Dreamjeans

I was reading that it is possible to do a band over bypass. Does this really work? I have a friend who is too chicken to get on here but really needs help.

What is your exerience with this? Does it work? Do you wish you would have opted for the band over an RNY instead in the first place?

Im here! :smile:

The nurses at my office told us that some lady had her stomach explode because she drank soda. They said it killed her. I googled this to see if it was true and came across some theories but nothing supporting it enough for me to believe it LOL. Some people are so in the dark about lap bands!

That was exactly what I wanted to know. Thank you for posting your blog! I had to admit that it made me giggle but thats only because I haven't been through it hehehhe.

Sounds like you are doing awesome! It's so nice to hear the stories of what it will be like after getting banded. I'm glad you are doing well, keep it up you will be skinny in no time at all! :thumbup:

Sounds like you are doing awesome! It's so nice to hear the stories of what it will be like after getting banded. I'm glad you are doing well, keep it up you will be skinny in no time at all! :thumbup:

Yay! I'm so glad that I have others to whine too LOL... I went to weigh in today for my four month check up and she said that I stayed the same!!! WHAT THE?!?! Seriously?? I wanted to sit on her 5'4" 110 pound body. I think it's because AF is back with a vengence since I had my baby seven months ago. The bad thing is that I will be premenstrual the last day of my weigh in so I will be all bloated like today. When I weighed at home I was up 6.5lbs so I know its not just their scale! Does anyone have any suggestions? Do you think diuretics work?

Would you guys be interested in starting our own group? I wonder if they already have one for people trying to do the pre pre op diet :thumbup:

When you get stuck do you have a moment to get to the bathroom or is in instantaneous dry heaving where you would have to duck and run to the loo? Do you have a few moments where you can try and relax it out? I'm curious to know what it feels like exactly. I really want to avoid having to run to the bathroom and barf during social situations but from what it sounds like its a learning experience to figure out what you can or can't have.

With my insurance I have to lose 10% of my body weight and keep it off for a six month period. I didn't realize that I could use my feb doctors visit as the starting point and got really depressed and gained 10 pounds in march so technically I have to lose 40lbs to be able to submit my papers by july 3rd.. or I can wait to the end of August to submit my papers and just lose ten more it just seems SO LONG!!

If anyone else is in the same boat, wanna be buddies until we get there?? I'm on here everyday so I will be around!

I'm still working on my six month pre op diet for insurance approving mine but I can choose from lap band, RNY, or DS. I have to admit that I worry about a foreign object being inside of me the rest of my life.

What will happen in 20 years?

What if I slip and I don't have the money to pay for a resurgery? (insurance won't cover resurgeries at all),

What if a natural disaster happens and I have complications and there are no doctors around to operate? (please be nice about this one, I know it is silly but I have general anxiety and it helps me to talk it out so I can face the fear head on, other peoples perspective really helps me)

Even though the other surgeries have a higher complication it would just seem like less of a hastle to have restriction and not worry about the band failing or going in for tedious fills.

With that said I have SO MUCH respect for the band! I love that it is an outpatient surgery, that there is no cutting involved, that you can fill or unfill as necessary, That it will help with long term results without changing your internals etc.

I would like to hear your thoughts as to the reasons why you chose lapband over anything else. I think it would help me with my decision.

WOw jlray! That is seriously cool! Do you mind if I ask you how much you lost on the pre op and what your diet was and how much you ate? I'm still working on my last 12 or so pounds so that I can get my six month pre pre op done for insurance and I'm always looking for ideas!

Ive heard that certain foods are a no no like soft bread or rice. I'm curious to see what everyone eats in a day and what the portion size is. Do you measure out all your food or just eyeball it?

I kinda like that show but medical shows interest me, I know they can gross some people out with the plastics. Anyway, the last episode there was a woman who wanted the band and the doctors said no because it wasn't quick enough weight loss and she needed to get hers down quickly to remove a hernia. He said that you only lose about five pounds a month.

It got me thinking, is that really the average weight loss? I know that losing weight is losing weight but that is how much I am losing by myself on my own. I would like to think that it would be a little more, like eight or ten.

Has anyone felt the loss was a lot slower than they thought?

Thanks guys!

I've been reading a lot lately and it looks like some bands have a few cc's in them when they get put in and some are emtpy. Does it just depend on the doctor? I would love it if I had something in my band after surgery!

I've been reading a lot lately and it looks like some bands have a few cc's in them when they get put in and some are emtpy. Does it just depend on the doctor? I would love it if I had something in my band after surgery!

Hopefully I will get banded in October but my baby will be 11 months and I worry about how I will get around after surgery. My husband can only take off a day or two of work so I want to be prepared. We are not telling anyone about the surgery so I don't want to ask for help if I don't have too. What were your experiences with small kids after surgery? I have four kids all under 8 :biggrin: Thanks!

You know what I am still on the six month gnarly long pre op diet just to turn around and submit papers and hope that I somehow qualify. If I could self pay I would! Think of the huge jump start you have and I wonder if your insurance will cover it if you ever need a resurgery? That is a bit of a bummer but be glad you are on the way down :biggrin: YOu could still be gaining weight!

I'm trying to work on mine right now and I feel so frustrated because I have been having a problem staying on track. I thought to myself that I had all the time in the world to lose 28 pounds (10% of my body weight) since I couldn't submit my claim for six months. I lose weight and then slip and gain it. NOw I'm only one month from it and haven't lost near what I should. I would have to lose five pounds a week at this point to hit my mark. I am doing Weight Watchers which I love but its not a fast wl program.

What would you all suggest? Take my time and just do it slower at 1-2 pounds a week or do something a little more drastic to hit my mark quicker? Once I am approved they won't schedule my surgery for another six weeks after that so its a super long process and I don't want my insurance to change and lose that benefit or something like that. Thanks for any advice!

I'm so fascinated with anyone who has lost a lot of weight because I've wanted to for so long.. right now its hard to fathom how I would feel when I get there.

For those who are there, how do you feel? Are you comfortable in your own skin? Do you have access skin? Is it hard to buy clothes in a size that small? How do people treat you? Do you surprise yourself when you walk by a mirror at the store and realize its your small body in the mirror?

It is sweetened with Stevia which is actually a herb. I am growing some in my backyard and if you bite one of the leaves it taste so sweet like sugar! Its so cool because artificial sweeteners are really not that great for us and its nice to have an alternative. The only thing you can't do with Stevia is bake with it but making drinks is perfect. Its my favorite drink!

Oooo I hate negative Nancy's that act like that. SHE does not know anything about that and its silly for her to have said anything because WHEN you get approved she will have to eat her words... and I'm sure it will be fattening :redface:

That is exciting!! What great news!! I'm so jealous! You are so close what is going through your mind right now?

Misty, Thank you so much for taking the time to pick apart that article, for some reason your comments made me feel a lot better. After I read it I realized that there were a lot of truths to it and that if its what people decide to do the "party of emotional eating is over." Its not a quick fix and it's not a guarantee like I thought it was going to be. I've been researching the band for THREE YEARS and I just finally got it.

I felt silly posting this after I reread my post but then I realized something. Instead of going to food to deal with my emotion I came here. Feeling silly or not I did the right thing!

I love my Mom so much! I guess that's why it burns a little that she doesn't want me to get it. She has lost a lot of weight on her plan and its a wonderful plan. Especially for learning how to eat long term. I am proud of her. I know I need to make my own choices and she will just have to deal with what I decide and then I will have to deal with her dealing with me haha!

Right now I want to cry out for a Peanut Butter sandwich on white bread but I had an egg and veggie scramble instead. This weight has to come off whether my lap band insurance is approved or not.

Thank you for listening to me. I'm sorry I sounded so whiney.. I'm still learning :thumbup:

So, my mom sent this article to me from her diet website. After I reading it I'm really frustrated by the way they portrayed everything. I guess I think that some of this is true and sometimes the truth hurts. My Mom means well, she is being polite about the surgery but I know she does not want me to get it at all. I'm sad because I really don't think she understands me and I"m sure she feels like I don't understand her. She won't even talk to me about it, probably because it hits a nerve every time we do. Anyway do you guys really think that eventually everyone regains in the long run? I really feel like crying now, maybe I shouldn't have told her and found someone else to take the kids when I get my surgery.

Is Weight Loss Surgery For You?

You've been trying to lose weight for years. Every time you think you think you've got a handle on eating -- you blow it. If only there was something -- anything -- that would prevent overeating and force you to stick with smart food choices.

Are gastric sleeve, Roux-en-Y, stomach stapling or Lapband your best answer to lifelong obesity? You're tired of dieting. You're tired of falling off the wagon. You desperately want something that will guarantee weight loss for good.

So you figure weight loss surgery (WLS) will give you automatic Portion Control? Don't bet on it. People considering WLS have a distorted impression of what WLS can and can't accomplish. WLS can limit portions of certain (not all) foods. WLS cannot solve why you overeat. Those are important facts.

If you're considering WLS you should know there's plenty of high carb high calorie foods that are easily chewed to a liquid and slide right through your new 1" stomach opening: potato chips, mashed potatoes & gravy, chocolate, Cereal & milk, cheesy nachos, candy, milkshakes, rum-wine-beer, ice cream, cheesy grits -- you get the picture. Unlimited high calorie choices.

If you love these foods now, you'll still love them after WLS. If you have a problem with portion control with those foods, after WLS you'll still have a problem. WLS won't stop you from putting junk food in your shopping cart. You need a coping strategy.

Expectations from family and friends can be enough to stay strict (you do know you can still cheat after WLS, right?) Or, will the guaranteed inquiries from family and coworkers, "So, how much have you lost this week?" be bothersome (especially if it's less than expected)? Will your stress levels increase and trigger stress eating? Are you OK being the center of attention?

PRELIMINARY STEPS TO TAKE

* Go to a few internet WLS support forums. See the posts about "stalled weight loss" (wow, so many!)

* See how many WLS patients are using Alli and diet pills (what was the surgery for?)

* Notice how many have regained after WLS. How will you feel if this happens to you?

* Read the posts by people who had medical complications after WLS.

* Do a Google search for "Lapband failed" or "WLS didn't work" (there's lots).

Before you make a decision you should definitely talk to WLS patients -- especially those who have had problems. Ask your surgeon for a list of patients who lost weight initially and then stalled. Talk to them and ask why.

PITFALLS

After WLS your "new life" probably won't be exactly as you imagined it. Here's a few highlights:

Don't expect the "full feeling" from eating 1 oz of food to be like the pleasantly full feeling you have after eating a sandwich -- it's not. It's more like a heaviness in the middle of your chest.

Food need to be fairly liquid to pass through the new 1" stomach opening. Some favorite foods will be hard to eat and cause blockage. This is painful and triggers vomiting. Before WLS food was held at the bottom of your stomach in the middle of your torso. After WLS 1 oz stomach is closer to your heart in the middle of your chest. When you don't chew well enough and there's a blockage, it can feel like angina until the food finally passes or is vomited.

Actual "bypass" patients report eating fried, greasy or high sugar foods trigger "dumping syndrome". Gastric bypass is a procedure where a section of the intestine is removed and the remaining intestine is attached to the small stomach. Stomach stapling, Y en Roux and banding are often referred to as "gastric bypass", but aren't.

Foods WLS patients report as problematic: beef, chicken, Pasta, bread, rolls, rice, fiberous veggies like asparagus & celery and fruit with skin or membrane (apples, grapes, oranges, grapefruit). See for yourself: For the next 72 hours chew everything until it's a liquid. See which foods don't break apart easily. See how quickly you get tired of chew, chew, chew. See how different the food tastes after chewing it to death. See how less enjoyable "labor intensive" food becomes.

Ahhh, so you think that might be a good thing? You'll be forced to eat less? Not necessarily. Human nature dictates we avoid discomfort if there's a alternative. Remember the high calorie yummies that go down fast and easy. This is why some WLS patients regain.

If you haven't solved your food demons, you'll fall back on old eating patterns when your personal triggers flare -- a fight with a spouse, loss of a loved one or job stress. Do you eat when you're bored? That won't change with WLS.

WEIGHT REGAIN AFTER WLS

Every diet has success stories. Every diet has regains. It's no different for WLS. Al Roker and Carnie Wilson admit to falling back on high calorie still-easy-eat-with-a-stapled-stomach favorite foods.

There's plenty of WLS/Lapband success stories so it works for some people -- but not all. Here's a quote from a WLS patient who regrets the decision:

"Bottom line is it wasn't what I thought it would be. I already wasn't a big eater. I was a grazer who picked the wrong food when I was stressed, forgot to go shopping or felt nervous at a social event. I was eating a lot of calories -- but only a few ounces at a time throughout the day. Mini meals took me to 288 pounds. Weight loss stopped because I was tired of chewing a million times. I started eating what was easy and even though I lost 100 pounds it all came back eventually."

Kimkins has many Lapband patients who join when weight loss stalls after surgery. Regaining after WLS and needing support to continue their journey are primary reasons for choosing Kimkins.

Rarely does overeating have to do with true hunger and WLS doesn't fix psychological hunger. If you're reaching for easy-to-eat foods when stressed, bored or during PMS, you'll still be reaching for them after WLS. Weight regain happens because the underlying lifestyle change that's needed for permanent weight control still needs reinforcement and structure. Until you discover why you overeat and resolve it, weight regain is practically guaranteed -- even with WLS.

Sarah! YAY! You got your band. I read your profile last week and I'm glad the surgery went well. Thanks for answering!

btw, what is a blended porcupine? LOL :smile: