annjones

Greatly because I wasn't comfortable with having my intestines re-routed. I've known many people who have had major problems after by pass surgery. But then they weren't compliant with their diets.

Definately a tatto!

China I hear you sister! I was stuck in a "holding" pattern for over a month. I went between 250 and 247. My last fill I weight in at 1 pound over the fill before and my doc got a little agreesive with this fill. I'm now at 244...not much but in the right directions! I'm over halfway to goal and still truckin along.

Oh I am so with you right now. I've been teatering between 250 and 246 for, it seems like, forever. I just got a fill (.5cc) yesterday and I feel restriction. I've heard that the 5 day pouch test works. There is also a Protein Train that is suppose to work. Drink lots of Water - that I've heard help. Good Luck! 5 Day Pouch Test Days 1 & 2: liquid Protein Low-carb Protein shakes, broth, clear or cream Soups, sugar-free Gelatin and pudding. The first two days are all liquids. You can have as many low-carb protein shakes as you like to satisfy hunger or cravings. In addition drink at least six 8-ounce glasses of water each day. The purpose of all liquids is to break any snacking, grazing or processed carbohydrate habits. In addition the liquids will work to cleanse your system and prepare you for the following three days. Try to reduce your caffeine intake as well, but do not stop caffeine cold turkey or you will feel sick and frustrated potentially losing the desire to continue with the pouch test. It is very important to drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water each day. This will prevent dehydration, will help curb cravings and will flush your body of toxins and fat. Sufficient water intake improves kidney function and cell processes. If you notice symptoms of carbohydrate withdrawal you can eat a small piece of melon or an orange. You can also try a dose of Emergen-C which should reduce headache, dizziness or cramping from carbohydrate withdrawal. Feed the Carb Monster: recipes for Days 1 & 2 Feeling nauseated? Try sipping some freshly brewed warm green tea. You can add fresh ginger juice to further ease the symptoms of stomach distress and nausea. The nauesea may be the result of a switch from carbohydrate slider foods to richer Proteins and the ingredients in the protein shakes. When we fought to get the surgery we were personally empowered. We had to be, there aren't many advocates out there fighting on the behalf of the morbidly obese. Yet somehow, if we get to comfortable in our post weight loss surgery life there is a tendency to lose that hell-bent determination. Perhaps we take it for granted. Maybe we just get bored or distracted. Maybe we get discouraged because life after surgery has not been without struggle. Any of these things can cause us to lose hope or feel like failures. I have gone through periods of sadness and suffered feelings of failure since my weight loss surgery. Don't we all? This despair only festers if we regain some weight or sit on a plateau for an extended length of time. But just like we can work a plan to test the pouch and get back on track, we can mentally train our mind to get back to being hell-bent determined to take personal control of our health. LivingAfterWLS is here to champion you in the cause, we are advocates who believe you deserve to be healthy, you deserve to be kind to yourself and you deserve to achieve the greatest level of success with weight loss surgery when you harness your inner resources. Day 3: Soft Proteins The next three days you get to eat as much as you want as often as you want! Ahhh, but there's a catch: it has to be solid protein and you only get 15 minutes each time you sit down to eat. No drinking 30 minutes before or after meals and no drinking with your food. A dry pouch will hold your soft protein longer helping your to feel full and fed longer. Protein Recommendations: canned fish (tuna or salmon) mixed with lemon and seasoned with salt and pepper, eggs cooked as desired seasoned with salt pepper and/or salsa, fresh soft fish (tilapia, sole, orange roughy), baked or grilled, and lightly seasoned. This starts your program with "soft" protein. Measure your portion (1 cup volume or 4-6 ounces weight) and eat only until you feel full, not overfull. Remember, no water for 30 minutes before or after you meal, and no fluids with your meal. We are going back to the beginning and fluids will prevent you from feeling the pouch. If you need to add a moist condiment ( Miracle Whip or mayonnaise) to the canned fish I understand, but keep it to a minimum so the meat is not too moist. One reason we lose the sense of tightness in our pouch is that we eat "slider foods" - foods that are too moist and do not stay in the pouch very long, they slide right through the stoma. Cottage cheese is a good protein to include on Day 3. It sometimes is considered a slider food, but to firm it up a bit add a chopped hard cooked egg. Slider foods are foods that slide right through the pouch. Popular slider foods are graham crackers, pretzels, popcorn, milk shakes, cheese nips, mashed potatoes, ice cream/yogurt, etc. Day 4: Firm Protein Protein Recommendations: ground meat (beef, turkey, lamb) cooked dry and lightly seasoned, shellfish, scallops, lobster steamed and seasoned only with lemon, salmon or halibut steaks, grilled and lightly seasoned. By now you should be experiencing that familiar tightness that will reassure you that your pouch is working. Remember to drink plenty of water between meals. Take some time to meditate and rediscover the wonder of your pouch. Often we don't like that uncomfortable tightness of the pouch, which is why we gradually move toward slider foods that don't make us uncomfortable. It is always my preference to eat moist protein so I don't get uncomfortable, but doing so allows me to consume more than I should. Rediscovering the pouch with this 5-day plan reminds me of how the tool really works. I hope by now you are rediscovering your tool and enjoying the hope and excitement because your pouch still works. There are two things I know about human nature. First, nobody ever wakes up and declares, "Today is the day I will relax my enthusiasm and get off track." Second, nobody ever wakes up and gets back on track without first saying, "Today is the day I get back on track and I have a plan." Falling off track happens without a plan or script. Getting back on track requires a conscious decision, a carefully designed plan and the determination to make it happen. Why do we fall off track? There are hundreds of reasons: stress, complacency, happiness, grief, celebrations, devastations, distractions and reactions. Nobody wants to fall of track, but life is full of twists and turns that disrupt our focus. It makes me sad when people talk about shame and failure when they have left the weight loss surgery track for a myriad of reasons. This is not a cause for shame or failure, this is a fact of humanity and indeed of living. But human nature is also resilient and powerful. We have the ability to recover from set backs time and time again. While you are doing the 5 Day Pouch Test I encourage you to create an inner storm of enthusiasm and hope and energy. Go back to those pre-op and early post-op days and live that moment over again. Read motivational articles and visit the Neighborhood forum. Talk to pre-ops and newbies. Look at your before and after pictures. You can go back and you can use this surgical tool to lose weight, become healthier and feel good about yourself. Day 5: Solid Protein Protein Recommendations: white meat poultry cooked dry and lightly seasoned, beef steak (if tolerated) grilled or broiled. Remember to chew chew chew. Measure your portion (4-6 ounces) and eat only until you feel your pouch tighten. Remember, only 15 minutes per meal, so you'll have to work fast to chew your food completely. By now you should be out of any carb cycle you were in and perhaps you have lost a pound or two. You will have new confidence in your pouch and your ability to work the tool for your health and emotional well being. Don't go hungry! Remember, you can eat as often as you want as long as it is solid protein, consumed without liquids and measured in 4-6 ounce portions.

I take a multi Vitamin. When not restricted to liquids (after a fill) I take Mega Vita Min for Women (from Puritan's Pride www.puritan.com). I usually break it in half and take 1/2 at a time. When on liquid I found a good one at costco and there are several out there. Since I only take the liquid form after a fill it lasts a while. Hope this helps

I've noticed a big slow down in my weight loss in the last 2 months. It is still going in the right direction, but I got spoiled with the first 5 months of weight loss. I'm at 246 with a goal of 242 for June. That would be 4 lbs.

I have Tricare Standard. My insurance was pretty easy. I did the paperwork and my doc's office did the rest. I had sleep apnea and a few other comorbitities<sp>. I think after my doc sent in the paperwork it wa about 2 weeks before they got the letter from Tricare. Good Luck!

My relationship band has had to move to 3 different fingers and has fallen off once so far when I was asleep. All my clothes are falling off of me =) I've gotten rid of 2 large bags of LARGE clothes to a friend's mom. I've found nearly new clothing at the thrift store ... that actually fits and looks like normal clothes for very little cost I am exercising several times a week and I enjoy it and it doesn't hurt My shoes have gotten loose on my feet (as apposed to on my hands =) My dining out bill is less than half of what it was My grocery bill is less than half of what it was

Oh and I will set my May goal for 243. I want to go conservative this month because things have been going really slow!

Band Date: 12/23/08 Highest Weight: 304 Weight now: 246 Goal Weight: 200

It's been difficult and slow...but i'm down to 246.

I'm at 248 and the weight seems to be coming off very very slowly. But going down is the right direction!

Ok, only have shown a 1# loss down to 250 teatering onto 249 Just had a fill last week and he only did .4cc Said that less would feel like more as we go along. They are really being careful not to overfill. Guess I got spoiled by the amount of weight loss and it seemed so fast at first. I'm still heading in the right direction just slower than at first. I'm healhty, not had a problem with any foods (knock on wood), exercising is going great and I love my band...I love that I'm getting healthier.

Focus on the goal and keep yourself busy. It is hard but very worth it.

Congrats! Sounds like you got through well, have lots of cool stories adn memories. (except the sucky gas pains) I'm sure you will do wonderful. Keep to your suggested foods and timetables. Call your doc and nurses if adn when you got questions. Visit here often cause we have "been there and are doin that" :smile2: Welcome to the Loser's Bench!!!

I'm so sorry for your troubles. I agree, speak to your doctor. I would think that having to replace a band would be a whole different ball of wax, so to speak, than initially getting the band. I'm sure your doctor can answer all your questions. Step away, Breath Deep, Relax and everything will be ok. Take care of yourself and your kitty. Stress can and will make things seem and be so much more worse.

I hadn't gotten instructions for foods prior to a fill either. My first fill I ate breakfast and lunch as "normal" and then went in for my fill. It was uncomfortable and I didn't like the feeling. What I tried on my last fills was eating light in the am and light or just water for several hours prior to my fill. That seemed to work out well. Then of course I went on the Liquid/Full Liquid/Soft and then regular foods.

I guess I should post my goal for April...I'm thinking conservative at 245 lbs.

Down to 251. Moving slowing in the right direction. I get a fill on 4/6.

Luck to you! Wow you have your hands full. 100 lbs in a year is my goal as well. Do as much reading about pre and post op as possible. Make sure you have some help with your little ones, so you can rest and recoup after surgery. Make sure you have liquid supplements and watch your Fluid intake. I'd probably get in more than 64 oz aday if you can. Take care, good luck and You Can Do It!

When Hitting your Sweet Spot...no longer means your G Spot. :ohmy:

You know your post really hit home with me. I eat what I want but am careful. I have been journaling my food intake and watching how many calories/fat/carb/protein I'm eating. By watching it is only observing. I've had steak, baked potato, brownie (a nibble), ice cream (no sugar), even hamburger and french fries. Now the hamburger was not on a bun and made with lean ground beef and the french fries were very healthy and there wasn't many. Dieting is not and should not be denying yourself food but a way of life. What you eat is your diet. Changing your diet means changing what foods you eat. I would venture to say close to 100% of everyone here has tried a gazillion types of diets (restricting and limiting foods), exercise plans and nothing has really worked long term. RNY seems so scary and drastric, the band is a more sensible way of getting surgical help for weight loss and obesity. That being said, I can tell you that I was scared before surgery of how my life would change, all the ifs and but I will miss this or that food....and the big one...what if I fail this.. So far it has been easy to loose weight, but then I'm still new and learning. Speak to people, go to seminars, support groups and learn as much as you can. Good Luck

Way to go!

I found that my low average before the lap band was around 2k a day with no exercising. Now I am averaging around 1,000 a day. After a fill it is of course less and right before a fill it can be a couple hundred higher. My last fill I haven't felt as much restriction but I'm learning how this goes. I've done some research and there is a spot (in caloric intake amts) that people actually stop loosing and their body kinda goes into a holding pattern. Yes the old, expend more calories than you eat, does equate to weight loss but if you go too low your body goes on hold. The big thing is to chart what you eat; drink fluids as recommended; be aware of your pouch; chew chew chew; and of course exercise or move every day.

I'm like you, I told everyone who would listen or was interested. I've droped alot of weight and I get tons of support and encouragement from co-workers and friends. Plus my GF is the total best in all ways. I've had a few people I've told or heard me talking about it ask me in private about it cause they were thinking about having it done. They said they would see how I did before getting the lapband done. The question I've gotten the most, when people know, is do I miss any kinds of food, how many meals do I eat per day, have I ever been concerned about getting all my Vitamins and nutrients in. It is all a personal thing and yes, before the band I hated saying anything about my weight loss, because it was always followed by weight gain and dissappointment.