Texas Cutie

Why not take into school with you those little packs of tuna steaks. The albacore ones come in 3oz packs and they are perfect for eating with the band. I am sure you can find a packet of mayonaise or something if you need it but those are flavored and you really don't need it. it would probably cost about the same as a cafeteria lunch as well.

Every surgery I have ever had I have had at least one visit with the surgeon afterward because they know what pain is normal and what level of pain and where the pain should be ect. I think that comfort of knowing ok I am supposed ot be feeling this at this time comes from seeing your surgeon and having them lay those fears to rest. I have had several surgeries and I have never gone back to a primary care after having them. I followed up with the doctor who did them. When it was a specialty surgery I went to a specialist in that area. Knee surgery sports medicine doctor and I saw him after cause he knows knees and knows what should be going on with a knee following surgery. My GP would not know that. Most suregeries are not about a lifelong addition to your body and I think that makes a difference as well. This is a permanent fixture in your body put in by someone who specializes in treating those who have this done. That is who I expect to provide my care that I have paid them for. Why would I not expect to see the doctor that performed the surgery? That is an insane idea. I am not trying to be rude or confrontational I really am not but seriously think about that. Does it not make sense that when you pay a specialist you should have at least one follow up with that sepcialist. The area should be touched by them at least once afterwards? Call me crazy if you will it just makes sense to me. I guess you have a point about this surgery being done more and more and maybe that is part of the problem that it is done so much it is taken too lightly and we are not as educated as we should be. But this is a major thing and it is a lifetime commitment to get this done. I think we should be watched to ensure it is going well. That is my position and I do not think I can be talked out of subscribing to the idea that a lifetime commitment means follow up through the time it is in place or at least until a person is familiar enough with whatever it is to safely utilze it and know when to seek assistance from a doctor. Not to mention that I think it says in the band paperwork that you should be seen by your doctor at least every 2 months whether you need a fill or not. So if we do not do that and something goes wrong (not saying anything is wrong with my band just a blanket statement) who is responsible. Us as a patient or the docotor who did not see a need to follow his/her own criteria for follow-up? If he were a heart specialist and installed a shunt or a pacemaker would you be ok with not having a follow-up knowing there was a foriegn body in your body? Would it be ok not to ever be seen by him again?

So I am not nuts you did work there. I was thinking I had read that somewhere.

Thanks guys for sticking up for me you said exactly what I was thinking.

I guess what it comes down to is the fact that there is no aftercare and regardless of the number of patients he has banded he should at be following up with them. If he can't care for and do follow-ups with the patients he has then maybe he has done too many surgeries and this is a good place to stop and start caring for the patients he has banded. That is my opinion. I did not even see this man before I went out in the operating room and I have never seen him since. My follow up was walking into a room standing across from a nurse having her say lift your shirt. Asking was I in any pain (of course I was), then she asked is it normal pain well I have no idea. I don't do these surgeries. That is why I should be seeing a DOCTOR! Then she said call back at 4 weeks for a fill. Most other patients who have other doctors have follow ups and I think that makes sense this makes no sense to me! I was not told I would not see a doctor and I even asked about it and they said oh yes the aftercare is great. Yeah Right! I got a packet printed on paper of what to eat and that is all I got besides the brochure from the band company. I would like to see if Spivak or someone else will see me I do not know what else to do. (sz8beauty, you work for him don't you? do you think that makes a difference in your level of care?) As for Spiegal I could care a less how many surgeries he has done. It does me no good that he has done more than 5,000 surgeries. He has done one on me and I am unhappy with the care I have recieved. Is he so skilled he can tell I am ok without ever have checked for himself?

I wish I had paid more attention to this post prior to having my surgery. I read it and thought one bad expierience is just an opinion. I wish I had not had spiegal do my surgery although seeing as I went to sleep and he was not even in the room I can not be sure that he is the one who did my surgery. I saw him for 2 seconds the day of my surgery and I saw him for 30 on my pre-op date. I am not at all happy with that. I think we should be followed up with BY A DOCTOR. I am like 2 months out and I have no clue where I should be what I should should not be doing. I feel as if me and my insurance company were ripped off severely. Poor Poor after care. Poor care in general!

I am one month out of surgery and I was told by my nurse to have my first fill this upcoming week the thing is I am leaving the state and am worried that I should wait. I don't know how I will react. I still feel as if I have a lot of restriction now. So I am afraid if I got the fill I could endure a month of misery while waiting to get home. Should I call my doc and ask them and does it matter that I am down almost 20 pounds since my last visit to them making my TWL 28 pounds. I mean do you consider weight loss when thinkinkg of a fill. I also do not want to travel and gain weight I am just not sure what I should do. I have no fill yet and am only due this week. So what do you think. My gut is wrecked over this!

I think it varies a lot from person to person and depends on what you are expecting. I was expecting not to be hungry and one month out of surgery I often find myslef at 6 or 8 pm going oh no I have not eaten all day. I found Protein drinks with 50 grams and only 4 carbs so I do one of those and try to get in a 3oz pack of tuna in a day. Most of the time though I eat because I know I should and not because I am hungry. Even when I am hungry if I do not eat right then and there and do something else or wait to get home I will not be hungry once I get there.

Yikes I feel for you because I just had mine a month ago (so that may be part of why) but if I wear even low rise jeans that are too tight I am in misery after a couple of hours and my port is like 5 inches above my belly button. Was there a reason he placed it so high. I mean were they not thinking of pants hitting that and the discomfort? Hopefully you will be more comfortable as it heals. Good Luck!

Thanks for the advice. I am thinking I am fine this way. I really do not see myself overeating. food is just not mentally enjoyable anymore. I eat if I am starving and I have to. So I think I will be fine. Once I get back I will probably need one but I think everyone here is right waiting is probably best!

Thanks I tried to find a thread that was an appropriate place to put this. I knew there had to be one but I could not find it anywhere. Thanks anyway. If someone would like they can delete this one!

Not all doctors require a pre-op weight loss plan. Most who do require the diet and have done multiple surgeries do not require it in patients who do not have fatty liver. I think that is why a lot of people have to have it done. I mean most of us get the surgery for health reasons but some people have more risk and more problems and are required to loose weight to make the surgery more safe. I think almost all doctors require a 24 hour liquid fast just to make things easier on you. Mine required 12 hours of Clear liquids I did a full day hoping it would be easier on me!

You know I tried a whole new ticker thing it will not work. I must be doing something wrong. <br /> <br /> I am going to be away until after Jan 3rd; leaving state for the holidays but I will try to keep up with what I am supposed to be doing anyway!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> current weight 219

Sounds like a great challenge. I am in! Although I don't want to cheat my ticker is not right it should be 220 now but I can not get it changed for some reason?? So at least the correct weight is here. So will we be doing this just for ourselves and keping track or posting in a journal or what? Thanks!

I think what helped me is knowing that this is a tool and the great thing about this surgery is that I can enjoy all of the same things I just dont take in near as much as I did. I eat the same things and I enjoy something yummy here and there. I will at the store pick up a truffle or something like that. I just buy a single serving and know I must run it off or I must drink a Protein drink and skip a meal cause it was my choice. I am perfectly happy to do that. You are not giving up food forever just until your body heals and you can take in food. I talked myslef into thinking I was sick and had to take in only liquids. YOu will find what works for you! The hunger changes and it does not last very long and it is not as intense as it was. A cup of broth or tea will ease it. Are you eating sugar free popscicles? Good Luck!

So glad to hear you were rebanded and all is well. Wishing you the best. As for wanting to be unbanded I certainly went through that in the 1st and maybe even the second week after surgery. I just felt miserable I did not even have the energy to climb the stairs in my house it was terrible! That was about day 3-4 and prior to that I was walking. I backed off of that and it helped me a lot the calorie resistriction made me like a wet noodle inside and out. Today I spent an hour packing up clothes that no longer fit and looking back I am so glad I did not have the band removed. I was one month out yesterday! It is all up-hill from that first 2 week period. SO don't worry!

I can feel mine always when I am lying down or standing but after I have eaten I am much more aware of it. It actually kind of helps me to know if I ate correctly because it is harder in that area after I eat so if it is really hard when I am done I know my shoulder is going to hurt later and I make a note of what I ate. It seems an amount of one thing is not too much but the same amount of another thing is and right now that port area getting kind of firm helps me to know ok I am not eating anymore. Sounds strange but that is what happens for me. I think when all of my weight is off I will be able to see my port really badly cause it is so evident right now. Perhaps though it is still really swollen there?

I would do it again in a heartbeat! It is of course up to you but I would not even have to think about it I would do it again. I have now lost almost 30 pounds I feel great. I am down from tight 20's to 16's. I have still not had or needed a fill. I am three weeks out yesteday. I would not have to think about whether or not to do this again! I am not sure if that helps you to feel better about it but it is not all bad stuff that happens. Yes there are drawbacks but they are nothing compared to ho wbad it feels to be morbidly obese.

I was just reading in the thread on fills people talking about being hungry and it prompted me to ask this question as it has been on my mind since I had my surgery. Does it seem to anyone else that hunger feels very different and last only a few moments? I mean I get hungry on and off all day but it is not as intense, it is not anyhing I feel I want to do something about and it is over in just a matter of minutes. I am sure it could have something to do with the fact that it has only been 3 weeks since my surgery but I just don't feel the need to eat because my stomach growls. It is kind of like it is just a noise there is not any pain or discomfort or a sense of me being driven to fill a need. It is just an annoying sound with no sense of urgency to act to make it stop! Does anyone else feel this way? I can not help but wonder if this is part of how the tool works?

Well I am not saying that I do not get hungry (certainly get hungry less than before) it is just not anything that is a big deal since surgery. I mean I do not feel like I should go and eat right away. Plus if I fix a hot cocoa or I drink a cup of broth or whatever it is gone and then I feel fine.

I think you are being graced by your doc. 1200 is much higher than some get. I am to stay below 800. That should make you feel much better! Good luck! As for the chewing thing don't be hard on yourself it is a really hard thing to learn to do. I constantly find myself forgetting how long to chew. The worst place is at the stove, I taste something and that is when I mess up the most. So I have to learn even if I am tasting food I have to go and sit down to do so, thus far I am not yet practicing it every time! You will get it and so will I!

Protein shakes are simply shakes along the lines in consistency of slimfast that are much higer in protein. The ones I drink are made by VHT and you can find them at VHTbody.com. They 35 grams of protein and 5 carbs and they are really yummy! There are tons of them out there. Just google Protein Shakes there are bound to be UK vendors of them. Isn't GNC over there in some places? I thought they were that is where I get mine. Wait no I go to the Vitamin shop. SOrry ALso know that some docs (MINE FOR SURE) say do not purchase or drink powder shakes only the already liquid ones. So check with yours about that! Good Luck!

La_Madam helped me out on this same issue. I kept feeling like I had something stuck in my throat and it was horribly uncomfortable. I immediately went back to liquids only (except I stayed on skim milk) and I think it helped to lubricate my throat and tummy but was slightly heavier than Water or broth and so it helped to push the food down. I had it happen first with beef and then with chicken and what I learned is that if I take a bite that is larger than literally like a McDonalds straw, and I fail to chew it for at least 30 seconds I have that happen. If I take the time to chew tiny bits very well I do fine. ANother thing I found I was doing was that I would start out eating very slow and chewing very well and then I would be like 30 minutes into eating and I would get tired of taking the time and I would start to eat too quickly. What is working for me is watching the clock. If I eat a bite of meat that is the size of that straw then I chew at least a full 30 seconds. If it is kind of dry I chew it longer. If it is not like liquid in my mouth by the time I am done with that I chew longer or I spit it out. Even with sweet potatoe mashers I have to chew and get it to liquid to take it down and be comfy afterwards. The bonus is that if I eat (this am for example) one egg with two ounces of meat added I will work on that meal for a full one hour program - commercials. If I do that I am good and because it took so long to eat it I am full for hours. I am still figuring out how to use the band and not work around it. I want it to teach me how to eat right and I have to take more time to eat is the first step. For me that means using a program to time my eating. I turn on the tube and watch a show and eat my small amount of food in a one hour time frame. That helps me to not get bored and want to hurry through a meal and it keeps me from feeling that stuck sensation (which is awful!!!)! Good Luck to you!

That is so awesome that is a huge difference. Congratulations to you! Would be nice to start a clothing swap. I mean I am already down a size as well. I am going to keep wearing them because I hate to buy clothes when I know they too will have to be replaced! Yikes, they cost so much but I guess when the grocery bill drops there is room for more shopping. Too bad for me I have a hubby and step child that eat thier body weight daily so it really just means that they eat more of what I would have eaten! So sad!

I would not think so. I mean I am a no lift for 3 months but I have an 8 month old to pick up and he is always on my tummy or crawling around me and I am fine. I find to get up from laying down I have to get him off cause I am still having that pulling sensation when I try to go from sitting to laying or in am in certain positions. I dont think it will be a problem at all. I mean ask your doc but I am not quite 3 weeks out and I have 25 pounds climbing on me all the time. So I don't think 6 will be an issue.