HeatherinCA

Yea it's not a plateau till you are back on a normal diet for a couple of weeks. Just make sure you are following the plan from your doctor.

I have no problems eating any types of food, and nothing gets stuck. My band is over half way filled. I 100% have to watch what goes in. You can eat anything you want, but you shouldn't because you won't lose weight. Rainydayz, some people can't get down stuff like bread, scrambled eggs, dry chicken, steak, some fibrous veggies.. it gets stuck in the band and it hurts REALLY bad and they have to puke it out. Some of it is your body, and some people get their bands adjusted too tightly so they physically can't eat these things. The bands job is to make you not hungry. I can go 5 hours without eating anything. Some people are looking for the band to stop them from eating, which it will never do.. until you get to the point nothing goes down and you get sick all the time.

No! Just drink your shakes it'll be over soon enough it's to prep your body and your liver for surgery. The first month just sucks, it does, but then you are back to normal. I had a breakdown and all that too, and I was sick with a cold it was no fun, but stuck with it. Also I know the weight loss from the liquids is kind of unintentional, but it's GREAT. Weight loss isn't quick after surgery maybe 2lbs a week, to lose 15lbs in a week is so awesome! haha.

I think they want to make sure there isn't another reason you overweight, some other health problem causing it.

Yea I did that at first, CareCredit or something... I actually had to apply and my parents we both took a chunk, because neither of us could get enough credit to cover the entire thing. But I actually had to get a new health insurance company anyways (mine was expiring) so I just signed up for a PPO and they covered it. It's about $450 a month.. but mind as well get insurance at the same time. Still have to pay about $3,000 in co-pay for the surgery.. but it's still less. I dunno if you can just get a "loan" for this, the thing they had me sign up for was like a medical bill credit card.

For me I only like the pre-made ones, the powders are gross. My favorite is Myoplex Lite, choc and vanilla are good they have 20g Protein each. The Pure Protein is pretty good too, I know they make one w/ 35g protein. But I felt the Myoplex tasted a little better. The Atkins are good too, but the protein wasn't high enough for me.

I didn't have mine there, mine was done at UC Irvine, but, I just got my bill last week, Which is for about $2,500 for the surgery, and another $480 for anesthesia (the actual drugs, the doc was included in the other bill) The original bill says $29,829 for "surgery/recovery," $1,958 for anesthesiology, $1,479 for drugs, $83 for lab, $1,125 for observation. Then it says $25,949 insurance discount.. I'm not clear how this all works, or why it was so high, but after they sorted it out w/ my insurance the $2,522 was left for me to pay, and the extra anesthesia bill. I have Anthem Blue Cross PPO.

I swear by my baby utensils! Now it's so funny to see a regular fork it's so huge!

I'm not near mine yet, but I made it pretty high (I probably need another 20-30 after that). I can't remember ever being that size, so I'm going to revaluate when I get there, see what size I wear and how I feel. I wanna fit comfortably in normal people clothes (like I size 10 or 12), then I will be happy. I don't have much desire to be super skinny or anything.

Oh for sure! I always justify it too it's just part of our addiction to food unfortunately! I'm trying really hard to pay attention to my body and see what it wants not my stupid mind that wants food!

Yea hmm I could eat hell of a lot of food if I ate till I was "full". I think it's about learning what proper portion sizes are and learning what a 1200 calorie a day diet looks like. I will say, this "diet" is WAY easier than anything else i've done in the past. The band certainly does help, because I never feel hungry, or really dissatisfied. But I still have to do the work and watch what I'm eating. I'm very picky about what goes in.

Decreased hunger is exactly what you are looking for. You should be to go like 4 or 5 hours with out eating and not be hungry. I have 5.5ccs in my band, and I'm never hungry. It's still hard because I want to eat obviously, and I can eat anything, haven't had any stuck issues. After I got my fill (my first fill was 5.5ccs), I felt REALLY full for like 2 days, like I'd have oatmeal and I could feel it in my stomach for like 3 hours, it was the weirdest feeling haha, that feeling wore off. But now I do feel satisfied longer.

It's not the case.. you may not always feel full, especially at first, and it's 100% not the same bloated full we would get pre-op when you would eat too much... I know it was a lot different that I expected too, but the band doesn't stop you from eating (if it did everyone would be skinny and nobody would fail). It's basically a diet, learning how to eat properly. The band in the long run, with the fills, will keep you from being hungry all the time, that is it's job. If you were on a 1000 calorie diet without the band you'd be starving all the time. This lessens the blow of being on a diet. But there is still the mental side of it, you have to physically stop yourself from overeating. (yes the band will stop you from eating like 4 cups of food, but it's still very easy to over eat and not lose weight). For me, my body is never really hungry, I can go 4-5 hours between meals, but my food addiction always wants food!! I have to distract myself and learn that food isn't that important, and I should eat to live. I'm still working on that. But I have gotten a lot better. Also i know you aren't on solids yet, but make sure you eat hard Protein like chicken, meatballs, tuna that will keep you satisfied longer, because it takes longer to digest and it won't slide right through your band. Also your meals should be mostly protein that will help too. Also the standard follow the directions!! Watch your calories, and exercise. I always like to say the band has a hole in it lol!! Food is going to go through.

You can try the gas-x strips.. since you can't have pills, but for me, walking was the most effective. The strips didn't do much. It's not really gas.. it's the air they use to blow up your stomach during surgery.

That's normal, don't worry just drink as much as you can don't worry about getting the full amount, just sip every couple of minutes

Call your doctor! You are probably just swollen from surgery, but if you can't get anything down I'd contact them.

Yea do not go through them! They are being sued for 4 careless deaths I believe. http://www.surgithin.com/ This is my doctor. Dr. Paya. His office is in West Hills, but he did my surgery at UC Irvine (my insurance required a center of excellence). I've had no problems so far with my band, or with him, he used fluoroscope for his fills. Only thing I would say is he doesn't have much bedside manor, if that is something you are looking for. I used Anthem PPO, and was approved immediately I was recommended by an acquaintance and she lost 100lbs. I believe much of her family had too (they did bypass though, she had the band). I had seen someone before him and I wasn't comfortable and the doctor was weird. He made me feel comfortable. It's hard because it feels so weird at these doctors offices, it's not the same vibe as going to your primary physician. Just do your research and make sure they make you feel comfortable. Also make sure you get it done at a center of excellence

It's normal! Eating slower and less helps a bit, but I still burp all the time. It's from the surgery, they blow up your stomach with air so the doctor can get in their with the cameras and do the surgery.

I think it depends on your body and how active you are.

I liked chili the best, oatmeal (not that much Protein but it's filling), bean Soup, I also ate the filling from chicken lettuce wraps (if I was at a restaurant) because it's ground up really small. I'd do 3 meals, at meal times, if you are hungry have a little more.. i know the information says eat like 1/4 of a cup but thats ridiculous, you can up that a little bit. Then in between supplement with Protein shakes, or have some cottage cheese stuff like that. For me, I was anxious to not have protein shakes anymore so i didn't

Not sure what that is, but the band is outside your stomach.. how can it erode it?

I think mine said a month. I'd say if your bandages are off it's probably ok.

Don't worry so much, just MAKE SURE you are doing what you are supposed to, not trying to lecture.. but it's the truth, I know none of us want to hear it. Maybe take a look at your nutrition, count calories and see why. There has to be a reason. You aren't eating 1200 calories and exercising 5 days a week and no losing any weight. Last week, I slacked off, ate a little more than I should, and I barely exercised and I didn't lose any weight (or maybe 1/2lb) and I know why! It's my fault. The band is a tool, same with the sleeve or bypass. You still have to eat healthy and exercise or it won't work. If it was that simple nobody in the world would be fat.

Yep, I got new ones last weekend haha, a Bra too!

I dunno what to tell ya! It's hard for me too, I'm very social, I go out a LOT, for me, It's best to just not go out! I try to save that "Eating out meal" for once or twice a week so i don't over do it.