Diet Pills during Post-Op?

[AmandaGW 1]

Cangel76 "Remember, a lot of people are passionate about this topic and the LAP-BAND®®, how it works. So when you post something about taking diet pills with the band they are going to remind you it is a tool. It is an emotional challenge and journey."

Thank you. It is not easy telling someone you don't know what you really think...or at least it wasn't for me. I debated whether or not to even post what I did in the first place. However, I really felt that it needed to be said, not only to you, but to others having the same difficulty. I am sorry you felt "attacked" but you should know that posting what you did was going to elicit some criticism. Especially because the diet pills, prescribed or not, are not that healthy for you. And we all know that, since most of us have probably, at some time or another, tried them.

I was not upset by the fact that you want to try diet pills. If I were in your same situation, I would probably feel the same way. However, every time I have tried diet pills, I gained back every ounce, plus, when I got off of them. They made me jumpy, irritable, and a little crazy. I just think you should check with your doctor and make sure it won't cause any problems with the band. That would be my only concern.

However, again, please don't assume that we all got the band because we have trouble with will power. That comment did anger me. That is not a reason to get the band. Not at all. I took that personally, just as personally as you took our comments to your post.

[WrenBird 11]

For the record: I, and most of the 'critical people' in this thread aren't against diet pills. It's her lack of knowledge on the subject and judgement towards everyone with a lap-band that irked me.

[RoxyChick 0]

@WrenBird

Geez! Enough already. First, you basically call me a liar and say that it was impossible that anyone would message me about this topic, then you delete your post. Then you say "I'll hold back on sharing..." and say "Your offending me", but that's right you delete that post too. If you are going to post something at least stand behind what you post. Move on already!

I came on here and posted because I wanted to see if anyone was feeling the same way. I'm sorry if I hit a sore spot with some people, but if you didn't like the subject I posted about, you could always have moved on to a different post. No wonder people messaged me instead of posting!

I spoke to my doctor and he was fine with me taking diet pills and said if it helps me get through tough times before my first fill, then it was okay. I'm 40 yrs old and I know what works for my body. I've been on diets most of my adult life, so it's not like I just went out and got this surgery on a whim. I know diet pills are only temporary, but if they help me through the next 2 weeks, ....then woo-hoo!

[GipsyGirl 6]

ok here is the deal with me - I was so hungry a week after the surgery that my doc put me on phentermine ( controlled amphetamine like drug ) with 3 refills. It works beautifully. I just had my first fill and I feel no restriction at all but my diet pills work so well.

Good luck.

I wouldn't take over the counter diet pills I would ask your doc for some prescription ones.

[WrenBird 11]

@WrenBird

Geez! Enough already. First, you basically call me a liar and say that it was impossible that anyone would message me about this topic, then you delete your post. Then you say "I'll hold back on sharing..." and say "Your offending me", but that's right you delete that post too. If you are going to post something at least stand behind what you post. Move on already!

I came on here and posted because I wanted to see if anyone was feeling the same way. I'm sorry if I hit a sore spot with some people, but if you didn't like the subject I posted about, you could always have moved on to a different post. No wonder people messaged me instead of posting!

I spoke to my doctor and he was fine with me taking diet pills and said if it helps me get through tough times before my first fill, then it was okay. I'm 40 yrs old and I know what works for my body. I've been on diets most of my adult life, so it's not like I just went out and got this surgery on a whim. I know diet pills are only temporary, but if they help me through the next 2 weeks, ....then woo-hoo!

I only deleted one post...Not two.

The one and only I deleted, you so kindly re-posted for everyone to see.

I was just making it perfectly clear that I have nothing against diet pills. The reason I was offended in the first place was because you assumed everyone was like you.

The reason I kept saying I was offended was because you and other people kept assuming everyone had something against diet pills. That wasn't my problem. Apparently I hadn't made that clear.

[2beskinny 4]

Ahem....moving on....

