SpecialK

Lynn, I am in day 2 of the 5 day pouch test and I can't believe how hard it has been for me doing full liquids again -- how the heck did I do 2 weeks of this when I can't get through 2 days. I must have been much more swollen from the surgery than I realized given I'm at pretty high fill level and full liquids are really not satisfying me at all. I think the liquid Protein Shakes are just running right on through and same with the Soups I ate. Tomorrow I'm going to try "mushies" for the whole day. I did cheat today and ate a handful of almonds before I got to the gym for my workout. I'm going to keep trying at this though. I am convinced I am having carb withdrawal. When I went grocery shopping I couldn't believe how many little things I thought about buying like seeing 100 calorie snack items and thinking that isn't so bad... aha! yes it all adds up. Will check in after the tale of the scale tomorrow.

I also meant to say that it is too bad that the ticker changes over time so I think we should post in the threads here the actual number when we hit a milestone so we could go back later and say yes, that was when I hit my 100 lbs! etc.

I read about this website called www.5daypouchtest.com and I am going to give this a try to test myself to back off eating carbs especially and make me focus harder on Protein. Check out the website link and see what you think.

I shamefully ate a big plate with mashed potatoes and beef/noodles in gravy that was over the top of the potatoes. I realized I went for all those carbs because it was easy eating, I was tired, and hungry. What can I say, just gave into temptation. I'm back on track today and went to my gym and put an hour plus of swimming/water aerobics in and then went to the grocery and did healthy food shopping. I'm actually thinking about cooking things up today for eating later this week due to my heavy work schedule that has me getting home late. I'll let you all know how the 5 day pouch test challenge for myself goes. Let me know if you try it and your results.

Okay, this might fall into the "TMI" category but here goes.

Sliming - some of us describe having to spit out excess saliva because if we eat past our point of fullness, even our saliva has no room to go down and stay down when you swallow until your food begins passing from your upper stomach pouch to the rest of the stomach. This saliva like Fluid doesn't have a vile odor or anything in my experience.

2. PB'ing - is the bringing up of food bits or chunks when your body is telling you that you ate past your point of fullness. The pressure sensation of being that full will cause you to want to expel some of the food to relieve the pressure. If you are careful to watch for the point to stop eating, you can avoid this in my experience 90% of the time. The other 10% is my own fault, ate one more bite to finish something off, etc. When I have brought that food back up to spit it out, it has not been down into my stomach where the acidic process has started to break down the food. So when you bring something up, it again doesn't have some terrible vile smell. I am one of those people in the past that smelling someone else who got sick could get me gagging too. So smell is a major factor here.

Last, my worst experiences of either of the things above occurred when I thought that maybe taking some sips (tiny sips) of Water might help the food go down better when I felt overfull. That was just the opposite - made it far worse to put liquid into the mix. If I am feeling alot of pressure, I usually just try to stay pretty quiet and calm and tough it out for 15 minutes. What I mean to say is I tried jumping up and walking around once when I was overfull to see if that would help jiggle the food to make it go down and that didn't help.

Hi Dottie. We share our bandiversary. There is a Monthly Support Group of the March 2008 surgery date bandsters that is very good. Come on over to that thread and say Hi. There is a "master thread" we have kept going strong since before we were banded to now.

Traveled several times and no alarms. Don't worry. You're fine.

Scrappy, those family things you shared were precious. Congrats!

I got to see my good friend tonight for dinner and when we set up where to go she was so worried I wouldn't be able to eat anything or enjoy dinner. I said, heh, I'll be fine. Let's just go and have fun. I ended up with some meatloaf and mashed potatoes which was a real treat and she was amazed I could eat that even though it took me twice as long to eat half as much as she did.

My freind saw me and the first thing she said is I bet you weigh less than me now! I didn't want to say yes, I probably do, and make her feel bad, but I want her to lose weight too but like Scrappy said, she has to think about it and become convinced in her mind when she is ready.

