mandilou

I was banded on 06/29/11 and have lost 36.7lbs as of this morning.

So we're three weeks into June - how is everyone doing who had surgery at the beginning of the month? My surgery is June 29 - so I don't have any post-op words of wisdom just yet.

Hey Vicki! I'm with you - by some freak act of nature, I was down 31 pounds (!!!) in my first week, and when I went for my 2nd week check up I was up a half a pound. So while I was feeling badly, I also realized that I still have a net loss of 30.5# and I'll take it! I'm trying to stay within 800-1000 calories (the nutritionist at my office said to stay at 800 unless I'm working out a lot), but I have to say, it's tough! My biggest concern is that I'm not eating enough calories and my body is going to hold on to the weight. So we'll see how it goes! Even though I'm technically in "mushy" phase right now, I've found that I'm able to eat most things - I don't mean like ice cream and Cookies, but rather small pieces of chicken, etc. I've been trying not to push it too much, but I'm also trying to listen to my body. The hardest part for me so far is getting full on a small amount of food - I find that I want to keep eating - my brain keeps trying to tell me I'm still hungry. There have been a couple times that I've been "satisfied", but kept eating because I thought I should. Sounds weird - but that's been my struggle. Being very mindful when I'm eating has been one of my bigger goals. That, and Protein. It's been a huge focus for me. Glad to hear you're doing well!

My reasoning for the band was all of the above - however, I have some questions for you. 1) When's the last time you went to your general practitioner and got a full physical - complete with bloodwork? I ask because the way you describe your efforts to lose weight - working out like crazy and not dropping a pound, or barely making the scale budge - reminds me of me. You might want to make sure you're not hypothyroid, if you haven't already. My doc basically said I could run a marathon and not lose a pound, because of my thyroid. Worth checking. In fact, having a "baseline" of where you are medically is a great first step towards determining any issues that might need to be addressed - not to mention identify any potential co-morbidity which can help make your surgery more insurance-approvable. 2) It's not terribly uncommon to be STARVING when you're working out a lot - and while you seem to be eating good food are you a) eating ENOUGH for the level of exercise and are you eating LOTS of Protein? Your body will HOLD ON DESPERATELY to weight if you're not eating enough calories and working out like crazy. And protein and fat make you feel FULL. So it's not terrible for you to eat some good fats and protein at every meal - to keep your hunger at bay. Eating smaller meals more frequently could also help you with this. But remember that when you have the band, you will have to deal with periods of time when the band isn't offering you the restriction you need, which makes resisting bad/excessive choices very difficult. My surgeon said that in many sleeve patients, there's evidence that the brain doesn't even register "hunger" so you have to remind yourself to eat. If that's a huge struggle for you, it's worth a thought. 3) With regards to Vitamin deficiencies. I chose the lap band because I didn't want anything malabsorptive, nor did I want my hair to fall out, or end up missing out on key nutrients. However, my physician has me on a BUNCH of Vitamins. So there is still a degree of aftercare that will require more vitamins and supplements - it's just not as "dire". It sounds like you are willing to put in the work that having a lapband requires. And it sounds like you have a good mindset - being aware of weaknesses that might hinder your success. I would echo what was said above and make sure you work with a therapist to identify those issues and address them - but I'm happy for you and wish you the best and tons of success regardless of your path to wellness!

I was banded on the 29th, and I completely identify with how you're feeling - I too get that cramp in my side, and it doesn't seem to be related to eating/drinking too much. I also have a pretty sensitive port site still. I'm glad you said something - makes ME feel a little more normal.

I'm with you! I thought for SURE I was healing way more slowly than anyone else ever in the history of being banded! But I really turned a corner around 6 days post-op, and have felt a small percentage better everyday since! I looked on here, surprised I didn't read about more people being in tons of pain and really uncomfortable like I was (port pain for me, minimal gas pain), and really was bummed with myself for not progressing faster. Stick with the small activity, keep in mind you're barely eating any calories! Of course you have no energy. Once you're able to get in more full liquids (I highly recommend focusing on Protein shakes/carnation instant breakfast/greek yogurt to get your protein up), you'll start to feel better. Promise!

I'm more concerned with why he's doing ANY autopsies on his patients... let alone more than one in a very, very great while. To get back on topic - I chew gum. I was advised to use it sparingly, however I was told to avoid mints also. But I have yet to find a better long-term solution to the nasty breath I get from Protein powder/liquid Vitamins. Blech. And yes, I do brush my teeth. But that "come from the gut" smell is only kept at bay during my working day w/ some gum. I'm willing to take that chance. And it's always a small piece of sugar free. I haven't busted out my Big League Chew pack just yet. Good to know it passed through though - it does give me piece of mind. As for calling people "cheaters" - please respect that YOUR surgeon gave YOU rules about how to deal with YOUR band. We're all individuals on here, and as we've all realized, we're each are figuring out what works for us, what doesn't, what we personally consider "cheat" foods (if any), and what we are okay with eating (and what our bands let us eat). I'm not advocating a cheeseburger a week post-op, but I also think that it's a surgeon's job to error on the side of extreme caution to 1) get you to lose as much weight as possible and 2) avoid getting sued. If those rules have worked for you, fantastic. But clearly others have proved that their methods aren't exactly failing them. I am realizing two weeks post-op exactly what it means to have a tool at my disposal. And I think that listening to your body and your individual needs, and respecting your band, is a delicate balance that is the first step in being successful for the long-term.

