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Balloon, much like lap band, is not very common these days so you may not get many responses to your query from people with a balloon. Unlike weight loss surgeries, the balloon won’t stop your hunger. It just makes you feel full more quickly as it takes up space in your tummy. But even with weight loss surgery, your hunger does come back so we all have to examine our motivations for eating, discover the difference between head and real hunger, change our relationship with food, etc. For example, could your hunger be head hunger? That is, is your hunger coming from you (consciously or subconsciously) looking to sooth/comfort yourself because of the emotional roller coaster and stress you’re likely feeling from having the balloon inserted and the changes you are having to make. This is very common occurrence. But yes, contact your doctor to ensure everything is working as it should. May be enquire about seeking some counselling to support you through the head work aspect of weight loss. Many find it very helpful. PS - Out of curiosity why did you go down the path of having a balloon inserted versus a sleeve or bypass or one of the other weight loss surgeries? Was it because the balloon can be removed whist the other surgeries are pretty much irreversible?

Welcome PlantMom! There's already some really good advice here on your query. If you can spend some time reading this forum generally you will gain SO much knowledge in a short time. Well worth it. I'm 3 years post sleeve. It has suited me very well - I am 5'9" and was 276lbs before I started my WLS journey, so not that far off your stats. I made a positive choice to have the sleeve based on minimum changes to my anatomy. My surgeon laid out the pros of that Vs the bypass (he only did those two ops) and I decided. I would be really concerned about anyone trying to shoehorn me into what was easier for them. I did have reflux when I was morbidly obese but I lucked out and it actually improved after I lost weight (as it always had before) but if you're a fellow sufferer that might be one to consider carefully. In IRL I know people with sleeve, bypass, AND band, who have failed to lose, or lost and regained everything and more. WLS is a chance to re-think and redefine your relationship with food. I am saying this as someone still doing that and who will be negotiating that forever! It's a lifelong journey for those of us who were born with the propensity to gain gain gain weight in the obesogenic society we now live in. Choose your tool carefully and after as much research as you can. Even then it doesn't work out for everyone but I think it maxes out your chance that you'll be one of the lucky ones. I wish you all the best.

Does anyone use brown rice protein powder, specifically the unflavoured & unsweetened variety? I bought a small sample from my local bulk health food store, along with a larger amount of pea protein powder. I knew what to expect from the pea protein powder as I've had it before in years past, but I was unprepared for the smell, taste, aftertaste and immense chalky-ness of the brown rice powder. I've tried it in a few different things now (oatmeal, shakes and smoothies), and most of them had to be pitched entirely; I was able to choke down the smoothie I made with it but it was still unpleasant. Online blogs suggested almond milk and unsweetened cocoa powder to combat the chalky texture -- both did nothing for me. I tried PB powder, regular fairlife milk, thickening the smoothies with bananas or avocado, greek yogurt, etc. I still have a little under 500ml left, and I'm tempted to just give up and throw it away. It's one of those vicious thought cycles: I hate to waste food by throwing it away, but I hate to waste other foods by trying to combine them and getting the same result lol. If anyone has a method to using this while masking basically everything about it, I'm all ears. Can you bake with it? I've had mixed results baking with other protein powders in the past and am honestly mildly exhausted just thinking about it. XD (I apologize with harassing you all with my constant protein supplement queries. Egg protein was a miss for me, but pea protein is a morning-time lifesaver for me.)

How confusing re your bloods! I have quarterly bloods taken which have some overlap with those requested by the Bariatric team. I queried this and all they did was take one lot of bloods, put all the results on the system and alert both requesting consultants. I certainly didn’t want 2 separate lots of blood being drawn that say the same thing 😬 Isn’t it annoying when either you do as they ask and they tell you off or they haven’t told you to do something but should have and then tell you off for not knowing?? At least it seems that you have a grip on things, are able to keep on doing what’s best for you knowing that things are moving forward for you. Well done on your success so far. I hope your stall breaks sooner rather than later!

I have read through so many posts on the topic of revision and see that people are mostly very happy to have gone through with it but a lot of them seem to be due to regain, hernias or bad GERD so my query is a bit different. My surgeon has mentioned a number of times to me about doing a revision from sleeve to bypass as following my surgery a year ago I had bad reflux. When I was released from hospital in November I was prescribed two pantomed (PPI) a day and since then GERD has become less frequent, for the last three months I am now on just one a day and I don't consider that the GERD impacts me, maybe once a week I might have a bit of gas, but the surgeon was still suggesting bypass and at my last appointment (in May) even mentioned that it would help me lose more weight, even though I was then just 5kg/11lb from the target he gave me and still only 10 months post-op. Given all the complications I had after my sleeve surgery in July last year I am very hesitant to have any further operations as I don't know if it was the medical teams fault and/or my body. If it is something that the surgeon says is needed I am torn between asking for a referral to another hospital or risking his team again in the belief that they would be extremely careful with me after everything that went wrong the year ago. So far, in just under 12 months, I have lost 47kg/103lb and am only 7kg/15lb away from my goal weight (3kg from the surgeon's target) and therefore I was wondering, from those who have gone through the revision process, if you think it is worth it? For me the only benefit I see is that I would be able to stop taking the daily pantomed, so not sure that is worth risking another surgery for. I have not had a single dumping episode and for the last few months have been able to tolerate all foods without issue so am a bit fearful that the bypass may lead to a backwards step on those fronts. If my GERD is not impacting me is there any other long-term benefit to the revision when I am still (slowly) losing weight? I don't want to go more than a few kg below my goal weight as it is not a good look on me. If there is no drastic weight loss, given so much has been achieved already, is there hair loss with the revision? Any insights would be appreciated as I have my one year check-up in a couple of weeks and I want to be prepared for when the topic is raised

Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for my care team and they have done a wonderful job for the most part in preparing me and responding to my post-op queries... but they've also missed things along the way that I think could've/should've been a simple thing to cover in one of the many pre-op lectures, booklets, etc -- or been wrong about 'minor' things (aka: "Take this specific multivitamin dosage/brand with your breakfast each day, and your SSRIs & BP meds, your b12, and your iron" when the multivitamin package explicitly says "DO NOT take this with iron because it inhibits iron absorption, wait until 2 hours afterwards to take any iron supplements") In other words, I think it's always in our best interest to do some research ourselves, ask around, and seek the opinions of other health professionals. My pharmacist, for example, always seems to know way more about drug & supplement interaction than any of my doctors who do the prescribing.

This is a copy of the email I sent out to members of our support group for anyone who lurks on this board from our clinic: For patients of The Surgical Weight Loss Centre in Mississauga: Hope everyone is enjoying the beginning of Spring! Just an early reminder that we will be having Tammy a beloved nurse at The Surgical Weight Loss Centre come out to speak with us as our guest speaker at our next meeting on Thursday, April 16th, at 7:30 pm, (doors open at 7:00 pm.,) Sue, one of our other wonderful nurses would of joined her but unfortunately will be out of town. I hope as many people as possible will come out to chat and ask questions of Tammy, I would appreciate if people could RSVP me up to 5 pm the day of the meeting so I can get an idea of the numbers to expect when I am configuring the room seating set up that night. We will be continuing with our ongoing clothing exchange, so feel free to bring items that no longer fit you and look through the lovely selection of items available. coffee and other refreshments continue to be available for purchase at the hot deli food counter on the main floor. For those who were not able to attend last month I will have available additional handouts on "Emotional Eating" I made up that was our topic last month. Please contact me for the location info if you don't already know it. I will be contacting Tammy with the types of questions and concerns pre-op and post-op bandsters have for her so feel free to email me anything you would like added to the list. This night will consist of a relaxed evening with Tammy open to addressing any of your queries so please come out and give and receive support! Hope to see many new and familiar faces including those who haven't been able to attend in awhile, we miss you! I will post an additional group reminder the week of the meeting but please circle this date on your calendar, thanks. Regards, Donna Volunteer Facilitator for the Mississauga Lap-Band Peer Support Group for SWLC Patients

You'll still have it... In fact, you'll need it more than ever!! But it's unlikely that you'll be able to down 16oz at a time... At nine months out, I usually go thru about 600 ml during my training session (1hr) each morning... So you'll certainly still be able to drink it... I hope that answers your query to some degree...

Everyone's post-surgery instructions are different... I'd assume that you should be sipping slower(longer breaks between sips) and therefore making your 1oz last longer than 3 minutes... But then, I'm not your surgeon/nutritionist... Your best bet would be to ask them... Maybe give it a day or so, gather a few questions (you'll have some), and call them once with a few queries rather than a few times with one question each time.. Good luck to you @@Ilovecats1985 And welcome to sleevehood...

My PCP scheduled me for a Bone Scan February 7th, perhaps,THIS is why; I am relatively certain he reads as much,as I Do, and folks I read lots! Self-taught at 2-and-half years, yeah you saw that correctly. I was the youngest person in my city and library to have a card, well before 4. Mama took me in there, queried the Head Librarian " How old do you have to be to receive a card?", answer was "late in Grade 1, because children don't read well until then". Mama said " But she reads already!" Librarian , her name was Miss Edwina Fitzgerald, went to reach an Early Reader to test me, Mama said :" No No, something without pictures" so a Grade 5 level was proffered, which I read 7 pages of letter-perfect, why not? One of the books I started with was the New Testament at home, matter of fact, the story in the family goes, I started learning to read because I got peeved, Mama wanted to do housework, like laundry instead of reading to ME. So-o-o! I really don't remember Not Reading that well. Any-whoo I am a RnY and 73 so Maybe It Is a GOOD THING.😝✌

Will do. Maybe its normal for us not too lose too much on the first fill. I have a call tomorrow with my dietician. I will query everything with her on why the weight loss has slowed down so I will keep you informed.

Hi all, I had my 8 week visit with the Dietician today and have been progressed onto 'normal foods'. Yayyy! I've lost 12.5kg (28 lb) since my Op & feel good. She was happy with my weight loss, but slightly concerned how quickly I'm losing and queried whether I have been eating enough. I assured her that I have and don't let myself get too hungry. I've only been walking 2-3 times a week and she doesn't recommend upping the ante just yet as I'm still recovering. She said I can try toast, crispbread, soft drink & I alcohol (keeping in mind it will affect me more). I also told her how I've eaten chocolate and wasn't scolded- just told it's a 'sometimes food' and to know my limits. It was pleasantly refreshing because some people in the bariatric community talk like it's the antichrist lol I can hear the US weight loss patients collectively gasp at how much free reign I'm allowed. I have faith in her professional advice as she works closely with my surgeon, who is well regarded in my state & has trained most other GB surgeons in the city. What I am wondering is whether other people have been given the same advice. I don't really have much contact with other GB patients in Australia, so can't compare. I wonder whether pre & post op diets are that much stricter in the US because insurance companies fund the surgery costs, therefore want the patient to drop weight super quickly? I might be way off....I don't know much about US insurance. I just know that I paid hospital cover for 12 months and was instantly approved for surgery, whereas it seems like the process is much more complicated in America. So glad to be progressing on to the next stage in this journey.

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Hey guys, I've got a question hopefully someone with puff pastry knowledge can help me with. I'm making a quiche, using puff pastry as the crust (frozen, from the store). It says to put it in a GLASS pie plate though, and I don't have one. I'm wondering if there's some secret I don't know that you can only do puff pastry in glass plates, (oven proof, I know) or did whoever made up the recipe just put that to mess with me?! Can I use my regular old metal non-stick pie plate?? Thanks Mandi

Has he mentioned why he doesn't want you to have these things? The answer will give you an idea as to his reasoning behind it. I'm with Gh0st in that I feel you do need something in the morning to get your metabolism kick started, otherwise it'll lay dormant until your hunger kicks in and perhaps in doing so, cause you to overeat. For me personally after my most recent fill, I couldn't get any protein or smoothies down because of the texture. The bubbles were just too much. Also, the temperature of the liquids suddenly became an issue and I could only drink hot liquids in the morning. Hot smoothies/shakes just aren't appealing. :glare: You need to find what works for you. Protein is important. If the only way you're going to get it into your system is via the drinks, I don't see how your doctor could tell you that was bad. But of course, his opinion trumps mine, so you really should get his input. Make a call to his office. You don't have to go in for a visit each time you have a question, I'm sure his staff should be able to answer any queries and concerns you may have.

Hey guys! I'm new here and soon to be sleeved on the 20th of November! I came across this forum through a google search and it was exactly what I was looking for. I've been reading a lot of helpful stuff here the past few days and it's really been like a good friend that understands me and helps me get through my pre-op liquid diet and all other queries I have. A big thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and providing such a vast amount of information. I'm 24 years old, currently based in Dubai, UAE, where a majority of the population is either over weight or obese. I myself am morbidly obese weighing 447 lbs last I checked at my doctors consultation. However, I'm blessed with a good height so I don't think its too obvious visually. I've always been over weight for my age since the time I was born. However, over the past 6-8 years i've gained weight at a scary rate. I've attempted going on diets, joining the gym, paying for personal trainers but all of that only worked temporarily. I've lost 30-40 pounds previously when I've tried hard but then maintaining a strict diet on a long term basis never worked out. But now the weight has started taking a serious toll on my health and work. I've started experiencing leg and back pains, breathlessness, sleep apnea, extreme laziness etc. So to put it in a nutshell, the past 2 years haven't been very pleasant...mentally or physically. I've been contemplating to go for bariatric surgery for the past 2 years and now i've finally gotten to it. In Dubai, no insurance covers this sort of procedure so it all comes out of our own pockets. Hence its taken a while for me to take this step. I'm currently 3 days into my pre-op liquid diet and it's just been terrible for me. I get extremely tempted since i'm surrounded by hotels and restaurants where I live. And i've never denied myself completely of food before, ever. I have 2 glasses of the Isopure Dutch chocolate Protein shake daily which doesn't taste too bad, but it felt really sickening today. No clue how i'm going to last for another 13 days! I'm just trying to stay focused on the prize. I've become really moody so its hard to talk to a lot of people, but isolation isn't helping either. So i'm really glad i found this forum. It really helps me just going through success stories and other people's journies. I'll try to keep posting updates. I'm really looking forward to the next few months. Although my doc has warned me that i'll be regretting my decision for the next 6 months . Is it really that hard?? I have an idea of what to expect but I hope it isn't too rough. From what I've read, each persons journey is unique in its own. Here's hoping for a 'not too unpleasant' one for myself. Godbless!

:help: Hi there, i was hoping some of you may be able to help me before i ring up my doctor and sound like a paranoid whinger! A week ago i got my first fill, now i dont know how much i got put in because he didnt tell me and i forgot to ask. now a few days later i am experiencing throwing up ( only once so far but feeling a second one coming on as i am writing this) and feel all weak and flustered. :cry Im also worried to eat now aswell as that was the case the first time when i threw up.I am still drinking water though. does anyone know what it may be. im not over eating and im not doing anything abnormal than what i have been since i had the band put in about 5 weeks ago!! :help:

A flipped port can happen because it wasn't stitched down properly or because of some movement or exercise that you have done, possibly prematurely, that causes the muscle and therefore the port to move. It is quite a common occurrence but the fix is usually pretty simple. $3000 sounds like a lot of money to pay for them to correct this. Have you queried it?

Hi All, Somewhere, during my research phase, I saw something that listed all the terms that are used by lap banders. Things like "sliming" (haven't figured that one!!:pray2:) and PB (productive burp:rolleyes:), etc. Of course I did not bookmark it (silly me:redface:). Anyone know where that list is? Thanks, Dana

Though i have gained a lot of info on pregnancy with band but please help me with these queries i got banded on 28th june and have lost 34 pounds and i am now at 188 pounds ... is this a good weight to try having a baby ... i am going in for a pregnancy because of the other complications which i have how many of you went and had a baby at my current weight and how many of u delivered safely without complications what happens to band during pregnancy and has anyone resumed their weight loss journey after the band .. what if one has to have a cs cant a lot of morning sickness give rise to a slipped band anyone had any complication with band during pregnancy which led to some surgery can one have whey Proteins during pregnancy PLEASE HELP

thanks for the compliments - I'm blushin here! Shelley, can't believe how amazing you are doing - i am hereby demanding full list of your hints and tips! You must feel fantastic! So wish I was where you and Donali are - big congrats hugs from me xx And Jennye - HELLO!!!! Check out my (v badly fake tanned!) feet in the photo where I'm wearing hubby's Ireland shirt, and you will see my fave pink flower flip flops! And in answer to Marsha's jokey query, I have actually gone down two shoe sizes - you can see the flip flops are big on me - my feet are all the way " in", but they are still huge - I have had such fun buying shoes since I've lost some weight - I used to take an european 42 and now take a 38 (think that's an american 10 to an 8!) And Vera, I have my super critical mother-in-law eating bags of prunes a day - the poor woman can't be more than ten feet from a bathroom - me bad!

I’m 62 pounds lighter since my May 28th LAP-BAND® surgery. In eighteen weeks, there has been such significant weight loss and, more relevantly, so much positive change in my health that I can hardly remember the time when I was medically obese and “lost.” First, let’s dispense with the formalities. Need to know exactly what LAP-BAND® surgery involves? Click on The LAP-BAND® I : "Entering the zone" | Babyboomers.tv. Want to know how civilians react to news that I’ve elected to have surgery? Click on http://babyboomers.tv/content/LAP-BAND®-zone-ii-dealing-civilian-response. Interested in hearing about my status and what happens next? Read on. In addition to monthly post-op visits with Dr. Gellman, my bariatric surgeon, -- click on www.northshoresurgical.net -- I’ve lived through 4 months now as a post-operative LAP-BAND® patient. It doesn’t feel that much different than following Weight Watchers, Atkins, and other weight loss programs. Except … I’ve had laparoscopic surgery to help cure my lifelong addiction to food; There is this device inside of me banding the upper portion of my stomach; The LAP-BAND® is a “tool” to help me cut down on food consumption; While my 62-pound weight loss has been sensational, the doctor reminded me this week that the band was inserted for a reason and it’s time to tighten it now. So, this is a different reality for me. The band will be tightened in a few days by injecting saline solution into a port which has been surgically inserted on the inside of my stomach epidermis. The net result is that the band will be tightened and my little stomach pouch (the “stoma”) will feel full with less food. I’ll have to go back on a liquid diet for a few days to allow the stoma to adjust to its new tighter reality. Aside from my regular visits with Dr. Gellman, I also attend a monthly support group with other post-op patients. These groups are enormously helpful for both the camaraderie of those who have been through my same experience as well as for the practical advice I get from participants. At the last group, the topic was “How have you changed for the better or worse following surgery?” I believe life is drastically different (and better) since surgery. However, I’m still a LAP-BAND® rookie so I asked the group “do you all tell people that you’ve had LAP-BAND® surgery?” Interesting responses: “it’s none of anybody’s business”; “nobody has to know”; “they don’t understand”; and, “I only tell my closest friends and relatives”. I understand. Even though I’ve gone public on this website for the entire world to know my story, there are specific people in my life who don’t know about my decision to go through with LAP-BAND® surgery --- most importantly, my mother and father-in-law. They are in their 80’s and they just wouldn’t understand the surgical procedure (or the need for it). Mind you, they are each thrilled to hear about and see my weight loss progress. The best advice to come from the support group, however, has been “If anyone asks how you lost the weight, tell them you’re on Weight Watchers.” This echoes a similar sentiment from Dr Gellman, who reports: “so many of the patients in our practice simply default to “Weight Watchers” when asked how they lost the weight. There is logic here … the final phase of post-operative eating adjustment encompasses a diet that is very much like the Weight Watchers protocol: Eat fruits and vegetables liberally; Follow portion control: 1 ounce of meat = size of a matchbox; 3 ounces of meat = size of a deck of cards; 3 ounces of fish = size of a checkbook; Medium apple = size of a tennis ball. [*]Use little, if any, sugar; [*]Choose lower fat foods; [*]Avoid fried foods; [*]Eat 3 meals a day; [*]Exercise regularly, preferably 3 or 5 or 7 times per week (I walk 4 miles every day;) Who, among us, has not seen this movie before? And yet it really is unlike the thousands of diets I’ve previously been on. I think it has a lot to do with my commitment to a new way of life once I agreed to the surgery. And, I strongly believe in my ability to do this. Also, there is the reality that the little stomach pouch won’t hold the huge quantities of food I had become accustomed to eating. But, if we’re honest, I believe it’s that I don’t want to betray the promise I made to myself: this time, it’s for good and will be different than before. At our tender age when death and illnesses are dodging us, who is gonna argue? I’ve learned from my support group that the post-op fellowship strongly resembles Alcoholics Anonymous: it’s critical to keep sharing your feelings and to report any incident(s) of falling off the wagon. Fine with me, so far. But then, I’ve never really had a problem losing weight --- it’s maintaining my goal weight that has always done me in. For now, I take it one day at a time. The weight loss has been thrilling and I’m extremely grateful for my newfound health and mobility. I’m off blood pressure medicine, I don’t need the sleep apnea machine and my knees have magically stopped hurting during my 3-4 mile daily walks. As for the outside world and how to respond to the queries about “how did you do it?” … I smile like a Cheshire cat and reply that my answer lies in a renewed commitment to exercise and a diet of fruits, vegetables and healthy proteins. I guess my real shorthand answer can be “I’m going to Weight Watchers.”

I'm also wondering if my band is too tight, and I posted a similar query just moments after yours, so I don't really have answers but I am curious, does your doctor allow patients to eat regular foods (apple, cereal, etc.) after a fill? My doctor recommends only liquids the day of the fill, and then one day of mushies after that, then if all is OK, back to regular food. You might try going back to liquids or mushies (but make sure to say away from hidden bubbles like a Protein shake blended in the blender!). Kathy

OK, I've been on a liquid diet for 5 Weeks - and I was SOOOOO excited to go to the doctors today and be advanced to 'soft' and then 'regular' foods. I had decided a portion of a Veggie Soft Taco from Taco Time would be my treat for a job well done. I didn't drink anything until the doctors office to maximize my weight loss (I also wore shorts and thongs). OK, I get there, I did well, my mouth is just salivating - I talk to the doctor - he asks me how I'm doing - I'm doing great - no problems - excep HUNGER! I tell him about a little stitch poking out, he says climb up on the table "I'm going to feel you". My physician has an accent - but I got ready, and he took a long time to get something to remove the suture with, and came back in with a cart. He started filling needs and I said, what are you doin? He said "I'm going to feel you". I queried "why do you need a needle to feel me?". I couldn't believe it - he was going to "fill me". Of course, I was excited. Then came the words. MORE liquids for 2-3 days, and then of course - restriction. I just feel like going and slurping up some ranch sauce - I want that taco so bad! Oh well. But hey - my sister decided to do my diet with me - and she lost 18 pounds this month! She's smaller than me - and DID GREAT. I called her and let her know about my loss (just slightly more than her) - He must have known I was going to eat - he just must have known! I thought it was funny - but I'm happy.

First of all Gaffer...KUDOS to you for thinking of buying such a wonderful gift for Mrs Gaffer!!! Yowzers!!! I was told to wait about a week or so before having a bath (showers were fine.....just no soaking until the incisions were healed). But to be on the safe side, I recommend you pose your query directly to Dr. C's office. Again....nice one!!!!