BetsyB

I know it's really hard---but things get so much better. Hang in there!

I didn't feel much difference until my third and fourth fills---and even those didn't have "staying power." Prednisone can wreak havoc with appetite, as well. (It also can cause Fluid retention--so don't freak out if the scale doesn't cooperate; stay low-sodium, bump up Protein a little (helps with the appetite and the fluid retention), and try to avoid simple carbs (which, along with the pred, can cause blood sugar spikes, followed by huge hunger).

I was strongly encouraged to walk as much as I could tolerate from the immediate postop period onward. I was told to avoid other exercise until my first postop check (4 weeks), after which I was cleared for all activity, including abdominal exercises. It sounds as though you're right where I'd expect you to be 4 days postop. Port site pain can be pretty persistent---but there is little risk of injury if you stick to the basics until you are cleared by your surgeon for more strenuous activity.

My best advice is to walk a lot--it really helps recovery. But since that's already been mentioned, I'd say STAY OFF THE SCALE--it will just frustrate you at the beginning.

You can find all kinds of recipes, for each of the various postop stages, at bariatriceating.com. They have a definite low-carb slant.

I like the Inspire line from bariatriceating.com. Their PURE unflavored protein is very, very good, too--I add it to all sorts of things.

I eat low carb, and include a variety of fruits and vegetables--I'd wither up and die if I couldn't have them! I do focus on protein--but not in the eat-protein-first-then-have-veggies-if-you-have-room way. I eat meals that have both, and supplement my Protein intake if necessary. (It's easy to sneak a shake in if need be.) A typical day for me : early morning: warm protein shake & Vitamins breakfast: 2-3 ounces of protein (right now, my max at all meals seems to be 2.6 ounces), maybe a fruit lunch: 2-3 ounces protein, about 1/2 cup nonstarchy veggies or salad (I don't really measure; I have good restriction now and stop when I have to) occasional afternoon snack (I often don't need one, but sometimes am starving: veggies or a fruit or an ounce of cheese dinner: 2-4 ounces protein, more nonstarchy veggies and/or salad evening: warm protein shake & vitamins (The protein supplements bump my intake up to where it needs to be---but really, I mostly like them because the warmth helps dissolve my vitamins before they pass through and cause me trouble.) ETA: I keep my calories in the 800-900/day range--which is pretty severe. My odd body requires this kind of limitation--it is why I was banded. But if you can get away with 1000-1500, then you have lots more flexibility! ETA again: I really don't eat as anally as it appears on paper---I eat a wide variety of things, and don't weigh and measure everything. When I'm home, I do weigh protein because I have difficulty getting enough. But I feel very "normal" and unrestricted, dietarily---I just avoid certain things (which I no longer have room for, anyway). On special occasions? Not a minute's hesitation to have birthday cake, or a glass of wine, or whatever.

Thanks! It sounds like you're on target for fill volume--I think I got 4 ccs for my first, but it wasn't until 6 weeks postoperative. Fluoroscopy is a type of x-ray that allows the doctor to observe the band and, if necessary, the port (which is radioopaque--shows up on x-ray). Some doctors have the equipment in their offices and use it to assess the band/fill level. Mine is one of them---each time I get a fill, he has me stand in front of the machine and swallow a bit of barium, which he then watches pass through the band. By doing this, he accomplishes two things: he makes sure I'm not overfilled (at the moment; swelling can occur, but hasn't yet caused me problems), and he assess the position of the band (to make sure it hasn't slipped).

But you were sick of being obese even more, right? This, too, shall pass...

If all the diets you were given had the same general gist, I would be comfortable eating from any of the lists provided. I would just assume that the individuals presenting the information each had the same goal in mind, but each had a bit of different info to offer. For example, my doctor, his nurse coordinator, and the dietitian all emphasize a low-carb diet to me. But each offers a slightly different angle. It all boils down to getting enough Protein and avoiding simple carbs---but the nurse has different tips from the dietitian, and the doctor has his own take, too. I synthesize the information from all of them the best I can. Instant Breakfast is, indeed, a full liquid---so if you've advanced to that stage, then it's safe to add. That said, I wouldn't waste stomach space on it. It's pretty good in terms of carb (because no sugar is added), but it has only 5 grams of protein. It just doesn't have much to offer, nutritionally. I think that it's often recommended because it's easy to find. And if you don't have good-quality Protein shakes on hand, then maybe they'd be a good choice for you. But my "instant breakfast" every day is a Protein shake made from Inspire protein from bariatriceating.com.

I'm glad you're feeling better today. All you can do is dust yourself off and get back on the horse. If you can, try to think up different ways of coping so that you don't find yourself in the same place again---it takes practice, but overeating IS something you will conquer. (As you get closer to restriction, the band will really help you extinguish this kind of behavior, too )

Holy moly--that kind of abuse is reportable, and I would do just that. I'd find another doctor, and report his one to your state board. There is no excuse for that type of behavior from a physician. Furthermore, your loss is very good, particularly since you do not have restriction. Unconscionable. Really--totally unacceptable. YOU are not the failure here. The doctor's behavior is horrendous.

