ParrotheadCathy

I was told to aim for a minimum of 60 grams of protein per day. A meal should consist of about 3 oz of lean protein and a vegetable serving. If, after eating that, I was still hungry, I was told I could have a serving of whole grain carb. I was NOT told that anything was forbidden specifically. Like 123crod, I was told to EAT my protein rather than drink it. That is simply because it takes longer for solid food to digest than liquid, which passes right through your band while solids stay in your pouch and can keep you feeling that much sought after satiety that liquids simply cannot provide.

I gave up soda completely because it's bad for you. Getting the surgery was motivation enough to give up that bad habit. Beer, hum...... I went to Belize a couple of months back and I freely admit that I love Belikin beer (national beer of Belize) so of course I ordered one. Took 30 minutes to drink about half of it and that left me belching like I never would have imagined possible. So I didn't finish it and I haven't had any more beer.

Sabertooth, they call it "Lap Band Hell" for a reason, LOL. Protein will keep you feeling full longer than bread, by the way. Puree some Soup that has chicken or beef in it, like vegetable beef. Just, please, don't eat things that don't meet your doc's specification of mushy consistency because there truly is a reason for that limitation. Your stomach has not fully adjusted to having that belt put around it, cinching it up. solid food requires your stomach to "churn" as it breaks it down and that can lead to band slippage. The simple fact is that while the band, with no saline added, does provide a little restriction, you really shouldn't expect your band to truly be able to do its job until you get a couple of fills (at least). Again, they call it "Lap Band Hell" for a reason.

ParrotheadCathy .... well, I'm a Jimmy Buffett fan. But, of course, I've taken it to a higher level. I am a member of the Atlanta Parrot Head Club (Atlanta PHC is the very first ever official parrot head club, founded in 1989), a past board member, and I am a Regional Coordinator for the SE Region of Parrot Heads in Paradise, which is the "parent organization". Yes, we do know how to party ... but we also "party with a purpose" .... For example, last year (2008) Parrot Head Clubs raised over $3.1 Million and volunteered 175,000 Volunteer Hours. Obviously, I am proud of our efforts! Cathy, well, that part's easy ... my name is Catherine but absolutely NOBODY calls me that. My Dad never even called me "Cathy" but always called me "Katy".

Barbara, on the home page for LBT, there is a comparison posted by Alex of Lap Band vs. Gastric Bypass. That's a good basic start. The percentage of problems is a good question. For me, personally, the fact that I did not want the intestinal bypass part of the gastric bypss carried more weight than the potential problems. I'm 6 months out and not a problem other than just having a .2cc unfill because I finally admitted to myself last week that I was just a little too tight. Other than that, not one problem. None. What does the future hold? Heck, I may get hit by a bus or fall off the cruise ship on one of my annual cruises. Who knows? For me, I was willing to "roll the dice". TALK to your surgeon. Ask every question you possibly can think of. For example, does he stitch the band in place to prevent slippage? how many patients have had problems such as erosion (not just his patients, but overall)? You may find that they things you fear have very small percentage rates of occurrence.

Spec, my gallbladder/right side area NEVER hurt me. Not even when it started to exhibit gangrene! My pain was midchest, and radiated up and eventually got so bad it hurt in my jaw. Often the pain is not where you think it would be. Gallbladder pain in usually chest pain and many people only discover they have a gallbladder problem after they go to the emergency room because they think they are having heart attacks.

Jules, my first question would be, did your doctor do a fill at surgery? I ask because you sound like you're too tight. You could still have swelling post-op, but some docs do a fill when the place the band and for a lot of those patients, there is a problem with the combination of some fill and swellilng making them too tight. These are questions for your doc.....I say, don't wait until Wednesday. Call today and ask.

Warner1030 is so right! Just because you could eat a foot long Subway and a bag of chips doesn't mean you should! There are plenty of times when we could keep on eating with the only result being the effect on our weight loss. No PB, no stuck, nothing. You still have to follow your eating plan and work with your doc and nutritionist to reach your goals.

Shahsosweet, I suggest you call your insurance company now. There should be a customer service number on your card. Ask the following questions: 1. Does my policy cover lap band? 2. What are your requirements to cover the surgery? 3. Do I need to have a minimum BMI? Do I need to have doctors' records to show I have been at that BMI for a specific period of time? 4. Do I need to have doctor's records to show I have attempted to lose weight in the past? 5. What bariatric surgeons are on my insurance plan? 6. I know that a surgeon can operate in more than one location, so are there restrictions on what hospitals or surgical centers? 7. What testing do you require to approve me for surgery? (the doctor may have other requirements, so just know what you have to do for your insurance company) 8. Do you require a supervised weight loss before approving for surgery? 9. If so, can my surgeon's office provide the supervision? Get the person's name that you talk to. Write down all the information you get. Once you have all this information, go to the seminar. The staff people will help you with more information about the surgery itself, and they will also verify coverage with your insurance company. I feel, though, that it is best to know for yourself. A knowledgable poster, Restless Monkey, pointed out that the surgeon can remove the carbon dioxide that they pump into your abdomen when he does the surgery. Not all surgeons do. Ask if this surgeon will...it can mean you will feel a lot better after surgery. I'm sure others will have additional suggestions.

The band isn't the cause of your problems! Anesthesia can and does cause the symptoms you describe. Keep doing the breathing exercises, Walk as much as you can, rest when you need to and remember that just because I was up and running the next day, and somebody else was down for 2 weeks means only one thing .... you're gonna end up somewhere in the middle!

I agree with RM!! And, Jodi, I too was Type II Diabetic .... and i've been off my meds since the day of surgery! My hba1c 5 months after surgery had dropped to 7.0. As my doc pointed out, he would certainly not call me diabetic anymore and with more weight to lose, I am likely to fall well within the 6.X range very quickly. Yes, bypass can accomplish the same thing. Remember, fat cells are insulin resistant and NEITHER procedure (and nothing other that lipo) can get rid of the fat cells, but LP and GB both reduce the size of your fat cells. You are the one who has to live with your choice. As RM says, do your research, don't take anybody's word regarding of the letters after their name. If you get conflicting information, seek a second opinion. You are, after all, a consumer.

Losing4life, often hiccups is a full signal. A lot of people experience that when it is time to put the fork down and walk away from the food. You might try stopping as soon as you hiccup and see if you are full at that point.

Most doctors have a chart that shows the red zone, the green zone and the yellow zone. The green zone is what you're aiming for. In the yellow zone, you don't have enough restriction so you can eat more than you should. In the red zone, you often can't eat many things and thus do not eat enough. And, just like Goldilocks, the green zone is "just right." You should be able to eat around 3/4 cup of food and not get hungry for 4 hours. If you're waiting for some magic sensation to stop, it may not be there...unless getting stuck and PBing because there isn't room for anymore food counts. For me, I could just keep eating well past what I need. But if I eat on plan (3 oz of lean Protein and a vegetable, and the occasional whole grain carb serving), I can go 4 hours or even more before I am hungry again. It confuses me totally to hear someone say "what does restriction feel like" because what you are actually hoping to feel is SATIETY. The feeling of satisfaction that you have eaten enough to not be hungry. Notice I didn't say "enough to feel like you just ate Thanksgiving dinner".

Too tight is exactly that, TOO TIGHT. It can ultimately mean that most of the foods you should be eating get stuck so you start eating easy (slider) stuff that doesn't necessarily get you the nutrition you need! RestlessMonkey says she can eat just about anything, but in much smaller amounts than pre-band. There's a couple of things I choose not to eat (soft bread, flour tortillas) because they get stuck often enough to not be worth the trouble and I don't need the carbs anyway. I'm sorry your doctor hasn't made sure you understand this! Basically, you have it right for the most part. The band creates a smaller stomach out of the very first part of your stomach. You should be able to eat somewhere from a 1/2 cup to 1 cup of food at a meal (for me, it varies depending on what I eat .... for instance, I can eat more salad than if I ate just Protein and a vegetable). You shouldn't drink during or immediately after a meal so that you don't make the contents of your pouch prematurely empty into the lower part of your stomach. Restriction is what the band is. SATIETY is what it makes you feel. What is satiety? Satisfaction from eating. When you eat the prescribed size meal, you should feel comfortably full (not stuffed to gills) and you shouldn't feel hungry for about 4 hours or so. If you're so tight you can barely eat, then you are too tight. You can be so tight you can't even drink. If you were that tight, you'd call the doctor right away! So just remember that it's really no different if you can't really eat a meal. My doctor sais that a meal should be 3 oz of lean protein, a steamed or raw vegetable and if you are still truly hungry, to eat a single serving of a whole grain carb. At lunch, I am always still hungry, so I eat some whole grain Special K crackers. At dinner, I'm usually good with just the protein and vegetable. For Breakfast, I have been having a Protein shake just because it's convenient but I've gotten completely sick and tired of them, LOL ... and I should be! The last few days, I've been eating a serving of Greek yogurt for breakfast. It's still convenient and that's all I care about in the morning. I don't really want to have to cook a meal for breakfast. And, if you have a long stretch between lunch and dinner, as I do (I get off work at 5:30 and sometimes traffic keeps me from getting home until 7:00 or so), then you should have a small snack of pure protein. LIke a little low fat cottage cheese or a boiled egg. That way, when you are preparing your meal you don't start grazing your way through the kitchen:tt2:.

