BetsyB

Toradol is a strong NSAID. Was it prescribed by your surgeon? If so, I'm quite surprised; most veto NSAIDs for banded patients, particularly soon after surgery. It's a good drug for pain relief, but really does carry with it more GI side effects than other NSAIDS, unless it's administered intramuscularly.

Millions of hugs to you--I am so, so sorry for your loss.

Yep, you're absolutely right! You're approaching it wisely, and that is predictive of success. I'm sorry you're frustrated---I think it's really difficult, sometimes, for people who are not in our shoes to really get it.

You won't get any scolding from me. I think a liquid diet of that duration is insane!

Crystl, that is simultaneously sweet and infuriating! LOL Mark's not big on stating his observations, either---so I can relate. This was both good and bad as I was gaining weight--he never commented, even once, about my weight. I guess I should have expected much the same going down, though he does surprise me with a compliment now and then. You have done an ASTOUNDING job!

Awesome, Whillow! Congratulations!

If you can tolerate liquids, I wouldn't get an unfill--I'd ease back into eating very, very gradually. Chances are, by the time you cruise, the swelling associated with the fill will be gone, and you will have no difficulty. Worst case scenario, you will have to choose full liquids and soft foods. (Fish gives me trouble a lot of the time, even when I'm not tight---it may just be something you find you want to avoid until you know how it will affect you now that you're approaching restriction. I don't mean AVOID-avoid; I mean avoid eating at a table in front of a bazillion people, and your cabin isn't within quick dashing distance :thumbup:) Have a great cruise!

Does your doctor have a nurse coordinator or nutritionist who participates in patient education? It must be terribly frustrating to be operating with so little real information about what is expected of you! At first glance, two things leap out at me about your posted meal plan. First, there are an awful lot of carbs if your doctor's told you no carbs. And secondly, you're taking in a larger volume than I would think a good idea for a new pouch. (You really don't want to dilate it by overstretching at this point.) I understand that you are hungry. Hunger is part an parcel of the period after banding when you do not yet have restriction; it may persist for several months as saline is added to your band. That means that, in the meantime, you have to really carefully monitor what you eat---because your band won't be telling you to stop. Journaling at a site like Fitday can help a great deal. It will let you know whether you're getting enough Protein, the right number of calories, too much carb, and so on. Weighing and measuring portions is a good idea. Of course, it helps if you have guidelines from your doctor about what to aim for! (Did he at least tell you how many grams of protein to aim for? Recommend a good bariatric Multivitamin? Specify a volume of food you should not exceed at each meal?) In the absence of more specific information, I would say that a pretty standard maximum volume of food to eat at each meal is 1 cup. I would focus on lean protein and nonstarchy veggies---and I would avoid foods like fries, which offer little nutritional benefit. I know it's frustrating to feel as though you're on a diet, but it is the last time you will be hungry in the name of weight loss. And it's a great time to practice the behaviors that you'll need once you do reach restriction. (I so wish that everyone had a doctor as good as mine, with an eating plan that produces great results. It's hard, during bandster hell---but seeing great results makes it so much easier!)

Bobbie, that is GREAT news about your job! I'm so happy for you

It's typical not to have restriction at your stage postop. Immediately postop, there's a bit of swelling that gives temporary restriction; but when that recedes, you do, indeed, find that the upper portion of your stomach empties far more rapidly than you'd like--and you get hungry. If you want to lose weight before you achieve restriction, you'll need to pay close attention to what and how much you eat, because your body will not, at this point, prevent you from eating.

It's really common, after anesthesia and surgery, to be emotionally labile. It's no fun--but knowing that your mind is responding to huge changes in your body---and will soon be more at peace---really does help. You are not selfish. The savings post-banding---in the short term (food costs, eating out costs, etc) and long term (medical care, less chance of obesity-related long term disability) will far, far, far exceed what you spent on your surgery! It will pass--you will feel better each day, and the weepiness will pass.

I don't agree with your doctor that there are no ingredients that can cause harm. Hoodia Gordonii--the hoodia currently available in the United States has been proven ineffective in weight loss; when the real deal becomes available, it will be MAJOR news, because it really does appear to have benefits. However, the stuff now finding its way into products like this are...well, schwag Green Tea Leaf Extract--can cause nausea, diarrhea, cardiac arrhythmia, headache, dizziness Caralluma Fimbriata--generally safe, but can cause constipation and mild stomach issues Coix Seed-should be avoided for at least 2 weeks before surgery Chromium Picolinate--disproven, in a multitude of peer-reviewed studies, to have an effect on weight loss. May help regulate blood sugar in a small percentage of diabetics, but otherwise not helpful as a supplement. In some people (including me), it can cause terrible eczema-like skin rash. Cassia Seed-this is a laxative, and as such carries serious potential risk related to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. It really should only be used under a doctor's supervision (and most doctors would say NO; weight loss by purging--which is what this causes--is temporary and foolish.) Poria Cocos--generally safe Lotus Leaf--can cause gas, constipation, gastrointestinal problems; it can lower blood pressure and impair clotting. (You can't use meds that impair clotting near surgery.) It also can cause hypoglycemia So, you've got a few ingredients that are generally safe, a handful that have fairly frequent adverse effects, and a couple that really need to be avoided in the preoperative period. All for ...what? Temporary weight loss caused by laxative and diuresis? Totally not worth it, IMO. There are no real benefits to using drugs like this.

Congratulations! The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology has revised guidelines for weight gain in women who are obese. They do not, however, recommend weight loss. Sometimes, a bit of loss is unavoidable--due to things like hyperemesis. And babies do tend to fare well in these situations. However, intentional weight loss during pregnancy is discouraged--there are increased nutrient needs. Talk with your OB about this. Some will permit weight maintenance if you are meticulous about meeting nutrient needs; I did this with my last pregnancy, with great results. (Large, healthy baby.) Good luck--what an exciting turn of events for you. (Good that it happened now--in the year after banding, it would be tricky--but now you can have your babe, then be banded!)

This may chafe to hear (from him and from me), but it's a very valid concern. You say that you haven't started eating in the way that will foster this loss--that you're "trying a little." His concern is based on reality. It is going to be difficult to lose 15 pounds in 3 months--and it will likely require a lot more effort than you are making. That said, I realize it's not helpful for him to comment in the way he's commenting. It seems as though you have a real miscommunication going on. I am sure, if we were to ask him, he'd say he WAS being supportive. Guys are often "fixers." You say, "I need support," and what he hears is, "Fix this for me." And his way of fixing? Annoyingly pointing out that you're eating a pickle between meals. Not cheering you for choosing a pickle instead of chocolate---but noting that you are, in fact, deviating from what he thinks you should be doing. I think it would be a very, very good idea for him to attend your appointment with the doctor. (Ask him to lay off the weight comments before that meeting; if your doctor is like most, your starting weight will be recorded at this appointment, and you will need to lose 15 pounds from that point forward. If you've already lost a lot, then it may be more difficult to maintain a good rate of loss.) He will get a better idea of what is really expected of you--and what support will be available---so that he can "retire" from this self-appointed job of monitoring what you eat. It's not his job. It's your job. (If you've asked him to help, you'll need to UN-ask him. Fire him! Let him be your partner, not your probation officer.) He's NOT the one to turn to for guidance. He's not the one to whom you should report your eating transgressions. He's not your eating accountability partner. Those things are your responsibility. You can't complain about his input if you're putting him in an impossible-to-win situation. There are hundreds of people here who can give you good feedback on your eating. Let him be your husband--let him love you and support you in other ways. (And I'd work hard to cultivate some real, deeper friendships. I moved far away from my family, too--and I know how difficult it is, and how alone you can feel. But you have it 100 percent in YOUR control to forge deeper connections with people in your life so that you do not feel alone and isolated and unsupported. You may want your husband to be all things to you--but he can't be. He just can't.)

My surgeon's range, for my height, is lower than most ranges from other sources: 99-121. (Weight Watchers' range is 109-137). My goal is 109. My doctor's goal for me is 127--it's a level where I've maintained long-term in the past. I'd like to get to 109 because of back and ortho issues that just feel better the less I carry. I will reassess as I get closer, though--if it's not realistic, I'll revise.

You have made a choice to make your home in the Poconos. What is preventing you from putting down real roots, establishing friendships, and building a life for yourselves in your new environment? While your husband's lack of support is not ideal, you have to assume responsibility for your own happiness. The marriage relationship is very important. But it is not adequate to meet all of the needs of each partner---and expecting your husband to meet all your needs really is not fair to him. Unless you are being deliberately isolated from others, I would be more likely to attribute his lack of support to lack of understanding of the difficulties you face in terms of weight loss---not malice and abuse (though the undermining verges on abusive behavior), but ignorance. Did he attend your surgeon's seminar with you? Will he attend an office visit or one of your preop classes (if you have them)? What can you do to make him feel more comfortable about the prospect of his wife having surgery to address her weight issues? And where else can you get support, so that he does not feel he must meet all your needs?

I've got pretty good restriction--may need a tiny bit more to round it out, but am getting good results (losing 10+ pounds/month) and feeling nicely restricted most of the time. I still can drink clear liquids quite freely. It was only with my last fill that I found that I have a limited capacity in terms of how much I can gulp at once---I can put away a liter of Fluid in no time---but I have to pause every 100-120 ccs or so (sorry--my Water bottle has metric markings!), wait a minute for some of the water to move through, and then I can lather, rinse, and repeat. So, I probably could get 16 oz. (roughly half a liter) down in about 20 minutes, very easily. I think it is harder for those for whom drinking plenty of fluid has not always been part of their regimen.

Congratulations, Meg! That's a huge accomplishment!

Everyone creeps up on restriction a little differently, but from the way you've described the way you're able to eat now, it doesn't really sound as though restriction---at least, not restriction at a level that would hinder your enjoyment of a vacation (as long as you're not defining fun as eating whatever you want!)---is a fill away. A few days between fill and vacation will give you a chance to address any overfill issues, should they arise. Chances are great that you will have no problems, though. Each fill is a little less aggressive than the last---as the band gets snugger, a smaller volume does more, and a skillful doctor is careful to gauge what you are likely to tolerate, and give you no more than that amount. I think it likely that you will more gradually approach restriction than you are anticipating. Most of us do.

It could be the compazine; give the doc a call to see if he can phone in an Rx for another antiemetic/antinausea med.

Leigha, I'm glad that your situation unfolded nicely--that must've been nerve-wracking. I bet the young woman DID think like you---she was just fortunate to have found a good solution. Until she did, though, I am sure she was thrown for a loop. Katie, you say Hooray! This means you'll have great success! I had fill #4 on Wednesday--not terribly dramatic, but more restriction, it seems. I was down 13 from my last visit, and 45 total (now 46.6)...doctor and I both were really pleased. Now I have to get ready for a dinner party for 20 tomorrow---fun!

I'd be inclined to say to him, "I know I haven't had success in the past. Obesity is complicated, and it's not just about willpower. If it were, everyone who tried to lose weight would succeed---because we all have enough willpower to do it. We all know HOW to do it. But there is more to the equation. The band is a tool that makes it easier to sustain the changes long-term. I know it won't be easy, and that the same behavior changes will be required as if I didn't have the band. The difference, this time, is that once I achieve restriction, the interminable hunger will be removed from the picture. That alone will help me succeed. Add to it the fact that many people with bands cannot tolerate foods that contribute little nutritionally, but lots of calories--and the likelihood of success is far greater. On the other hand, your repeated comments that I won't be able to do it, and that I won't even be able to lose 5 percent make me wonder. They do NOT make me wonder whether I will succeed; I know I will succeed, and your comments don't change my resolve at all. What they make me wonder is this: (a) does my husband really have so little faith in me, or is he ( afraid that I will succeed, and therefore somehow invested in keeping me fat? I plan to have the surgery. I would like your support. If you cannot be supportive, I ask that you at least refrain from being negative. If you have fears of your own, you're welcome to join me at my next appointment so that my doctor can address them for you. But I expect the things you say to me to be things you would be okay with me saying to you, or to your mother, or to your sister." Re: having a support system. I do have a supportive family, but really--it's a pretty solitary struggle. If your husband is generally supportive in other arenas of your life, I think you will do fine in terms of psych eval; it's pretty common for spouses to have reservations about bariatric surgery. Tell the psych you have a generally supportive relationship, that your husband is wary of surgery but not opposed, and that you've invited him to join you at your doctor's appointments so that he can become more comfortable.

My weight-lifting regimen burns VERY few calories. (The burn comes more after the workout.) Being up and active (as in patient care--which I don't do any more, but know what it entails) burns way more calories. 16 hour shift? Just way, way, way more calorie burn than 40 minutes of weight-lifting + a cardio workout. I don't have a hard time believing what the Bugg told you for your activities, Liftingchic.

Yes, I've kept a close eye on carbs all along. I journal my intake on Fitday, so even though I primarily focus on getting enough Protein, I do aim to keep carbs <50 g/day---from veggies/fruits/legumes. I lose best this way, and don't find it difficult because there is finite stomach space.

The diuretic effect of caffeine has been definitively found to have been grossly exaggerated. Most of the Fluid in a caffeinated drink is available to the body for hydration; very little is lost to diuresis. And it simply does not pull other fluid from the body. Experts are now saying that most of the volume of the caffeinated drinks can be counted as part of daily fluid intake--the impact of caffeine on hydration really is that minimal. That said, caffeine can be harmful to health---for some people. It can contribute to fibrocystic breast disease symptoms. It can aggravate cardiac arrhythmia. It can irritate stomach mucosa and promote ulcer formation (as can the acids/tannins in coffee/tea). For most people, though, both in moderation are safe.