BetsyB

Hummingbird, I agree; I'm really enjoying getting to know everyone more each day. This is such a warm, welcoming place. Speaking of welcoming--Amy, WELCOME! How exciting--banding a week from tomorrow! I look forward to hearing about your progress. :wub: Christie, I'm glad your son has his poppa wrapped around his finger. Good grandparents are such a blessing. My poor kids got the short end of the stick in that lottery. Isn't closet-shopping fun? I have actually been "shopping" my my daughter's closet (after swiping my son's shorts :tongue2:). I, too, need new undies, and she is the QUEEN of underwear. Seriously, she can't walk past a store having a sale without stocking up. (When she was doing laundry before returning to school this weekend, she told me, "This is the first time I've done laundry this semester." She probably has 100 pairs...) I draw the line at drawers, but have swiped a couple of bras she never wore, but left behind when she left for school. I figure it's only fair. For years, my kids have treated everything I own as community property so now it's PAYBACK TIME! :laugh::tt2::smile: Good luck with Fill #3. Mine is a week from Friday....I have a feeling this is going to be a significant one in terms of result. What's on everyone's agenda today? It's supposed to be gorgeous here--near 60 and sunny. Truman and I will be heading out for our walk in just a few minutes. Then, I get the excitement of an orthodontist appointment with Preston. I think I will let him stay home for the rest of the school day after the appointment....maybe we will hit the gym. But I also have to get busy, because we're having a party on Saturday, and I have tons to do. The scale was up an inexplicable 1.4 pounds this morning. I am chalking it up to being female and having hormones. But I don't like it one.single.bit. (There is no way it's "real" weight...but still. It's there. On the scale. Which makes it seem real---and makes me CRAZY. :thumbup::smile2:) Oh, well. Gotta keep on keeping on. Have a great day, everyone!

I was going to suggest first bite syndrome, as well. I'm sorry you're having difficulty--hopefully, you'll be able to figure out how to "prime" your stomach to prevent this from continuing. (It's my understanding that fill level has little to do with it; it involves spasm as passes through the esophagus into the stomach, rather than stuck-ness as food leaves the pouch into the stomach below.) Good luck!

This is a pretty common effect of scopolamine--so common that medical personnel can become sort of blase about it, and forget to share with patients. And that is VERY scary for patients, as you know! I'm sorry you went through this ordeal. You should have been told to expect it. (I'm glad my doctor used a different antiemetic--and glad I know pharmacology...because a pupil-size discrepancy would flip me out, otherwise!)

Kris, I am so glad you went in! Dehydration can set up a vicious cycle, and nipping it in the bud is so important. Are you feeling better today?

If my insurance had covered the sleeve, I would have been hard-pressed to make the decision--it is very appealing in many ways. I'm very happy with the band, but if I should ever require revision, that's the route I'd take. Good luck! I hope you get lots of good info at the seminar on the 1st, and move along toward your goal quickly!

Yes, we're all worrywarts at the beginning--really! It gets easier. And the good news is that, postop, you'll really have a million different sources for good-quality solid Protein, and it will become far less of an issue.

Drasan, you took the words right out of my mouth (well, fingertips)! Between the slower metabolism that comes with loss and reduced intake, the loss of insulation, and the estrogen released during fat loss (body fat is mildly estrogenic), I think I'm slated for the easiest perimenopause in human history :wub::laugh::tongue2:

I don't think you're strange at all. Many people do not share with others. When I was in the preop, pre-approval stage, I shared very judiciously. But as time has gone on, I've been more and more enthusiastic--and cared less and less about peoples' reactions. That doesn't mean I tell every single person who notices I've lost weight that I was banded. It's more personal than that. But I do share, if someone I know and care about asks how I'm doing it. Part of the reason why I have done this is because, back when I was losing on my own, the father of one of my son's friends stopped by to pick the boys up. His wife mentioned that he, too, had lost a lot of weight---and when I asked how he was doing it, he said, "I don't usually share this, but I have a gastric band." About a year later, there I was, still struggling to lose weight---and thinking about banding. I'd seen his success---and his willingness to share that with me really helped me make the decision to at least attend a surgeon seminar. (I didn't know, at the time, that we chose the same surgeon---but was THRILLED to find that out when I was making my final decision.) I figure: If knowing about this very, very positive thing I've done for myself helps anyone, I'm willing to share. It's not shameful, and so far, I've gotten nothing but positive feedback from people. That said, there are people I have not shared with because I don't want to hear their responses (inlaws, anyone? No, really--I'm giving them away!) Good luck with whatever you decide.I don't think there's a right or wrong way to handle this information. It's YOURS, and yours to deal with the way you choose.