I usually explain it by saying that the band works differently for everyone - some things may end up being difficult, and some things are no problem. But ultimately my band is developing it's own personality, and I can eat anything that my band can allow, with deference to smaller portions (staying away from carbonation and caffeine also, in my case). I think people are genuinely concerned/curious because they frequently assume I'd have the same restrictions as someone who had a bypass, etc.

RHG - I also have a slight fill, which may account for my inability to eat as much as you right now. But again, it goes back to "everyone's different" - and these bands certainly have their own personality.

I've been banded about 10 days and I can only eat up to 6oz. at a time, max. But even with a fill, I'd be hungry if i could only eat 2oz. three times a day. I'm not sure how you'd get your nutrients in. Basically, I have the same brochure - mine says when you first get surgery, you can eat about 1/2 cup max. Then your pouch will slowly stretch to hold about a cup. I'm with the 1-1 1/2 cup club.

I also am hypothyroid (also Hashimotos) and when I was tested in 2008 my TSH was up to 207!!!!! My doctor didn't know how I wasn't comotose. She said I could run a marathon and not lose a pound. Once I got my medication regulated, I dropped about 40 pounds. Hard work pre-surgery took off another 10. Now I'm on 200mcg of levothyroxine a day, and I had surgery a week and a half ago, and am down 22.5 lbs. It was my hypothyroidism that really clued me in that I couldn't shirk this weight by myself. Thankfully my general practitioner is amazing, and she has been with me every step of the way. She saved my life, really. The symptoms from such a high TSH were being diagnosed as depression, bipolar disorder... you name it. I was so thrilled when she saved me. I do what the above poster does - as long as my TSH levels are in the .1-4 range, I find I do better actually getting weight off (with effort, diet and exercise being the same). I'm going to keep taking my meds, and keep getting the bloodwork done, and hopefully it will not be a massive factor in weight loss. I've heard the Armour is great stuff - it's a different type of thyroid hormone, isn't it? Like pig instead of something else? I don't remember exactly. I know it also has T3 & T4 in it. I would go through mail order - does your insurance offer a mail order option?

I noticed that right away after surgery - mine seems to have quieted quite a bit since... the first five days or so it was EPIC - and it was strange having a gurgly tummy while also feeling full. I chalked it up to a combination of gas, and my stomach being "hungry" because it's used to twice as much food (at least). I was imitating the stomach noises to my bff/coworker yesterday and both of us were in fits of giggles.

Welcome Cyn! LOVE your avatar!

AHH - this makes way more sense. Thanks for the clarification. To the others - I agree that the band seems to really be finicky depending on the user. There seem to be some TRENDS, but I haven't seen any "absolute no" for anyone on here. I'm interested to see (once I can handle solid foods) what personality my band has.

Skiddles - First of all CONGRATS TO YOU for coming to the realization that you have to make a change. As you get closer to surgery, you will have to take a very, very hard look at what you're willing to avoid in order to live your best life possible. I am not a therapist, so I cannot speak on whether you have a food addiction. But as someone who went through TWO YEARS of hoops and spent nearly FOUR YEARS thinking about this surgery, I can tell you DON'T RUSH IT. Do not try to seek out a therapist who will give you a go-head without an MMPI or a few counseling sessions. So many of us are in this position because we made food choices based on emotional or life situations. And it really can be helpful. Find a bariatric center of excellence or other full hospital-affiliated program who has a team of surgeons, nutritionists, dietitians, PA, etc. - so that you can receive all of your care in one location. Do lots of research to see what your best options are for a lot of support pre and post surgery. As someone who was just banded a week ago today - it is NOT worth the pain, the surgery, the healing, the emotions that crop up... unless you are fully prepared and ready to use the lapband as a tool to create a successful future for yourself. Skipping steps before the surgery can lead to long-term lack of success, due to not being completely prepared. Definitely take advantage of this site - I've been a member for four years, and it has been an excellent place for me to read about every stage of the process and really ask myself some tough questions. GOOD LUCK!!!

Darlene, I am right there with you. I go see my doc today for my one week post-op, and I plan on asking about it. However, I have to remind myself that out of all of the work done, stitching that port to the wall of stomach muscle is probably the most painful/in need of healing piece of the surgery (IMHO). My problem is that my doc placed my port lower down, and as a result when I stand/walk gravity pulls on my belly and I can really feel it stretch. Hurts. I'm hoping it feels better sooner than later, because I'm supposed to go back to work tomorrow. Keep us posted!

congrats, Jonna! I wasn't anticipating the pain levels either - but three days out and I'm definitely starting to feel better. Although my body is doing odd things, I'm not in as much pain as I have been in. Hope you continue to get well!!

what about adding some protein powder to your soup, or pudding? Or, trying Chobani yogurt - it has 13g protein a container! You will have to navigate around the chunks, but still a nicer option than constant protein shakes.

i bought a liquid Multivitamin from GNC, it's citrus flavored. I also had my pharmacy order me the B complex in a liquid as well. The D, iron/VitC are pills, as is my levothyroxine. Will probably do a chew for calcium.

You are brave! I'm two days post-op and just plain afraid to even move to mushies! Moving into full liquids almost makes me feel guilty. I helps I think, that I have a small fill already. But I'm just so tender and sore that I have no desire to push the envelope. Having said that, my two thoughts are a) everyone heals differently, and perhaps you're just in tune enough to your body to know what it needs and your doctor's diet guidelines have been created from culling information from thousands of surgeries - so perhaps don't ignore them completely. If you feel what you're doing is the right thing, I'd be open w/ your doc about it and see their thoughts, instead of just being a "rebel".

Brad- My surgeon put a 2cc fill in my band also, and while I haven't had any major issues, I definitely can feel restriction and I'm a little concerned I'm not getting enough fluids in. As a result, I'm sticking with zero cal Gatorade even more than Water so I don't flush it all out and dehydrate. I can relate to your frustration. I'm having a lot of pain as my port site heals, and I always thought I was super tough and able to handle pain. But I feel like my healing process is much slower going than others on here has been. Remember it's not a competition, or a race. You will heal at your own pace, and your body and your band will have to be dealt with individually, not as compared to others. Be careful and listen to your body. We'll get there!

Okay, can we talk pain for a moment? Today I've had some pain that feels like a stitch in my side from running (which I can assure you I have not been doing). I chalked it up to gas pain, and by and large I've been expelling that pretty well. But my port site is killing me! My port is lower down, the incision is right on my waist-band. And sweet baby Jesus does it hurt when I stand/walk. When I'm sitting up, reclining, on the toilet... none of that is too uncomfortable. But standing and walking is darn near unmanageable. I know the port was sewed tightly to the muscle wall, and I'm guessing that the pain is gravity pulling my belly down and stretching that muscle that's trying to heal. I'm using a compression wrap, which helps. It also helps when I hold the site while I'm walking. But I don't see a lot of people complaining about the port site much - just the gas. Can someone else please complain about their port site pain so I don't feel so lonely?

Banded yesterday! Can't believe I am actually banded! Insane. I, like you, am shocked that an ounce of water makes me feel "full". All ice chips yesterday, and so far only 1oz of water every 15 minutes. And even that I couldn't do right away, because I had to swallow about 2oz. for the swallow test and it left me pretty full. I just got my first "real" meal - a little beef broth, jell-O and an ounce of cranberry juice. So far the beef broth has been good, and I don't seem to be having any issues. It is interesting to be so in touch with what's going on inside - feeling the water sit there when I've had a little much, or feeling my port site - which is REALLY sore and easily the hardest part of my recovery so far. My gas has been expelling so I'm grateful that I haven't had too many issues with gas pain. I got to read the surgical report, which was a lot of physician medical speak, but I did figure out they put a "large AP band" on me, and that he filled it w/ 2oz of saline so far. Glad he gave me a little fill. My first real fill will be August 1. Very excited to be on this journey! The support system here at the hospital has been fantastic. I'm rooming w/ a gastric bypass patient so it's been nice to have someone to talk with about our issues, pains, etc. YAY!

Yay! This is my first post-op posting too! I had surgery yesterday morning around 9:30am. Still in the hospital. While I'm thankful that my gas pain has been minimal, I have a lot of pain at the port site when standing/walking. But all in all, everything went perfect. Doc said my liver was definitely down, so it was easy to maneuver around, etc. I have been amazed that 1oz. of Water has me feeling "full". Kinda crazy - never thought I'd feel that way. I'm sure it will change as the swelling subsides, but it's nice for now. My surgeon put some fill in my band, so I will have some restriction, I'd suspect. Overall happy to have the surgery done and over with and super excited for the next phase of my life. Woo hoo!

Jenny I would stick to your doctor office's orders for now - they obviously pick and choose their restrictions for a reason. Could be they've seen problems in their clinic with ulcers, etc. Could be that they're being overly cautious. But all things considered, I've noticed that the people who have had the biggest successes on this site are the ones following doctors orders to a T. I will miss my caffeine as well and I have seen people use the instant Starbucks mixed in their Protein shakes to make coffee drinks - and I hear Starbucks has Protein powder on hand as well, to add to your sugar free, non-fat order. But I would error on the side of caution for awhile before trying to "test the band". Going back to our old habits could end up leading to a slippery slope, and why tempt fate when we've just been given this amazing gift? Good luck to you! It will work, if you work it!