Melissannde

I thought this might be of interest to some: SUBJECT: Stages of Banding Discovering the Band Wondering if this is for me Investigation Doing serious research Joining a support group Getting hopeful Finding a doctor Shock at the price Deciding to do it Making the arrangements Wondering if you made the right decision Getting nervous Going ahead with it Waking up and wondering what the hell you did to yourself Post-op discomfort Month of liquids- not being able to strictly adhere Wondering if you've been scammed again Seeing a little success Getting your first fill Changing your eating habits Seeing more success Getting second fill Really losing Seriously changing your eating habits Being totally euphoric about your weight loss Changing your thinking about eating Wanting to tell every fat person you meet about the band Realizing you really can't eat Worrying about nutrition Learning to eat healthy and wise Finding other ways to meet your emotional needs Realizing it takes a long time to lose 100lbs Trudging along My clothes are too big Buying new clothes Oops, I bought too much too soon...now these are too big Buying more clothes Getting near goal Enjoying all the compliments Feeling successful Getting aggressive Not taking crap from anybody Realizing you can be assertive without steamrolling everybody Finding balance Wondering what comes next **There are other stages and everybody does not go through them in the same order or even go through all the stages. Some people might have stages to add....and there is some looping back and forth. But these are common stages that most Bandsters go through. List by Jessie H. Ahroni (ahroni.com) she has a book about banding, this list and much more are in it. Jessie has been banded for over 10 years and works in the bariatric field.

not really. There's tons of things. Just about anything you can mash with a fork will work. Cottage cheese, tuna salad, chicken salad, meatloaf (mash it first), spaghetti sauce. Many Soups will qualify for mushy. Egg salad. go to BariatricEating.com - BE, Inc. The number one bariatric website for Protein, Vitamins, and success. and look at their recipes.

Since you are now dry heaving, you need to call the doctor's office again. I would've gone back in once I started heaving instead of going home. That's a game changer versus just feeling nauseated. They can either take some Fluid out or they can give you something for nausea. You really need to not be throwing up right now. And yes, some doctors do place the band with a small amount of fill. I had nearly 3cc's in mine from the time of placement. Non-medical treatment of nausea, send someone to find some candied ginger and when you get some, suck on it. Peppermint also sometimes helps. Warm tea, sipped very slowly. But the best thing is to call your doc and inform him/her of the change in your status.

