marfar7

Jolly Rancher, huh? Before surgery, my nurse recommended that I drink fruit Isopure drinks. They taste like Jolly Ranchers and have 50 gms of protein. So I paid $70 for a case of them on GNC.com. Helloooo...They don't taste anything like Jolly Ranchers. They were nasty. Ended up giving my whole case to a friend whos a body builder. Also spent a fortune on Muscle Milk. Also gross. ended up spending $15 on a big tub of Protein Powder at Walmart that was drinkable. I know what you mean about gagging to drink them tho. Every hour when I was sposed to drink 1 oz of Protein shake, I gagged. The strawberry isn't too badtho. reminds me of strawberry Quick. Never had another protein shake after I started eating real food. You're almost there! Marci

That was my problem everytime I'd throw up (for the 1st 2 yrs I did alot of that) that I waited too long to eat and I'd be famished. Then I'd eat too fast and end up vomiting. My advice: Slow Down. It's not going anywhere. And I eat a cobb salad about once a week at Red Robin. I eat about 1/3 of it there, bring the rest home and my husband and I share the rest of the 2/3's the next meal. Luv em. I always dip my salad into my little bowl of dresssing cuz if I pour it over my salad, the salad gets too soggy in the frig. Best wishes! Marci

My husband swears by cocoa butter. I wish I didn't have silver streaks on my boobs, but when I was about 13, I grew overnight. Have had them ever since. Never tried cocoa butter, but I may. Marci

My first 4 months, I could eat a large Quiznos sandwich and a bowl of their broccoli cheese Soup - no problem. And I did, quite often. Didn't weigh or measure anything, just ate just like prior to my surgery. Lost maybe 2 lbs (luck, I guess). Until my 3rd fill (4 mths post op) thats when the magic started. Even 3 1/2 yrs later, I can eat maybe 1/4 of a Chipotle burrito bowl (it's even better the next day, btw). I get sick of eating my leftovers days later! You WILL get there, I promise. You just have to be patient. Like others have said, you have to do the work before the band actually kicks in (the mistake I made). I waited for the band to do all the work, which it eventually did most of the work, but I still had to make wiser decisions. Good luck! Marci

I did the SAME thing! Spent a fortune on GNC.com on icky Protein drinks. My nurse told me that Isopure Fruit Drinks taste like Jolly Rachers. I don't know what kind of Jolly Ranchers she was referring to, but they don't! They're gross. I spent like $75 on a case of them. I spent a fortune on chocolate Muscle Milk also. Hated it. ended up buying the strawberry protein powder at Walmart for $15 and loved it. Not too much, however. Haven't had a Protein Drink since I could eat food! Definately the heating pad. And a pillow to put over your tummy to cough the first few days. It hurts to cough and the pillow helps. Alslo, Gas-X strips help. And walking, walking, walking. I had a treadmill and walked like 5 minutes every few hrs. It truly helps with the gas. You'll feel like you've been hit by a truck, but it's minimal (a small truck!LOL). You'll be fine. Good luck.. Marci

Have patience! Thats my biggest tip. I didn't feel any till my 3rd fill ( 4mths out) and didn't lose but maybe 2 lbs during that time. My first real meal after feeling restricition was wonderful. I ate like a toddler! I finally saw my band working (it was useless before). Just HAVE PATIENCE! It will work eventually! Marci

Yep, I drink right up till I eat and then I have to wait 30-45 minutes (I can actually feel when I'm ready to drink) afterwards. I vomit if I drink right after eating. It's easier to comply with that rule! Marci

Luv, luv, luv asparagus. Never had a problem with it. in fact, just the other night, I bought some stuffed chicken breasts (stuffed with provolone cheese, and asparagus) from the deli. Yummo. Thats too bad you can't eat them. The only things I've found that I can't tolerate is: Thick pizza crust (I can eat thin), and pineapple chunks (my fav). There's one more thing but I can't think of it right now! Well, enjoy the veggies you can have! Marci

I think whenever you feel you can comfortably to so. I never sleep on my stomach beacuse i have such big boobs (D cup, used to be DD) that it's uncomfortable. So I have no clue when it would be comfortable. Mrci

I have no clue what you mean by a "pre fill"? Is this the time before getting a fill? What do you want to know about it? Marci

