LaurenLCM

Hi Horus.... From what I read of your introduction, you are ready for a life change with your weight. If you feel as if you can lose 75 to 100 pounds safely on your own with working out and changing your eating habits, that's great, and you should do it! If you feel as if you need help from overeating, you should go attend a seminar on the Lap Band, or at least read the "Lap Band for Life" book. The Lap Band a great "tool" to have, but it does require work and will-power from you. They most likely will not make a big guy eat only 800 calories a day... but they probably will make you eat less than 2800... lots of Protein is the key to keeping you from passing out. As for waiting for a better procedure, you could do that, but why wait 10 more years? That is a huge chunk of your life. If you got started with the Lap Band now, you would probably have the actual surgery in the next 3 to 6 months... then in one year's time, with dedication from you, you could be at your ideal weight (or at least a lot closer). And, you will be more likely NOT to gain it back because your stomach will be restricted. And, as you know, if you decide you want to do something else eventually, the band is removable. Nothing in your body gets rearranged! Good luck on your Quest for a change!

Hello... I was told that you are most concerned with trying not to throw up for the the first 6 months that you have the band... once that time has passed, the scar tissue that has developed should help keep the band from slipping. My surgeon prescribed the anti-nausea just to keep on hand at home... and I was told that they, in some cases, will remove the saline from the band while you are sick with a bad case of the flu.

HI Mer... You sound lost and distressed... don't give up now! You lost 70 pounds which is GREAT, I would give anything to lose that! Then, you needed food surgery and became depressed, that is not your fault! You are still below where you started. Maybe you should find a different doctor to get your fills from... 13 fills in one year sounds excessive. Even if you have to pay out-of-pocket for a decent fill, it will be better than gaining the weight back, becoming more depressed and giving up completely. You have had success before, you have the tool inside you to do it again! Don't give up!!!

Hello... I am also from NJ, about an hour away from you! I had my surgery on 12/31 and am doing great. Good luck with your surgery! Stay motivated, you will do fine... the buffets are not your friends, so be happy to say goodbye to them. Doctors can be frustrating, don't let it get you down... just keep bugging them.

Congrats on starting your life change! I had my surgery on 12/31 and I feel great... no problems at all, no discomfort. Just know that it is so important that you follow YOUR surgeon's guidelines both before and after the surgery... it is a fairly long process from pre-op to eating "normal" foods again (although much smaller amounts)... but it is SO worth it. This site is excellent for finding others experiencing exactly what you are... so you are never alone. Good luck!

I lost 9 pounds in the first 12 days... but I haven't been weighed in two weeks. I am also afraid of being discouraged by the scale, so I only plan to get on the scale every two weeks (which will be Monday). After you have the surgery, try to write everything down you eat each day. I have a diary where I track the calories, fat, carbs, protein and fiber of everything I put into my mouth. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it is the best way for someone else to review what you are doing incase you start to plateau. I update my food diary while I eat my meals... it helps me stretch the meal out for the mandetory 20 minutes of eating! "Lap Band for Life" is a great book... I recommend it. It should put you more at ease with the surgery, and answer a bunch of questions.

Congrats on getting your surgery date! Good luck on your pre-diet... that is a rough period... but don't worry, a few weeks after the surgery you will be able to have sort-of-real food again! I was banded on 12/31 and have been feeling GREAT! Don't worry, if you follow the guidelines your surgeon gives you, you should be fine. My program only made me stick to 2 -3 oz for the "clear liquids" period in the beginning, which is okay because you probably won't be that hungry. Once you move to "all liquids", which is usually after a week, you hopefully will be able to move to 4 - 6 oz per meal. Those amounts are, believe it or not, okay to deal with... the tricky part is how to figure in all of the protein you need and keep within your daily calorie limit... which is why you will find the protein powder handy. In the beginning clear phase, you should be allowed broth, crystal-light type drinks, jello, skim milk, and sugar-free popsicles. Your protein powder mixed in the skim milk is a great way to get your protein... plus the skim milk has protein also. Once you get more real food into your system (during the mushy/pureed phase) the protein powder helps you fill in the gap if you didn't get enough protein that day. One thing I did right before the surgery was make a pot of homemade chicken soup and adding string beans, carrots, onion and spices (whatever you like). When the soup was done, I skimmed off the fat and drained out the solid pieces, and put the solids in the freezer. I kept the soup-broth in the fridge to consume during my "clear" period. The soup-broth tasted so great during the "clear" period (plain canned broth is so plain) and when I got into the "mushy" period, I defrosted the soup solids (chix and veggies) and pureed them... which also tasted great. Don't be stressed, stay motivated... and GOOD LUCK!!!

Dena... Good luck with your surgery! Please know that this Lap Band forum is great... but your surgeon must be the one to dictate your diet and should give you guidelines to live by after surgery. Some people have 3 days of "clear" liquid after surgery, other have 3 weeks of clear liquid... it may depend a bit on your health situation. Once you move to "all liquids" and "mushy" foods, your doctor should detail your food choices and also how many calories, grams of Protein, fat, etc. you should be consuming each day. It can get a bit complex, but planning ahead helps a lot. This site is great for emotional support and sometimes you can find good recipes... but there is so much information, and everyone has their own eating guidelines, that it can make your head spin! Again, good luck, don't stress... and after the surgery, try not to sneeze for about a week... you'll see stars!!

Good luck with your surgery! If you have done "good" overall on your pre-op diet you should be fine. It is hard to be perfect on the pre-op diet because one thinks, "this is my last chance to eat normal before I'm permanently changed!" Once you get banded you should feel more motivated because cheating could be painful (whether its the band itself, or the gas)... If you stay positive and follow the post-op eating guidelines, YOU WILL DO GREAT! Again, GOOD LUCK, keep up the good work!

First... I don't mean to offend anyone who has had gastric bypass, but really, I can't imagine why one would choose the bypass over the band. A RNY gastric bypass is such major surgery and is about 10x riskier than the band. Nutrients arent' absorbed well with the bypass... a friend of mine who had it has skin that looks so gray and has had multiple surgeries since due to complications. I realize that some insurances only cover bypass and not the band, but to me, this is insane for cost and health purposes. I had my lap band "installed" 20 days ago and I feel great. I didn't need any pain meds after the surgery, and was back at work in 4 days (desk job). I'm losing weight steadily and can't wait for my first fill. Best of luck with your procedure... which ever one you choose!

My favorite whey protein powder is called "Whey Delicious" I never see it mentioned here, but I think it is so tasty! You can't get it at any stores, as far as I know, but you can get it directly from www.proteinishealthy.com. It is sweetened with stevia, and mixes easily. As far as the mixed message as to whether to drink protein supplements or not... it was explained to me that once the early liquid phases are over, your meals should consist of only solids BUT if you have not reached the proper of level protein for the day, you should supplement with a protein drink.

Hello... I am post-op day 12, so I'm close by! My doctor recommended Dannon Light & Fit yogurt. I chose to stay away from fruit flavored incase there were any chunks. It has about 60 calories, and although there is fructose, it is not one of the first few ingredients. Good luck!