shortgal

Oh yeah, I want to be "just overweight", too! Our thin friends would never understand that statement!!!!! Congratulations on being overweight!

I would ask about follow up care. Is someone available if you have problems post op. What is the availability of the office hours for fills? And does that correspond to your hours? Of course all the usual questions about the surgery and pre-op and post op diets and complications are important, too.

I don't have good restriction yet but so far I have eaten plums, bananas and apples. Even without good restriction, the fresh fruit takes awhile to get down. It can take me 15 mins. to eat an apple. I have to go slow and really chew, but I have gotten them down. Once I get better restriction, not sure what will go down then. Strawberries, raspberries were easier and once I go stuck on a blackberry, but that was awhile ago. Had a fill yesterday and I'm on soft food, but by the weekend, I'll gradually start trying solid foods again to see what goes down.

Trust me, I completely understand. I weigh myself every morning AND every night before bed. LOL. I have never met an overweight person that doesn't want to lose the weight immediately. During the weight loss phase, I feel like my life is "on hold". I hate going places unless I'm restricted because I'm afraid I'll eat too much. Plus, now I don't have much to wear, but how many new things do I buy if I hope to be smaller size in a few weeks? It's all very frustrating, but I just try to remember I did this to myself. I put myself in this place by overeating for years, so the weight won't come off in a few weeks. We just have to continue on our band process and we'll get to the finish line eventually.

You might want to read the threads in the "Doctors and Hospitals" section and the "fill Doctors" threads. Don;t know where you live, there is also a Dr. in Colorado that has reasonable prices and places called "Fill Centers USA" that do fills, they are scattered about the country. I think they're more of them in south and South west areas.

Before the next appt have your gf record everything she eats and drinks. Everything including quantity and have her bring it with her to the next appt. Does the surgeon's office have a nutritionist or dietican she can talk to and show them what she's eating? The band should be only be tight enough that solid Proteins go down (small bites and well chewed) and a small portion of 1/2 to 1 cup should keep her full for several hours. She needs to understand that "full" will not feel like her old feeling of a full belly, but rather a feeling like she can resist eating more at the moment and feels satisified. She should not drink anything for one hour after eating, so the food stays in the pouch and allows her brain to understand the "new" feeling of full. She should also be eating Protein first with some veggies and eating very few carbs. Is she tracking her daily protein intake? It's important the the majority of her calories come from protein not carbs. Another fill does not sound right, but rather a slight unfill would help. Diet and exercise helps everyone but the advantage of the band should be limiting the amount of food we can intake to maintain our weight loss.

The band is not meant to work properly with just consuming liquids. The band works best when we eat solid Protein that stays in our pouch. If you can't eat solid protein, then the band is most likely too tight. It takes time to "read" the signals our pouch sends to our brains about being full or satisfied. It's not the same as our old full belly feeling. We shouldn't confuse slow weight loss or a short plateau to mean we need a big fill. Sometimes a small fill is better, as we can then consume solid protein but remain satisfied longer. I will have a day of liquids if I reach a plateau as I find it can jump start my weight loss again, but a steady diet of liquids will not work in the long run. We are not supposed to lose weight by starvation but rather by limitation.

My surgeon has never done my fills. His PA or a nurse does it. I am asked basic questions about my hunger and quantity and types of food I can eat and we decide if a fill is needed. So far, I have gotten a fill at each visit. I don't want to be overtight, but I know some people want to be really tight so they lose faster and I think that is one of the concerns for a Dr's office because being overtight can lead to problems and then who is called to address the problems... right... the Dr's office. I think if we have reasonable expectations and speak maturely and honestly to our provider (be that the Dr or a nurse) then our medical needs should be addressed properly.

The lower the weight the slower the weight loss because it takes fewer calories to maintain a lower weight. It takes a calorie reduction of 500 calories each day to lose ONE pound a week and takes 1000 per day to lose 2 pounds a week. Until you reach the right restriction ( which can take time) if you want to lose weight, you need to diet. Yeah, I know that's not why we got banded, but the band is not working until you hit the sweet spot. I have had six fills and still think I need another small one to hit my sweet spot. We choose lapband because it's a safer surgery than gastric bypass but we want the same results as GBP patients. It just doesn't work that way. Remember they have malabsorption, that's one reason they lose faster. And while we don't truly have a small pouch until we get good restriction, they have a small pouch from day one. Ask your surgeon how often you can come in for a fill and perhaps for you, smaller fills closer together would be better. In the meantime, if weight watchers works well for you then why not try that until you get the fill that works?

You're supposed to "fast" for 10 to 14 days after a fill? Weight loss can be slow until we get good restriction and you might need more fills to get there ( I've had six fills). Until you get good restriction, you need to count calories and track your Protein ( like being on weight watchers). Be sure you get at least 60 to 80 gms of protein a day. Eat protein first and add green veggies, reduce, reduce, reduce your carbs. The carbs make you hungrier sooner and you'll be looking for another snack sooner. I don't think it's possible that your Dr wants you to fast for 10 to 14 days. Please check the instructions with the office.

A high Protein shake can leave some people feeling full, this is why high protein is suggested for lap banders. You don't "feel" like you've lost weight? Have you weighed yourself? Even if you haven't lost weight yet, you will, but the main thing about the pre-op diet is to shrink the liver and get your body ready for surgery.

