BetsyB

If you want a lower-volume protein, you can get 30 grams for about 100-ish calories from Inspire or PURE protein powders from bariatriceating.com.

Yes. I would. The recovering alcoholic's sobriety is his/her own responsibility.

I only get in 800-900 calories a day, sometimes less. I make sure to get in enough Protein (I do use supplements for this), make wise food choices (so that everything I eat gives a bang for its nutritional buck), and take a good-quality bariatric Multivitamin. I exercise daily, often twice, and have not had a major stall since banding. The loss doesn't seem dramatic on a day-by-day basis, but it really does add up.

I get the chili there--it's pretty good, and goes down easily. No one ever raises an eyebrow when I don't finish :laugh:

Your doctor will let you know what s/he wants you to do, vis-a-vis preop diet. During the 3-month supervision, my doctor did not specify any particular diet; I was permitted to use any regimen I wanted, and was required to lose 6 pounds in that time frame. (This was dictated by insurance.) Doctors vary so much in terms of what they require for the one- to two-week preoperative diet. Most do have their patients follow some sort of carb-controlled diet to help deplete the liver's glycogen (carbohydrate) stores, so that the liver is smaller and easier to maneuver around. Some have their patients stick to protein shakes during this time. Others (like mine) combine protein shakes with some food (lean protein and nonstarchy veggies). And some don't require any specific preop diet at all. Yours will let you know what s/he wants you to do :laugh:

I was banded the day before you and have the same loss---and the same goal. I would love to join you :laugh:

I was banded the day before Bree, and have lost the same amount--how funny is that? I am perimenopausal, and have had no difficulty losing. I do follow a low-carb regimen and exercise every day. Body fat is mildly estrogenic, so losing can cause serum estrogen levels to rise. (I think this actually makes me feel better, in terms of hormone balance.)

Awesome job--congratulations! Happy anniversary!

What kind of response did you expect to get, when you've posted ???You got a great deal of reassurance that it's normal not to feel restriction for quite some time post-banding, and some very mild suggestion that you stick to the rules, 'cause there in place for a reason. How were people supposed to respond?

It sounds as though your doctor is very, very conservative with fill amounts. I have an 11 cc Realize band, too, and didn't start feeling restriction until I hit 8.5 cc--and I've had several fills since to fine-tune. I don't know exactly how much is in there (I've stopped asking because the number doesn't really matter)---I do know that as I've started toeing the line, the amounts have been much, much smaller ---and have had a far, far greater impact. It's too early for you to give up hope. Your doctor is getting you there very slowly...but it's not at all unusual to have as much fill as you do and still not be where you want to be.

My doctor is one who has his patients on pureed solids on Day 3. Solids, per se, are not a real issue postop. Testing the band to see how much you can withstand is really problematic behavior, though. Very few people have restriction so soon out of the gate. Very few people feel much restriction even after their first fill. Brace yourself for a significant period of time without restriction. If you're lucky, you'll be an exception, and feel more restriction sooner rather than later. But realistically, it may be a handful of months before you feel that the band is contributing to your loss. In the meantime, it would be a really good idea to work on the mental half of the equation. Yes, you will be able to eat things, perhaps almost limitlessly. That does not mean you should. Use the time during which you are striving for restriction wisely. Learn to make choices that will promote loss. Will you be hungry? Probably. Do it anyway. PS--I am not sure I'd share the results of your experiment with your doctor. Mine was willing to do fills early IF I was compliant. It works far better, IMO, to say, "I've been eating X amount, and am hungry within X minutes; I'm sticking with your plan, but am really uncomfortable" than to say, "I've been breaking every rule you've given me just to demonstrate to myself how useless this band is--and now I want you to fix it." If you demonstrate noncompliance, you may find it much, much more difficult to establish and maintain a good working relationship with your doctor. And because it's a long-term relationship from which you wish to derive a certain outcome (his cooperation in helping you achieve restriction), you might want to rethink your approach.

I agree that you probably need to focus on getting more bang for your nutritional buck. Lean Cuisines just don't give your body enough of what it needs. Not just for weight loss purposes, but for long-term health. In your shoes, I'd track my intake (and output--exercise) on Fitday.com to see where I was coming in, in terms of protein/carb/fat, etc. I think you will be shocked to see the gap between what you need and what you are getting. Once you know where you stand, you can start tweaking. I know that Lean Cuisines offer the benefit of ...well, a sort of mindlessness that can be freeing. But you can achieve the same sort of mindlessness if you have a basic "formula" for what you eat. My formula is 2-3 ounces of Protein (fish, poultry, lean beef or pork, fat-free cottage cheese, yogurt plus Protein Powder, legumes...) + 1/2 cup nonstarchy veggies for each meal. I have a protein shake in the early morning and late evening, and if I am hungry between meals, I have fruit, veggies, an ounce of cheese, or a bit more protein. Very formulaic, but it meets my body's needs (though I take a good quality bariatric Multivitamin as insurance), and requires almost no thought. But it still provides lots of variety--and is flexible enough that I can eat anywhere without difficulty.

Need a mentor? I've been banded for 8 months, and am losing well by combining a low-carb regimen and regular exercise. I'm just over 100 pounds down from my highest weight, and about 85 pounds since banding. I am an RN turned health writer, and am working toward certification in nutrition and wellness counseling. I can be available here, by email, or by texting---send me a PM if interested :puke:

Yep, listen to Elfie. It's not something to worry about. You can't tell, independently, if there is a problem with your pouch; your doctor can evaluate it fluoroscopically.

Weight loss can wreak havoc with hormones! Body fat is mildly estrogenic, and as it's lost, serum estrogen levels fluctuate. So it's not unusual to miss periods. (Still, I think it's always a good idea to test to be sure!)

I don't eat these foods,but not because I am unable; I am still actively losing weight, and choose to focus on different foods. I do have restriction--and still am able to eat nearly anything most days. (Some days, I am tighter than others; stress, PMS, and other factors can contribute to this.) When I get stuck, it is usually due to "user error." It's when I don't respect the tightness of my band, and act accordingly. I do know people who have aimed for tighter restriction during loss, and have subsequently had a small unfill once at goal so that they can eat a broader range of foods. I've chosen to work with a level of restriction that does not cause me discomfort, and rely on my decision-making to make generally wise food choices (which is not to say I don't occasionally opt for something less-nutrient-dense 'cause I really want it). I know that bread is tricky for many; it seems like there are some breads (bagel thins, deli thins) that work for many who do have trouble with bread. Toasting also seems to help. I haven't gone down the bread path--I don't have room for it, and I don't miss it. But chances are, you will be able to find something that works.

If I understand your question correctly, you're wondering whether someone beginning with a BMI of 35 will be ruled out for surgery if successful during the preop stage. Check your insurance policy--it will specifically spell out the conditions you must meet. Your doctor's insurance specialist can clarify if need be. My insurance required a BMI of 40 (with no comorbidity) or 35 (with 2 comorbidities). The weight used to determine eligibility was the first weight taken in the doctor's office. I lost weight during the preop supervision, and was below a BMI of 40 when I went into the OR. I still was fully covered by insurance. EVERYTHING IS DICTATED BY THE INSURANCE POLICY--it's not a matter of bias, it's a matter of what you have paid for. If you have insurance through your employer, you can always lobby for changes to the policy. However, if you're below a BMI of 35 before seeking banding, chances are you'll wind up self-pay. You will be able to find a surgeon to do the surgery--but insurance does not generally pay unless there is a medical necessity. And that does not usually attach to lower BMI.

It's really common for there to be an upward blip on the scale when solids are added. The thing to be mindful of is the kinds of solids you choose. You don't have restriction yet, but as you approach it, it will become increasingly important to make sure that the foods you choose give your body what it needs nutritionally. And now is a great time to start doing that. My surgeon is one with lots of rules. "Real food" had a completely different meaning to him than it does for most of us. For the first year after surgery, he really expects his patients to be compliant with his eating regimen---and those of us who do actually find our own definitions of "real food" changing, too. Many people bridle against food restrictions. For me, it's been really good guidance; learning to first choose what I need has completely changed my relationship with food. The fact that you can eat tortilla chips doesn't mean you should eat tortilla chips. But you already knew that The band is a great tool--you will find your way, and learn how to use it to your best advantage.

It depends. Scrambled eggs don't tend to be my friend, but I don't think they really get stuck--they're just not comfortable. Anything eaten off the bone (ribs, etc) are problems because it's too easy to take too large of a bite or not chew carefully. But these are user-error things, really. When I've gotten stuck, it's usually been because I am tight for another reason, and haven't paid close enough attention. I don't really have any foods I avoid because of getting-stuck issues. OTOH, I also eat a low-carb diet, so I haven't even attempted stuff like bread or Pasta. (I do very occasionally have sushi, and the rice is not a problem for me.)

How awful! I hope your recovery is speedy!

Just remember that exercise doesn't have to mean a punishing regimen. A nice walk outdoors can become something you enjoy and look forward to--and is something to which your blood sugar will respond remarkably.

My surgeon doesn't have this rule. He suggests that in the immediate postop period, it can increase discomfort due to gas. I tend not to use straws for this reason--but it's not really a big deal, IMO.

I'm not as far out of the gate as you'd like to hear about, but am having great success. Still, I know I'm not part of the demographic you're looking for. What I'd like to point out, though, is that on boards like this, it's pretty typical to see posts from people who are having difficulty. Those of us who are happy and doing well don't tend to linger or post for feedback. So do be aware that there is a bias toward the negative in posting.

I haven't made it to my surgeon's support group, though I have gone to postop classes that reinforce the nutrition and exercise info every 3 months after surgery. I am 8 months out, have restriction, and couldn't fit 8 tablespoons of food in me if my life depended on it!

I think it's quite true that the "sweet spot" is as much mental as physical. Since banding, I've lost at the same consistent rate, whether I've had restriction or not. I've chosen the same foods, in the same amounts. The difference, as I approached and reached restriction, was not that I achieved a magical point where I wasn't hungry, or was miraculously satisfied. It was a gradual lessening of unmanageable hunger. I mean, face it, if you're eating a limited number of calories, you're apt to be hungry a good deal of the time. For me, that is gone. GONE. I do get hungry--but eating my small, careful meals removes the hunger. And that hunger stays at bay until I again need to eat. I am now able to stick with a severely calorie-restricted regimen. Before the band, I was not. The band doesn't tell me I'm "full." Full is a completely different experience now. Now, it means "not hungry." And that's the way it should be. The Japanese have a saying, hara hachibun, which means eight-tenths full. The idea is that one should stop eating when they reach this point, because it's enough. It's satisfying. Hara hachibun is a great concept to approach to banded eating. I still have to be vigilant. I have to take appropriate servings of appropriate foods. I have to tell myself "no" when my mind tells me "Aw, that won't hurt!" I have to be mindful not to take that one extra bite---because there is a thin line between enough and too much, and too much hurts. ETA: I'm glad you're achieving peace with the band; I know it's been hard for you. Your loss is NOT insignificant, and it will continue. Now that you're more comfortable with the band, I think you will find it to be a great tool. I also have to exercise. That is a critical, critical piece of the puzzle for me.