BetsyB

My doctor wouldn't, I don't think. But then, I would not ask him to. Look, you had a surgeon cut your body open to wrap a band around your stomach. You did so knowing this would require dramatic changes in your eating habits for life. Instead of focusing on the deprivation aspect, why not focus on the opportunities? You'll be able to sample enough delicious food to satisfy your tastebuds without jeopardizing your weight loss success. You will be able to engage in EVERY fun activity the cruise ship offers. Food is NOT the only recreational sport to be enjoyed. If you have the Fluid removed from your band, your stomach capacity will still be limited. You will be able to eat more frequently--but not all you want of a food "you just can't resist." It simply will not do for you what you are hoping it will do. You will also face months of returning to the same level of restriction--because no surgeon will put it ALL back in at once. Is eating all-you-can-eat on your cruise REALLY aligned with your goals?

I would gain weight on 1500 calories--my body just can't handle it. I tend to eat between 800-1000, with a bit of give and take on either side. I DO get 100+ grams of Protein each day, no matter what my calorie level for the day. I supplement the food I eat with protein shakes because research shows that bariatric patients who get a minimum of 80 g do better, result-wise than those who stick with the (often-recommended) 65 grams. If you're not even meeting the 65 grams recommended by your doctor, I'd think hard about protein supplements. Bariatric Eating's Inspire line is really good. I also take bariatric Vitamins, an extra Vitamin D, and Co Q-10 supplement--all at my doctor's recommendation. I'm not as far out of the gate as many, so it's a bit early to know how my hair is going to respond. Right now, I can tell you that it, and my nails, are REALLY happy with the extra protein. That doesn't mean I won't lose hair; the trauma of surgery itself may catch up with it. We'll see. ETA: I forgot to address one of your questions. You asked about how many calories you need to maintain. This is really individual--and something you'll have to figure out, by trial and error, when you get there. Depending on your basal metabolic rate, your activity, etc--it can really range widely. A good way to figure out what your body needs is by gradually adding calories each day, and watching the scale. If you add 50 calories a day for a week, and your weight loss continues, the next week you might bump it up another 50 calories. You keep doing this until you find the level where you're neither gaining nor losing.

You didn't cause any harm, but that's not carte blanche to now eat it indiscriminately. Follow your doctor's orders as best you can. You will reintroduce salad soon enough.

I'm sorry you were pushed back--but you might find recovery easier when you have more time. I didn't have a prolonged wait, but did have a couple of months when I was waiting (combo of waiting for approval and waiting for surgeon availability). My doctor's office had me go in for monthly weigh-ins like I did during the supervised time before approval. This helped keep me on track. It also helped me become really comfortable with my doctor and his office staff. Do you think your doctor would be supportive of something like this?

Weight is one thing we will NOT share! Brian, are you psyched? Tuesday---yay!

Yep, that'd be me, too. I just have had to accept that I will weigh myself daily. And make it a goal to reframe the message sent by the machine--and (more importantly) the messages I then tell myself. I went to the doctor (not bariatric) yesterday. His scale (you know, the same scale that's been in the office hallway since his dad opened the office 100 years ago; the one that gets bashed into every time someone rounds the corner---and probably hasn't been zeroed or calibrated since 1978? Yeah, that scale...) weighed me THIRTEEN POUNDS heavier than my scale. Now, I knew, intellectually, that my clothes weighed 3 pounds. (How did I know this? Because I weighed myself, at home, with and without them. I told you, I am insane.) I knew, too, that my scale --which jibes pretty exactly with my bariatric surgeon's---was more accurate than his. That I really did NOT weigh 13 pounds more than I had an hour and a half ago. But I still had to say, out LOUD, "It's just a number. It's just a number..." Because it could have thrown me into a real tailspin. It worked. It actually worked! I was able to tell myself that next year, when I go back to the gyne (at goal, or close to it), his scale would STILL tell me things I didn't want to hear. But that it doesn't matter. It's just a number--and it's not the truth. Losing weight is not easy. But IMO, it's way easier than changing the messages we tell ourselves. Learning to stop ourselves short when we are "speaking" to ourselves in ways we would never treat others is a pretty important part of the journey, I think. I'm not sure how well I'll do with this long-term, but it IS now a priority, because I'm finding that it makes a big, big difference.

Taking a kit with you is an awesome idea. I will ask my doctor about that if I ever travel out of the country. Fortunately, my most frequent travel destination is Houston--where finding a doctor well-versed in band adjustment is super-easy.

You can't find omegas in an easy-to-use form? I'll grab some Coromega and send it to you! PM me :cursing:

If your pharmacy does not carry liquid Tylenol, tell the pharmacist you need it. They will happily order it. Ordering online is a great route to take when there are no alternatives (or when you can get a good deal), but I've never encountered a pharmacy that would not stock something if requested.

Phrenic nerve trauma is, from what I understand, pretty commonly associated with hiatal hernia repair. It is also associated with laparoscopic surgery, in general; the introduction of CO2 into the abdominal cavity can be irritating--and persistent. Some surgeons reduce this by removing all CO2 at the end of the procedure. Others (few) heat and humidify the CO2 so its (much colder than body) temperature does not damage tissues. A few do gasless laparoscopy. Elfie, I think it's a good idea to investigate the placement of your tubing and port, but would also keep in mind that you might be one of the unlucky few for whom this pain persists longer than is most common. From what I've read, it seems that for some, it really can be a nagging problem. But, too, it seems as though it does tend to resolve eventually. I'm sorry you're in such pain! Nerve pain is really very miserable. Will your doctor help you with pain management until it resolves? ETA: I just read that you've been prescribed patches--that's wonderful. Adequate pain relief is so, so important!

