LemonZest

Hi all, I am 2 months post op and I have to admit that my excercise plan has been close to non-existant. I have 3 days off a week but on the days I'm at uni, I get home so late after an hour and 20 mins commute that I'm too shattered for anything else. I usually have assignments to do during the evenings too. I know I'm making excuses but up until now, I've been kidding myself that the 10min walk from the train station to uni to in the morning and then 10mins on the way back (20mins in total) is enough. I've been understandably disappointed with my weight loss so far and it's not difficult to pin point the reason. My fitness levels are pretty poor, I don't think I've run for about 7 years and I get out of breath from two flights of stairs or if I'm walking somewhere with even the slightest inclination. I'm hoping to join up to the gym as of tomorrow so I was wondering if anyone could give me a little advice about where to start. I keep reading topics about 5k runs and even the beginning stage where you run for a minute and a half and walk for 2mins I don't think I'd be able to manage that. As I'll only be going to the gym 3 times a week, I want to be doing twice the normal workout (time-wise) to compensate for the days where I can't fit it into my schedule. What's a good excercise workout for someone of my level of fitness (taking into account I'd like to build in some weight training to reduce the loose skin after weight loss)? I carry most of my weight around my hips, bum, thighs and arms (not as much in the upper half). Would be really grateful for anyone who could offer some advice!

That's really good maincat. I wish I could have more will power. I wanted to ask you about soups if you don't mind. Don't they pass through the band easily and so in theory don't keep you full for long and therefore it's best to avoid them? As it's a sunday, had a lie in till 11 so all my meals were all shifted forward. Had breakfast at 11, skipped lunch and then had dinner at 5pm. Breakfast: Fried egg (with a very small amount of olive oil) with a slice of toasted wholemeal bread. Snack: Apple & 5 dates. Dinner: Rice, half a medium sized boiled potato and a peice of chicken in a spicy chicken sauce. Evening: Very small slice of birthday cake and a pack of skips crisps. Then felt a bit peckish at 9pm and had a drumstick with a little bit of leftover rice.

I know there is a topic like this in the main forum but our diet is slightly different to the average American. I've never even heard of some of the things they eat; for example what are refried Beans? It would be great to log our progress by posting in what we ate that day and also stating how long we've had the band for. It'll help those of us who aren't doing so well to get motivated and also compare what we're eating to those at a similar stage to us. I'm 2 months post op with a fill of 3cc. I don't feel any restriction yet. I will post what I had yesterday: Breakfast: boiled egg, 3 low calorie crackers Lunch: 5 low cal crackers with 5 thin slices of double gloucter cheese, apple, ski yoghurt Snack: Apple, 5 dates, 4 cadbury hereos chocolates Dinner: Medium sized steak with boiled potatoes Snack: 3 low cal crackers with 3 thin slices of cheese Liquids: 1 litre Water That's a lot I know!

I was banded a month ago and had my first fill a few days ago. 3ml in a 9ml band. I haven't felt any restriction yet and in fact I feel less restricted than I was before the fill. Is this normal? How many ml does it take before you reach a sweet spot on average?

I feel for you amonroy; we're in the same boat. I think I'm going to contact my doc. I've been reading on the forum about a "Delayed Action" meaning it can take a while before you feel the restriction from a fill. Has anyone experienced this? And could someone perhaps explain how that works?

I know everyone is different but is there a rough list of foods that don't go well with the band? I understand that carbonated drinks, high calorie beverages, ice cream and anything soft like chocolate should all be cut out. But what do the docs mean when they say no fibrous food? Can someone give me a good list of fibrous foods because I'm a bit confused. What about things like spicy foods? Also, I am 3 weeks in and if I chew well, I can eat bread ok. Will that change or am I going to be of the few that can tolerate bread?

I keep hearing about people talking about their port site....some people complain that their port gets in the way of their clothes or that it portrudes out in an obvious way once you lose a significant amount of weight. Where exactly is it? Is it at the site of one of the scars or is it located at the point about 5 finger breadths above the belly button where theres a hard area about the size of half an outstretched palm?

I'm not sure whether I have the right attitude to PB or not. I am 3 weeks out of my surgery and I am adjusting to eating slowly and chewing properly but there have been times where I've completely forgotten and leapt into eating quickly and sometimes there have been no "full" warning signs...one or two bites can literally set it off. And because the golf ball feeling is painful and so frustrating (it feels like you've choked on something except you can't drink water to help it go down so you resort to waiting for it to go down or come up whilst sliming). Sometimes its so discomforting that I rather it came up than wait for it to go down so I find bending over helps to bring it up. Does anyone else feel like bending forwards makes it come up? Are there any negative effects from PB (I know vomitting causes slipping of the band but does PB have the same effect too?). I am worried I'm doing myself harm by bending forward to bring the food back up. I tried the chewable papaya enzyme and it worked once but the rest of the time, all it does is aggrevate it and I end up PBing the remnants of the chewable tablet which can't be a good thing! Can anyone advise me please?

