BetsyB

Please be very candid with your doctor about your eating habits so that he can know how best to evaluate your pain. It could be band-related. It could be gall bladder related. It could be any number of things. Give him all the information you can so he can best pin down what is going on. After the pain issue is conquered, he can also help you get back on track, eating-wise, so that you can enjoy the success you aimed for when you started down the path to banding. You can do it.

Definitely. I'd follow up with a complaint against his license (I have Illinois contact info if you need it), to the Bariatric Association, and to the quality assurance department of hospital(s) out of which he operates (this is a BIGGIE). The band is adjustable for a reason. If he doesn't comprehend it or believe in its appropriate use, then he must be corrected (not by you--but by the appropriate agencies) and/or prevented from banding patients. I know a great doctor in Joliet... (ETA: I could journal until the cows came home--and in fact, I do. Well...no cows, but you know what I mean. But without restriction? Well, that's where I am right now--and while I'm happy to be compliant despite stomach grumbling because I know there's a light at the end of the tunnel, I would be considerably LESS happy if I felt there was not one. The restriction provided by the band IS that light. Otherwise, why bother with it?)

WTF?! Then why did he place a band around your stomach? Seriously, you're going in every six weeks, making your copayment, and ...getting nothing out of it? I'm not a big one for switching doctors mid-stream, but in this case, I would seriously consider doing so. What, precisely, does he think that band DOES in there? Why is he performing the surgery, rather than operating a diet clinic?

By "the time period you could eat the same amount as usual," do you mean the time before you achieve restriction? It's really hard! That's where I am now, and I am doing my best to just stick with my doctor's (quite strict) regimen. What are you eating? In what amounts? It sounds as though you journal; do you use a site like Fitday, which tells you the breakdown of macronutrients (protein, fat, carb) you're taking in? If so, try tweaking it. See if upping Protein and knocking down carbs helps. Really, though, I think achieving restriction is the critical factor. And I think it pays to be proactive--pick up the phone and schedule an appointment for a fill, even if it's sooner than your doctor thought you'd need one. I just did exactly that. I had one a week and a half ago, and the doctor didn't think I'd be ready for another so soon---so I was scheduled much farther out. Well, I'm ready. So I'm going in! Really, most of us do have a period where we can eat like we did preop. But there's no sense in prolonging that phase!!

I'm so, so sorry about your friend. What a tremendous loss. Hospitals can't divulge patient information to family members without the patient's permission. It's a terrible position to be in as a healthcare worker, and VERY frustrating to family and friends. But unless she designated someone her healthcare proxy, or she was incompetent (when next-of-kin usually becomes healthcare proxy, in the absence of another designated individual), the information is confidential. (There are certain other circumstances in which it is permissible to share information--but they are proscribed by law.) In a situation where there is a rapid, rapid decline that lead to death, family often learns, very sadly, from the death certificate. People do become angry when the hospital seems to be withholding information, because it seems as though something is being hidden. But really---it protects patient privacy. You say that it's important to divulge all health information to doctors. I agree completely. But did Tabatha withhold information?

Banding is AWESOME for addressing blood sugar issues. You will likely find that your need for medication is dramatically reduced, if not eliminated. But you're right, hypoglycemia can occur. As you know, eating at regular intervals is the way to combat this. And eating primarily protein will do so in a way that is steady and sustained. This is in contrast to carbs, which quickly elevate too-low blood sugar, but cause a crash-and-burn after the immediate elevation. Work with your doctor to come up with a plan that seems realistic to you. Timing is what is really critical---spacing foods out so that you don't plummet is key. In my experience, diabetes educators are often better equipped to address these issues than registered dietitians and nutritionists; it might be a good idea to ask your doctor for a referral to one.

Jenny Craig is foul, IMO---the food just is not good quality. I get most of my Proteins from Market Day (it's a school fundraising thing, if you're not familiar). The meats are frozen in individual portions, which makes meal prep 1000 times easier. But I, too, am about to place a Bandtastic order---I'm a good cook, but I don't always feel like cooking, especially at lunchtime. Being able to grab an individual portion prepared by a real chef (who happens to be banded) is very appealing to me. Jenny Craig? Blah. Not at all appealing.

