Hey 50 & over gang We have a new spot

[Elayne 0]

Phew -

This is almost like pregnancy -

All the checkups and Drs and almost feeling healthy

Weird backward thinking ;

I hope I'm "sick" enough for LBS yet healthy enough for surgery.

Out of 12 requested evaluations, tests, clearances, etc.

I've either completed or scheduled my share of the list.

Blood and psych today and the rest scheduled thru first week of October.

Surgeon's PA working on other required evaluations.

The 6-mo diet required by my BCBS Pennsylvania has me pissed!

(because I don't have Dr supervised 6-mo dieting in last 2 years)

With a BMI of 37, non-medicated diabetes, sleep apnea, hi chol & BP (meds for both), bad knees, new hip pain, cataracts, numb feet, slow healing, peripheral neuropathy -

Has anyone bi-passed the 6-mo diet with the above co-morbities??

Or worse - been denied?

[IllinoisLoser 0]

Hey Illinois people, I am here in good old Decatur, home of the great smell of soybeans, we call that the smell of money. Dr.R from clinton did my surgery, I have a 4 cc band, I think it is an older one. I have had my band for a couple of years still have 70 pounds I would love to loose but I have lost over 100. I still do not know what my sweet spot is, I did have cc and had to get .4 taken out last month, could not eat solids, now I can eat almost any thing I want, I do feel some restriction but I can eat white bread, I used to not be able to eat at lunch now I can eat a whole WW dinner and a Tomato, for dinner I can eat ok all soft foods no restriction but when I eat meat or Fiber foods I do get some restriction, so I tell you fill or no fill that is the question

Have a great day

[IndioGirl55 32]

Indio,

I am 54 yrs young, I was 225 before op ( August 26 ) and arriving at home 3 days later ( 2 days of driving because we live in New Brunswick) I was at 218. Now 15 days later af I am at 214 .... so discouraging. I know a lot of people on Lapband loose more and more then I.

I do walk 45 min every day, and follow Protein, shake and mushy diet. This October will be one year that I don't have my periods. I was thinking that it is because of my hormones that I am not loosing much. I am discouraged. I thought that it would be so easy ! but no !

In the middle of October I intend to visit Dr Atlas (Montréal) for a refill... I am a bit scared for that part.

What is too much loosing ? and what is not enough loosing? I think my band is not working after all... and it cost me 16 000$....

What did I do wrong?

:thumbup: !!!

Madame Suzanne

Madame Suzanne

Hugs for your struggles :rolleyes2:

Your periods being gone is most likely menopause :sleep:

As to losing 4 lbs in 15 days - What are you eating?? Give me your menu for yesterday. How many calories are you eating - are you tracking/logging your caloires.. That's my very 1st suggestion - alot of pple use dailyplate.com to log & track their food and exercise.

Right now you most likely don't have a lot of restriction - you are healing.

Sounds like your 1st fill will be in October. But in the meantime you must eat healthy - This is not a diet but a lifestyle change..

As you have heard a million times - the band is only a tool - it works when it's properly filled to restrict your portions - but you have to make the healthy food choices - Your band isn't going to do it for you...

You are doing great on the exercise - I am a big advocate of exercise (that's the new me - I was a total slug bug pre-banding)

Let me know about your food choices - when do you get to move to soft/regular foods..

Hugs - Janet

[nana2three 0]

Hey gang, I'm new and over 50, can I join your group? I have my band Monday 9/15. I am so excited.:rolleyes2:

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

By the way Denise, how are you doing since back home to normal life. I remember you were traveling a lot, had company, wedding or something... I'm really interested in how you and Indio do....(you are our heros)... How we maintain once we reach our goal.

Thanks for asking! I am doing great. I gained 7 lbs in Arizona this time. Last time it was 5lbs. It's totally because of Cold Stone Ice cream . I am glad we don't have one of those places here. Plus my dad likes to go out to dinner every night. As soon as I got home and back to my own routine and back to the gym, it all disappeared.

Indio is able to eat quite a bit more than I am. I still have slow metabolism and I do think that taking replacement hormones has something to do with weight loss. Everyone I know that takes estrogen gains weight. Plus I remember when everyone was young and on birth control pills, people were complaining that they gained weight.

Exercise is the key for me. When I went to support group the other night, he also talked about how gaining muscle causes us to burn calories throughout the day, where as cardio you only burn calories as you are doing it. I have gained a lot of muscle from doing weight training, and I really enjoy working out. Before banding, I was still doing all the weight training and cardio, but I guess my portions were way too big because even though I did this for 3 solid years, I felt better but never lost an ounce.

By the way, I am orginally from Chicago, so welcome to all my fellow Illinios new bandsters!

[Desdemona 48]

Beckn—I’m with you. I decided even before I got the band--- when I was losing pre-surg. --- that I was going to start off doing whatever I could do and not try to be a superhero for once in my life. I have found that as my weight dropped, my energy levels lifted, my pain subsided, and my strength increased, I was able to do more and more. All I can say is ---some people do better just diving right into a cold pool and other people need to ease in gradually. Everyone is different.

Little Bit----My surgeon was very strict so I could only have clear liquid for 2 weeks and then I could only add in some skim milk the 3rd week. Even the 4th and 5th weeks were very limited soft foods. The one thing that got me through that was sugar free freezer pops----not the real juice ones---just the 15 cal/4carb ones. I ate them constantly!

Hi nana2three! Welcome!

Denise---May I ask how tall you are? I’m only 5 feet and I do think that having a small frame means that I just will have to be very careful about food. Are you small?

I have something interesting going on that so far –I haven’t heard anyone talk about. One of the things that made me decide to get the band was the amount of constant pain I had from head to foot. I really felt like my life would be a lot different if I could just get all the darn weight off my joints. I had to take it easy when I started with exercise because I was in agony. Now I have been going to PT and I have been told that I have very little arthritis but I do have tendonitis “from stem to stern.” They have almost finished with my upper body and I just can NOT believe the difference! Now we're going to do the lower body and I actually believe that I will be almost pain free for the first time in years! My mobility is also greatly improved. I keep wondering what in the world happened? Do you think – I got all this tendonitis from being overweight?? I was 222 and I’m only 5 feet. Maybe I had too much strain on my muscles and tendons?? Does that make sense? Has anyone else had that –or heard of that?

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

yes. I have very bad back problems and I am sure it's because my poor spine could not support all the weight I was carrying.

Yes, I am short. I am only 5'2" and I believe Janet is 5"5" It does make a difference when you aren't very tall. Your body just does not metabolize as many calories. When you go to weight watchers, they always ask your height when they give you the points or calories for the day.

[bochs 0]

Welcome to all newbies. Glad to see the Illinois people on here so close to me. Madame, I think you need to give yourself some time with this program. Listen to Janet. You have to do some of the work yourself but you are barely out of the healing stages. BE PATIENT!! As far as eating goes, I have had one fill of 1.2 in a 10 band. I can gulp a half can of tropicana orange drink or 1/4 bottle of Water. This is a problem for me. I can't slow down. I think I need a fill myself. Yesterday I had egg beaters and cheese, applesauce for B, lunch was Soup, Supper was Tilapia (5oz) half baked potato and cup of mixed vegetables. I could have eaten more, so I think I can eat alot if I let myself. I try not to overeat at all since I don't want that sick feeling. Sooo, that being said, you new bandsters have to do some of the control on your own. Talk with you all tonight!

Beckyo

[IndioGirl55 32]

yes. I have very bad back problems and I am sure it's because my poor spine could not support all the weight I was carrying.

Yes, I am short. I am only 5'2" and I believe Janet is 5"5" It does make a difference when you aren't very tall. Your body just does not metabolize as many calories. When you go to weight watchers, they always ask your height when they give you the points or calories for the day.

I'm really like 5.3 1/2 - but say I am 5'4 :rolleyes2: - Weight traing is key for us 50+ pple - we need to build our core strength - our boned (which weight training does) - I only started with weights in March 08 - and lost my final 28 lbs - my body has reshaped it's self and I have muscles...

The more muscles you have the more calories you burn just breathing

Welcome to all newbies. Glad to see the Illinois people on here so close to me. Madame, I think you need to give yourself some time with this program. Listen to Janet. You have to do some of the work yourself but you are barely out of the healing stages. BE PATIENT!! As far as eating goes, I have had one fill of 1.2 in a 10 band. I can gulp a half can of tropicana orange drink or 1/4 bottle of Water. This is a problem for me. I can't slow down. I think I need a fill myself. Yesterday I had egg beaters and cheese, applesauce for B, lunch was Soup, Supper was Tilapia (5oz) half baked potato and cup of mixed vegetables. I could have eaten more, so I think I can eat alot if I let myself. I try not to overeat at all since I don't want that sick feeling. Sooo, that being said, you new bandsters have to do some of the control on your own. Talk with you all tonight!

Beckyo

Becky

For me a sign that I used if I needed a fill or not was if I was capable of gulping water with no pain - So ya I think you may need some added.

I can not gulp water - when I do forget - my band reminds me:unsure:

[Little Bit 0]

hey bluezbandit

a lot of people keep saying how bad the liquid stuff and powders taste.

do you have any hints on what to put in them to make them taste better

[Little Bit 0]

hey desdemona

hearing how all of you guys made it through the liquid phase kinda helps me. i keep telling myself when i have to start mine, that i can do it.

[Little Bit 0]

i must be the shortest one on here. i am 4 foot 9. if i could stretch my body i would be thinner. ha ha that ain't gonna happen. when i was younger i would have my brothers and sisters grab my arms and legs and pull to try and stretch them. didn't help. :sad:

[Elayne 0]

I'm going to sound like a cranky kid - but

I HATE Jello.< /p>

Not fond of cottage cheese either.

I avoid artificial sweeteners and "diet" and "lite" anything

Almost never buy processed, packaged, canned, prepared foods.

I prefer to make my own concoctions from fresh ingredients.

("Clean" diet?)

Any direction to data-bases of recipes for Pre and Post Op finicky eaters?

[Desdemona 48]

Little bit!!!!!!!!!! Hooray!! I have a friend!!! OK!!! So WHO was YOU'RE favorite singer from the early 1960s??? Was it the same as mine??? Initials BL??

As far as a liquid diet --- I had an experience a number of years ago that made 3 weeks of liquid fairly easy for me. I was on 4-Optifast drinks a day for 12 weeks! What I found out was that the first few days to week was the hardest and then it was not hard. When I did the 3 weeks of liquid after banding I really did know by then then I could go much longer without solid food. In addition, it seems that many people on the board felt pretty chipper within a day or 2 after surg. but I did not. I slept sitting up straight on the couch for about 10 days! I was sore. That was actually a blessing for me becasue I really did not feel like eating. In any event---you will do well. We are here. You can just come on online and talk with us and we will keep you company.

I use the Atkins dark chocolate protien drink -- which is already mixed. I think it tastes pretty good. I know there are other drinks and I've heard that some of them are pretty good.

[Little Bit 0]

hey desdemona

thanks for the advice.

i love just about all the songs from the 50s 60's 70's

my favorite is Bobby Vee. i go to see him every year with my mom and sister. he performs in Branson, Mo. with Fabian, Brian Hyland, Chris Montez, and the Chiffons (only one left, she sings with her daughter and niece) we are always sitting in the center-front row-center. it is a great show. Bobby Vee calls us his backup singers. he is really a nice guy. they all are. they come out after the show to take pictures and sign autographs.