Wow! Great job--congratulations!

Does your insurance require a referral from your PCP? I ask, because if you're not sure which surgery to have, it's good to see a doctor who performs all of them, and can guide you to the best one for your particular needs. You might also find that insurance does not cover the sleeve, even if the surgeon you were referred to only does it and RNY; if so, RNY by default --if that's not the choice you want to make--is not a decision that should be made simply because of one referral. (I hope that made sense!) Good luck to you, no matter what route you take!

Thank you for the nice compliments, ladies :thumbup: Karen--AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME! What fun, shopping and crying out of JOY rather than frustration! I was pleased to "shop" in my closet, and find that I can wear a pair of 18s that were nowhere near fitting 2 months ago. (And I discovered that the Hollister shorts my youngest spawn has determined are no longer cool will fit me by the time shorts season rolls around here, too...so I won't have to be naked this summer--or spend money.) I really like this aspect of this whole process!

It sounds more as though something's getting stuck OR you're eating past the point of full than a simple consequence of restriction to me. Are you starting with bites that are no bigger than a pencil eraser (the max that can fit through a stoma that is at the "right" degree of restriction)? Are you then chewing the living daylights out of it? Does your body give you "soft signals" that you are full--and do you listen? There are definitely foods that are more difficult for some to tolerate, and shrimp is often on that list. It can be, for lack of a better term, kind of rubbery---and can plug up a stoma like nobody's business. When I eat it, I cut each shrimp into 6-8 pieces (seriously!), then eat them individually and very slowly. In this way, it causes me no trouble. But I can totally see where it would cause problems!

What a terrible tragedy. It's frightening, but experts estimate that up to 30 percent of weight loss surgery patients (and this can include us) develop transfer addictions. In other words, when they are no longer able to abuse food, they shift to other substances (or behaviors). I don't know if the stats are accurate, but it definitely is something to be on the lookout for. We all need to get healthier---and it's so sad that your friend, despite losing weight, developed such a tragically destructive addiction. (Not that it's his doctor's fault or responsibility, but it's a shame that he could not have been successfully urged into rehab.) What a sad and unnecessary waste of a life. I'm really, really sorry for your loss.

Congratulations!!

Do you maybe mean that you are limiting carbs, not Protein? If not---I'd really try to bump up the protein quite a bit. It's not unusual to feel weak and cruddy for a couple of weeks after surgery, but you want to be sure to do everything you can do to promote good healing and recovery. That would include getting plenty of Fluid, getting adequate protein (at least 65 g/day), taking a good bariatric Vitamin (I like Bariatric Advantage chewables), and advancing your diet as advised by your doctor. My doc had me on purees pretty much from the outset---but nixed things like creamed Soups, cream of wheat, and so on. Instead, the focus was on protein purees--and I felt great. Cream of wheat can fill a belly--but it doesn't really offer much nutritionally, and has the downside of being carby enough that a blood sugar spike can be followed by a plummet (and weakness). Another poster suggested you post what you eat in a day. That would be helpful, for feedback. But really, if you're concerned about your weakness, a phone call to your doctor would be a good idea, too. (I wish you'd been given more guidance, preop, about nutrition and vitamins--I hate to see you feeling awful now because you haven't been given enough information.)

Another thought: I have terrible trouble with any pills that are compressed tablets or caplets, but do just fine with Gelatin capsules that are filled with those little beads. As long as I take a good drink (sipping something warm afterward is even better!) when swallowing, that cap dissolves in no time--I've never had a stuck incident. You might want to try simply taking it as intended. You may be very pleasantly surprised :thumbup:

Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday tooooo yoooooou.. Happy birthday, dear Dottie... Happy birthday to you! I hope your day is wonderful!

Like Apples, I aim for 100 g protein/day. This is significantly higher than the 65 g recommended by my surgeon; it's based on research that shows that those who do take in 80-100 g/day have better outcomes in terms of muscle mass maintenance, hair maintenance, and so on. I certainly hope no one felt attacked, as Scotty has implied! Discussion is ...well, just that. Sharing ideas. I certainly haven't intended to disparage anyone else's approach--just explained, when asked, my rationale for my own. As far as I can tell, that's what everyone else has done, as well.