I agree with your stance. Making my own rules definitely did not work for me. So I follow the rules I've been given as closely as I can. Does that mean that, if I'm genuinely hungry, I won't have an extra half-ounce of protein? No. It also doesn't mean that, on days when my pain level is astronomical that I force myself to do the same punishing gym regimen. But I do weigh, measure, and record EVERYTHING I eat. I log all of my exercise. A lot of people tell me, "Then you're just on a diet---like all of the OTHER diets you've been on!" But I don't see it that way at all. I am making myself accountable to myself. I am keeping track of what I do so that I can identify patterns if and when I run into trouble. I am advancing my eating as recommended to get the maximum out of this tool I fought so hard to get. Nope, I'm not on a diet. This is my new life. It has room for birthday cake and Thanksgiving pie---but only on my birthday and Thanksgiving (and I've committed to a three-bite rule). Most of the foods that have tempted me in the past are SO readily available (or so mediocre) that there's just no reason (to me) to go off-plan for them. I'd rather plan--and enjoy---than indulge and regret. My doctor's recommendations are VERY conservative. Many foods are not permitted until 75 percent of excess weight is lost. The foods included are largely my red-light foods. He's a smart guy, my doctor--he knows this. He knows that patients who learn to eat DIFFERENTLY than they did before enjoy the greatest weight loss success. I think I'll allow myself to reap the benefits of his experience, My own kind of sucks.

Hang in there--it gets better quickly. Hydration is the main thing right now. You don't need to worry about Protein and vitamins--you'll be able to tolerate them long before your body misses them. But it's critical that you get enough Fluid. The 64 oz./day is a lofty goal at first--but do keep a Water bottle (or other drink) at hand, and sip, sip, sip throughout the day. Gas-X helped me, but walking helped me LOTS more. If you can get a good walk in each day, you might find that you feel tons better. Your icky stomach-in-your throat feeling is likely due to intubation; that discomfort will fade over the next few days.

I think it's WONDERFUL that you want to catch the problem before it ...ha, no pun intended...balloons. You have identified a trend, and that's a really important first step. The logical second step is NOT gastric banding, though. What I would do in your shoes is this: start a diet journal someplace like fitday.com. There, be brutally honest about what you eat and how much. It's clear that most of your diet is healthy. But too much of a good thing is too much---so you need to identify how much you're getting. (And you need to account for that other 15 percent--'cause you said the good stuff makes up 85 percent of your intake.) You might be surprised about how many calories you're taking in. Or you might not---I ate healthily pre-banding, and gain on a fraction of what other people need just to maintain. (Sometimes, life just ain't fair!) Either way, armed with concrete information, you can share, with your doctor, your concerns. S/he can evaluate your eating patterns, and make an appropriate referral to a registered dietitian or nutritionist very experienced in tailoring eating plans to individual needs. You mention that your female family members do not have health consequences related to weight yet--and that's wonderful. But you say there are attitude issues. Be honest about your own (this is NOT a slam; all of us here have certain attitudes toward food---and each and every one of us has had to CHANGE those attitudes in order to de-prioritize food in our lives, let go of it, and let go of the weight). A counselor can be really helpful for this. You are not doomed to a lifetime of dieting. But it's a myth that normal-weight people stay that way effortlessly---so maybe it would be worth trying to reframe your unhappiness that you're maintaining a normal weight by dieting as a positive: when you are mindful of what you eat and give your body what it needs, you are ABLE to maintain a normal weight. That is actually a really, really good thing! (It also rules you out as a candidate for banding.) The thing about banding that might discourage you, I think, is that it really does require as much attention and mindfulness as what you are currently doing.

You definitely need a multi--preferably one designed for banded patients. DEFINITELY. It may not be the cause of your current issues (for those, I'd check with a doctor--persistent fatigue can mean many things--or nothing), but it really WILL affect your energy level in the long run.

Before ordering NutriSystem's blechy (IMO) food, check out bandtasticmeals.com. My surgeon's office got samples, and said they were outstanding. I only tasted one of the items (I was fresh postop), and it really was very, very good. The prices are very reasonable, as well.

Really? Good to know. Now none of us will have to...I don't know...listen to our own bodies or anything. In my book TRUE slider foods are the ones that easily slide out of my pouch, NOT foods that don't require chewing. They can be one and the same, but not necessarily so.

At bariatriceating.com, you can find great lists and recipes for all stages of eating

I couldn't agree more. He's a great surgeon, and a great guy. His manner is so supportive--and his staff is, too. The relationship with a bariatric surgeon is so different from most surgeon-patient relationships; when you're banded, the relationship is lifelong. I feel SO blessed that my long-term doctor-patient relationship will be with Dr. Lahmann. He's got all the right stuff.

Re: the not drinking before eating rule: this is another one where different doctors have different guidelines. Mine says we can drink right up until the first bite of food goes into our mouths. The rationale is that the liquid will move out of the pouch rapidly. If you don't continue to drink with the meal, it won't be "flushed" from the pouch by the liquid you had pre-meal. OTOH, his POST-meal waiting period is longer than most--90 minutes. My point is, I think there is some flexibility to these "requirements," just as there is a great deal of variance among eating plans. I personally choose not to drink alcohol at this point; I have little tolerance, and it totally disinhibits me vis-a-vis making good food choices. It's not a wise thing for ME to do---and besides, I'm early enough postop that it would likely be irritating to my pouch. But I like the advice (Jim's?) that is more matter-of fact: the best thing? not to drink. The realistic thing? If you're going to, make sure you include the alcohol in your plan, so that you are aware of its nutritional impact. None of us got fat from a Saturday night martini. If you know you're taking in those calories, and it doesn't cause you any kind of band-related distress (I'm thinking beer would literally cause my pouch to EXPLODE!), live your life the way that works best for you.

I don't, but my sister does. It's really, really difficult (as in impossible!) to predict how MS will progress. There are many good drugs on the market to slow its progression down. That said, as my sister's disease has progressed, swallowing has been a real issue for her during exacerbations. Being banded would be very uncomfortable for her on days when she can barely get her own saliva down. I am not sure, however, how MUCH harder it would be; maybe a temporary unfill would even the playing field so that she could weather the storm, then pick up where she left off once in remission. If you are diagnosed, or a diagnosis looks probable, have a talk with your neuro about this. S/he can give you good guidance about the safety and pitfalls of banding. You might be surprised that s/he's very encouraging. As I said, everyone's disease presents a bit differently, and swallowing might never be part of your experience. Attaining a healthy weight, however, might be one of the BEST things you can do to maintain health and mobility. Your doctor will help you weigh these things. One thing about the band is that, if problems do arise, it can be adjusted; I would think that would help tremendously.

Change is scary for people---no matter what the change is. (If you're honest with yourself, you will admit that your attitude HAS changed; you're eating differently, interacting socially differently--because of your new relationship with food--and so on. It's not BAD---but it is a change.) Give it time. They'll figure out you're still you, and not so scary after all! If they don't, f*ck 'em. You know the saying: with friends like that, who needs enemies?

I made it for my daughter when she was last home from school, and while I didn't eat the noodles, I did eat the rest. I totally agree---pure Protein, and straight out of the pouch. Sliiiiiiide. No staying power at all. But damn, it tastes good.

I was an adult. But I've been "fat in the head" my whole life (thanks, Mom). In other words, I've always seen myself as fat, even when I haven't been. And even as a child, my mother had me on crazy diets---when there was no need. When I began to gain, I did what I suspect you've done---I gave it my ALL to lose. And I really am awesome at losing weight---but as you know, lost weight tends to get found pretty quickly! In the Houston hospital where I worked in the 90s, banding (early-generation---quite different procedure) was routine. I swore I'd NEVER be banded, based on outcomes. I worked with several banded nurses; they were thinner, but malnourished, bald, and ill. Good Vitamin and Protein supplementation was not available, and the nutrition information given to them was quite different than that given today. So banding really didn't become something I considered until very recently. I waited until it came a long, long way. During that time, I had 2 kids, returned to normal weight (without much effort), and went right back up. Much of the gain was very abrupt. No real metabolic cause was identified, but *something* just isn't normal---I think my body just got sick and tired of the yo-yo I was tormenting it with and said, "Uh-uh. No more of that nonsense. I'm not budging!" If a SAFE and EFFECTIVE band had been available, I would have hopped in line for it in the 90s, when it was easily available to me. At the time, I was about 50 pounds overweight. I would NOT choose to do it to keep from becoming overweight (if nothing else, I'd educate myself very well about nutrition and exercise; that knowledge is necessary no matter what course of action you take)---but I do think it's perfectly reasonable to have the surgery to nip a developing problem in the bud. I don't think we're likely to see insurance agreeing with me regarding the importance of nipping it in the bud--so I think people who do so can expect to self-pay. But really--I think most of us, in retrospect, can say we'd love to turn back the clock and halt our gain before it impacted our lives profoundly over time. Before your weight issue gets out of hand, have you tried any of the plans that require real lifestyle change? Programs like Weight Watchers, while not for everyone, can do a really good job of helping you shift your relationship with food and exercise in healthy, positive ways. If you could learn to make the changes without having surgery, that would be really awesome. But I totally get where you're coming from, and think you're smart to be thinking of ways to STOP the gain before it affects you the way it's affected most of us.

For me, this amounted to providing a list, to the surgeon, of past attempts (or even successes---though as we all know, those tend to be followed by regaining) at weight loss. I am sure mine was far less than comprehensive; I couldn't begin to enumerate every attempt I've made! The words sound intimidating, but really---I think you will find very few obstacles to being banded. If you're covered, and meet the BMI (and/or possible comorbidity) criteria, it will be deemed medically necessary. But YES--if your insurance so specifies, you WILL have a period of weight supervision by the surgeon's group. (This is independent of any documentation you provide; my PCP had documentation, and I had documentation from WW memberships--and that didn't matter. What matters is the time frame stipulated by your insurance contract.) My period of supervision was three months--I visited monthly and though I was impatient to get the ball rolling, it really was a great opportunity to get my questions answered, become more comfortable with my doctor and his staff, and so on. Really, they keep you pretty busy with other things during the waiting period---things like clearances by a cardiologist, pulmonologist, and psychologist. You might require a sleep study or cardiac studies beyond an ECG. You might find yourself having pulmonary function tests. You might find yourself in the office of another -ologist. These fill up the waiting time quite a bit. It's frustrating---but the time does pass, and soon you will be banded. By the time you are, you will be confident about what's ahead---and your doctor will be confident that you're a candidate who will do well. I'll be okay :tongue_smilie:

I'm with Elfie--I don't regret it at all. I love to cook & eat--and having a band hasn't changed that OR created any misery. I make different things--but I tend to view it as a challenge to make the things that fit into my new eating plan as wonderful and delicious as possible.

How far postpartum are you? Remember, it takes almost 10 months to make a baby--it's reasonable to expect it to take at least that long to lose the weight you gain. If you're nursing, it can take longer. (For some women, the body clings fiercely to body fat while nursing; others lose easily.) I'd like to address one thing you said: that appetite is cut. Really, it's not. Appetite (that's the part that's in our head telling us we WANT stuff) remains---hunger, too, can remain. Until you achieve restriction, your stomach capacity is limited, but its emptying is as quick as before surgery---so you can only eat a little bit at a time, but become hungry relatively rapidly. Your mind---your appetite---will "tell" you it's time to eat. But if you want to lose, you really, really have to moderate how much you eat. Your BMI likely makes you eligible---but it may or may not be the solution for you. Attending a surgeon's informational seminar can give you good information. Reading here, too, can give you a pretty realistic idea of what to expect.

I understand how someone's thoughtless words can throw you into a tailspin, so please don't think I'm being critical with my response. But do try to put this in perspective: You've lost a HUGE amount of weight in 3 months. Her idiotic comment really doesn't do anything to take away from that amazing accomplishment, does it? A good response might have been? "Pain? What pain? This has been the easiest 38 pounds I've ever lost!" I mean, sure--we all know it's hard work. But b!tch at work doesn't need to know that. You're doing phenomenally well---really, PHENOMENALLY. Don't let a clueless coworker throw you off track. She's totally not worth your angst.

These sound great! I'm not ready for rice and tortillas yet--but yum. I bet with a little tweaking, the bean recipe could be made into patties for grilling, a la veggie burger. Thanks for posting!