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I've got a couple for this week. Yesterday I hit double figures, I now weigh under 100kg and only have about 8kg to go before I'm merely overweight instead of obese. Today I called into the gym very quickly, as I have to go out, so I just wanted to clock up 40 minutes on the treadmill. I picked a hill program, set level 10, speed 6.5 kms per hour. I could not get my heart rate over 119 for love nor money, I physically cannot walk any faster than that or I'd have to jog and the incline at times was at 8! So I've gotten LOADS fitter. And my ankle didnt even give me a twinge. I am so freaking happy today.

I would recheck your instructions. 2 weeks of clear liquids seems impossible to do. I only had to do it one day before surgery and just recently one day after my first fill. That one day was tough. :omg:

No you can't feel the band. My port is on the right and yes I can feel it but that's cuz I'm three weeks post op and its still a lil swollen.

Just an FYI, for the first 2 weeks or so after the surgery, you will find sleeping on your back to be the most comfortable. I am a side/stomach sleeper and I couldn't sleep either way until about 2 weeks post-op. The soreness from the surgery and the 'pulling' feeling hurt and made is difficult to sleep any other way than my back. Today I can sleep on my stomach and side no problem; but as mentioned above, when I lean back, lean over something, or am laying on a hard surface I can feel my port.

Honestly, I'm surprised there is that much in my band. I haven't had any stuck episodes and can eat pretty much anything. Since I went on solid foods (3rd week after surgery) I stay satisfied for at least 4 hours between meals. I thought that was because I'm eating too much since I haven't been measuring my food. I've been measuring time. I wait 1 minute between each bite and eat for 20-25 minutes. I guess it's been the band the whole time. I haven't lost as much weight post op as I wish (about 14 lbs in 5 weeks), but I guess that's decent. I'm going to stop eating what I want (in small doses) and start doing low carb. Hopefully this will make the weight really drop off.

I'm only 6 weeks post op so I haven't lost any hair (but I know it's coming.... Ugh). My sister did the surgery last October and started losing her hair 3 months post op..... And let me tell you, she lost A lot of hair... However, once she hit 6 mo the, her hair started growing again and now it's super thick!!

:help: :help: - I am really struggling on the carb cravings - cookies, candy, chips, potatoes. I need some suggestions. I am trying to eat more protein this week but I still want carbs, and if i eat just 1 bite I want more and more and more. I have good restriction but as we know cookies, chips and most candy just goes on through. Please help!!!!

Hi Cloe, I'm doing the tiny plate, tiny fork thing. I only put approx. half a cup of food on the plate. I know I can eat more but my fill is a couple weeks away and I want to exercise a modicum of self discipline. I even put wine in a liqueur glass.

that's weird. Also, since my AF is so irregular that might never work for me, especially if I have it for 2-3 weeks at a time! Anyway. I have had 2 out of 4 fills while on AF and had no problems.

Hi Sheryl, Congratulations on your release!! Honestly, I can't imagine being on Clear Liquids for two weeks. Full liquids, maybe. Clear? Nuh-uh. Anyway, I think all recent bandsters have the same experience. I know I did. When you start with the soups and so forth and you're surprised at how much you can take in. That's because it just slips right past the band down into your lower stomach, and there's virtually no difference in the amount you can drink now vs. the amount you could drink before. You won't do any damage if you're sticking to liquids. Since it's not solid food, your esophagus and stomach don't have to do any work to get it where it's going. So there won't be lots of movement that can interfere with the healing; that's the point of liquids. No matter when you start mushy foods, go slowly. You'll be several weeks out by then so you may not have any problems at all, but it pays to be cautious. You may not have any swelling or restriction at all but don't assume that until you've taken a small bite of something and swallowed. You don't want to find out the hard way! :cool:

