tavimew

If we could follow these "rules" we wouldn't have needed the band in the first place!

I mix it in cream of wheat, oatmeal, vanilla pudding, for the pudding mix 2 scoops in 1 cup of Water then substitute that for 1 of the cups of milk the mix calls for. Pudding comes out great that way.

I've been banded just under 2 months and have lost 25lbs so far. I understand how you feel but losing more is really unrealistic, your body is not going to let the weight just fall off instantly. You will have plateaus, days maybe weeks where you will lose nothing. Stick it out and try not to worry it will come off eventually. Don't worry I don't listen to my own advice but have a friend who got banded 1 week before me to bring me back down to earth when I start stressing about not losing as much as I want to. Also when was the last time you lost 22lbs in 1 month? Without feeling like you were starving to death?

I agree that people shouldn't have to drink/eat things they don't like, but ya know, I don't particularly like fruit, but I eat it because I know I have to in order to keep the commitment I made to myself when I decided to be banded. There are a lot of foods I'm learning to like simply because I know my body needs it to be healthy.

Good luck in your Quest to find Health and Happiness!

Did you know one of the main reasons people don't stay on diets is because they force themselves to eat what they don't like. Learning to eat right is not eating things you don't like, its about finding things that are healthy that you do like.

Go to your surgeon. Some gastrointerologists don't know enough about the band and that can be trouble. I know of someone who went to a gastro instead of her surgeon and the gastro messed her up big time! Your surgeon is probably giving you the Pepcid and waiting because your issue may just be irritation and inflammation of the lining of your stomach and that takes time to heal, you don't want to jump in and start doing invasive things if that's whats wrong. Try to be patient and take the Pepcid, don't eat any acidic foods or drinks.< /p>

I'v tried several Protein Shakes including the Isopure and they are disgusting. The Special K ones are the only ones I've found that I don't have to choke down. I don't think Special K shakes are "cheap imitations", they are only 190 calories and yes only 10gm Protein but shouldn't be your daily staple food anyway. Bottom line you have to find the one that is right for you. No one can or should drink things they don't like.

I also have Blue Cross PPO. I went to Dr. Naim in Long Beach at St. Marys Center for Surgical Treatment of Obesity. They got me authorization within a couple of weeks. My out of pocket for the hospital was only $1400. And I've paid about $300 for the preop testing so far. haven't gotten a bill from the doc yet.

I was banded on 8/17/10. Have lost 24lbs so far. Congrats to my fellow August Bandsters who have done so well. Isn't "closet shopping" great!!

I have noticed that those in "bandser hell" seem to not have fills often or not have much in their fills. My doc is very aggressive with restriction, he put in 1cc during surgery, 3.5cc 4 weeks after surgery, and another 1.5cc this past monday. I have great restriction, I'm back on mushies today then tomorrow regular food. Not hungry, eating about 800 calories a day. Maybe you should have a talk with your surgeons and tell them point blank to give you better restriction. Remind them that you went through surgery because you couldn't just do it alone and if you don't have good restriction that is what you are being forced to do! Be more aggressive for yourself, don't just take the doctor's words to be law, you are the patient and you have to be an active participant in your band management.

Remember this is a process, you didn't get fat overnight, I know it seems like it :thumbup:, you won't get skinny overnight either (actually I need to take my own advice here, I'm so impatient, I want to see the scale move down every day)!

May be the straw. My doc said don't use straws, they cause gas buildup.

If you've already been approved by your insurance company I don't understand why they want this either. You need to ask your surgeon directly why. If he doesn't give you a good reason, get another doctor.

Of course it will be worth it. And you will be able to keep liquid and food down. You will start with liquid and progress. Different people progress at different speeds, I was eating solids 2 weeks after my surgery because my swelling had gone down and I was hungry, so my Doc said eat but be careful. I eat chicken, turkey, eggs, etc. I'm not eating bread, Pasta, or rice but not so much because I "can't" but because these are some of my "trigger foods" and I will binge and then throw up. That's the key if you overeat you will get sick. If you stick to just enough to be full you will do fine. About 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup, I know that sounds so small but you'll be amazed how satisfied you will be with that amount. Just remember drink and eat slowly and pay attention to what your stomach is telling you not what your brain is saying. Your brain will work against you for a while but I'm now 38 days out and my brain is starting to catch up.

I am having pain on my left side (port on right) and went to the doctor and she said it's probably either adhesions from the surgery or internal irritation from the catheter going to the band. Has anyone had this type of problem and can you give any advice??

Dr. Naim is my surgeon. Had lap band on 8/17/10. Surgery went smoothly, not much pain. I'm down 17lbs as of today, my 1st month anniversary!

You will always have a compulsion to eat. That's why you have a plastic band around your stomach! I call it food addiction, I'm a food addict, and my brain says feed me almost constantly. The band isn't going to take that feeling away, it would have to be on your brain for that....hmm I wonder...:thumbup: Anyway I am a fairly new band also, got banded on 8/17/10, and I find sugarfree popsicles (15 calories) and sugarfree Jello (5 calories) helps a lot. It satisfies my want to chew and swallow which for me I think makes my brain happy. Try these or other very low calorie chewable things, it will help. I'm told that within a couple of months your brain gets in sync with your stomach and stops demanding food all the time.

I just found Boost glucose control shakes. I hate the taste of Protein Shakes and have tried many, ugh! I was desperate the other day and I have samples of Boost in my office, so I thought why not try it. I did and it tasted great, no aftertaste. But you need to get the glucose control ones because the regular has too many calories.