2muchfun

food deprivation! I think I feared this before I could even pull the trigger on whether I would have band surgery. But for me, it wasn't the how much I could eat, but how little my taste buds would be savoring those smaller portions. My mental image of just eating a palm sized portion of a chicken fried steak smothered in country gravy kept me from pulling the trigger for a year. It was the fear of a diminished culinary pleasure that made the decision difficult.

But the fear of dying young finally won the day ;o)

tmf

$10K is pretty much the norm these days and I think it's important to know you have a local surgeon you can rely on for advice and guidance. Most of these bariatric docs have nutritionists on staff or are available and they can offer invaluable advice if your band doesn't seem to be working.

Most likely you will need fills after surgery and traveling to Mexico or India isn't really an option imo. Most all bariatric Docs hold seminars monthly so go to several before you decide. Check out how many surgeries they've performed and how long they've been practiced in your area.

tmf

So skiddles, was that like major surgery again? Same amount of anesthisia, pre-op and post-op? Sometimes I feel the same way but then I get something stuck and come to my senses.

tmf

This is the 2nd similar post today where people have lost a lot of weight the first two weeks and are disappointed?

You need to burn 3500 calories to lose 1 lb. Do the math. If you consume 1500 calories a day and use 2000 calories through various activities like exercising, walking, sitting etc. You will burn 3500 calories more(1 wk) than you take in = 1 lb/wk lost. So, you really need to ramp up the exercising and take in fewer calories to lose more than 1 lb.

Jean and Lizzy are right, you might want to lower your expectatons to 4-8 lbs/mo. And you haven't even hit bandster hell yet? Let's hope you're one of the lucky ones and get to skip BH.

tmf

It's a love/hate relationship these first 6 months. Keep reading because I thought I knew it all but I didn't. I'd still do this again but I'd lower my expectations.

Banded 11/28/11 and only started to feel some restriction with the 4th and especially the 5th fill. Going in next week for fill 6. I know where you are. I was there and still am to a point. I have about 10 ccs in a 14 cc band. My band is very tight now. Don't sit around waiting for a fill if you feel like you're not benefiting from the band. Some docs have to be pushed. I've heard of some docs who won't allow fills for over 6 weeks between. Don't be intimidated by your Doc. Be aggressive and insist on a 1 cc fill.

tmf

I'm sorry but I can't be as kind as the others. Do the math? You must burn 3500 calories to lose 1 lb. Even if you take in only 1000 calories of food a day, and use up about 2000 calories through sitting, exercising, walking, thinking, you will only lose 2 lbs per week*. 10 of the 14 lbs you've lost are probably just Water weight. 14 lbs is terrific, it's sensational, something to be overjoyed about. jmo

*1000 X 7 = 7000 calories/wk input -2000 X 7 = 14000 used calories = 7000 more calories burned or approximately 2 lbs.

tmf

Went online a few days ago and ordered your book and cookbook. I've been whining for a month now because I've had 5 fills and know I need at least one more. 15?? Egads, just shoot me now! I certainly hope that my journey soon finds that green zone because I'm not seeing the signals till I've eaten more than I believe I should eat. Oh, I seem to get the stuck signal early on if I eat too rapidly(and that's a huge learning curve for guys), eat larger bites than my stoma can handle or don't chew properly. 2-3 bites the wrong way can be painful. But 5-10 minutes goes by and I'm still hungry so I can eat quite a bit.

Will more fills reduce the amount I can eat or will it just make eating more painful? It concerns me?

tmf

LOL...Stumbled upon this string and couldn't help myself. Bayougirl, I had to check out the 36ff's. I guess I fall into the same category as the OCLady friends. And thanks to Bayougirl for posting all those pictures. Most banders don't do that and I so want to see how well others are doing with the band. It's inspirational.

But, I checked out my own boobs and I'm only down about 23 lbs but I think they're smaller. But that's a good thing right?

tmf

I too was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and went on a synthroid to correct my numbers. Both my family practitioner and my surgeon were OK with me getting the surgery. Of course, after the meds my numbers came down to 3.4 but this was 2 years before I applied to have surgery.

What you have could be treatable and can possibly be lowered rather quickly with the right meds. I'd talk to your surgeon and family Dr.

Well, first, talk to your surgeon. But you're giving up after 5 days? What kind of sick are you talking about?

5 fills for me and never felt any restriction until fill 3. I still need at least one more fill. I started feeling stuck with most any kind of food with fill 3. Most of it is due to still taking too large a bite and not chewing fully. I've had to slow down, take much smaller bites and chew, chew, chew.

Most of my stuck episodes feel like my pouch is trying to work food through my stomach and it's not real painful. Mostly it feels uncomfortable and I know I have to sit back and wait about 10 minutes for the food to pass before I can take another bite.

