brittu

Well I went in for a visit and a fill today, first time in a year. I'm getting worried because I've been gaining weight and eating badly. Found out that I too had stretched my pouch. The nurse showed me on the xray both how stretched I was and how much inflammation. I'm glad I went in but I'm not at all excited about 2 weeks of liquids. I'm glad to know that someone else had their pouch shrink in just 6 days. My doc's office does a total unfil and then two weeks liquids when this happens. The good news is that once this is over and I get refilled it'll go back to the good restriction I used to have. Then I can get back on track and get the rest of this weight off. I'm sure glad I went in though. I hate to think how long this has been goign on. Britt

I lost about 40 pounds after the birth of my second son. While I was on leave I got a personal trainer and worked really hard. After going back to work I started to gain it back and regained it all in less than a year. One morning I woke up and thought "doesn't my insurance cover weight loss surgery?" and found out the next morning that they do. After much research I decided to go forward only to find out that even though my insurance covered the surgery with a 35 bmi and 2 comorbitities the clinic most people go with wasn't willing to fight for the insurance. I found someone two hours away who would. The insurance company decided they didn't think the two comorbidities were the right ones and turned me down. It was suggested that I gain weight to get the surgery and I started down that road and wrote a letter to the head of HR and the insurance company and told them that no office clerk had the right to overrule the doctor. I got a letter from medical director of the insurance company who said I was right. Voila! 4 days later I had my surgery. It was great the first year and I lost 70 pounds but I've been stalled for awhile. I'm trying the 5 day pouch challenge eating plan and going in for a fill tomorrow. I hope I can get things back on track. I've been so pleased with the band. Being a size 14 instead of a 20 is great but I really do want to go the whole way and end up in a 10 or even an 8 and be able to finish out with plastic surgery and no embarrassement in a swimsuit. I didn't go this far to fail so I'm really hoping I can get back on track. Britt

I really like Nutrisystem and have been buying the 5 day flex plan. They have a lot more Protein than they used to and are really convenient for me. I'm doing the 5 day pouch challenge this week and then will go back to NS after my next fill. Britt

After hearing a radio segment on the binders in chewables and preservatives in liquids I decided to try a powder multiple that you mix with liquid. I really like it and I can tell the difference in how I feel. I went with the All One brand and actually chose the senior formula because it has some extra things like Ginko. Britt

What about a little calorie cycling? I've read good things about increasing your calories by about 500 for one day and the next day reducing them about 500 under your normal. Jump start your metabolism back in action. Or you could try the 5 day pouch test. Keep us posted. I'd be interested in hearing what works for you. Britt

I was planning to start it tomorrow. I tried last week but didn't get past day two. I'm going in for a check up and a fill for the first time in a year (I'm stuck and have gained back 20 pounds) so I think it's a good time to knuckle down and stick to the 5 days. The good news is that I love Soup so can enjoy some tomorrow :-). Britt

Well I don't have an official answer for what's happening but I know that pain. It's what I get when I eat beyond the capacity of my band, particularly if I eat hard to digest foods like Pasta, bread or sometimes meat. It feels to me like my somach pouch is stretched and pressing against the band. It's my reminder that if I don't eat properly I could get to a point that I have complications that require the band to be removed. Sometimes I have to go to a day or two of soft foods to reduce get things back on track. Britt

My favorite is Syntrax nectar. I'm one of those people who can't stand thick shakes so soy is out for me. Syntrax has a great latte flavor I love you can mix with Water or milk. The lemonade and iced tea flavors are great too. Haven't tried vanilla or chocolate. I also like a vanilla kind called ProZone. For some reason I just love the almost malted milk flavor. The problem is that it's fairly high in calories. The Jay Robb stuff is reasonably good too. If you go to bariatriceating.com you can order a sample pack which is great - you can try several out first. Lastly, the latest stuff I've bought and loved is from New Lifestyle Diet. The puddings are yummy, I love the hot capuccino, and both the oatmeal and the sloppy joe mix are great and they utilize the band. I don't know why since it's fairly mushy but the sloppy joe mix fills me up as much as meat does, I really like it. The shakes I don't love quite as much. Britt

