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Okay, this list is what Dr. Aceves' office sends out. Other doctors may have other suggestions. Suggested items to bring to the hospital: Some items you may want to consider taking to the hospital with you: Pajamas, the nurses and doctors will be checking your incisions so you might be more comfortable in your own pajamas than the hospital gowns, however, hospital gowns are provided if you prefer. Non skid slippers, thongs, or slip on shoes of some sort. The hospital floors are very clean and waxed, so you'll want non-skid. It will be sore to bend over so you won't want to tie shoe laces so slip on shoes are easier. A favorite robe, many times it is comforting to have a favorite robe. Computer - if you have a laptop you are welcome to bring it. The hospital and hotel are set up with wireless internet connection. Any of Dr. Aceves' staff can give you the password at the hospital. You do not need a password in the hotel. Cell phone - Most cell phones work well in the hospital, if your phone does not work most of the staff will loan you their phone. The electrical system is the same in Mexico as the US so you do not need a converter for your hair dryer, computer, or cell phone charger. Shampoo - this is provided by the hospital but many prefer their own brands so they prefer to bring their own. Book or other reading material. You will not likely feel like reading the day of surgery but you might the day after surgery. Loose fitting clothing to wear coming home. You will likely feel a bit bloated after surgery so bring a sweat suit or something very loose fitting and comfortable for your ride home from the hospital. I do not suggest bringing much cash with you. Unless you want to do a little shopping the day before your surgery there is no need for much cash. You will want to purchase dinner the night before surgery and $25.00 per person will cover that easily, less for most restaurants. If you want to have access to cash then credit cards are a safer alternative. You will not need to convert US dollars to pesos, you can use US dollars for your companion in the hospital cafeteria and all businesses around Mexicali if you choose to do a little shopping. Good luck to you on your upcoming surgery! Grocery list for post op diet: Just as a suggestion you might want to do a bit of grocery shopping before you have surgery so that when you come home you will not need to go to the store, you will be able to rest and relax. Some ideas are: Broth, chicken, Beef, Vegetable, or they have new products out (new to me) that are Chinese soup broths in a carton that you simply heat. It would give you a bit of variety. Popsicles that are Water based, sugar free, and a variety of flavors. Ramon Noodles. While the noodles are not acceptable during the clear phase of the post op diet there is a packet of dry broth mix that many seem to like, it has a bit more kick than regular broth, I am told. Propel water, you can purchase this as bottled water or you can purchase individual packets of this product and put it in water and mix. The reason this product is good is because many are used to a high carbohydrate diet and when your body is used to many carbs, especially white carbs such as flour, Pasta, rice, potatoes, sugar; your pancreas tends to put out a bit too much insulin because of the carb load. When you remove carbs from your diet it can potentially be a drastic change and your pancreas is still putting out a bit too much insulin during the post op diet. This can cause low blood sugar, your stomach might feel nauseated, you might begin to perspire, feel like you are trembling. This does not happen to everyone but it does seem to happen more to older folks or those used to very high white carb diets. Propel water has a very small amount of sugar in it. Just enough to bring your blood sugar up but not enough to cause large blood sugar spikes. Sugar Free Gatorade, it is a new product that is low carb but it has some electrolytes that are beneficial during the post op stage. Water, you need to get about 64oz of fluids in daily. Your broth and Popsicles count toward your 64oz of fluids daily. The key is to sip, sip, sip all day long. The first few days you may find that you cannot get your full 64oz of fluids in, try as hard as you can. You do not want to become dehydrated. If you enjoy tap water that is fine, if you don't then perhaps try bottled water and see if that goes down. Crystal Lite, Sugar Free Hawaiian Punch, pretty much any sugar free water flavorings are fine during the post op diet. Protein products, during days 1-5 you'll need a clear Protein product such as Isopure clear bottled protein liquid or unjury. You can find Isopure at General Nutrition Stores or a variety of Health food stores. Unjury must be ordered on line in advance of your surgery, /smallwww.unjury.com. They have an unflavored product that is nice because when you are done with clears it is versatile and you can add it to Jello, cooking, smoothies, etc. Please note, this is a whey protein product. All whey protein products have one issue in common and that is that they don't heat easily. If you add any whey protein product to a hot liquid it will clump. The key is to add it to a cold liquid and heat slowly, then it will not turn into lumps. A good source of protein products after the clear liquid phase (you can use these with water instead of milk starting day #5, and with milk starting day #11) can be purchased reasonably at: www.netrition.com Some excellent products are: Matrix 5.0 by Syntrax [Syntrax Matrix 5.0 Protein Powder The more popular flavors are chocolate and Cookies & Cream. You can spice up the Chocolate with Da Vinci Sugar Free Syrups: Netrition's Da Vinci Prices Another very popular protein product if you like Chocolate and Peanut Butter is Whey Gourmet, Choco/Peanut butter: PVL Whey Gourmet I suggest the above because you'll need to consume about 60-80gms of protein after surgery. During the post op diet this can be difficult to do. Adding protein supplements can make this much easier. You'll want to track your protein intake in the beginning and a few free, on line sites you can do that are: www.thedailyplate.com www.sparkpeople.com www.fitday.com Just see which format you prefer of the above. 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I had my band put in Dec 1, 2009. I lost 15 lbs right after surgery. I have a 10cc band and have had 3 fills so far for a total of 5cc. I have gained back almost all of my post op weight that I had lost and I am starting to get really down on myself. I find that I am "graizing" during the day, not eating a lot of food throughout the day though. HELP, I look at everyone's losses and wish it was me! I feel like a total failure!! Any suggestions or input would be appreciated! Is anyone out there in the same boat ?? Thanks, Marcy

