BetsyB

Nothing immediately up front. But before my last preop appointment, I was required to pay a $300 program fee.

No, meat won't harm your liver. It's carbs you need to really watch out for. No harm, no foul--now follow the rules from here on out! Good luck :smile2:

I wouldn't go so far as to say stupid you, but I would say that anyone eating several cups of food post-banding is not making choices compatible with weight loss. I would also suggest that, unless the bulk of your intake is really slider food, your level of restriction is NOT what you think it is. What are you eating in a typical day? How do you feel when you eat it? How soon after eating are you hungry again? WHY are you eating cupsful of food? Because you're hungry, or because you can?

Bob, I'm glad you're feeling better today! Liz, I have a 21-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old son. I'm VERY familiar with Peanut Brain Syndrome (PBS). The best is when they act like we're the idiots. The good news is that adolescence isn't nearly as horrible as everyone makes it out to be. And that they emerge as real HUMANS on the other side. I've really enjoyed watching my daughter become her own person. But PBS makes me wonder, at times, how they manage to survive the day.

I'm sorry you're disappointed, Christine--I would be, too, I think. Try to think of the Metformin as a temporary crutch to get you over the first hill. Odds are very, very high that, with continued loss, you will be able to ditch it. You've made amazing progress, and will continue to do so. You're doing wonderful things for your body. Some of the rewards will take a little time to manifest--but you're well on your way. (((Hugs)))) You'll get there :w00t:

This is going to sound harsh, but it really is not meant to. It's really just matter-of-fact. You say you can't. But really, you can. You're not doing it, but you can. The problem is that you're expecting some grand external MOTIVATION to arrive for you. And it's not going to. It may show up every now and then---but it's not a given, and it's not a constant. You don't wait to be motivated to brush your teeth. You just do it. You don't wait to be motivated to take a shower. You just do it. Eating well, exercising, etc.---those are things that just need to be done, too. Sometimes, motivation is high. Other times, it's in the gutter. It doesn't matter. These things need to be done. So do them.

I'm two months out, too--and if I ate when hungry,I'd find myself eating ..well, all the time! (I'm only just beginning to approach restriction.) I eat at scheduled times. Eating when hungry has never worked for me in the past, so I'm tackling it in a new way. (That is not to say that, if I'm starving between meals, I won't grab a Babybel...) I find that, when I factor in getting all my fluid and exercise, the mealtimes sort of fall into place. I am tighter in the morning now, so I have a warm drink soon after getting up. Then I take vitamins, meds, etc. After an hour and a half or two (during which I drink my first liter of water for the day), I have breakfast. Since I'm not supposed to drink for 90 minutes after eating, I do my exercise after breakfast. When I get home, I drink another half-liter of water before lunch---by then, it's at least 12:00. Lather, rinse, repeat---after 90 minutes, I work on the second half of my second liter for the day, then start dinner. If I'm hungry later in the evening, I have a warm protein drink (especially if my protein grams are on the low side for the day). It's kind of regimented, but it seems to be doing the trick.

You're quite right. We all have tried calorie restriction in the past. However, we've done it without a tool that permits us to do so comfortably. No one can choose which surgery is best for you other than you, with the guidance of your surgeon. But most of us are really, really happy with the results we've achieved. I would like to correct a misconception. You write, re: RNY: The malabsorption associated with bypass is significant. The portion of the bowel that is bypassed may be small, but it is where a vast percentage of nutrient absorption occurs. That doesn't mean RNY is a bad procedure. It just means that it carries with it other considerations---the need for lifelong supplementation (Protein, other nutrients) becomes far more critical. And the eating limitations are far, far greater. Some people view the latter as a bonus. Only you can decide whether that's the case for you.

Good morning, everyone! TGIF!! Bob, Days 3 & 4 sucked for me--that's when I felt I'd been hit by a Mack truck. Hang in there--it improves quickly! For your first stuck episode, I'd recommend sticky rice. Plain. Jen, congrats on getting into smaller jeans! If that's not a great motivator, I don't know what is! Illuminationlady--how exciting for your daughter. I'm so glad she has your support. And 14 inches!! Tremendous! Denise--Butters is going to be one happy dog with all the walking. And it looks like the scale likes it, too! Are you feeling any better? Liz--Waahhh! I can't see your pics! Can you please add me? I promise not to distribute them widely across the internet. Sticking to 2 bites of delicious chocolatiness is great. I haven't yet, but plan to use the 3-bite rule. I have a feeling that I won't have room for more pretty soon! Hummingbird---how is your cousin doing? I'm hanging in. Mark's home and okay---not a lot different, seemingly, from "normal." He sees the transplant team on Monday. I am nervous. Scared they'll say he's not ready yet. Scared they'll say it's too late. Really, what I need to do is just let it go---I can express my concerns to them, but stewing about them isn't doing me any good. What is IS doing is making me jump out of my skin. My remedy is walking. Truman and I walked twice yesterday, for a total of 7-7.5 miles. It was gorgeous out---very good for the soul! Did I post that I got my second fill? Well, I got my second fill on Wednesday---and while I don't think I'm quite there yet, I feel a real difference this time. At the class preceding, it was emphasized that the doctor almost NEVER allows anyone to get filled at intervals closer than 6 weeks. But I've found that if you are pretty obviously compliant, and ask nicely, he does. This one was after 3 weeks, and he let me keep my appointment for 3 weeks from now. So, hopefully I'll be feeling sweet in a few weeks. The difference I feel now is primarily in the morning. I'm nice and tight, and the span between breakfast and lunch, before I get hungry, is loooong. But then I am right back to wanting to eat everything not nailed down. (I don't--I just want to!) So, we'll see. Today, I have orders from Bariatric Eating (protein powder, sugar-free barbecue sauce, parmesan crisps) and Bandtastic Meals coming---it will be nice to have some new goodies to sample. Have a great day, everyone! ETA: Now I see you, Liz--you look AMAZING! Beautiful :smile2:

Nah, it's not that. PB isn't terribly high in protein. It IS very high in fat--and I'd guess that you're just plain hungry. It does taste good, and it does stick with you, but it's not a great choice for weight loss. What are you eating during the day? Are you getting adequate solid protein?

If you can get enough liquids in you to stay hydrated, I would hold off for a few days to see if things loosen up as swelling goes down.

This is not true. They can charge a program fee, and expect payment. Most insurers will not reimburse for the program fee. You can choose a doctor who does not have a program fee--but IMO, that rules out some of the very, very best surgeons with the best aftercare programs. I wouldn't let $300 stand between me and the doctor I have. Seriously, $300 (plus a handful of $35 copays preop) is small potatoes for the reward received. I know it seems like a lot--but if you put OUT of your mind the notion that you are somehow being scammed and instead consider that the program fee might carry with it some very real benefits to you, it becomes lots easier to swallow.

I'm sorry you're feeling let down, but it's really not unusual for a doctor to recommend significant loss prior to surgery with a patient whose BMI is as high as yours. It's not really related to success rate of the band--it's related to getting you through the surgery alive. You've asked another person to put his reputation and license on the line for your benefit. You have to do YOUR part. Many doctors do recommend bypass for patients with more to lose. There are valid reasons for this. But that does not mean that the band won't work. It means that you have to discuss, with the doctor, his rationale for his recommendations, and then make the most EDUCATED choice you can make. As for the program fee: it's not unusual for surgeons to have program fees that cover the nutrition and exercise counseling that are so, so important to success. That said, it sounds like you're not comfortable with your doctor. And, in fact, that you may have chosen him for the wrong reasons (lower cost). It would be a good idea for you to get a second opinion. Even attending a handful of (free) surgeon seminars can help you get a good feel for a practice. You'll find out, right away, whether there's a program fee---and you'll learn a lot about how each doctor approaches things.

My favorite pizzeria makes a crustless pizza that my whole family loves (double-edged sword: they EAT MY PIZZA!). The crust is actually a very thin layer of their sausage. It's a little higher in fat than I like for a meal, but really, the nutritional info is way better than I expected--so it makes a great treat.

Ow! how miserable, coughing with a fresh band! You say that, preop, you relied on the antihistamine to control the coughing; is that not working now? If not, I'd see the doctor to make sure that the cough you have now is not caused by something different. In the meantime, you're not destined to a life of painkillers--BUT you are relatively recently banded, and taking pain medication to deal with post-op pain is a perfectly reasonable thing to do, until the cough is under control and you are over the hump pain-wise. Be sure, when you cough, to splint your site by pressing your hands or a pillow over it. It really does help. A heating pad, when you're resting, can help, too. But I'd start with the doctor to make sure I didn't need an antibiotic or bronchodilator. Don't give up on the band yet! Conquer the cough. I'm sorry you feel so cruddy!

I have chronic sinus crud, too--and have never vomited. I'm only 2 months out--but have had 2 fills, and one stuck episode (a pill, during the first week postop; no vomiting was involved). I don't rule out EVER doing it---I think most do at one time or another. But caution can go a long way toward preventing problems. For the sinus stuff, I've found that drinking all the recommended fluids REALLY helps keep secretions loose enough that they don't cause any obstruction. When I'm especially cruddy, Mucinex loosens secretions enough that I don't get any sort of stomach sequelae. (I know people who take Mucinex every day to prevent this.) While it's not foolproof, you can do lots of things to prevent vomiting. You don't want to swallow anything larger than a pencil eraser; if you start out with bites that small, and chew, chew, chew, your odds of getting stuck are way lower. Then, too, you have to figure out what works for your body--you might have foods that just don't work well for you---so you find alternatives. From what I understand, the vomiting associated with the band isn't at ALL like the vomiting we usually think of when we think "puke." Sliming aside (a weird phenomenon; the one time I did it it made me feel like a rabid coyote), it's usually the forceful expulsion of one offending bit of undigested food---not the entire gross stomach content thing. Still, better to avoid when possible!

Not that I don't TOTALLY understand where you're coming from, because I had/have the sweet tooth from hell. But this is one path I just won't let myself go down. If I can help it, I will NEVER know how easily sweets go down! I can't afford to have that working against me.

A fistula is not an abscess. It's an abnormal passage between an organ and another organ or site. It's kind of like a tunnel--and may form a hole. It may or may not involve infection. I would venture to guess that, in this case, it's the result of erosion or ulceration--but I'd want my doctor to explain this further, if I were in your shoes. I'm glad you'll be getting your questions answered today. I'm really sorry you're going through this!

Dude! That is an Iron will. I understand your need to test. It feels good to resist--and you're right: it is a life change. I cook meals for the rest of my family, so I understand the whole resistance thing. They're always so concerned I feel deprived--but I have to tell you: I don't. I sit at the table with them and have whatever variation of their dinner I can have---and it's all good.

The free gas in your abdomen ultimately diffuses into your intestine for "removal." Gas-X doesn't help the pain when the gas is trapped in your abdomen, but as you move around, and it moves into your gut, it does help.

My surgeon has a program fee. It includes nutrition counseling/classes, educational materials, and access to exercise facilities. It is not covered by insurance. At $300, it is among the lowest such fees in the area. I don't think it sounds shady. If you're committed to using the surgeon, and enrolled as part of the program, then I would expect a program fee.

It doesn't sound weird to me--not at all. For the last several years, it has been tremendously frustrating that so little could be done to improve the quality of his life. Getting a new lease on life would be an enormous blessing. If he were able to get even a handful of years feeling good again---well, I can't even quantify the value that would have.

Heidi, it's completely normal to be nervous. But I think if you look down deep, you'll realize that banding is a pretty sane and rational decision. Look at what you're proposing as an alternative: drinking liquids and eating one tiny meal a day. That's no way to live! With the band, your intake will be restricted for a period of time. That's to allow your band to become well-established in your body. There are NO foods you can "never have again." Even if, like me, you choose to be really stringent most of the time, there is always leeway for a bit of something you love. You can't have it all, whenever you want it---but you can make room for what you love. I have to say: I couldn't be sorrier about the loss of your baby. The devastation is beyond what I can even imagine, as a mother. I am so, so, sorry. It was not your fault--it just wasn't; please do not burden yourself with that. I can't tell you whether the surgery is the right decision for you. I know it was for me. My kids are older, but I found myself feeling, just last night, an overwhelming gratitude that I had the surgery when I did. I didn't have comorbidities--I've been blessed with good health despite my weight. But I have a husband who is very ill--and suddenly deteriorating. If I'd postponed, I don't know when I would have done the surgery---and now, I can relax a little bit, knowing that my kids will have at least ONE healthy parent for a long, long time. That answered my fleeting second-guessing in a hurry! I hope you find answers for yours Good luck--you'll do great!

It's funny you should mention that those who are successful don't discuss the struggles as much as the successes. For this VERY reason, the psych who did my preop evaluation had reservations about clearing me. He felt I would be LESS apt to succeed because my approach is to focus on the positive. I flat-out told him that some people consider that to be motivation---and a positive thing. And that for us, it's just the way we are. It's not that we have unrealistic expectations--we know there will be struggles. Hell, if we've wound up in a bariatric surgeon's office, we've HAD struggles! There ARE struggles--for all of us. I have been very fortunate that all of mine, so far, have been in my own head, and easily surmountable. I'm not nearly far enough out of the starting gate to know whether I will continue to enjoy smooth sailing---but I am confident that I can handle whatever the band throws my way. I guess my point is that, no matter how you view the struggles, you can experience great success with the band.

I stand against the wall next to the fluoro. The needle is inserted and part of the saline injected. I slide over to the fluoro & he takes a look as I swallow barium. Then he adds the saline in increments, observing under fluoro as I swallow after each addition. Works very well