BetsyB

Every single day, without fail---usually more than once.

The "starvation mode" is controversial at very best. Your body has fat stores to use for energy. It may be reluctant to let them go, but upping your calorie intake may not be the best route to take. Your body probably does not require more energy in order to meet its needs---after all, it has reserve. That said, if you're banging your head against the wall, there's not really any harm in upping your calories to see what happens. It may trigger loss, at least for a while. Or you might maintain or gain. Either way, you get important information about what your body needs. Information that, really, no trainer knows. Bodies are weird. Bodies with fat reserves can be especially weird---they don't like giving the fat up sometimes. I spent years listening to those who told me I needed to eat more to lose---including trainers---and just wound up heavier. LOTS heavier. I've since discovered I need 800-1000 calories/day, with exercise, to lose at a moderate pace. When I am normal weight, I need 800-1000 calories/day, with exercise, to maintain (with room for occasional indulgences). Boy, did I want those doctors and trainers to be right! 800 calories a day, sans band, sucks! But for this body, they were wrong. Thank God for the band---it allows me to stick to that low level of intake.

It used to be common practice to remove the gallbladder during banding. The thought was that rapid loss often resulted in gall stones, so they'd cut to the chase. They determined that the incidence of postop infection is FAR higher when the procedures are performed at the same time. Many surgeons now prefer to do the cholecystectomy first, allow healing, then do the banding. It's nice to get it all done in one fell swoop, but I'd want to explore the added risk first.

Your insurance contract is what it is. If you want changes, approach your employer--they can make changes to the policy at policy-renewal time. In the meantime, do what YOU need to do to lose weight. The band doesn't do it for you. Research how you need to eat with the band--then do it, even without the band. Exercise. The band is a tool. It makes it easier. But it doesn't do the work. It doesn't produce life-savingly fast results. I know you feel hopeless and helpless, and I'm terribly sorry for that. But you DO have control. You CAN make progress. Your screen name makes me sad :eek: I'm sorry you're feeling so bad.

Good questions! 1. I have some discomfort/pain when I take a really deep breath. This is very likely very normal. Your insides have been disrupted! The pain may be due to gas that was added to your abdominal cavity to make maneuvering easier. If so, it will resolve over the next week or so. It may also be due to the incision and/or organ manipulation. 2. I am adding some things to my Protein shakes (1/2 banana, spoon of peanut butter).. they go down ok, is that ok? It depends on your doctor's requirements. For my doctor, this would be a DEFINITE no-no. But your doctor's regimen may be completely different. If in doubt, call the office. I was on purees on Day 3---but bananas? Verboten until the third month postop. If you don't like your protein supplements, Bariatric Eating has a line of protein powders called Inspire. They are great. You can order them online at bariatriceating.com. 3. Some times I get this hiccup/burp feeling.. it takes a few minutes, but can burp and it goes away. Totally normal :eek: 4. What does "the band" or "restriction" feel like? It doesn't feel like anything until you eat. Then, if you remember to take small bites and chew very well, it just feels as though you're satisfied sooner. (I hesitate to say "full," because you won't feel "full" the same way as preoperatively.) In general, I'm not at all aware of my band. I feel my port from time to time, when I bend certain ways or lean on things. But the band doesn't "feel."

My surgeon's regimen is actually very limited---it emphasizes Protein (JUST protein) at the beginning. Two months out, veggies are added back in, and three months out, fruits. He also is a three-meal-a-day guy. I find that I do better with 5 smaller meals (same number of calories over the course of the day). Not really because of hunger at this point, but because if I don't have protein supplements as Snacks, I don't reach my protein goal. (I aim for 80-100 g/day.) I start out with a warm Protein Shake soon after I get up. I need this because I take a number of supplement capsules, and the warm liquid helps the Gelatin dissolve so they don't get stuck. After I exercise, I have brunch. This is usually around 10-ish. It definitely is my carbiest meal of the day---usually chicken chili with black Beans and a little cheddar. (I'm weird; I prefer savory stuff like this to Breakfast food.) For lunch, I have 3-4 ounces of protein (turkey, tuna, something like that) and 1/2 c. nonstarchy veggies. Sometimes I add a fruit. If I do, I save the veggie for dinner. For dinner, I focus on protein. If I haven't had a veg for lunch, I'll have it now. But usually, I'm tighter at dinnertime so I don't tend to want as much. Before bed, I take more supplements, and have another warm Protein Drink. All told, I get ~800-1000 cal/day. Meals are protein, protein + nonstarchy veg, and protein + fruit (some days). I won't add grains/starches other than legumes in until I reach 75 percent of excess weight lost. We're asked to commit to a year of really focusing on loss, with this very restrictive regimen. After that, things loosen up quite a bit. So far, so good :eek:

I couldn't be happier for you :eek:

My surgeon and insurance require an overnight stay. I was very grateful for the time in the hospital.

