make33

Well, I'll try to the best of my knowledge: (1) I started the process at 213 #, lost 6 # pre-op and have lost 24 # since (almost 3 months). Our metabolisms are just slow, so it matters that we follow exactly what we should eat and not vary (too much). Thanksgiving I gained two pounds and it took me a week to get back down--Christmas I gained 1.4 pounds and still have .4 to lose to start back down. But I will tell you this: for years of never being able to lose, it is fantastic to see the scales go down! (2) Chew, chew, chew, and eat very slowly. The only time I have pain is when I'm not paying attention and allow something bigger to go down! (3) My surgeon says if it can't fit through a straw, don't put send it down. Sorry--not sure how you'll do if you have horse pills (many say they crush them up in applesauce). (4) If you get whey Protein isolate, it will mix into liquids with just a spoon or a shaker. (Whey protein concentrate will have to mixed in a blender and has a lot of lactose). I use protein powders (chocolate malt and belgian chocolate) mixed only in Water and they taste great, trust me! I buy mine from Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, books, DVDs & more and make sure I get free shipping too! I have used protein powder since pre-op when I was only needing 40 grams a day. (Sorry, don't do ice--but that's your call!) Hey, the very best to you on the 10th!!!

Some insurance companies don't have much of a waiting period (I met one woman who was able to get surgery in two weeks!) but my insurance company required six monthly visits with a nutritionist, so don't be bummed if that's their rules. If it's three months, six months, or just two weeks, read everything you can find on the surgery and how your life will change--what its rules are and how you can conform into mainstream society!! (Sounds vicious, but it's easy once you get it down!) It only took me one month from the time I saw my surgeon until surgery was scheduled... You are taking all the right first steps--so my wish is for great success for you!~

I agree with everyone else--buy just a little (or get samples) before you buy in bulk! I made that mistake long before surgery, by stocking up on unjury--only to find now that I don't have much use for the unflavored (except in sugar free/fat free puddings), I'm not crazy about the chicken broth, and likewise for the chocolate (I'm using the last packet today--yay!) Everyone has different tastes, as displayed here--I'm a chocoholic myself and can't stand the fruity drinks--but that's what makes the world go around! There are tons of websites that carry (whey Protein isolate) and I've found two that are for me--but I'll still sample others from time to time--but just a sample!

Like you, when I began the process I really didn't have many health issues, i.e. sleep apnea, diabetes, hypertension. Other than a little acid reflux, I was good to go--but awfully tired of carrying around all that weight! My mother had diabetes and died from congestive heart failure (220 #) and my dad had diabetes and kidney failure, which he died from (210 #). I also had to prove to my insurance company that I had tried to lose weight in the last years--which I almost laughed at! I provided them with a list stretching back to the 70's when I did pills and shots from a diet doctor (they were legal then)! :rolleyes:Since then everyone knows the roller coaster of dieting we've all gone through--so making a list really makes you know it's been a lifetime of trying! I have never been more happy in my life than I am right now, with real hope for a normal future with plenty of quality!!

Your surgeon's office should end up referring you to a seminar (hopefully), which should last 3 - 5 hours. At this seminar, you can ask all the questions you want about the band and what your possible future will be like. There will be healthcare professionals there that can help you decide which surgery is right for you and the process you will have to go through. Is the doctor you've chosen one that is accepted by your insurance company? The first thing I did was to see if (1) the insurance company would pay for the surgery and (2) which surgeons / Bariatric Centers are on their approved list. Good luck to you...

I had horrible acid reflux and prior to banding was taking Nexium daily, as well as 5 Zantac! My surgeon tried to talk me into the bypass because he said sometimes the band makes acid reflux worse--but I didn't want that invasive a surgery! Honestly, I have not had even one incident of any disruption--even when I've had small portions of tomato products or chocolate, which were triggers previously! NOT ONE! PTL for my band!!!

Hey Snowbird--I've always wondered how I'm doing with my peers! You and I had the EXACT SAME SURGERY WEIGHT and were one day apart with our surgeries--and now we're the same weight again! Wha-hoo!! You just instilled a confidence in me that maybe I am lumbering along at an okay pace! Thanks! :eek:

Cota, it's a shame you didn't get any real "before" pix!! I never had pix taken, either--until this summer, knowing I was going for banding, I made sure my husband got some good and fat ones!! I DO know exactly what you mean about not noticing much change--I've lost just over 30 # and my husband and everyone in the office keep saying how great I look (I really wish they wouldn't, so I don't become complacent!) -- but I've got to tell you, I don't see it! I still see the same fat butt and belly and I don't even notice much change in my face (didn't have pudge on my face anyway). So I just don't know when it kicks in and suddenly we say "Oh yeah! I'm looking fabulous!" Guess we just have to bide our time, m'dear! :eek:

Do the research on the Internet--I know there are websites with blogs / forums to discuss Bariatric Centers / surgeons. Find one close to you-- besides all the initial workups, the followups after with the fills would be a pain if you chose someone hours away! (Even though I've seen threads where people are traveling three to four hours!) Good luck in your travels! :eek:

I'm pretty amazed that you could down that much all at once! (And you ARE talking 60 - 80 grams, aren't you?) I really prefer to have a shake mid-morning (21 grams) and then one mid-evening (21 grams), just about the time I'm starting to get the hungries! Those Protein shakes satiate me so-o-o much that my hunger is immediately gone! So by the time I get protein in for Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I'm usually way over my 80 grams. Sorry I don't know the official answer as to whether it's okay to drink all your Protein Shakes at once...:eek:

Touche, wombat! I was up 1.4 # this morning--and thinking of holidays gone by: how absolutely miserable I would be by the end of the days, and taking zantac and nexium to subside the acid reflux--what a great feeling to eat a small portion and be happy! Congratulations, Heather, on your new band! I am so proud of all the newly banded prior to Christmas! Because I KNOW there are a lot of people who postponed surgery "until after the holidays"... So you began your new life at the hardest time of the year, m'dear and that makes you terrific in my book...!

My first step was to see if my insurance company covered the surgery. If so, the next step would be to see what surgeons are in your area. Investigate each one (or just choose one!) and call their office / Bariatric Center to see when and where the next seminar will be. The seminar, which around here lasts 3 - 4 hours, covers every question you could possibly have about the banding (and even bypass also) with professionals that will tell you what your future would be like. From there, my Bariatric Center took over, scheduling all my pre-op testing (and I had to see a nutritionist six times for my insurance company). Good luck to you, now that you've made your decision...

I too gained weight during / after surgery -- They pump us full of liquids in the hospital with the IVs and then we go home and just sip liquid and aren't up and moving as much as normal to get it moving. Don't worry -- when you're up and around normally again (in another week) it will start coming off again. Merry Christmas!

I've been using Slim Fast Lo Carb until yesterday--when I received my order of "ZOIC" from Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, books, DVDs & more (belgian chocolate). Zoic is of a thinner consistency but it has 110 calories to Slim Fast's 190, has 1 gram of fat to Slim Fast's 9 grams, has 5 carbs to Slim Fast's 6 carbs, and has 21 grams of Protein to Slim Fast's 20. Taste-wise? Honestly, I have yet to find a canned Protein Drink that is wonderful--but both of these are decent (make sure they're cold). My true preference is for whey protein isolate powder mixed in Water (again belgian chocolate or chocolate malt--both from the above website). Keep trying--you'll find the one that suits you...

I will go for a week without the scale moving .1 of a pound (digitial scale) and then all of a sudden it will jump down 1.4 pounds--then it will stay there for another week or so! At Thanksgiving I began a food Log (like I did for the 6 months prior to surgery for my nutritionist) and discovered I am eating 600 - 750 calories a day, with 60-80 grams of Protein. So you know what? I don't worry any more! As long as my scale is not moving UPWARD, I can't be doing anything wrong! After all, it was YEARS that the scale did nothing but go upward--so I've won the battle already! If I'd wanted to lose quickly, I would have taken my surgeon up on the offer for the more-invasive bypass surgery! All I say to you is "Don't worry--our metabolisms are so-o-o-o s-s-s-l-l-lo-o-o-ow-w-w but they have to catch up sometime!"

At six days, I finally put clothes on so my husband could take me to the surgeon's office to have my staples out (50 minutes each way--miserable trip...) At two weeks and one day, I felt terrific (by all rights, on January 3rd for you) and at five weeks and one day, I literally FORGOT I'd had surgery (January 24th for you)! So, that was my time line--just hang in there. All these people that said they had no pain were either (a) very very lucky or ( really really taking their pain meds faithfully! Look for the end of the tunnel, sweetie--it DOES have to come!! :mad:

Giving up our best friend, food, is really really tough--and especially with the holiday season looming large--the reality of your forthcoming life style is upon you... All the physical and psychological advantages of this tool can't take away the fact that our lives aren't ever going to be the same! But you know, it really is a GOOD thing--which you will find out in three weeks--in fact it is the BEST thing you are ever going to do for yourself! Trust me--we've all been through the trauma you're in now--the other side is a better place to be....

Don't forget about Ebay, everyone! I've been able to pick up some great clothing deals there--sometimes overlooked by everyone else! I like certain designers (i.e. Liz Claiborne) and always find pant suits and dresses at reasonable prices, even with the shipping! :ranger:

My very best wishes to you, CJ, for a speedy recovery! Your healing starts the very first day and from then on it just gets easier! When I had my first child, I panicked right before I was due and then realized all the thousands of women who'd gone before me--and I just thought "If THEY can do it, so can I!!!!" Likewise with banding--inserting the tool is part of the process to a healthier life with a ton more quality that we had before! Welcome!:mad:

Andie, I just double clicked on your signature from the post in this thread and it opened up the Ticker Factory at the PIN field--so maybe you can just do that and go in that way... Also, if you have the new Internet Explorer 7.0, you may be having the pop-up (window for the Ticker Factory) blocked. If so, click on the info line below the Toolbar at the top and click on "Always Allow Pop-ups from this Site" or go into Tools, Pop Up Blocker and Pop Up Blocker Options. Well, I'm trying for you m'dear!! :eek:

I just got a canned Protein drink (I usually can't stand them, but they're awfully convenient for on-the-go) from Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, books, DVDs & more called "ZOIC" in the belgian chocolate flavor and compared it to Slim Fast Lo Carb. It was a little thinner consistency but didn't taste too bad at all --AND (1) Only 110 calories for an 11 oz. can versus 190 for Slim Fast Lo Carb (2) Has 1 gram of fat to Slim Fast Lo Carb 9 grams of fat, (3) Has 5 grams of carbs to Slim Fast Lo Carb 6 grams, (4) Has 21 grams of protein to Slim Fast Lo Carb 20 grams. I'm always on the lookout for the most nutritious now (unlike I did before) but I must say that I've strayed away from unjury (and I'm glad I didn't sign up for regular shipments!). All I'll say is that you have to continue looking until you find the right one for you--because this is for the rest of our lives...

You know, CoolCrystal, you could have gone on and on and on with her and she would have continued!! After I had surgery and everyone at work found out, one woman from another office called (who has been getting larger and larger) to question me ALL about the entire process and life afterward. She must've kept me on the phone for 1/2 an hour (oh well, company time!)... So at the end, she finishes the conversation by saying "Well, the holidays are coming up. I think I'll just wait until the new year to look into it!" And this is AFTER I told her our insurance requires six monthly visits to a nutritionist! You see what I'm saying--Your brother-in-law's sister all over! Some people follow their dreams, Cool, and some people just dream...

Okay, so I went back to the YMCA three times in one week the beginning of December and suddenly I had this horrendous pain coming from my right side area under my ribs and I could feel this huge lump. (I sneezed once and what seemed like a ball really POPPED OUT!) The pain continued for about 10 days (well, honestly, I had to hold my side doing the leg press because of the pain--what did I THINK was happening???:guess) I was absolutely positive I had a hernia! When I saw the surgeon for my second fill today, I had him check the ball and he said "Silly--that's your port!!" I KNEW it was sewn into muscle, just didn't realize it was where it WAS! Best part was that my fill took 1/2 a second because he knew right where it was!! So the answer is yes (to make a long story longer), I CAN feel my port!

Andie, I would then say you should go straight to the Trying To Conceive Ticker website and log in--or create a new ticker. I've never had trouble double clicking on my ticker at the TOP of the UserCP "Edit Signature" page. Sorry...:nervous

I just returned from my second fill and since I had good restriction with just a 1/2 cc fill last time, I asked him "Do I have a 4cc band?" To which he replied:"There is no such thing as a 4cc band any longer". Turns out I have a 10 cc band, and he said he's never come close to a full 10 cc with one. Well, all I know is that with the 1 cc he put in today, I have fabulous restriction! As you all say, to each his own... By the way, I'm 5'0" tall, so I guess height doesn't really matter that much!!