I-wanna-be-a-loser

i would suggest that you have a complete unfill and see if you can cope without the help of a band, if you can then u are better deciding to remove it or not .. good luck to you .. at least by unfilling u will get a reminder of what it was like pre-band

A few of the rules I remember which made me successful at losing 50 lbs. were:
>use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate
>3 bites of Protein, 3 bites of veggie, 1 bite of carb, repeat until satisfied
>eat every 3 hours
>fill up on protein for Snacks, (hard boiled egg with a piece of cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, chicken breast etc.)
>never drink your calories, except for a Protein Shake
>No carbonated drinks
> do not frink for 30 min. before and for 30 min after a meal
>eat slowly, chew much, small bites
>Limit fruit, due to the sugar it converts to
Can anyone help me think of anymore? especially designated for lapbanders?
I realize all doctors do not give the same instructions.

Thanks. I am done with fill number 2 @ 4.8cc in a 10cc band. I am sure I need another - BUT I hit 199.5 this morning!! WOOT!

I am a bit confused here....Why in the world would you go to McDonalds and order this food. If you were eating your Protein you would probably not be hungry...but you added french fries and a sundae!! lol....I don't think you need a fill, I think you just need to eat the proper foods. Your band is a tool for you...you still have to make good and healthy food choices!! Just my advice

FYI, the italics are just too hard to read.

I only have the phone number for the main office in Ontario. Sorry.
I might get flamed for this, but I don't think the lap band is really for the regular overweight, but for the morbidly obese, such as me.

I had my surgery done at the SWLC clinic last October by Dr. Mitchell. I've got to say, it was a very good experience. I assume you can have this done in Vancouver, if you are willing to pay for the procedure,. If you are going throught government healthcare, then you will likely be restricted by the regulations in place in that province. I paid for the surgery ($17,000.00 CAN), but it was worth every penny. So, you may have to decide if it is worth it to pay for the procedure or go to another province for the surgery. PS...Dr. Mitchell is great.

You know, the time in between being healed from surgery and hitting the "green zone" I am going on 2.5 months post op and able to eat anything, hungry after 2-2.5 hours. It is driving me bonkers. I lost 20 pounds in a month (two weeks pre op & 2 weeks post op) and have only lost 5 pound in the last 2 months....
How much longer will this last?? I have 4.8cc in a 10cc band.

Dr. Mitchell is AWESOME!!!

I would definately call you doctor. I am over a year out and fell on ice this week. Some !#$#@%#$%#$ either dumped or droped a full cup of coffee in the parking lot at the conveinance store but did'nt go in to tell anyone. I jumped out of my suv (did'nt look down; but there is no ice/snow on the ground yet here) and down I went on this huge ice patch. Someone could have really been hurt. Anyway my port area was sore for 2 days so I am not suprised yours is painful so close to surgery.

Eat more! I eat between 1000-1200 a day. You are on the low side, and remember it is not about feeling full it is about being satisfied

Private Facebook group is made. It is called "November 2011 lap banders" If you add me, stacey diederich-speager as your friend on facebook, then I will add you to the group. Please send me a private message to get added as I do not want my whole circle of friends and family knowing about my lap band decision just yet.
Thank you!!!!

I am getting er done November 30th 2011. Cant friggen wait!!! Go us!!
PS: I started a secret Facebook group (only members can see/ post/ read in the group) for us November bandsters. Add me as your friend and send me a private message saying you are getting banded and I will add you to the group.. Stacey Diederich-Speager!!!
Lets be losers together!!!

Thanks everyone for the positive responses! I'll keep everyone posted!

Thank you for the pointers Cheri!! <3
We did start a secret Facebook group already to keep us chatting and encouraging. There are 7 members so far. If you are going to be a november bandster add me as your firend and send me a private message with your surgery date and I will get you in the group!!!
Stacey Diederich-speager Lets go November 2011!!

Thank you for the pointers Cheri!! <3
We did start a secret Facebook group already to keep us chatting and encouraging. There are 7 members so far. If you are going to be a november bandster add me as your firend and send me a private message with your surgery date and I will get you in the group!!!
Stacey Diederich-speager Lets go November 2011!!

