froggin4colorado

Hi, I was banded in CO and moved here this fall. I need to find a doctor who will continue to support me. I am currently living in Williamsburg so I understand that I will probably need to travel down the pennisula for a doctore. I have blue cross blue shield for now for insurance. I have a 14cc band and currently have 6ccs in it. I need a fill soon. Any doc recommendations?

I was banded 2/16. I have only dropped about 20 lbs. Not much restriction. My first fill was March 12th with 3 ccs and no restriction. I just went in for my second fill today. I have a lapband that holds 14 ccs. They think my sweet spot will be around 9-11ccs. I am also one that doesn't lose anything unless calories are really low...like 900. Yes, I know what you are thinking, trust me the docs all my life say and think the same thing but they have witnessed that weight loss doesn't happen unless they are that low. Keep in mind, my anorexic looking bro, sis, gma, aunts, etc eat lots trying to gain weight and the other side of us look like we feed ourselves ding dongs and ho hos even thought we are the ones eating salads twice a day and its the anorexic ones eating the junk trying to gain weight. So frustrating!This is why I hope the band works for me. Its just a slow loss because I only lose weight if I am doing the liquid diet. Anyhow, I am now walking 1.5 hours a night, down a steep hill for the first 20 minutes and the rest of the time is a constant incline allowing a good sweat. I am doing great on protein- salmon and talipia mostly. I have gone from a merging into a 24 into a 20. I just bought 22s a couple weeks ago and they are already baggy. When I weighed in today, my numbers were up by 2 but I told her I have gone down in clothes so I am gaining good muscle. Even though you know it, you still want the scale to show a lower number, but it will happen in time. I will have another fill in early July and another in August, hopefully that will be my sweet spot. We will see!

I was banded in Feb and had one fill of 3ccs, but I don't have any real restriction. I do know that breads/toast is tough to go down and get stuck. I have lost about 16 lbs, all in the beginning while fasting, nothing since the fill. So, I plan on going in for another fill after school is out (I teach). I do a lot of fish- salmon and talapia for lunches with some veggies. Breakfast is usually eggs or yogurt. Dinner varies... so my calories are usually around 14/1500 or so. Good luck to everyone!

Hi everyone! I have been researching and wanting to have surgery for quite awhile. I have been unsuccessful thus far because I don't have any health problems, other than being fat. As we all know, the health problems will come... Anyhow, I found you all here and saw the comments about BCBS fed and thought I would give it a shot. So, I called customer service and was told that I don't need health problems, my BMI would qualify me, to look up a doctor and go, doc would send my paperwork in for approval. Looks like I would pay my copay like normal for an out-patient surgery procedure- $100. I am excited, nervous, scared. I called the center today and I go to Penrose on the 14th for my educational consult...learn all about it and what to do next. Wish me luck! I am shooting for Stacie Perlman...so we will see. Lynette

I haven't checked in for awhile and thought I would do so. I am down about 20 lbs, was banded 2/16. I can also eat whatever I want right now, except for breads. I tried them and its too tough going down. So now more. This last week was spring break so I wasn't very good. During the school week I do pretty good though. So back to work tomorrow. I am working on getting my walks in, making it a routine. With the weather getting better, it is getting easier. I had my first fill a couple of weeks ago. I only got 3 ccs. I need more though. I will go in again after school is out. Otherwise I am out of days. Good luck to everyone else.

I was banded on the 16th. About the 5th day I was so hungry and liquids wasn't cutting the hunger. I am on mushies now. I just hit week 3 and have lost 16 lbs since surgery. I am still very hungry and my weight loss has stopped. I am doing my protein shakes in an attempt to get my 60 grams of protein, I am also doing tomato soup, and now scrambled eggs, and yogurt. Occasionally I also do a sugar free popsicles yet. So, my calories are still about 1200 or so and hence my weight loss has ceased. I can't wait for my fill so I can feel full and my intake of calories can decrease more so I can start losing again. Good luck all!

