Elisabethsew

I am 3.5 weeks post-op and have no problem taking any pills. I don't get a first fill until June 5 but my surgeon said to break any pills bigger than a dime in half.

YOU are a wonderful, talented, sincere woman with a successful professional career. The men you're going to date should be kissing the ground that you've decided to go out with them. I would suggest that you not go into these dates prepared for rejection. Instead, go to them with the intention of meeting a new friend. After all, you want a life partner to be your best friend so don't look at the men as potential husbands on a first date. You're going to be wonderful because you already ARE wonderful so go and have a good time. See what develops.

Are you allowed to have protein shakes? My surgeon was a stickler that I get 60 - 70 grams of protein in a day to promote healing. The stomach gurgling that you wrote about I had also and it lasted about 4-5 days. Thankfully, I did not have the gas pains that others did and I made sure I was up and walking as much as possible. Congratulations on having your surgery and I hope the recovery is smooth. Remember to keep yourself hydrated and eat every 3-4 hours.

Since many people struggle from time to time with their weight loss, I thought it would be helpful if we shared our non-food rewards to ourselves. For example, if I have 6 days in a row of sticking to my eating plan, I reward myself with a night out to a healthy dinner so I can relax and have a nice conversation. If I reach a mini-goal (losing 10 pounds, etc.), I treat myself to a new blouse or an hour away from the house doing something I enjoy like strolling around Barnes and Noble or a gardening store. So, how do you reward yourself?

I think you're already nearly back on the band wagon. You recognized that you're eating for emotional reason and admit that it's you and not the band that's the problem. Do a little more soul searching to find out WHY you're back to emotional eating. Clean all the junk out of the fridge and cabinets and take some time to plan your menu and meals for a week. When you're back on tract 100% for a full week and FEEL so much better, you'll be more apt to stay on the band wagon. Good luck!

I had my first consult with the surgeon in mid-December and then began the long process of consults, blood work, etc. I finally had the surgery on 3/30.

I had my surgery on 3/30 and was hungry after about 6 days post-op. It gets better when you move to a soft diet. If hunger continues to be a real problem for you, call the surgeon and see if you can advance a little earlier to a more substantial diet. I feel NO restriction and that seems to be the trend for many people until they get their first fill. Good luck for a speedy recovery.

Pink Mary, I am a shoe lover too. I try to justify the "buy" by only making a purchase if they're on sale or if I find them at a discount place. Now that the warmer weather has arrived, I'm on the hunt for sandals.

I've never been on an anti-depressant but my mother is on Prozac and is doing very well with no weight gain. Interestingly, Prozac is now being prescribed for people with rheumatiod arthritis so, if you have that condition, you might see an improvement in the pain from that condition. I hope the Prozac helps you and that you feel better soon.

I vote no to Phentermine also. I took one several years ago (the lowest dose) and my blood pressure (which was normal then) soared and my heart rate went from the 60's to 120! I felt dizzy, short of breath and had some mild chest pain. The following day I flushed the pills. If you're going to try this drug, do it under the supervision of your MD and make sure you're not alone when you take the first dose in case you react badly and need to be brought to the ER.

It doesn't look like you have a slippage but it does appear that your fill is too restrictive. You should see an MD for an unfill ASAP or the GERD (esophageal reflux) could cause scarring.

Some people watch TV, some people read, some people go on the computer, etc. I work full time and go to school full time and run my household. I am certainly NOT an inactive person. I would guess that your husband does not have a weight problem. If he did, he would understand the purpose a support board serves.

Hi Tina, For me, the hardest part is waiting for my first fill. The week after surgery I didn't feel like eating at all. Once the swelling went down, my appetite returned and I found I felt no restriction from the band. Because I will not have a first fill until June 5, I am being very careful to follow the diet and pay attention to real physical hunger as opposed to my usual pattern of eating when I am not truly hungry. In reality, I am sticking to a diet without benefit of the band because I get zero restriction from it. I'm looking forward to the first fill and hoping it produces the restriction that others write about. Good luck on the surgery.

Insurance companies look at diet history, medical conditions and BMI. If they see you have had successful weight losses but have been unable to keep the weight off, you've cleared step one. If you have a medical condition that is causing you to be obese that is treatable (thyroid disease, etc), the insurance company will want to try medical/drug management and will deny the request. If you have a BMI of 35 - 39 with no co-morbidities (arthritis, diabetes, sleep apnea, etc.) you might be denied. I would check with your MD to be sure what's in your best interests.

For me, once I get "on a run" and can see the numbers going down, I become greedy and want more. I start to focus more on true physical hunger versus eating out of habit, eating to feel good, eating for a reward system or eating out of boredom. Unfortunately, we have to eat to live so an "all or nothing approach" is not a possibility. I think we need to look at every new day as an opportunity to stay on plan and not allow one day of indulgences wipe out all the hard work by allowing that one day to become two and then three... I suppose we have to forgive the inner "us" for allowing the "us" everyone sees to have become so out of control... obese. One we can forgive ourselves, we can move forward and get on with the hard work of changing bad eating practices and trying to make healthy eating a habit... for health... for life.

Only Elisabeth has the answer. LOL

Freshly baked breads ... any kind... with butter, of course! LOL. It's over a month now since I have had any bread and I'm just starting week 2 of 3 of soft foods.

I was banded on March 30, did fine at the post-op visit and don't go back to have a first fill until June 5th. I am still on a soft diet, do not feel full and have never experienced the side-effects that others post on the board (likely because I am unfilled). I'm committed to the surgery and am following the diet in the hopes of making life long healthy changes and losing weight. I look forward to updates on how the March group is progressing.

I felt great the day after surgery but very sore and "wiped out" on days 2-7. When I woke up on day 8, I felt really good and made a swift recovery. It just took me a little extra time for the swelling to go down and the port pain to subside.

Have you tried going back to the beginning and doing a week of full liquids and protein shakes? Maybe this will help to detoxify you from all the sugar and get you more focused.

I would get a list of all the MDs who perform lapband surgery in hospitals that your insurance company DOES cover and check them out. Ask your present MD to give you copies of all the reports in your chart. The requirements for the surgery are pretty universal so whatever you've had done already will, for the most part, be accepted by the new surgeon you choose. To put it simply, use the waiting time to develop a "plan B" in the event "plan A" falls through.

I was banded 3 weeks ago so I have not had a fill yet. I'm on a soft diet and do NOT feel full. However, I am committed to this surgery and am sticking to the diet. My logic is simple. If I can lose weight staying on the diet, I'll be well prepared to maintain that level of loss and maybe increase it once I have a fill. Since I don't see my surgeon again until June 5th, it will be over 2 months from the date of the surgery before I get that fill. In the meantime, I'll be making positive life changes.

I asked that very question at my 2 week post-op appointment and was told that it can take 4-6 weeks for all the swelling to subside so hand in there. Better days are coming.

300 calories is not enough. You need a minimum of 60 grams of protein a day to heal (that alone is 540 calories). If you can't get the required amount of protein from the shakes, call your MD or dietician and see if they will advance your diet or allow some substitutions.

I would vote to wait for the plastic surgery. Most surgeons advise getting as close to goal as possible before electing for plastic surgery.