NancyRN

I'm at my sweet spot I think. My surgeon has said to eat about 1000 calories/day. But what is the total volume of food I should eat? I read somewhere 3 cups/day, which since I'm on 6 small meals would be about 1/2 cup per meal. Is that about right? I take a large number of medications each day, crushed. I must put them in 1/2 cup of applesauce twice a day. That leaves only 2 cups/day for other food. Is that enough?

Hi everyone, :help:I need an eating plan appropriate for a bandster who is a diabetic. Does anyone know where I could locate one? Or should I contact a dietitian to develop one? I've tried figuring this out myself. I think a structured eating plan would help, but I get totally overwhelmed trying to integrate what I should eat for various conditions I have. Think I need high-Protein, low-carb, healthy fat, low-sodium, etc. Aaargh! I am really discouraged. Banded 5 months ago and fills just reached sweet spot 2 weeks ago. When I got banded, I thought it would reduce my hunger and stomach volume so that I'd automatically lose weight. Ho ho. I'm actually gaining weight because I'm eating poorly (ice cream, chocolate, etc.) And I'm beating myself up psychologically, too: "How could you go through all that workup and the surgery and now sabotage yourself?? You must be a bad person." I feel totally overwhelmed right now by all the changes I need to make in the way I eat and exercise and treat myself!

Wow, great information. Thanks for posting it. If you can get hold of the article, please fax it to me at 925-254-0461 or send it to Nancy Holloway, 5 del Valle, Orinda, CA 94563. I plan to share it with my surgeon, diabetes educator, endocrinologist, and dietitian, too -- might as well update everybody! Your prompt, caring response is one of the reasons I love this board. Nancy

I had a split-night test too. I was shocked by the results. My sleep was disrupted 115 times an hour and I completely quit breathing 6 times a night! It really freaked me out!! That's why I use my mask and machine every single time I sleep. This would be a good time to start educating yourself about sleep apnea. There are some terrific websites which give you access to the collective wisdom of over 250,000 people! People are generally warm, compassionate, and helpful. I did a quick search for you. Try these sites: www.sleepdisorderchannel.com/osa. This site sounds promising -- I haven't used it myself. American Sleep Apnea Association -- my favorite site Sleep Disorder Information & Resources (or maybe org) -- another excellent one When you meet with your doctor, he/she will have to write a prescription to get you equipment. The prescription must specify a particular machine and mask. If you get an idea of what type machine might suit you best, discuss it with your doctor. If you don't know which one you want, don't worry. The doctor will order what he or she thinks best. The best option for prescribing the mask is to ask the doctor to write the rx for "mask of choice". There are loads of masks you can try, even one for people who sleep on their stomach. I use one called a Hybrid, which allows me to breathe through my nose and my mouth. It's ideal for me because I'm a "mouth breather" when I sleep. The equipment itself comes from a "durable medical provider", a DME. The most important thing to remember about DMEs is that they are sales people. They carry a limited supply of masks and may try to sell you whatever's on hand, but they should be able to order any mask for you. Insurance will usually cover a new mask every 6 months. They and you pay for the mask and it's yours-- a potential problem if you have to try several masks to find the one best for you. Usually, your machine is "rent to purchase"-- each month, a portion of the rent goes toward the machine's purchase. Once it's paid off, it's yours. You'll want to settle on a particular machine soon after renting, so you end up owning a machine that's best for you. NancyRN

My certified diabetic educator, herself a diabetic, works for an endocrinologist. He said it's unlikely I'll be able to come off insulin completely, but we should be able to cut the dose way down. My surgeon said he had one patient who was on both insulin and an oral hypoglycemic who came completely off everything 3 days after surgery!! He was stunned. I used to be on Lantus, and postop I got down to 1/3 of my preop dose.

