Congratulations to all bandsters! May we all have continued success this 2008.:tongue:

It is a happy new year for me... I am down 100 pounds! There are many of us who have met this mark, and we continue on our journey.

Cheers- here's to us, and the many "losers" that came before us, and to those who shall follow. :wink:

IF YOU ARE EVEN THINKING ABOUT GETTING A BAND, GO GET INFO NOW NOT LATER..

My Mom was scheduled to get her band Dec.19th 2007- she instead had a triple bypass heart surgery, followed by many complications, blood clots, bad reactions to meds, etc.. and results are that the triple/bypass needs to be completely redone when/if she gains enough strength back to make it through such an ordeal -again.

I will continue to count my blessing, I have had the opportunity to lose 100 pounds... before her story, became mine.

Keeping you all in my thoughts daily, Kimberly

Thank you very much phyllser!

I just got back from my doctor, and I now have my surgery date - 01-11-10! I've never been this excited in my life!!

My doctor instructed me to do a diet 2 weeks before the surgery, but the earlier I start, the better. So I will start by Dec. 10. I can't wait!

That's great news! Congrats! Yes, I started my pre-op diet right after my first doctor visit because he didn't want to do the surgery until I got my BMI down to 60.

Hi - I am two weeks out from my band surgery (I chose the Realize band). I haven't found a site like this specifically for Realize patients, so I hope no one minds having me crash the LapBand site.

I am on the soft food phase for the next couple of weeks but my doctor has my diet restricted to 2oz 3 times per day. It is torture to stick to that kind of diet without any restriction in the band yet.

Did everyone else start with 2oz or were you allowed more food per meal? I find it hard to get more than 500 or 600 calories a day and I would think I would be losing more than a pound a day with such a low caloric intake.

How did you successful banders make it through the first 6 weeks until you could start getting fills?

Hi - I am two weeks out from my band surgery (I chose the Realize band). I haven't found a site like this specifically for Realize patients, so I hope no one minds having me crash the LAP-BAND® site.

I am on the soft food phase for the next couple of weeks but my doctor has my diet restricted to 2oz 3 times per day. It is torture to stick to that kind of diet without any restriction in the band yet.

Did everyone else start with 2oz or were you allowed more food per meal? I find it hard to get more than 500 or 600 calories a day and I would think I would be losing more than a pound a day with such a low caloric intake.

How did you successful banders make it through the first 6 weeks until you could start getting fills?

You're welcome here no matter what kind of band you have! WELCOME!

You are in "Bandster Hell"!! LOL! It will pass! Just have to hang in there until you get a couple of fills and have some restriction.

My doc told me 1/2 cup 6X a day. So, 2 oz per meal sure doesn't sound like much! That's pretty extreme, and especially only 3X a day! Don't see how you can get enough protein/calories with only that much! First I had to do 2 weeks of clear liquids, 2 weeks of "full" liquids, then 2 weeks of "mushies" before I could go on normal food. And on liquids, I could have protein drinks. My memory is not so good, but seems to me I had 8 oz protein drinks. I assume your "soft food" stage is similar to my "mushy" stage. I did mashed potatoes, FF refired beans with a little cheese, scrambled eggs, that sort of thing.

Let me suggest one more thread for you to follow that might be helpful. There's a "mentors" thread called "I'm here to help" where you can get lots more input, encouragement and support.

Keep in touch!

You're welcome here no matter what kind of band you have! WELCOME!

You are in "Bandster Hell"!! LOL! It will pass! Just have to hang in there until you get a couple of fills and have some restriction.

My doc told me 1/2 cup 6X a day. So, 2 oz per meal sure doesn't sound like much! That's pretty extreme, and especially only 3X a day! Don't see how you can get enough protein/calories with only that much! First I had to do 2 weeks of clear liquids, 2 weeks of "full" liquids, then 2 weeks of "mushies" before I could go on normal food. And on liquids, I could have protein drinks. My memory is not so good, but seems to me I had 8 oz protein drinks. I assume your "soft food" stage is similar to my "mushy" stage. I did mashed potatoes, FF refired beans with a little cheese, scrambled eggs, that sort of thing.

Let me suggest one more thread for you to follow that might be helpful. There's a "mentors" thread called "I'm here to help" where you can get lots more input, encouragement and support.

Keep in touch!

Thank you for the thread reference. I am off to check that out next.

I thought that my diet was super extreme. It's good to know I am not totally insane!

I only had to do liquids for three days, pureed food for three days, and then mushy/soft food for a month. It is so good to know that what I am experiencing is normal. I was starting to freak out wondering if we'd wasted a ton of money...I can diet and be starving without surgery!! I am losing weight (about a pound a day so far) so at least it is fairly easy to stay motivated.

Thanks again!

Thank you for the thread reference. I am off to check that out next.

I thought that my diet was super extreme. It's good to know I am not totally insane!

I only had to do liquids for three days, pureed food for three days, and then mushy/soft food for a month. It is so good to know that what I am experiencing is normal. I was starting to freak out wondering if we'd wasted a ton of money...I can diet and be starving without surgery!! I am losing weight (about a pound a day so far) so at least it is fairly easy to stay motivated.

Thanks again!

Your diet is the diet used for Gastric Bypass patients. This is one of my biggest pet peeves with some LapBand doctors. Gastric Bypass patients ARENOT LapBand patients and we shouldn't be treated as such. Bypass patients leave the hospital with restriction. We do not! I'm sorry your doctor is mistreating you. Just do as he asks, but know if you're hungry, it's normal. You don't have any restriction yet. This happens all of the time. I wish it wouldn't because it's so unfair.

Hang in there!

Thank you very much phyllser!

I just got back from my doctor, and I now have my surgery date - 01-11-10! I've never been this excited in my life!!

My doctor instructed me to do a diet 2 weeks before the surgery, but the earlier I start, the better. So I will start by Dec. 10.

I can't wait!

Your life is going to change forever. I got my band 1/29/08 I've lost almost 200 lbs and am just working on my last 94 lbs to goal. My BMI was 65 and now it's 37! This was the best $9950.00 I ever spent!

BTW, I had to do 14 days of an ultra low carb liver shrinking diet. My liver was small and manageable for surgery and things went well. Good Luck!

Good luck!

My doctor never put a restriction on how much I could eat...The band did that for me. And I would get fills when I was telling him how much I could eat. My dr just restricted me on Snacking and Liquid food. All Doctors are different. But for me that is good there is no way I would survive if my Dr told me I could NOT EVER have something...mine tells me if you want cake have some...just dont over do it...this is a life long eating change...no one would want to give up something they love forever...I just dont eat in the quantity that I used to.

Good luck!

My doctor never put a restriction on how much I could eat...The band did that for me. And I would get fills when I was telling him how much I could eat. My dr just restricted me on Snacking and Liquid food. All Doctors are different. But for me that is good there is no way I would survive if my Dr told me I could NOT EVER have something...mine tells me if you want cake have some...just dont over do it...this is a life long eating change...no one would want to give up something they love forever...I just dont eat in the quantity that I used to.

Well, my doc told me 1/2 c 6X a day... but to me that is not realistic. I want to eat like normal people.... 3 meals a day. So I probably eat 1 - 1 1/2 c per meal... at least at lunch and dinner. Breakfast is usually a very small eggbeaters omelet. But I agree with you... if we have to deny ourselves things that we enjoy FOREVER... this won't work for us. I have treats... but then I will cut calories somewhere else that day, or ramp up my exercise a little. My weight loss has been slow but steady and that's okay with me.

Hi - I am two weeks out from my band surgery (I chose the Realize band). I haven't found a site like this specifically for Realize patients, so I hope no one minds having me crash the LAP-BAND® site.

I am on the soft food phase for the next couple of weeks but my doctor has my diet restricted to 2oz 3 times per day. It is torture to stick to that kind of diet without any restriction in the band yet.

Did everyone else start with 2oz or were you allowed more food per meal? I find it hard to get more than 500 or 600 calories a day and I would think I would be losing more than a pound a day with such a low caloric intake.

How did you successful banders make it through the first 6 weeks until you could start getting fills?

The dietitian told me 1/4 cup (=2 oz.) three times a day with no snacking, just liquids and protein shakes in between. This has been IMPOSSIBLE for me to follow in these first 5 weeks since surgery. I eat more than that (1-2 cups) and occasionally have a snack, but I've been recording everything I eat on fitday.com and I usually have been limiting myself to 1200-1500 calories a day. I hope to feel full with less food after my first fill next week.

I was also supposed to be on clear liquids for 48 hours, full liquids for two weeks, mushies for 2 weeks, soft foods for one week, then slowly introduce regular foods. I know I should follow doctor's orders, but I moved up the timetable for myself because I healed so fast I felt like my body could handle it. Maybe that was wrong, but I feel like I have to do what works for me, always keeping in mind that if I am not careful, I'm not gonna lose as much as I want to and it will be nobody's fault but my own.

Edited January 29, 201016 yr by BeckyC73
typo

The dietitian told me 1/4 cup (=2 oz.) three times a day with no snacking, just liquids and Protein shakes in between. This has been IMPOSSIBLE for me to follow in these first 5 weeks since surgery. I eat more than that (1-2 cups) and occasionally have a snack, but I've been recording everything I eat on fitday.com and I usually have been limiting myself to 1200-1500 calories a day. I hope to feel full with less food after my first fill next week.

I was also supposed to be on Clear Liquids for 48 hours, full liquids for two weeks, mushies for 2 weeks, soft foods for one week, then slowly introduce regular foods. I know I should follow doctor's orders, but I moved up the timetable for myself because I healed so fast I felt like my body could handle it. Maybe that was wrong, but I feel like I have to do what works for me, always keeping in mind that if I am not careful, I'm not gonna lose as much as I want to and it will be nobody's fault but my own.

Yep... definitely not a realistic plan! 1/4 cup 3X a day and NO Snacks??? Gimmee a break!!! My doctor said 1/2 cup 6X a day. I'm still supposed to be eating 1/2 cup 6X a day! I eat more than that, but 3X a day... like a normal person! In the afternon I usually have maybe 1 oz of cheese for my snack, and at night I have a 60 calorie pudding.

When did you say your surgery was?? And have you had any fills yet?? I do think you need to stay under 1200 if possible. Of course, I don't know details like your height, weight, activity level. But for myself, I MUST exercise and I MUST stay below 1200 calories in order to lose.

That's what I had to do both the first surgery and this time, 2 weeks liquads, 2 weeks pureed, 2 weeks mashed. I'm just about onto the pureed section...

Though I must admit, I snuck some blended chickpea dip (just chickpeas, olive oil, garlic and water) because I was so desperate to feel a real food again... and I have been having a few nuts >.> It feels like my body can take it and I haven't been forcing it. It has a harder time trying to handle so much of this stupid Fluid diet! 1.2 lts of Milk a day!

Anyway, getting there *wriggle* :tongue_smilie:

Anyone banded that had a BMI of 70+? I am 440 lbs and just starting to get co-morbidities.

The doctor I plan to see in Puerto Viarta, Dr. Joya is recommending I get the gastric sleeve, I would really rather get the LAP or Realize band. I'm looking for success stories for the 70 BMI crowd!

Anyone banded that had a BMI of 70+? I am 440 lbs and just starting to get co-morbidities.

The doctor I plan to see in Puerto Viarta, Dr. Joya is recommending I get the gastric sleeve, I would really rather get the LAP or Realize band. I'm looking for success stories for the 70 BMI crowd!

I'm just 5 ft tall and started at 327 lb, BMI of almost 64, so not far from where you are really.

I know there are some who say if they had it to do over they'd go with the sleeve because that eliminates "fills". And I know of one who converted from band to sleeve after a year or so because of some complications.. I think she was having a lot of trouble with reflux.

I'm happy with my band, but if problems developed, I'd probably convert to sleeve also. There are threads here for that, I think, so do some research on your way to making a decision.

I was banded July 07. Slow looser... so I haven't reached goal yet, but down 130 lb. Knee problems impaired my ability to exercise for the first two years, but now I have a "new" left knee which has helped a lot. Exercise is an important part of this journey.

I'm just 5 ft tall and started at 327 lb, BMI of almost 64, so not far from where you are really.

I know there are some who say if they had it to do over they'd go with the sleeve because that eliminates "fills". And I know of one who converted from band to sleeve after a year or so because of some complications.. I think she was having a lot of trouble with reflux.

I'm happy with my band, but if problems developed, I'd probably convert to sleeve also. There are threads here for that, I think, so do some research on your way to making a decision.

I was banded July 07. Slow looser... so I haven't reached goal yet, but down 130 lb. Knee problems impaired my ability to exercise for the first two years, but now I have a "new" left knee which has helped a lot. Exercise is an important part of this journey.

Thank you for the information Phyl! It is scarry I was set in my goal of the Realize band, now I''m not sure. The statistics of 25% of Banders that have it removed after 2-3 years is a difficult decision to re-think.

Tracy

Anyone banded that had a BMI of 70+? I am 440 lbs and just starting to get co-morbidities.

The doctor I plan to see in Puerto Viarta, Dr. Joya is recommending I get the gastric sleeve, I would really rather get the LAP or Realize band. I'm looking for success stories for the 70 BMI crowd!

Hi - I am 5'6"" and my starting weight was 424lbs so my BMI was 68.4 - almost at 70, but not quite. I have lost down to 175 lbs with the band. My doctor didn't think i would do it, he was trying to encourage me towards bypass, but I refused- I wanted the band. I knew I could make it work. Now, he screens carefully, but does encourage bands for us high bmi patients and there are lots of successes in his practice. I was banded almost 6 years ago, it took 28 months to get the weight off (that's for those of you who are not yet at goal and consider yourself slow losers- you're not- we just have alot of weight to get off). If I had any regrests they would be that I didn't get the band sooner. I love my new life!