I got three more pages put together for my weight loss journey scrapbook. I put a page together about my 100 lb milestone celebration day with friends where I passed out 100-calorie snack packs. Another page is from Easter where I was able to wear the same fancy pink two piece top/skirt set I wore at my sister's wedding 21 years ago. AND... it fit loosely and the two pictures of me years ago versus today is pretty neat. Last scrapbook page I did was my Seatbelt Success story and pictures I posted about from when I went to Florida in May. I took pictures of me with the seatbelt with room to spare and that is a precious NSV I won't forget. Part of the reason I am doing the scrapbook to remember the good times along this journey is so that I will always have that to look back on. In the past when I lost 100 lbs two prior times, sadly so, and regained it back, when I was heavy again I would think how the heck did I lose that 100 lbs and why did I let myself gain this back.

I am still plateaued on this same number in the -110-112 lbs range but I got alot of compliments at work especially this week about people who see me in "skinny" size 22 jeans now and can't believe my transformation. I want to get to some magical "12" jeans maybe in a year??? Who knows. Just taking it a day at a time.

Hi All!

I am using Dr Choban and hope to be banded soon. I am currently awaiting a Peer to Peer review since I was denied:-( today due to low BMI in 07. Wish me luck!!

~Lisa~

Hi Lisa. Nice to see another Mt. Carmel lapbander coming into the site. Let me give you a link here to the Mt Carmel specific thread that we all post on. Also, there are a group of us who meet in person at the Polaris mall and if you'd like to join us sometime, we answer those considering lapband, and as well as support those who have had the surgery.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f56/n-e-1-been-banded-mt-carmel-col-oh-31225/

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f56/central-ohio-get-together-july-11-2009-a-96412/

Kudos from me too! I'm keeping a Scrapbook of my weight loss journey and I took pre-op photos of me with my surgeon, surgery day, my -20, -30, etc. milestones, my 1 year bandiversary and I just finished up the photos on scrapbook pages where I was able to fly in a plane in May without a seatbelt extension and that was a big milestone for me. I just keep knocking off 10 lb increments and looking at clothing size changes too. I fit into a size 18 swimsuit a friend gave me and that was a huge accomplishment for the summer. Can't wait until I see 199 on the scale so I can take a picture of that!

Hi All~

I have done all my prereqs now,and Charlene should be turning everything into the insurance. Right? Does she automatically do that once everything has been completed,including nutrition classes, or do I need to call her? I had the group nutrition class last night. Kinda scary... There are so many things you can't eat,wondering what in the world I will eat,and will it truly become automatic like Andrea says. Also,she mentioned something about not being able to take arthitis type meds,or steroids after surgery because the smaller surface area. I hadn't heard that before... Ofcoarse with a lot of this weight off, I hopefully won't be needing the ibprofen, or alieve,etc for joint pain. There was soo much information!! I guess what scares me the most is I work such crazy hours,and have never been much of a "planner" when it comes to food,and apparently planning,and preparing food at home is key. I knew going into this,there would be a lot of changes,but soooo many I really didn't think of. I have no doubt the end result will be worth it-to be healthier;just trying to figure out how to balance it all out. I also worry about my relationship... My partner is a going out to dinner kind of gal,and I don't want to make her feel deprived,or awkward if she wants to eat out. Can you all tell my mind is spinning,spinning,spinning??? Despite all my fears, I know for my health,this is something I MUST do! Any words of advice,or encouragement would be helpful!!! Looking at Julie's pics is a true inspiration,as I am almost at the weight where she started her journey....Thanks in advance!!!!

Joyce

Sillypuddy/Joyce, I feel I should say I will try to answer some of your questions here based on being about 15 months post op now on my lapband surgery and knowing that the nutritionist still speaks greatly from the Gastric Bypass nutrition perspective (in my opinion) so here goes.

1. Foods you cannot have anymore -- it all depends on the person. I haven't tried really fibrous foods like raw brocolli but I can eat a small amount of steamed brocolli. I can eat crushed pineapple (in its own juice version) in small amounts. I can eat popcorn. I can eat steak - tiny bites and I take my time, use some A1 steak sauce if its particularly dry. Toughest foods to eat for me are dry chicken and dry Turkey - I can get full on a very small quantity of both of these but I can eat them. Okay, don't remember what else was on the "never again" list but I was trying to speak above to the healthy things I thought I'd miss.

2. For the Not Healthy Foods or what is called "Slider Foods" - sweets, ice cream, etc. --- I very rarely allow myself a small treat of some of these things but to be honest, I am very committed to losing now and I know a scoop of Graeter's Ice Cream is like 500 calories and its gone in minutes and that was half my daily calories or so. Lapband patients can unfortunately still eat these things, they slide right on down because they melt in your mouth, and I haven't heard folks talk about getting sick or having what the gastric bypass patients describe as "dumping syndrome" which I think is a combo of throwing up and diarrhea. If I were getting that effect, that would keep me away from them too. Bottom line, choose healthier treats or make it a rare occasion to have something.

3. The forbidden soda pop thing - carbonation - I have been virtually 99% faithful to giving up diet pop since surgery and I have found I don't really want it. Once I had restriction, the carbonation adds air and takes up valuable stomach pouch room I need for other things. Try to stay away from pop.

4. coffee -- still drink it and caffeine isn't a big issue for me but if you want to go de-caf, that's fine.

5. Advil/Aleve - I spoke directly with Dr. Price about this one when I had my pre-op consult and just before surgery as I also have back and knee pain and take Advil daily. He said I could still continue to do so. I have found I need it less and less as I have lost weight but I do take it, with surgeon and my primary care doctor knowledge, and I have been fine. If someone has a sensitive stomach and Advil/Aleve upsets you when you take it now, I'd definitely discuss that with the surgeon.

6. Planning your food -- YES YES -- very important to try to plan to take what you know you can eat if you pack a lunch for work until you get a better strategy and it becomes second nature to think about what you can eat and still get in your 60-80 grams of Protein a day. I am lucky in that my job has a good cafeteria with Soup, salad, baked potato, yogurts, etc. so I keep Protein Bars, pudding snack packs, crystal lite drink mix envelopes, and healthy things at my desk for mid-morning and mid-afternoon Snacks so that I don't go anywhere near the vending machine full of candy and high fat, high calorie Snacks.

7. Eating out -- I do it all the time and it takes practice to get used to this new restricted eating thing. I just automatically plan to take HALF my meal home. I order lean Protein, salad, work on those first, then if I have room nibble on the potatoes or whatever else it came with. Chinese is my hardest restaurant because I love the Won Ton Soup and if I eat that right before the entree comes, I only get to eat a tiny amount of my entree and take the rest home. I don't even consider eating the white or fried rice at Chinese places anymore - focus on the meat/veggies entree part. Skip the bread they always give you at places like O'Charley's. You can get yourself full on a single doughy roll/hunk of bread, and not have room for your real food.

My Fast Food place of choice is Wendy's -- I can get a salad, a baked potato or their chili and all are reasonable choices I can eat.

I love Panera's for their Soups and salad as well.

Bottom line, you and your friends and family will just have to try and see what you can do but still enjoy going out!

Okay, sorry if this is too much info to digest in one session.

Personal Message me by right-clicking on my Special K avatar and you can ask me other things off line or we could meet for coffee 1:1 sometime.

Hello to all - I am new to the site and am hoping to be banded sometime yet this year, however, I guess I don't understand the process at Mid-Ohio Surgical - I received my acceptance paperwork and sent it back in, paid my fees and am now waiting for a call from Charlene to schedule my initial consultation - can anyone tell me how long it will take for Charlene to call - am I just terribly impatient? Also, can I go ahead now and schedule my Nutrition and Psych eval or should I wait for the initial consult?

Hi Amy, glad to have another lapband friend in the Westerville area joining onto this site. Well, you've found the one thing that I keep saying Mid Ohio Surg Assoc needs to improve on and that is really good follow up by their office/insurance coordiantor for the bariatric surgeries. Its been about the same story for a couple years now on each patient needing to follow up repeated phone calls and keep track of when you called and how long it took to get called back, etc. You can call Mt. Carmel's Melissa Webb, the bariatric program nurse coordinator, and leave her a message if you get frustrated and want help moving things along, and there is also a David as the office manager there that can help intervene when delays happen that you don't feel are reasonable. I found that by being really diligent with my own follow up, I got through that process. She let me choose my surgeon I wanted to see. I had Dr. Price and lots of folks on this board have had Dr. Choban. I see Dr. Miller for all my follow up visits now on fills, etc. and I like all three doctors.

