How important are the rules really?

[Jachut 487]

My personal view is that following the after surgery liquid to mushies to solids regime is VERY important.

All the rules about soda and caffeine and Protein and stuff, well this may not be popular but I think they're rubbish. Every surgeon differs, and I personally wouldnt drink soda anyway, but I certainly drink coffee, moderate alcohol and I havent and will never ban healthy carbs, and I've had a great band experience. I havent "broken" any rules because those things were NEVER rules for me, my surgeon simply says to eat sensibly from all food groups, dont overeat to the point of feeling very full and dont have fills you dont need. I guess i've followed those ones religiously so I do value rules and can be compliant, but not with ones that have no real basis in any logic.

To me weight loss is NOTHING more than calories in v calories out, so if you want to occasional alcoholic drink, then bearing in mind your overall nutrition and where you get your calories from, I see no problem with that at all.

[mandie175lbs 5]

I can't believe you are not following your doctor's orders! Do you realize that there is a possibility that you could die from this procedure? I'm scared for you. Please start following your doctor's order.

[Marine mom 3]

The rules exist because all of that stuff CAN affect a person. My doctor is a common sense kind of guy. I like that. He allows caffeine, soda that has been debubbled a bit, and limited alcohol.

I drink coffee. I have had a handful of sips of soda, usually when necessary, and alcohol is empty calories. A sip or two works for me. Exercise is important for life, mental health and physical health.

[khunt719 2]

When I first got my band, I ate what I wanted when I wanted and how much I wanted. My mother lost like crazy with her band and I thought it would just magically work that way for me. Boy was I wrong. I gained and couldn't lose a pound to save my life. It wasn't until 6 months of getting fills and reading books about WLS that I finally came to grips with how serious this is. I hadn't had a soda since 9-20-09 and yesterday I had a bottled soda. It took me about 2 1/2 hours to drink half of it and I thought my stomach was going to explode so I won't ever do that again. What a mistake that was. The rules are there to help you lose the weight the easiest and fastest way possible. I have followed the rules for about 2 months now and have lost 15 lbs so I know they work. I sometimes ask myself...why did I go through 1 1/2 years of fighting the insurance to get approved if I'm not going to try at this, atleast 90% of the time. food is my addiction and I just can't do 100% and stay sane. Good luck and listen to what the other bandsters tell you because they have some really good advice. :frown:

[nailpro00 71]

When it come to the lap band every person is different. i think it is an individual thing that make you successful. it is trial and error. If it works for you then keep doing it. but understand that your Dr knows best what is going to work.

i had my surgery in sept and i am down 73 pounds. i try to exercise but i don't do as often as i should. i mostly stick with the mushy stage and do have beer on occasion. I do not eat any bread, waffles, pancakes or bagel products at all for feel of expanding in my stomach and getting stuck. I look at it like this. I did not have major surgery where I was cut in 5 spots and have a device put around my stomach to help me GET HEALTHY TO LIVE 10 YEARS LONGER for nothing. I am going to do what I can to get those 10 years. That does not mean that I am never going to not make bad choices because I will. I am just not going to make them that often.

BTW I am signed up to do my very first 5K sat. Very excited.:frown:

I really need to take a new pic of myself for my profile pic.

[Humming Bird 275]

Page 212 "Weightloss Surgery For Dummies"

Which drinks to avoid

Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it makes you urinate. So if you're trying to hydrate, drinking regular coffee or tea is not the best choice. Caffeine can also hurt your stomach if you drink large amounts, so cut back on the caffeine, or if you can, eliminate it.

Whether you call them soda or pop, carbonated beverages are a no-no right after surgery, even if they're sugar-free. Here are a few reasons to avoid carbonated drinks:

> Carbonation will give you more gas. Even if you let the carbonated beverage sit until it's flat, when you drink it, the heat of your body will release more carbonation, and the gas will come out one way or another. (Your pouch does not expand because of carbonation; this was theory, but it's never been proven.)

> Some studies from the 1990s have suggested that the phosphoric acid found in sodas reduces the Calcium in bones.

> Some studies indicate that NutraSweet can make you hungrier.

[YoungBlackAndBanded 0]

Perhaps I would take the guidelines more seriously if they didn't vary so much from doctor to doctor, practice to practice and manufacturer to manufacturer. It would also help if my doctor hadn't proved to be more of a LAP-BAND® mill than a caring practitioner. I imagine those with a sheep mentality are the most successful being banded - you know, those folks who take direction without question. Unfortunately that is not who I am. I also think that for many of us, if following a diet were the issue we wouldn't be banded. food is my drug of choice, as I have to imagine is true for many. This takes long term behavior modification - with any luck the band is a tool that aides in that modification, not another obstacle. I have to admit to not being as prepared as perhaps I should have been. However, no matter the preparation, no one can tell you exactly how the band is going to feel in your body. I am not going to whine about a slip because I drank soda, any more than I would whine about a slip because I was vomiting meat that was apparently too tough. This is trial and error. There are many allowed foods/beverages that can be problematic and are patient specific. And... my banded dietician told the group that she never gave up her Diet Coke.... Mixed messages much?

If there are any folks that have been successful without being saints I would love to hear from you. I have found that this has been far more challenging & frustrating than I ever anticipated.

Thanks.

I tend to SOMEWHAT agree with some of the things you said. There are A LOT of variations from doctor to doctor. For example some doctors have their patients on an after fill diet. My doctor requires no such thing. So which one is right???

At the same time, I chose my doctor because I believed him to be the best, and most competent to do this surgery so, I will follow his advice. There is a saying that goes "if you do what you've always done, you will get what you've always got".....I've dieted on my own with no success, so I am choosing to follow the advice of a professional who has been around the block a few times.

I'll also say, there is a difference between taking advice without question, and taking advice from someone who knows more than you. I don't believe that lab banders that follow their doctors advice are by definition 'stupid'. Perhaps they are educated patients who have done thier research and are working with a professional they trust.

[BetsyB 9]

How important are the rules?

It depends.

How important is it to you to (a) retain a functioning band, and (:frown: achieve your weight loss goals?

[LapNYC 3]

I actually find your post to be totally offensive. I'm usually happy to help people who are struggling if I can, and would never judge, but you just sound like a humorless ass. Questions about coffee, soda etc. are asked time and time again and are totally legitimate. We've all done our research about giving up these things and have made our decisions. We're not blind sheep following Hitler into battle here. We're educated and curious, sacrificed a lot to have this band, did our due diligence, and made our own decisions about abstinence and moderation and special occasions and coffee and alcohol and liquid diets etc. etc.

There's nothing special about you, buddy. It's just as hard for the rest of us. When you're ready to lose the tone, let me know. I'd be happy to respond. In the interim, I'd suggest some soul searching...

[Humming Bird 275]

I'm not offended. I have lost 95 lbs without being a saint or a sheep. We are all different and on a different path. I would encourage the OP to explore the "whys" about some of the rules. The longer you are able to keep the band the more success you will keep.

[slow_but_steady 0]

Hmmm...Interesting thoughts and comments. I'm for following the rules MY DOCTOR layed down for me. No carbonated beverages, yikes, not even alqua zeltzer. Believe me, I asked.

[Nean4488 1]

This thread really makes me want to drink some pop... oh man I would give a lot to be allowed a diet coke! Its the hardest part of this whole thing not to drink it! haha

[sloanjd 0]

I actually find your post to be totally offensive. I'm usually happy to help people who are struggling if I can, and would never judge, but you just sound like a humorless ass. Questions about coffee, soda etc. are asked time and time again and are totally legitimate. We've all done our research about giving up these things and have made our decisions. We're not blind sheep following Hitler into battle here. We're educated and curious, sacrificed a lot to have this band, did our due diligence, and made our own decisions about abstinence and moderation and special occasions and coffee and alcohol and liquid diets etc. etc.

There's nothing special about you, buddy. It's just as hard for the rest of us. When you're ready to lose the tone, let me know. I'd be happy to respond. In the interim, I'd suggest some soul searching...

I'm not offended in the least. The 'sheep' comment was after, what I felt were, some extremely judgmental comments by other users. This should be a forum where we can ask honest questions and get non-judgmental responses. You know the old adage- those who throw stones shouldn't live in glass houses (be it this issue, or any other issue in your life)

[Ravyn 0]

Wow, this was a very heated topic. I thoroughly enjoyed all the replies. I have only had one fill since my initial surgery and I have no restriction. However some people report uncomfortable degrees of restriction from their first fill. This whole process is subjective and I have had to come to terms with that. I may not be the wonderful success story like that of the people on the commercials. I may have to exercise harder or use more sheer will power. Unfortunately, if I had the will power, I wouldn't be banded. *sigh* It's so frustrating because I feel like the quick losers expect everyone to have the same experience they are....it reminds me of the many food and exercise conversations I've had with my thin friends. Magically, they just don't crave sugar. However, my body WANTS it, morning, noon and night. It would be so much easier if I didn't crave because then I'd be like my skinny friends. They don't have stronger will power. They simply don't have the same cravings and desires. Our bodies are all different. Our hormone levels are all different. Let's support each other, rather than judge and berate each other. We do better when we can. And for those hours,days, weeks or months that we mess up, we need acceptance to move forward.

With that said, I'm scheduled for my second fill at the end of June and I am praying that my doctor puts enough to really give me some restriction, cause I ate 3 quarters of half a bagel before I felt anything....that's a lot of bread!!

Oh and my nutritionist said the whole reason they say not to drink carbonated beverages is not because the band may slip, but because it creates so much gas that you will be very uncomfortable, to the point of throwing up...now throwing up is NOT good for the band. At this point, I can drink beer very slowly, but I have a feeling that once I get my second fill, I wont be able to do this anymore.

I wish everyone all the best with their weightloss, especially me :frown:

[cwm812 11]

I am loving this thread, too.

I'm a rule-breaker by nature. I hate to follow any rule that I doesn't make sense to me. I wear my seat belt, I pay my taxes and I followed my doctors post-op directions because they made sense. Some of the other rules, I've tested and made a decision, based on my experience. On some things he was right. Carbonation does not feel good anymore and I don't drink beer or soda, but I needed to find out for myself. I was told never to drink 30 minutes before a meal. Well, I found I need to have Water before I eat or I can't eat more than a bite or two. I told my doctor and he said, "The rules are just guidelines, if it's working for you, it's fine."

And I think that's just it....if you need to follow strict guidelines to make this tool work for you, go right ahead. For me and apparently a few other people, we need to think about it and figure things out for ourselves. I do value my doctor's opinion and I ask for advice regularly. He sees hundreds of band wearers and I don't. But I am the expert on how I feel, and that counts for something, too.

Cindy