sandielaw

Hey! I posted this in the Nebraska forum too, but there isn't a lot of activity over there... I am looking for other patients of Dr. Winterstein in Omaha. Methodist has been doing bariatric surgeries since 2003 and was recently awarded the Center of Excellence designation. There are two doctors doing surgery here: Dr. Winterstein and Dr. Anthone. Dr. Anthone does gastric bypass surgeries - primarily the duodenal switch (DS). He's been at Methodist for 5 years. Dr. Winterstein is new to the bariatric program at Methodist. I think he's been doing bariatric surgeries for less than a year. He does the LAP-BAND^® and vertical sleeve gasterectomy (VSG) surgeries. I love Dr. Winterstein's laid back attitude and sense of humor. He's very big on listening to your body and working with your band. I picked him over a more experienced surgeon in the area primarily because of his personality and his staff. They are helpful and friendly. It never ceases to impress me that Dr. Winterstein and his staff know me by face and voice. I feel like they care about me and want me to succeed. I attended the support group meeting last Thursday and I was floored when I realized I was the only LAP-BAND^® patient there. Of the three other patients of Dr. Winterstein, only one was done with her WLS. The other two were having the DS done in stages...first the VSG by Dr. Winterstein, then the intestinal rearrangement by Dr. Anthone. The nutritionist that runs the support group stopped by to talk to me. She wants to do more with the LAP-BAND^® patients, but it seemed like she didn't know how very different our eating habits are from bypass patients. Dr. Winterstein doesn't require visits with nutritionists, before or after surgery. I suspect she doesn't get much exposure to LAP-BAND^® patients. It has become clear to me that the support from Methodist is aimed primarily at the bypass patients. I'd like to get together with other patients of Dr. Winterstein to talk about what we need in terms of support. I don't think nutritional classes are the answer...but I do think it would help to talk about the challenges we face. I would also love to start a program where post-op patients talk to pre-op patients about what they can expect. I know a lot now that I wish I had known pre-op. So...to make a very long story short...is anyone out there a patient of Dr. Winterstein?

Yes, I'm still thrilled with him and I'd definitely recommend him!

I'm broke right now...so even cheap treats are no-no's right now. I've been trying to document the positive effects of my weight loss. For example: I can fit into a size 14 (down from a 20). Airplane seats are no longer uncomfortably tight (oh, they're still uncomfortable...they are airplane seats, after all). I can wear my wedding ring. I can take my wedding ring on and off without resorting to violence. I've got enough energy to do housework and hang out with the family after a hard day at work. My husband has been much more...interested lately. I can cross my legs...and neither leg falls asleep. I walked past the office food day table without feeling a compulsion to pick up a plate full of food. These are just some of the things I remind myself about every day. And long term, I am planning on getting a new tattoo when I hit my goal weight.

Oh man, if it weren't for spicy food, I'd have starved to death long ago. I put hot sauce on my mushies a lot. I have found that I want spicy food MORE now than I did before the surgery.

I've never heard of that restriction. If it weren't for skim milk, I'd never have made it through the first month post op! I actually get a lot of my Protein from milk, even 4 months post op. I do think you should follow your doctor's orders...after all, he's a doctor and I'm not. :lunch: But you might try asking him for suggestions to help you get to at least 1000 calories a day without dairy. He may have some good ideas.

I know it's a very individual choice...so whatever seems to work best for you is probably what you should do. For me, I eat 2 meals and 2 Snacks a day...roughly. Mind you, I don't count calories or Protein grams and I don't write down what I eat. To me, this isn't a diet...it's my life. Anyway...I have coffee or tea with milk in the morning. I fill a big mug half way with the hot drink and the rest of the way with skim milk. With the cup I use, it's about 1 cup of each. The cold milk cools down the hot drink enough that I can drink it right away (I don't like really hot drinks). I eat lunch between 11 and 12. Controlling portions isn't a big problem...I literally can't eat more than a cup of food in one sitting. I have a snack around 3pm and dinner around 6pm. The snack is usually small - almonds, most of an apple, carrots, etc. What I've found MOST beneficial for me is drinking TONS of Water. Granted, tons is actually about 60 oz a day, but compared to what I drank before...it's a lot. I feel much more energetic and healthier. Granted, some of that may be the 56 pounds I've lost... :lunch:

After reading this, I feel much better about eating out. Right now, I'm 4 1/2 months out from surgery and I have good restriction. The only thing I have trouble with is bread (or biscuits, cake, etc.). That means no hamburgers...I can't even eat half of the bun. I thought that would be hard to handle, but it's really no big deal. If I really crave burgers, we'll cook them at home and I just eat it without the bun. We don't go out often - trying to save money AND be healthier. When we do go out, I prefer Taco Bell or Jimmy Johns. Since my son prefers to get kids meals with a toy, we usually end up making at least two stops. At Taco Bell, I get two soft tacos (fresco style). I put the filling from one taco into the other one's shell. More filling, less tortilla...the tortillas don't always go down well on their own. I was a little bummed about giving up my beloved Jimmy Johns...no bread means no sammiches, right? NO! Jimmy Johns has an "unwich" option. You can get any sandwich wrapped in lettuce...I can eat about 1/3 to 1/2 of an "unwich" in a sitting. I can do chicken fingers/tenders and fries, but I prefer not to (for obvious reasons). Salads are delightful, but I can't eat more than 1/3 of the ones you get at fast food places...and that just feels like a waste. Salad doesn't make good leftovers. Now, if I can split it up before I add dressing, I love the salads - the Asian one from McDonalds is amazing. A bonus that I never thought would actually happen: I can't drink soda! Well, I can, but it's really uncomfortable...totally not worth it. Usually, we grab food and go home to eat, so I can have water there. If not, I try to do the free water that most restaurants provide. Since I can't drink much after I eat, I don't need a lot...those little cups are actually perfect.

