Tomorrow's my lap band surgery!

I've been on a low-carb diet for about two weeks. Then today, it's clear liquids only and that's what I'll be doing for the first two weeks post-op, too. I got some Unjury protein powder and added it to my chicken broth today. It was actually quite good and very filling. So it will be broth, SF Jello, SF popcycles, and water for awhile. Then I'll graduate to full liquids -- including blended soups and shakes made with milk. And finally soft foods that require little or no chewing. It will be five months before I eat normal food again!

My doctor is pretty conservative about his food schedule and how he does fills (injections of saline solution into the band that will encircle the top third of my stomach.) But for once in my life, I'm going to be patient!

I'll be back with updates! Happy Halloween!

and easy recovery. You're on your way :woohoo:

thinking good thoughts, post when you can.
:hug:
aA
kesha

The only "event" was a hiatal hernia that Dr. Ganta repaired. He wants me to take prescription Prilosec but it has to be preapproved by my insurance company so that will take a couple of days. My husband is getting me the OTC version instead, if he can find it in liquid or chewable.

Otherwise, I'm feeling great! My surgery was at 7 a.m. and I left the hospital a little after 1:00 p.m. The Tylenol with codiene should probably get the credit but I'm just a little sore and in good spirits.

Thanks for asking! :hug:

(I asked you to post about it in another thread) So glad to see that you are able to get up and actually post today. That surprises me! Does your doctor tell you when you will start to notice changes? Do you even feel like eating anything, or are you just too sore to think about that right now? I do hope you are fine, and the surgery will bring you everything you hope for! I can't wait to hear about your progress!! :hug:

ps. was your insurance able to cover the operation?

Yes, the surgery went smoothly. I was home by 1:45. I don't have much of an appetite right now. I'm just drinking Propel and broth, sometimes mixed with Unjury protein powder. I also had some SF Jello with powdered egg whites added for protein. Protein and hydration are the main concerns in the beginning.

I'll lose much of the weight in these first few months as I learn to use the band. I'll be on clear liquids, then full liquids (anything that would fit through a straw), then soft foods. My doctor is very conservative -- most people would be on regular food after just six weeks. However, I'm glad he's this way because I really don't want to have food get stuck! It gives me time to relearn how to eat -- that is, chew my food longer and take more time between bites.

My insurance doesn't cover bariatric surgery so I'm self-pay. All together, it will be about $13,500. I got most of it financed with Capital One and Care Credit, two companies that finance medical procedures. There are a few others out there, too. Blue Cross Blue Shield does cover the surgery but it depends on the employer and mine must have opted out. I'm not sure I would have qualified because my BMI is *only* 35 and they usually require a BMI of at least 40 or, if it's lower, then co-morbidities such as diabetes or hypertension. Other than being overweight, I'm in perfect health, which I kept hearing over and over yesterday. :blush:

Right now, any restriction I get is due to the swelling of my stomach. When that goes down and until I get my first adjustment at six weeks, I won't have any restriction. My doctor is also conservative about fills and only adds a little at a time. Again, that's fine with me. While I'd love to lose quickly like anyone else, I am determined to be patient this time, knowing that I should never have to lose weight again! I'm not even going to weigh myself at home. I'll know if I'm losing by how my clothes fit and when I get weighed at the doctor's office. I've read too many accounts of people on the www.lapbandtalk.com board who are upset because they didn't lose or didn't lose as much as they thought they should!

I'll be sure to post here to let y'all know how it's going and selfishly get your support! :hug:

and please don't think its selfish to post your progress. I am VERY interested in hearing how you are doing. Who knows? maybe one day, if I can save enough, it may be an option for me. I look forward to reading your updates! :hug:

I was feeling a little poorly this morning but as the day has progressed, I'm getting better all the time. I think the worst is over and it wasn't that bad. I'm just focusing on healing properly and following the prescribed diet. I've cut out diet soda, something I thought I'd never be able to do! So now I'm sipping water or Propel all day. I got a Pur water filter and pitcher and the water tastes great! So I'm happy that I'm beginning to develop some good habits.

There are some great surgeons in the Houston area if you ever decide to go this route. I financed my surgery through Capitol One and Care Credit. It will be about $13,500 total. There's a doctor in Denver who does it for just under $10,000 but I felt I'd rather do this close to home even if it costs a little more.

As you can see in my response to Kesha, I'm doing great so far! I'm feeling very positive about this decision! :hug:

to check in and see how you are feeling today. I hope you're getting good rest and some decent nutrition!

take good care of you.

aA
kesha

I'm really taking it easy because I need to go back to work on Tuesday so I don't want to overdo. I'm a little sore and still taking the pain medication but I slept well last night.

I switched to low-carb SlimFast because I think the Unjury protein that I was adding to Propel and chicken broth was making me bloated. I've had a reaction to whey protein before and even though I was taking chewable Lactaid, I think this must have been another case of lactose intolerance. The SlimFast has 20 grams of protein, just like one scoop of the protein powder, so three of them a day will keep me at the 60-gram level my doctor wants. I don't really have an appetite yet but I don't mind sipping it and Propel.

Thanks, Kesha! :hug:

I developed lactose intolerance too after my surgery and it makes me gag just smelling it. I really LOVE soy protein though. I eat genisoy protein bars 19gr of protein (I think) and I drink soy shakes. I get the genisoy bars from http://www.vitacost.com and the shake powder from http://www.revivalsoy.com

I like to make smoothies with the vanilla shake powder.


Glad you're doing well.

:hug:

aA

Since the bloating could have just been from the surgery, I'm going to give it another try. I had some before the surgery and took Lactaid and didn't have any trouble. But I also read that I may be more sensitive after the surgery, as you are. I love Luna Bars and they are soy protein. I've never had any trouble with soy and I've read it's supposed to help with menopause symptoms, too.

I'm feeling so much better today! I'm glad I don't have to go back to work until Tuesday but I believe I could go tomorrow if I absolutely had to. :)

Thanks, Hon! :hug:

I'm doing so well, I can't really believe I had surgery three days ago! Yes, I'm a little sore in my upper abdomen but I only feel it when I get in or out of a chair or bend over and it's not really painful. I have no appetite so I'm doing fine on the clear liquids and low-carb SlimFast. I probably could have gone back to work tomorrow but I'm glad that I don't have to go until Tuesday, just in case I have a stamina problem. I've been reclining a lot in order to work back up to it.

I'll see my surgeon on Friday to check on my incisions. I'm not focusing on weightloss right now -- just healing and getting used to the new food regimen.

Have a great week, y'all!

how many incisions did you have, and how big are they? do you have stitches? I'm interested to hear that you don't have any appetite yet. Your recovery seems to be amazing! What and when will you be able to eat, when you start on solids again?

so I will only miss Thursday and Monday. I'll miss one of each class I teach so the students will only miss one class. I may also stay home from tutoring on Tuesday to ease back into it.

I have five incisions. Four are pretty small and I can't feel them at all. The fifth is where he put the port (where he will inject the saline into a tube that leads to the silicone band around my stomach.) That's the one that is sore but not really painful. Most of the time, I don't feel it at all and the soreness is lessening each day.

Because my stomach is swollen, that's the main reason I don't have an appetite. Food is neither appealing or unappealing. I've been drinking Propel, Diet Snapple, water, low-carb SlimFast, Sugar-free Jell-O to which I added protein powder when I made it, chicken broth with protein powder, and sugar-free popcycles. I'm on this diet for two weeks.

For the next four weeks, I can have full liquids and pureed foods, such as sugar-free pudding, small-curd cottage cheese, Soup-at-Hand and other blended soups, sugar-free Carnation Instant Breakfast, baby food, applesauce -- anything that could fit through a straw, basically.

After that until five months post-op, I'll be eating soft foods: scrambled eggs, refried beans, flaky fish like tuna, stuff like that.

My doctor is pretty conservative -- most people are eating normal foods much more quickly -- as soon as four to six weeks after surgery. But I don't really mind because I want to avoid getting food stuck or having it come back up -- some possibilities if I don't learn to chew my food a lot and eat more slowly.

