RestlessMonkey

I didn't really start losing (banded 8/29) until my 5/7 fill. I've literally lost over 1/2 of my 60 pounds since then. Hang in there; this is a process. It will happen for you, just don't let it get you down. And people didn't really notice I'd lost until about 5 pounds ago. It takes a while, when we're larger, for a change to show. But it will! like another poster said, you should be feeling better, looser clothes etc. Just focus on that!

Good for you! Stay in touch; this really is a whole new lifestyle; a lot to learn! You're doing very very well!

Your surgeon may have a specific Protein s/he wants you to use; mine did. Well, he had specific guidelines and it was easiest to just pick the brand name he listed. Having said that, I believe there is a product called "beneprotein" (like benefiber) that can be added. There is also one I've read about here called "unjury" but I have no experience with it (as I said, my doc has his "druthers") but unjury needs to be ordered over the internet. Personally I didn't get the band to fret over making sure I had specialty foods ordered (been there, done that)...that may not bother you. So unjury or beneprotein...2 places to start! Good luck!

What I ate 3 months post op (when I had no restriction) was exactly what I'd eaten before the surgery, I just ate less. For example, chick Fil A? (love those suckers). I am ashamed to admit that before surgery I'd eat 2 of them and a large waffle fry (wonder how I EVER got to 405 LOL) After banding I'd eat 1 chick fil a and maybe a few of my husband's waffle fries. Now that I am restricted and at the "sweet spot" (or what my doc calls the green zone) I could eat maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of a chick fil A (bread goes down ok) and maybe 1 or 2 waffle fries, if that. Right now I'm losing and doing a low carb thing because I feel better doing it and can stay full for HOURS on 2 oz of steak or chicken breast. So yes I'm one who could and did eat similarly pre op and post op. Now that I'm restricted and losing I'm choosing different foods but still am not calorie counting or weighing (I did weigh my steak once just out of curiosity). Some get restricted quickly and cut way back, some diet intentionally in the days before restriction happens, and some do like me and just let the change happen gradually. You get to do whatever works for you. I'm glad I followed my doc's advice, though, because I still CAN eat anything (bread, untoasted, etc) I get to choose, is all. The only thing I can't really have is carbonation (for me that means beer, not soda) I have had light beers (there is an ultra light that is only 64 cal) but I don't drink it like I did. Now it is a cautious undertaking, and I'm constantly doing a self-check to see if it's going down ok, is it hurting, etc. Not really worth it, IMO. But if I had to, say, give a champagne toast, I could do that without embarassment!

It's probably an adhesion (scar tissue forms, sometimes in places we don't especially WANT it). Why not give your surgeon's office a call? They should be able to gauge what it might be. If it IS an adhesion, keep moving and stretching, try to literally keep the skin from connecting (hope that isn't TMI). But I'm not sure that's what it is of course; your surgeon can tell you.

Exactly! LOL And you're right; it isn't hurting right now (cortisone shot=miracle drug) partly because I'm not wearing any shoes. Ah, the wild life. But I will need to be able to bounce and jump and so on, so that's another good reason to lose weight!

Texas, Oh Texas, all hail the mighty state!........(native here, a pure bred LOL)

Sure...happy I could help you! yes, in the healing phase all bets are off. It seems your doc moves you through the stages fairly quickly though, so it won't be long for you! Good luck!

Of course I picked an able skilled surgeon too. In fact Dr. Cavazos did NOT charge me for the first surgery because in all his years as a bariatric surgeon, I was the first to have too large a liver. To quote him "I tried but it was so thick, I got to the point where I feared I would lacerate it. I could've opened you up and placed the band the old way, but you had nursing school and the prolonged recovery would've given you trouble". So if your doc gives you a preop diet, follow it. If he doesn't, trust him.

You maybe should discuss this with your surgeon, because I know that PB'ing a lot isn't good for us, nor is being too tight (aside from the fact that you can't eat well, it can cause acid reflux among other things, and do you damage over time). A slight unfill may help you be able to eat more and actually boost your weight loss. Just something for you to think about and decide.

sleep well! And honestly its been so long since I had unprotected sex with a stranger (I was born in 1955 realize) OR had a cookie that I think I get them confused! :thumbup: It was nice disagreeing with you! :thumbup:

One thing though I just thought of.... the nursing text I posted about somewhere on here when my husband forced me to put my refried Beans away...DID discuss peristalsis but did NOT address the band ripping lose. If I implied that I was 100% wrong. If I use that anecdote again I'll be clear...the text covered digestion, did NOT discuss the band. Thanks for calling me on that. I need to make sure I'm very clear. :thumbup:

Cheating on the postop diet CAN rip your sutures though. I think many docs state this in the seminar when most of us are all "band band band" and not oriented to what happens after. I'll do this...I'll say I know it can rip your sutures (if you have them, I don't think realize bands are sewn in) and it IS a major cause of slippage...that's data that I got from google and the reading I did, not my RN stuff. I really honest to God don't mean to be contentious with you; but personally I think saying "you'll probably be ok" is kind of dangerous. Like telling someone who had unprotected sex with a stranger "oh don't worry about it" if you get my drift? I don't mean to be a harbinger of doom and am generally a fairly cheerful "question authority" type...but this isn't something to play around with. We should ALL be able to stick to a post op liquid only diet for a week or two, don't you think? I mean, I was one of the fattest people on here and you don't get that way being in control all the time, you know? If my statement scares people then maybe it should scare them a little. There will still be people who disregard it and do what they want and that's totally fine with me. I don't care, honestly. I just think the info should be reiterated when we are in a position to listen....when we have the band and are looking around thinking Hmmm, what now? We can agree to disagree on this if you're game. I'll try to be a "light" voice of doom LOL because I don't want to petrify anyone but I don't want to pretty it up or lie, either. Cheating post op IS a major cause of slippage. I'm not comfortable being quiet when I see someone at risk. Even if they don't like me, the point is for them to be safe. I'll make sure I put "check with your doc" anytime it's appropriate, too. I TRY to do that because I'm very aware esp as a new RN that I am NOT a doc and don't want to imply I know more than I do...so I'll be more diligent that I put that in there.

I think that a doc should tell them to relax, not you or me who doesn't know the situation...that's the only diff in our viewpoint I think. I guess I'm just a tough love type and you're more kindly LOL who'd a thunk it. Anyway yes odds are people get away with small infractions but when the odds go against you it is miserable. That's all.

yeah, I listened to the lucky people who cheated on their preop diets and didn't have any problems....guess what. I didn't get the band the 1st time cuz I cheated on mine. The "you'll be ok" attitude is great as long as you ARE ok....but if you are that person who isn't, it pretty much sucks. Bottom line, use good sense, follow your docs instructions, and you'll be fine.

Sounds like you have a plan! That's great! I know that I, now, do better if I eat something like steak or chicken breast (dry) because a little will fill me up and last for HOURS whereas I could eat a bucket of yogurt! :smile2: That's the great thing about the band, though; we all get to use it in the way that works for us! Hang in there and keep in touch!

Headhunter.... I'm a happily married fat chick BUT I think I have a crush on you. :smile2:

Thank you! I am very very new nurse; I haven't even passed the credentialing boards yet (NCLEX) BUT! I have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing! So I am one! :smile2: I love it and am grateful every day I got the chance at my age to go back to school and get to do something so awesome for the 2nd half of my life! Do call your doc tomorrow; you probably should stick with one med for a while and let it build up and do it's job...I hope whatever your issue is that it is minor and easily fixed. I'm sure it will be! You caught it very very early before the acid had time to hurt you any!

I wish I knew! :smile2: I know my husband has GERD and it's partly caused by a hernia. He takes Prevacid and as long as he doesn't eat like a boa constrictor late at night, he's good. Maybe you need a proton pump inhibitor like prevacid or nexium? You may have a small hernia, you may have something else, it may be the band! But whatever it is you were very very smart to not just try to live with it because the acid can do damage. The stomach is built to take it, but not our esophagus. If you're still in pain, call your doc tomorrow and have him check you out! Good luck; odds are it's something minor that can be fixed with a medication for a while so don't fret about it! I just thought of this...This may sound odd but have you tried a couple of tums? If you had GERD really bad your esophagus MAY just be irritated; tums can help soothe it. (they make a sugar free one, if you want). But if it is still hurting tomorrow (tums or no) call your doc. Ok?

If the tight fill was causing it (and that didn't seem tight, to me, nor is .75 cc's slight! LOL Unless you have the older style band that only holds 4ccs in which case that was very tight....but I need to remember we are all different; I'm just wondering if maybe your band didn't cause it, but am not a doc) then as soon as the tightness is relieved the reflux should subside. In other words, it should go away pretty darned quickly. If it doesn't, something else is wrong and you need to call your surgeon back.

if you want the fruity foo foo teas you can buy them powdered and sugar free! :smile2: We southern people do not take iced tea lightly! LOL I make mine with 2 scoops of lipton loose leaf. People love it (or pretend they do) but no fruit. That's just, um, sacrilege LOL

Good luck! It took a while but I finally realized Pat was really helping, so if you find one you like, hang in there with him/her for a bit to see if it will do you some good. I think going to Pat was one of the smartest things I've done for myself in a while!

I agree! I wasn't told this by my doc but by my RN husband (husband and Rn for 25 years now!LOL) He dug out one of MY nursing school books and read me the passage to PROVE it to me so I would put the dratted can of refried Beans I was carrying around DOWN and not eat them! LOL I think docs sometimes underestimate our intelligence or maybe conversely overestimate it...they think we KNOW why we shouldn't eat. And they tell us "don't eat ahead of your post op diet or it will hurt your band/healing" and we kind of gloss over that part.

Congrats and good luck! Don't hesitate to get help if you find you need it this time (quitting so you'll have a healthy happy baby is a great motivator!) I'm sure you'll kick butt! :smile2:

I wanted a "behavioral" therapist because, from my introductory psych course (pre req for nursing school) I learned that behaviorists try to modify your behavior, and are usually quite successful. While the "why" may matter and can be explored, the actual bad behavior is the focus. I liked that because I have combed through my psyche and my past ad nauseum for "why" I overate. Not to beat that horse, but the behaviorist helped me a lot. I think if I'd found her when I was about 50 pounds over I wouldn't have needed the band, but what I learned with her (both the why and behavior mods) are helping me be successful with the band. Behavioral may not be for you...but I googled "therapists who treat eating disorders and accept Tricare in San Antonio" and lo and behold a list popped up! LOL People often say "ask your PCP" but mine hadn't a clue. I went through the list, found several I liked, and clicked on the phone with "Pat" whom I used for just under a year. You might try a similar search? We think of eating disorders as usually meaning anorexia, or maybe bulimia, but obesity is an eating disorder too. Good luck!