Search the Community

I was told no more than 10 days before surgery, but no less than 3. That is why I am doing it right about 1 week before. And definitely, DC traffic, sheeeeesh, I will have to tell you about my one and only trip there. Hilarious adventure! Yeah you definitely want to do it early in the day because you do have to fast, and you definitely don't want to be all worked up either from gridlock. My job is being a Mommy/Wife, so unfortunately I have full access to eating whenever and whatever. But on the flip side I am chasing my 18 month old, which keeps me hopping. I just want to be so healthy for him, I want to do more with him, I feel guilty about that. He is only going to become more active the older he gets. But other than the blood work and following the pre-op diet rules, that's it until surgery. You just have to fast 8-10 hours before surgery, (or the night before) including no Water. Wonder how much we'll lose on this before surgery! What do you get to eat on your diet? Besides the basic liquids? And don't worry I am sure I will be a grumpy butt as well. Just keep yourself happy when thinking of how much weight will be gone with your band after surgery!!!! YAY! Pre Op Diet: 9/24/09 Current Weight: 238 Goal Weight: 145 Height: 5' 2.75" Surgery: October 8 SO READY FOR A BAND IN MY LIFE!:tongue2:

Hi All, I just need to share how much I love my family. I am being banded Aug 10 in Bakersfield, Ca. Sooo Excited. I have been working on better habits and such for the past 5 weeks or so and have lost 15 pounds of the 20 I needed to lose before having surgery. I start my liquid pre-op diet tomorrow. And, because my family rocks I am not doing it alone. My sweet hubby, one of my fab sisters and my darling grandma (who is 80) are all doing it with me. My sister and Grandma are doing liquids all day and then dinner. My hubby is going to try and go the whole way with me, we even cleaned all the food out of our semi truck today. They are all so sweet, trying to give me moral support and make sure I am not feeling all alone in this adventure. As I am writing this I am sitting Dalton, Georgia eating Mongolian Beef and Steamed Vegy's w/ Brown rice for my final hurrah. I will be driving all day tomorrow (I am a long haul truck driver) and so I have got to get myself all prepped tonight. I am nervous, but excited. I hope that I can keep the will power. I have to go into truckstops everyday and they all have fast food places in them, or deli's or whatever and I have to keep myself from caving in moments of weakness. I think I can, I think I can. . . I KNOW I CAN ! ! ! Hope you all have someone to support you too. It makes a huge difference. My husband is just hoping that I don't turn into bitch wife from hell, and I am sooo crossing my fingers and toes that I don't either.:thumbup: -Tiff

Don't panic just yet. The learning curve is slow with the band and after every fill you will need to relearn how to eat again. Sounds like you may be eating big bites, eating too fast or not chewing enough. It takes time. I've had restriction since March and I still get stuck occasionally. You may have just had your first stuck episode. You should be celebrating! Now is when you start to communicate with your band. Now you should listen for the full signals. Satiety is your goal now. tmf

I just wanted to share something that has really worked for me since being banded. I'm very busy (like most of you, I'm sure) and really don't have time to cook, which usually translates to fast food. But I decided that planning was the key to weight loss, so what I do is plan 7 of my favorite healthy meals each month. I make all of them when I get the chance (usually on Sunday afternoons) and then I portion them out into bandster portions. I use my Suck 'n Seal (can't remember the real name of the machine) and usually get about 8 portions out of each dish. I stick them all in the freezer and for each meal I'll just boil the bags straight from the freezer for about 10 minutes - it's just as good as the day I made it. I have to boil because I hate the taste of reheated meat and boiling doesn't produce that reheated taste. If I'm bringing my lunch to work I'll stick a "frozen dinner" in the fridge the evening before and then it's defrosted the next day. It doesn't keep that freezer taste because the air has been sucked out of them. When I just want plain moist chicken for salads I'll take a sealed piece of chicken (usually frozen) and boil it right in the bag. It cooks quickly, it tastes good because it's cooked in its own juices, and it's moist. This process has enabled me to stick to a healthy diet (sans that terrible month of December) and save a lot of time and energy. I just keep salad items, sweet potatoes, and broccoli on hand for side dishes. This way you have a mostly preservative-free collection of dinners. I like to buy frozen dinners as well, but they often have a lot of preservatives that I feel are just making us fatter. I've built up my frozen dinner selection so much that I could probably eat for 2 months without going shopping, plus it's my favorite food. Did I mention this was a budget saver as well?

Remember, Inamed's perspective on "the rules" is different than any given patient's. They will happily lay down a list of things that, if you do them, will lead to the absolute best weight loss results. Some of us, for whatever reason, have slightly different goals. Here's my take on the rules: 1. Eat only three small meals a day -- Impossible at first, much easier later on after restriction. Early on my main concern was not getting too hungry so I wouldn't eat too fast, and Snacks were a MUST. 2. Eat slowly and chew thoroughly -- YES. This can't really be stressed enough, although the reasons why aren't very clear until good restriction is achieved through adjustments. 3. Stop eating as soon as you feel full -- YES. See #2. 4. Do not drink while you are eating -- This can really counteract the effect of the band if done all the time, but an occasional sip is fine. 5. Do not eat between meals -- NOPE. See #1. If I'm hungry, a few bites between meals makes all the difference for me. Getting too hungry is the worst thing I can do. 6. Eat only good quality foods -- Very good advice. A little is all we need, and it's important to enjoy it. 7. Avoid fibrous foods -- YES. Don't find this out the hard way. 8. Drink enough fluids during the day -- YES. Very important for all sorts of reasons. 9. Drink only low-calorie liquids -- YES, if you're not actually replacing meals with Protein shakes or something. 10.Exercise at least 30 mintues a day -- UMMM.... :nervous

I just got my band a week ago in France. And as you can tell the Europeans have a different point of view... Their point of view is: Now you eat MUCH less than before (very limited quantaties) thus, you would lose a lot of weight.. So as a result, there is no harm in enjoying yourself occasionally, that doesn't mean to eat all junk food. but since your food intake is reduced greatly, then there is no harm to pamper yourself here and there. Persoanally, I'm enjoying myself in little quantities (which happen to be all I can eat after the band) with some shakes, lattes, fatty foods sometimes... This a life-long change, and you have to make it easier to live, you can't spend the rest of your life worrying about if you drank a latte or not, enjoy yourself ocassianlly and you would still lose weight, maybe not as fast, but you WILL STILL LOSE THE WEIGHT.. Enjoy yourself, still with your limited food intake, even the bad choices aren't as harmful as before the band.. Just my 2 cents:scared:

I sure hope she gets better fast. Do they have any idea why this happened? I am also happy I was sleeved but since it's been 2 years for her, it also worries me that there could be future complications down the road.

I had an inspired moment sat on the end of my Dr's bench 6 weeks ago. So sick of being ill and depleted of energy, I asked if I would be a candidate for WLS? (No idea where the thought came from!) So it was a whirlwind the first few weeks, tests, appointments, diagnosis, talking, thinking, dreaming, wishing, dreading, worrying, etc etc etc.... Fast forward to today, collected my Bi-Pap machine and tonight starts my new sleepy me, yipeeeeeeee! I've also started the food plan too, with drinking my quoted Water intake. I'm ready. Sooooo so ready. Hubby is on board. (Now) Kids now what to expect. Maybe surgery by mid July...... Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Yep, pretty much. Before I left my surgeon's office for my consult, I asked the insurance coordinator, "So, basically how quickly I have this surgery depends on how pro-active I am with scheduling my appointments?" and she said, "Yep, exactly!" So, a lot of it all depends on how fast you start and continue to keep the bariatric ball rollin'. Do you know what your insurance requires yet?

Hi peek, I really wish there was some advice I could give you. I don't know what your doctor told you, but I do know that I get some pain and/or soreness when I know I've eaten too much or too fast. I especially have to remember this after the fills. Pay attention to your doctors advice on how slow to eat, chew and chew some more - oh, and don't forget, pay careful attention to your body signals of when you've had enough food.

