RestlessMonkey

I don't remember how I did mine but maybe this will help you http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f5/ticker-tutorial-pictures-41782/

It won't help "counteract" anything and may be harming you. You need to discuss this with your surgeon and a good therapist who can help you.

And I call myself fat, because I am. Most people don't call me anything but my nick names.... but again, any term if used derisively is bad. My ex-husband once was really angry and thought he'd cut me to the quick by saying "YOU like to READ!" he meant it bad...LOL So I guess it's not the words, but the intent.

LOL I do think people who keep popping out babies with no income or way to care for them...well...maybe someone should tell them what causes that. BUT that's a subject for rants and raves. I don't mind any of them as long as they aren't used in anger or derision.

Brain Power: Why Proteins Are Smart | Psychology Today Protein...we may use carbs for energy throughout the body (or stored fat for ATP) but protein makes us more efficient..makes us more sharp.

I think medicine has largely, thus far, failed the obese. It is a mulit-level problem that isn't easily solved by any single solution. Hormones, genetics, emotions, what we're taught as we grow, so much goes into it. It isn't just calories in minus calories used, like they used to think. I can totally see that the malabsorptive benefit of bypass is a boon for some...and that quick cessation of diabetes II for example. For some the band works, for some the sleeve. My surgeon said the only surgery that is ALMOST 100% sure is the duodenal switch (and those poor souls have fairly constant drizzly diarrhea, I think) Anyone who'd choose that is fairly desperate. I believe in listening to your doc and following the rules. But if it were easy, we'd all be a healthy weight. We're not one size fits all. People are fat, people cheat, people try, people win or lose for many different reasons. All we can do is try, and give it all we've got.

Asking your surgeon this early out is really prudent. However, realize and remember that the "plan" is for you to have the band for life and it isn't realistic or even smart fo you to never eat a potato or have a couple oyster crackers in your chile. Do what your doc says in the early days.. and as you gain in skill and come to know your new band and altered digestive system, you'll modify things some. So don't despair, even if your doc says no. An occasional potato or some macs and cheese, if enjoyed in moderation, is not a bad thing! :cool: My nutritionist said to just make sure all pasta and rice is well well done so it won't continue to swell in your pouch and cause you some trouble (so from that you can see that pasta/rice aren't off limits to me). My doc says "eat anything, but in moderation"...again, just to tell you there is variety in how we work the band, and how the band works for us. Do what your doc says then once you learn, do what you feel is right for you.

If it's a new symptom, he needs to check with his banding surgeon to make sure everything is where is should be...

The first weeks post op are for healing, not weight loss. Think logically; your body is struggling to repair, to replace, to "fix". That is NOT when you want to lose. Further, many people DONT lose until they get adequate restriction. At my surgeon's office that's usually 6 months or more out. I think you may have researched getting the band....now you need to research living with it. If you read on here you'll see over and over people post "OMG I've been banded 2 weeks and am up a pound since surgery" or whatever....I think that's human, because most of us think of "getting it" and then living happily ever after; but we kind of gloss over what we'll have to go through (like what you are now) to get to that "happily" part. You're doing fine, you just have a knowledge gap! I didn't start really losing until after my 8th fill 5/7/2009 and I got my band 8/29/2008. That's way longer than it takes most people, but it happened for me on my own schedule. It takes as long as it takes; but keep the faith and let yourself heal; it will happen.

If you have such powerful willpower, why not just "diet" and lose? We "cheat" because we're human, because our docs don't educate us properly, because we don't see a direct causality between an ice cream cone and weighing 300 pounds. The band helps, but it doesn't solve it. But I think it's presumptuous to assume all people "cheat" to self sabotage and IMHO this type of "why cheat" thing is as damaging as the opionion, in the old days (sat the '50's-60's when I was a kid) that fat people are morally weak. Are you? I'm not. Not more than the next person anyway. I'm not fat because I'm weak. So ... when you've gone a year or so and never slipped, then I say BRAVO! But you'll be in the minority. All most of us can do is try. And we can educate those who don't know what, for example, cheating on the post op diet can do. I think being fat is too totally fraught with emotion and judgment and "why would you do that to yourself" (well duh, isn't that a good question) etc...the more we can remove all that baggage and just address the issue, the better I think most of us will be. That's just my 2cents.

Better safe than sorry...it's probably too late but fast is you can.

