shortgal

Welcome! Prepare yourself for the roller coaster ride that is lapbanding. The ride might start with a pre-op diet. If your Dr. requires liquids only during this time, it could be rough, but you'll lose weight rapidly and that can be a big boost mentally. You'll have surgery and might be sore from the incisons or the gas that they pump into your belly to enlarge it so they can work inside. You;ll be on a post op diet and will again lose weight. As you progress to real food, you might find that you can eat more than you should and you might wonder if you even have a band. Then you'll be in the phase of waiting for fills to get your band to fit your stomach perfectly. This can take a while depending on your body, how often your Dr. fills and how much fill is given as each visit. Then you will reach that perfect spot and you'll eat small meals, feel comfortably full and lose weight. AHHH NIRVANA! The moment we all wait for! ( I am in the phase of waiting for perfect restriction). As you lose weight, your band might need small adjustments/fills to accommodate the weight you lose. Eventually, you'll reach your goal weight!!!! There might be bumps in the road, a fill that's too tight, a bite not chewed well enough and gets stuck, weeks where the scale won't budge etc. That's why this jouney is filled with ups and downs, like a roller coaster! But what is more thrilling than a roller coaster. Hop on, let's sit in the front seat!

I tried the Myoplex and didn't like the taste, and find i prefer to have an Atkins advantage bar or If I'm short on protein, I'll drink a glass of Isopure Clear, much fewer calories (80) for 1/2 the bottle with 20 gms protein.

Ha, ha Longhorn, that made me laugh. Before I got to the bottom of your post, I was laughing because I thought here comes the math logic! You must be a good math teacher because you see numbers from a lot of different perspectives! Longhorn: Our resident math geek! You must have figured your weight loss forward, backwards, sideways and must have a thousand projections on when you'll reach goal. I LOVE IT!

Thanks Sades, One more week to next fill, I keep thinking that if I haven't got close to restriction, as I lose I keep getting farther away from it, unless the fills are "bigger" than the amount I'm shrinking my stomach fat. I know I need more fill based on hunger between meals and amount I could eat. I am resisting eating b'fast, but really want it. I'm down one more pound for our weigh in tomorrow, but I lost that one right after last weigh in, so the scale hasn't budged for at least 5 days. Oh well, I can hang in for a little more until that right fill comes!

Oprah has done many wonderful things for many people and I am not taking that away from her, but this thread is not about Oprah in general or about her generosity, but about her show on WLS. Oprah has had trainers, chefs, Dr Phil, life coaches on the show etc and she still has a weight issue. Goes to prove losing weight is not easy no matter how you try to do it. Yet, she seems, in my opinion, to be dead set against WLS except for the super morbidly obese. She's entitiled to her opinion, as I am to mine, but I predict while she's still fat next year and still trying to figure out WHY she overeats, we'll be thinner and healthier. Oprah is afraid of needles... did you see the ear piercing show or the acupunture show? So I can't imagine the idea of surgery sits well with her.

When you have millions of adoring fans and people tell you how wonderful you are, it's very easy to start believing it. Most celebrities fall into that trap. But the public creates the monsters, by wanting all the personal info and following what they wear, where they eat etc and trying to emulate them. I don't take everything Oprah does, says, reads, eats, believes for my own gospel. I listen and decide for myself, what I do and don't agree with and believe. I have my own brain, thank you very much!

I remember the one lady she had on the show that had gastric bypass and oprah was very supportive, but I believe it was because that woman ( if we're talking about the same one) could barely walk, couldn't fit in a regular chair etc. I think Oprah thought it was OK for that woman to have surgery because she was so BIG! Oprah can walk, Oprah can work, Oprah can fit in a chair, so she probably doesn't think she has as bad a problem that it would require surgery. While Oprah works on discovering "WHY" she is fat, she will still BE fat, unless she can find the answer and she hasn't yet. Maybe she just likes potatoes! I love the comment above that our bands are like our personal trainer or personal chef! Oh, and I've never seen her give a car to anyone that had WLS, but she did give a Porsche to a guy that lost 200 pounds "the old fashioned way".

