mickeymammoth

I just got off the phone with my surgeon's office, and I am so psyched that they don't have any pre-op diet. Just the 1 day on liquids before the surgery that is req'd for any surgery I assume. They also said that the post-op diet is only 5 days on liquids, 2 days on mushies, and 1.5 weeks on soft foods before I get to solids. That doesn't sound too bad at all. I was a little concerned with their 75% Protein dietary guidelines. That sounds like it will be hard to do long-term. I think they like it because Proteins tend to stay in the pouch longer so you're full longer. But don't you get sick of the same foods all the time???

When I got the ball rolling on this process 2 months ago, I decided to start dieting with a similar eating style suggested by my surgeon. I also decided to give up diet sodas. This was a big decision because I really love soda. But after reading that rat study that said artificial sweeteners made rats fatter than those who ate sugar, I decided to give up all artificial sweeteners. I now drink Perrier and other non-flavored carbonated beverages. When the time comes, of course, I will give those up as well. I'm amazed, but it hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. I also got the caffeine withdrawal headache, even though I was only having 2 caffeinated sodas in the AM (I used to switch to non-caffeinated after the AM). I used to drink 6-8 sodas a day since I get them free at work, plus a couple of bottles of water. I'm now drinking water instead. I think it'll be hard to not drink with meals, but my mom doesn't drink with meals, and she seems fine with it. I assume we'll get used to it. That, and eating teeny, teeny pea-sized bites.

The Realize band can hold 9ccs. The Lap-Band has 2 sizes: 10ccs and 14ccs.

I'm considering Realize as well; I think I have this silly thought that since it's new (just to the U.S., I know) that it might be better in some way. It does have a lower-profile port. They claim less slippage and erosion, but the numbers are super close so it's probably a wash. it just appeals to me.

It's hard to find studies that agree with each other completely; it's the nature of health studies to be VERY difficult to get a definitive answer, even after years of trying. It's clear to me that surgery is the most successful weight-loss technique available, nonetheless. Lap-band vs. Bypass? You get partisan answers a lot. It's not that your Dr. is a jerk for preferring bypass; he probably genuinely believes you will lose more weight on it. But considering that you will not consider bypass (I wouldn't either!), then it's a moot point. There are lots of people who don't lose any weight, lots who lose some, and lots who reach their goal. We all want to be in the latter camp. My surgeon told me that I will do better than the statistics. That I will reach my goal in 12 months. He probably says that to everyone, but I like his attitude! He wants us to succeed and will give whatever support is necessary to make that happen. So be positive. You can do it with the Lap-band.

My surgeon is a firm believer that dieting doesn't work long term for people like us; I think if you're a bariatric surgeon, you should believe in what you do! I think it's strange that your surgeon is trying to dissuade you from the surgery... Maybe try someone else with a better attitude?

How come you have to lose 20 lbs? What are you doing to lose it? Maybe something like Nutrasystem or Jenny Craig could get you to where you need to be. We all know it's hard to keep it off with those diets, but the control they provide do work short term... Plus, your doctor should help you with this, not laugh at you or kick you out of his office.

Hi All, I finally had my first appointment with my surgeon (Dr. Snyder in Denver). It went great, he was really nice. He talks a mile a minute, but in a good way. He seems like someone whose brain is always working. He summed up me and my life pretty well based on some observations; either that, or he says the same things to everyone! The best part was when he looked at my psych eval, and I got a "Good" rating on it. He says that particular psychologist almost never gives a Good rating to anyone (Fair if you're lucky), so I must have done something right there! I asked him about the Realize band vs. the Lap-Band, and he had just finished training for the Realize band and thought it looked like a good product. He has TONS of Lap-Band experience, and he thinks it's a great product, but he was totally open to trying the Realize one too. We'll see what he thinks of it after he installs a few... Then I went and talked to the insurance lady. I was dismayed to find out that they were going to submit my weight from today. 2 months ago, after I weighed in at my regular Dr., I set the lap-band journey in motion. But I couldn't get in to see him for 2 months, so I decided to start dieting right then rather than live any longer at that weight. Well, now I've lost almost 20 lbs., and am a 37 BMI instead of a 40 BMI, and I'm worried that insurance is going to balk. I have sleep apnea, and I have high blood pressure, cholesterol, and am pre-diabetic. But she said pre-deiabetes and high blood pressure don't count to insurance unless I'm taking medication. So I guess I have to see how mean insurance is going to be... Or maybe they'll be cool and approve me. Sigh. If I had known that I had to maintain 40 BMI until I saw Dr. Snyder, I might have not dieted... Life would be WAY easier if insurance pays.