Even with some complications (a minor slip last year) I would absolutely do it again. I would still be 248 lbs (maybe even more) and miserable. The pain really wasn't that bad (it's been 3 1/2 yrs now, so I don't really remember the actual pain)> The hardest part for me was the 4 week liquid diet. I thought I read my post op instructions to say "clear liquid only + Protein shakes" for 4 weeks. After a week of literally starving, I added tomato Soup and thought I was cheating. Made me feel much better. Then, after about 6 mths, I found my instructions again and read them correctly. It said I could have full liquids, to include cream Soups, yogurt, pudding, and juices. That whole time I starved for nothing and thought I was cheating with the soup! Bummer! My tip to you: Have patience. You didn't gain the weight overnight and you're not going to lose it overnight. I see so many people on here like 1 month post op complaining cuz they're not losing. It takes restriction (unless you're actually dieting and counting calories, weighing and measureing everything - which I didn't do) to start losing and that doesn't happen (usually) until the 2nd - 4th fill. it was he 3rd for me. 4 mths post op. Thought I had failed yet another diet. You WILL get there, it's just gunna take time. Good luck with your surgery. And take advantage of the pain killers the hospital give you! I had to spend the night (insurance mandatory) so I got the good stuff for about 24 hrs after surgery. Most people don't spend the night however. Marci

The consensus seems to be that you will wash the food down quicker and won't get as full. I physically CAN'T drink while eating or I vomit. That makes it easier for me to coply with this rule! Marci

My number 1 advice to newbies is to have PATIENCE. The band takes a while to work correctly. For me it was 4 mths and 3 fills. Until then, I maybe lost 2 lbs. I was sure I had failed yet another diet. I was so discouraged. I could still eat the amount I was used to eating post op (no, I didn't weigh or measure anything like I was sposed to) and I felt like I had surgery for nothing. After my 3rd fill, however, the magic started happening. You WILL get there, I promise. Just be good to yourself (weigh/measure your portions, don't drink while eating, exercise, etc - you know the drill) until the magic starts! It will be worth it in the end... Marci

LOL! I used to go to Walmart and buy the 6 pack of Hanes Her Way undies. No more of those ugly granny panties. I now wear a 6 and I buy them seperately - mostly boy shorts. Makes me feel better! Good luck to you! Marci

Wow!

Hey all! Most of you probably know my story: I was banded in OCt of 2009 and did well. Lost 104 lbs in 2 yrs, was down to within 9 lbs of my goal when I started having severe nightime reflux last year. Had to sleep on my back only propped up on 3 pillows, taking RX Prilosec, OTC Zantac, and popping Tums like crazy. I refused to tell my dr cuz I was scared he would take out some of my fill. My husband got tired of my whining about my reflux (some mornings I'd wake up with brown stomach acid on my pillow, sorry if tmi) and insisted I see my dr. I made the 6 hr round trip visit to my dr and he did an xray. My band was slipped. So he took out about 1/2 of my 10cc fills (I have a 14cc band) and let me rest for 4 weeks. The reflux stopped right away. Yeah. In 4 weeks I made the trek again (not to mention that everytime I say hello to my dr, it's $160 + the xray) and without doing a followup xray, he put in 1cc. Well, that was fine, still nor reflux, but also no restriction. So 3 weeks later, he put in another 1cc. The reflux came back that night. Went back (yet anoter 6 hr journey - it's an all day affair + $160) so he finally did another xray. It was still slipped (could've done the xray earlier and prevented all this) and said that "he treats the symptoms, not the xray" so he took out the previous 1cc he had put in. I still have 7 cc in my band. I haven't had reflux too bad (maybe 2x a month or so - I can handle it), but much, much less restriction. In the past year, I've gained 24 lbs. I started Atkins 3 weeks ago in hopes to get rid of it. I promised myself I'd never diet again after getting the band and prided myself on never counting anything and still losing 104 lbs. The portion control only works till about 6 pm then it's a free-for-all. I've lost 11 lbs in the past 3 weeks. Still 20 lbs from my 135 goal. Here's my dilemma: I have this very expensive tool inside me that not's working correctly. Should I go to my dr and pay the over $300 I owe him (no clue where that'll come from) and insist that he correct my problem? That may mean surgery again and starting from scratch, with monthly fills, monthly 6 hrs trips and a liquid diet for 4 weeks (HATED that). Or should I continue to diet and lose the weight (I'm doing well on Atkins, but I'm not really happy right now. I sure miss carbs!) and rely on my band to do just PART of the job? Like I said, I have SOME restriction, just not optimal to lose more weight. No clue what to do. I'm sure Medicare would pay for revision surgery, but I don't want to demand to my dr that he operate when I have no symptoms anymore. He said this was up to me now, not to rely on my band so much. What would you do? I HATE dieting, that's why I got the band in the fist place. I luv being able to eat just a few bites of everything I luv and still lose. HATE not being able to eat about 95% of food. Suggestions? Marci