Best advice I've heard yet.

If you're having trouble with mushies (including greek yogurt), you're too tight. Remember, being too tight often leads people to make poor food choices...one cannot live on milkshakes alone. Over time, you'll either slip into bad habits or your band will slip...neither is good. You have to work with the band...it doesn't work if you're only able to keep down liquids.

I'm on Ritalin for ADD & that has totally killed my appetite. I set an alarm on my phone to remind me to eat three times a day...it's the only way I'll get enough food in. Before I started setting this alarm, I was eating 300-500 calories a day which left me starving, shaky, unfocused, and lighted headed. Not a fun state to be in.

Don't be scared of a small unfill...right now, you're eating the wrong foods...which won't help your weight loss or your health. By being slightly unfilled, you'll be able to eat the right foods in the right amounts AND lose weight AND be healthier. Too many people think tighter is better, but it often leads to bad food choices and weight gain. Plus, do you really want to be miserable all the time? The green zone chart in my doctor's office says, "Patient Satisfaction" under the green zone...are you satisified?

My doctor's support group is for patients from the clinic he shares with another doctor. 95% of the people there had the duodenal switch (DS)...and I'm the only band patient there. Bear in mind, my doctor has only performed a handful of band surgeries, so it's not like there are a lot of us. At the beginning of the meeting, they have a few minutes of open questions. Then they dive right into the guest speaker's topic. These topics are laid out a year in advance. The most recent meeting was a sales pitch from Monavie. Yeah...I am really frustrated. I spoke to my doctor, his nurse, and the bariatric coordinator about it. I suggested a separate meeting for band patients, since our needs are so very different from the bypass patients. I also suggested a program where pre-op patients who were interested in the band could be connected with post-op patients to hear more about what the surgery is really like.

Yes, it sounds like you're too tight. Yogurt should go down without feeling "stuck." You might not be able to eat much at a time, but it shouldn't get stuck.

It's not the hunger I'd be worried about...hunger is normal. The fact that you feel sick every time you eat anything and threw up several times in the hospital worries me more. Call your doctor ASAP. :tongue2:

I totally agree! A sticky might help reduce the number of "I'm 2 weeks out and not losing, wtf?" posts. Those do get old...but I know my surgeon didn't explain that part to me, so I understand that people are upset and frustrated.

When I get stuck like this I stand up and put my hands over my head. It takes a few minutes, but eventually it works. Afterward, I sip hot tea and try to relax. I try to stick to soft foods for my next meal. I have noticed that the first few bites are always difficult. I've started drinking a few sips of lukewarm or warm liquid before I eat. It seems to help. Good luck!

Yes! I had my second fill today, and I'm very grateful for the numbing agent. My port has always been easy to find. Today, my surgeon had trouble getting to the right spot in the port. There was lots of poking and prodding. I had to lay with a pillow under my back and crunch up. It took about 20 minutes to finally complete the fill.

Honestly, it sounds like you're right where you should be. You can eat the right amount, you stay full, you don't throw up often, and you're losing weight. It's really up to you, but I think you're ok just based on your description above.

I know I'm in the minority here, but I haven't given it up. I open a can of diet soda, have a sip, burp, and set it down. About an hour later, I come back and slowly finish the soda. It's not very bubbly, but still cold and sweet. Works for me.

After attending a seminar, you need to schedule an appointment with a surgeon. If you're not 100% sure which surgeon you want, schedule an appointment with everyone you like. They'll outline the next steps from there.

Wow, thanks. I haven't posted there in forever. I need to get back to it...

I'm not embarrassed at all either. I'm also not terribly private about it. But then, I'm not a terribly private person. I really don't care what other people think about it...for me, it's been wonderful!

Every doctor is different. Mine does 4 weeks between the first and second fills. After that, he'll do fills 2 weeks apart if needed. Remember, the band is designed to work with solid foods. So while you're on mushies, it's not doing much of anything for you. The foods just slide right through. When do you move to solid foods? Generally, eating more solid foods will help you get full and stay that way. That being said, 1 fill is not going to give you much restriction. Most people need 3-5 fills to get to the right place. Until you get to the sweet spot, you're basically dieting. And if we were good at dieting, we wouldn't have needed surgery, would we? Try to be patient and don't beat yourself up if you're not losing. Good luck!

My surgeon told me that it's not uncommon for patients to develop a food intolerance after surgery. Sometimes they're permanent and sometimes they go away. The reason you're not seeing problems with cheese, yogurt, or cottage cheese is that the lactose has been almost completely removed from those foods. The processes used to make these foods are different, but they each end up removing most of the lactose from the milk. For now, try soy milk or a lactose free milk. Of course, you could just skip milk altogether. As for the wheat products, I'd guess it's a wheat intolerance, not a gluten intolerance. Otherwise, you'd be getting sick from almost everything you ate. Try oatmeal and rye bread. If this persists, try keeping a detailed diary of what you eat and how you feel afterward. Take it to your PCP and ask them for help. They may just tell you to avoid those foods...or they may decide to do further testing. Either way, it's good to keep them in the loop. :cry_smile: Good luck!

Bloody indigestion as in you're coughing (or vomiting or whatever) up blood? Yeah, call your doctor right now. Use their emergency line. Once you find out what it is...come back and let us know what it was and that you're ok.