Astrasmom

I was banded on Oct 23, 2009 by Dr. Reich. Let me say he's an awesome surgeon and everyone at his office is so carring. I would also recommend going to the support groups once a month. You can go before your surgery. They are also at SOCH the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 7pm. We are next to the cage in the cafeteria (door next to the cage). I have successfully lost 41lbs since surgery. And they are also very good with the fills too. If you have any questions at all. Please feel free to add me as a friend. I would definately recommend Dr. Reich's office to everyone. He has changed my life.

Name************Starting**********Current**********Goal Astrasmom.............254........................254.......................170

Thanks for asking that question. I have the same question as you. There is no way that I will be able to afford plastics and I was wondering if there is a way that the skin will tone back.

Congratulations. I had my surgery in NJ so I can't answer your first question about the University of Iowa but most of your answers to the other questions will be the same. In the evaluation the doctor will take your weight and determin what your BMI is. He will also find out of your have any other issues, (High blood pressure, diabetes, ect.) this will all help to decide if you qualify for the surgery. You will then be given the guidelines that your insurance company requires you to do. It took me 6 months. I had BCBS. After my evaluation I had to go for 6 nutritional visits, 1 Phsyciatric visit, 1 gastric visit, 1 pulmonary visit, 1 cardiology visit and had to have a letter of dietary background and support from my primary doctor. As I said it took me 6 months before I had my surgery because of my insurance. Depending on your insurance it could take anywhere from a month to 2 years. After surgery the recovery wasn't that bad. I had surgery on a Friday and was back to work the following Tuesday. You won't be able to do any heavy lifting for 6 weeks after your surgery. Many people experience gas. I was one of the lucky ones that didn't experience much gas. That's why they say you have to walk as much as possible after your surgery to help that gas come out. Generally after about 1 1/2 - 2 weeks you should be feeling pretty much back to normal. It gets easier everyday. Hope this helps. Good luck on your journey and if you have anymore questions feel free to ask.

I eat 1/2 cup of Fiber One Cereal every morning with a tiny bit of Skim Plus milk in it. Just enough to make it moist going down. Not only does it help with the constipation problem it keeps me full. oatmeal is good also. Total Protein plus cereal is good also. You can put milk in it. Just don't float your cereal in it. Plus if you do put more milk in it by accident, after your cereal is gone, don't drink the rest of the milk in the bowl.

Gas pains can last for a few weeks. What you are experiencing with the tightness in your chest and back is more then likely gas pains. You may feel it in your shoulder also. That's where many of us feel it. As someone else said, try some Gas X-strips and maybe a heating pad. While your sitting do a rocking motion like you are sitting in a rocking chair. It sometimes helps the gas to pass. As for the feeling hungry. Is the doctor allowing you to take the Protein supplements yet? If you are still on liquids I would recommend going to www.unjury.com. Order some of the chicken flavored protien supplement. It's clear liquids and it will keep that hunger down. You can warm it up like you do chicken brother. They tell you to drink 4 oz of fluids every hour. I did more then that and I am ok. If you do consume more than 4 oz every hour though you have to sip really slow. Think of your stomach as a funnel. If you drink to much at one time or to fast at one time it might cause you to feel stuck or you may vomit. That you don't want to do. For everyone with the bloating and pain in your stomach. It does get better. You are healing now. Give yourself about 2 weeks before you start feeling really good. And walk as much as possible to get rid of that gas.

Hello Keisha. Nice to meet you. Contratulations on the start of your WL journey. I wish you much success. You are correct. We are like one big family here. Please keep us posted on your progress and if you have any questions along the way, don't hesitate to ask.

It's along the lines of "Is the Glass half full or half empty?" I guess it all depends on the person. Personally I say it's two thousand ten.

Welcome and congratulations on your banding.

We have to be self advocates when it comes to the band. You definatly should be calling your doctor. As for the eating process you really have to measure the food that you are eating. Your husband also needs to pick foods that are higher in protien (I.E. Fish, chicken, tuna). Also is he taking the protien supplement? My doctor allowed me 8oz of Protein supplement instead of 4oz. I'm on twice a day now but she said that if I become hungry I can toss in that 3rd shake a day. Problem is if your husband keeps eating like he is, if the band isn't leaking or if he didn't slip, he soon will stretch his pouch. Everyone really needs to listen to the signs of hunger. When your stomach is full you can tell. Many people just continue to eat because the food is there. Maybe the plate your husband is too large and he over fills it? It honestly sounds more like temptation (giving into the head hunger) more then anything. No one said the Lapband was going to change our eating habits. It's a tool to help us. And it's still alot of work. Everyone needs to break the cycle of letting food control them. Easier said then done I know. We are still human and we make mistakes. I would start with the doctor first and then go from there.

Congratulations to all of you that have recently be banded. Give yourself a good 2 weeks and your body should feel normal. The bloating should go away in about a week. Where your incisions should start feeling better within 2 weeks after your surgery. Hang in there. It honestly does get better. Make sure you try and walk as much as you can during the day. It really does help with the gas and the healing process. Good luck to all of you.

Not to mention that most of us get the band so that we can lose the weight and live longer. Quiting smoking is a great move. Good luck to you. I quit 11 years ago. I can't say that it was easy by any means but remember if you can't quit cold turkey there are several prescription methods out there to help. Speak to your regular doctor.

My doctors office required me to stay in the hospital over night. I was out of there at about 11am the next morning.

Ooooh! That's it. Your lapband journey is over. You messed up. That's not permitted on this journey! Sorry when you get the lapband in, you automatically are supposed to change your life and become perfect. Sounds very unrealistic doesn't it? Truth is that's not true. This is a life style change this is NOT an operation to make you stop living. We ALL make mistakes. At our support group meeting we go by the moto "Everything in Moderation." If you can tolerate what you are eating then fine. Just don't do it all of the time. If we go down this path without having a little pleasure once and awhile, we are setting ourselves up for failure. Then it becomes just like any other 'diet' that didn't work for us and put us here in the first place. It's ok. Do not beat yourself up for being human. A half a peice of pizza once and awhile is NOT going to put the weight back on you. Happy New Year.

All of your concerns and fears are normal. Although my children are not young anymore, I am a mom of a son who was born with Down Syndrome. I will tell you that this is probably the best thing that I have done in my life. I also had open heart surgery in 2001 for an aortic aneurysm and valve repair. I will need to have it done again in a few years because the first time around they used a pigs valve and thie next time I'm getting a mechanical so it will last for the rest of my life. As for your children you will probably need help with them for a few days. After that you will be amazed at how you are able to keep up with them after the weight starts coming off. I have read and heard many of stories where parents are so excited that they are able to keep up with their children after the surgery. I had my surgery on Oct. 23, 2009 which was a Friday. I went back to work on a Tuesday. In my opinion I would suggest reading as much as you can and read the book Weightloss Surgery for Dummies. It gives you alot of information. Ask alot of questions on here. After that you can make your determination. I will tell you that this surgery is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I to tried many diets and lost the weight only to have it come back again. Since my surgery I am down 41lbs and feel awesome. I won't lie to you. You can gain it back if you don't follow the program. This is not a get thin quick thing. It is a life style change and it does take work. It's just alot easier to keep it off in the long run. I wish you much luck and I hope that my information has helped you in your journey. Happy New Year.

Let me start by saying Happy New Year. This year will be very different for me. How you ask? Well I got on the scale today and since my first visit to the doctors I have lost 55lbs. Since my surgery date on Oct 23, 2009 I have lost 45lbs. I won't officially change my ticker until I go to the doctors on Jan. 13th. In 2001 I had open heart surgery because I and an aortic aneurysm. I also had a valve replacement. That was 8 1/2 years ago. I am already back down to the weight I was when I had my surgery. I go to visit my cardiologist on Jan. 25th and am very excited to see what is said. I will need to have open heart again in a couple of years because they put a pigs valve in last time, which only lasts for 10 years or so. This time around I will get a mechanical which should last for the rest of my life. 6 months ago my cardiologist said that I really needed to lose the weight because I was taking the chance of dieing on the table or at the least risking infection if I did lose the weight. So here I am. I have lost about 1/4 of my goal weight. So here is my New Years Resolution. I am extremely greatful for the support of my family and friends and everyone on here, but I have come to realize that the only person who is truly going to help me do this, is myself. I want to LIVE. I don't want to die young. So I refuse to let food control me any longer. I will however not give up living. I do realize that this is a lifestyle change but it's not a reason to give up living. Everything in moderation. So if I make a mistake I am NOT going to punish myself for it. I am just going to learn from those mistakes and move along. So 'FOOD' move over because I'm taking over. This is MY life, not yours. Good luck to everyone in 2010. I hope you have as much success as I have had and continue down your path of weight-loss. God bless you all and thanks for being here for me.

Let me start by saying Happy New Year. This year will be very different for me. How you ask? Well I got on the scale today and since my first visit to the doctors I have lost 55lbs. Since my surgery date on Oct 23, 2009 I have lost 45lbs. I won't officially change my ticker until I go to the doctors on Jan. 13th. In 2001 I had open heart surgery because I and an aortic aneurysm. I also had a valve replacement. That was 8 1/2 years ago. I am already back down to the weight I was when I had my surgery. I go to visit my cardiologist on Jan. 25th and am very excited to see what is said. I will need to have open heart again in a couple of years because they put a pigs valve in last time, which only lasts for 10 years or so. This time around I will get a mechanical which should last for the rest of my life. 6 months ago my cardiologist said that I really needed to lose the weight because I was taking the chance of dieing on the table or at the least risking infection if I did lose the weight. So here I am. I have lost about 1/4 of my goal weight. So here is my New Years Resolution. I am extremely greatful for the support of my family and friends and everyone on here, but I have come to realize that the only person who is truly going to help me do this, is myself. I want to LIVE. I don't want to die young. So I refuse to let food control me any longer. I will however not give up living. I do realize that this is a lifestyle change but it's not a reason to give up living. Everything in moderation. So if I make a mistake I am NOT going to punish myself for it. I am just going to learn from those mistakes and move along. So 'FOOD' move over because I'm taking over. This is MY life, not yours. Good luck to everyone in 2010. I hope you have as much success as I have had and continue down your path of weight-loss. God bless you all and thanks for being here for me.

I have Wii Fit and Wii Fit plus. I also bought the Golds Gym one. And I want to get the Wii Active. Wii Active you use less of the Wii board and it's more cardio. I have seen a difference.

Wow can you give my husband some advice on how to handle things better? That is so awesome that you are backing your wife like this. You have already made the first step in helping there. You are one of the few spouses who actually ask questions and try to find out any information that you can to help your wife along the way. She's very lucky. Continue to be there for her. When she has her down day (like any human will have) just be there to remind her that you are there for her and that everyone makes mistakes. We are only human. This is NOT a miracle diet or a miracle cure for obesity. If the pounds just dropped off of us over night I would have gotten it done years ago and today I would look like America's Top Model (haha). This is a lifestyle change and it DOES take alot of work. It does take some getting used to. And it does require you to follow a plan if you want to be successful in your weight loss. But as I said it's a life style change. You don't have to give up living either. 'Everything in moderation.' I am fortunate to have come to realize in the first stages the difference between head hunger and real hunger so it's helped me to know when to stop eating and when to just take a drink of Water or something instead of pigging out and letting food control me like it used to. I have been pretty much following the plan since my surgery on Oct. 23, 2009 and I am down about 41lbs (I won't officially change my ticker until I go to the doctors). So it will work for your wife. She can gain the weight back if she doesn't follow the plan. It is alot easier though then a normal 'diet' would be. I can totally understand her not wanting to tell anyone about the surgery. I opted to tell people because personally I don't care what people think. Many people are critical of this surgery. Most of them will say, "Oh you took the easy way out." I find NOTHING about this the 'easy way out.' Personally this is even harder then your average diet. Why? Simply because it's surgery and secondly because it honestly is a life style change. With your average diet we fall into this thing where we lose the weight but gain it back again after a few month. Why? Because we really aren't changing our life styles. We are just changing what we eat. The lap band helps you to not just change what you eat, but how much you consume. Sure you can probably sit down and eat a burger if you wanted to. I for one couldn't get it down. But after a certain time your wife will learn the difference between the hungers also. Grant it my family has been very supportive of me. But I opened my eyes to realize that truely the only person that is going to help me is myself. Everyone else can be there to support me (which makes it easier at times) but instead of looking at food as my enemy and allowing food to control me, I took control back myself. Someone said once, "The only good tasting food is the taste of you being thin again." I also realized that if there is a piece of cake on the table and I want to have some of it. I will have some of it. My family is not going to break my arm to get me NOT to have a piece of cake. I am not going to give up living. I am going to LIVE though. So I made a mistake. I am not going to beat myself up about it anymore. I am going to brush myself off and try again. Which is exactly what your wife will do. This is probably the best thing I have ever done for myself. I feel awesome even after just a few months. Your wife will be amazed. I'm not sure how much over weight you are but after seeing your wife's success you might consider the surgery also. The best of luck to your wife and your continued support. Happy New Year.

I had the pressure leg cuffs on the entire time I was in the hospital. They took them off for me to go to the bathroom and to walk but when I got back into the bed they put them back on. That's just to prevent blood clots from forming in your legs. The throat tube they generally take out of your throat before you are totally awake in recovery. My throat was a little scratchy but other then that, I had no problems what so ever.

I am only allowed to do the breath strips. Gum, whether it be sugar or sugar free has something in it that actually makes you crave food more. I have found that when I stopped chewing gum the sensations of wanting food went away. Plus the doctor said no gum because you take the chance of swallowing it.

First let me say, Congratulations and I am sorry that you are sick. Are you on Clear Liquids only or are you able to take your Protein suppliments also? When you say your itchy is it by your incisions or is it all over? If it's by your incisions it's more then likely because they are healing. If it's all over, you should make sure that you aren't having an allergic reaction to something. Do you have a noticable rash or anything going along with that itch? Call your doctor if that's the case. As for your cheating. The lapband is a tool. It's not a miracle worker. That would be totally awesome if the lapband stopped all of our cravings and all of our cheats. You are STILL human and you will still make mistakes once and awhile. You haven't screwed up. It takes awhile for you to know the difference between 'head hunger' and true hunger. So instead of beating yourself up about 9 pretzels (which I am suprised you were able to get down anyway. You must have chewed really well which is a GREAT tool to have in the upcoming months), learn from what just happened and next time ask yourself is this really what I want to do? The rule, wait 10 minutes, distract yourself, and then if the temptation is still there, instead of reaching for a pretzel reach for some chicken broth or a fat free ice pop. I live on Fat Free ice pops. They really help with my cravings. Try to stick to the plan that the doctor gave to you. Don't move onto solids to quickly. If you are really having a hard time, call and ask your doctor if you can start taking your protein supplements. Good luck to you and I hope you feel better soon. Have a happy holiday.

Congratulations on your upcoming surgery. I would be happy to give you some support if you would like to add me as a friend. Although I am not an extended resident here. I did have my surgery on 10/23/09 and I do have some pointers that could help you along the way. Maybe we could even help each other. Who knows. :ohmy:

The Gas is actually from the air that they pump inside of you during your surgery. This is to move everything out of the way so that the surgeon can get around better. The gas should go away in about a week from your surgery date. It's good that you are pushing it out though. For many people it stays inside. Just excuse yourself..hah you'll be ok. Congratulations to you.

You are actually right on track. The average weighloss is about 1-2 lbs a week. You aren't supposed to take it off fast with the lapband. Gastric Bypass makes the weight come off faster. However with the bypass there are several downfalls. One of them being is that the bypass actually stops working after 2 years because it can't be adjusted anymore. So in the long run the lapband is the better choice. Taking the weight off slower is better for you also. I had one fill also and I am feeling restriction. I feel more restriction in the afternoon and evening. I try and weigh and measure all of my food. I do get my 2 protein supplements in a day which is not only good for keeping you full during meals, it also helps in the healing process. As of Dec. 3 I lost 29lbs since surgery. 40lbs all together with the pre-op diet. I try not to weigh myself at home and only update my weight when I go for my fills. My next fill is January 13. Happy Holidays to everyone.