PATCHELTON

Not much to add that hasn't already been said, but I agree. The problem is in his head. Don't let it drive you to making it a reality. I think counselling is an excellent idea. A disinterested party who can point out his faulty thinking (he won't believe it coming from you) may be just the thing he needs.

Congratulations! Your success is awesome! I was banded 3/25/08. I had lost 10 pounds on the 6 month diet required by insurance, and 25 more on the pre-op liquids. My start weight and current are below in my signature. I had one fill 6 weeks after surgery, but am apparently very sensitive to fills. I received 3ccs (I have a 14cc AP band) and the next day I met the surgeon for an unfill. He removed 1.5cc and two weeks later in his office another .5cc. The next visit he talked me out of a fill as I had lost 7 pounds between visits. This last visit I talked him into a small fill (I had lost another 5 pounds) because even though I had drastically changed my eating to healthier stuff, my portions were climbing. So he drew out what I had to see what was in there (2ccs--must have had a little from surgery) and he put that back with additional 1.5cc. So I have a total of 3.5ccs in a 14cc band, and believe me, if I eat just a little too much, I will feel it. Kukos to you for doing what you have with no fills. I am right there behind you. The surgeon said the band is helping a little but I am doing most of it, as are you. :rolleyes2:

Different bariatric centers have different approaches to post-op diet. In my case I was 2 weeks full liquids, then 2 weeks pureed (mushies). Mashed potatoes fell into the mushy stage for me. They told me instant mashed potatoes, and I would heat fat free gravy to put on it for a little more flavor. If you are on the same schedule, your liquids wouldn't end until tomorrow, so you may have progressed to mushies a little prematurely. Also as part of my dietician consult, I have 6 months followup with the dietician for the fee I paid. I would suggest calling the dietician for advice on what you can do. The sensation you describe sounds like the feeling restriction gives you. The food stages are to allow healing and for swelling to subside. It may well be that the potatoes (unless the cosistency is such that you practically can drink them) aren't going down as easily as you would like. I still have trouble recognizing satisfaction as the point to stop eating, but I do recognize when the pressure starts to build, so I know that is where I must stop (to push that invites PBs and sliming--productive burps, and excess production of saliva when food is stuck, that has no place to go but up and out--you are not nauseated, but you need to spit up--the amount of saliva can be impressive). Also, the soup is a liquid, and the mashed potatoes a pureed food. They really shouldn't be consumed together. Liquids stop 1/2 hour before eating (I am guessing the drinking rule applies here) and can start 45 minutes or more after eating. You didn't say what kind of soup you were having, so I wonder if you are consuming Protein first. If it is just a broth, your meal has little or no protein, another good reason to talk to the dietician. If you received different instructions, follow those. I would also call the surgeon's office to see what to do about the diarrhea. Good luck.

I was on the preop liquid diet for 3 weeks. It was supposed to be two, but I caught a cold and my surgery was bumped, but only a week, so it wasn't enough time to stop and restart, so I just stayed on it an extra week. They did let me have a small amount of lean protein up until 4 days before surgery. I used unbreaded chicken tenders and hard boiled eggs for this. I lost 25 pounds by surgery. My starting BMI was about 38, but I had just about every co-mordbidity except diabetes. My liver enzymes were elevated on my cholesterol tests, but the surgeon said it could be due to a fatty liver instead of meds. My liver looked pretty good in surgery, and my recent followup bloodword still had elevated enzymes, but my numbers were great (total 142, triglycerdes 53, HDL 65) so she stopped both my cholesterol meds and I recheck in 6 months. I was also able to stop one BP med and my reflux med. I may lose the other BP med later on. If you aren't on cholesterol medicine, you might want to ask the surgeon if he thinks it means you have a fatty liver. The preop diet will help that, and shrink your liver to make surgery easier. Good luck with your journey.

I get hiccups sometimes after eating, and burps too, small ones. I am not sure if I am eating too fast, or maybe not chewing enough. They subside after a short time, so I don't worry. With the hiccups, hold your ears like a little kid who doesn't want to listen, and swallow a few times. That should quiet them.

I have a quote that I like from one of my books (either Lapband Solution or Lapband Companion): "The band is not around your lips. It is around your stomach. It cannot keep food out of your mouth. Only you can do that." The band is a tool that allows you to exercise portion control. End of story. You are right, you still have to exercise, eat healthy, and eat differently. Easy just isn't part of the equation.

