macmamma

Hi Jaime, My question is where is your doctor in all this. My suggestion (as a bariatric nurse, who is also banded) is that you contact your surgeon and be evaluated. You may need another fill. I also want you to know that you have to stay positive. 31 pounds is great! I am sorry I don't live near you, but a support group would be most helpful to you also. Please e-mail me if you want to talk or have questions.

I am wanting to try it, too. My fill is perfect. Its the munchies that get me! My sister takes (she is not banded) and has lost 20 lbs in just a couple of months. So I think I am about to see if my surgeon will give me a script. I know my insurance won't pay for it - that is the only bummer.

Hey Girl, I am sorry you are having such a hard time. I am a coordinator for two lap-band surgeons and am have been banded almost 6 months. It sounds to me like you have a much better idea of how to eat than your doctor does. The most important aspect of your calories to intake is PROTEIN! Veggies are included on the menu, though. I like you do not digest them real well, so I don't eat that many. My recommendation (for what it is worth) is that you find yourself a good band-friendly internist. You have something going on that has not been completly treated. You need a full work-up, beging with basic lab and if its normal some more specific labs. Then on from there. As far as your band surgeon goes - they don't all have the right idea. But what can you do? You need him for fills. Some band surgeons will see other band surgeon's patients and some will not. If you can find one that you are more comfortable with, go for it! If not see him for your fill and do what you know if right for your body. Hey - if there is anything I can help with let me know! The medical field can be very challenging to navigate for patients. I hate that! Hope this helps. Good luck and I hope you are feeling 100% soon! :biggrin1:

Okay, I need some ideas - what do you guys do for sweet cravings? Some days I have none. Others I am just absolutely crazy! I will eat anything sweet. Any good ideas out there? I am really trying to be good! :mad: :car: :couch2:

Thanks guys!! I appreciate all the great suggestions. I have already tried a couple. This time of the month seems to be the worst :faint: . I think I was trying too hard to stay on track and I just ended up pigging out :hungry: . Thanks!

Well, guys - this situation is exactly why you want to be sure you choose your surgeon wisely! My personal take is that I would only use physicians who are registered with Inamed. Inamed makes the only band that is FDA approved in the US. You can very easily find a physician in your area by going to their website, www.inamed.com. All of the Inamed physicians I have come in contact with, professional, have been wonderful!

Okay - Not to go against the flow here - but - remember these docs are used to talking to patients who if given an inch will take a mile. That is not really the majority of us, but I will admit I am one of those. If you tell it is okay to do it once - I may do it once a day! I am Bariatric Coordinator with advance education in surgery, bariatric nutrition, and counseling bariatric patients. I am also newly banded. The reason it is okay for us to consume so few calories is that we have an incredible amount of stored body fat to burn for our fuel. That is one of the reasons that Protein is so important - to keep our bodies burning that body fat and also because we get so few calories. With all that said I think you are doing absolutely wonderful and definitely above average! I say keep up the good work!! I think you will see that most people don't loose near as much as you have especially before a fill!!!! GOOD LUCK!!!