Dave_NW

I've never had a confidence problem, but I did find when I was obese that I stayed home more than I do now. Going out was a hassle, I got tired, I didn't feel comfortable in public, it hurt to walk very far, I didn't fit a restaurant booth, and so forth. You know the drill - we all have those issues. I had a million reasons why I preferred to stay home and mess with my computer or watch TV. (I was closer to the junk food, too, so it was a self-fulfilling thing.) Nobody judged me harder than I judged myself. Now, 125 pounds lighter, I'm a completely different person. I really enjoy getting out and doing things now. I go to the gym as much because I enjoy it as because I "have to." I enjoy visiting friends and meeting new people. I go to restaurants to meet friends for a drink or breakfast out or whatever, as much for the social aspects as because I need/want to eat out. I've taken up a few new hobbies, and I've taken a new interest in working on my house. I work in my yard more, and I'm planning more travel, even if it's just weekend trips to nearby areas. (Priceline has some great bargains, if you know how to work it.) I work on my car more than I did, I spend time at places like Home Depot checking out ideas for home improvement, and I've even joined a book club, to get the perspective of other people about books I might enjoy reading. My point is that *I* am not the same person I was. For as together as I figured I used to be, I think I'm in a much better head space now. And I find the people I meet these days have no idea I was ever obese, so they treat me just as they'd treat anyone else. No self-defense mechanism required. I'm free to relax around those people, and allow myself to enjoy being friends without having to feel I need to defend my obesity or hide behind some defense mechanism. It's a great place to be. You have nothing to gain by hiding in your home, and everything to gain by being out. You got banded to help yourself physically, but the emotional improvements may be even better. Enjoy the ride. There's no telling how far your new life may take you. Dave

I'm filling up bag number 25 as we speak... Or, as I like to think of it, I've lost the equivalent of my first wife. And just like the weight I've lost, I'm really glad she's gone, too. LOL! Dave

You can order samples from Unjury to try for yourself. Don't buy till you've tasted things. I made the mistake of buying big containers from them before I had surgery, but discovered after surgery that my taste buds were totally different, and I didn't care for the taste any longer. I ended up tossing out the containers because they got old. The taste pre-op was fine. I liked it. Post-op, not so much. Since you're already post-op, you may find you have a different experience. I tried their vitamins, but found them large and chalky. I ended up getting "Bariatric Advantage" brand vitamins from my surgeon's office. They were more expensive, but easier to get and worked well for me. Dave

Rachel, I'm glad to hear you don't have a leak in your band. That was your larger concern. So now the trick will be to sort out the nutritionist. No nuts is, well, nuts. You're at a point where you need to balance weight loss with proper nutrition, and for a bandster to not eat nuts as part of the larger diet seems incorrect. I follow my own version of a modified South Beach Diet kind of thing -- higher Protein, lower glycemic carbs, avoiding fried, fatty, and sugary foods. (Note that says "avoiding," not eliminating.) I eat what seems right, and balance things to suit my common sense and what I know works for me. I do try and get 10% of my daily calories as protein grams, so if I eat 1200 calories a day, I try to get 120 grams of protein. I don't follow it fanatically, but I try to stay as close as reasonable. (I'm a lazy eater, and I don't cook much, so I tend to make choices based on what I have to work with, rather than seeking out a specific recipe for each meal.) The new Nut at my surgeon's office is so green, she has no idea how to deal with bandsters who have had reasonable success with the band. At my 9-month post-op group meeting she talked to the three of us who have all lost over 100 pounds as if we were total newbies who had no clue about how to eat with a band. I was insulted, and felt like she wasn't there to listen, only to preach her version of life. When I challenged her about a couple of things, she said, "Well, this is how you're supposed to be doing it." So she's memorized her litany, and there was no room for variation. Bottom line: You're a smart woman, and you know how to listen to your own body. I'd say to take the new Nut's words and interpret them to what works best for you and your system. This is your journey, not hers. Turn your diet and exercise plan on its head, shake up your metabolism a bit, and see if you don't get back on track. Good luck! Dave

You may want to challenge them about this. I live up in Washington state, and I had a choice of several Tricare Prime-approved places to have my surgery, including a military facility. I chose a reputable civilan hospital, mainly because it was more convenient for me. San Diego may be a different thing, but I'd think coverages would be the same. Good luck! Dave

Your doctor's request for you to be approved for surgery carries a certain amount of weight with Tricare, and can make the difference for cases where the person is on the edge. Wait and see what they say before you get worried. When I was approved by Tricare, it took three business days till I had my answer. Hang in there. Dave

Hi and welcome to LBT! You're absolutely in the right place. Your goals are very achievable, if you're willing to make the commitment to eating right, working out properly, and managing your band. There is no substitute for knowledge about how the band works, and those who have the most success are the ones who have that knowledge, and who work their band properly. Your numbers aren't all that different than my own, and I started this last December at 320 pounds. Today I am below 200, and just a few pounds away from my goal weight. So yes, it's QUITE "doable." One thing to know, is that the band will not stop you from overeating, or from making bad food choices. It's a helper for common sense and willpower, by reducing your appetite to manageable levels. So if you have food issues, get them resolved before you have surgery. Your chances of successful weight loss are much better if you aren't fighting personal demons that sabotage you. Good luck! Dave

Why not just use the Enter key when you're typing in the data? I just tried it, and it worked fine for me. Dave

You guys are lucky. I had a ventral hernia repair in addition to the lap band placement. I ended up with 13 incision sites. Dave

Each of the surgery types have their place, and those who are mentally gearing up for a certain surgery will naturally want to promote their surgery as the best one to have. You handled it just fine. People who say things like "Oh that's the bad one" are obviously uninformed. Consider the source, stay confident that you're making the right choice for yourself, and prove them wrong by kicking ass in the weight loss department. If there is a next time, and someone makes an unthinking comment like that, laugh out loud, look them right in the eye, and say, "Yep, my surgeon and I have agreed that banding is the right choice for me. Tell you what - let's get together in five years, and compare notes. I'd love to know how your journey goes, and I'll tell you all about mine. After we've both lost our excess weight, does it matter how we each got there?" And then you can relax, knowing you'll never have to deal with dumping syndrome, malabsorption, malnutrition, chronic diarrhea, and a host of other issues bypass patients have to deal with. If the worst you'll deal with is getting temporarily stuck if you eat wrong, or possibly a PB once in awhile, it seems like a lot less of a challenge to live your daily life. food for thought: You'll notice they're starting to offer lapband to lower BMI people to help them lose weight. You don't hear of them offering sleeve or bypass surgery for lower BMI people. Seems to me banding is a better option for more people. Consider the source. Stay strong, and stay committed to what's right for you. And if you need inspiration, check my ticker numbers. This thing works fine, if you manage it right. My numbers are as good as any bypass patient, except I'm healthier than I've been in years. Most bypass people can't say that. Good luck! Dave

Glad to be able to offer you some ideas. Not having insurance must make your journey a tough one. Good luck with whatever you decide. Yes, those weight loss numbers are correct. I had surgery December 6, 2010, and I actually hit 120 pounds lost about a month ago. I've been on vacation and such during the last month, so set aside my weight loss routine, and have just gotten back to the gym this past week. I manage the heck out of my band, and I'm in the gym four or five days a week. I have 9.2cc in a 14cc band, and I have great restriction. I've had zero problems with my band, and excellent results. My fill PA jokes that if there was a poster boy for this process, I'd be that guy. Dave

I live north of Everett, and use Tricare Prime. Unless things have changed in the last year, there are no Tricare-approved bariatric facilities north of Seattle. There are several civilian clinics in Seattle that provide services, and you can always go to Madigan, if you want to stay with a military facility. I had my surgery at Swedish Hospital, and I highly recommend the surgeon and his staff. It's worth the drive time from here for me to get the kind of service I expect. If you want to know more, shoot me a PM and I'll give you more details. Hope this helps, Dave

Hi Dandeegan, I can easily appreciate your desire to get back into things, and hope I can offer some ideas. First things first: Read up on, and then do the "Five Day Pouch Test." It will basically test your pouch, and give you a solid baseline to start from. By the end of it, you'll know if your pouch is working right. If your pouch IS stretched, all it means is that you have a larger pouch than you used to have. Regardless of whether it goes back to its correct size, as I see it, if you use portion control to regulate how much you're eating, you can still eat a bandster-sized meal. And if you don't eat more than you know you should, things should take care of themselves. Here is the text of a recent LBT thread about the Five Day Pouch Test: ********************************* Day 1 & 2-The first two days are all liquids. You can have as many low-carb Protein shakes as you like to satisfy hunger or cravings. In addition drink at least six 8-ounce glasses of Water each day. The purpose of all liquids is to break any snacking, grazing or processed carbohydrate habits. In addition the liquids will work to cleanse your system and prepare you for the following three days. Try to reduce your caffeine intake as well, but do not stop caffeine cold turkey or you will feel sick and frustrated potentially losing the desire to continue with the pouch test. It is very important to drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water each day. This will prevent dehydration, will help curb cravings and will flush your body of toxins and fat. Sufficient water intake improves kidney function and cell processes. Day 3: Soft proteins- The next three days you get to eat as much as you want as often as you want! But there's a catch: it has to be solid protein and you only get 15 minutes each time you sit down to eat. No drinking 30 minutes before or after meals and no drinking with your food. A dry pouch will hold your soft protein longer helping you to feel full and fed longer. Protein Recommendations: canned fish ( tuna or salmon) mixed with lemon and seasoned with salt and pepper, eggs cooked as desired seasoned with salt pepper and/or salsa, fresh soft fish (tilapia, sole, orange roughy), baked or grilled, and lightly seasoned. This starts your program with "soft" protein. Measure your portion (1 cup volume or 4-6 ounces weight) and eat only until you feel full, not overfull. Remember, no water for 30 minutes before or after your meal, and no fluids with your meal. We are going back to the beginning and fluids will prevent you from feeling the pouch. If you need to add a moist condiment (Miracle Whip or mayonnaise) to the canned fish I understand, but keep it to a minimum so the meat is not too moist. One reason we lose the sense of tightness in our pouch is that we eat "slider foods" -foods that are too moist and do not stay in the pouch very long, they slide right through the stoma. Cottage cheese is a good protein and you can include it on Day 3. To firm it up a bit you could add a chopped hard cooked egg to your cottage cheese. And yes, during the liquid phase chicken boullion with added protein is great. Day 4 Firm Protein- Protein Recommendations: ground meat (beef, turkey, lamb) cooked dry and lightly seasoned, shellfish, scallops, lobster steamed and seasoned only with lemon, salmon or halibut steaks, grilled and lightly seasoned. By now you should be experiencing that familiar tightness that will reassure you that your pouch is working. Remember to drink plenty of water between meals. Take some time to meditate and rediscover the wonder of your pouch. Often we don't like that uncomfortable tightness of the pouch, which is why we gradually move toward slider foods that don't make us uncomfortable. It is always my preference to eat moist protein so I don't get uncomfortable, but doing so allows me to consume more than I should. Rediscovering the pouch with this 5-day plan reminds me of how the tool really works. I hope by now you are rediscovering your tool and enjoying the hope and excitement because your pouch still works. Day 5 Solid Protein- Remember to chew chew chew. Measure your portion (4-6 ounces) and eat only until you feel your pouch tighten. Remember, only 15 minutes per meal, so you'll have to work fast to chew your food completely. By now you should be out of any carb cycle you were in and perhaps you have lost a pound or two. You will have new confidence in your pouch and your ability to work the tool for your health and emotional well being. Don't go hungry! Remember, you can eat as often as you want as long as it is solid protein, consumed without liquids and measured in 4-6 ounce portions. ********************************* After you've determined whether your pouch is working right, and you have your food portions back to the correct bandster-size meals, the next thing to consider is WHAT you're eating. If your weight loss is stalled, then you need to figure out why. Are you tracking HONEST calories every day? Are you eating junk food, slider foods, empty calories, or snack foods, instead of "real" food? I follow a modified South Beach Diet kind of thing - higher protein, lower glycemic carbs, and avoiding fried food, fats, and sugary foods. For me, it's all about moderation, and trying to get roughly 10% of my daily calories from protein. So if I'm eating 1200 calories a day, I try to get 120 of those calories from protein. I try to make sure I eat more protein grams than carb grams in a day, to keep my diet balanced. Every time I put something in my mouth I make sure I'm eating because it's right for me, and not just out of habit. And probably the most important thing you need to figure out is how many calories a day you're burning off. If you're not burning more than you take in, you won't lose weight. It's that simple. You have to get out of your chair and move. Even a little at a time helps, but the more you can do, the better your weight loss will be. You have to take charge of your band, and work it like the tool that it is. Are you working out regularly, are you trying to stay as active as possible, and are you proactive in your band's performance? Or are you someone who expects the band to do all the work? If you balance eating right with proper exercise, drinking enough water every day, and getting enough sleep every night, you WILL lose weight. Hope this helps, and gives you some ideas of things to try. Good luck! Dave

You should not be doing ANY exercise other than walking without your doctor's consent. Generally, the first six weeks after surgery are about giving your body time to heal from surgery. If you get too active too soon, you run the risk of tearing stitches, flipping your port, and even causing the band to slip. You've been banded less than a week - and I think your motivation is excellent, but you're walking a very fine line. There is plenty of time for exercise after you're healed. Definitely talk to your surgeon before you screw something up. Good luck! Dave

Hey Char, Hang in there. Right now it seems like there's a lot of details going on, but they're all pointing you toward having surgery. After that's done, things will slow way down, and you can focus more on yourself. Just keep a check list of things to be done, and as you do them, check another one off your list. Surgery Day will be here soon enough. You're doing great, and you're well on your way to a successful banding. Good luck! Dave

My doctor wouldn't let me do any exercise other than walking until six weeks after surgery. Dave

Hi Joe, Glad to hear you're finding the info you're after. This site has been around a long time, there are a lot of threads, and there have been a LOT of people who have posted here. As you're reading things, be sure to check the date on the post. Over the years a lot of new information has come along, and there are newer ways to do a lot of things with the band. So an older post (say three or more years ago) may not be the most current information about that topic. As a Nuke, I know you know about the current SOP vs. outdated instructions. Shoot me a PM if you have specific questions, or need a mentor. I'm one of those "pay it forward" people, and I've learned a fair bit about this whole process. Happy to share lessons learned. Dave P.S. I was what used to be called a DP. I had a lot of Nuke friends aboard Nimitz.

Way to go, Cindy! And congrats for sticking with it all this time. You deserve to be very proud of your achievement! One of the things I've started doing, now that I'm close to my goal, is taking a picture of the scale numbers when I hit a new low weight. It's great inspiration to stick wih things, and to try to get the number to go even lower. Funny how in the beginning the weight just fell off, but now that the goal is in sight, it seems to move slower and slower... Keep up the great work! Dave

Welcome aboard, shipmate. I'm retired Navy, too. (West Coast surface black shoe.) You're in the right place. There is a ton of information here, and you're bound to get a lot of solid help. As you're reading, try to keep things in perspective when it comes to problems or complaints about the band. A lot of people only post here if they're having an issue of some sort, and there are a lot of "fear of the unknown" posts. Many more folks are having no problems, so they never post about things. The vast majority of band patients don't develop issues, and you never hear about those people. Good luck with your surgery! Dave

Well, I have the band, and seeing as how I've lost more than 120 pounds in less than 10 months, I'm not sure how much faster anyone would WANT to lose weight. So to my way of thinking, that argument isn't valid. My choice to have band surgery (beyond convenience and cost) was that it is reversible, and nothing inside of me got cut up or cut out. If the band develops problems, it can be removed. If sleeve or bypass surgeries go bad, they can't fully put you back together again. So it's a decision to make for the long term, not just for the moment. And I'm told that even if average sleeve or bypass patients tend to lose faster initially, after a couple of years it all sort of equals out with bandsters. And two years out from surgery, does it really matter HOW you lost weight? To me, at that point it's more a matter of being done with the excess weight, and living a healthy life. How you get to that point isn't as important than that you're there. The thing about the band surgery is that you have to work it. It is not a magic bullet, or an easy way out. Unlike other surgeries where the remaining parts force weight loss on you, with the band you need to eat right and exercise to lose weight properly. If you're lazy and want to eat anything you want and not participate in your weight loss, then the band is not the choice for you. It's your decision, and the quality of your life you're deciding on. Good luck! Dave

I've replaced my entire closet about four times since starting this last December. I decided early on that my new life was too important to continue to wear clothes that didn't fit right. As things began to get to be too large, I set them aside. When there was enough to fill a trash bag or two or three, I took them to Goodwill, or to a homeless shelter in my town, and even to a coworker whose father and brothers are big guys. Donating them made me feel good, because all my stuff was in great shape and had a lot of life left in them. I told the coworker to do what she wanted with whatever her family couldn't use, including putting them in her next garage sale. She was delighted, because guys used clothes at garage sales tend to be stained or ripped or worn out. She was happy to get nice stuff from me. Then I bought new stuff on sale in various places, most often JC Penney (their online site has the best selection and some killer sales.) When THOSE clothes got to be too big, I started over, and did the same thing, donating what I didn't need anymore. I've gone from 3XL and 4XL shirts down to size Large, and my 44-46 waist pants are down to a 34 inch waist. To justify the cost of buying more clothes, I started figuring out how much money I WASN'T spending on food. Groceries, restaurants, junk food and Snacks, soda, beer - the repetitive costs of that much food was enormous. After banding, my food expenses are SO much lower, I have a lot more disposable income. I figure I can spend that money on new clothes. They make me feel right, I look great in them, and it helps me adjust to my new life. Now that my weight loss has slowed way down, I'm not needing to shop like I was. So it's all tapered off, and I had a great journey along the way. And as for those jeans you're waiting to buy? WalMart has great jeans that wear well and cost less than $10 a pair. Check them out. Dave

You're in the right place. Read everything here you can, and you'll see that the people who have successfully worked their lapband are living a great life as a smaller, much happier person. I include myself in that group. I started my journey a year ago at 320 pounds. In less than ten months after surgery I've lost more than 120 pounds, and now tip the scales at 199. I'm active, healthy, and I feel awesome. If I have any regrets, it's that it took me so long to get off my lazy ass and do something about my obesity. California is just as tough as you say, but it's the same as anywhere else. Fat people are ignored, treated badly, even vilified, for something a lot of them can't control. If you're truly sick of being obese, and are prepared to do the work required to honestly change your life, then lapband may be a great option for you. The other things you named are either cosmetic or require cutting up your insides. The lapband is the least invasive, and is essentially reversible. And I'm here to tell you that if you're ready to work for it, the band will give you control over your body, and it will give you back your life. Ask your doctor if you're a good candidate, and if so, then go for it. You have nothing to lose except all those extra pounds. But you stand to gain back your future, and your self esteem. Trust me - I've been there. And I'm never going back. Dave

Good for you, Rachel!! Keep up the great work! Dave

Some people use it to see if their band and pouch are working right. It will tighten up your pouch some, if you've been eating more than you should. Search the threads here - there's been a fair amount written about it. Dave

Here's the text from a recent post here about it: Day 1 & 2-The first two days are all liquids. You can have as many low-carb Protein shakes as you like to satisfy hunger or cravings. In addition drink at least six 8-ounce glasses of Water each day. The purpose of all liquids is to break any snacking, grazing or processed carbohydrate habits. In addition the liquids will work to cleanse your system and prepare you for the following three days. Try to reduce your caffeine intake as well, but do not stop caffeine cold turkey or you will feel sick and frustrated potentially losing the desire to continue with the pouch test. It is very important to drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water each day. This will prevent dehydration, will help curb cravings and will flush your body of toxins and fat. Sufficient water intake improves kidney function and cell processes. Day 3: Soft proteins- The next three days you get to eat as much as you want as often as you want! But there's a catch: it has to be solid protein and you only get 15 minutes each time you sit down to eat. No drinking 30 minutes before or after meals and no drinking with your food. A dry pouch will hold your soft protein longer helping you to feel full and fed longer. Protein Recommendations: canned fish ( tuna or salmon) mixed with lemon and seasoned with salt and pepper, eggs cooked as desired seasoned with salt pepper and/or salsa, fresh soft fish (tilapia, sole, orange roughy), baked or grilled, and lightly seasoned. This starts your program with "soft" protein. Measure your portion (1 cup volume or 4-6 ounces weight) and eat only until you feel full, not overfull. Remember, no water for 30 minutes before or after your meal, and no fluids with your meal. We are going back to the beginning and fluids will prevent you from feeling the pouch. If you need to add a moist condiment (Miracle Whip or mayonnaise) to the canned fish I understand, but keep it to a minimum so the meat is not too moist. One reason we lose the sense of tightness in our pouch is that we eat "slider foods" -foods that are too moist and do not stay in the pouch very long, they slide right through the stoma. Cottage cheese is a good protein and you can include it on Day 3. To firm it up a bit you could add a chopped hard cooked egg to your cottage cheese. And yes, during the liquid phase chicken boullion with added protein is great. Day 4 Firm Protein- Protein Recommendations: ground meat (beef, turkey, lamb) cooked dry and lightly seasoned, shellfish, scallops, lobster steamed and seasoned only with lemon, salmon or halibut steaks, grilled and lightly seasoned. By now you should be experiencing that familiar tightness that will reassure you that your pouch is working. Remember to drink plenty of water between meals. Take some time to meditate and rediscover the wonder of your pouch. Often we don't like that uncomfortable tightness of the pouch, which is why we gradually move toward slider foods that don't make us uncomfortable. It is always my preference to eat moist protein so I don't get uncomfortable, but doing so allows me to consume more than I should. Rediscovering the pouch with this 5-day plan reminds me of how the tool really works. I hope by now you are rediscovering your tool and enjoying the hope and excitement because your pouch still works. Day 5 Solid Protein- Remember to chew chew chew. Measure your portion (4-6 ounces) and eat only until you feel your pouch tighten. Remember, only 15 minutes per meal, so you'll have to work fast to chew your food completely. By now you should be out of any carb cycle you were in and perhaps you have lost a pound or two. You will have new confidence in your pouch and your ability to work the tool for your health and emotional well being. Don't go hungry! Remember, you can eat as often as you want as long as it is solid protein, consumed without liquids and measured in 4-6 ounce portions. I did this a week ago, and it definitely helped me get back in touch with my pouch. I'd recommend it. Good luck! Dave