Cocoabean

For me, it is a love/hate relationship. It is also just a part of me. Feb 15 will mark 3 years since my surgery. I love that 70 pounds are gone and that I maintain with ease. I love that I move easier now. I love that I am off blood pressure meds and cholesterol meds. I love that I have not moved into diabetes as my doctor predicted I would without this surgery. I hate my band when I get stuck, but that is almost always the fault of pilot error. I hated the times when my mouth still wanted more food, but my band told me I was done eating. My hunger feels the same as before surgery. To this day based on how my hunger feels, I'd swear to you that I could eat the same amount as before surgery. My brain knows on one level that I will be full sooner, but on another level? Nah, gimme the same amount!! That is part of the learning process. I thought that I would not feel hunger after banding. What I experience is that when I eat I feel full with less food and I don't feel the gnawing hunger in between meals, so I am less likely to graze or snack on less-than-healthy things. I cannot say I am hooked on exercise. I hate it. I try to be more active than I was before. But exercise will always be a struggle for me. I will say though, I do not regret getting a band at all!

Hi Everyone, I just stumbled across this today. I don't know what the implications are or who it affects... http://www.ethiconendosurgery.com/newsinfo/clinicians/1066

Huggles, thank you for sharing the complication. A blood clot is a risk of any surgery. I am very sorry it happened to her. In obese patients the risk is even higher of a clot occurring than in normal weight patients. The main treatment for fighting blood clots is to get us up and walking right after surgery and keep us on the move. I hope you find the balance between honesty, privacy, and peace with your family. Try not to let emotions rule the day. As for what I have done, most of my family knows except for my mother-in-law, because all she does is fuss over everyone's health status. I get migraine headaches, and every time I see her she wants a run down of how I am doing. DH told her recently that I had an abscess on my back side a year and a half ago that needed lancing (he was searching for conversation--she was seeing the nurse practitioner who took care of it for me), now she wants all the gory details and asks about it often! So the family understands why I don't want her to know. They all just say, "gee your diet is going great, you look so good!" Best wishes to you!

Previous posts have had good insight. I'd like to add that if you to tell her you can say that you were mindful of your SIL when you made the decision to proceed. Her complications were in your thoughts as you weighed the pros and cons of the surgery. But even knowing someone first hand who had passed, you decided you HAD to proceed for your health. For you to think on. You say that her family talked her into the surgery. Do you know what the complications were? I am NOT saying this is what happened, nor am I blaming her, but did she fail to follow doctor's orders post-op because she really did not want the surgery? Do you know what the complications were? Were they truly related to the bypass procedure or surgery in general? Both can occur. As someone else said, the risks of surgery for someone at 450 pounds are extremely high. You are past the immediate post-op phase, so you don't need to worry about pneumonia or a blood clot which can happen right away. Best wishes to you in whatever decision you make!

You know, HB, your story is too funny! Sorry, but it made me laugh. Take the discount next time. They offered it, you didn't ask for it! No harm, no foul! My hubby now qualifies for some senior discounts. ARGH! I feel so old. (He is 10 years older than I). My face deflated like a balloon with the weight loss. I used to love long, thin necks. Like whats-her-name in Pirates of the Caribbean. Now I look at pictures of myself and all is see is this skinny neck and wrinkles around the eyes! Then I try to think oh, I look just like the heroine in Pirates! HA! Yeah, right! 47 years old, I DON'T think so! But hey, I have a long, thin neck anyway!

Zen, here's hoping for a call-back! Nan, I was a central valley-ite for a while. Sacramento and Red Bluff (by Redding). I loved it up there! My job brought me down here. Love it here, too. Home is where you make it.

Oh my gosh, Diva, look at you!! The sleeve obviously agrees with you!! Wowser!

How did it go??? Nan, you joining us in San Diego??

Like the others have said, it depends on your insurance. My preauthorization included surgery and one year of follow-up care including fills. After the year when I call for a fill my surgeon submits another preauthorization request. That takes a few weeks, then his office gives me a call to schedule the fill. Give your insurance and surgeon a call to check. I honestly didn't think to ask the question ahead of time either. I was happy to hear that fills were covered!

I agree there are different kids of posts. I also agree with your last part that it is OK to not like the band. But I also take exception when someone who doesn't like their band and posts that they hate their band here, without any reason why, then gets upset with me when I ask questions about the circumstance of their statement. We should all be here to help each other. If someone just states, "I hate my band, it doesn't work." I assume they want help in figuring out why the band isn't working. So I look for more information about their situation. It is an open forum, and if all the person wants to post is, "I hate my band." Fine, venting is fine. But anger at me for wanting to help, not so fine. Cleo's Mom, I know you have issues with your band, you've also stated what those issues are. Same with Elfie. You two still try to help bandsters to be successful. Not to drag others down and say that's it, the band sucks for all. But to just state the band doesn't work for most people and state it over and over. Well, that doesn't add any help to the forum in my opinion.

Does your insurance cover a sleeve? Some don't. If they cover a band, they should cover a bypass. With a BMI of 67, you certainly can benefit from any of the procedures. I hope it all works out for you!

