honk

Please remember doctors' say you can loose 4 to 8 pounds a month. So 5 pounds is well within that range. How often are you eating sweets? Once a month or once a day?

My doctor said Flintstone Chewables with CHOLINE (look for that). I buy the Kirkland brand from costco same thing much cheaper.

1500 seems high to me. Also my doctor does not recommend snacks even before restriction.

How long has it been between fills? Saline will evaperate, much slower than water but it does happen. At my last fill it had been 6 months since I'd been in. My fill was less than what the records. showed.

I think 600 cals is too low. Also I would recommend starting a exercise program. Remember the first 10 pounds is most likely water weight. Each pound now is either from burning 3500 calories or cutting 3500 cals from your diet.

I take Caltrate Plus which has Vitamin D as well. I use my vitamins as a treat: Caltrate plus (chewable), multi vitamin childrens chewable with choline, Vitamin D guummy, and Vitafusion fiber gummies.

Totally normal! Please keep in mind it can take up to a 2 weeks for a fill to take affect. The saline can move within the band. Most people however do not get restiction from one fill. Took me six months and like 5 fills before I got restiction. Are you measuring your food? If not I recommend you start. My doctor says 3 oz of solid Protein and then low fat/cal/carb veggies until full (some doctors say 1/2-3/4 cup veggies). Exercise is another important part of this process. Most doctors say you should do 30 minutes daily.

Mine said 2 weeks.

If it makes you feel any better I had a surgery date that was like a week away and had to postpone due to an unresolved blood clot. I was DEVASTATED. I used that time to really work on my food habits. To continue exercising. It's easy to see surgery as a finish line, considering all the tests and appointments you have to go through. Surgery however is the starting line. The band will not magically reduce the food you can eat. It can take 6 months before you get restriction. This will be a will power diet until then. Maybe you should buy a digital food scale and start weighing you food now. You will need a food scale after surgery anyway. Put yourself on a 1500 cal diet and start exercising. This is a lifestyle why not start now?

I just looked up GNC Lean and it does not seem like a good choice for Lap Band patients. It has 180 cals for only 9 g of Protein and lists "milk protein concentrate". My doctor says to use whey Isolate protein powder. Check the label as not all Whey protein is Isolate (a better type or protein that your body can digest easier). I use Gold Standard 100% Whey (double chocolate) and Dymatize Nutrition Elite (gourmet vanilla): they are around 114 cals for 24 g of protein. The higher the protein level the longer you will feel full as it takes a while for the body to digest protein (longer than carbs). I go to Vitamin Shoppe they have stores and online. Ready to Drink I buy Premier Brand (160 cals for 30 g of protein).

I wait 1 hr.

I have greek yogurt for breakfast an add un flavored benefiber. I also take vitafusion fiber gummies.

I don't really have any answer but I do have a suggestion. Could you ask if they have a self pay price? My dentist will give a 20% off self pay price if you pay by credit card at time of service.

For me it's normal. Some months are worse than others. Last week I just had this craving. I really don't keep any junk food in my house but remembered some white and milk chocolate chips that I used in Christmas cookies that were in the fridge. I took them out and ate about 6 of each with a couple walnuts and thought "this isn't that good". And stopped eating them. My TOM isn't as predictable as it once was (42) so I usually have to look back and say Oh that's why I was so hungry.

I was going to recommend benefiber. I add it every morning to my Greek yogurt. I also take Vitafusion gummy fiber in the morning and a couple at night.

Yes, Whey 100% Isolate is also my doctors choice. Please review labels as all Whey is not created equal. Isolate is a little more expense but it is a higher quality protein.

During preop and immediately post op doctors have you drink Protein shakes to get nutrition. Pre op doctors have you eat only protein so as to force the body to burn the fat in the liver so it is easier to move during surgery. After surgery you can't eat solids for several week so you need some way to get protein. After I was healed my doctor did not want me eating shakes, instead I should be getting my calories from solid foods. To deal with the possibility of the band being too tight in the morning I eat greek yogurt (which is high in protein, but I add half a scoop of protien powder as well). Once healed you want to avoid slidders (anything that will go right through the pouch into the big stomach) and protein shakes are a slider.

Jerseygirl- I've lost about 167 pounds and my cup size hasn't changed at all!

The side with the port did hurt the longest. Not sure if I would call it extreme pain though. I do have a pretty high pain tolerance though and only used tylenol after leaving the hospital.

You can try spacing out your food. So soup wait an hour or two and then have the protein shake. This will help with both stomach and head hunger.

If you are physically hungry (not head hungry) eat more of what you are supposed to eat. So eat more broth or smooth soups (like tomato or squash) and protein shakes. Don't eat solids. Yes you can damage the band at this point. Stop NOW.

Anthem Blue Cross of NY. Approved in 2 weeks. No diet period. In my experience it is was my surgeon who required specific tests ect. Requirements from your insurance really are about your employers policy says. You should call your insurance and ask what their requirements are.

Most doctors say you will loose up to 2 pounds a week with the band. I am very conservative with my food choices and exercise 7 days a week for more than an hour; and loose less than 1 pound a week.

I don't remember using one in the hospital and did not have one at home.

Time to restriction absolutely!!!! I felt my doctor's program was excellent and I was well prepared for surgery. It took me 6 months to get restriction and after reading posts on here of people getting restriction after the first fill I was really disappointed. Some of us are slow loosers. I am very conservative in my food choices and do 1 + hour of cardio 7 days week. I loose less than 1 lb a week.