bigtom1948

Both my daughter and her husband went through the same frustration and doubts that you describe and they didn't lose much and occaisionally slipped back the first couple of months after surgery. He started out at 425 pounds and she at 380 pounds. They were lucky that they had each other to push them along and continue the exercise even when it appeared hopeless. My son in law found his sweet spot after the third fill and my daughter on her forth. My son in law has lost 150 pounds as of last month and my daughter's weight has dropped 125 pounds as of last month. They look great and they say that they feel great. They certainly have more energy than a year ago. As of now there weight loss has dropped to 1-2 pounds a week they eat modest quantities of food but don't deny themselves a taste of the good things (except for my son in laws problem with keeping down bread and lettuce). They both say its the best thing they could have done for thier future lives together and I believed them so much that I had the band put into myself on the 10th in the sure hope and desire to do as the children have done. I'm coming up to that mushies stage where everything will go down easily and the potential for taking in more calories than I expect will be high. Knowing that doesn't make it any easier and I am sure that the demons of dispair are near my doorstep. As said earlier it's bandster hell till the sweet spot is found on the band and I look to my kids for inspiration. I'll make it and SO WILL YOU. You were doing everything right pick it up again, don't quit the race for your life so early. You are important, you are a winner, you are loved by your family and friends and everyone here wants you to succeed too. Sorry but that is as bad a scolding as I can muster I am far too humbled by my own past failures and my hope for a thinner future to yell at anyone. I've offered you the inspiration of my childrens success and all of my encouragement...because if I doubt or stumble on this journey I too would want a kind hand to lift me up, plant my feet on the path and cheer me on to be the winner I always wanted to be in this the longest and hardest battle of my life. So, with our chins up our feet on the path and with tears of hope glistening in our eyes we'll both move towards the prize and ya know what I'm sure I'll see ya there. Good luck, don't lose hope. Best Regards Tom

Congrats on the decision to move forward with the surgery, I hope that you do super in the weight loss and look forward to hearing about your continueing success in that journey.

Wow, I can't cry about my experience since reading yours (I'll wimper to myself instead) Hope that you continue to feel better every day and that the weight you will lose will steadily fall away. Chin up, it will be better for you soon I am sure of it. PS they made you do a Barium Swallow, that seems really uncalled for. I could see it if you were having problems swallowing or there were no sounds in the stomach or unexplainable pain but as a routine follow up just to check your work and verify you did the surgery correctly seems strange to me...Well every surgeon is different. But I agree Barium = Yuk it's heavy, chalky and the sweetener they put into it is awful. It's even worse if the use a non barium contrast such as Iodine based liquid, now that stuff is just plain foul. I've tasted both and the Barium is gormet comparied to that stuff. Best wishes for your speedy recovery and success in the weight loss. Tom

I too have those mixed feelings. I may not need it but it is comforting so I spoke to my PCP and he said it wouldn't be harmful to continue with its use after my hoped for weight loss makes it redundent. He said that its a minor support at that point and I should be able to self ween from it as time goes on only if the sleep therapist gives to OK. So I guess that when I want to drop it another sleep study is in order just to verify that the apnea is gone and its no longer needed. He also stated that I shouldn't fret over it as the weight must be much lower before considering that issue. He was quite impressed with the 45# I have dropped since my last visit and told me that he was proud of my accomplishment and to keep it up. It's always nice to hear encouragement So I can really relate to the possible loss of sleeping with Darth Vader.

First of all great progress and attitude. I'm retired so I don't have to face the return to work good thing too because while the incisions dont particularly hurt the gas pains do. I had thought I was going to avoid them but yeaterday afternoon Wham there it is. For all those that had this from the begining of post op, my sincere condolences. For myself (whimper, whine) I'll just suffer in silence,(sniff.) Well I hope that you recover quickly and that the weight you want to loose comes off leaving you healthy and happy. Best Wises Tom

Glad your surgery went well and hope that the loritab keeps the pain at bay. Get plent of rest the next couple of days if you are like I was you won't be hungry for a while but keep hydrated sip, sip, sip. Good luck.

Major achievment note I was able to sleep on boths sides last night.:Banane21: finally got a good nights sleep and life is looking better every day. Still don't want to eat, thats really strange cause I do love good food. I guess I should count that as a small blessing at this stage and discuss it with my surgeon at todays follow up O.V. Hope that everyone else is recovering nicely and the optimism is high. Good luck to us all.:welldoneclap:

Yeah Tylenol 3 is better than 4-5 teaspoons of childrens Tylenol thats for sure. My kids Dr. gave them Loritab which is a much more effective analgesic. Anyway its day four and I am pretty much pain free except if a move in certain ways. I am not hungry at all and have been taking in really small amounts of food. I guess that will pass as soon as the stomach swelling goes down. How is your appetite nearly two weeks out? Do you find that food is becoming more interesting? I kinda like the 7 pounds in 4 days drop but I know this is coming from muscle mass as well as some fat so its not a winner in that light. No weight training for me for at least another 2 weeks per the doctor. By the time I get back to the gym I'll be lifting kiddie weights Oh well, It'll be OK in the end i'm sure. Take care and hope that you are now Rock'in On Tom

Thanks for checking in and i wish you a speedy recovery. It'll be nice when you (and I) can get to real food and watch the pounds fall away. Best wishes Tom

Two days post op and beginning to feel better now. Slept in the recliner last night and took the tylenol w/ codeen but havn't needed it since 7 am today. Felt up to taking a shower and that made me feel much better. Havn't eaten much but I have been pushing the fluids per the doctors instructions. No nausea or discomfort when drinking. Seeing the doctor Tuesday and will probably move onto full fluids and at last some real nourisment. Stepped onto the scale, couldn't help myself, 5 more pounds gone and thats at the end of the day after hydrating. So it might not reappear at least I hope that's so. To all the other tenth'ers hope you are doing well as well as all the rest of the Feb 2011 Bandsters.

Even before banding I noticed that. I really liked Chinese and all chinese resturants seem to be buffet style now. I saw folks taking plates piled high over 3" deep of fried food and make more than one trip most of these folks were not thin. I rarely took more than one plate and didn't pile on enough food for a family of four and you could still see the plate even with my food selection on it. It was sad & repulsive then I can nly imagine what I would think as a new bandster (1 day post op) observing that gluttony.

Thanks for the encouragement loozer2b and I feel your pain I am sure that the pain will subside as time goes by.It's just that the twinges of pain from the incisions whenever I move coulped with the general cramps suprised me in its intensity. I've been doing the walking and thats getting easier. Hope you enjoy the game tomorrow.

Banded, not hungry, tummy feels like its George Foremans punching bag.

Yup, it's been a problem here for the last couple of weeks, hope it gets better. Good luck on the appointment hope it goes well. I'm up today before the sun comes up for my surgery a bit later this morning. By this afternoon, I'll be a bandster.

Sorry can't help you there but I can suggest that you get this nifty freeware program that will read most anything e-book wise and with that you can convert to any other format including the ever popular PDF. So if you run accross a page with a recipe you want, you can print it out using the adobe that's on everybodys computer, cause all the user manuals come in that format. OR just print out the page directly from the Nook book from Calibre itself. Pretty useful free tool i'd say. Purchase and download the book plug it into this program and you are all set. You can now read the Nook book without forking over $200.00 for the hardware.. The online news fetch tool built into this freeware program is really awsome too. :Banane37: Anyway you can read your Nook book or Kindle book or a host of others natively with this little gem. It does ask for donations but doesn't have a beg screen to deal with. I sent the author $10.00 it's worth more but i'm retired due to the crappy economy and living with a fixed income doesn't let me splurge as much as I once did. http://calibre-ebook...ownload_windows

I havn't seen the meaness that some of you have written about in this thread. I don't see flames or overtly devisive comments. I hope that I never do. If you do see someone being that preditory then it should be reported useing the little yellow triangle at the bottom of the posting. Because offensive, derogatory or hurtful posts really don't belong here. I do think that some folks are somewhat careless in the composition of thier responses. As said earlier in this thread its sometimes problomatic to convey intent in the text. This is especially true for the casual writer who may unintentionally offend the reader. I try very hard to write clearly and use the emoticons to support the intent. Even then, I sometimes make gaffs The emoticons, although not perfect, are useful. It's really unfortunate that most of us have fallen away from writing personal notes or letters to other folks. Its a skill honed with practice to a keen edge in hope that the reciever of the missive is not unsure of the intent of the sender. But, even with that there are players that like to lace thier prose with double meanings. I don't think that happens here. I believe it's just the lack of writing style and the use of sloppy syntax that we have nowadays. Most of the posts and responses are folks trying to be helpful and can be used or ignored at the will of the reader. I have seen some of the responses that appeared overly clinical while others seemed dismissive but all were trying in thier own way to be helpful I know I want encouragement and understanding when I am lost, afraid or need help and therefore I try to encourage and praise in my response to posts. I do not have the right to criticise other folks requests for help as failings when I have so often failed myself. It's just not right to do that. So to all of us in the journey, rally round, be brave, love yourselves and others and thus we all can move forward. God Bless Tom

I may be wrong here and if a nutritionist is monitoring then feel free to correct me if I am. Based on what you posted it seems that you greatly increased your Fiber intake and took in a lot of Fluid your gut probably hasn't seen that much fiber in a while and that combination (fiber and water) does swell due to the water retention. Just keep an eye on your calorie intake and stop getting on the scale every day. Mark where your weight is now in your food diary and over the next week or so see if a trend, in either direction, is apparent. A short term change in weight with a significant dietary change should not be a reason to shout "take it to the dump" and throw in the towel. Stick to it, you have done fantasticly well so please don't be discouraged by this little speed bump in your journey. If weight starts to trend back down 1-3 pounds a week, SUPER. If it continues an upward trend, then look at how many calories you are taking in more closely, there may be hidden calories in your diet that you may have overlooked. Also look at your activity level are you too sedentary could you benifit from the guidence of a personal trainer for a short period to honestly evaluate your exercise level and make suggestions for improvement. Finally walk walk walk, if you are physically able to. If you live in the frozen north drive to the mall slip on the ol' tennies and go up and down the mall to get a mile or two in a day, that's unless you decide to buy something. I live in Tampa and 9 months of the year it's too hot and humid to walk outside. You should see the large numbers of folks walking the mall we have one that is 1 mile long round trip from beginning to end. Sounds like you have a supportive husband and thats a great asset so keep at it and try not to get depressed about this, you'll do fine and good luck.

Good point on the establishment of your own approximate BMR showing how many calories you burn per hour in several states from sleep through vigorous exercise to arrive at a maintainence point for a health weight. This can be a daunting and expensive process and even at completion the results are only for that point in your life as your body fluxes by decreasing adiposal tissue, hopefully, plus the gain of lean muscle mass through exercise coupled with the more efficient use of your foods vs. just storage as fat. The Basal Metabolism Rate (really rates based on activity level) is a valuable tool used by both dedicated amature and professional athletes many of whom consume 7-10Kcal a day while training. Body builders are a whole other animal who swing between eating heavy for bulking out and near starvation for competitions. You have to admire that dedication to the sport and the attention to nutrition they express in order to excel it's really hard on a body though. For most of us though, i'm afraid we are just underestimating how many calories we take in and overvalueing our calorie expenditures through exercise and normal daily activities. I know through my own experience that a big part of my gain was through continueing to eat as a person involved in 3-4 hours of daily physical traing in body sculpting even after a sudden drop in that activity due to a back injury. I put on 15+ pounds a year doing that for over 10 years. I told myself that I had cut on my foods to relate to the reduced caloric expenditure brought on the injury to my back but I fell into that trap of self deception I mentioned at the head of this paragraph. (Knowing about the danger doesn't always save us from making the same mistakes as others) So I think we agree that equalibrium is possible but is variable due to a number of data sets that come into play and the possible wild card of denial. Weight loss still all comes down to the eat less and exercise more mantra and if I am reading you right there is no fixed number that you can plug into the equation to set a stable caloric value, we must be vigilent and adjust as needed. All of us are different we'er not one size fits all so that conclusion should be no suprise to anyone who thinks seriously about the issue. Thinking now that's the rub Thanks for presenting the well thought out points and laying them out in a logical order, it was a fun read and very informative, I really enjoy your post's.

Posted this on another thread and thought it would be of interest here too. Picked up a copy of Weight Loss Surgery Cookbook for Dummies at Borders books for $19.95. It's great and answers a lot of questions in plain language that most of us have and some we hadn't thought about. It covers LapBand and Bypass issues and clearly keeps issues with each seperate. There are Nook and Kindle versions too at about $10.00. I think its worth having on the bookshelf. Here's a cheat sheet link to whats covered in the book in more detail: http://www.dummies.c...-cheat-she.html

Picked up a copy of Weight Loss Surgery Cookbook for Dummies at borders books for $19.95. It's great and answers a lot of questions in plain language that most of us have and some we hadn't thought about. It covers LapBand and Bypass issues and clearly keeps issues with each seperate. There are Nook and Kindle versions too at about $10.00. I think its worth having on the bookshelf. Here's a cheat sheet link to whats covered in the book in more detail: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/weight-loss-surgery-cookbook-for-dummies-cheat-she.html

I second the congrats, hope your surgery was uneventful and that you are recovering well. Good luck on the beginning of the new journey into Band Land.

Good for you, the temptation is really there but if your going to commit to the surgery then you have to start saying no to it. Gosh it is hard to do. Thanks for the critique of the IsoFlex and Unjury I plan on stopping by GNC today to pick up some protien powder and some Unjury clear protien for just after surgery. I really hope this goes well for us both I know, for myself, the greatest fear is failure. That would be really hard to deal with. Trying to stay focused but its hard especially when you consider the length of the journey and include the roadblocks set up by the insurance company. Sheesh, I made the decision in May 2010 and 8 months later It's close to happening. The decision wasn't a whim or snap judgement I really didn't need to wait that long. I think that it's just the insurance company wearing you down in hope that you'll give up but we'll both near the finish of the beginning, yea for us and all the others that have persevered and like MLK said "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize"

10 days down and 4 to go. Tomorrow I go for final pre-op weigh in to see if the ol liver has shrunk down enough to make the surgery less risky. I don't seem to be STARVING now so I guess it's true that hungar pangs relent after a while. That is good cause in the past I never let that monster suffer ever since I left the Navy. So I certainly hope the 10 days of pseudo food (OptiFast) has shown about a 10-12 pound drop, per my home scales, but the only scale that matters is the one in the doctors office and for some reason they frown on a nude fat man standing on the scale like I do at home. My appointment is 2:30PM and I have to be fasting 6 hours for the preop workup at the hospital. Heck by 2:30 I would have just finished shake #3 of 5 so that 24oz of shake won't be on the scale. After the weigh in its off to the hospital conviently placed right next door to the doctors office. There i'll be poked, prodded and x-rayed I am sure. Thursday is the big day and once again my scheduled time is 2:30PM also fasting so I guess I should look at that as a jump on the weight loss. I am supposed to stay overnight and I will just cause I do indeed want to get whatever pain ablation I can, the heck with that grin and bear it stuff. If I was a girl and having a kid I would at the first contraction be yelling for pain blockers. There should be no need to suffer and I want IV anti nausea cause every time I go under I get sick. Don't want to throw up my brand new band and ruin a brand new close relationship. The next day, my wife will drive me home and pamper me as much as I allow her to All in all an adventurous week in store for me and the other 02/10/2011 bandsters 1 or 2 listed on the Feb 2011 Bandsters I understand are going to be at the same hospital on the same day. Well I'll try not to moan too loudly and just try to listen to my new audiobook to take my mind off any twinges and twangs of discomfort (The Med's will help, I hope) Well if I don't post any more preop be sure that I will afterwards. I don't expect it will be horrible as this is far from my doctors first time out of the gate for this surgery. He seems confident so I will be too. Bye for now...

I was just looking at the pics of the storm and thase poor folks stuck on the road. I don't miss the snow at all if I would have to be out in it. Not much snow here in Tampa bay though Boy is your doctor liberal in the post op foods mine has already advised me that 1-2 weeks of clear then we'll see on mushies, wait some more and then Real food. The post op phase is what other threads have called Bander Hell I hope that I can just tip the hat to that devil and move on rather quickly. But I guess it all depends on how quickly I heal and how I tolerate the new food limits brought on by the band. Did your doctor pre fill your band? If not, when did he/she say you could expect your first fill? You seem to have a great attitude about your surgery and by what you type you seem to have a good outlook on the eventual outcome. That, right there, is more than 1/2 the battle. Keep up the good work, I am sure you will do great.

I'm glad you both enjoyed it The turkey bacon sounds great (better than bacon bits I used I'll do that next time I make it after my surgery and healing phases. For now my wife is joining my sister for meals or eating out. I, am enjoying my delicious Optifast, yessirreebob Let me know if you try the tomato soup, Its quite good and though it cuts way down on the salt it's still tasty.