jen_1381

Sounds like a rough day. I'm sorry, sometimes it seems like those days just happen; everything piles up and crashes down all at once. I'm in SW Washington, and it's been raining like crazy all day! But, coming from the Oregon Coast, it takes more than a days rain to concern me. Hopefully tomorrow will bring something extra-good, to make up for the bad day today.

After almost 9 weeks of a plateau, I'm finally losing again. I got to a place where I just didn't feel good. I went back in to see my nutritionist last week (turns out I wasn't eating enough) and we set a new game plan but I just felt ill eating that much during the day. I was literally eating every 3 hours, when my body was used to going 6+ hours between meals. My stomach always felt full, my bathroom habits were way off, and I just felt sluggish. Sunday, I watched the documentary called "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" and it was AMAZING. If you haven't seen it, please watch it. It's about a man who really was fat (over 300 lbs), sick (had an autoimmune disease that he took meds daily for) and nearly dead because of those two reasons. He decided to go on a 60 day juice fast (which 60 days is LONG - he was medically supervised and it was durastic, but he felt he needed it). The changes his body went through over those two months was jaw-dropping. He not only lost almost 100 lbs, he lowered his bp, cholesterol, and reset his body enough that he was able to go off his meds completely. Me, being the skeptic that I was, hit the internet and read all about the pros and cons, do's and don'ts, then thought that where I was at - - feeling ill, weight stuck, nutrition lagging - - I may as well give it a try. I started Monday of this week. I drank juice all day then ate a very light dinner. Also decided it was time to quit coffee again. Sidenote: by juice, I don't mean the store bought that is mostly sugar and juice extract. I bought the fresh produce and a juicer and made the juice by hand using only pure, orgainc vegetables and fruits. I'm also adding in a protein shake to ensure I reach my daily need. Tuesday I woke up with a migraine (thanks to the no coffee), and have to eat with my medication, so had a Greek Yogurt for breakfast and then drank juice the rest of the day. Yesterday, Wednesday, was all juice. In three days, I dropped 7 lbs. Mostly water weight (that I could feel, and really needed to be shed) I'm sure, but the way I FEEL is amazing. I'm sleeping soundly. I have energy all day long. My cravings I was having for coffee, sweets, and salt have completely gone away. I feel like I'm really giving my body what it needs. When my stomach growls now, I know that it's real hunger instead of me just feeling like I want to eat. I know this sounds durastic but I felt it was what I needed. My plan is to continue the juice plan for a few more days, as long as the scale keeps moving down, then slowly reintroduce foods to my system, working up to the original plan of protein, fruits, and veggies. I feel like I'm giving my system the reboot I desperately needed. It's similar to doing the pre-op liquid diet, the accompanying feelings are there the first day or so (hunger, anger, headache, etc). Now that I'm on day 4, I can't believe how great I feel. This program may not be for everyone, and it is, in a way, sidestepping my understanding of well-rounded nutrition, but it was the healthiest way I found to cleanse my system and get a "do-over". Has anyone else tried a juice fast?

I take a BP bill, thyroid pill, and biotin every morning and have never had to crush them, or had them get stuck. I drink water all day long - about 100 ounces a day. I've been banded 5 months and have never thrown up. I don't know that many bandsters physically can throw up after surgery; what they refer to as "throwing up" is most likely what we call "PB-ing"...or "productive burping". It's bringing up whatever may be stuck between the band and your throat. But honestly, I've been stuck about 10 times and never had to bring food back up. I just stop what I'm doing, take deep breaths, and ride it out.

If there's any doubt, I would call. I never vomited post-op, but if I did I know I would have called my doctor. It wouldn't hurt to call - the worst he'll say is that it's okay (but I don't think it is...).

I've been at a stand-still for about 7 weeks. It can take a huge toll on you mentally. I've had to take a step back and be proud of my progress, or else I would have lost my mind by now. Just know you're body is changing and adjusting. You'll get there.

I'm excited for you! Most of us happy bandsters will agree, our only regret is not doing it sooner. At 19, I weighed 235 lbs. You know the only change that happened over the next 10 years, despite countless diets and work-out routines? I gained 10 lbs. A month shy of my 29th bday I got my band, and have lost over 50 lbs so far. I'm not saying that doing it without the band isn't possible, but you sound like you've really got your head on straight and have made a well-informed decision. Don't let other peoples opinions sway you; you are the only one that has to wake up every morning in your skin.

There are so many factors that can tweak your weight up and down. Water retention, your amount of activity (I ran a little test and weighed 2 more pounds right after working out than I did before I started), and so many other things. I always weigh myself in the morning, as soon as I wake up right after I go to the bathroom and stark naked. That's the only weight I take to heart. All the other scales are different than yours, and your body is different at certain times of day. I know that won't make you feel better, but please don't be so hard on yourself. I am the same way with the weight loss and gain fluctuations, and it really takes its toll on your spirit after a few months. Look at big picture.

I'm not a fan of Dr. Oz I know a lot of people value his opinion, but I'm not one. It will be interesting to see how Lisa does though. I read a comment that she had towards Dr. Oz that he was one of those "skinny people we hate". She's very outspoken...should be an interesting show!

My surgeon says he is happy with a 1 lb loss every 7-10 days. At first, I was doing much better than that, losing between 2-3 lbs a week. Now that I've been banded a while, the weight loss has slowed down (even stopped the past 6 weeks) so losing and keeping off that 1 lb a week is taking work. There are only a few things I really miss living my new lifestyle. Sour Patch Kids are probably the biggest thing. Sugar coated in sour sugar? Yes please!! But I haven't had them in months. Every know and then I will crave a drink of Pepsi. The way the carbonation burns...mmm! But I know it's potentially hazardous so I don't give in.

I've been in a funk, and part of that funk involved laying low and not coming on here. That funk also involved a little bit of a tale-spin with my eating, trying the theory of eating whatever I want (within reason) just limiting portions, as other successful banders have done. Turns out, that plan doesn't work for me. But, I still didn't lose or gain. I have officially hit a plateau, my weight hasn't changed in almost 2 months and it's causing me truck loads of anxiety. I became a Super Star at managing anxiety until a few weeks ago, and it all came back with a vengance. So I started seeing a counselor again, this morning, and feel like I'm working towards getting on track (I'm not a crazy person, I just get so nxious that I feel like I can't sit still and never let myself relax or sleep because there are things I HAVE to do). We talked a little about my surgery and she asked me how I was handling the weight loss. I told her that I still had a ways to go, I still want to lose another 30 pounds and she really questioned me. She said that I don't strike her as overweight at all, and why would I want to lose more if I was fit. I quickly corrected her, I am far from fit, and I feel like my weight loss journey is just starting. We talked a little about the emotional attachment to weight loss, and how even though I've lost over 50 lbs I still don't see any difference in the mirror. She assured me that although it's very common, it is something I have to work at accepting. I certainly don't feel any smaller, the only thing I've noticed changing are the numbers on the scale and my clothing tags. I still look in the mirror and see a fat somach, flabby thighs, and huge arms. So apparently, this girl has some self-image work to do.

First of all, welcome!! Alrighty....so any surgery has potential risks, and one of them for every surgery is death. I haven't heard of the 11%, that seems awfully high. You also need to consider the risks of living your life obese. Feeling scared is completely normal, I would be worried if you weren't a little doubtful. I went into this journey only knowing one person who has had lap band, and she was had completely failed. She thought the band would be a magical cure for her obesity (she started out at 475 lbs). Had the surgery in Mexico, never had fill, never followed any dietary changes and eventually made her band slip and removed. She didn't lose any weight, but she also didn't change her lifestyle. Seeing someone fail at this was very daunting, but I used it as inspiration. I KNEW I could be a better bandster than she was. I have been banded almost 4 months now. The surgery itself wasn't bad at all. I recovered quickly and don't remember the pain (which means it must not have been that bad!) It wasn't a walk in the park, but I've been through worse. I have completely changed my lifestyle. I use food now only as fuel to make it through my day. I look at things like donuts and candy with disugst. I can't believe I used to put that in my body! Exercise has become theraputic. The pre-op process alone was life-changing. The past four months have been the best of my life - - besides that, I've lost almost 55 lbs. That was just a side-effect of all of the healthy changes I made. I've never felt so good. Living the bandster lifestyle is a huge change and on that is not to be taken lightly. Do your research, take everyone elses opinions with a grain of salt, and weigh your options. I wish you all the success in the world!

Anxiety is something that I've had my whole life but not recognized until just a few months ago. That constant feeling of always having to be moving, and feeling like I'm going to explode if I have to sit still, is apparently anxiety. That need to always be busy has essentially controlled my life - not only did it contribute to my obesity (if I had to sit still, I would eat to keep my hands/mouth busy), but I gave up many fun things to do things I "had" to do, like clean the house. I got my anxiety in check with the help of a few therapy session before surgery. The past few months have been great...until this past week. My weight has been at a stand-still for about a month. I weigh myself every day, and when the scale doesn't move I get frustrated, which leads to nervous energy, then anxiety. Next thing I know, I don't want to go to bed until my last bit of laundry is folded and the house is shining clean. While it's very efficient, it's not practical. I was talking with my husband this morning about how I think my anxiety is back, full-blown, and he told me that he didn't think that weighing myself was beneficial at all. He made me promise to eat 3 meals a day and not weigh myself for one week. He said he was going to hide the scales until next Thursday. He encouraged me to restart some of the techniques the therapist suggested and see if I feel better in a week. So, I guess I will give it a try. I've never gone a day without weighing myself since my weight loss journey started. That alone stresses me out

Thanks for the input everyone! I think I will ask my surgeon for a refill of phenergan next time I see him, just in case. I had uncontrolled migraines for about 3 years, vomited with them, and had at least 3 a week. The excessive vomiting does a toll on your body - it wore down the enamel on my teeth, as well as caused the hiatial hernia which lead to years of heartburn. Throwing up is no joke! I'm so thankful I found a good migraine med - after years of trial and error - and feel like I got my life back.

Surgery 5/18/12, down 54 lbs...and stuck there!! Ugh plateaus really stink.

Some days just suck. Sorry you're going through all of this. For the last few years I've felt like a Professional Patient (love how you worded that!) myself, the end result being a hysterectomy and two heart ablations. You feel like you're getting ran through the ringer...your voice gets lost in the process somehow, it becomes a juggling act with insurance and doctors. That's why I opted for the Lap Band at 28; I figure I'm going to just bag my 20's, chalk it up to life sucking, and live my 30's to the fullest being healthy, pain free, and comfortable. I wish you all of the best in your future adventures. Hopefully after you're settled with your back and lap band, you'll be able to stay away from doctors, hospitals, OR suites...for a long time!

...throw up? Like, full on, I-have-the-stomach-flu vomit? This is probably way disgusting to most, but I've heard conflicting information. A lot of bandsters say they can't throw up anymore (I'm not talking PBing, I mean full on puke). Can they "not" just because they're scared to, or can you physically not throw up anymore? Thinking about it logically, there is essentially a very small opening for the vomit to pass through, but wouldn't you physiologically still have the vomiting process? I'm not a fan of puking by no means, but there is nothing worse than feeling MISERABLE and knowing that vomiting will help, and not being able to do it.

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.

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.

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'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.