leatha_g

I lifted this from Jessie Ahroni on Smartbandsters. I think someone may have posted the link already, but nobody tells it like Jessie. ************************************************************ In diabetes education we figure a person's calorie needs based on 10-16 calories per pound of ideal body weight. If my ideal body weight were 135 pounds I would need to eat between 1350 and 2160 calories per day -- depending on my age, body fat, lean muscle mass, gender, activity, medications, etc. I ALWAYS use 10 calories per pound of ideal body weight in formerly obese females at the usual activity level. Only if they are very small or losing more than 2 or 3 pounds a week would I start to worry. I don't recommend people drop below 1,000 calories a day for long. You can actually meet all your nutritional needs in 1,000 calories a day if you make perfect food choices. But nobody does that. In my case I'm obviously eating enough since I'm not losing. Here's a place where you can calculate it. Remembers these numbers are estimates. Protein (15%) for your Basal Caloric Rate 187.95 grams of carbohydrate (55%) for your Basal Caloric Rate

If you really want to lose weight, you HAVE to cut out the calories that help you to maintain you current weight. Plain and simple. Your body simply will not hold onto the weight if you are eating the right food choices and amounts. Doesn't that just suck!... see my post on band discussion.

Welcome Minny! Thanks for sharing a bit about yourself. This is a great place. I think you'll be glad you came here!

Not everyone has a substantial weight loss in the first month. As a matter of fact, you'll see over and over again, new bandsters bemoaning the fact that they can eat as much as they want and they're not losing weight! It's really sad that most doctors don't educate their patients more about what to expect that initial 6 weeks out. It's not uncommon at all to even re-gain the initial weight lost once you re-introduce mushies/solids back into your diet. The folks who have the most weight loss that first few weeks are lucky enough to have some restriction right outa the box (most don't - irregardless of which band) OR they have a larger BMI to begin with, which takes more calories to maintain. You're really looking wonderful already! This is not a race. Usually with the VG, they give a much more substantial fill in the beginning, so it really all evens out in the long run.

Not only crazy, but it will definitely be bad for business in the long run. This kind of thing is getting out. All it takes is one bandster with a horror story to run off many prospects. Worst part is: I love my band. I want to keep my band. I want it to be a positive experience for everyone and I don't want to have to defend my choice when people start coming up with the horror stories they've heard about others.

2 in a lifetime? Yikes.. that's ludicrous. My doctor was not allowed to charge me for follow up/including fills for the first 3 months after surgery. Thankfully, that covered my first 2 that really didn't get me anywhere. But, I have never heard the lifetime thing.. wow. Can you appeal that based on the fact that most bandsters need more than 2? I think I would make it clear to my doc that my insurance had such a stipulation and if it is a Vanguard 10cc band, I'd ask for my first fill to be rather agressive. You DO NOT want to be overfilled, but I'm hearing others say that 3-4cc fills on the 10cc bands is not uncommon at all.

I usually know pretty much right away, but many say they sometimes take a few days to even a few weeks. My doctor tells me that if I have not lost within a couple of weeks, to call and come get another fill. This, however, may not always be the case. If you are taking in too many calories or not exercising or not getting in all the Water. Then it may not be the band's fault at all. The best test for me is to have solid Protein, such as chicken or fish. I can usually tell much better with something like that than anything else. Go slow..

Interesting, the lady I spoke with when I had my slippage said they stress over and over the aftercare aspect of the band. They tell the docs who come to the seminars, 'if you are not prepared to provide the aftercare/followup, you do not need to become a band surgeon'. So.. hmm. Her name/email is: denise.maddalon@inamed.com E-mail Address(es): denise.maddalon@inamed.com Business Information: Company: Inamed Address: Ca Phone: 800-624-4261 x 4323

I have my presents mostly bought - for the first time in years! I've been saying every year, 'I'm going to start early next year.' Well I did this year! I've got them wrapped and I have myself a little tree for my apartment which I haven't begun to put up or find decorations, so the rest of the season will be spent actually having fun decorating my new tree.

welcome minny! please feel free to read, read, read all the posts you possibly can. there is so much good information here just for the taking. if there is something specific, there's always someone willing to try to find an answer for you too! you may want to post an introduction for yourself in the Introduction forum so that everyone knows you are new and we can learn a bit about you. Good luck on your decisions!

Seems highly unlikely that the whole of his problems are on this board alone. Sadly, there may be many unsuspecting folks that aren't on ANY support board at all.

Well. The squeaky wheel gets oiled, right? I say that people need to be extremely vocal about their disappointments and their tragic results to INAMED. This one hotbed of what seems to be something less than desireable could taint the whole idea of being banded to many many new prospects, which in turn is definitely going to make an impact on Inamed as the manufacturer of what should be a very positive and helpful tool. I think they'd have to listen.

sighs.... I'm gonna see if I can pay Patti for some of Ryan's time, just so he can utter such sweet words of encouragement in my ear from time to time.. lol.

I'm sorry to hear this Theresa. It's really tough to get all psyched up just to be let down. It'll happen in due time, though and you'll be even more prepared. Keep us posted!

Thank you for posting Karen. I am so so sorry to hear that your Drs fears were correct. Please do not let this go unnoticed by Inamed. Hugs to you and again, I am so very sorry, but I know you'll do well. Please keep us posted on how you are doing mentally and physically. We'll be here for you.