I had another fill yesterday and I don't know if this one did the trick or not. I am supposed to be on full liquids for two days but I ran out of shakes last night so this a.m. I had oatmeal. We'll see how long it keeps me full. I actually think I need more fill... I can't believe it! I do notice that with this last fill, I have the shoulder pain from that nerve that runs from belly to left shoulder, so it's either swelling from fill or the band is tighter. I never had the shoulder thing after previous fills. Weight loss for over two weeks has stalled. Frustrating! Good Luck everyone. I know some of you have good restriction! Name...................Start..........Current..........Goal ......To Go Shortgal................189............188.2..............184.........4.2

That's a pretty limited selection. Are you newly banded? The tuna and eggs are both mushie/soft food. If you've been banded for a while, firmer food should go down unless you just had a fill. I just had a fill today and before it I didn't have good restriction and could eat chicken, beef, salad, apples, tuna, veggies. I guess it depends on what kind of restaurant you go into while traveling. A side order of meatballs? Or a crab cake appetizer or the mozarella sticks appetizer? Not nesessarily the best choices but I know how awful it is to worry about getting stuck in a public place. I ate the apricot chicken at olive garden recently and it was fairly moist. If you know the places you're going to, maybe you can look up their menu online for ideas.

I like to order Fish like Salmon and I eat it slowly. You could also decide to just have an appetizer. If you are worried about getting stuck in front of people I would order something soft. Otherwise grilled chicken over salad or a bowl of Soup? Depends on how tight you are and what foods generally are easy for your band to tolerate.

What about a phone call or letter to the hospital medical director or the lap band manufacturer to help get results???

I have approx 7cc's in my 10 cc band. I just had my sixth fill today. First fill was 2 cc's and all the rest were 1cc. I'm on liquids for two days and then soft food for two days and after that I can figure out if this fill did anything. Like most people, I am ready for restriction because I've lost no weight for the last 2.5 weeks! Feels like I'm just wasting time waiting to get to right fill. I suspect 7 to 8 cc's is where I need to be for my sweet spot.

You sound too tight. Sometimes you can get swelling after the fill but that should go down in a couple days so if it's a week later you might be too tight. some women get tighter around their period, so that could be a factor. Please don't stay too tight for too long as people on the forum have indicated it can cause a band slip, which could result in the Dr. totally unfilling you.

You stopped eating because you "lost interest"? Did you ever lose interest in food before being banded? Because I didn't! The only comment I have about what you ate was the crab cake probably had too much breading ( carbs) and the caesar salad dressing is one of the highest in calories. So chicken over a regular salad might have been a better choice, but quantity wise, I don't think you ate a lot. Try to eat more solid Protein and that will help keep your pouch full longer. I would also asses how long that lunch kept you full in your decision if your restriction is right. If you get too tight, it nots good either.

You can absolutely get back on track. Determine if you need a fill and get one if you need it. Definitely detox off the sugar and carbs by sticking to very high Protein liquids or solids and add green veggies only. Track everything you put in your mouth by logging both calories and protein intake. Do not guess if you are getting enough protein, count it. Stay to 1200 calories OR under for the three days. Prepare first. Get everything you need in the house and choose a time when you know you can stick to it for the three days. Does your Dr. require liquids after a fill? If yes, then plan to do the detox after your fill. You can do this.

Surgery is a big step and at your height a loss of just thirty pounds would make a huge difference. Have you considered following one of the pre-op liquid diets for a couple weeks and then follow it up by joining weight watchers to help you learn to keep the weight off? Drink an Atkins shake for b'fast and lunch and have grilled chicken and a green veggie for dinner. Most of us gain weight during pregnancy, but surgery is a big, permanent, expensive step to go through. You can also go the lapband route down the road. Good Luck.

You're not alone. There are several November bandsters waiting to get good restriction.... I'm one, too. I've had five fills and still don't have good restriction, hopefully tomorrow's appt will get me there. Keep getting fills until you hit your sweet spot. You should feel full for several hours after a small amount of food... that's the place we want to be.

Ok time for me to vent today. Just got back from the Dr's office and did not get a fill because a "new" receptionist put me down for another office, which is another half hour away from the office I usually go to. I already drive 25 minutes to get to this office. Anyway, I am rescheduled for tomorrow but was REALLY looking forward to this appt. If I don't get restriction soon, I'm going to scream or cry or both! Ok thanks, I feel a little better now!

You look great! Big difference in after photo. Congratulations!

Steph Co: Misery loves company, so I'm here to join you. I had a bad weekend. My restriction sucks right now and we went away and well it's not that I ate really bad things, but I ate too much, too often (and had wine one night). This weekend came right at a time when last week, I had been following my old routine to a tee and did not lose a pound and acutally gained one pound. I knew I felt defeated by last week and that's why I ate too much this weekend. The only thing I can fall back on is that I have a fill appt tomorrow. I'm just so worried if this one doesn't get me tight, I continue the binge. I'm hoping the two days of liquids after the fill will get me back on track. I'm glad you got back in gear. I'm self pay too, so I know how you feel. I also do not want to give up on all my previous success with the band and how good it feels to fit in smaller clothes etc. My guilt right now is that I do not want to change my ticker back up. I just can't face that, so I will just leave it until I get back to where I was. I think this "Spring" challenge could be a tough one for me. Bottom line is your weight lose since being banded is fabulous and you should be proud. You just had a small bump in the smooth road to thinness!

Fatty liver is usually diagnosed with a test called LFT ( liver function test). I've been told the best way to reduce Trigs is cut sugar. an online search might give you more answers.