Yup...I made it through the Clear liquid weeks. I am now to be on full liquids for a week...Thank God I can have a latte again!! I do have a question...I am pretty sure that I have NO restriction, and I am afraid that I still eat too much, and/or too quickly. Are we supposed to take 30 minutes to eat 2 Tbsp of Malt-o-meal?? I can go through it pretty quickly, the same goes for cream Soups, yogurt, pudding... What type of potential damage am I doing by eating too fast? Also, I am still unfamiliar with what it feels like to be full. Still, I am down 13 pounds in two weeks, even during the healing stage!! Sheryl Dr. Wetherille 244/231/140

I am having my port replaced by Dr. Matthew Weiner at Harper Hospital in Detroit in two weeks. Does anyone have any bad experiences with him? He seems like an experienced doctor but I haven't heard anything about him, good or bad. Can anyone give me any feedback on him? Thanks.:laugh:

Wow, your lucky.... I wasn't allowed to eat cottage cheese until my 4th week out (I had to do liquids for 3 weeks)... hang in there.

Hi Kimmiechelle, Congratulations on getting your lapband! I had trouble with Water the first week or so after being banded. I couldn't seem to get much down at a time and gas always seemed to immediately follow. Be patient-- it goes away. Why not try SF popsicles once in a while, or switch off with warm drinks like hot tea? Have you tried something like Gas-X? I lived on it the first couple of weeks along with my heating pad. Here's what I figured out about the constipation -- yes, lack of fluids can contribute to constipation as does the pain medication but the real culprit was there was not enough "mass" in the digestive system to move things along until I got onto mushies. No duh! Liquid diets don't leave mass! When I called my doctor's office complaining about the big C, I was told to eat fruit. By then I was on mushies, so I took my fruit and put it into the blender and blended it to death. That and walking, finally moved things along. Every single one of us is obsessed with seeing how much weight comes off after we get banded. Some people lose a lot and some hardly any. Everything I've read on these boards is to view the first 4-6 weeks as healing time. It's about getting the band seated properly and learning how to manage yourself. Any weight lost is a bonus!! Most folks get on the weight loss bandwagon after the first or second fill. Be kind to yourself and try not to let your whirling brain make you crazy. This part will quickly pass, but it must be endured. Check back in and let us know how you are doing. Jo Ann

Hey lilmis and brigida! I was banded by Dr. Marsden on May 6. I too have had sticky situations. It's like you can feel every inch as it goes down. Do either of you have trouble with cold Water? Sometimes i can feel that going down too. Brigida, have you gone for your first follow up at True Results yet? I'm going in a couple weeks. Still don't know if I want a fill yet. Sometimes I can go 4-5 hours before I'm hungry and other times it's 2 hours. Lilmis, I read that book last summer and did it for a couple months. I lost like 12 pounds. It's really a good diet. Not as restrictive as Atkins. My problem was my cheat day got out of control and then I stopped losing weight. That can't happen anymore because of the band. The EXACT reason why I'm happy I did it!

Hi all, I think i went the other way with regards to last suppers... The band support team from the medial company i had the band through gave me a ton of shakes and Soups as a 2 week pre-op so i had no excuses to help make the liver smaller to ease surgery. This actually helped me as i was scared enough and didn't want to make the surgery complecated so it kinda feared me into behaving (which had good days and bad days....ask my wife ) Same post op...now i am back on the road for my job and i am struggling a little for lunchtime nutrition as i can have a shake for Breakfast ok and i can get a decent meal at night but during the day i am stuck for food ...

Hi All, Its been a while since I have posted, but I check in daily to see whats new. I have a big concern. I have been banded for 1 year and 4 months now and I was banded in TJ. This past week am nauseaed, have a lot of gas and acid reflux really bad all of a sudden. I have not had a fill in about a year and was doing great. Food seems really had to get down now. Any ideas....HELP! Staci Orlando FL banded in TJ 12/14/04 Dr Lopez :faint:

Dr. Lavin was very nice. He did keep asking about the Mexican healthcare experience. He seemed rather upset that people would travel there to get their bands. He said that he has instigated a new policy to accomodate self payers. He will place the band for $12,900. package deal. Includes his fee, hospital, anesthesia, and free lifetime adjustments. Said he was the cheapest in the states! I would have gone to him, if this was available at the time. Fill went very well, he saw me again on the following week to tighten it a bit. Didn't recharge, that was nice.

