ParrotheadCathy

So many of us have done the yo-yo thing! And I think most of us worry about it to some degree (some more than others). Here's my thinking. 1) The band doesn't "expire" and will continue to help me limit my portions long after I reach goal. 2) If, God forbid, something were to go wrong with my band in the future, I think I would simply revise to a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. 3) Check Jachut here on this board! She lives in Australia and has had wonderful success and I admire her and her wisdom about lilving with your band. 4) Those people who tell you that you're getting to be too skinny have a little bit of the same problem we have: They are looking through fat glasses (remember "beer glasses"??)...You remember all too well what FAT was like and by comparison of course anything is an improvement. And once you get close to your personal goal many see it as close enough. The ones who comment mean well, they really do. Just thank them for the compliment and move on. It doesn't require a discussion because in the end, you will do what you believe is best for you. And the one thing I've done that I recommend highly is that once something is too loose, I GET RID OF IT! Yeah, all of us clothes horders who had bins and bags and closets full of half a dozen sizes -- Stop That! If you don't have any bigger clothes to dig out and wear if you were to gain 10 pounds should be an inspiration at least to stick with this. So far, for me, it has worked.

I've read various things over the past nearly one year when I started researching the band....1 cup, 1/4 cup and everything in between. My doctor didn't put a measurement like that as the main guide. I was told to eat 3 oz. of Protein FIRST (looks to be about the size of a deck of cards, which helps when you eat out). THEN I could have steamed or raw veggies (taking into consideration if I eat salad, that you can eat a lot of salad without it being all that fillilng since it's mostly water). Then, if I wait 15 minutes and I still feel hungry, I can have a serving of whole grain carbs. I think those instructions are also to help me not eat past the "full" signal. I don't really know what I though that "signal" would be, but I have realized that I simply don't care if I eat anything else. It may look good sitting on my plate but I don't feel the need to keep eating. I will say that I usually eat between 3/4 and 1 cup of food. My weight loss is very acceptable ( 4-1/2 months = 68 pounds).

Immediately after surgery -- Have a heating pad on hand....the gas pains related to the gas they pump into your abdomen can be wicked. Encourge her to move around, too. Moving around will make the gas pains go away a lot faster than sitting around. The doc will likely give her a prescription for pain (in a liquid form) and have that filled before she has the surgery. Also have liquid Children's Tylenol. I never needed any pain meds at all, but it's best to be prepared. Gas-X comes in dissolvable strips and that helps with gas in the digestive tract. Have yummy treats on hand (maybe surprise ones, at that). After a couple of days, she'll want some variety. I didn't drink that broth that comes in cans and boxes. I made stock from scratch and you can too: Put chicken pieces or a whole chicken (or a pot roast) in a large pot and cover with water. Add a little salt, pepper, garlic powder, a bay leaf, chunks of carrots and celery, and quarter an onion (you don't even have to peel the onion). Simmer until done. Strain off all the solid stuff and store the broths. They will have great flavor and seem more like food than the canned stuff. French onion soup (minus the melted cheese and croutons of course). Juices. Sugar free popsicles. Sugar free jello. Crystal Light mix in a couple of flavors.

That's reflux. Reflux is a very common symptom of being too tight. Go back to your doctor and get a small unfill.

I played industrial league baseball for several years and other than a jammed finger a couple of times, I never suffered any injury. And more than that, nobody I knew on any of the teams ever suffered a belly-area inury of any sort. I played shortstop and made a few diving catches, skidded on wet grass on my a$$ to make a catch once....you get the picture. Industrial league is highly competitive, professional umpires, etc. and people played hard to win. I agree with Jachut in that I "cant imagine how you'd hurt your port" playing softball.

Banded on February 10, 2009....down 68 pounds as of today. I have more energy, so I definitely do more stuff but the only true addition of exercise is that I started doing my own yard work again instead of paying somebody. I have more than 3/4 of an acre for a yard so there's plenty to do. But I don't go to a gym ever, at all. I take a walk sometimes and have THOUGHT about starting a consistent walking program but so far, no.....

My first visit with the surgeon's office (I didn't go to a seminar), I was given a paperback book about lap band surgery, stages of post-op and all kinds of other information. Answered a TON of questions. I was given instruction sheets AND was assigned a "lap band abvocate" ... a person on his staff who was specially trained to walkl individuals through the pre-op and immediate post-op timeframe. I could call her with any questions that came up and most of the time she had the answer and on the one occasion she didn't, I got a follow-up call from the physician's assistant who immediately answered my question. I agree, I se questions posted on here (and on another forum I go to regularly) and I wonder about some of the surgeons out there....are they just not bothering to fully inform their patients or what?