One thing I wish I had prepared myself for is how uncomfortable I was due to the gas they inflate your body with. I have a really “un-technical” understanding of the surgery, but they use gas to inflate the cavities so it is easier for the surgeon to see and work. This inflation is used for most, if not all, laparoscopic surgeries. Well, after the surgery there is gas still trapped somewhere in the body, and it is “uncomfortable” as it dissipates. Walking around helps a lot, but the first 3 days are hard b/c of that. I was not sore from the actually surgery, just the residual gas from the inflation (kind a weird to think we are balloons!). The only other thing is that I was cranky on the all liquid diet. My doctor is kind of lax on the strict guidelines of when you can eat certain things, so I was on non-clear liquids 4 or 5 days after surgery (but I was fast healing-- I was walking around 3 hours after surgery and am a notorious “non-sweller”). BUT…. I did not drink the recommended amount of calories when I was on Clear Liquids, and made myself feel sicker by being cranky and more tired than I should have been until I was allowed to drink Soup and things. That’s all I can think of!

Hi all! I'm new to posting, but have been reading for a few weeks. I was banded on Wednesday, but I'm still in shock that I really did it. It all happened so fast. I'm private pay, so didn't have to deal with insurance issues, and I had reconstructive knee surgery (ACL) 4 weeks ago, so I have been a bit preoccupied. I started this process in earnest in the beginning of September. Any input as to how long this bloating lasts? I look like I'm pregnant! I am happy so far that I did this. I've been unhappy with my weight for about 15 years, and finally decided to take care of myself. During surgery, the doc said students were there and he did an "anatomy instruction" b/c my insides were "perfect"....HA! At least I know for sure I'm beautiful on the inside! :clap2:

Congratulations on finding a way that works for you! You'll be a bandster soon...the time goes fast while you're waiting. I just found out I have to pay $2500 for mine, and I'm glad I didn't find out until after I'd had the surgery or I might have put it off as too expensive. Best of luck as you go through the process! Emily

Wow, that was fast! I'm jealous that you get to have it so soon!

Thanks everyone. Linda, if I had to go through this 4-5 days a day I'd be back in the surgeon's office for an unfill so fast his head would spin. LOL. My throat and chest are a little sore but otherwise I am fine. I had cantaloupe for breakfast at 8 AM and then nothing until the 2 slices of deli turkey so I was VERY surprised that a first PB resulted. I'll be even more deligent with the chewing now.

My breath was taken away. Our babies are so dear. Isn't it amazing how fast they move.

I gotta get this off my chest and this is the only place I think will understand. So about 3 weeks ago I got my first fill. Doc gave me 1cc. I was tight but not too tight doc said "see ya in two months but come back if you think something is up". Ok, So about two weeks into it I notice I can get down about 1.5 to 2 cups of food at a sitting. Humm. I decided to head into the office to get a fill. The doc added .75 cc's on thursday week 2. I lept off the table and headed back to work not stopping drink some Water before leaving. I pick up a cold slimfast on the way back to the office had a sip and it felt it gurgle through. Took another sip and it got stuck. Humm. Ok, give it some time I said, toughed it out for an hour at work pb'ing and sliming the entire time. Apparently, I was so tight I couldn't swallow my own spit. Literally. BUT, I had to go home to meet the moving estimator as I'm going through the nightmare that is selling and purchasing a new home in a different state. The entire time the estimator is there I'm pb'ing and sliming into a cup. I felt so bad for the guy, he was genuinely concerned about me because was I was really writhing in pain but I had to get this estimate done. I called the office and headed back to my doctors for a unfill writhing in pain as I drove the 45 minutes to get there in rush hour traffic. He unfilled me completely and said come back in a week after things settle down. Soo.. I got a week of shore leave with no restriction. Yes. I indulged a little. Ok, fast forward to this past thursday, I go in for a fill, he adds 1.5 cc's. This time I sit in the office and drink some water. I can tell almost immediately it's too tight but thankfully I was still there. So he takes out another .5cc's. Now I'm back to where I was. The then asks me how much do I chew my food? I say as much as possible so it's a sorta a chewey slurry before I swallow. He tells me I'm chewing to much which is why I can eat more than a cup.:phanvan :phanvan Huh? Ok fine. I head out the door. The next morning I try some scrambled eggs. I don't chew as much. Some of it gets stuck. I pb for 3 hours before I say phuck it, leave work and start heading for the emergency room because he is in surgery. I'm writhing around in pain on the baltimore beltway when I cough real real hard from deep within my abdomen, all of the sudden up comes a chunk of egg and all is better. I swallow my spit again. I get to the er, cry on my wifes shoulder who met me there and go back to work without a unfill. I was able to get through this past weekend. Things definately feel tight, I can only eat about 2-3 bites at a sitting but then 2 hours later and I feel like I can gobble food down without issue. Feel like I'm back to mourning the loss of food again because I had a week of shore leave and I haven't been feeling satisfied. :faint: is exactly how I feel. Also, does anyone else notice jaw pain when they pb or grinding of teeth during the day? Is that a ex smoker thing? d@mn I'm tired.

Does your doctor let you eat right after getting a fill? I ask because I notice you said "the next morning" after your fill you tried scrambled eggs. I know I am on liquids for 24 hours after a fill, then mushies for the next 24 hours, as I believe most bandsters are. Your stomach is irritated after a fill and needs time to recover. Add to that, what you have been through and it almost sounds like you need to go back to liquids for a few days to give your tummy time to heal. Not what you want to hear, I am sure, but just my own personal opinion. Whatever happens, I hope you get to feeling better fast!

this virus that is making it's rounds is horrible. i had it last month and my doctor gave me some cough syrup with vicodin in it. it surpressed my cough enough to be able to sleep. my cough subsided before i finished the first little bottle. good luck. and i hope you heal fast.

A PB can happen at any stage, and even take us by surprise when we think we're not at all restricted. Eating too fast or taking too big a bite can cause it, so take it slowly no matter what stage of the adjustment process you're in.

She told me yesterday, that without a fill and just newly banded I could eat anywhere from 1/4 to 1 cup, but they want me to be at a 1/4 cup of food with the fill and once I've met my goal I will maintain at 1 cup... She said since I was doing so well on the 1/2 that the fill would be very very small, they just want me down to 1/4 cup so I can get to my goal wt.. I was just wondering since I seem to be losing the wt on the 1/2 just fine why I still need the fill? I get getting down to 1/4 cup but I don't want to lose the wt to fast, because I don't want to get to sick and I don't want to gain it back...

I only lost consistently in the first five or six months, since then its been little fits and starts of weight loss, I have not since consistently lost every week. Its been more like 3 weeks at the same weight, lose 4 lb overnight, six weeks at same weight, lose 2lb overnight, one week at the same night, lose another 3lb overnight kind of thing. Lately, its coming off quite fast again, I really dont know quite why.

Have the Drs. checked your gallbladder? I know that someone has probably told you this before and that you most likely know, but just because you CAN eat what you did before doesn't mean that you should. I know that people often say that the band should do all of the work for them but you really need to begin eating healthy (maybe you do) and set yourself to a reasonable caloric intake of 800-1200 calories a day. I can't say anything about exercise because I can't seem to get myself motivated to exercise to the extent that I need to be but it has really helped me to put myself on a Protein first, low calorie diet per my Drs. instruction. It would concern me greatly if I was having the pain that you are describing this far out from surgery. I don't have any digestive pain unless I eat too fast. If I take it slow and eat healthy foods I have no gas or nausea. I really hope that things get better for you and that you get some answers. It's awful to not know what's wrong. I had an ongoing battle with my Drs. regarding my gallbladder. They insisted that there was nothing wrong as I didn't have any stones. However, when they did a HIDA scan they were able to determine that my gallbladder was only functioning at a 3% capacity. I had terrible stomach pain, gas, diarrhea, and this tightening in my stomach, chest and back that was unbearable.

I only count my calories and my protien. Both of those things have been in good range for me, and I've been losing (after having been stuck for a LONG time). But you lost so fast initially, that your body may just need to take a moment and readjust. If you don't take bodily measurements, I recommend it, because so often I've seen folks that get stuck for a while after having dropped alot of weight, and they find that their body is changing shape all over the place, and then they start losing again. Good luck!

happens to me all the time... I'll eat too fast and then I'll have to slime and PB... if I drink water...that makes it A LOT worse