zobee

Thanks! It helps to know what to expect -- I appreciate it!

Thanks, that makes me feel better! Heather, how did they determine that your port had flipped?

Yesterday, while napping, I rolled onto my left side and woke up with this burning/pulling pain and then a weird sensation, like something slipped/squished/slid. Today, my port area hurts.

My question: has anyone ever actually felt their band slip? And if so, does that describe it?

Also: I have an appointment on March 1 to see my surgeon. If my band has slipped, do I need to get in sooner, or will it be okay to wait (I do not have a fill, if that's important to know).

I'm going to call my doctor's office tomorrow, for sure, but am curious to know if this is some sort of emergency that I need to be worried about, lol.

Thanks!

I think the confusion begins in that I am not a military wife, ha ha -- so no, I used BC/BS to pay for my surgery.

My husband was in the Marine Corp and served overseas during all of Regan's administration, and then some. I started the group to support current military spouses, but anyone is welcome to join, military or no. A lot of civilians appreciate the opportunity to help our armed forces in some way.

Hope that clears that up, ha ha!

Very cool -- thanks! It seems like the majority with iphones use loseit over any other app. I'll check it out - thanks again!

Mine required 12 weeks.

If I were you, I would be up front about it with your doctor. Tell him the exact date that you quit -- but also tell him exactly how much you smoke. The reason being that as a matter of standard practice, many doctors will include an order to test for smoking during your preop bloodwork.

You'll be told that nicotine leaves your bloodstream in 48 hours, and that's true - but they don't test for nicotine. They test for the metabolite, Cotinine. You'll find various numbers on the internet about how long cotinine stays in your bloodstream (most of these manipulated by people trying to sell detox miracles that don't work), but the general consensus is that it may stay in your bloodstream for up to 12 weeks.

Most doctors are very up front and will tell you in your preop visit that if they find you've been smoking within the 8 or 12 weeks that they've instructed you to be smoke free, they will cancel your surgery. And some will refuse to reschedule. I even heard one story about a doctor who was wheeling a patient into the OR when he found out, and he ordered her out of the hospital.

Rather than chance it, I was honest and told my doctor that I would only be nicotine free for 6 weeks at the time of the surgery -- but that I had actually quit smoking two weeks prior. I let them know that my blood work would show the cotinine because I was using an electronic cigarette, with a 6 mg nicotine level, but that even when I was smoking regular cigarettes, they were lights and I only smoked about a half pack a day.

They appreciated my honesty, weighed all that information and cleared me for surgery.

If you would like to quit smoking all together, I would recommend getting an ecig. It worked for me!

On an aside, I could send you a link to a humor article that I wrote about it in my blog, but I'm afraid the language isn't very good. I was in the throes of a full on nicotine withdrawal attack at the time, and feeling fairly grumpy (as in, I wanted to kill people, ha ha). If you're interested, PM me and I'll send you the link.

Best of luck to you!

Hi Stevie! I sent you a PM with a personal invitation to join us at Walking With Warriors -- a group designed to help support, encourage, and motivate military spouses.

Hope to see you there!

Have they checked to see if maybe it doesn't have anything to do with the band? Maybe some kind of bacteria in your stomach?

My daughter doesn't have a band, but -- she was very ill a few months ago -- couldn't keep anything down. Did all sorts of tests including an endoscopy and it was found that she had h. pylori bacteria in her stomach. They did a triple treatment and she's right as rain.

Hope you feel better soon - I can't imagine what you must be going through :rolleyes2:

you know, you aren't alone on this one! while i'm not nearly so obsessive about my teeth (just twice a day, thanks!) i too have noticed bleeding gums when i brush my teeth. this started post op, so i definitely think it's got to be nutrient linked. (and my doc has me on two children's Vitamins too! curious.) but my dic did give me script for Vitamin d capsules, but i'm not supposed to start taking them until 6 weeks post op!

Don't take this the wrong way, but it's so nice to hear that you are also having this problem -- or more to the point, it's good to know that I'm not alone. I couldn't get in touch with my doctor today, but I'm going to keep trying until I get a call back. If you learn something before I do, please let me know!

I bet that blood disorder is Factor V Leiden (Pronounced Factor Five Lie-den) -- one of my daughters has it. It is genetic blood disorder. Has your family experienced problems with blood clotting? And if your surgeon thinks it might be due to a blood disorder, did he order any tests? The test for FVL takes about ten seconds -- they just have to draw some blood.

Please do make sure that you follow up on this. It is really very important. If you ever have to have emergency surgery, the doctors will absolutely need to know if you have a blood clotting disorder. Also, it can cause complications during pregnancy (my daughter nearly lost her baby, that's how we found out she had it), but there are things that they can do to help if they know about it in advance.

Glad to hear you're on the healing path. Just rest and take it really slowly - your body has been through a terrible trauma! Try to get your Protein and Vitamins in, and worry about the rest later. Oh -- and congrats on the weight loss!