I wouldn't do the psych eval and nutrition things until I had my first surgeon consultation but its whatever preference you want. I had to do a cardiac clearance and that ended up being the thing that took the longest for me to get through before things could get submitted to the insurance. When they were all submitted, I got approval pretty fast.

Good Luck!

Kathy

I want to commend you for two very positive things you shared... one you recognize that you need help with the eating end of the use of the lapband tool and you have joined Overeaters Anonymous and also have an appointment with a nutritionist. Keep logging your food eaten every single day no matter how bad a day it was. Hold yourself accountable. Putting it down on paper is the way to do that. Use an online food tracker like fitday.com or dailyplate.com or whatever is best for you.

Good luck!

I'm just hanging in there around the same number. Been under a lot of stress and working overtime lately but doing pretty well staying in control eating wise.

aJoneen.........................-080 pounds lost!

Bandana....................... 0 92 lbs lost

BrandNewLisa............0 80pounds LOST forever!!!

evelas5000...................0 50 pounds Lost

Desdemona...................0

Fenton...........................0 100 POUNDS LOST !!

HarleyGirl....................0 85 pounds LOST!

Hopeinapril................. 0 55 pounds lost

Kpodski.........................

Lynnt1215.....................0

NurseNiki......................0

Nycm00........................

Potatie............................0 140 POUNDS LOST!!

Scrappy_Friend........ -3 160 POUNDS LOST!!!!

SpecialK........................-0 110 lbs GONE forever!

Sugarbean....................0 117 POUNDS LOST !!!

Sharona.........................0

stellabella......................0 75 POUNDS LOST!

Tess415..........................0

Thin2bme...................0 100 POUNDS LOST!!

WestCoastMom............0

Wishin4...........................-2 86 pounds gone!!

Fenton -- I hope you were kidding about your surgeon even suggesting they could show you how to do your own fills. That is crazy. Don't do it. Invest in your health for a fill when you need it. You know you would drop $200 on a fancy meal with drinks in the blink of an eye so keep that in perspective. You're worth the $200 for a fill if it gets you on track with losing.

I only pay my $25 co-pay but the surgeon's office accidently sent me a billing and it showed it is about $150 they are billing to the insurance company when they turn it in with a fill included. I don't pay any different for an office visit check-up than if he does a fill or not.

Scrappy -- sending healing wishes your way! Glad to hear the surgery wasn't as bad as you feared. Take care.

Your Shrinking Shamrock friend, Kathy

Interesting question, as I am 53 now and figure I'll be about 55 maybe by the time I'm at my goal of losing 180+ and I definitely am thinking its going to be worth it for my own self esteem. Yep, surgery costs will probably be in the range of $20K (tummy tuck, arms, and breast lift) and I'm going to do payments for 4+ years to pay it off so I got to be sure I'm going to be happy.

Hi KTK. Yes, it seems every bariatric surgeon offers both RNY gastric bypass and Lapband. Some people seem to indicate they get more pressure to go with the RNY because the surgeon has done more of them but if you have an experienced lapband surgeon, I would strongly consider it. I don't regret my decision.

Good luck in your investigation.

I assume you have found the Men's Only thread.

Also, there are many High BMI bandsters out there, men and women, and we are doing great. There is also a link for those wanting to lose 100 lbs, 200 lbs. etc. Look down the list of all the categories off the main home page.

My opinion is to let my surgeon decide. If he has good experience with Allergan's Lapband, I'd go with that. If he has any doubts about Realize in his experience, I'd tell him to choose which one he has the most expereince with.

Headhunter, it sounds like a combination of incompetent surgeon led to lapband complications which in turn was life threatening to you and I'm sorry to hear that. I am happy to hear you are Happy now with your Revision. I have to assume you had a much better bariatric surgeon second time around and now will lead a full and healthy life. God Bless.

I hope you will post over on the General Discussion thread where more people will see a 6+ year bandster and how great you've done. You'll have a wider audience to give you encouragement there.

I'm with you about 350 when I started and I'm down 110 at this point with lots to go but at 16 months post op, I have no regrets.

Dawn, I'm about 16 months out from my surgery date now and I have never regretted it one minute. I think your doctor is testing you "mentally" to see if you really are committed to losing and I'd definitely step up to the challenge, join WW or use an online tracking thing, do Slim-fast shakes plus lean meat and veg meals and you will get that 15 lbs off. Good luck!

djk24 - I'll send you a Personal Message here on this board with my email as I have a jar of Unjury chicken Soup that I have not opened that I liked but I bought 2 and just found I didn't use it as fast as I thought. I'd be glad to pass it along for free.

I also bought 2 of the Unjury Unflavored and I've used those up as I mixed them with different things, like making a strawberry shake with 1% milk and Splenda and putting a scoop of Protein Powder in that.

I bought GNC's whey Protein the chocolate and the vanilla and I liked them okay. At the Walk from Obesity last summer, they handed out sample packets from a company called Syntrax and they have multiple flavors. I tried the Cappacucino, the Cookies and Cream, and the Syntrax Nectar of Fuzzy Navel. I mixed the first two with my morning coffee and I mixed the last one (which is an orange/peach combination flavor) with Lite OJ (like 50 calories) and did that as breakfasts.

I just bought a brand called Genisoy Unflavored and the first time I tried it I wasn't sure I liked it but I'm going to give it another try and see if what I mixed it with just wasn't a good combo. Its Soy Protein not Whey Protein.

Congrats on your upcoming surgery.

Fenton - I'm chiming in too to say welcome back. What is your first goal? i.e. what are you going to do right today, then the next and the next.

I'm trying to up my exercise again after finding myself in a plateau that I'm sure is a combination of too much work stress, not enough time to exercise. So, I took time to marinate some boneless porkchops in a bottle of Mrs Dash Garlic & Lime marinade from Sunday night to tonight and cooked those babies on the grill, and yummy, it is good eating something good tasting very slowly.

We had a good time of sharing at the June get together at the Mall for our bandsters group and even though I have been to several of these, I still learn more each time and enjoy being uplifted and encouraged by others who really know what this journey is all about.

We had two different perspectives of those of us who were in the morbidly obese category pre-band about how we felt about ourselves and how we view ourselves in retrospect. I had an attitude that if I could physically get out there and do something, and in some cases I couldn't due to my size, I would go for it and take the attitude of who cares what others think! HeatherA had a different view - she shared that some of us withdraw inside ourselves and as we get heavier we start staying away from things we'd love to do because we don't want the ridicule or even possible embarrassment. And of course, there is every combination in between.

In looking back personally, I regret having spent so many years overweight and missing out on some things I hoped to do in life but in other ways, I've come to accept who I am is God's gift to me, and I have to love myself no matter what. What I am becoming now, being healthier, is a gift back to God to say thank you for a healthy future.

Another viewpoint is to look back at those years overweight and opportunities missed and say to ourself, I really hate that I wasted those precious years of my life. If nothing else, that hatred or regret about the lost past, will keep us motivated to never go back to those fat days again.

So, I thought I'd post this here so that those of you who might consider coming, know that we have different views and listen thoughtfully to each person's needs when they come.

Also, please say a little prayer for our special Bandster Brenda who has to have a band revision surgery here soon. Her band has slipped and she was sharing at the June meeting her experience on that. We are anxious to hear if Dr. Meyers at Riverside can just reposition her band or if it has to be replaced or what.

Brenda and another of our bandsters Susan shared that they both experienced severe restriction after repeated bouts of coughing related to a flu episode and the other for an asthma attack. In one case, an unfill brought immediate relief, in another, they ended up needing hospitalized for dehydration due to not being able to get enough fluids down. Please, please, call your doctor if you can't keep fluids down.

Last, we occasionally swap bags of clothes with others who come. I would have some summer things in 2x-3x if anyone is interested. Just PM me on this board and let me know.