BetsyB

You're quite right. We all have tried calorie restriction in the past. However, we've done it without a tool that permits us to do so comfortably. No one can choose which surgery is best for you other than you, with the guidance of your surgeon. But most of us are really, really happy with the results we've achieved. I would like to correct a misconception. You write, re: RNY: The malabsorption associated with bypass is significant. The portion of the bowel that is bypassed may be small, but it is where a vast percentage of nutrient absorption occurs. That doesn't mean RNY is a bad procedure. It just means that it carries with it other considerations---the need for lifelong supplementation (Protein, other nutrients) becomes far more critical. And the eating limitations are far, far greater. Some people view the latter as a bonus. Only you can decide whether that's the case for you.

Good morning, everyone! TGIF!! Bob, Days 3 & 4 sucked for me--that's when I felt I'd been hit by a Mack truck. Hang in there--it improves quickly! For your first stuck episode, I'd recommend sticky rice. Plain. Jen, congrats on getting into smaller jeans! If that's not a great motivator, I don't know what is! Illuminationlady--how exciting for your daughter. I'm so glad she has your support. And 14 inches!! Tremendous! Denise--Butters is going to be one happy dog with all the walking. And it looks like the scale likes it, too! Are you feeling any better? Liz--Waahhh! I can't see your pics! Can you please add me? I promise not to distribute them widely across the internet. Sticking to 2 bites of delicious chocolatiness is great. I haven't yet, but plan to use the 3-bite rule. I have a feeling that I won't have room for more pretty soon! Hummingbird---how is your cousin doing? I'm hanging in. Mark's home and okay---not a lot different, seemingly, from "normal." He sees the transplant team on Monday. I am nervous. Scared they'll say he's not ready yet. Scared they'll say it's too late. Really, what I need to do is just let it go---I can express my concerns to them, but stewing about them isn't doing me any good. What is IS doing is making me jump out of my skin. My remedy is walking. Truman and I walked twice yesterday, for a total of 7-7.5 miles. It was gorgeous out---very good for the soul! Did I post that I got my second fill? Well, I got my second fill on Wednesday---and while I don't think I'm quite there yet, I feel a real difference this time. At the class preceding, it was emphasized that the doctor almost NEVER allows anyone to get filled at intervals closer than 6 weeks. But I've found that if you are pretty obviously compliant, and ask nicely, he does. This one was after 3 weeks, and he let me keep my appointment for 3 weeks from now. So, hopefully I'll be feeling sweet in a few weeks. The difference I feel now is primarily in the morning. I'm nice and tight, and the span between breakfast and lunch, before I get hungry, is loooong. But then I am right back to wanting to eat everything not nailed down. (I don't--I just want to!) So, we'll see. Today, I have orders from Bariatric Eating (protein powder, sugar-free barbecue sauce, parmesan crisps) and Bandtastic Meals coming---it will be nice to have some new goodies to sample. Have a great day, everyone! ETA: Now I see you, Liz--you look AMAZING! Beautiful :smile2:

Nah, it's not that. PB isn't terribly high in protein. It IS very high in fat--and I'd guess that you're just plain hungry. It does taste good, and it does stick with you, but it's not a great choice for weight loss. What are you eating during the day? Are you getting adequate solid protein?

If you can get enough liquids in you to stay hydrated, I would hold off for a few days to see if things loosen up as swelling goes down.

This is not true. They can charge a program fee, and expect payment. Most insurers will not reimburse for the program fee. You can choose a doctor who does not have a program fee--but IMO, that rules out some of the very, very best surgeons with the best aftercare programs. I wouldn't let $300 stand between me and the doctor I have. Seriously, $300 (plus a handful of $35 copays preop) is small potatoes for the reward received. I know it seems like a lot--but if you put OUT of your mind the notion that you are somehow being scammed and instead consider that the program fee might carry with it some very real benefits to you, it becomes lots easier to swallow.

