BetsyB

my doctor's okay with drinking right up until eating, but not for 90 minutes after.

Are you sure your insurance requires a referral for this? My PCP was not involved, even the littlest bit, in the process. I went to my surgeon's seminar, made an appointment with him, and his office coordinated it all. I mean, I told my PCP---when I happened to be in his office---but he didn't factor in at all.

My surgeon---and the hospital--would not have discharged me without a driver. There is NO way you will be able to do this safely.

I have no weakness. My body has more than enough energy stored in the form of fat. I am very careful to get the nutrients I need, but have no difficulty exercising ---usually twice daily---on 800-1000 calories/day. If you pare down carbs, as I have, the first few days are rough; the liver then releases glycogen to get you over the hump. By the time that is depleted, your body is able to pretty efficienty burn your stored fat for energy.

PB and vomiting are PB and vomiting--they occur for other reasons than intentional purging of foods you want to be rid of. When you make poor choices, then intentionally induce vomiting to purge your body of those choices, you cross into eating disorder territory. Please seek help for this. This type of behavior is addictive, and can be very difficult to break once it's established. But with help, you can learn other ways to bolster your decision-making and eliminate the purging.

meat can be tricky, especially at first. I'd probably stick to soft stuff, just to be safe. It's no fun to have a stuck incident---especially at a party. All of the soft party food will taste really good to you--you won't have to feel deprived :biggrin:

Any doctor who performs gastric bypass on someone who is within a normal weight range should have his license revoked.

The first fitting will be very basic---the aim is to determine what size dress to order. The staff will know how to help you. Chances are, you will have at least one more fitting, once the dresses arrive. If not, you can use a different seamstress, if need be. Just tell the bridal shop staff how much you expect to lose by the wedding; they will be able to guide you.

Tuna tartare and edamame :biggrin:

You're not a failure--you're just struggling. Lots of us do. I can't answer the question about whether you're stretching your pouch. I can tell you that you were given guidelines for a reason, and it's a very good idea to stick with them. Simple. You just stop eating. You may be hungry, but none of us is going to die of the hunger we experience during bandster hell. Truly, this is the last time you will be hungry in the name of weight loss. You can wait to lose until you have restriction--lots do, and that's your prerogative. But if you want to lose, you will be hungry.

The best Protein,hands-down, are from the Inspire line from Bariatric Eating. Online orders are backed up right now, but they are worth the wait. Your body has more than enough calories stored--you don't need to worry about that. Of primary concern is hydration, and it seems as though you have that covered well. Of secondary concern are nutrients---and you will build up to getting those in. For now, it really is important to find a protein source you can tolerate, and which is within your surgeon's guidelines. As for Vitamin, I'd suggest a good-quality bariatric vitamin--there are Vitamins made specifically to meet the needs of those who are banded. Some are chewable, and others are capsules. I can't tolerate pressed tablets/pills, but have no trouble with capsules, because they dissolve before moving through the stoma.

Very happy I did it. It's been a great tool for me.

Sounds like the port to me, too. And yes, it's normal.

An extra piece of tape stuck to your skin by accident. It's totally not a biggie. OTOH, it's really normal for things like this to feel like they're bigger than they are when you're recovering from surgery--there's lots of hormonal and other upheaval that magnifies small things. ETA: FWIW, it's very, very common for small incisions to be left uncovered. If this HAD been an incision, it would also be a total non-issue if it had just been butterflied. None of my incisions had dressings on them--even the port incision. I had butterflies, and that was it. No biggie. Doctor preference, is all.

My body stalls and regroups after every 10 pounds or so. It's frustrating, but if I just keep doing what I do, the scale starts moving again. It's just not a straight downward progression like we'd like.

The first three fills, for me, were included with the surgery fee. For those since then, I've paid my usual doctor visit copay.

What does the doctor have to say about this? Looking stuff up just isn't enough in circumstances like this.

Did he give a reason for leaving? (I'm really sorry he is such a disappointment of a man.)

Low carbs, from the right sources (veggies and, in moderation, fruits).

It depends. I have eaten as though I have restriction all along---same portions, same rules. I am approaching restriction (very close), but only notice a spike in loss when I've had to stick to liquids for a day or so post-fill. There's not much difference in rate of loss. There is a HUGE difference in the way I feel, in terms of hunger. If you're losing 10 pounds a month, it sounds as though you're eating as if you have restriction even if you don't. Your rate of loss is at the upper end of what is expected post-banding, so I am not sure I would expect a greater rate. The bridal shop people will be able to guide you in terms of size; they are very knowledgeable about dress sizing, how much alteration a dress can tolerate, and so on.

It's probably a good idea not to play games. Withholding information because--for whatever reason--he did not ask in the way and at the time you would have preferred (perhaps afraid it was a personal, "female" thing, otherwise you would have TOLD him) is just plain silly. Maybe he's wondering why you didn't trust him enough to confide what you were having done. As you nurse your hurt feelings (and spin reasons not to tell him, because you are scared people will judge you for having bariatric surgery), have you thought of his? Seriously. Stop playing games. He ASKED. Tell him, or don't tell him. But don't try to convince yourself that he doesn't deserve to know because he didn't show the appropriate level of interest at the right time. If you don't want to tell him, it's because you're afraid of his judgment. NOT because he did anything wrong. FWIW, none of the people I thought might be judgmental have been. I hope you find the same to be true.

As a former Houstonian, I know that outdoor walking is ---well, not gonna happen! But that's what I do, a lot. It doesn't have to be walking---but some form of sustained cardio daily is a good idea. I actually do it twice, most days. (My personal trainer, Truman, insists. He is a large shepherd-Lab, and takes me on a FAST 45-minute walk in the morning and at night.) I also do resistance training every other day---and am going to add power vinyasa yoga to the days I don't do weights when the summer classes begin.

[quot]One factor that nobody has mentioned is age. I'm not sure if it's a myth or not but I'm under the impression that you should factor in a few more pounds as you get older. Nope, not me. Metabolic changes associated with age can be counteracted by exercise. When extra is factored in for age, it assumes continued inactivity.

If your doctor believes that you require additional adjustments, why have you decided you know better than he? Really, successful loss is contingent on a few things: *eating properly (EVEN WHEN YOU DO NOT YET HAVE APPROPRIATE RESTRICTION) * exercising regularly * working with your doctor to ensure that you achieve appropriate restriction. We know that you have not adhered to the last. But what about the other two? What are you eating on a daily basis? (I see you've listed a general idea, but how about journaling to see what you're really taking in?) What are you doing for exercise--and how can you bump it up to challenge your body? You really need to put ALL of the puzzle pieces together in order to achieve success. Having the band placed was just the very FIRST step in a lifelong process. I'd say that the first stop should be your doctor's office---he's told you you need to work on more fills to get restriction. It's time to trust him.

Bariatric surgeons have resources--from band manufacturers--that we do not. These resources indicate, to them, the upper limits of fills for each band. These limits are well ABOVE the labeled amount for each band. I don't know what the limits are, but I do know that an 11 cc band, for example, can safely hold significantly more than 11 cc. It is rarely necessary to fill more---but it sometimes is, and in and of itself is NOT cause to question the doctor. While it is not a myth that pouches can stretch, it does not happen nearly as often as we are led to believe on sites like this. The stomach is a VERY elastic organ. It rebounds when stretched. (It snaps right back into place.) A pouch can be dilated by routinely stretching it well beyond its capacity---but I don't know anyone for whom that has occurred. More common is slippage, but the OP did not describe symptoms that even begin to approximate those experienced during slippage. I think we like to attribute problems to things like stretched pouches when, in fact, it's our MINDS that have "stretched." We become accustomed to eating more--and want to eat more--and it's difficult to eat less. That doesn't mean that anything anatomical is actually going on, though. It may well mean that we've let bad habits get a grip again. Unless you've been told by your doctor that your pouch is stretched, I'd dispense with the notion and just get back to basics, in terms of eating. (You don't have to go as spartan as a 5-day pouch test; just start following the rules you've been given.) Don't borrow trouble when there is none to be had. What are you eating on a day to day basis? Can you post a typical day or two?