BetsyB

I was cleared for walking immediately, but not allowed to return to the gym until after my 4-week check. I actually forgot to ask about it at that appointment; the doctor had mentioned the timing preop, so I just shot an email to the office double-checking, and was given the go-ahead. Since you have a while before your next appointment, I'd call or email to check.

I love cooking, too. I tend to make family favorites, and modify my own serving (omit the starches, whatever...) but when I am looking for new recipes, I've liked many that I've found at bariatriceating.com. They lean toward the lower-carb, which works well for me.

Completely normal. That said, you can lose weight during this period, if you make food choices that promote weight loss. (You can eat; you don't have to.) I think it's such a shame that so many patients don't have preop education that provides information about the period between banding and achieving restriction--so many are surprised by this, and it's just not right. If you know, ahead of time, that there is going to be a period--perhaps of several months--when restriction is not optimal, you will be hungry, and in order to lose you must diet, then there isn't the same level of frustration. You just think, "Oh,well---this is the time they told me about; I'll stick to the eating plan so I can lose while I wait to hit restriction."

I think a lot of us, in our post-op delight with our bands and losses, tend to "forget" the discomforts associated with surgery. It is a "piece of cake" compared to many procedures, but there is discomfort---for many, quite a bit of pain. Thankfully, it is short-lived. And like new parents, we are so thrilled with our new "babies," we forget that pain. It kind of does a disservice to those who are facing surgery, because they are given a false expectation. I'm glad you're feeling better today. You will, each day, until you're good as new. The emotional swings are REALLY normal--things like meds and anesthesia and Fluid retention really do affect mood and emotion, and that, too, will resolve a bit each day. Another thing that can come into play is a little bit of grief--we all plan for surgery day, but don't think much about what we will face after. For many, the loss of food = loss of comfort. With time you will find new ways to self-soothe. You will miss food less and less. But it's a process. Be gentle with yourself--things are progressing normally. It will take a bit of time, but soon you will be another happy bandster who's forgotten about the pain and emotional rollercoaster

I understand your frustration--but no, it's not important information in an emergency. We all tend to fixate on the number, especially early on. But it's just a number, and rather meaningless, except inasmuch as it prevents overfilling. As long as they're keeping good records for themselves, there is no safety issue. That said, I think you have the right to know the information. (But I also suspect that as you get farther down the line, you'll care less about it. I have no idea what is in my band at the moment--not because my doctor wouldn't tell me, but because I didn't think to ask last time I was in.) (The bill to your insurer doesn't startle me at all.)

Slow-downs, stalls, and plateaus are expected---after your body loses a significant amount, it's normal for it to stick around one weight for a few weeks. I agree that journaling is a great idea--if I didn't do it, I would have a hard time keeping my Protein intake adequate and keeping my calorie level down. If you do journal, and really are doing what your body needs, hang in there---plateaus and slowdowns usually resolve on their own. If you see room for improvement, or (and this is important) are not exercising regularly, tweak what you're doing to get the ball rolling. I eat a low-carb diet--primarily protein and nonstarchy veggies. My carbs come only from vegetables, a bit of fruit, legumes, and dairy. (No grains yet; those come at 75 percent of excess weight lost.) I eat 800-900 calories/day---and exercise at least once a day, usually twice. I have to do all of these things to lose well (and even so, I hit the occasional stall--like right now!). If any one of the components is off-kilter, my loss is affected.

It will come---it's so frustrating while you wait, but it really will come. It sounds as though you are going to the closest doctor--that's quite a trek! I think it's a great idea to discuss your concerns with him. Maybe he would be willing to be more aggressive with fills if you were to spend a night in a hotel near his office (in case you needed an unfill the following morning). Since you already are traveling, the cost of an overnight---if you wind up needing to make fewer trips because the doctor is willing to give you more each time--might be worth it. Chances are, you won't need the unfill---but if concern about overfilling is holding your doctor back, this kind of arrangement might ease his mind and get you where you want to be sooner. Once you're there, the eating truly, truly becomes so much easier. I know it's hard to believe right now, but you'll wind up in a place where you will be able to say the frustration was worth it. For your sanity's sake, I hope you get there soon!

I definitely experience increased restriction during PMS and the beginning of TOM. If I am swollen for another reason (recent fill, for example), it is really magnified.

I chose the band because it is less invasive. It can be reversed, while the sleeve cannot. The band does not involve removal or rerouting of my innards I believe sleeving is a good procedure for many. But not for me.

Not a single regret.

I'm not a fan. I am a former member, and while it is okay for getting into exercise if you're not active, there are problems inherent in the methods. The one that bothers me the most is the HUGE increase in injury risk with hydraulic equipment. Most experts recommend that joints be moved through the range of motion slowly during weight training. With hydraulic equipment, speed increases resistance. So, as you become stronger, you need to move faster to get results. And the risk of injury increases dramatically. There is one machine in particular that has given rise to what many orthopedists refer to as "Curves injuries." I think that says an awful lot---that doctors are seeing a rise in certain shoulder injuries as a result of increased popularity of fitness establishments, like Curves, that use hydraulic equipment. As I mentioned, I am a former member--I did not renew my membership when it lapsed because it became so, so boring. The hours were terrible (the founder is fundamentalist Christian, and believes women should be home with their families, so many do not have evening hours--and when I was a member, they even closed at lunchtime. Not so that employees could have breaks, but because they believed their members should be at home during those hours. No, thanks.) If you have kids, child care is likely to be an issue, too--despite their "strong family values," most sites do not have child care (though I think many franchisees are changing this). I'll say it: there's NO way that a 30-minute Curves workout burns 600 calories. I mean, they say "you can" burn that much. I suppose someone could, somehow. But the average Curves member? No way. Finally, I could not in good conscience continue to give money to an organization owned by a man who has made significant donation to extremist groups that have claimed credit for bombing women's clinics and have killed physicians who provide women's health care. I love the Y--zillions of programs, fun classes, great equipment, well-trained staff, child care, tons of fun stuff for the whole family.

"Full" is very, very different postop. You simply will no longer feel like you did when "full" pre-banding. That feeling does not exist any more. In fact, "full" is something I now avoid--it is unpleasant. It's really tricky to know when to stop before you approach and achieve restriction, so what I'm about to say may not make sense. (Your pouch is still emptying into the stomach below fairly rapidly, so I suspect you feel decidedly unfull most of the time!) But as you approach restriction, pay really close attention to how you feel after every bite of food. As you approach satisfied (or maybe what you will define as your new "full"), there are subtle changes that tell you that you're reaching capacity. You have to pay very close attention--because as you will find, one bite too many (just one bite!) can push you over the edge and into uncomfortable territory. It takes practice, and even after you get the hang of it, there will be times, probably, when you still have that one bite too many. But you will get used to sensing, "enough." You won't ever have the "full" feeling you had before---that sensation is caused by pressure on stretch receptors in the muscle of the stomach, and the "new construction" with the band doesn't allow for that kind of stretch before you hit the throwup zone.

Yikes! $1000 per fill, and only getting miniscule fills? That'd frustrate me, too! Can you find a fill center close to home? That way, even if the doctor is timid (or greedy--because I am convinced some of the tiny-fill doctors just want more $$--seriously, many of us got 4 cc on our first fills!), you won't have to spend such serious bank. Until you achieve restriction, you have to remember that your weight is 100 percent in your hands. The band will do its job once it's functional, but for now, it's not up to speed. So YOU have to do the work. You say you can drink beer, no problem. That many things go down easily. Well, the thing you have to accept is that just because you can do it doesn't mean you should. It's completely within the realm of possibility to lose weight as you work toward restriction. Will you be hungry? Sure. But it's the last time you'll ever be hungry in the name of weight loss. In your shoes, I'd work hardest on finding someone to provide aftercare in your area. (If they have postop support groups, all the better!) Getting fills locally will relieve a lot of your frustration, I suspect. But also give some thought to the way you're using the tool. To be sure, it's not much of a tool yet--but if you start "practicing" the behaviors you'll use when you get good restriction, it will be that much easier for you---and you won't see gains that mess with your body and mind.

Yes! I have pelvic issues to begin with (history of trauma)---and the lack of cushioning is really painful1

Knowing that he pressured you to have surgery with promises to care for himself properly---and that he's now giving you a hard time for things like Protein powder--puts a bit of a different spin on it, for sure. I understand your unhappiness--I really do. But no matter what, his weight loss ball is in his own court. Sometimes we learn who people really are the hard way--I hope this is not the case for you; I hope that your husband steps up to the plate and does what he needs to do, and you find that he's just another guy struggling with his own demons rather than someone who manipulates to get what he wants from others, without doing what he needs to do for himself (and his relationship--not that weight is a relationship issue, but coercing you to have a procedure you didn't really want? that's definitely a relationship issue).

Thank you everyone :cursing: Yes, what does not kill me will make me stronger. (And therefore I will be better-equipped to kill others who might deserve it LOL) Denise, I'm sorry you're battling the dentist demon---I hope there's a good solution that doesn't cost a fortune.

How odd--I will have to try it. I won't try meatballs with Protein powder added, though--if cooked past a certain temperature, the protein denatures and turns into a rubber-band consistency. (There's a real technique for using protein in hot foods--it has to be tempered, or it turns into a mess. Which doesn't really affect the availability of the amino acids to the body, but can make food clumpy and rubbery---which, for me, translates to "stuck.")

It's good that you're calling the doctor. I don't know whether the gas is the culprit--I'd be more inclined to think it was a response to all your body has just been through--anesthesia, meds, irritability of the stomach due to the placement of the band, etc. Your doctor will likely prescribe an anti-nausea med for you.

I can't douse a steak with anything, either. I eat it rare, and in tiny bites, well-chewed. I do this with most meats--I just make sure they are moist. Some days, they go down well, others are tighter---but sauce doesn't really make a tight day looser, so I stick with what I like :cursing:

I've lost 50.75 inches, and they've been really well-distributed across the areas I measure. The losses in chest, hips, and waist have been proportional---as have arms, neck, and thighs. Though the overall loss is proportional, it wasn't always even. My abdomen, which I never measured, is MUCH smaller now, but took a while to catch up to losses in other areas. Be patient--it takes time, but it'll come off!

My doctor is the most ethical doctor I've encountered (and I have encountered many), and he never measured my height. I guess if I'd claimed to be something different than I am, his antennae might have raised, and he might have chosen to do so. But when faced with a responsible adult honestly answering scores of questions about her health and history, I guess he chose to trust the answer about my height, as well. No one is looking to "cheat the system" here. A person posed a valid question. I know my doctor would not band a patient with a BMI of 29--because when I hit that level, he celebrated, with me, moving out of the band-able category. (And I'm only referring to what he would do.) Self-pay or no, 29 is not a level for which he does banding--largely for the reasons Leigha describes.

Yes, it will--eventually. Chances are, once the operative swelling goes down, you will have a period of time when you are genuinely hungry. It can take several adjustments (fills) over a period of months to achieve good restriction. So, it can be discouraging at first--you may feel as though you had the surgery for nothing. You can lose during this time, but you will be hungry, and any loss will come from bona fide dieting. As you achieve good restriction, your hunger will be HUGELY reduced. The smaller pouch will no longer empty rapidly, and you will stay satisfied for a period of hours after eating only a small portion of food. That said, your MIND may still want to eat things that your body has no need (or room!) for. I've found that this "head hunger" really does go away with time. If your body is satisfied, it really does become easier to say no to the stuff you don't really want or need.

Jacqui, I'm so, so sorry to hear what you're facing. I agree that meeting all of your body's nutrient needs will help you as you tackle the ordeal ahead. I wish you weren't facing it, but if there's anyone who can conquer disease, I have no doubt it's you!

If you haven't achieved restriction yet, I think it's reasonably safe to put concerns about pouch dilation to rest :cursing:

It'll be fine. If you meet their requirements, they can't turn you down--you have a contract! :cursing: