Search the Community

Hi everyone. I am going to see my surgeon for the initial visit on 2/1. As part of the prep paperwork for that visit I was given a "bariatric psych evaluation" question list to fill out and bring with me. It has lots of things that scare me about answering! First thing is it asks about past diets, how long, how much weight lost and WHY I stopped doing it. Has anyone had this? How did you answer? My honest answers are pretty complicated and there is no room to explain myself. Also, it asks a lot of questions about alcohol and drug use. I am a recovering alcoholic and addict but have been clean and sober for six years. Any advice? Answer honestly? Then there's the questions about depression, anxiety, etc. I think I'm pretty normal here and I certainly do have bouts of depression, particularly in the winter and then there's the usual depression associated with being obese, depression associated with chronic pain (knees and ankles) and then there's the fairly typical isolation and depression about not being able to do certain things with my friends and family. How do I explain these things, particularly when there is SO LITTLE space to respond! Any advice? I feel like the truth is that I have become obese and failed at multiple dieting attempts largely because I've been addicted to food! However, when I got sober I addressed many of the issues that led me to self medicate. AA has got me on a path towards recovery and self healing. I quit drinking, drugging and smoking. About two years ago I felt ready and able to address my food addiction. I started excersizing and going to OA. I lost 80 pounds "the old fashioned way". Then came severe knee pain and a subsequent knee replacement. I stopped riding my bike, stopped my long walks, swimming etc. I ballooned back up to 365. That was thirteen months ago and my knee won't heal, largely because of the weight. Thoughts? Help?! Sorry for the novel...

I had my gallbladder removed in Sept of 2012. At the time I had many gallstones estimated around quarter size blocking the bile duct. I never really had any symptoms of trouble with my gallbladder until just before surgery pain started to develop. Currently I’m pre-surgery and I was recommended for the VSG due to during the surgery they discovered that I have end stage 4 liver disease (NASH) non-alcoholic cirrhosis. I’m curious if anyone else has ever had this situation? My Heptologist recommended the VSG due to its 98% rate of success in stopping the progression of Cirrhosis as well as diabetes management. In some cases, curing type 2 altogether. I completely understand that the VSG will not cure the damage that has already occurred to my liver, but I’m concerned with my other comorbid that I am entering a dangerous road. Does anyone have additional comorbid such as diabetes, liver disease, Cushing’s before considering the VSG?

I was wondering this too. I'm not a big drinker at all. But of course, once you tell me I can't have something, that's all I can think about! Lol, I'm 2 months out now, but I think I'm going to wait for 4 months. Some of my friends said that they would take me out for a drink when I was cleared for alcohol. Although I am a little concerned. I used to be able to get drunk off one Cosmopolitan consumed with food. Now I think a thimble full would knock me out. I got my mother's alcohol tolerance, lol.

My birthday is coming closer and I was wonder if I can try to drink some wine or champagne. but my birthday I would be 2 month out. When the first time I can try alcohol?

Months before surgery I gave up processed food, sugar, simple carbs, alcohol, coffee, soda, to kick-start my weight loss and to get over addictions and cravings pre-surgery. I lost approx. 25 lbs.

I am in the optifast stage 12 days before surgery and i am really struggling. I am so hungry, i can not get to sleep at night due to hungry pains and the head hunger certainly doesnt help. my sugeon had told me to try the optifast for 3 weeks before surgery but when i spoke to the dietian last week she thought 2 weeks should be enough so i ate normally again until it was 2 weeks before the op. I wanted to know how others got on and if they managed to to stick to just the optifast. I cheated last night and ate toast, i am starting to wonder if i should have the op at all, if i cant stick to the diet now!! please help, im feeling very desperate. By the way,my weight is about 115kg and the reason the surgeon suggested an extra week on optifast is because I know that i have a slightly fatty liver due to an x-ray i had done a few months ago. Also does anyone have trouble cutting out the alcohol in their diet?

I have two weeks till my band is put in. I am on a low carb diet to shrink my liver (my surgeon's standard diet...nothing in particular wrong with my liver) We are already obligated to a cocktail party this weekend. I know I could just drink Water or diet soda, but...LOL I know that alcohol is empty calories and not ideal for weight loss....but will one or two low carb drinks (say rum & diet coke which is OK for low carb such as Adtkins) affect my liver in any negative way? I will call and ask my doctor if I have to. Was hoping to get input here though. Just hate to sound like a lush...LOL! Nita