@julian's mom Well it seems to be working for you, from the looks of things -- good job! I also like the feel of a pencil and a pad of paper in my hand over technology, but I have to admit that the iphone (as much as I fought getting one) really does make like that much simpler, as everything is right at my fingertips in one piece of electric circuitry.

@tarajim -- Is "loseit" an iphone app? Why do you like it so much? Have you tried others, and if so, how does loseit compare?

@Just Ice -- I can honestly say that I have never heard of body bugg, so you'll have to give me a pass on not having recognized your royal presence, lol. Tap & Track tracks exercise as well, and it also tells me how many calories I have left to eat in a day to stay under my goal, which I think is cool. I wonder if body bugg has an iphone app.

thanks. My doc gave me more options 2 try as well nt just the egg mcmuffin. He told me 2 take a bite or 2 of the sandwich or what im eating then wait ten mins i should feel full if nt after 10mins take another bite.

What is ur daily diet like what r u eating? How much have u lost since surgery?

Wow, ten minutes between bites -- that is eating slow!

My diet varies from day to day. Yesterday I didn't do so well, I'm afraid. My husband and I went out of town on a date and we ended up at Chilies. While there, I had about five chips with salsa and about three boneless chicken wings. I also ordered the shrimp fajitas, black Beans and rice. I ate about six shrimp on two small tortillas, but didn't like the Beans or rice so passed on those. And I was so stuffed!! Too much!!

Today so far, I have had an omelet made with egg beaters, onions, and mushooms, with a half a piece of FF cheese. I'm thinking about Tomato Soup for lunch. Generally speaking, though, I try to stay around 1000 to 1200 calories per day (unless my husband has a hankering for Chilies, ha ha)

Not sure how much I've lost since surgery, as I have not weighed myself since my first check up, and I don't intend to until my next check up which is the 15th, but I know I've lost at least 12 pounds (plus the ten I lost on my pre-op) and I'm hoping that its more. Maybe about 15 to 17 pounds total since surgery? I'm guessing.

My biggest successes so far, above and beyond weight loss, are that I quit smoking (woot!), and that my edema has disappeared -- completely. That is huge. I've lived with horrible edema in my feet and legs for several years. I actually have ankles now -- it's amazing!!

I've started walking today with the Walking with Warrior's group, and I'm hoping that helps to speed the weight loss up, too. I have a conference to go to in Hollywood in October and I so want to be fit and slim for that!

dowhatido -- please consider asking your doctor if there wasn't some type of mis-communication about that Egg McMuffin. I hate to contradict your doctor and I'm sure he knows what he's talking about, but regardless of his medical degree, there is simply no way on God's Green Earth that ANYONE should eat an Egg McMuffin every day.

Forget weight loss for a minute -- according to the American Heart Association, we are not supposed to consume more than 300 mg of cholesterol per day, in order to maintain a healthy heart. Less is even better.

An Egg McMuffin contains 238 mg.

Please, just think about it -- then do what you feel is best for your health.

Regarding Cereal -- I can't see the harm as long as you are getting in your Protein and stay within your calorie range. Enjoy!

Congratulations!!!:blushing:

I was going to buy a little notebook to carry around, but my DH bought an iphone for me and they have several apps that allow you to log calories, exercise, etc right on your phone. Very cool!

Does anyone use one of these apps? Which one do you like the best? I just bought the app Tap&Track. Look pretty cool -- has a built in database of food items to make calculating your intake easier.

What methods of tracking do you all use?

For those who missed the Mile Matchers thread:

If you feel you need some encouragement in your daily walking, please feel free to join our social/support group, Walking With Warriors at:

LAP-BAND

Today is Day One of 100, so if you want to start with us at the beginning, this is the day to do it! You are, of course, welcome to join at any time.

We will be walking a minimum of 1 mile a day and logging our total miles in at the group, so we can keep a running, cumulative tab of the miles we've walked as a group.

Exciting stuff! Hope to see you there!

Hey lapbanders,

I got banded on 12/23 and im still very swollen and my dr told me that i should be back to normal in 6 weeks, but me being very impatient (I just found out i can fit into a size 16 but the only thing thats holding me back is my stomach) is there anything else i can do to kind of rush the process?

thanks in advance =]

LOL -- sorry, but there is nothing I know of that will rush the process. Be patient -- it'll make slipping into those size 16s all the better! And congratulations - that's fabulous!!

Hello, I never know what to eat. I have no support and have gained weight because after some mistakes, I got really swollen and started only eating the wrong things that did not hurt like pudding, applesauce and the ultimate bad, ice cream, but after an hour of being stuck, ice cream felt good. Even though it was low fat and sugar free, it was still bad. I initially lost 20 lbs, but now have found them and 10 MORE, my new skinnier clothes don't fit and I just dont have any ideas for daily meals. Please help. Or, if you have a list of diet ideas, please email me. I would really appreciate input from you all. It has been a year and I am fatter, and everyone is noticing. I want to get on track but need ideas for day to day meals. I also am looking for a warm drink to open things up in the morning but do not drink coffee or tea, any ideas?