I am not certain you have no restriction since you can't get anything down, but my experience was somewhat similar so maybe this will help. I had my first fill (3ccs) at about 6 weeks post-op. I was okay in the office but by evening even Water was giving me indigestion. I was worse the next morning and called the office. I ended up meeting the surgeon at the hospital and having a 1.5cc unfill. I could feel the pressure relaxing as he drew out the Fluid. Two weeks later in the office I told him liquids and soft foods were okay, but I was having trouble with more solid stuff. He took out another .5cc. The next visit I had lost 7 lbs so he talked me out of a fill. This last time I had lost another 5 but I said even though I was eating healthier food, the quantity was going up and I was hungry after about 2 hours. He gave me 1.5cc. He found 2cc in my band (1cc from the fill and I guess 1cc was in there after surgery). I am still adjusting to this fill. If I eat too much or too fast I feel tight, but it did inhibit the quantity which is what I wanted. I am still working on small bites and chewing thoroughly. I don't know how closely this is to your experience, but I suspect you are too tight. You should let your surgeon's office know.

I had the same experience at work. I contemplated going to the ER, but decided to try and tough it out. I had eaten some ham steak followed by some salad. No nausea, but major chest discomfort (and I work in a Cardiologists' office too). The sliming started, and I spent about 2 hours back and forth to the bathroom to expell the slime. Never brought up the ham, and maybe one Romaine leaf, and some green slime. Eventually it did subside. If yours does not CALL YOUR SURGEON. People have needed help getting unstuck. If it passes on its own, I would suggest liquids for the rest of the day to give your pouch a rest. If in doubt, call the bariatric surgeon's office. They can advise you.

The Lapband Solution (mentioned above) and The Lapband Companion are both good picks. I got them from Amazon.com. I also have a cookbook called A Collection of Neighborhood Recipes (all WLS patients) available at livingafterwls.com.

I have a different insurance (Blue Choice) but my BMI was 37-38. With that under my plan you had to have 2 or more co-morbidities (diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, reflux, joint arthritis--basically any ailment affected by excess weight). I had all of the above except diabetes. Check with your insurance again. I would definitely appeal the denial. My insurance paid for the surgery, a night in the hospital, but they don't pay for fills. Go figure. . .

I too, prefer Worldwide Protein shakes. Atkins was on my list from the dietician for a ready to drink, but it only has about 9 or 15g protein (I forget how much), and it is full of Vitamins, which is fine, but we are taking Vitamin supplements, so why drink more? Taste-wise WW shakes are better than Atkins. They are available at Trader Joe's (cheapest--$2.29 each for 35s and they have 21g version for $1.69), The Vitamin Shoppe (next cheapest--$2.79 but I bought a 12 pack for $27.99 which is about $2.33 each), and GNC (most expensive--$2.99 each). All three carry vanilla Cream and chocolate. The Vitamin Shoppe carries all the flavors (strawberry Cream, Cookies n' Cream, and banana Cream). I don't care for banana flavored stuff, but the Cookies n' Cream tastes like liquid Oreos, and the Strawberry is pretty good too. Calories 160-170, maybe 1g fat/0.5 sat fat, and 1g sugar, no added vitamins. It is a milk-based protein (in case you are lactose intolerant). I don't work for them (honest) but I have been drinking them since before surgery, and I still drink one just about every day. As for vitamins, Bariatricadvantage.com sells chewables and liquids just for surgery patients. I use Centrum Silver chewables (even though our dietician pooh-poohs them) and Twin Labs calcium citrate with Magnesium and D (after I started using I found it on the list of approved supplements for Brigham Womens Hospital Bariatric Program--someone here had a link and I clicked on it). Best price is online at vitacost.com, about $7.67 a bottle for 60 wafers (15 day supply). In stores it is anywhere from $13 to $18 for the same thing. There is a $4.99 s/h charge, for any size order, so I order 5 bottles on an auto ship plan for every 60 days. I am experimenting with the MVI, and right now can get down sizeable capsules so I take one with supplements for the eyes since mine are crap after 3 eye surgeries. If you have a lot of restriction chewables or liquids are better.

I had to do the 6 month diet attempt. It was required by my insurance. During that time I read everything I could find about the band, joined this web site and obesityhelp.com. By the time I had surgery I could almost perform it myself! (just kidding) My insurance paid the entire hospital bill, but for reasons unknown, they do not cover fills, after the 90 global period, where everything was covered under the surgery. So unless you have $10-15,000 sitting around doing nothing (you could send it to me--really :biggrin2:) you will have to jump through the required hoops. I also started going to support group long before surgery. A good place to learn the good, bad and maybe ugly.

See my post above about Worldwide Protein drinks. They are ready to drink and come in 21 and 35g protein. I drink one every day.

Try Worldwide Protein shakes (available at Trader Joe, Vitamin Shoppe, and GNC--Trader Joe cheapest, VS next cheapest and they carry all the flavors). It comes in 21g protein (only Trader Joe carries them in Van and Choc) and 35g protein (TJ carries Van and Choc, GNC also; Vitamin Shoppe carries Vanilla, chocolate, Cookies n' Cream-tastes like liquid Oreos, strawberry, and banana Cream). At Trader Joe the 35s are $2.29 each, 21s $1.69. At Vitamin Shoppe they are $2.79 but I bought a 12 pack for $27.99 which is about $2.33 each. GNC charges $2.99 so that is the last place I would buy it. I think the taste is better than many of the other drinks. The powders benefit from a packet of Splenda.

I have tried unflavored Unjury, and I put it into sugar/fat free Jello pudding to bump up the protein content. I would suggest pudding into food dishes rather than drinks.

I also weigh in the morning, after I pee, and ditch my clothes. Even a night shirt and panties make a difference. I weigh every day so I can adjust my eating if I bounce up some. At the surgeon's office it is usually late in the day, after having eaten breakfast and lunch, fully clothed with sneakers on. I am usually 7 pounds heavier in his office. I go by what I weigh at home when I tell someone how much weight I have lost.

My insurance also required the 6 month weight loss attempt. Don't view it as a roadblock, or delay, but as an opportunity to learn all you can about the band, the surgery, what to expect, the good, bad and ugly. During my 6 months I joined here and read everything I could (obesityhelp.com is another place to get lots of info). There are several good books out that would be helpful to read. Two that I have are The Lapband Solution, and The Lapband Companion. I got them from Amazon. There are many others, as well as cookbooks for post op, you name it. I also spent time adjusting my attitude. I work in a fairly large office and my desk is at one end. The phtocopier/scanner is at the other. Originially I resented the hike every time I needed to copy or scan (walk to the scanner, put papers in, walk back to my desk, activate the scanning software, when done walk back to get my papers and back again to my desk). Now I view it as an opportunity to get up from my desk, and as additional exercise walking back and forth. I stopped being mad about it. By the time I had surgery I knew so much about it I could almost do the surgery myself (just kidding). I also got my head around the fact that for the band to work, I had to adhere to the program, make a committment to exercise and eat better. I still try to eat too much, and maybe don't chew as thoroughly, but with very little restriction I have lost around 80 pounds. I had one fill that made me so uncomfortable I had 2 unfills. The last time I saw the doctor for a fill he talked me out of it because I had still lost 7 pounds between visits, and he said I was ahead of schedule for weight loss for all three bariatric surgeries. So I can eat more, but I am eating better, and occasionally the density of the protein or something will remind me there is some restriction, if not a lot. I am very happy with my progress so far.

As for the fish oil, I take it for anti-inflammatory (I have knee arthritis) and cardiovascular benefits. I took gelcaps before banding and found Twin Labs Emulsified Liquid Fish Oil at a Healthy Options Store. Much much cheaper online at vitacost.com (less than $7 a bottle, 24 1-tblsp servings). It cost $13 at the store. Vitacost charges $4.99 shipping for any size order, so I get 2 or 3 bottles of Fish Oil (mint flavor). One tblsp gives 1600 Omega 3s. As for protien drinks, in the ready to drink type, my favorite is Worldwide Protein shakes. They come in vanilla Cream, chocolate Cream, strawberry Cream, Cookies 'n Cream (kind of tastes like liquid Oreos), and banana Cream. Trader Joe's if you have one in your area, is the cheapest, at $2.29 each for 35g and $1.69 for 21g. They only carry Vanilla and Chocolate. The Vitamin Shoppe only carries the 35s but has all the flavors at $2.79 each. GNC carries 35s in Vanilla and Chocolate for $2.99 each (other flavors can be ordered online). It says not for weight loss on the can, but we are not using it as a Meal Replacement, and I saw it on the approved Protein Drinks for Brigham and Womens Hospital bariatric program, as well as the Twin Labs Calcium Citrate/Magnesium/D chewables I use. Worldwide tastes much better than Atkins, has more protein, almost no fat or sugar and without the extra Vitamins (since we are taking them anyway). They are about 160-170 calories, maybe 1-2 sugars, 4 carbs and about 1-1.5g fat. They have my vote. It is the only ready to drink I use.

For the above poster and anyone interested in taking fish oil. I don't know what brand of liquid you tried, but I found Twin Labs Emulsified Fish Oil to be quite acceptable (once you get past the visual of it looking like milk of magnesia). It is mercury/lead/pcb free, mint flavored, and one tablespoon gives you 1600 Omega 3s. I had been taking gelcaps before surgery, and was looking for an alternative. It was $13.00 in a Healthy Options store, but I went to Twin Labs site and found vitacost.com who sells it for less than $7.00 a bottle. I believe it is 24 servings per bottle. I ordered several bottles and put on auto ship. Any size order is $4.99 shipping. I get Twin Labs Calcium Citrate with Magnesium and D chewables there as well. $18 in the store, less than $8.00 at vitacost. You can search by brand names and you have to wade through a few levels of Twin Lab products to find the fish oil, but it is there. I highly recommend it. I was taking for arthritis in my knees and for the cardiovascular benefits, so I didn't want to stop. I had my first bloodwork recently and was able to stop cholesterol meds (at least for 6 mos until I do more bloodwork) for the first time in 20 years.

Hi and welcome. I live in Harford County, Maryland. I don't know who the bariatric people are in Montgomery County, but I had my band done at St. Agnes in Baltimore, a little farther away, but is a Bariatric Center of Excellence. Drs. Singh (my surgeon), Averbach, and Von Reuden(was the head of Bariatrics at GBMC but left to join Singh and Averbach). When I decided to do this I started going to the group support meetings (as of 7/07). I learned a lot there(even had a post-op bandster tell me I didn't look heavy enough to need surgery--but I am 5'7" so it has farther to go). My insurance (Blue Choice) required a 6 month documented diet attempt, so while I was doing that I joined this site and Obesityhelp.com to learn all I could about the procedure. Their current office is in Catonsville at Route 40 and Rolling Road, but they are opening another office farther out into Howard County which might be closer to you if you are interested in using them. While you are waiting for your insurance, you might want to attend the initial seminar that all bariatric centers offer. There is no obligation after the seminar and it is free. If you use that group the seminar is a required first step. I would go to seminars at several locations, to see which is the best fit for you. If you want to check out St. Agnes, call the hospital and they will tell you when the next seminar is and give you a reservation for it. Good luck on your journey. Keep us posted.

Congratulations on your achievement! You should rightfully be proud of yourself.:biggrin2:

