shortgal

I have been adding one teaspoon of benefiber twice a day. I add it to my bottle of water. Can't taste it. I'm trying one teaspoon twice a day and I'll adjust as needed, but I do see an improvement.

The idea of re-routing my stomach and intestines, malabsorption and a more risky procedure were the reasons, I decided against GBP. No matter which procedure, some patients have been successful and some have gained weight back. It takes some work and diligence on the patient's part, no matter which one you choose, so I went for the less risky procedure. Lap band patients usually lose weight slower than bypass patients, but overall after time can have similar results. A lot depends on the patient's compliance with the rules and both require high Protein, low carb, no drinking right after meals, and highly suggest exercise. Lap banders lose slower becasue of the "fill" process, it can take time, depending on how often your dr will give fills, (which is a good question to ask the surgeon you choose) to get the right restriction. Please educate yourself on the fill process (there are some good threads on ths site) because the fill process seems to be one of the least understood parts of the banding, as I see so many questions about it on the forum.

I think Inamed and Allergan are the same thing. One bought out the other. I wouldn't worry, your surgeon is probably using the most up to date band.

I was self pay, my fills were included and i get them about every two weeks.

I am two months post op and so far I don't regret having the surgery. I am 5 pounds away from being the lowest weight I have been in 20 years and then it's still all downhill from there! I believe I still have a long road ahead, as the band is a roller coaster process. First, you have surgery and can't eat too much, the band loosens and you can eat and have to use willpower not to eat until the next fill. After each fill, you will eat carefully to see if the last fill made you tight and then the process continues. This is not gastric bypass and most people don't lose as fast with a band as bypass people, but at our age, we've been overweight so long, we're not usually in the same rush as those younger than us. I am female, 56, 5'0 and started at 216. I had been as high as 230 a few years ago. You can also control your band, by ultimately deciding how tight you want your band and how restricted you choose to be. If you choose to be less restricted or less tight, then you might weigh less than now but not reach your ideal or goal weight, but I think having that choice is great to know. I'm going for fill #4 soon and haven't reached my first restriction level, since the swelling from surgery went down, but I know I'll get there soon. Like you I was tired of shopping in the "plus" size department. Unlike you I didn;t have co-morbidites, but I would think that's more motivation for you. Many banders are able to significantly reduce or even eliminate their meds. Read as much as you can about the entire process and you'll be able to make the right decision for you.

I had my band surgery at 3pm and I was not allowed to eat or day that whole day before surgery, so how do you do it? You just do! Sucks? Yup! but we just do what we have to do, to get where we want to be.

Our old relationship with food is over and between that and the actual recovery from the surgery, it can leave us with a lot of new emotions or old emotions resurface. We are coping with getting adjusted to a new way of eating and we have to deal with our head hunger as well as belly hunger. To do this we must be as emotionally stable as possible, so if meds are needed to stablize us, then I say take them. It will make an already difficult process a little easier. We are human, we are weak sometimes. This is not the time to try to be a hero and tough it out. For the person recently banded and wanting to eat, most of us have been there. You must use willpower unitl you get the right fill. It could take several fills until you get restriction, so just get your head together and get on a diet. Track your calories, track your Protein and wait for your fill. I know that's not why we got the band, but if you don't want to gain weight, then you might have to diet. It is especially important in the first six weeks to follow the post op diet your Dr. gave you. You want to heal properly and not screw up the band. Most of us have been on diets half of our life, so what's a few more weeks?

I was lighheaded and dizzy and found I needed to get better hydrated and added a little carbs (i was drinking no carb/protein drink) with small amount of the light apple juice. Once you get get more fluids in, I think you'll feel better.

If you were taking medication and stopped it suddenly, that could be part of the problem. People on antidepressants should be weaned off of them. The whole surgery process could be making you feel a little down as well. are you getting enough Protein in everyday? At least 50 to 60 grams? Please try walking. It can be hard to start but once you get out and do it, it will make you feel so much better. If you can get out during the daylight hours, it is even better for the brain! Surgery and a change in diet is a lot for the body to handle, you just need some time to re-adjust.

Lots of people use the Carnation Instant B'fast, but I do not think it has the same amount of Protein that some of the more expensive drinks have. In the first few weeks post op, some people cannot drink a lot and the only way to get the necessary protein in is to drink something with a high protein count. If a person is only on liquids, then the $$ they would have spent on "normal" food can be used to supplement their diet with one or two bottles of the more expensive higher Protein Drinks.

when a food gets stuck, my nose gets runny. when i get a fill, I am advised to be on full liquids for two days to give the band/stomach time to adjust to the fill and then I'm to be on soft food for two days. Maybe you are progressing to normal food too quickly after a fill. Are you chewing really well after a fill, once you progress to solid food? I never know how tight a fill might make me, so I am careful to progress very slowly. some people have said that after a fill, they can;t eat in the a.m and they progressively get better during the day, so maybe you just have to try to "read" your bodies reaction to the fills.

At 67 years old and 150 lbs overweight, I think he should be ready to wave the white flag that he's already defeated about controling his weight on his own. Is he going to wait until he's 75 to say he's defeated by food? Right after surgery he will maintain his body's nutritional needs with Protein drinks and most likely he will actually have better nourishment than he does now. I doubt that he's maintaining an extra 150 pounds by eating healthy food. Later, he'll maintain energy by eating healthy foods in "normal" portions. And about riding a bike... can he ride one now? Probably not, so what's the difference? Difference is,he might be able to lower his need for the meds he's on now and there is a good chance his asthma would improve. Sounds to me like he's just not ready to give up his best friend,food.

Firebolt: You lucky dog! My old Snacks habits are just starting to creep back in. A few nuts here or there, lunch and then a yogurt and then an Atkins high Protein bar. I'm going to have to watch dinner calories closely. I find that if I eat B'fast, I'm hungrier all day long, I think i have to give up b'fast. Next appt is Weds! This will be my fourth fill and hopefully will work. Let us know how long your fill lasts!

generally band people have about 100 pounds to lose and even if we kept off 1/2 of those pounds, we'd be healthier for it. As we age, our metabolism changes and we can be less active as we no longer chase kids, wash a million loads of clothes a week, vacuum everyday, work part time instead of fulltime etc. so we need less calories to maintain our weight. The general population gains as we age for the above reason, so it stands to reason, that in 20 years a person that was banded at the age of 30 might start to gain a few pounds as well. Life in one big crap shoot, but I was willing to take a chance on being banded vs. my health chances as I age if I were NOT banded. I will not consider myself a failure, If I end up keeping 50 pounds off instead of 80.

Well,before banding, the most I have lost is 30 pounds. It took me ten months and I gained half of it back quickly. I then fought my hunger like crazy to avoid gaining the rest of it back. I felt the same way. I always failed and was (am) still worried now that I have the band. But I have lost over 20 pounds in two months and that is without good restriction yet. The "dieting" I did in years past taught me what normal portions are, how to weigh and measure and count calories etc. If you haven't learned how to do that, a place like weight watchers could help. You will need those skills to help you be successful with your band. And really GBP patients have failed as well. But is failure, keeping all of the weight off or half of the weight off? We all want to lose ALL the weight we need to lose, but the fact is for many of us, we might not keep it all off as it's not easy to maintain 130-150 pound weight. Even if I can keep off half the weight I need to lose, I'll end up healthier! Bottom line is we have to work at it, the band just helps us do our job.

I cannot even believe a nurse that works at a WLS clinic that performs band surgery would say that. I suggest you tell the Dr she said it. He needs people working with him that believe in what he does and that will encourage their patients. And maybe if the clinic banders are NOT doing well, then maybe the office is doing something wrong... maybe not enough fills etc. There will always be successes and failures in anything, but the reason for each should be explored.

yes! I had an abnormal EKG and had to get a pet scan. I now know I have a "normal" abnormality. LOL! I was a little freaked out, thinking not only that I might have something wrong with my heart, but that it would delay my surgery. I had to wait several days to get the test and then several more for the results only to find out I was fine. Good News is that it was a relief to know I had a thorough exam of my heart and when surgery was over and I had all that chest pain from the gas, I wasn't worried that I was having a heart attack! Also, you wouldn't really want to risk surgery if there was something wrong with your heart.

Sades: I looked at what you ate, seems enough Protein was missing. I'm not always crazy about meat some days, so I have to track my protein to make sure I get enough.

Green with jealousy. I want SOME restriction. Next fill, maybe???

Another day of accountability. B'fast: One cup Kashi go lean with 1/2 c skim milk. 180C 13 gm Protein snack: One bottle Special k2O Water 50C 230CT 5 gm protein (18gmT) Lunch:Lean cuisine 250c 16 gm protein 480cT 34 gm T protein snack: 12 almonds and a low fat yogurt 200c (680 c) 7gm protein 41 gm T Another Special k water 50c (730) 46 gm T Dinner: 2 scrambled eggs and two pieces 60 C whole wheat toast ( couldn't finish it got stuck)300C this is the second night in a row I got stuck at dinner. Last fill kicking in? I just don't know. I wait and then can eat again, so I had Snack: 1/2 EAS power bar. 120C 1150 C Total Lost track of protein at 46 gm T

There is a thread for banders starting at a high BMI. Try a "search" to find it.

I've had three fills and each one has felt different. I never know what to expect, but I've lived through all of them.... LOL.

I am just so amazed with the weight loss that you guys have! Of course that's why I also joined the slow losers forum. I have been sticking to plan but I know I need to move more! I'm like a bear in winter, I hibernate. One pound down for me this week. Name.......................Start.....................Current.......... ......To Go 1. TxArcher..................360.......................353............... ......8 2. Momto1plus1.............241.......................237................. ....8(229) 3. Hungryforchange......227.5....................219.5..................4 .5 (total lost 8 pounds) 4. Steph....................203.5.....................192.5.............. ....4 (188.5 goal) 5. shortgal..................198.......................194.....................2

If your husband likes radishes have him try a few every day, it might prevent the next attack. It's great to have the RX but all meds are filtered through our kidneys and livers, so why not use a natural remedy as a first course of preventive treatment? That's why my husband eats the radishes, he's on enough meds for BP and high cholesterol already, why add another!

Thanks Jill, I'm noticing that, too!