If it is a continuing concern, do consult your PCP and perhaps a Dermatologist. MOST of the time it's Telogen Effluvium (see below), but it can also be signs of other problems. My thinning hair is not solely weight loss related, as it started well before I was banded, but is also due to post-menopausal changes according to my dermatologist. He has me on Rogaine to prevent further loss. Telogen Effluvium: What Is It? At any given time, about 85% to 90% of the hairs on the average person's head are actively growing (the anagen phase) and the others are resting (the telogen phase). Typically, a hair is in the anagen phase for two to four years, then enters the telogen phase, rests for about two to four months, and then falls out and is replaced by a new, growing hair. The average person naturally loses about 100 hairs a day. In a person with telogen effluvium, some body change or shock pushes more hairs into the telogen phase. Typically in this condition, about 30% of the hairs stop growing and go into the resting phase before falling out. So if you have telogen effluvium, you may lose an average of 300 hairs a day instead of 100. Telogen effluvium can be triggered by a number of different events, including: * Surgery * Major physical trauma * Major psychological stress * High fever or severe infection * Extreme weight loss * Extreme change in diet * Abrupt hormonal changes, including those associated with childbirth and menopause * Iron deficiency * Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism * A new medication Because hairs that enter the telogen phase rest in place for two to four months before falling out, you may not notice any hair loss until two to four months after the event that caused the problem. Telogen effluvium rarely lasts longer than six months, although some cases last longer. Although losing a great number of hairs within a short time can be frightening, the condition is usually temporary. Each hair that is pushed prematurely into the telogen phase is replaced by a new, growing hair, so there is no danger of complete baldness. Because hair on the scalp grows slowly, your hair may feel or look thinner than usual for a time, but fullness will return as the new hairs grow in. Symptoms If you have telogen effluvium, you'll notice more hair than usual accumulating on your pillowcase, on the shower or bathroom floor and in your hairbrush. Your scalp hair may feel or look less dense than usual. Often, though, the hair loss is subtle, and other people may not notice anything different about your hair. Diagnosis Most cases of telogen effluvium can be diagnosed based on medical history and an examination of the scalp and hair. If the hair loss has been occurring for several months, there may be visible thinning Patches, but often the hair loss is not dramatic enough for a doctor to notice. If you have large bald patches, you probably don't have telogen effluvium. If the doctor gently tugs on some hairs on your scalp and four or more hairs come out, you probably have telogen effluvium. Also, the hairs will look like hairs in the telogen phase - they will have a white bulb at the end that was in the scalp, and will not have a gel-like covering around that end of the hair. You may be asked to gather all hairs that fall out of your head over a 24-hour period, and count them to see if the hair loss is truly excessive. Losing fewer than 100 hairs in a day is considered normal. You also may be asked to gather and count lost hairs every one or two weeks to see when the shedding starts to decline. In some rare cases, if there is reason to doubt the diagnosis, a biopsy of the scalp may be done. In this procedure, a small piece of the scalp that includes several hair follicles is removed and examined under a microscope. Your doctor also may do blood tests to check for conditions such as thyroid abnormalities that may be contributing to hair loss. Expected Duration Typically, hair loss begins two to four months after the event that triggered the problem, and lasts approximately six months. New hairs begin growing immediately after the hair falls out, but significant growth may not be noticed for several months. Prevention Nothing can be done to prevent most of the types of physical shock that can start telogen effluvium. Some cases may be caused by a poor diet, and these might be prevented by eating a balanced diet that provides enough Protein, iron and other nutrients. Treatment No treatment for active telogen effluvium has been proven effective. Some causes of the disorder can be corrected. For example, if you have a poor diet, consult a dietitian to help you balance it. If the hair loss began after you started a new medication, talk to your doctor to see if the medication should be discontinued. Many times, however, the cause is a specific event in the past, and you can expect that the hair will grow back. In cases where hair growth has not returned to a satisfactory level, your doctor may prescribe minoxidil (Rogaine), a lotion applied to the scalp that stimulates hair growth in some people. When To Call A Professional See your doctor if you experience excessive hair loss or obvious thinning patches on your scalp. Prognosis The outlook for telogen effluvium is very good. Most cases run their course within six to nine months, and the hair usually grows back. In some cases, the disorder may last longer. In other cases, not all hairs grow back. Additional Info American Academy of Dermatology American Academy of Dermatology Last updated July 14, 2005

I use the overnight method because it's so easy. I think to cook steelcut oats the regular way takes 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how done you like them. I like getting up in the morning and the cooking is already done. Organic Steel Cut Oats - Bob's Red Mill

Congrats on the smaller clothes. Assuming you are back on regular food: try egg in a mug recipes by hungry girl HungryGirl.com I make overnight oatmeal with steelcut oats (only works with steelcut..) 1/4 cup oats & slightly more than 1 cup Water. Place in small cup or bowl that will fit inside of your crockpot. Place in crockpot about 8 hours before you want to have breakfast. put lid on crock & turn on low. Go to bed. In the morning, turn off crockpot and remove lid. Leave for a few minutes to let bowl cool enough to handle (go drink your coffee/tea/water and take your vitamins). Come back, remove bowl and doctor up your oatmeal to your liking. Suggestions: cinnamon, chopped apple or s/f applesauce, nutmeg, allspice, Tbspn of nonfat dry milk or fatfree canned milk, dash of salt, sprinkle of sweetner of your choice. Tbspn chopped walnuts. Very yummy and while it is high carb.. steelcut oats are low glycemic, meaning they won't spike your blood sugar and make you ravenous again in an hour. Soft scrambled eggs with spinach, mushrooms & 1 tbspn bacon bits (I do 1 whole egg with 1/4 cup egg whites.. cuts the cholesterol & calories, but maintains the taste and I get the omega3's from the eggland's best eggs) Leftovers from the night before are a good choice for me. I make meatloaf in muffin tins.. One little meatloaf is about 2oz and just perfect for breakfast. Tennessee pride turkey sausage. 2 patties are 100 calories. Sometimes I'll have one with a scrambled egg & maybe some strawberries or blueberries. Eggface has a blog with lots of recipes. She's RNY, but her stuff should be suitable for bandsters too. Just scour the web for low calorie recipes.. that's what I do. Cookinglight is a good source. Also caloriecount.about.com Have fun!!

I've always measured my food from the get-go and have had excellent weight loss. I'm told 3oz of Protein and 1/2 cup of veggies. To be honest, at first I did 4oz of protein because I was SMO and 3oz just wasn't enough. I did cut back to 3oz as I lost. If I'm somewhere I can't measure, the guidelines I was given for estimation was meat (chicken, fish, beef, whathaveyou) the dimensions of a deck of cards or about the palm of your hand. Veggies should be about the size of a tennis ball. I avoid starchy carbs if at all possible. As to how much other food you can have... I'm told that if I finish my protein & veggies and am still hungry after 20 minutes I can have more veggies (provided they're not covered in some high calorie sauce or drowning in butter). I'm also allowed "healthy" Snacks between meals if I need them. Things like an apple and a cheese stick. Wasa cracker & laughing cow cheese. Cup of yogurt. Something with protein and I try to keep it under 150 calories. I was told not to drink 30 minutes on either side of a meal. I followed those directions for a long time. But as I've learned how my band works for me.. I've gradually gone to drinking right up to the first bite, then stop drinking with my meal. I try to wait an hour after eating to drink. I've asked about sipping Water during meal if I need to and my nurses say that's ok, just not to drink a lot. Or to rinse my mouth and spit it out if I'm somewhere that can be done. If you get a bite of something too spicy, a spoonful of dairy (yogurt comes to mind) will cut the heat better than water. It's a learning process. As time goes on, you will learn what works best for you and your weight loss.

chicken should be OK, but egg salad and cereal are often considered soft (or slider) foods. Try writing down what you're eating.. either on paper or on notepad or on a website (dailyplate.com, fitday.com, calorieking, caloriecount.about.com, fatsecret.com.. there are scores of sites.. find one that you like. Most are free). Keeping track of your intake will help. Even if you can drink right before and after eating, you need to control that. Drinking right before isn't as worrisome, but afterwards can be a problem. Try to really wait at least 30 minutes. An hour would be even better. You probably don't have to go in to your doctor right away.. my doctor has nurses to answer questions over the phone. Call and ask them about your concerns. That's what we paid them the big $$ for.. was for the surgery and support afterwards. More than likely it's that you're working out and that has changed things for you.. but call and get your questions answered.

No, you don't have to be throwing up to be too tight. Any great difficulty eating/drinking could be considered too tight. I agree with the other posters who say to call you doctor on Monday and ask about coming in for a possible unfill. They don't have to take alot out. A fraction will probably do the trick.

I don't have the video's (DVD's), but know someone who does. They like the fact that one of the DVDs is solely devoted to demonstrating the steps. This person likes the classes better, but the DVDs are a good substitute when classes aren't possible for whatever reason.

I tried all kinds of non-chewable Cal. Citrate.. even cutting them in 1/4's and putting in applesauce or yogurt, they still hurt going down. I went to Bariatric Advantage Chewable Calcium. Hooray! No pain! For the amount of calcium they want me on daily, it was the most cost effective. Caltrate isn't calcium citrate.. it's calcium carbonate. My doctor wants me on the Calcium Citrate. He says it's better absorbed.

Fluoroscopy is a type of xray, it allows the doctor to see the stomach and band and the patient drinks a type of dye that is opaque to xrays (radiopaque dye).. usually barium. The dye shows up as white and the stomach as darker. Not all doctors use fluoro. Not all doctors fill the band completely and then back off. Granted, I don't know all there is about banding, but this is the first time I've heard of this method in 18 months of being on support groups. If you are concerned, please call the staff at your doctor's office and ask questions before you go in. My doctor uses ultrasound SOMETIMES to locate the port and that's all. I've never even needed a freezing spray. It's not painful. Just a tiny stick. I've always received my fills lying down, so if I should have an adverse reaction, there's no where to fall. ::grin:: Sometimes they have me do a little mini-crunch (situp) to bring the port nearer the surface. Since I've lost weight (I was SMO super morbidly obese), they haven't even needed the ultrasound machine. I do understand being apprehensive about the first fill. I was too and asked everyone who would listen, including pharmacists, about numbing medication. The first time was a little ouchy, because I was still sore from surgery, but not bad .. and I'm not good with needles at all. Please call your bariatric professionals tomorrow, or go to support group before your fill appointment and talk about your fears. It will help.

1200 calories sounds about right. If you'd like to fine tune it more, you could do what I do. I use the calorie goal function at The Daily Plate on LIVESTRONG.COM - Calorie Counter, Weight Loss, food Calorie Counter, Nutrition Facts | LIVESTRONG.COM. You input info such as age, height, weight, and how much you want to lose per week and it calculates how many calories you need. For me to lose 2lbs a week at "lightly active" I get to have 1484 calories a day. Most of the time that's a huge plenty for me. I buy lean beef (90/10 or better), skinless chicken (or remove skin before cooking/eating..depending on recipe), fish. I don't eat pork very often due to personal issues with the fat content (last time it gave me a gb attack..). The 90/10 is what our nutritionist advises. Yours might have a different opinion. Probably what you need to do is to adjust your cooking methods.. use a moist heat (crockpot, oven roast with foil over it, etc.) OR use something to "lube" the meat while eating. I like Dijonnaise or low carb ketchup, nonfat refried Beans, etc. Just account for the calories in your "lube" in your total for the day. Another thing that works is to eat your veggies WITH your meat. I know.. heresy but I find that mixing the textures works for me. My bariatric people (nurses & doctors) are OK with me eating the foods together as long as it is keeping me full long enough and I'm losing weight. I think the sipping advise is to get you trained for when you eventually get a tighter band and can only drink in smaller amounts. I don't know 100% if that is their reasoning.. ask them. :smile2: I still drink fairly rapidly sometimes and have no issues. It all depends on how tight I am. Sometimes liquids flow right on through and sometimes I can feel them hesitate .. Hope this helps.

I bought mine at Netrition.com - The Internet's Premier Nutrition Superstore! I don't recall the fat content, but it's probably low as the calories are A LOT less than regular PB. when you go there you can check the nutritional info and see if it meets your criteria. It comes in regular and chocolate. yummy stuff. I buy my DaVinci s/f syrups from netrition too. Enjoy.

Never an experience like that in 18 months of being banded. My doctor is conservative and doesn't give huge fills. I do know about the vasovagal response, but never had it happen to me with a fill.

My first one was a tiny bit of an "OUCH" because I was still tender at the incision site. Since then they've been no big deal at all. I understand being apprehensive.. I was talking to pharmacists and everyone who would listen about something to numb the area before the fill. Numbing wasn't necessary & while like I said, it was tender, it wasn't bad. Of course this was quite a while ago as I was banded in March of 09 and as always, YMMV. Good Luck.

Crispaholic, regarding the apples & pears, have you tried peeling them first? Sometimes fruit peelings agree with me and other times they just cause discomfort. I never know which it's going to be, so I peel most of the time. Probably a good idea anyhow with all the pesticides that are sprayed on apples. Good Luck.

Got mine yesterday. DH has asthma and is also exposed to lots of germs in his work.. so he gets one. I get one to protect him.

The full feeling is DIFFERENT. I no longer feel full in my lower abdomen.. it's higher, upper abdomen/lower chest area. And it's not so much of a full feeling, but a feeling of satisfaction. It's an adjustment, but not that difficult to make, esp. if you go into this with a positive attitude. :smile2: I still sometimes wish I could keep on eating.. yes, it's sometimes aggravating that things taste good, but I can't eat more. I just put the extra away for a later (3 to 5 hours) meal. It also helps to measure out your food (3oz Protein, 1/2 cup low carb veggies) and that's ALL you put on your plate. I no longer serve family style..that leads to overeating too often. We fix plates and carry to the table. And use smaller plates. You're asking good questions.. keep it up.

I use the livestrong site too and I don't find it to be accurate at all. :smile:

I know someone who is banded and doesn't do "formal" exercises as in going to the gym because of other health concerns. Their doctor just tells them it will probably take them longer to reach goal, but that there's no reason they can't. I think this person I know would engage in more structured activities if their health allowed.

If you like DaVinci & Torani.. you can order Torani from Amazon.com at great prices .. 3 bottles for 16.80 or put them on automatic order (I have 3 bottles of chocolate sent every 3 months) and the price drops even lower and shipping is FREE. Netrition.com has every flavor that DaVinci makes.. and that's a lot!! Prices are a bit higher, but selection is fantastic, and shipping is a flat 4.95 whether you order 1 thing or 100. Try the Pumpkin Pie or the Gingerbread (my current fav) s/f DaVinci. Just make sure that you do order the s/f. I ended up giving away 3 bottles of peppermint.. cause I made a mistake. Whoops.

I'm not hungry all the time.. but I sure want to chew. I chew s/f gum, or sometimes grab a piece of beef Jerky. Or if you know you should not be hungry (ie only 2 hours after a meal).. try drinking some Water. The other suggestions already posted are also good.

I don't mean to be unmotivating.. but yes, it is shocking that we probably aren't burning as much as we hoped. I figure it's better to UNDER estimate what I'm doing (and be pleasantly surprised) than to over estimate and wonder why I'm not getting the anticipated results. You haven't been doing the exercise for nothing. You're getting your heart and lungs in better condition, you're toning and building muscles. Muscle is much more efficient at burning calories than fat. Just if you've been using the machines calculations..it just might not be as much of a burn as you thought. I said Might not.. it also might be right on target or below.

The estimates on the machines are really inaccurate. When I would record my exercise at livestrong.com/thedailyplate, I would cut my time in half. ie: exercise 60 minutes.. record it as 30 to make up for the discrepancies. Then I got a Polar HR Monitor and was shocked to find that even cutting my workout times in half, I was still getting credit for too much work done. If you have the funds available, I'd try getting a HR monitor, preferably one with a chest strap. I had a cheapie w/o a strap, it didn't work very well. Polar makes good ones, or there's the Bodybugg, GoFit Wear (I think is a bb clone). Omron makes excellent pedometers, I bet they make good HR monitors too. As to how much time in the gym? Mon: 3 to 4 hours (weights, RPM, Zumba, Yoga, abs class) Tues: 90 min (Yoga, Cardio) Wed: 2 Hrs (Body Pump, RPM) Thurs: 90 min (Pilates, Cardio) Fri: either a day off or 1 hr of Body Pump Sat: If I worked out Friday.. 1 HR of Zumba. If I didn't work out Friday.. 2 Hrs.. Body Pump & Zumba. Sunday: Rest. I do extra Zumba classes when I feel the need and have the energy. Calorie burn for me.. according to HR monitor.. is an average of 200 cal/hour. But it can depend on the class, the instructor and other variables. For example: today, Yoga was 75, RPM was 216, Zumba: 267, Weights: 295, Abs: 44 (the Yoga class was 30 min & Abs class was 15 minutes). Hope this helps