Hi everyone, I was banded three weeks ago and was wondering if anyone could explain to me why we are not allowed to drink with meals? Also, how long should we wait after eating to drink anything? My doctor has told me 30 mins on one occassion and 5 mins on another so I'm getting conflicting messages. Also, advice for the first few weeks was to sip water slowly with breaks in between each sip. Is that just for the first few weeks or for ever because sometimes I find myself very thirsty and can't bear to sip slowly.

Hello everyone, I was banded a few days ago and I've been feeling down over the past few days. I was in pain after surgery and I am still in some pain. It is bearable but I am feeling a lot of regret about it all. Dr Chris said this was to be expected and at the moment, that's the only hope I have....that it will get better in a few days and that I will be able to start doing some excercise and adjusting to life with a band. At this moment in time, it all seems like that I'm very far away from that. I am also having difficulty knowing how much to eat. Because I'm still sore, I can't distinguish between fullness and soreness. I don't know how much food I should be eating in one sitting and even the advice from the doctor was pretty vague. Can anyone give me some ideas as to what they ate in the first 10 days? By no means, I don't want to put anyone off the surgery...I just want to e frank about what I'm experiencing so that others are better prepared for what is to come. I've read on this forum that even after 2-3 weeks, people are still sore and are constantly feeling hungry, is this the norm? Just looking for some advice and for someone to tell me it will get better soon :S

I checked and my hotel is uncancelable. How easy are the trains to navigate? Also, in the price that Dr Chris quotes, does that include the pre-op blood tests and electrocardiagram as well as the TED stockings, heparin injections and barium swallow post op?

I go for surgery in 13 days and I have been on a pre-op low fat diet for about a week. I have been really bad today by eating about half a bag of the large Walkers Sensations packs of crisps and an average serving of a pretty heavy lasagne. I have been sticking to the diet so well this week, I feel so awful how I could have slipped so badly today. Did anyone else slip during their pre-op diet? And how will this affect me seeing as I am scheduled for surgery in just under 2 weeks? :biggrin:

I've already booked my hotel :S Oh well. It said the city centre was about 5miles from the hospital? Is that wrong? I figured it would cost around £10 each way to the hospital. What did you pay?

Hi MrsJJ, I'm glad to read it's going well for you. I didn't realise the aftercare was included in the package...by aftercare, you do mean fills right? I booked it all separately and it's come out to under 4000 euros and even with the taxis it will come to a little short of 4000 euros. It's also given me the flexibility to choose my own hotel in the centre of Brussels. Had I realised the fills were included in the package, I would have gone for it. :S Can you tell me a little about your experiences immediately post op? Were you in pain? And how quickly did you find you were walking about? How long until you were back at work? And how's the weightloss going?

Hello everyone, This is my first thread here. I am scheduled to have my band fitted in the next few weeks in Belgium. I have been reading the forum over the past few days and I have been pleased to read many positive outcomes and success stories. One thing that worries me however is the social aspect to having a band. I'm not planning on telling anyone apart from family because I feel it's something private to me and due to the social stigma, it's npt something I want to be sharing even with friends. My question in essense is how hard is it to cope with the PBing, the burping, the fact you can't manage to eat much. How do you cope in social situations such as meals out for work or with friends? How about the constant burping? What coping strategies have you employed if, like me, you haven't told any of your friends/colleagues? I know it might sound silly to some that I should be worrying about what others think; heck I've spent the last good few years engrossed in how friends and strangers view me. Obviously, my prime concern is to be healthy and to look good (first and foremost for myself) but I think it's too simplistic to say that it's easy to ignore what others think. Also, after 2 or 3 years or however long it takes to get to a point where target weight is being maintained, what will the average diet be like? Will it still consist of a "cup full" of food? Or will it be similar to what "normal thin" people manage? It would be great to hear about your experiences of the social problems (if any)you faced and how you overcame them.

There has been a fair bit of coverage on WLS in the media recently though. Cases like Anne Diamond, Fern Briton and even right now there's a program on Channel 4 called "10 years younger" and this week, they're making over a lady who has had WLS. I think a year ago, it wasn't so wiedly known about so no one would guess but now....

Hello everyone, This is my first thread here. I am scheduled to have my band fitted in the next few weeks in Belgium. I have been reading the forum over the past few days and I have been pleased to read many positive outcomes and success stories. One thing that worries me however is the social aspect to having a band. I'm not planning on telling anyone apart from family because I feel it's something private to me and due to the social stigma, it's npt something I want to be sharing even with friends. My question in essense is how hard is it to cope with the PBing, the burping, the fact you can't manage to eat much. How do you cope in social situations such as meals out for work or with friends? How about the constant burping? What coping strategies have you employed if, like me, you haven't told any of your friends/colleagues? I know it might sound silly to some that I should be worrying about what others think; heck I've spent the last good few years engrossed in how friends and strangers view me. Obviously, my prime concern is to be healthy and to look good (first and foremost for myself) but I think it's too simplistic to say that it's easy to ignore what others think. Also, after 2 or 3 years or however long it takes to get to a point where target weight is being maintained, what will the average diet be like? Will it still consist of a "cup full" of food? Or will it be similar to what "normal thin" people manage? It would be great to hear about your experiences of the social problems (if any) you faced and how you overcame them.

