oldoneyoungagain

Been using Unjury for four years as had a band and my gag reflex has a short fuse. I usually order on the weekend and have it by that week. I use Silk original coconut milk or almond milk 8 ozs. (it has half the carbs as skim but same calories) a scoop of chocolate and a tablespoon of cocoa, blend it, then add Ice cubes and make it thick. Do the same with the strawberry, with either 1/2 banana frozen and fewer ice cubes same milk 8 ozs. or frozen strawberries. /By the way you can use water also. Also take a tablespoon of SF pudding and do the same thing using the unflavored. Leaving out the ice cubes you have a shake, with the ice cubes you have a smoothie. You can use skim milk, I just count carbs because I have to program my insulin pump on the amount of carbs I eat so it can calculate how much more insulin I need. Since I'm a morning coffee person I sometimes add either the vanilla or chocolate. Also strawberry is good added to the crystal light lemonade. I buy Wylers at a Dollar General store as it is only a $1.00 a box. They also sell orange crush and grape which might be good with the unflavored. Have not tried adding the unflavored to any food figured it would really gag me.

Think I am sorta of going backwards. Actually seen the surgeon because of the lap band, he discovered it had slipped. (Let me say that was the first visit with this doctor, all new clinic, all new physician. I fired the other) Had an endoscopy so that was done to make sure it hadn't eroded, it hadn't. So that has been done. Seen my pulmonologist last October and was released after four years, so just need to call him for clearance. Had a yearly appointment with my cardiologist, after the endoscopy, and when told the band had to come out and the surgeon and I agreed on a bypass, the cardiologist ordered an echocardiogram and thillium stress test. Passed that and he sent the clearance. Went on to see my PCP for a diabetic recheck and he is on board with two of the three weight management appointments my insurance needs. Seen the psychologist same day and since I took the psy test the month before got clearance from him (he works in the same office as the surgeon) Now to yesterday, the band came out see the surgeon for follow-up next week and hopefully we can set up appt. then with the nutritionist. With luck I can have bypass within two months to what the surgeon said on the first visit. Yesterday was my third laproscopy in the same area so questioned him regarding scar tissue. He said the bypass will also be laproscopy and he definitely wasn't concerned about the scar tissue. I will say he is a darn good surgeon, into the operating room at 3PM and was in the car going home at 4:45 wide awake also never filled the rx for pain medication. So have seen this surgeon regarding a whole other issue one time in the office and twice in a procedure room all for everything but the bypass. But he already agreed to the bypass. No exam unless you want to count the endoscopy and surgery. So far I've been very lucky, think though since I have been a patient of the psychologist since the lap band, he is the one that has given the thumbs up to the surgeon.

I noticed that I would lose inches yet the scale would stay the same. Then all of a sudden I dropped anywhere from 2-5 lbs. So my scale is either my watch slipping over my hand or my rings slip off the finger so I have to take a link or two out of my band and put my rings up or have them resized. I also yo-yo my food intake. Once I stall I either increase my intake or decease my intake to make the metabolism to kick into gear, since it is the one that actually stalled. Also increase excerise some additional minutes.

The bypass being the gold standard and Mayo is the gold standard in clinics, I think they made a good decision, I think it needs to be removed from the market. Yesterday in talking with the nurses, just this one bariatric clinic removed three bands, including mine. Granted I lost weight and have kept it off, but that isn't the point. I am having another surgery in the few months, which will make it three just for weight loss in order to prolong my life. Just wish I would have thought it through a little more three years ago. But my favorite saying is "hind sight is better than foresight". But I definitely know I didn't fail the band, all I can say I'm happy it just slipped nothing more like other people who have some really serious life threatening problems.

Has anyone thought to take half a dose then a couple of hours later take the other half. My daughter is on a lot of pain meds and that is what she has to do occasionally in order not to vomit them back up.

Have been reading a few of the post and a number of you state "i failed the band". Are you thinking that you did something wrong to cause the problem? I am angry at myself because I didn't have the research out there when I got the band. The research is now coming in. Failure of the band is large percentage and as further research goes on I think they will find it is a flaw with the band. not us screwing it up. I'm not taking blame that my band failed, the doctor knows they can slip thenwhy can't they figure out a surgical tehnique to correct that problem. Quit blaming the patient, they have had failure all these years at weight loss and now you put that on their shoulders. My band came out today, And I am totally PO'd. It slipped but in the three years I have had it, it was never checked. I was doing really well, never an issue, and the doctors have the balls to say the slippage is my fault. So as far as I am concerned the band failed me as it does in about 1/3 of banded people. BY the way more doctors are shying away from the bands because of failure. So don't blame yourself. That is my thoughts anyway..

You are so right, had the band three years ago and gave up my diet pepsi, haven't made to the coffee yet, but giving up soda was hard don't even miss it now. I'll be giving up the coffee probably with the bypass, or might have to give it up tomorrow after they remove the band. I can have it though until 7:00 AM. Thank goodness I'll be on some sort of pain meds as they should help with the headache I'll get from not having caffine. All is worth it as you said for what we'll gain from the surgery.

My daughter is a pro at passing kidney stones. She is 41 and has been passing kidney stones since she was 19. You didn't say what they did in the ER, if they did a CT scan, X-rays, etc. Pretty sure they did one or the other but if you don't get some relief shortly you do need to have it checked out again. You are in my prayers that you get some sort of relief.

I had two gallbladder attacks not knowing thats what it was. Never went to the doctor figuring I would get over it. My last one was mild and just happened to have a follow-up visit with my doctor a day later and I brought it up. My that afternoon when test results came back the nurse was calling me to see what surgeon I wanted to follow up with. The pain of the attack was far greater than my four major surgeries I've had. Will say I passed a kidney stone that was bad also. Just make sure you take your pain medication when you are suppose to, don't wait to have pain then take them.

