Chelley

Too funny ... a whole tablespoon, huh?

I am struggling with the band adjustments just like everyone else on this board and feel very much it is a "learn as you go" process. I did go back to Paris, TX today and Dr. Parkhill did an excellent eval on my band. I have 5.1cc in the band and he added 1.4cc today. He actually added 2cc and had to back off because the restriction was too great. In addition, he also made sure the barium was flowing through the digestive tract satisfactory. I was able to drink 16oz water before I left without any trouble. I'll keep you posted as to how it goes. I appreciate your comments and encouragement, but by no means do I have the "answers" to this fickle fill business. I feel very much like I'm stumbling through the dark on getting this thing right.... but believe you me... when I find the answer I'll broadcast it loud and clear to save anyone else this rollercoaster journey. Chelley By the way, Becki - I think that exercise buys you calories and helps tone and strengthen you. I've just never been successful at maintaining an exercise regimen. If I had, I wouldn't be fat.

I'm beginning to think that you have to be "tight" to loose weight. I'm not satisfied with staying right where I am because I'm not loosing weight and that was the whole point of spending 10K. There certainly is such a thing as being too tight ... but think about this idea since 1/3 of what you could eat before is such a vauge guideline.... that you literally have to go from eating a plate full of food to eating spoonfuls. My sister has had great success with her band and so I'm studying her like a lab rat! I've whinned and cried that we eat the same ... and we do eat the same foods, but while I was obsessed about what I could shovel down, I didn't notice that she literally eats in spoonfuls. Recently, while celebrating our brother's birthday, I observed what she ate: a teaspoon of pinto beans, a teaspoon of casserole, a teaspoon of mixed greens and she accepted a serving of cake, ate maybe two teaspoons of it and pushed it aside and there were still a few morsels left on her plate. In contrast, I ate 1/2 cup casserole, 1/2 pinto beans, and maybe a few spoons of greens and a whole peice of cake. Tahah.... that's why I'm still fat and she's lost nearly 70lbs! Another case in point, a nurse I work with was banded in 2005 and to date she has lost 80lbs. What does she eat ........ a spoonful of this and that. Neither can eat meat unless it is very tender and neither exercise. I haven't talked a lot about Mom on here because she participates under her own ID on this forum of "Dreamer". But she went with me for band eval.. we have been having the same problems. She insisted on a fill and in one week she has dropped 5lbs! Yes, 5lbs.. and I think I've gained it. At Sunday dinner... what did she eat? Spoonfuls! I'm going to get another fill.... I don't care what they say... This band has to be a behavior modification tool for me because I can't do it on my own. Of course, I don't want to be too tight ... but I do want this to work. I'm going to try this as an experiment and if I am too tight I can go back and get it taken out. Chelley

Self discipline is great, but if most of us possessed it then why would we all be here as participants in weight loss surgery? I am successful and in control of every aspect of my life except when it comes to my weight. I discovered long ago that what goes in my mouth is not to feed my hunger but to soothe my mind. Self discipline is linked to will power and the famous, Dr. Phil McGraw has plenty to say about that. So for all of you, like myself, who have beaten yourself up countless times for not having any willpower or self discipline "digest" these words of empowerment: "Let's get something straight: you have been lied to by the diet industry that you require willpower in order to successfully control your weight. You bought into that lie, and it has beaten you down, and crused the very core of your being. You believed that you failed because you lacked suficient willpower, and that somewhere inside you, you were weak and inadequate .... You no longer have to rely on willpower. It simply does not work. Willpower is an outright myth, and your willingness to be deluded by this myth has sabatoged your weight-control eforts for far too long. Willpower is unrelieable emotional fuel that drives you when you are exited, motivated, or energized. Willpower is what emporarily pumps you up when you join a gym because you made a New Year's resolution to start exercising ... No one stays fired up continuously ... Using willpower to achieve and sustain wieght loss, or any lasting change for that matter is destined for doom." Dr. Phil McGraw The Ultimate Weight Loss Solution, page 17 Dr. Phil goes on to talk about keys of success and how we need to re-program the way we think to develop a lifestyle of healthier behaviors. For any of you out there like me who eat for any reason other than hunger, Dr. Phil certainly has some powerful insights into changing the way you think about food. Of course, there is no quick fix ... it takes a while to reprogram years of negative self-talk and poor habits. Very insightful though. Chelley

I really wish I hadn't told everyone about my decision to have the lapband... but at the time I was seeking validation from my fellow medical staff co-workers about having surgery in Mexico. I was excited and thought 'why keep a secret.. soon everyone will see the new slim, trim me' ....... WRONG. A few weeks after surgery I got positive comments about my weight loss and then had a co-worker pipe in something along the line that I cheated because I had weight loss surgery! Then as a few months went by and weight loss came to a screeching halt and I actually began to yo-yo with my weight again I got asked why I wasn't loosing any weight and if I regreted having the band .... well as if that wasn't bad enough my co-workers became the diet police, monitoring every morsel that went into my mouth. "You can eat that? My cousin had gastric bypass and she can't eat that!" Some days I just wanted someone to shoot me! Now that six months have passed people realize that I'm a failure at this I get these pitty looks... and I've literally stopped talking about it. I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish I'd kept my big trap shut and just kept this to myself until I saw what kind of outcome I'd have. Getting the band is the easy part, altering your life-style is the hard part after surgery and you certainly don't need comments of sabotage aimed at you .............. so my advice is tell only those who need to know and afterwards if you want to share your success story do so without any pressure. Chelley

Dr. Ortiz recommended I stay right where I am with the band since I am able to eat solids now. He also stated that I should eat very slowly! It is frustrating to see the success my sister has had when I am struggling, but she has struggled too... the girl just doesn't eat that much .. little tea spoons of this and that, I'm telling ya! It is also, at the same time, very inspiring to see that this band can work. I'm so very proud of her. She and I have been dieting together for years and I've seen her struggles and this weight loss is very well deserved. I just wish I could share in the success! And I will... I just need to find my way of dealing with is band and modify my behaviors.

Dr. Ortiz responded to my e-mail in less than 12 hours of me sending my barium swallow pictures. I'm very appreciative that he is willing to help me even though I cannot afford to fly back and forth to TJ for aftercare at the OCC. He certainly has no obligation to me other than he'd like to see me succeed and for that I am very grateful. Dr. Ortiz said my band is in good position but the upper pouch is a little bit larger than normal. He asked me some questions as to what solids I can eat and if I am tolerating liquids and I did reply back. I'll let you know what his recommendation are. I think I still eat too fast and too much even though it feels I'm eating less than 1/3 of what I could pre-band. Keeping a food journal is an eye openner as to what you are actually putting in your mouth. As a nurse working a busy shift in a hospital you learn to gobble your food because you eat between meeting patient requests. Nurses just don't get an uninterupted lunch break. Those habits are hard to break. In addition, it is a stressful environment and my stomach is often tense. Trying to shovel food into a tense tummy with the motto chew fast swallow slow doesn't work. Emotional eating is certainly a part of it. There are many times I find I have room for food when I'm not hungry but I'm bored, sad, or lonesome. My sister has had good success with her band and has lost about 60-65lbs since April. As of late, when we dine together I've observed what she eats compared to what I eat and there is a big difference. My sister eats in spoonfuls - a bite size portion of meat, a spoon of beans, a spoon of potatoes and then rarely finishes what is on her plate. I'm eating 2-3 times the volume she is. She stops at that first sign that she is full... I continue until I PB then go back and eat some more. I know... shame, shame on me. Oh well, they say confession is good for the soul. These are hard lessons to learn and it is easy to wallow in failure, but I'm determined to keep trying and start using the band as a tool. Chelley

I had my consult today for a band evaluation with a doctor in Dallas, TX who does aftercare for patients who have been banded in Mexico. Since I've been having difficulty with PB'ing daily, not loosing weight, and having lost 1/2 the volume of my hair ... they decided to do a barium swallow before accessing my port just to see where I was with restriction. The doc was suprised ... he said it looked like I have good restriction and did not recommend any changes. Just to be sure, he printed copies of my exam and recommended I share them with Dr. Ortiz. I promptly scanned the images on my computer and have emailed them to Dr. Ortiz. I AM SO FRUSTRATED I could throw myself on the bed and scream into the pillow for days!!!!! Actually, I'm happy to see I haven't damaged my stomach ... but I just don't understand why I can't loose weight. Oh well, we'll see what Dr. Ortiz thinks. I'll keep you posted. Chelley

Have you guys noticed how most of our questions regarding diet just go unanswered? Dr. Miranda is busy, I realize but perhaps she needs an assistant to answer e-mails or help coordinate with patients on the forum. Diet is a key point to success post band. I do thank Lori for her efforts, but I realize she is limitted in her resources and can only provide the information she is given. Thanks Lori for trying! In the meantime, I've been doing some research on the net and found a neat website from UCLA. The website is: http://bariatrics.ucla.edu/recovery/recovery_ldiet_intro.htm If you will click on the links to the left of this openning page it will give you some better guidelines for eating post band. I even read on one website that of this sample meal: 1 egg omelet, dry toast you should only be able to consume 1/8 a cup of this meal. I can certainly eat more than that. Most websites on post band diet are adamant about not drinking 15min before a meal or 1 hour after a meal. And this particular website that recommends 1/8 a cup of any given meal stated that it should take you 30-35 minutes to consume this 1/8 a cup ... if so, I'm eating way to fast .. still. Throw search words, "lap band diet" into your search engine and see what you all find. It seems that we are on our own with diet specifics. Chelley

Does anyone else suffer from fall allergies? This is my first bout with my allergies post band and let me just say it ain't pretty to PB on your own sinus drainage .... ewwwww. (Another indicator that I am possibly too tight with my band.) I'm very sensitive to ragweed and cedar, both of which are in high concentrations in my region of the world right now. I lost 3 pounds this week by .......... shhhhhh ................ working out. Maybe my metabolism slowed to slug pace since my body thinks it is starving to death. Anyway, I was inspired by Janet Jackson who appeared on Oprah this week and showed some of her workout routine. I was suprised that she used the power ball and a workout cord that has two handles on it. I found both of these items at my local WalMart for about $18 total. I didn't actually sweat (hate that), but I did get my heart rate up and it was fun just bouncing on the ball in front of the AC while I was watching tv. To help with my portions and to try to eat a more rounded meal, I've been sampling different frozen dinners. I have to say there are some really good ones out there now. Sometimes I can't eat a whole one depending on what it is, but I rarely have room for anything fresh at the same sitting so I'm eating my fruit and fresh veggies as a snack. I get hungry about every 3 hours. Sometimes I ignore the hunger and push through telling myself that my tummy rumbling is a signal that my body is ready to eat my fat reserves .. but when it gets so loud I'm uncomfortable and I can't think (especially at work) I try to eat a few bites of something. I'm anxious to have my consult in October and hope this Dallas, TX doctor is good. I regard Dr. Ortiz as the BEST and I really wish I could afford to go back to TJ for aftercare, but it is out of my budget.

