BetsyB

The first few days can be rough; your body, however, will start to draw on the glycogen stores in your liver, which will stabilize your blood sugar and help relieve those symptoms. It's weird, but it gets better with time. It takes a while for the body to pull on those reserves.

The band is not for everyone. But by and large, those who fail fail the band, not vice versa. That doesn't mean the responsibility lies completely in their lap. Really, many surgeons do not do a good job identifying patients for whom the band is a good alternative. I feel very fortunate that my doctor really did consider my specific needs/issues with weight loss before recommending the band (and discouraging bypass). He listened, and he guided me in the right direction. He also provided excellent patient education, including followup classes at 3-month intervals postoperatively. I wish everyone could have that kind of experience; I think there would be lots more happy bandsters. Because by and large, the failures don't come from complication. They come from misaligned expectations and poor preparation and follow-through.

My doctor is also in the "take it easy" camp. Now that I have pretty good restriction, I stick with FULL liquids (including protein shakes) after a fill for a day or so. Early in the game, I had no problem with soft foods.

You also kind of have to adopt the mindset that deviating from the plan simply isn't an option. You have guidelines, and have to simply commit to following them. I'm not minimizing the difficulty; I know it's hard. But you can do it!

I'd like to add that your concern that the amount of Fluid you have in your band will not "last" (with fills) until you've lost all the weight you want to lose is likely unfounded. You will reach a level of good restriction. It may fluctuate a little, as you lose weight (the size of the fat pad on the stomach itself can decrease), but there's a good chance that you will require very little adjustment once you achieve restriction. So, you'll be able to continue to lose--and then, to maintain--without worrying about running out of "room" for fills. I agree--a stuck episode every now and then isn't a good gauge of whether you need a fill. Broccoli gives me trouble, too; I use broccoli slaw now. (It's made from the stems; the fuzzy crowns are like Velcro in my stomach, and clog me up every time!)

Emotional lability is really common postoperatively-- no matter what the surgery. Anesthesia and meds wreak havoc on the body and mind. Add in to that a restricted diet, grief for our old "friend," food, and you do have the recipe for teariness. As you start feeling better physically, the mood swings will taper off. It also gets better as you're able to advance your diet.

You're not banded yet; do you mean you're concerned about a gain before your last preop appointment? My surgeon would have cancelled my surgery if I'd gained 10 pounds; my insurance required a 3-month supervision, and my surgeon required that during that period, I lose 6 pounds. If I hadn't done so, the 3-month clock would have been restarted, no ifs, ands, or buts. I don't know what your surgeon requires, but a quick phone call to his office will ease your mind.

My addition: Keep your expectations aligned with what is realistic. You didn't gain weight overnight, and you will not lose it overnight. I'd also suggestthat anyone just beginning the journey focus on finding a surgeon who provides excellent patient education and aftercare--and MAKE USE OF IT. If you don't follow through with adjustments, nutrition education, and so on, then you are shortchanging yourself. Remember, the band is just a tool; it does NOT DO THE WORK. That's in your hands. That means that you have to make appropriate food choices, eat in appropriate amounts, and exercise routinely. FOREVER.

I wouldn't leap to eating more just yet. Rebecca's right; the body takes time to regroup. If your stall lasts long-term, journaling your intake and tweaking it might be a good idea. It might not be that you need more calories, but rather that you need to focus on other aspects--more Protein, less refined carb, less sodium, whatever; if you have a journal, you can sort of systematically tackle different aspects until you hit on what works best for your body. Your loss so far has been really good. Be sure to keep your expectations aligned with what is realistic.

100 pounds is an amazing loss! Congratulations! Are you exercising? If not, now is the time to start. It will jumpstart your loss. If you are, try changing your routine a bit.

I'm of the opinion that motivation isn't required. We do a bazillion things every single day that we aren't motivated to do. We brush our teeth. We feed the dog. We empty the litterbox. We go to work. We do these things because we have to. I consider eating and exercising in a way that promotes weight loss (or maintenance, farther down the road) to be things I have to do, as well. If I relied on motivation, most days I'd find plenty of reasons not to do either. Waiting for motivation is not the answer. Getting your band properly adjusted and committing to make the changes you need to make, regardless of how you feel about them is the answer. Just do it.

I think it's important to note that, during the immediate postop phase when eating is so, so restricted, it is very common to feel obsessed with foods you cannot eat. With time, advancing diet, and restriction, this usually fades. I think it's wise to consider what you will do if it persists. A good therapist can be worth his/her weight in gold. But don't rush to judgment; your response is pretty typical for someone who has been placed on a very restricted diet.

I'm slowing down, too. I do log my food on fitday.com, and use a bodybugg to make sure I have a good deficit each day. I eat a low-carb diet, too. Still, it is slowing down---and the only thing that seems to effect much change is bumping up my exercise.

It's not just a matter of fills. The band, even when there's appropriate restriction, can be "eaten around." For your friends, food is more important, at this point, than weight loss. Maybe that will change for them one day. But there's nothing you can do to effect that change.

Liquid during meals does a couple of things. First, it makes it easier for food to move out of the pouch quickly. Secondly, when you have restriction, it takes up space---and reduces your ability to get the nutrients you need. (Once you reach restriction, it becomes really uncomfortable to drink while eating; I think it's less important earlier on, but it's a good time to establish the habit.) My doctor's rule is that it's ok to drink right up to the first bite--but then not for 90 minutes after eating. This really increases my satiety. I have restriction now, and have never had to take tiny sips--I still don't. I can gulp, but only about 4 ounces at a time. It doesn't take long for that to move through, though---I can guzzle a lot of Fluid with no problem at all. (I've never even been told to take tiny sips--just to listen to my body.)

I use PURE from Bariatric Eating. You can not heat it in food. You have to temper the Protein so it doesn't denature (clump). To do this, first stir in a bit of the liquid (or food) at room temp (or cold). Just enough to make a paste. Then, heat the liquid until it's warm (not hot). Stirring constantly, add a bit of the warm liquid to the protein. (The idea is to gradually warm it). Then heat the liquid (or food) until it's a bit hotter than the temp you want (because you're adding it to not-hot). Again, stirring constantly, add the hot liquid (or food) to the protein. You don't have to be as meticulous if you're adding it to foods you eat cold. But do sprinkle it on gradually and stir a lot.

You look wonderful!

What on earth gives you this idea?! There is no such entitlement! Can some people eat limitless crap without weight consequences? Yes, but not many. And it catches up with them, usually--either with eventual weight gain or health issues. Wrong. Most people who are lean and healthy make wise food choices. They balance their indulgences with little restrictions to compensate. They limit their indulgences. They do not compulsively eat. They listen to their bodies and stop eating when they are satisfied, not stuffed. You're simply NOT going to achieve a state in which you do not have to worry about what you eat. Unless that state is simple resignation to a life of unhealthy morbid obesity. I have to disagree with the previous poster who said you should explore revision to bypass. While it might ultimately be a good option for you, it's really important to get your mind aligned with the realities of life with a modified body. Bypass requires far more caution, food-wise, and if you have the attitude that you should not have to worry about what you eat, you're not ready for that.

Obesity it multifactorial. It is caused by a variety of things--and these differ from person to person. What is FACT is that it is manageable. Yes, fat cells remain. Those who are obese remain vulnerable to obesity. But it can be conquered. However, there is NO way to conquer it if you believe you can't. And sounddude, it sounds like you believe that there is simply no hope for you. You have given up your power. For some of us, it's a daily struggle. For others of us, it's not. Either way, plenty of us do, in fact, overcome our obesity. I guarantee that each and every one of us assumes FULL responsibility for our actions---not caring whether a virus triggered activation of a gene that predisposed us to obesity. Predisposition is not fate. Past history does not dictate the future. YOU CAN LOSE WEIGHT. Does that mean that what works for me would work for you? Not necessarily. I spent lots of time learning what worked for me. Before I even hit an OR, I knew that my body will not lose weight unless I eat around 800 calories a day. Does it suck? Sure--that's not very many calories. But no matter how hard I try to prove it wrong, it is what it is. If I eat more than 1000 calories, I gain. Period. Is it fair? What's fair? I do what I have to do to lose weight. I have a gastric band to make it easier to stick with 800-900 calories/day. I make very careful food choices, because it's hard to get the nutrients I need each day when eating that amount. I exercise religiously. Your body may need completely different things. It's your responsibility to find out what those things are, and do them. You have to knock off the self-destructive, self-defeating behaviors. It's really as simple (and as terrifyingly difficult) as that. It's not easy at all--but the formula IS simple: eat less than your body needs. Burn more calories than you put in. Excruciatingly difficult to do, at times---but those of us who do it do, in fact, get the results we want. We all have barriers to loss. Some of us have huge physical obstacles. Most of us have at least some emotional barriers. With hard work, we can get past them. You never will, though, if you just accept your, "it's not curable" stance. Look, you're not doing anything remotely supportive of weight loss. Why don't you give it the effort you're giving to defending the hopelessness of it all? You might be pleasantly surprised.

I don't think I could have wrestled into Spanx immediately postop, and abdominal tenderness would have made them very uncomfortable. But once you get past the immediate postop hurdle, there's no problem with them.

Day Four was my worst day. The sore throat is likely from being intubated. A saltwater gargle is a good idea; throwing salt down your gullet then drinking water ...not so much. I hope you feel better fast! For me, it was all smooth sailing after the fourth day.

Congratulations--you're on your way!

Endoscopy wasn't part of my preop screening, but it's no biggie. You will be given conscious sedation, most likely. It creates a not-quite-asleep-but-couldn't-care-less state that makes it easier for both you and the doctor :smile: