GregNE

I just learned an interesting bit of information for those that tend to skip breakfast. In Japan, most Sumo Wrestlers are forbidden by their stablemasters (coaches) from eating breakfast. This denial of breakfast is used as a method to get the wrestlers to gain weight, and to retain weight. They awaken early (training begins at 5am), then work out and train all morning. But lunch is their first meal of the day. Despite exercising all morning, the lack of food at the start of their day contributes to them keeping and growing their Sumo bodies. Just another reminder--- eat as soon as possible during your day. Your body needs the calories to start burning fat.

No need for a red face--- what I am really in search of is the high carb drink with no calories--protein is pretty low in calories anyway. :-?

It took me about 2 days to be able to sleep on my tummy, and it was quite by accident. I tried to sleep on my back, but ended up on my tummy when I woke up. I took a pain pill (toradol) every night before bed for the first week to ensure no discomfort. That trip to the pharmacy across from the Lucerne paid off!

Ouch! You must really have a challenge in finding suitable food choices. So, do you have to do whey protein only? And are you full vegetarian, or do you eat some fish? Just curious, as I always am.

I would first say follow Dr. Miranda's guidelines. She verbally told me I could start full liquids on day #4, if I tolerated well. I may have pushed the envelope a bit, but saw no problem blending soups, as long as the consistency was thin enough to go through a straw.

Are you sure about the no calories? I thought all protein had calories, but am now curious. And my choice was Adkins vanilla or strawberry. I love chocolate, but the chocolate shakes did not taste good to me. It seemed without carbs, there was a bad aftertaste with the cocoa. And the EAS in vanilla tasted good as well.

About 18 lbs at 3 month mark, but I avoid the scale unless I go the the doctor. I refuse to put myself through the stress of normal fluctuatons. But, I need a fill.

I am diabetic as well. My banding experience has been positive on diabetes. Pre-op, my A1C (glycohemoglobin) was 9.0, which relates to an average blood sugar around 225 I believe. My last A1C, done a month ago, and measuring the 3 months post-banding at the time, was under 7.0, meaning an average blood sugar of around 150. My cholesterol is 120, but I have never had high cholesterol. My triglycerides are normal, and my LDL to HDL ratio is improved. My blood pressure is 128/68, but I never had high BP. So, my doctor is amazed. Besides diabetes, I am quite healthy, despite the abuse I have put my body through. I was weak and tired during the liquid post-op phase, but it was not that severe. An extra hour of night time sleep, and a one hour afternoon nap served my needs. But I think almost everyone experiences the liquid phase weakness; it had nothing to do with being diabetic. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. Not knowing whether you are IDDM or NIDDM, or your sugar level history, I can only offer my own experience.

After dodging it all season, I finally came down with a cold, and have been feeling it for two days now. Interestingly, it seems to be causing me to be more restricted. Out of 6 meals, 4 have caused me to experience food getting stuck, with 3 causing a small PBing session (minus chest pain). Just curious, has anyone else had trouble with food when you had a cold?

It all will depend on your outlook, expectations, and willingness to follow through with the band lifestyle. A few things I can relay from my own experience: You will most likely, with your high BMI, get the larger VG band. Plan on 4-5 fills in the first year after being banded. Also, plan on no weight loss or minimal weight loss in the first 3 months after being banded. Not that this will be your experience, but it is common with the VG band. Getting the band to start working, or 'restriction', generally takes 2 fills with the VG band. Understand also that this board represents for the most part a small number of bandsters that go primarily to Dr. Ortiz to be banded. If you want a larger pool of posts for encouragement, or for information, try www.lapbandtalk.com. There they have a much wider representation of bandsters. They have specific threads for the VG band, for slow weight loss people, and for high BMI patients. You will find many more success stories, as well as band failure stories. And by all means, be absolutely sure you are aware of the complications, difficulties, and required life changes of having a band placed. Lastly, people that have lost all their weight tend to stop posting. Most people active on any of the forums are people working their way through the process; not people that have reached their goals.

Excellent link! That sums up my whole non-starvation approach. By the way, the article recommends 500 calorie per day reduction. 500 calories x 7 days=3500 calories. A pound of fat is 3500 calories. So, that equates to 1 lb per week, for those that may not know. The article talks about the 'body furnace' as well. Even though I am very restricted in the morning, I try to eat something shortly after waking, even if it is a protein shake. The body requires calories to burn calories.

Yes, Dr. Miranda usually allows patients to have a meal the night before surgery.

My perspective comes from personal travels, and also by being a manager of about 120 Hispanics around the country. The amount I tip (15-20% in the US) makes my employees make jokes about me. I usually ask them what a tip (propina en espanol) should be, and they tell me about 3-5 dollars---and that is when 6-8 of us go to a dinner and have a bill of 80 bucks or so. They seem confused as to why I lay out $14 as a tip. I tip bartenders and food servers well, but not in countries where it is not expected. It is all about culture I guess. And you are correct, in TJ they are used to 'gringos' tipping extremely well. I prefer to try to follow local traditions.

Perhaps the middle ground is to get filled by OCC conservatively before your trips. But make absolutely sure you have a good idea of what foods will not work for you. I have gotten 'stuck' many times, and PB'd perhaps 10-15 times, and survived the ordeal. But, it is extremely painful---be prepared. Also understand an 'incident' can last from 5-30 minutes. In a restaurant, a long PB ordeal could be quite embarrasing.

I did not tip, and Fernando did not seem concerned about getting a tip, and has been friendly when I have seen him on subsequent trips. I am sure he would appreciate a small tip, however. In Mexico, tipping is not standard. Americans, Canadians, and Australians tend to tip. The Brits usually tip a very small amount. Italians, French, Spaniards and Germans do not tip at all. And most importantly, Mexicans themselves do not tip. I have gone the middle ground, tipping 8-10% for meals, and giving 50 cents per bag to hotel bellmen. Taxi drivers do not get tipped, and should not, unless they provide some kind of extremely exceptional service. Keep in mind, the typical Mexican worker is paid about $1.00-$1.50 per hour. Americans throwing money around as tips helps contribute to our image in other countries as rude and show-offs. In many countries, it is actually considered offensive to tip. German waitresses can actually be offended by being tipped. Being respectful and treating others well goes much further to make a person feel appreciated. Just my opinion.

Many bandsers experience this. I was ultra-dehydrated and fasting at my pre-op weigh-in. In the week after being banded I was very hydrated, and my body in starvation mode. Consuming too few calories can prevent weight loss. Also, your body is recovering from surgery with all kinds of processes going on. The first 3-4 weeks post-op are about healing, not losing weight. My advice is have a glass of water, and add a healthy dose of patience. It takes time.

I would wait to be filled until after your out of the country trip. Seeking medical attention if needed for a band complication could get messy outside of the US. I have actually read accounts of bandsters getting a total un-fill before an overseas trip just as a precaution. And I really suggest having your first fill at OCC. And wherever you get filled, make sure they use flouro. Many Fill Centers USA do not use any XRay, and their fee seems rather high.

I should also point out, that many companies are self-insured. P&G is a large enough company to make me think that may be the case. They hire an insurance company to administer their health plan, but actually every dollar of benefits are paid by the employer, not the insurance company. Similar to hiring a general contractor to have a house built. They hire all the work done, but you pay the actual expenses, plus an admin fee.

The reason I took an RN friend with me when I was banded was not only because of her friendship, but also to help show her, being a WLS patient herself, that Mexico offered a safe world class surgical option as well. I think the image most people have when you tell them of a surgery in Mexico is going into a dirty garage, with a Tequila IV running, and having a doctor pull up in a low rider with a used scalpel. How far from the truth. In reality, OCC offers state of the art, careful and expert care, in a facility that makes many US hospitals and clinics seem primitive. And to give full credit to all the docs, I must mention that Dr. Martinez and Dr. Romero are experts as well as Dr. Ortiz. Dr. Romero does 40-50 fills per week. Ask other fill doctors how many they have done, and I think you will be shocked, and perhaps a bit scared. Kristi talked in another post about her fill doctor, who did not even know that a 4cc band existed. He thought the VG band (10cc) was the only band Inamed made!

I do not have a spouse or girlfriend (translation---- I'm available! Hook me up!), so cannot offer much insight here. But Kevin, thanks for joining me in pushing the envelope with deeper discussions. We can all cope better with weight loss related issues if we actually are willing to discuss them. And great post title!

I did not think the hotel food was that good. I split an order of fajitas at the hotel with my travel companion, and I honestly can order better fajitas in Nebraska than was offered by the hotel. In fact, I think it was the worst fajitas I have ever had. So, I went across the street to a restaurant which is called Mole or Cafe Mole (pronounced Mo-lay) or something like that. They did not speak English, but my limited Spanglish was sufficient to order. The food was great, service great, and prices reasonable. The waiter was truly thrilled to have gringos in the restaurant, and gave us a sample of all the sauces they offer before we ordered. The restaurant is across from the convenience store 'Extra' and next to the pharmacy. It was recommended by our taxi driver. Mui bien!

Edited post: No comment. Follow the guidelines you are given. Everyone stresses-it is normal. Relax, and do everything possible to follow the pre-op requirements you are given. Try the patch- it really does help curb your craving.

Fill experiences are different for everyone, and also depends on what size band you have. However, for the first fill, OCC does not allow you to test restriction. At the time of your first fill, you are at a higher risk of slippage. For this reason, you also are required to be on liquids only for 3 days after your first fill. If you need a second fill, they do allow you to test your restriction. I stayed in San Diego for a couple days after fill number 2, and did return for more fill two days later. However, the first fill is different. They will get you to a point of restriction, but that restriction can go away after a couple weeks. Plan on needing a second fill after 6 weeks. If you do not need it, consider yourself fortunate.

I cut back a lot in the week before surgery. I worked down to about 4 cigs a day. I wore the patch, and did not smoke the day before surgery. But, the day after surgery, I was smoking again. Food and smoking are hard to quit at the same time.

My long term outlook very well could be my way to have realistic expectations. But there are some facts that I use to maintain my outlook. Comparison studies of different WLS use 30-36 months as their measuring point for 'success'. RNY patients usually lose their maximum weight about 18-24 months after surgery. And the band is documented to be a slower method of weight loss than RNY on average. I guess I would call it 'educated rationalization'. But it also has to do with being comfortable with my weight. I have never been of a 'normal' weight my whole life. I am used to being fat. Being obese is all I know. Many bandsters have a different background, having gained all their excess weight later in life. Many bandsters were of normal weight in the past. I think this fact makes many bandsters have the short-term outlook. If a person has memories of being thin 5-10 years ago, they yearn to feel like they remember. I have no such memory to cause me anxiety. My memories of 5, 10, and 15 years ago are memories of being obese. This can be a blessing for me, or a curse. I have not yet figured it out. I know I am getting into a deep psychological subject here, but I think it helps explain my patience and outlook. I want to be thin as much as anyone. But I am willing to wait for it to happen, being it will be a new experience for me. The healthiest days of my life are yet to come, not a memory of the past. Perhaps that makes me different. Or, maybe others just do not verbalize their experience. I tell anyone about being banded. Others keep it a secret. We all are different. Kevin, you are right: you deserve a break and time to savor your 70 lb drop in weight. It is very smart to let your body adjust to your new weight. Having a stable weight is a victory in its own right. I look forward to the day I can be at a stable 300 lbs. I learn much from your experience and others. Sorry to all for getting into a 'deep' rant here. But, this is our support group, and to me, expressing our thoughts is a part of that support.