Many of us simply cannot have solids for breakfast. Sometimes, if you're beating your head against a wall, it's best to let the wall win. lol. I have started trying to have bran Cereal in the mornings simply because I need the Fiber. If I don't do that, I stick to a Protein drink (whey protein and water). It's no time before noon and by then I can handle solids better. However, if I try to force solids for breakfast, I may wind up pbing and having to do liquids the rest of the day. I'd rather wait. Maybe just grab a Protein Drink, then carry something more substantial for mid-morning snack?

You shouldn't have to be without food, but I wouldn't eat immediately before. Maybe 3-4 hrs before?

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Osmosis, darling girl... or, maybe some of it backs up in the tubing? It's very common for some to be missing several months later. If it were ALL gone. I'd be concerned.

Awesome news! Thank you so much for letting us know! I wished we could bottle that guy and sell him. I'm so glad you got some reassurance that all is well.

It'll all be SO worth it when you get to start buying smaller clothes and you can climb stairs without needing CPR. One problem, however, the weeks post-op are much longer than a few days before. I hope you're ready for that. Have jello, broth, popsicles ready and waiting for when you get home.

I have been banded only one month less than you and in all that time I have not PB'd over 6 times. No, it is not a good thing to be pbing on a repeated basis. My loss has been slow also, due to a less than aggressive 'diet' approach. I have not really deprived myself of anything and most definitely have eaten too much of what made me fat in the first place. I, too, am having that head hunger problem and have decided that I need to seek some counseling if I want to win this battle. Thankfully, I have been able to stave off any serious weight re-gain, but I definitely watch the scale and sometimes fight the same 5lbs over and over. This has been happening especially since Labor Day. How long has it been since you had your band checked under flouroscopy or Upper GI? That esophageal tightness you speak of sounds normal to me. It may be that it is your band signaling that you have had enough to eat? I don't know for sure. Is it during eating or while not eating? The only time I would get my band 'loosened' would be if I were having severe symptoms such as reflux, pbing excessively or inability to swallow anything. Otherwise, if I could eat a few bites of Protein and not feel too hungry, I would say it's doing what it is supposed to do.. ?? You are not alone. I think most of us go through the moments of weakness and wondering if we'll be the one person the band does not work for. The only thing that concerns me is that recently I've heard Jessie Ahroni stating that even though we don't have that 'window of opportunity' that bypass patients have, it is pretty clear that the best weight loss period is proving to be in the earlier stages of being banded. This means if I wanna 'get what I came for', I need to get busy.. lol. Definitely keep posting. You need all the support and encouragement you can get. Not only that, but reading what others are doing right or wrong may also plant that one seed that you need to make this a success. It's proven that the support is very valuable, so don't cheat yourself out of that. Good luck !

By now you've undergone your surgery and hopefully are home resting. I sincerely hope everything went well and they were able to get you back on the road to weight loss. Please let us know how you are doing when you feel up to it.

I think that's pretty common for heading into mushies. You're right. Most bandsters, except for a few lucky ones who have great restriction right outa the box (or men) generally slow in the losses or even gain during this re-introduction of solid foods and that is when they start to react, thinking this thing is not going to work for them. The 'real' weight loss begins once there is restriction and that person begins implementing the rules for bandster weight loss. Proteins first, veggies next, and anything else IF they still have room. Sounds like you're doing well and you have one of the most acclaimed docs on your side so you'll do fine! Those ice cream sundaes go down WAY too easy. I've had to ban it from my house. lol. Good luck!

Newlapper, The average weight loss with the band is 5-10lbs per month. You will not consistenly lose this EVERY month, but one year out you will have lost at least 5-10 lbs per month AVERAGE. Now, remember, you're not even restricted for the first 6-8 weeks, so technically most people don't even start counting until their first fill, which makes you well into the average or above. Not counting the 6-8 weeks, you've lost an average of 6.6lbs per month so you fall smack dab in the middle of average. How much were you losing BEFORE the band? lol. You will not lose like the bypass folks, but I can promise you that if you do what you are told to do, which is eat Protein first, veggies next and anything else IF you still have room. Keep your portions to 1 cup or less - total. Exercise 30 minutes, 3-5 times per week and you drink your Water (not with meals or 1 hr after) you WILL lose at least 50-100lbs the first year. If your BMI started out lower, you may have a slower weight loss. Many larger BMI's start out losing very quickly, but even their bodies catch up and slow down as their BMI drops. Try not to be so hard on yourself. How is your restriction? Are there foods that you are having a hard time staying away from? Like ice cream? chocolate? Desserts? chips? Are you exercising? (I'm not accusing, I'm just relaying the problems I, myself am having to come to terms with.) Click on this link and answer this quiz to yourself. http://bigolalaskan.com/lapband/fills.htm Chart your daily intake on www.fitday.com to see where your food falls in the way of protein, fat, carbs, calories. Change up your exercise routine. If you go to Curves 3 days a week, add some walking on the other days. If you walk, maybe you could add some weight training or exercise bike? If it makes you feel any better. I ONLY lost 55lbs in a year. 10 years from now, no one will care if i lost 55 or 155, all they'll care about is that I'm still around (hopefully) because I did lose SOMETHING. lol. You're doing fine, but if you want to do any better, try some of the things I've mentioned, see if they help. Let us know how you are doing! Whatever works for you might work for me.