BetsyB

I hope we can start celebrating our successes and stop "only-ing" them Word.

You're right--it's not enough long-term. But we're newbies :thumbup: The green smoothie is a great idea; I will incorporate that.

The doctor can see the level of restriction, but that does not necessarily translate into a lasting level of restriction that you'll perceive as your sweet spot. Some people really do feel quite a bit from their first fill. A few find that it does the trick. But most seem to feel very little difference from the first fill. There is a difference--but our pouches still empty too fast for us to really notice a difference in our hunger levels. This usually tapers down over a few fills. Fluoro or not. My doctor does use fluoro for all fills. I had my third about 10 days ago--and do feel restriction now. It's starting to dissipate a bit, though, so I suspect Fill #4 will be necessary. It's worth the wait :thumbup: Hang in there!

I, too, was cleared for cardio immediately postop. I was permitted to walk or bike (or whatever) to my tolerance, with encouragement to push myself a little. I was not cleared for weight lifting until after my 4-week check. Meg, yes--it's very normal to get very tired, very quickly. You're incisions may be tiny, but your body has been through a lot. Your endurance will increase with time.

My doctor's eating recommendations are quite different from the standard. For starters, we don't add starches back until 75% of our excess weight is lost. I focus on Protein (3-4 oz. per meal) and veggies--and one serving of fruit per day, too, at this point. Depending on the day and my choices, I am sometimes one veggie shy of the 5-a-day minimum recommended by all the health-promoting agencies. (I've always preferred aiming for the upper limit of 9-10, but my stomach really doesn't have the real estate at this point.) Some days, I round it out with something like V-8. I'm not really concerned about stretching out my pouch--- most veggies chomp down to next to nothingness. But I am concerned about getting the wide range of nutrients that being able to eat lots and lots of veggies affords. I think it's really, REALLY critical that you do whatever you can to develop the habit of taking a good-quality bariatric Multivitamin each day. I don't know about your doctor, but preoperatively, I was required to sign a document that outlined my responsibilities as a patient, and doing this was among the items listed. It's THAT important. And it just isn't all that hard to do.

My doctor's okay with waiting it out for a week or so, as long as fluids go down and stay down. I had a fill 10 days ago, and have had a couple of stuck incidents since then. I didn't baby my band long enough after the first time I was stuck, and now I'm paying the price by having to backtrack from regular solids to mushier stuff for a few days. If you are concerned, give your doctor a call and ask what his/her protocol is.

It's really common for there to be pain in the coccygeal region after weight loss---it really is due to less padding. It's not common for pilonidal cysts to return, but it happens, sometimes, if the original excision wasn't complete. But when this happens, it's very, very evident. And it sounds like you had a very thorough excision the first go-around. Since your doctor hasn't found any evidence of a problem, I'd chalk it up to losing your "cushion." And I'd try to ensure that you have some cushioning when you sit.

How often do you see the doctor? It sounds as though you need to work with him/her to achieve restriction. Really, it's enormously easier when you reach that point! That said, sugar's not going to decide not to leap into your mouth. You're going to need to make a conscious decision to eat the right foods. Even before you reach restriction (which may take more than a couple more fills, depending on how aggressive your doctor is), you can and should be making choices that promote loss---and sadly, sugar doesn't qualify. I empathize--I have a sweet tooth a mile long. My doctor asks his patients to commit to a YEAR of not indulging---to really focus on achieving 75 percent of excess weight lost (or more) before even adding starchy foods back in. I think he's on to something, actually; when you don't eat starches and sugars, your desire for them really does vanish.

- i would like to have your own personal expirience on how you ahve altered you life to accomadate your band/new plumbing for any bypass/sleeve patients on here. I'm banded. Some of the lifestyle changes I've made far preceded banding. For example, I was exercising daily for about 3 years by the time I made the decision to be banded. I already drank over 64 oz. of Water each day, took a Multivitamin, and tracked what I ate. Since banding, I've adopted a much lower-calorie, low-carb diet. When I have something between meals, it is carefully chosen to help meet my body's needs. I still exercise daily. I take different Vitamins, and when tracking on Fitday, pay attention to micronutrients I'm still missing out on and supplement those, as well. -what suprised u most post op I was surprised to actually start feeling restriction, after many weeks of none at all. I mean, it's something we all aim for, but until you actually feel it, it's such an abstract concept. -how you feel when people think that you took the so called easy way out? I haven't encountered this in my real life, only online. If anyone in my life is thinking along these lines, they're not sharing it with me. As time goes on, though, I admit I'm coming to view it as the easy (or at least easier) way out for me. I spent a decade and a half banging my head against the pavement, trying to achieve success on my own. The band represents hope for me. I am now achieving success. It may not be "the easy way out," but for me ANY way out is easier than the alternative. But I can't expect someone who has not had the same experiences to consider all that I've done--the things that have been hard, and without meaningful result---when forming his opinion. And I can't expect someone who hasn't ever had a band wrapped around his stomach to understand the lifestyle changes that are required to peaceably coexist with the band. And that's okay. They don't need to understand my motivation or my band. As long as I do, everything is a-okay :thumbdown:

It's hard to predict who will have the most problems with excess skin. It depends on age, genetics, the amount of weight lost, how many times you've lost and regained weight, and how long you were overweight---among other things. It depends very little on rate of loss or what you apply to the skin as you lose. It's probably realistic to expect that you will have excess skin. I know that sucks. But think of the alternative: excess skin v. skin filled with fat---well, clearly, you'll be in a better place! You're right, plastic surgery often does not cover removal of excess skin, particularly in areas for which there are few documented medical issues related to the skin (such as the arms). But that doesn't mean you can't have the surgery. You can---you simply have to save for it and pay for it. In the meantime, there are lots of really good compression garments that make it impossible for others to tell you have the skin. Naked may not be as pretty as you'd like, but you can still look like the resounding success you will be while clothed. I'm pretty resigned to either (a) looking like a shar-pei when done, or (:thumbdown: having reconstructive surgery. It's expensive, but no more so than a mid-level American car---I certainly am worth at least that much! Most plastic surgeons offer financing--either themselves or through finance companies. Many will negotiate lower prices for cash payment, as well. It used to be that doctors would recommend maintaining at goal weight for 12-18 months. Now they recommend being at a stable weight for just a handful of months. Time doesn't really do much for excess skin. But getting down to a low BMI does. Sometimes, what people think of as "excess skin" still carries with it a fair amount of excess fat. I don't know if you've spent much time looking at plastic surgeons' before and after photos, but the befores often involve people who stopped losing while they still had considerable fat beneath the skin. The extent of surgery can really be minimized by getting all the way to goal---and choosing a goal that is lower than the "I'll be happy if you get to a normal BMI" that so many of our doctors promote. If you look at pictures of people who have done that--really gotten down to a low BMI (rather than just hitting the top of the "normal" range), you'll see that, while they do have excess skin, it's not nearly as extensive as those who have not. (And when there's less work to be done, the cost can be contained; you may decide that some procedures can be skipped, and it will be far easier to do the ones you deem necessary.)

I have not been told the same thing about pineapple, but I bet I know the rationale: fresh pineapple (not canned) contains a substance that is similar to salicylate. Like aspirin and other NSAIDs, it can be irritating to the stomach. (It can also cause cross-reactions in people who are allergic to NSAIDs.) . I would imagine that any ban would be short-term, when your new pouch is most irritable and apt to be bothered by the acidic fruit. And I would think that canned pineapple would be okay, unless your doctor has a different rationale; of course, the best thing to do is to check with him/her.

There's a very good chance you'll be instructed not to take meds the day of surgery. (The anesthesiologist will monitor and correct your blood pressure; depending on what your usual BP is, your doctor may choose to have you omit morning meds.) I was told to take mine with a sip of Water, first thing in the morning. I then had nothing by mouth until I went into the OR around 1:30. I thought it would be awful, but it really wasn't. If you're super-concerned, though, talk with your surgeon. Some are okay with water closer to the actual surgery than the usual NPO after midnight (or sip with meds in the a.m.).

It probably would be a good idea to give the doctor or your nutritionist a call to double-check what their expectations are for you at this stage---I bet it will help you feel better about how you're doing. Before you do, though, weigh and measure your food intake for a few days so you have concrete info to tell them. They don't want to hear, "I believe I can eat more." They want to hear, "I eat four ounces, and still am starving," or, "I'm sticking to four ounces, but am hungry again in 90 minutes." Specific information will help find your solution. Also be sure to let them know if you're getting stuck---but again, before you call try to identify whether there are things you can do to change this---so that you can tell them, "I get stuck every x days or so, on x foods---and it doesn't seem to be related to bite size or chewing adequately," or "If I am really careful about bite size and chewing, I don't get stuck." The great thing is that we have professionals to decide what is appropriate, in terms of fill. But we do have to supply them with useful information so that we get the very best results for ourselves.

At the beginning, it really is 100 percent willpower. You CAN lose. However, the band won't be an active participant in the loss for a while. If you know how many calories you're taking in each day, and know that you're not losing---and if you want to lose in the interval before you have restriction--it's time to either reduce the calories, or increase the calories you burn. I know there is a lot of banter around here about "too few calories to lose." Regardless of what is (or, actually, is not---at least not undisputed) in the medical literature, you have to do something different if you want a different result. And you need to listen to what YOUR body is telling you. What it's saying is that 1500 calories and a bit of the elliptical isn't creating enough of a calorie deficit for you to lose weight. I know that it sucks--and it especially sucks when you don't have restriction from the band yet, and are hungry. But at 1500 calories, you're eating well more than you would on any of the commercial weight loss plans---so you do have considerable room to pare down. If you want to see losses in the next few months, it's what you have to do.

Kind of anticlimactic, huh? As a rule, people with bands do not dump--at least not by the same mechanism as those with other weight loss surgeries. (Lots of us do "dump" in response to sugar, but it's different.) I don't think that most of us experience nausea in response to most foods, either. And once the postoperative swelling is down (if it even was substantial enough to be felt), most of us don't have anything resembling restriction. So pain is not something we'd expect, especially after a tiny nibble. So, it's understandable that you felt nothing---there wasn't much to feel! This will change as you approach restriction after a fill or three (or four). In the meantime, yes----starvation is a way of life! It's really hard, but your weight loss, at this point, is 100 percent dependent on your choices. Step away from the cheesecake!

Sawyer's right on the money. That said, I think your were asking whether it's realistic to expect loss before you have the help of the band. Yes, it is. But you will have to eat in a way that promotes loss---which means that, without the benefit of restriction, you will be dieting, and you will be hungry. Many people view the postop period as a time for healing, not losing. You can do both, if you choose---but it is an act of willpower. The weight doesn't just "start coming off." There's work involved. (There's work once you have restriction, as well.) I think your loss so far is really great! If you keep up that rate, you're going to hit your goal in no time. (As a means of comparison, my doctor's office is pleased with any weight loss over 6 pounds a month; the banded rate of loss is 2-ish pounds a week, just like if you were on Weight Watchers. It can be a bit quicker, but it's never going to approach the huge initial losses you see with other weight loss surgeries.)

My doctor's instructions are that, if I can get and keep liquid down, to give it a few days to calm down. I think you're probably pushing the envelope, time-wise; I'd probably call to see whether s/he wants to see you.

Oh, Leigha, I miss Texas azaleas! They just don't do well here...but they are so pretty there! I do have a little magnolia that's about to bloom---so I get a tiny taste of the south way up here.

Yeah, Depo Provera is pretty notorious for causing mood swings and depression. It's just an awful lot of hormone introduced to the body at once. Though it wears off slowly, it still packs a wallop. Erin, do you feel as though you're getting what you need from the band with no fills, or are you pretty much white-knuckling it? I'm just wondering--you've done so well so far, and just curious whether you have restriction. As for what you're in the mood for in the morning...well, I certainly understand how the concept of eggs might gag you. (I can't tolerate them.) But when it comes to foods you can tolerate but just aren't wild about, I'll tell you what I tell my kids: it's not just about what you're in the mood for. You sometimes just have to give your body the fuel it needs. Cinnamon toast may tide you over for a while, but it's not giving your body much of anything that it needs. Are you working hard to develop the good habits that will allow you to maintain your weight loss? You're so young--I so wish I'd learned to do that when I was your age. (Yes, I am an old lady--but really, I do understand!) Your exercise plan sounds really good and really ambitious. I like that it involves a lot of different things, and also involves doing things with friends. That's a good way to stay motivated and have fun so you don't get bored.

Yes, when she's talking to men, especially, she really whiiiiiines in that sing-song way. I love her story, but the voice is grating.

Leigha's right! I wish I had a million more "depressing" pictures of me. I have so few "before" pictures---and as I shrink, it's really nice to have evidence of that shrinkage. Next Easter, your pictures will take your breath away. Until you reach that place where you're okay with the camera, be kind to yourself. You're doing all you can to become what you want to be.

Catherine! Congratulations---you must be so proud of yourself. You are gorgeous, and your accomplishment is so, so admirable.

Great idea! I will aim for 10 by Mother's Day.

whoops--duplicate post!

Denise, I thought about you when I heard about the quakes---that must be freaky to experience on a relatively frequent basis! We had one here not long ago, and it definitely did make for an interesting start to the day! What does Butters think of quakes? Truman was so perplexed. Anne, you didn't sound like you were whining about your popsicle incident. You sounded like you were owning your behavior, which is really admirable. Yes, the popsicles were sugar-free, but it was the behavior you want to change. Identifying that is great. Did everyone have a happy Easter? Ours was lovely---minus the food aspect. My tummy has chosen to voice its outrage at my recent fill (mainly because I've been stupid/stubborn and have not really appropriately honored it), so I had no difficulty staying on the straight-and-narrow, food-wise. I had a nice, WLS-friendly meal planned, but it was not meant to be. No biggie--there will be other nice, WLS-friendly meals. Everyone else enjoyed it, which was nice to observe. We had a beautiful rain that washed the massive amounts of pollen from the air, and today looks like it will be a gorgeous day. My pear tree, magnolia, and crab apple trees look like they're about to burst into bloom, and the oregano, thyme, sage, and marjoram I have tucked among the (not yet emerging) flowers in my front garden are all coming to life. I think that today, I will go to the garden center to get a new patio planter for tomatoes, peppers, and a few more herbs. I can't remember being so joyous to see Spring arrive as I am this year. Maybe it's 'cause I have cute new jeans in a REGULAR size :smile2::laugh: Abby heads back to school tonight. Preston's spring break has ended, too. I guess that means I have to buckle down and do the work I've been postponing---no fair for them to be hard at work while I'm slacking off! Truman and I are heading out now for our walk. I won't have a car this afternoon, but Preston and I have a pact to do the gym on T-Th-S this week, which will bump up my activity. This is much-needed; I think I have reached a plateau (though my size is changing quite a lot even as my loss is stubborn), and things need to be shaken up a bit. Have a great day, everyone!