Here's an article that features my doctor: http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A501910

Feel free to ask more questions! I'm learning as I go along but I've done a lot of research, too!

Everything looks fine except a little redness at one incision. I just need to keep an eye on it and may need antibiotics if it gets worse.

I lose 6.5 pounds since October 30 -- 9.5 pounds total since I started the pre-op diet. :)

Thanks for the update. I've been thinking about you! It sounds like everything is going great- :hug:

Still doing well I'm hoping.

What's the update on everything? :hi:

I went back to work Tuesday after surgery the previous Thursday. It has now been three weeks and I'm in the "mushies" stage of my diet. I can have full liquids and pureed foods. My favorite is fat-free refried beans with melted cheese topped with guacamole or cottage cheese.

One incision got infected but I took antibiotics for a week and it healed up just fine. One more week and I'll be able to start exercising. I'm not weighing myself at home so I won't know about any further weight loss until my next doctor visit on December 14. However, I feel like my clothes are fitting better.

Thanks for thinking of me! :hi:

did you feel tired at any point? From the sounds of it, you have so much energy, despite the surgery. When can you start on regular foods? Your refried beans & cheese sounds yummy though- that from another Texan here...

Happy Thanksgiving, Longhorn!! :hug:

but nothing I couldn't manage. I just came home from work, went to bed, and took it easy. I was really pretty amazed at how quickly I felt better.

I'll start on "soft foods" on December 14, six weeks after surgery. Today I had butternut squash soup, pureed turkey, pureed mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, chocolate mousse cake, and pumpkin cheesecake pie. Sounds like lot, huh? However, I just had a small bite or two of these foods and the desserts didn't come until after a walk. I feel neither hungry nor stuffed. It's an amazing feeling for Thanksgiving! :)

Thanks, Diva! You're the best! :yourock:

it doesn't sound like you missed out on any of the tasty treats Thanksgiving brings! I can't say I can wrap my mind, much less my taste buds around pureed turkey, but if you were happy, then I am happy for you! I had to wait on eating my dessert too.

So I was amazed at how tasty it was! It wasn't really mushy -- just chopped into tiny pieces -- but it was full of flavor. Same thing with the mac & cheese. Who knew?

and recovery has gone well.

:thumbsup:

I'm very pleased so far! :)

:)

We went out to eat for breakfast yesterday before my mother went home after spending Thanksgiving with us -- there were six of us. Everyone's plate was heaping full of food! I ordered a migas taco and I just ate the eggs and shredded tortilla inside. I ate slowly and didn't drink, just like I'm supposed to. I finished at about the same time as everyone else. I felt like I had just enough and I wasn't at all tempted to eat more, nor did I feel deprived because I couldn't have pancakes like my mother or a club sandwich like my niece. I just don't have an appetite right now. I enjoy food but only as long as it takes to eat a small amount.

I don't know how long this phase will last for me. Typically, once you heal from the surgery, your appetite returns and you enter a phase they call Bandster Hell. You typically don't get restriction from the band until after one or more fills so some people gain back what they lost in the first few weeks. I am fully expecting this but it hasn't happened yet, three weeks since surgery.

How is is going with you? Are you still planning to get the band?

I just went through two treadmill tests before the Cardiologists would clear me. But I'll get the final word on that when I talk to my weight clinic Dr. soon. It wouldn't hurt me at all to completely lose my appetite. The times in my life that's happened is when I've lost weight.

Yes, it's amazing how easy this is when you aren't thinking about food all the time. I suspect this is what it's like for people who aren't overweight -- you know, those people who have self-control! ;) (I'm not a smoker, nor have I ever smoked. Don't I have great self-control when it comes to smoking? :D )

Good luck!

I've tried to use the smoking analogy. Cigs never held an interest for me and I couldn't understand the addiction. So I tried to visualize food restriction like refusing a smoke.

That not thinking about food all the time is really what I hope for out of all this. The woman I met last week said that she did a complete reevaluation of how she thought of food and how she relates to food. That just has to happen with me, surgery or not.

