Thats All Folks

Holy heck, you almost made me spew my coffee laughing!! 1. Commercials- yes I noticed the same thing. I actually find it amusing, because it seems every other commercial is for some horribly unhealthy food but then the next is for some diet plan. First I'm seeing some dude in a fast food parking lot eating a burger that looks like it belongs on an episode of the Flintstones followed by Sharon Osborne selling the Atkins diet. 2. Bathroom.....ummm...yeah. I'm not even gonna lie, I can clear a room in seconds flat. I am the queen of silent but deadly gas bombs. I'm often thankful we have 3 cats to blame it on, however now my family thinks we need to change their food because "cat farts aren't supposed to be that rancid". Ooops! 3. sleep. I'm happy to report that once I got passed the recovery period, my sleeping habits returned to normal. I'm like you, I am not a morning person. My mom even bought me a nightshirt that says "perky morning people should be shot". I'm happily back to being a night owl again. Please keep posting...you are like a breath of comedic fresh air Best wishes!

I've actually seriously considered trying this. It seems a lot more balanced, especially when if you're sticking to good carbs and staying away from saturated fats.

Ok first, it's impossible for any "herbs" to make fat melt through your skin and into a wrap. If it was possible, none of us would need anything to lose weight. Second, all of these stupid wraps work one of two ways: Diuretics or thermogentics. Sometimes a combination of both. Third, someone else already tried to sell us these exact same things. The ingredients contain diuretics as well as a plant used for hemorrhoids. Horse Chestnut Seed Extract- used to treat hemorrhoids Horsetail Leaf/Stem Extract- diuretic Butchers Broom Root Extract- diuretic and laxative Rosmarinus or Rosemary Leaf Oil- diuretic You may have minor results but being as they're based on diuretics, they will be temporary. When you stop using these things the volume will return because the moisture returns. These wraps are nothing more than an over-priced temporary fix. If you want to use them for the rest of your life, wonderful. That's your choice. But, others deserve to know the truth before spending their money on a gimmick and false claims.

The bigger you are when you start, the longer it will take for you to drop a size. It's weird but true. I started over 400 pounds and I didn't have to buy the next size down until I'd lost about 60 pounds. But the lower on the scale I go, the sooner I seem to need new clothes. Now, I lose 15-20 pounds and I start feeling like my clothes are getting too baggy. Hang in there, it will come and soon

Unfortunately there's no way you can know without your surgeon checking the band placement. You're probably just sore but stick to your post op diet and ask your surgeon to be safe.

It depends and varies greatly from person to person. Some don't loosen with weight loss at all. If you're band is too tight, you need an unfill not to wait and hope it gets looser with weight loss.

Oh I count calories, in fact religiously lol. I have to or I seriously wouldn't lose.

I eat when hungry, usually that's just 3 meals a day but if I need a snack I'll have one.

It doesn't matter which WLS you choose, if you don't change your eating habits or fall back into old behavior you will regain the weight. Whether or not you lose the weight and keep it off is entirely up to you and 100% in your control. Best wishes.

You're going to get all different responses. To be certain what is right for you you'll need to ask your nutritionist. I personally don't count carbs. I eat a minimum 60g of Protein and 1000-1200 calories a day. I also don't let fat make up more than 25% of my daily calories. For me it works, but there is no right or wrong amount. Everyone is different

Totally untrue, unless the person starts over eating or going back to bad habits.

If you never really followed the rules then it would make sense that you're gaining. Weight loss is really basic math, if you burn more calories than you consume you lose. I would be willing to bet your calories have slowly crept up and now the weight is catching up with you again. I would start tracking your calories to see how much you're actually consuming. This way you will know for certain where you need to make changes. Best wishes!

I was diagnosed with both Multiple Sclerosis and Fibro. I was banded 14 months ago and haven't had a single problem. While I know the band can't cure MS or Fibro, I do know it's made the symptoms these diseases cause a lot more tolerable. My overall health has drastically improved. I no longer have high blood pressure, sleep apnea, nor am I borderline diabetic. The weight loss has also really helped the pains in my legs, which makes sense because they're not under nearly as much stress. I personally would strongly recommend the band. It's been an absolute lifesaver for me.