The only thing I experienced was I went into surgery after starting my cycle. I started on a Friday and usually I am on for 4 days. However, I lasted a full 7.5 days this time and it was like niagra falls. I think my body was truly cleaning itself out- all those liquids/fasting. But that was it.

You can do it! You are not a failure, only a loser!

I understand the frustration. I am on week two after surgery and had done liquids for the first week and lost 16 lbs. I was very hungry starting week two so I tried about a cup of potato soup- liquified. Since Sunday, I have gained back 4 lbs. This is what I eat daily: 2 Atkins Protein shakes 1 yogurt 1 cup of potato soup at lunch and then again at dinner. water. I calculated calories and that potato soup has 410 calories in 1 cup- which is a lot! I didn't realize that until yesterday. But that was putting my calorie intake at roughly 1200 calories (depending on what I could or couldn't finish). This calorie intake is typically what people need to be at to lose weight, but I know that in order for me to lose weight, I must do only 800 calories. So I have gained 4 lbs back over the week in the past 4 days. I also recognize that during that first week I was sleeping a lot and a lot of that weight loss was water....otherwise gaining 1-2 lbs a day isn't really feasible unless you are massively eating...which I am not. But, I know you heartache. I can't wait until I have my first fill and start losing weight again. That will also come with not being hungry. Since I am still healing from surgery, I am finding I still can't walk far/intensely for exercise. At school (I am a sped teacher), I am up walking every half hour taking kids across the school to classrooms and picking more up. By the time lunch time hits, I usually have sharp pains in my stomach from over doing it. Hang in there, we have to have faith in our new tool!

I am a sped teacher and had my surgery Monday Feb 16th. I took the whole week off and was filling pretty good by day 5. However, when I returned to work the following Monday, I was hurting by lunch time. I know the reason is because I rotate kids every 30 minutes so I was up walking every 30 minutes across the building to drop kids off and then to pick up more kids...repeat and repeat. Yes, you are supposed to walk, but I over did it. I wasn't ready for that much walking. So, I am easing back into groups now. I will try pulling groups again next Monday.

Guy, how have your managed to lose 30 lbs in a week? Or does that also include your pre diet loss?

Thanks Guy. I do look foward to whizzing up what the family is having. I am supposed to be able to have casseroles that have been diluted with broth or milk and WWWHHHHZZZDD but its just nasty. Thank goodness its not forever. I do find that I can remember taste well and I can imagine its taste...very sensual. I remember being a kid living on the farm and going to McDs was a treat, so that cheeseburger actually tasted good. Not like it does these days. So I see a stupid commercial, I imagine that old taste. And to be honest, I haven't had McDs for years, I can't stand them. I am a Chipolte fan!! But I can just taste whatever it is on TV. I think I need to go back to work and stop watching tv...recovering from surgery for a week has only made me watch tv too much! Being around kids at the school will cure me of that!

I am hungry too. I was banded on Monday, the 16th. I am living off of tomato bisque, yogurt, popsicles, Jello, and Water. I tasted the inside of my daughter's burrito (stuck my finger inside it) and it was delish! The meat and cheese was of mush constitancy...I sucked on it for a long time and then spit it out. So, I totally understand. I can't wait until I get to chew something again. Hopefully the next few weeks of healing will go fast. Starting weight 254 lbs Current weight 238 lbs Goal weight 145 lbs Weight lost 16lbs

I went through the liver shrinking diet from Feb 13-Feb 15th and had surgery Feb 16th. So, I am a bandster! All went well, still on liquids though, will be for a little while. I am 5 days post op and finally have an appetite, but I would venture to say its more cravings than appetite. I am down 16 lbs since I started the liver shrinking diet, in 8 days. That's 2 lbs a day. Starting weight Feb 12th: 254 lbs Current weight Feb 21st: 238 lbs Goal weight: 140 lbs

