GoingforGoal

Unfortunately there is no preventative or quick fix. Your body will shed hair under stress, rapid weight loss and malnutrition. Ensure adequate protein as the amino acids are the building blocks to luscious locks. However, supplements like biotin and multivits will help support hair growth but it's not like miracle grow, it merely helps replenish depleted building blocks. Usually when things stabilize you'll see regrowth.

Thanks for sharing and Happy 21st Birthday (wink)

hahah that reminds me when I went in to get a back injection and the dr who was not familiar w/ me started lecturing me on needing to lose weight. At that time I lost 80 lbs and so I say " well it sure beats being 80lbs heavier like I was last year" he shut up. Better yet, 3 months later I go in for another one. He doesn't remember me as he probably sees 10 of me a day. I was bracing for his 'lose weight' lecture again, but now I'm down 100 lbs in size 6...guess it's a tad inappropriate ey? lol

Yes you can

Yep at that point you are clear and it's first available per your surgeons surgery schedule. It took less than 3 weeks for us

I would disagree. Signs of slippage usually involve nausea, new onset of acid reflux, ability to eat larger portions suddenly or the opposite-difficulty eating/drinking at all, sometimes abdominal pain etc. The fact that you are asymptomatic can mean that your band is on the tighter end of your green zone. I would food journal and ensure that you are getting adequate protein/nutrition and fluids. If not, than you are too tight, simply because you can not take in minimum nutritional requirements. Sometimes a mere 0.1-0.5cc removed will keep you green but allow you to eat more and consume your minimum nutrition. I always recommend being on the loser side of green to prevent complications such as erosion, slippage etc. It's not necessary to be so tight you become symptomatic or cannot eat properly. Being day 3 you can still be inflamed, just depends on how much of a fill you added. I noticed I am much more sensitive to fills now that Im 3.5 yrs out. At 6cc I could not swallow water at 5.5 I'm at green.

Ditto everyone else's posts. I occasionally drink a diet coke (like once a month) and it doesn't bother me. However, some drinks like beer, are just way too uncomfortable and I forego them in fear it'll cause issues. I would be equally concerned with the 'liquid cals' issue and would consider converting to a zero version of your pop choice. Those pesky liq. cals alone can thwart your wl efforts.

Good luck hon. When it rains it pours as they say... but all will be well. Here's to a speedy recovery and a crap load of wl friend! Cheers

I think you are just overwhelmed with all the reasons you listed. Usually we can tackle one, maybe two stressors at a time, but after that it can really bombard us. I know right now you are in the height or your emotions, pain etc. But this is not the time to reevaluate your decision. YES you did make the right decision. As crappy as it seems and feels at this moment, the only thing you are going to regret in a couple months is your regretting your decision Hang in there hon. These are the moments that show you how strong you really are once you get to the other side. I'm excited to hear about your progress once you've healed.

I like your post because it's a good reminder that fills follow us for a life time. Newbies may expect that once they reach green that that's it. No more fills. However, weight loss, pregnancy, complications and even saline evaporation etcetc may warrant unfills and fills throughout our journey. I got a fill last May, first one in 3.5 years. I was ready to get back on track and my last fill was maintaining me at 195, my new fill maintains me at 155. Thanks for the post

That's because you are 2 weeks out In reality, the post op phase is a great tool to help change our mentalities. Getting back to basics if you will. However, in time, you will learn how your band works and what foods can/can not be tolerated. You'll slowly reintroduce foods of preference and it'll be just as delish as it was pre-op..just less portions. Inevitably there are some foods that will become no-no foods no matter how much you like them. After your fills/restriction some foods just won't pass and it becomes uncomfortable to eat those foods. After awhile you no longer try eating them and than the desire for said foods diminish. This isn't about deprivation, just moderation. But remember, this is not about resuming old eating habits and trying to sneak in unhealthy foods in every meal. I eat high cal/fat foods maybe 1-2x week to help satiate cravings or simply to enjoy a specific meal.

Quinoa is a popular food here in bandland. Noone I know has had any issues with it, but than again, our bands have minds of their own. Try it..it really should be no problem AND its delish

Very good job And don't worry you'll notice soon enough. Keep up the great work.

I've lost 100% of my excess weight. I think it's important to talk to people who are years out who are more likely to have reached goals than those <1 year. I think it's also important to see everyone as individuals. 45% is a statistical average that includes those who have had complications, those who are noncompliant (ranging from poor food choices so they are maintaining but not losing to those who have just abandoned their band/rules and are gaining all their loss back). 45% is not a barrier and is not supposed to represent anything more than these averages. Losing readily at first and than losing slower as time goes on is the norm. Don't over think it and DONT make excuses/barriers that really don't exist. You are an individual, your success is your own.

woot woot

Hi Smiles! Do you know how small or big of a fill you received? Also, did you transition with liquids to solids after your fill? It'll help me answer your qs

Ditto the previous posts. But I would advise that you weigh daily or at least weekly with or without a filled band. Had you watched your weight gain I'm sure you would have put an end to it earlier. It's a slippppppery slope so be sure to stay on top of managing your loss and your eating habits at all times

Before surgery, ask your dr if he will put you on a preop diet so you can prepare and purchase appropriate shakes etc to your liking. Ask your dr if there's anything day of surgery (or during surgery) that would prevent the surgery from taking place. Ask what kind of pain management they put you on to get a better idea of what to expect. As for postop, ask your doctor if they have set days to do fills and how they address urgent unfills.Get an idea of how aggressive or conservative they are with their fill protocols so you can get an idea of how soon or later you will achieve 'green'. Ask them for their guidelines on how they determine when/if a fill is warranted. A lot more questions can be had for the nutritionist but just ask us when you get to that point.

I agree, moderation is key. If I start craving, I have to satiate that craving even it's only by having a bite or two. I do count those cals and try to compensate throughout the day for that splurge. Also, I restrict myself to no more than 2 'cheat' meals a week. The less pressure you put on yourself the more apt you are to follow your rules and the less likely you are going to want those no no foods in general.

Plateaus is often not discussed on this forum. It is essential that everyone understand that when the body experiences rapid wl or stress or drastic cal reduction it will go into a plateau. Two things happen 1) the body is on freeze as a protective measure to keep your reserves in case you are going into starvation mode and 2) it is readjusting to your new routine. Inevitably, if cal < energy output you will resume weight loss. But understand this is a very natural course and should not be seen as a setback.

Sorry to say, but I often drink w/ meals. Mind you I only drink ice tea and water so I don't have to deal w/ carbonation issues Also, I'm a sipper. I stop when I feel full. The downfall is that it probably contributes to an early full sensation, lets food pass quicker and can be a setup for feeling hungry earlier.

Hi Joanne and congrats on getting banded. I'm sure you do feel like you need a fill. However, your surgeon won't be ready to give you one for approx. 3 months. This is because a lot of swelling needs to subside and healing needs to resolve. Even when we physically feel better/more mobile/no pain etc healing is still taking place. That and you want to give your body some adjustment time to it's new band. Dont' want to be aggressive and end up causing issues. However, with that being said, when it is time to get filled... The green zone is.. 1) when food doesn't just slide down to the stomach like it did pre-op, 2) when you feel fuller off of small portions (avg is 1/2-1 c), 3) when you feel satiated between meals (approx. for 3-4 hrs) although I struggle with this one. The green zone is not 1) excessive tightness that results in frequent regurgitation (despite small bites and good chewing), or 2) so tight it causes symptoms like GERD before during or after meals. It usually takes an avg of 3 fills before you achieve green..so be patient. Also, stay on top of your fills. Many people who gain weight back often did not keep on top of fills. You can be green for a long time but as you lose weight or as the body adjusts you may need tweeking. So always reassess. I just got a 0.5cc fill after 3 years of being in green. Good luck

Hi 5. You are absolutely right. All those milestones are just as relevant as the scale #s (dropping clothes sizes, new bmi ranges, ability to do something physically you couldn't before etc). When I got to BMI 24 and was "normal" weight range I just didn't know what to think. It was just as relevant as being 155 or size 6. Find those little milestones and celebrate them> They all serve as great motivation to keep going!

Forgot to mention... after baby 3 and a 100 lbs weight loss my periods are normal. First time in my life.

Hello Here's my story. All my life I've been overweight and also have irregular periods (every 40-even 90d). In 2002 got married and we tried for baby1 that same month. Conceived immediately and naturally. I was approx. 200 lb. Gained too much w/ that baby and never lost much afterwards. 3 yrs later we try for baby2 w/ false assumptions it would be as easy. Wrong! Was diagnosed with PCOS. Tried a variety of meds to conceive and finally did after 2 rounds of clomid. Conception was highly unlikely otherwise. I was approx. 230#. After his delivery, PCOS wasn't something to treat. My periods were still irregular but no other symptoms. This just became something to deal w/ when I wanted to conceive. 2 yr later we try for baby 3. Just as we figured, we did not conceive naturally. Ended up going as far as IUI to no avail. After 6 months of nonstop labs, u/s, self injected meds etc. I was resolved to the fact we would have no more kids-it became a huge emotional drain trying. I'm about 235-40 lbs at this point, still irreg. periods. Shortly after I decided to get the band (Nov 2009) at a high of 250. One year later husband wants to try again for a baby. I've lost over 50 lbs at this point. I was not eager to jump into that emotional rollercoaster, so I said.. we can try naturally. But if it didn't work I wasn't going to do meds and other procedures. We tried one time LITERALLY before he had to travel out of country. Boy wasn't he surprised when I called him while he was away to inform him I was pregnant. This is what a mere 50 lb weight loss can do. Mind you, this is with aging etc, so the real variable was the weight. The band will work regardless of having PCOS. And lose enough weight you may discover your PCOS will no longer serve as a barrier (ie fertility, resistant wl) etc. You are making the right decision