Call your surgeon, tell him what's going on and see what he advises. Best wishes.

I didn't have a pre-op diet, either. Every surgeon is different so just go with what yours recommends. Best wishes.

Wow you've made some AMAZING changes in your life already!!! Quitting smoking, soda, and drinking? Seriously, that is incredibly impressive. You've already got a huge head start and well on your way towards better health. I have a feeling you are going to be incredibly successful as a bandster. Best wishes on your continued journey

Wow...well put and I agree! I feel the same way. I felt either I'd keep getting fatter and die before seeing my kids grow up or I do something about it. And the truth is, while I do have to work with my band it's a heck of a lot easier to be a bandster than it was to be a dangerously fat person.

You should be. If you're worried, just have your doctor check your kidney function every 3-6 months as well as your bloodwork and blood pressure.

You can definitely change surgeons and I think you're wise to. Unfortunately a lot of surgeons try to steer patients away from the Lap Band because it isn't the money maker that Gastric Bypass or the Sleeve is. You need to be comfortable with your surgeon because you're going to have a long relationship with them. As far as switching, all you have to do is sign the medical release forms to transfer your records to the new surgeon. They can't deny you this, by the way. It is your legal right to do so. As far as weight loss with the band, how much you lose is entirely up to you. I've lost 196 pounds in 14 months and I'm still losing. That is 75% of my excess body weight. I have no doubt I'll lose the rest, too. Don't let anyone tell you can't lose all the weight you need with the band because you most certainly can. Best wishes.

Only if you are prone to kidney issues. If you're getting a lot of saturated fat it could also effect your cholesterol and blood pressure.

I suspect in your case it was Lupus all along, too. Fibro is a "syndrome" and a syndrome by definition means "unknown". Essentially, when doctors can't find a firm diagnosis for deep tissue pain, they slap a Fibro diagnosis on it. Then, in cases like yours and mine, the true diagnosis finally emerges and it's like "Ohhhh so that's what was wrong all along!" Just remember, get your rest. sleep is truly your best friend when trying to get past a flare. Btw, it sounds like your hubby is a keeper. I'm glad you have him

Hello and yes I do, and I don't mind being called out I have Multiple Sclerosis which is also an autoimmune disease. I was also diagnosed with Fibromyalgia years before the MS diagnosis, but I honestly think it was just MS all along. I actually just came out of a flare a couple weeks ago. I have symptoms all the time, but when when I'm in an exacerbation it all gets a lot worse. I had about 2 weeks where my band did feel tighter than usual and I had zero appetite. I found during that time, I drank Protein shakes a couple times a day to keep my nourishment up. Normally I'd never advise someone to do that, but when you have a medical condition that's temporarily making it rough to eat, you do what you need to do to get through the rough patch. This is actually partially why I don't do the whole high protein diet. I try to keep my diet as anti-inflammatory as possible because it does lessen the effects of autoimmune disease. If you're curious, here's a basic anti-inflammatory food pyramid. http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02995/Dr-Weil-Anti-Inflammatory-Food-Pyramid.html If you're having problems taking your meds, see if your pharmacist can give you a liquid version of it temporarily. Or, if it's safe to crush or cut them. Your meds are really important right now. Hang in there, I know how bad it sucks. Just rest and do whatever is necessary to get through this flare.

I was on stage 1 (liquids) for 4 weeks. It was awful! I wish I had some great advice but really you just have to rough through it. Protein shakes helped to appease the hunger. Blending cottage cheese into cream soup adds extra protein thus helps appease the hunger, too. I also discovered V8 makes some great fruit and veggie juice blends and they come in a light version. Hang in there, just remember you're on the post op diet to heal. You can do it.

LOL you posted your surgery date while I was replying Some people have issue with bread. I know I have to be super careful when having a sandwich because it's difficult to take small bites of them. When I can, I use a knife and fork to eat them so I have better bite control. Take it easy the rest of the day because your stoma is probably irritated from the stuck episode. Once the stuck food has passed, some warm tea might help sooth it too.

Yes, TMF is totally correct, do NOT make yourself throw up. Vomiting is a major cause of slips with the band and the last thing you need is to turn a minor stuck episode into a serious complication. When was your surgery? You should really fill out your profile, it makes it easier for us to help.