NWgirl

I also love my Fitbit! I would probably be the ultimate slacker if I didn't have it to keep me accountable and guilt me into exercise when my stats are low.

I have tried Body Fortress powders (Walmart), Pure Protein powders, Jay Robb (I only like orange dreamsicle, the others have a weird aftertaste), etc but I always come back to the pre-made Premier Nutrition chocolate shakes. I wouldn't sing their praises in terms of flavor (think watered down chocolate milk), but I can stomach them and they aren't terrible. I do sometimes add sugar free syrups or mix with fruits to change the taste up. You could also go to a local Vitamin Shoppe (or other supplement store) and buy the sample packs. I know unjury and nectar protein both sell sample packs online.

I had to go to the hospital before my first fill and do a barium swallow to make sure my band was positioned right. After that, I walked across the street to my Dr's office and got a fill

If you are going to a seminar for all three types of surgery, keep an open mind and learn about those too. Some surgeries work better for some people, so it's good to listen and learn without writing something off. Just carry a pen and paper with you and write down any questions you have. This way you have everything ready and you don't have a mind fart.

Everyone is nervous, you are about to set out on a life changing journey of better health. You will do fine

I also take 5000 Biotin daily. I am almost three months post-op and have not noticed any hair issues.

Unlike other WLS, lapband usually does not mess with absorption of nutrients because you have not had any anatomy removed. Like the above poster stated, most traditional Vitamins are huge, which poses a problem for someone who can only swallow certain sizes. Also, bariatric vitamins do have a lot of extra nutrients compared to traditional vitamins. Some people at restriction cannot eat such a varied diet that is necessary to get all the different nutrients, so Vitamin supplements would be important there as well. My surgeon said I could use Centrum chewables and do a Calcium chew daily.

A PB and sliming are somewhat connected, but not the same. Sliming can occur when you get stuck but does not mean you will PB. PB is when you've got a stuck bad enough that it's not going down and it causes serious discomfort. I have had both a PB and general stuck, and I knew instantly what was going to happen when the PB started. It was extra hard to breath, painful, and my mouth started to create extra saliva to try and push the food down. I instantly went to the restroom, bent over the toilet, and "coughed" the food out. I use the term "coughed" because it is not regular vomiting, just the regurgitation of whatever is stuck above the band. To the original poster: you should practice chewing your pieces to the consistency of applesauce and work on taking time between bites. This will be extra important as you reach restriction. Also, I have heard of people choosing to sip drinks if they are out with friends just to prevent the possibility of a stuck or PB. I have not done this and don't plan on it, but it could be useful, esp if you are in a stressful situation.

I probably eat about 1-1.5 cups per meal of whatever I'm eating. I have never weighed out my food, but I make sure to pay attention to my body. I only eat til I get the satiated feeling. I also eat slowly and chew a lot so my body can have time to register how I really feel. As for night hunger/eating, you need to determine if you're eating out of hunger or eating out of boredom. If it's hunger, add in a healthy snack for night. If it's boredom, try to find something else to do. I know if I eat out of boredom, I'm usually not reaching for healthy foods, and we all know that the unhealthy foods are the ones that slip right through the band.

I was on the pill pre-surgery, but about a week out I was reading on here about bc and someone mentioned something about it not being as effective afterwards. I called my gynecologist and she said the best bc for people who have had WLS would be an IUD or the Nuva Ring just because in some people the hormones do not absorb properly anymore.

I have heard for people coming from a sedentary lifestyle to trying to be more active, it's a lot easier to ease into exercise. The recommendation is still 30 minutes a day, but to break it up into manageable chunks (10 minutes, three times a day) so that it's not overwhelming. Start out in the AM with a 10 minute walk around your neighborhood, take a 10 minute walk on your lunch break, and a 10 minute walk at night. As you become more active, you can gradually add more time til you are at a level you feel comfortable with.

It's very common to not feel restriction til a few fills in. This period is called bandster hell and if you want to lose weight now, you will usually need to do some traditional dieting. As for food, you usually do liquids 24-48 hrs after and then transition back to real foods.

Make sure to take your pain meds on time for the first couple days- if you wait til you are sore, it is harder to get relief.

I definitely sympathize with you here, but you need to ask yourself if this is a new thing, or if they've always eaten like this and now you're super aware of it? Sometimes I wish families got it and understood the need for a little more discretion, but they don't always see the problem. Especially if you are expecting them to change because you have...

If you are physically restricted more than me, that would be why. I like my band looser so it is just helping control hunger and not so it's cutting out food groups.

I started practicing not drinking with meals a couple Weeks pre-surgery, so now I don't have any desire to drink and eat together. If you need to, push the glass far enough away that you have to mindfully retrieve it when you want to drink. As for the statement "I get thirsty when I eat," I used to as well. It has taken practice and I believe a dietary change- I usually eat moist foods, not the crap I used to eat that dries out your mouth.

I maxed out my $3000 OOP doing all of the pre-op testing.

I actually have them bring me a Water when we sit down so I can sip before food comes. I've found the waitresses also harass you less if you have something to drink. I've tried no drink and they constantly come by to see if I've changed my mind. It's really annoying.

I have taken a biotin supplement since surgery and make sure to get 60+ grams protein a day. Both these are reasons for hair loss.

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There is surgery for everything. I would guess they would do skin removal, which would leave scarring below the breast line. Hopefully another man will respond with this... I know I've seen a few on the board who got reconstructive surgery afterwards.

The only time I tried to push an obstruction through by force of liquid was not pretty. I am very conscious of bite size and when I do have a stuck episode (or the time I PB'd), it's because I was in too big of a hurry or distracted while eating. If I have a normal stuck episode, it will pass in a few minutes. Some say they have had episodes that last a good hour or two, but sooner or later the food goes through. Lastly, I did read about someone who had to get an emergency unfill because the stuck had not resolved itself after a long time (8+ hours if I recall right). Moral of the story: Chew food well every time. If I don't, I get immediate feedback.

I have also asked someone I worked with and had not seen in a good year when her baby was due... Needless to say, she was not pregnant and I felt like a real a-s-s-h-o-l-e. She wasn't fat or anything, just had a bigger belly (she had already had three children).