PATCHELTON

Thank you for your post. I hope it did as much good for you as for those of us reading it. I don't have the many bad experiences that you did, but I was always afraid both that no one would take me seriously, or that everyone would, and the pressure I put on myself was unbelievable. I studied exercise physiology when I was younger, and then my insecurity caused me to hide behind my weight, to insure I would never have to back up my "expert" opinion. My surgical journey began last summer when I decided to look into WLS. I lost 10 lbs on the 6 month diet required by insurance, and another 25 on the pre-op liquid diet. Since banding I have lost another 35 or so. I am like you;I like my band not so tight. I have reflux, and after my first fill by evening I had trouble getting water down. It was only 3ccs, but the discomfort started with one or two bites of food. I actually went the very next day for an unfill. The doctor took out 1.5ccs. I worked with that for a couple weeks, and when I saw the surgeon again, I said I thought I was still a little tight, as I could eat mushies and liquids but regular food gave me chest pressure, so he took out another .5cc. I am doing better now. Occasionally a particular food will give me pressure, or if I eat too fast and don't chew thoroughly (I am still working on that), but mostly it is good. I am still losing, slowly. The weight loss was fast at first, and that realy kick-started my new life. I read labels like a maniac, and enjoy salads like never before. They seem to taste better. I want to get rid of some meds that I am on, and hopefully soon, that will happen. Thanks for your story.

You didn't mention if you were required to drink Isopure. If you want some alternatives, there is unjury (unjury.com) which comes in unflavored, chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and chicken Soup flavors. I enjoy Worldwide Protein shakes (taste better than Atkins and more protein). If you have a Trader Joe's store near you they carry vanilla and chocolate in 21g and 35g protein. The 21s cost about $1.69 each, and the 35s about $2.29 each. They are ready to drink; just chill, shake and drink. There are no added Vitamins, and the web site promotes it as a sports supplement. The cans even say not for weight loss, but that is to keep you from using them as a meal I think. They are low sugar, low carb, low fat, and taste good. There are 3 other flavors (strawberry, banana cream, and Cookies and cream) but I have only found them online at GNC and the Vitamin Shoppe, and they only carry the 35s. It is an approved Protein Drink on Brigham Womens Hospital Bariatric program. Atkins by comparison has 9g protein, lots of vitamins, and if I remember correctly, more fat/sugar/carbs than Worldwide. There is also EAS Advantage (Target), in powder form, that tastes pretty good. The usual flavors (van/choc/straw). And Permalean (I have only tried the chocolate) is also tasty. There are lots more brands but these are ones I have personal experience with. Once you are on mushies, or when you can have fat/sugar free pudding, you can bump up the protein content by adding a scoop of unflavored Unjury to the milk and pudding mix. Got that idea from livingafterWLS.com. They have a cookbook written by WLS patients, and that was one of the recipes. Hope this helps! Also when you can have real food, you can take Vanilla Protein Powder, mix with milk in blender, add a packet or two of Splenda, then throw in some frozen fruits such as strawberries or peaches, and pulse the blender a few times to break up the fruit. Protein fruit smoothie! Yum!

I don't know if everyone does it this way, but I can share what I did. I used the dietician on the bariatric team to supervise my 6 month diet. I am assuming, since the surgeon's office submits for your preauthorization from insurance, that they would need the documentation from your PCP, and the letter, and they submit everything as a package to the insurance. If you haven't seen the surgeon for your consultation yet, I would get copies of everything from your PCP (you usually have to get records from the PCP for the surgeon anyway), make a copy for yourself, and take the records with you to the surgeon appointment. If the surgeon requires any testing (I had an echo and stress test) they will tell you and you would request that those reports go to both your PCP and the surgeon. When the surgeon has everything, his office will submit you for approval. They will tell you what all you need. And if your insurance requires referrals you will need one for the surgeon, the psych evaluator, and the dietician, plus any tests they order. Good luck!