Lori - I'm really sorry you had to revoke those guidelines Dr. Miranda gave you. 1/3 of what you could eat pre-band is so vauge to many of us. I know I certainly can't eat the volumes of food recommended on the food pyramid. Since I'm a single gal on a budget and it is difficult to prepare a well rounded meal for one, I'm incorporating frozen meals into my diet along with fresh fruits, whole grains, and green leafy veggies. The frozen meal portions are so small I can usually eat most of a whole one, but rarely have room left over for fruit or fresh veggie so I try to get these in as snacks. I don't know about the rest of you, but it seems like I get hungry (stomach rumbling real hunger) about every 3 hours. Chelley

At the time of my second fill, the doctor could only aspirate 0.5ml of fluid. My first fill was 2.8ml. Let me tell you, I was FREAKED and thought my band was leaking. A bariatric surgeon responded to my frantic post on lapbandtalk.com and explained that with the VG inner band being made up by segments that air can get trapped inside. Fluid from the first fill bascially "primes" the band. Think about turning the the outdoor water faucet on ... how much fluid does it take to fill the water hose? Anyway, I was assured by the baratric surgeon on lapbandtalk that this is perfectly normal and that once the air is displaced the fill levels should remain stable. Chelley

Mary - Thanks for sharing your update. Transitioning with this band is one of the hardest things I've ever done. Like, you all I heard were the success stories and I'm actually watching one unfold before me. My sister, who was banded on the same day I was has lost 60lbs in 5 months. Hang in there... maybe we should start our own slow to loose club. I admire your perseverance and determination! Thanks for all the support you have lended me. Chelley

Update and Insights: I've scheduled an appointment in October to see a surgeon in Dallas, TX regarding my band. I really did make every effort to return to TJ, but simply cannot afford it at this time. I'd like to caution all you future lapbanders to please keep in mind that you do need funds available for aftercare and if trips back to TJ are not within your budget to please carefully research bariatric surgeons in your area for your aftercare. Just because I was banded in Mexico ... regardless of the fact Dr. Ortiz is the BEST and is highly respected among lap band surgeons, I was turned down by several bariatric surgeons in my area because they only provide aftercare for the patients they have banded. The radiology group I was using for fills under fluro in Paris, TX were excellent, but they do not provide aftercare and are not bariatric surgeons (as Dr. Ortiz pointed out in my telephone conference with him a few weeks ago). I am having complications and need the advice of a surgeon. I also need the support of an aftercare program. I've licked my wounds, so to speak, and have been trying to understand why I am not loosing weight with my band. I feel that I messed up when I was so darn impatient with getting restriction and had two fills back to back in June. Considering I've PB'd daily since that last banding, Dr. Ortiz feels the 3rd fill made me too tight and the subsequent PB'ing has left me inflammed. Most recently, I've had periods of being able to eat a considerable amount more than I should which suggests that I may have pouch dilation. The course of action Dr. Ortiz recommended was an evaluation of the band and based upon that evaluation I may need a complete unfill, let the band rest, then start back with fills ... at a slower pace. Worse case senario is that my band has slipped and the correction is surgical ... which scares me to death because I do not have the resources for surgical correction. Now that I've digested (no pun intended) that bit of news I've had a lot of time to consider that I am not eating per the guidelines. I have to be honest with myself and this is very hard to admit, but I have been so excited to have my blood sugar levels under control that I've been eating sweets on occassion ... a bite of ice cream, a bite of blackberry cobbler, a taste of chocolate cake. While taking insulin I was very strict with my diet and did not indulge in eating any sweets or drinking sugary juices or sodas. With the band controlling my caloric intake, my blood sugar levels have normalized and I have in a way felt like a bird out of the cage and have indulged. I have also been making soft food choices. I don't like to be in the kitchen much since I am a single gal and it is not economical to prepare a full meal for one. It is easier to eat a cup of yogurt, open a can of raviolis, or heat up a can or soup or chili which are all soft food choices. I'm going to take the advice of a friend on the forum and try the prepared tv dinners ... there are some really healthy ones out there and they control portions ... perfect for a single gal on a budget. I've also decided to try to get some exercise in. I really hate to sweat... I mean I REALLY hate it! I have converted my spare bedroom into a mini gym with all the exercise equipment I've bought over the years that served only as clothes racks. Don't laugh ... you all know what I'm talking about! And Lori ... the fridge is well stocked with bottled water ... and yes, I do drink it! I've posted this before and I think it is worth mentioning again. False expectations are a form of self sabatoge. I really thought by Halloween I'd been looking great and expected a miraculous weight loss. The disappointment in not reaching a goal I had set for myself has been difficult. I am an over acheiver in every aspect of my life, except when it comes to mastering my weight issue. I was not prepared, although I thought I was, for the battle after surgery with emotional eating. I'm so incredibly hard on myself and when things are out of my control, I want to eat to comfort myself. It's hard cycle to break, but I am trying. I'm hanging in there. Chelley

This is my last post in the forum for a while. I'm taking a break from the band and from the boards. This surgery and fills have left me in near financial ruin and am working extra shifts just to try to keep my head above water to get the bills paid from month to month. I financed my surgery, airfare, and fills on credit card and it would be so bad if I were reaping the rewards of loosing weight, but here I am post op 5 months and I've not lost any weight in more than 2 months. I am sitting at 210lbs... just 5lbs from the 215lbs the day of surgery. I am beyond tears ... I wish I'd never ruined my body in this way! I cannot afford to fly back to TJ ... I'm tapped out. I've gone from excited, hopfeful, and full of enthusiasm to depressed, defeated and feeling like a failure. I don't have anything positive to add to the board anymore. I'm sick of blaming myself and wondering what I've done to have failed so miserably. When I am able financially, I am going to try to find a bariatric surgeon closer to home for some type of aftercare to see what I can do to improve my situation. Best wishes to all of you.

Hi - I'm an Okie too ... and live in the southeastern part of the state. I have a very detailed and honest account of my 5 months post band under the "newly banded" heading. Best wishes on your surgery! Chelley

Lately, I think I've been struggling with food choice and I'm rather confused about what is considered a "solid" and what portion of food is normal for a patient post band who is loosing weight as they should. I'm stuck at 210 lbs. Since I'm single and don't have to cook for a family, I'm thinking that maybe I'm making poor choices and perhaps the majority of my choices have been soft foods that are easy on the band. As a result, the soft food slips through the banded area and I'm hungry again in a few hours. The guidelines 1/3 of what you could eat before are so vague to me - tell me some portions sizes that are normal post band and what are some of the food choices being made out there. Is anyone exercising and if so, what kind of exercise routine do you have? Chelley

I use to wear a medical alert bracelet for my diabetes, but now that it is under control I have no need for one. As Lori said, we get wallet cards that have a full description of our bands done to the serial number of your own band. But if you decide to get a bracelet, there is a company that offers some really attractive ones at www.laurenshope.com. Chelley

If I have a lower BMI (31 mine is) can I still qualify for suergery with the Obesity Control Center? Yes, you can still have surgery with a low BMI. However, you should read the posts written by those banded with a low BMI on this site and check out lapbandtalk.com. A lot of times those with a low BMI loose their weight much slower and it can sometimes be a frustrating process. Can someone give me a general ballpark of how much the entire cost is for surgery, travel, etc? Surgical cost can be anywhere from $8,500 to $10,000 at the OCC. Earlier this year they were promoting the openning of their new clinic and had the surgery listed at the lower price. This fee includes your hotel stay at the Lucerna Hotel in TJ. Air fare and other travel expenses are not included. My airline tickets cost $350-$400 round trip non-stop flight to San Deigo. I heard from someone who had this surgery that fruits and vegetables are pretty much impossible to eat after having the bypass, is this true? tomatos, strawberries, pineapple, carrots? Is this with certain people who don't slowly reintroduce these foods to their new lifestyles that have issues with them? Or are these types of foods pretty much forever off limits? This is not "bypass surgery". Lapband placement is a laprossopic procedure where a band is secured around the upper part of the stomach and a port is brought up under the surface of the skin to access it for "fills" to make it tighter (or looser in some cases). It is completely adjustable. There is no part of the gastrointestinal tract that is bypassed. I can eat salads just fine as well as the aboved mentioned foods with the exception of fresh pineapple (it can be too fiberous). I'm a vegetarian too because I detest meat. Would what I be able to eat not work for me? I have a problem eating meats since I've been banded. You must be able to eat soilds though for the band to work properly and I'm not sure this can be accomplished on a strict vegetarian diet. This would certainly be a question for the doctor you choose to consult with. I know Dr. Ortiz and his colleagues are willing to set up a telephone conference call through their patient coordinators to help answer you questions pre-band. How do you guys go and get adjustments and fixes if you don't live in Mexico? Doesn't that cost way too much money for the average person? I am a person who makes $14 an hour while I go to school to get my RN. I really can't afford this but my body pain and the constant yo-yo dieting and everyday obsession is driving me insane. A lot of engery and effort goes into making this life changing decision to have surgery, but one thing I've learned since being banded is the surgery is actually the easy part. I hear you, I too work pay check to pay check and the aftercare is something you really need to budget for. You can go back to TJ and get your fills done at the OCC at the tune of airline fee, hotel fee, and the cost of the fill under x-ray at the office there or you can find a bariatric surgeon in your area who does aftercare for patients banded in Mexico. It is only my opinion, but I can't see why anyone would risk their band and not be filled under x-ray. A blind stick is just way to scary and heck, they have a difficult enough time accessing under x-ray sometimes! The cost of fills under x-ray can be anywhere from $100-400 from what I'm reading on the boards. I had my first fill in TJ then choose a radiology group in Paris, TX for my last 2 fills. My last two fills were $350 each. My current perdicament is that Dr. Ortiz feels my band is too tight. This business of getting your fills just right is madenning, but that is a different story. He wants me to fly back down to TJ, have a complete unfill, let the band rest for several weeks then start over with the fills. Hello - working girl here! I can't afford it. So, plan, plan, plan ahead and just know that surgery is step ONE .... it's a long road. Chelley

I had my telephone consult with Dr. Ortiz today. Carolyn called to confirm I was home, then about 30 minutes later, she was patching me through to Dr. Ortiz as a 3 way call. I'm still kinda reeling from the call. Dr. Ortiz suggested that am too tight and that I may need a complete unfill, let my stomach rest for several weeks then start the fill process again at his clinic in Mexico. *** sigh*** I've tied up the credit line I had available for the surgery and travel expense. As it is I'm working extra hours just to get my credit card paid down so I can have some breathing room. I honestly don't know what to do at this point. Chelley

Laura - I understand your frustration. I'm 5 months post-op and I've been struggling to maintain a 5lb weight loss. My hair is falling out at the roots. I'm just generally disappointed and miserable. Lori has set up a telephone conference with Dr. Ortiz for me to discuss my lack of progress. Maybe she could help you schedule one as well. Chelley

No carbonation: beer, sparkling wines, certain wine coolers. However, 5 months post op I am able to have mixed drinks with no carbonation - like a tequilla sunrise. Try to pick something you can sip. Be warned though... alcohol seems to absorb much faster post band! Also, alcoholic beverages are loaded with hidden calories. Chelley

Actually they still have it according the web link I gave in my earlier post. New price is $19.95. There are also a few used copies for sale.

Around my monthly cycle I do feel a tight crampy feeling at my port site. Chelley

It really isn't "vomitting" ... it's slimming. When you eat a certain food or you eat to fast or you take a drink with a meal sometimes it just doesn't want to go down and your body creates this thick slime like goo to help it slide down .... the more you try to swallow the bigger it seems to get until you just have to go hover over the toilet and let it come up and spit it out. Like you said, certain foods can cause it ... for me it is corn or corn meal products. Being a country gal, sometimes you just want a plate of beans and cornbread... forget it... one bite of cornbread even soaked with beans sends me to the toilet. Slimming or PB'ing or whatever you want to call it can also happen when your band is too tight. It is definately one of the negative re-inforcements for eating correctly. Chelley