MamaMichelle

This is from a doctor's website in Kansas, I had seen a press release about him performing a LIVE lap-band procedure online via his website but had forgotten the date, it actually happened on March 4th 2008 but they have the video of the live surgery on his site (full run time is 45 min or so) they have also put it into smaller segments on youtube via the link at the bottom of his page for those who have slower internet connections. If you are like me you want to know everything you can about this tool and as informed as I feel (especially after living with the band for 2 weeks) I honestly learned A LOT! There is something about seeing the pouch size vs. the normal stomach size, and seeing how/why the stomach is sewn to prevent slippage that made any thoughts of cheating with a cheeseburger too soon disappear. While I did watch the entire thing once the band is in place and he takes the internal camera out to insert the port and sew up the incisions it's not really close up enough to be worth watching, so you can stop it at that point in my opinion! Another cool feature on the same page, is the video diary/blogs from the woman who was banded live where she talks about everything from her "farewell to food tour" nerves before surgery etc You can actually watch her pre-op consultation As a quick disclaimer- Of course I am in LOVE with my experience with Dr. Ortiz and have no complaints with any part of my surgery, nor do I have any affiliation with this Dr. I just thought it was amazingly cool to see this detailed of a surgery while he talks his way through it. Additionally this Dr. has very different post-op guidelines for when liquids/solids can be used (he discusses this at the end) so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE follow the guidelines of YOUR Dr. (hopefully it's Dr. Ortiz, because he has 100 times the personality of this guy as you'll see in the pre-op consultation video lol) So here is the website: http://www.malleysurgical.com/testimonial/...sas-story.html#

Since your band is totally unfilled (empty) when it is placed most people can eat almost the same way they did before having it placed, once you get your fill is when you will really start feeling the restriction!! Of course there are those rare cases where someone gets the band and never needs a fill!

Different doctors have different post-op guidelines... Dr. Ortiz has us on liquids for 3 weeks before starting mushie foods since the band is anchored/sewn internally to your stomach there is a risk of having it slip if unproperly chewed food is passed through it before it has totally healed. More than a few bandsters have confessed to eating early or not sticking to these guidelines with no negative consequences. So do what you feel is best for you and your band!

Hi Kimmie- I am doing Fabulous!!! As of Thursday I was 2 weeks post op, and I had lost another 6lbs! So I am now down 12lbs since surgery and 33lbs TOTAL! I am still on the Optifast liquid diet, I will be on mushie foods starting this Thursday but honestly I am not really desiring food at this point (thinking about it yes, but not just dying to eat it) so who knows if I'll move on to that stage quite yet. I have been posting here somewhat, but trying to update my myspace blog every other day or so!! Check it out to read my daily diet plan, all about our first support meeting and more! http://www.myspace.com/mamamichellelv How are you doing? Only about 2 weeks left for you, I bet you are excited!

