BetsyB

Inspire Protein from bariatriceating.com is THE BEST. I like the Dutch chocolate Cake and Peanut Butter Cookie flavors the best. The chocolate, I like prepared with warmed almond milk. The PB is great blended with Water & ice, but also good warm. I am sure the other flavors (there are lots) are wonderful. Oh--and their PURE unflavored protein is excellent, too. It really does blend into foods without a telltale protein-y taste/smell. I use it to bump up protein in Soups, etc. Whoops--sorry. I didn't read far enough to see you were sticking with GNC.

I'm sorry you're so frustrated. I totally understand---and it stinks. You say you already have a psych eval that clears you---but you don't. You have part of the required psych exam. You're not cleared just because a psych says you are; they need specific items in order to make the clearance valid. I would be inclined to take it up with the psych; if unfamiliar with the requirements for clearance, s/he should have spoken with your surgical group and/or insurance carrier to find out what was required. And then, it should have been done. Personally, I'd insist that s/he COMPLETE the exam you already paid for! ETA: Did your surgeon let you know, from the outset, that there was a program fee that wasn't covered by insurance? Mine did--at the very first seminar. From the very outset, I knew I'd have to pay $300 before my preop nutrition class. It was not unexpected---but when it came time to pay it, it still kind of caught me off-guard. It's not the surgeon's office's fault---it's just the nature of overloaded minds. we simply can't absorb everything! My mind happened to prefer to focus on the things I needed to do to be successful with my band. My doctor's office, though, kind of wanted their money LOL I don't think these are omens that you shouldn't have the surgery. I do think you need to remain aware that the aftercare does involve out-of-pocket costs you may not have considered; if you're concerned, it'd be a good idea to talk with your surgeon's financial person to find out if there are other things you aren't yet expecting that might come as a surprise.

They say (you know, the "big THEY" who know everything LOL) that it really isn't as well-suited to grazers; it's better-suited for those who overeat at meals than to those who eat small amounts frequently throughout the day. After surgery, you will be limited to 3 meals a day, or 3 meals and a couple of Snacks (depending on your doctor's philosophy). This does not mean you will no longer want to graze---the band does not magically remove eating impulses, nor does it make it impossible to fit food---especially in small amounts, spread out---into the stomach.

You are within 6 months of a twin birth. It took you almost 10 months to create those miracles; please give your body at least TWICE that time to return to "normal." The postpartum body, particularly if nursing (but not only then), can be fickle about giving up weight. That weight was gained for a purpose, and the body knows it; it does not always let it go easily---but it will let it go. You will find doctors who will band non-morbidly obese patients. (Insurance, however, is not apt to cover this.) And I'm not suggesting that this is wrong to do. But if you were normal weight--or near normal weight--prior to pregnancy, I think it would be prudent to see where diet and exercise alone will take you. The band will require of you the very same diet and exercise commitment. It won't accelerate your loss in and of itself. What is does is make the loss POSSIBLE for those of us for whom limiting portion was found, over a period of years, to be ineffective. If you can do that without taking yourself away from your infants for a couple of days (and then being restricted from lifting them for a period of time), why subject yourself to a surgery that will permanently change your body. (While it can be removed, it is not designed with that in mind.)

Can you simply make snacking during class time a non-option? That's the route I'd take. If I'm working, I don't graze throughout the day to stay awake, so I know I'm capable of doing without. You are, too. Focus on the class, play Bejeweled on your iPhone, check Facebook...whatever.

I was walking within the first couple of days, and back to my full walking regimen (several miles a day) very, very quickly--by 10 days or so. I'm at 4 weeks, and was just cleared to return to the gym (for resistance training/weights) this coming week.

With an appointment length that long, it sounds like you'll be seeing all the specialists who need to clear you for surgery. That's really great; they can get your case submitted to insurance quickly. Does your insurance require six month supervision? if not, you may find that you're on your way sooner than you imagined! Good luck!

When you say you're getting enough protein, what do you mean by "enough?"

Let's see...you've lost 25 pounds since being banded about 17 weeks ago. 30 in 10 weeks seems optimistic, especially given your current exercise regimen. Maybe if we knew more about what you're eating, it would be helpful. If you're not already doing it, focusing on protein and carbs from veggies is a good way to get things moving more rapidly. But even if you don't hit 30 pounds, you'll be well on your way if you continue with your current regimen!

It's actually more typical than not for there to be port site pain. I'm about 4 weeks out, and the tugging/cramping pain has pretty much abated. I still get a twinge every now and then, but by and large, it's resolving.

I'm a little over 4 weeks out, and haven't experienced any nausea. I had one "stuck" episode, with a pill, just a couple of days after coming home. I felt a sensation of uncomfortable pressure for about 15 minutes, and was fine once it worked its way through. (During that time, I experienced the legendary sliming...but nothing more than that. When it became unstuck, it was really funny---it felt like a clogged drain had become unstuck! I could practically feel the Fluid in my stomach circling the drain as it gurgled though.) I can't really feel the band at all. I mean, now that I've had a fill, I certainly sense its presence in that I become--or, really, remain--fuller. But there's no sense of pain. The worst discomfort has been at the port site. But even that has been liveable. I won't mislead you--there IS postoperative pain. But it is short-lived, and easily managed with proper pain medication in the short term. I was able to work part-time within a couple of days of surgery. I wasn't particularly uncomfortable, but my mental clarity wasn't terrific! I was able, though, to take it easy. I think I really hit the, "I feel like myself" point at around 10 days postop. I was back to my usual several-miles-a-day walking regimen by that point---so really, the recovery was quite rapid. Really, the postoperative experience has been WAY easier than I ever would have imagined.

I totally, totally understand the impulse to eat---really, I do. But I promise, you'll feel better--and better withstand the stress--if you don't. Eventually, you'll lose the urge to do most emotional eating. It may hit from time to time, but it really can be pretty well extinguished. I am no longer an emotional eater. I guess that's the one thing I can thank cancer (not mine; theirs) for. Now I'm just a too-much eater. Thank God for the band.

I understand your concerns. The best way to have them allayed is to ask the doctor. Most of the time away from your room is spent in the recovery room. For most patients, time in the recovery room is a foggy memory at best! My surgery started around 1:30, and I didn't get to my room until around 4:30. The delay didn't have anything to do with surgical complications; they were waiting for someone to be discharged and my room to be cleaned! The surgery itself took about 45 minutes. I was awake and aware for much of the recovery room time--dozing, but lucid when awake---and was aware of the discussion about my room readiness, etc. I would wager that most of the time you spent away from your room was in recovery, too--sleeping. But ask! I've never known a surgeon to withhold important intraoperative information from patients. ETA: I have 5 incisions; nothing went wrong. It's just my doctor's surgical approach. Do you have a reason to believe something went wrong, or are you just surprised by how cruddy you feel? I don't think there's a way, really, to be prepared for postop discomfort. We all know we're going to have it, but it's just so much different when we DO have it. In your shoes, I'd try to reframe my thinking. Instead of focusing on the what's-wrong side of the coin, I'd flip it. You've had abdominal surgery, and are doing astoundingly well. You're home, you're recuperating, and you're on the way to a much healthier life!

I think Carnation does have a no-sugar Instant Breakfast--but like you, I'd choose another; it doesn't have the same amount of quality Protein as many of the shakes available. (My favorite are Inspire shakes from Bariatric Eating.) My preop diet consisted of 2 shakes a day (they recommended Atkins, I went with Inspire) and one meal consisting of four ounces of lean protein and 1/2 c. nonstarchy veggies. We could also have 2 servings each of broth, SF Jello, and SF popsicles, if we wanted. I didn't lose a tremendous amount--about 7 pounds. I'd already pared down on carbs, so my liver didn't have much of of a glycogen store to let go. (That carries with it a ton of Water, too). But the preop diet's not really geared primarily for loss---it's more of an overall prep....gets the liver in good shape, de-bulks the bowel contents, gets you in a good eating-less postop place, etc. ETA: I'm surprised to see that doctors are still recommending soy-based protein; it's not as readily absorbed, and so many of us have allergy issues!