Hooray! I'm so glad you've reached your sweet spot. I have my second fill on Wednesday, and my third on 3/26. I hope to be in your ranks around then! For now, I'm practicing and pretending I already have restriction--tiny bites, chewing to oblivion, and tiny portions. The "no hunger" part of your post made me smile. For you--and also with hope for myself.

The scale moves very slowly for me, so I take monthly measurements, too. I was VERY discouraged earlier this week, until I learned I lost 7.5 inches between 1/24 and 2/24. Then, all of a sudden, the scale decided to give me a 3.6 pound loss, too. Jackpot! They don't always make sense, these bodies of ours. But they DO do what they're supposed to do. We just have to trust the process.

I don't know about the protein bullets (I no longer use them because whey protein isolate has been found to be more bioavailable than the protein in the bullets), BUT PURE unflavored whey protein isolate from Bariatric Eating (BariatricEating.com - BE, Inc. The number one bariatric website for protein, vitamins, and success.) can be added to lots of foods, including Jello. It works really, really well---and really is undiscernable when mixed with food.

Wow, Gloria--thanks! For all you give, I'm so glad to have offered something back to you!

Congratulations! I don't think I've ever seen a yahoo! associated with the liquid diet; it's refreshing! It's good that you see it as the start to something really positive :cursing:

Mine was 2 weeks long. it consisted of two Protein shakes a day (>15 g Protein, < 5 g fat, <5 g carb), and one meal consisting of 4 oz. protein and 1/2 cup nonstarchy veggies. I didn't cheat, and it was very successful in that the intended liver improvements were achieved and surgery could proceed as planned. This, really, is the primary aim of the diet. Weight loss is a nice bonus, but not really what the doctor's after. I lost a relatively small amount (maybe 9 pounds or so)--but had been eating a carb controlled diet for a while, so my body wasn't really startled into letting a bunch go with the preop diet. It's really hard--but does not last forever. You can do it! PS--Peanut butter increases your satiety not because of added protein (it has about as much protein as carb--and not all that much), but because it is mostly FAT. Fat stays with you longer than either carb or protein. Make sure that the added PB fits within the protein-fat-carb parameters your doctor wants you sticking to.

Hooray! Congratulations!

I wonder if sticking with the standard fare--the dense Protein and veggies (you know,the real basics) would help you feel more satisfied as you await restriction? I don't have restriction yet, either---and I am hungry a fair amount of the time. But dense protein really does help with satiety. This is good when you don't have a band telling you to put the brakes on. But it isn't foolproof---I still have to tell myself, with each and every meal, to put the brakes on. I do this BEFORE I sit down. Meals are measured or weighed---and that is ALL I eat. I have yet to perish from a growling stomach! Things with bread? I am sure I could eat them with no mechanical difficulty at this point, but I know they would trigger more hunger for me. That's me--you might be different. But since you're having difficulty, perhaps paring down the refined carbs and focusing on things your body really NEEDS will help. Is it possible your doctor would see you sooner for a fill?

I'm sorry you've had such a miserable time. Kidney stones have to be among the most painful experiences possible. It sounds like you made a good decision, with the unfill. I hope you get lots of relief. What is the plan for dealing with the stones? Are you getting enough Fluid at this point? Do you have adequate pain relief? Potato soup sounds like a wonderful, soothing idea.

:eek::laugh::mad2: I'm singing right along with you!

She works in a hospital kitchen? She's got it made--there are many options! If she's on a full liquid diet, any of the dietitians will be able to direct her. If she's limited to shakes, the hospital likely stocks Glucerna shakes for diabetics; they're pretty well-balanced, in terms of Protein, fat, and carb. (Lower carb that your run-of-the-mill shakes.) Broths, creamy soups (if allowed), Jello--she really should be okay. If she needs guidance, the hospital dietitian would, I am sure, be very happy to help her choose. You're a good friend to help her out. :eek:

Can you give an example of what a typical day might look like, food-wise?

This is contradictory. On one hand, he's telling you it's all in your head, and on the other, he's telling you it's perfectly normal to NOT be at restriction at 7 ccs. (And it IS common---no need to assume he's missing the port; many people just don't get restriction until they much fuller.) The decision to do a fill is based not only on weight loss (because many of us lose without restriction), but also on HOW YOU FEEL. You are hungry. You are not even near capacity for fills. Will your doctor really not give you one? I'd make an appointment. Tell the receptionist you're coming in for a fill. Tell the doctor that's what you're there for. You have to be proactive. Take a food log. Tell him how much you are able to eat, how long you are satisfied, and so on. Then tell him you want the band to work for you as it is intended to work.

Go to a REALLY good bridal shop--the kind where the ladies working there have been there since...well, since your mother got married. They will be able to give you excellent guidance about sizing. They will also know which styles of dresses are most forgiving in terms of alteration--some have LOTS of leeway, and others do not.

Congratulations!