Search the Community

Well i think the arms are a little harder to tone than the legs. At least for me. I have found the most wonderful machine in the world... It's called the ArcTrainer. It has really shaped my legs and butt. I use the "weight loss" mode on a low level. I started out only being able to stay on for like 5 minutes and am now up to 45 minutes averaging 3+ miles. I do this 3 to 4 times a week along with some weight training. I have only lost 50 pounds since October but have gone from a size 22W to 16W. So I honestly believe without this machine I would not be getting the results by just losing weight alone.

I had one plain scrambled egg this morning, with half a mushy banana topped with a teaspoon of Peanut Butter. Heavenly! My stomach isn't very hungry yet, but after two weeks of Jello and yogurt smoothies my brain has been craving salty stuff. I bought some gooey shrimp dip with microscopic pieces of seafood; it really takes the edge off those salt pangs. Of course I can't dip anything into it except my finger, but it'll do for now. By the way, I'm finally on the other side of 250. It sounds silly, but it's a big milestone for me. (I have friends who would be mortified to weigh as much as 150!) I can almost imagine being under 200 again... look out world, here I come.

Hi! we did have a nice time..at least I did???..I am really busy the next few weeks and then it is Band Day for me but perhaps someone else wants to try and set a day and time up....I'll be unable until June....Have a good one!

I have a 14cc band too. When he initially placed the band he prefilled me with 4cc. He said I really needed a 10cc band but it just wouldn't fit right, so he made it that way. My first fill was 3cc's, 2nd was .5 cc's and yesterday I got my 3rd and it was 1cc so I have a total of 8.5 cc in there. Though it could be 9.5cc's as I'm not sure about the .5 if it was .5 or 1.5. I had liquids until evening and then had a pudding so far so good. I can have solids today but so far have only had eggs. I am really hoping this is my sweet spot as well. I am self pay too. Though with the self pay I get free fills for the first 3 mos which are up in 2 weeks. Hopefully you are just irritated or swollen and soon can get refilled.

I was banded a week ago today and I have to say I must beg to differ on the not being hungry while your stomach is swelled--My surgery was on a Wed. and by Fri. I was hungry! I had chicken broth. My doctor is more into the Optisource and water and any liquids that have zero calories after surgery so I've had to follow the nutrionist menu to include broth/drained soups/sugar free popcicles/water/skim or 1% milk--I did the sugar free jello and while it didn't make me sick it didn't really agree with me either but I don't know if I ate too much or it just didn't agree with me. You need to get your protein in so sip on your protein drinks. I did find that Special K has protein water but it does have 50 calories and they also have packages you can add to your own water that is only 30 calories. I've been doing that to help me get my protein in my system. I (knock on wood) have been very blessed that other then the jello anything I have tried has been easy on me but also keep in mind I haven't gone overboard either I've stuck with the soups, protein drinks, etc. Good luck on your journey and I hope you feel better soon!!

The best advice I can give you is to be patient bc in the beginning, when you have no restriction, it is very difficult. You have to be diligent and count calories/measure your food etc. Make sur eyou get your fills every 4 weeks. I began to feel restriction at my 5th fill and hit my sweet spot at my 6th fill. I am sure you will do great!

Remember, bands don't generally have any fill upon installation, or if they do it is a small amount. You are starting over like when you got your first band. The first 4-6 weeks are for healing, not losing. You need to go through the whole process of getting to your green zone again. You are doing very well! I lost 4 lbs the first week post-op, then nothing until my second fill. If you think you might be truly depressed, seek professional help.

Thanks for the encouraging words. I know I'm not drinking enough, so I can work on that. I typed a whole paragraph about my other surgery that was on Thursday, but it disappeared. I didn't realize it wasn't there when I posted the original post. I had a pain pump implanted on Thursday, and after thinking more, I'll bet I have a lot of Fluid retention. You know how IV fluids are. I think having 2 surgeries so close together has played with my emotions too. I haven't been able to be up moving around much, and so there is bound to be fluid retention. I'm realistic enough to know that I won't really lose anything for the next couple of weeks while I let my body recovery. I think I just panicked when I saw the scale, because I certainly don't want to gain. I have a 5ish inch incision in my abdomen and a 2.5 inch one in my back, so I'm pretty ouchy. Dumb question here, but what is TOM? Anyway, thanks for the encouraging words. I am moving to soft foods today (yay, no more pureed stuff), and I'll be very careful with what I put in my mouth! Cindy

i had my port replaced in december and all is well so far. idk if this is the place to ask... i have been having lower abdominal pain for almost a week. it began in the lower left side, now it's in the front. super low. almost like menstrual cramps to the max!!!!! anyone else experience this? i feel like poo! it's making me not want to eat. my husband keeps telling to go to the doctor. we don't have insurance, so that's my last resort. thanks in advance.

I have to do 2 weeks liquids... 2 weeks pureed/soft foods (like yogurt, cottage cheese, mashed potatoes.... then 3 weeks of slowing intro other softer foods. I can't wait until Dec. 26th, as I begin soft foods, so I can get Protein from scrambled eggs, etc.... I have had enough of this liquid already... but I am doing it!!!!!

Just curious to see what your Dr's have said regarding post op liquids and how long you're to be on them. Im to be on liquids, basically Clear Liquids PLUS tomoto Soup, including Jello, popsicles, crystal light, broth, diluted juice...ect... for a total of 4 weeks. Just wondering what your dr's have said.....

Wow! A year is a long time. I was overfilled for 2 weeks and it was incredibly painful...but the weightless was good. My suggestion is that you follow your original rules. First the protein (3 oz), then your veggies, them starches as needed. Not to exceed 1cup...but every surgeon is different. Get your water in, that help fire up your metabolism. Get your exercise in and Just because you can eat more...don't allow yourself to. Just get up and walk away from the table. Glad to hear you are no longer overfilled!

Hi All - Just a heads up. I picked up a brochure from Dr. Lopez's office once while I was there, and it had a color xerox cover with the Oasis Hospital logo on it. It was blue, and seemed to be intended to be from the Oasis Hospital. Inside were supposed guidelines for patients who had the lapband. I have to tell you, that article was taken WORD for WORD from an RnY doctor's article, which was written specifically for gastric bypass patients. The word "lapband" had been substituted everywhere the word gastric bypass appeared in the original article. The doctor was not credited. I started getting suspicious because it said that there would be no hunger for 6 months, at which time hunger would start to return. I knew that wasn't true for the lapband - no WAY, no HOW. But, having a sister who had the RnY, I knew it was true for her. Because the brochure was so long, I couldn't believe it was typed from scratch, so I took a key phrase and Googled it, and lo and behold, I found the original bypass article. The post-op protocol for the RnY is drastically different from the post-op protocol for the lapband. The only thing they have in common is the liquid diet post op. But even that is shorter for lapbanders, and not restricted in quantity, like it is for the RnYers - there is no drinking a thimble-full of Protein shake every hour directly after post-op, like the RnYers are required to do. The only other similarity between the two is the longterm strategy of how to use the pouch to its fullest advantage - eating solid food, not drinking with meals, waterloading prior to meals, and avoiding gastric irritants like Aspirin, Advil, and other NSAIDs. There is no "window of opportunity" for weightloss with the band. With the RnY, it is expected that weightloss pretty much stops 18-24 months out. That's how long it takes the body to adjust and compensate for the malabsorptive part of the bypass. For Bandsters, our band will continue to be a tool in our weightloss journey - there are bandsters 4-5 years out who have continued to lose weight with the band. Also, it is NOT expected that a bandster lose 30-45 pounds in the first month. That is a gastric bypass stat. The expected average weightloss with the band is 1-2 pounds a week. I'm not sure how widely dispersed this pirated booklet is. But for anyone who has gotten a thick xerox brochure on the lapband while they were in Mexico, beware. It is unlikely that is it truly a lapband brochure, since there does not appear to BE one!! Which I imagine is why someone got the bright idea to create one in this manner. Here is a link to the original article by Latham Flanagan, Jr., M.D., FACS : http://obesitysurgery-info.com/understandingsmallgastricpouch.htm

HI. I live in Akron and was just re-banded by Dr. Zografakas. I gather you have been banded for a few years. How did it go? I lost about 70 pounds with the first band, which slipped. He replaced it and fixed a hiatal hernia three weeks ago. I think that this site and the boois I have bought will give more support than I got at Summa. I would like to lose about 30 more, but Dr Z says I have done very well.

For six weeks no bending, no lifting over 5-10 lbs., no strenuous exercise other than walking, and no swimming whatsoever (jacuzzi, pool, ocean). The more you get moving the better you'll recoup; just stick to those rules so you don't have problems with healing the sutures or infections. Good luck!

Hi, it has been awhile, but it seems like other than walking, my doctor made my wait six weeks before starting any type of vigorous exercise program. Good luck tomorrow, let us know how everything went once you are feeling up to it.

Any other ideas for mushie foods. Kinda hard to get variety in. Good thing it only lasts a few weeks

I am so worried that I may have slipped! I had my third fill yesterday (now I'm at 2 cc in a 4 cc band) and I STILL feel very little resistriction. I KNOW that it can take a few days (or weeks) for the fill to "kick in" but I keep reading about how people can't eat this or can't eat that--I have yet to eat anything that I can't eat. Could I have slipped? I have heartburn every once in awhile, it's definitely not every day and I have thrown up a few times when I overate or was sick, although is it really throwing up or is it a PB? I'm totally stressing because I definitely cannot afford another surgery. If I did have a slip, would I have to get surgery or could I live with the slip for awhile?

My husband had surgery 3 years ago when things ran rampid. Since he was one of the lucky ones that week he vowed to help assist others when he can. Many people (mainly women) go down bythemselves. When asked, the number one reason is to keep it a secret. If you tell just 1 person... your lie can be found out so easily.He was asked to help someone with their fears a few years back so he boarded a plane, met a complete stranger and became their... guess you would call it... the patient coordinator. (Their servant) Just so happened that woman had a real hard time with surgery and he was there to comfort her, get her ice, make her walk, speak to the nurses about pain when she couldnt, make sure her drains (2) were emptied... you get it. Some patients dont need a friend with them but when its all done and over with... many say that they wish they had someone with them. We both retired before we were 50 and I guess financially... pretty well off. Money was never an issue. Safety and well being are. Now he still goes down with people but he lets them buy his airfare. He does not charge them a dime. He is GOOD at what he does. I guess its his way of passing it forward. During the days of his surgery... a few patients died that week. When we pulled up to the place I wish we would of walked out. we were warned... but the surgeon had a great reputation, great web site... we got sucked in. Wow... to long a post. So again, its just his way of paying it forward. Hope that helped with your question. Edit note... hotel was fine. Grand and the Marriot are the same price... its just that he personally likes the grand. Must be a pretty waitress there lol

I'm only six weeks out, but I expect to go through the same thing. I've already gone from a 22/24 to solid 18, even have a pair of 16 that fit. But because we're going from winter to spring, I refuse to buy new clothes until I really need to. So I'm still wearing my 20 jeans and 1-2X tops and jackets. I just don't want to buy a new jacket for a few weeks. I've lost over 10 inches from arms, waist, hips, legs, etc. - so the weight loss is there. But I still see the same fat me when I look in the mirror or see myself naked. This weekend, I cleaned out my closets. I kept clothes from 8-10 years ago when I was "normal" at size 4/6. I held them up and couldn't believe I ever fit in them, nor that I ever will again. I even broke into tears at how much damage I've done to my body, and I just didn't see it. I kept asking my husband, "Do you really remember me that size?!?" There is a strange association that the memories of wearing those clothes was a different person and somehow I switched bodies. You know how your body feels when you get off a treadmill, go skating, etc. and you stop -- feels like the ground should still be moving. And that's only after 20-30 minutes. I see it as the same thing. We're wearing fat suits for years, or even decades. Our minds need some time to catch up, know you're on solid ground again. I don't ever want to forget how 275, 250, 200, etc. pounds feels on my joints and my bones, so that I will always appreciate where I (eventually!) end up. I think it will take a while, maybe even years after I reach goal before I feel stable again...

Yes, I'm scheduled for surgery with Dr.Rodriguez on March 20 - three weeks from today.

I had headaches every night for years. Only Anacin worked for me. As far as I'm concerned, Tylenol is a non medicine. Doesn't do a thing. I was afraid to take anything because I thought it would burn a hole in my pouch but I've been very lucky and have not had a real headache since my surgery. (May 2nd) Now I think my headaches were due to my blood sugar trying to adjust itself. My blood sugar has been almost normal since a week after surgery. Good luck to you. I hope your headaches go away like mine did.

Does anyone notice if they are getting more headaches since their surgery? I don't know if its my body going through withdrawl...from not having so much fat/calories/carbohydrates....Or if I am just not sleeping enough....or what the hell is going on...But it seems like every other day for the last week i have had a headache. And the only thing I can take now is that nasty liquid tylenol!!! I would rather swallow a sword!!!! I use to be prone to migraines and what would trigger my migraines is a)not sleeping enough not eatting enough.....The headaches im getting now are not by any means migraines, but dull constant aches.......makes one quite miserable. Okay...any feed back would be appreciated. Talk to you later

That's how the old saying goes. I've decided to change this up and put my feet where others money is... I signed up for a Make-A-Wish 5K run fundraiser and put it out there that for each $50 donated above $100, I'd run an additional 5K. One week into the donation period and my family decided to punish me! I'm now running a marathon with more than $500 in donations. Signed up to run the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach, CA the day after the Make-A-Wish 5K here in Las Vegas. I've take the last month off after doing the Ironman 70.3 World Championships and a half marathon the following week so it's time to get my butt in gear and back on road. This should be interesting. New nutrition requirements and challenges. I'll post my challenges as I face them.

If you are having infections, your body needs extra nutrition to recover. While you are recovering, 900 calories for a 400+ lb person is VERY low. I'd suggest something more like 1200 calories, emphasis on lean Protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs. My surgery is three weeks from yesterday. I'm easing my way into liquids for the preop 10 days by doing Protein shakes for Breakfast and lunch, protein + veggies for dinner, and low-carb Snacks if I'm hungry. I'm gradually backing off on carbs to avoid the two-three day headach-y period that comes from doing that all at once. There's a balance to be struck by giving your body enough calories and nutrition to be healthy while trying to lose some weight preop.