I have a bunch of follow up questions: 1. Are you journaling your food? I use SparkPeople.com faithfully, even the "I shouldn't have eaten that" food. Seeing my food and nutritional values tallied up on the screen keeps me aware and honest. 2. What are you eating? Are the carbs piling up? I know I'm eating more than my surgeon recommends and my weight loss slowed down - but it's still coming off, and the carb level is well below what the recommended range is. 3. Are you exercising? It makes a huge difference in how you feel and how the weight rolls off.

I am going to answer all though I have done extremely well and have had no bad times. The first thing that I really truly believe to be the core of the lap band is IT IS NOT A MIRACLE!! A person has to be willing to work at it with all their hearts. I read many many posts of people continually eating treats and candy, drinking pop, eating out daily.....This is not going to work!!!I think a lot of people go into the surgery thinking it is going to be piece of cake(no pun intended) and it is NOT. It is just as hard as any diet I have ever been on to eat the right nutritious things. The difference being, this time, there is a tool in place so that if I do have something that is not the best nutritionally, I don't beat myself up and give up. I start again and the tool is still there. I think people think that they are going to magically not ever be hungry again, and this is simply NOT true. You will get hungry again and then you have to do some work and eat healthy!!!! Exercising is the next important step in this puzzle of obesity. So many people hate it and so many people don't do it!!! People want to believe that they can simply never have to move their bodies and be fine. A person may very well be able to lose weight without exercising, but what about strength. We lose so much muscle when we lose weight if we are not doing strength training. We have taken a step to be healthy, why not just take the next step and start what you hate to do....exercise. Next I think that self hatred can be the worst thing that a "dieter" has to deal with. Self hatred of a body that is not losing fast enough, body image disorder and hanging skin. I think we all need to learn to love us for us. I am not saying I am there yet, but I am a lot closer than I was three months ago. These are just a few thoughts that poppes into my head as I read your post....I don't know if it is what you had in mind but hope it helps.

I'd hit my sweet spot, lose weight and loosen the band, sweet spot, lose weight, loosen band. I did this for the first 9 months. After that it was just tweaking it to the right place which took a total of about a year.

I've had 5 c/s's...two have been post RNY ~ I haven't had any issues with losing weight anywhere.

