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Hey folks, It's been a very long time since I posted. I've fallen back into old patterns and am in a funk. Here are my excuses: 1. I HATE the new format of this board. HATE IT...I click on Forums to change it back to the old way, but sometimes I forget and the other format just totally drives me nuts! 2. I was too tight---could barely eat solids for three months...bad plan..got a slight unfill and have been porking on everything I oculdn't have for three months. 3. Had surgery in July...Couldn't exercise or lift my kids and needed to totally chill for 6 weeks...not moving quickly becomes a HABIT... 4. Totally eating too much... So there are the excuses...now I just need to stop pigging out...Have a fill scheduled...Oldest is back at preschool...can get back out with the twins ... MUST DO THIS>>>> Any words of encouragement??? Good to be back... Rainer

I have a question. How much weight gain in a day is normal? Im 4-5 pds different from the morning and night. Its obvious you would be heavier but what is a normal weight gain for a bandster if any? How many times should you weigh yourself..im a weighaholic.. i swear i weigh myself like 50 times a week...cant help it!!!:bored:

Me too. I asked people who have already hit and moved past a plateau and they say it starts around month 6, which is when it hit me. I stopped losing over 3 weeks ago. But, I also had another surgery and started eating Cereal (Special K), which slides through my band.:bored: Once I stop that and can exercise again, I am hoping the scales move.

Just wanted to do a little shoutout to my sister TriciaN. we started this journey at the same time but due to different insurances we can't get banded together. When she told me she was able to do it within a month of our first consultation i was extremely upset that I wouldn't have the support of my sister. During these last few weeks she has always been there to tell me what she's going through and tried to give me pointers. She is 8 days into the presurgery diet and i know she's miserable but she doesn't let on. She keeps right on chugging those dang shakes she hates so much and no matter what obstacle comes her way she's smiling. I'm so proud of her. She is truly my inspiration. i love you sissy and wish you the best!

Here i am waiting to see if i will recieve my first fill today. Total loss 45 pounds since january (when i started my 6 month required diet) since being banded i lost 14 pounds.

my lap band doctor told me that I MUST eat a MINIMUM of 60 grams of Protein each day, NO exceptions. There is a rather new product on the market that I LOVE. One bottle has 15 grams of protein. I try to drink two or three per day. They sell them at SOME local Wal-Marts or Krogers stores. However, I live in a VERY small community, so I order mine off Amazon. Add a Protein Bar and something like cottage cheese to help reach the 60+ protein goal each day. Good Luck on your journey Protein2o whey Protein Isolate, Zero-Sugar, Low Calorie, Mixed berry, 12 Count (Pack of 2) About the Product 15g whey protein isolate, 0g sugar, 60 calories, 0g carbs Ion-exchange whey protein isolate rich in BCAAs Highest Leucine content of any known protein, necessary for muscle protein synthesis Certified OU-D Kosher, gluten free, lactose free, no artificial flavors, preservative free and BPA-Free Sold by: Amazon.com LLC[/size]

How did you make out on monday? Did you call your doc? In my case, my band just slipped, but I wasn't having horrible pain - I was just having trouble at night, and vomitting, reflux, etc. My doc had me go on liquid/mushy stage diet, and scheduled surgery for me for next week. He did say if I had ANY trouble keeping liquids down to immediately go to the hospital. At the time of my barium swallow, (after being up all night wretching), my stomach/esophogus was so inflamed that the barium barely trickled through even though the doc had totally unfilled my band before the swallow. (I even spit up some foamy spit the nite before this "emergency".. I believe the area around my band was so swollen, I couldn't even swallow my own spit. If it does close off, it is not good. It can actually damage the stomach.

Hi This is my first time on this site. I got on it to see if anyone else has the same experience as me and now I'm getting really concerned. I got my realize lap band on April 15, 2010. I have since lost 30 pounds but the first 11 pounds was with the 2 week liquid diet before my surgery. Anyways, since my surgery I have had numerous fills (8 - 10) and never really felt any restriction. I am up to 9.5 cc's. From the other messages on here that now seems like an awful lot. I was 211 pounds before surgery and now at 181. That doesn't seem like a whole lot with all my fills and I can still eat alot with no restriction. My doctor has checked me by pulling the Fluid out and putting it back and says its all there. I made an appointment for 28 December for him to do xray or whatever is needed to see if it has a leak or if it slipped. Does all this sound concerning to anyone else? I will be grateful for any information or advice you can give me. Thanks

I think the biggest tip that has helped me is the different things people put into a blender to keep things creative. Im still on liquid diet for three more weeks, and it helps to see different things I can make. I really liked the Peanut Butter smoothie recipe:wub:

Insurance carriers have specific protocols they follow with regard to how they assess the suitability of medical treatments. This is something I hear doctors talk about all the time, and unfortunately it's hard to fight. In my experience, different carriers have different protocols, but pretty much none will pay for a fill prior to 6 weeks out (as that is the standard medical regimen). You could argue with the carrier you have, but by the time you're done arguing the time will have passed, so what's the point? They would just cite studies that say waiting three months gives a better outcome (and they are out there, I know), and use that as justification. Good luck!

I had my first fill 4 weeks after surgery. My insurance paid 100% of it (I have Empire BCBS)

I am your surgery buddy - two weeks. It sounds crazy.

I am your surgery buddy too! Started the preop diet Monday. Not eating regular food is totally making this real. I have my final consult with my surgeon tomorrow and my education class and preop testing next week. Ready to move over to the losers bench with everyone.

$300 fee is nothing. Drs do have costs associated with submitting your case to insurance company. People like me, who required 3 full submissions and 2 peer to peer appointments cost more than easier patients/insurance companies so the fees balance out. My first surgeon had a $2500 "lifestyle management fee" that had to be paid in advance of the surgery being scheduled. And that was on top of all the other costs that insurance was covering 100%. Supposedly that was to cover support groups/classes and the doctor coming out to visit you in cases of extreme need, but considering we lived 50 miles away and the support programs were all during business hours we would never have used any. Plus, if we coukd afford $5000 we wouldnt be on medical. The surgeon also refused to work with us on the fee. The surgeon who did my sleeve (and who i recommend if in CA) is Dr. Richard Nguyen of Lifetime Surgical. He charges $300 and i didnt find out until after I paid it that that fee also includes the bariatric diet food for the 2 weeks preop. That makes the portion that goes to them more like $150-200. I find that very reasonable for all they did. HW 385 SW 359 CW 344 Sleeved 10/5/16

I too had wls, mine was bypass. I'm strictly fluids fr two week. This includes Jello,i can't finish a half of one back cu. Sent from my SM-G550T1 using the BariatricPal App I'm lucky in that I was given a binder after surgery and it really helped with the pain. Sent from my SM-G550T1 using the BariatricPal App

re: "the weight gain is due to eating the wrong foods"; <br />disagree.....consider it's due to OVER eating the wrong AMOUNT of food.... re: 'ovulation'.....can't speak to this as my ovaries have been inactive for quite some time... The 'sweet spot' does exist IMHO, and requires awareness of the nuances to manage satisfactorily. I found if I make sure most of my weeks total meals fall below a certain calorie count, I have no weight gain concern. And if I do eat over that point for a few days, I begin to feel like the old habit of eating more than my body needs begins to stir again. I do have some kind of long and subtle cycle of slightly more and then slightly less restricted. Sometimes my Band seems even a bit fickle. Life with my Symbiant, my 'Little Angel of the Silicon Fist' is far better regardless of the occasional frustrations. Finding a way to coexist requires adaptability. cheers on your journey

I had the exact same problem. I was told this is normal, the nurse told me the saline settles in the nooks and crannys sometimes so thats why i suddenly was hungry after not being hungry for 2 weeks. ( 3rd fill) same prob now after my 6th fill so im going for a 7th next week. She said everybodys different, you just have to go with what YOUR body wants and needs.

It's likely because as you've lost weight, the fat layer surrounding your stomach as shrunk, so now the band isn't nearly as tight. I was great for about 6 weeks after my 3rd fill then all the sudden had the same thing happen, totally starving hungry all the time. I got another fill in May and now the hunger has been gone ever since.

Hi I am looking for a lap band buddy/mentor . I was banded in 2008 lost 130 and have gained back about 80 cannot get back on track . I am a school nurse, married with three children elementary school age, always busy and need some support or guidance on how to get back on track from the new york area. Thanks

SherB, I have United Health care too, I got my approval after one week, but that was back in February, after that I had to do CPAP and quite smoking. Have patience you will get your approval soon!

I too, have United Healthcare. Got my approval in a week. They also told me 30 days. I did call them everyday too. I didn't call the number on the back of the card. I was given the number for clinical services intake department before my last back surgery. They have more info.