Thinking of you, Shammah! Karen, yay!! See, I mentioned you and Zumba, and you Zumba'ed back into the thread! Woot! I went shopping with a friend yesterday. Did you know I am a size 1? Ha! Chicos has a very odd form of sizing. But I got 4 new pair of pants and 3 sweaters. How fun! Got rid of 3 pair of pants in the closet. It is odd to be wearing clothes out rather than growing out of them! Found a great sale at Banana Republic, 40% off their clearance stuff. Got a pair of Cords for $9.00. Too bad I could not find more! Stacie---did the headaches coincide with the new BCPs? Migraines can be hormone related. I had a doctor take me off birth control pills completed trying to get my migraines under control. Turns out mine are not hormone related at all, but I am just curious about the timing of it for you. I was put on a medicine called Topamax in September 2009. It is an anti-seizure drug, but has worked miracles for my migraines. It is also one of the few preventive medicines that does not cause weight gain. I used to go through Imitrex (maximum of 9 per month) like it was candy, and when I took them they did not stop the migraine like the were supposed to. I'd run out about half-way through the month. Now one 9-pill bottle lasts me about 3 or 4 months. Ok, gotta get back to work!

Glad you told your family, but I am not sure I understand you post. Are you saying you don't know when you would start the different phases of your pre- and post-op diet? I don't know what dark liquids are, I have never heard that phrase before. Each surgeon seems to be different in what they require. They should provide you with that information. Do not rely on this forum for that. (Not that I think you are doing that). If you are unclear, call the office and get clarification. To anyone here, if your doctor is unwilling to clarifiy information for you, find a new doctor. Msthang, best wishes for you!!

Maybe somewhere in the middle? Two eggs and one slice of bacon? At least you could make a smiley face!

Hi Misty, welcome! That does indeed sound like restriction. Congrats! Go slow, you don't want to get stuck. My hubby and I struggle with menus, also. He is the cook, as he is retired and I am not. We do shake and bake chicken thighs. Pork chops (they go down fine, chicken breast does not--go figure). Salads. Steak (very small bites!). I am the non-fish eater in our house, and I've gotten dreadfully stuck on the fish I do like . With the meat we usually have a green veggie and some form of potato, of which I eat a little bit. We don't really do recipes, so I am not much help there, hopefully some of the other folk on here will have some good ideas we can both pick up on!

I just wanted my 1400th post to be on this thread! Yay for me! Now, back to your regularly scheduled posts.

Hey Melody, he knows what he likes! Does he have an Irish Setter?

Hi Jan, welcome! This thread is my favorite! Just join on in!

Bypass or band, tiny bites are a must. At least in my education classes it was "chew, chew, chew" for both procedures. The nutritionist said meat bites should be the size of a pencil eraser. Bypass patients' pouches do not grind, food bites must be small and well chewed or it goes no where. I asked about the size of your bites when you got Fluid removed wondering if perhaps there was a solution for why the band wasn't working for you. I am sorry the band was not what you expected. I do hope you are able to resolve the issue and find what you are looking for. Any of the current WLS procedures will involve changes to your eating habits. Bypass has dumping, you might not be able to eat that cheesecake without cramping and diarrhea. Sleeve has possible strictures and can stretch. Fortunately with the band, you are not happy with it, you can have it removed. The other two? Reversal cannot happen easily.

Some surgeons require you to lose prior to surgery to show commitment to the program. Sometimes it is the insurance company making the demand. My surgeon's rule was that once I began the two week preop diet, if I gained weight my surgery would be canceled. A weight gain would prove that I did not follow his orders.

Outside of your husband, you don't need to tell anyone about the surgery. It just isn't their concern. I don't see how you could hide it from him. Assuming you live together and share a bed. This maybe touted as a less-invasive surgery than bypass, but upon your release from the hospital, you will not be moving like you normally do. Are you planning to do this while he is away or you are on a trip? You'll have specific pre and post-op diet requirements. You'll have to explain those away somehow. What about as you get fills? If you get stuck on something, that is kind of hard to explain if your husband doesn't know you are banded. The port can be felt under the skin. That could be scary for someone who doesn't know it is there. Not to mention the fresh scars, although there is the single incision procedure now--if your surgeon does it.

Well done, Mattie!! Keep up the good work.

Hi Stephanie, welocme!! We had Karen on this thread who did Zumba, haven't seen her around in a while, but she loved it. Exercise is the word I most hate when it comes to weight management. 98 pounds is awesome! Keep up the good work!

Hi Swirl, Sorry you are having troubles. I just want to put in my two cents...FWIW. Before you had the unfill, were you taking very small bites? I know when my band is tight I need to take very small bites, or I'll get stuck. If I tried to take bites the size I ate pre-banding, I'd need an unfill. BUT, I have been overfilled, and gotten an unfill, that was a miserable time! ugh. Here is how the band works for me. Your mileage may vary: I still eat most of the foods I ate pre-banding. Portion control was my biggest issue. With the exception of chicken breast there are no foods that will give me constant problems. My portions are smaller now, but if I sat there long enough I could eat in the same quantities as before. But I take my "I am satisfied" signal as time to stop, and put my plate away. A meal with 2-3 oz of solid Protein will keep me satisfied for about 3 hours. Sometimes longer, especially if I am distracted. Without the constant hunger I had pre-banding, I don't have the compulsion to graze all day. If I choose to, I can snack on an entire bag of chips at my desk. They go down very well. So do milk shakes and most other highly processed foods. So, I make the choice not to eat those kinds of foods. I do not journal my foods. It was important to me that I not do that after my surgery. I wanted a "normal" life, whatever that may be. Just recently I downloaded an app to track a couple of days just to see where I am calorie-wise. I was shocked to see 1700 calories a day! That is where I need to be to maintain my weight, which is fine. I am happy with my weight now, but I thought I was eating around 1400. It was eye-opening to say the least. I do hope you will find what works for you! Best wishes to you!

Oh how well put!! I do use the word "restriction," but it is somewhat of a misnomer. Emma, I didn't start losing until about 5 months post-op and my fill level got to such that my appetite was truly under control. Try not to compare yourself to others, it just gets discouraging.