Sure, diet and exercise are easier. I've done it for years, and I've lost the same 20 pounds about a dozen times! Losing the weight is not the issue. It's keeping the weight off that is so hard. For me, banding was the end result of years of weight struggles, failing on every diet I ever tried, and realizing the clock was ticking. I'm not a young man, and how many more years of life would I have before chronic gross obesity finally killed me? Bandng was a fantastic option for me, and allowed me to finally get my weight under control. I will never look back, nor will I go back to being obese.
Now, nearly a year after surgery, I've lost 125 pounds. I have had ZERO reflux, slippage, vomiting, Hair loss, not enjoying alcohol, Water not going down, or pills not going down. I've been stuck a few times, and each time it was because I ate wrong. If I pay attention and eat as a bandster should, I do not get stuck, and I can eat anything I want. I've had seven fills, the last three of which were very small, to tweak my "green zone" so my band works properly. Fills are no worse than getting a shot. It's a non-issue. Constipation is related to what I'm eating, and how much Fiber I'm taking in. My digestion has slowed down because of my diet, but it's another non-issue. I take Fiber as part of my daily diet, and when it's time to visit the bathroom, there are no issues on that score. It's a small price to pay for being over a hundred pounds lighter.
The decision you need to make is how many more years (and times) are you going to "get serious about diet?" If you could do it that way, you wouldn't be obese now, right? My honest advice is that if you have any doubts of being able to "get serious about diet," then have the surgery. If it doesn't work for you, then have it removed, and go back to chronic dieting. You have nothing to lose but your excess weight, right?
Good luck!
Dave

When you next see your dietition tell her your concerns and expectations. If you are not satisified with her response ... get a new dietition.

Im confused...you had your surgery on the 1st and since then have moved? Now you cant find a surgen who will see you??? Did you at least have one follow up with your surgen before you left?

Thank you for the pointers Cheri!! <3
We did start a secret Facebook group already to keep us chatting and encouraging. There are 7 members so far. If you are going to be a november bandster add me as your firend and send me a private message with your surgery date and I will get you in the group!!!
Stacey Diederich-speager Lets go November 2011!!

The question is :- if you couldn't stick to the preop diet how will you manage to stick to the postop diet? If you decide postop that it is just too hard or that you will substitute something you run the risk of doing a lot of damage. I would be more worried that you are not ready and committed to make the change that the surgery requires than I would be about the liver. You have to realise that the band is a tool that works when you work with it.
I would take a good hard deep look at myself and work out what I wanted and if I was in fact ready.

were you supposed to be on the liquid only pre-op diet?
if so, i would say cancel the surgery until you are ready to do it the right way.
i can see slipping once or twice on the pre-op, but it sounds like you just gave up completely and just ate whatever you wanted to eat. That's not a good sign that you are ready for this change. Call your doctor and be honest and see what they suggest.

Go search for Stacey Diederich-Speager (copy and paste if you want) and request her as a friend and send her a private message that you are wanting to join the group.
Then I have a post to add your surgery date so I can add it to our little calendar thing. It's a great group of people and you will love us!!
If for some reason you can't find her, go add me facebook.com/damander and I will let her know to add you!!
Simple Simple!

I am getting er done November 30th 2011. Cant friggen wait!!! Go us!!
PS: I started a secret Facebook group (only members can see/ post/ read in the group) for us November bandsters. Add me as your friend and send me a private message saying you are getting banded and I will add you to the group.. Stacey Diederich-Speager!!!
Lets be losers together!!!

Hi Prisoner,
I just joined the fb nov banding group. I understand what you are talking about. The fb group is total private to the members that are accepted into it. I am doing a life changing surgery. I need the support of our nov group because we are doing it together and we will want to discuss things that we are going through together. I also want to talk here and be able to get help from anyone or maybe I might be able to help someone else in the future. Of course it isn't private like the fb group. I am happy for both of them. I hope you will join. It is a great bunch of people.
Linna