I had a hysteretomy in my 30's. I was in a car accident in 1998, broken leg. My weight gain was gradual since the hysterctomy. I love to eat, and I work for cardiologists, so I am aware of good food choices, and made them some of the time. I had periods of regular exercise, and was going to Curves fairly regularly. My PCP had been after me to lose weight, and in my head I understood it. But put a pizza or sub or chips and dip in front of me and I was a goner. I have high blood pressure,high cholesterol, GERD, knee arthritis, sleep apnea (or as my surgeon put it, metabolic syndrome all but the diabetes). When my liver enzymes were elevated on my cholesterol test, my PCP started again about weight loss. My sister had gastric bypass about 2 years ago, but I wasn't sure I wanted to go that route. I checked my insurance (they cover bypass and lapband) and went to a seminar about weight loss surgery. Then I started going to the support group to learn more. I found this site and obesityhelp.com and did a lot of reading, ultimately deciding the band was what I wanted. I had to do a 6 month documented diet for insurance(lost 10 lbs), consult with surgeon, psych eval, and was finally approved in February of this year. Prior to surgery I had to do a pre-op liquid diet for 2 weeks (ended up 3 weeks because I caught a cold and surgery was postponed for a week). I lost 25 lbs on the pre-op diet, so by 3/25/08 I had lost 35 pounds. 2 weeks post op liquids, 2 weeks mushies, then regular food, just a lot less than before. Some foods have a tendency to get stuck, like bread/rice/pasta, so you will be altering your eating habits. I read labels like a maniac, looking for the lowest fat/carb/sugar content. My eyes are still bigger than my pouch, and if I eat too much I feel uncomfortable, but that is getting better. I am also learning to chew more. I used to inhale my food. Sorry to be lengthy, but I think you can benefit from the band. It doesn't affect what you put in your mouth, just how much. And when you start losing, you will tend to make better choices in what you eat. I also bumped up my exercise with walking. I found a lovely park with a 2 mile path. I started walking weekends in January and when daylight savings arrived, I now go almost every day and do 2-4miles. When I lose daylight in the fall, there is a county rec center gym with treadmills near my home, and I still belong to Curves. There is also an aquatic center 5 minutes away with Water aerobics. So it is a package deal. The band is a tool to help with portion control. Since surgery I lost another 35 pounds, so I would say go for it!

I have only had one sliming experience. It happened the day after a fill, and I decided I was in too much of a hurry to cut my larger meds in half, and one of them got stuck. I was out the door on my way to work and I had to spit up twice before I got into my car. Everything I ate was giving me chest pressure, and I ended up meeting my surgeon at the hospital for a partial unfill. I was too tight. If you have had a fill recently, the sliming could be from the band being too tight (perhaps the coughing too). I would suggest calling the surgeon's office and ask to speak to someone. My surgeon has a nurse who conducts classes prior to surgery, and she runs the support group. If yours has one, I would speak to her, and she can tell you if you need to see the surgeon. Don't let it go. Sliming is no fun, and I only did it once.

I would suggest you continue trying the groups, as well as reading here. I was banded 3/25/08 but I have been going to support groups since last June or July. I found them educational. Yes I heard negatives, too, but then one woman said she had lost 90 pounds in 9 months. I was talking to some recently banded women and one who was a year or so out. The one a year or so out was not terribly friendly, didn't offer to exchange emails (I have become friends with one of the other two) and even told me I didn't look heavy enough to need a band. Well, at 5'7" maybe not, but 252 lbs and size 2x clothes told me otherwise. What, I should gain another 100 pounds and go into 4 or 5x first? My PCP had been after me to lose weight, and my liver enzymes were elevated on my cholesterol tests(surgeon said that could indicate fatty liver rather than problems with the medicine). My sister had RNY a couple years ago, so I did my homework, read a lot here and on obesityhelp.com, and went to support groups. I decided I liked the adjustability of the band and the lack of malabsorption issues, so I decided the band was for me. Hopefully some people with good experiences will come to the support group, but I would keep trying. Everyone's experience is unique, as yours will be.:cursing: BTW, I have lost 70 pounds (working on 100) and have dropped from 2x to large (even the large pants are loose except in the waist). My coworkers are all cheering me on, and I have quotes hanging over my desk for inspiration ("Just because I can eat it, doesn't mean I should." "Just because I don't eat it doesn't mean I don't want to." "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." "One step at a time is enough for me. Impatience is simply a way of beating yourself up."). They are from books and newsletters, such as Lapband Solution, and Lapband Companion, that I bought and read. That is not to say some days aren't harder than others, but the band holds the lid on quantity, and that is most certainly what I needed. Don't be discouraged.