I think discussion of family impact is really important. My husband wanted to be fully supportive, but was apprehensive, which caused him to hold back a bit. Taking him to my surgeon's seminar and first appointment made an enormous difference for him. First, he became far more comfortable with the surgery (and the surgeon!). But maybe more importantly, he got a little bit of a reality check vis-a-vis the risks of obesity. Honestly, I don't think he ever saw me with objective eyes; to him, I wasn't morbidly obese. When he learned that staying the way I was posed far more risk than the surgery, it was an eye-opener. My near-adult (okay, adult---but still in college) daughter was apprehensive, too. I didn't realize this because she was away at school; she was home for the month right before my surgery, so was around for the preop hustle and bustle. Her anxiety skyrocketed---she just hadn't been around for all of the discussion---so I took her to my preop seminar. Hearing just a little about what was expected, and seeing who was taking care of me, and seeing the hospital made her feel tons better. My son, 13, has been utterly unfazed by the whole process. He has a friend whose father and grandfather were banded by the same surgical group; he knew this well before I did, and saw how well it fit in with family life. That helped A LOT. (Because we all know life revolves around how the teens are affected! LOL) Plus, we watch Big Medicine together. He has been a staunch supporter from the get-go. ETA: Gloria, your website is awesome. I love your matter-of-fact approach. I also agree strongly that surgeon choice is critical. While it's possible to change doctors, it's well worth the effort to find one, from the outset, with whom you can imagine a lifelong relationship. As a former RN, I can attest that surgeons frequently are not people people. They are often quite brilliant at fixing peoples' insides, but many do not have bedside manner. Patient relationships with surgeons are often short-term. This, of course, is not the case with bariatric surgeons. A good bariatric surgeon is as good with his patients' emotional needs as s/he is with their innards. I feel SO blessed for having found the doctor I found.

That must be very frustrating! It sounds like what you're missing is restriction. Will your surgeon continue to work with you until you achieve appropriate restriction?

What kind of soup? Creamed and strained, or with chunks/bits of solids? If the latter, it sounds to me as though you might have had a stuck incident last night, and still be irritated today. I'd stick with liquids today---for me, warm goes down easier---and ease into eating more slowly. If the vomiting is still going on, and you're not keeping liquids down, please call your doctor. If you can keep fluids down, you don't really have to worry about hurrying to get more food in. Your body will be fine if you take it slow.

It's totally normal. Even if your surgeon is magical and sucks all the gas they introduce to the belly out when he's done, it's still normal to have twinges of gas for a while. I think it was a good 7-10 days before I felt "normal" in that regard.

Yes, it's normal. Things just don't sit right immediately. Milk can be VERY hard on the digestive tract, and bariatric patients often find themselves to be lactose intolerant postop. Since being banded, I can't tolerate milk. cheese is ok, but milk makes me feel awful. You might want to refer to your doctor's list of ok foods and see if there are others that would work better for you.

Millions of prayers to him--and you. I know this is going to sound trite, but when I was facing my brother's and my mother's cancers, I made eating poorly a non-option. I knew that I would feel physically (and therefore emotionally) better if I ate properly, so I just MADE myself do it. You can do it, too. It's hard, but try to find another outlet for your emotions---like expressing them (even in a journal, if it's hard for you to talk about them), instead of eating them. Really,the eating won't make you feel better. Quite the contrary---with a band in your belly, it will make you feel worse.

I don't have experience with it, but wanted to say I'm sorry you're facing this. 30 days of liquids would be so hard to take!

Clothes are a huge motivator for me, too--but I can't buy in advance, because I'm never quite sure what areas are going to shrink next!

Does your insurance require comorbidities for a BMI of 40 or above? 40 was the cut-off for mine; the weight alone was sufficient to proceed. Start at the beginning. Find a good doctor. His or her staff will know exactly what to do to get you approved. You can let them worry about :scared2:

The remnants of viruses can linger, but unless you are frankly ill, they will probably go ahead with the surgery. Your doctor will be able to give you a better idea of what to be concerned about when you see him/her this afternoon :scared2:

I researched this a while back and found that, because we don't require the Protein DURING the flight, they will not make exceptions to the liquid-volume rule for bariatric patients. If you need to take it with you, I'd plan to check a bag, or even send it ahead of myself so that it was at my destination when I arrived. If you take protein powders, be sure they are in unopened containers, too. The Inspire Proteins at Bariaric Eating come in zipper bags that can be easily packed; they also have travel sized packets.