FLORIDAYS

Mine was about 45 minutes and My Dr pretty much gave me an overview of how the band works, what I would need to do to be successful and an overview of the reasons people fail. He answered most of my questions with out me asking the questions as obviously it wasnt his first rodeo. Additionally I asked questions like.. how long was recovery, how does the band help me keep the weight off once I lose it, what sort of involvement does he offer in the way of my follow up, detailed explanation of fills, why might I need to have the band removed one day and how it compares to the other weight loss surgeries out there.

I agree with all the posters thus far... get back to basics. Start with the next meal. If about a cup of food isnt keeping you satisfied for at least four hours it may be time for a fill.

Congratulation on your happiness... and while your faith is inspiring do not short change yourself... YOU made the changes... perhaps your strong faith was the catalyst but YOU had to identify it before any changes would happen. That in itself is inspiring!

Since all Drs are different I couldnt begin to tell you what to expect. But I will tell you what mine entailed. The Psych visit was about an hour. Upon arrival I completed a long questionairre mostly about how I react to FILL IN THE BLANK situations, lifestyle and relationship questions... nothing hard to answer. Then I was seen my the Dr who basically asked me why I wanted to take the drastic step of surgery, what I expected from it and how it would be different from previous weight loss attempts. I felt he was basically making sure I was doing it for the right reasons and for me and not some idealistic pipe dream. The NUT was about 2 weeks before surgery. She went over the pre op liquid diet, the post op liquid diet, mushies and gave me a plan based on the number of calories I needed to shoot for which turned out to be higher than my dr and I agreed upon after surgery when I was ready to start solids at week 4. She also gave me the portion sizes I was allowed to eat and told me if I needed anything she was a phone call away. It was pretty clear and I did what she told me. I never called her again but on my monthly visits I woould ask my Dr specific questions and he would give me hints and suggestions.

As others have said ..... yes you will have breathing tube. You will be completely dependent on the anthesoligist for your life. My advice with regard to the insurance question it to call your company and ask the same question. My insurance company didnt pay for it to be put in... (even with a BMI of 55...sorry sorry..sore subject) But if I have complications and it needs to be removed they will pay... go figure.

COngrats on being adaptable and sticking to it even in adverse times!

Most places sell slim fast shakes which is better than nothing. Although nothing works too... I did it once... and drank Water all day. I was fine but I dont advise it. Are you able to have solids? If so just go easy with a protien snack or bar. If not is there a place to get some Soup? You will keep extra one in your desk from now I bet.

I remember I asked the same question. My dr says Its fine to eat with in a few hours of having a fill. Its really anticlimatic too... I was execting this big thing... and turns out it doesnt hurt and it only takes a few minutes. You will ost likely be told to do liquid for a period of time afterwards. I am 24 of liquids then 24 hrs of mushies following a fill.

Yes I think next to tracking calories this is key. 3 oz or protien, 1/2 c veggies and 1/4 c starch / carbs at every meal.

Oh my gosh....me too. I stepped on the scale for the first time in a really long time at my first surgeon's appointment... I was figuring it would say 300. It said 377 which is pretty close to 400 lbs. I was mortified. Now I am on the scale twice daily and ignore people who tell me I am obsessed. Not being obsessed is what got me to 377 lbs!

I personally think its a little soon to give up unless you really want to stay fat. If thats the case I am sorry for you. You say you are eating 1000 calories. How do you know this? Are you tracking the calorie count of everything you put in your mouth? Are you measuing portions? Are you drinking 8 glasses of Water a day? If you are exercising and eating 1000 calories of food and beverages there may be a medical reason you arent losing weight and I would explore that avenue with your family Dr or your surgeon because its common knowledge if you take in less calories than you burn you will lose weight.

my mother died.... and I believe she died because she wasn’t a good candidate for a surgery she needed because of several factors.. age (79), overall health / physical condition and weight (she was 5'4" @ 260). I watched as they had to constantly overcompensate for her weight...larger wheelchairs, bed with a scale in it, even a larger stretcher when she took her last ride to hospice.... It was a 7 month wake up call for me. That was in 2009. At the same time but daughter gave birth to her first child and the baby died in childbirth. That was 3 weeks after my Mother's death. Needless to say it was a rough time. But it also opened my eyes to my own mortality. I was turning 50 the next year so I seriously considered my options but I never did anything about them. Then I flew across country on business in August 2010. Southwest airlines decided I needed two seats. That was the final straw. I came home... started researching WLS, interviewed a couple of surgeons and made the decision in October. I was banded in December.

When were u banded? 12/9/10 How much hve u lost ? 216 pounds Whats your current weight? 161 Measurements Before After Bust 44" 34" Waist 42" 28" Hips 77" 37" BMI 55 23 SIzes Top 2-3x Small Bottom 4 or 5x 8

Lol. Very ambitious....but you know yourself better than anyone, i didnt have any pain but we went away for a weekend about 2 months post op and i was in much better shape than i was five days out. But thats me and I am sure you will make the right decision...

Substitute fruit for Water? Now there is a new one..the average calories in a piece of fruit is around 100...and full of sugar. Granted its the good kind but still. How much fruit would we need to eat if we weren't drinking water?

Ditto.

Check with your NUT or dr... A phone call or email so answer your question. My dr said no dairy until the 2nd wk.

My dr said I could bathe or swim the next day after surgery. I would ask your dr what he suggests. That said... In my opiniom 5 days post up is a bit soon to go on a vacation. You will be on liquids which may be a challenge, you may be weak from the surgery, you may be constipated, have horrible gas and you may just feel like lying in bed. It was 2 weeks before I felt normal.

welcome to the forum... You may want to start a thread so people see your question ....it may get lost in this long thread...just a suggestion. But in any case I would do your research, read everything possible about the band and consult with your medical team to decide if it's a good option for you.

My dr said with the exception of pizza and steak or any thing with a tough texture like nuts." anything is a mushies if you put it in the food processor or chew it 30 times... That said I stuck with the basics..mushed veggies...carrots, peas, and beans.... Mashed potatoes, tuna blended with fat free dressing, hummus, applesauce, fat free pudding, cottage cheese and yogurt.

Mine came out when I was 30.... You will be fine... Recovery similar to the band...maybe a little longer. Best wishes

I am not a dr but it Sounds like the pouch is full. How much chili did you eat?

My dr warned me early on before I was banded that spouses of people who lose a lot of weight often become insecure...worried we are going to leave them after we are looking all hot and skinny or concerned that for some reason the relationship ..not just you will change.. So my advice is to be understanding... And tell him regularly how much you appreciate his support. Go out of your way to reassure him you are doing this for your health so you both can enjoy a long life together. Also...he is scared of the unknown...he isn't really sure what to expect in the days and weeks to come and he maybe lashing out at you because he is nervous. Of he is worried that the focus will all be on you and where does that leave him? Be patient and lovng... I bet he will come around. As for the other naysayers.... Ignore it.

He is just proud of your decision... Don't be mad at him, my husband is average weight but he did the same thing, I told him I just would be comfortable telling a few people and he told everyone we know....lol. It actually worked in my favor. Everyone was super supportive and I found by telling everyone it helped me stay on track because while I was self motivated... Knowing people will be looking for the "loss" made me want to succeed that much more. Also I didn't have to explain why I was on liquids for 2 weeks pre and 3 weeks post op... They already knew. I am down within spitting distance of my goal and the compliments, kudos and accolades are pretty nice to hear. Turns out hubby was just so excited for me... He wanted to tell the world. Now I can be his arm candy and enjoy his attentions.

All the best for a successful surgery!