How many incisions depends on your surgeon, usually, and whether or not you'll scar depends on your skin type, ability to heal, and your surgeon's skill. S/he should be able to address this with you.

Actually carbohydrates provide "quick ready" energy but when your body burns stored fat the end result, ATP, is the same. HowStuffWorks "Breaking Down Fat and Losing Weight" That's one reason people lose well on an atkins type diet. i will say some of us probably convert fat more efficiently (and no I don't mean lose faster, just convert stored fat more efficiently) and so feel better cutting carbs...but when you have stored fat and are losing you don't "Have" to have 130 gm of carbohydrate or lose cognition. In fact the brain uses Protein, not carbs.

That is not true, though. Not everyone needs 130 grams of carbs. I actually do better and run smarter on way less. For this reason I say ask your surgeon and nutritionist. If they didn't put a "limit" then don't worry about it. AND do what works for you...follow a "diet" that makes you feel energetic and good, and allows weight loss. We aren't cookie cutter.

Ask your surgeon. And..you may not need B12. I didn't. Not everyone does.. Although my surgeon recommended it as "it can't hurt" it is bypass patients who need it (because of their malabsorption issues) and not bandsters. So talk with your surgeon and wait and see what your blood work looks like. And you can't get ANY injectible medicine legally without a prescription.

I know you're just healing and I'm no band doc but it just doesn't sound right to me. On the bright side, if you did "slip" or whatever you've caught it super super early and it can most likely be easily fixed! Good luck!

Then if I were you, I'd call my doc on Monday and agitate to be checked out. If you had a fill in since surgery and vomited/PB'd a lot etc you might have had a slip. Or not...don't panic. It could be normal healing... but tell your doc your symptoms.

you were probably given a fill during surgery and are "stuck". Call your surgeon monday, find out if you were filled during the operation. If so, you can either 1. chew well, small bites, small portions, listen to your body, don't eat so fast, so much and/or 2. get unfilled.

You did really well, going out and not eating! :cool: You should be proud of yourself. I'm sure you'll be a band success story! Good luck!

I think 2-3 weeks post op is a little early to start drinking because alcohol can impede the healing process and you ARE still healing during that time. Check with your doc. I can drink beer at almost 1 year out (with my surgeon's ok)...but not everyone can.

Don't buy a bunch of soups and broths unless they are something you would normally use anyway because once you're past the liquids stage you won't be eating them often. More important for me was to get rid of stuff...popcorn, Pasta, rice, chips, Cookies, candy, ice cream, crackers, etc. While I can have rice and pasta (well cooked) and in fact CAN eat any of that stuff; I prefer it be a special purchase and treat, not just "stock" if that makes sense. After the first week or so odds are you'll be able to go to the grocer's just fine, so buy what you want/need for week 1 and or week 2, then take it from there! And remember...no one "needs" cookies etc so if you have family it won't hurt them to do without for a while. I felt great from the start and you may too (it does vary) so you don't need a lot of "invalid" food...just stuff to get you through the post op Initial diet, and feed your family without you going postal on them! :cool:

It is important to 1. find out why your doc limits it, if s/he does and then 2. decide if the reasoning pertains to you. I'm lucky in that I don't appear to have issues with caffeine. I love my iced tea, my 1 cup of coffee (about 12-14 oz) in the AM but on days when I can't have it (or for example pre and post op when I avoided it because my doc said to) I had no issues; no headaches, no anger or short temper, no "jonesing" for a glass of tea or a cup. I'm glad...(I have my issues but caffeine isn't one, apparently) but we all have to use judgment.

You know what we traditionally think of as tea (orange or black pekoe for example) also has caffeine, although usually 1/2 or so of what a comparable amt of coffee would have. You should ask your doc if it's the COFFEE he wants you to limit, or the caffeine. OR maybe you meant you drink high-quality decaffeinated tea. I drink high quality Lipton myself. :cool: Which has naturally occuring caffeine, and anti-oxidants.

I guess if you trust him enough not to ask why it hurts, then you have to trust him enough to assume it will quit. OR you could call him and find out why it hurts, what if anything you can do about it, and when he thinks it will start to let up (which is what I would do, but that's just me)

May I say...get the surgery that you want, once you've researched it? If you really want the sleeve, go for that, wait until your ins will cover, appeal, whatever. They are both BIG steps requiring big changes. For years my ins would only cover bypass. So I waited. Do I regret it? NO. I still don't want bypass for myself (works for many, but it's not for me) So don't sell yourself short.