It's a self-help type show that premiered tonight on TLC with British author Paul McKenna, It was pretty interesting and found he had some helpful tips that could be used even with the band! Anyone else see it?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This may help you in understanding the restrictive mechanism of a Lap-Band. The ALLERGAN protocol for Lap-Band fills calls for a six-week delay after surgery, prior to any fills. The purpose for the six-week delay is for the patient’s stomach to heal from the surgery, as well as allowing time for the Lap-Band to “Seat†or “Nestle†into the fat pad between the stomach wall and the interior wall of the Lap-Band. Prior to receiving an EFFECTIVE fill, it is VERY uncommon to have any restriction from a Lap-Band. Some patients will NOT lose weight, or may even GAIN weight until they have received an effective fill in their Lap-Band. Normal weight loss with a properly restricted Lap-Band is between 1 and 2 pounds per week. The normal cycle of fills, restriction and weight loss is as follows: 1. The patient's Lap-Band constricts when the patient receives a fill. Swelling for a few days after receiving a fill is very common. Many doctors require a patient to go on a liquid diet for a day or two after receiving a fill. A fill may have a “Delayed Action†of up to 4 weeks. A “Delayed-Action†means that the fill may not become effective for up to 4 weeks after the fill. That is why the ALLERGAN protocol states that fills should not be performed on patients who will not have access to medical care for at least two weeks after a fill. 2. The patient's stomach capacity is lessened as a result of the restriction caused by the Lap-Band. 3. The patient loses weight because they cannot eat as much food. 4. The residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the outside of the patient's stomach reduces in size because of the overall weight loss in the patient. 5. The reduction of the residual fat-pad causes the Lap-Band to become loose again. 6. At that point, the patient needs another fill, because the Lap-Band is loose, and the patient has a loss of restriction, which allows the patient to eat larger amounts of food. 7. The patient receives another fill and the process starts all over again. Most Lap-Band patients receive several fills to adjust the Lap-Band as their weight loss progresses, and there is less and less residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the exterior of the stomach wall. Once a patient has lost all of their residual fat-pad, fills become less common. As the Lap-Band patient progresses in their weight loss, the effect of very tiny fills (Less than .2ccs) becomes greater and greater. It is not uncommon for a late-stage Lap-Band patient to experience a significant difference in restriction with as little as .05cc of fill.

I saw this on another board, the website is: http://www.5daypouchtest.com/plan/theplan.html Here is a description from the website: The 5 Day Pouch Test by Kaye Bailey Does my pouch still work? Have I broken my pouch? Have I ruined my tool? These are questions many weight loss surgery post-ops find themselves asking occasionally during their journey. Perhaps it feels like we can eat more food or we know that we are eating more food. Sometimes these questions are asked when there has been a weight regain. This is the 5-day plan that I have developed and used to determine if my pouch is working and return to that tight newbie feeling. And a bonus to this plan, it helps one get back to the basics of the weight loss surgery diet and it triggers weight loss. Also, it is not difficult to follow and if you are in a stage of carb-cycling it will break this pattern. Sounds pretty good, right? The 5 Day Pouch Test should never leave you feeling hungry. You can eat as much of the prescribed menu as you want during the day to satiate hungry and prevent snacking on slider foods and/or white carbs. You must drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water each day. A reduction of caffeinated beverages is suggested, but do not stop caffeine cold turkey. Weight loss is not the intent of the 5 Day Pouch Test, however, many who have tried this plan report a significant drop in weight. More importantly they celebrate a renewed sense of control over their pouch and eating habits and easily transition back to a healthy post-surgical weight loss way of eating. Below you will find a brief list of the menu for each day. Please click the "Read more" links for further detail and hints and tips that will enable your success with the 5 Day Pouch Test. Days One & Two: Liquid Protein low-carb protein shakes, broth, clear or cream soups, sugar-free gelatin and pudding. Read more. Day 3: Soft Protein canned fish (tuna or salmon) eggs, fresh soft fish (tilapia, sole, orange roughy. Read more. Day 4: Firm Protein ground meat (turkey, beef, chicken, lamb), shellfish, scallops, lobster, fresh salmon or halibut. Read more. Day 5: Solid Protein white meat poultry, beef steak, pork, lamb, wild game Read more. Good luck! I believe you are going to like the results when you give this plan an honest try. Cheers! Kaye Bailey There is a lot more on the site, this is just the intro of the site- there looks like there is lots more!

We didn't have any problems while we were in TJ, but I kind of figured something was going on because every hour or so we saw a military truck full of about 6 soldiers with automatic weapons in hand - with their fingers on the triggers (my husband said that he saw one guy reach up to scratch his nose and then instantly put his finger right back on the gun). So if nothing else I feel there is at least SOME local law enforcement on Revolution Ave.

I have yet to get my first fill- but I believe that you have to fast only a few hours before! I'm sure if you email Rene at OCC he can give you more exact instructions. As for the calories I know it is a pain to count them but I have found that for me when I was eating 800 calories a day, I wasn't losing much weight- now that I bumped that up to 1000 calories per day I am losing 4-5lbs a week! So make sure you are getting enough.

Because I got the non-private room my fill, hotel and transportation is free... So maybe since someone will be coming to pick me up you guys could just ride along in the van?

I really hope you can make it Lisa, it will be great to catch up! As for the scale not moving how many calories are you eating each day? I found that I have been losing more weight when I eat 1,000 calories a day then I did when I was only eating 800 calories...

Hey Mackenzie- I was banded the day after you (2.28) and I totally know what you mean. I have been doing the optifast plan and losing about 5lbs a week- I too am concerned that the moment I return to "real" food that I will blow all my hard work. I am drinking 5 meals a day so I feel plenty full, maybe I too will stay on the liquid diet a little bit longer or if nothing else keep doing the liquid meals for breakfast-lunch and then eating a "real" meal with my family for dinner

Protien bars are fine! The OCC store sells a pre-op Optifast pack that includes protien bars, so no issues there!

Sounds great, here are my plans... Arrive in San Diego at 10am on the 17th- Do Sea World with the family till 6pm or so then come across the border to the Lucerna and check in around 7pm? Whoever will already be there maybe we can all do dinner that night. Get my Fill on the morning of the 18th with the crew, and then an afternoon of shopping! We will probably leave for the border around 6pm that night so we can get back to Vegas for my son's birthday party on the 19th.

Try this Manda- http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...endid=308068865

I am there girlfriend!!

Is it the 18th or the 19th? You put 19th on Myspace but we will be driving so really any day is fine!

On the Post-Op board someone had posted guidelines that were not in line with Dr. Miranda's eating plan so I scanned in copies of the post-op paperwork that she gave me, hopefully it will help some of you to pack the correct liquids for the 1-2 days you will be in Mexico and so you can have the right foods at home when you return!

Here you go, I wasn't able to copy the text but here are the scanned copies of what Dr. Miranda gave me!

Tell everyone the board group says HI and that we are thinking about them and can't wait to hear their about their wonderful experience!

Ok Well I will be the first!! Name and Location: Michelle from Las Vegas Age: 26 Gender: Female Band Date: Feb 28th 2008 Height: 5'4 Highest weight: 247 Current Weight: 217 Goal Weight: 130-150 (wherever my body settles)

Well I actually haven't told anyone but my husband, but the few times I have been out to eat with other friends when they ask why I am getting a bowl of soup instead of my regular burger and fries- I have told them that I am getting over the stomach flu so I am not eating much... Or for the ones that have noticed my weight loss I have said straight up that I am dieting and that is why I am only getting a soup for dinner. As far as what I would say to anyone who you told about the band that is concerned about YOUR weight loss I would say, "Thank you for your concern but I am losing weight at EXACTLY the pace my Dr. wants (even if you aren't, it's not really their business) and I am so proud of what I have already achieved, and honestly I am even more excited to see the results that are soon to come!!

Here is how to make the weight loss tickers (for those who are still trying): First visit this link (I suggest doing it in a separate window) http://www.tickerfactory.com/ezticker/tick...gner.php?type=3 Select your ticker ruler- click next Select your ticker slider- click next Enter in your weight information and create a pin- click next Use Ctrl+C to cut the text from the first box (aka the bbCode box) Return to the lapbandforum.com site by clicking on this link to Edit your signature: http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?act=UserCP&CODE=22 Use Ctrl+V to paste the ticker info into the signature box Click- Update my signature and you should see the ticker image at the top of that page, if you see just text something is wrong! Hope this helps!

I for one am free for a fill on either the 17th or 18th- I know that you have to go back to a liquid diet for a few days after the fill so if we wanted to get together for dinner the night before I think arriving one night and then getting our fills the next day would make the most sense. Of course we could do a post fill shopping trip as Kissyfur and I found a great place on Revoultion Ave that has a chicken broth soup to die for- it tastes like liquid potato chips, it is sooooooooooo good (and 8,000 times better than the hotels chicken broth)!

I will work on it this afternoon and hopefully have it up by tonight..