I am not the person who originally posted, but I have had a similar weight loss, and was banded 3/25/08, so I thought I might share my experience. My starting weight was 252 and my insurance required a 6 month documented weight loss attempt, so I consulted with the dietician on the bariatric team and she supervised it for me. I lost all of 10 pounds. I was still getting my head around the idea of not eating an entire pizza for dinner (something I have done many times) and saying goodbye to all the subs and stuff I loved to eat. My BMI was about 37-38 but I had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, knee arthritis, sleep apnea, GERD, everything but diabetes. My liver enzymes were elevated on my cholesterol bloodwork. The surgeon said that could mean a fatty liver and not my meds. I was put on a pre-op diet of full liquids (broth, tea, cream Soups, juice diluted 50% with Water, sugar/fat free popsicles, etc.). I ended up on it for 3 weeks because I caught a cold and my surgery was bumped back, but only a week, not enough time to stop and restart. Up until 4 days before surgery I could have a small amount of lean Protein. I would have 2 hard cooked eggs or 2 unbreaded chicken tenders with just a little salt and pepper in the evening when I tended to be hungrier. 4 days before surgery just liquids. Post op 2 weeks of liquids, 2 weeks of mushies (apple sauce, instant mashed potatoes with fat free gravy, fat free refried Beans with a little salsa (pulverized in the blender) mixed together and nuked for 2 minutes with fat free cheese sprinkled on top when done, tuna and egg salad made with light mayo/mustard/salt/pepper, runny oatmeal made with skim milk, etc. After that it was regular food, trial and error. Bread even toasted didn't go down well so I have had virtually no bread (tried a slice recently and it was okay, but I had gotten used to not eating bread, so I don't other than fat free croutons on salad). Until yesterday I have had Pasta only once (after talking to dietician, since I hadn't been on regular food for long) and yesterday I tried a little macaroni salad which went okay. I eat a lot of salad with light or fat free dressings, but if I eat out, I will order my favorite dressings (pepper parm or Pizza Hut's romano cheese). Pizza Hut now offers chicken (grilled, barbecue and one other) on their salad for $2.00 extra, and if you eat there they offer steak. I have gotten the grilled chicken for my protein source, and enjoyed my romano cheese dressing. I buy chicken breasts and tenders at costco frozen and spray a pan with olive oil Pam and cook them on a low heat, then cut up for my home made chicken caesar salad. I use ham and turkey as well (found pillow packs in Mars Supermarket with ham or turkey julienne cuts, ready to toss into salad. My one indulgence is Mars' deviled egg potato salad. Since it has eggs in it I rationalized the potatoes, and have that occasionally. I use ground turkey and make chili with it (1 pkg turkey 93% lean, 1 pkg chili seasoning, 1 can kidney beans undrained, 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can Old El Paso chopped green chilis, and some onion--brown the turkey, then put the rest in and simmer--melt Kraft fat free cheddar or mozarella on top). I also make a Tex Mex dip that I love (2 tubs fat free or light cream cheese, 1 can fat free refried beans--stir them together in a baking dish, spreading evenly--cover with chunky salsa, then cover with 1 8 oz pkg of fat free Kraft cheddar or mozarella--serve with baked taco chips if desired--can serve cold or put in oven covered with foil on low heat, about 250, for a couple hours while you clean or do laundry or whatever, and then you have a fondue style dish with melted cheese and warm salsa/cream cheese/refried beans--yum). I have had one fill of 3 ccs 6 weeks after surgery, but was so uncomfortable I called the surgeon the next day, met him at the hospital and he unfilled between 1.5 and 2ccs. In his office 2 weeks later I told him solid food was still bothering me so he took out another .5cc. On my last visit I had lost 7 pounds, so he talked me out of a fill, even though I am hungrier and capable of eating more. I really made a committment to eating better. Have not had chips (other than baked taco chips) or dip, or much in the way of bread/pasta/rice. I have also tried pizza only once and the dough didn't agree with me, so I invented a crustless pizza to satisfy my craving (microwavable dish--cover bottom with Ragu Homestyle pizza sauce, layer Hormel Turkey Pepperoni, onions, peppers, and Kraft fat free mozarella--nuke in microwave 2 minutes and enjoy). I do the same with turkey meatballs (spaghetti sauce, meatballs, parmesan cheese--nuke for 2 minutes--either a meatball sub without the roll, or spaghetti without the pasta). On the liquid before surgery I lost 25 lbs, and the rest has been post-op, with almost no restriction. I do exercise mostly every day. Nothing fancy--I belong to Curves, and in January started walking on weekends in a park near home. When daylight savings arrived, I started going to the park daily. There is a 2 mile nature path, and I usually go around twice. On other days, sometimes bad weather, I go to Curves and if daylight and weather permit do once around the park. I don't walk particularly fast--I carry peanuts for the squirrels and stop to feed them. I only walk fast if it starts to rain. So I am doing 2-4 miles a day, plus Curves. In the fall when I lose daylight I will do the park on weekends, and during the week I will have Curves and water aerobics. My legs were starting to slim even before surgery because of the walking. I have gone down several sizes in clothing and would like to reach 150 as my goal weight. Sorry to go on so long, but there was a lot to tell. I hope some of this info helps. Not every day is easy, but I try to "keep my eye on the prize" and recently based on my bloodwork, my PCP stopped both cholesterol meds, one of my blood pressure meds and my reflux med. I now have one bp med and a pain med for as needed. I may eventually not need the other bp med. I have been on these meds for over 20 years. There is not a potato chip in existence worth eating to have to go back on all those meds.

They gave me anti-nausea medication in the hospital (with me wondering why because I was never nauseated), but I never filled the Rx for use at home. I don't know if that is out of the ordinary or not. The only problem I see with going back to work after 3 days is driving. Most patients get pain medication for home that is a narcotic and they don't want you to drive until you don't need it anymore. I waited about 4 days to drive. If I wanted to take the pain med I waited until I was home and not planning to go anywhere. My favorite place to walk is a park a few miles from my house, so I was more anxious to drive there than go back to work. I did have lots of vacation time, so I took 4 weeks off. Probably only needed 2, if that. I did lots of stuff that I would normally have to take off work for. I walked everyday, too.

May I suggest The Lapband Solution, and The Lapband Companion, both available at Amazon.

I will tell you what happened to me. I came down with a slight cold the Friday before my Tuesday surgery. I called the surgeon's office, and they said they needed to postpone the surgery because you are at increased risk under anesthesia with anything respiratory going on, and Anesthesia won't touch you. My surgery was postponed a week. My cold was gone by the Monday before my original date. I had contemplated not telling them, but I am glad I did. An extra week on the pre-op liquid diet (not enough time to stop and restart for 2 weeks) was the only downside, and that wasn't all that bad. I was used to it by then, and managed to lose 25 lbs before surgery, so it wasn't all bad.