TopTier

I was told the same thing OnTheWayToThin was. My doctor puts something in it, but then removes it and gets all the "air out" or something to that effect. Then he doesn't do anything with it (leaves it empty) until the first fill. He wants the only thing to be done for the first 4 to 6 weeks to be the healing process. There's time enough for the weight loss once the stomach and sutures have healed, so he waits until then to fill it.

That's a possibility. Try backing off the sugar free stuff. My doctor doesn't want us to do any sugar free until after the first fill. The pudding and Carnation Instant Breakfasts he wants them all to be "regular" and not sugar free. I never asked him why, but I wonder if the artificial sweetener might have something to do with it?

Yet again, the original poster is NOT 50 pounds overweight. She's barely 30. HUGE difference. AND she has apparently NEVER had weight issues, other than right now. This is not directed simply at low BMI people. But this poster has not "struggled" with weight loss, she simply wants a quick fix so she can be a size 4 again. It's her choice, it's her money, but I will not support someone who is so foolish as to place her vanity above her own health. And, the way I read it, that's exactly what she is doing. And that's what she came in here for, reinforcement and support for something that she doesn't need. She will be in for a rude awakening when she realizes had she just simply PRETENDED she had the band and done the 21-day liquid diet then mushies diet, along with the very important step of physical exercise, she would have lost all her "excess weight" and ended up with the same result, only without major surgery and with money still in her pocket.

Keep in mind that you also need to incorporate strength training exercise into your exercise regime if you are losing weight. Without doing that, you risk losing lean tissue (muscle tissue), as your body tries to prevent you from long-term starvation damage. That means it preserves the fat stores, which is one of the many reasons why people who lose weight from reducing calories gain back even more weight once they are off the low-calorie diet. When you use the muscles as you are losing weight, the body will preserve that tissue and consume the fat tissue instead. So, aerobic AND anaerobic are both required for safe, healthy weight loss. Plus, if you're a woman, strength training triggers the bones to maintain density. Really important, especially as we age. And don't worry, women are very unlikely to "bulk up," for a variety of reasons. PS: the more lean tissue you preserve, the quicker you start burning calories because muscle tissue takes more energy (calories) to maintain than fat tissue does (which is one reason why the body tries to dump it when we lower our calories for an extended period of time). But if we're USING it, it will burn calories while we are at rest easier, and burn those from fat (adipose) tissue instead.

I want a doctor that I can reach out and touch from day one. I'm "old school" and am not comfortable with the idea of not being able to follow up with my doctor. I go into it with a "we're partners" mindset. Fortunately, so does the doctor I've chosen. But it's not just that I wouldn't go to another country to do it, I wouldn't go to a city in another part of the state, either. It's just whatever one is comfortable with. I like having my doctor within a 15-minute drive.

Oh no, that's terrible! That's a rough one, too. My father-in-law struggled with that this past winter. Hope all is being resolved for you.

Except that she's not "50 pounds" overweight. More like in the 30-pound range. Which makes this even more sad. Believe it or not, I really am concerned -- I don't think this is going to be the "Magic Bullet" she thinks it is.

I haven't had my surgery yet, but I feel pretty up-to-speed. We'll find on on Thursday! (the day after my surgery). However, one thing I see repeatedly in the posts here is the level of nausea that people encounter that they either didn't know about prior or had no anti-nausea medication post surgery. I would strongly recommend you talk to your surgeon about his prescribing an anti-nausea med for you to take after surgery. Mine does, which is why I was so surprised to see so many on here have that problem and not have anything to do about it. My husband's FIRST stop on the way taking me home from the hospital is Walgreens to fill the scripts for Phenergan (anti-nausea) and Celebrex (anti-inflammatory)! PS: Don't forget the TUMS and the Benefiber, post-surgery, either!

Wow, ladies, my heart goes out to you. I'm wondering if you do the binge eating, do you also engage in the throwing it back up? I only ask because it seems to me that part would be the more dangerous part for you if you are considering the lap band.

I had about 2 ounces of tuna mixed into my salad last week. I know it's a little fatty, but it's almost all Protein and no carbs, so I figured it would be okay. Otherwise, I've been pretty faithful. I've been tracking my carbs and Proteins on Sparkpeople.com and I've been waaaay under on the carbs and pretty high in the proteins, and very low in fat, so I think I'm going to be okay. My only concern is that the carbs are ranging around 70 to 90 a day -- the one day I had a Carnation Instant Breakfast they shot up to 150 grams, so I didn't use that anymore. Stuck to the Atkin's Advantage Low Carb shakes ever since. But to be honest, I really have NO idea what the "safe" range is to shrink the liver adequately. I've hear 30 grams, but that is nearly impossible if I stick to my doctor's nutritionist's prescribed diet! So I guess I'll find out on Weds!