Call your surgeon's office. You are at higher risk for respiratory complications, and anesthesia may not want to put you under. I caught a cold the Friday before my Tuesday banding (3/25/08) and was sure it was nothing major, and that it would be over by Monday (it was). I called the surgeon's office and they postponed my surgery a week. I had been on a liquid pre-op diet for two weeks, and it wasn't enough time to go off it and back on, so I ended up on that an extra week, so by surgery day I had already lost 35 pounds. Don't put yourself at risk. Call.:cursing:

I don't think I had second thoughts. Nervous, yes, second thoughts about whether I was doing the right thing, no. I am 63 and was banded 3/25/08. I had to do the six month diet (met with dietician to talk about food choices, then had to email her my weight every two weeks). I didn't work too hard at losing, but still managed to drop 10 pounds by January. Then I decided to bump up my exercise. I was doing Curves but I needed more. Started walking, found a lovely park with a 2 mile path, and lots of peanut loving squirrels. I began walking on weekends (even though the park wasn't "open" the gates were never locked and walkers, bikers and dog walkers come all year round) as weekdays it was dark when I finished work. I started noticing my pants getting loose. Then I was approved and began the liquid diet (it included a small amount of lean protein which I ate in the evening, like unbreaded chicken tenders and hard boiled eggs). It was supposed to be 2 weeks, ended up being 3 because I caught a cold and they postponed my surgery a week. By surgery I had lost 35 pounds. Two more weeks on liquids, 2 weeks mushies and now regular food. I have lost around 70 pounds altogether so far. Had 1 fill but 3ccs was too tight and had 1.5 removed the next day and two weeks later another .5 cc unfill. I am doing well, and trying to focus on when I feel full (satisfied) so I can stop eating. I am please with the results so far. I have dropped two sizes from 2x to lge. I have never done this well on any diet I have tried. I did a lot of research during the six month diet, went to support groups since last June, so when I decided, I knew it was right for me. Good luck on your journey.

I was banded 3/25 and had my first fill 5/14. I met the doctor at the hospital the next day for an unfill. He had put in 3cc originally, and took out 1.5cc. I felt the same as you, and it was hard getting water down. I tried that for a week or two, and then went to his office for another unfill. I had been better but after the first unfill I could drink ok and eat mushies ok, but real food was still giving me discomfort (like I swallowed my fist). I am doing better since the second unfill. I only get unconfortable if I eat too much, and with certain foods, but mostly it is good. If you haven't already I would call your surgeon and let him know. I was miserable. The nurse said I shouldn't have to adapt what I eat around the band. I am still losing, though slowly. I even go to restaurants and order mostly from the appetizer menu, and plan on bringing at least half of that home. I got three meals out of a steamed shrimp appetizer. I am still learning, though. My eyes are bigger than my pouch, so sometimes I overestimate what I can eat.

I mixed the strawberry with skim milk and liked it. Also, if you are past the mushies, you can put the Unjury and milk in the blender and blend it, then add some frozen strawberries and pulse the blender a few times to break up the strawberries. I did the same with the vanilla Unjury, blending strawberrries or mixed berries or peaches. Put them in frozen and pulse. I think you will like it.

