GayleTX

Dr. Maese in Highland Park will do fills for patients who have Mexico bands. He is a master at fills, by the way, and has long term experience in the field. You can contact him at Preston Cardiology Wellness Center on Sherry St, Dallas.

I'm one of those 'seniors', too, but by golly I'm 10 years younger than I was 90 pounds and 6 months ago!!! I can't wait to be me this time next year!~!!!

At my aftercare dr's office, you get the fill, swallow white liquid in front of the flouro and the tech watches it to see how quickly is goes thru the band, stoma, etc. to see how tight the band is. You can watch it travel thru your system and then the dr. knows all is well in there.

The times for my fills were just like Lila's. However...I have heard people say that their surgeon advised having all the saline removed from their band before flying. Not sure of the reasoning, but you need to ask your surgeon about it in advance. If that is the case, you probably will just want to wait til you return to get your fill.

That has got to be very frustrating!! What is the make-up of your calorie intake....mostly Protein is the goal, of course, very few white carbs. Did you have lab work done before your surgery for such things as thyroid, diabetes, etc? The fact that you are starting out at a much lower weight than many wls patients may make a difference.....I have observed that the heavier ones tend to lose a lot right away, then slow down. If you are healthy and have more muscle mass than many, it's going to be a slow-go for you.

I really like a lot of the Protein Delight and IDS and Matrix protein supps.....guess the Orange Cream Matrix is my fave (mild orange flavor, not citrusy, not overly sweet). (they are all avail. at bariaticeating.com) If you get tired of shakes (or don't want cold drinks this winter), the Vanilla Cinnamon and/or Cappacino protein supps sold on that site are wonderful with hot coffee or chai tea. They are such a help not for your health but also to control the cravings for something like a frozen dessert or a starbucks.

Best wishes, kimmie!!!!

I have noticed that my plateaus seem to hit about every 4 weeks and last about a week....at least that's been my pattern so far (it's easy to see them when you post your weights on the fitday.com and check the 'report' section). There seems to be no pattern early out....just depends on what condition your body was in and how heavy you were at the beginning. Don't worry so much about doing low fat....it's the carbs that are your enemy, especially the white ones. Best wishes!!

I have noticed that my plateaus seem to hit about every 4 weeks and last about a week....at least that's been my pattern so far (it's easy to see them when you post your weights on the fitday.com and check the 'report' section). There seems to be no pattern early out....just depends on what condition your body was in and how heavy you were at the beginning. Don't worry so much about doing low fat....it's the carbs that are your enemy, especially the white ones. Best wishes!!

It's great when the cravings subside, isn't it. I'm 6 months out and that has been the most astounding part of this whole thing....I don't have any cravings or miseries!! The key, it seems, is cleaning the bad carbs out of your system (the white carbs.....bread, Pasta, rice, etc)....they create the cravings and make them worse every time you eat them. Continued success to all of you.......

It's a pretty big day all right.....and my personal favorite holiday. I guess because there is not the pressure of presents and decorating, just good food and family and a nice long 4 day weekend. Most people I know seem to spend it either beginning their Christmas shopping or watching football, whichever makes them happy. It's a nice time.

karen....may I ask, does your doctor allow carbonated drinks with a lapband? If so, that is highly unusual. Has it caused you any problems?

Kim.....I just went back and looked at your post again....you have probably slowed down because you were such a lightweight to begin with. You are now at 169 - have you weighed about 169 in past years for a lengthy period of time? I have read recently that our bodies will often put the brakes on when our weight gets to a point where it was once before for a long period of time. Guess it thinks, "Hey, this feels familiar, I'm home, gonna lay down and rest a while right here." Don't know whether that is just someone's theory or whether there is actual research on it, but it's just a thought. I almost wish I hadn't read that because I weighed 242 for years and years....now that I'm getting close to that again, I'm scared to death I'll quit losing. Just a thought that flitted through my mind.....

WHAT are you eating, Kim? Even if you are only eating 1200 cal. a day, if you are not eating your high Protein, lo carb regimen, it's going to be hard to lose. Lean pockets do not fit in our game plan, do they. Are you using a good protein supplement....one for bariatric patients, not athletes? They can help you avoid the things that we don't need (the things that go down easy) and keep your energy level up. I had surgery a few weeks after you did (also Dr Benevides) and I have found that about every 4 weeks I hit a plateau that lasts about a week regardless of how closely I stick to the rules. I have lost 87 lbs so far....my exercise has been limited because I was so heavy to begin with but I'm doing better all the time. That remodeling is hard work....we went thru that last year when we moved . Best wishes!!

Randi....that is the beauty of the band - it's your friend, waiting and ready when you are. I really admire you for quitting cigarettes.....it has got to the hardest thing in the world. If you can quit smoking, you can do ANYTHING!!! Just approach this as if you were a newbie....get your pantry stocked like you should and begin all over again. This journey we are on never has an end, just a few crooks in the road. Best wishes....

Yeah, it's like having a new car sitting in the drive but you can't find the keys!!! I understand......it was such a disappointment when they wheeled me out of the operating room and I was still fat!!! But just be good and follow the rules and you're going to wake up skinny some morning soon.

I do great with beef and chicken/turkey that is ground....sloppy joes, bbq, taco meat, meat loaf, etc. Other kinds of chicken....I just never know. Tonight for the first time I tried steak....it went down just fine - and it stayed down! Hooray!! Thick, medium rare sirloin cooked on a grill.

PROUD OF YOU, SWEETIE!!!!:clap2: Have you ever used fitday.com to track your Protein intake, calories, carbs? It is a great help to me, especially in the beginning. I try to keep my carbs below 60 (on the average, some days it's going to be higher), and try to keep my calories around 1200-1400/day. The carb thing is not so hard if you will cut out all white carbs (white bread, rice, Pasta, potatoes, etc). If you would like to PM me, I'd be glad to hear from you as you go along.

Every insurance carrier is different and every company has a different agreement with their carrier. The only way to know is to communicate directly with the Customer Service for each comany's insurance carrier.

The Necatar drinks are great.....come in lots of flavors. My favorite is Fuzzy Navel (peach). Tastes kinda like Tang only better. It sounds expensive to start with but it makes about 30 drinks and you can mix it with either water or Chrystal Light (or the WalMart brand of same) ....it is about 25 gr of protein in a scoop to make an 8-12 oz drink.

fay....You might consider getting a little kitchen scale....it will help train you in the portion sizes. Since you aren't into cooking you might consider using a quality (high Protein, low carb, low calorie) Protein Bar or Protein shake as a meal now and then. There are great guidance and ideas and products on the website: www.bariatriceating.com Go to the section called 'way to eat'. Not everybody there is lapband (most are rny's) but there a great ideas for all of us.

I doubt that you stretched your pouch ....maybe it's just because you are needing another fill. What size is your band? If you got 3 cc's I'm guessing you have a VG. I have a VG and I've had two 3.6 cc fills. The band gets loose as the fat melts away from the stomach so you have to keep filling it....most docs will do it every 3-6 weeks. Exercise is a real problem isn't it. Especially as heavy as you and I were. I haven't done anything but sit on my butt for about 6 years. A gym doesn't sound practical for you right now with your hours and with limited income. I bought a couple of exercise tapes off eBay and I use them in my room...."walk away the pounds' is a good one for heavier people...also "oxycise' is a real beginner tape. I have gotten to where I can walk a ways now. I have a couple of on-line wls friends who weighed in the 400's and they had good luck with the Tony Little Gazelle (HSN has them on sale right now)....there is a heavy duty version of it that might be safer. Wish I had one!! You're gonna be okay..... be thankful you had this opportunity while you are young. By the time you are 25, you are gonna be a healthy happy girl with a long life ahead of you.

Have you had your first fill? If you have not, you have no restriction - you have only had the band inserted - it has not yet been made 'operational' by beginning the tightening with fills. The first several weeks are a healing period. After you beginning getting your fills - and sometimes it takes two or three fills - you will feel restriction and will not be able to eat much at all. In the meantime, you need eat by the rules your doctor gave you. Did your doctor give you any eating guidelines at all or are you just not going by them? The way you are eating is making this whole project very hard. You need to be eating some breakfast - if you have a hard time eating early in the morning, then you need to drink a high protein shake. Protein should be the first thing you do each morning. Throw out the cereal bars....they are high sugar, high carbs, and you don't need either of those. They are history!! There are some good high protein bars that are very satisfying and good. Eating carbs only makes your body crave more carbs and then you'll be fighting a losing battle all day long. Pot pie? That's more carbs....the crust is a no-no, the sauce/gravy in the pie is, too. You need to eat solid protein, dense protein - eggs, cheese, tuna, ground beef/turkey. (If you don't know what foods are protein, there is plenty of iinfo on the 'net about foods and what they contain.) If you still hungry after the protein, eat some vegetables or fruit. The basic eating rules are: No white carbs (potatoes, rice, pasta, white breads, white flour). No fried foods. No sweets/desserts. No carbonated drinks (ever). Nothing to drink with or for 1 hour after a meal. After you get your band tightened, this will be easier to do. Also it is important that you drink at least 64 oz of water (or tea or KoolAid, etc) every day. Did your doctor require any kind of tests before surgery? Did he give you any food guidelines? Did he refer you to a counselor for depression evaluation? If not, you might want to see if he will suggest someone. You are very young and sounds like you are working hard and under a lot of stress. Don't give up on yourself......You have a wonderful tool inserted in your body....give it a chance to work!

A little can of V-8 helps me when I'm in that mood. And when you get to where you can eat more, the Revival Soy chips (esp.the BBQ flavor) really are good. You are off to a great start.....look at those ticker numbers!!

I would think the surgeon's office could refer you to an appropriate shrink....many of them don't want anything to do with weight loss patients for fear of liability since there is surgery involved. When you call a mental health provider for an appointment, be sure and tell them your purpose in coming. And may I wish you great success.....I was about your size and also handicapped only a few short months ago....couldn't walk but just a few feet, even had a hard time driving, couldn't do my housework, hadn't been in a mall or even WalMart in 6 years. Now.....only 6 months after surgery.....I am a new person. I walk a mile every day on the treadmill, I'm driving, I'm sleeping well, I take less than half the meds I used to.....it's wonderful to have a life again (and I'm 62 years old). Just wanted to let you know that all the paperwork, all the appointments, all the aggravation we go thru to get this surgery is worth it and wish you the best!!!