Thanks for your reply snowbird. It's reassuring to realise that I have probably over exaggerated the issue in my mind. I do understand your point about letting those people with genuine weight concerns know about your situation to raise awareness but I don't see there being a problem in not telling everyone else. In the same way that we should not feel compelled to share any other aspect of our private lives. I do understand however that the advantage of being open means you do not have to be in "avoidance mode". Thanks for your reply Heather. I understand that it's probably a lot easier explaining your portion size to colleagues who you rarely dine with or to strangers but does it not become a problem for you when dining out with friends or relatives who have known you and your eating habits for a while? Does the "I'm on a diet" really wash if you're restricted to a cup-full of food (ie a starter or something from the kids' menu)? I'm sorry if my questions seem rudimentary and as if my priorities are wrong but I am fully aware of the positive changes that the band will induce and I am elated at the prospect of these changes but other than the surgical complications, the social aspect is the only other negative that I am looking to explore further so that I know what to expect. Again, many thanks to all those who have kindly shared their experiences.

Hi Lori, Thanks for that reply. It's very encouraging to read that it isn't so much of a problem with a number of people. You said you will know in advance if you're going to PBing, how much in advance? And will you only PBing immediately after having eaten? Or can you be in a meeting or out walking/in the car and then PBing? Sorry if it seems like endless, silly questions but explanations that I have come across RE PBing have been pretty vague.

Nothwest Nance & Brandy, thanks for your encouraging replies. You have put my mind more at ease. I think it can be all too easy to magnify a problem way out of proportion so I'm glad to read of your experiences. I hope the weight loss is going well for you both and will continue to do so.

Well Maincat, not many people would be so confident as to show their scars from lap band surgery or even tell strangers about it. Or at least, I know I would never contemplate it. And about there not being stigma attached to the lap band. I would have to disagree. Obese people are already stigmatised and many people see the band as a cheat's way of getting thin (regardless of how much truth this assertion is based on). There's a stigma of obese people being lazy and the band perpetuates that. I'm not saying everyone thinks like that but a good proportion of people do and even if they do not vocalise it, their body signals or facial expressions may tell a different story or maybe there will be no indication but that's what they may be thinking. And no, I'm not paranoid and I wouldn't say I have confidence issues but I wouldn't want other people to know something so personal about me regardless of whether I would be judged or not. I guess everyone is different and where one person may feel like telling lots of people, others would like it to say within the immediate family. I think a number of people have been accused of not having their priorities straight when they raise these concerns and that they perhaps may not be ready for the surgery but I don't think there's anything unatural about worrying about social perceptions as long as that is not your primary concern.

Hi Maincat, Thankyou for your reply. It's inspiring to read that you are full of so much confidence. I don't think I could be as forthright as you though. Don't get me wrong, I am looking forward to all the benefits and I am very excited but I also have little niggling worries in the back of my mind.

It's great to hear that many of you have had positive experiences with Dr De Bruyne. I am scheduled for my op with him in the next few weeks but I have a few concerns over the pre-op diet that I thought someone over here might be able to advise me on as I don't want to bug him with questions at this stage. I was basically told to go on a low fat diet but I'm not sure whether I should be counting calories too? At the minute, I am just making sure the fat is low but not really worrying about totally cutting down on carbs. For example, today I had: Breakfast: Shape yoghurt (fat free, approx 40 cals) Lunch: Lentil stew with chicken breast and a small portion of rice (all cooked without a drop of oil) (650 cals?) Dinner: Vegetable broth with a few vermicelli inside (20 cals?) Snacks/drinks: Water, one glass diet fizzy drink, 2 nectarines, another shape yoghurt, one packet of wotsits crisps and half a wagon wheel (i know that's awful :S), (approx 350cals) Total cals: approx 1100) Is this generally what you all had or should I be cutting down more? If I'm honest, I'm feeling pretty hungry throughout the day so I really am trying. I have read about milk-only and Optifast pre-op diets and all that is making me worried I'm not doing enough...I don't want to increase the risk of complications because I ate too much pre-op and my liver hadn't shrunk enough. Would really appreciate some advice, I can take harsh criticism too...

Mrs J.J how did it all go? Would be great to hear your experiences. This is my first post here and I too will be having my op done by Dr De Bruyne in a few weeks time. I'm excited and anxious at the same time. How's it going for you now that nearly a month has gone by? x