Good morning, everyone--happy Monday. Am I the only one whose butt is being kicked by daylight savings time? Ugh, getting up was hard this morning! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DOTTIE!! I hope your day is wonderful. It sounds as though your trip is lovely, so far. Well, except for the food difficulties. What a beautiful part of the country to travel through this time of year--I hope you get to see lots of gorgeous blooming trees. Bob, I really expected something more scandalous for your ousting from Facebook. Not that I'm recommending that you do anything now; we'd rather keep you around. I sent you and Christie friend requests. Christie, the pic you have of your son (your profile pic) is ADORABLE. What a beautiful boy! Elfie--your real name is beautiful, and it suits you perfectly. Leigha--I'm glad you survived your son's first date. Preston's my 13-year-old son. Denise--I'm so jealous of your NO trip. Have some mudbugs for me, please. Good protein! Hummingbird--OUCH! on the muscle pulls. I won't laugh about the butt muscle thing--I know how it hurts. Your grandson sounds like lots of fun--it's premature, I know, but I am really looking forward to grandkids. Nothing new and exciting on this end. I'm down 1.8 for last week--not stellar, but I've upped my exercise, and suspect I am holding on to some fluid. Truman seems to think it's time for our morning constitutional, so I guess I will comply. The sooner I get back here, the sooner I can finish final grades for two of the courses I teach and provide instruction for two others. THEN I can get on to the fun part of the day: cleaning. I am sure you can all feel my joy and anticipation. Have a great day, everyone!

Congratulations on your success--it sounds like a fabulous cruise! I'm so glad you were able to enjoy it so fully.

The melon from Bariatric Eating is really good. The Pom Razz Sangria is, too--mixed with Crystal Light lemonade, it's my favorite Protein. Their PURE unflavored protein isolate is very, very good too. It's great added to all kind of things.

I think the 2-ounces-every-hour thing is designed for those who have difficulty---to ensure that they get adequate Fluid. (Check with your doctor about this.) I never had any problem at all with liquids---so I've simply made my shakes and had them from regular cups and bottles (depending on the type; I have a warm chocolate shake in a coffee mug, and a fruity one mixed with Crystal Light that I drink from a sports bottle throughout the day, when I make it).

I'm going to make a suggestion that you will not like. ALL of us have been on diets forever. All of us thought that moving ahead with surgery, and bypassing the medically supervised diet, was a great idea. And a lot of us were wrong. Getting to the OR sooner would have done us no favors. I would strongly recommend that instead of forging ahead and trying to hit the OR sooner, you take the time to really get in the right place, mentally. Use the time to answer some of these questions. They are very valid, and deserve your attention. What I did was start working on banded habits right away. Practicing the new behaviors made it clearer to me that I could self-soothe in other ways. It also established patterns of behavior that have helped me tremendously now that I am banded.

Is the Muscle Milk the only alternative your doctor will okay? I ask, because I've had it...and blech. I vastly prefer the Inspire line of Protein at bariatriceating.com. Its nutritional profile is really good, and my doctor okayed it instead of his usual preop recommendation. It's not ready-to-drink, but dissolves easily (without blender) with Water. (Another bonus: shipping costs are waaaaaaay less for powders, as compared with RTDs.) I don't have a package of the Muscle Milk in my house, but it's packaged as Muscle Milk Light 100 calories: CytoSport | Driven By Science. Inspired By Performance.

What changes, mostly, is our actual stomachs! At the time of the fill, there is swelling. That goes down, so the band loosens a bit. And, too, the actual size of our stomach decreases with weight loss--loosening the band. At the beginning, I've been told, this can happen pretty quickly. The stomach-size thing tapers off as loss progresses. But mostly, it's swelling...and when that dissipates, the "fill" sensation dissipates. Laura, I know that the office is pretty adamant about waiting 6 weeks--luckily, they are a little more aggressive with fills than many. But it can't hurt to ask for an earlier fill. I'd email and describe what you're eating, how often, how much, and how long it's tiding you over--and ask if you can go in sooner or, failing that, whether they have any advice to increase your satisfaction/decrease the hunger. Are you able, now, to get in enough Fluid and Protein? If not, really focus on that--it does make a difference.