B-52

First fill exactly 4 weeks after surgery. I then met with him every 4 weeks after that. Had a total of 3 fills on 3 consecutive visits. I now see him every 3 months.

Need to follow your Dr.'s advice. I had a post-op meeting with him at 1 week, in which he turned to loose to do anything I wanted, including lifting weights. But that's me. You need to do what your Dr. tells you.

I have been using Pro-Stat 64 - Sugar Free ever since I have been banded. 15gm of Protein, plus essential amino acids. Was hard to take at first, would take a shot (30ml) and chase it with a swallow of OJ to kill the tatse. I now add it to my morning shake.

Totally Agree. You will know, based upon your own experiences with your band and the amount of restriction, when it is safe to drink with and how soon after meals. IMO, the 15 minute before, 1 hour after is not a hard and fast rule, but they need to tell you something. So based upon avaerages someone figured that is a safe rule of thumb to apply to everyone. There are many other such rules they make you learn, and learn you should. But for me, these rules didn't seem to make any difference, at least right away. But once I got a few fills, and started to get some real restriction, then these rules started to make a lot of sence.

To me, it is not a feeling of being full. Today, my Wife and I went into the city to see a Braodway Show. I went to the gym at 6am, had a Protein shake when I got home around 8:30am. We got on the train to NYC about 10:30am. Walked around times square for a while before the show which started at 2pm, and ended around 5pm. It was cold, so we decided we would get something to eat later when we got closer to home. It's now 9pm, and I still have not had anything to eat yet today, other than the shake for Breakfast. I did have a few drinks at the show. THAT'S THE BAND! Normally I would be fit to be tied by not eating, but frankly, I'm just not interested, or hungry. NOT a feeling of being full. Just a lack of interest! There is no other explanation for this other than the band is telling my brain I don't need to eat.

First thing I would do is GET BACK TO THE SLOPES!!!! But seriously, when I'm plateaued or whatever, I go back and do at least 2 days of liquids, no slid foods at all. That's shakes, Soups, coffee, Bloody Mary's, whatever. I eally don't pay that much attention to quanity, just a long as it is all liquids. This usually is enough to get my restriction back, gets things back to normal, as in normal being banded, so much so that I will then do another day of mushies People here talk about the "5 Day Pouch Test" which is a clever way of saying the same thing. You can google it if you want to follow a schedule. After a few days of downhills, I would be willing to bet you burned up so much energy your body is screaming for re-fueling. It's like hunger after a workout. Fill it with protein!! Don't give in! This may be a golden opportunity to for a big drop in weight, and/or a big jump in fitness. DON'T BLOW IT! Get motivated.

Exactly...They're professionals, be professional with them.

I worked in the food industry for a while, years ago. gained a lot of weight. It's tough! Seems like I was picking and tasting food all day. Sometimes a little more than tasting. It's called "Grazing" Lap Band surgery and "Grazing" go together like Water and oil! Grazing is the lap-band patients worse nightmare. You will read stories about how one can cheat, or work around the band. Well, there it is! When your band is adjusted and working properly, it controls your "Portion Control", that is, there is just so much food you can consume at the same sitting, fills your pouch. Overdo it and pay the consequences. But there is nothing to stop you from grazing 8-12 hrs a day! If you are a grazer, like I was working in a kitchen, you will have a problem. Succesful bandsters have 3 maybe 4, very small well balanced meals a day, and that's it. Many still rely on Protein shakes as Meal Replacements. I do at least once a day. Fortunatley I am not around food all day.

First of all, lying will always get you in the end, one way or another. Just ask for the week off. Everyone is entitled to time off for work and it is not really anyone's business after the fact. As far as your medical information, by law it is illegal to to share information, but it does happen. But they would have to go digging for it, in a dept. or area other than where they have any business and that will not appen. If they were Bariatric Surgeons also, practicing at the same hospital, it would be very easy for them to access. But why would they? Whay take the risk? Also, if they are friends with your surgeon. Lets face it, when people in the same profession get together, they always talk shop. Especially the humorous stories or the S.O.B. cases. Normal day to day cases go un noticed. Can get very detailed, just NEVER mention names or anything to give away your identity. Happens everyday! Example: 2-3 Docs at the Gym playing racquetball. One Doc says "Boy, talk about nut cases, I have a patient who has undergone the surgery last week and she actually told her employer it was an Emergency Appedectomy! What some people wouldn't do to make excuses." Doc 2 says: "this person wouldn't be female, about yo tall, weighs such and such, would it?" Say no more or we'll get in trouble,but I think I know exactly who you are talking about." Also, I hate to admit it, but there are patients who become "Persona non grata" and law or no law, somehow they become widley known.

