kiz

The six month diet is almost always an insurance requirement and requirement from the surgeon. (At least I've never heard of it being a doctor's requirement, but you never know). If you're self pay, like I was, it really depends on your surgeon's schedule and yours. I had a meeting with a nutritionist who went over our pre-op diet, post-op diet, and general meal plans. I called to make an appointment with my doctor the day after I went to his seminar. After my appointment with the surgeon, it took just a little over two months to get on his schedule for surgery. I could have gone a week earlier, but I couldn't swing it that week.

This thread has so many great suggestions, but this is such a different way to use Greek yogurt, and sounds really tasty!! (although I've never heard of labneh) For anyone who needs extra Fiber, Greek yogurt is a great base for high fiber Cereal, and the bulkiness and bulk of the fiber cereal seems to really help it keep me full longer.

You may need two or more fills to get to good long lasting restriction. It's just been a week since your last fill, so you may find that you feel more restriction during your second week (that happens to some people). As you lose more weight, if there's fat around your stomach as you lose that fat you're band will become looser. If your doctor recommends you measure your meals, be sure you do that so you don't overeat. I'm at my "sweet spot" and I still measure because I could eat more than my prescribed meal size, but the amount I'm allowed to eat gives me satiety for several hours. Some people are more sensitive to their band than I am, because I have very few problem foods, and I could eat 50%, maybe even 100%, bigger meals than my doctor recommends. Don't expect to fill full in the traditional sense, and in the way you may be used to. It's a feeling of *not* being hungry that stays with you. The band is a tool, but it's a tool we have to work with. I know you don't mean that you expected to eat junk and lose weight, but because of the limited amount of food we're eating we do have to make healthy food choices to stay healthy. I don't consider this a traditional diet because I'm not hungry, let alone starving, as I've felt on so many diets over the years. I see it as a lifestyle change. I eat healthy foods (I don't consider an occasional treat as cheating either), much smaller portions, and I exercise. Please try not to be so hard on yourself. You've just had one fill, and it sounds like you're going to need a bit more to have restriction.

In the exam rooms at my doctor's office they have a LAP-BAND® ad shows the band taming the hunger lion. When I'd get a fill, that's what I was aiming for (well, it was promised to me by that darn ad..lol). Some of us have more fat deposits around our stomach that others, so as that shrinks the band becomes loose, and others have anatomies that just required more tweaking of the band to get good restriction. So stay diligent with getting your fills, and you should get to a point where your restriction is sustained rather than here today, gone tomorrow. I had to end up getting a pressure fill under fluoro (my doctor does those fills for Realize Band only, and he uses a gauge to get an exact measurement of fill pressure). It took around 11cc in a 9cc band (:frown:) for me to finally get restriction that didn't go away after a two to four weeks. I was scared I would be the one who didn't get restriction, but thankfully, I have it now. He said he had a few other patients that needed to be taken to the pressure I'm at, but I believe most patients hit their sweet spot at around 7cc to 7.5cc.

That's great that you're doing better today with the hunger. I'm glad your work is keeping your mind off of food. Keeping busy works for me too.

You might not get a huge reduction in hunger after your first or second or more (if you're like me), but each fill was a stepping stone getting me closer to where I am now. I eat my doctor's prescribed three 1/2 cup meal plus a healthy snack, and I feel satiety that lasts four hours or longer. So, along the way, each fill helped with portion and hunger control, but I found the restriction to be fleeting. It took me several fills to get to where I am now. For some people it takes only a couple of fills and a lot less saline. Before my band, I was hungry all the time and fighting the urge to snack. Now, I rarely think about food between meals.

I never had to go on clear liquids only. It sounds really harsh. I wonder if your electrolytes are out of balance. Are you allowed drinks like Gatorade, or can you have chicken/beef broth? Isopure makes a Gatorade like protein drink that I drink when I need a protein boost. Some people don't like them, but I think they're pretty good over ice. I hope you can go on full liquids Tuesday.

Not that you ever want to come close to that experience again, but if you don't have them, buy papaya enzyme chewables. I rarely have problem with meat, but by far my worse experience was with some very tough restaurant chicken (thank goodness it was takeout). Being that I was inexperienced with getting I stuck, I swallowed the chicken bite rather than spitting it out. Big mistake. Thankfully, I had the papaya. I chewed a couple of them - I was grasping at straws - and they worked like a charm. I've had a couple of other times when meat has just felt too tight, and rather than soldier on (learned my lesson) I took a papaya enzyme and it worked to break down the meat. I have papaya/pineapple enzyme chewables from Trader Joes, but I think most Vitamin shops, possibly Walmart, and several places on the internet sells them. They're very inexpensive, so if they don't work, you haven't spent a lot money for them. I probably haven't used one for six months, but I still carry them in my purse...just in case.

John, I didn't realize you were a new bander, but I think I remember reading your posts before about just recently being banded. We all heal at different rates and once your swelling has subsided, your band is probably somewhat open unless you had a fill during surgery. If you're feeling extremely hungry and your liquids or mushies seem to be going straight through and it's been more than a couple of weeks past your surgery, I would make a call into your doc to see if you can maybe add a little something to your diet. I believe the doctors have to be very careful about giving a blanket okay to add more to everyone's diet because beforehand they don't know which patients will heal fast and which won't, plus they know if they added saline to your band during surgery. It wasn't until about four weeks post surgery that I started feeling gnawing hunger, and the NP worked out a menu that helped me get to my six week's fill without compromising my diet.

I've read statistics that say band slips are less likely to happen because their being stitched in, so I would say it's still possible to have a slip. That's one of the reasons I was so careful to follow my post-op diet instructions. I wanted the stitched area to heal firmly. I think that an overfill over a prolonged period of time can lead to a slip. I've also read that chronic overeating especially when accompanied by pb'ing can also lead to a slip. However, I also think it can just happen regardless of how careful you try to be. I can take the best care possible of my band and if something happens down the line, at least I won't have myself to blame. Are these facts or band myths?

I just wanted to say that this is such an inspirational and informative thread. Chele, the way in which you accepted the great advice you've been given is the biggest reason this thread will be helpful to you and to others who are struggling. It's obvious that you are willing to do the work it takes to be successful. I wish you the best of luck getting back on track. This thread is an excellent example of the best of LBT.

Mickey, at least it's an incision at your bra line. I've read that some women have had their port placed there! I read that prior to my surgery, and it prompted me to ask the surgeon where my incisions would likely be and where he placed the port. I know at least one woman said she had to have a second surgery to have her port moved. Good grief, you'd think they'd know better. I hope your incision heals quickly and you that you can start to wear your bra comfortably. About the sutures. I had one that popped out too, and I was told I could cut it myself if it was really bothering me, or I could come in and they'd do it. I put alcohol on my skin around the suture and on the scissors. Then I pressed down gently to make the suture stick up better, and snipped it. The place where the suture popped through stayed red until I clipped it.

I smash up the berries (blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries) but I'm only adding a small amount, and I also buy the Greek yogurt w/ berries sometimes. I have to get my fiber in, so I mix in Fiber One another high fiber cereal. I also think adding a bit of cereal makes the yogurt stick around to help with satiety. I'm not adding huge amounts, but just enough to add some flavor, bulk and fiber. I have Protein powder that I add to it, but no more than maybe two tablespoons (I just scoop a little into it) for additional protein if I think I'm a little under in a day. I bought little 1/2 cup storage containers, and as long as I don't overflow it, I know I'm good. I like the flax seed meal too, but I've never used it in yogurt. I sprinkle it on salad or add to my chili, for instance. I'll try the honey and flax seed meal next time in yogurt. That sounds good. (Your doctor is the same as mine, but others recommend one cup meals. I just try to follow my doctor's recommendations the best I can.)

I totally agree with elcee. I'm in this for the long haul, and I pretty much live my life as usual (actually better, now that I'm so much more active), only I eat smaller portions. I love having left overs to bring home for another couple of meals when I eat out, but I sure don't mind leaving them behind when it's not feasible. I don't drink more than one glass of wine because it goes straight to my head, but when I want, I enjoy a glass of wine with my meal or a cocktail on occasion. I never was a big drinker, so I probably drink as much now as ever, which isn't a lot.

You have little or no fill in your band (some doctors put a fill in during surgery, and some don't), so generally you have restriction during this stage from swelling around the stoma. If your swelling has gone down, you're pretty open. Some people take longer than others to heal. I know it's hard, but try to stick to your prescribed diet, but if you really start feeling very hungry, try calling the doctor's office and see if they have any suggestions on different food choices or amounts. Good luck!!

I think that's best. If it was Friday, I would have said to call since they're so uncomfortable, but since it's the weekend, I would stick it a couple more days to be on the safe side too.

I had to wear them too, but only for a couple of days. However, I agree with gatorgal, it could be either your doctor is more cautious or he might have seen something that made him think you should wear them longer.

Welcome, Jimmy. 28 pounds! That's great!! You must be thrilled.

:thumbup: Now, that's reason to celebrate. Congratulations!!

That was three 1/2 cup meals plus a healthy snack which adds 150 or so calories. I adjust my snack depending on what I've eaten earlier or if I've had added calories from my liquids. For a snack it might be cheese & crackers, Greek yogurt w/ fruit & high Fiber Cereal, tuna on leaf spinach & tomato, etc. So, yes, I can easily take in 1,000 cals., although since I measure, I don't track calories daily. I was never a "big meal" eater, I grazed and often on junk food, so smaller servings don't seem so unusual. Also, since I'm eating small healthy meals without all the junk throughout the day, I don't feel like I have to make everything fat free, diet, etc. I eat real cheese not the processed fat free variety, real butter not low cal margarine, etc. I still only drink skim milk because I've used skim so long anything with a higher milk fat content tastes like pure cream to me. I also buy lean cuts of beef. I pick and choose, and that's what I love about the band. We can tailor our meal plans to fit our individual needs, following our doctors recommendations. Once I hit goal, I can have some Fluid removed from my band, so that I can eat larger portions, but at that, they say the maintenance diet will be 3/4 - 1 cup meals. I'm not there yet, so I don't know if I'll be able to do that or not. If my weight loss stabilizes when I get to goal, which I hope to be in six months, we'll see, I guess. Also, I take a Multivitamin, Calcium, B12 and Vitamin D drops in the winter. I had my annual blood work done a couple of weeks ago, and I don't have the results yet. I'm calling the doctor Monday for them, because I'm getting bills from the lab, so I'm sure they have the results. If I'm lacking in something, I'll let you know.

Welcome to LBT, cindylou. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. I hope you get good news this week. I don't understand why you were denied before either, it sounds like you had plenty of documentation that you are eligible. I was self-pay, so I didn't deal with insurance, but I know it can be a pain.

I'm glad to hear your doing better! Since you're able to eat solids now, your weight loss will probably stabilize. I think 1 1/2 to 2 pounds a week weight loss is average with the band.

I'm sure you're not imagining anything because we all have different reactions with our bands. I had a pretty nasty cold last January, but I didn't have any noticeable changes in my band pressure. I hope you're feeling better soon.

It seems like if you are supposed to be on a pre-op diet they would have told you by now then. Mine was two weeks, but others have shorter pre-op diets, and some have none. Maybe you have a doctor that doesn't require one.