Not all that gas is IN your tummy. They pump your abdomen full of carbon dioxide to create a little more room in which to work. That has to be absorbed by your body and excreted. Walking as much as possible and a heating pad over your shoulder when it hurts there. Don't put the heating pad over your incisions unless your doc okays that! One friend's doctor recommended that she not sit in a regular chair for the first few days. instead, she was supposed to sit in a rocking chair and rock. Extra movement.

CBarnesL....Re your first post....what to look for in a doctor. An excellent support program. A support group, nutritionist on staff to answer questions as you run into them. Not having to wait long periods of time to get in for a fill. Re your second post ... liquid pre-op diets. NO, not every doctor prescribes a liquid pre-op diet. You will quickly discover that all doctors are different on pre- and post-op diets and even what you have to do after a fill! For example, my pre-op diet was two weeks, two Protein shakes a day and two meals that consisted of 3 oz of lean protein and raw or steamed vegetables. Some docs do all liquid, some do 1 meal a day, some use Optifast. You just have to ask your doctor the details. The OP (original poster) has 2 days of clear liquid pre-op. She may have had a specific diet prior to that as well.

Two days of clear liquid is tough, I know. Have you tried apple juice or white grape juice? They have some sweetness to them and might make your stomach feel a little better.

Chicamam, it's my personal understanding that the first line of treatment for slippage is to unfill the band for a month to see if the problem corrects itself. If not, surgery is the next step. Stick to your eating plan as best you can an hopefully it will improve! Fingers crossed.....

My bites are the size of a nickel.....three of those wouldn't keep my parrot, my pug or my cat alive much less me. My meal consists of about 3 oz of Protein, a vegetable and if I'm still hungry a single serving of whole grain carbs. I'm really liking those new Special K Crackers.... a serving is 17 crackers. Sometimes I make egg salad with low fat mayo and have it on the crackers and have a spinach salad with it! I do have to eat quite slowly or I get stuck repeatedly, especially in the evening. At lunch, I think I could eat anything without a problem. But even I don't wait 3 minutes between bites. I take a bite, chew it really well, swallow and when I know it's "gone down", I take another bite.

I'm sure a fill will help. I ws banded 2/10/09, and my surgeon told me that even after goal, it would be important to come in about every six months to had the Fluid level in my band checked and sometimes "topped off" since very small amounts of fluid can migrate out of the band over time. And, coming here to 'fess up can't hurt either because you can get a lot of support, ideas and esncouragement and that can make all the difference! Keep us posted on your progress.

I responded before but I wanted to add. 1. Your doctor usually approaches your port from an angle. Additionally, the needle (called a Huber needle) is not straight but has a bend in it and that affects the angle it is inserted. 2. 4ccs? heck only a very few people truly experienced any restriction at 4ccs in a 10cc band. I know for sure I didn't! 3. And do you really know what "restriction" feels like? It's not like a tight belt or whatever. What you should really be concerned with is "satiety".....which is the feeling of having eaten enough to no longer feel hungry and it should last for at least 4 hours. Restriction PROVIDES this sensation with less food than it took before you were banded.

More than 80% of all women wear the wrong size bra! They buy what they THINK is the right size. If you are getting closer to goal, you should seriously consider being professionally fitted. Only then will you have a bra that is truly the right size. The feeling of having the absolute right right is amazing! Well worth paying a little extra.

Getting restriction a few days (or even a couple of weeks) after a fill is quite common.

I think you have to go with your plan....that it depends on how you feel. As you may have deduced from other postings about how long it was before people went back to work or started exercising or whatever, we vary dramatically. I could have done the trip with no problem, but that most definitely isn't so for others.

FailureIsnt....I paid cash for my surgery. It was $15,000. Period. That's it. Everything included -- surgeon, surgery center, anesthesiologist. Anybody who is paying cash (or through financing) for their surgery, should ask up-front for a full disclosure of exactly what they have to pay for and how much.