I too started eating less after fill 2 but I've only lost 22 lbs. I still get very hungry between meals so it's still a struggle to not eat and that's something I hadn't planned on. My experience so far is not the textbook examples we say and heard prior to surgery. Still, I'm glad I did it.

tmf

There is no difinitive answer to your question. We all have different responses to fills. I'm on fill 5 and I feel some restriction but I know I need at least one more. I'm 5 months out and I'm eating less so I'm slowly losing but it's not what I had expected.

I've seen where some bandsters need no fills and have restriction from the start or some bandsters feel full quicker and it lasts longer. Others have difficulty with the first few bites and then can eat quite a bit. Seems like that ideal place where we can eat a cup of well chewed food and feel totally satiated for hours is very elusive and for some of us, unattainable.

Keep watching this forum and you will see similar stories every day. Good luck.

I like bunnies,

I'm due for fill #6. Not enough restriction so far. The lapband is helping but not doing what I had hoped it would do. I haven't given up and still think it can help me lose but so far it's not what I had hoped for.

tmf

Honk is right on. I've had 5 fills and I can still eat too much. Fortunately the band has made me eat less but I still need one more fill. The first 3 fills did virtually nothing for me.

I believe that some of us are so focused on losing weight that we think of food all the time which of course makes us hungry. I know that first 3 months was very difficult for me. I too was very discouraged and sometimes wished I had never had the surgery. But after fill 5 I saw a dramatic difference in restriction which has helped me eat less and drop 8 lbs.

You're probably thinking, "why did I have surgery just to go on another stinking diet that won't work"? It will, give it time and don't be shy to demand a fill sooner than the docs say you can. I've had to be very aggressive with my surgeon's office about getting fills. Sitting around getting depressed can only make it easier for you to consume too much food.

tmf

Well, maybe it will diminish greatly but may only diminish slightly. I'm up to fill 5 and I can still eat much more than I was told I could eat. One more fill may do the trick for me but Melissa is right, you're in bandster hell and may be there for a while.

Banded 11/28/11. Remember this. Everyone reacts differently to the band. Your journey will most likely not track with anyone else. You may be wildly successful in the beginning or it may take a few months.

For me, the biggest fear was giving up cheeseburgers, prime rib and all the other stuff that satiates my body. Fact is, I can still eat those products, but not as much and I'm OK with that.

If I had to do this over again, I think I'd still do it, but I'd be more discreet. I pretty much told everyone I was going to do it and then afterwards told everyone I did it. Now I get questioned constantly on how much weight I've lost? And in the beginning it was very slow for me so I wasn't able to wow folks with my rapid reduction in size. That's when all the skinny folks chime in with the "why don't you just ______!(fill in the words here). You know what I mean? Why don't I just walk more, jog more, eat more grapefruit, take this Vitamin or do this extreme workout for 3 hours a day?

Look me up anytime if you have questions or need to lean on someone. I know I still have a lot more journey to go but it is getting better. I'll be going in for my 6th fill soon. I think I'm an anomally with the fills but I can't get it tight enough for some reason. Good luck bud.

Steph and Hopeful are both right on. If you haven't set up your online account with your BCBS affilliate, do so. Then this will no longer be a mystery and you won't have to rely on strangers for this kind of advice.

Yeah, I went through the 6 months of BS and jumped through the hoops to find out they had changed the rules. Oh well, banded and sort of happy.

First, check some other local bariatric docs who might take your case for less money. $340 sounds outrageous to me. I know that here in Denver, there are a few docs who will take on clients who have had surgery elsewhere for a minimal fee. Check it out?

You're such slacker B-52

JK...You're my hero and it looks like we're starting from a similar place and I hope I have similar success! All kidding aside, I think you have reason to be concerned that you may not be getting enough nutrition. Visits to a qualified nutritionist aren't all that expensive and your doc probably has one available so don't be shy and pay her a visit.

Dan

I was told to go on a liquid diet only the day before and nothing else prior to that. And I don't believe my surgeon changed his protocol for most patients. There could be some deviation from this with specific patients but this was his way.

Your surgeon seems to have a handle on you and her skillset. I think that this surgery may have come a long ways in the last 10 years and some doctors could be slaves to old ways. There's also the litigious side of surgery that makes many docs nervous about pre-op diets and failed outcomes. JMO

Cut the soda and alcohol for a week to eliminate that possibility. Smaller bites and lots and lots of chewing to avoid getting stuck. I'm on fill 5 and it's difficult to remember to slow down, take small bites and chew, chew, chew after years of scarfing down food. But when I follow the rules, I don't get stuck, don't burp(unless I eat too much) and don't throw up.

Swollen, yes, probably. Remember to sip your mushies and take small bites of food once you're able to. Call your Dr if you're concerned?

The first post of this thread explains what it is but I don't think it's what you have?