ValJean

On 07/29/2018 at 23:33, RapidFirePickle said:

Lots of gentle hugs! Keep a positive outlook and don't let this get you down. It's a pothole in the road, and you can weather this! Rest and heal.

This morning I went into surgery for lapband removal /revision to RnY. When I woke up I learned that, due to the severity of the scar tissue and the time and efforts required to remove it, my surgeon decided it was not safe to complete.

I’m receiving amazing care from my nursing team and, while I’m in a bit of shock over the fact that my vision of life ahead is derailed, I am incredibly grateful to have the band out of my body. My hope is that the years of pain and complications I’ve experienced are now over. Whether I can/will proceed with RnY at a later date is yet to be determined. For now, pain meds, Clear Liquids, and sleep are absolute gifts.

Provider restrictions vary, of course--but my diet the day before surgery is to be Clear Liquids, which includes sugar-free popsicles and Jello. The important point from my team was there should be NO RED DYE. (I believe this is for contrast and cameras during surgery.) I recommend asking your surgical team.

On 7/21/2018 at 8:21 PM, CyclicalLoser said:

My mother did (With the sleeve) but I have to say my mother is the strongest lady I know (Of course, I'm biased). She was in her 60's when she had it done, and had almost no help. I wanted to help, but I live on the other side of the country. My mother has an extreme tolerance for pain - she slipped on ice, fell, tore her entire abdomen, then became septic. She went through a lot and personally, being ~2 weeks post-op, I would say it is almost impossible, but my mother showed me where there is a will, there is a way.

So I suppose if you were going to do it, I would suggest several things based on what I'm dealing with now, and what my mom went through:

Get yourself a lot of stretchy clothes. I would say at least 2 weeks worth, because it is painful to bend over to do laundry. Same thing with groceries, keep them all high on the counter. Get yourself a grabber tool from harbor freight as well as a cane. I would buy a bunch of disposable cups and put a day's worth of meds in each one before hand, so you don't have to stand up in the kitchen portioning them out. Make sure you have a lot of bed linens ready, or even put several layers on your bed so that instead of doing the laundry, you could peel off a layer. I'd make sure you have a lot of pillows easy to get to by your bed, and in your favorite chair in the living room. I'd recommend to clear off nightstands and end tables so that you can use them as soon as you get home without cleaning. Of course, get yourself some books, a kindle, laptop, movies (etc) for entertainment. Have your telephone or cell phone charger near your bed/chair so you can easily switch between the 2 locations.

My doctor wants me measuring urine, so make sure you can easily do so in your bathroom. Consider putting a chair in shower and if you don't have a tall toilet seat, then get a "booster" with handles.

These are all things that a second caregiver would handle for you, so I'd prep as much as you can to get you to the 2-week mark. I'm at the point where I could probably handle everything by myself if I needed to.

I hope this helps!

This is such a thoughtful, thorough response. Thank you for sharing.

On 7/20/2018 at 3:07 PM, ValJean said:

Also, I only just ordered the sample variety pack of single-serving Syntex nectar Protein powder and I was amazed at how good the "non-creamy" fruit flavors are. It mixes easily and achieves the consistency of Water or crystal lite. Only six grams of protein per serving, but could at least be a boost to what you're already taking in.

Apologies for two errors in my previous post. First, the name of the product is Syntax (not Syntex); and second, it has 23-24 grams of protein per serving (my food logging app was registering 1/4 packet for some reason!).

On 7/19/2018 at 8:54 AM, MissLindseyR said:

Hello all,

I am having trouble getting my Protein in. I have 3 weeks out from gastric bypass. I am back at work and I feel ok for now, but worried about in the long run. I can't seem to stomach my Protein Shakes at all. I have a few others on the way to try, but it's like they hit my stomach so hard. I also can only get about 40oz of Water in as well. Any tips? Thank you!

Hi MissLindsey,

I really enjoy the plant based pea Protein from Arbonne, both the chocolate and vanilla. They also have unflavored which can be mixed into other liquids...I particularly like adding it to broth. It is maybe a little more expensive than other products, but it's the best tasting protein powder I've ever had.

http://www.arbonne.com/Pws/homeoffice/store/AMUS/catalog/Nutrition,272.aspx?itemsperpage=24

Also, I only just ordered the sample variety pack of single-serving Syntex nectar protein powder and I was amazed at how good the "non-creamy" fruit flavors are. It mixes easily and achieves the consistency of Water or crystal lite. Only six grams of protein per serving, but could at least be a boost to what you're already taking in.

Of course, everyone's different and tastes change. I got the lapband in 2009 and anything from Isopure made me gag. I'm revising to RNY next week and have been testing out a variety of protein shakes/powders/mixes in advance so I don't end up with a cupboard full of stuff I can't stomach!