Hi, back, Tamra! It really all depends on your doctor and your insurance requirements. I'm self-pay, and my doctor doesn't require anything other than the Liver-Shrinking 7-day liquid Pre-op diet, so, no, there were no "weight loss" requirements prior to my surgery (which is coming up on Weds.) Do you have a doctor yet? Do you know what your insurance guidelines are?

Jujuvee! Too funny! Um, the "parts" are in my cabinet, like the rest of my glasses and dishes, when I'm not using them! But I also considered the type of blender you have. The thing is, I had one of those years ago, (or something similar) but I never used it that often. Now it's lost among the doodads somewhere in either my kitchen or my daughter's kitchen. Ah well. I got my Magic Bullet at Bed, Bath & Beyond. When you use their ubiquitous 20% off coupon, that brought the price down:wink2: !

That's great news, Tia! And so happy for you that the surgery went well! Now it begins, eh? Like you, the part I'm worried about the most is the anesthesia (I can spell it either!). I think that comes from the anesthesia I had when I was a kid getting my tonsils out. I think I was about 5 or 6. I remember the smell and I remember the horrible headache I had when I woke up. But I've had several surgeries in my adult life and they all went well. Don't know why it still scares me, though!

Yes, moderate alcohol consumption, specifically no more than one or two a night, has been shown to be beneficial. However, if you're trying to reduce carbs prior to surgery, you might be well advised to restrict or just temporarily cease alcohol consumption, since those carbs definitely count. But afterwards, once you heal and are on full liquids, have a toast on me!

RobinAnn, ditto. My "last meal" recommendation was also prior to starting my pre-op diet. As it turns out, my "last meal" ended up being a grilled shrimp salad at Cheesecake Factory -- and NO cheesecake! DOH! I was terrified to do too much damage!

Erick: With all due respect, if you are the husband of a woman who is less than 40 pounds over-weight, who is going to Mexico to get a lap-band for WEIGHT LOSS, and you are asking these basic questions, something tells me neither of you has appropriately investigated this procedure, its purpose and its risks. I'm afraid you may be supportive of your wife, who is no longer a "size 4" going to get weight loss surgery to be a "size 4" again, but, frankly, myself and probably a few others here are not quite as supportive. In my opinion, you would serve your wife better "supporting" her with a good therapist and a solid, healthy weight loss program for women who are moderately overweight.

Ibelieve, THIS POSTER IS NOT 50 POUNDS OVERWEIGHT! At BEST she is 30+. I am 5'1" and "petite" == quite frankly, this is a shame and this poster needs to deal with PROPER weight loss options before she goes the surgery route, simply because being a diet and incorporating exercise isn't going to be FAST enough.

So sorry to hear about your mom. That had to be tough losing her so early like that. I also understand your irony comment!

So, I have 3 more days of liquid pre-op before my surgery. My daughter is coming over tomorrow to grill steaks for her dad and her significant other. She'll be roasting some asparagus, so I'll be able to enjoy some of those (pre-roasting!). I'm starting to get very bored with this pre-op diet, but -- what the heck, it's only 3 more days! After my surgery I'm sure I'll be THRILLED that I'm only doing liquids!

So, I have 3 more days of liquid pre-op before my surgery. My daughter is coming over tomorrow to grill steaks for her dad and her significant other. She'll be roasting some asparagus, so I'll be able to enjoy some of those (pre-roasting!). I'm starting to get very bored with this pre-op diet, but -- what the heck, it's only 3 more days! After my surgery I'm sure I'll be THRILLED that I'm only doing liquids!

The biggest benefit of exercising in a swimming pool is the fact that it takes some of the pressure off the joints while working out. It's not necessarily the "best" option, but it is a very good option if you have issues with your knees or hips.

I'm probably going to regret saying this, but I think that getting a lap bad at 166 pounds, barely 40 overweight, is a little extreme. I think you seriously need some head work. I'm 5'1" so I know that 166 is not Weight Loss Surgery ready. I can appreciate your frustration and your disappointment at not being a SIZE 4 anymore, but you are not at an unhealthy weight yet, and can very much control and decrease your BMI without a lap band. You will need to exercise and work hard once you get the band in to begin with, so all that effort can be done without the added stress of lap band surgery on your body. But. It's your choice.

My dad had the Realize band "installed" last month. I'm having the one with the pillows.

I have a question. Is "getting stuck" anything at all like what happens with a hiatal hernia? It sounds like it. There have been times when I have a bad time with it that I cannot swallow anything. At first, it feels like it's going down really really slow and then "sticks" in mid chest. It is incredibly painful and I can barely even breathe (probably because I start to panic). Then, I find if I get up and walk around and raise both my arms up over my head, that it subsides and I can -- sometimes -- finish my meal. On a very rare occasion, I will throw up everything I've eaten just prior to the point of it getting "stuck."