Just watch it for now. I usually get tighter a few days after a fill and if that happens you could wind up too tight. But everybody's different, and this may just be a reaction to the fill and will go away in a few days. Actual reflux can be a sign of being too tight...

Same for me! I know where it is but I can only barely feel it now, after losing 65 pounds. It is small and not a big deal at all.

For most doctors, the goal is to provide themselves more space to work in when they do your surgery -- so they want to shrink your liver by getting you to lose some weight. I was never told to lose a certain amount of weight but just to stick with the pre-op diet for the TWO WEEKS ending the day of my surgery. Every doctor's pre-op diet seems to differ from everyone else. Mine was two whey Protein shakes per day and two meals that consisted of 3 oz of lean protein and steamed or raw veggies. It really wasn't bad at all. Starting before you even attend a seminar is crazy because it could take you a month or even longer to jump through all the testing hoops and get insurance approval much less even get on the surgical schedule. And, your insurance may even require your BMI to be a certain level when you start the process or they won't approve you. All things to consider. I was NEVER in any pain at all. I was a little sore but it wasn't even bad enough to require liquid Tylenol much less the liquid LorTabs my doc prescribed for me. Gas that they pump into your abdomen when they begin surgery can cause you some discomfort but walking, moving and using a heating pad helps that more than any medicine could. My surgery was outpatient but I know some docs do an overnight stay... and that may be determined by what your insurance will pay for, as well. I had surgery on Tuesday and went back to Friday. I was tired by the end of that Friday but not ridiculously so. I also didn't lay in the bed AT ALL. I got up showered, got dressed and tried to do "normal" stuff the days I was home. I can't say if that made a difference or not. And, if it had been absolutely necessary, I could have gone back to work on Thursday but that extra day made all the difference in the world. Hope all this helps!

RestlessMonkey is right ... it will depend somewhat on how much your doctor gives in that fill. My doctor was very aggressive on the first fill. I had .6cc left in the band after he tested it in the operating room. They gave me 4ccs on the first fill ... and had to remove 1cc because it was TOO tight. At 3.6cc, I started losing consistently. Subsequent fills have been every 4 weeks. I am now at 6ccs and while I have an appointment scheduled for next month, I really don't think I'm going to need a fill. I think I'm "there"!!!

The 4cc band is the older platform and I don't really know anything about the "vicinity" of your sweet spot in that band. I would suggest the same thing to you as I do anybody....track every bite you put in your mouth. Aim for at least 60 grams of Protein and about 1000 calories. I would also recommend another visit to your doc's office for a fill. Even if they ultimately decide you don't need one, I think the review of your circumstances and discussion you can have with the staff should help as well. I'm in a 10cc band, filled to 6ccs. I do get stuck, but it's usually "user error" in that it usually happens at night when I have really gone too long since last eating and eat a bit too fast. I'm having to work on that behavior.

Well, after surgery you can still eat crab -- but probably not going to get your money's worth at an all you can eat anything ever again. But, trust me, that's not bad. Most of us can eat almost everything that we ate before surgery, but the band is supposed to help you with portion control. Obviously, there are things you shouldn't eat because they aren't healthy .... like fried stuff, stuff with gravy, etc. But remember: this is not signing up for a lifetime of punishment! You are getting help with the problem all overweight people have .... the AMOUNT they eat. Now, there may be a few foods that don't work for you post banding ... or maybe not. I don't do too well with fresh bread (it turns into a sticky ball and gets stuck) and white rice (same thing)...and flour tortillas, sometimes do the same thing. Do I miss them? Well, not really, because they are such minor items in the scheme of things. Having said all that, almost everybody ends up having a "last supper" where they eat whever they want in whatever quantity.

Stuck....well, like Monica said, you'll know when it happens. It FEELS like it's in your esophagus but it's not. Usually, if it can't move on in a minute or two, you will start sliming (clear mucus, which is produced to try to ease the passage of the bite) and even experience some frothing (bubbly saliva). If the bite comes back up, you've experienced a PB (productive burp)...which is not vomiting. It is regurgitation of a bite of undigested food. No stomach acid, no heaving of the stomach muscles. And, frankly, if that bite of food is stuck, you'll just be glad it moved, regardless of which direction it moved! If you get stuck, don't try to drink Water to "wash it down"....that water will likely just come back with the bite of food. What gets stuck? Any bite that is too big or isn't well chewed. A bite should be about nickel-sized, as a guideline. Chew whatever it is to mush. Some things will just get stuck. For me, it's soft bread, flour tortillas and white rice. So I don't eat those things (and, really, don't need them anyway). I can eat toast, croutons, etc., but of course those have a different texture than fresh bread. Over time, you may find that there are a few foods that don't work for you. Dry meat is a problem for many of us. Cooking meat in a crockpot, serving "au jus" with some broth to dip it in helps.

Suzette, here are a few suggestions. sugar free popsicles (I really like the Crystal Light ones) are so tasty that you think you are cheating. French onion soup (minus the melted cheese on top, of course). Ditch the broth that comes in cans or boxes....that stuff has almost no taste at all. Do this: In a large pot, put a whole chicken, or some chicken leg quarters, cover with Water. Take an onion and cut into quarters (don't even bother to peel it). Add chunks of carrots and celery. Put in a bay leaf and some minced garlic. A little salt and pepper. Simmer until the chicken falls off the bones. Strain out all the solids. Now you have chicken stock with some real flavors! Do the same with a cheap cut of beef or a bunch of stew meat. Now you have great beef stock. And, when you can start having a little more in the way of "full" liquids, puree a can of tomatoes and add to the strained beef stock. This is really tasty! When you can have some "full" liquids, then SF yogurt and SF pudding will become favorite treats, too.

Therapy is probably a really good idea, actually. Therapy can help you see into your motivations about different things BUT it can also help you devise better coping strategies than the ones you're using at the present that aren't really working for you. Don't tell your family if you're that concerned about their reaction. But, I'm thinking that if you mean your "whole" family. It's kind of hard to keep things from a spouse or significant other, but only you can decide about that. Children (regardless of their age) have never had a need to know EVERYTHING about a parent. That doesn't change. So if it's a child, it's really none of that person's business if you don't want it to be. The reality is that alot of people are sort of creeped out by the idea of therapy but they usually don't really know what it entails. I can tell you that you will do a whole lot more talking than the therapist, who will ask you a lot of questions, and help you work through the answers for yourself. Many employers have an EAP (Employee Assistance Plan) that will provide you with up to six (usually) visits with a therapist at no charge to you and if the therapist feels you need more help than 6 visits can provide, they can continue to see you, with regular charges applied. I utilized this very thing after I had to exercise the durable power of attorney for health care for a loved one who had had a catastrophic stroke .... and I had to authorize the doctor to turn off her life support. Those six visits were more help than I could ever tell you and I didn't tell anybody in my family that I'd done it either. So here's hoping you get the assistance you need to work through this!

Health reasons motivate so many of us. And we are always glad to hear when any one of us is getting the results we all hope for! I'm off all my meds myself and was lucky enough to have not had more serious problems. I'm so happy for you! So glad to know that this has given you back the security of good health!

I've been changing sizes pretty quickly. I bought a couple of pairs of nice slacks about 1 month ago. I call them my "big girl pants" because they don't have elastic waists but have buttons and zippers. Well, when I went to the surgeon's office on Tuesday for a fill, I ran into the bathroom first and without thinking, just pushed my pants down. Looks like I'll have to get a new pair of black slacks SOON. White capris, same thing. I have bought some stuff on Ebay. Got a cute pair of capris for $.99. Shipping brought them up to a whopping $4.50. They aren't brand new but they are gently worn and will work for me until they are too big. Check Goodwill. I've seen some cute clothes at excellent prices ($4 per item). Watch garage sales, too. You aren't going to be wearing this stuff long enough to pay much for it and take joy in the bargains!!!!

I'm truly sorry that you encountered so much hostility! I have to say that my personal experience has been so opposite of that! Friends, co-workers, near strangers have all been curious, asked plenty of questions (which I've been happy to answer) and I have even had offers of loans of clothing that will fit now but not for long! I went to a dress shop to buy a few things and was pretty much clueless what would fit. I tried on some things, they were all too big and the clerk had to bring me the same items in a smaller size. She asked how I'd lost the weight and I told her .... only to learn that she was having the surgery in three weeks. And she reported pretty much the same experience .... everybody has been nice, curious and helpful. But I know that you will perservere in your choice because you sound pretty detetermined. And that matters more than anything you experience from others!

DIvorce is never, ever easy ... even if you find yourself at a place where it is the only choice open to you. It is complete upheaval in your daily life! You may be moved into a new place to live, you're living alone for the first time in a while, you don't have to think about anybody's needs but your own and you've given in to fast food, watching TV so that you don't have to think......every one of us who's been through a divorce knows where you are right now. But you're back on track, working WITH your band instead of against it. It's okay to go where you've been mentally recently. It really is. Don't beat yourself up. It's a mourning process. But now it's time to move on. Good luck

It's allergy season. Do you have any allergies? The reason I ask is that I am FINALLY getting over a terrible summer cold. My nose has run for three weeks and so much post-nasal drip. I had PB'd exactly twice since surgery and suddenly, I was sticking more than once in a meal, PBing at almost every meal and even having problems with liquid. I finally figured out that there was so much snot in my throat that it was causing my problem I took a decongestant and, there you go, no more snot, no more sticking, no more PBing. My doctor's physician's assistant said that a lot of people have problems when allergy season hits and they don't connect "band problems" with allergy problems. But it could be!

Oh, yeah, clothes buying. I have a friend who shops at Goodwill and finds really cute, stylish things in smaller sizes as she loses weight on South Beach. I shop EBay religiously. Just got a pair of gently used capris that look like new for NINETY-NINE CENTS. Add a little shipping and they were right at $4. You're not going to be wearing it long so look for the bargains. Consignment shops will cost a bit more but will still be less than brand new.

I believe it is sort of like that body dysmorphic syndrome where people only see their flaws and are constantly seeking a fix .... like those people that just keep having more and more plastic surgeries. We KNOW all too well what we looked like when we started this journey and, obviously, we didn't like what we saw or we would never have put ourselves through what we have! But the change has happened quickly. We got fat slowly and sort of let ourselves get complacent along the way because you didnt see the change in minute increments (but mostly when we had to buy bigger clothes). So now, we've changed one heck of a lot -- physically, mentally, the whole package. BUT we saw that old version of ourselves for so long that we really have a hard time seeing our NEW selves. I suggest that you go to a dress shop. Get a clerk to help you. Be honest with her and tell her that you've lost so many pounds and that you don't have any idea what will fit. Take 1 size smaller than you think you are right now and try on a ton of dresses. That's right, DRESSES. To me, a dress makes me feel sexy and pretty in a way that slacks never will. If that size is too tight, ask for the next size up. The clerk will be glad to bring it to you. Step out of the dressing room and look at yourself in the big mirrors from several feet away. But don't look at yourself. Look at the woman in the mirror and see her for what she IS today. If that 1 size smaller than you THINK you wear is a little snug, consider buying it if you think 5 pounds will make the difference. But for this one occasion, buy the prettiest dress you can find that fits you really well. No big flowers, no "tent" dresses. Buy something with a waist and that makes you look like you have more waist that you do. Try on every damn dress in the shop. But the most important thing is the way the right one feels when you slide it on. Really FEEL the dress. I swear I can tell if a dress is right before it's all the way on just by the way it feels. Go to the department store and get a makeover on your makeup -- the day the picture will be taken. Get a new haircut. Do whatever makes you feel pampered and pretty and I promise you IT WILL SHOW ON YOUR FACE.

PB does not equal vomiting. There is a huge difference, but most people don't realize that and think they are the same thing. When you vomit, your stomach contracts and forces out the contents of your stomach .... including chewed up food and stomach acids. That's bad for your port because the contractions can move your band. A PB is more of a gag reflex and pushes out food stuck in your esophagus. It's usually just the bite of food, fully chewed, that you just swallowed. Since that doesn't have to pass through your band, it's not the issue that vomiting is. I had PB'd twice since surgery .... once when I just ate too fast (because I'd waited far too long to eat and was so starving I just sort of shoveled it in) and the other time involved soft bread that just didn't want to go anywhere and finally came back. THEN I caught a terrible summer cold. There was so much mucus! I blew and blew my nose but there was a lot of post-nasal drip. Suddenly, every meal (even liquids) I got stuck alot and PB'd several times Now that the cold is over, I'm doing pretty good again. My doctor's office confirmed that the thick mucus that comes with any respiratory infection can cause multiple stuck (and PBs too). So watch out for infections!

Like Brockbabe, I got a prescription for a liquid pain med. Never took it, never took anything at all. My internist TOOK ME OFF all my meds (blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes as of the day of surgery). I take a vitamin everyday. That's it. That's the whole reason I did this -- to get off all those pills. I cannot describe to you my daily joy that a handful of pills is no longer a part of my daily routine. My vitamin effervesces (just like Alka-Seltzer) and I add a little Benefiber to it, and some orange-flavored Crystal Light for taste. That's all there is!!! Yipppeeeeeee