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I take biotin 5000 mg (available in ticktac sized gel caps).

For whey Isolate Protein shakes I made them with non fat milk, non fat/sugar pudding powder, fruit (if you doctor allows it), sugar free coffee syrups (various flavors can be found in the coffee isle). For ready to drink shakes I like Premier Brand chocolate sold at the costco (160 cal, 30 g of protein). During mushies I had canned chicken mixed with low fat laughing cow cheese (which can be heated in the microwave). Also egg whites, with low fat laughing cow cheese or low/non fat cottage cheese added at the very end are heavenly after the liquids stage. Non fat cottage cheese and ricotta, mixed with spagetti sauce is also very good

How much do you have in the band took me 6 months and 10.7 CC's to get restriction. The fills can take a couple weeks to take effect. I would say the first 6 months is all willpower. Do you have a digital food scale? Measure out your protein and when that is done don't eat any more protein. Fill the rest of the way with low cal veggies.

Does your doctor have classes on mindful eating? If not find a psychologist that specializes in eating disorders. My surgery had to be postponed for 5 months and that gave me time to learn and live a new lifestyle. Do I like chocolate sure. I just don't keep it in my house anymore. Do I like crackers and cake? Yep. And I do eat it just very very rarely and again don't keep it in my house. I think trying to cut out all "fun" foods forever is setting yourself up for failure. I don't cook. I buy a large roasted chicken at costco every week and use it for lunch and dinner. For lunch I measure out 3 oz of chicken, bring a single serving hummus, low fat laughing cow; and baby carrots, suger snap peas. For dinner I have 3oz chicken, salsa, low fat cheese; and more raw veggies. For Breakfast I have non fat Greek yoghurt (with fruit); flavorless benefiber, 1/2 scoop vanilla whey Isolate powder, Splendra (greek yoghurt is sour so it needs some help).

Try the flavorless Benefiber powder and add it to everything.

I had been laid off from my job and had not seen one of my Collegues for a year. I lost 50 pounds presurgery and and lost another 20 when I met him for lunch. He did not say a word about my weight loss until my other friend brought it up. Could it be because he is 1) an HR professional and thought it a to personal question, 2) is a married man and thought it was too personal of a question to ask a woman? So my answer would be some people may not bring it up because they think it is rude to mention someones weight good or bad. Also could they be sick and not telling anyone.

What are some of the foods you are eating? Chicken breast is a solid, but canned chicken is more of a mushie.

I believe the Lap Band manufacturers website has a surgeon search where one of the options is doctors willing to take on patients from other surgeons.

I had more than 4 fills in 6 months. I was getting them every 3 weeks.

How soon is too soon? Are you hungry before 4.5-5 hours goes buy? What are you eating? Is the food solid or mushies. Mushies will leave the pouch faster.

My doctor did not require a preop diet. For two weeks presurgery I did a protein shake for breakfast and dinner (whey isolate including fruit), and a low cal/fat protein based lunch.

I am at restriction and I can eat pretty much whatever I want. I just choose not to make high calorie/fat foods a regular food choice. There has been recent research that shows having an all or nothing mind set leads to people giving up completely on diets. It's better to allow occational treats. And I do mean OCCATIONAL. I had a work meeting this evening where I ate some cheese, and appetizers but it was not alot and I treated it like dinner trying to eat protein and some veggies. I also went directly to the gym and did an hour work out.

When I went on a stringent diet at 18 I stopped having my period for about a year. I was eating very low calorie; but for part of that year I was doing pretty intense exercise. Some elite athletes (which I certain was not) don't have periods. I watched a documentary once on elite gymnasts and ice skaters that said the exercise would dely puberty by several years.

Not really my spoken voice. I had a music scholarship in college for voice. For a long time I thought my voice had lowered as I aged. Now I wonder if it was that I had fat surrounding my lungs which reduced my air control. The less air control/support you have the harder it is to hit higher notes and sustain them. I find that having lost about 150 pounds that I consistantly can hit higher notes and hold them for longer.

Have I been where you are! 2 1/2 months after first consult I had lost 30 pounds and had scheduled my surgery. As I was starting a preop diet my neurologist told me the blood clot he was treating was not suitably desolved. So my surgery was postponed for a unspecified period of time (at least you have a deadline). I had to wait another 5 months before having surgery. One thing I think is important to understand is the band is not the finish line. It is the start! It took me 6 months to get restriction. So the 5 months I had to wait weren't that different than the first 6 months AFTER surgery. Even with restriction so much of band success is mental. You mention eating junk. The band will never stop you from eating candy. Ever. Now is the time to learn new eating habits. One thing I did was to go online and look up how many calories were in some of my favorite restaurant meals. I was stunned. This helped me to make better food choices eating at home and out. As to getting medical care while you are out of town. I would call doctors at the hospital near your daughter. Many doctors will not treat someone elses patient. Some people use fill centers which I don't think are the same as a surgeons office.

FYI I am at restriction and there is no food I can't eat. I choose not to eat bread and pasta. I do have to dip raw carrots in hummus. My only stuck incidents have happened with raw baby carrots that were eaten on their own and did'nt chew well enough.

I found that as I started to eat food that was less salty I had a much easier time not drinking while eating.

I'm sorry to hear you are having such problems. I would def. call the doctor on Monday and ask if he/she left any liquid in the band (they check it before sewing it in to make sure there are no leaks.). I've often read complaints like yours and it turns out the doctor left liquid inside the band. Once it is taken out they feel MUCH better. Let us know how things go.

Discrimination against fat people is very real. Before I started working out (1 1/2 yrs preband) I probably weighted about 380 pounds. That is a guess though since I would never have weighted myself. After about 6 months of changing my food habits I went to the doctor to get pain killers for a knee problem and I weighted 366. Anyway, at that point men never opened the door for me; or really bothered to hold it open once they went through. While at 230 I am still clearly overweight; I would say I get the door opened for me 95% of the time.

Amanda610, not to hijack the thread but many doctors require a certain amount of weight loss presurgery. So having surgery a month after consult is probably unlikely. My doctor required 10% weight loss (33 lbs); which I accomplished in about 2 1/2 months.

If you were addicted to cocaine would he tell you to just figure this addiction stuff out on you own with no medical assistance? I would guess not. This is a long term solution. Most of us can loose weight the question is can we keep it off forever.

Due to other health issues I had to postpone my surgery by 5 months. I was crushed. That time however was really important for me to no only learn but live new behaviors. The band is about 80% mental. The band won't be a miracle when you get it. Took me 6 months after banding to get restriction. This is the time for you to learn why you over eat. If possible go to a therapist that specializes in food addiction.

I jazz up Greek yoghurt as follows. Choose 2% because fat free is super sour; and get one with fruit inside. I add 1/2 scoop vanilla whey isolate protein powder (about 50 cal); 2 teaspoons non flavored benefiber, 1/4 cup kashi go lean (high protein) cereal, and splendra (even 2% is sour so it needs some help. . About 250 calories about 26 g of protein.

Look for 5000 mg biotin. It can come in a tick tac size caplet.

You lost ALOT in the first week or so. Not to be a downer but I am a slow loser and average 1 pound a week. That is pretty normal so don't be shocked if you are only losing 1-2 pounds per week.