BetsyB

No. It doesn't mean that. Grooming/hygiene are assessed as part of an overall physical assessment; they can give clues to a patient's overall well-being. (Grooming/hygiene can deteriorate as a result of certain physical disabilities as well as due to things such as depression.) The wording just shows that her doctor isn't a very good writer---like many doctors (and nurses). Physician's and nurse's notes tend to include a lot of rote phrases that do the job of recording an assessment quickly, but not particularly articulately. "Alert and oriented x3; PERLLA; heart rate 80, rhythm regular; lungs clear bilaterally; bowel sounds active; ROM intact to all extremities; skin warm, dry intact; normal grooming; obese." It's not pretty to read, that's for sure---but all of our charts would contain, I am sure, similar eye-openers.

My doctor has a similar regimen, and the expectation that it will be adhered to during bandster hell. My PCP is 100% supportive of it, and I've been just about 100% compliant. At 3.5 months out, I'm not at 50 pounds down (my doctor never voiced an expectation of that sort), but I've lost 42. So, I'm going to go out on a limb and say, "Give it your best shot." I really don't think it's nuts. I don't believe maintaining or gaining during bandster hell are a given. I certainly understand accepting our bodies' needs for TLC and healing. But I don't believe that the fact that we can eat dictates that we must. This is the LAST time you are going to have to suffer hunger in the name of weight loss. You now have a tool that will remove that aspect of the struggle. But during the time you wait for the tool to become effective, you can adhere to your doctor's plan and lose weight, if you choose to do so. It's difficult, but it sure feels good to see the weight come off.

I understand your frustration--truly, I do. But the above leapt out at me. Why haven't you had a "decent meal" in two or three months? Are you continuing to define "decent" by the yardstick you used preoperatively? If so, it's time to reframe. Find ways to make the foods that are on your plan into lovely meals. You are going to be dissatisfied forever if you cannot get past this hurdle. Eating is different, now and forever. This does not mean you cannot have indulgences. It means that most of the time, you will need to eat within certain parameters. You can choose to view it as punishment (as "never having a decent meal"), or you can find ways to make it pleasant and fulfilling. It's entirely in your hands. Coloradobanding--great post.

Cast another vote for the Y--I love that it is so family-oriented.

Greetings from your slacker BB&B member---I am sorry to have been absent; I've had a (bad) emotional couple of weeks, and have been steering clear of people because I've been a GROUCH. Not the best approach, but I hate to inflict myself on y'all when I don't have anything positive to offer. I have screwed my head back on straight, though, so here I am... LeeAnne, congratulations on your band! I hope it's all smooth sailing for you!

At five weeks, I was cleared for all exercise with no restrictions. Check with your doctor, but I bet you will be given a green light.

Do you have flexibility in your mealtimes? If so, I'd shift your dinnertime up a bit--dinner at 5:30 requires that you go an awfully long time without eating, even if you add in a Protein shake later in the evening. Dinner at 6:30 and a Protein Shake around 9 would make a huge difference, I bet.

Acetaminophen is fine. Aspirin is not; aspirin is an NSAID, and can contribute to ulcer formation.

My insurance company gave conditional approval; I knew that if I completed my doctor's supervision, approval was forthcoming. (I, too, had documented WW attendance, as well as documented supervision by my PCP; the "official" supervision did not begin until I stepped on the bariatric surgeon's scale.) The three months went by FAST---there is lots of other stuff crammed in there, so you'll be busy as you "wait." (It's a really great time to focus on behaviors you'll need postop, too :thumbup:)

I don't think I would self-initiate a Liquid Protein diet simply because other doctors require it. On the other hand, I would start practicing the eating behaviors that are required postop. Small bites, chewing, no drinking while eating, etc. These are the things that the brain has to wrap around---being uber-hungry and consuming only liquids? Not so much. (That's the part we endure because it's a means to an end.) Your doctor makes his/her recommendations for a reason, based on his/her experiences. If s/he felt that you required a Protein diet to reduce the size of your liver preoperatively, s/he'd prescribe that for you.

Because of the connection with ulcer formation, many doctors strongly recommend against reintroducing caffeine---ever. Some are okay with caffeine, but recommend against coffee (caffeinated or decaf), because it's acidic--and the particular acids may be more related to ulcers than caffeine. And still others don't think it's a huge concern, and are okay with reintroducing caffeine, whether in coffee form or not.

What are you eating? In what amounts? What kinds of exercise are you doing?

Well, compared to all the times I really struggled to lose, only to regain what I lost (plus some), the band really does represent an easier way out. Or, at least a way out! I couldn't really find that way out before---so I'm fine with people calling it whatever they want. When others say stuff like this, it's usually to justify their own decisions. Let it roll off your back---it's not worth your angst. Your day is almost here! Good luck! It won't be easy. But it will make things possible for you that haven't been possible so far.

I use fitday, too :smile:

Pharmacists need to know about how drugs work, how they interact with one another, and whether they might induce an allergic response in patients who've identified drug allergies. They cannot possibly be expected to know the restrictions associated with every disease process and surgery that walks through the drugstore door. Determining whether the size of your stoma requires a liquid med or a pill splitter is the prescribing physician's purview (and if not a bariatric surgeon, that physician might require education from you). The pharmacist's role is to dispense prescriptions safely using different benchmarks. If you want the people who provide care to you to know about your band and your restrictions, it's your responsibility to tell them. Most are very receptive. Sometimes, patients are the best teachers. No one says you need to become the Ambassador of All Things Band-Related. But extend a little grace to the vast population of people for whom banding has really not even registered on the radar. They make up most of the world.

Like Ada, not taking that one last bite.

It was the one office visit when I didn't see the doctor. The nurse removed stitches, checked my incision, and answered any questions I had. That's it :smile:

It's a great question to ask---I wish more people did ask it before surgery, so they'd know what to expect. Banding will not take away hunger---at least not at first. And it definitely won't take away cravings. BUT--and it's a big but (ha! like mine)---once you get past the hellish period of non-restriction, your hunger level dramatically drops, so it becomes lots and lots easier to resist temptation. Plus, your stomach capacity very simply is reduced to the point where overeating becomes more or less a non-issue. You do have to find a way to deal with the feelings that food creates for you---because they don't really vanish after surgery. (Two good books to help with the emotional aspects of overeating: Shrink Yourself by Roger Gould and The Food and Feelings Workbook by Karen Koenig.) The band is a really great tool. It really does what it's "supposed" to do----it makes living on far less food, well, liveable. But it does take quite a while after surgery for most people to reach the point where the band really provides restriction---during that time (or even before), I think it's important to eat as though you do have restriction, so that you have good habits in place. It's really amazing how much room life has for other things when food is not the primary focus :redface: You may experience grief initially, but the rewards really very quickly outweigh the costs---and that makes it all worthwhile. Good luck!

I took my husband with me to an informational seminar and to one of my first doctor's appointments. It made a big difference. When my (college-age) daughter expressed anxiety about my upcoming surgery, I took her to one of my preop classes. It was very reassuring to her. (My son? He was fine with it all along. We watch Big Medicine together.)

I work out daily, and need to stick to 800-1000 to lose. Everyone is different. That said, be sure you're being very honest with yourself about how much you're eating. At the beginning of your post, you state , but then go on to say that you're only getting 800-1000 calories. Are you journaling your intake someplace like fitday.com? Do you measure or weigh your servings? What foods are you eating? (Are you getting adequate lean Protein? Avoiding refined carbs?) If you post a couple days' worth of menus, I bet you'd get great feedback :redface:

You've lost 50 pounds in less than five months? It's time to work on your thinking, not your loss. I understand that you "want more," but that is not realistic. And because your expectations are not realistic, I think it would be a mistake to resort to liquid dieting---it reinforces the disordered thinking/disordered eating connection rather than working on developing a new, healthier relationship with food. If you find that you're veering off course, yes--get back to basics. Make wise choices. But do recognize that your rate of loss is higher than most experience---and try to reframe your thinking. (The "starting over on Monday" might be a good place to start; how about just making a good choice for dinner tonight?)

I've been waffling back and forth about the bugg for a while. I think I've concluded that, for me, it's not worth the money. Knowing the numbers might be motivational initially, but the fact of the matter is that my eating is limited by the band, and I change my exercise regimen as my tolerance increases. No matter what, my intake is lower than my output. I don't need equipment to tell me that. It's nowhere near as precise, but using a (free!) tool like Fitday allows me to track my nutrient intake and get an approximate indication of the calories I burn during exercise. I've decided that's good enough for me. Yes, the Body Bugg would give me a very accurate idea of calorie burn---and that would be interesting for a day or two. But I just don't see an ongoing need for that level of information. Plus, I really didn't feel like starting from scratch with another journaling system. I have a huge databank of custom foods on Fitday, which makes journaling effortless. I suspect I'd get one if my food intake weren't as well controlled. It's a neat gadget---but I just don't see the utility, long-term. (I guess my thinking is that, if I've expended extra energy during my workout, my body already knows this. I don't really need to be told.)

It probably refers to a comprehensive metabolic profile (CMP). All of the chemical reactions in your body make up your metabolism. This series of tests (from one blood draw) shows how well your organs/organ systems are functioning. It's sort of a quick snapshot of the chemical processes going on in your body. It includes blood glucose Calcium albumin total Protein sodium potassium bicarbonate chloride BUN creatinine liver function (ALP, ALT, AST, bilirubin) Fasting in advance helps ensure accurate results.

Pills have been an issue for me, almost from the very beginning (when my restriction was next to nil). I can't tolerate pressed tablets at all, unless they are tiny. They get stuck, without fail---and they stay stuck far longer than other things. (They really fit into the stoma and plug it up.) HOWEVER, gelcaps and powder-filled capsules work fine---as long as I take them with a warm liquid. The Gelatin then dissolves so that the caps don't get stuck. Your mileage may vary. Bariatric Advantage has many bariatric vitamins in chewable form.

It sounds to me as though your expectations are realistic. At first, you will rely more on willpower and planning and determination than you'd probably like. But even then, the band does limit stomach capacity. Once you add in the element of slow pouch emptying (restriction), then the band really, really does work nicely. You still have to make good choices, but the band guides that. It becomes light years easier. Removing insatiable hunger makes it easier to make choices that provide your body with what it needs. Yes, it's a tool. But it's a darn good one!