Mariasha

Broccoli and carrots have real nitrional value and Fiber in then so your body has to work to digest them and get it down. Mac and cheese on the other hand has absolutely no nutritional value as it has been stripped of everything wholesome. As such it can slide right down.

Doesn't sound like a slipped band to me. People who have had their band slip report not being able to keep anything at all down. Even if you can not visit your surgeon you should be able to call his office and get answers to questions like this.

First of all, this should be you decision to make. Your surgeon can give you his opinion, but it I'd your body and your life. I think a little history is nessasary in order to understand why many doctors feel that the bypass is better than the lapband. The bypass was being performed in the USA for many years before the lapband was. The reason for this was that the FDA only approved the use of the lapband in the early nineties. That is why the bypass was considered the "gold standard" in bariatric surgery while the band was the newcomer. In other countries like Australia and Europe the lapband had been used for much longer. In fact in Australia now they almost exclusively do the band, the bypass is almost unheard of. I believe it is for this reason that many bariatric surgeons still have the misconceived notion that the bypass is somehow better than the band. The is no scientific proof of this. Although bypass patients do lose more weight rapidly in the initial period after the surgery, the data shows that a few years out the weight loss is the same. Add to that the significantly lower mortality rate and lack of complications that come with the band and it really should be a no brainer. Yes there are some people who the band does not work for and end up needing a revision. But for the vast majority of obese people who are ready to make a significant change to their life the band is more than adequate.

Hey Lillian, Welcome to the forums and good luck on your journey. I suggest you take the time to look through the forums here for a while. There is a ton of great information that will prob answer most of your questions. I'd you have any specific questions post them here and we will be happy to answer them for you.

Totally normal not to feel full now. Once you start getting fills you will start feeling the restriction. Many people here report not feeling restricted well until their third fill. Until then you just need to try and use your self control to keep you on the right track. Good luck, and remember that whatever you lose now is gone forever! That's always an encouraging thought.

Hey Casey, welcome to the forums and to your new life with the band. The pain is normal. It is due to swelling from the surgery. It should go away within a couple of days. About your pic, I see it next to your username. Not sure why it's not showing up for you.

I would recommend Dr Fielding at NYU. With over 4,000 surgeries performed you can rest well knowing you are in great hands. He also happens to be an incredibly kind and caring person. Here is his bio and contact info. http://www.nyuweightloss.org/about-us/meet-our-doctors/dr-george-fielding

That's so cool! Way to go!

You should follow your surgeons instructions, but it's unlikely that a little mashed potato would do much damage.

Most of us eat three small meals during the day. Two is also ok. Anything less than that and I would be concerned about being too tight. In addition, I try to drink 8 cups of Water each day. Hope this helps you.

Me too. Alex? Any fix coming? Thanks,

Relevant: http://gerardwhyte.net/images/misc/reaganomics.jpg

Way to go!!!

Good for you!! Happy to hear it worked out.

Not much you can do about loose skin. It is what it is. Contrary to what you read online or you may have heard, there are no exercises that increase the elasticity of skin.

I agree. I think Obama is the best Republican president we've had in years.

Prob has to do with the new site layout. A lot of things don't seem to work 100% since then.

I weigh myself each morning. I gained 3.5 pounds this past weekend. The next morning it was gone. The scale can be weird like that.

Sushi fan here. Haven't had any problems eating it since surgery.

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Call NYU and let then know how your feeling. They let me move to mushies after a week.

I was banded by Dr Fielding, but I have seen Dr Ren also. They are both great doctors and run a fantastic practice. You are in great hands.

There are a couple of options like that. Optifast and Medifast come to mind. Both are VLCD's - Very Low Calorie Diet's. While you will definately lose weight while on the diet, the problem is when you finish the liquids and go back to regular foods. Many people here on the forums have lost large amounts of weight in the past. The problem is that we always end up putting it all back on - and then some! The band helps us not only to lose the weight, but to effectively keep it off.

You will lose quite a bit of weight during your pre op and post op diet. How much varies from person to person. But the point of the liquids is actually not weight loss. The pre op diet is in order to shrink the size of your liver which makes the surgery easier an safer to perform. The post op diet is because your stomach needs time to heal from the surgery and adjust to the band. As such it is essential to stick strictly to the diet your doctor gives you.

Why Wikileaks is good for America. http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/12/wikileaks-editorial/