NoMoBand

MissSammyD, First of all congratulations on your decision. You will not regret it. My success is due to multiple events that worked in my favor. First, I was falling apart medically. I had or had been recently diagnosed with multiple co-morbitities before banding and I was starting to feel the impact. I just could not go on living with all the pain and suffering. When my grandaughter was born I made up my mind that I wanted to be around for her and of course my family also. My doctor advised weight loss surgery. I was so serious about changing my life that I quit smoking the day after the lapband seminar. I was scheduled for surgery in September, but a few days before my surgery the hospital called and said that I was to be re-scheduled because there was a shortage of a drug used in surgery and all non urgent surgeries had been cancelled. I was already 12 days into the liquid diet. My next scheduled date was 2 weeks away and I had to continue the Protein diet. This diet consisted of 2 low cal Protein drinks, one for Breakfast the other for lunch, then 1 can of Soup at night with all the sugar free popcicles and sugar free pudding(s). I was on the required protein diet for 1 month. I lost at least 30 lbs. on the protein diet alone. I cringe with the thought of drinking another shake. lol When I went in for my first fill I ended up getting an unfill because I was way too tight. I'm one that needs very little in my band for restriction. They had put in 3cc's in the 10cc band during surgery and unfilled me down to 2cc's. I'm doing great with 2cc's. I started losing immediatley after surgery. Remember that it could take several fills at 6 weeks apart before you have restriction. We are all different. I was just lucky to get restriction right a way. On the other side of the coin, was that I was losing too quickly, I was getting too weak and was looking rather sickly. I know this because I had only told a few people at work about my surgery. I was approached by a couple of very concerned co-workers who thought I had cancer or a very serious illness due to the amount of weight I had lost and how I looked. I then decided to announce the lapband. They have all been very supportive. I started exercising as much as I could handle at first. I started with small walks around the block, at the school track, riding my bike on low gears, started walking in the pool, walking on a treadmill, 10 minutes of step aerobics. I have built up to working out 40 minutes a day at 1or 2 activities mentioned. I can now jog 2 miles. I can swim 40 minutes. Last weekend I did a 20 mile bike ride. Its awesome!! Most importantly, all of my blood work has come back normal (diabetes, gout, cholesterol). I am off 5 different medications, off my CPAP machine. I am normal medically except for high blood pressure which will be evaluated in july. Take it one day at a time. There is no big race to lose so fast! Also, keep in mind that fast weight loss can lead to gall bladder problems and require surgery. In addition, you want your skin to tighten/tone up as you go. You also want to keep your hair from falling off. In my case, I'm a bald male so I'm ok with it falling off. lol In all seriousness, I now eat properly and even if I did have hair I'm sure it will not fall off. I have never eaten properly in all my life, so this has been a win win situation for me. As I said, you will not regret doing this for yourself. Yes, the journey get difficult at times, but, you get back on the wagon, especially when you start seeing the results. Keep me posted on how you do please.

Teri00, We have paved bike trails here in Albuquerque New Mexico making the ride smooth. The pain started when I put the bike into the bigger gears and the use of more muscle to peddle. If you keep your bike on the lower/faster gears you will be ok. Just take it slow. I'm overly cautious because shortly after my first fill, my port unattached from the muscle and I had to get another surgery to get it reattached. I wonder if maybe I over did it at the beginning. My doc says she does not think so, but, I do remember that it hurt but I continued to ride hard. Just take it easy and I'm sure you'll be fine. Jake

I was banded 10/4/2010. I've lost 101 lbs. as of today. I work out everyday and do lots of walking. I average about 800 calories per day. I set small realistic goals for myself with my workouts by increasing the workout by a few minutes at a time per week. The awesome thing about this whole thing is that I enjoy working out. Wow, I never ever, ever thought that I would say something like that!!!!! lol I'm really careful with intake of high calorie foods, but, do enjoy a piece of cake or a candy bar at least once a month. I usually will do this at the end of each month, so I count the days down and work harder a few days before. The wierd thing is that I don't crave sweets like I used to. I hope this continues. I am hooked on sugar free popcicles, especially the banana flavored ones. Have one or two late in the afternoon. The only thing that I miss is a beer after working out in the yard :-( My weight loss has been so quick because I was scheduled for surgery in September but the surgery was cancelled just a few days before my date. I was already on my 2nd week of the Protein diet and the next surgery date was 2 weeks away from that day, so, I was on the darn protein diet for 4 weeks. Man was I sick of liquid Proteins. YUCK!!!!!

My understanding on fills is that there is a bit of swelling that takes place in the upper stomach where the band is placed. This is why you stay on liquids for a couple of days, then mushies for 1 day before you start your regular lapband diet. As long as you can swallow and not puke up the liquids, give it a few days. You don't want to become dehydrated for sure. If you cannot keep the liquids down then you may be over filled and should contact your doc. ASAP, but, it sounds like you are feeling this way because of the swelling. Again, as long as you can keep liquids down you should be ok. Wait a few more days. You probably should call the doc. just to give you peace of mind. jake

Trust me it does get better. We are the unfortunate ones that have more post surgery side affects that "yes" hurts like hell!!! You will see that every day gets a little better. Keep walking around as much as you can. The walking helps the body absorb the gas quicker. Rest as needed and remember you just had surgery. Even though lapband surgery is not as invasive it is still surgery and you did go under anesthesia. Take it easy. Also, sip as much Water as you can. food will not appeal to you for probably another couple of weeks or less, but, once the swelling on your insides goes down (stomach), you will taste and hunger again. Oh trust me on that one. You will be ready for your first fill. Again, rest assured that it does get better day by day. Hang in there. jake

51 here wishing I was 30. lol Wish I would have had band installed much sooner, but, right now after 101 lbs. lighter, I feel like 30. Live in New Mexico and probably the same stigma here. I am more active now than I've ever been. I lap swim 3 times a week, work out at a gym, do some biking, some jogging, all things I did not do when I was 20, 30 or 40. This band thing is awesome!!!!! As far as posting and sharing, we are more private, I guess. I post as a pay forward due to a few complications post surgery. I had so many bandsters, mainly women that gave me lots of encouragement and help when I really needed it most. I appreciate people that are willing to help. Thank you all. Good luck on your journey, you won't regret it!

I would wait the 6 weeks. I started riding 2 weeks out and I can tell you the port hurts like heck and remains sore. Let the port heal properly before putting strain on the muscle that the port is attached to. Just my opinion.

Aprilalison, I feel for you. I know what its like for I suffer the same as you do. Before getting banded I used Metamucil which I was told not to use anymore, however, doc has allowed me to use the powder in small amounts of 1/4 teaspoon 3 times a day in double the amount of Water. I did find something that has just been put out on the market that is working really, really well for me. The stuff is called Nopalina and consists of Flax seed, Wheat bran, Oat bran, Cactus, apple, orange and grapefruit. I'm guessing that the fruits in there are extracts (???). Anyhow, this stuff really works for me. What I like about it is that it doesn't taste bad and does not get all thickened up like metamucil does. Give it a try, what do you have to lose. Walgreens, now carries it.

I'm here to help also. I do this as a pay forward. I had a group of people that were really supportive and available to me pre and post op. My immediate support system was limited when I had 2 of 3 son's that were against me having the surgery plus other people in my life that were very negative concerning WLS. My wife supported me which was the most important, but, along the way there were ups and downs and lots of questions. Let me know if I can help. Jake

Good for you Lollicatt! I'm not a basketball player because I'm not coordinated enough to run and dribble at the same time. Really! lol Anyhow, before my weight loss I could not run or even walk from basket to basket on the court without breaking into a heavy sweat and my knees would hurt. Well, I've recently attempted to play a little ball and was able to keep up with a couple of teenagers. I still can't dribble and run effectively, but, I can run and block and who knows maybe with alittle more practice I will get the dribble thing down. lol This decision for me has given me a new life. I also was scared and I actually cancelled the surgery 2 times. I kept telling myself that I could do it without surgery. Yes, I probably could have done it, due to illnesses that were creeping up on me due to my obesity, however, I knew that I would eventually put the lbs. back on and then some. This was my story all my life, with my most successful weight loss story was losing 120 lbs. on the old Weight Watchers program. I put the 120 back on and much more. Keep the positive attitude up.

I just went through this and in my situation it was because of seasonal allergies (hayfever). This is what happens to me. The drainage from my sinuses drain into my stomach but now is the pouch which is so much smaller than the full stomach. The drainage causes me to spit up foam. The solution if it is due to allergies. 1. May have to get a slight unfill 2. Do nasal irrigations with salt Water (ocean water at walgreens) once or twice a day depending on which pollens are active and you are allergic to. You can also make your own ocean water with non-ionized salt and distilled water. 3. Take Chlorltrimeton every 4 hours as needed. My doc says I can also use Zyrtec or Clariton. 4. Drink pineapple juice when you feel the foam building or wanting to come up. I'll have 1/2 cup right before each meal. The acid from the Pineapple juice neutralizes and forces the stuff down into the stomach. 5. Warm liquids also help push the foam down into the main stomach. Hope this helps if it is allergies.

Check this site http://www.delsolmedicalcenter.com/service_category/bariatric-weight-loss-surgery They also have a westside hospital called Las Palmas. I live in Albuquerque NM and started my lapband journey with Del Sol located in El Paso. Shortly after I found out that a Bariatric clinic existed in Albuquerque and at the same hospital my insurance allows and had it done locally. I attended Del Sol's WL seminar and met 2 of their doctors. It was all a very positive experience. Hope this helps.

BCBS has a appeal process. They do here in NM anyway. Find out and submit an appeal. I would go through your PCP and get her/his help with the appeal. BCBS of NM, puts a heavy weight on whatever the PCP reports to them with their recommendation for WLS. I'm sure each BCBS in each state is different, but, definately look into the appeal process. Good luck to you and don't get discouraged. Jake

In this forum there is another post that asks about BCBS. Your BCBS 3 month ordeal sounds like it's probably what I had to forego. The post is titled "BCBS and 3 month dietitian, what do they expect. Check it out.

Another thing that hasn't been mentioned is that the anesthesia after surgery can have after side affects causing depression. It will go away, trust me. Once you start losing the weight you will get a high that will be hard to come down from. You will wish you would have done this long ago. As far as breads and other foods, each person is different. I can eat just about everything except for steak. Breads for me are fine as long as they are toasted and I do love breads, but, I purposely have it only once a week just to help with the weight loss. You'll adjust to foods that you cannot have and remember just because you cannot have something today, you may be able to at a later date. It is a very unique journey for all. Getting stuck /PB's / throwing up is very controllable unless your band is too tight. You will learn all these things as you go. Its a learning experience and you'll get there. Give yourself time.

Yes and yes. Yes, you are probably still partially clogged (what a way to say it) and yes you are probably swollen from the stuck episode. And finally yes, pineapple juice will send what ever is stuck down the stoma. Here's what I learned when using the pineapple juice. Drink about 1/2 cup or so without letting air in while you drink it. I use a bycyclist's bottle with a small opening on top that will prevent much air from going in. You will feel the slight thump when whatever is stuck goes down. If nothing happens wait a bit longer and try another 1/4 - 1/2 cup of pineapple juice. Sometimes it takes more acid from the juice to finally get it down. Finally, depending on how much swelling your stomach has become, go on liquids for a day, then, soft foods for another before going to your full diet. You will know when you are almost back to normal.

I also have BCBS and had to see a dietitian for 3 months before surgery. I also saw my primary two times to monitor my progress. It wasn't so much the diet progress with the primary as it was to follow my co-morbitities. I had blood work done for my borderline diabetes, gout, high cholesterol etc. etc. Your primary will be one of the most important players in whether you get approved or not. My primary doc wrote a letter of recommendation for the surgery which was submitted to BCBS. The dietitian visits were not sessions to monitor a diet, but, were sessions to prepare me for the lapband. Examples of the sessions taught me how my meals were going to be, how I had to eat slow and chew my food really well, no carbonated drinks, eat slow, etc. etc. In addition, I had to select some goals each month to prepare for the lapband eg. 3 days of the week I would not have any of the C foods (candy, cake, cookies), one soda per day, 30 minute meals to get used to chewing really well, etc. I was able to select my own realistic goals. Each month I added to the goals and had to keep a food journal. The last month before surgery I had to continue the food journal and this time all the calories associated with each meal. It was a pain in the butt, but, now I'm so glad I did. I now look at my food journal and realize how much calories I was taking in. If this is what BCBS is requiring of you, you will be thankful later on. One thing after surgery that really blows me away is that we now have meal left overs in our house. I wouldn't have accepted that it was me that was making leftover disappear had it not been for the journal. Prior to surgery I was in denial that I ate as much as I did and blamed my teenage sons for no leftovers. Hang in there, it does go quickly and it is worth the effort. You will understand later on.

Sorry, I got a little side tracked with my last post. It should go under another forum. Anyhow, I did learn that it is fun to poke at my port. Also learned that a bandster's digestive system works differently and some experience more problems with constipation after banding. The use of Metamucil is discouraged by bariatric doctors and the non-bulking Fiber stuff, like miralax or benefiber gives me lots of gas. To remedy this, I must drink more than the recommended 64oz. of liquids per day and I also add flax seed to my diet. This seems to help.

Darn it Jen1214, now you've got me poking at my port. LOL Well, I did it! As of this weekend, I reached my 100 pound weight loss goal after months of gym, pool, bike trail, step aerobics, walking, a little bit of running and of course, the band. I'm down to a 36" pant size (was 46) and a large shirt (was a 3x). I feel like a brand new person! In addition to the medications I'm already off of, I discovered that I don't need my cpap machine anymore. Wife says that I don't snore anymore or have episodes of holding my breath while asleep (apneas). I've really pushed myself in exercising and it has been tough, but, I keep thinking to myself, that I've been carrying a 100 lb. sack of potatoes. No wonder I couldn't walk without the agonizing pain. I'm so thankful for a second chance in life.

Smilinggirl, I'm glad Glad you asked. I did not know either. I guess I'm still in Twoderland (Tutor) ha ha ha Ok, I know, I know, that's dumb. lol

Llyra, Do you toast your bread? It makes a huge difference. I will toast wheat bread then slice it across the center to make 2 very thin slices of bread for a sandwich using a large knife of course. I then chew very well and eat small pieces and I do fine. Interesting thing is that I cannot handle non toasted bread nor hamburger/hotdog buns, thus, it seems that the doughier the bread is, the harder it is to get through the stoma. Try toasting the bread, if you haven't already tried. jake

My first episode with being stuck on steak lasted 3 days. I was miserable! I almost ended up going to see the Doc but I finally got it down using pineapple juice. Zeniada is right on the money. A few days of liquids then progression to mushies, then back to normal food, will make the swelling go down. Sounds like you may be another that steak is a absolute no, no!

Whoops! Pardon my repeat. I just realized that I had addressed the allergy issue already. I haven't been on for awhile and thought that there wouldn't be anymore input, but, I looked today and was surprised to see more posts. Thank you all for sharing. Thus far, every single post makes every bit of sense. As I read through them, I'm thinking yes, yes that's right, absolutely, wow that is me, isn't that the truth, etc. etc. Thanks for continuous input. I wish that I would have seen something like this before I had the surgery. I would have still gone through with it, however, I would have asked many, many more questions pre-surgery. The post that has affected me the most is by Mamajava (Krista) who said; "This band stuff is a complete and total gamble. Period." She is so correct on this. How do we know if we are good candidates for the band without taking such a high chance/risk of success? I'm lucky, that thus far, it is working for me, but, I feel bad for those that it has not worked as well for. Yes, it is a gamble! The medical field must research common ground for those that are successful with the band giving the future bandster a fair chance of success and with their decision to go forth or with another weight loss surgery. Could it be the shape/size/?? of the stomach? Why do some people require such high volume in cc's to get restriction, while others are on the lower spectrum? ETC. ETC.

Here's another surprise that I recently discovered. Seasonal Allergies (hayfever) affects the band for me. I get drainage from my sinuses to my stomach and have problems with sliming and foaming and nausea and sometimes getting meals down. Doc says that I cannot take allergy medications with decongestants in them, and there is a small list of allergy meds that do not have decongestants in them and of course do not work well for me. Along with Chlorotrimetron, I must do nasal irrigations to help the situation. Why do I keep adding to this list? I want to help educate future bandsters so that they are not caught by surprise later on, however, not all lapband journeys are the same, so this may not apply to all.

Hang in there! I also went through a brief period of depression. My support system is also limited due to too so many different opinions. Heres the deal. As you continue your weight loss and day by day you will start to feel awesome about yourself. Most of those people that criiticized you will see the results and start to have a different view of your weight loss surgery. Something to remember always is yes, you could have done the weight loss with diets, including a protein drink diet, however, after a while you would get comfortable again and start your eating habits again then regain what you lost then some more on top of that. The band helps you keep it off. In addition, you do not need to feel guilty when they tell you that this was the easy way out or that its the lazy way out or you didn't need the band. Being banded is hard work and not as easy as they think. You will find that as you continue you won't be able to eat certain foods and you still have to be careful that you eat the proper type of food, the way you eat and theres the exercising if you choose to. No, the lapband is not easy! It helps, but, the work is up to you. Give yourself another month or so and you'll see your attitude will change completely and the depression turns to encouragement and pride that you've done this for yourself, son and family. My first granddaughter was the driving encouragement to do this for myself. I want to be around for her and of course my family as long as I can. Hang in there, it does get better, I promise! jake