Lori in Spokane

After being banded for about three weeks, I noticed gobs of hair coming out when I was shampooing my hair, or in my round brush after blow drying it. That is a lot earlier than anything that I read - typically it is after about three months - so I was concerned. I read posts on here and on Obesityhelp.com and found some people had success with Biotin. I checked with my nutritionist at my doctor's and she highly recommended it. I've been taking 5000 mcg's each day and after three more weeks, the loss has stopped completely. I'm ecstatic for the moment...who knows what could happen in the future, but claiming this victory for now! I'm not 20 anymore and my hair was already thinning out a bit anyways, so I was getting really concerned. Don't know if it's related, but my nails are growing faster and stronger now too, so since it's a B complex, I'm sure that could be another benefit! Just wanted to share a success! xoxo Lori

I had my surgery on April 7th, with 3 cc's in my band...and my first fill on May 24th. They added 1.5 cc's. I lost 5 lbs that week but gained it all back the following week with no diet changes. The next week, with no diet changes (I'm pretty good about following all the requirements) I lost 3 lbs, and this week lost 1. It's weird but I know I am getting smaller as things that didn't fit 2/3 weeks ago fit now, or are even kinda loose. Good to hear everyone is doing well!

Congrats to recent surgeries and sending prayers and happy thoughts to those upcoming this week!!! Started soft foods this week...doing well and eating pretty much anything that I want to. Just taking small bites and chewing like crazy. Today had a turkey wrap but they were so nice at the restaurant and chopped up the shredded lettuce really small and had no problems. I could only eat half and had the other half for supper tonight. Last night I had pizza for the first time in two months! It was delicious. It was thin crust, so I ate the crust and toppings for the first half of the slice, then just the toppings from the outer portion. No problem there either. Stopped after that one piece and felt full and great. It tasted so good. It's so nice to just stop eating instead of wanting four slices! I suspect that I need a fill if I'm able to eat that much at this point. I lost two pounds this week and am keeping up on my step aerobics nightly. Not sure if they give me my first fill at my 6 week check up, but that's when I'm due back at the doctors. Thankfully, not having gas problems as some are...I just get the hiccups when I eat that last about 30 seconds. They make me laugh and it makes me eat even more slowly! Hope to hear from Rubie...she's been on my mind too. Take care all you very brave April Band Bunnies!! oxoxo Lori

Made the Baked Ricotta today...very yummy!! I figured out the basic nutritional info for this one too. I doubled the recipe as I like to have things on hand in the refer from which to eat over a couple of days. It made about 6 - one cup servings so I based the serving sizes on that for my computations. Based on a one cup serving, it has 130 calories and 6 grams of Protein which is a great tasting nutritional meal with good protein. I used a four-cheese sauce from a jar and it was really good! Thanks again for the great recipes...they are a life saver right now until I can eat soft foods after this pureed phase. I am two weeks out from surgery.

My nurse practitioner took mine off at my one week post op appt. Two of them bled a little bit and she just put band aids over the bleeding part and said to take them off in a day or so. I did that and they were fine. Perhaps bandaid them if they bleed or just leave them on for a few more days to allow for a bit more healing. You don't hurt anything from leaving them on a bit longer. They are just rather unsightly. Also, they said the the edges pull up and catch on my clothes, just trim off the loose edges with scissors. Hope that might help a bit! xoxo Lori

Just made the creamy black bean soup and it was great! Thanks for the recipe! I figured out the calories and proteins using the black beans, chicken broth and sour creme. These are all approximate and using fat free sour creme and low sodium broth. My bath made 4 cups of soup, and each serving I counted as 1 cup. Each serving is 132 calories, and has 9 grams of protein. Nice numbers for getting 60 grams and 1000 calories per day! Thanks again for the great recipes! Lori

Welcome Sassafras!! The more bandsters, the better, I say! This group has been invaluable to me before, during, and now slightly after the process. I am so grateful, and I look forward to hearing about your experience! Best wishes! Lori

I was banded on the 7th and my port site is still sore. I twisted wrong and wow, that was awful!:thumbup: Anytime I have to cough or sneeze, I have to hold my hand over it so it doesn't hurt as much. I was able to lie on my left side in bed after two days though, so that helped. The gas from the surgery caused the most pain from the pressure, but I walked around pretty often and by day 5, it was a lot better. Hang in there....and wishing speedy recovery to all! Lori

I'm wondering just how pizza would do in the Cuisinart!?!? Just kidding, but fun to think about! :cool:

Hi everyone! I can't tell you how inspirational you all are to me...reading your posts are such a boon to me! Here's my update.... I was banded last Wednesday, the 7th. That went great...surgery at 11:30am - headed home at 6pm feeling pretty good, thank God! Just laid low at home, took pre-emptive dose of liquid hydrocodone in case any big pain started - was just sore. Thurs and Fri just laid around watching movies with my daughter who flew over to be with me and help out me and my husband...that's been awesome..they really spoil me! Thursday I felt worse than surgery day, but had two doses of pain meds and the soreness (especially the port site) was still there. Finally, Friday I could lay on either side while sleeping. Didn't need pain meds anymore. Saturday felt great....and decided to get out of the house for awhile with my daughter. Had to try on three pairs of pants before I could find one that fit!! wahoo!!! Stopped out at Red Robin to meet a friend who wanted to see Mallory and had a cup of chicken tortilla soup. I had them leave off the tortilla strips and didn't eat the chicken pieces or red beans. It was SO good and I just ate a spoonful at a time, and it was great. Didn't feel anything in my new stomach, but the most important thing was that I didn't feel left out at all as they ate their food and fries. It was a great "test" for me and it worked! I felt SO empowered! I am getting those little hiccups too and I can feel them in the oddest places like my shoulders! They make me laugh and really aren't uncomfortable. I am still a bit sore at the port site, especially when I sneeze, but it's way more better every day that passes. I'm struggling to get in all my calories and proteins. I do two shakes per day, and make them with FF milk so I get to my minimums that way. I am on full liquids so "meals" are cream soups, SF puddings so far. I go on mushies in another week. Sorry to be so long, but I can't find where everyone is posting their surgery diaries..... Best wishes to everyone! :thumbup:

Hi Tera, I have to take glumetza (metformin time release) too. I had my band surgery on Wed, so I'm on day 4. I was going to have to have my PCP send me in an alternative metformin in liquid form, but my surgeon told me to monitor my blood sugars and not to take any diabetes meds and to call him if my sugars ran consistently under 78 or over 157. So far, my readings have been in the 120's!! I'm sure this is because of the little bits of liquids that I'm eating (and not hungry in the least). I have also been enjoying the Muscle Milk powder from Costco with fat free milk. Both the chocolate and vanilla are great and sometimes I add a 1/2oz sugar free caramel syrup. Anyways, hope that helps... and best wishes to you!! Lori

It's so nice to read everyone's posts! I'm having my surgery Wednesday so tomorrow is my day to get ready. I'm a bit nervous and what's making it worse is suddenly my husband has gotten really crabby and argumentative. I don't know if he's just nervous too, or that my grown daughter is coming to stay with us to help out, or some of all of the above. It's really just pissing me off. On one hand I'm excited to finally get this going, but I have some trepidation that it's just not going to work. The two week pre-op liquids (protein shakes, clear liquids, broth SF jello and Popsicles) has been kinda hard but I've only lost 8 lbs. Ugh! I was hoping for what seems to be the average 12 - 15 at least. I reminds me of when I went to Weight Watches after I had my babies and lost 50 lbs each time but it took 1/4 lb weight loss per week. My body is SO resistant to losing despite my diet and doing 45 minutes exercise 5 days per week (or more but it doesn't make any difference). Congrats to everyone who has just had their surgery and sending best wishes to us on the waiting list.....I appreciate reading everyone's posts SO much...it's helping me a lot right now. Hugs to everyone.... Lori

It's Day 2 of my pre-op liquid diet. Kinda tired of all sweet flavors, although using skim milk with the Muscle Milk chocolate shake is pretty good...better than mixing with Water. Had some hot chicken broth with some diced green onions and sliced mushrooms in it (ok'd by nutritionist due to no calories added) so that helped. Plus it was really fun to chew something other than my fingernails! (ha). Feel pretty good so far and survived a trip to the grocery to buy some sf Popsicles and more broth. Sending well wishes to everyone! Lori

My insurance approval took two weeks from the time the office submitted the request and I received my copy of the approval letter. I have United Healthcare, so I'm sure different companies have different approval times. Good luck! :eek:

I had my pre-op nutrition and nurse practitioner appointment yesterday and started my two week pre-op liquids today. So far, so good! I'm experimenting with Muscle Milk Choc Protein powder (so far, it's great mixing with milk and 1/2 oz sugar free caramel Torani syrup) and had Premium Protein vanilla this morning - it was pretty good too. I have to have 5 shakes per day then free foods are SF Jello and bullion. Haven't needed any free foods yet, but the day ain't over! The countdown is on....sending best wishes to everyone! xoxoxo Lori

Muscle Milk Protein shakes and powder is also lactose free and available at costco. They are a lot less expensive than most protein shakes/powders and the chocolate is great! Thought I'd mention it. Good luck...our dates are coming up fast!

Glad to find you all! I got the call this past Monday that my surgery date is April 7th! It finally feels real now and I'm letting myself get excited. How nice to read all of your posts! Thanks for the great info, and I really look forward to cheering everyone on, and learning from all of you! :blushing:

Got my insurance approval letter yesterday! Wahoo! I would get excited except that my doctor's case manager said it takes from 6 - 12 weeks to get the pre-surgical testing done. I have already done my psych eval so all that is left is the GI to test for hernias and blood work. Once those are done, THEN they schedule my surgery. :cursing: What the heck? Who knows how long they are scheduled out..goodness knows how long those are scheduled out since my initial surgeon's visit was 5 weeks out. I'm not excited at all since I have this looming date which seems to be waaaaaay out on the horizon. I'm just very thankful that I don't have to fight the insurance and that I have it and so many people have to fight or self pay to be healthy. My heart goes out to all of those people! Talk about discrimination! Anyhoo...I am very glad for my insurance approval but who knows what month I will have to start posting on....perhaps I should start the June Surgeries posting! :scared2:

"My big worry is taking 30 min to eat and chewing the food enough. Is any one else worried about that?" I am worried about that a bit...I eat out a lot with colleagues and clients. They all inhale their food and then we talk business after the speed-lunch. I'm not telling the world I'm doing this, only those closest to me, so I'm not sure how to deal with this. I'll probably just order Soup or something that I don't have to chew as much and see how it goes. I've been practicing chewing my food until it's practically gone before I swallow. When I do that, I eat my typical meal in about 20 minutes and I've also stopped drinking liquids with my meals too. That is harder than the chewing thing so far! Is anyone else practicing post-surgical behaviors? Are you successful?

I'm on all the meds too. I wonder how that's going to effect anything? I have my first surgeon visit tomorrow. Hope it goes well for you too!

Hi everyone....Glad to find this thread. My first appt with the surgeon is this Thursday, Jan 7th. Then they will submit to my insurance. I am right at the BMI threshold of 40, but have all the co-morbidities, so I would anticipate being approved within 1-21 days (required by my ins. co.). Even 30 days out from there would put me in February. Time goes by fast enough, so that's fine. Here is my info.... #1. Surgery date? February 2010 (exact date tbd). #2. State you live in? Washington #3. Doctor/Surgery Center? Dr. Spitz - Rockwood Medical Center #4. Insurance or self pay? Insurance #5. Age and height 54 5'3" #6. Current weight and goal weight? 226 current; 120 goal #7. What was your deciding factor for having this surgery? Getting off the meds. They mess with my memory in a big way, and really impact my life negatively so I want to get off of them first and foremost. Also, extending my life is an added bonus. The weight loss and cute clothes are another added bonus that I know I will enjoy also! #7. Do you have the support of family and friends? I have only told my husband, daughters and 2 best friends. They all support me in a big way...they are wonderful. #8. Concerns and questions? No concerns at the moment. I have a high tolerance for pain and discomfort, so post surgical time I know I can control with the meds, and I'm disciplined enough to follow instructions to alleviate any other problems that I might cause. .......................and anything else you would like to add! I have had Type 2 diabetes for 7 years. Went on oral meds last Spring and already have had to have them increased. I see the insulin train coming and I really don't want to get to that point. Between that and the meds, this is the logical answer and treatment. I have followed Weight Watchers system for 15 years (18 points per day since they went to the point system) and my weight stays at 225ish (+/- 5 lbs). I can't imagine what my weight would be if I didn't! My internist says that I can't go below that amount of food and even increasing my daily cardio to 50-60 minutes of brisk workouts don't do anything to help me lose weight or abate my other conditions. I have no other choice to become healthy. I am really at peace about doing this and gain a lot of hope from reading so many peoples' success stories. I look forward to following along with all of you and sharing the journey! Thanks for your support and being so willing to share your stories - you are all an inspiration to me!

I am probably looking at February. My psych, seminar, and referrals are done, but I can't get my first surgeon/nutrition appt till Jan 7th, THEN they submit for insurance approval although I have all of the info that my insurance requires into my clinic already. I have United Healthcare, and I meet the BMI, plus I have diabetes, hypertension, high triglycerides, and cholesterol. Although from learning here that I could be approved in 1 - 21 days, I could still get something in January, but I'm dubious. I have about 100 lbs to lose (I'm at 229 on 5'3"). I'd love to read along at the very least and continue to be inspired by you all. Perhaps I'll be the one to start the Feb 2010 group. Thanks to everyone for all of the info. This website has made my decision to be banded so much easier and taken a lot of the mystery out of it!

In beginning stages, attending physician's seminar on Wednesday, already had Internist send referral and I'm covered by insurance. I'm a firm believer in support and encouragement and am finding the forums a bit daunting, but good for general questions. Thanks for visiting!