chica

Hi Ellisa, I'm going for the band removal, hernia repair, and sleeve in one shot, mostly because I don't have insurance coverage and really can't afford to break it out into 2 surgeries, which would of course be the safer option. Like you, at least I'm starting with a lower BMI this time (about 30), and I have some concerns about the leakage risks. When you say you're on clear liquids for a week, can you list exactly what you're allowed to have? Especially in terms of protein... Thanks!

I'm not an expert, but from all the guides I've read (both on this site and from my doc), the bare minimum we should be consuming post-op is about 70 grams of Protein. That's the minimum. However, if you have to do a pre-op low-carb, high-protein diet (and most of us do) to shrink the liver and make surgery easier, then the easiest way to avoid hunger is to up the ante on the protein. You can have upwards of 100g, believe it or not! The important thing is to not cheat because you're ravenous, just have another shake if you need to. In your case, Donna, since you're lucky enough to get to chew some of your protein, a 3oz portion of something like beef, chicken or fish might be about 21 grams, so if you have 4-6 ounces, it's more like 28-42 grams in addition to the 40 grams from shakes. That's a good amount. Just keep in mind, you can always add another shake if you need to. :confused:

Lou and Donna, You're hungry because you're not getting enough protein in! You can and should be having protein every 3-4 hours, and up to 5 shakes in pre-/post-op liquid diets is fairly normal unless you're allowed that one "real" meal a day. (Yup, I'm jealous! :redface1:) If you get enough protein, this period won't be nearly as miserable as it may currently seem...

Hi Aquarius, I'm a patient of Dr. Eric Pinnar's, and I can tell you unquestionably that he and his staff are incredibly supportive and caring. In fact, most of the people working there are band patients themselves, so it's easy to address any questions, fears, complications with someone who's actually been through it already. I've found that to be one of the really helpful things at that clinic. As for food Critic's insurance concerns, I'm also a self-pay patient and when you commit to that payment plan, you commit to a set charge for services (if you don't have insurance coverage). I know that they do try to get insurance to pay whatever they can get, particularly for xray/fluoroscopy services when they do a barium swallow to check your band. Do they then turn around and bill me the rest? No, they don't. Dr. Pinnar's is one of the few bariatric practices that has the ability to do xray right in their office, and if you ever have problems with your band, this is an extremely useful thing! Before I found Dr. Pinnar, I almost went with another surgeon in a different practice. I'm so glad I didn't pursue that one -- there was just nothing warm or personable about the place and the people involved. I know others who did have their surgery there, and they complain that their clinic treats them like a number, just some patient they collect money from, and that there's no personal relationship or support. That is SO the opposite of Dr. Pinnar's practice -- ongoing aftercare is what's so important with a band, and wouldn't you want a team of people behind you who support you and cheer you on each step of the way?

I just found this thread. I'm going in for surgery on July 23rd and am thrilled to say that I'm having my band removed at the same time! :blushing: I've had it since March '08, did well for the first 6 months, but once I started having problems with it, there was never any further progress because I couldn't tolerate much fluid in my band. I did lose 50% of my excess weight with the band, but it's been a long and bumpy ride that I just want to have come to an end. I'm looking so forward to losing the rest with the sleeve plus good eating habits and whatever exercise I can squeeze into my schedule. I start my 2-week liquid diet in a week and have lots of protein drinks on hand. I'm a big fan of Chocolate Muscle Milk Light (I use the powder mixed in water), but it's a little higher in carbs (I'm limited to 50g carbs daily), so that will be a once a day drink. Chocolate Unjury mixed with Hood Calorie Countdown (low-carb) Chocolate milk is good, and in the morning I like Syntrax Nectar Cappuccino mixed with milk (cold). I love Vanilla Unjury mixed with OJ, a couple of frozen strawberries and a handful of frozen blueberries, but obviously that's off limits during this super-low carb period and for the first months of the sleeve. I also recently tried this great low-carb high-protein drink call Oh Yeah! (RTD), and I've now ordered some of their powdered mix online. I'm excited for those of you already moving forward, and can't wait to join you in a couple of weeks!! :thumbup:

OMG! What a brutal experience!! On the bright side, though, I'm happy for you that you can still go through with it after you get that clean bill of health. I'll be watching and waiting to see your progression. I just got my own surgery date (3 weeks from Friday) and thought my pre-op liquid diet of 2 weeks was too long until I read your post! Best of luck on a speedy recovery and that clean EGD. And the others are right, you've got a GREAT attitude with this! :thumbup1:

Was your band to sleeve revision done as a band removal first followed by a subsequent VSG to allow your stomach tissue to heal? Or were you able to have it done in one operation? If the latter, how long did your surgeon want your band empty so that the tissue could relax as much as possible before surgery? I guess that the risks of leaks are higher with the single operation method because the tissue is more fragile and there may be more scar tissue from the band. But the alternative involves being put under twice (each time is a risk, plus pain!), and you're highly likely to be gaining (potentially a lot of) weight during that interim period. My surgeon requires a 2 week liquid diet prior to surgery, and I'm hoping if I get the band emptied right beforehand, that would help the healing and prevent the weight gain. But is that a safe plan?

