pennreporter

I haven't been banded yet (June 1), but my daughter has. Pita bread is actually one of the few that she can eat. She can eat the crust of regular bread or anything crunchy/crispy. So I guess that's why the pita is okay, it doesn't have the mushy inside of regular bread. She eats it toasted, now granted it's not the whole thing, maybe about half. So good luck Trisha

Congrats! The inflation gas is normal. I think my daughter's was about a day and a half. I'm being banded on Monday, June 1, and supposedly my surgeon has a method where he tries to suck most of the gas back out with a small tube and claims his patient don't have too much of a problem with that. We'll see. Hang in there. You're on the downhill side now. Trisha pennreporter

Many many insurance companies, if you're under a 40 BMI, require comorbidities. I'm 5'4, highest weight was 237, but I have high BP, cholesterol, thyroid (goiter), and sleep apnea. And even with all of those, it was only the sleep apnea using a CPAP machine that qualified me. Self-pay, most doctors are pretty liberal about the BMI, but I would think you would still need to be at least a 35. I even gained 10 lbs to make sure I met the weight (which wasn't hard but even my primary car doctor was telling me to weigh in with rolls of quarters in my pockets.) So first step is to call your insurance company and find out what they require. Good luck Trisha

PNW, the only thing that sounds like it's taking awhile is getting the appointment in September. Otherwise, the rest is not totally out of line. I started in November 08. My ins company requires six months of jumping through hoops and on my sixth month appt I hadn't lost the 10 percent weight they required so that added another couple of weeks. That was April 15th, then a couple of weeks to get into surgeon and Surgery is June 1 (monday). So maybe what I'd do is keep on them about the first appointment. I was very aggressive in calling for cancellations to get in sooner on my appts. But many of us have 6-8 months because of insurance. I personally believe it's a way of weeding out some people. If we could all self-pay, we could definitely shorten that wait but my co pays on all the testing required and deductible is about as much as i could afford. So hang in there. it really does go by quicker than you think. Trisha

Childcare, we are on the same day. Big difference is I've been on liquid diet for almost two weeks(with a few indisretions), but I can have soup, yogurt, V8 juice). So it hasn't been so bad but now the only thing stressing me is trying to get things done with work and mowing law (if it ever stops raining) before Monday and getting house cleaned because my daughter is coming out to take me along with her new little boy-toy( she was banded Feb 08). So not my choice of when i would want to meet her "friend," but oh, well...:smile: Good luck!! We're all on the downhill side now. Trisha (pennreporter)

congrats drtoliver! You're on the downhill side now!! trisha (pennreporter)

My plan has me at at least 60 grams of protein a day. The more the better and lots and lots of fluids. I'm not so concerned about dropping so much weight before. I have to do two weeks after. So I'm taking in everything that I'm allowed. I can have as much SF jello as I want and SF pops, which helps. So I'm still putting in about 800-1000 calories a day. My yogurt is Chobani (a greek yogurt and has 17 grams of protein). Plus I make one of my shakes a day with cottage cheese, milk, splenda and fruit (22 grams) in the blender. I would really be careful on getting yourself too weak and tired. It really sounds like you're not getting enough protein and fluids. You don't have to push yourself that hard. You've got plenty of time to lose the weight. If you go into surgery not feeling well, i have to imagine you're not going to feel well after. I truly believe they say two weeks of liquid because they know you're not going to adhere to it every day. So if they get it most of the time, then it's all good. Good luck Trisha

tdtucker, your doctor is very similar to my daughter's doctor. His comment to her was "You've done so well with dieting, why impose one that you won't stick to." she even went and ate mexican food the day before. I really think it also has to do with the experience of the doctor. My doctors don't do a lot of bands (bypass mostly). My daughter's doctor has done 4,000+. so I'm on day 10 and have adhered mostly, about 90 percent to ordered diet. But I also don't want to go into surgery feeling weak, which I haven't so far felt that way, because I know food intake is limited again on the other side of the surgery. So I get Soup and FF yogurt and V8 juice also. So outside of my "slip" one day, it's been not too bad. Good luck to all!! Trisha

Good luck LindaD tomorrow. the liquid diet sucks but it does get you somewhat prepared for the post-op. Mine has been high Protein drinks but I can have SF Jello, V8 juice and twice a day I can pick from FF yogurt and Soup. So that has helped. I've only dropped about five pounds and have four more days to go but I'm a low BMI and also had to make sure I didn't drop below 35 bmi or insurance might kick it back. Good luck. Tomorrow you will be on loser's bench. Trisha

I'm thinking my dr will also be very conservative on the fills. But that's fine with me. I'll drag my happy butt into NYC to my daughter's doctor for a fill. But for now, since I'm not banded yet, I will just have to wait and see. It's hard to predict. I know my daughter got 3 cc on first fill. Then went to 5.5 ccs, then 6.25, then 6.75 and immediately had to come back down to 6.25. That little bit extra was too much. but this is over a 15 month period. she was at 5.5 for a long time. Now at 6.25 she's almost at goal. So some doctors are truly more aggressive than others. My doctors don't do a lot of bands, mostly bypass, so I'm attributing them being conservative to that fact. Trisha

I'm on day 10 of two-week pre-op. Day 7 was my cheat day and I just had to get it out of my system. What was strange was that it wasn't out of hunger. It was a psychological thing. Surprising enough I haven't really been all that hungry, but I get two items extra a day which can be soup or yogurt. So that has helped. Good luck to all. Now it's not a problem for me because I'm running on adrenaline with surgery on Monday. Trisha

hey you did good, gonnaloseit. Plus if we changed it now, I'd have to go back to figure out how I did the signature thing again...lol. Brain dead these days. I know your surgery is coming up soon. So good luck. Trisha (pennreporter)

My daughter went to Dr. Spivak out of the same group I think. She loved him, no real pre-op diet, very low key, no big deal. Post op diet was relatively short also. You're in good hands. Trisha

I try to vary the protein shakes between EAS Edge and Slim Fast. But also make one from cottage cheese/FF milk/splenda/ice/2 frozen strawberries in the Magic Bullet. Comes out thick enough you can almost use a spoon. Also have done it with Greek FF yogurt instead of cottage cheese but the taste is about the same. And it's 22 grams of protein under 200 calories. You can use any frozen fruit. Trisha

thanks for that bit of info. Never would have thought to ask that. I know my first fill is at 6 weeks. But I will ask Monday when I go to check in what their schedule is. Trisha

I'm on day 9 of two-week preop liquid diet. Only had one slip, but just accepted it and moved on (and it wasn't even because I was hungry, more a mental thing). Surgery is next Monday, so hard care following diet between now and then, plus would like to lose a few more pounds. Lost 5 on the first leg of the two weeks. Good luck to all!! Trisha

Emma, I have not been banded yet, but will be next Monday. Met with PA today for pre-surgery consult and that was a question I asked, how much fill on the first time and they only do 1cc at a time. So guess I'll be visiting a lot... Trish

I haven't been banded yet (june 1), and I'm now at 215 with pre-op liquid diet, 5-4. So also low BMI. My daughter was 265 at 5-9 when she was banded. She is still at 180 at 15 months, but a size 8 and going for plastic surgery next month. She was never about the numbers, only her clothes size because she is very large boned. She will drop some with plastic surgery but she is pretty close to maintenance. She'll know after plastic surgery if she feels she needs to lose anymore. Band is being unfilled for surgerry so she might gain a little during all of that. I started at 237, goal is 140-150. So at 215, I'm at about 65 to goal. Good luck to all Trisha

1/2 cup of cottage cheese 1/2 cup of FF (I use organic) milk 2 packets (optional) of Splenda ice (optional) frozen fruit (I used 2 strawberries or 1/2 banana) blend approx 22 grams of Protein, 170 calories trisha

Yes, I cheated but my cheating consisted of...I'm allowed tomato or cream soup, a cup. So my cheating was extra soup. Making my own protein shakes I added a banana or a strawberry or two, but that was still in the protein shake. So all in all, feeling okay on day 8 of two-weeks. But my last 2-3 days I am going to avoid my soup as much as possible because of sodium and stick with just protein shake, SF jello, and water. Good luck to all. Trisha

Joey ...nickname for a baby kangaroo that comes out of the mother's pouch. Makes no sense but what can I say... Trisha

My surgery is June 1 (next Monday) and surgeon does the four incisions which is fine. They're already switching doing the Realize band. So don't need them trying anything else new... Day 8 of two week diet. Trisha

Craig, great to read your posting. Some of the prior ones really had started to give me the begeebees. My hospital/surgeon are just now switching to the Realize Band (I don't know if it's a C or not, will find out tomorrow during pre-surgery consult with PA). So I'm already kind of feeling like a guinea pig and then to read the negatives has made me just a tad nervous. But I also know that there are complications with the Allergan band also. So I just have to trust my surgeons (I'm getting both the chief of surgery and my surgeon because it is new for them) and trust the reputation of the hospital I'm going to (Geisinger in Danville PA) and whatever higher power there is and then the rest is up to me and my accepting that the band is not the be-all, end-all but is just an aid or tool. I'm one week into the two-week liquid post-op diet and as much as I would love to chomp down on some nachos right about now, psychologically it has helped because it's really amazing how little food you really do need to sustain yourself as long as it's healthy food. I know some folks only get three days but this time period has been emotionally good for me. After reading the negative postings on here, I will definitely have more questions when I go to surgeon's office tomorrow. Glad to hear you've been pleased so far. Trisha

Congratulations to all who have just gotten their surgeries date!! We will all soon be on the loser's/winner's bench!! Trisha (June 1 surgery date)

I've been drinking the EAS Edge and Lite. Today made one from a suggestion from another web site. 1/2 cup FF milk (I always use Organic Milk) 1/2 cup FF cottage cheese (could also use Greek Yogurt) 2 packets of Splenda Fruit of choice (I used 2 frozen strawberries) Ice (optional) Blend Mine came up to 170 calories 22 grams of Protein. The cottage cheese sounds like it wouldn't be good but you can't really taste it, plus it's high in protein. Doesn't make as big of a drink as the EAS, but was just like a strawberry smoothie. But blueberries might be good also...great for antioxidants. Just a suggestion. After a week of this, looking for variety. LOL trisha