ParrotheadCathy

You're really not eating way too much. Remember, you don't have a fill yet so your band is wide open. Your doc willl have no problem finding your port. I belond two two LB forums and between them I've only heard a couple of reports where someone's port wasn't readily accessible and both times the port was tilted. Not sure why that was so but if I've only seen two reports like that, it must be pretty rare. That means you're not a statistic!!! Good luck, and let us know how the first fill goes.

You can check out a book from the library on walking programs. Don't think just because it's not using all that equipment that it's less exercise.

Dr. Chris Hart did my surgery. Love him! He has an office at Johns Creek Medical. Also operates through Realize and True Results (Lap Band brand) bands groups.

Relax. I don't think GB is appropriate for "just" 95 pounds. You can always tell the doc that you are afraid of GB because of the complication rate, etc.

Breathe in, breathe out, move on. Your band won't slip if you sneeze. Everybody gets excited, maybe a little scared, anticipatory .... it's natural. You will do fine!!!!!

I can't feel mine either! But my doctor's physician's assistant felt it immediately -- guess she knows exactly what it should feel like which is, apparently, not like what it looks like, LOL. She's done both my fills without any hesitation. You should be fine!

I was given lortab elixir as well. I was warned by the pharmacist that it tastes nasty, so he added a flavor to it for me BUT I never needed any pain medication of any kind. When your doc gives you prescriptions ask for liquid if that's what you want.

I was warned by the nutritionist that hair loss is a direct result of not eating enough protein. I would talk to my doctor if I were you. Sounds like you need a protein supplement or a change to your diet plan.

You have most certainly NOT failed. You simply are expecting too much too soon. The 4 weeks or so after surgery (up until your first fill, really), you are healing from the surgery, your band is settling into place. Any weight you lose in that time frame is not going to amount to a great deal usually (there are always some exceptions but they are not the rule). I didn't lose anything for the whole 4 weeks up to my first fill. NOW, I'm losing quite steadily. Give yourself the time you need to be 100% inside and you'll see the results. Don't go back to the full liquid diet. You'll end up miserable. Eat as you have been instructed. Start a walking program (probably too soon to do any "serious" exercise, though walking is excellent exercise).

LA Weight Loss filed bankruptcy several months ago.

There are a lot of people on the True Results Community Forum who had Dr. Benevides....go to www.trueresults.com and click on community and then forum. Good Luck. Everybody who had him has said they loved him!

I found I liked the Slimfast Low Carb pretty good...the chocolate tastes pretty good and the vanilla is pretty good if you blend it with ice and some fruit. There are so many Slimfast products, but the Low Card has 20 grams of protein and only 2 grams of carbs. I found it most places that sell Slimfast (but not my Target, LOL).

Hi there. How are you doing today?

Some require a minimum BMI for 3 years. Some don't. Some may require 3 or 6 months supervised diet before surgery. Don't sit and worry about it. Call your insurance company and ask what their requirements are. That way you can tackle it head on and get the process started. You will have to go through some pre-op testing; some may be the requirement of the insurance company and some may be the requirement of the doctor. That could include a psych. evaluation, a visit with a nutritionst, sleep study, upper GI, ekg, possibly a stress test. Comorbities include sleep apnea, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. But call your insurance company and find out now, not later. After all, if they require the supervised diet, you can get that started right away. Most surgeons will be able to offer the supervised diet if you need it; otherwise your primary care physician.

You might even speed up that 10 pounds by trying a bit of the pre-op diet I was on. 2 protein shakes per day (make sure they contain whey protein) and 2 lean meals that consisted of 3 oz lean protein (about the size of a deck of cards) and a steamed vegetable. I lost 17 pounds in 2 weeks, so even if you added a little carbs to those 2 meals you'd probably lose 10 pounds quick. I know you want to get that surgery date set. I was a giggle-box that day. I knew my surgery was 2 weeks away and I was so excited. No matter how you do it, or how long it takes, remember that every pound lost is not just a pound lost but a pound you DIDN'T GAIN...and step on the road to better health. I wasn't nervous about the surgery, just carried the excitement with me and believed I would be back on my feet in a couple of days. GOOD LUCK

Just came back from an 8 day 2 weeks ago. Gained 2, which I lost within 36 hours of getting home so that was all water which was probably retained just because of traveling in general. Carnival has some items that are on the dinner menu every night, including a shrimp cocktail with 4 shrimp, grilled snapper and marianted and grilled flatiron steak (which is extremely lean). There were nights I had the snapper because the other entree offerings were just too fat. The hardest thing was avoiding the soft serve ice cream on the Lido Deck, LOL. There was a salad bar at lunch on the Lido Deck every day and it was easy to cruise the buffett lines and pick a meat I could add to my salad. Good luck...and have lots of fun.

For the convenience of being able to buy them almost anywhere, Slimfast Low Carb is great. I love the chocolate, it has 20 grams of protein and only 2 grams of carbs. No mixing necessary. I still drink them for breakfast a lot of days because of the convenience. I buy them just about anywhere that sells Slimfast (but not Target, for whatever reason).

I agree with DMomB...see another doctor! Just because your doctor would rather do a bypass doesn't make it the right choice for you. Don't know where you are, but hopefully you have access to someone who specializes in lap bands. I need to lose a total of 134. Almost all my weight is between my shoulders and hips .... no fat legs or fat arms. I've already lost 43 pounds and I've had 2 fills and the physician's assistant who did my fills had no problem whatsoever getting the needle into my port...first time both times and no pain at all. Stick to your guns and shop for a new doc. Good Luck@!!

Sounds like the PB won. Fried chicken, so it was bready and greasy on the outside AND the chicken was dry I bet. You were really hungry because you waited too long to eat, so you were behind the 8 ball before you put the first piece in your mouth. Happened to me under similar circumstances. I had waited almost 7 hours since breakfast and was ready to eat just about anything. In an attempt to be good, I went to Arby's and got a regular roast beef sandwich and an iced tea. I ate about 3 bites of the meat (ditched the bread) and I thought I chewed it pretty good but, uh-oh. It came right back up. I continued to slime for about 20 minutes. It was as much eating fast and maybe not chewing well as anything else.

You haven't been banded that long and probably don't often actually get that "full" signal. There is a time period before your first fill that we refer to as bandster hell. You feel hungry all the time but don't eat because you're afraid of overeating. Liquids do not stay in your new "pouch" -- they pass through the band opening into the rest of your stomach. That's why liquids will never give you that full feeling and also why you aren't supposed to eat immediately before, during or immediately after a meal .... the liquid can wash the well-chewed solid food right out of your pouch and rob you of the feeling of satiety. Where you are now, if you prepare a meal of 3 oz. lean protein (about the size of a deck of cards), a steamed vegetable (not corn or peas, because those are actually starch) and a small amount of carbs (like four Triscuits or similar cracker), then you are doing really well. Eating that way consistently will most certainy NOT stretch your pouch.

The only time I felt that "ball in my chest" sensation, it was from an overfill... I couldn't swallow anything, not even my own saliva. A small unfill fixed it. You should be on liquids only right now and if you can't swallow liquids at will, I would most definiately call the doctor's office back and tell them exactly as you've told us. If you are not able to easily swallow liquids, you will be dehydrated, your electrolytes will be off, you'll get shaky, etc. Don't settle for "that's normal". Ask to see the doctor if you're concerned. Some doctors do a fill when they do the surgery. If, unlike me (who had only .6cc in my band), you have saline in your band there may be too much.

No, not at all! Most will offer you a numbing shot before and it's really your choice. My dodctor's Physician's Assistant does the fills most times and I guess it's experience but wow, is she good! [Anitra, I'm talking about you!] I haven't felt the needle yet. The only thing you may feel is most will withdraw all the fluid in your band and then put it all back along with whatever amount has been decided upon. I can't say that I've felt anything with the withdrawing but there's a quick, weird feel when she puts the fluid back in...I guess pressure is the best word, but it certainly isn't much. My first fill was too much. I couldn't even swallow my own spit. So she put the needle back in and withdrew 1cc. THAT I felt...not the needle, but withdrawing that bit of fluid felt like a rock in my chest was dissolving and it was a fantastic feeling of relief. I am asked to lie back on the table and put my arms under my head. You can't see the needle (and since you have a "thing" about needles, make sure not to look for it, LOL) and the whole thing only takes a minute. Good luck. Let us know how it went.

Just because you have started passing some gas does not mean you aren't still experiencing alot of gas. This is the most common problem people have post-op -- trapped gas. Get some Gas-X strips and use them liberally. Drink your liquids....all the different ones you can have. Warm may feel better than cold, too. And one more thing! WALK, Walk, walk. Then, get a heating pad and put it over your chest when you are sitting or lying down. I think it helps break the gas into smaller bubbles or something. I just know that the heating pad is what made the difference. Doing all those things and adding the heating pad gave me the relief that none of those things separately could do.

Liquids may satisfy your nutritional needs right now but there is a part of you that needs and wants the psychological impact that comes from chewing. Maybe chewing sugar free gum would help that a little?

I didn't have a hiatal hernia. At one point it was thought I did, though. I called my insurance company and was told that if the surgeon was on my plan they would pay for the hernia repair only. They would not pay 100% of the surgical center or anesthesiologist and only whatever was considered "fair and standard" for the hernia repair itself as far as the surgeon went. As it turned out, it didn't matter. When Dr. Hart did the surgery there was absolutely no hiatal hernia.