I have also felt VERY frustrated with this process. It was *anticipated* frustration because of my education about the band, however, frustration is frustration. I have been in bandster-hell (a term I always hated) and the only reason I have not started gaining has been because of my exercise (I run lots). It is very depressing to see the weightloss stall and realize that the only reason I'm not gaining is because of the exercise. If I quit that...look out - it will be just like every other diet in my life and here comes the weight again. So it's time to re-focus, obviously. I had my fourth fill yesterday and I think I'm feeling some pretty good restriction. I'm not on solids yet, but I can even feel my coffee sitting there for a minute (hopeful!). I admitted all my "sins" to my nut yesterday and we talked about possible counseling to address my issues and falling back into a gaining cycle. When we talked about foods I have been eating, however, I realized (like a light coming on) that I have been choosing foods that don't give the band any challenge. I LOVE salads...salads are healthy, right? Well I can eat a TON of salad...ummm...that's a sign of a slider food. The big salad (even with protein) washes through too easily. I eat lot's of soft foods (healthy, but soft). I need to go back to dense food choices so I can give this band a chance to work for me! I asked about taking diet pills until full restriction kicks in (my weight loss so far has been due to my focus and will power...not too much credit for the band yet). She didn't recommend it because I would "miss" too many signals and signs that are necessary to learn in order to be sucessfull with the band. We all know dp's are temporary due to health concerns. The band is for life and we have to fully aware of how it works with our food choices. This is the only way we are going to be sucessful LONG term. I still have some phentermine left from a previous weight loss attempt. They work wonders for me. I eventually, however, started eating poorly anyway and they stopped working for me (which is one of the things that led me to the band). Now I realize that taking Phentermine again now would only slow my progress of learning to live sucessfully in band land. I think you can take dp's and get some short term success, but it will interphere with the long term changes we all need to make. Good luck to us in our journeys!

[RoxyChick 0]

ok here is the deal with me - I was so hungry a week after the surgery that my doc put me on phentermine ( controlled amphetamine like drug ) with 3 refills. It works beautifully. I just had my first fill and I feel no restriction at all but my diet pills work so well.

Good luck.

I wouldn't take over the counter diet pills I would ask your doc for some prescription ones.

I'm so glad you posted this. I was glad to finally see that another doctor understood this too.

Yes, mine were phentermine too. Although the prescription came from my GP, my doctor said it was fine to take with an emphasis on "temporary", which I totally agree. I'm not going to keep taking them for life, just to get me through this huge hurdle before my first fill.

[HAD_ENOUGH 0]

I am on the same boat. You are definetely not alone!!! What part of CA do you live at, if you don't mind me asking. I was banded on 9/21/10 and as early as 3 days after surgery, I was STARVING. I ate, and nothing happened, so I keept eating, and eating and eating. I have lost 15 pounds since surgery, but with all the eating that I am still doing to this day, I have not lost any more, I went down 4 pounds more but of course I regained them. I honestly do not think you are ignorant in posting this thread. Some people just keep this struggle to themself (and please notice I did say SOME, I don't want nasty comments later. )It is a reality of waht goes on with some of us. For me, it is the lack of ideas, I hate cooking with an immense passion, and I hate going outside of my home. I try and try but I end up giving up in the afternoon. I have considered diet pills, and I even went down to TJ and bought a nut that is very popular right now, I forgot the name of it. It is supposed to supress your appetite and to mel your fat away. But after reading (yes I do my research before doing things) this nut has natural occuring arsenic and other poisons, so of course I was not willing to put poison in my body to make me lose, honestly I rather stay fat!! Well if your pills are working so good for you, good for you, and if you don't mind sharing he name, I would appreciate it. I need some extra help that I am obiously not getting from my surgeon due to my vocals being damaged but I think I am getting better. I have to wait until I get referals approved for tests that I need done to pin point the problem, which I already anticipate it will take a month or more. So with that being said, I wish you the best, and hope that you feel much better.

[kellyodoran 12]

@WrenBird

Geez! Enough already. First, you basically call me a liar and say that it was impossible that anyone would message me about this topic, then you delete your post. Then you say "I'll hold back on sharing..." and say "Your offending me", but that's right you delete that post too. If you are going to post something at least stand behind what you post. Move on already!

I came on here and posted because I wanted to see if anyone was feeling the same way. I'm sorry if I hit a sore spot with some people, but if you didn't like the subject I posted about, you could always have moved on to a different post. No wonder people messaged me instead of posting!

I spoke to my doctor and he was fine with me taking diet pills and said if it helps me get through tough times before my first fill, then it was okay. I'm 40 yrs old and I know what works for my body. I've been on diets most of my adult life, so it's not like I just went out and got this surgery on a whim. I know diet pills are only temporary, but if they help me through the next 2 weeks, ....then woo-hoo!

Could you please send me some, I'm not at my sweet spot, and at this very moment I could go into that room (shhhhhhh the kitchen) and really eat something bad for me........so hell I am going to go to the bar:)maybe you could send them to me there!

[LeighaMason 19]

I know y'all might think this is crazy but I have been thinking about how my life is different since being banded and one of the things that has changed is I have learned how to be hungry without it being an emergency. Before, if I were out somewhere and I was hungry, I would end up eating a bad choice, now I just suffer until I get to where I can get something good for me. I have spent too much time working on this to screw it up now.

I think the diet pills will slow down the learning curve on how to learn to be hungry sometimes.

Instead of calling the time after banding "bandster hell" like so many do I called it my "mourning period", its a time to mourn the loss of your disordered eating. And just like when we mourn the loss of a loved one, sometimes we are inexplicably angry or resentful (even if we choose the change) and we can even convince ourselves that we need a crutch, like the diet pills.

I know I spend a lot of time when I was first banded fighting my self delusions, I thought I just had Portion Control issues, I had no idea the extent of my eating disorder and the first step to facing them is being hungry and proving to yourself that you are stronger than the food.

OH and BTW, I was banded on 10/20 and didn't get my first fill until 1/4 and only lost 7 pounds during that time so the band was not an "instant success" for me, it was definitely a learning process and once I stopped fighting it, things went much better.

[AmandaGW 1]

I know y'all might think this is crazy but I have been thinking about how my life is different since being banded and one of the things that has changed is I have learned how to be hungry without it being an emergency. Before, if I were out somewhere and I was hungry, I would end up eating a bad choice, now I just suffer until I get to where I can get something good for me. I have spent too much time working on this to screw it up now.

I think the diet pills will slow down the learning curve on how to learn to be hungry sometimes.

Instead of calling the time after banding "bandster hell" like so many do I called it my "mourning period", its a time to mourn the loss of your disordered eating. And just like when we mourn the loss of a loved one, sometimes we are inexplicably angry or resentful (even if we choose the change) and we can even convince ourselves that we need a crutch, like the diet pills.

I know I spend a lot of time when I was first banded fighting my self delusions, I thought I just had Portion Control issues, I had no idea the extent of my eating disorder and the first step to facing them is being hungry and proving to yourself that you are stronger than the food.

OH and BTW, I was banded on 10/20 and didn't get my first fill until 1/4 and only lost 7 pounds during that time so the band was not an "instant success" for me, it was definitely a learning process and once I stopped fighting it, things went much better.

LeighaMason, this is very well put and OH SO TRUE! You are one of my favorite bandsters on this forum. You always have a way of explaining things without putting people down, and with out getting pissy, like I did! Thank you very much for this.

[stateofzen 46]

What a great post LeighaMason-- I completely agree.

[Herraven 0]

On my pre op visit with the nurse practioner she said that if my hunger gets too out of control that she would call in a prescription of diet pills for me. I was STARVING after my surgery and actually crying at times because the post op liquid diet was so hard. I literally felt like I was starving myself. When I got to mushies I was feeling more satisfied but still hungry. I've only had one fill and I'm hungry ever 2 hours. I keep a Protein Bar with me and a nice energy/protein blend of nuts and dried fruit that I bought at costco. I just put it in a little cherrio container that they have for kids. So I try to snack healthy but I try to wait it out until my next meal. I think about the offer of those diet pills but for me I want to try to tough it out. I don't want to take MORE medication, I want to take less. I get my next fill 12/8 and hopefully I will get 1cc again. I think most of us mean well and are on the right path. We just have to relearn our thinking and actions when it comes to food. I have to keep my calorie intake to 750-950 a day or I will gain or not loss weight. I'm jealous of the people that can have more and at the same time I'm sad for the ones that have to consume less to loose

[Nicole74 4]

I take some of my phentermines here and there that I had left from before I had surgery. I was banded on July 30th and have had 2 fills and have very little restriction. My 3rd fill is on tuesday, Nov 30th. I dont like to have to take them but I have been been struggling in bandster hell and after 2 months of that I needed some help...when I take them it helps me with more energy to hit the gym and hit the gym hard, it helps curve my appetite so I dont go crazy eating. I can eat anything and still a good bit of food, I have never gotten sick or slimed or pb'd. To me its just helping me get through the bumps until I get to proper restriction. i dont take them everyday and I only had like 10 left so I take them a couple times a week maybe. I really cannot wait until I get good restriction!!!! but until I do I am doing what I need to do. I paid way too much money for this surgery to let my old habits hold me back. I work really hard by going to the gym 4x a week and really watching what I eat..all I need is the band to do its part and Im waiting patiently for that!