Yay!! Congratulations!!! Recoginzing you have an addiction to food isn't like recognizing you're an alcoholic. You don't get to quit eating forever. What I am doing to manage this is 1st, setting out menu's. I've never been a menu person in my life. But recognizing that if it's planned it's less likely to temp you is important. I wrote a blog about 'chew bags'. I dunno, maybe that might be a suggestion to try as well. I'm having trouble with the full liquid diet. Everything seems to get stuck. Yogurt, Soup, anything with consistency beyond Water. It can be frustrating and painful. So my plan is to literally go for 1 bite at a time. They say make your meals last 1/2 hour. How would you make 1/4 cup of soup last 1/2 hour? I guess if I take a bite and wait 10 minutes that would work. After being stuck I don't tend to WANT anything anyway. It's a whole new ballgame and one we don't want to screw up. Keep working on it!! Bren

Band erosion happens when the band erodes into the stomach. Things that can cause it include....repeated vomiting, use of NSAIDS (ibuprofen, etc.), maybe alcohol, maybe smoking. Sometimes, there are no symptoms. Sometimes, the symptoms are infection-like around the port. Once it's been confirmed (endoscopy), I believe the only solution is to remove the band.

My doc says says no alcohol ever. But different docs have different rules.

Seconding this. Even the mild sugar alcohols cause me to have a reaction. The only artificial sugar that I do not have an issue with is Splenda.

I probably shouldn't be saying this out loud but I tried alcohol last week and it gave me the diarreah. It's only been a month since surgery. Ooops. I'll try again in a week or two. Is that bad?

Where are you? You're talking in kilograms so I'm guessing not the USA? Relax and dont panic, the USA seems to have very stringent rules about what to eat and not eat that are not followed so closely in other countries. My doctor has NEVER mentioned protein to me, and when I mentioned it to him, he says that its really not done that way here, that protein isnt such a big thing and they dont think along the same lines. Given that gastric bypass and the DS is not really done here often either, I'd hazard a guess that US doctors follow a standard weight loss surgery line of thinking that isnt necessarily inappropriate but could be considered a bit stringent for lapbanders. Some people love high protein low carb diets and lose really well, others dont, and us Aussies around here that dont do it that way have all lost weight just as well as anyone else. You should be eating healthy, whatever that means to you personally. In any language and on any diet it means cut out the crap - the white sugar, white flour products (white bread, cakes, muffins, etc) the overloading on carbs (do you really need cereal for breakfast, muesli bars for snacks, sandwiches for lunch, cakes for afternoon tea and pasta for dinner?), too much alcohol, liquid calories and you'll probably be right, whether you get 40 grams of protein a day or 80, whether you eat carbs or not. And get plenty of exercise. But bring it up with your doctor for sure if you're unsure what to eat. The thing is that most obese people have been on diets their entire lives and could actually teach their doctors a thing or two!

Well... here are my thoughts... I have been recalling all of my failed attempts at losing weight:ohmy:. I weighed in today at 214.6... down 65 lbs...that is the lowest since, ohhh I would say October 2004!!! The last time I was close was at 217... that was about May 07... that didn't last long (stress of wedding got to me by that point). I recalled many failed attempts in early college too... This is all what I used to soften the blow of my restriction level that I have mixed feelings about right now. I am guessing that it WILL ease up a little, or at least I am hoping. I wonder what will be pressure, vs. pain as I move forward in this new restriction level. I have read lots of (and have empathized with) concerning posts on lapbandtalk stating that we thought it would be the solution in that it helped us get fuller faster, with small quantities, and that we could basically eat most of the foods that we did pre-surgery... I read these posts as we talked about all of the pain that was associated with eating from the restriction... and how disappointed and resentful and misled we felt as a result... to be honest, that has been part of my hesitance to get another fill... I guess I did not want that pain... I wanted to eat all the things I have been eating (I have just plain given up on breads aside from pretzels, crispy thin crusts, and crackers... really miss those steakhouse buttery doughy rolls though)... I wanted to deny the problems that I have had with dieting leading up to this point... I wanted to forget the feelings and emotions that came with joining Weight Watchers for the 10th time, the 20th time, the 30th time... I wanted to forget the reasons that THE INSURANCE COMPANY actually thought I medically needed this surgery.... I wanted to forget the harsh realities of, when telling others that I have had this surgery, people's comments NEVER included "Oh, you dont need to get surgery" "You arent THAT overweight"... nope, just agreeable and encouraging comments including: "You have a lot of courage" and "Good for you" and "You will get there". Now I am REALLY feeling that restriction, day 3... after that .75 cc fill, total of 6.25 in 12 cc band. I kind of view it as my "Anabuse" which if you dont know is a medication that alcoholics take to deter alcohol abuse because they will get severely sick if they drink on the medication.... even one beer.... the lapband is my anabuse. The last 2 months I really felt myself straying back into those bad habits of comforting myself with thin crust pizza, nachos, and other comfort foods that I was able to eat too much of.. thank GOD for the exercise I was able to do... It helped me to NOT gain, but lose 5 lbs (IN 2 MONTHS):confused:, and I am sure some inches instead!!! Things aren't even THAT stressful for me right now.... SOOOO I needed my "anabuse" dose adjusted, and that is just what I did! Even if it is painful to eat almost every meal from here on out... it will remind me of my past, and what I want my future to be.... This was never framed to me as "Easy", a "Solution", or an exact science... it is, after all in the words of my wise bariatric nurse Terry Marentette, "just a tool".... I need it, pain or not, like it or not... Sorry I am being so deep today, I was just doing a lot of reflecting, and I guess I just needed to type it all out??? I will move forward from here (backwards on the scale)... My wishes for you all is GREAT success, and lots of GREAT support too! God Bless you all for your courage!!!

Dixiedoo- cute name by the way... You make A LOT of sense!!! I think, to a point, my words may not have carried through the best via post... I have pressure and pain as I adjust to a fill, and these fills do add to my anxiety, BUT I knew that this discomfort/pressure would get better as the days passed from my fill... now 8 days ago, it has. I think that in one of my post replies their lapband was viewed as their "best friend". I see a lot of danger in that, as I would feel GREAT betrayal if something ever happened to my band, regardless of my efforts (slippage, too tight, unfill, fill, plateus,ect.) I would find myself so bitter and jaded and hopeless if I viewed it that way... besides my weight loss is up to me, and not dependant on "my best friend", but ME, and afterall this is a medical tool, NOTHING ELSE... I digress, I made a bad choice to eat an orange on day 3 after my fill, and threw up for the first time 3 times to get all the pulp out that was stuck.... that inflamed it, I am sure, even more-stupid! Now who's rambling... lol Soooo about what you said about giving permission to eat small amounts, and questioning whether it is healthy or not... wow... I was just having that discussion with myself yesterday... I will continue with that mindset... you were SOOO HELPFUL.... To clerify to all lapbanders that have read my post: "anabuse" - when used correctly AS A TOOL FOR SOBRIETY does not make you sick, but allows you to stay sober to attend 12 step programming efforts, and to learn a QUALITY OF LIFE beyond drinking alcohol... doesn't the same apply to our lapbands?? when used correctly AS A TOOL FOR HEALTHY EATING it does not make me sick, but allows me to eat healthy, lose the excess weight, attend to my needs for personal growth and determination, and to learn a QUALITY OF LIFE beyond comforting myself with the wrong foods.... Does that make sense my friends??

Since the surgery I have traveled from one addiction to another. First was food, then I got the surgery and then I fell in love with the pain killers, once those ran out I started drinking alcohol finally I gave that up on jan 3rd and have picked up quite a sweet tooth. Is this normal or am I all alone on this one?

I'm in a similar situation, although I have about 45 more pounds to lose. I think I prompted mine by traveling for almost a solid month, not eating an optimal selection and also consuming some alcohol during that period. Since that time I've only been able to drop a pound or two, and my weight has been fluctuating around the same point. I'm having a hard time getting the weight loss restarted. Thinking this coming week I will kick up the exercise routine and also maybe do a '5 day pouch reset' program to see if I can get the weight loss rolling again.

FOODS ALLOWED ALL FOODS pureed TO BABY CONSISTENCY MUST STRAIN EVERYTHING No Peanut Butter or nuts No real butter No raw fruits or veggies (so no bananas) No bread or crackers No hard cheeses (low fat soft cheeses ok) No dairy listed except skim milk (yogurt not mentioned) No carbonated or soft drinks No alcohol No Kool-aid or sweet tea Nothing sweetened with sugar No fruit or veggie juices with pulp or added sugar 3 meals per day with supplemental Protein Shake between to get Protein Tonight I opened can of Progresso Clam Chowder. Thinned with skim milk and pureed with blender stick and strained it. All the clam bits down the drain.

This month is the five month anniversary of my sleeve surgery. Next week is a big company meeting. I had set a personal goal of achieving 50% weight loss by that date. I will hit that goal or be within a pound of it. My rate of loss has seemed slow to me but after looking at the charts I realize it has been pretty steady with great progress, just a bit slower than I'd anticipated. So far I've been very pleased with every aspect of this journey. Here are a few of my victories and observations post surgery. Victories: Weight loss - 55 pounds - halfway to goal Clothing sizes - Went from (men's) size 46 slacks to 40, size 19 shirts to 17 1/2, size 4xl t-shirts to 2xl sleep apnea - Gone Type 2 diabetes - Gone Joint aches, pains and stiffness - Gone High blood pressure - went from 2 meds to 1, and only half the dose of that one Other NSV's: Airplanes - went from almost needing a seat belt extender to being able to put the tray table down all the way Travel - can now sleep in most any hotel bed without needing the mattress and pillows to be 'just right' Stairs - I used to be winded at the top of a flight of stairs, but can bound up them now with no issues. Exercise - much easier now and I have more stamina. Some observations: Stalls - I've found that I stall easily and really need to watch my program closely. Diet - It's a tight balance - too few calories and I stall. Too many and I stall. Hunger - I never realized how much of my problem was "head hunger" or bored snacking until the real hunger went away. Snacking - is an insidious enemy and can derail progress without you knowing it. You have to account for everything you eat. Alcohol - I can have a drink or two without problem, but it does stop my loss for a couple of days. Better save it for maintenance. I lost weight rapidly for the first couple of months but have noticed now I've settled into a fairly steady rate of loss of around 2 pounds per week. I'm fine with this rate as long as I can keep it going. Over time it will require more exercise to maintain but at this rate I should hit my goal weight at about my one year surgery anniversary. That is now my new goal.

