JimR915

Like others who responded, I used to drink 2 X-Large coffees per day. I've limited that to 1 regular size cup of regular coffee (black w/ 1 Splenda). I was told to control my intake of caffeine during the first few weeks after surgery, but nothing about Week 5 and beyond. I choose to limit my caffeine because, according to many nutritionists, Caffeine is an appetite stimulant, so you could tend to have more cravings etc...as a result.

What this study doesn't appear to take into account is the long term weight loss success of the 2 procedures. Perhaps one of the reasons that banding patients statistically take the weight off and keep it off vs. bypass patients is that they work harder to achieve their weight loss goal. That is....going strictly on what the article and study are saying about the tendency to make poorer eating choices as a banding patient. The other reasons are physiological of course, but could it be that you tend to cherish and protect something that you work harder to attain. Most of these studies are just a numbers game anyway, IMHO.

Great job!!! Good for you. I tend to lose rapidly, level off, (even gain a pound or 2) then resume losing. Very weird, but you can almost set your watch by it. I have still averaged about 5 lbs per week. Albeit that the first 20 of that came off the first week. Best of luck to you!

Great job!!! I hope to post similar pics a year from now.

Banded 8/12. 9 weeks. Lost 42 lbs. I have 66 lbs left to reach my goal.

I find that losing the weight is the best motivator. Set realistic goals so that you aren't disappointed, and track your calorie and Protein intake. Hit a WLS support group in your area if you can. Best of luck to you!

I was banded on 8/12 and have had one fill. I have no restriction to speak of, but have managed to lose weight. But that is just my body type and metabolism. My struggle has always been keeping the weight off. The best tool that I have found to help me stay on track is a food and exercise tracker. I use Livestrong (www.livestrong.com). But I have heard other people on this site use other alternatives. (myfitnesspal etc...) I track my food throughout the day. I am honest with my portion sizes when I put them in. The website keeps track of my caloric intake, fats, cholesterol, sodium, Proteins etc. I like Livestrong because it also has a mobile app that runs on my phone. So I can enter my food intake even when I am out at a restaurant. Seeing this on one page helps keep me honest. I really see the spikes when I eat too much....and can track my weight loss success or failure to those spikes. This tool will also help you see if you are eating too little. You set your weight, weight loss goal, and it calculates what you should be taking in for calories. Stay within that range and you should have success. Best of luck to you!

That's AWESOME!!! Congratulations.

My typical day.(target is below 1400 cals) Breakfast: Greek non-fat yogurt with granola or Hard-boiled egg and weight control oatmeal lunch Bumble Bee Tuna Sensations (3oz) Peppridge Farm Deli Flat Tribe Hummus Snacker pack (2 tbsp) or Fat-free cottage cheese (1/4 cup) Afternoon Snack (some days) Hummus snacker pack or Sargento low-fat swiss cheese stick Dinner: Baked chicken or Fish (3oz) 1/2 cup veggies very small amount of starch I find that this usually satisfies my recommended Protein intake for the day

The title of your post seems to indicate you are worried about slippage. If it's any consolation whatsoever, my Doctor told me that I would know if my band slipped by the fact that I would not be able to keep ANYTHING down at all. BTW, I've had a similar pain for years, even prior to my banding. In my case, it was due to a distended Xyphoid hitting one of the radial nerves around my rib cage. I find it is most pronounced when I loose weight and there is more pressure on my Xyphoid process.

Congratulations Rachael. Great to hear the good news. I am a relative newbie to the lap band (banded on 8/12). But I agree. Finding this forum and the members here has been the best part of this process, and will be one of the most important factors to insuring my success.

I may be echoing an earlier comment, but your answer might be as simple as finding a local WLS support group that you can attend regularly until you get the encouragement and help that you need to get back on track. I always find post-surgical support groups helpful to get my mind back on track with the band.

I had the procedure on a Friday and went back to work the following Tuesday. I work behind a computer....so not a lot of physical exertion. It will really depend upon how you feel. Yes....I'm going to say it....you can't stop me....."Everyone is different." :-)

I view this a bit more philosophically. I had the lapband so that I could get healthy, first, and lose weight, second. Both important. What I'm not willing to do is to let my band become a prison in the sense that it rigidly prevents me from indulging in what makes life a joy to live. I believe in "everything in moderation". Today, I follow a healthy diet, I go to the gym 4 times per week, and I greatly restrict the amount of alcohol I take in (carbonated or otherwise). That said, if I want a beer or 2 at a ball game, or a bite of dessert from time to time, I go for it. As long as it is the exception, and not the rule. I have always been known in my circle of friends as the guy who appreciates good beers. I like being that person, and I like the flavor of a well crafted beer. I'm not willing to let the band change that. For those people who think this will doom me to failure, I can only say that I am pleased with my current weight loss results. My health has never been better (sugar and blood pressure). All this, and I have managed to keep a small amount of beer in my diet. BTW, I asked my WLS doctor about the carbonation and his opinion was that carbonation would not stretch the stoma. He pointed to a lot of other foods that cause a lot of gas as a by-product that we are still allowed and encouraged to eat.

