altopower

I had my first sleep study 5 years ago and also had them wake me up 1/2 way through coz they knew already I had severe sleep apnea. I knew by morning, after only a few hours with the CPAP, that I would feel better. Getting used to the mask was rough, but my doctor said it was better to wear it SOME of the time than not at all. I finally got used to it by wearing it sitting in the chair watching TV - it was like learning to breathe again. I brought my CPAP to the hospital the day I was banded, knowing I was staying overnight. But no one seemed to know or care much about it -- I ended up getting out of bed myself to fetch it and try and get it set up, and I did sleep better because of it. Am curious to see if it will go away completely or still leave me with a need for a CPAP but set at a lower level.

I don't know about that particular diet, or if it's just their way to mandate a 6-month monitored diet prior to approval. Lots of plans do that. My insurance didn't require it but my surgeon did. We've all been on diets for years and years, so I understand what you mean. But they didn't know you going through those diets, and you will be eating very differently for the rest of your life. It's worth taking the time to do everything that the insurance and/or surgeon requires. There are reasons for them, to be sure patients have clear, realistic expectations of what living banded is all about. Depending on the insurance, you may be able to do some of the other required steps, such as nutritional consults and psych evaluations, while you are the monitored diet. I'd definitely ask about that. I used my time to also do other stuff such as weaning myself off of both caffeine and my beloved Diet Coke, since that's a definite no-no post-op. I tried some different Proteins, made sure I had all my regular medical exams and tests done, etc. I also read Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies, which should be required reading. You probably can attend a WLS support group run by your surgeon before you are approved; my surgeon encouraged people just considering it to attend and ask questions of patients and doctors. It all helps. Do check with Tufts for clarity on what they mean by the I Can Change Diet, which is a new one for me. I did WW which apparently is the most common for pre-op patients in my area. I actually lost 47 lbs during my 7 months on it pre-op and went into surgery feeling strong and knowing I could succeed. Good luck - keep us posted!

I know that they go in cycles of pushing flavors. Three local stores carry different variations with some overlap. If it's something you just adore and know you'll drink regularly, it's worth getting from Amazon and having on hand when you want one. I've done that with other things and have been happy just to be able to find them!

The recipe looks yummy - thanks for sharing. I haven't seen the magazine but will have to check it out. Thanks for the recommendation!

I do a combination of cutting small, using small spoons and forks with small plates/bowls, and swallowing a little bit at a time from what's in my mouth. Swallowing too big a piece scares me since I don't want to repeat 'stuckness' if at all possible. I'm getting another fill tomorrow and will need to pay more attention than ever to the size of my bites and how long it takes to eat them.

My doctor told me to make sure I get at least 60g of protein/day but didn't put me on any range/goal of calories, fat, or carbs per day. I'm tracking my food on SparkPeople after years of tracking WW points, and it's interesting and eye-opening to see how the different nutritional values stack up. I entered a calorie range of 1000-1200 (because they wouldn't let me go as low as 900!) and that gave me a range of carbs and fats that I haven't come close to eating. The Protein is close to or over the 60g target but I have no idea if I should be sticking to very low carbs and/or fats. Can a banded tummy handle more, and do we NEED more for a balanced system? I'm confused!

The taste of the Fage Greek yogurt varies (at least for me) between the 0%, 2% and full fat versions. I just can't eat the 0% Fage, but love the 2% and given that I only eat 1/3 C. at a time, I have no qualms about eating that. Plus my doctor said it was fine. The Chobani w/fruit is okay for "taking with me" snacks but at home I only eat the Fage from the tub.

Before I went, I had to fill out a 14 page questionnaire (T/F,multiple choice, and detailed info) about the usual stuff that others have mentioned. In the session itself, she flat out told me that being or having been anxious or depressed wasn't a reason to deny approval. I think that's pretty normal - because so many of us have that in our past and it's often weight-related. The whole point of banding is to address that core issue.

Most days I'm around 900, though I've gone up to 1100 a few times in the last 3 weeks. My doctor told me I don't have a calorie, carb or fat range, just the protein range of 60-85g of protein/day.

And my insurance only required ONE visit to a nutritionist. I work for a university and the hospital - and surgeon - are affiliated with it, so they get lots of patients with my insurance coverage. Frankly, it would have been better to have had more than one but I was happy to only have to pay for one. Check with your doctor's office and have them check on what YOUR insurance requires, and book visits accordingly. Good luck!

There are lots of ways and time periods to use for tracking. The doctor is keeping track of post-surgery changes. I'm keeping track since I committed myself to this 7 months before my surgery. For me, the op was just part of the process and yes, things changed, but I lost almost 50 lbs before my surgery date and don't want to disregard that. Just do whatever makes sense for you.

I was also annoyed that my doctor didn't give me everything I thought I needed - but then I realized that he actually DID, I just wanted more. 1. Was put on no pre-op diet of any kind, other than to "eat lighter the few days before the surgery." 2. Post-op I was on clear liquids only - no Protein shakes, even, just 1 bottle/day of Ensure or Boost. At Walmart I found CranGrape powder from Ocean Spray in the Crystal light section - it tasted just like the juice and was very refreshing. When I went for my first post-op appointment, they gave me the specifics of what to eat for the next 6 weeks, and what my final foodplan would be. 3. Meds - the rule was no pills for 2 months post-op, though I was allowed two very tiny ones taken at separate times. Everything else had to be either crushable, splittable, or liquid. I called the pharmacy to find out what was what with my regular things, and they called prescribing doctors to get scripts for better options if I needed them. I'm back to taking pills, but one at a time. Nothing is too big which makes it okay. Calcium and Vitamins are still chewable. 4. Making your own chicken stock is a great idea. Start with raw chicken from the meat section and follow ParrotheadCathy's recipe for something yummy. Good luck, it will all turn out fine :biggrin:

I'm so frustrated with myself. As many of you have said, we know to cut up into wee bitty pieces, eat slowly, wait between bites, to stop before we're really full. I went a long time w/o PB'ing so got kind of blase about it. But I've now had three PB episodes after one tiny fill (1 cc in a 10cc band). Today I was fine until I had beets at the end of my lunch. I felt fine, no real tightness or pressure. But w/in 30 min, the pain hit and I knew that getting it OUT would help the most. Except it wouldn't come. I've been carrying around a bowl all afternoon, spitting slime into it and I did have two BP's - but there is more that's not moving. Right now I'm sipping hot tea and hoping things relax enough. Ironically, I have an appt tomorrow with my Dr. for my second fill! At the rate I'm going, I'll be on liquids for Christmas dinner, which I'm cooking for company.

I'm glad you called your doctor. I don't have any experience with this but have worried about falling on the ice and causing damage. You're still very new post-op and it takes time for everything to heal inside, so the wisest thing is to check with the doctor (and nurses, who often know more or are kinder in talking with me, anyway). Good luck and keep us posted!

Being able to shop in the "normal sizes" stores is a huge NSV - congrats! Even though buying new clothes in each size as we go down isn't practical, it costs nothing to go into stores and try things on just to see what actually DOES fit. It can be amazing to see our bodies that way. Hmmm, think this is good advice for myself, too!

I started weaning myself off of Diet Coke in August. At the time I didn't know when I'd be banded but I wanted to be prepared. I started by cutting out one soda a day for a week. Then I started swapping out one full-caffeine soda for a caffeine free one - and since I don't like the way they taste, I eventually stopped drinking the substitute. I paced out cutting back from bottles of soda to cans, and then reducing cans down to 1 per day. I went cold turkey on October 3, after 2 months of weaning. Headaches weren't too bad by then but my mouth really missed the flavor until I came home from the hospital. I was really glad I'd taken the time to get rid of one potential problem before I had the surgery.

Jillian scares me on TBL - how is she in this workout? And what level of fitness is required (really) for Level 1?

Wonderful news about improved insurance coverage! As for the 6-month diet, I just did Weight Watchers, and started well before I even had a consult. Probably because I thought I had to have it behind me before I could take the consult step. My PCP told me that WW would work fine, at least with my insurance, and it was productive. I lost 48 lbs before I was banded and it made a huge difference.

Really? No NSAIDS? I just called my surgeon's office today about starting back with Celebrex since I discontinued 2 weeks pre-op (now over a month ago). My knee is down to bone on bone and pain comes with every step. The surgeon said that as long as I'm able to crush, cut, chew, or dissolve it, it was fine at this point. My primary care doc does check me out every 4 months (I've been on these things for ages, tho I still miss my Vioxx like crazy).

Maybe I'm a weirdo but I took off 2 weeks when I was banded - I go back to work on Monday, actually. And I'm glad I did and had the time available to do so. I was on Clear liquids for my first week post-op and only now am on mushies. I wanted the time to get used to eating differently and to not have to be around colleagues' food. I also got completely caught up on my sleep, which has been a big plus, and took several daytime walks that would be harder to do now that it's dark so early. It was the right choice for me. And I did tell my colleagues at work that I was being banded, and answered questions. It was my choice. Our workplace is pretty relaxed and casual and I was comfortable doing so. I've been on WW since April and they already knew I'd lost considerable weight.

Me, too - another Oct. 29 bandster here! Just started mushies this week, but don't add tuna until next week. I only have 8 oz of food per day which doesn't sound like a lot (and it isn't) but I'm not really very hungry. My favorite meal right now is a scrambled egg, or egg beaters, with a wedge of laughing cow lite cheese cut up into it, zapped in the microwave for a minute. Very yummy. Incisions are healed for the most part, though the port area is still tender and I'm careful of it. My first fill is scheduled for 11/23.

I was banded 2 weeks ago (10/29) and wondered the same thing while I went into 2 weeks of clear liquids. Others here were on full liquids, mushies, or even soft food. When I went for my first post-op visit, the nurse was pretty assembly line focused on going over the diet for the next 4 weeks, telling me I needed to wait until exactly 2 weeks to start anything else. But my doctor asked me how I was feeling, and when I said hungry, he said to go ahead and moved up the soft foods to that very day. I'm still only on 8 oz of food per day, and my calorie count is below 400. I'm a little concerned about that, but decided to have a Protein shake made with Water in addition to my soft food to up my protein and calorie count. Other than that, though, I'm sticking to the instructions from my doctor developed with their nutritionist for us. Even when I want more, I trust that they know more about my healing than I do, especially in these early stages. Don't get me wrong, I'm ready for more food. But I can wait until Monday for tuna and in the meantime, this is an incentive for me to keep drinking.

I'm glad you went and things were much more positive than you expected. I want to say, though, that just because insurance doesn't require a 6-month weight reduction program doesn't mean a surgeon wouldn't. We were told it was one of the ways they could see for themselves what kind of commitment we had to eating with restrictions over a period of time. I didn't see it as something to avoid even though it did add some time to the process. I felt more committed myself in doing it, and dropped 45 lbs which made the surgery easier. Other people may be fine omitting that step, but I'm glad I didn't. And no, my insurance didn't require it either.

Oh Beth, what a great idea to go to a wig shop and try on styles first! I'm 55 and when I was about to turn 50, I went for a hairstyle consultation. My hair was very short, graying, and had been permed forever. I hated it. I followed their suggestions and stopped the perms, lightened the color, and am growing out the hair. It's not long by any means, but it's definitely more flattering for me at my current size. As I move my way down the scale, I definitely want to reconsider the hairstyle, just as others are doing. It can make a huge difference and if I don't like it, well, hair grows back :thumbup:

Boy was I glad to find this thread, even if it isn't current. I've been having major diarrhea for the last 3 days - immediately post op was constipated, but expected that. The diarrhea was a surprise. I'm almost afraid to go out walking so am doing it in the living room. Glad I took these 2 weeks off!