dohair2013

It's amazing to me how different everyone's pre-op diet is determined by different doctors!! I am to use 4 Protein carb controlled shakes ( they gave me a list of types) and 6 Snacks a day that consist of my choice out of 1/2 c oatmeal, 1 cup Tomato or v-8 juice, 1 cup raw veggies ( a list was given to choose from), a list and amounts of different fruits to choose from, sugar free pudding or Jello, and light yogurts. I am on day 4 and am HUNGRY for some reason today!! I am a little overwhelmed with the thought of how my life will change after having the surgery but am exited all the same.

My allergies were giving me the blues leading up to my surgery - coughing, itchy eyes, runny nose, the whole nine yards. I let them know I wasn't feeling well, but since I didn't have a fever, they gave me something to control my coughs and proceeded with the surgery. Want to hear something funny? After the surgery, my symptoms were gone. Ha!

I love the band. I would never have a sleeve, too much removing. The by pass, never. I know of at least 6 people who had by pass and after 6-10 years they are all huge again. The band can be repaired, replaced and your body is not all cut up. I see my doctor every 2 months and have had 3 fills for a total of under 2cc's. The needle hurts like any other needle you would get. Every doctor has their own rules about fills, seeing a dietitian etc. I go to my monthly support groups and love them. The meetings are all WLS people not just bands, so you learn and listen to everyone.
I never did any research. My lung doctor made my appointment and said you are getting the band. I didn't question it at all. I am off all meds except for the Vitamins and minerals that they say to take every day. Blood pressure is super!!
Just keep asking questions and we will all answer you, honestly.

I call bullshit. Call your surgeon and say, no let's not wait a month. You are absolutely right, if she's lost 70 lbs in a mere 3 months and is only sustaining herself through liquids than she is setting herself up for some severe complications. 70 lbs is a sufficient test for the band to losen, it didn't. Is she able to get at least Protein shakes down?
This is precisely the kind of crap you don't gamble with. Next thing you know she'll be so dehyrated and depleted you'll see her in cardiac arrest or kidney failure.
Sounds like doc got it wrong and it's time for him to repair the damage done!

You and your wife have valid concerns and something needs to be done ASAP. Of course your surgeon can list your wife as a huge success in his books, but your wife's weight lost is not healthy and is very dangerous as she can eventually end up with Vitamin deficiencies from starvation and other complications.
She has lost weight very rapidly, and it is not in a good way, she is probably vomiting all her meals.
There are many people get the band either too small or too large for their anatomies, usually surgeons are good at identifying which band should fit the patients stomach during surgery, and they usually have the small and large band available to fit the patient based on the stomach size when they get in there.
I've seen MANY over the years suffer from horrible band slippage, frequent vomiting, food intolerance and esophageal damage due to bands too small, and all ended up getting the band removed.
If she can get it removed immediately and replaced with a larger band, she can probably prevent any further damage to her body.
I would personally find another surgeon to remove the band, and get an attorney, and if your wife wants to get another band placed 'correctly' in the future, she probably will have better banded life than she does now.
Ideally a well fitted lap band should allow lots of wiggle room with an empty band, most patients have NO restriction with an empty band and it feel like there is no band, that is how it should be ideally, and with a band that is optimally filled, it should take about 3-7 fills to fill optimally.
When someone gets fully restricted on very little saline, this means their band is almost too small and if anything happens, they are likely to suffer complications too.
Good luck

Hi happy to be on this site i start my liquid diet today ,and my surgery will be 24/sept.

crazy we could have been in the waiting room togehter and would have never known.. if your intrested in being buddies and meeting up some time let me know

Just 4 days left until surgery! September 12th is the day. I can't believe it is so close!!!

My lap band is scheduled for September 25th. I'm both extremely excited and nervous all at the same time. I begin my pre-surgery diet on September 11th. I'm REALLY worried about it. For my diet I can have 2 Protein Shakes per day. One can/cup of soup(not cream based) or turkey chili. 1-2 Snacks of fat free yogurt, cottage cheese, pudding or Jello. And of course liquids like gatorade, tea, Water, etc. Any feedback from people who have or are going through the pre-surgery diet would be greatly appreciated. Good luck to all!!!!!

I'm jealous of some of the diets ... If I could eat veggies & fruit it would blissful!!! But alas, I'm on 4-5 Protein Drinks, SF Jello, SF Popsicles & broth.< /p>

CONGRATS...I'M ON THE 27TH OF SEPTEMBER AS WELL!!! I am going tomorrow to pickup my Protein shakes....I am super excited as well....keep us posted!!

It's amazing to me how different everyone's pre-op diet is determined by different doctors!! I am to use 4 Protein carb controlled shakes ( they gave me a list of types) and 6 Snacks a day that consist of my choice out of 1/2 c oatmeal, 1 cup Tomato or v-8 juice, 1 cup raw veggies ( a list was given to choose from), a list and amounts of different fruits to choose from, sugar free pudding or Jello, and light yogurts. I am on day 4 and am HUNGRY for some reason today!! I am a little overwhelmed with the thought of how my life will change after having the surgery but am exited all the same.

you look great! buy some new clothes girl..and NOT baggy ones! you deserve it! deb

it's noticeable your face,neck,arms & belly.
your losing roughly about 10lb a month 2.5lb a week your doing great,keep it up!

I told everyone. I work in the surgery dept where my Dr does weight loss surgery. Helps keep me on my toes ! Accountability! My family was very supportive. I'm hoping I can inspire just one person that feels its hopeless to lose weight and get their health back and then turns to the band for help and gives it their all...many people on here have inspired me. :0)

Well I am getting banded on Friday and for some reason my story is different from everyone who posted you see I did tell my family and friends for some reason every time my mouth open out came the words I am getting wls and my family and friends are so happy for me I have not receive one bad response. I did say to one of my friends oh boy I told a lot of people and now everyone is going to be watching me and maybe that's why I did it usually I hate bring looked at but I think I might have spilled the Beans so I keep my self on the straight and narrow. I don't know I think I am surprise that I am having it done its going to be a change in my life but I am so ready for it and I know I have a very big support system willing to be there if I need them and I found this sight and l also have you guys to ask question and support.
P.S I told my husband no one at his job is to know. When they see me l will just be thinner

I touched on this a few minutes ago in another thread. I'm honest with close friends and most co workers -- people who are there daily, who see what I eat and how hard I hustle at the gym. After a few asinine comments from casual acquaintances or people I just see sporadically, I don't go into details because I feel they're just being nosy or making conversation.. They're not genuinely concerned about my journey.
Unfortunately, family wasn't excluded from this either. I've had my band since Nov 2009 and I just told my parents last week. My mom probably weighs somewhere in the 350 - 400lb range, but I knew she would just be critical and not supportive. Due a recent cancer scare and some thyroid issues she's freaking with, I felt she would be more receptive. I asked for her help taking care of me this week post-arm lift and breast lift, and we've had some great convos about it! She's still not 100% on board with it, but
I will say, now that I've lost 120lbs, I'm a lot more comfortable opening up and sharing my st ory than when I first got started. I was so embarrassed at the beginning, but now that all of my hard work has paid off , I'm more confident and don't care as much about others' opinions. I think I had to wait and prove to MYSELF the Lapband would work for me before I decided to start screaming it from the mountain tops!
Sorry this was so lengthy! In summary: for me it depends on the audience.

I am not telling to many people. No one from work will know and most friends won't know.
I have only told my aunt (she's my ride to and from the surgery),
my kids (only because most of my appts were over the summer so they went with me),
My PCP,
and pharmacy( to see if I could switch some meds to liquid)
I know most of the people in my life are very against any type of WLS. I don't want nor need to have that negativity in my life!
I don't want people judging me if I don't lose as fast as they feel I should be. My coworkers would be the worst as my weight has been the butt of many jokes.
I do wish I could tell more people and have their support, but that's just not possible with these people!
I appreciate this forum and live that I can come here and vent and get info any time of day or night!

I've only told immediately family and two close friends.
I was scheduled for a hernia repair during the band procedure, so those know knew i was having surgery...i just said hernia repair if they asked.
It's been interesting to find that most friends say nothing, where people i know less well have been the ones commenting...and usually just "you're looking well". People like cashiers in stores i frequent, or friends of friends that i see occasionally have been the ones saying anything.
As for work...there is the gossip thing that i wanted to avoid, but there is also a judgmental thing...there is a health promotion team that has no qualms about commenting on everything people eat and do. So i am fairly sure people may have noticed, but only one person has said anything...and she is a co-worker that i am fairly close with, and who has been nothing but supportive and encouraging about everything, as she was before i had lost weight...so nothing really different.
Although there was my nephew's comment. Now this kid is all about unconditional love and non judgment, and he is too young to know about the health risks that comes with being obese and having diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and all the other things i have. I saw him 5-weeks post surgery, down about 40 lbs at the time, and he says "you look like spaghetti, i don't like it, i am worried". He hates the idea and doesn't understand the idea that anyone would feel badly about themselves for being overweight...so he was worried that i was losing weight because i felt badly about myself, or felt pressured by others somehow to lose weight, and he wanted me to know that he loved me the ways i was before.
My plan for when people asked was to go the whole "more Protein, fewer carbs, better workouts" routine ... but so far no one has asked. To the one friend that did say "you've lost a lot of weight" i replied "thank you" and he smiled and that was the end of the conversation. I like to be prepared...so i had my plans...but what's that expression...the best laid plans? Well...they may come in handy in the months ahead...who knows.
I'm just glad i had the choice whether to tell or not...and that i have an incredibly supportive family.

I am really struggling with this. I have a list called "People Who Know" in a LapBand journal I started a month or so ago. Husband, local friend, far away friend, another friend who has weight issues -- she has been most skeptical -- and that's it so far. Hospital peeps, obviously. NOT telling my mother. She is elderly and a source of body/weight issues. I don't want to have to deal with her. We have a son turning 18 and I want to tell him at the right time (near to date), but otherwise I feel like I need my privacy. Except for here -- you guys are awesome.

Only told my mother and MIL. Husband knows because he was banded same day, but not the kids.
I didn't tell anyone else (friends, extended family, coworkers).
When asked about my weight loss... I said high Protein, low cals and working out... which is what it is LMAO

sp,
Carolina is right. There's more to this than just having surgery and getting fills. I would say it is NOT normal/average to have lost 0 lbs post surgery three months after surgery. Eating healthy and exercising moderately usually yields a 1-2 lb/week loss without the lapband.
So we need to investigate what you are eating, how many calories do you consume, do you exercise and what type? What does your average daily menu look like, are you getting min. 60g Protein in? This may be the crux of the problem.
It is essential in the beginning to create a foundation of strong eating habits so it becomes easier and more manageable when your fills finally kick in.
Let us know..