Susan, Thanks so much for your advice, especially on how to get off chocolate and simple sugars -- I am definitely addicted. I'm on insulin--Levemir at bedtime, Novolog for sliding scale. Also thanks for the heads-up about hypoglycemia as I wean myself off sweets. It took me 3 fills to reach the "sweet spot" where the band significantly limits my intake. Here are some words of advice. Failing to chew thoroughly (like 35 times) or to take small bites definitely triggers PB'ing, which feels horrible. The first time it happened, I'd been talking animatedly with a friend over Breakfast and was too absorbed to pay attention. I took a normal bite and swallowed it -- instant severe chest pain! I quickly muttered "Excuse me -- I'm suddenly feeling nauseated." I took off for the rest room with my napkin clutched in my hand -- a good thing, too, because I upchucked on the way to the bathroom. I've had several episodes since then, suspect it's common while we learn new eating habits. I know I'm not supposed to, but I've actually stuck my finger down my throat when food is stuck -- that's how much it hurts. Once I burp, I feel much better. Now I cut my food into teeny pieces as soon as it's served. I came across some great tips about getting fills. I'll try to track them down for you. The only one I remember now is to be sure you're well hydrated the day before and drink a couple of glasses of Fluid before you go for the fill. Take care, Nancy+

Hi Bamalama, I understand your frustration. I have sleep apnea and want to let you know that getting treatment really has changed my life! Sleep apnea can be fatal if untreated. I'd be glad to answer any questions you may have. NancyRN

Hi. I'm a nurse and a published author. I was banded 3 weeks ago after a thorough search of the info. available about banding, including several medical articles. :typing: In the course of mentoring others, I've written several brief (1-2 pages) articles about various aspects of banding. These articles include general information, experiences of myself and other members, and practical tips. So far, I've generated these topics: preop shopping, preop preparation, and pain control. I plan to do the surgery itself, and postop recovery. I think these articles would be really helpful, not just to newbies but to members approaching surgery dates. I'd like to place them in the FAQ section, but in a way they won't get lost over time. Would you be interested in seeing and posting them? NancyRN NancyRN

Hi all. I need to lose 10 pounds preop and my doctor says I can do it any way I want. I want to do it on the liver-shrinking diet, to "kill two birds with one stone" and shorten the time before I have my surgery. What is the liver-shrinking diet? What are the specifics of it (types of foods and liquids, amounts, etc.?

Diane, I't thrilled for you -- you're banded! And you got your money back, and I'm sure will get your husband's too. I wish you good fortune. Nancy

I recommend you contact Gary Viscio via the insurance forum on the obesityhelp.org site. He's an attorney and I'm sure can advise you on your legal rights in this situation. Pleading with the hospital is not as effective as sending them a letter stating you'll take legal action unless they refund your money.

Hi all, I'm so discouraged. I'm in the preop phase, getting the preliminary tests I need. I feel awfully unattractive. I've been trying to find clothes that fit me (BMI 47, size 3X), make me feel presentable, and are moderately priced. And so far I can't find any! I've spent hours trying on possible clothes at Target, only to dislike all the ones I bought once I was home. I took them back for a refund. I spent hours more at a website which seemed to have just what I needed, but discovered when they arrived that my favorites were no longer available (even though they showed as "in stock" when I ordered them). And they were so huge I couldn't wear them (even though I followed their size chart). So they go back too. The only keepers I've found are maternity gaucho pants with a bellyband (a wide soft waistband) and 2 tee shirts from Target. Can you recommend reliable places to buy clothes? Or tips when shopping? Where do you buy your clothes? NancyRN

Christi, I'm so thrilled for you! My kids are 17 years apart, but not because of PCOS. Same daddy, too -- he was dead set against a second until I dealt with my emotional problems (post-partum depression that turned into chronic severe depression). I did and changed my part of our relationship -- and he agreed to having a second!! I had her at age 47, with no reproductive techniques -- she just couldn't wait any longer! I too remember how wonderful babies smell and feel and the joy they feel and share. And now you have one coming...what a gift.

GonnaDoIt, Good for your mom for being honest with you.

Postop gas is different from regular gas. Regular gas forms in the intestinal tract and can be expelled. You can control it to a degree by controlling your intake of certain foods. Exercise helps it move and iGasX may reduce it. I read somewhere that the average amount produced daily is a quart. Amazing when you think about it. Postop gas is outside the intestinal tract, in the abdominal cavity. It's the gas that is blown into the abdominal cavity during surgery so the doctor can see his/her way around more easily. Because it's outside the intestinal tract, you can't expel it. You just have to wait for it to be absorbed. i don't know of anything that helps speed up this process. If anyone else does, please post it. NancyRN

I'm a nurse, have been for 37 years. Background is critical care and emergency nursing. Taught staff development for many years, and now edit textbooks for student nurses. There's a special forum for nurses on the OH site, but you have to hunt to find it, so it's not very active. NancyRN

Wow, everyone, thanks for the great suggestions! I checked out several sites and found I really liked Old Navy. You can get a lot of stuff for not much money. At one point, I had 10 items in my online shopping bag and it only came to $125! Went to one of their stores yesterday and got lucky -- bought 4 nice tops, originally $10.50 each, on sale at $2.99 each! And lucky me, I learned that I have a friend who says she has a "black belt in bargain shopping" and has offered to be my personal shopper. We're going to Macy's next week. She knows all the tips about when it's best to shop (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday because of weekend promotions), how to get an extra 20% off already-50% off items, etc. She's gotten some great clothing (ex. Jones New York) at Macy's dirt cheap. I'm even starting to move out of plain, nondescript items (black shirt, black pants) and try something more sexy. Torrid has an off-the-shoulder lace-trimmed top that I'm ordering. It's fun to start feeling good about clothes. Can hardly wait til I'm back to a healthy size.

Duct tape?! May I ask what for? I have tried bondage with a lover. He bound my hands to the headboard. I'm sorry to say the fantasy was much better than the reality. In reality, I found it really frustrating not to have use of my hands to hug him! Oh well...

Shaunaruder, Thanks for letting us know about your expertise in medical billing. I have a billing-related mystery that has flummoxed me. Would you help me? I'm in the preop phase for a lapband at the University of California, San Francisco, Bariatric Center. I'm trying to get a ballpark figure on what this surgery is going to cost me. When I asked my surgeon's office manager, she said she didn't know and referred me to the UCSF billing office. The person there told me the lapband surgery costs $84,000 plus an additional $9000 for the surgeon -- $93,000 total. :omg: I know the billed amount is irrelevant. What's important is the particular insurance's contract with the center. When I told the billing woman I needed to know the contracted rate, she acted like she'd never heard of that idea. :rolleyes (Maybe no one ever was savvy enough to ask her before.) She said she'd have to talk to the contracts office and would call me back. And, of course, she never did. So where do I go from here? My sense is that continuing to pursue it within the university is just going to be a bureacratic runaround. I thought of calling my insurance company, Blue Cross of California, but who would have this information? Also, BC has told me they'll cover all my preop tests if they're medically necessary. I've gotten burned before, when a doctor has thought a test was medically necessary but the insurance co. rejected the claim, saying it wasn't. Is there anyway to be sure the company will pay for them, before I actually have the tests and become financially liable for them? NancyRN

Thanks for giving us hope! You look great. NancyRN

Aussie Chick, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your pics. I'm planning to have a lapband. I've actually been depressed because I look like you did preop and I was feeling that even with the lapband surgery I'd never be pretty again. But you are! And I can do it, too!! I will always remember your generosity.

:hungry: ShellyJ, I'm a long-term OA member, having joined in 1990 because I was desperate after other attempts at weight loss and this program is free. It was a Godsend for me. It literally changed my life. OA taught me so much about how to live life in an emotionally healthy way. Working through the steps helped me rid myself of a lot of crippling emotional baggage. I really did experience a personality change & as a result, my husband agreed to try for the second child I'd wanted for so long. The result? A beautiful baby girl when I was 47! She was my recovery baby. There's a great deal of wisdom in 12-step programs. The key to benefitting from it is to "take what you like and leave the rest". My "home group" has about 70 members, in all stages of recovery from compulsive eating. I experienced substantial weight loss - 43 pounds kept off for 3 1/2 years, and later 90 pounds kept off for over a year. Unfortunately, I experienced severe depression and regained all the weight. As you know, relapse is common with compulsive overeating. That's why I'm being worked up for a lapband! Give it a try if you're open-minded. It can be a terrific opportunity for growth and support. You don't have to believe in God to join, just to believe in a "Higher Power", a power greater than yourself. For me, it was nature.

Weird! It never occurred to me to search for it on the web. NancyRN

Would someone please explain to me what this Smilie means?:huytsao NancyRN

Telly, That site is amazing. I had no idea you could order something like that. I especially liked the penis options, which included "flaccid". If I spent thousands of dollars on a doll like that, you bet your sweet bippy I wouldn't choose that option! NancyRN