Band_Groupie

Stayed the same 159.

I've been at my sweet spot since last Sept. and fourth fill. I am not extremely tight; I can still eat anything. I'm satisfied with about 1-1.5 C per meal and am not hungry between meals. I eat 1000-1200 on average...if I go much lower I stop losing. Keep the calories above 1000 and keep getting high protein first and the weight will come off.

I'm confused who you're angry with...you said your LB surgeon suggested you get the GB out initially, but you chose to go to another surgeon and listened to them not to do it...I guess I'm not sure who you're mad at? FYI in case this will help someone else (I know you've already had the procedure). I just had my GB out on Monday. My LB surgeon did it after one attack and an ultrasound that showed over a dozen stones (none in the bile duct). He did the whole procedure through one incision at the belly-button (I had 5 scars from the LB).

Thanks JT! All went well. In a lot of pain...wasn't expecting this, but it's been worse than the LB...maybe because it was a single incision procedure...I'm sure I'll turn the corner soon. Oh, and I left you all a Bandiversary card HERE.

WOW what a year we've all had! Can you believe this is our Bandiversary month already? Remember all the nightmares of insurance approval, and no sleep the night before LB surgery because we were so excited; It was almost heaven taking that first shower after surgery! We had some work to do, learning how not to be a couch potato anymore. Then we had to learn how to eat right. and prepare healthy food; but pretty soon we were losing weight and had to buy new clothes; Sure there were a few unpleasent changes, like bathroom schedules; but also nice ones, like being able to wear a bathing suit again; Happy Bandiversary Bunnies! It's going to be one wild party; and watch out for all the candy at Easter!

WOW what a year we've all had! Can you believe this is our Bandiversary month already? Remember all the nightmares of insurance approval, and no sleep the night before LB surgery because we were so excited; It was almost heaven taking that first shower after surgery! We had some work to do, learning how not to be a couch potato anymore. Then we had to learn how to eat right. and prepare healthy food; but pretty soon we were losing weight and had to buy new clothes; Sure there were a few unpleasent changes, like bathroom schedules; but also nice ones, like being able to wear a bathing suit again; Happy Bandiversary Bunnies! It's going to be one wild party; and watch out for all the candy at Easter!

WOW what a year we've all had! Can you believe this is our Bandiversary month already? Remember all the nightmares of insurance approval, and no sleep the night before LB surgery because we were so excited; It was almost heaven taking that first shower after surgery! We had some work to do, learning how not to be a couch potato anymore. Then we had to learn how to eat right. and prepare healthy food; but pretty soon we were losing weight and had to buy new clothes; Sure there were a few unpleasent changes, like bathroom schedules; but also nice ones, like being able to wear a bathing suit again; Happy Bandiversary Bunnies! It's going to be one wild party; and watch out for all the candy at Easter!

Hey all! Back from my weekend for surgery tomorrow. Question-I had some right flank and lower right pain and after a day of this took a laxative (wasn't constipated, but I was guessing it was intestinal) and the pain was so bad I couldn't move. Saw my PCP (by then I was fine) and she sent me in for an ultrasound (at least a dozen stones). My surgeon told me the gallbladder can cause pain in other areas like I had (not always right ribs/shoulder blade pain). Stones in the GB are common after a big WL. See you after surgery!

Jerseygirl- Hope the calories are going OK, I hear nectar is good. I've got gallbladder surgery on Monday (single incision...like it matters now that I have the 5 LB scars lol). Off to Ohio for the weekend in a few min. Have a great weekend all!

159...no fill before surgery.

The strong pain meds they give at the hospital can have itching as a side effect...it should wear off soon. CONGRATULATIONS Bander! Keep walking and sip, sip, sip! -BG

CONGRATULATIONS Bander! Keep us posted when you can! -BG

Janet, I'm so sorry for your loss. She sounds like a wonderful woman and I'm sure the loss of her in your lives is terrible right now. Watch out for a tighter band as stress does cause inflammation in our bodies. Prayers for you and your family.

Congrats on the date!! I got banded 5 days before my birthday...last April...GO April birthday/band days! -BG

So glad the surgery went well and the knee is healing nicely. You're going to be a shopaholic with that new knee at the mall with your new body! It's amazing the gift our Bands have given us!

3/15/10 Funky Chicken (In a funk, starting maintenance) 3/15/10 Porthole (answering questions about port placement) 3/16/10 Celebrities in WL Denial 3/17/10 Sugar Doll Award 3/18/10 Weekday Dish (What I'm eating) 3/19/20 Enquiring Minds Want to Know (Questions about restriction/need a fill?) 3/20/10 7 Fun Questions 3/20/10 Welcome Spring! 3/21/10 Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (anyone need some pants?) All here: http://bandgroupiethesweetspot.blogspot.com/

3/15/10 Funky Chicken 3/15/10 Porthole 3/16/10 Celebrities in WL Denial 3/17/10 Sugar Doll Award 3/18/10 Weekday Dish 3/19/20 Enquiring Minds Want to Know 3/20/10 7 Fun Questions 3/20/10 Welcome Spring! 3/21/10 Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants All here: http://bandgroupieth...t.blogspot.com/

Don't worry about the sleep, the meds will help you post op. Congratulations and keep us posted when you can! -BG

Thinking of you...I'm sure everything will go great! Keep us posted when you can! -BG

Just a quick update. The endoscopy went well. Everything is the right size and working well. They found a food bezoar-some undigested food and scooped it out. The reflux damage was mild and mainly in my esophagus (Like I said DON'T wait to seek treatment...mine wasn't that bad and I never had any problems at night. You can cause major damage if you let this go on or get to the point where you're bringing up reflux acid.). They put me back on the Nexium for 6 weeks, but told me I may be on it forever.

159.5...at least it's under that d*mn 160...*sigh* I've got my surgery consult (gallbladder) Tuesday and I'm going to ask about a tiny fill then. Little afraid to get overfilled so I don't know how much to ask for, but hopefully he'll know...or maybe he won't want to give me one at all (haven't seen him in 6 months since my last fill and since I'm now at a Normal BMI I don't know what he'll say). I'm struggling though just to stay the same now. Happy Weekend all!

Congrats, both of you!

You know I already responded to the post you deleted as "RUN Now!" I know some people here who have to fly or drive very long distances to get to their docs (I'm almost 11 mo. out and I've been back to my doc 5 times...4 fills and 1 post-op). It's normal practice to stitch the stomach over the band and it is reversible. The pouch should be made about the size of an egg and it will stretch to be able to hold 1-1.5C. The stretching is what causes our sense of satiety. The only thing you need close by is an ER/Hospital that can do an emergency unfill if needed. Good luck.

OK, just saw another comment you made to another blog about the 1 oz. and it sounds like your doc is serious about this. RUN, don't walk to another surgeon...no one, not even the band manufacturers recommend 2, 1 oz. meals a day...how in the world would you get in your basic nutritional needs...that's just malnutrition and CRAZY! No way would I go to a surgeon that recommended something like this.

Interesting, never heard of this here before! 1. I get the bulk of my protein from lean solid proteins. For breakfast I add soy protein powder to my VERY thick oatmeal, but lunch and dinner are mainly protein meats, eaten first, then the sides. 2. No protein deficiency 3. An OUNCE? seriously? I've never seen anyone here who only eats an ounce of food! I've been consuming 1-1.5 cups of food per meal (my doc allows 1.5C, but my breakfast is 1/2C & over 20g protein, only because I'm tighter in the mornings). I'd say I average 1 C for the two later meals and I've been doing this since I eased back onto solid foods just post op (I just had an endoscopy yesterday and everything is perfect). 4. I am NOT on a liquid diet, or any other kind of diet, except 'high protein'. There's no food I can't/don't eat. My doc does not allow protein shakes, except just post-op for healing or after fills for a few days. The band is meant to work with solids, not liquids (if you want to do that you might as well go on a protein shake diet, because the band won't help with a liquid diet AT ALL). 5. I get at least 60g of protein a day and I get more than 20 at each meal (what my doc wants). FYI- I'm now 10.5 months post-op, lost 90 pounds and reached my goal weight about a month ago (I'm in the Normal BMI range now). There's no food I can't eat and I'm never hungry between meals. I've kept a blog since the beginning and you're welcome to read/ask me anything ...I'm an open book (you can leave a comment/question on the blog even if you don't register with Blogger-there's an anonymous choice there-just keep pushing the post button several times, it's fickle. I'm not here every day anymore, but you can leave me a message-visitor or private message as well if there's anything else you need). Hope this helps you get to the next step! -BG Blog here: THE SWEET SPOT