Well get ready, he may spring it on you a few weeks before surgery. "See you on the 24th at 7:30am, and oh, BTW, don't forget to loose 20 lbs before then or I won't do the surgery"

You have had only One Fill? And that was One CC??? You didn't fall off any bandwagon,,,,,,you never had a chance to get on! (In my opinion) Four weeks after surgery I had my first fill, 4 cc's. Came back 4 weeks after that and I GAINED WEIGHT! I felt like you, and did not want to face the Dr., feeling like I did something wrong. My Dr. laughed at me!! He said this isn't weight watchers where you are going to be tested by getting on the scale - fail or pass, this is where you get on the scale and we determine if and how much your next fill will be to get you to that place where your band is working the way it was designed to! Screw them and what they may think! (or what you think they may think) It's your body, and your band. Go into the Dr.'s office and tell him the truth! You're still hungry in spite of the surgery and in spite of the 1 cc fill! Now granted, there are different size bands and to some with smaller bands, 1 cc can be a lot. But I am willing to bet, by your story, yours is not!

Has you surgery been scheduled??? Have you completed all the pre-op testing?

Ok, let me see..........194lbs minus 182lbs = 12 lbs lost, divided by 6 weeks = 2lbs / week. So what is the problem???? Not to mention your body is just getting past the healing stage and back to normal. People would die for 2 lbs per week. (and that's not counting what you lost pre surgery!!!!!) Trust me, you have no idea what a real plateau is like! If you are "Really Stressed" now as the title says, then you're gonna love it when you've been banded 6-8 months from now.

I though about this also. I have a problem believeing the band can be tighter or looser at any given time. Although we all experience changes in restriction and the expression fits the best. Anyone who has handled a band can see what it is made of. Changes in temperature can expand and contract I suppose, but placed internally one would think core temperature remains fairly constant. I beleive it is more correct to say it is the "Pouch" that constantly expands (stretches) and shrinks. I am always tight in the morning. Why? Could it be because I have not eaten any solid foods in 12 hours? And I have been resting? It loosens up during the day, probably because I have been using it all day. When things get to where I do not feel much restrictiion at all, I will go on all liquids, shakes and Soups, for at least 2 days, and things get very tight after that. I try to consume mostly liquids all day, shakes for Breakfast, Soup fior lunch. Then the band is tight for dinner consisting of solids. Seems to be working better for me, Bottom line, the more I eat, the looser the band gets.

Thanks for your hard work!

I know, I'm like Griswald with all the Christmas Lights. When I threw the switch the whole grid went out but you could see my house from space!

Congrats.....I will be one year at the end of the month. I have no regrets either, nothing but compliments! My weight loss has slowed waaaayyyyy down, maybe 1-2 lbs a month? For the last 3 months? I have my therories, but I see the Dr. in Feb. and we'll see what he thinks. I may need a very small fill since I have not had one since last May.

I drink as much coffee as I ever did before, and I am a big coffee drinker! I'm not into the flavored, fraps, froths, etc, just good strong dark columbian! I will have expresso when I can also. If you could do a search here, you will find many coffee lovers refusing to give it up! And you will find many who did.

A good sandwich, is something I will never be able to have again. If I had a Cuban I would only pick at the contents, and throw away the bread. We used to get Pizza at least once a week, No More. I can eat thin crust (very thin, cracker like) but not much.

Frankly my dear, I don't give a ,,,,,well, It's ME loosing the weight for MY own health, self esteem, etc. It's really no one else's business what I do with my personal life. I have told no one but a few close family members And I am glad I did. But even out of those few, there is one person who everytime I see her has another "Horror" story to tell me about a surgery gone bad. Ironicly, She is in greater need for surgery than I am/was.

When you are FORCED to have eating habits like that, you will also notice how small your portions are. Automatic Portion Control!

IMO, that is a good place to be. It is where I like it.

Hit em up for some "Free Fills" or something.

Without getting into a lot of hypothetical s, I would simply say "Don't Worry About It" You can look at being banded into phases, and you are still in the surgery phase, not the weight loss phase. That comes after you heal. I know it's hard, you have been getting all rev'd up for this and you're ready to get it started. But trust me, it WILL happen! I GAINED weight. I was apprehensive when I went to see my Dr., and he basically called me a fool, smiled, and pulled out the biggest needle I ever saw and said "That's why I'm going to stick this in your stomach" Well, a little exaggeration, but he did laugh at me and said that is why the band gets adjusted. (I work in healthcare and I've seen some really big needles. Like the ones used to drain knees) As far as the "Starvation Mode", I'm not a believer in it. At least the way it is thrown around here. But that's another subject. Let's just say I had enough fat stored away that it would take me 6 months to starve!

I've done some Kayaking last summer. By next summer, you will know what you can eat and what you cannot. Everyone is different.