May I address the naked body concern? I am an RN, and have never seen a patient's body unnecessarily exposed. You will wear a gown into the OR, and will be covered with a sheet or blanket. When your abdomen is exposed, it will be done so in a way that the remainder of your body is covered. I don't bring this up to minimize your fears; I understand why you have them. Rather, I want to reassure you that you will NOT be naked and exposed, either while awake or under anesthesia.

I'm sorry you're experiencing so much pain--it sounds horrendous! I would ask for a referral to a rheumatologist.

I think it's perfectly natural to want to return to the things that we've used as coping tools in the past. Emotional eating is something that has comforted you before---so of course your mind takes you there when you're stressed. I also think that there are more adaptive ways to cope with stress---and that using them will probably go a long way toward helping you feel better. Eating will not. Not in the long run, at least. It carries such an emotional and physical cost. When you're stressed, your body needs for you to feed it WELL. It needs adequate Fluid. It needs a good balance of exercise and rest. (Being overtired REALLY plays in to the disinhibition that feeds emotional eating.) If given these things--even when they're tricky to fit in because of a hectic schedule---you'll find that the urge to emotionally overeat diminishes. You'll also find that you're better equipped to cope with the stressors. Good luck! You will get past these big events intact---it is overwhelming now, but it will all pass. Be kind to yourself in the meantime.

I'm 5'2" and wore size 8 at 115-120. I wore size 12 up to around 155 pounds. Now I'm in 18s at 190-ish. It's not just that bodies are different, it's that sizes vary tremendously from manufacturer to manufacturer.

I wonder if your developing baby/growing uterus are placing pressure on the port region from within. There are lots and lots of weird pains associated with pregnancy, and they seem to peak at the time when fetal growth becomes evident---right about where you are. When you've got a tiny, tiny little embryo, there aren't all that many changes. But as you grow, the stretching muscles and pressure against structures/organs do hurt sometimes. I think it probably would be a good idea to check with your surgeon to see if this sounds like something he's heard about from other patients who've gone on to become pregnant. I'd be willing to be that you're in good company. Good luck--what an exciting time for you!

Not to seem overly blunt, but you don't have a choice. The temptation will always be there---you need to develop strategies to cope with it. Getting a fill will go a long way toward helping with the hunger--but it's not going to do away with the head hunger,or the sense that you 'deserve' chocolate after a bad day, etc. You are going to have to tackle those issues. (I bet that chocolate mini eggs go down pretty easily, even with appropriate restriction. Evil things.) I'm reading a really good book addressing emotional eating. It's called Shrink Yourself by Roger Gould, MD. In reading it, I've sort of confirmed that I'm not much of an emotional eater---but it still has useful tactics for me. And it is REALLY geared toward nipping emotional eating in the bud. Our relationships with food are so tricky!

Wait, wait, wait! Cherita, you were banded over a month after me, have lost 38 pounds, and are unhappy with your loss? Holy moly! I agree, time to reframe! Your loss is terrific!

Anne, it's lower on the glycemic index, and is more nutritious than white--so if you're incorporating grains, it's okay, nutrition-wise. But some people still have trouble with its stickiness, it seems.

My doctor doesn't have a mushy rule post-fill---and for the first two fills I was grateful for this. HOWEVER, he does caution us to listen carefully to our bodies---and let's just say that my body didn't start talking, after Fill #3, until I already was in pain. The recommendation is made because filling the band exerts pressure on the stomach, and can result in swelling that causes the stoma to become smaller than it will eventually be, once the swelling calms down. As you approach restriction, this swelling can make it much more likely that you'll have a stuck episode. I empathize with the hunger--I had no noticeable difference after my first two fills, and would have been tempted to gnaw the legs off my kitchen chairs if I had ot stick to liquids! (But now, after fills, that is all I want!)

Hi, Gang! I hope everyone's doing well. I will do a catch-up in the morning. Just wanted to share that I passed the 40 pound post-band mark---I guess I jumped off my plateau harder than I thought! I also thought I'd share what's for dinner tonight--it seems good and band-friendly. I found it in Rachael Ray's magazine when I was waiting for Preston at the dentist's office. Moo Shu Pork Kebabs 2 T hoisin sauce 2 T soy sauce 1 tsp. rice wine vinegar 1 T sugar (I will use Splenda) 1 tsp corn starch 12 oz boneless pork chops, cut into 16 1-inch cubes (I am leaving/serving them as whole chops because, well---I'm lazy) 16 white mushrooms (I'm using crimini, 'cause I have 'em--and I'll julienne them to be like the 'shrooms in moo shu) 1.5 T vegetable oil 3 c. shredded cole slaw mix Preheat broiler. In a bowl, combine hoisin, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Pour half into another bowl and add cornstarch. Thread pork and mushrooms onto 8 skewers. Rub with 1 T oil and place on baking sheet. (I plan to saute both, together.) Cook, turning once, for 5 minutes. Brush with the hoisin mixture that doesn't have cornstarch. Cook, turning once for 4 more minutes. In a skillet, heat the remaining 1.5 tsp oil over medium-high heat. Add coleslaw mix and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in hoisin-cornstarch mix and cook for 1 more minute. I'm serving this with (for the family) peanut noodles; I'll just have 3-4 oz. of pork and veggies. Have a great evening, everyone!

Yes, it's normal to feel it. And depending on your surgeon's placement, it really may be just under the incision. The upper edge of mine aligns with the incision.

My doctor does one of two thing: 11 cc Realize band or 14 cc Lap-band. He makes the decision based on stomach size.

I think along 80/20 lines, too, Missy--it ties in with the Japanese "hara hachibun," which means, "eight-tenths full." It can be applied both to an 80/20 distribution of food over time, or aiming to stop, when eating, just short of being "full." I think it's a really sensible way to approach lots of things in life---food, but also things like exercise, and so on. There's room for indulgence if you are cautious most of the time :thumbup:

I'm with Jacqui. Soy---and particularly soy Protein isolate from genetically modified sources---is hugely allergenic to many. (And this allergy can be difficult to diagnose because it's very difficult to remove soy from the diet without moving to a whole foods diet.) If you're lucky enough to be spared allergy, soy appears to be connected with several serious health conditions. Its phytoestrogens (plant estrogens), in tiny amounts, may be helpful to perimenopausal women (though the jury's still out). In people without dwindling estrogen--or who eat larger larger amounts (or use concentrated sources such as soy protein isolate supplements), the phytoestrogens may contribute to the development of breast and other cancers. Further, soy can suppress thyroid function and may affect cognitive function in the elderly. But I suspect your concern is primarily in the quality of the protein---and for that, it's just not as bioavailable (easily used by the body for cell growth, maintenance, and repair) as whey protein isolate. I personally would NOT rely on soy protein isolate as a regular part of my diet---for safety reasons. From the Harvard school of public health: (italics mine, bolding theirs) This sentiment is repeated often in the medical literature.

I understand that your doctor's goal is to get you to "normal" as quickly as possible. BUT, it's perfectly normal, after a fill (though it's usually not marked with the first), to experience swelling---and 'babying' the band for a few days can be a very good idea. My doctor doesn't have us go to liquids or mushies after a fill, either. And it wasn't until my THIRD fill that this caused me any problem. I got stuck right away---and rather than tell myself, "Well, time to take it easy," I proceeded to try "normal" food for the next several meals. I ended up VASTLY prolonging the time before I could return to "normal". Most of us have really, really excellent surgeons. But most of them do not have bands---and do not therefore really viscerally (no pun intended) understand our limitations all the time. I'm not suggesting you discount what your doctor tells you---but rather reassuring you that, if you have difficulty, it's okay to listen to your band, and take your cues from your very own body. Certainly, you don't want to subsist long-term on liquids or mushies; but if you require a day or two to let swelling go down, there's no need to feel as though you're defying doctor's orders. You're not; you're doing what YOU need to do in order to feel well.

Yes, the sugar-free ones are okay. Your subject line refers to no-sugar-added popsicles, though---and they often are NOT okay for the preop diet. So do what you've done, and continue to read labels :thumbup:

Flagyl. If you take the antibiotic Flagyl (you can say it's for a urinary tract infection) with alcohol, it causes a VIOLENT reaction. Ha! Cathy beat me to it :thumbup: