Toosywoots

Dr. G is a very positive person and gives very good advice for the lapband patient. He encourages me every time I come in for a lapband adjustment. Yesterday, he congratulated me for reaching the 100 pounds lost which is 1/3 of my weight in less than a year. He promises my husband and I that I will be a size 12 in two years.

I was banded in October 08 but had been loosing before that. This marks my 9th month and I have lost over 100 pounds total. However, the past six months I have been struggling with the last 20 pounds. I avoid the scale because it does lie like Jack said. I started out a 5x and am borderline 2x now. My doctor gave me a no-no list that consists of softer foods, candy and high calorie foods to avoid. I must confess that I do eat them more than I should. I am only supposed to eat 3 meals a day with no snacking. I snack. So if I am struggling with the band, it's because I am making the wrong food choices. I could count calories and exercise more if I really want to get serious about this. My doctor guarantees that it will work if I follow the instructions and I will be a size 12 in two more years.

:mad:Okay today I am 9 months out from Gastric lapband surgery. I haven't posted in here for 6 months. It seems to be going rather slowly for weight loss and at times I think I have been scammed. I do NOT do what the doctors tell me to do however so it's not their fault. It's my fault to believe that lapband would be a cure, that I would never have to diet again, and that the pounds would just peal off from lack of being able to eat. I keep hearing after the surgery that lapband is just a tool and that I still have to diet and exercise. The band is as tight as it's going to get and I have problems getting that first meal down and staying there. Once I do, I am all set for eating the rest of the day. I snack heavily on the no-no list of soft foods the doctors advised me to quit eating from. I'm not supposed to snack and only have 3 small South Beach Diet type meals a day. I exercise maybe 3 times of week which is just walking slowly in stores instead of vigorous excercise daily. I didn't want to have to diet or exercise again!

:mad:Okay today I am 9 months out from Gastric lapband surgery. I haven't posted in here for 6 months. It seems to be going rather slowly for weight loss and at times I think I have been scammed. I do NOT do what the doctors tell me to do however so it's not their fault. It's my fault to believe that lapband would be a cure, that I would never have to diet again, and that the pounds would just peal off from lack of being able to eat. I keep hearing after the surgery that lapband is just a tool and that I still have to diet and exercise. The band is as tight as it's going to get and I have problems getting that first meal down and staying there. Once I do, I am all set for eating the rest of the day. I snack heavily on the no-no list of soft foods the doctors advised me to quit eating from. I'm not supposed to snack and only have 3 small South Beach Diet type meals a day. I exercise maybe 3 times of week which is just walking slowly in stores instead of vigorous excercise daily. I didn't want to have to diet or exercise again!

My story is much the same way. Lost lots of weight before surgery (59 pounds last year) and by the 6th week out, I was back to old habbits and life style. I have lost 6 pounds total since November and I am very disapointed. I have had 4 fills since October in my 14 cc band but can still eat 1 cup of cottage cheese and a bag of microwave popcorn without feelling full. My doctor said that those were wrong foods and they pass through the band too easily. I am loosing my hair too but was told that I didn`t need protein suppliments any more. My doctor says that 6 pounds over Thanksgiving and part of December is average loss and he is proud of me. As of the first of the year, I am back to counting calories, using my exercise bike, and looking into swimming pool exercise class. Might even try the 2 protein suppliments a day with a small dinner at night to get back into the diet again. Going to test my sugar and start taking the diabetic pills if needed again.

I was banded on Oct 8 and am just checking in. A bad cold or flu hit me a couple of weeks after surgery--no vomiting just a horrible head cold that caused a lot of coughing and sneezing. I was worried that my band would slip. I was able to eat more (a cup or more of soup) and when I am sick, I feel sorry for myself and used to eat more anyway. I weighed myself two weeks ago and stayed the same after having huge weight losses of 10 pounds each week. I also had the edema return to my feet and I am not sure what causes it-the type 2 borderline diabetes or what? I have not taken my diabetic pill since surgery but may have to do that again. My fasting sugar count was 109 this morning. I am scheduled with my first fill on November 20th and I plan to discuss a lot with that doctor since my primary care doctor is of very little help by saying just check with your surgeon when I have questions. So I panicked and began keeping track of calories, Protein, fats and carbs trying to keep it between the 800-1200 calories diet that the dietician said I would need to do. I weigh myself weekly on Thursday and this week I lost the 3 pounds. I am walking more too. So far this is like being on a regular diet and I do feel hungry at night mostly even with Snacks. I hope the fill changes all that.

I am getting my first fill on the 20th at the 6 week mark. I am very nervous about where they might find my band because I had a nasty coughing sneezing cold 2 1/2 weeks out from surgery. I wasn't eating much up until then and now I can eat a full cup of food without even feeling full. I am still very tender around my largest cut so I hope this doesn't hurt much. I hope the insurance pays for the doctor calls but my copays haven't paid for office visits for over a year now. Last week I didn't loose but the edema came back too so I figured it was Water weight. I started a daily calorie diet and try to keep it in the 800-1200 calorie range and do a lot of walking 3 or 4 days a week. I hope the band is in the right place yet. I will be glad when this first time is over.

I was banded on October 8th. My stomach felt like someone was going over it with a rolling pin a couple of times but it hasn't happened for more than a week--those were probably spasms. I seldom get hunger pangs. I do get the gurgling noisy stomach and I am not hungry. I get a tiny little burp or a feeling like I might wretch (but never do) when I eat too much--like a cup of soft foods instead of the 1/2 c. I didn`t have complications except for a low fever for a couple of days. Gas is always a problem. I am beginning to find out which foods make me gassy. So far I am finding it is the food with splenda. I might be allergic to it. Everyone is different though and I think you will discover whatever it takes for you to get used to your own band. I am feeling much better this week and I think I am progressing along nicely. My husband thinks I am eating too much yet and maybe stretching my pouch but I lost 10 pounds last week. I haven`t had my first fill yet.

Had my week after surgery check up with my primary care doc today. His scale said I lost again! He hadn't seen me in a month and I had lost 25 pounds since then. He was beaming ear to ear about it. He checked my 5 incissions and no infection. He was really happy to hear that I haven't had to take diabetes medication since surgery because all I have had to eat is Sugar Free clear liquids and protein shakes. I told him about the pain under my lower left rib cage that doesn't seem to be gas. It prevents me from breathing. He said of coarse you will have pain after a surgery like this and he prescribed me more pain killers.

My pre-op surgery instructions were clear liquids the day before surgery. That would be apple juice, Sugar free popsicles, S.F jello and any non acidic liquid that you can read a newpaper through. I was on a liquid diet for weeks before surgery with the protein shake. The clear liquid day before surgery is different though with no protein shake. After surgery you should be on a clear liquid diet for 1 week. I was told by the dietician that I was allowed to have the protein shake in my diet at 3 days out from surgery. At 8-15 days I get to be on a soft diet of creamy soups, Sugar Free puddings, S.F. fudgesickles, S.F.creamsickles,

I'm back home from the October 7th gastric band surgery. I posted surgery details on another thread named Surgery Day Stories page 12 if you are interested. So far so good. I am sore, dealing with gas, eating the clear liquid diet but do not feel the least bit hungry. If anyone has had a Cesearan or Hysterectomy, it feels like that right now but I have to go take my pain killer that I should have taken 4 hours ago. I had 5 slits that are glued shut. A different surgeon stepped in when my surgeon had an emergency. The staff was very kind and friendly compared to other hospital experiences I have had. I hold a pillow in front of me to cough. I would do it all again and I am beginning my new life.

Tomorrow I leave for the long drive for the surgery. Wednesday the 8th I have the lap band surgery done. It will be my birthday tomorrow and I will be on clear liquids. Once I get to the hotel near the hospital I have to take the clean out from the two doses of oral saline laxative. No birthday cake and icecream but the gift I m giving myself by having the lap band the next day will be the best ever I hope. I am running around here packing and trying to think of everything I might need. I am so nervous that my back is cramping and giving me problems right now. I went to see my Mother in the nursing home today and she just wanted to hold my hands because she was so nervous about it. I made arrangements with my son to take care of the dog and cat here at home instead of in the kennel. Taped the instructions on what they require to the door for him. I had wanted my house to be in perfect shape but that's not going to happen in what little time I have left. At least all the laundry is done. It has been so long since I have been able to take a walk around even a small store so I hope my heart will be strong enough to survive the 3-4 hours of surgery. I hope the hospital has the proof from my insurance company saying that I have been approved. I have a lot of worries today. I will be 56 years old.

After I posted I received a call from the service I hired to help me jump through all the insurance loops. I asked her about dropping below the 50 BMI problem. She said that the BC/BS insurance has the weight I was at pre-protein diet and not to be worried. So now I am happy that I have lost so much already. My clothes from last winter that I pulled out for our cool weather are loose!!!

I am getting very nervous now since my surgery is scheduled for October 8. It is quite a drive from here so we are leaving the day before and staying in the hospital's hotel. My biggest concern is that the BC/BS insurance will find a way to back out. I have waited over 10 years for them to approve me. They insisted I needed to be near death. Well I got to that point this past spring because of severe non-alcholic fatty liver. One of the requirements is that I have a BMI over 50. Mine was over 55 when I started out trying to jump through all the insurance hoops in May. So the doctor puts me on this liquid protein diet around 4 weeks ago and I have lost down to just 50.2 BMI when I weighed myself today. I am very scared that I will loose some more weight before surgery being on this protein diet and not qualify for the insurance to pay.

Nazzy, I hired a patient facilitator company I found by googling gastric surgery to help me jump through the hoops that BC/BS PPO has for gastric surgery. I started working with them in May and all the insurance hoops were jumped through two weeks ago. BC/BS should be paying 100% of the medical but not some of the doctor appointments and specialists that I had to see prior to getting approved that they required. They have come a long way in giving in since the first time I tried to have this done about 10 years ago.