What about changing Nutritionist? Do you have to see her?

i've seen a wide range of dieticians. some are absolutely horrendous and a few - VERY few - are excellent. the rest are mediocre. the best one, for me at least, was a diabetes educator who believed that all of us who qualified for the surgery are insulin resistant, and we have to re-learn to eat in that style, and take into consideration the new nutritional needs we have.

there are actually a couple of dietiticians who have gotten up in front of rooms filled with new post-ops and told them to eat 4 oz of meat/chicken/fish at every meal!!!! i challenged one of them, and she backed down, saying that she was speaking about those who were a couple of years out. but they never make that clear.

and, sarajane, i'm very glad you clarified what you're eating! it was hard to tell from the post that hubs responded to whether corn pups were a regular part of your diet or a treat. we all need treats. one of mine is a particular brand of diet soda ONE SMALL BOTTLE EVERY 6-8 WEEKS [i had to put that in caps ]. and i chill it [sometimes even in the freezer for 30 minutes], then pour it over a tall glass of ice. that gets a lot of the bubbles out, and then i savor every sip.

Sarajane! What a fantastic response. Really. I respect your position and I'm so glad you responded directly as you did. I'm much more clear on where you're at.

One thing I know is that our bodies sometimes need to take a break. Our furnace becomes very, very efficient at surviving on what we've been giving them when we go through weight loss and can come to a grinding stop. Everything that works for a year or so, doesn't work so well any more.

To me, that always means shaking things up a little. Tightening up on the things we have become comfortable with as our way of eating. And going back to the beginning for a bit. Often it doesn't take going that radical change route for long to get things going again either.

I totally understand why you're having trouble with your nutritionist and if you see her as anything but a model of understanding and 'leadership' then she truly has nothing to offer you.

So to go back to the beginning. If you look very, very carefully at how you've eaten at times when you've lost the most, how is that different from what you do now.

And thanks for taking my comments in the spirit they were intended. They were meant as a challenge in the spirit of support, not in the spirit of judgement.

CJs Princess - the nutritionalist is sort of a package deal - you have to see her when you see the dr.

Hubs - If I did not want opinions and suggestions, I would not have logged back in! I might have said the same thing.

I would LOVE a diet soda - but I will not let myself get back to that. My Sister in law drinks them and that is fine if she wants to. I would never judge for that - heck, I had a truffle 2 weeks ago! My other Sister in law had the surgery and has gained more weight than she lost, so I know what happens when you do not do as you should. My older brother had the surgery as well and due to her unwillingness to maintain her promise of what to eat, he is gaining weight back. I refuse to do that! It took too long to get here.

Jiffypop - even 2 years out I can not eat 4 oz of chicken! If I did there would be no room for veggies.

Thanks to you all for the advice! now back to the bakery!! weddings tomorrow!

i know what you mean about the 4 oz. i'm more than 4 years out, and i can barely manage 3 oz! and that's just fine with me! '

gotta go home now. see ya all later.

Great thread !!!

The dietition I had before surgery told me that after banding I would only be eating a teeny babyfood size jar of food..... bwaaaaaah! what a joke. I can eat prob 2+ cups of food easy at this point. I would need a ton of fills to only be able to eat 1-2 oz of food.

I am learning that dietitions and doctors know about the procedure but they don't know to much about the after care IMHO.

leenie, you've hit on a HUGE problem. i've been trying for a long time to provide continuing medical education on this problem, but it's nearly impossible to find a funder. as soon as i do manage to find a way, i can promise you that this will change!

<note to everyone - i'm actually a medical writer and editor - and i run the editorial department that provides continuing medical education to docs, nurses, and pharmacists.>

Point & case, I told my fill doctor that I have a harder time eating (increased restriction, couldn't get much food down) in the morning than at dinner time where food would go down with no problem (just to see what he would say). He told me that it was in my imagination and that I needed to deal with these mental issues.

This is a very common thing that most bandsters experience but obviously my doctor knew nothing about.

I know that when I get up in the morning, my hands are swollen and I feel a little bloated as compared to the night before where as my ankles will be swollen but when we lay down the fluids are redistributed.

Doctors should treat each individual patient just as that, individuals, and if one patient has symptoms different than another, those symptoms should not be dismissed and they should not make the patient feel ashamed. Wish they'd listen with their ears and hearts instead of their wallets.

JMHO

When I eat, I get incredibly sleepy - my bloodsugar get all out of whack! My nutr. told me it was what I was eating, and I was very strict on what I ate, and it still happened, it was only after tests that we found out I have an underactive pancreas that does not keep up with digestion. She had never heard of this... Each patient is very different and medical professionals need to understand that they can not lump people in a group just because they are overweight. We all got here in different ways, and it takes different ways for us to find our ways out. My son is 12 and almost 6 foot tall. He weighs 280 (the football coaches love it...) he eats regularly, does sports all year long, perfect blood workups... yet he is overweight by many pounds. I do wish he would eat more veggies, but don't all parents wish this. Anyway - he has always been lumped into catagories of lathargic overweight underactive lazy children... when he is very active. He has a new dr. that actually asked me to bring in family photos on our next visit.

more cakes to do!

I'm just popping in for a second before i bond with laundry!
I just wanted to say this forum gave me the greatest insight into the procedures and the effects. Y'all are brilliant! (Yes I'm a jersey girl and i said yall sue me i lived in the south for 2 years)
Kierie

Even a Southerner for 2 years is a Southerner for life! I am popping in while I am waiting on the last wedding cake icing to set up before going out in 90 degree heat.Gotta love summers in the south.

Are these surgeries popular in your cities? You can watch the depleation of obesity here by shopping at the consignment shops, there used to be tons of 16 and 18's because no one could fit into them anymore, and now they are loaded with 26-28's and there are no 16's!

In my case, I'm seeing the Nutritionist by choice. It's not required by my Dr. but I feel like I can use all the help I can get. I may take her information witha grain of salt, but again, I'm looking for help wherever I can get it!