle mass once you start dropping weight after surgery, and it keeps you full longer with less of a blood sugar spike because it usually takes longer to digest than simple carbs do. So the protein is important after surgery, but it's not related to the hair loss that some people have, or so I'm told. I'm sure if you take your multi and continue to eat healthily, that you'll be fine! I went to a support group meeting last night of bandsters; there were probably 150+ people there and not a single bald woman. Didn't see anyone with significantly thin hair either. (( hugs ))

I haven't tried rice yet as I'm on mushies, but brown rice is good for you and I plan to eat it occasionally if it works with my band.

Monday weigh in: 260 -- so I'm down 2 lbs. 18 to go to meet my challenge goal.

Welcome Catherine! I was just banded 8/31, so we are practically bandster twins.