Have you consulted your doctor? What has he/she said? Do you need a fill? Maybe your doctor can schedule you with a nutritionist?

Of course it does! Walking With Warriors it is. And the group is up! You can find us at:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/groups/walking-warriors.html

Woot!

Contradict all you'd like. I am still learning here too.

Thanks for the info!

Well then I wouldn't contradict at all, as I don't like it, ha ha! And trust me you're so not alone -- I'm still learning, too!

I had my surgery on September 4, 2009. I have had two fills with a total of 4.7cc in a 10cc band.

After my second fill I was very restricted for about a week. After that, nothing.... It has been 6 weeks and I have gained 3lbs... My Dr. thinks its my food choices and wants me to see a dietican.. I know some of its my choice in foods but I think if I was restricted enough, I couldnt eat breads and LARGE PORTIONS...

Does this mean I need another fill??

When you say "large portions" how big a portion are you talking? For instance, how many scrambled eggs do you typically eat at a sitting?

Now, think about how those eggs prepared? With milk? Whole eggs, egg whites or egg substitute? Cooked in butter or cooking spray? With or without cheese? Served plain or on toast?

If with toast, how many pieces? Is it buttered?

And what is on the side? Bacon? Turkey or regular? How many pieces? Hashbrowns? How are they prepared? How many do you eat?

We make dozens of choices with very meal. Writing down what you eat, how much you eat, and how you eat it is key to success, I think, as it makes us aware of the choices we've made -- both good AND bad.

If you need the nutrition data for a food item or recipe, a good resource is Nutrition facts, calories in food, labels, nutritional information and analysis – NutritionData.com I'm sure there are others out there, but that's the one that I use and I love it.

Best of luck to you!

Slider foods are basically any food you eat that "slides" straight down to your real stomach.

#1 on the list is ice cream.

The there's pudding, yogurt, Jello, any liquid containing calories, mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, Soup, etc...

Not speaking from experience yet but these are the foods I plan on keeping to a limit.

Sorry -- and not to sound contrary, but speaking from experience --

Yogurt, soup and cottage cheese are absolutely not slider foods. Skim milk yogurt (137 calories/14 g Protein per cup) is a staple in most WLS diets, as it is very high in Protein and relatively low in calories and fat -- especially if you opt for the low fat versions. Greek yogurt is even higher in protein. Yogurt can replace Mayonnaise in many fatty recipes. The same is true for cottage cheese (163 calories/28 g protein per cup) which can replace ricotta, or simply be enjoyed on it's own. And unless you get the ultra creamy/fatty Soups, soup can be a very good food choice -- it can be filling and yet low in both calories and fat.

Slider foods are those foods that slide through your new pouch and that add empty calories into your daily diet, so, for instance, sugary drinks, high carb foods, deserts, and so forth.

@hmarko I don't think it has to do with the nicotine, but good thinking! My reasoning is that I only used the electronic cigarette about four times before I put it away, and that was about 12 weeks ago. It just tasted gross, lol!

The lichen planus thing sounds like a real pain to have to deal with -- sorry to hear that! I don't think that I have this either. I looked up the symptoms, and I don't really have any of them. As to Vitamin C, other than the Flintstones, I'm not chewing any other Vitamins, so not sure it is that -- but way to brainstorm!

@mogirl I'll write that down and bring it to my dentist's office with me so I don't forget those brands -- thanks for the suggestion!

LOL, when she sees the list of notes I have for her, my hygienist is going to think I've finally lost my mind!

Welcome Aboard! Our choices now include ...

Steps for Troops

Troop Miles

HoneyLove Walk

Military Mile Marchers

Maniacal Milers

Bander Brigade

Sneaker Squad

Walking For Warriors

Walking With Warriors

Stride 4 Stride

Feel free to vote here, or send me a PM with your thoughts. I'll start the group as soon as we have a name.

Here is the description of our group. Please feel free to offer any suggestions for additions or changes.

"We are committed to encouraging those of our members with loved ones in the military; especially those whose partners are deployed, and who therefore lack the support required for successful weight loss. Specifically, we commit to walking a minimum of one mile per day beside them, matching their weight loss efforts stride for stride. In exchange, we will reap the personal benefits of increased exercise while extending our appreciation for the sacrifices of our deployed military.

"Members are encouraged to use this group as a place of encouragement, where we can share our progress, or any thoughts, insights, or reflections from our daily walks."

Thanks for your input!!

So far we have ...

Steps for Troops

Troop Miles

HoneyLove Walk

Military Mile Marchers

Maniacal Milers

Bander Brigade

Sneaker Squad

Feel free to vote for your favorite or suggest another!