<p>Hi Donna D!</p> <p> </p> <p>I am doing GRRRRReat! I have just started on the puree stage. I am happy to be having a few more choices on my menu... lol although it sure is odd to be eating muck! So far I think I am healing well I still have a few steri strips hanging on and I will just let them do their thing. They don't bother me and no one else sees them.</p> <p> </p> <p>Dr Cobourn warned me that I may not lose any weight and could possibly gained during this phase so I am surprised to have lost 6 lbs since surgery. That doesn't mean that I won't gain though... I still have a few weeks to go before grown up food -=winks=- I think I am really looking forward to a peice of toast! I want some crunch!</p> <p> </p> <p>How are you feeling now that you have had your first fill?</p>

BREEEEEEEEEATH, all is going to be fine. I got anxouis reading your post. Find a good book to read. You will not know any of those answers till you get done with surgery. Don't get yourself all worked up over the unknown. Think on the positive side. The surgery is a sucess and all the time of trying was leading up to this. You lose the weight you want and you get to become the person you are inside. You feel alive again. You can go and do things you were embarassed to do before. People tell you how great you look. Go on that thought pattern. Sound like you fought to hard and long with the insurance company to flake out now. Something inside you would not give up. Find that part of you again. YOU can do this.

What caught my eye in the abstract you posted, Sue, was the part about both groups being satisfied with their achieved weight loss, improved mobility, and improved self-esteem. Those things are all I care about. So what caused the researchers to call one group "good outcome" and one group "poor outcome?" They both had good outcomes in my book. The question I find interesting is what personality qualities would differentiate successful from unsuccessful bandsters when the measure of success is percentage of excess body weight lost. That would be a fascinating study. For example, I wonder whether a flexible person or a rigid person would do better? A flexible person might be able to adapt more quickly to eating in a different way. On the other hand, a rigid person might be more likely to stick to the bandster rules without deviation. Nancy

I was banded with the Realize band yesterday. My doctor told me there is virtually no difference between the two, and he showed me a stack of research and literature to back him up. Of course, every doctor has their own opinion and you have to trust your own doctor. My doctor gave me a choice of which band, and he gave me links to the website for each band. You can only access the detailed part of the websites if you have your doctor's access number. I chose the Realize band because it has a really good website with places to track your food diary, your weight, etc. But as far as I could see both bands really function the same.

This is my plan too, just waiting for the consult with the doctor to discuss it. Hoping it works better long-term than my band. I got that in 2005 and lost a good amount of weight initially but gained quite a bit back after.

First and foremost is to not get fat in the first place, and second would be to get better parents - it's primarily a genetic thing. There are lots of potions and creams out there that purport to tighten loose skin, and some might actually do something in minor cases. The problem is, beyond the nature of the industry for cosmetics, nutritional supplements and other miracle cures, is that it is very difficult to validate the claims with any kind of double blind control testing. With all the personal variables involved, it's virtually impossible to get two groups of effectively identical people together to test the value of these products (assuming the manufacturers were so inclined, which they rarely are.) So, yes, we will find people who used this or that product and report a certain result. The problem is that they have no idea whether that product did anything at all versus having done nothing. Give it your best shot, use what seems to be the best product, and see how it goes. Losing more slowly has some merit, though the major difference would be in losing your weight over five years versus six months. The difference between getting to goal in ten months versus eight months would be insignificant. Some are naturally slower losers than others due to their metabolism; however, the danger in trying to lose more slowly by consuming more while losing is that you may never get all the weight off that you want to get off. Our overall metabolism (resting plus activities) will trend lower as we lose since we have progressively less weight to move around (the main exception being those who seriously ramp up their exercise as they progress - as in marathon training levels,) We go into weight maintenance when our consumption meets that declining metabolic burn, so we can end up short on our loss if we consume too much.