I'm 12 days out and I can get about 50 ounces of fluids in and I'm hitting 20-25 of Protein. That's about it. Today I tried a new concoction and got 4 ounces in and was nauseated for the first time since the hospital. I'm going back to clears for the rest of the day, tomorrow I'll go back to trying Protein shake. I have never had problem taking medication in my life, not Vitamins, not liquid medication, no problems brushing my teeth (I usually brush 3 times or more a day) I floss, I use mouthwash and what happened? Seriously the taste of toothpaste makes me nauseated. I can't handle the taste of cough syrup, it takes me easily 1/2 or more to get down 2 tylenol cut in 1/2 and my medications. I know I'm not the normal and that other's are progressing faster than me, but having an autoimmune disorder is definitely working against me right now. My husband, son and parents think I'm doing great though for all the issues I have had to deal with, and I'm just going to flow with it. I'm going to try baking soda next because the Sensodyne is not sitting well with me. I see surgeon for my 2nd visit June 27th and I see the nutritionist on July 9th. Looks like I have 4 more weeks of Pure liquids. I started my liquid diet of 3 shakes a day May 21st for two weeks before surgery June 4th, so I will basically be on liquids 7 weeks before I hit pureed stage!!! I'm hoping somehow my surgeon takes mercy on me and they let me advance after the 27, but more so that I can actually handle purees by then. Right now, it's looking slim, but sigh, August looks like it will be a good month

I also posted this on the Pos-Op board, but I thought I should share it with my December friends, too. :biggrin: It's been two weeks since my surgery, and I have updates. I lost 20 pounds on my 2 week pre-op diet, and since then I've lost 14 pounds more. I've been absolutely fanatical about following all the rules of each stage of the diet. I want to succeed, and I especially don't want complications (slips, erosions, etc.) I know sometimes that's unavoidable, but at least I won't have any guilt if it happens. liquid Phase: After reading on these boards that many people gain weight before their first fill, I was deeply concerned that I would lose my progress. So on my liquid phase, after the first few days where I could only get down broth and tea, I stuck pretty much to my pre-op diet, not eating the vegetables of course, but adding in more Protein shakes, for a total of 800-1200 calories a day. I did not drink diluted juice even though it was "permitted," sticking instead to Protein Shakes and, two times, fat-free milk. Mushy Phase: I knew from reading these boards that a major pitfall for many bandsters is the mushy phase. Being that we're hungry and mushies go down easily, the calories can easily add up - many people understandably gain weight during this stage. I didn't want that to happen, so I was afraid to move forward to mushies - but I knew I should leave the liquid diet behind already. I was trying to solve the problem, when I decided that I could do mushies but I would have to keep track of what I was eating and how much. So, I joined Weight Watchers. Diets never worked for me for very long in the past, but I figured the 3.5 week liquid diet should have shrunk my stomach a bit, and knowing I have a fill coming makes it mentally easier to hang on and not go off plan. Before surgery I didn't think I'd care if I gained a little before my fills, but now I do. I've lost 34 pounds in 4 weeks, and I just don't want to go back. I've been sticking like glue to the plan. I weigh and measure everything before I put it in the food prcessor, and I track it online as soon as I've eaten it. I eat mostly low point foods, but I've also splurged on higher point items - did you know you can process french fries? To make them mushy I mixed in some Soup, which I also have to count points for, but they still tasted like french fries, and were worth every point LOL! I've also pureed pizza with a little extra sauce - it doesn't taste like pizza by the time you add the sauce in, but it was fun. Mostly, though, I stick to low point foods: sugarfree pudding, fatfree yogurt, scrambled egg whites with fatfree salsa (pureed), boiled vegetables (pureed), unsweetened applesauce, etc. I also eat whatever my family is having for supper, measured out and pureed. All in all, I've lost 14 pounds since surgery. Anyway, that's where I'm holding now. I have my first fill next month, and I'm terrified. I hope it won't be too painful! Anyway, that's the update. Good luck to everyone on this journey!

I'm so happy! we went away for the weekend and I was thinking since i didn't get enough Water in, that i would probably gain from eating 'out' and i'm sure that had lots of salt in the food.... I'm down!!! the scaled moved DOWN after a weekend away and not eating at home! 32 pounds GONE in 9 weeks!! 10 pounds from beating the 150's! (remember i'm VERY SHORT..... i have a LONG way to go still! 11 pounds until i'm considered JUST overweight! 29 pounds to be the weight i was when i got married! 39 pounds to the lowest i've been since having children and also my 'goal' weight. 44-49 pounds to my OMG goal!! I plan to have PS done. I'm not sure when i should go for my consult. that's a goal i really look forward to. I'm thinking about 20 pounds from goal i will go and see what they say.