I don't drink while I eat. And I don't drink for at least 30 mins. following. No issues there. Because I am new to the band (2 months), I sometimes forget and drink right before I eat. I've heard different theories from different doctors about drinking before you eat. Some say 30 min. before (my doctor included). Some say you can drink right up until you eat. I would rather err on the side of caution with this one.

Sounds good....I'll try anything. thanks

I was banded on 8/12. I lost 6 lbs pre-op. I lost 16 lbs the first week and have been losing steadily since. At my last weighing, I had lost 40 lbs. I am eating about 1400 cals/day and going to the gym 3 or 4 times per week. But you're right.....everyone is different. I always had a tendency to lose weight pretty quickly. My downfall is that I tend to plateau well above my goal and fail as a result of frustration. Then gain the weight back. My reason for the band was to help me break through that plateau and keep the weight off. The better metric in my mind is how much healthier I feel. I am type II diabetic and tend towards hypertention. Since my surgery and subsequent weight loss....my sugar levels are normal without medication, and my blood pressure is well within normal range. I always said, even if I didn't lose a pound, if I could get my medical conditions in check without medication, I would be happy. Sounds to me like you are on the right track. That amount of weight loss in only a few short months is excellent. Best of luck to you.

I don't have enough experience with the band to say for sure. But from what I've read, night coughing and acid reflux at night are signs that your band may be too tight.

I went home the same day. But like sassy k, I was the first one in surgery in the morning, and left at about 6pm. They wanted me to eat a couple of meals, go to the bathroom, all that fun stuff to make sure everything was still functioning. I would have stayed over without an argument if they insisted that I do so.

I would recommend going to a support group meeting. That always helps me.

That's great news! Congratulations and best of luck. A couple of things I thought of real quick. I'm sure others will have some good suggestions as well. - Get your Protein drinks (I personally like Pure Nutrition Protein from costco....but I drank Boost initially for the variety). Others like unjury. Try a few before your surgery so you can pick the ones that you like best - Different broths and Soups - Crystal light - sugar free Jello Gelatin - Sugar Free popsicles This will help you through the initial days of recovery until you are well enough to do some shopping for mushies. The largest variety of each of these items that you can get the better. You are stuck on a boring liquid diet for a week or two, so variety will make it a little more interesting.

The no-straw rule is basically there because straws tend to introduce additional air/gas while drinking. This can cause additional discomfort. Some doctors subscribe to this rule and others do not I think it's most relavent while you are recovering from surgery. But, since everyone is a little different, you should try to use it a couple of times. If you don't experience discomfort as a result....go to town. I don't happen to have any problems as a result of using straws. But I am only 2 months post-op and only had one fill. This may change over time.

I only had to do an EKG and bloodwork as well. Although, when the day came for my surgery, the anestesiologist seemed a bit surprised that I had not gone for a sleep study. But they did not hold up the surgery.

One more thing....my insurance company and WLS doctor insisted that I have a letter w/ full medical history from my primary care physician..

Every doctor and insurance company is a bit different with their pre-op requirements. Your doctor should give you a checklist at your first appointment of the requirements that you need to fulfill. My experience was: - First appointment - May 2 - (1) Psychologist appointment to gauge my readiness for the lifestyle change - (1) Nutritionist appointment to go over what my post-op diet would look like. - (2) Support group meetings (I would recommend getting in as many as you can before and after surgery) - Some insurance companies insist that you start on a pre-op diet and lose a certain number of pounds. My ins. company did not make me do that. - I could have had my surgery on July 8th, but I was out of town. Next possible time slot for me was August 12th. Things that could potentially push your surgery date out. 1. I was motivated to get things done as quickly as possible. Make sure to ask your doctor about availability of various requirements. For example, the nutritionist that works with my doctor's group was booking appointments 4 weeks out. I didn't want to wait, so I found my own nutritionist that was certified to discuss bariatric surgery requirements. 2. If you are submitting through your insurance company, check any pre-operative requirements they have. Some ask you to wait 3 or 6 mos after you have satisfied your other requirements to be sure you are still motivated to have the surgery. 3. Availability of the doctor to perform the surgery and the booking of surgical rooms can have an affect on timing. I selected my Doctor specifically for the reason that he had better access to the surgical rooms at the hospital than the other group of doctors did. Unfortunately, many hospitals still consider lap-band surgery an "elective", so they only schedule rooms for this purpose on a limited basis. You should ask your doctor what the availability looks like for surgical suites. Best of luck to you as you work through this process! You have already made one good choice by joining these forums. The people here can provide you with a tremendous amount of help.