Laugh if you want...but I was banded on Monday and have been patiently waiting for a BM. This morning I flew, yes, I think I flew because I was moving that fast, to the toilet and sat with a big grin on my face. :tt2: My grin was still there while cleaning the bowl because I made so much of a mess! :thumbup: Oh, the love of poo:biggrin: I wasn't worried because I know anethesia does this to your body, but it sure felt good! Starting weight 254 Current weight 240 Goal weight 145

You will feel much better once you do. Feel free to rejoice later when you have one...grin

I will miss Chipolte! I could have lived off their chicken fajita burrito with sour cream, cheese, and corn salsa. :tt2: Oh well, life goes on. My desire to be thin trumps Chipolte!

I suggest you follow your body's advice. If you aren't that hungry yet, then don't force yourself to eat. Your body is healing and isn't wanting food yet. Keep in mind, we have lots of fat to live off of while waiting for hunger to return. Just remember to sip your water, you do want to keep hydrated.

Pre-op diet- 3 days of liquids only. I essentially did Water, water, water, with a few sugar free popsicles and jellos. Surgery day- Feb 16th: Check in was 7:30am and surgery scheduled for 10:30am. Check in went fine. I was weighed, had some labs, and did a lot of waiting. I visited with the anesthelogist right before surgery, he knew how antsy I was about going under and he slipped me under before we hit the door, a few feet away. Thank goodness! DH was with me and they gave him a card with a number on it. This is so he could watch my progress on a computer screen. Pretty cool. Post surgery, day of- I woke up very tired. I had a wonderful nurse who fed me some ice chips, reminding me to breathe. Once I was wheeled into recovery, a floor below, DH met us in the hallway and rode down with us. I tried to walk a bit but was too tired. So, I slept a bit more. I wasn't too sore yet. Once I was awake and able to move about more, I was discharged and we ventured the two hours home. We stopped once for me to walk and for him to grab a bite to eat. Home days 1,2,3- Day one was rough. Very sore, couldn't walk much, stairs was rough. No gas pain. I didn't have any desire to eat. I sipped water and slept a lot. Day 2 was better. Only water still. My stomach was very swollen and it was hard to be comfortable, lying down, sitting, or standing up. I tasted a bit of yogurt and more water. I would say day 2 was the worst for comfort level due to the swelling. Day 3- better. I walked the kids to school, slowly. Only a few houses away. I am doing more burping today than any other. Pain isn't as bad. I can get up out of bed on my own. I am able to reach my feet, but not put on socks. Overall, it went well. I have lost 12 lbs at this point. I can't wait for summer when I am thinner and can move around more. Yippee! Starting weight 254 Current weight 244 Goal weight 145 Doctor- Dr. Thomas Brown in Denver, CO

My anethesiologist called me about 8pm to chat. He said he likes to call all of his patients the day before and visit, to relax any nerves, and to ask a few questions. So, we chatted for about 15 minutes and said goodnight, see you in the morning. I am scared and excited. I hate that feeling because its a really wierd feeling. You want something so bad but scared to do it.

12.5 hours to go until surgery. I am so excited and jittery. I hate going under...oh well!

Good luck Hal. I go in tomorrow morning. We can do it.

I am not allowed to have any protein shakes. I can have water, broth, sugar free popsicles/jello, crystal light (0 sugar something- I haven't drank it, not interested). That's about it. Keep in mind, my liquid diet is only for 3 days before surgery. Dr. Brown said he has found that a 3 day water fast is as effective as 2 weeks on protein shakes. So, three days of water, sugar free popsicles and jello. I am chewing sugar free gum so I can chew more. As my DH just sat down with a bagel with strawberry cream cheese and offered to go get me something (jello), I declined because I am craving taste, not real hunger. Nothing is going to jeopardize me going in, I am ready for change and for ultimate health! I have lost 5 lbs in the past two days.