BetsyB

I was just below a BMI of 40 when banded (40 when the process started)---and didn't lose anything on the preop diet or the liquid phase post-op (which was blessedly short). It really is quite normal. You'll lose! It gets so much better. Are you starting to feel well (aside from hunger)?

If you want a good unflavored Protein to add to things like broth, once you're allowed to have it, Bariatric Eating's PURE unflavored whey protein isolate is excellent. There's a trick to using it in hot liquids, though. You have to first add a bit of tepid Water, mix into a paste, then VERY slowly add warm liquid. This tempers the protein so that it doesn't denature & clump up. Once it's tempered, you can stir in hotter liquid, to bring it to the temp you like. (You cannot reheat, though---the protein will separate out in little rubbery clumps. So do this with single servings of broth, Soup, whatever...)

Before I had restriction, I had no concept of "stuck" (other than what occurred immediately postop with a pain pill), PBing, vomiting, or the oft-described chest-tightness. It wasn't until I approached restriction that these sensations developed any meaning for me. And I still haven't really experienced PBing; I've vomited. Sometimes, this is a sign that I need to do something differently. Other times, it's pretty arbitrary. Bands can be fickle, and there are just times where things don't go down well for me. (For example, I've learned that when I am just about to get my period, I get stuck--on foods that I eat in small bites, chew thoroughly, etc. There is no way of knowing when this is going to occur, with any certainty. It happens when it happens, and it's my signal to eat soft foods and use Protein shakes for a day or so.) As for plateaus, in my experience they simply require waiting it out. If you're eating the way you should, then loss will resume after your body figures out that it's okay to let go of the weight. OTOH, your post implies that your diet might have room for improvement. If so, and if you want to continue to lose as you work toward good restriction, then you just can't fall back on the "no willpower" excuse. You'll have to muster it up, and eat in a way that promotes weight loss. Just 'cause you can eat a lot doesn't mean you should :bored:

I am going to sound tremendously blunt, but will say it anyway: your expectations are unrealistic. Right now, you are on Clear Liquids NOT to promote weight loss, but rather to allow your body time to heal. Many, many people gain during this time---due to meds, the stress of surgery, tissue swelling, the increase in Fluid intake (IVs and oral), fluid retention, and so on. The liquid diet is not intended to result in lasting weight loss. When you reintroduce solids, it's likely you'll see a little upward blip. But after that you can expect steady--but not rapid--loss. Many will tell you that loss won't come until you have restriction; this is not true. If you choose to manage what you eat during the period known as bandster hell, you can lose very effectively. But whether you choose to diet or wait for restrictino, things just aren't going to move all that quickly. The band is not a fast route to weight loss--but it is an effective route. I know it's very frustrating, especially at the beginning. If the scale frustrates you, you might want to take it out of your routine for a while.

I have never had difficulty getting liquids in. I think the real difficulty that you hear people discussing comes not from restriction, but stems from the fact that we're not supposed to drink for a period of time after eating. This effectively reduces the time we have to get all of our needed fluids in. It's not so much that it's difficult, physically, to do so. As you gain some restriction, you may find that your stomach capacity limits how much you can take in at once---but you'll figure that out as you go.

No comparison! My first c-section was on the heels of a 53+-hour labor, so I'm not even using that one as a basis for comparison. My second was a breeze. And banding was light-years easier. Like Jacqui said, the first night was similar---I felt cruddy, but not terrible. I did accept pain meds in the hospital in order to get up and moving around a lot. That made a huge difference. By the next day, it was a soreness issue---not an I-just-had-major-abdominal-surgery thing. And it was very liveable. Yes, there are discomforts, and there are twinges of pain. But it's nothing like a c-section.

If you want to achieve the correct fill level, you will have to see your doctor regularly for tiny adjustments. This is part of the expected aftercare for the band. If you want to succeed, you have to do your part--and that includes scheduling doctor's appointments. Do it sooner rather than later so that you can start enjoying the BENEFITS of the band. There's a world of difference between a poorly-adjusted band and one that is just right.

Oh, no! What a disappointment! I'm so sorry. Listen to Anne--she's very wise :bored:

If Cookies and cake go down, so can yogurt, lowfat cottage cheese, Beans, Protein shakes, tender steamed veggies, and any number of healthier options. An incorrectly adjusted band certainly can make it difficult for some of the "good stuff" to go down---but an improperly adjusted mindset is often just as big an obstacle to weight loss. I suspect it's at least a factor in your long-term stall. If you really are so tight that you can't get dense protein and veggies down, then a slight unfill may actually jumpstart your loss. It's really important to give yourself the best odds for successful loss; the first step is working with your doctor to achieve the right level of restriction. Then, the ball's in your court. The band can't make food choices for you. And it can't make sure that your eating behaviors are compatible with the band--that you're eating slowly, chewing well, and so on. Be sure you're doing your part.

I like board shorts :bored:

First, happy birthday! I hope you have a wonderful day! I've handled celebration meals pretty much like every other meal: I eat the portion of the meal that works for me, leave the rest behind, and focus on my family and conversation :bored: It gets SO SO SO much easier when you have restriction. You really do reach the point where your mind doesn't want the stuff you "shouldn't" have---when you're satisfied, then it's just so much simpler to say, "No thanks."

It sounds like you have swelling caused by a stuck episode (the vomiting). When this happens to me, I have learned NOT to eat---but to focus on fluids. Once the swelling goes down, I add eating back in. Sip, sip, sip continuously. If you can't get enough Fluid in to produce pale yellow urine, call your doctor. If you think you have already become dehydrated, call your doctor, describe what's going on, and let him/her know, with as much specificity as possible, what your intake and output has been today. Chances are, you're not at the point where you require IV fluids--but it's always better to be safe than sorry.

A couple of caveats: if you go into the surgery with realistic expectations, you may well avoid buyer's remorse. The regrets associated with banding seem to be associated with unrealistic goals. And you can lose significantly before you achieve restriction. It will be the last time you experience hunger in the name of weight loss, and some of us find it less frustrating to really watch what we eat during this time. It feels like dieting (because, well, it is dieting!) ....but it also helps us feel like we haven't had surgery for naught. It's a personal choice (often driven by doctor-recommended eating regimen)---but know that it is a choice that is in your hands. You can modify your behavior so that you lose even when you do not yet have adequate restriction. Doing this has the added bonus of really getting you in "practice" for the eating behaviors required with restriction.

I feel like a kid on Christmas, too--isn't it great?! Please don't worry about exercising increasing your hunger/appetite too much. I haven't found it to be the case at all. If anything, I have the psychological don't-want-to-undo-my-hard-work thing going on. Exercise will, however, buy you some leeway in terms of how much you can eat and still lose effectively :thumbup:

Yep, sounds like the turkey got stuck. It may have moved through--after I have a stuck episode, swelling increases my restriction for a good day or so. I lack the patience for stuck episodes; I make myself throw up. It's not violent, it's just gentle regurgitation of the offending food. The quicker it gets out, for me, the less swelling I have. It took me longer than I'd like to admit to accept that, after this happens, I really can't attempt solid foods for 24 hours or so. Fortunately, it does not happen frequently.

What are you eating?

Monkeymama is right on target. The blood tests are nonspecific, and the most likely culprit for their abnormalities in a woman who's losing weight is the gall bladder. It used to be common practice for surgeons to remove the gall bladder at the time of banding, for this very reason. However, increased infection rates have pretty much put an end to that practice. Good luck!

Surgeons' bedside manners sometimes are lacking. A person may be brilliant in the operating room, but lack social skills. Just like anyone else. Chances are, he expected someone else in his sphere to have educated you regarding what to expect from your fill. I wouldn't assume that you're "being played." Very few people feel noticeable restriction from their first fill. And the month-long wait between appointments? It seems that the standard, or as close as can be considered a standard in this every-doctor-has-a-slightly-different-protocol world, is six weeks between fills. So, you come out a little ahead on that. It would be nice if all doctors took the time to explain things like this---but they don't. Even mine, who is wonderful, didn't tell me about bandster hell, I don't think. Luckily, I've been in this forum since well before surgery. You are, too. You know, from reading here, that restriction is rarely achieved with the first fill. So you're in a far better spot than the patients of your boorish doctor who leave the office perplexed. I am sorry you did not have the experience you expected. But don't assume the worst.

I was unable to get on for several hours yesterday morning.

Whew! I'm glad it's just noise, not pain!

Check with your doctor if you're not sure, but in general, binders are a comfort measure, and can be removed, at least periodically, to increase your comfort. It sounds as though yours does give you good support and comfort---but I wonder whether, during the hours when you're not up and around, it would be okay to give your skin a break from it. I'd give the doc a call.

Don't worry. The port is usually a little above or below the incision. The scar won't get in the way. It's common not to be able to feel the port at first. It becomes more prominent as you lose weight. I promise, your doctor will be able to find it for a fill!

Liquids and mushy foods bypass the band pretty effectively. They sneak past it, and the stomach empties faster. The band is designed to slow the passage of solid food from the upper portion of the stomach. So, you are likely to achieve far greater satisfaction from solid foods. I won't address the calorie issue, except to say that yes--it is a very low calorie diet. Whether this is appropriate for you is something you should discuss with your doctor or nutritionist. Were you told to stick in this range?

IMO, Inspire is hands-down the best. OTOH, you'll want to check with your doctor. Mine does NOT consider it (or any of the powders) to be suitable for the clear liquid diet. Depending on how long you have to be on it, you may not need Protein (during that phase); I was only on Clear Liquids for 3 days, so it was not an issue. Isopure isn't awful IF you pour it into a Water bottle that has a sports cap. As long as you don't smell it while you drink it, it's not half bad. But Inspire is light-years better, if your doctor okays it.

And yes---you're right. There is more than a respiratory risk. Smoking does interfere with wound healing, too---because of the blood vessel constriction you've mentioned. That reverses fairly rapidly after smoking cessation.