Thank you for sharing your story. I am so moved by it and inspired by you! If you were telling it in person, I'd ask permission to give you a hug of support and gratitude. Sending one virtually instead.

July 26, revision from band to RNY.

I recently discovered the Weight Loss Surgery Podcast and have been catching up on older episodes. The host recently talked briefly about this issue and mentioned a pill called Devrom. It's OTC and when I searched for it online I learned that it is a Bariatric Pal branded product.

https://store.bariatricpal.com/products/devrom-flatulence-deodorizer-and-internal-deodorant

I've not tried it myself, but found it very interesting, as I had no idea there was such a thing as a "flatulence deodorizer and internal deodorant." Best of luck!

Banded Jan 2009

Lost 100 pounds

Have regained 20

Been nearly two years since a visit to my band doctor

Making an appointment TODAY!

Congratulations on being banded, and thanks for your post! 1 1/2 years out from surgery, 100 lbs down--I STILL find myself forgetting or "slacking" on the positive mental dialog sometimes. So thank you for the reminder!!

I found that having Protein shakes on hand is a big help (I was on a pre-op liquid diet, so my choices were limited).

Also, are you a caffeine-drinker? That might be contributing too, if you're taking in the same amt of caffeine but have reduced food/calorie intake.

I'm right with you, ladies! Banded in January '09, by October '09 I'd lost 100 lbs...since then, I've put 10 back on (over holidays and the generally sluggish winter when I was doing more hibernating that exercising)...but have been at that plateau (200lbs) ever since. So frustrating!! I, too, stopped counting calories--but that was last summer and I continued to do well, so I'm not sure if I need to go back to it or not. I'm back exercising more regularly now that the weather has improved, eager to see if I make some progress over the summer.

Still, so grateful for how far I've come--as we all should be! Great work to you all!! I just have to remember to come back here regularly for support and motivation.

Val

A lousy boyfriend is the best weight you'll ever lose.

That is hilarious, bella71! Love it!

First of all--congratulations on your success! And congratulations, too, for coming up with such a great reward for yourself--brilliant!

While I personally have not been there myself, I've heard nothing but wonderful things about Kripalu Center for Yoga (in western Massachusetts). They offer all sorts of different themed retreats and I think you can also just go and do a basic program which includes several yoga sessions daily. Plus, it's incredibly beautiful and peaceful in that area (I used to live in West MA). I'm pretty sure the Kripalu "campus" has a lot of hiking trails and things like that, too. kripalu.org.

Wherever you go, have an incredible time! And let us know where you end up choosing!

Val

I weighed in obsessively for the first year (though only recorded my weight "officially" once a week). Now I've kind of backed off, trying to stay off the scale for at least a couple weeks, maybe a month, and just concentrate on how I feel, how my clothes fit, and not the number on that scale.

Winkiespleen--I've been in this same situation and I would 100% advise you to go back to the doc and get a slight unfill. I was too tight and tried to "stick it out" for a couple months--I ended up with a stretched pouch and had to get completely unfilled and am now still trying to build back up to my sweet spot. Please don't put yourself through the pain and stress of being too tight--you need to be able to get your nutrition in!

As for feeling sad, I too have suffered through depression most of my life (am on medication as well), and have definitely noticed some major ebbs and flows in my moods over the past year since being banded. On top of my prescription medication treatment, I was always a "food medicator." Being banded, I'm no longer able to bury my feelings by cramming food down my throat. It was a very hard adjustment, it's still hard. That's why it's so important, in my opinion, to have a strong support system behind you--friends, family, surgical support group, this forum. It's important that you have an outlet to share your feelings.

I also want to say to Leigha that your suggestion about taking and looking back on photos is right on! From the first day of my pre-op diet, I had my boyfriend take my picture each week. On the worst, hardest days, looking back on those first pictures and seeing how far I'd come really saved me! It's so important for us to remember, respect, and reward ourselves for the successes we've had and will continue to have on this journey.

Winkiespleen--please feel free to send me a PM if you want to talk more, I'm happy to listen!

Val

Hi all!

I live on the north side (Ravenswood/Lincoln Square) and work downtown. Would love to meet up with folks--anyone interested in setting up a coffee "date" to chat??

Val

Hi everyone,

I am going on my first cruise ever next week, Bahamas, and am looking for some general advice from anyone who has been on a cruise with the band. How did you approach food during your trip; was it difficult to manage? Did you feel like your band was looser due to the lower altitude?

Also, more specifically:

I'm traveling with a large group of family, and most of them love to eat! I've been banded just over a year and am 100 pounds down, but have been on a plateau for several months and have learned that my family is a major trigger for me to make less than great choices. My older sister was also banded last September, and has been struggling. She is not an "exercise person" and it has been hard for her to find a routine that she enjoys and can stick with; also, she is married with two young children, works nights, and is generally an all-around superwoman when it comes to taking care of everyone around her--which means she puts herself last most of the time. We are extremely close, but live 6 hours apart, so while I can give support in words, I have not had much chance to really support her with action--working out together, cooking together, spending time doing things rather than going out to eat (she lives in the small town where we grew up and dining out is one of the few, and therefore most prominent, social activities).

My cruise-specific issue that relates to this story is: I would love to take this opportunity to give her practical support while still having fun. I plan to exercise each day, and she has expressed interest in doing that with me, which is awesome. But my concern is the food! I know that I will feel the trigger to overindulge, which is my own issue to deal with--but then I also have guilt about the idea of being to rigid with my diet...like I'm too uptight and vain that I can't allow myself to have fun. And I also really don't want to make my sister feel bad about herself for wanting to indulge a bit--this is, after all, a vacation!

Ugh, I just feel conflicted, I guess. I'm so excited for all the fun we'll have, but I also don't want it to be an excuse to "forget" about the lifestyle I've worked very hard to create. Perhaps I'm over-thinking things--but any thoughts you might have on vacationing while banded would be much appreciated. Thanks for enduring my (unintentionally) lengthy post, too! :thumbdown:

My absolute favorite are the EAS AdvantEDGE Carb Control. 110 calories, 17 grams Protein. They are premixed, single serving shakes and they saved my life during the pre-op diet. I did powder mixes as much as I could stand (since it is economically better than the individually packaged drinks), but these taste the best to me. Also, Atkins brand shakes are good too. I've found both at walgreens, cvs, target.

Val

Hang in there, you're doing awesome! You're right in probably the most difficult time of this journey (it was for me, anyway), but every day that you follow your post op diet to a "T" you are allowing proper healing and setting yourself up for long-term success with the band. You've come this far, what's one more week? Compared to the rest of your life waiting in front of you, thinner, healthier, happier, a week is nothing! YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Keep up the great work and feel free to send me a private message if you want to talk or need support. Congratulations on your success so far!

Val

Agreed--veggie burgers are great! And I know Boca has a lot of variety, not sure about Morning Star. If bread gives you a problem, I recommend eating the burger over a bed of sauteed spinach, very yummy! Also, because they can get rubbery in the microwave, I'd suggest pan-cook them on the stovetop if possible, or throwing it on a cookie sheet in the over for 15 min or so.

Val

Yes, me too!!

Val

Hi MissMe,

I got banded at DayOne in Chicago, and I know they have some kind of rate offer for those not covered by insurance. My insurance only covers a small portion of fills at this point, so it costs me about $150 each time. It would be worth calling them.

I mostly just wanted to comment and say that, this forum is for support and help--there is NOTHING wrong with doing research to find the best possible options for you. That is why we are on here, for support, information, answers, and COMMUNITY. Not browbeatings.

I'm really peeved by the rude and aggressive posts from Candeta. Unnecessary, in no way helpful, and offensive. I just cannot understand what would compel someone to respond to a perfectly reasonable question in that way.

MissMe--I'm always looking for "band pals" in the city, so please feel free to send me a private message if you ever want to chat or meet for coffee or something!

Val

I think I'd be very careful about adopting a chew-and-spit habit; it's is a feature of a form of bulimia, and heading down that path might not be an approach you want to take. It might be a better idea, in the future, to find a good alternative---and actually eat a bit.

I think Betsy makes a very good point here, and I'm glad she did because it got me thinking. I truly believe that, in order to make the band work for life, we can't live in fear of food. Of course, we aren't like everyone else, but part of having the band, for me anyway, is changing my habits and getting to a place where my relationship with food is more like that of "normal" healthy people. 95% of the time eating nutritious foods, and allowing treats once in awhile without guilt and fear.

Again, I can only speak for myself, but I found it a good test of myself and my life changes by allowing an indulgence once in awhile and really seeing if I can eat a normal, band-sized portion of those "treat" foods. I can say from my own experience that, as a life-long food addict and compulsive overeater, I was terrified the first time I decided to venture beyond my very strict post-banding eating regimen--then completely surprised and thrilled to find that I could eat a small amount and be satisfied physically--and mentally.

Again, I can't say enough that I am only sharing my own thoughts/experience, not prescribing a system for anyone else--as we all know, what works for one person doesn't always work for the next. And I will say too that I didn't indulge in treat foods until several months after banding. But the idea of chewing and spitting out an entire meal's worth of food worries me a bit, and and almost seems like punishment--and you don't deserve that!

Val