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Try upping your protein intake (and calories) a few hundred, to around 1000... there are studies that show that if your intake is too low you could end up not losing anything because your body enters a starvation mode, it doesn't happen to everyone, but it does happen. One of the ways to break out of that "starvation mode" is to increase your intake a bit.

You can get a pill crusher from the pharmacy...crush your pills and swallow the powder with a little sugar free Cool Whip. Works terrific! Get your protein in, even if you hate it. You need to protect your muscles from wasting....one of your muscles that can be harmed is your heart...so work hard on your protein goal. (drink the gross shakes if you have to) Make sure you're drinking enough water, too. Best wishes!

So I went into my 1st consult today nervous as heck because the first place I went to said even though I'm self pay they would have to check with the Doctor and Finance dept. due to my BMI only being 35-ish and my weight 198.8 lbs this was yesterday and I was so pissed, because I just didn't and still don'g understand why you have to get sick before they will approval you, which is what I'm trying to prevent from weight. My mother and most of her side of the family have suffered illnesses due to being overweight and her and a few of her siblings have passed away with these issues and it was mainly due to their weight that caused the health issues. Nonetheless, I remember my mother telling me and my sisters some time before she died to please never let out weight get out of control because its caused her so much grief with her health. So of course I see myself getting bad off and try to prevent it to only be told a possible NO by the first doctors office, but the prayers of two are more always have been in my grace and calling those things as though they are have surely helped, so back to the story I was talking to a lady that I've been chatting with on this site and asked her to pray with me and rather she did or didn't she was very positive and said it will be ok and it would go better at this second appt. today and BOY or BOY was she right and I thank God for her and this site because I was LIVID yesterday to the point of crying, but ranting to her helped me calm down and realize who " has the final yes or no to my life and situation and that would be "GOD"he will align things according to his will. I truly feel now that it wasn't meant for me to get the yes from the 1st doctors office not that I got a NO, but this is the main doctor that I wanted to say yes this appt. from today and he did even though I was keeping my options open in case he said no and he said YES! I'm so happy. He meaning the doctor said he mainly want me to do the Endoscopy and if that is good and for me to get a release from the PCP and he will move forward with my surgery. Also, the 2nd part of this good news is I though the it would cost around $28k because of what the first placed told me and so I planned for that only to find out from this second doctor t today that it would be in the range of $16k plus the cost of the Endoscopy maybe another $3k-4k unsure of the cost of those anyway it would be nice if my insurance could be billed for that but, I'm not sure I have to find out when they call me with my first appt. and they also, setup all the appts. such as Psychologist, Dietician, EKG & Labs and the Endoscopy for me so I'm believing and trusting that all that will be fine since I don't have any issues or co-morbidies which is why my insurance wouldn't cover it however back in 2011 I had acid reflux he want to ensure all is good with that I'm sure it is as my doctor took me off the meds for this and late 2011 only on meds for a few months before it was better, but I did stop eating tangy foods which I think helped me. So I just wanted to share my story and say how thankful I am for this site and the wonderful people I've encountered on it. I won't mention the lady name but I'll say thanks BUNNY you know who you are! WHEN PRAYERS go UP BLESSINGS COME DOWN! 😀 Sorry in advance for any typo's, I was ECSTATIC when typing.

I wonder if I'll be dissatisfied when I get to goal?

I feel a pressure in my upper chest when I’m full. My family’s joke is that I’ve had “one bite too many” as I frequently get the hiccups after eating.

@AshMarie794 I was gung ho about surgery all the way up until the night before. It was suddenly something that was actually happening and not an event that I was working towards in the future. I had been thinking about it for years and more than 6 months of hard focus and suddenly I was panicking?! This happens with basically every big event in my life because something major is about to happen and then things will forever change and that can be terrifying. I will not say that I stopped freaking out, because I didn't, all the way up until the knocked me out. I did however make the decision to see the stress and fear for what it was and let it be. I do not know that there was any help for it and I know for a fact that if I had let that fear make a decision for me that I would have immediately and absolutely regretted it. That fear and panic tend to throw all reason and logic out the window at a moments notice. I am here on the other side, 9 weeks out, and it is amazing! I am very happy with the decision I made to move forward and not let me emotions get the best of me. I wish you all the best!

Congratulations! Happy for you!

Congratulations on finally making the decision to start on this WLS journey. I too had it suggested by my PCP a few times and had no interest being I knew nothing about it other than my brother having a band several years ago and it failed. I went to see my surgeon to repair a hernia and he convinced me to have WLS after descibing it in detail. I am just about 2 weeks post op and I couldn't be happier with my decision. Best of luck to you on this journey!!!

Most Important Luck/Skill of the Surgeon - I have very little hunger and it seems more restriction than most at this stage. Least Important Supportive home environment - I live alone, so there is that. But I spend a lot of otherwise personal time working. Of course no ones knows of my WLS, but that environment is not conducive to a healthy diet, lots of alcohol and rich meals. I've had wine poured for me, shots bought for me, and lots of pressure to eat more and have a drink/s. Exercise - This is terrible to admit, but aside from walking on days I'm home, I don't exercise. Unknown Mental Health/Emotional Stability - I'm a pretty level headed person. No mental health issues. I think what is helpful in this journey is having some perspective. For me, WLS hasn't been hard in any real way. Easiest weight I have ever lost. Although stalls annoy me, I know they are inevitable, and it's only a matter of time and I'll start losing again. Don't many people on here have a lot of success, but still seem to think the sky is falling at times Diet - I know that my food logs would give some people on here fits, mostly due to how much dining out I do, and that I'm not usually ordering the grilled chicken. But I do keep my calories really low, but that of course gives other people fits . But I'm able to keep my calories low due to my restriction and lack of hunger, so back to #1. Will to Succeed - I want to believe this is a factor. But if I didn't have the lack of hunger, restriction and such fast and visible results, would I have been discouraged and fallen off he wagon like all the times in the past?

Yes, my surgeon's told me how much I could expect to lose total after surgery and that it was possible to exceed that expected percentage. My surgeon said "you can lose 60% of your excess weight or more" basically. I'm in the "or more" category at the moment. In my experience, they want to give a conservative estimate since not everyone makes it to their expected loss. Also at each post op visit where weight loss was monitored (ie: not just the staple removal appt) they would say if i was on track or exceeding expectations. You can certainly call the office's nurse line and ask approximately what you should be losing per month. And yes, I think 40 pounds down 6 weeks out sounds like fabulous progress--but I'm not your surgeon so I don't reeeally know I didn't reward myself with prizes because that would personally take me down a path of rewarding myself for something I really just needed to do for my health. I do a little cheer every time I meet a goal and maybe get a coffee that week, but my big prize to myself will be a new wardrobe at goal or under goal. So that's expensive enough! I have a history of holding myself to high standards though, so prizes at mini milestones are like "yeah well you should be doing this anyway so keep it up!" ha.