MelBanded

This is for the person with the Hypothyroid story.

Now you can see for yourself that we are here.....

Go Shirley, you are doing great with your weight loss! Hang in there hypo bandsters!

Melbanded, the foods you mentioned have high Protein content..and if you were doing heavy excercise..it may be you are gaining muscle! Just a thought. Even though we are working to get weight off, weight is just a number. Try measuring yourself, if you aren't already.

I would also only weigh in the morning, that is the most accurate weight. Keep your chin up, sounds like you are doing great!!

I had my appointment yesterday and had a good talk with my doctor. I told him how I felt I had no band at all and that the weight I have lost so far was because I have forced myself to have small portions. I stay hungry all the time and am ready for this band to do its part!

He told me I only had 2 cc's in my band and I should feel satisfied with small portions of food (which I do not) and not feel like I am on a forced diet. Now I realize we do have to diet, in that we have to make wise food choices (which I do), but we should not feel hungry all the time. He says I am still not in the green zone. He is very conservative with his fills, so he only gave me 1cc fill yesterday. He said I should have come back sooner for a fill.

How long should you give a fill before you know if you need more?

I am so discouraged. I was on vacation last week and made what I thought were great food choices and small portions. I pretty much had grilled, tuna, grouper, shrimp or scallops all week. I walked about 2 miles on the beach each day. I got home last night and have gained 3 pounds! Starting to get depressed. I have a post-op appointment today with my surgeon, so I will see what he says. I defintely am not in my green zone and have been in bandster hell for several weeks. I believe I only have 1 and a half to 2 cc's in my band.

Banded 03/30/2011

Pre-op weight 217 pds

Today 204 pds

If you must have Pasta, I highly recommend "Dreamfields Pasta". Tastes great and is only 5 grams of digestible carbs per serving, high Fiber and low glycemic. They have a website check them out. I love pasta too, but I limit myself to 1/2 cup of cooked pasta and add lots of meat to get your Protein intake, some ground beef or turkey or crock pot tender cooked chicken.< /p>

Doesn't sound like you're getting in much Protein. Did your doctor tell you to shoot for a certain number of grams of Protein per day, or a certain amount of carbs?

I really don't see how unfilling and re-filling your band will make any difference- if anything I'd think it'd make you gain instead of lose.

I agree. Sounds like your diet is heavier in carbs. Even before lapband I had to eat less than 25 carbs a day to lose any weight.

You are definitely over doing. Most any kind of surgery or injury can leave scar tissue behind. When I had my hysterectomy, my insides were a mess and I ended up being in surgery for abt 5 hrs. All this was due to adhesions, which actually came from peritonitis, secondary to a ruptured appendix.

I know how you feel being the only one doing to housework. My husband helped me the first week and then I suppose I looked good on the outside, he thought I could get back to my old schedule. Needless to say we had a little talk.

Try to rest and heal and no lifting! You only get one chance to heal properly from this procedure.

I know what you mean! I am in the same boat and last month my band slipped so now I have to start all over again with liquid in my band. I can go from 184 to 172 in 1 day . Im still hungry and really try to stick to my plan and when I do I weigh 172 that day ....the days I go off I go back up to 184. Very frustrating......I feel like I dont even have a band in....but I guess thats because Im not at my sweet spot. HAve you gotten a fill yet?

I have had two small fills and have another post op appointment scheduled on July 11th. I stay hungry eating the recommended portion size(s). I have not been stuck or had any sliming episodes and hope not to! I guess I am in bandster hell and certainly not in my green zone. Since being banded I am eating smaller portions than I did pre-band, however the nutritionist recommended portion size is not keeping me full. I am biking or walking several times each week and considering purchasing an elliptical machine. We just have to keep on keeping on! LOL

Hopefully, no-one thought I was being critical in my earlier post, just stating my experience so far and trying to figure out how everyone is setting their ticker weight. I am thrilled for anyone's weight loss.

I find it difficult to compare my weight loss with any other March bandsters and know that I should not even try.

For example: On the day of surgery I weighed 217 pds. I now weigh 202pds. My weight loss since being banded is 15 pds. I agree any weight loss prior to the lapband is a great achievement. However, I do not count that in my lapband weight loss, since it was weight loss I achieved, without the aid of the band.

Anyhow, it's all good as long as it's weight being lost, just gets confusing to me.

I had a post-op appointment today and my doc decided I was ready for a small fill. He seemed please with my 12pd weight loss in the last 8 weeks and commented his hypo-thyroid patients are slower in weight loss.

It has been so hot here in Eastern, NC these last few days. Heat index has been 110 degrees this week and to be honest, I have not felt much like eating nor riding my bike or walking. Have any of you noticed weather affects the band?

Just realized what the word Diet stands for, "Do I Eat Today?" Just kidding!

Fessie, I am hypo-thyroid also and I definitely feel your pain in how slow our weight loss can be. I have lost abt the same amount as you and am 8 weeks post op. I am just thankful to finally be losing weight. What was getting me was seeing people post 25-35 pds lost that were banded around the same time as myself. These same people were posting about eating oreo Cookies and pizza, while I was staying strictly to the band diet, portion sizes and excersing. Even in the early stages on a liquid diet I lost very little.

I am over being bothered by that now and will just be thankful for my pound here and there. I started a post last week for hypothyroid bandsters you should read. Shirley54 had some very encouraging things to say and shared her slow weight loss as well.

I can't tell you how glad I am to know, I am NOT alone. We thyroid bandsters should stick together and share our successes with each other.

Mary Shoman has tons of info on the web about thyroid disease and the related struggles that go along with it. She is on fb as well. I look forward to her regular e-newsletter. You can sign up for it here and have sent directly to your email account free.

http://thyroid.about...-Shomon-350.htm

Any of you have problems with your hair? Mine is so dry and breaks easily. BTW, I am getting close to 70-80 grams of Protein a day.

Melonie

Shirley~"We are not like the rest of the banders, weight loss for us can be very hard. So if it means cutting back in calories, and having the band a little snug so that I'm not hungry.... I'll do it".

How do you go about finding a doctor that will prescribe Armour? Why are many Endo's so against it?

Thanks Shirley & Crybaby, it is good to hear from other thyroid sufferers. I had Graves disease when I was 16 yrs old, got down to 80pds. Was in the hospital 2 weeks while they tried to get it under control. Had surgery to remove half my gland. Did well with no thyroid meds until age 40. I got hyper again, this time had remainder of thyroid removed. Ever since then it has been constant weight gain and other health problems.

You cannot get a doctor to prescribe Armour where I live and we have a teaching hospital! I would like to try it, many of the thyroid support sites swear by it. I have tried synthroid and cytomel together and felt the same. So currently am just on synthroid. What's crazy to me is when I was convinced to have the remainder of my thyroid removed, I was told it would be easier to control my thyroid disease. There has not been anything easy about it! I go about every 3 to 4 mths to my Endo and my TSH is constantly up and down.

I will try to not get so caught up on the numbers, although it is hard when people are posting their progress all the time. I weigh just once a week, but I might just take your advice and not weight at all. My next post op visit is mid July. My doc said I might need a fill if I am not losing 1-2 pds per week. I scheduled a follow up for next Thursday, so I will see what he recommends.

I had problems losing prior to the band. I am going to try and remain positive and just resign myself to the fact that this will be a longer, slower journey for me. On a positive note, I have lost. So, I know it will happen. I just have to be patient. Kind of tired of being asked every week, how much weight have you lost so far? Just feels like I am under pressure. Wishing I had not told anyone.

My weight loss is so slow. I can't help but get discouraged. I am excerising, eating the recommended foods and drinking my Water. I was banded 03/30/2011, my pre-op weight was 215 pds. I had a fill 04/30/2011 (not sure how much fill). My current weight is 205 pds. I am petite, so I need to lose about 90-100 pds. I know I did not gain it overnight, but hoped for more progress by now.

Some of the tests you may have to have are: Pulmonary Test, Ultra sound of gall bladder (if you still have yours), Endoscopy, sleep Study, Cardiology testing, psychiatric evaluation.

http://southernsurgical.org/

Joyce, it took me over a year. Now that was not Southern Surgical's fault. I had all my pre-op tests completed in less than 2 months. My problem was, I was denied by BCBS of NC 3 times! I was right on the border with a BMI of 40. I eventually used an Obesity Advocacy group who had me approved after one letter! I am 6 weeks post op and my weight loss has been slow. I have lost 14 pds, thinking I am in what some on these boards call "bandster hell". The only thing keeping me in line food wise, is I know as I get fills I will have more weight loss and be full longer. Have you signed up for one of their free seminars? So many of your questions will be answered by atttending one of these. Best of Luck to you!

Melonie

Not sure when you had your surgery. My surgery was 03/30/2011. I have figured out that I get the uncomfortable hiccups when I have had to much to eat. I told my doc at my last post-op appointment, that "full" felt different than it did before. He told me that was normal and to slow down and try a cup or so of food and stop, wait a while then if still hungry to try a bit more. It is very individual and trial and error for everyone.

Melonie

I know exactly how you feel. I had my first fill Monday (2cc's) and feel no difference. I really am having to police myself.

I do not understand why some people cannot swallow liquids after a fill. My doctor's office made me stay for a while and sip on Water to make sure it went down okay.

Melonie

Hi Jaleena, I live in Greenville NC and had lapband surgery March 30, 2011. I used Southern Surgical, Dr. McQuire and so far my experience has been a good one. Feel free to ask me any questions.

I usually wait an hour or more after dinner and have a small glass of Merlot for my dessert. I was banded 03/30/11.

I get my first fill on April 25th (AGB 03/30/11). I am ready for it, so hungry and really having to police myself. Hope you feel restriction soon.

My first Post Op visit will be Monday. (banded 03/30/2011). Finally feeling like my self again. Most of the soreness is gone.

Thanks, great advice!

MsKate, it's nice to know you are not alone isn't it? as for your comment "Losing my mind" I don't mind as long as I lose some weight at the same time.

You just have to laugh about things sometimes, even if it hurts the port area. My mom about killed me this morning. She is recently home recovering from a hip replacement and accidentally brushed her teeth with her antibiotic cream. I thought I was going to split my incision!

Melonie