I am 2 1/2 years post op. I lost 100lbs total and I was very happy about it. At about the 2 year mark, my OB Doctor started me on a hormone medication in an attempt to achieve pregnancy. This was unsuccessful, and caused me to gain about 25lbs in a two week period while taking it. The OB said it can be normal to gain weight while taking this, and some of it should go away once I stop. I haven't been taking it for about 3 months now and I have not lost a pound yet. My eating and exercise habits haven't changed at all. I am incredibly frustrated and depressed. I feel like a fool for "messing up" my weight loss journey in an attempt to have a baby that failed anyways. Has anyone had any similar issues that they may have any suggestions for me? I also have PCOS.

Welcome to the group your a young looking 49 year old how was surgery? What was highest weight? How much you lost? How much you set your goal weight to be?

I'm a single mom. I had my son when I was 15, and had a tormultous relationship with his father. Wasted a lot of my life. Now I'm 34, my son is 19, I'm single, and hope to find true love and be married. I also would like to have at least 1 or 2 more children and have the even celebrated. I lost my left ovary due to having a dermoid tumor two years ago. My doc told me on Friday, that I may have a small one growing on my right ovary. I can't have sleeve surgery until next year this time. I've tried losing weight on my own to attract guys but losing weight is a bear as you all know. Once having the surgery I have to wait 12mths to get pregnant. I just have so many stressors right now, I'm afraid of how things are going. I don't want to lose my other ovary and my chances of having any more children. Sometimes I feel like I'm being punished for some things i did when I was younger. Why me???

Curious has everyone lost weight everywhere but your stomach. Clothes are loose all over , but stomach still feels swollen and clothes fit the same at my waste. Is this normal? And I cannot wear anything tight around my waist , will it always be that way? :confused:Thanks for the input ! Sandra Have my 1st fill next Tuesday 205 195 YEPPIE !!!:clap2:

Im losing weight consistently actually started at 349 I'm at 276 in less than 5 months, but recently I've been getting hungry between meals more often faster more fiercely. I went to dr and had fill under fluoroscope, and doc said she added .5 cc I feel like she took 5 cc out!! I know she didn't but that's how I feel, have any of you ever recieved a fill and felt less restriction than you did before u went in? Any comments or suggestions are appreciated. I have 14 cc band with approx. 8.9-9cc. Thanks guys

My Doc is really conservative. My post-op paperwork says 5 lbs the first week and increase at 5 pound increments each week. My problem is.... I'm traveling to Mexico, and I have to pack. I'm going alone, so I'll have to manage my own luggage. My plan is to take a light weight tote, and only bring the bare necessities. Normally, if I was going away for 5 days, I'd have 10 changes of clothes, at least 5 pairs of shoes and purses to match, LOL. My plan is a loose long dress to fly home in, a small pillow and airline blanket in case I get cold on the plane (the Airlines no longer provide those), enough changes of panties, a nightgown, the bare minimum of toiletries (I won't be wearing make up), some broth packets and Mio drops for the last night, a book to read, and a journal. Of course, my I-phone and charger. I'm not bringing my lap top with me since that alone weighs at least 5 lbs. I've already spoken to my "sleeve Sister" and I'm sure we'll have enough to talk about to keep ourselves entertained. Am I missing anything???

I have free weights and a kettle bell but my favorite is the resistance bands. You can go from one exercise to the next without ever skipping a beat and you really feel it working. I also do title boxing and that is an awesome workout for the whole body but my arms are just worn out when I'm done.

This is from LAP-BAND.com: The LAP-BAND® System creates a small stomach pouch that can hold about one-quarter cup (approx. 2 oz) of food. Eating more can stretch the stomach, canceling the effect of your procedure. Dietary Guidelines After LAP-BAND Surgery Portion size is a major factor in your success with the LAP-BAND System. However, the types of foods you eat can affect your weight loss as well. A healthy diet will have items from each of the following food groups. Quantities and suggested foods are listed in each group. Always talk to your doctor or dietician about your particular dietary needs. Good Choices Fruit and vegetables: 1 to 2 servings of fresh fruit daily 2 to 3 servings of fresh vegetables daily Whole grains: 1 small portion of cornflakes for breakfast, or 1 to 2 slices of toasted whole wheat or rye bread each day. If you find you have trouble with bread blocking your stomach opening, substitute other whole grains such as refined, cooked or ready-to-eat Cereal, oatmeal, cream of wheat, or grits. Protein: 2 to 4 oz of meat, fish or poultry, or one egg for additional Protein Remove all visible fat from the meat. Remove skin from poultry/fish. And cook with little/no fat — grill, steam, microwave, or boil. Dairy: 2 cups of low-fat milk or yogurt, or 1 oz low-fat cheese (max.) Since milk and yogurt are calories in liquid form, you might think they should be avoided. However, the Calcium and protein they have makes them an important part of a healthy daily diet. Fats: 3 to 4 teaspoons of margarine, butter or oil per day (max) Low-fat salad dressings and mayonnaise (in moderation) Drinks: Unlimited zero- or low-calorie liquids per day, including: Non-carbonated beverages Tea or coffee (black) with low-calorie sweetener Clear soup and broths Water Not-so-good choices Proceed with caution: Some foods may cause problems as they may block or have difficulty passing your stomach opening. Introduce these types of foods to your diet slowly, one at a time, to see if they are tolerated. Remember: always be careful and chew these foods well before swallowing. Dry meat Peanut Butter Shrimp Untoasted or doughy bread Pasta or rice Fibrous vegetables (e.g., corn, celery and asparagus) Dried fruit Coconut Popcorn Citrus fruits Nuts Steer clear: Some foods contain too many calories and too little nutritional value to be of any use to you with the LAP-BAND System. Avoid foods high in sugar or fat, including: Syrups, jams, honey Candy, pies, cakes, biscuits chips, dips High-calorie soft drinks Some doctors suggest patients avoid carbonated drinks, as they may contribute to enlargement of the stomach pouch. Alcohol should also be consumed in moderation (one glass of wine or less per day).

Well, It's early I just got up and pulled off some of the bandaids and took a relaxing bath. It felt soooo good. I'm still not hungry but, can feel my energy start to lag .....so it's time to eat. I left the hospital on full liquids and it is starting to get boring. I'm going to the grocery store this morning and I'm going to pick up lemons,limes and oranges and tangerines, so I can squeeze the juice to flavor my water. I'm also going to the baby food isle to get fruits and veggies. Everything tastes too sweet to me that drinking juice got old very fast, and I know many of the baby food don't have sugar. I feel the need to find a protein source, so I'll check them out and let you know. I did eat some cheerios last night, I put them (one or two) in my mouth and let them dissolve then with a drop of water made a paste. I did have some gas (burps) but I found gently patting on my chest really helped. Already I love the band and in this short time I can see and feel a difference. My family all caught that nasty stomach flu and I thought I was getting it yesterday, I had some awful nausea. I called Dr. Schwartz's office and that wondeful man returned my call in minutes, he ordered tigan suppositories and one was all it took. Later that day he called to check on me and also told me that the radiologist at Abbott found that I have a kidney stone. (had some 20 years ago) Can you imagine that! I am more impressed with my doctor and hospital than ever. I must say that it is so different not walking by something and popping it in your mouth just cause it's there. I intend to treat my body like a temple. I have a second chance and a wondeful instrument to help me, I am so thankful. I can't wait to fully recover to tackle life. I can't wait for my energy to surge and I know it's coming. I can't wait to wear clothes not layered to try to cover my weight. I can't wait for water slides, instead of sitting in a chair sweating, watching, wanting so much to be there with my children......I'll be riding with them. I feel my weight has robbed me of so much, and I let it. I have always had vanity, and it has has kept me from so much. I didn't want to be the side-show or the fattest, slowest mom. I have always hid behind my humor ("fat folks are jolly folks") while silently I ached. I look forward to walking by Lane Bryant or Catherines, and into a regular store that will give me the selection and styles I that were not available to me before. Mostly, I look forward to the day my husband will sweep me in his arms ( OK I know I'm getting carried away........the visions of Rhett Butler scooping up Scarlet and carrying her upstairs, but hey, You gotta dream, right?) I'll tell you my secret fantasy..........read on only if your bold and not afraid, fearless and .............. OK........ it's my husband and I riding in a canoe on a moon-lit night across a still water lake.........then I stand and he holds my waist and we embrace..........oh wait, that's the scene from Titanic. Well you get the point and I hope a smile as well. Good luck to you folks with banding dates a coming, I'm here for you. may God bless, Gabby

Hi Gabby, Congrats and it sounds like your doing beautifully.. I loved reading your last posting and your dreams.. We all share in some sort of dream fantasy.. and we shall all overcome this weight battle. Our fantasy will come true -we can make it happen. Won't be long and the mushy food will start.. I found egg beaters were wonderful, fish is great.. You just have to experiment.. You will do fine.. Keep posting and let us know how you are.. I was just recently banded on 12-29-03..So i'm still new at this.. Congrats again.. Becky

I have seen and read a lot of posts on here that have mixed opinions about the pre-op (liquid diet). My doctor suggests a 14 day liquid diet consisting of 4 protein shakes and one 400-600 calorie meal a day. It has been a rough road! Day 3 I had a headache that wouldn't subside. I've had to say no the Valentine's Day chocolates, going to a buffet lunch with my in laws (who are in town), had to practice self control while grocery shopping and so on and so forth. I've missed food so much I've cried. I'm addicted and that's why my weight has gotten this high. This pre-op diet has forced me to face hunger. To feel what being hungry really feels like. To practice saying no to myself, my family and my friends. I'm now 6 days in to this diet and I'm feeling better. Sure I'm hungry and want some things but it's getting better. Saying no is getting easier. I am proud that I can do this pre-op diet. That even though I want to eat badly I'm not giving in. I'm learning how to take care of myself. This is just the beginning. So to anyone out there having a terrible day know that you're not alone. You'll have rough days. Days when you want to eat your sadness away. Days when you want just the texture of some food. But stick with the diet your doctor has put you on. This is just the start of your lifelong journey. You will be saying no a lot once you get the surgery so start now!

Hi.. I am getting banded in 1/10. The good news is I have always been fairly active, and belong to a gym that I actually like attending. How soon after surgery were you able to start taking the different classes at the gym (or doing the DVDs at home? I know I can go walking ASAP, but I was wondering about swimming, spinning, yoga, pilates, cardio ball, etc. You know...all those fun classes that make working out in the winter more fun! Also, I have a few sessions with a personal trainer, when do you think I could start some light weight training?

Hi - Well, unfortunately, the band cannot make your food choices for you. Getting a tighter fill is not going to help you with your food choices, either. The less nutritious stuff tends to be the kind of stuff that easily slips through. The only way you can determine if you need a fill or not is to eat solid nutritious food on a regular basis, look at your calorie intake vs. your weight loss, and evaluate based on your hunger level whether you need a tighter fill to bring your caloric intake inline with your goal weight (or higher) calorie requirements without suffering hunger less than 3 hours after a meal. Congratulations on resolving your PB problem by relaxing your fill. That is an important step in taking care of your health, and the health of your band. Right now the more important issue is why you are choosing less nutritious foods - do you feel they are "off limits", and this is your way to rebel? Is this your compensation for a deep-rooted resentment at being forced by the band to reduce the quantity of food you can eat at one time? Are you under unusual stress? Relationship problems, moving, changing jobs, financial worries with the holidays coming up? Are you hungry, angry, lonely, tired? (HALT) My guess is that at least one, more likely multiple of the above challenges of everyday life is affecting you at the moment. Please take some time to really think about what is going on in your life, and how you feel about it. Usually when you recognize and address the real issues, the need for food compensation is relieved, and you feel comfortable making healthier choices without depriving yourself. Once you are doing that, you will have better information on which to base your decision about whether or not you need a fill. Wishing you all the best -