To be honest, I can't stand them in any flavor. WAY too sweet for me... b

So I've got two weeks left on the liquid stage. My crazy doctor requires 3 weeks of liquids, 3 weeks of mushies, and a fill before you eat regular food. What I'm confused about is how big my liquid Protein drink should be. The nutrionist said 4 oz. and while I can understand that once I'm on mushies, it makes no sense for Protein drinks. If I only did 4 - 4 oz protein drinks a day I'd be way under the level of protein and calories I need in a day. I'm already down 11 pounds in 10 days. If I do 8 oz and sip I seem to have no problems, especially if I take my time over 15-20 minutes. What did you do? Thanks! Britt

(posted on food bb but no replies yet) So I've got two weeks left on the liquid stage. My crazy doctor requires 3 weeks of liquids, 3 weeks of mushies, and a fill before you eat regular food. What I'm confused about is how big my Liquid Protein drink should be. The nutrionist said 4 oz. and, while I can understand that once I'm on mushies, it makes no sense for Protein drinks. If I only did 4 - 4 oz protein drinks a day I'd be way under the level of protein and calories I need in a day. I'm already down 11 pounds in 10 days. If I do 8 oz and sip I seem to have no problems, especially if I take my time over 15-20 minutes. What did you do? Thanks! Britt

Ok gang, I'm dying. It's been two weeks on liquids and it's killing me. My doctor's regimen is 3 weeks liquids follwed by 3 weeks mushies and then your first fill. Essentially you never eat solids until you've had a fill. I was ok for about 12 days and now it's torture. What was your post-op regimen? Was it 6 weeks of no chewing? Just want to get a sense of what other doctors advised. Having that info will be helpful when I call tomorrow and ask the doctor's office about starting mushies sooner. Thanks! Britt (craving teriyaki chicken, and, for some odd reason, pistachios)

I finally called the doctor's office because I'm starving and still losing weight too quickly. They said the info on portion control from the nutritionist isn't correct. I should sip my Protein drinks and watch for the full feeling. She said "let the bad do the work" with regard to portion control. Make sure to eat (drink) when I'm hungry. She also told me that as time goes as I heal by before my fill I'll be able to drink more. I'll focus on serving sizes after that (actually I'll probably try to measure during mushies just to keep any eye on intake and nutrition). Britt

I second the vote for the Syntrax nectar. I love the Lemonade and the Cappuccino flavors. I've replace my morning latte with a Nectar latte - I use a little cream to add fat since I don't believe in low fat eating and the Nectar is fat free. It's wonderful stuff. You can get it at bariatriceating.com or at a store near you. The online store sells sample sizes and a smaller 1 pound container if you're wanting to just try it first. Britt

I'm really happy to find this thread. I am planning to go back to WW after my 6 weeks of liquids and mushies are up. I asked my nutritionist about it and she said she feels that what's really good about WW is the weekly support and accountability and she encourged me to attend. My mom and I used to go together before I was banded. We haven't gone for about 5 months and it would really be a help to her if I went with her. She doesn't qualify for the band. However, I was planning to try out the Core plan instead of the points. I figure my band is my points counter anyway. The Core plan is more of a low carb, good Proteins plan. And how it's supposed to work is that you judge your hunger level before, during and after eating which I think would be just right for me to try doing right after my 1st fill. I'm not going to tell them at this point although I may in the future after I speak with the leader and if I feel it would be supported. The other thing too is that I don't want to be praising the band every time I make a whole and get asked "what's working." Lots of the women in the room would benefit from the band but I suspect not many would have the insurance coverage or the cash. So I don't want to derail them from beliving in or being successful with Weight Watchers. Britt

You know, it seems to me that if you eat at 5:30 you should be hungry. Going from 5:30 to noon seems too long to me. I just saw the nutrionist yesterday. She actually wrote me up a schedule. She wants her lap band patients to each every three hours and sip water the hour after each meal up to 1/2 hour before. Seems like you should be eating a meal or snack that starts with protein right about 9am just like your stomach is telling you :-). Britt

I was just banded on Monday and it didn't occur to me that my openness with coworkers, family and friends might come back to bite me later. But I'm prepared! My oldest son is adopted and my second son is biological. There have been countless stupid comments and questions. I know they're not band related (I'm sure I'll have those to recount later) but just for your reading amusement here is my favorite of all time - probably because it's one of the few times I was thinking quick enough to offer a good comeback. An interior decorator is standing in my kitchen. She sees a picture of my oldest son with another woman and two other boys. She asks me if that's my sister. I tell her nope, that's my son's birthmother and brothers. She looks at it for a minute and says, "What happened? Was it just a one night stand or was she sleeping around a lot?" Silence for a minute while I ponder the incredible stupidity and insensitivity of this question. Then I ask... "How many children did you say you have? Three? And did you conceive all of them in the missionary position?" Now it's her turn to be silent and she turns bright red. A couple minutes later she asks in a contrite voice, "I guess that was pretty personal wasn't it?" "Yup, not to mention incredibley rude," I say. Then I smile and change the subject. So I totally understand being prepared for less-than-stellar band questions. :-). Britt

Thanks for this article! I picked my doctor based on one patient referral and the fact that he was willing to go to bat with the insurance company for me. When I saw the picture of the patients abdomen I lifted my shirt and looked down at my 3 day old scars (just had the surgery Monday) and was pretty darn excited to see that my incisions are an exact match. Looks like my surgeon is as up on the current techniques as he seemed to be. Thanks! That meant a lot to me on recovery day 3. Britt :clap2:

Well I had my surgery yesterday so I can only spek for day 2. I feel a lot better tonight than I did yesterday or this morning. But to stay alert I have to drink children's ibuprofen. To get the pain manageable I have to take the prescription medicine that makes me sleepy an unable to drive. If my brain works then my body hurts. If I cut the pain I can't think clearly enough to work well. I figured I'd probably be able to go back to my desk job on Thursday but I'm glad I planned for the whole week off just in case. I was a little surprised at how badly I felt yesterday and today. I've had several surgeries and thought I'd be able to deal with the discomfort a little better than I have. But I can tell I'll just keep feeling better every day. If you can, I might suggest asking for a week off but coming back early if you're feeling well enough. Britt

Hi all, I'm hoping to be approved for band surgery later this summer. Looking over my doctor info I see that he requires 6 weeks of liquid (various stages) after surgery. This seems like a really long time to me and I was just wondering if bandsters would want to share how long they were on a restricted diet after surgery... Thanks! Britt

I'm considering a lap band procedure in Mexico. My insurance covers the lap band here at home but I'd have to gain weight to qualify and I'm just not up for it. I figured I'd better find someone here at home who does fills before I make my appointment. If you know of any doctors in the Seattle area I'd love to find out who they are. The only doctor I could find on the internet is in Richland which is about a 4 hour drive away. Thanks! Britt

Well I was excited when I read that my insurance covers lap band surgery. I went to the seminar and decided it was the thing for me. But when I called for my appointment they told me that I'd have little chance of getting insurance coverage unless I had 2+ severe co-morbidities. My grandmothers both died of obesity related illnesses but so far I only have high cholesterol and joint pain. Has anyone had success getting their surgery covered with a 35 BMI? Or should I just give up and go pay for it myself in Mexico? Thanks! Britt

I'd really love to get some input with lower-BMI banded folks. My BMI is right around 35. Unless I happen to get pregnant, I'm not going to gain enough weight to qualify for insurance coverage. I've got about 70ish pounds to lose at this point. I've been overweight all my adult life save for about 2 years that I lost weight and maintained it before heading up above 200lbs again. I had a baby last year and lost 36 pounds in the first 6 months but am back up about 18 to my pre-pregnancy weight. I've been reading a lot about the band and went to a local seminar. My insurance covers the band for a BMI of 35+ with co-morbidities but the doctor's insurance specialist said it wasn't worth even trying to get coverage unless I had severe diabetes or other medical issues. So then I found other less expensive doctors including a few in Mexico that seem to have good reputations. My husband will support me going ahead with the band but I just can't seem to make up my mind... I worry about the risks, even though I know they're small, because I have two tiny boys to raise. The idea that I might not ever be able to eat bread or rice or Pasta is a little disconcerting. The potential cost if something show go wrong is scary. On the other hand I worry that even if I gear up and lose the weight on my own, I won't be able to keep it off unless I do something like the band. I feel like I'm stuck. For anyone who chose the band but had less than 100lbs to lose I'd love to hear from you: why you went ahead, how it's been working for you, and any other input you might have for me as I try to make my decision. Thanks! Britt

Boy, I sure hope more people can weigh in. I'd like to know what the advantage of the mid-band is but, aside from a general description, it's hard to figure out. Britt

Interesting info. I called Dr. Tersigni's office and the cost is $10,200. There's an initial consult and some lab work which insurance covers for some patients because it's coded to their co-morbitities. The psych eval is $300. I left a message for the Wish Center for someone to call me back with their current rates. I've never heard of any U.S. doctor less than $10k. At these prices I might be more likely to do the surgery locally (if I finally get up enough nerve) than to go to Mexico. Britt