LisaB411

My doctor says a soda once in awhile is fine. I used to drink A LOT of Diet Coke and really thought I would have a hard time cutting back. I honestly don't miss it. I have a Diet Coke or a Diet Sprite a couple of times a month, but most of the time I would rather have water.

Yes, you can drink alcohol. Some people say it affects you much quicker with the band, so you are a cheap drunk. I have a glass of wine every once in awhile. I think beer might be kind of painful though w/ the bubbles and burping.

A lot of how fast you get approved and whether you need to have co-morbitities depends on what you BMI is. If your BMI is lower than 40, you are probably going to need some comorbidities to get approved. You may want to pick a surgeon you like first, then ask him/her what insurance they find it easiest to work with.

I am a Federal Employee, and I did a lot of research on health insurance plans before I had my surgery. I switched to BCBS Federal because they did not require a supervised weight loss program to get approved for surgery. My doctor said they are one of the easiest plans to work with and they approved me in 20 minutes. My doctor and hospital were all "in network," so my costs so far for the surgery, office visits, and fills is less than $500 total.

My eating habit have improved greatly since getting my band in April. I used to drink LOTS of diet soda, for example. Now I might have one or two a month, and I rarely crave it. (My doctor says a diet soda once in awhile isn't is fine.) I used to want fast food ALL the time. Now I couldn't care less about it. I don't even crave my all time favorite -- McDonald's french fries. I rarely even want chocolate or other sweets. However, there are certain foods now that I crave that I never did before -- peanuts, mexican food (mostly nachos), and popcorn. Maybe it's the salt I am craving, but it seems weird that my tastes have changed so much. Anyone else have new cravings?

Papaya enzyme tablets can help. Frankly, there isn't much you can do. The food will either go down or come up. If you get stuck for more than 30 minutes, call your doctor. He/she can take all the fluid out of your band and whatever is stuck will go down.

O.K., this is probably silly, but I've lost about 45 pounds since getting banded in April, and I want someone to notice! Of course my husband has noticed, mostly because I have been having to buy new clothes , and he is very supportive. But even my parents and sisters haven't said anything like, "Hey, you look good," and I've TOLD them how much I have been losing. One of my co-workers complimented me, but that's it. I know 45 pounds isn't a lot when you start at 313, but it's got to be a little noticeable. Grrrrr. OK, rant over. I promise I don't usually need attention this much, but it would be nice to have someone notice the weight loss.

An endocrinologist is a doctor who specializes in diabetes, thyroid issues, and other disorders of the endocrine system. If you don't go to one, just talk to whoever helps you manage your diabetes.

Talk to your endocrinologist for a plan to manage your blood sugar after surgery. I take insulin and Glucophage too. Right after surgery, I didn't need the insulin for a couple of weeks. My blood sugar ran under 150 with no meds until I started eating mushies -- then the BS creeped up. I was able to stablize my insulin at about 1/3 of what I had been taking pre-op. I did/do have problems with the glucophage though. I take Glucophage XR, which is a pretty big pill that you aren't supposed to break up because it's time-released. I just couldn't get it down at first. Over time, I've been able to take it again. If you don't know what a low blood sugar episode feels like, make sure you monitor your BS a lot. I get light-headed, hot, and my heart will start to pound. If you are taking insulin when you are still on liquids or mushies, keep some juice around or get some of the glucose tablets or get to bring your BS up quickly. Good Luck!

The reason you aren't supposed to eat a lot of food in the first weeks after surgery isn't really about weight loss. It's about allowing yourself to heal. You most likely have some internal stitches that need to heal. By eating too much you put stress on those stitches and can hurt yourself. If your doctor told you to eat liquids or mushy food, listen to him/her. If you are allowed to eat regular food, take it easy for a few weeks.

I'm coming up on the "50 pounds lost" milestone and I am getting excited. I decided I would get a massage when I lost 50 pounds. Now I want something really good when I lose 100 pounds, but I haven't decided what yet. I may have to throw in a small reward after the next 25 pounds too, since the pounds are coming off a bit slower than they did in the beginning. When I reach my goal (which is about 150 pounds lost), I think I want to take a cruise to Alaska. Now I just have to talk my husband into that.:thumbup: What are your rewards?

I've had my band for 3 1/2 months and never had any real problems. One sliming incident, but no problems with any foods. Until now. I had my third fill last Monday. Did liquids for two days and mushies for two days. No problems. Yesterday I ate oatmeal for Breakfast and some sushi for lunch. No problems. For dinner I tried some falafel (no bread). I was having a hard time getting it down, so I stopped. Ate a few corn chips with some hummus and some watermelon. Everything was fine. Then I took two pills. Never had any problem taking them before, but I hadn't taken them since the last fill. They went right down. About a half an hour later, as I was folding laundry, I started to feel really dizzy and my face got hot. A minute later I was fine. About an hour after this I had some Water, and it didn't go right down -- it kind of got hung up. I started to eat a sugar-free popsicle and it felt like it was getting stuck. A few minutes later I PBed up the melted popsicle. I can keep down liquid today and small amounts of food, so everything seems fine. But what's the deal with not being able to hold down a popsicle? Could the pills have stayed in the upper pouch and blocked liquid from going down?

I like the Quaker Oatmeal Weight Control. It has added protein, and if you make it w/ milk instead of water, it has about 20 grams of protein.

You've lost 24 pounds -- that's great! I also have PCOS and am insulin resistant. Yes, it's harder to lose weight, but you can do it. When you are insulin resistant, your body has too much insulin floating around in it because your cells don't absorb it well. Insulin make you hungry, and causes your cells to retain fat. Have you tried a lower carb diet? Less carbs means less insulin.

The meat tenderizer helps to break up whatever is stuck so that it will pass. Papaya enzyme tables work the same way.

Mix some meat tenderizer with water and drink it.

My main reasons were my son, my diabetes, and my high blood pressure. My diabetes and high blood pressure were also controlled with medication. But regardless of good control, both diseases put you at a much increased risk of heart disease and other complications. And both diseases usually get worse with age and rarely get better unless you lose weight. Plus years of meds can be hard on your liver and kidneys. Since getting my lapband in April, I've been able to cut my insulin down to a quarter of what I had been taking, and have been able to cut out once of my blood pressure meds.

How many doctors did you speak with choosing one? TWO Is a lap band like a diamond [forever] or do folks have them for period of time and them have them removed? They are intended to be permanent, but can be removed. Will exercise cause the band to slip? [i don't want to give up my lousy golf game, throwing around the kids in the pool, or gardening] No. Can anyone recommend doctors in the metro DC area? I recommend Dr. Robert Pinnar in Reston, VA Dr. Pinnar (and many other doctors) require patients to undergo a pre-surgical psychological evaluation. This might be a good tool for you to use in determining if lapband is the right thing for you. Dr. Pinnar also has a support group that you can attend as a prospective patient and talk to other patients.

My doctor doesn't use fluro, and he hits the port on the first try every time.

I urge you to find a reputable surgeon in your area and attend a seminar. The article you cite is not accurate with the experience of most people. Here's my experience: 1 week pre-op low carb, liquid diet. It wasn't fun, but I survived. After surgery, I was on liquids for 2 weeks and mushy food for 2 weeks. When I moved to regular food, I could eat just about anything in small quantities if I eat slowly and chew well. I have trouble with a lot of bread, but can eat a little. I have trouble with fresh pineapple because of the fiber, and I have to be really careful with grapes because of the skin. Nothing else bothers me. Everyone is different, and many people have trouble with some foods, but you adjust. The band is not magic. You can't eat anything you want and expect to lose weight. The band is a tool that can help you lose weight, but you still have to make healthy food choices and exercise if you want to lose weight.

I don't drink coffee myself, but my doctor has said there is no reason you can't have coffee if you have a lapband.

i was told bread is a nono Bread is hard for a lot of people to eat, because of the doughy consistency. It can turn into a blob of dough in your stomach. Breaded meat isn't the same thing -- it's usually crispy and crunchy and easier to eat.

Breaded chicken and fish obviously has more calories and carbs (and fat if it's fried), but don't see why it would be a "no no." It's not going to hurt the band. I eat breaded chicken sometimes, just not a lot.

Can you do egg drop soup?

What are you not supposed to take? My doctor said I could take whatever meds I took before the band and didn't mention anything I should avoid.