Jaffa

People probably aren't answering this post a lot because they don't want to be critical to what appears to be an obvious problem. First rule of being banded is to get the proper follow up care, but you admit you have been missing appointments. From what you are saying, you were not really properly educated about post op dieting with the band. The simple answer is, yes it is about Protein. If your daughter is getting the protein she is suppose to be getting, eating it first, and following the other band rules, the dietician probably wouldn't be getting mad. The other rules, excercise and yes you still have to pay attention to calories in versus calories out. It could be that she is ignoring a fundamental rule of banding, that is you must eat only enough to not be hungry, and not until you feel full. Honestly I suspect all of the above, with maybe a dash of improper evaluation of if she was a good candidate for lapband. It sounds like you thought the lapband was like Gastric Bypass. But in reality even Gastric Bypass patients don't lose the weight if they don't eat correctly.

I went with the lapband just because I liked the look of it better....doesn't really mean it works better or is better. My fill nurse likes the lapband port better, she say's she can feel when the needle has made it through easier then the other. I do know that for most people the lapband does give you more restriction sooner, but in the long run does that really matter, maybe, maybe not?

Just a personal opinion, and I'm not a health professional, but I don't believe in any 24 hour stomach virus. If it only lasts 24 hours, I believe it is almost always bad food. I also think all lapbanders especially should be getting the flu shot to try and avoid the nastiest stuff. I have a prescription for anti-nausea medicine, just in case I ever need it quickly.

I'm 3 weeks post banding. I'm now approved for regular food and I'm getting my first fill in two days. My doctor has a prescribed diet and time frame, but honestly it gets adjusted a little depending on how you are healing and handling food.

I would consider it, just to make sure I don't have any problems. It really depends on how consistent you are on tightness....it sounds like you very a little, so I would be a little nervous. What will cost you a little ahead of time could save you a ton, if you needed care on the ship or you aren't able to enjoy your vacation. You are going to be going on an airline, maybe drinking, and going to beaches and hotter weather then you are used to, so all of these things are likely to make your hydration level change. You need to take extra care to really drink a lot of Water to help. If it is a way to eat anything you please, then you may do more damage then good.

Honestly, it just isn't that interesting to most men. We have everything we need on the front side. That's probably why your not going to get a lot of responses.

Being heavy plays hell on your hormones. Hormones largely make the difference, so for heavy people it is normal. It is partially, your fairly normal at your age. Keep losing the weight, and try to get your excercise level up....it will get better.

The best discovery so far for me....the stuffed chicken breast from Sam's Club. They have the broccoli and cheese and the cordon bleu and they are 300 and 320 calories. I wish I had known how good they are before....they do have to be baked in an oven for 35 minutes, but it is worth it.

Of course he may just want the nice kick back from the surgeon he is recommending. Don't kid yourself, for most doctors, most patients are just a way to make a living. Just because they are doctors, doesn't make them saints.

Well the swelling in my stomach has gone down and I have virtually no restriction. Along with the fact that I am now on mushies, this makes things more difficult. I am now eating about 2 cups of food at a time, because it pretty much slides right through. I know I am just healing and not trying to really lose weight, so it is all ok with me. I am happy that I'm not gaining, and doing well. I have my first fill in the next 10 days sometime, so all is good. My incisions are almost healed. They only have a tiny red line left to them and the swelling has almost completely dissappeared. The incisions will hardly show when they are completely healed.

Well the swelling in my stomach has gone down and I have virtually no restriction. Along with the fact that I am now on mushies, this makes things more difficult. I am now eating about 2 cups of food at a time, because it pretty much slides right through. I know I am just healing and not trying to really lose weight, so it is all ok with me. I am happy that I'm not gaining, and doing well. I have my first fill in the next 10 days sometime, so all is good. My incisions are almost healed. They only have a tiny red line left to them and the swelling has almost completely dissappeared. The incisions will hardly show when they are completely healed.

Ok, I'll bite, what do you mean by "your buring 1000 calories a day? Do you mean in excess of what your taking in, or do you mean total? I hope you mean in excess of what your taking in, or the answer is pretty darn obvious. You can't lose weight unless the total number of calories being taken in is less then the total being used. It is that simple. Well unless you have some other medical problem, like a thyroid condition.

I think the recommendation is really on average overkill. They probably figure that extra isn't going to hurt you, since it will pass through, while being in long term states of even mild dehydration does come with problems. Being at hi altitude for extended periods of time can cause mild dehydration, which for one thing causes you to have a higher risk of kidney problems. If your urine is darker then a light straw color then you may be dehydrated. Will it kill you, no, will it increase your chances of other health related problems, probably. As for weight loss, yes your body does need Water to metabolize fat. Does it need an excess, no.

You should call your doctor. This can be a sign of an abnormal infection, or it could be nothing, either way it isn't worth not calling your doctor. Normal? Not really, from what I have read, or experienced. It sounds like an infection.

First of all, you are 46? Do you really think your that old? I would say that is actually pretty close to average age for surgery, so I'm not sure what the age thing is about. Are you happy at your current weight, are you able to live the life you want and for the amount of time you want? If the answer is yes, then who cares, don't have the surgery. If the answer is no, then get the surgery. If you don't want it, then no, you should not get it. People who don't really want it are pretty much doomed to not havee success with any weight loss surgery anyway.

It seems like I have a lot of trouble with not being able to access this site. I always go to other sites and have no problems, but about half of the time I get an error message when trying to get to this site. It just says the site is unavailable. Do others have this problem, or is it just me?

You should talk to your FAA medical examiner....because it partially depends on them, and partially on the area FAA medical department. Here is a link that may help you. I have a First Class Medical and I work as a professional pilot. I was told I really only need to submit a follow up report from my surgeon with my next medical. Go to page 4 of this document. It really just say's it is ok if it doesn't effect your doing your job. And frankly it doesn't, unless you had some kind of complications. http://aviationmedicine.com/resources/files/3Q08%20VFS%20Aeromedical%20Newsletter.pdf

"The truth of the matter is in the forum in every answer to every question." Well maybe, but the truth is, not all posts are true. It does seem a bit odd to me that someone who hasn't even been banded is intentionally judgemental? I just don't get where your coming from? I have wondered just like another poster if maybe people who are self pay tend to be more successful. But, I certainly wouldn't think a poll like this would really give me any real insight to the answer. It just doesn't work that way. Why even do the pole, why didn't you just post your idea? The poll proves nothing and if you don't know why, you need to go to a forum on errors induced by pollsters. :cursing:

I make chocolate Souffle ahead of time. They will keep for the week if I make them on Sunday. I do substitute sugar free dark chocolate for regular I substitute splenda for sugar. It is much easier to make then people seem to think, and it is like having dessert every morning. It goes down easy and has a lot of Protein.

Just a personal opinion. And I only say this because your talking about reducing your calories even more if your not losing enough. I think 3lbs a week is too much. I think it is pretty well documented that long term the most a body can lose per week is 1-2lbs. Anything more then that and your body is likely to go into a starvation mode and start slowing your metabolism down to try and prevent the loss. Now what will help and overcome the slowing metabolism is excercise. But it won't necessarily stop the slow down if you don't get enough calories either. Emphasize the protein that has low fat content and that will prevent your body from using muscle and causing your metabolism to slow. You can do this, I'm sure of it. Your having trouble now, but with close evaluation and the right changes, it will happen. Your doctor can tell you what your intake should be for your current condition, but if they are saying more per week is better, that isn't really true.

It depends. Some doctors use stitches and steri strips on the outer layer. Others don't?? You should just call your doctors office and ask them. At my post op appointment, the nurse took all but the big one off. But, I have internal stitches so that may be why?

I would ask your doctor. My guess is that if your dieting and your low carbing, then it probably doesn't much matter except for the day before, when you are on clear liquid only. But I also believe that the more you shrink your liver the less gas they tend to use, in order to be able to move things around and access your stomach, which means less gas pain. I know my doctor even said, he used very little gas on me, because my liver was shrunk up so nice. And I did have almost no gas pain post op.

Get the patch and you won't have to take that pill either!!!! Of course you could practice abstinence, but what fun would that be??

No, I haven't had a fill yet, but I have restriction. I think everyone is so different because of what I found out about the band not having the same amounts to start, and some surgeons empty anything that is in there to start. My didn't so, I probably already have 3cc and with the swelling associated with first getting the band, it has been working really good. I can feel it getting looser each day though, and I'm sure I will want the fill pretty bad by 4 weeks. Don't worry you will get there.

I think I will take my Atkins peanut butter bar with me. Usually I eat resus peanut butter cups....but I know they are just mostly sugar. At least this way I won't be tempted and I can get 20grams of protein at the same time.