I'm sorry you're feeling let down, but it's really not unusual for a doctor to recommend significant loss prior to surgery with a patient whose BMI is as high as yours. It's not really related to success rate of the band--it's related to getting you through the surgery alive. You've asked another person to put his reputation and license on the line for your benefit. You have to do YOUR part. Many doctors do recommend bypass for patients with more to lose. There are valid reasons for this. But that does not mean that the band won't work. It means that you have to discuss, with the doctor, his rationale for his recommendations, and then make the most EDUCATED choice you can make. As for the program fee: it's not unusual for surgeons to have program fees that cover the nutrition and exercise counseling that are so, so important to success. That said, it sounds like you're not comfortable with your doctor. And, in fact, that you may have chosen him for the wrong reasons (lower cost). It would be a good idea for you to get a second opinion. Even attending a handful of (free) surgeon seminars can help you get a good feel for a practice. You'll find out, right away, whether there's a program fee---and you'll learn a lot about how each doctor approaches things.

My favorite pizzeria makes a crustless pizza that my whole family loves (double-edged sword: they EAT MY PIZZA!). The crust is actually a very thin layer of their sausage. It's a little higher in fat than I like for a meal, but really, the nutritional info is way better than I expected--so it makes a great treat.

Ow! how miserable, coughing with a fresh band! You say that, preop, you relied on the antihistamine to control the coughing; is that not working now? If not, I'd see the doctor to make sure that the cough you have now is not caused by something different. In the meantime, you're not destined to a life of painkillers--BUT you are relatively recently banded, and taking pain medication to deal with post-op pain is a perfectly reasonable thing to do, until the cough is under control and you are over the hump pain-wise. Be sure, when you cough, to splint your site by pressing your hands or a pillow over it. It really does help. A heating pad, when you're resting, can help, too. But I'd start with the doctor to make sure I didn't need an antibiotic or bronchodilator. Don't give up on the band yet! Conquer the cough. I'm sorry you feel so cruddy!

I have chronic sinus crud, too--and have never vomited. I'm only 2 months out--but have had 2 fills, and one stuck episode (a pill, during the first week postop; no vomiting was involved). I don't rule out EVER doing it---I think most do at one time or another. But caution can go a long way toward preventing problems. For the sinus stuff, I've found that drinking all the recommended fluids REALLY helps keep secretions loose enough that they don't cause any obstruction. When I'm especially cruddy, Mucinex loosens secretions enough that I don't get any sort of stomach sequelae. (I know people who take Mucinex every day to prevent this.) While it's not foolproof, you can do lots of things to prevent vomiting. You don't want to swallow anything larger than a pencil eraser; if you start out with bites that small, and chew, chew, chew, your odds of getting stuck are way lower. Then, too, you have to figure out what works for your body--you might have foods that just don't work well for you---so you find alternatives. From what I understand, the vomiting associated with the band isn't at ALL like the vomiting we usually think of when we think "puke." Sliming aside (a weird phenomenon; the one time I did it it made me feel like a rabid coyote), it's usually the forceful expulsion of one offending bit of undigested food---not the entire gross stomach content thing. Still, better to avoid when possible!

Not that I don't TOTALLY understand where you're coming from, because I had/have the sweet tooth from hell. But this is one path I just won't let myself go down. If I can help it, I will NEVER know how easily sweets go down! I can't afford to have that working against me.

A fistula is not an abscess. It's an abnormal passage between an organ and another organ or site. It's kind of like a tunnel--and may form a hole. It may or may not involve infection. I would venture to guess that, in this case, it's the result of erosion or ulceration--but I'd want my doctor to explain this further, if I were in your shoes. I'm glad you'll be getting your questions answered today. I'm really sorry you're going through this!

Dude! That is an Iron will. I understand your need to test. It feels good to resist--and you're right: it is a life change. I cook meals for the rest of my family, so I understand the whole resistance thing. They're always so concerned I feel deprived--but I have to tell you: I don't. I sit at the table with them and have whatever variation of their dinner I can have---and it's all good.

