lawgirl

One night and released the next day. The key is to get up and walk (or shuffle) because this will help with the gas pains that inevitably come after surgery. Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle.

Tip #1: I took progress pictures of myself in the same outfit (sports bra and exercise pants - not my finest look) and in the same room (bathroom with a locked door). It was shocking to see the progress and really helped to remind me how far I've come. I still pull those photos out when I'm having one of those "I'm SO fat!" days. Tip #2: Track your calories (myfitnesspal.com works for me and its free) to hold yourself accountable. I have never restricted myself from the food that I want but I limit the quantity. I'm always surprised by just how much you can drink in calories alone - shakes are my weakness but a lot harder to justify if I take a second to look up the calories. And if I still want that double mocha shake with extra whip, then I adjust the rest of the day. Tip #3: Exercise. This helps with your mood, motivation and you can see the results quicker than dieting alone. I will always remember when I "found" muscles in my arms. So exciting! Good luck and just remember that this is a journey not a race.

I've had my Lap-Band 8 years this May and just recently started having gallbladder issues - severe indigestion, nighttime throw-up (unless my stomach is completely empty), and intense back/side pain after eating. I just had an ultrasound and the doctor confirmed that it is my gallbladder. I'm concerned that all of these problems have aggravated my band since I have been throwing up a lot recently. My question is this: Should I ask about replacing the band with a sleeve or gastric bypass when they remove my gallbladder?

I have tried several and found this one has the best taste plus nutrition: http://www.premiernutrition.com/protein-shake.html. I buy it by the case at Costco. It is available in chocolate, vanilla (my favorite) and strawberry with 30g protein, 160 calories, 1g sugar and low fat. I drink one for breakfast everyday. If you don't like the taste of your protein shakes, try blending it with ice to make a slushy. Some people even add ice plus other things like fruit and/or yogurt to doctor up the taste. Good luck on your journey!

I've also been struggling with nighttime (waking me up) acid reflux. It started after my last fill. Since I'm happy with my current restriction, I have been struggling to get it under control so I don't have to get my fill taken out. This is what I've been doing: taking Tums and Prilosec, propping myself up in bed, restricting my diet (no caffeine, no chocolate, no spicy foods, no cooked tomatoes, no onions, no milk, no cheese), changing my diet (I've added greek yogurt, bananas, almonds, ginger tea, and aloe vera juice), and I don't eat or drink anything at least three hours before bedtime. It is slowly getting better - frankly, I think that my band got really angry and irritated because I wasn't used to the new restriction so it took a while to get it under control. The most important "correction" for me was not to eat or drink anything for several hours before bed (even water). Even if I do everything else right, if I break this rule then I will have a miserable night.

It might be a pulled muscle. After being banded for almost two years, I suddenly had a reoccurring sharp pain on my left side, below my ribs, that would leave about a minute. Turned out to be a pulled stomach muscle. I went to a massage therapist who specialized in sports injuries. She rubbed, stretched and pushed my stomach muscles like a medieval torture device but the pain went away and hasn't returned.

I love the elliptical - it's easy on the knees, feels like you are going way faster than on a treadmill, and works out both your legs & arms.

I hit my plateau at the beginning of this year (actually started going up the mountain again!) and got another fill. With the additional fill, I've dropped about twenty more pounds and another dress size. But it has taken a while to adjust to the new tightness - it's like I just got banded and have to relearn to be nice to my band again.

If approved, try drinking a protein shake. I have one each morning for breakfast that has 30 grams of protein and it gets me through until lunch. Good luck!

I have been banded for over three years and have told only two people - my husband and best friend. Here are my tips for eating out with others and keeping the "nosey nancy's" at bay : (1) Be very careful with what you try to eat. Avoid the bread, potatoes and other difficult food or you will need to explain why your eyes are suddenly watering, you sound like you're being strangled when you talk, or you have to lunge for the table to make it to the restroom. I tend to stick to soup or very small portions. My husband is also well trained in picking up the signs that I need a moment for a bite to pass and will fill in the conversation until I can talk again. In a pinch, I have gasped something like, "Went down the wrong pipe!" and then excused myself to go to the restroom. Fortunately, this has only happened twice. (2) Ask for a to-go box as soon as you feel comfortable and take a good portion of your food home. If you do this, it is not so obvious that you are sitting there with an almost full plate and you can eat it at home at a pace that is better for you and the band. (3) Tell people that you are a slow eater. Which is very, very true with a band. (4) Tell people you are dieting. Again very true. I tell people that as part of my diet, I have cut out things like bread and potatoes. (5) Go to the restroom during the meal, if only to walk around and let your food settle. This will give you some extra time where you are not just sitting there staring at your full plate or your dining companions. Good luck on the upcoming surgery! It was the best investment I have ever made in myself.

After surgery, I found that my port was tipped downward and it always takes a couple of pokes to find it. During a fill, the doctor has had me push out my stomach as hard as I can while he is locating it. After dropping about 60 pounds, it is easier to locate now because there is less fat in the way but it is still literally hit and miss. My doctor isn't shy about poking me a couple of times. Not sure if that's a good thing. Good luck.

I take the gummy vitamins - easier to swallow than a pill and better tasting than the liquid.

You're not alone. I started gaining weight after being banded for almost three years so I got another fill. Now I'm having horrible acid reflux at night and can barely eat anything during the day without gagging. At the best, I'm too tight. At the worst, my band has slipped. I have switched to a liquid diet to see if my band will calm down but if not, I'm going to have to get some of the fill taken out. As for the emotional eating, have you tried phentermine? While you can't take it for the long-term, it completely took away my emotional eating (I couldn't have cared less about food for the first time in my life!) and gave me a kick start to dropping the weigh again. Good luck!

Update: It was a pulled muscle. A few weeks with a massage therapist and staying away from the gym worked. What a relief.

I have been banded for over two years and lately, I've been having sharp stinging pains in the stomach muscles left of my port. The pains are more intense and frequent when I do physical activities, like pick up my toddler, or when I twist a certain way - but I can't localize it. I'm also having trouble with severe heartburn, which I'm not sure if it is related or not. Has anyone experienced this type of pain so far out from surgery??

Hi, Sandi! Congrats on the upcoming journey! My husband is coming with me - although I think that he is more worried about it than I am so I will probably be the one comforting him. The only thing that I'm a little concerned about is that my doctor can't prescribe pain medication in the States. I spoke with his office this a.m. and was told that while I probably won't need anything (I've already got a stock of Tylenol liquid on hand) that he can give me meds to take back across the border. I just need to make sure that I'm complying with all the laws before bringing anything back. The last thing I need is to be detained at the border!

I'm scheduled for Friday May 1st with Dr. Ortiz - flying down Thurs April 30th. April is so busy with work that I have a feeling that I will blink and it will be here! Good luck on your journey!!