Yes, it's stitched to one side (think of a flag poe) to keep it from moving. My band started out a little crokked and it straightened out. I actually saw the xray. Hope that answers you! MArci

The only thing I've been told not to take by my Dr is aspirin and NASAID's. I began taking my regular meds the day after surgery 3 yrs ago and have never had a problem. And I take Benadryl (antihistamine) every single night to help me sleep. I don't think Nyquil (which I've also taken) would be a problem.... Marci

Have you had a recnt xray to determine if you have a slip? Severe reflux was my only symptom of a slipped band. No pain, vomiting, anything else. I just couldn't take the almost drowning in my stomach acid everynight anymore. And the pills were doing nothing. I'm good at 7cc, but if my dr adds just 1 more cc then I have the reflux again. I guess it must be safe to keep it slipped, cuz he told me as long as I have no symptoms, I can live this way. So, so, so glad it took care of my reflux. But, I'm dissapointed in my lack of restriction. So much so that I've actually thought about going back to the dr and having him add maybe .5cc just to see if that will help but also not bring back the reflux (or I can live with the reflux as long as I'm still losing). Silly, I know. I should just leave well enuf alone. I know how bad reflux feels and I feel for you. I can't tell you what to do just tell you that I'm thinking about you and hope things all work out well for you! Good luck! Marci

Does anyone else not understand this post? Maybe it's just me.... Marci

135 is my goal. I don't ever remember weighing less than 150. Got down to 144 last year (when I got married) but then in the last year I had complications with my band and gained 24 lbs. I recently lost 12 of those and my goal is still 135. I would Celebrate if I were you! I'm now at 156 (as of this morning) so I still have over 20 lbs to go but I'm hoping to lose those by May 6th (when we're going on an Alaskan cruise!). I'd like my size 8's to be too big! Right now, they barely button... Congrats to you. Mind me asking how tall you are? I'm asking cuz I'm 5' 5" and my drs goal for me was 150. Mine is 135. But I was 9 lbs from that goal last year and had to wear a shawl with my sleeveless dress cuz of my backfat. So I'm wondering if I need to drop my goal to maybe 130? Marci

Wow. Thats all I can say is WOW! Marci

I work out for 70 minutes (45 on the treadmill and25 on weights) 4x a week. I've managed to lose 104 lbs by eating very small portions. Thats was the reason I got the band in the first place - because I couldn't lose it on my own. I don't care what anyone says that the band isn't supposed to restrict your eating - it does mine. And thats why I luv it so much. You're right in that I haven't changed my relationship with food (I think about my next meal even when I'm stuffed from the previous meal), but the band is there to stop me from eating too much. And it's worked very well and it still somewhat works. I get lectures everytime I see my dr on the need to eat more Protein and less carbs. Why would anyone get WLS if they could do it on their own? If I could eat perfectly healthy and in correct portions I would've never needed it. I would never have had a weight problem to begin with. But thank you for your opinion. I appreciate the feedback. Marci

Unfortunately, Medicare covered my surgery so I had to go to a Center of Excellence, which is 3 hrs away. Now that I'm out of pocket, I inquired at the local center. They will accept me for $1100 + $300 for each fill/unfill. I pay $160 to my dr. can't afford the $1100 to transfer. Wish I could. And I really like my dr. He really is a good dr even tho he's very consertative when it comes to a slipped band. This is the reason why I haven't moved closer. Plus, if I do have to have a revision, Medicare will cover it and I'll have to go to my current dr anyway. Marci

Everything everyone said +: Buy a sleeve of medicine cups from a pharmacy (or Walmart). They are exactly 1oz. My dr told me to drink 1 oz of Protein shakes every hour and those came in handy! Good luck to you! Marci