The hair growth cycle is interrupted by surgery. We tend to hold onto hairs we would have lost, slowly each day, for a period of time. Then BAM! All of them (and more) seem to come out, all at once. The "shedding" period can last a few months, too. If you're not getting enough Protein,it's worth adding more. It's also worth taking a good bariatric Multivitamin and zinc and Biotin supplements. And using Nioxin shampoo and conditioner. These things may or may not help--but at least they make us feel as though we've got the best odds. But I've done ALL of these things, and still have lost plenty of hair. I think it is slowing down now.

My doctor uses fluoro for every fill--but never during the portion when he's accessing the port. However, he can locate mine---if yours can't, fluoro would be great. I, too, am wondering why you "should" lose more, if you don't have restriction and very specific eating guidelines. I was able to lose during the period of bandster hell, but only because my doctor's recommended eating regimen is really quite strict---if I'd been told 1200 calories/day, I would gain, not lose. I hope your doctor, once she accesses the port, is not among those who withholds fills if you don't lose "enough." That's not supposed to be the way it is. We had bands placed around our stomachs for a reason--and require those fills. Why TWO MONTHS wait? She couldn't access the port! The next step should be an immediate appointment to access it assisted by fluoroscopy! What? Now you're being punished for her inability to do the job? Because you "should be" doing something better? No. That was an obnoxious way of turning her failure around on you--and it's not acceptable, IMO.

I'm a former ortho RN, too. The last hospital where I worked was pretty much kept afloat by banding---when it was a far more imperfect procedure. When I worked PRN, I often was floated to the bariatric floor. At the time I weighed about 50 pounds less than my top weight---but was significantly overweight (a viable candidate for banding). Several of the nurses in the hospital had been banded, and were happy with results, as imperfect as they were. But this was the mid-90s--and today's excellent technique, equipment, and nutritional support (supplements, etc) were not available. We saw a LOT of patients come back for revisions/reversals. We saw LOTS of complications due to malnutrition--even in the RNs on staff. And I swore I'd NEVER have WLS. Never, ever, ever. I did watch the procedure evolve over time--and really, I just woke up one day last year and said, "It's time." I wasn't winning the struggle, and it was just time. The father and grandfather of a friend of my son's were banded about a year before I was; I knew of their success, and I guess that planted the idea in my mind again. I researched the procedure and the surgical group they used. But really, the decision was made very quickly. Not out of desperation--I wasn't desperate. I was just convinced. As soon as the idea occurred to me, I knew it was the right decision. It was the best decision I ever made. (And yes--my joints are a thousand times happier!)

Wildabeast, I can't see anything there, other than the saltines, that would cause reactive hypoglycemia. Does your doctor offer any possible explanation? Has s/he suggested you journal your intake on a site such as fitday.com so that you can better assess how you're meeting your nutrient needs? Sometimes, it's helpful to see how many grams of Protein, etc., you're getting, because it can help you tweak things a bit. My doctor recommends 65 grams of protein/day. I have to tell you, I'd be a shaky mess if I stuck to that level--I aim for 100, and then I'm fine (even though I eat very low carb).

Every body is different. Mine GAINS on 1200 calories a day--this was identified before I was banded, and is the reason I pursued banding. I need to stay in the 800-900 calorie range WITH daily (or twice-daily) exercise in order to lose. Luckily, that's pretty easy accomplish, now that I have restriction. I am very careful about the foods I choose (because stomach real estate is limited)---and do emphasize protein, getting carbs only from veggies, legumes, a bit of fruit, and a bit of dairy. This approach has worked very well for me. Something to keep in mind, though: you're pretty freshly postoperative. Your body simply is not all the way healed from the trauma. Right now, you may not need to focus on tweaking your diet at all---you may just need to wait out the swelling, etc. (If you decide to relax a bit, do make sure to get plenty of Fluid, adequate protein, and take a good bariatric Multivitamin.) Another thing to remember: your body has ample reserves of energy--so you do NOT likely need to increase calories in order to lose. There is NO peer-reviewed research that supports the notion of "starvation mode." If you have excess body fat, your body knows it's not starving. For every pound of excess fat, it has 3500 calories to spare. And it's HAPPY to give these up, though it may occasionally become stubborn and "readjust" during a plateau. I know it's really frustrating at the beginning--but most of us don't lose a ton right out of the gate.

Carol, you're hungry because the band around your stomach does not yet restrict the flow of food from the little pouch at the top to the stomach below yet. As you work toward restriction with adjustments, you will have incremental improvement until you reach your sweet spot. Until then--yes, it is like dieting. But it will be the LAST time you are hungry in the name of weight loss! Wildabeast, can you post a typical day's worth of eating for us? Even if you've tested negative for hypoglycemia, you can be experiencing reactive episodes, and tweaking your intake can make a huge difference. (Oh--and 29 pounds since April, before having restriction? That's a great loss!) Peachpuffabilly--"fills" are adjustments of the band. The band is placed around the stomach to create a pouch. There is tubing to a port that is placed under the surface of the skin. For a period of months after the surgery (and periodically after that), your surgeon will access the port with a needle to inject saline into the tubing, which adjusts the pressure placed on the stomach by the band. This reduces the size of the stoma (hole) between the upper pouch and bottom portion of the stomach, slowing down the rate at which food leaves the pouch (and making you feel satisfied longer). (I hope that made sense!0

Every doctor has different rules. Mine recommends against alcohol until goal is reached. That's not a safety guideline, though--it's geared to maximize weight loss. (He's a low-carb kind of guy--and it's worked really well for me.) Other doctors are okay with light alcohol use, but recommend against carbonation.

Swirl, my husband has CHF, so I know---just from living with him--that it's a real battle. Weight is so complicated when you add serious problems like this into the mix. The band can't fix your heart--but it can help get your body to a place where your heart has a lot less work to do. It will take time for this to occur. And it will take hard work. But you're right--the frustrations that come with CHF make it a real uphill battle. Exercise tolerance, depression, Fluid retention---the weight of all of those things are really very crushing at times. If you ever need an ear or shoulder, PM. I haven't been in your shoes, but I've been alongside a man who wears similar shoes for many years.

cast another vote for fitday

My doctor is among those who do recommend a pretty stringent postop eating plan---which seems really restrictive UNTIL you achieve restriction. Then, it seems like putting good, healthy choices into the limited space you have. Really, everything changes when you have good restriction. You no longer feel deprived---you simply don't have room for extras. It's too bad that your doctor didn't share his expectations with you before surgery--it sounds as though you're only now learning what he thinks of as "good" or "bad." I bet if you had the Peanut Butter wrap without the Kashi, his response would have been different. But it's pretty typical for a doctor to recommend that you pare back on starchy carbs during the weight loss portion. What disturbs me is that they are withholding fills. They should make the decision based on how YOU feel, in conjunction with your loss. Withholding fills in this circumstance seems punitive---and really contrary to the whole idea of banding, IMO. Still, it's perfectly reasonable, now that you've established a pattern of regular exercise, for him to recommend upping it to the level that is recommended by most health-promoting agencies. (Really, it's recommended that we exercise 60 minutes, 6 days a week.) And it's reasonable for him to make recommendations about dietary changes. What's not reasonable is that he's not doing HIS part--helping you move toward restriction.

Dream, I'm so sorry you're in a bad situation. Have you investigated services for victims of domestic violence in your area? Eating never solves any problems. It can feel soothing, but ultimately it makes us feel less in control, and prevents us from achieving what we want to achieve. Maintaining control in the few areas we can control can really help us feel lots stronger as we confront more serious issues in our lives. I don't think you've done a bit of harm to your body. But taking good care of yourself will ultimately help you, emotionally.

Look, I know it's difficult, but you need to change your relationship with food. And you may have to create some very strict rules for yourself, at least for the short term, to break some of these self-defeating habits. Do you journal what you eat, so that you can see the breakdown of calories, fat, carb, protein? If not, it can be really eye-opening. Sites like fitday.com are really helpful. Food is not your friend. It does not relieve loneliness. It does not relieve stress. It exacerbates both---you're creating a rollercoaster of blood sugar surges that ultimately make you feel worse. And that's not even taking into account the fact that it's impeding your weight loss! I don't think you're at the stage, emotionally, where you can say, "I am able to eat what I like, just less of it." It sounds as though you need more structure---some actual rules to follow. What kind of regimen does your doctor recommend? Speaking of doctors, how long has it been since you've seen yours? I would recommend biting the bullet, heading in, and having a good talk with him. It sounds like a band adjustment might be in order. And it sounds like a refresher with the nutritionist might be in order, too. If you're like me, you probably avoid the doctor when the news from the scale won't be good--but really---do it. And consider asking for a referral to a therapist who can help you reframe your relationship with food so that it doesn't control you any more. It will be such a relief to you, to place food in its proper place in your life.

Yikes--I would tell Mom and Grandma to stay home and spare myself all the angst. (Seriously, you won't need help for more than a day or so--can your husband just stay home for that period?) Believe me, I empathize. I agonized about this when I had my last baby---I lived faraway from "home," and my mother traveled to stay and "help." It would have been a million times easier for me (and I had a c-section with complications AND another small child!) if she'd stayed home. And banding is NOWHERE near as uncomfortable or debilitating as a c-section. I'm a ruthless thrower-awayer, and getting more ruthless in my old age. Mail? Half of it finds its way to the recycling bin before I even walk into the house. The rest is dealt with right away. Piles drive me insane. (Don't look in my closets, though--I am in the midst of purging, and they're all a mess. 5 bags were gathered for donation just today---it's been a while since I was brave enough to go into my kids' closets...)