I've lost 15.5 pounds and I'm doing great! My band holds 10 cc of saline and I got an injection today (called a fill) that inflated mine with 4 cc. I don't feel any different yet but it can take time and several fills before I reach the perfect amount of restriction. Aside from recovery from surgery, this has been the most painless 15 pounds I've ever lost!

Sounds like things are moving along well post-surgery. :thumbsup:

I was talking to a co-worker about this surgery--she's considering it. Do you know how much (percentage wise) of body weight that most people lose with lap-band? Do most lose all the weight necessary to be at a medically "normal" weight?

From memory, I think it's about 50 to 60 percent of excess weight from fat over about two years. That's an average, however, so some people lose all of their excess weight and some lose none or very little. Success still depends a lot on the person getting the band. For someone who is committed to losing weight by making better food choices and exercise, it works great! For someone who refuses to follow the rules -- and let's face it, there are a lot of psychological reasons that people have issues with food -- the lap band may not work as well.

Tell your co-worker about www.lapbandsurgery.com. It's a message board for those who have had or are considering the surgery. You might warn her that there is an over-representation of complications on a board like this but I learned which posts to disregard and which to take seriously. I also learned a lot about what to expect and how it all works -- my surgeon was very impressed at our first meeting -- and I still go there for support.

Feel free to PM me for my email address to send to your co-worker. I'd be happy to talk to her about my experience! Or bring her questions here! :) :hi:

I'll pass it along. :thumbsup:

Thank you for posting an update; I replied to your post in Classic Films, and it made me wonder about how you were doing. I came over here, and you had posted the update! Its good to see that your body is responding to the surgery in a very positive way. I'll bet your pants are loose already! :hug:

Yes, it's amazing the difference 16 pounds can make in how clothes fit! I had a great weekend of sampling favorite foods without overdoing it, something that in the past would have left me feeling hungry and deprived, if I was even able to accomplish it. Without that constant urge to eat, it's no sacrifice at all to eat less. It's really hard for me to believe that it can work this way!

I appreciate your support, as always! :hug:

you. I remember reading an earlier post of yours somewhere around here that you weren't sure if it would work for you or not. Sounds to me as though it was a good decision. Much continued success to you!

It's because I've been on reduced-calorie diets before and didn't lose but I didn't realize how few calories I'd be eating. I'd never be able to sustain this level without the band because I'd eventually feel hungry and/or deprived. But so far, I haven't felt that way and I don't even have restriction from the band yet. So I'm optimistic but I still expect to be a fairly slow loser.

Thanks for your support! :hi:

curious as to how low you ended up having to go to finally see some results....

but I'd estimate around 800 to 1000 calories per day. When I was logging all my food and trying to lose on 1500 to 1600 calories per day before the surgery, I didn't lose a pound. :( I lost 70 pounds four years ago on Medifast, three shakes or bars with a chicken breast and salad for dinner, and was also below 1000 calories per day. Unfortunately, as one who has lost and regained weight many times over the years, I think it will be awhile before my body will handle a "normal" amount of calories again.

That was the level I used almost 20 years ago while in WW to loose 60 lbs - of course I was also 20 years younger. ;-) I'd hover between 900 and 1200 and lost 2-4 lbs per week. When my body would stall for more than a couple of weeks I'd "trick it" into thinking the diet was over by upping my calories to 1500-1700 and sure nuff, I'd drop a pound a week. Then I'd start cutting back again.

It hasn't been so easy this time around, but I'm happy to say that I finally began loosing about a pound a week the last couple of months. I'm hoping to keep the rate of a pound a week. More would be nice, but after an entire summer of bustin' my butt and starving myself with no weight loss, a pound a week is plenty-good-nuff for me. I'm still working out and keep telling myself there's a 6-pack developing under all that belly flab.

I found I have 3 good sized uterine fibroids (uterus equivalent 12-15 weeks) and some weird stuff going on with blood glucose - both probably had something to do with my struggles to loose weight. Who knows, and I still have no confidence in my Dr. so I'm still looking.

It seems unnatural but apparently our bodies are designed to live on fewer calories than we think, though I probably wouldn't need to go so low if I hadn't messed things up with all that dieting. The Medifast diet is only 450 calories a day!