Even though I, too, have the unpredictability to deal with, I feel like maybe if I can remind you of one of the cardinal band rules, that maybe it'll help you a little in the short term. The rule that I'm referring to is that if you throw up for ANY reason, be sure to return to liquids for 2 days because the subsequent swelling in your tissues appears anywhere from 24-48 hours after the incident. So, while you can eat a meal and the next one makes you throw up after 2 bites, maybe you threw up a day or 2 prior and this is just part of a vicious cycle. This is just what happened to me after 9 months with the band, and finally after a week of struggles, I called my doc's office, went in and found my band had slipped. This was the first of many, and unfortunately, after the first slip, it can happen again much easier. Just a thought...

Thanks -- you make me so hopeful for the future without my band!

Hi, this is my first post here, but I've been reading, reading, reading. I got my band in March 2008, and spent lots of time on lapbandtalk.com before and after that surgery. I used to read and post, especially in the group who was banded in the same month as I was. But eventually I dropped out because I just couldn't relate to everyone's relatively easy journey and success, while I struggled endlessly with the dreaded fill/unfill/fill/slip/unfill/fill... cycle that went on ever since the first time I had a slip about 9 months into the process. I finally stopped getting any adjustments late last year and just left it alone. I hate my band for all the struggles and reasons that revisionists do, but I'm really hoping to move to the sleeve this summer. It's really nice to see so many familiar personalities who I used to see over there, but on the other hand, knowing that you've switched to the sleeve only lends credence to the fact that the band just isn't for everyone. My question to you is: after the healing period (4-6 weeks?), have you ever felt limited or restricted in your comfort to eat out socially? Fear of sliming, foaming, etc.? Any other issues? Do you have embarrassing gurgling like with the band? After 2 years, I've got the small bites and chewing down, and yet this nonsense still goes on depending on when my band feels like showing me who's the boss. I can't wait to get rid of it! :thumbdown:

I definitely get tighter with my monthly visitor. I just had a fill on Monday, was fine for 2 days (even snuck in a little mushy stuff), then yesterday I started struggling from the minute I woke on just liquids. I'm trying to hang in there and wait it out, staying on liquids until or if the swelling goes down. If you can't swallow your spit, call your doc!

Muscle Milk Light -- chocolate flavor! It mixes easily with Water (though it does have milk Proteins in it, I believe), and you can get it mail-ordered for lots less than in stores. I get mine at cheapvitamins.com. It's really yummy and I like to have this at the end of the day for my "dessert". During the day, if I'm having a shake, I do use my unjury with added flavorings...

Hi, JDUB! I haven't been posting for a long time either, but for different reasons. For the last 6 months, I've been struggling with fills -- too much, too little, slipped band (twice!), etc. :eek: But I kept going back to the doc's office and we're now trying something new in the way that fills are done. No more measuring what's in the band because it seems that was causing excessive swelling. So, here I am in the new year with my band finally adjusted properly :tt2: and like an idiot, now I'm eating all the wrong foods. Ugh. Must... control.... myself! Enough about me -- back to you. Let's re-commit here. You've got a lot more control over your life now that you're in your own home. How are you doing since you posted? Did the advice you were given help? What are you doing to get back on track?

MamaJava, I've had both experiences of PBing far too frequently and at other times, being too tight (see my fill line in my sig). When I was PBing a lot, it started with maybe taking too big of a bite and/or not chewing as much as I thought I did. But the really big mistake I was making was not realizing that there is swelling after a PB that maxes out around 24-48 hours later. It's really important to go to liquids/mushies to allow that healing time. Otherwise, you're just getting tighter with each PB/subsequent swelling. It's a bad cycle. Too tight (IMHO) is when you can eat solid food but if you do have a PB and then can't get liquids down the next day. Been there too. Like someone else said earlier, go back to liquids and then mushies for a few days. Let everything heal. Do not substitute ice cream for liquids. Use your Protein shakes. Keep it healthy and keep the faith. We will succeed, but it does take time....:smile2:

Like Michelle and yourself, Bexter, I'm really shocked to hear your doc doesn't believe that swelling occurs. After last week's experience, I know there is! This is why my doc insists you should do 2 days liquids, 2 days mushies, and ease back to real food after a fill. Of course, until the last time, I never "felt" the swelling, but it clearly occurs. Also, I agree -- this board is so great for support in a way that we all need! I think I check in at least once a day while I struggle through each day of this friggin' plateau. I have such hope that my next fill will finally help! And, Michelle, thanks for helping me keep that hope!!