jen_1381

Don't let a strangers criticism/advice derail you. If it was someone that you knew their opinion may hold value. But the cashier at the local grocery store? I wouldn't take it to heart. Try to put it in perspective - if they offered you advice about something else, would you take it? That is a situation where you smile, nod along, and walk away. It sounds like you have a great support teammate in your husband. Stick with him

My surgeon likes to see a 1 lb loss every 7 - 10 days. I was like - - that's it?! So I set my goal higher, at about 10 lbs between fills. I've never had a fill under fluoro, sounds interesting! Just had my third fill this week, and instead of going in more angled towards the side of my abdomen, he went straight through the edge of my port insicision/scar. Hurt like crazy!

I honestly picked the number out of thin air. Last year I did a crash diet and got down to 180 and thought if I could lose 20 more pounds I would be satisfied. Also, my sister is the same height as me and at 145 she looks too thin to me. I picked 160, which would put me in a normal BMI and would also be the lowest I've been since Junior High, but also feels attainable.

Try the sugar free coffee syrups. Adding a spash of SF caramel to my vanilla shakes saved me on my pre-op diet. Just don't use too much...SF items can cause stomach upset.

Sorry he's not explaining his reasons very well. That can be frustrating. Mis73 is absolutely correct. Different surgeons have different reasons and theories. My surgeon says full liquids for 24 hour then mushys for 24 hours, then regular. He explained that filling the band can cause irritation, which in turn can cause swelling. Trying to eat regular afterwards can not only be unpleasant for me (stuck) but could cause additional irritation.

People are generally very quick to share bad experiences. The day after surgery, my brother-in-law commented that "hopefully you do better than my coworker, he hasn't lost a thing and is sick all of the time!". Now when I see him every few weeks, he always compliments how great I'm doing and said he told his coworker about how successful I've been. Each experience is individual. There's probably as many reasons why I've succeeded as there is for his unsuccess. It's all up to you

Find a new doc! Maybe easier said than done, but you need a doctor on your side as part of your team. A good doctor really does make the difference.

Those compliments are SO nice, especially coming from someone who sees you every day and may have a more difficult time noticing the changes. I'm learning how to take a compliment - - before WLS, a compliment would be met with sarcasm on my part. I'm learning how to say "thank you" even if I don't really take it to heart yet.

That's just the statistic. I agree with everyone else, your journey is what you make of it. You get back what you put in. I, personally, have 80 lbs of excess weight to get my BMI into the "normal" range. I started my journey in May and have lost 53 lbs. So far, I'm sitting at about 65% of my excess weight lost and feel like my journey has just started. My surgeon also gave me the stats, and I took that as a challange. I can do better than 55%! I didn't want to go through surgery just to lose 45 lbs or so. Don't let the stats discourage you. If you invest in your journey it will pay off.

Each plan is different with UHC. I have it through my husbands union. I wasn't required to do any pre-op diet or anything special. The only thing my plan doesn't cover is visits with the dietician. I was approved with a BMI of 35, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol. But again, every plan is different within their system.

My surgeon was very pro-Sleeve. He wasn't against Lap Band per se, but he went into great depth on the Sleeve "since your insurance covers any of the 3 WLS procedures". He came off as neutral with the RNY and Band, but was very excited about Sleeve. He asked which I wanted and why. I told him I chose Lap Band and why, and he told me it sounded like I was in the right mindset to be successful. My goal was to lose 80 lbs, and he felt band was appropriate. I use his favoritism as motivation to show him I can be really successful with the Band, I didn't need the Sleeve!

Doctors tend to be very different on this topic. Mine wouldn't do the surgery unless I promised (and signed his "health contract") to not drink carbonated beverages. Wasn't an issue for me since I quit soda over a year before surgery, but for some people it is a big deal. I would check with your doc or nutritionist.

I've been in a few situations so far like what you're describing, big family BBQ's or meals. The first dinner that came along, I didn't go because I thought the temptation would be too real. After missing out on the family, I decided that I was going to have to learn self-control eventually so why not now. If we go to a restaurant, I pick something along the lines of what I would normally eat and section it off as soon as I get it. I ask for a to-go box when the meal comes and put the part that I shouldn't eat in the box. Out of sight, out of mind. My family knows I had surgery and eat a lot less, but for the most part they're too busy with their meals to notice mine. I'm still learning how to not over-eat in social situations because honestly I'm usually so preoccupied with conversation that I ignore my bodies signals that I'm full. The only time I get funny looks is when I turn down ordering a beverage, but that's usually from the waitress, who STILL brings me Water

Going back through my material - - which I promise, I read MANY times! - - it does say even right post-op, after you move through the different stages, that you should stick to 1 cup meals. Again, whoopsie!

I showered the day after surgery. If your incisions get wet just pat them dry gently. I had dermabond (glue) instead of steri-strips so it was easy.

Here I am, 12 weeks into my journey, and found out yesterday that I had misunderstood portion sizes and have been eating too much all along. When preparing my meals, I was having 2-3 ounces of lean Protein, 1/2 cup of veggies and 1/2 cup of fruit. I've been able to stay full between meals but don't have any "restriction" per se; I don't get my full signal very often. I just stick to controlling my portion sizes. I went in for my 3rd fill yesterday (now have 6 cc in an 11 cc band) and my surgeon asked how much I was eating. When I told him my plan, he said that ideally I should be eating 1/2 - 1 cup of food TOTAL. He explained that once I'm in the Green Zone it will be easier to reach satiety after 1/2 cup of food, but until then go ahead and have 1 cup. Okay, so, whoopsie! He didn't think there was any danger of me stretching my pouch since I explained that I do eat slowly and don't always finish my meals. I asked about doing a liquid diet for a while to ensure my pouch was restored to normal and he didn't think it was necessary. I know each surgeon is different, and I intend to follow his direction, but is the 1/2 cup portion size what you guys try to follow? Pre-Band Me would have been a little distraught over such a little serving but it seems do-able to Post-Band Me.

Here's my two cents: The average weight loss with lap band is 50-60% of your excess weight. That's the average. Your success lies within you. I want to lose 80 lbs. I'm about 12 weeks post-op and have already lost 51, have 39 to go. I've already lost over 60% of my excess weight, and I feel like my journey is just getting started. The no-carbonation is absolutely true. It's a no-no for bandsters. Some are still able to drink it, but it can cause bloating and pain, and may even stretch your pouch. As for steak, I'm not in the Green Zone yet but I can still eat it. Just take small bites and chew really good. Your journey is what you make of it. If you want to lose 100 lbs, set your goals, figure out your routine, and go for it. Anything is possible

My surgeons definition of the Green Zone is when you've gotten enough fills to be satisfied with 1/2 - 1 cup of food for 4-6 hours.

I love fruit and usually have it with every meal. It is my last food that I eat with each meal though, so sometimes I don't finish it (Protein then veggies are my priority). I haven't had a banana, but I eat berries and grapefruit all the time. Alone as a snack though it isn't that flilling.

My surgeon seems to be pretty lenient. He said that 1 lb over 7-10 days is what he considers successful. I was dreading going in for my fill yesterday because I had a little weekend get-away and gained 6 lbs of Water weight. I try to lose 10 lbs between each fill and was at a 12 lb loss. When I weighed at the office, I was sitting right at an 8 lb loss. I was nervous that wouldn't be good enough, but he said I was still doing fantastic and just try to watch portions. This morning, I was back down to my original pre-weekend weight. Lesson learned - - don't go to your doctor the day after vacation!!

I had surgery on a Friday and went back Monday. I am at my desk 75% of the day and the other 25% walking. I did fine, but I have a high pain tolerance and didn't have any issues after surgery besides some air pain. The main thing is to not push yourself.

Congrats! I just had my 3rd fill today too. I'm up to 6 cc's in a 11 cc band. Hoping this one will push me into the green zone. We shall see!!

A few things....first, a side effect of anesthesia is the blues. Believe it or not...I've experienced it many times after surgeries. I just felt like crying, no reason why. Also, after lap band, your diet has changed durastically and you no longer can take comfort in food when you're stressed, especially right post-op. I've heard a lot of people feel like they're mourning the loss of food. You've got big changes ahead, and that can be very overwhelming. Add in the fact that the post-op liquid diet is not fun an all. All you can do is take it one day, rather, one decision, at a time. You CAN do this if you want to. I've done things on this journey that I never thought I could do. Reach out for support, this is a great forum to do that. I wish you all of the success in the world!

GREAT topic. Very deep! I had an abusive childhood at the hands of my Aunt and Uncle whom were our daycare providers. After the abuse was discovered, I did therapy as a child (I was about 6) and just had it set in my mind that I was fixed. When I was around 14-15 I started having anxiety, yet I didn't realize it was anxiety until I went through the WLS program and saw a psychologist. I felt like I always had to be busy. I was always cleaning, or doing SOMEthing to keep my hand moving. When I had nothing to do, I would eat. Kept my hands and mouth busy, and kept me calm. Fast forward over the next 14 years and I didn't know how to relax. I wouldn't let myself have an ounce of fun, or sleep, until the whole house was perfectly clean and orgainzed. I wasn't completely obsessive about it, but I would literally lay awake at night thinking of laundry that needed folded. After seeing the therapist and recognizing my feelings/anxieties over what happened to me as a child, and focusing on a few relaxation techniques, I'm a COMPLETELY different person. Things that used to keep me awake are no longer a priority over living life. I'm not saying I let my house get dirty (don't think I could ever do that!) but I no longer stay home from fun things because I need to shampoo the carpet. Added bonus, learning to keep my hands still cut out all of my mindless eating. Now, before I grab a snack, I ask myself if I really need this, or if I'm just needing to move around. Then I take a deep breath....

My nutritionist recommended 80-100 oz. I bought a plastic Starbucks bottle that holds 20 ounces and pretty much drink all day long. Most days I can hit the goal but others I'm just not thirsty.