High Anxiety

vpurplej
on 1/10/11 9:53 pm - Gray, GA

Dear friends,

I will likely be having my surgery by the end of the month but I haven’t had my second appointment with my doctor yet.  I’ve got a hundred questions about the surgery and its aftermath and I thought I’d pick your brain.  Please pick a couple of questions (or all if you like) and give me some feedback.  I promise you’ll put my heart at ease.

violet

 

  1. What were your issues with food prior to the surgery?
  2. Do they fill the band during the initial surgery?
  3. How do they determine how much to fill the band?
  4. Although I have a diet, I’m interested in whether you strictly followed the diet and if not in what ways.
  5. How soon were you able to exercise?
  6. How much and what type of exercise did you do after your recovery?
  7. Did you completely give up carbs and sugar?
  8. How did you find recipes for the pureed phase of the diet?
  9. When did you notice a significant loss?
            
psychomom
on 1/10/11 11:00 pm - China Grove, NC
Let's see....
1. My issues with food were eating VERY lrg portions at meal time.
2. My Dr did not fill my band at surgery b/c the fit around my tummy was pretty snug he said.
3. The Dr determines how much fill to be put in. Each one seems to have their own method. I go once a month or so for fills.
4. I strictly followed all the pre and post op diets given to me but now that I am this far out I try to keep it high protein low to no carbs .
5. My Dr ok'd exersize I am thinking at 4 to 6 weeks. Walking before that though.
6. I am not good at exersizing I will be honest . LOL
7. I have never been a sugar girl so that was no issue. I am VERY picky about my carbs. I do not  do bread or rice and potatoes only sometimes.No pasta .
8. I winged it lol. I pureed anyting I wanted to eat .Veggies , soups etc.
9. My most siginificant loss has honestly been so far the 2wks before and after surgery on the liquid diet. I lost over half my weight lost so far then. It slows down after that but unless u are in a plateau....like some of us ....lol the scale should still move.

Good luck on your journey and I hope this helped ! :)
Christi
 
          




           
    
vpurplej
on 1/11/11 12:50 am - Gray, GA
Thanks, Christina.  That was very helpful.

v
kathkeb
on 1/11/11 2:01 am
1.  I ate too much junk, primarily -- I would eat sweet carbs (baked goods, ice cream, candy) in place of real food whenever I got the chance

2.  my Realize band was not filled during surgery - the doctor 'primed' the band with fluid to make sure it was functional, and then removed the fluid.  I started getting fills at 4 weeks post op.

3.  My doctor tries 3 - 5 cc in an 11cc Realize band for the first fill -- he has his patients drink a big swallow of cold water -- an dmonitors how well it goes down -- he adds/subtracts fluid based on that.  Then, schedules fills 3 weeks apart for several months to add, subtract of leave it alone based on the patient.

4.  I followed my doctors post-op instructions to the letter for the first several months.  After about 3 weeks, his instructions are just to 'eat a balanced diet focusing on protein and produce and including healthy grains and low-fat dairy'

5.  I was encouraged to walk from the day of my surgery.  I walked 2 - 4 miles per day (gently --- it was June in Tucson, AZ so it was hot).  I was allowed to go back to cardio equipment at the gym after a week -- and allowed to lift light weights after 4 weeks.

7.  I personally gave up candy, cookies, cake, donuts, ice cream, etc about 10 weeks before my surgery.  I knew that I was ready to change my life and that all of those foods would slide right down past my band and leave me obese. 
I do eat carbs ---fruits, vegetables, wheat crackers, occasional pasta, occasional piece of bread, occasional french fry,

8.  I didn't eat anything 'pureed' --- my post-op plan was
clear liquids -- strained chicken noodle soup, sugar-free jello, Isopure clear protein
full liquids -- protein shakes, yogurt, pudding, creamy soups
soft/mushy food -- tuna salad finely chopped up, egg salad, Baked Ricotta
the thought of pureed food makes me not want to eat

9.  I lost 18 pounds in the 6 weeks prior to my surgery.
I lost about 10 pounds a month for the first 6 months after my surgery, then about 8 pounds a month for a while ---- losing 130 pounds in 18 months (about 10 more before I start to really work on maintaining).

I have not had periods of plateauing --- most people do.  I have not had my weight go up and down like it did all of the other times I tried to lose weight. 

This journey has been a slow/steady downward trail.  I weigh in at Weigh****chers every week and in 18 months, I had 1(one) gain.  I was up .8 pounds and the next week, I was down about 3 pounds.

I think that eliminating the sweet/carby food that causes me trouble and being consistent with my exercise has allowed me to just keep trudging along.  Some weeks that weight loss was small and some weeks I maintained from the week before, but I never took my eye off the prize -- I truly TRUST that if I eat less, and I move more (enough more to make a difference) that my body will shed the pounds.
Kath

  
vpurplej
on 1/11/11 7:15 pm - Gray, GA
Kathy,
I had never thought of tuna as a "pureed" food, but it makes sense and I love tuna.

Thanks,

v
            
Shaesnana
on 1/11/11 6:21 am - Davenport, FL

Hi Violet!  That's my grand-daughters name ! 

I am a newly banded person.  Had my surgery Dec 17th.  Happy to say that so far I am doing great!

1.  My food issues were eating way too much food and I loved my sweets too, and carbs.

2.  My band was not filled and is still not till I am 6 weeks out.  So far I have not been hungry at all.

3.  Each dr is different but I believe part of it is determined to how hungry you are between meals.  We should be able to go at least 4 hrs before getting hungry but as I said, I haven't gotten hungry yet.

4.  Yes, I followed my pre-op diets.  My first one consisted of giving up sugars and carbs like breads, pasta, rice, cereal etc.  And also low/no fat.  It is to your advantage to follow the dr orders.  Obese people have fatty livers and it is easier for the dr to move the liver over during surgery if it shrinks some.  That's what I was told anyway.  After surgery it is imperitive that you follow dr orders so you don't damge your band and it heals properly.  I was on the phase one of my diet at Thanksgiving and I DID have 1 C stuffing, but no gravy, pot, etc.  Christmas I was on the pre-op liquid 2 week diet.  I also have to admit that the night before starting my liquid diet I had my husband take me out to dinner.  Other than those 2 times I was very strict.

5.  I hate exercise but I know I have to do it.  I have hip and knee probs so I have been working up to 30 min on most days.  I'm at about 23 min.  I did 30 the other day and my knees were killing me all night so I have to cut back a bit.  I was told after 6 weeks I could start more rigorous workouts.  It will be awhile before I'm doing that.

vpurplej
on 1/11/11 7:22 pm - Gray, GA
Thanks Shaesnana,
It's got to be really hard to have surgery near, during, or right after the holidays.

v
            
Shaesnana
on 1/11/11 6:30 am - Davenport, FL

Sorry, I hit the wrong key  LOL

7.  I am staying away from sugar completely for now anyway.  I can eat carbs that are in fruits and veggies and there's some whole grain foods that I can have like beans, lentils, oatmeal, yams.  But for now I am not eating those, just my protein and veggie.

8.  For my pureed foods I was just putting my meats in a food processor with things like, lite mayo, salsa, broths.  They weren't to the drinking stage just smooth.  I didn't mind it at all.

My veggies I cooked till very soft and just mashed them up real good.

9.  I have lost 20 lbs so far.  That includes before and after surgery losses.

I wish you much luck with your band.  Let us know how you are doing.

Lyn

    
Andrea H.
on 1/11/11 9:09 am - Middletown, NJ
VSG on 04/08/13
 Hi Violet, I am new too.  I was just banded on 12/22/2010, and also had to follow a 6 month nutritional evaluation.  The month of my surgery, the surgeon informed me that my insurance no longer makes you wait 6 months anymore.  Just my luck.  

1.  My problem with food was I wouldn't eat breakfast sometime skip lunch and then eat everything in sight by the time I cooked dinner.

2.  My surgeon did not fill my band during surgery.

3.  From what I understand small fills till I get there.

4.  I did follow my diet strictly, the first 3 days on my 2 week liquid pre-op diet was the worse.  Everyday it got better, I even cooked dinner for my family and made my traditional Christmas cookies.  Post op I also followed strictly, I don't like breaking rules. Lol

5.  He said mild exercising a week after, and I guess "normal exercising" (whatever that means) at my next appointment on Jan. 20.

6.  I walked when the weather was nice.

7.  I gave up carbs a month before my surgery, and diet soda about 4 months before.  Not really a sweet eater.

8.  I found most of my recipes on here.  Thanks to everyone that was so helpful!!

9.  Recently I noticed my loss when I went down a clothing size!!
 

Good Luck to You!!




             

HW 300, SW (Realize Band) 268, Revision to VSG 264

vpurplej
on 1/11/11 7:26 pm - Gray, GA

Andrea,
Your success inspires me.

v
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