McSteph100

Hello all, I was banded back in June of 2008 and I had an initial weight loss of 60 lbs. I did plateau and then stayed close to a weight of 220 for a year. I had a rough personal year in 2010 and started eating past my band and eating lots of carbs. I am panicked by my current weight of 238 and trying desperately to "reboot" my weight loss phase. I have started back exercising and I am currently getting cardio/weights 2-3 times per week, trying to get to 5x per week. I am as "filled" as I can be personally - I have had more fill than this in the past but I get wicked bad reflux, and night cough and loose sleep. So I am trying get me eating back in line. Please help by telling me what number of calories, protien grams, and carb grams I should aim for daily. Any other advice is welcome also. Desperate in Tennessee!

I was banded in 2008 and lost about 60 lbs that year, right around my 1 yr mark, I got over-tight and started having "night cough", regular vomiting etc. I waited to long to deal with it and had to have 1/2 my liquid taken out. Fast forward 6 months. I am back at an optimum fill and can not lose any more, I gain and lose the same 3 lbs each month. here is what I know...I eat TOO many carbs, my exercise is irregular at best, and I drink Alcohol (not too much) Has anyone been there? how did you break through?

I have had a similar problem also a year or so post op. I got an slight unfill and was better for a week or two and then it came right back, and I have been vomiting/sliming alot, 1-3 day. I assume I need more out. My nurse did not think I had a slip since I did not have chest pain.....

Hi I am just post a year banded and I am definitely a little tight on my fill right now. I have the "persistant" night cough from reflux and and have started taking prilosec OTC Also within the last week I changed my anti-depressant from effexor to a realated drug call prestique. All of a sudden I can hardley keep anything down, not shakes, not mushies. The weird part is - it comes and goes. yesterday I was fine, today I have pb'd/vomited several times. I see my doc in 2 days but I am curious if it might be the new meds?:rolleyes2:

That is probably all true...I do drink lots of water, but I eat mostly protien, Maybe the hairloss will slow down some - I have heard bioton works. I lost lots of hair after all three kids, and now this. I am only 39 and was hoping not go "thining" so soon. I am sure that in year I will be more adjusted to all the changes that come with gastric surgery / banding. Thanks for the friendly input.

I am having some odd side effects after the band. 1) My hair is falling out & 2) My sweat and urine smell bad/ strong/ acid like. Here is my confusion: The nurse says the hair fall out may be from lack of protien, but I think the smelly urine problem is Ketosis side effect, so how can I have both? Does anyone else have these side effects and are there any suggestions?

This thread helped me! I had my 1st fill yesterday (3.5cc), and I was starving last night and today so I ate some mushies even though I am still supposed to be on liquids. I get full quickly, then hungry fast again. I of course called the nurse, and she said that I was a few fills away from the "real deal" in my 10cc band. She also said I probably would not stay full on three meals and would need to add some protein shakes or snacks. I do wish they would tell you this at the time of the fill, but I guess they do not want to open the door to any extra eating. Reading this made me think maybe something will "kick in" this weekend and I will not be ravenous.

HI I think what I am seeing/reading is all about post-surgery gas. I am 6 days post op and I do not have the back/shoulder pain. I do however feel like I need to burp ( big pressure in chest/breastbone area) 50-60% of the time. I do burp a lot when I drink liquids, but the sensation comes right back. I am hoping this is part of the icky early side-effects that go away with 2-3 weeks. OR does having the band make you a 12 year boy (aka Burping Machine) forever? I do not use straw/ water bottles - just for the record.

I think you are doing well also! I was banded on 6/17 and today especially I ate more than 1 cup of food at lunch and 2 hours later I am hungry. Not just the "mental" kind either. I get a fill on 7/9 and I know that will change everything, but I worry I can not keep up this tiny portions thing 2 more weeks.....

BeckieO - you might try Baptist Weight Loss Surgery center. I think the Nurses do the fills, but they do lots of them, so I am sure they are good. My Doc, Morton said he will do my first fill in 3 weeks and then it will be nurses after that. Sixth day with the band and I am feeling pretty all-right!

You got it out easy!!! I had the opposite problem and spent half the day after my surgery on the pot trying to have a bowel movement that was like passing a lead ball. I had to use and enema even. I cried it hurt so bad. On the up side...I was in the privacy of my own home - hee hee!:rolleyes2:

Hi I was banded on 6/17 - I think I am still losing weight - my doc allows mushies on the third day.. Today is day one - Mushy Foods here is what I have eaten today for Breakfast and lunch - 1 scrambled egg with a little pimento cheese - .5 sausage - went down ok - seemed full 1/4 cup refried Beans with cheese, 1/4 cup chicken salad, could not tell if I was full or not.. feeling a tad hungry about 2 hours later - so must have not been enough. The most hysterical thing is trying to chew refried beans "27 times" which is what our little diet book tells us how to chew everything. I feel better physically today though - no pain meds - just some naps. Maybe a little Protein shake and some coffee will perk me up! I have the horrid "gonna burp" feeling - and other random aches that I hope are gas also. I am glad I logged on today - Does anyone else have a hard time knowing when the you feel full from your mushies? I get scared and stop before I am full I think...

I am finally scheduled for surgery on 6/17 and my doc does the 2 shakes , one frozen meal thing. I started two days eariler than reccomended but I have cheated every day. Mostly I just have extra protien - very low fat lunch meat or an extra shake. I logged on today to get some inspiration to stop this cheating and have at least 7 days on track. But it is hard for me to do this diet, I mean this is even less calories than standard medifast! Here is my other funny/sad story. My doc reccomends South Beach rozen entrees for my meal ( boy do they taste delicious compared to shakes) and when I went to our local Kroger to get some last night, I discovered they did not carry them, I was just about in tears in the frozen foods isle. I ate some grilled chicken and another shake instead. Pretty funny when you are that torn up over a crappy frozen dinner!!!!

Nasvillian here as well - I am curious - I tried to get started with the lap band at Vanderbilt late last year, wanted to have Dr Holzman since he did a hernia repair for me. I was also a VUMC employee until last Aug. I had a horrible time just getting appointments @ Vandy, the wait was like 3 weeks then 7wks. Did either of you posting in this thread have that trouble? I switched to Baptist WLSC which I LOVE. I am waiting on insurance approval and hope to be banded in June by Dr. Morton.

HI - One of my only sucessful weight loss periods was with Medifast. I have done it about 5 times, and before my kids were born I was even keeping it off for awhile. My experience was you will always be tired the first couple of days on Medifast, but not after 5-7 days. If you are still so tired - drink an extra shake, they are only 70 cals and getting your energy back is worth it!