TKW

Made me smile

Well, I don't know how they do it in Brussels but in the USA they are able to come to the hospital.

Do your vitamins have iron in them. I was exhausted several months post op and come to find out I was low iron and the vitamins I was taking hand no iron in them. I now take chewable Centrum Multi Vitamin with Minerals.

Interesting.... going back to just water today. Thanks

Does anybody here think that Crystal Light (or other atrifically sweetened drinks) have a negative affect on weight loss? Since my surgery I have pretty much strictly drank water and nothing else (oh decaff coffee too) any way, about 6 weeks ago I decided to up my fluid intake to about 100 oz a day and I started drinking 48 oz of crystal light every day. My weight loss has been very, very slow lately, actually kind of non existant. I know that can be due to many things. I googled "Crystal light affects weight loss" and found lots of info (personal opinions) that people think it does slow down weight loss. What are your thoughts / experiences?

I think it has something to do with surgery. Everyone I know, no matter how much weight they have lost... 4 months out, loses their hair. My nutritionist told me it is not falling out, it is breaking off so not to worry it will grow back. (I worried)

I think you are worrying for no reason. They know all to well that we have all lost weight many times just to put it back on again. (Good job by the way). After I was approved and all my initial stuff was done they called me and scheduled me for surgery 6 weeks later. I'm sure it depends on the schedule and how many others they have. Trust me that six weeks felt like 2. It was here and gone in no time. Congrats! and keep up the good work!

LOL .... so did you tell them you had a band in, or they just let you go when they couldn't feel anything?

Well, I am 10 months out and it was generally taking me about 20 minutes to eat. I was always able to eat way more then the recommended "less than a cup" of food. However, last week I had a fill and I have really really good restriction now. I thought for the last 10 months I was just able to eat more than others, I would say I averaged about 2 cups of food per meal. I consistantly lost 10 pounds a month so neither me nor my surgeon were too concerned with the quantity. Now... after my last fill, I am definately eating less than a cup of food and it takes a good 30 minutes. I am super tight, I have not been stuck but sort of think I may be too tight anyway. With my other fills, I seemed tight at first and then it would relax a little, waiting to see if this one does. Make sure your bites are small too, if I have a good sized bite it doesn't matter how good I chew it, it goes down in one lump and I'm stuck. Good Luck

I was exhausted for a long time after surgery. Somebody asked me if I had low Iron. I said, no.. I take Vitamins everyday. Sure enough, I got home and looked at my vitamins, no iron in any of them. I switched to a multi Vitamin with minerals and it made all the difference in the world for me. I don't know when your surgery was, but it could just be re-cooping from surgery. It takes more out of a person than you'd think. You could ask your Dr to do a blood draw and check your iron, and other vitamin deficiencies. This was a routine thing for me several months after my surgery. Good Luck!

I would love to try, but alas... my chocolate addiction would not allow me to eat just one!

Ya, I felt pretty good by day 5 but not good enough for a weekend trip. It is a bigger surgery than you think. I would see if you could reschedule your surgery until after. Good Luck!!!

The best way I can describe it is, have you ever swallowed too big of a bite and it hurts all the way down. That is what stuck feels like. You get a very sharp pressure in your chest and I also get in my back. As far as how long it will last just depends. As short as a minute or could result in you having to go in and have Fluid taken out of your band to help it pass through. I have read on here that people have gone days and then finally have to go have fluid take out. My stomach produces an enormous amount of "slime" when I get something stuck and I usually end up throwing up. You should try to avoid throwing up because it can cause the band to slip, but sometimes it is the only answer. I have read that there is a papya enzyme you can take and also that pineapple juice will help disolve the food that is stuck. I have not tried either. I made the mistake of drinking Water the first time I was stuck, to try to flush the food through. Big Mistake... projectile vomit. You can get stuck not only from not chewing good enough but I find if I am really hungry and eat too fast... 2 bites and I am stuck. Chew, small bites and eat slowly, will help prevent it from happening but inevitably... I think it is bound to happen to everyone. It is painful but not excruciating.

We don't think you are naive, we just know that the band works best for people who really get educated about it. You'll do great!!! I see a lot of people post things on this site and I think "OMG... didn't your hospital tell you anything about the band" Of course I do realize that there is so much info to process that it is hard to remember everything they tell you. Thsi site is also a GREAT resource! Stuck feels, well... stuck. I get a sharp pain in my middle of my chest and it is tight feeling. Also causes pain in my back. You'll know it. It will either go away when the food pass' or you will throw up. You really want to try to not throw up because this is one of the main cause's of band slippage. I have not had my band slip but from what I understand you have a lot of acid reflux and can not keep solild foods down. You'll do great Dave, it sounds to me like you are ready for this... It's a great thing! Best of luck!

I like mine on a toasted sandwich thin or 100 cal multi-grain toasted english muffin. Bread seems to work a little better for me if I toast it. However, I just had a fill and it has made a big difference in how things go down. Haven't tried much bread yet. I also do the lettuce wrap thing. Bibb is the best to use, but I don't see it in the stores here very often. I eat potatos maybe once a week. I usually just do protien and veg. but sometimes I really want a potato. It is good for you until you load it with extras. Good Luck to you!

yes... it is totally normal!!!

Hi Dave - I Weighed 432 when I started this journey, That was 10 months ago and I am down 110 pounds. My advise to you would be learn as much as you can about the band and how it "really" works. In my opinion the band is 1/3 of the equation, 1/3 is making good choices, 1/3 is exercise. If you work the band as it is intended, you will be successful. GET EDUCATED, it helps to know how the band works and what is expected of you. Best of Luck you on your journey!!!

Not really, when they put a fill in, say 1cc, they put 1cc of saline in the needle then stick it in the port, draw every thing out (so say you have 4cc in the band already, it will show 5 cc in the syringe) and then put the entire 5 cc's into your band(nevery removing the needle from your port). They may miss the port when they initally stick the needle in and have to try again, but they know when they miss it. I had to be stuck more than once on one of my fills, no big deal, you can barely feel it, but the Fluid is (most likely) getting into the band. Fills just take time for some to feel restriction, then the smallest fill can make all the difference!

I was scheduled for surgery 6 weeks after I was approved by my insurance. Just depends on how fast your hospital can schedule for all your "pre-exams" and I suppose it depends on how busy they are. Trust me, my six weeks seemed like 2. It will go fast. Happy for you!

My only co-morb was high colesterol. I was approved withing 2 weeks, no other questions asked. My BMI was much higher than yours though.

Name, real or screen~ Teresa Age~48 Weight on May1st~ 326 Goal Weight for May 29th~ 316 Exercise Goal for May~ Gym 5 days a week Dietary Goal for May~ Under 1200 calories a day Personal Goal for May~ New Hair Style Date Banded~ June 29, 2010 Total Weight Loss Since Banding 108 lbs.

I agree, good advice

You'll wake up one day and feel like new... it took me 4 or 5 days then I felt great! Totally normal. If you feel like taking a nap, by all means take one! You had major surgery, get your rest. Best of Luck on your journey!!!

Wow... I would have voted for you even if you hadn't solicited it! Great Job! Keep it up!

I do both, I eat my protiens first so I can make sure I get the 60g, and protiens keep you full longer, but I also count my calories. I try to eat between 1200 and 1400 calories a day although I just had a fill 2 days ago and I am averaging more like 1000 a day. I don't know if you use anything to track your protien/calories but FitDay is a great place to keep track of everything from nutrition, exercise and weight loss. Good Luck to you.