The free gas in your abdomen ultimately diffuses into your intestine for "removal." Gas-X doesn't help the pain when the gas is trapped in your abdomen, but as you move around, and it moves into your gut, it does help.

My surgeon has a program fee. It includes nutrition counseling/classes, educational materials, and access to exercise facilities. It is not covered by insurance. At $300, it is among the lowest such fees in the area. I don't think it sounds shady. If you're committed to using the surgeon, and enrolled as part of the program, then I would expect a program fee.

It doesn't sound weird to me--not at all. For the last several years, it has been tremendously frustrating that so little could be done to improve the quality of his life. Getting a new lease on life would be an enormous blessing. If he were able to get even a handful of years feeling good again---well, I can't even quantify the value that would have.

Heidi, it's completely normal to be nervous. But I think if you look down deep, you'll realize that banding is a pretty sane and rational decision. Look at what you're proposing as an alternative: drinking liquids and eating one tiny meal a day. That's no way to live! With the band, your intake will be restricted for a period of time. That's to allow your band to become well-established in your body. There are NO foods you can "never have again." Even if, like me, you choose to be really stringent most of the time, there is always leeway for a bit of something you love. You can't have it all, whenever you want it---but you can make room for what you love. I have to say: I couldn't be sorrier about the loss of your baby. The devastation is beyond what I can even imagine, as a mother. I am so, so, sorry. It was not your fault--it just wasn't; please do not burden yourself with that. I can't tell you whether the surgery is the right decision for you. I know it was for me. My kids are older, but I found myself feeling, just last night, an overwhelming gratitude that I had the surgery when I did. I didn't have comorbidities--I've been blessed with good health despite my weight. But I have a husband who is very ill--and suddenly deteriorating. If I'd postponed, I don't know when I would have done the surgery---and now, I can relax a little bit, knowing that my kids will have at least ONE healthy parent for a long, long time. That answered my fleeting second-guessing in a hurry! I hope you find answers for yours Good luck--you'll do great!

It's funny you should mention that those who are successful don't discuss the struggles as much as the successes. For this VERY reason, the psych who did my preop evaluation had reservations about clearing me. He felt I would be LESS apt to succeed because my approach is to focus on the positive. I flat-out told him that some people consider that to be motivation---and a positive thing. And that for us, it's just the way we are. It's not that we have unrealistic expectations--we know there will be struggles. Hell, if we've wound up in a bariatric surgeon's office, we've HAD struggles! There ARE struggles--for all of us. I have been very fortunate that all of mine, so far, have been in my own head, and easily surmountable. I'm not nearly far enough out of the starting gate to know whether I will continue to enjoy smooth sailing---but I am confident that I can handle whatever the band throws my way. I guess my point is that, no matter how you view the struggles, you can experience great success with the band.

I stand against the wall next to the fluoro. The needle is inserted and part of the saline injected. I slide over to the fluoro & he takes a look as I swallow barium. Then he adds the saline in increments, observing under fluoro as I swallow after each addition. Works very well

Thanks, everyone, for the good thoughts and prayers. They were all set to send Mark home yesterday--and do all testing on an outpatient basis. I was beside myself---it felt SO different to me this time, and I was really scared that they were overlooking something serious. They changed their mind when Mark had more chest pain---and ultimately took him to the cath lab. The good news is that he didn't have another heart attack. His stents (he has 5 or 6) are all patent, and nothing else stood out as a good place to prop open. (He has lots of diffuse damage that can't be stented, though.) So that's the good news. The bad news is that his cardiac function has decreased drastically---to the point where they're talking transplant. We've always known this day might come. But he's been chugging along for 10 years without it becoming a reality; I guess it was easy to pretend it would never get worse. So...I guess we take it from there. Mark does have a transplant team. Though it was always a "distant" possibility, we thought it was wise for him to be on their radar if and when the time came. He's checked in with them every year or so since his first heart attack. Hopefully, they will be able to just pick up where the others left off. Hopefully, the timing is right; my biggest fear is that they will rule him out because the diabetes has damaged other organ systems. So far, that does not seem to be the case, but he's never been subjected to the type of rigorous testing that occurs pre-transplant. If I were looking for a silver lining, I would have to say that I feel "lucky" (in a perverse way) to have traveled the transplant road with another family member; my brother received a liver in 1994. Very different organs, but the pre-transplant path is similar for both. Knowing what is coming---and that it can be endured---is comforting. Anyway, thank you all. I will now go back and read all of your good news from yesterday and respond instead of focusing just on myself. (Sorry to burden; writing does help, though.)

Hooray! Uneventful is the way to go! I'm so glad things went smoothly! When I was in the hospital cafeteria yesterday (just getting unsweet tea), I imagined you rolling your IV pole down to your cafeteria to test the bread. I know you won't---it just made me giggle. Which, in turn, made the three people in there stare at me.

No, don't pull them off---at least not until they are hanging by a thread. They're there for a reason. If the itching drives you nuts, ask your doctor if you can take Benadryl. Don't apply anything to the itchy skin; it may interfere with wound healing.

Gloria, in my decaffeinated glory, I can't find where to do this. Can you direct me?

Bob! TWO milestones in one day---amazing! You will be in my thoughts today--I know you will take it all in stride and be walking the halls tonight, raring to get on with your new life. I can't wait to hear how WELL it went! ETA: If you all can spare some healing thoughts, my husband, Mark, was taken to the hospital by ambulance last night for unremitting chest pain. The jury's still out on whether he had a heart attack. (Enzymes aren't all back yet.) Having been down this road before, I think it's likely the worst is yet to come--just based on how he feels this morning. (He's been known to go in, only to conveniently have a heart attack where they can observe its occurrence in the cardiac cath lab; considerate dude, no?) He has a history of catastrophic MI with resulting congestive heart failure. He is also an insulin-dependent diabetic---and right now is a metabolic mess. His hospital visits often have a sort of routine, predictable feel to them. This one feels different to me. So, good thoughts would be appreciated. My kids could use 'em, too. Thank goodness my daughter is home for spring break--it's much easier to reassure her when she's in the same room! Off to blow off steam with Truman, then to submerge myself in work so that I can be free to go to the hospital later in the day. I hope everyone else has a CALM, catastrophe-free day!

I think it's probably the only rule I wouldn't put into quotation marks. It's hard-and-fast--the one that EVERY doctor seems to have. Your stomach capacity is limited. Drinking with meals initially (early in the meal) serves to fill the pouch. This limits your ability to get in the Protein and other nutrients you need. This effect is short-lived; the Fluid then causes your pouch to empty more rapidly---defeating the entire purpose of the band. I don't find the rule hard to live with. My doctor does not permit drinking with food, or for a period of time after, but i can drink right up to the first bite. I don't gulp, but in social situations, I can sip up until mealtime...then focus on the food. (Another behavioral modification that's positive :w00t:) It can be difficult, sometimes, not to drink AFTER a meal--that's where sugarless gum is my friend. NOT ALL DOCTORS PERMIT THIS. (If swallowed, it can cause obstruction.) Mine is okay with it. Some of my family members have adopted the no-drinking rule at mealtime and report that it helps them feel more satisfied---sooner and longer. I practiced it preop, and found the same thing. If you're not convinced, give it a try now--maybe you will understand the rationale better once you experience the difference.

I've been "fat in the head" my entire life. I have not, however, always been fat; that came in adulthood. While I accept responsibility for my weight as an adult, I do believe that irresponsible adults in my childhood set the stage for this. Being fat was such a part of my self-image that the weight gain I experienced with children (and after) was very difficult for me to actually see. When I did see it clearly, I was able to lose. Maintenance was a real issue, though. So now I'm working not only on my weight, but also my head.