I'm hoping just a breast lift will be required. I was always busty, even when I was thin, so it's hard to imagine actually needing implants! But if I were flat, then I'd consider it. The main thing I fear with implant is loss if nipple sensation....

I think that the 6 month diet is just an obstacle put in the way by insurance companies. I.e. I bet there's some percentage of people who will change their mind after the 6 month diet about the surgery (either they were so successful they think they can go it alone, or with the passage of time they grow less excited about surgery). My PCP said he had 2 patients who considered weight loss surgery (other than me), but they both changed their minds by the end of the 6 month diet. I don't think my insurance requires the diet, but I am dieting anyway for the past 2 months because I was heavier than I wanted to be (duh) and was slipping into bad health land. I'm just hoping the band will help me stick to this lifestyle change. Otherwise, I lack confidence I could be successful over the long run.

I think we all feel the way you do and have eaten horrible junk to get to where we are today. I'm hoping that the lap-band will make it quite difficult to eat a whole bag of oreos, though. I'm not banded yet, but they say the easiest foods to eat with the band are liquids and mushies. So if you can steer clear of ice cream, smoothies, and such, then you should be able to let the band work for you (i.e. make you less hungry). It's not going to be easy. But there was a period in my life where I watched what I ate and was thin. Then I fell into bad habits where I didn't deny myself anything. I'm hoping that I can retrain myself with the help of the band. Maybe you're a better candidate for gastric bypass because that makes it hard to eat sugar. But there are plenty of people with gastric bypass who eat around their surgery too, so you still have to change your eating. At this point in medical technology, there isn't anything that's a real cure for overeating, esp. if you consider "head hunger" that can persist rather than real hunger (which is also a serious issue). But the lap-band is the best we have right now.

The band is just supposed to help you keep your overall caloric intake down by making it hard to eat a lot and by making you less hungry. If you have restricted calories and are still not losing, then it's not really the band's fault; that's all the band promised to do for you! If you have been on diets and not lost any weight, then I'm surprised a surgeon wouldn't be concerned about that. Everyone has different caloric needs, but in theory, if you eat less than you expend you will lose weight. If your metabolism is super-slow such that eating 800 calories a day won't let you lose weight (and assuming you've tried more calories first to make sure it isn't starvation mode), then you might need a different kind of medical breakthrough. You might just be severely unlucky, and have a medical condition affecting metabolism.

I went ahead and had my pre-op testing done before seeing the surgeon. Since the surgeon won't put in for insurance until after I see him, I guess I'm hoping all this is covered! It seems to be pretty standard for his office to request (but not require) all of the testing be done before I come in so all my ducks are in a row. So he must deal with this situation all the time. I know that the psych eval. (which I will need to submit myself) is just like any other psychologist visit; coverage is not tied to the surgery. It's possible that the other evals could be passed off as necessary on some level (like, I was concerned about my lung capacity, and my pulmonologist ordered a test...) even without surgery. Not sure though! I'd ask your surgeon's office insurance expert.

I'm not totally sure that your primary care doc needs to refer you for surgery; It's possible that you need more than just the surgeon to approve for insurance's sake, but I don't know. In any case, if your dr. is a nice guy, and you make your case forcefully, he'd be a total boob to refuse you. My dr. is really naturopathic etc. but even he said he'd go along with it (while quietly hoping I would change my mind). I had already decided to have my endocrinologist as the main referral because he's more on board, so if you have any other dr. that you think would be more sympathetic, I'd use them. Worst case, go to a different dr!

I tried Byetta for weight loss, and it didn't really work. I lost some weight initially, but I think that was because I was watching what I was eating more. Then when I went up to full dose, I was nauseous, and didn't lose weight for a month, so I quit. I think I would try it again if I had diabetes (god forbid! That's why I'm getting banded), but even the drug company that makes Byetta has different weight-loss drugs in trials, not Byetta. So I think it's a minor aid for weight loss at best... There's no drug that works the way WLS works. I wouldn't bother.

I agree that following the Dr. guidelines for mushies is important. Once you're off mushies, you can revisit how you intend to eat for the rest of your life, and whether a once a week cheat is OK, which I think it is. As for a banana in your smoothie, I think it's odd that it's forbidden. I've given up artificial sweeteners at the same time as I started this diet, and fruit is the best way to get a sweet fix. Maybe you need a new nutritionist.

I haven't been banded yet, but I'm on Body for Life right now, and I also swear by the cheat meal/day. I'm only doing a cheat meal because I have a lot to lose and I don't work out as hard as the plan likes. I don't know if it has a physiological effect or not; but the psychological effect of being able to let down your guard once a week is fairly valuable. If the pizza and cookie dough really are only once a week, then I say that's OK. Plus, maybe it does help the metabolism: the cheat meal says "I'm not starving to death" and that's always a good message. In any case, there are always plateaus on diets. You haven't even been filled yet and don't have restriction. So as long as you're not gaining, and you're still losing a bit, I'd wait for some more restriction later on to help you keep below that 1500 calories. If you look on the board, people usually eat much less than that when restricted (hard to believe!), and maybe 1500 calories is only good for a slower loss than, say 1200 calories would be. I think it's a good bet that switching entirely to a pizza and cookie dough diet will result in weight gain, or at least, poor nutrition. Stick with what you're doing, I think.

You must have called for your appointment before me (the soonest he had when I called was June 4)! I imagine he had 100 people calling for appointments after the seminar. I have my psych eval next week, chest xray and breathing tests too. I'm under 50, so I don't have to do the cardio eval. I haven't been called about support groups yet, or signed up for the nutrition class. I got the impression it was around 8 weeks after the appt. that the surgery could happen, but who knows. Maybe it's not as bad for lap-banders. I was sort of thinking about trying for surgery the week of August 11th. I am on an immuno-suppressant drug for ulcerative colitis (Remicade) that I get every 6 weeks, and Aug. 11 would be at the end of a six week period when it will be weakest. I'm hoping insurance covers me without any 6-month diet etc. I'm actually dieting now because I was feeling so terrible at my max. weight, but I think it'll be tough to stay on it for more than a few months. It's been a month so far, and it's really hard!!! My husband of course is just dropping excess weight like crazy. Men! Hopefully I'll see you at support groups! Ramona in Boulder

I also barely slept on my sleep study. Apparently I slept for 2 hours and 20 minutes off and on, but I never made REM so I never thought I went to sleep. They finally told me to go home at 4am because I was never going to get to sleep enough so they could try the CPAP. Unfortunately, I slept enough for them to see "significant" obstructive sleep apnea. I'm thinking of doing it again with a sleeping pill so I can get the CPAP tested right; I'm picking up a CPAP machine on Monday, but it's kind of flying blind to use it without official testing... I really want to get some good sleep!

I went to the same Dr. Snyder seminar as you did, Long2bThin. I had already decided to use him before then anyway; I liked how responsive his office was, and how informative his website was. He seems really experienced. It made me feel safer about the whole thing after going to the seminar. I have my 1st appointment with him on June 4. In the meantime, I'm getting all my tests done. I can't wait!

It's been a big weight gain year. That's it. I can't stand it anymore! I thought that giving up eating big meals, giving up soda, giving up the various foods, etc. would make this too drastic a step. But I'm past that now. I decided to do it in January, and I just went to see my endocrinologist (no diabetes yet, thankfully), and he's on board. Now I just need to make my appointment with the surgeon (hope he calls back soon) and get the ball rolling. I live in Boulder, CO, and there are hardly any fat people here. I don't feel I can go to school reunions. I worry that I'm embarrassing my son. I hate not being able to do things. My feet hurt. I don't sleep well. I don't want to go up another bra size ever again. I'm going on a diet the day after tomorrow, and I don't want to do it. But I can't wait for the lap band to deal with this. I'm just hoping the lap-band will come along and prevent me from yo-yoing. Otherwise, I don't think dieting is very successful. I might up my workouts from 2x week to 3x, but it's hard when you work all day and don't have much free time. My endocrinologist (who says he's had 5 patients do bariatric surgery in 5 years--although, other Drs in the practice have more) recommended Dr. Frank Chae. He's not very close to Boulder, but I hate to wing it and not use his recommendation. I'm hoping my gastroenterologist OKs it (I have ulcerative colitis). Anyway, I hope everything goes well! Ramona