Hi there. I live in Edgewood, MD (Harford County) and I was banded 3/25/08 by Dr. Singh at St. Agnes. Congrats on your weight loss. Hope to see you at the lapband group meetings at St. Agnes.:cool2:

Since you used to use sour cream and cheese, why not try the fat free variety? Kraft Free shredded Cheddar or Mozarella is very good, and Breakstone I believe is one brand of fat free sour cream. You would still elminate the extra fat.

When I got my date, the call was from the surgeon's office. They gave the date, and the time I had to be at the hospital. The hospital called and I had to call them to talk to billing to see if there were any outstanding charges that my Blue Choice did not cover, as I had to pay them up front before surgery. Fortunately there were none. The surgeon's office changed my time, then I caught a cold and they postponed me a week giving me a new date and time. All this info came from the surgeon's office. I would call them and see if they can tell you.

I was about 100 lbs overweight and my doctor also put me on the pre-op liquid diet. I asked at his office why they don't do everyone, and they said it is determined during the examination by the surgeon. I think if he/she thinks the liver is fatty and they want to shrink it to make surgery easier they do it. I had Atkins Advantage (ready to drink) and EAS Advantage (powder to mix with skim milk), purchased at Target. I found Worldwide Protein shakes (ready to drink) at Trader Joe's in vanilla and chocolate. It comes in 21g and 35g of protein, and to me tastes better than Atkins. I discovered recently that GNC and the Vitamin Shoppe carry Worldwide, and it also comes in banana cream, Cookies and cream, and strawberry. I found them online so I don't know what the stores carry. They only had 35g online. At Trader Joes the 21s cost $1.69 and the 35s cost about $2.29. There is also a website called unjury and they sell powdered protein to mix with skim milk or Crystal Light(the strawberry flavor only for Crystal Light). Comes in strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, chicken Soup (kind of like chicken broth), and unflavored. I found a cookbook link to livingafterwls.com and bought the cookbook, recipes all by wls patients. One is super easy: make up a package of sugar/fat free Jello pudding, adding a scoop of unflavored Unjury. This bumps up the protein content of the pudding. On the full liquid diet I could have broth, tea, coffee, cream Soups, sugar/fat free popsicles and pudding, yogurt, V8 juice, fruit juice (diluted 50% with Water to reduce carbs) and Protein drinks. To ease me into the liquids, the dietician said I could have a small amount of lean protein, so at night when I would tend to overeat the most, I grilled two unbreaded chicken breast tenders and put salt and pepper on them, or I had two hard boiled eggs with salt and pepper. Four days before surgery strictly liquids. I lost around 35 pounds before surgery. I was a little hungry during the day, but I expected that, and work is so busy I didn't have time to dwell on it. So far I have lost 65 pounds. I was banded 3/25/08.

If you like Mexican, refried beans are something you can have in the mushy stage. I pulverized some chunky salsa to make it smaller and mixed it with the refried beans. I would heat a small portion in the microwave and then put Kraft Free FF cheese on top to melt. Yum!

You sound like a replay of my story. I was just banded 3/25/08, but like you have been overweight forever. I started at 252 when I began the 6 month diet required by insurance last July. Lost 10 pounds on that, then did really well on the pre-op liquid diet. I had dropped about 35 pounds by surgery. Since then almost another 30 has come off and I was 187 this morning. My goal is about 150. I finally had to buy some interim clothes because my work clothes were looking like they belonged to someone else. I can't remember the last time I was under 200. Congratulations on your achievement. Hope to join you soon at my goal weight.

I am 63 and was banded on 3/25. I don't know which brands of Protein drinks you are using but I was given a list with EAS Advantage (powder that mixes in skim milk-got at Target), Atkins Advantage (ready to drink cans-also at Target). I did find one not on my list, but it is on the list of Protein Drinks at Brigham Womens Hospital. It is called Worldwide Proten shakes. On their website they are only promoted as sports supplements. They don't contain the long list of Vitamins as Atkins does (we take vitamins anyway), has more protein (comes in 21 and 35g vanilla and chocolate) and tastes better than Atkins. They are sold at Trader Joe's and cost $1.69 for the 21's and $2.19 for the 35's. There is also a web site called unjury and they sell drink powders that you mix in Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, chicken Soup, and unflavored. Bariatric Advantage has a web site and you can purchase chewable vitamins, Calcium, protein drinks and other stuff. I even found Centrum Silver in chewables(Target) and calcium citrate with Magnesium and D in chewables, made by Twin Labs (also on Brighams list) sold at Healthy Options and possibly other specialty Vitamin places. I like Centrum;someone in my lapband group didn't like the taste. I also take Omega 3's and the fish oil gelcap was huge so I looked for an alternative and found liquid emusified mint flavored fish oil (sounds gross but doesn't really tast that bad) and a tablespoon of that gives me more Omega 3's than two gelcaps. I bought my sublingual B12 at Trader Joe's. So there are brands other than what you have had suggested that will do the same thing. When you get to regular foods you could try making a smoothy: Vanilla Protein Powder mixed with skim milk, blended in blender; add frozen fruit of your choice and pulse them in blender to break up. Delicious! I also put strawberries in strawberry protein drinks for a super strawberry smoothie. Hope this info is helpful. Hang in there!:confused_smile: I was also put on a liquid diet for 2 weeks prior to banding (ended up being 3 weeks; I caught a cold and they postponed surgery for a week; not enough time to go off and back on so just stayed on an extra week, plus 2 weeks after surgery), then mushies for 2 weeks, then regular food, which is kind of trial and error. Some things agree with me, some don't.

I was told I could drive when I finished with the narcotic pain med. I didn't totally wait that long (it mostly made me want to sleep), but I was banded on Tuesday 3/25 and I waited until Sunday to try it because the park where I love to walk I have to drive to. My car is automatic, and I went with the idea that if anything hurt after a couple blocks I would turn around and go home. I made it to the park. Driving didn't bother me, and I was pretty much finished with the pain med. See how you feel.

I was banded 3/25/08 and the dietician had me start on the chewables before surgery and I went back to them immediately after. I found Centrum chewables (I am 63 and I even found the silver in chewable) for MVI, and for calcium citrate I use Twin Labs (calcium with magnesium and D) chewables that I found at a Healthy Options store here in Maryland. Bariatric Advantage has a web site and they sell all that and more in chewables and liquids. Right after surgery I had to cut some medicines in half for a while, but not now. I was taking Omega 3's and the fish oil was a huge gelcap, so I found a liquid (mint flavored) at Healthy Options, and it actually gives me more Omega 3's in one tablespoon than I was getting from the gelcap, so I may keep using it. The chewables vary in price. Centrum is about $12 for 60. Calcium is pricey. Twin Labs is $17.99 for 60 and you take 4 a day. The liquid fish oil was about $13.

Not everyone is given a liquid diet pre-op. I was told it is determined by the surgeon when he examines you. I think if he feels you have a fatty liver they put you on it to shrink the liver and make the surgery easier. I was put on a "full liquid" diet which included Protein drinks, juices (diluted 50% with water), tea, coffee, sugar/fat free Jello, sugar/fat free popsicles, broths, cream Soups, skim milk, sugar/fat free pudding. I drank two Protein shakes a day, and the quantity was not limited before surgery. Plus the dietician said up until four days before surgery I could have a small amount of lean protein (I had two unbreaded chicken tenders or two hard cooked eggs) which I used in the evening when I tended to overeat the most. I knew I would be hungry some of the time, but work is so busy that I didn't have time to dwell on it. Then I ended up an extra week on the diet because I caught a cold and they delayed the surgery a week. The closest I came to cheating was a couple shelled peanuts (not roasted or salted) that I ate while walking in the park for exercise (I carried peanuts for the squirrels). I managed to lose 35 pounds before surgery and the rest since. I was on liquids for two weeks after surgery, then mushies for two weeks, and now regular food. It is trial an error now because some foods get stuck and others don't. I would check with the surgeon's office and/or the dietician to see if you should do the liquids and what you can have. Hope this helped.

I used extra lean ham slices (very thin) and spread Dijon mustard (0 cals), then either low fat string cheese (Trader Joe) or fat free Kraft slices. One string cheese or two slices Kraft. I roll them and take two as part of my lunch. Will have to try the spinach dip. Sounds tasty.:thumbup:

I am not sure at what point my brain clicked, or if it has. I do have the advantage of not having a sweet tooth, so cakes and other sweets don't tempt me. But put me into the same room with a pizza, and I feel weak. I did taste it since surgery, cutting a piece in half so I had a small triangle, but the dough sat in my chest like a stone. It eventrually passed, but the bread part I am not ready for. So I went to the store, bought Hormel Turkey Pepperonis and a jar of pizza sauce. I have Kraft Fat Free shredded mozarella at home, so I plan to put some pepperonis on a plate, cover with pizza sauce and ff mozarella, and heat in the microwave. It is really the toppings I crave. I saw a similar recipe for those craving lasagna: ricotta cheese or cottage cheese, cover with 2 tablespoons spaghetti sauce, sprinkle Parmesan cheese (optional) and heat in the microwave. I was on a liquid diet with a small amount of lean Protein until four days before surgery, then just liquids, pluse two weeks liquids post surgery. That really jump started my weight loss. I was down 35 lbs by surgery and have lost 25 more since (banded 3/25). I purchased a couple books, The Lapband Connection and The Lapband Companion, and there are several meaninful quotes from them hanging over my desk at work. One is "Just because I can eat it, doesn't mean I should" and "Just because I don't eat it, doesn't mean I don't want to" and then "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." I work in a medical office and we have luncheons all the time, so the temptation is there. I always go look, but only take a little salad. I really try to keep my eye on the prize. I want to eliminate or reduce the medicine I am on for several co-morbidities, and this is the path for me. I have lost 60 lbs so far, working toward 100. I try to look at the food I shouldn't eat as a barrier to my success. I still lust after some foods a bit, so I am a work in progress, as are many on this site. Just keep your eye on the prize. Is that trip to Starbucks worth the emotional beating you will give yourself?

I was banded 3/25, and the dietician gave me a list of things I could eat, but basically anything you can pulverize to the consistency of apple sauce. I did instant mashed potatoes (it makes minimum 2 servings, so I put one away to heat in microwave another time, and heated fat free gravy to put on it) creamy egg salad (hard cooked eggs, salt and pepper, light mayo and Gray Poupon mustard to taste), creamy tuna salad (pepper, light mayo and yellow mustard to taste), cream soups (I did tomato and melted fat free Kraft slices in it to make creamier), apple sauce, and I pulverized some chunky salsa to make it smaller, then mixed in fat free refried beans. To help me with portion control, I used a small dessert bowl and nuked in microwave, then put some fat free shredded cheese on top while still hot and it will melt. Yum!

I am four weeks post op, and I can eat salad. I just make a small one with mixed greens, red cabbage, carrot slivers (I am lazy--the mixed greens come in a bag--I just add other stuff to it), and I add some bacon bits (Hormel reduced fat--comes in a bag ready to sprinkle--costco sells a large size bag), grape tomatoes, some fat free feta cheese, and low fat Parmeson Peppercorn dressing. No croutons, though. That combo went down just fine. Tried bread over the weekend, and not quite ready for that. I am still working on chewing thoroughly. I started on solids on 4/22.

I do an easy chili on the stove. Brown turkey (I put it in frozen on low heat and spoon out the fatty stuff that cooks off of it--I use 93% turkey). I add pkg of Chili seasoning, 1 15 oz can tomato sauce, 1 can of kidney/pinto/black beans juice and all, 1 can chopped green chilis. I simmer for a while on low heat to mix the flavors, then before serving I sprinkle fat free (I like Kraft Free) shredded cheese on top to melt. Low fat, high protein, and very tasty!