BetsyB

This is THE BEST site for recipes. (It's also where I order all my protein--their Inspire line is amazing.)

This is where you're absolutely, positively wrong. In the short-term, gastric bypass patients do lose weight, pretty much no matter what they do. But after the honeymoon period, this can--and often does--reverse. The body gets VERY efficient, with its new machinery, and if not fed appropriately, weight gain is not only possible, but more common than not. Look, whatever surgery you have, you're going to have to change your lifestyle dramatically or you WILL have difficulty reaching and/or maintaining goal. If you want a magic bullet, you're not going to find it. Anywhere.

If you're using the patch, the blood test will be positive, too. So if a doctor has okayed that, s/he's not apt to order the test :thumbup:

I'm 5'2", and my surgeon's projection was either 132 or 133--I can't remember for sure. I plan to aim significantly lower, but will reconsider as I approach.

Yes, you can up your exercise, or eliminate all Cookies from your life. Is it necessary? I don't know--only you can answer that. I do think getting some resistance training is a good idea; flexibility work is good, too. But in terms of rate of loss? You're right on target. Your wife's expectations are skewed. Many people expect all WLS-related loss to be abrupt; that just isn't the case with the band. You're doing a terrific job. You're making HUGE lifestyle changes---and that approach, IMO, is what is important. As you incorporate new things into your daily routine, you'll find that you're up for more new challenges. Then you can add weights or whatever.

I can't say it any better than this. We're ALL weight-loss experts. I'd wager we all are pretty darn good at it. The trouble comes with losing enough to reach goal and/or maintaining loss. For me, the band is a tool for maintenance. I'm not there yet--but I will be. If you have cold feet, step back for a bit and see where your head takes you. There's no rush.

I started wearing a Medic-Alert upon banding; I really should have been wearing one for years, because I have drug allergies medical personnel should be aware of. It took banding to give me the impetus to actually do it. I got mine at laurenshope.com, and it's very pretty; I wear the medical tag on the inside of my wrist so that it's not conspicuous. Medical personnel DO look for bands. They are reluctant to go into wallets right off the bat--but even if they weren't, it's just easier (and faster) for them to check your wrist or look for a dogtag necklace with medical information. In accident situations, people and their identification can be separated. (This has happened to me.) Having the information on one's body is a really good idea. There's more space than you'd think. I have 5 lines of information. The first is my name, the second says, "Realize gastric band," the third and fourth list my drug allergies, and the fifth gives my ICE information. I don't have anything about NG tubes. First responders aren't apt to insert NG tubes, and the fact that I've listed that I'm banded is enough information to guide ER personnel in that regard. My ICE person can provide that information, as well. I am allergic to NSAIDs, so they are included already. If I weren't allergic, I would not be concerned about short-term administration of NSAIDs in an emergency. Unless I had plenty of tag space, I wouldn't worry about including this information. Anyway-if you're thinking of getting a bracelet, know that there are really nice choices that really CAN help you in an emergency.

Tricky question. Quitting smoking really does affect wound healing very profoundly. But using the patch significantly decreases this effect; nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, and the goal is to improve blood flow. Your body doesn't much care where the nicotine comes from---the blood vessels respond the same way. Lung-wise, you're way better off with the patch---your risk of atelectasis and other respiratory complications is much reduced. But in terms of wound healing, you'd be better off without the patch, as well. Quitting smoking is one of the most difficult things to conquer. Seriously, think about it: how many other drugs (well, other than food LOL) can be used both to stimulate AND relax? Can be subconsciously dose-regulated by the user (taking longer or shorter drags, lighting up more often or less, etc) in order to get a different effect? It astounds me that anyone can quit! Nicotine is a very versatile, very insidious drug. It's a shame you have to quit at the same time you're facing such enormous eating changes---that would most people fall to their knees, weeping! But you can do it---it's just for a while longer. (And once you've achieved that, it will be far easier to STAY smoke-free.)

One thing I don't see mentioned is the hormone shift that can occur postop. Fat tissue is mildly estrogenic, and when it's lost, it really can create hormonal turmoil. This can profoundly affect mood, particularly in those of us who are already vulnerable to depression. If you talk with your doctor, your weight loss is definitely worth mentioning as a possible factor in your depression; it may affect the way it is tackled medically.

I couldn't agree more. I do realize that the doctors' goal weights often *are* based on what they consider to be an acceptable risk reduction. I know when I hit my surgeon's goal, I will have reduced my risks significantly. It'll be a huge victory. But it will be MORE of a victory to reach a point where those risks are minimized to a much lower level, or removed.

It's true that you may require a fill (or several) before you reach appropriate restriction. And since you're losing so well, I wouldn't fret. OTOH, I would be VERY sure you're eating within your surgeon's guidelines & giving your new baby pouch time to heal before testing its capacity. It seems that there are as many postop eating plans as there are individual doctors---but all recommend no fluid with meals (so skip the soup if you're having solids; it will keep the solids in your stomach longer, so your sated for a longer time). Many (mine included) have pretty stringent guidelines about amounts to be eaten at one time, as well. (At just over four weeks postop, I'm only up to around 2 oz. of solid protein per meal.) Your new pouch is tiny, but elastic. It can accommodate whatever you want to eat, but that doesn't mean it should. The lack of restriction will allow it to empty more rapidly than it will further down the road. Eating slider foods will allow you to eat more than you should, with less satisfaction--as will drinking fluids while you eat. (That includes soup.) I don't think you have ANY cause for concern--that's not my point. My point is that you may find that you are able to be more satisfied, for longer, with less food if you choose what you take in carefully.

Make sure your Excedrin Headache really IS aspirin-free--the bottle in my cabinet contains aspirin (plus the acetaminophen-caffeine combo)---which is, as an NSAID, a no-go.

I've followed this diet, too. It's a bit restrictive for a way of living for me, but I agree that it's basically a good way to eat, if you can tolerate its carb-heaviness. I can't, and my doctor would blow a gasket if I tried. I haven't given it a whirl yet, but every bandit I know who has tried rice has had trouble with it. I hope I'm not one of them; I can see leaning toward this way of eating---with some leeway for more complete sources of protein--when I'm further down the road.

You very likely will also receive important post-op eating information. The other posters are correct; a preop diet high in Protein and low in carbohydrates shrinks the liver, which stores carbohydrate in the form of glycogen. When carbohydrate is restricted, the liver releases its store (for the body to use as energy), making the liver smaller & easier to navigate around during surgery.

If you've gone 2 weeks without it, that's not why you're dragging. You're dragging 'cause you had surgery and are recovering--and eating a whole new way. Still, a little caffeine never killed anyone. I haven't gone back, really (an occasional iced tea, maybe) because it's such a slippery slope for me---I was such a junkie! The diuretic effect of caffeine has been nearly completely debunked. For every 8 ounces of caffeinated beverage you take in, more than 6 ounces are available to the body for hydration. It simply does not deplete fluids the way it was once believed.

Ouch! I'm glad you're feeling better now! The only way I was able to convince my husband, a lifelong Brussels spout hater, to eat the little buggers was to cut off the stem end and separate the sprouts into individual leaves OR cut them into coins, then separate them into leafy strips. If I quickly blanche them, and saute, they are really good. I bring this up because it really is a nice, band-friendly way to prepare them :thumbup:

:thumbup::laugh::thumbup: As a mom with a leather couch, I really have to second this advice. I'd be really pissed if my kids perforated it with a marinade injector. A hole AND a stain?! No way. I'm an RN, and I wouldn't self-fill. I think I probably could, and understand the reasons why people might want to, but can't think of any real reason why I might need to. Even if I were a million miles away from home, I'm pretty sure I could find a physician able to communicate with my doctor on the phone or online if s/he needed instructions. If I were traveling somewhere I didn't know anyone medical, I would probably ask my doctor for physician referrals at my destination in case I had a problem. My most frequent destination, though, happens to be a city where I'd know, immediately, which ER to use; there are bariatric surgeons in abundance, and support for bandits is plentiful.

Yes, definitely keep drinking the fluids--that is essential. The diarrhea is not CAUSED by fluids. However, when your input is only Fluid, your output is not going to be solid. Your body has had huge disruption---including lots of icky meds it's trying to purge. The trauma and drugs are the cause of the diarrhea. The fact that your only intake is fluid means that there's lots to purge. This is a good thing, really--the fluids will help your body get back to normal more rapidly. As things balance out, you'll find that most of your output is urine rather than watery stool. This often coincides with re-introducing foods. I know it did for me.

My personal goal puts me at a BMI near 20. I've weighed close to this amount as an adult, and believe it's attainable and maintainable with the band--but will stop if I am comfortable sooner. My surgeon's goal has me at a much higher BMI--not obese, but overweight. While I realize there are obstacles to loss, I am reluctant to accept his goal as a "final destination," so to speak. I understand his rationale; in terms of comorbidity and future health risk, it would represent a significant success. But I don't think I will want to stop there. My orthopedist would like to see me at an even lower BMI than I have set as my goal, but I'll have to see how I feel before I consider that recommendation; I'm not sure he has a realistic idea of what an hourglass-shaped woman should weigh, actually; he is more accustomed to dealing with taller, more lithe, athletes. Mostly male! So, I keep my own goal tucked in my mind. Part of it is appearance-motivated ("gauntness," in my experience, tends to pronounced by people who are used to seeing us heavier and are disconcerted by our loss; when it does exist, it seems to be temporary, until the body sort of redistributes at its new weight level). But mostly, I'm motivated by health and, more importantly, my physical comfort. I have serious orthopedic & spinal pain issues that will be vastly ameliorated with each little bit lost. (Lots of good documentation along the way will pave the way for reconstructive surgery, as well.)

Silly bandsters. We all just "read into" an innocent, innocent question.

If she decides to quit, you might want to check out bandtasticmeals.com. My doctor's office got samples (and the chef will be coming to an upcoming support group)--and they were really good. REALLY good. I've done Jenny Craig in the past, and while the food is very convenient, this stuff blows it out of the water---and is very reasonable, cost-wise.

My doc won't fill before 4 weeks postop. While gaining during the postop, pre-fill period isn't uncommon, it's not a foregone conclusion, either. You can choose to eat in a way that promotes loss---it's difficult without restriction, but with a new pouch, it's not a bad idea to restrict quantity, even if you're not fully satisfied. Yes, it's like a diet--but it's temporary. There is light at the end of the tunnel! To give you an idea of how some doctors expect their patients to eat (before fills), I'm having my first fill on Friday. I started, on Day Three postop, with pureed protein--2-3 Tbs. per meal. After 10 days, I progressed to 1.5-2 oz. of soft, then solid, Protein. That's it---protein. In small, small quantities. I'm not suggesting you should defy your doctor's recommendations or adopt such a stringent eating plan--just pointing out that, if gaining concerns you, you can put the brakes on without harming yourself.

Celebrate and Bariatric Advantage chewable Multivitamins are great--no chalkiness. Can't say the same for their chewable calcium; it's like eating crunchy dust, and gives me the shivers. But Viactiv is very good. Even BETTER, though, are Calcet calcium chews. They come in lemon and (new) chocolate, and are unbelievable. I take Vitamin capsules (powder in a Gelatin capsule) from my surgeon's office. I prefer Bariatric Advantage, but if I get them from my doctor, I can use my flexible spending account for reimbursement. The caps are HUGE, but they dissolve easily, so by the time they're working their way through my band, they are no longer intact. No problems at ALL. (I have had problems with tablets/pills getting stuck---my only "stuck" incident involved a pill. NOT FUN.) Because gummies can't really be chewed thoroughly, and don't dissolve as rapidly as a cap, I don't think I'd use them. Really, being stuck with something that conforms to the stoma shape and size is pretty miserable.

I took my nose ring out just before they wheeled me in to the OR, and by the time I was able to attempt to get it back in that evening (only about 8 hours later), I wasn't able to. If I'd been less wonky, I might have had more success--but I didn't force the issue. By the next day, it was a hopeless cause--I definitely would have needed a piercer's help if I really wanted to get it back in.