tavimew

If we could follow these "rules" we wouldn't have needed the band in the first place!

I mix it in cream of wheat, oatmeal, vanilla pudding, for the pudding mix 2 scoops in 1 cup of water then substitute that for 1 of the cups of milk the mix calls for. Pudding comes out great that way.

I've been banded just under 2 months and have lost 25lbs so far. I understand how you feel but losing more is really unrealistic, your body is not going to let the weight just fall off instantly. You will have plateaus, days maybe weeks where you will lose nothing. Stick it out and try not to worry it will come off eventually. Don't worry I don't listen to my own advice but have a friend who got banded 1 week before me to bring me back down to earth when I start stressing about not losing as much as I want to. Also when was the last time you lost 22lbs in 1 month? Without feeling like you were starving to death?

My doc is in the Long Beach area, it's the St. Mary Center for Surgical Treatment of Obesity, (562) 491-7935. Call them.

Did you know one of the main reasons people don't stay on diets is because they force themselves to eat what they don't like. Learning to eat right is not eating things you don't like, its about finding things that are healthy that you do like.

Go to your surgeon. Some gastrointerologists don't know enough about the band and that can be trouble. I know of someone who went to a gastro instead of her surgeon and the gastro messed her up big time! Your surgeon is probably giving you the Pepcid and waiting because your issue may just be irritation and inflammation of the lining of your stomach and that takes time to heal, you don't want to jump in and start doing invasive things if that's whats wrong. Try to be patient and take the Pepcid, don't eat any acidic foods or drinks.

I'v tried several protein shakes including the Isopure and they are disgusting. The Special K ones are the only ones I've found that I don't have to choke down. I don't think Special K shakes are "cheap imitations", they are only 190 calories and yes only 10gm protein but shouldn't be your daily staple food anyway. Bottom line you have to find the one that is right for you. No one can or should drink things they don't like.

I also have Blue Cross PPO. I went to Dr. Naim in Long Beach at St. Marys Center for Surgical Treatment of Obesity. They got me authorization within a couple of weeks. My out of pocket for the hospital was only $1400. And I've paid about $300 for the preop testing so far. haven't gotten a bill from the doc yet.

I was banded on 8/17/10. Have lost 24lbs so far. Congrats to my fellow August Bandsters who have done so well. Isn't "closet shopping" great!! I have noticed that those in "bandser hell" seem to not have fills often or not have much in their fills. My doc is very aggressive with restriction, he put in 1cc during surgery, 3.5cc 4 weeks after surgery, and another 1.5cc this past monday. I have great restriction, I'm back on mushies today then tomorrow regular food. Not hungry, eating about 800 calories a day. Maybe you should have a talk with your surgeons and tell them point blank to give you better restriction. Remind them that you went through surgery because you couldn't just do it alone and if you don't have good restriction that is what you are being forced to do! Be more aggressive for yourself, don't just take the doctor's words to be law, you are the patient and you have to be an active participant in your band management. Remember this is a process, you didn't get fat overnight, I know it seems like it :thumbup:, you won't get skinny overnight either (actually I need to take my own advice here, I'm so impatient, I want to see the scale move down every day)!

I have the same thing, my doctor says it's muscle pain. He says I have to stretch really good before any kind of exercise.