tinksmom

It probably depends on you and how you react to fats/carbs/proteins. I crave a wide variety so I count calories instead of trying to balance everything prefectly. I do pay more attention to food labels. After I get my protein in for the day there is surprisingly little room for carbs or fats so if I want to remain full and satisfied I have to choose more wisely than before. The idea of fat isn't appealing so unless I really crave the food and it's a treat I will go for good carbs over fats.

I would not have been able to stay on a liquid diet for 4 weeks. My surgeon asked for 2...and I did the last one. The first week I was supposed to be on the diet, I really watched carbs but still had 2 small meals, two protein shakes,and a snack. I told the nurses at the office that I intended to go out to dinner for my anniversary and they just said that the last week (in my case) was the most important one. All along during the three month pre-op period I made "adjustments" to my diet, rather than going on a new one. The nutritionist and psychologist I talked to said this made sense for me at my age since I had no problems that demanded sudden change and that a gradual change would be more lasting. And in my fifties, I know what diets work for me...keeping weight off and sticking to one for over 6 months is the trick. My liver function test was fine, I don't drink or take a lot of meds that would stress my liver, so the doctor told me not to get too wound up about it. He said only once in his years of surgery has he decided he couldn't operate and it was on someone far more obese with other underlying problems. I am not saying that you should do what I did and ignore your doctor, since his is the final word for all his patients and he himself is following very conservative but proven guidelines for success. But remember that last week is the biggie...livers can rebound from a lot of abuse and pretty quickly. If you fall off the wagon and get upset and angry at yourself during this time, you may be in a worse shape for surgery than if you are more forgiving and relaxed.

Actually I just got a similar notice where it says the surgery was not covered, nor the hernia reapair, yet they were happy to cover the anaesthesiologist. It said services weren't covered after I had specifically gone to both BCBS and HRand confirmed there was no exclusion. When I read further it said that the surgery was done at a non-covered facility and by a non-covered surgeon. Since I know this to be untrue I looked at who billed and it was a name I had never seen...just a corporate name. I am assuming that, since I have not heard from the doctor...or the sugical center where I go for other procedures and know is covered...that it is a mistake in billing codes. If not, and I really do owe this amount, I will just have to make payments each month. I mean, we agreed and signed for a price to be billed to insurer and that is what I owe, so it will be just one more bill. They can hardly force me to remove the band. If I end up paying for fills - so be it. BCBS payed all my pre-op visits so I think I'll let the fight it out and rebill. I have other fish to fry. By the time it is settled, my health will be improved and I should be back to work.

We've been through a lot in 34 years and I'm sure we'll get through this as well. (The do-it-yourself kitchen remodel almost did us in, though.) And this is not a conscious selfishness on his part...when I point it out, in my usual tactful way of course, he is appalled. But gout...his main malady...is auto-immune and can be triggered by stress. I guess he is much more stressed when I am sick than I am. (Plus his mother used to buy him presents and make special meals when he was sick...she still would if I let her.) For my part, I am hardly an angel of mercy, either. Sickos in my house get three days sympathy...then they'd better get well or be dead.

Weight loss or any body/health change for good or ill can add a lot of stress to anyone's life. If you lost your weight any other way it would be the same. Add to this the fact that many band women have probably been the ones to mother kids and their husbands over the years while neglecting their own health issues...well, quite a shift in focus. Another stressor. And there is the undeniable fact that some men...women too...are attracted to one body type and unable to desire another type...heavier or slimmer. It's interesting...and difficult when all the issues we neverreally thought about before pop up after this change. My husband reacts to me having surgery and needing help by getting sick...really physically, look-at-the-test-results sick. Had a gout attack in his knees after my banding, and a painful back after my carpal tunnel release. Annoting and I'd yell...but he has test results so what can I do. (At least until my hands are better and I can dig a large hole in the backyard by the light of the moon.)

Chinese food the night before...lots of water weight gain from the salt/msg.

There is a lot of judgemental thinking about weight...both having too much and losing it. It is almost like some people think it is a moral problem and we deserve to suffer if we want to lose pounds and get back to normal.

My doctor's practice routinely submits the beginning weight before the 3 or 6 month dieting. They assured me that it was always done this way and the insurance companies had no problem with it. But the doctor also had no problem when during the pre-op period I concentrated on changes in diet not weight loss.

I see a lot of people on this forum who have lost their whole amount or who have lost at least 100 lbs. It could be that staying on the forums and in touch with others keeps motivation high. Weight Watchers claims that those who go to meetings do far better than those who just follow the program or a similar diet on their own. It could be the same sort of thing.

I got some brand of soft chews for adults at HEB that I love. According to the package they have what I need and they make me feel like I'm sneaking a candy so I'm happy.

Isn't it odd which foods get stuck and how different they are for different people? I have a problem, apparently, with hard-boiled eggs...and before you all say take smaller bites...that includes egg salad of all things. I don't use a lot of mayo. don't take big bites, and use a chopper to make the egg small but still I have to be really careful. Tuna is OK even with grapes and walnuts, and soft boiled or scrambled eggs are fine. No problem with chicken, pork or even steak. Go figure.

Does your doctor try to get you into ketosis? I have heard that that will give you bad breath.

I have dogs, bless their hungry hearts, for non-chocolate foods, a grown son in good shape for chocolate, and if all else fails, I have friends with kids who are often willing to take sweets off my hands. I also adore the 100 calorie packs and leave "room" for one at the end of the day. They have both sweet and salty snacks...even those lovely almonds with dark cocoa. And for the hot nights in Texas Blue Bell fudge bars are 110 calories. I know none of the above are exactly health foods but they get me through the night...and I'm on track with my desired weight loss.

My doctor says to either keep a glass of ice and sip it as it melts while eating or pour out a shot glass of water to wet my mouth with. It is necessary for me to have some moisture with dry food because I have Sjogren's syndrome and that leaves my mouth so dry sometimes that I can choke. I try to sip then take a little food so it stays moist, rather than to eat solid food then drink.

I had my surgery April 1st and have lost 30 lbs. I am trying to lose 2 lbs a week and maybe saving some wrinkles on my skin. I'm keeping to 1200 calories and watching my protein, but can feel the need for a fill. So far I've had 2 small ones.

Home again. I posted a loss of a pound. I actually think it was more but haven't seen my scale for a while and am suspicious that Another Person may have bumped it, or readjusted it to his doc's scale...or something like that. I go for a fill next week and can get everything back in alignment then.

I have a friend who just went to his first seminar in Boston. Not sure which hospital. Where were you banded, or where are you going to be?

I applied for my card on the Allergan website and it came quickly.

I have only been banded for a little over 2 months so haven't yet experienced this problem but I am already trying to think out and change my attitude toward food and weight loss. I set my goal by thinking back at my past. I (hazily) remember feeling good, pretty, sexy...whatever...at a point on the scale, although I seldom looked at scales at this time. I then added a few pounds, because no matter what I'd like to believe, I'll never be 21 again. But,even then, maintaining this weight was dicey. Like other young women, I skipped meals, went on weekend starvation diets, etc. So that goal may, as an adult, be unrealistic. I say I want to lose 110 lbs but if I ended up losing "only" 90 of them, I think I'd be thrilled. And if I lost 80...probably content and relieved, although I'd have to keep trying. That's now. Reading others' stories and seeing disappointment and frustrations at not reaching a goal or at plateauing, I wonder if in a year I'll be less forgiving of myself. Do we get addicted to dieting and the loss of weight, just like we were addicted to food?

Can't actually post my stats this week as I am away from my own scale, visiting my family near Boston. There are three scales here...each tells me a different weight and a different amount lost. Go figure. PLUS I have been hanging out with my sister who has dragged me...kicking and screaming, I assure you all... into several of her favorite candy shops. The undeserving wench is still a size 8. There is no justice. My NSV here is that even with the siren calls of dark chocolate non pareils and Jordan almonds I seem to have kept close to my calorie target. We will not discuss Dunkin' Donuts in this forum due to sensitivity for those who are weak of heart (like me).

I've only had 2 fills and can eat almost anything. I am losing well...not too fast becasue I only want to lose 2 lbs a week...so I am considering not getting another fill until I have a hard time sticking to my diet. I have targeted 1200 calories a day as the level I will lose the desired weight. When I start to lag and get more restriction I am told that breads and a few other foods will be more difficult. For now I am enjoying the flexibility that 1200 cal gives me. I make sure to chew very well and be aware that larger bites could cause problems. I also try to stay away from white fluffy bread. So far small amounts of pancakes, muffins, and things like French toast haven't been a problem and eating them makes me feel "normal". That helps me stay motivated to stay on a diet.

I think it is common to go through a little depression after any surgery. Healing drains you of energy sometimes. Plus, with the lapband I felt that I was so tense and excited about the surgery that there was a let-down afterwards when I was pretty much the same person...only sorer. (Really I think somewhere in my subconscious I expected to wake up thin and seventeen again....sigh, tis not so.) And in our rushed culture we tend not to give ourselves much recovery time for anything...elective surgery included.

If you needed something to eat and it fit into your calorie/protein/current diet needs there is no reason for guilt, in my opinion. Your choices at this point are limited, you needed food, and where before you might have had the McFlurry, with a large burger and fries...this time you paid attention to the calories and protein values and had it alone. So, why kick yourself? Give yourself points for the positives. If you berate yourself or let others do it for you it will make losing weight a chore to be dreaded instead of a positive result of learning new behaviors.

Made my goal of 2 lbs by the skin of my teeth. Don't know what's going on but I've been having late night/early am (like 2am) munchies. Thank heavens for 100 calorie packs of anything. Might be that the pain in my shoulders has been waking me up.

I can do without soda...although I might miss gingerale a bit...but I know eventually I am going to want a sip of beer. Good beer - not the American lite kind. Some hot day i am just going to want a Sam Adams or a dunkel at my local pub. probably I will get my husband to order one and sip from his...he won't share much.