To be honest with you I am totally pissed off at myself on how lazy I have become. Actually I have been this way for a long time. I walked 3 times last week but I gained back what I lost just by eating a little more. Today I woke up so pissed off I went to Curves for the first time since December. I guess the moral to the story is, it just depends on how bad you want it. Julie

I agree with Jack. I too have restriction like you. It is very important to find the balance. If you can lose 1-2 lbs a week eating 1 cup of food I would have an unfill. If not, then this may be your sweet spot. Make sure you get enough protein. I always start my day with a 30 gram protein shake just to make sure. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I HAVE been losing about 2.8 lbs. a week since my fill. But still... I don't feel like I'm eating enough!

Hi All, I hope I might be able to find some help in a decision of whether to have my band removed or have it converted to Vertical Sleeve. (I can't bring myself to do Bypass and my husband is VERY against Bypass due to a friend having severe complications.) My band has slipped three times and I am facing my fourth surgery. For some reason every time I get the stomach flu and get sick... my band slips. I have had my band for two years and most of that time it has been unfilled due to a slip, unfilled due to post op or minor fill due to going slow on fills. I have managed to lose 55 pounds and keep it off, but I can't keep having slips every time I am sick. I have two children at two different schools and my husband and I both work so there are lots of opportunities for germs to come into our house. Do others that have the band slip so easily? I liked the fact that the band was relatively unintrusive, but I have feel it is time to do something that will not cause me to have surgery every 9 months. Luckily my insurance has covered the cost to date, but I see them refusing if this keeps happening. I have had two different surgeons (both work at the same practice) and both are in a Center of Excellence and have a good reputation. I am beginning to think there is just something wrong with my stomach and it doesn't like the band. Any help or advice is appreciated! Donna

I’m a runner. I’ve been a runner since I was a teenager. I’ve run five or more miles three times a week for the past four years and rarely take a day off. Many of my runs have been over ten miles. I’m the crazy guy you’ve seen running in the rain and the snow on the side of the road at 7 AM. I’ve learned a lot from running and many of those lessons I have applied to life in general. I’ve shared much of what I’ve learned about running with many of my patients because I believe that there are a number of parallels between long-distance running and the journey through weight loss. Many of my patients agree. I’d like to share some of these parallels with you to provide you with a helpful way to think about all that you’ve gone through and may still experience going forward. I should make an admission to you first. I’ve never actually run a marathon. It’s something I very much want to do someday but have yet to attempt because of some nagging injuries and such. However, I know enough about long-distance running and have spoken to enough marathon runners to understand the psyche of the marathon runner. Therefore, I feel comfortable speaking of it here. Consider the entire journey of weight loss surgery from before surgery to years afterwards as a marathon. For those of you who are unfamiliar, a marathon is a race of 26.2 miles. The modern Marathon commemorates the run of the soldier Pheidippides from a battlefield at the site of the town of Marathon, Greece, 26.2 miles to Athens in 490 B.C. It is seen by many as the ultimate test of endurance (although there are now ultra-marathons that can go for 100 miles or more!). There are many things one must do to prepare for the running of a marathon. A marathoner has to complete several practice runs and work up his stamina and endurance to get into peak physical condition for the race. A marathoner is encouraged to make dietary changes, especially in the few days before the race. A marathoner has to mentally prepare for the grueling 26.2 run and plot out the course and a strategy of how he is going to make it from start to finish. The process of weight loss surgery is quite similar. There are many steps to take before your big day. There is research to do. Perhaps you will talk to doctors or to those who have had surgery to better understand what you will be experiencing. When you decide that surgery is for you, there are pre-surgical assessments, medical tests and other things that must be done to ensure that you are prepared for what lies ahead. You are instructed to make dietary changes in anticipation of your surgery…perhaps a liquid diet for a week or more. And certainly you must mentally prepare for all of the physical, behavioral and emotional changes that lie ahead. For the most part, your surgery date is the starting line. You’re nervous. You’re excited. You’re hopeful. Similarly, the marathoner heart is pounding long before the starting gun is fired. The gun is fired and suddenly…they’re off! The first few days after surgery, you’re just trying to do as told. Listen to what the surgeon, the nurses and other professionals’ tell you and get home from the hospital as soon as you can. The marathoner is just putting one foot in front of the other and trying to find a good pace…a comfortable groove. Nothing fancy, just moving ahead. The first few weeks after surgery are like the marathoners first few miles…nice and easy. Learning to chew, learning what to eat and what not to eat…adjusting to the new pace of eating and making other changes in your life to improve your chances of success. Much of the journey lies ahead and thinking too far ahead can be daunting. Keep your head in the present. At some point, there will be bumps in the road. The runner may have a side-stitch, a cramp, pain, fatigue, a pebble in his shoes; some complications to be addressed. The marathoner understands that some of these discomforts will come and go. Sometimes, if you just let it be and shift your focus to other aspects of the running experience and away from the discomfort…the discomfort goes away. It is important that the marathoner not panic about the situation. The journey through weight loss surgery will also have its discomforts. Like the marathon, many will simply come and go. Some days may be more difficult than others. On some days eating may be more difficult than other days. On some days, cravings will seem stronger than others. In most instances, the discomfort will be temporary. Avoiding “catastrophic” thinking is the key. I am speaking of the mental demons that we all must deal with. Often while running, it seems as if a little devil appears on my shoulder whispering negative comments in my ear. “You’re never going to make it.” “You can’t do it.” “What were you thinking trying to run so far!?” “You’re not into it today…just go home and try again tomorrow.” Weight loss surgery patients also hear the voice of a little devil who attempts to derail you. “How am I going to avoid eating some of those foods that I love?” “What am I going to do at the holiday barbeque…I’m going to go nuts!” “I can buy a pint of ice cream and just have a little…what’s the big deal.” “A few cookies couldn’t hurt.” Part of your preparation for the marathon of weight loss surgery needs to include maintaining a positive attitude that can help you last the equivalent of 26.2 miles and to develop strategies for coping with these mental “cramps” and “side-stitches.” What am I going to tell myself when and if things get a bit complicated? What you tell yourself is immensely important in determining how and whether you will reach the finish line. Believing that you can cope with some of the temporary and unpleasant bumps in the road is essential for your success. Many of my patients initially get quite deflated by setbacks or slips. Most times, they are engaging in what I call “black and white thinking.” In this way of thinking, eating one serving of ice cream immediately becomes “I’m sabotaging my surgery!!” One day of feeling deprived or hungry becomes “My band isn’t working!” or “I’m never going to be able to live this way!” It is dramatic, exaggerated and self-defeating thinking. The marathoner’s mindset needs to be focused on “how I can” not “why I can’t.” There is nothing propelling the marathoner forward other than his or her own desire to persevere. He can stop with one step, but CHOOSES not to. He tolerates the discomfort. You also can stop. You can “cheat.” You can avoid getting your band adjusted. You can eat around the bypass. You can drink your calories. You can eat sweets. But you won’t finish the race and you’ll feel terrible for it. Several miles further down the road, the marathon becomes a strange combination of harder and easier. The marathoner has plenty of discomfort. Discomfort is probably an understatement. His body aches, his feet burn and his mind is often numb…but at the same time, he is beginning to almost taste the finish line. There are fewer miles ahead than behind. There is a mild euphoria as he considers that he might actually make it!! The surgery patient has lost a lot of weight several “miles” into her race. Perhaps most of the weight has already been lost…or maybe it’s already all off and now she’s focused on keeping it that way. But perhaps there are still some discomforts. Maybe some people continue to make annoying comments, or you have some body image concerns, or are experiencing other sources of anxiety and insecurity. It will be ok. Keep the focus on the here and now, avoid catastrophic thinking, and address what needs to be addressed. Try to taste the finish line. It’s not much farther now. This is where the analogy ends. The marathoner raises his arms as he crosses the finishing line and gasps in a combination of exhaustion and euphoria….I did it!! It is an incredible accomplishment. He is finished. But as a person who has had weight loss surgery, you will always be running your race. Through time, your pace will hopefully become more predictable and steady, but the journey of weight loss surgery never truly ends. There are always “side-stitches” and “cramps” and little “pebbles in your shoes.” Rub out the cramps. Take a few breaths to relieve the side-stitches. Step off the track for a moment and shake out the pebbles in your shoe. Focus away from whatever the source of discomfort. There’s no timer anymore so there’s no rush to the finish line. Take each day as it comes, some better than others. Just keep a steady pace, a clear focus, and a positive attitude and you will successfully cross a thousand finish lines. Important lessons to remember: · Stay focused in the present. Avoid thinking of how far you still have to go. Instead, focus on how far you’ve come. You cannot effect change in any moment other than the present one, so thinking about and certainly worrying about the future is in many ways both pointless and counterproductive. It only creates anxiety and ruins the present moment. By focusing in the present, you will get to the future faster than you think. When I run, if I focus on the fact that 90% of the distance lies ahead, I immediately feel tired and overwhelmed. When I simply take it one step at a time and enjoy the run, by the time I next think about my distance I’m that much further along and confident that I’ll get through it. · Keep your “qi” (pronounced “chee”) about you. Qi is the circulating life energy that in Chinese philosophy is thought to be inherent and flowing in all things (it’s like “the force” in Star Wars). I think of qi as being a peacefulness, and being at one with the world around me. When I run, I feel more alive than at any other time. I am at one with the world around me. I am moving through the world and feel the world moving through me. Live in the current moment and allow yourself to experience all that you are experiencing. Be present in the present. Avoid thinking of what is wrong or what could go wrong. Instead focus on what is wonderful right now. · Most of the physical and emotional discomforts that you will experience on your journey will come and go. Maybe not right away or even today. But most discomforts do not last forever. Just as many of the runner’s side-stitches and cramps work themselves through, so will yours. · Avoid focusing on small and meaningless detail. Don’t weigh yourself incessantly and get down on yourself for every calorie. Do not become overly disappointed if you do not achieve these silly and arbitrary goals. The marathoner can choose to obsess about his slightly slow pace and tragically turn a remarkable event into an unbearable trek. · Believe that you can “stand” some discomfort. Telling yourself “I can’t stand it” will lead you to not stand it. The marathoner perseveres through extraordinary physical and psychological challenges to reach the finish line. It is not an easy path. Your path too will be littered with obstacles. Trust in yourself and believe that you “can stand it” as well. · Focus on the journey and the big picture. The transformation. The accomplishment of weight loss surgery is not in losing a certain amount of weight. It is about being able to make positive, meaningful change in your life that is now possible at this lower weight. Success isn’t achieved through a number on a scale; it’s by being able to live the life you’ve always dreamed of. · Enjoy the run, not just crossing the finish line. In every moment of the race and in every moment of your journey…take a look around. Breathe in what is beautiful and enjoy each moment. Don’t live your life only in anticipation of crossing the finish line. When you have reached the finish line, I promise you that you will look back and think very fondly of the race you’ve run. :thumbup:

Thank you Dr. Huberman, this was very encouraging. What a good analogy that was used. That really helped me being that I'm 7 weeks post op. :thumbup:

hi liz....it may be smething about the bands, i had mine placed on March 22 nd, last year....down 40 pounds and all of the sudden,,,,,,NO restriction and i have migrated port issues. dr pulled all fluid out b4 a floroscope was scheduled....was supposed to be at 11 cc and like 4 came out.....long story short - went back in under machine had a documented 4cc, added 6cc...i am at 10cc. for the next three days there was actual restriction, i would eat like and oz of cheese and be satisfied, full of gas and come day 3 after fill....NO restriction. my dr is 70 miles away and i ll see him on the first, but im like you-wondering what the he.......double L. i dont want another surgery, but if its band malfunction-ill have no choice and do i wanna go with the band again or do i have the gastric route en y thing done(which i am really against)? somebody give me answers, i feel so disappointed in myself like, i have let everyone in my family down too....