ParrotheadCathy

The bottom line is: You can eat around a lap band. For that matter, you can eat around gastric bypass. If a bandster doesn't eat as instructed, the results will be less than optimal. Complete honesty with yourself is so important! If you say to others you're losing slow and don't know why, but in fact know for yourself that you've been snacking regularly between meals then you know the answer even if you don't want to admit it. For me, yeah, I've been successful at losing weight more than once. But I've also ben REALLY successful at losing 30 or 35 pounds and then falling off the wagon and regaining the weight very quickly. But my band experience is that about 3 months ago I would absolutely have been off the program completely and not looked back. But as long as I don't graze/snack between meals, the band won't let me eat a whole pizza or a sack of fast food crap. So I've continued to lose. You can argue the fill schedule with your doc but I'm betting he/she won't budge. My doc does the first fill after 4 weeks but it's an aggressive fill (for me, he took me to 4.6cc but had to remove 1cc because it was just too much). Then it was a fill every 4 weeks until I hit the green zone. I didn't lose anything in the 4 weeks post op...going from liquids to mushies to real food was enough to stop the weight loss but that's why they call that period bandster hell. The success of the band is absolutely the responsibility of the bandster.

The only possible negative I can think of is if you don't get the surgery....you would have a hit on your credit report from the loan application you've already made. But since you're self-pay, it's not like the insurance company is going to deny you and that would keep you from going forward.

Elfiepoo, I'm not quite 9 months out. Do I experience hunger? Yeah, if I wait more than 6 hours to eat -- which is my gap between lunch and dinner during the week. My doc told me to eat a small snack, about 60 calories, of Protein or fruit around 5:00 PM. If I do that, I'm good to go. As I was instructed, I eat 1,000-1,200 calories per day. I walk a minimum of 3 miles every day. That means I get up at 5:00 AM to walk. Yeah, I'd love to stay in bed until 6:00 but I love losing weight more. I don't get home until 7:00, have to prepare dinner for my family, clean up after dinner and by then I have no interest in heading out to walk. 5:00 AM works for me. You said: "This is becoming a serious issue with me because I'm not going to go through surgery, put a foreign body into my stomach and deal with all of those issues, just to be told I still have to "go on a diet and exercise program and 'suck it up' re: the hunger." I can do all that without spending $20k or going through surgery." Well, yeah, you do have to diet and you do have to set an exercise program. The band isn't a magic trick after all. But I can tell you absolutely 100% that if I didn't have this band, about 3 months ago, I would have fallen off the wagon completely and I'd be gaining right now instead of continuing to lose. The band stops me short. I can't go face down in a pizza or a sack of fast food. I do not snack, except for the 60 cal maximum late in the afternoons Monday - Friday because even with the band you could eat (graze) all day long an effectively defeat the band. It's normal to have misgivings before taking such a serious step. But think it through. Remember this, too. In a community as large as LBT, the squeaky wheel still gets the grease. The people with problems and complaints stand out. Why? Because a huge number of people who are quietly succeeding simply have never gone looking for anything like LBT. A lot of people do better with fairly constant supervision....they failed at Weight Watchers before but the combination of Weight Watchers and the band makes them feel secure and that's what they've chosen to do. I personally hate Weight Watchers and the canned explanations that simply don't apply to everybody. I do better on my own. Lastly, pay attention to what Brockbabe says: Until you get enough fill in your band to have decent restriction, you will experience some amount of hunger. Certainly less that just going on a diet but it's there. It lessens as you get closer to and finally in the Green Zone. My first fill put me at 3.6cc. Some other doctors are less aggressive and give 1cc at a time and as many as 8 weeks between fills. My first fill was at exactly 4 weeks and then every 4 weeks until I hit the Green Zone.

TheCooley is correct .... overloading of Protein can strain your kidneys, which isn't good. I was told to eat 20-25 grams of protein at a meal. No snacking unless I know I will have to go way longer than 4-5 hours between meals, in which case I can snack and it can even be on protein if I choose but not a lot (a boiled egg is, what, 7 grams? an ounce of low fat cheese about the same?) That adds up to 60-75 grams of protein in a day and perhaps a bit more if I have a snack and it's protein.

Most insurance (that covers the band) will cover you with a BMI of 40 or higher even without comorbidities. Your BMI is 42.6 by my calculation. So I would call the insurer (or the base hospital coordinator or whomever) and ask what the criteria are and what you need to do to get the surgery approved.

Lindsay, I hate to say it but you're making excuses for not going to a support group. You'll get hungry? An ounce of low fat cheese, a boiled egg, a piece of fruit...any one will hold you for an extra hour or so and the calorie count is quite low. In exchange for that, you get to talk to other bandsters, hear their questions which may elicit answer which may just happen to apply to you. Trust me. It's worth it. My doctor's office has a support group and the office has a fruit and cheese tray and cold bottled Water for us. Ask if yours does the same thing. AND..... GO!!!

I don't like "regular" yogurt but I LOVE Greek yogurt with honey. Another poster on this site suggested it to me. I was very leary because I really, really don't like yogurt but she promised me it was different. I tried a version that was vanilla flavored and that went right in the trash, LOL. But the honey was fantastic. I buy Greek Gods Greek Yogurt with Honey at Kroger. But Fage and Chobani are two other brands and I think WalMart carries one or both of those. Grits. yeah, I'm a Southern girl alright! I cook them in the microwave, add a little Promise "margarine" and a little bit of shredded low fat cheese and really enjoy that.

Exercise. You need to do it anyway, so use it to your advantage.

Post Restless Monkey described it well. Take a plastic bag and squeeze it up to a small opening. That's pretty much what your band does. That in turn will pull down on the area where your esophagus attaches to your stomach. As you get more fills, this effect is a bit more pronounced. If you eat too fast, take bites that are too big, or don't chew well, the food likely will not make the traverse from the esophagus into the stomach easily (or at all, occasionally). And, yes, you will know if you are stuck. It is quite uncomfortable and sometimes even painful. You can't really make it move. DON'T take a drink of Water, because that will just sit on top of the stuck food. Move around, stand up very straight with your arms over your head and move your arms some. This works sometimes. If you start "sliming" -- producing alot of salive/mucus -- that is to smooth the way for the stuck food to move. Sometimes it will go on down into your stomach. Sometimes it comes back up. When it comes back up, that's a productive burp. That is NOT vomiting. Bread, in particular, can be a problem. take a slice of white bread and take a chunk out of the center of the slice and squish around with your fingers. It makes a sort of doughball. Something similar can happen when you chew it up. And that ball can sit at the top of your stomach. I can eat bread, but slowly and in very small bites. Toast, crackers, croutons .... that's different because they are not soft.

Most of us have our ports on the left. But as kiz pointed out, as long as you aren't a one incision surgery patient then your port is around the longest scar.

Pronetus, this will sound like it's sort of out of left field. I am a parrot head, a Jimmy Buffett fan. Hence, my screen name. Parrot Heads are a very social bunch of people, but we do a LOT of community service as well. We call it "partying with a purpose". Go to www.phip.com and in the left upper corner, there is a pull down menu. Select Chapters to find a club close to you and contact information, and a link to the club's website. The other jumps will take you to information about clubs and activities. I've always said that the parrot head lifestyle will take up as much time as you give it. There are people from their 20s to their 70s, married, single, with or without children (we call our kids "parakeets" and an event that is suitable for kids is often called "keet friendly"). I'm in Atlanta. One of my club's charitable events is Parrot Head Cruise (www.parrotheadcruise.com) every year. about 500 parrot heads go on a cruise together and we raise money for breast cancer charities ($58,000 this year). Other clubs have golf tournaments, and such. We volunteer our time at everything from Habitat For Humanity to local shelters. And we have a blast doing it. It's just a suggestion...check us out!

Just a note ... it's not really a plateau until you've been stuck for at least 6 weeks. I laughed when my doc told me that once .... I mean, get real! If I'm stuck at a certain weight for more than a week, it makes me mad. what difference is there, really between 4 weeks and 6, LOL!

Elcee is right....it is based totally on your anatomy. I have a 10cc band; someone else very similar to me in height, weight, etc. might get the 14cc band. All based on what the surgeon sees when he gets the camera inside you!

I was told it is because of the irritation of the stomach lining that it can (and often does) cause. I had a bleeding ulcer a couple of years ago and was told by the gastroenterologist that I should never, ever take ibuprofen again for that very reason ... it can irritate the stomach lining and actually contribute to ulceration of the stomach lining. A prescription anti-inflammatory is apparently what caused my bleeding ulcer. Bottom line, I'd already given up ibuprofen so it was no issue for me, but for a lot of people, it is. They prefer it to Tylenol.

It's been a long time (knock wood) since I was sick BUT I had bronchitis several years ago and had a ferocious cough. The doc prescribed tessalon pearls. They look like Vitamin e for Alice in Wonderland after she got small, LOL. And worked really well. I remember being told to not chew them or break them open because they would temporarily affect my vocal chords so that I could not talk for hours. Cough syrup with codeine is the other thing that worked really well for me. And, of course, the cough is the last symptom to go away. Figures, right??? For me, personally, a hot shower can help with a myriad of things....as hot as I can stand it and stay in it until I start to run out of hot Water, LOL. Note, I (and many others) have been told to never take ibuprofen, only Tylenol, after banding.

Coco, just because you needed a bit of an unfill a few months ago certainly doesn't mean that they can't add some fill now! Make an appointment. Make sure they understand that you are not at your sweetspot.in the green zone..... Next, start journaling. I had to do this. Remember that you are the only person who reads that journal so please be very honest. If you eat 1 M&M, write it down. Once I did that I saw 2 things. First, I was waiting too long between lunch and dinner to eat so when I got home and started cooking, I was also grazing like crazy. Cure for that, a small snack (around 60 calories) such as low fat cheese or fruit. Second, I work in a small law firm and there is an abundance of free junk food in the kitchen....chips, crackers, nuts (and I realized I was eating a couple of tablespoons of peanuts every day) ....and now I'm starting to lose again. Not one of us here is perfect. If we were, we would never have needed a band. So take heart that just because you've had a wobble, doesn't mean you've fallen and can't get back up on the wagon.

I've always loved a good single barrel rum, which you should never, ever mix because it's just too darned good to ruin that way. I also will mix rum with Diet Coke. The rum kills about 90% of the carbonation in the first couple of minutes. It hasn't caused me any gas problems, at least. Scotch on the rocks with a twist is good for me, too (or a good single malt straight). BUT not everybody actually likes the taste of liquor; they actually like the taste of the mixers. So, scotch might not be an acceptable choice for a lot of people.

OMG, I went to True Results in Atlanta. Dr. Chris Hart. Sounds like it's still a matter of it coming down to the doctor! What True Results does is open a clinic and affiliate with an existing bariatric surgeon. So from one True Results office to another is just like from any one doctor to another. On my first visit, I was given a comprehensive book, dietary reference sheets, information on fills, and a ton of other stuff. It took me a week of evenings to read it all! I've said on here so many times that this or that varies from doctor to doctor but True Results (or the Realize centers, or other multi-location clinics) should standardize. Dr. Hart has an affiliate doctor who is not a surgeon that I usually see when I go in for fills. He's always in the office, while Dr. Hart obviously has a surgical schedule to keep. Tonight, when I go to bed, I will count my blessings for getting the standard of excellent care that I've received.

Well, you could try a variation of my pre-op diet. It wasn't too heinous and I certainly lost weight. one Protein shake for Breakfast and then again in the mid to late afternoon. For lunch and supper, 3 oz of lean Protein, steamed or raw veggies (remember that salad isn't very nutritious so look to other vegetables), and 15 grams of whole grain carbs. There are soooo many Protein shakes on the market. I like the SlimFast LOW CARB DIET which has 20 grams of protein and only 2 net grams of carbs.

The full feeling you're seeking isn't the right thing. As overweight people, what we always thought was "full" was actually "too full". Satiety is what you should experience once you reach your sweet spot. You should be able to eat a cup or less of food and no longer feel hungry and you should continue to feel that way for at least 4 hours. Less than 4 hours and you aren't quite there.

You said: "On a side note, I am ill with a sinus cold or virus. Could this have anything to do with it? " That infection produces mucus which can create a sort of blockage over the stoma (the opening created by your band). Until the infection is gone, precede your meals with a cup of hot coffee or tea or even broth, as hot as you can sip. This will help break up and thin out the mucus. That likely caused your problem.

I can honestly say that my doctor's office truly provided me with the information I needed along the way...but a lot of you guys have every right to be pissed off! A month of liquids? Arrggghhhhh! I had 10 days post-op and for a good portion of that I wasn't hungry. It was doable...and I knew even before surgery that on day 10 I would advance to mushy foods and had a huge list of what that included. Gas pains? Yep, I was warned, told what would take care of the gas that wasn't in my digestive tract. yada yada yada. Bottom line, I cannot tell you how many posts I've read and said to myself "what the hell?!? Why didn't your doc tell you this or warn you about that......." And, honestly, I think you should put it in writing and let them know that by not telling you these things, they set you up for massive confusion, frustration and, yes, anger. And bandster hell? My doc didn't call it that, but he warned that until my first fill I would be working pretty much on willpower alone. And I was told that my first fill would be "around 4ccs". And it was 4ccs. None of the little bitty fills that a lot of people have had to suffer through to finally get "there". I can't change your doctor, or take away the frustrations you've already experienced but I can say that you have to be your own advocate. Don't let them give you vague answers. Ask every question you can think of after you've read here. And don't mince your words...tell them that they could have made this a much better experience if they'd just given you adequate information!

Net carbs is total carb grams minus Fiber grams = netcarbs So, as an example 27 grams carbs -3 grams fiber ___ 24 net grams of carbs

I read your message as saying that this fill was 1.6cc but you don't say what your total is. It is likely that you are too tight ... if you can't swallow water, you certainly can't eat. Can you call the doc in TJ? Is it close enough to go back? If not, is there a Fill Centers USA near enough to you to get a slight unfill?

I was Type 2. Banded on 2/10/09. My doctor had me discontinue my Glucophage, Avandia and Amaryl starting the day of surgery. My A1c levels are presently 7.0. I still want to lose albout 55 pounds and my numbers are still going to improve but at 7.0, my doc says he will not medicate me as I am still losing because my A1c will continue to drop. Frankly, that's why I did this in the first place. Avandia is a "black box" drug (potential for cardiac complications is high with this drug) but it was what made the difference between control and no so good. My doc promised me I could come off it immediately, so I didn't look back, LOL.