I drank alcohol on Saturday and it seems every since then, I have been having really bad heartburn. I seem to get it even when I have not eaten or drank anything in a while. I have not tried any medication yet. I keep thinking it will go away. Has anyone else ever had this problem.

I am asking this question because I am concerned about my SIL. She had Lap Band surgery a few years ago and has done well with her weight loss. The problem is that she told me over Thanksgiving that she sometimes goes as long as 6 days without being able to eat anything because something will get "stuck" and she just can't take in any food only liquids. She also vomits on a daily basis... so much that the enamel on her teeth is being to erode. She refers to her Lap Band as a medically induced eating disorder. She has some bad habits... too much alcohol and smoking. I am quite concerned about her. I encouraged her to go back to her surgeon because I don't believe it sounds right that she vomits so much and sometimes can't eat for days. She won't go because she is more than a year out from surgery at this point and has to pay in full for each visit. She simply refuses to pay the $ to go because she believes she is fine. Is this normal? How did any of you know if your band was causing erosion? I believe she is headed for trouble. Am I right or is this normal for a Lap Band patient?

The comic strip is funny... I just think it's happening more and more by the fat people in my life. The ones who think I'm there for them when they want to be fat. Everyone else is normal, but I'm the one who "gets it" because I'm fat. And, I am fat...and I DO get it. It's just hard to not cringe when I see that behavior. Mainly because I see myself there, and I don't want to be a part of that anymore. My mother is a food pusher and a BIG eater. My whole family loves to eat, so for me to just sit there while they all eat and eat and eat...It's a strange feeling. Like watching alcoholics drink. It's hard to watch and not be able to say anything. At a restaurant the other day I overheard a daughter ragging her mother about smoking. The smoker was a smallish woman in her early 60's, maybe and the daughter was around 300 pounds, and she was eating dessert while the mother had a cigarette. The daughter just kept on and on about how she wish she would quit and that it wasn't healthy...and the mother finally said, "I'll put my cigarette down when you put your fork down." I guess my point was less anger than just a breaking point. I'm not in that club anymore, and I know so many people who are. It's comforting to have fat people around - misery loves company. But, since I don't look "normal" yet, I guess it's weird to them that I am "acting normal"? I guess...I dunno. Just thought it was strange, and I don't know how to react. I guess nothing gets hurt if I just let it roll. But, part of me wants to help my friends, and I know from experience that I can't. But, I can get skinny and show 'em! lol

For people that have been sleeved for a bit, what have you done well and what are you struggling with? Here's my list (I'm 5 months out)ç Victories: 1. Exercise (although slipping a bit last 2 weeks) 2. Portion control, logging, measuring, and planning 3. Protein selections 4. Avoiding sweets and bad carbs 4. Water (quantity and waiting 30 minutes) Struggles: 1. Eating slow - never do it really. 2. Caffeine - drinking coffee. 3. Not enough fruits and vegetables. 4. Have on a few occasions had a couple alcoholic drinks. Surgeons rule is absolutely none for a full year.

Does anyone know when we can have a glass of wine again and if you have did it go down well for you ?

Hi there My experience is limited being a nurse... this is what I read; 5) would check TSH to rule out hypothyroidism if not already performed. *Hypothyroidism is an under active thyroid which can sometimes cause people to become overweight and in some studies can be responsible for sleep disturbances. TSH stands for thyroid stimulating hormone, and would be checked by drawing blood. 6) if there is evidence of nasopharyngeal crowding, consider surgical evaluation. *Since you snore and snoring disrupts sleep - they are suggesting you have a doctor rule out the possibility of there being a structural defect in your nose/throat area, such as crowding. If there is evidence of such crowding, a surgical consult to correct the issue is rec. 7) suggest improvements in sleep hygiene. *Sleep habits are called "hygiene"... for example going to bed too early or too late, watching TV before bed, using drugs or alcohol to help us sleep... etc. They suggest improving your sleep habits so your sleep disturbances will diminish. I hope this helps.