Donnaamarie

I see from your other post that you did end up with another .5cc's of fill. I hope this is going to work for you!

I went for my first post-op yesterday and ended up not getting a fill. I can't eat more than 3-4 ounces of Protein at a sitting so my surgeon decided to forgo it. I lost 30 pounds in 29 days, I'm guessing that I'm doing okay without the fill. I made an appointment for 3 weeks from yesterday as he suggested. I will see if anything changes during that time. He said I have a 14cc APL band and he was surprised that with no fill I was feeling full. That just goes to show you that everyone is different in this journey!

How are you all doing?

I'm scheduled for fill #2 tomorrow but have bene debating going or not. the past couple days I've stayed full longer and hve eaten smaller portions, but I htink it may be hormone related tightness. Is it silly of me to go in and request just a small fill, half a cc or so? Today's portions have still been better, but I'm hungry after 2.5-3 hrs. (and the hormone surge is ending...the joys of ovulation)

Ok, here is my dilemna...I did the preop diet and lost 11 pounds....i was banded on april 13 and in 7 days i lost 8 pounds........now, here is the problem........

I am eating what I'm supposed to, which means I am surviving on less than 300 calories a day...I am also exercising at least 45 minutes a day. But, here is the deal..... I weighed in on Wednesday only since it was dr follow up day......then i weighed in on Sunday since thats always the day I do it. The scale didnt budge!!!!!!!! Now, i know Water varies day to day....but we are talking about less than 300 calories a day and burning a decent amount.....how is the scale not moving?????

Does the band work for everyone??? I swear I'm not cheating. I am following dr orders, but Im starting to think my body is not going to get anywhere like this..................

What gives?? Anyone know?

Thanks

Why are you eating less than 300 calories a day? A good Protein shake 3 times a day will be more than that. Take a look at what you surgeon told you to eat. I think you might be short changing yourself. And as the other poster suggested, perhaps the exercise is a little too much that early out is a bit taxing on your healing body.

Remember, we didn't gain our weight overnight, we won't lose it overnight. Relax and be gentle on your healing body. You will do great!

I am so glad everyone is doing so well! I am scared of getting stuck, so scared!! I am going to do everything to avoid it. Right now i find myself eating a little fast, even though I chew a lot! That is not going to fare well when I have a fill. I am a little tight still from the surgery I guess because stuff hurts sometimes going down even now. I haven't had a fill and I am supposed to go on Wednesday to get one. I'm not sure I need it. I am wondering if my doc is going to do it regardless. I was banded on March 29 and I have lost 30 pounds. I can only eat like 3 ounces of Protein at a time, no more. I get a "soft stop" signal when I burp. Then I know it's time to stop! I haven't felt real hunger yet and I get in anywhere from 600-800 calories a day and at least 80 grams of protein.

I'm also kinda afraid to move forward to ALL foods. Does anyone else have this same kind of fear???

Lost track of this post

As of last Wednesday I was down to 319 from 338 on day of surgery. So 19 pounds down in 2 weeks.

Great news! I was up from 277 to 280 at my appt yesterday and sinc emy fill 24 hrs ago I'm down to 276! Yay!!! I only ate 2 meals last night at work (12 hour shift) and was very clearly not hungry for 4-5 hours at a time. I'm thrilled!!! I for sure have to chew more thoroughly after my fill, and am eating about 1 cup at a time.

I'm glad the doc isn't too worried about the stitch rip thing! I was worried for you! I am going for my first fill on 4/27. I am wondering whether my doc is one of those that wont fill if i am losing okay on my own? I don't know that this will last, the non-hungry feeling. I'm only 2 1/2 weeks out and I am really not feeling hunger. I am also down 19 pounds since the surgery on 3/29. I am eating at least 70 gms of Protein a day, sometimes as much as 100 a day. Heck, I can "diet" with the best of them for a short time. it's after it starts slowing down that i lose my mojo.

I guess i'll have to wait a couple of weeks to see! I have also been dealing with a seroma and have been on antibiotics for the past week. I'm hoping everything is cleared up and I'm ready to go for the fill on the 27th!

It's great to see that all March Bandsters are doing well!!

Hi everyone! Today is my first day on this site and I hope it will help me through this journey. My surgery is scheduled two weeks from today 4-25-11. Today was the first day on my pre-op diet and it started good but by late afternoon I broke down. But tomorrow is a new day and I will be okay. I'm 29 and currently weigh 332 pounds, I am excited and nervous all at the same time. I feel like I know what to expect just from reading blogs and books but at the same time I think maybe I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm open to any advice...

I don't know that I could have ever done that pre-op diet. LOL I have done Medifast and did okay for like 6 weeks but somehow the idea of the pre-op diet would have been horrible to me. However, the day before my surgery I did my own liquid diet and by night time I was not a happy camper and I ate a cinnamon bun. oops!

You are starting around the same weight as me. I started at 338 and now weigh 317. I had my surgery on 3/29/11. You will do great, just keep your eye on the prize! Good luck!!!!

Donna

Banded 16/3/11. BMI before pre-op diet was 40. BMI now 35.6. Weightloss to date 10.5 kilos.

I have a seroma which is painful but will go naturally I am told. It is Fluid in a pocket formed when the surgeon cut into the muscle area to fix in my port. It is the size of a tennis ball and looks awful but there is no infection.

My eating has been ok but I still like a drink of wine, though it takes all night to get through one small glass, which is good.

I am craving bread and pastries - tried half a savoury scone yesterday and was crippled by excruciating pain from indigestion, like knives in my back and buckled over.

I will be glad when things settle down with regards to the surgical side so that the pain lessens.

I haven't lost anything this week, because I have been extremely inactive with pain. Trying to go to the gym now though - I reckon increased exercise will either increase the Fluid in the seroma or help it to dissipate through my body so I need to conduct a little experiment and see what the results are.....

I have a seroma too! It's very annoying. My doc actually drained it when it became too painful to ignore. More tight then painful, truth be told. Of course it's already come back and yes the size of a tennis ball!!! I have some redness around the area but no leaking from the already closed incision. my doc gave me some antibiotics to make sure there is no infection. He said he definitely doesn't want infection near the port!

I am also afraid to do too much in fear that I will increase the fluid in the seroma!! I'm going to see the doc on Wednesday and hope he clears it up as my first fill is scheduled for 4/27!

I'm having scale issues. I weigh myself in one spot and then if I move the scale a couple of inches and weigh myself again, it's a 4 lb difference! How do I know which weight is correct?

Jenn,

I am laughing here, but definitely not at you. It's a running joke in my house. I can step on my scale and then get a certain weight, step off into the bathroom, come back after not doing anything in the bathroom, and "gain" 3 pounds. The other day my boyfriend finally replaced the battery because the scale actually said LO. He put the battery in and then put it down in the living room. I stepped on it and got one weight. We moved it to the bedroom and I stepped on and had again "gained" 3 pounds. I don't know what the real weight is!!! I am using my doctors numbers once a month. I figure that our bodies are changing so much that the scale doesn't even really know from minute to minute what it says!!! According to my scale I have lost 19 pounds since my pre-op bloodwork day on March 23. I find it gratifying that the scale is going down but I don't put that number in stone.

Do what another poster said and check your doctors scale against yours. Heck, bring your scale to the doctor so you have some idea of what a "real" weight is!

Good luck

Donna

I was banded March 29, I am suppose to eat liquids until tomorrow then full liquids for a week then mushies.. blah blah blah.... so sick of itl i have pretty much followed the rules but today i ate about 3 bites of spagheti. i hope it doesnt stretch my poach. i am having the hardest time getting all of this gas out of my system. my stomach feels sore like i have had a intense work out sore, but i also am having swelling. i was scared i was getting dehydrated i am trying to drink more today. hope to feel better soon, i am still glad i did it but i wasnt prepared for as much pain as i had. it seems like every doctor is different on your post op diet. i dont get a fill for 6 weeks, that seems a little long.

Hi Donna,

I was banded on the same day as you. I doubt highly you stretched your pouch with 3 bites of spaghetti! Have you tried gas x strips for the gas? They work wonders for me. I was not prepared for the level of pain either, so I know how you are feeling. I know that the liquid stage is tedious but I keep reading that it's not that it stretches the pouch but that your stomach has to work hard to digest anything solid which places strain on the healing stitches, hence making it a possibility for the band to slip. That scares me more than the idea of stretching at this point! I do NOT want to go for another surgery to have my band repositioned. No way!

Today I was not even very hungry. I'm savoring these moments, believe me. I know the hunger will eventualy come back with a vengeance and it's not something I am looking forward to.

My doc made a follow up for my fill on 4/27, I thought that was a little soon as the guidelines are indeed 6 weeks.

Good luck and the month will pass before we know it!!

Donna

Hi everyone, this is my first time on here... I have found a surgeon, They told me what my insurance requires, I went to my doctor who gave me a clearance letter for surgery and faxed it to the surgeon, He is making my appointments for the cardiologist and the pulmonologist and I have made an appointement for the psycological evaluation. So after all these clearance letters are faxed to the surgeon, what happens next???? This is all so confusing. Thanks for any help you can give me...

Hi Tammy,

Your PCP gets more involved. Your clearance letter has to be within 2 weeks of the surgery. The cardiologist and blood work from your pre-op is sent to them before they can do the clearance letter. It gets confusing, it honestly does. When all the information goes to your surgeon they will tell you next steps. I just kept jumping through their hoops and then they gave me a surgery date!! I started my process on February 5 and then had the surgery on March 29. I also had more cardiologist stuff to go through after my EKG came back.

I know all surgeons are different, above was my experience.

Good luck!!!

Donna

I'm having a hard time getting into an exercise routine. For one thing I just can't seem to find time. I have 3 kids and they never nap at the same time so it makes it difficult.

Anyway I know I NEED to exercise. I'm in college and I have to take (2) Physical Education courses. I can take something sedentary and easy like Bowling or I can take a real exercise class. They have one that gets you into a 2 mile a day walking routine and then another that will take you from walking into a 3 mile a day jogging/running routine.

Now If I take these once I start I CANT drop them or I'll lose money and my credits so I'm thinking that would keep me in check. Also I'd be able to do it without my kids around so that's another plus. My only drawback is what if everyone else in the class is thin, skinny and active? I'm not and I'm sure at first I will have a hard time keeping up plus I'm thinking about taking them in the hot summer months so that will make it even worse.

Would you do this? I think it's mostly a good idea..right?

My son had to take a Phys Ed course for college as well. My son is about 6'3" and 340 pounds. He LOVED taking the Phys Ed class. Only class he got an A in. LOL He didn't care about his weight, just that he really enjoyed it and got a lot out of it.

Also, remember, just because someone is skinny does NOT mean they are in shape. They could be heavy smokers or more sedentary than you believe you are!

Have fun and even if it is paid for forced excercise, you are doing it!!

Breakfast:: 3 slices of Foster Farms Oven Roasted chicken Breast deli meat (60 calories and 15g of protein) diced then browned in the frying pan, 3/4 cup of Eggbeaters (90 calories and 18g of protein), 1/4 cup of diced onion, 1 wedge of Laughing Cow Light Sun-dried Tomato & basil cheese (35 calories and 2g of protein). Ends up making about 3 fluffy cups of food worth 185 calories and 35g of Protein.

Lunch: Clif Builder's bar (chocolate mint or vanilla almond are the best!) 270 calories and 20g of Protein.< /strong>

Dinner: A variety of things made out of Ground Turkey BREAST (8oz 240 calories and 56g of protein) Some example of what I make with the ground turkey: Chinese Orange Ground Turkey, Chili, Ground Turkey Tika Masala, Ground Turkey Asian Lettuce Wraps, Red Curry Ground Turkey, Ground Turkey Enchiladas (no tortilla), Ground Turkey Doro Wat (Ethiopian chicken in red pepper paste), Moroccan Ground Turkey, Ground Turkey Chili Rellenos... etc.

With all of these dishes, 8oz usually equals about 400 calories. (If anyone is interested, I can give you my recipe. It's all about full flavor with minimal substitution.) I only cook them once a week in bulk. Half get frozen and the other half will last me most of the week.

Snack: Skinny Cow chocolate Truffle Ice Cream bar (100 calories and 3g of protein)

About twice a week or so, I'll also eat a Lean Pocket (average 250 calories and 10g protein).

Average day: 900-1300 calories and 115-125g of protein

Once a week I'll go out to dinner and eat whatever I want. I try to avoid empty calories (rice, Pasta, mayo, etc.) Other than that... on my nights out, I probably end up eating close to 2000 calories.