My Gallbladder was removed the day before Thanksgiving several years ago before any WLS. Went into surgery at 3:30 PM released at 10:30 PM stopped at Hardee's to get a hamburger. Then the next was at Country Kitchen for Thanksgiving dinner. Back to work on Monday. Pain, if there was any, didn't seem to bother me.

I was informed that when I have my RNY they don't want me to get to goal weight 130 lbs. Honestly feel it is because of age. Elderly, such as myself, has a tendency to shut down on the amount of food they eat. This is their brain normally doing it. But I don't classify myself as elderly that is just a number on a piece of paper. So I'm like you can't wait to see what the future holds.

Thank you all for the helpful information. It lets me know what I might expect or what my pouch is telling me. Once I get the bypass. More on that story, I hope, the 30th. Follow-up for band removal and approaching surgeon about when I can have the RNY.

Totally agree with you on this. A radio station in my area, about three years ago, had a contest on how much water someone could drink. Forgot what the prize was, but one of the contestants actually went home and died because of water loading. It can and does happen. The sad part to the story, the children were left without one parent and if memory serves me right it was a woman.

Basically that was what I was told yesterday by the psychologist and it made sense. I would rather be safe than sorry, so I actually don't mind waiting. Although I really don't want to wait too long but I will, won't have a choicel. I just know it will be a fight to maintain my current weight, plus I'm not strong in the will power area. Just don't want to have to lose it all over again. That is my main concern, weight gain without the band. The "damn band" is now actually working now that it has slipped. I really know when to stop eating, as it tells me. Go figure.

There reasoning is if there is a problem with the band, even if it just slipped, it has irritated the stomach so they want to give it time to heal. The other from what they said, is that area is weak, so when they have to staple it might not hold causing a leak. I am sure there has to be scar tissue as had my gallbladder taken out in 2001 even tho the gallbladder is on the right side they still used the same holes. I haven't talked with the doctor since the endoscopy and that was only a few words. No erosion, band slipped, and it has to be taken out. So Thursday it comes out. Thank you for telling me your experience, I just like to be prepared. Looking forward to the results of bypass but definitely not the surgery. Neither one in fact.

I'm a coffee lover, so would you mind sharing where you get the coffee flavored protein?

I am totally angry that I didn't do thorough research on the band. Now having to put myself through two more surgeries to get another 40 lbs off just to save my life or lets say prolong it a few more years. I am a little scared because these are major surgeries and I'm almost 71 years old. But whatever happens will be God's will and have to put my faith in him that he put in the hands of the right surgeon this time.

I can't complain about my band, still can't even tho it slipped. I lost about all I would lose with it (lost another 4 lbs this last month), but what really makes me so angry is I thought I was doing the right thing when I was banded. Now with further research I would have never had it. I wish I would have had the bypass and should have listened to more of my co-workers who have had bypass. Now two more surgeries which I am not looking forward to either for what we have to go through. The end results yes I am looking forward to that. I just wish there were more my age out on this site to see how they have faired with this surgery.

Okay the first battle has been answered, but still have you on my prayer list until this is complete and I will continue to keep my fingers crossed. So happy for you right now as I know you are relieved. Sorry it has to be an open surgery, but from what you wrote, you have a very good doctor and he is doing everything the right way so you don't have complications. Just stay in touch. My band comes out Thursday, then should be able to get the bypass in a 2-3 months. In the meantime keep up the good work in trying to lose weight. Really think you will see quite a difference with the loss when you get that bypass.

Kim67, I had about a 40 lb weight loss with band and I remember coming out of surgery and the pain (once I got home I was fine not too much discomfort)so now that you have had both would you mind comparing your pain and recovery time between the two, if you wouldn't mind. I'm really not looking forward to the pain (band coming out Thursday) and the pain in a couple of months for the bypass. Just want to know what to expect. By the way I have a high tolerance to pain and have been chewed out for not taking pain medication like I should.

My first surgery, which was the band, once I got the insurance approval (had a six month weight management with PCP) I was scheduled for surgery two weeks later. Basically on a pre-op diet for 10 days. This time for the bypass, going to have to wait for the stomach to heal from having the band removed (and the insurance requires three months weight management which I have already put that in place) so hopefully once the insurance comes down with that approval I'll be scheduled within a couple of weeks. There again it depends on your surgeon's schedule though.

Let me add to my previous comment. "Hind sight is better than foresight" and if you look at my join date here on RNYtalk I joined one month before I was banded. Brings a smile to my face, otherwise I would probably bawl.

Okay band comes out Thursday because it slipped. So today I seen the psychologist (He approved me for the band and just have kept him in place) and got clearance for RNY from him. (Three doctors down, one to go). From there, on to see my PCP for a diabetic check. Both visits I had to weigh in and have lost 4 lbs. in a month and I now notice the feeling of "full". Three years with the band and have never actually known what the "sweet spot" was until this has slipped. Before I just stopped eating or only ate when hungry. Anyway next step will be my visit with the surgeon for follow-up on the 30th and going to corner him about going on to better things "RNY". Hopefully, I can get the bypass within the two months as he said on our first visit. Only need three months of weight management and have one month down as of today. This will be three surgeries in 3 1/2 years. Am I a happy camper "no", but things happen for a reason and that is how I have to look at my situation.

Sheri congratulations on your weight loss even with all the issues you had from the surgery. Keep up the good work. You are a positive influence to others who have/had issues with their bypass.

You are so totally correct.