jen_1381

My nutritionist was strongly against gummy Vitamins. She had valid reasons - 1) some have trouble post-op with the texture, and 2) most (not all, but most) have a sugary coating or a fair amount of sugar to make the taste acceptable. She pointed out that your vitamins should not be loaded with carbs or calories. I had been taking gummy vits for years before she pointed that out. I never noticed that my gummy vitamins were 15 calories a piece. Add in the two Viactiv chews I was taking at 20 cals a piece, and that was 70 calories a day in just my supplements. It may not seem like much, but I do a 800-1000 calorie a day diet and I have to make those calories count!

Your nutritionist or surgeon should be talking to you about Vitamins before surgery. I myself take a liquid Multivitamin (the pill forms make me so nauseated no matter what I do), liquid vitmin D, liquid Vitamin B, and then a capsule of Biotin. I mix the vitamins with equal part pure fruit juice and take them at night. I could probably switch to pill form and not do the liquid, but I got so used to the liquid after surgery I just kept with it.

I can't comment on the smoking or drinking because I don't do either, BUT, I can say you are most definitely not the only person who is an emotional eater. And to answer your question about having to find the source of your emotional trigger - you don't HAVE to but there's no way I would have been banded before getting my head straight. I was a very emotional eater. I was carrying so much stress that whenever my hands were empty or I wasn't moving, I got anxious. If I had to sit still for some reason, I would munch on something to keep myself busy. I absolutely recommend a therapy session (which is probably required through your process anyways) and get to the bottom of the unhealthy triggers.

I'm about three and a half months post-op, and my weight hasn't budged for about three weeks or so. I know plateaus are totally normal, but I feel like over the past week or so I haven't been a good bandster. I know I'm stuck on this plateau, so I've let my eating habits slip and exercise essentially stop. I know, I know, I'm awful!! The thoughts of - - maybe I'm only supposed to lose this much weight; maybe I'm supposed to be a 190 lb girl - came pouring back in. On prior weight loss adventures, my lowest weight was 189. That's where I'm stuck now. So this morning I had a nice little thinking session, and decided that I will NOT accept being 189 lbs. I KNOW I can reach my goal. I KNOW I can be a better bandster. So I'm kicking my butt back into gear. I started today going back to basics - two protein shakes during the day then a healthy dinner. I'm going to get back into walking daily, no excuses. I didn't really "fall off" the wagon, but I was hanging on tightly to the side, fingers slipping. So I'm climbing back on, sitting in the drivers seat, and taking control of this.

My band sits so it slightly irritates my Vagal Nerve. (Google it - it may explain some of your symptoms) It only bothers me when 1) I eat too much or 2) I get a fill. It's a piercing pain under my shoulder blade for about 3 days after a fill then it goes away.I I asked my surgeon about it after my first fill, and he explained about Vagal Nerve irritation, and that if it's too bothersome he can go in and adjust the band. For me, it's only temporary, I know exactly what it is, and it's not world-ending, so I ride it out. After a fill, I sleep with my hot pack. It's my only small sacrafice to having the band. Everything else has been great. Also - if you're fresh post-op - you may have been laying in a position on the OR table (they usually strap you down) and could be feeling pain from that. Is your normal sleeping position compromised? I spent the first two days on the couch, and my lower back was killing me.

Shellabee - I totally understand where you're coming from. If it's one thing I learned though (you asked about crazy foods or exercise that really helped) is that going crazy, which is something I've been very guilty of in the past, doesn't pay off. For long term results, steady is the key. This, coming from a queen of crash dieting, has been only thing that works for me. You sound like you're doing absolutely wonderful. Any loss is great (hey, we're not gaining!) but I completely get where you're coming from.

I didn't have to do one. At my consultation and initial exam, he said that based on my numbers (BMI, labs, etc) he wasn't concerned about my liver being too large for surgery so just do clear liquids the day before. We set my surgery date for 12 days later. I did opt to do a pre-op diet. The surgeons normal pre-op was milk 3x a day and that's it. I did a modified version, doing milk during the day and a low cal/low carb dinner. I lost 13 lbs in 10 days time. I needed to do the diet for myself to jump-start my mindset.

If it's the flavor, try adding a little sugar free coffee syrup (like the Toranis or a store brand). I would have the chocolate shake with a splash of SF carmel syrup. Helped change it up a bit. If it's the consistency - I would recommend skim milk and add some ice if needed. I don't like things too cold and have a hard time drinking cold Water but found that icing my Protein shakes helped me feel like it wasn't so much of a "blah" drink. I will say though, protein is SO important. I am about 14 weeks post-op and slacked off on my protein intake the past few weeks. My hair is shedding the worst it ever has and my energy has been low. I've recently restarted my focused plan and am already feeling better.

I was THRILLED when I lost 13 lbs on the pre-op diet, then post-op for about three weeks - - nothing!! I even gained a few lbs right after surgery. They give you a lot of fluid during surgery, and your body goes into a sort of panic mode. It's been through SO much and you're not giving it food at all like you used to. Your weight will do funny things for the first few weeks, so as hard as it is, try to avoid the scale and focus on healing.

Worrying never changes the outcome. Try not to stress, as hard as it is. Thank goodness they're doing this testing now, before they put you under general anesthesia. Thorough is good. I wish you the best of luck, keep us updated.

I agree with Theboysmom - I've had three stuck episodes. The first two, it was like - - is this what "stuck" is like? This last one, Monday, I was most definitely stuck. To me, it feels like the worst indigestion you could imagine. Mouth waters, and there's pressure like I need to burp. I found that if I stop what I'm doing, get up and walk around a bit, the food passes after about 2-3 minutes, which feels like 2-3 hours. I tried drinking Water during one of my maybe-stuck episodes, and it didn't help but didn't hurt.

Donna - I'm along the same lines as you - - there are foods that I could probably tolerate just fine, but I avoid them and mentally consider them "off the list" because it's a slippery slope for me. My husband is always asking me "can you eat that?" and I keep telling him that I COULD eat that, I just don't want to so I don't anymore.

My program had two different pre-op diet. They had the Pre-Bariatric Surgery diet, which started about two months before surgery (or as soon as you saw the nutritionist) that consisted of a well balanced, high Protein, low calorie meal plan. Then there was the big Pre-Op Diet, which would take place 2 weeks before your surgery date. It was all milk, 20 ounces, 3x a day. I saw the surgeon for the consult and was banded 12 days later, and since my BMI was borderline he opted to not have me do the Pre-Op diet. I also had to stop my Pre-Bariatric diet after a few weeks because my BMI was below insurance qualifications and I hadn't seen the surgeon yet to have my number submitted. Each program has different recommendations, but it's not unheard of to not have a set pre-op diet.

So far I haven't had anything that I've had to swear off (besides the carbonated beverages), but I had pita bread Tuesday night and had a pretty bad stuck episode despite chewing really well and taking small bites. My stomach actually hurt pretty bad all day yesterday...I think I may need to ease off those type of foods for a while.

It's always a good idea to slow your drinking - not guliping - but maybe you're having difficulties now because you're still swollen from surgery. I'm about 14 weeks out with 6 cc's in my 11 cc band, and can gulp like crazy. I try not to, and I'm working on changing my habit, but I've never had a problem with liquids going down except the first few days after surgery when I was still swollen.

Yay for smooth sailing Robin! I don't opt for the lidocaine either. Even with IV starts, I ask them just to do it. It's just one more poke, and I never feel a difference. I'm glad your fill experience went well, I've had three so far and so far, so good!

You may luck out - my insurance gave me an answer in 7 days (the answer was NO, until my surgeon called the review board the day before my scheduled surgery and they overturned their answer). Wishing you tons of patience!!

Okay friends, I would like your input. I'm about 14 weeks post-op. I had been walking or jogging 2-4 miles a day and decided on Monday to start alternating an Insanity work-out every other day. Well, apparently I hadn't used those muscles in forever because of course, my whole body is sore. Starting Tuesday though, mid-day, I began having pain in my stomach. Not abdomen, but stomach. Also pain/soreness around my port area. I haven't taken it too seriously because to be honest, my whole body hurts. My abs and ribs are sore from all of the jumping and bending. Last night, I got four bites into dinner and got stuck. I've been pretty good lately at taking small bites and chewing thoroughly; I don't think the stuck episode was due to my error. I have 6 cc's in my 11 cc band and think I'm finally in the green zone. The pain is worse when I sit down, and is about 2 inches above my belly button. It's a dull ache to constant pain. Not - double over pain - but definitely an unwelcomed nuisance. I put a call into my doctors nurse for her opinion, but had to leave a message. Has anyone else experienced this before? I am pretty sure it's from over-activity and my big workout (it was 57 minutes of non-stop go go go), but the pain coupled with the unusual stuck episode makes me wonder if I did something to somewhere! I'm going back to liquids for today to see if that helps.

Elcee I was with you - so confused until I saw the responses!! Addunaway - wishing you the best, and I hope everything turns out okay for you!

I talked with the nurse who was filling in for my normal nurse. She will talk to the doctor first thing tomorrow that's filling in for my doctor (always my timing, when everyone is out of town!). She said best case it's a pulled muscle and will heal. Bad case it's a torn suture into my port area. Worst case, the band has slipped. She will run it past the surgeon in the morning and see if I need to come in, have some diagnostic testing done, or ride it out. Stick to liquids until tomorrow and no working out until I hear back from her. So we'll see!

The time will fly by. Can you believe it's almost September already?! Embrace the process, that will make it go by smoother. Good luck to you, wishing you lots of patience!

Hey friends! I would like your input. I have had 3 fills, my last one two weeks ago, and am up to 6 cc in my 11 cc band. I'm not scheduled for another fill until the end of September. I was going in every four weeks but had to push back my fill date because I'm going to Vegas the 14-18th and the doc and I agreed not to do a fill right before leaving the state. So here's my dilemma. I think I am on the verge of the "green zone". I've cut my portions back and have been very strict with the 1 cup serving. It keeps me full for about 4 hours. I don't get my "full" signal though, and when the hunger comes, it hits me like a semi truck. All of the sudden I'm STARVING and have to struggle to eat slow. I'm wondering if I should ask for a small fill this week. My weight loss has been stalled, I've been fluctuating between the same 2 lbs for the past week. If you were in my situation, what would you do? Hang tight and wait it out until after vacation, or ask for another small fill (I'm thinking 0.5 - 1 cc's). I'm not even sure if my surgeon would do it, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.

To answer your question, yes, EVERYone runs into this. I went into a little bit of a spin when the scale stopped moving. Did everything I could think of and nothing for about two weeks. Then I started losing again. I've been fluctuating between the same two-three pounds the past five days again. All I can say is, as frustrating as it is and no matter how hard we try, sometimes our body just stops losing briefly. Don't panic, don't get frustrated, just ride it out.