I'm finding it hard to get rid of the old thoughts because I don't have good restriction yet and I know how EASY it would be to take another bite here or there. I am controlling my intake NOT the band, yet. If I had and could keep good but not overtight restriction, then I guess I could start to believe it could happen. Right now, I know I could fairly easily go back to my old habits. I know I will have to help my band, but if I could do all the work by myself, I wouldn't have needed it, so I need the band to work... and soon! I also know while some exercise is needed, I don't expect I will ever commit to more than one hour 4 to 6 times a week and if more was needed, I would most likely decide a higher weight was OK for me. I hope I'm getting close to first level of restriction... next appt 2/13! The most helpful knowledge you gave me was the difference in calories in maintaining 125 compared to 140. That I can wrap my head around! I also realize though that it will take much more effort to lose the 15 pound difference than it will to maintain the difference. All I need now is restriction. And besides my DR is a male and why should I start letting a man tell me what I can and can't acheive. I plan to re evaluate my goal weight as I progress.

I think she is definitely opposed to WLS, she's a strong person and I think she believes having surgery would make her "weak". However, I thnk she needs to come to terms with the fact that despite personal trainers and personal chefs she continues to fight the weight battle. The chef can make lots of healthy food, but you can overeat good, healthly food, too! With some exceptions, I am not a fan of children being banded. SOME children are overweight because the parents are overweight or becasue the parents never set limits for the children. Once these children are away from the parents influence, they might just slim down and if not then the band, or something better, will still be around then. Adults can die from the effects of being overweight, but children don't. They have time and they should wait until they can understand this is a life long committment and not just a way to get into a smaller size or get a boyfriend. I might re-consider for children that are VERY obese or those that have developed diabetes or sleep apnea.

You're still down 95 LBS, that a huge accomplishment! You might have gotten slack with getting fills and need another. Getting one makes sense to me. I think we all need to asess our hunger after our band has been with us for awhile and determine if it's time for a fill. Let us know how you make out after you see the DR.

Getting to this first level of restriction is frustrating. I continue to diet and lose slowly, but doens't that make me just farther away to my first restriction? If my stomach continues to get smaller than the tightness is further away. Hopefully the fills are getting my band tighter more rapidly than I am losing! I really want a meal that stays with me for at least two hours. I just keep thinking if I had some restriction, I could get a 10 pound loss in a month. I could use that! I need to buy a few pieces of clothing and I'd like to lose a little more first. Everyone is hanging in though and we are all still losing. I think I'll go check the Oct bandsters and see how they are doing, since they're one month ahead of us.

Isopure CLEAR is available at GNC stores. It comes in many flavors. I like them, but some people don't. I like the apple melon and the pineapple orange banana. The whole 20 oz bottle has 160 calories and 40 gm of Protein, so you could drink half for 80 calories and 20 gm of protein. At two months out, I still drink a glass (or 1/2 the bottle) if I haven't gotten enough protein in with meals.

I did look up the BMR charts as Jachut suggested and found that the difference between maintaining 125 vs 140 is about 100 calories a day. That is good to know, because I can wrap my brain around that and make better choices when I am in maintenance. I think not having good restriction at this point, is making me feel I could easily lose the control I'm using now, to continue to lose. Perhaps if the band is working for me, I'll feel that I can acheive and maintain a normal weight. I guess I still have a lot of the old fat lady thoughts still in my head, but I'm still early on in this journey. I will definitely re-evaluate my goal weight as I get closer to it! Restriction is first goal! Chickie: It is very reassuring to know that you went from 297 to 107 and are able to maintain that. I'll need to stop this negative thinking!

Even if your Dr. doesn't allow protein shakes, can't you add protein powder to applesauce or jello or in cottage cheese?

Rebounding as I call it, is based on weight loss graphs for WLS surgery patients. The graphs show a downward weight loss and then average weights go up and then stablize. I found this online somewhere. I guess since even as a younger, more active adult I struggled to maintain a lower weight, I am concerned that as an older menopausal woman, I will struggle even more to acheive and then maintain a weight that is normal for a height of 5"0'. Maybe I feel this way because I don't have good restriction yet, so while I am losing now ( slowly) there is a lot of willpower involved and I know from the past, my willpower won't last. Maybe with my tool of the band working, I would be able to acheive and maintain a normal weight. That still seems impossible and incredible to me. But after being overweight for such a long time, why wouldn't I be skeptical? I'll re assess- my final goal weight once I start to get restriction.

Jachut: i have to agree with the part about how hard we want to work at this weigh loss issue, but I have many "normal" weight friends that don;t do heavy cardio or run to maintain their weight. I will never be convinced that it is not harder to maintain a lower weight than it is to maintain a higher weight. It is a simple matter of daily calories and you can eat more to maintain a higher weight. Add age, which slows the metabolism and you need fewer calories each day. I am happy for you that you have found an answer to your weight issues. There is no one right solution that fits everyone. I appreciate all responses because one of them might be the one that resonates the most for me.

All of our problems don't disappear just because we get banded. Eating healthier will help you get a grip on your emotions to help handle the problems in your life... eating bad will just be one more thing on top of the pile of problems. You have lost weight, celebrate that and be sure you don't go back to old habits. The fill process seems to be the most frustrating part of the surgery for many of us. I've had four fills and still don't have good restriction. You can lose all your weight... and you'll feel better and more confident and you can go out and find that better job! Hang in there!

There are many liquids that are appropriate for a diabetic. Glucerna has a whole line of products... but your Dr. or his/her nutritionist will advise the best ones for you to have that will keep your blood sugars level. Many diabetes have the surgery because they are diabetic, so you won't be the first one. My Dr. repaired my hernia at the time of the surgery. Ask your Dr. about this.

Making you wait 6 months for a fill is cruel! What kind of bariatric surgeon does that? If the Dr's practice includes lots of gastric bypass patients, the nurse might be comparing them to you... there is no comparison of the two different surgeries in the first year, especially with regard to speed of weight loss. Next time, you can remind the "friendly" nurse of that! Perhaps you could find the protocol that your brand of band suggests for fills and print it and bring it to your Dr. I can't believe the manufacturer would suggest a 6 month wait for the first fill! And then how long in between fills will your DR. wait? Suppose you don't get good restriction on the first fill? Many times you can locate this online for call the band manufacturer. Your weight loss is great and you did all that without the band helping you!

britterz: Your lucky you're getting some restriction after one fill. Most of us start out with a similar size band, but inside we all have a different amount of fat around the stomach. so some will get restriction sooner than others. As you lose more weight, the first fill will become loose and you'll need another. I'm glad your hungry is under control.

Sades, I think we should be getting close now to our first level of restriction. Let me know how you make out tomorrow and how it goes the first few days after, as you figure out if this one works! I have to wait until 2/13 now for my next appt. This last fill didn't get me there yet. Are you getting nervous about the fill that will restrict you? I am a little nervous, as now that we get closer, I want restriction, but not too much and if they give me 1cc, maybe I'll really only need .5 cc. And if liquids go down, but we have a lot of trouble with soft or solid food, that might hurt. I can still eat a cup of food or more at one time and I'm not getting a full feeling for a long enough time between meals.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE newly banded people! Please read the thread about "how the band works" and How fills work" by Wendell! Do a search if you can;t find it. The band MIGHT restrict you for a little bit after the surgery due to swelling. Once the swelling goes down the band might be giving you very little to no restriction, every one is different inside their stomach. First, you heal, that's why the post op diet is liquids, mushies etc. Then you start getting fills. It could take several fills until you reach your first level of restriction. Once you reach your first level of restriction, you will lose more weight and need another fill. This process can continue for most people until you lose most of your weight and your band can remain stable. Please read the post by Wendell. It is an excellent explanation and they one that helped me relax and understand the process I am going through. P.S. After the first few weeks of healing, if you have not yet reached restriction, you most likely will be able to eat more than you want/should. Use your old dieting methods during this time or you could gain weight. I know we don't want to "diet" that's why we got the band. But until you get good band restriction this might be necessary. Also during this time practice the band rules of small bites, chewed well and no drinking for one hour after the meal. Getting these habits down now, could really help you later!

We can be very judgemental about this. I see a few people on the forum that are still very young and have maybe 50 pounds to lose, and that is to get them to what I consider a low BMI, like 20 to 21. I really don't see how a 19 or 20 year old could have made many REAL valid attempts to lose the excess weight and yet, they must believe they can't because who would have surgery? And I wonder if it's realistic for the people aching to be a low BMI to maintain that weight, even with the band. The weight loss graphs for people that have had WLS, shows that after losing the excess weight, most people will rebound some pounds and then remain stable. So, if these young people have 50 pounds to lose, have the surgery, lose the 50 but rebound 20 pounds, the difference would be 30 pounds. Now I would never risk surgery for a net loss of 30 pounds. But a person that has 100 pounds to lose, might end up after several years keeping close to 60 or 70 pounds off. That's a big difference in a person's overall health. And higher BMI people with over a 100 pounds to lose have an even greater health benefit. That's why ins. companies don't want to pay for surgery unless you are over 40 BMI or 35 with co morbidities. We all have a different comfort level for where our weight should be.

If you can't get much down, then at least try to get something with protein. You need that to heal and get stronger.

I've had four, not restricted yet. I have approx 5cc's in a 10cc band.