Cindysmom (Ilene)

Lapbands take time.Restricton is ot automatic, it takes time also. In the am it is tight, in the pm it is looser. Warm liquids ake it lose. Cold makes it tight.
My suggestion to you regrding you being able to eat too much. Measure your food. You should NOT be stuffing your self at all when you have a little bit of restircton.. Try 1 cup of food at t a time.
What are your proirties right now? Eating food or losing weight. Maybe you need to really have to talk with the nurse. Does she have a lapband? Only you and you alone know what kind of restrictioin you have or do not have/ I believe you./.....Why not write these things down every time yoiu have a meal and bring it to her. A picture is worth 1,000 words. good luck...Don't eat too much.

Measure your food everyday. Eat less, chew more.

After the band you all might have a problem with chicken getting stuck. It usually is dry so some of us use mayo. (i do) But all food must be pulverized. After you have sufficient restriction that food will stay in the pouch and slowly it come out. You should be able to wait at least 4 hours until next meal. Fish is easier to chew and pulverize. Rember to plan on eating until you are satisfied not FULL. This lapband is not about stuffing yourself. It is about eating less and being happy with less food. And mostly doing it right and following the rules. No bread ugh. No soda bad. Anyone who needs me for help I can be reached at lizybird@aol.com..... also on sparkpeople.com lapband surgery group. I am coleader Name is missilene. you will have fun with recipes and exercises and learn so much about every thing. and find lots of friends with lapband.

I want you all to know that I am so happy for all of you. I have been reading about post op patiient that are having bouts of Constipation... Please take heed. The pain pills that they give you will do this. Also drink alot of Water. After surgery you will have very little in your body and you very well might get it also. Prune juice will be good since you will be on a liquid diet first, and then mushie stuff.
Please do not think this is a joke cause it is not. Ilene

You need some taken out. Dump that soda..

Your weight loss is great. But who told you soda is permisable? It only makes yoiu burp more. It is also stretches out your pouch. Why not drink Water? It is the best for you and me and everyone else.
Good luck..I hope you do not have a slip. You might ask your doc and as him about the soda too.

I met Banded Wendy i las Vegas last year. She is very excited about her life. i am cncerned that the Dr's are not giving their patients rules and regulations for their post op. I know how it feels since I had to learn these things on my own.

I met Banded Wendy i las Vegas last year. She is very excited about her life. i am cncerned that the Dr's are not giving their patients rules and regulations for their post op. I know how it feels since I had to learn these things on my own.

I do not personally know Dr Huacuz but I have read stories both good and bad.
BUT.
There is such a thing as patient responsibility. If you have been having problems since your surgery you should have been back to your Dr before now.If your original Dr was unable to help then you should surely have found another Dr.
It seems strange that you have not lost any weight since your surgery. Were you given any postop instructions? Were you told what you should and shouldn't eat?
I do not want to seem unsympathetic but I have always had a bit of the sceptic in me. I find it hard to believe that someone would suffer from serious complications for so long and not do anything about it. The last thing I would be doing if I was in this position would be posting a message on an online forum.

Hi Im an Irish 24year old female. Im banded just over two months and my weight has fluctuated between a 20lb loss to an 11lb loss (9lb gain ) i have 5cc in a ten cc band. I currently weigh 267lbs and would love a mentor who started similar to me. My goal is about 140-150. Seems like a huge mountain to climb and would love some motivation from someone who has done it. Really hope to hear from someone

I was a pop addict, too. However, I've not had a single one since surgery and my roommate in the hospital made sure I never will again.
She was in there because she had been regularly drinking pop and prolapsed her band. Yes, the carbonation not only expanded her pouch but actually prolapsed her band. She was in there to have to new band put in. She also gained 40 pounds during that time as well.
Hearing her story was enough to scare me from ever drinking carbonation again. It's just not worth the risk.

My doc also said no carbonation. It stretches your stomach out due to the bubbles, just like white rice. The issue is if you don't stop drinking it, your band will eventually, years down the road, be unable to help you anymore because it can only be adjusted so much. I cut it out totally a year ago, and I was a 2 soda a day at least kinda gal. At first it was so hard, I could smell the bubbles from a mile away. Now - so glad I gave it up bc I know how it helps my weight loss. Beer, I do miss sometimes though. But since we can't eat & drink at the same time anyway, Id almost always rather eat. Haha. Good luck.

Go back to the dr and ask for small fills, ask him about a dietician, ask the staff for instructions, that they didnt give you. Are you on Facebook at all? You might want to try lapband divas. I would follow a Atkins program with high Protein and low carbs. I would drink 8 glasses of Water per day. I would exercise 5x a week for 30 min. I would eat less. 1cup/ 3 oz of protien. I would get a book on Protein, carbs and calories. I would go and join on a group called bandedliving.com Those girls will faint when you tell them this. I would ask my dr why he has not done right by you. I would find out what brand lapband I had and let that company know what has happened. .I would join sparkpeople.com. team: lapband surgery. I am coleader there. Miss ilene. I would go on the lapband.com site, or if you have a realize band go one realize.com
I hope that you have given up all your soda. No white flours, no bread, rice, Pasta, potatos. pizza. I would not drink with food, or right after eating. I would have a good nights sleep.

I hope you can read this........maybe out of focus

good luck to you. If you follow the rules and don't cheat. YOU WILL SUCEED.

I wondered why you would be eating potato chips? Did you look at the carbs? Those are high in carbs. They have no Protein, viamins, Fiber, they are carbs. Carbs make you FAT~ they don't help you lose weight. Protein is what you need to help you lose weight. Protein stays with you, You should have in protein:1/2 of your body weight. if you weigh 180 have 90.
Keep your carbs low. For example: For Breakfast I will have a yogurt. Greek is the best, Okios or Chopani. fat free Ricotta cheese. Or plain greek yogurt with sugar free jelly.Or 2 egg whites or 2 eggs.(eggs are protein) I make an omlette with cheese. I also might add to the omlete spinich, peppers, Bacos
Sometimes I just have shake.< /p>
Sounds like you need a fill. Do you have any restriction?
lunch. Some tuna, some cheese and slices of turkey. mayonaise. lettuce and Tomato. NO bread.< /p>
Dinner: 2 oz of salmon., spinich, asparagus, green Beans, what ever you want.
NO BREAD, NO POTATOES, NO Pasta, NO RICE, pizza, NO CAKE NO, Cookies, NO PIE, NO candy.< /p>
When u eat. eat your protein first and if you have room you can have veggies. NO BREAD no chips.
Do you have a book for protein, carbs and calories? I have Caloriekings. Or you can go on line calorieking.com. Every one has to have some carbs. But your chips> for 1 oz is 15..too much and the salt. omg.
i am hoping that others will tell you how many calories you should have. Some of us have 1200. Some less. I told you about the protein. But the carbs should be maybe 60 per day/ less.
go to Atkins.com. sign up for their books and you will get some free bars too.
If you want to lose weight. push protein. lower your carbs. Exercise everday. Continue with the Water. Eat only 1 cup of food at a sitting. Get a fill. Eat slowly and chew. DO NOT CHEAT> I don't know how much more you want to lose but I lost 89 lbs in 15 months. I am 63 years old. READ labels. ask questions. dump the chips. I hope that you are not drinking soda pop. I will help you if you want.
Didnt your doc give you a list of the right and wrong foods to eat? Do you have a support group to go to? I never had a support group.

My cubicle at the office is completely trashed....but I'm so glad that they didn't go the 'over the hill- black decorations' route - as i am pretty sure my kids will take care of that....
and for my birthday gift to myself this year ----- LAPBAND. i hope to be banded by August this year....already started the visits (have to do 6 months - 4 to go) and of course the other testing - which will be in June or July....
and by next year.....watch out - this hot grandma will be back riding her motorcycle and living life!!!!
have a great weekend everyone!
Diane

My doc told me no bread at all. I haven't eaten any.

I go into surgery on the 9th, I would love to kno how to use this site...like how to start a thread and reply to other.peoples threads

It is near the belly button on the side but up.Try not to lay in it if it hurts. I have lapand 2years 1 month. Please feel free to call on me at anytime. I lost 89 lbs.did u see my before and after? i wnt from size 2x to med. Ilene

Best of luck to you and welcome. You are doing exactly the right things. Do you have anyone there that can pat your back or rub it.? Think of when a baby has gas...We rub and gently pat the baby on the back. Try this: no promise: pretend that you are hooking and un hooking your bra.several times. I just thought of that. Drink warm tea, broth, or anything warm also. Good luck and keep posting. Feel better soon. Ilene

This morning I'm heading to the hospital for PreTest blood work. Let the fun begin.

Congrats on your success. I am 54 and I still have about 60 pounds to lose (I was banded in October 2011). I am sure those last 20 pounds are going to be difficult for me to lose as well. You look great and good luck on those last few pounds. I have had to give up bread, as it is one of the foods that I get stuck with (no matter how much I chew it). Luckily, I can still have toast occasionally and only if I am very careful.

My First Consultation appt with the Surgeon is on March 21st 2012. I have completed the paper work. Verified my insurance to see if it's covered and it is!! I have not had any other appointments yet.--
But Friday March 16th I have a physical appointment with my primary doctor.
I wanted to let them know that I was interested in lap band.. What questions do I need to ask the doctor? Should I show her my Packet of paperwork I Have to fill out??
After this consultation appt what will I have to do next? I am just curious before I go.
Thanks

Last night while my hubby and I were taking our evening walk. I mentioned to him how happy I was with my choice over 2 years ago. I was 60 years old when I had the surgery. That age was a little too old for the surgery if I had to have my insurance pay for it. Since I had no coverage and had to pay out of pocket it was the best idea and choice of surgery.
In 15 months I lost (very slowly 89 lbs.) Then I had foot surgery and it put me and my exercise in a slow down. So I gained back 8 lbs. Well that 8 lbs has stayed with me for 1 year and finally I lost 5 of it from Jan 1 to March 1. So I plan on dropping the rest before we have our trip to Europe. That was my reward.
Being older and wiser, I wanted to share my knowledge with others and tried to obtain a position in the faciility where I had my surgery. Killing 2 birds at a time. Making money and giving of myself. At this time I have no job yet. I am a co-leader on 2 teams with Sparkpeople.com. I feel great, I look good for my age. I will be 64 next month.
I look forward to exercising every day. I enjoy buying and wearing nice clothes now. I want to continue being healthy until I die. I have made new friends who have the same life style as me. We all enjoy our lives.