I think the main reason people are advised not to go below 1200-1500 calories a day is because it really is unsustainable and then we gain when we go back to "normal." With the right combination of protein and nutrients, it isn't unhealthy. I was worried when I realized I would be living on so few calories but I hadn't experienced the effect of the band on the "brain" in my stomach. :)

lot more going on in weight management than just "calories in - calories out". Sure, calories in/out "normally" works - it's when there's something out-a-wack that makes your body no longer respond "normally" that there's still a lot of unknowns.

Sad that most people and doctors still think it's all just a simple matter of eat less excercise more. :eyes: Causes an awful lot of heartache and pain for people.

as if it's a character flaw, a matter of self control. I'd fall for it, too, if I hadn't tried so hard not to regain the weight I lost the last time. Most of us do blame ourselves because who hasn't had too much to eat now and then? But so do thin people! Thin people are often lauded as if they actually did something to be thin. We lost a lot of valuable research time blaming AIDS victims instead of finding out what causes AIDS and how to prevent it. Seems like we've taken the same knuckleheaded approach to obesity, since fat people only have themselves to blame. :sarcasm: Now that it's an epidemic affecting even our children, they're beginning to take a serious look at what's going on and why it isn't as simple as they thought! It's not a liberal vs conservative view, either, from what I've seen of some of the ignorant posts you occasionally read on other parts of DU. :(

I have lost a total of 19 pounds. Today I got my second fill. I now have 6 ccs in a 10cc band. I'll be on liquids through the weekend, then back to solid food on Monday. I may not be able to tell until then if I have much restriction but it can take a week or more for the fill to "kick in."

I met with a physical trainer today and she's going to come to my house tomorrow and get me checked out on my home gym. She is a former patient of my surgeon who now works in his office. She lost more than 100 pounds in the last year!

I also picked up a juicer so that I can start juicing veggies and fruits since I've never been good about consuming them. And I picked up a heart rate monitor. I'm feeling very psyched right now. :)

You have every reason to feel psyched! :D

It turns out the trainer couldn't come yesterday but she's coming next Saturday. I'm still working out on my recumbent bike, though, till she gets me checked out on the home gym. I've used it plenty before but I'd like to start fresh with a new program and my form evaluated.

I've lost another three pounds since Friday so this fill seems to be working pretty well! :)

:pals:

So far, I've made carrot/apple/celery juice and spinach/cucumber/celery juice. Of course, the first tasted better but the second was much better than I thought it would be. It sure makes me feel virtuous! ;)

I'm down 24 pounds so far, slow but steady. I see my doctor again tomorrow. I will probably get a small fill. I have 6ccs in my 10cc-band. I'm thinking 0.5 to 1cc increase, tops. I go about four hours at a time without eating and I'm eating much less when I do eat. I'm never really hungry but I eat when I am. The difference is that I am satisfied with much less food. I'm eating better food, too -- more protein and high-quality carbs -- and I'm getting in more veggies and fruits by making juice with my Jack LaLanne Juicer. Talk about fun!

I've had none of the negative experiences that sometimes accompany Lap-Band surgery. I haven't had food get stuck or come back up. I have no discomfort at all. I've learned to eat smaller bites and chew more, which results in eating more slowly. I'm just eight pounds away from being merely "Overweight" instead of "Obese," according to my BMI. I'm also just five pounds away from being under 200 pounds! :D

I'd love to be losing more quickly but I'm not feeling deprived nor suffering in any way, so I think I'll just be patient and enjoy the fact that I'm losing. :)

Your last sentence is a great inspiration for any of us trying to loose weight and/or become more fit - be patient and enjoy the journey. Deprivation or suffering is no way to go -- unless you're truly a glutton for punishment, it's just not sustainable.
Congrats and here's to continued success!
:toast:

I just got back from the doctor. I got 1cc so I have 7ccs in my 10cc-band. So far, it feels fine. I'm on liquids through the weekend to give my stomach time to adjust. Propel and Slimfast are going down fine.

You're exactly right that deprivation and suffering are not sustainable. I'm fortunate that I don't have a lot of "head hunger." It's not that I'm never tempted but I'm pretty good about making substitutions or doing without when I know that I'm not really hungry. Before my surgery, though, I had this raging hunger, generally late in the day. I've never smoked but it must be similar to that kind of craving. I don't have those cravings any more and it makes all the difference in the world!

Your kind words are very much appreciated! :hug:

your weight did not sounds bad enough for them to do the lap surgery. Then again I know pretty much nothing about this. I do know that the surgery is completely different than it used to be.

BTW - CONGRATULATIONS
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:bounce: <<<<<<< Don't forget to exercise!

My BMI was 35. You're right that I was on the low side for someone who might consider surgery. But I had about 60 pounds to lose and was still gaining. At my age, 52, I knew it was only going to get worse. Also, I had lost 70 pounds five years ago and fought every pound I regained. So that was a strong consideration in getting the surgery -- to keep me from regaining the weight.

Since then, I've been diagnosed with cervical cancer and I begin chemotherapy today. For awhile, I thought I had uterine cancer and one of the suspected causes of uterine cancer is obesity -- being 50 or more pounds overweight. I knew obesity could cause a lot of medical problems but I didn't realize that cancer was one of them!

I've lost 36 pounds so far but I've had a little saline removed from my band because now it's important to keep my appetite up. Life is full of irony, isn't it? :)

thing. Hope the chemo is not so bad.

A doctor told me to take folic acid when I came back with pre-cancerous cervical cells. Don't know why but it can't hurt right?

and I was also advised to take folic acid. Six months later, my pap was fine. I had normal pap smears every year, including last year. Then at my regular visit in late February, the nurse practitioner found the tumor. I've learned that pap smears catch about 80% of cervical cancer. I was pleased to be in the top 10% of my high school class -- not so pleased to be in the top (bottom?) % of this group. ;)

I had one of the most pleasant days ever today! I'm very surprised -- no discomfort, no side effects (yet), many pleasant people, including a couple who brought me a Quiznos when they were having some and wouldn't let me pay about it -- and she was there for chemo. There are such wonderful people everywhere! :)

:hug:

With an attitude like that you are sure to find wonderful people wherever you go. I believe we attract what we give out.

:grouphug:

That is, I'm 199.4, no longer a weight beginning with a "2." I've lost 4.5 pounds since Friday when I got my last fill. I've finally reached a good level of restriction. I'm not hungry and have to make really good choices when I eat because I can only eat about a cup of food at a time. My restriction level can change over time as I lose weight because the amount of fat around my stomach is declining, putting less pressure on the band. But I'm going to enjoy this while it lasts and I see my doctor every month in case I need more saline in the band. This is fun! :D

that is SO exciting!! Congratulations on such a wonderful accomplishment, Longhorn!! I'm thrilled for you, and your success!!! :hug:

It's sweet of you to keep up with my progress and I really appreciate your support! :hug:

I've now lost 30.6 pounds and I'm more than halfway to my goal. Just a couple more pounds and I will no longer be considered "obese" -- just "overweight" according to my BMI. I may not be the Biggest Loser but I'm still a loser! :D

What a wonderful feeling of accomplishment! MORE than halfway to your goal!!!!!!!! I KNOW you feel so much better, and your self-confidence must be soaring! :hug: :yourock: :applause:

It does feel good! :)

Unfortunately, I can't enjoy it as much as I would like. I apparently have a golf-ball sized mass on my cervix. Biopsy and CT-scan are inconclusive and I have an appointment Monday with a gynecological oncologist, hopefully to rule out cancer. If it isn't one thing, it's another, right?

Congratulations to you, and I wish you continued success. :)

I wanted to tell you that I'm thinking about you and wishing you success in all the challenges you are facing. :hug:

I'm off in just a couple of minutes for my third chemo session this week and then I get three weeks off. The tumor in my pelvis has already shrunk from radiation and now we're attacking the cancer cells wherever they might be hiding in my body. I've got my tumor-stompin' boots on and I'm ready to do some damage! :)

I really appreciate your thinking of me! :hug: