quakergirl

Yep, I eat Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine meals all the time because it's easier than cooking. I stock up when they're on sale (seems like one or the other is usually on sale). I think it would be reasonable to expect to be able to eat half of a HC/LC meal with good restriction. I usually just end up eating it for two meals when that happens. With some of them, I'm able to eat the whole thing in one sitting, but I don't think that's a bad thing since most of them are pretty sensible calorie-wise, and good sources of protein.

Congratulations! You are an inspiration to all of us. Keep us updated on how things go as your progress continues.

Welcome back. I'm glad to hear you're doing so well.

I remember having that sensation a few times in the early months, but I don't get it anymore. Kind of a weird feeling. You may also want to try drinking some water before you start eating to fill up that lower stomach.

I'm not necessarily the best role model, but I personally haven't been trying any sort of special diet with the band. If I could have stayed away from carbs, I wouldn't have needed the band! Doing the Atkins diet might help with getting the maximum results possible, but I don't think that counting carbs is essential to success with the band. If you're restricting your portion size and taking in less calories (which will happen when you have the proper adjustment of your band), you can't help but lose weight.

My port is at waist-level to the left of my navel. I wonder, does anyone know if the port might get in the way if I eventually get a tummy tuck? Just wondering.

Congrats on your progress! You look so different now. I hope someday I look as good.

Very nice photos.

Thanks, both of you. I really appreciate the support. It might indeed be an insecurity thing. This guy also has a weight problem and would probably qualify for lap-band surgery himself. The strange thing is that this guy seems to have some interest in dating me, so I'd think that he would be more enthusiastic about my appearance and weight loss. At least, that's what I expect from someone I would want to date. People are strange!

Oops, I'm sorry that I made it sound like those guidelines are necessary right now. I would definitely say wait until AFTER the fill to try to follow them. I couldn't follow those kinds of guidelines either if I had all my fill removed! I intended to use that site to show what portions and types of food you should be eating AFTER you have some restriction, to decide when you've had enough of a fill. When you're at the right fill level, it's not such a struggle to eat those small portion sizes like it is pre-op or with an empty band.

Alexandra is 100% right. You definitely need a fill. The band isn't any help without a proper fill...so it's actually good that you've been able to keep off 19 pounds without any help from the band! :confused: Once you're filled to the right level, you'll probably be eating less than half of the portions you're eating now. The advice on this webpage may help you decide when you've had enough fill: http://www.lapbandtransformation.com/Adjustments.htm When you have good restriction and your pouch is totally full, you'll definitely know it. A lot of people describe it as feeling like a golfball is sitting in their chest. After a while, you learn how much to eat to be comfortably full and avoid that "golfball" sensation. My fills are also covered by insurance, but the cost without is something like $160. That's without fluoro. Cost seems to vary a lot.

Well, Sheila, I would say that frozen yogurt is okay as long as you think you'll be able to stop once you go on to solid foods. I ate frozen sorbet in the early days. Even had a few milkshakes. Now that I'm on solid foods those are no longer things I eat, but while I was healing from the surgery, I didn't worry about calories.

I agree that cottage cheese seems too heavy for so soon afterwards. I'd suggest milk or protein shakes instead. For the first 2 weeks I drank protein shakes mixed with milk almost all the time.

WOW! What a surprising turn of events. I hope the surgery went smoothly. :confused: Congratulations!

I had the surgery done at 20 years old (now 21), and I'm very happy with the results. I definitely think the band is better for young people than the bypass is. The band is more adaptable to changes throughout life than the bypass is. As long as she is mature enough to eat sensibly, and can deal with giving up carbonated beverages (which might put a damper on going out for beers with her friends during the college years), I don't see anything wrong with getting the band at her age. Did you see the link to the BMI calculator? http://lapbandtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=74 If she isn't over 40, then going to Mexico might be an option. I know that there are some Mexican surgeons who will band "lightweights". I think the BMI >40 criteria is more appropriate to the RNY, since it's a far more drastic and dangerous surgery than the band. Someday maybe they'll lower the BMI requirement for the band. Good luck.

Hi, another Port Huron patient eh? It seems like there are a lot of us on here. I think you'll be happy with the results. Good luck! :confused:

Well, I don't know if I'm a "veteran" just yet, but I'm very happy with how things have been going with the band. The RNY helps a lot of people, and for someone who is in serious danger of dying from obesity soon it is probably a good choice. But for most people, I think the RNY is a lot like trying to swat a fly with a sledgehammer. It's just too drastic and risky to be a first choice for WLS if you can afford to take some time losing the weight. Here are some of the ways my quality of life seems to be better than I think it would have been with the RNY: Since I don't have to worry about dumping, I can eat just about whatever I want - just in smaller quantities. The only foods I have totally sworn off eating are milkshakes and carbonated drinks, and I don't miss them. I don't have the foul smelling gas or diarrhea that SOME bypass patients have (not everyone has that side effect, but you can't predict if you will be one of the lucky ones!). I am losing the weight at a gradual pace, so I don't HAVE to tell anyone that I had surgery unless I want to. I don't have to worry about becoming malnourished or developing osteoporosis, which can be problems for RNY patients. I choose to take a multi-Vitamin semi-daily, but it isn't a matter of life or death like it would be with the RNY. In fact, I've started donating blood since my surgery and my Iron level has been great. Since my intestines are intact, I don't have to worry about getting a bowel obstruction or kinked intestines, which are very dangerous problems that can strike RNY post-ops even years after the original surgery. And, best of all, I know that I can get adjustments or even reverse the surgery if trouble arises. That's a great relief. Good luck to both you and your friends in your chosen paths.

Yes, it seems like the lap-band is constantly overlooked by the media. I've only seen a few news stories that talked in depth about the band - but fortunately, one of those stories planted the seed for me to actually get the band myself. I first heard about it right after the FDA approval. I saw a local news story about a surgeon in our area who was one of the very first American surgeons to start banding. The safe/reversible aspect immediately appealed to me, but not enough to actually pursue surgery at that time. When I later saw a newspaper ad for the same surgeon, I was on the Atkins diet and hating it, so it was the right time to consider more drastic measures! I hate to think that I might have gotten the gastric bypass if I hadn't known about the band. I don't know why people ignore the less-radical lap-band even when decrying the "drastic" bypass. I guess maybe the reporters just don't KNOW what the difference is between a gastric bypass and a band. Hmm, should some of us write letters to the editor of People?

I was pleased to see this story of someone who is down 110 pounds after being banded by Port Huron's Dr. Bhesania (yes, the article calls him Bhesanin, but that's just a typo). http://www.tctimes.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10792723&BRD=2524&PAG=461&dept_id=494488&rfi=8

Complications are possible with any surgery, but the lap-band was designed to be much, much safer than the gastric bypass. That sad story about the poor man who died of a heart attack made the news because it was a very unusual occurance. There are many people who die from gastric bypass that never make the news. I am another Port Huron bandster. I think Dr. Boutt and Dr. Bhesania are both excellent, very experienced lap-band surgeons. You'll be in good hands. Regarding the issue of being around for your child, well, your losing the weight will probably be a good thing for your child as well. After this surgery, you'll probably have more energy to be able to spend quality time with your kid! Good luck to you.

Hello there. I'm sorry that you have been having such troubles because of your weight, but I think most of us here can relate to it! For me, the lap-band has made a huge difference in my outlook on life and how I feel. As for a first step, have you found a surgeon yet? If not, there is a form on Inamed's site to request info on local surgeons http://inamed.com/contact/bio_patient.cgi Good luck to you!

Hi, welcome to our group. Sorry to hear that you were delayed in your band progress, but it's good that now you can pick up right where you left off. Good luck!

Yep, I've felt that at times! I think it's the tubing. Weird, but harmless.

Anne, in your situation, I think I'd make the same choice of going with the less-experienced but more optimistic doc. If the first doc has done lots of band and still doesn't believe it works, it sounds like he's probably doing something wrong with aftercare or fills - which is just as important to success as placing the band properly is. Sue does make a good point: In general, going with the more experienced doc is a good choice. But it's not set in stone. After all, I think there's at least one person on this board who was in the FDA trials (back when ALL the American docs were inexperienced) and had great success. Good luck to you!

Hi, welcome to the group. Congratulations on your great progress! I didn't have as many comborbidities as you did, but I know that without the band it would have been just a matter of time before I headed down that path too. I'm glad that both of us are feeling better and more optimistic these days! I hope to hear more about how you're doing as the time goes by.