mylynn1377

Congrats on eating right! It's hard to resist some of the bad/yummies when you go out. What I've been doing on my gung-ho pre/pre-op diet is figuring out where we are going to eat and seeing if the place has a nutrition guide online. That way I can see what the cal, fat, carb, damage will be before ever going. If I have a plan of attack I will stick with through the temptation of melty cheese and garlic bread!

Congrats on the loss so far, that is super awesome! I'm pre-op and decided to start watching my eating, so far I'm doing pretty good. The protein shakes actually help me because days when I don't care or can't seem to drum up the energy to cook something usually left me at a fast food restaurant but now I pop a can and go about my business. I am however pretty resistant to exercise. Last year I joined a gym with my Mom and I was stoked. I kept pushing myself and I built up stamina and felt better but....no weight loss. Oh I know I tightened up and lost inches but I wanted that scale to move! So I think this time around I am going to get my eating under control first and work up to exercise. That way I can see results first before I start putting on muscle and keep myself motivated.

I'm glad I read this. I've already started a pre/pre/op diet and it's going well but I occasionally have a problem with hypoglycemia too so I believe that I'm going to hop out and grab some of those Hunger Smart's to have on hand if I have a problem. Thanks for mentioning that!

I guess that's why in the article link I posted that they were advertising some of the liquid gels as no burp...that just sounds wrong..lol

Oh I have heard bad, bad, things about the gummies being super nasty...I've never tried them myself but I have heard enough from others that they are super gross.

A thing to think of is making sure that you are working with a qualified nutritionist. A high protein diet can have adverse effects on a diabetic, because it makes already stressed kidneys work harder. I would make sure that you take in as much water as you can to flush your system and maybe ask your primary about tweaking the diet a bit. Your most important job is to get healthy while maintaining a desirable blood sugar level.

I found this article and it made a lot of sense. I thought I would share with my fellow pre-bands and it could also be a useful tool for the banded that have slipped a bit. Please feel free to read and follow the link! food, he measures his food, and when he needs to get an adjustment, he comes in. Recently Bill had a bit of pouch dilation so we had to remove Fluid for a few weeks and rehabilitate his band (he had been eating a bit too fast over the last months and started to notice heart burn.). During the band rehabilitation Bill gained 2 pounds. X-rays of successful patients Take a piece of food, like meat, and put some x-ray material on it (kinda ruins the taste) and have a successful patient eat it. How fast do you think it goes from above the band to below the band? Pretty quickly- usually less than a minute, but for most about 30 seconds. We use to think that food stayed above the band and slowly dripped down – like coffee through Mr. Coffee filters. But it doesn’t. Food, in successful patients- goes through quickly. What about patients who are not successful and talk to us about wanting the band tighter and more “restricted.” Their food stays above the band longer. They have more episodes of “productive burps” more trouble with meats and vegetables. But if you ask the unsuccessful patient they will tell you, “I know my band, and this is how I lost weight before.” It probably wasn’t- but now they think the answer is to make the band tighter and tighter. Drinking and eating Successful patients eat and drink at the same time. We use to think this wasn’t a good idea, and some patients from those days don’t eat and drink at the same time- and tell us it makes a difference. Exercise Did you know that 77% of our successful patients exercise. Lots do weight training, some cardio, but they work out and do it a lot and enjoy it. A very small per cent did that before the band. Exercise isn’t how they stay thin- but if you ask them, “When I exercise, I don’t want to waste calories on something stupid and give up all I did.” Unsuccessful patients tell us they didn’t exercise last month (the month before they came to the office). Measure everything They don’t “eyeball it,” they measure it. And in fact, they often don’t trust their own eyes because when they don’t measure for a few days and then test themselves they are shocked at how much they start to eat. Jacquie weighed 260 pounds when she started with us. One year later she weighed 130 pounds. What was her secret — she measured everything, “Everything I ate I put in those little cups.” Oh, after a year she got her first fill (her band was a bit lose). Unsuccessful patients tell us “I eat less than I ever did, and I just don’t understand.” Do they measure? No- they eyeball. Test this right now – get a measuring cup out and cut up the meat you would think is your portion for dinner. Successful patients know that they eat less for the first year or 18 months, then they increase the amount. Unsuccessful patients increase the amount. Never hungry, never full “I just live by never being hungry, but I never want to get full either,” said one of our patients. She ate every four hours, but never much, and she had gone from 220 to 125 in a year. Patients who are not successful tell us that they “can eat more than I should.” The answer is, they always could eat more – the band does not physically prevent them. But when you eat to feeling “full” you will eat more than you should. When you know how much you need to eat to avoid getting hungry, and not go over that, the answer is weight loss. Accountability Everyone has setbacks. But successful patients get up, come back in, and get adjusted. Sometimes it is their head, sometimes it is there band. Unsuccessful patients blame everything but themselves: be it drugs they are taking, a lack of exercise, or stress. The successful patient learns from the mistakes they made, know their trigger and figure it out. We had one patient get upset because she was on prednisone, had thyroid issues, had orthopedic issues, and just thought we were not nice because we didn’t accept that as an excuse (we would have the first time, maybe the second time, but a year of excuses to not lose weight with the band). Food restrictions Successful patients will tell you that they eat differently now than before surgery. Unsuccessful patients tell us that their diet can’t change because they are picky eaters, and their diets have not changed. In spite of signing the consent form, which on page 2 says they are willing to change lifestyle- these patients don’t change the most fundamental issue- what they eat, and where they eat it. Bad food, and too much of it, is bad food. Visits Successful patients see us about 6-11 times the first year, and 4-6 the second. Unsuccessful patients see us either much less – or a few see us more. Want to change? Consider this- there is nothing that is difficult if you are willing to change. Let the lapband be the tool. Our 90 day challenge is meant for those who either need to re-focus, get rid of things, and then begin again. Never stay down- always come back.

I found this article that relates to the topic, only this is from a well known surgeon in the US. What We Know from Successful Lapband Patients Posted on 05.27.12 Band Help 2 Comments There are several characteristics that we have identified from those patients who are successful with their band. Sometimes what we find out from them surprises us, and changes the way we think about the band. But we spend a lot of time with our successful patients, and learn from them as to what we can do to help others. All I do is install a tool. It is up to you to use it The band is a tool One lovely patient of mine said that if I told her this one more time she would choke me. But this is what our patients who lose their excess weight tell me. “The band doesn’t do the work,” Bill told me, “I’m doing the work. The band just makes it possible.” Bill has had his band for five years. When he came to me he weighed over 300 pounds at five foot six inches, and was not a happy man. He now weighs 160 pounds, but he will tell you that he works at this every day. He eats healthy food, he measures his food, and when he needs to get an adjustment, he comes in. Recently Bill had a bit of pouch dilation so we had to remove Fluid for a few weeks and rehabilitate his band (he had been eating a bit too fast over the last months and started to notice heart burn.). During the band rehabilitation Bill gained 2 pounds. X-rays of successful patients Take a piece of food, like meat, and put some x-ray material on it (kinda ruins the taste) and have a successful patient eat it. How fast do you think it goes from above the band to below the band? Pretty quickly- usually less than a minute, but for most about 30 seconds. We use to think that food stayed above the band and slowly dripped down – like coffee through Mr. Coffee filters. But it doesn’t. Food, in successful patients- goes through quickly. What about patients who are not successful and talk to us about wanting the band tighter and more “restricted.” Their food stays above the band longer. They have more episodes of “productive burps” more trouble with meats and vegetables. But if you ask the unsuccessful patient they will tell you, “I know my band, and this is how I lost weight before.” It probably wasn’t- but now they think the answer is to make the band tighter and tighter. Drinking and eating Successful patients eat and drink at the same time. We use to think this wasn’t a good idea, and some patients from those days don’t eat and drink at the same time- and tell us it makes a difference. Exercise Did you know that 77% of our successful patients exercise. Lots do weight training, some cardio, but they work out and do it a lot and enjoy it. A very small per cent did that before the band. Exercise isn’t how they stay thin- but if you ask them, “When I exercise, I don’t want to waste calories on something stupid and give up all I did.” Unsuccessful patients tell us they didn’t exercise last month (the month before they came to the office). Measure Everything Measure everything They don’t “eyeball it,” they measure it. And in fact, they often don’t trust their own eyes because when they don’t measure for a few days and then test themselves they are shocked at how much they start to eat. Jacquie weighed 260 pounds when she started with us. One year later she weighed 130 pounds. What was her secret — she measured everything, “Everything I ate I put in those little cups.” Oh, after a year she got her first fill (her band was a bit lose). Unsuccessful patients tell us “I eat less than I ever did, and I just don’t understand.” Do they measure? No- they eyeball. Test this right now – get a measuring cup out and cut up the meat you would think is your portion for dinner. Successful patients know that they eat less for the first year or 18 months, then they increase the amount. Unsuccessful patients increase the amount. Never hungry, never full “I just live by never being hungry, but I never want to get full either,” said one of our patients. She ate every four hours, but never much, and she had gone from 220 to 125 in a year. Patients who are not successful tell us that they “can eat more than I should.” The answer is, they always could eat more – the band does not physically prevent them. But when you eat to feeling “full” you will eat more than you should. When you know how much you need to eat to avoid getting hungry, and not go over that, the answer is weight loss. Accountability Everyone has setbacks. But successful patients get up, come back in, and get adjusted. Sometimes it is their head, sometimes it is there band. Unsuccessful patients blame everything but themselves: be it drugs they are taking, a lack of exercise, or stress. The successful patient learns from the mistakes they made, know their trigger and figure it out. We had one patient get upset because she was on prednisone, had thyroid issues, had orthopedic issues, and just thought we were not nice because we didn’t accept that as an excuse (we would have the first time, maybe the second time, but a year of excuses to not lose weight with the band). Food restrictions Successful patients will tell you that they eat differently now than before surgery. Unsuccessful patients tell us that their diet can’t change because they are picky eaters, and their diets have not changed. In spite of signing the consent form, which on page 2 says they are willing to change lifestyle- these patients don’t change the most fundamental issue- what they eat, and where they eat it. Bad food, and too much of it, is bad food. Visits Successful patients see us about 6-11 times the first year, and 4-6 the second. Unsuccessful patients see us either much less – or a few see us more. Want to change? Consider this- there is nothing that is difficult if you are willing to change. Let the lapband be the tool. Our 90 day challenge is meant for those who either need to re-focus, get rid of things, and then begin again. Never stay down- always come back. http://azlapband.com/blog/what-we-know-from-successful-band-patients/

I found these softgels but I'm not sure on the size. Their are some vitamin companies that actually have a liquid version that is flavored but they are kind of pricey! http://www.naturemade.com/Products/Supplements/Fish-Oil-1200-mg

One girl in another post got the coolest tattoo. She got onederland tattooed on herself after she got below 200. I thought that was the neatest thing and one of the coolest ways to commemorate something so important. Personally I have been waiting until I lost weight to get about 3 tattoos. The are already designed and waiting for me. I can't wait until I get below my 200 mark and can get them done!

You could try some of the flavored coffee. Once in a while my lovely fiancee will dig out the coffee grinder and make me some vanilla Carmel Starbucks. I find that I don't need as much stuff in the coffee that is already flavored. My best friend gets some brand of Chai that is Vanilla Carmel or something like that. She doesn't like sweetener in her tea so she drinks flavored tea to get the benefit of pretending she's doing something bad when she's really not.

My Mom uses Truvia or Agave nectar, both are natural sweeteners. My Mom swears by the Truvia (stevia) but I hate it. The only alternative sweetener I like is Splenda. My mother in law had to give up sugar and alternative sweetners because they made her break out in hives and gave her a bad headache but the all natural ones don't bother her. I would suggest you try the truvia or agave nectar and see what that does for you.

Well we love new people and all people that are on the journey to get healthy. Have you guys tried the gastric bypass forums though? Pretty much all of us here are on our way to getting Lap Band or have already gotten it, and while we enjoy hearing from everyone, you might find more information that helps you on the other forum. That website is http://www.rnytalk.com/ hope this helps and congrats on you and your husband taking the journey to health together!

I told my Mom that the only advantage to being severely overweight is that my doctor is waiving a lot of the prereq's for me. I just have to do a barium swallow, EKG, and lab work. It's about time being this big was beneficial, or at least it's nice that it's going to benefit me in being smaller lol.

That is super awesome!

Ok I just got my consult today and I had done my research, they carefully explained stuff to me. I am motivated and already whittling my calories down trying to get to 1200, hoping that after banding it will just seem like normal eating. My thing is trying to take small bites and chew, and the no fluids thing. This is my homework that I am working on because these are major issues for me. While I don't eat fast I do take big bites and I don't always chew it up as much as I should. Now I am working on that, my problem is that I am going to be sitting at the table eating for at least 20 mins after everyone else is done, maybe with the exception of my 5 year old cause he is the slowest eater ever in history. But he had choking issues when he was small and we drummed it in his head to take small bites and chew, chew, chew. So maybe he can just hang out with me and we will chew together. The fluids one is a big thing with me. I have started getting back in the habit of drinking a glass of Water before a meal and then I sip a drink with my food. I know the physiological reasons for not doing this with the band but....psychologically I feel if I don't have a drink when I'm eating that I will choke or something..yeah I know I'm weird but this is a big one for me. My question is how did all you that are banded overcome this? I would really like some tips to help out with this issue.

My PCP suggested lap band over bypass because I have no gallbladder and my intestines and colon are frequently unhappy with me over the whole situation. I would suggest a call to your insurance company to ask what they cover. See if your PCP can order a sleep study and do some labs to check for anything else I. e. high glucose, insulin resistance, high cholesterol, thyroid issues. And then proceed from there.

My enzymes are always slightly elevated, but never that high. I would definitely go ahead with follow-up and consult your primary doctor on that, especially if there is a family history of this. I know mine is high because I have very mild fatty liver disease, which mine is because I had gone so long with high cholesterol and gallbladder disease that they fat started depositing in my liver. Another check box in the yes I want lap band surgery pro list!

So I've been super stoked about my consultation appointment tomorrow. I get a call from the clinic and they were talking about how my insurance wouldn't cover a fill. I had to patiently explain to the lady that I don't even have a band yet. So she fixes the mess up in the computer and then lets me know that they don't have all their contracts in place yet with my insurance. So it will cover my initial consult but nothing further until they get the rest of the contracts in place, which will be a few weeks. In the meantime I'm asking her if the nutritionist and the psychiatrist that they use is a part of the group or if they are independent, hoping that maybe my insurance will cover those appointments and I can keep the momentum going until they get their contract issues worked out. I have no patience, I know this. And when I finally make up my mind to do something I expect it to be done right this minute. My Mother always said that if I could put my single mindedness to good use then I would have had this weight issue taken care of years ago. Well that's what I'm doing now and the powers that be are not cooperating with me!

That is awesome progress. I have my consultation tomorrow and I am soooo stoked to get this going. I am finally in such a good place emotionally that I want that to translate to physically, get this weight off, and find that girl that I used to know! She's starting to come out a bit and look around.

I know that I switched my addiction from nicotine when I quit smoking to brownies. Most people laugh at that but really don't understand that I would sit down and eat half a pan at a time. I needed something to replace the serotonin and I didn't want anti depressants because while they helped with my postpartum depression, they made me feel like a zombie. So now I have switched to these addictions, and along with my thyroid crapping out, I gained about 80 lbs or so over the last 5 years. So now I am working on my food issues before my surgery hoping that once I get banded it will be a bit easier for me to handle. And I really hope that I don't switch my addition from brownies to something else, unless it's exercise..lol.

More than likely it is your serotonin levels. The anti-depressant took care of that for you and now your body is adjusting to the lack by replacing medication with food. That was how I gained 100 pounds over the last 5 years, I quit smoking and quit taking my anti-depressants and so I turned to chocolate as a substitute, mostly brownies. Still can't have them in my house because I will sit down and eat half a pan in one sitting. I had to learn to cope with situations first without nicotine or medication and now I have to learn to cope without chocolate, and I think this one is harder. So technically it is in your head lol, because your brain is messing with you. One thing that's been working for me is a grazing on bell pepper strips. I haven't been banded yet so I'm not sure how well they would jive with your restriction, but they sure help me a lot. I'm using them in place of chips too and the crunch is mucho satisfying.

"Not all people who have enjoyed an average sized life are rude, superficial, and ignorant....but I think that most all people who have struggled with weight have learned lesson in empathy, and compassion which the average sized world cannot even begin to comprehend" I agree WebDoll. When I think about the cute Jr High me with long blond hair and 115 lbs, I had already experienced being overweight a time or two and I could never be mean like the mean girls who had never been fat. Right now I'm on this journey because I'm going to die if I don't, simple as that. I will not live long enough to see my 5 or 3 year old graduate from high school if I don't do something now. I'm doing this because I am the only mom my nephew has left, his mom died in a car wreck in 03, and I don't want him to have to go through that again. I'm doing this because I am marrying the most wonderful man who loves me big or small, and since I have known him since high school, he has met both versions of me. I am also doing this because I will graduate from college with my B.S. in Elementary Education in the next year and I know that no one will hire me at this weight, and more than likely a small child will make a remark about my weight. I know it isn't fair and that they should judge me on what I'm capable of doing, not what they believe I can't do, but that isn't how the world works. We live in a judgmental society and if I want career success and health and longevity then I have to do something now!

Banded Plication Banded Plication is a combination of two procedures: the gastric band and a new investigational procedure called gastric plication, or plication. During plication, the stomach is folded in on itself and stitched in place. This greatly reduces the stomach’s volume . In addition, a gastric band – most commonly the Lap Band – is placed around the upper part of the stomach. The band compliments the effects of the plication by also significantly reducing the amount of food eaten, as well as feelings of hunger. How it Works Weight loss with the gastric band is generally slower than with other procedures like the sleeve or gastric bypass. However, since the band is adjustable, patients have ongoing follow-up and “fills” (adjustments). Other than the benefit of a personalized process of finding the optimal tightness of each patient’s band, the adjustable nature of the band means that patients who relapse and begin to gain weight back, can often be helped back on track by further adjusting the band. No other weight loss procedure has this benefit. The banded plication was created with the idea of combining the advantage of the rapid early weight loss seen with plication, and the ability to further sustain weight loss for a longer period of time with the adjustable gastric band. The Procedure Banded Plication is a procedure that is performed laparoscopically, meaning it’s minimally invasive. Generally the surgery involves five or six small incisions in the abdomen. Using a tiny video camera and instruments through these small incisions, the surgeon performs the procedure with no cutting, stapling, or removal of the stomach or intestines during the Gastric Plication. Additionally, Plication is potentially reversible. This is different from the Sleeve Gastrectomy, in which part of the stomach is removed, making it irreversible. After Surgery After undergoing a banded Plication, patients usually stay in the hospital for 1-2 days. Patients are usually asked to stay on a liquid diet for several weeks after surgery, and then transitioned to solid foods under the guidance of the surgeon and dietician. Your surgeon and support staff will advise you on what type of post-surgery eating and lifestyle habits you should follow, in order to most benefit for your procedure. Weight Loss Trends Although there is significant data about the weight loss that occurs with a gastric band, the banded plication is a new and experimental procedure, so there is very little data available yet. Additionally, even plication performed on its own is a new procedure, and considered investigational because of the current lack of data in terms of safety or efficacy. Short-term clinical studies on the plication have reported that patients lose between 40% to 70% of their excess body weight during the year following the surgery. Additionally, many co-morbidities improve or resolve after weight loss surgery. However, clinical trials comparing either plication or banded plication to standard bariatric procedures are not available yet. Who Qualifies Since Plication is investigational, it is usually performed only in research studies (ASMBS gastric plication statement). Different surgeons and institutions will have different criteria for patients they would accept into these studies, however these requirements would typically be similar to criteria for other bariatric procedures, such as the NIH criteria for bariatric surgery, and the FDA criteria for the Lap-Band. Cost The cost of Banded Plication varies from practice to practice, and is generally expected to be more than the Lap-Band alone, but less than a more complex procedure like the gastric bypass. Because plication is an investigational procedure, and therefore the combined banded plication is investigational, it is not usually covered by insurance. Potential Complications All surgeries have risk of complications. Potential complications of Banded Plication include infection, bleeding, injury to other organs, and a leak from the suture line used to fold the stomach. A good surgeon will inform you about the risks associated with the various weight loss surgery procedures. It’s important to make sure you understand both the benefits and risks of any procedure you consider. http://doctorsofweightloss.com/banded-plication