cierra'sgrandma

This new thread deals with appetites, in particular, MINE! You see, about four weeks ago, I had .2cc removed from my band, and since then, it's felt like I don't have any restriction, and that I could eat pretty much as normally as I did before. I'm trying very hard not to become a glutton! It may sound somewhat foolish and immature, but I am embarrassed about it. Too embarrassed to talk to my surgeon. I've probably gained some weight back, but not so much that any of the smaller clothes I now wear are getting tighter. I think I might have gotten a handle on it, though. I've discovered cottage cheese. Yeah, it's been around for quite a while, and I thought it would be disgusting,:crying: but it's not. I like to mix it with tuna, adding pepper and garlic salt {or garlic powder} to taste. I'm looking for other tasty, low-fat recipes--using cottage cheese--that I can prepare. Also, how about some good recipes with eggs? Anybody? Thanks! P.S. I go back to my surgeon for another six-week check-up in two more weeks. I'm going to be as honest as I can about "stuff", and ask for a fill, and for an appointment with their nutritionist. I need help! I've come too far, and am working on an 80-pound weight loss {since February '08} turn back. I don't want to do that! I don't EVER want to be fat again!

You know, that makes a lot of sense!:ohmy:I'll be 46 next month. I am peri-menopausal, and rather than have a hysterectomy, I underwent an endometrial ablation. Wow!:thumbup: Such WELCOMED relief! Haven't bought "the goods" for about 16 months now. {Sorry! I went off chasing rabbits there.} I wasn't aware of the estrogen/fat cell connection, but it does make sense. I've lost roughly 70 pounds since I started the LapBand process. Yeah, it makes A LOT of sense. Currently, I am taking Cymbalta 30mg/day, and I really don't seem to feel any different than I did before I went on it. I think I'll check up on Efffexor. Checking up on it couldn't hurt, right? Thanks again!

You know, I've experienced some depression after my surgery. Kind of like I was grieving the loss of an old friend {food}. There are a lot of places I don't go to eat because I can't tolerate the food. Buffets are out of the question, of course, and even though there are foods out there that I can "legally" consume, I can't/don't because I'll get sick, and I HATE throwing up! :confused_smile:I can't tolerate peanut butter, and I have to be very careful about what kind of meats I eat. Fried foods {French fries, etc. make me sick}, although I think this might be more related to gall bladder problems than anything. One of the things that "got" me was that 10 days after my surgery, on February 6th, 2008, our church had a catered {steak} dinner for Valentine's Day. That was tough, but I spent that time in the nursery with our pastor's infant daughter. ANYWAY, it's been tough at times, but the results {so far-70 pounds} has been worth it. I'm still adjusting my mindset from "all-I-can-eat" to what I refer to as the "LapBand way of eating. I can cross my legs, walk without losing my breath, sleep on my back without experiencing the sensation of suffocation. My 10 year-old grand-daughter can put her arms all the way around me when she hugs me.:thumbup: I can almost get a bath towel completely around my body. I have a lap! :biggrin2:I've lost a shoe size. I can go on and on, but, as I said, the rewards are so worth it. I can, and will get over my depression concerning the loss of a lifestyle that was on its way to killing me, or seriously incapacitating me before I reached 50. {I'll be 46 next month}.

Looking for anyone out there who would like to talk about their hospital experience, with regard to their lap-band surgery. The date for my surgery is February 6th. I'll be admitted through Day Surgery, and--due to insurance requirements--will have to stay over-night. It's been almost thirty years since I've actually had an overnight stay in the hospital. It will be a "first" for me.

If there's anyone out there who lives in North East Texas or its surrounding areas, and you are considering the LapBand surgery, AND are looking for a surgeon, consider Dr. Ron Hekier or Dr. Rachael Kaelin. They also do their own fills. Their practice isn't limited to LapBand surgery, but a portion of their practice is dedicated to the LapBand system and all that goes with it, including a nutritionist, etc...from the first seminar to insurance, to surgery, to follow-up care, to fills. Plus, they are really nice people. Wadley Regional Medical Center Texarkana, TX, is the hospital of choice because it has the American Bariatric Center of Excellence {I think that's the correct wording} certification, which most, if not all, insurance companies, I believe, require that a hospital have. There's a website you can go to--Lap Band Surgery Texarkana- Serving Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana--to check it out.

I live in extreme North East Texas. There are two LapBand surgeons, Drs. Ron Hekier, and Rachel Kaelin, in North East Texas, in the city in which I live, who do their own fills as well. My surgeon is Dr. Hekier, and I am quite pleased to say that he has had no trouble whatsoever in accessing my port, and even though he gives a warning that "there's going to be a big stick'", I've felt no pain--just a very slight stick. Everyone, of course is different in the way they handle their "fill sticks", as well as their LapBand aftercare, but Drs. Hekier and Kaelin are great. Also, Dr. Hekier's nurse did an "unfill" for me the other day, after my second fill, because it was too tight. She did a great job as well.

Hello, I'm back! It's been a while (30 days) since I've been on LapBandTalk.com. No realy excuse for NOT doing so. Been depressed lately, although it hasn't been due to any weightloss/LapBand issues! Been busy as well. ANYWAY--Fills--I've had two so far. My surgery was on February 6th, 2008. After surgery, I did feel some restriction, but I pretty much followed dietary instructions to the letter. Guess I was too scared I would mess things up if I didn't! The first fill went fine. The only pain I felt was a very slight prick at the port site. Don't know how much Fluid went in the band, but my surgeon has his patients drink a small amount of tap Water and gives us a Peanut Butter cracker to "test the waters", so to speak. This went well, as did everything else from then on. The second fill, about two weeks ago, didn't go as well. He put in 1.6cc, and at first, though, I felt okay. Well, to make a LONG story short, 1.6cc was TOO MUCH. His nurse removed .6cc from my band, and I felt a lot better, but ultimately, that wasn't enough. In between the pain, discomfort, and vomiting, I lost about 6 pounds in a twenty-four hour period. I was too tight. When I went back to have the second "unfill" {don't know how much was removed}, I had lost three more pounds. My surgeon said you've just got to find your sweet spot. Not sure if this is it, though. Yeah, I want to lose weight, but not that way! :thumbup: Things have been going great since then, but I do feel like I can eat just like I did before the surgery, so I'm going to ask my surgeon about putting in just a tad more "juice". Got to take it easy! I've lost nearly sixty pounds and have gone from a size 3x to XL, and have actually worn REAL DENIM JEANS(!) for the first time in years.:biggrin: My surgeon is thrilled with my progress. For that matter, so am I:lol:.

I was banded on February 6th. I had my first fill today. I was prepared for a little bit of discomfort when my surgeon "stuck" me, but I didn't feel anything! He had absolutely no problem finding the port:thumbup:, and it was over before I knew it. :laugh: Then, he had me drink a little bit of water, and eat a peanut butter cracker, to see if everything was okay. It was! It kind of feels like it did the first week or so after surgery. I was instructed to drink liquids today, advance to "mushy" foods tomorrow, then move on up to solid foods on Thursday. My weight is now 271.4, down from 310. So, that's nearly a 40 pound weight loss since the two week pre-op diet and surgery. Woo-hoo!!!:w00t::wink::smile::hurray:

I know how you feel. Before I was banded on February 6th, I was in a period of grieving, of mourning for my old friend, food. I don't think too many people understood what I was talking about, or how I felt, but the feelings were there, nonetheless. It was unsettling to label myself as morbidly obese. I knew I was fat, and, like you, I've been fat most of my adult life. On some days, I STILL feel like I'm grieving, or mourning for my "old friend" at times, but it's getting better. I know it's easier-said-than-done, but please try not to beat yourself up about this! Visualize the on-going "end-results", the benefits of being banded; better health, increased energy & stamina, better relationships {?}, a new wardrobe, just to name a few. :tt2: I can't tell you how I managed to stumble upon LapBandTalk.com--I think it was during a search for related issues--but I am SO glad I did!:biggrin2: I know you'll find a great community of support with these ladies and gentlemen. Many more "bandsters" than I, have been, and are going through, what you're going through. And let me say this--if there's a lapband support group near you, go to it! I wish you peace and success. ----- "I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears." --Psalm 34:4----- {This inclusion of this verse was meant to encourage and strengthen your heart and spirit. If, in any way, I have offended you, please forgive me!}

I was banded February 6th. I had some initial soreness, much like one owuld have after coughing a lot. That went away after about four days. The only "reminder" of my port is the scar where my surgeon placed it. HE knows where it is, but it's almost as if it isn't there, because I can't feel it; I don't notice it. I lost 19 pounds on my pre-op diet, and am down, at the last "weight check", about 12 more pounds. I go for my first fill March 11th, and I'm really looking forward to it. If my surgeon decides to hold off on putting me back in the hospital to remove my gallbladder, I'm going to get a medical release so I can go back to Christus St. Michael Heath & Fitness Center to get back to working out.:thumbup:

You know, I was truly impressed with Dr. Garth Davis & his father, and I loved watching Big Medicine. I don't have cable or satellite anymore, so I haven't watched any "regular" tv for some time. ANYWAY, I was impressed with their concern for their patients, and how they wold go the extra mile for them, and I thought that if I lived in Houston, I would go to one of them for the LapBand surgery. I was banded on February 6th, 2008, by Dr. Ron Hekier, at Wadley Regional Medical Center, in Texarkana, TX. When my husband and I went to one of his LapBand seminars, we found out that that Dr. Hekier, and his wife, also a surgeon, trained with both Dr. Garth Davis and Dr. Robert Davis, and that Dr. Hekier's wife was in the same class in med school as was Dr. Garth Davis. THAT made me feel a whole lot better about having this surgery. I really do like my surgeon; I think he's pretty cool.

During my pre-o and post-op liquid diet phase, especially the pre-op stage, I got tired of just "plain old" Slim-Fast Optima, etc. I bought five different liquid flavorings--cinnamon, mint, banana, coconut, and root beer--and would add {not all at the same time!:biggrin2:} to my shakes. This helped to break up the monotony of the same old thing, so to speak. As for the creamy side of things, I would add various powdered spices, like garlic or onion to my thinned {with skim milk} soups. I also bought vegetable beef soup, but pureed it then thinned it, again with skim milk. Of course, I'm sure most everyone knows that Campbell's has their Healthy Request line of soups, and a lot of Progresso's soups are low in fat and low in other areas as well. I've bought Progresso soups, pureed them, then thinned them with skim milk, and they were pretty tasty. And, unless otherwise advised by your physician and/or dietician/nutritionist, I personally don't see why one couldn't use spices, etc., to enhance the flavor of your liquid diets. Remember to read the nutrition labels before you buy. I know that there are a lot of variations out there, and everyone is different. It's what works for you, right? And allow me to add another disclaimer here--seek the advice of your dietician/nutritionist if you are in doubt as to what you can/should do! One more thing...During my pre-op liquid diet phase, I would make slushies with my Slim-Fast, blending the Slim Fast with lots of crushed ice. This increased the amount that I drank, but added no calories, becasue the "extra" amount was water in the form of ice!

You know, this recipe really does sound delicious. I've taken notice of the comments regarding the fat content of sour cream...well, you CAN get fat free sour cream. It really isn't all that bad. AND, you can purchase shredded cheese that's low in fat. I think Kraft sells shredded cheese--I don't remember if it's cheddar or mozarella--that's made with, I believe 2% milk. I'm sure there are brands out there other than Kraft, but Kraft is the only one I can think of right now.

Well, eleven days post-op. The soreness/discomfort/pain relating to the area where my port is, is pretty much gone, but today, I have encountered a "new" {sort of!} old situation. Today in church, about five minutes after our morning worship service started, I had to leave the podium {I'm the choir director} for a few minutes, due to pain on my right side, in the area of my gall bladder. You know, it's one of those type pains where you just can't get comfortable! I just had a total of two Slim-Fast Optimas today, because I just didn't feel like consuming anything. The pain finally relented enough {after about four hours}, and I got active, but shoot, it's still uncomfortable. No, I'm NOT going to go to the emergency room UNLESS the pain returns with a vengeance, but I WILL be contacting my surgeon's office ASAP tomorrow morning. I've got to get this checked out and dealt with. Have anyone of you out there had a health situation BEFORE being banded that seemingly "went away", or resolved itself, only to return to cause problems AFTER you were banded? Also, I would like to know if any of y'all were told that you couldn't take ibuprofen {Advil, etc.} after being banded??? Thanks!

I was banded on February 6th. I've lost 31 pounds since I began this journey. When I came out of the recovery room, into the "short stay unit" {I had to stay overnight}, I was allowed to take little sips of room temperature Water that day, and the next, which was okay with me, because I didn't really want anything else. ANYWAY, these are my post-opdiet instructions: WEEK 1 & 2 liquids only: room temperature Clear Liquids until nausea resolved, then may have full liquids, hot or cold. {skim/fat-free milk; Slim-Fast; broths; low-fat strained creamy soups; 100% juice--4 ounce limit per day on the juice} WEEK 3 Consume pureed texture foods, limited to 1/2 cup at a time to prevent stretching pouch. Consume meals at least 3 hours apart. Consume water or no-calorie liquids [Crystal Light, tea, sugar-free drinks between meals; waiting one hour after "meal"--FOODS--pureed foods; soft scrambled eggs; sugar-free, low-fat pudding; fat-free yogurt, plain-no fruit; hot cereals, thinned; applesauce; low-fat creamy Soups WEEK 4 Consume soft foods. Limit to 1/2 cup at a time, consuming meals at least four hours apart. Consume water between meals, waiting one hour after meal. FOODS: scrambled eggs; soft canned vegetables; soft canned fruits; tuna or chicken salad. WEEK 5 Transition to solid foods. Slowly add 2 ounces of Protein and one to two ounces of vegetables three to four times a day. STOP EATING AS SOON AS YOU FEEL FULL. Consume meals at least five hours apart. Chew all solids to mushy consistency (30 times). Do not drink liquids with meals. FOODS: solid foods as tolerated; baked potato; macaroni noodles; sliced meats; add raw fruits and vegetables as tolerated; avoid stringy, fibrous foods and non-tender cuts of meats; avoid white bread, popcorn, coconut. Also, no sodas, and a few other things, but this is what I follow. I'm on the pureed foods part now.:biggrin2: Baby food can actually taste pretty decent if you heat it and add a few spices to it :tongue2:!

I DO have gallstones. This probably has been coming on for at least three years, but chose the recent past to make itself known. I will have to have surgery to remove my gallbladder, but my surgeon wants to wait until I lose a little more weight. Plus, he didn't want me to have another surgery so soon after my first one {Feb. 6th}. PLUS, he wants me to lose some more weight, which is cool. But, if I start having unrelieved pain, and more problems, well, I'm sure my surgeon will reconsider. By the way, when I went to see my surgeon this Tuesday, my weight was 279.6, a near 31 pound drop since I began this process!

Hi, Jennie1234! And congratulations on becoming a bandster! I had my surgery on February 6th, and have moved up {FINALLY!} to the pureed food stage. Yes, the post-op liquid diet can be difficult, especially after the swelling has gone down. I knew I could take in more when I once swallowed more than I was supposed to. That presents a little temptation there, doesn't it! Follow your diet as well as you can, and hang in there! I totally agree with Elisabethsew, that you should talk to your surgeon about your hunger. I'm sure he/she would have some great suggestions, OR he/she might have you talk to a dietician/nutritionist about your situation. Don't give up! You can do it!

I called my surgeon's office this morning, and, to make a long story short, I had a CT of my abdomen this afternoon. I was supposed to have a gall bladder ultrasound if the CT was negative, but I didn't have to do the ultrasound. So, I guess the CT was positive. Positive for what? I'm pretty sure I'll find out tomorrow. If my surgeon's nurse doesn't call me, I'll call her!

Well, I'm nine days post-op...eight days, if I don't count the actual day of surgery! And I'm doing well. I lost 19 pounds on the two-week pre-op liquid diet I was on, and have lost eight pounds since the surgery. The only "pain" I had, intitally, was where the port is--it felt like my rib cage area was sore, much like it feels when I've coughed a lot, and the muscles get sore. Haven't had to take anything stronger than liquid Tylenol, and I've had to take the liquid phenergan only once. The only problem I've had started several days ago, and that's the area where the port is attached to the muscle. I thought I screwed something up, but was told that this is normal. A healing type situation, I guess one could call it. Once or twice it really hurt :smile: to walk, and, to be honest, I made use of the electric "buggies" Wal-Mart provides.:smile: My first post-op visit is, I believe, next Tuesday. I think my surgeon will be pleased with my progress--I know I am. :crying: Still on the liquid diet, although my food "choices" are better. My energy level is higher. I had the surgery on a Wednesday, was discharged from the hospital the next day, and made it to church on Sunday. A lot of my church family was surprised I was at church--they didn't expect to see me there. But, you can't keep a good woman down, ya know?:thumbup:

Man, I really feel for you! What type of plan with Humana do you have? My plan is Humana Gold Choice Private Fee for Service, which is a pretty good plan. Hey--keep at them, make calls. Is it possible you could switch plans with Humana? You know, if this is truly what you want to do {The Surgery!}, make the most of it. Ask WHY the six month plan. Can you give them proof you've been on diets before, and didn't have good results? Even supervised diets have flaws. Have you spoken with your physician concerning a letter of medical necessity, that, maybe, even under a supervised diet, the need for the surgery would STILL exist? Of course, they may want to be shown that if you are successful with this supervised diet, you will be successful with the restrictions, etc., after being banded. And, yes, I could be wrong about what I just told you, but ask "them" at Humand WHY the six month supervised diet. What are their reasons? What's the rationale behind it? Are their motives as you mentioned? Don't stop until you get a SATISFACTORY answer. Sometimes, in my opinion, persistence can be a great influence towards turning the tide in your favor. DON'T GIVE UP!

Hello, everyone! I had my surgery yesterday, February 6th, and, as y'all can "see", I am at home. I had to stay overnight. The only difficult thing about THAT was getting comfortable on the bed. I slept well--didn't have any problems using my bi-pap machine. The other difficulty was a very dry mouth:redface:. But my dearest husband brought me some hard candy to suck on, and I was VERY grateful for that:rolleyes2:. I'm walking kind of slow, but I'm walking! I plan on being as active as possible. Not really interested in food right now. For that matter, I'm not really interested in drinking anything right now. Yeah, I will:thumbup:. I had my surgery at Wadley Regional Medical Center, Texarkana, TC. Dr. Ron Hekier did the surgery. Extremely nice guy.

Yeah, having a sleep study tends to suck sour lemons, and I'm not sure as to why lap-band surgeons require them, but I'm glad I had mine done. I sleep so much better, and I DON'T fall asleep during the day. I didn't have much teouble sleeping when I had my studies done. The bed I slept on was great--a "regular" bed--wonderful. I've found that I sleep BETTER when I use my bi-pap machine. Plus, I have this certain amount of paranoia {after hearing news of the demise of a number of people due to--apparently--severe sleep apnea} of this happening to me. As for not being able to use my bi-pap machine after the surgery, I was told--by my surgeon's nurse--that 'they' saw no reason why I couldn't continue using my bi-pap machine post-operatively. I'll play it by ear, because I tend to somehow swallow air as I sleep {when using my machine} and wake up at some point during the night with a slight bellyache. I move around a bit, and I release a couple of huge, not so delicate burps.:mad: Yeah, not too pretty, but at least it's not in public!

My band date is tomorrow, February 6th. I have to be at the day surgery center {Wadley Regional Medical Center--Texarkana, TX} at 6:00 AM. Dr. Ron Hekier is doing the surgery. According to the pre-admit testing RN, I am to be his first case--I'll probably go in to surgery at about 8:00 AM. And, due to insurance guidelines, stay overnight, which is OK with me. The liquid diet I've been on for the past (nearly) two weeks has been difficult for me:redface:, but as time wore on, got easier. Now, it's a mute point. :mad: The REAL challenge comes AFTER the surgery, when this new life of mine at home begins. I've got a lot of support--my family, my church family--that's good! QUESTION: How do I access the weight loss ticker 'thingy', and how do I get the flashing "Victorious Valentine" sign on my posts? Thank you!!!

You know, I DO have one or two pairs of shorts that are nice and comfortable {HUGE} to wear, but I don't wear them in public. It's a self-image thing, I guess. Yeah, I look forward to "public wearing of shorts"! I also look forward to being able to find jeans that fit. And I mean DENIM jeans!

Thank you, SLEEPYGIRL, your explanation. It makes total sense. I just posted a reply to someone else's post, and when I scrolled up, I saw yours. {So much for my skills of obvservation!} I'm still going to ask my surgeon about it, because I don't want anything to mess up his good work.