Donnie 2.0

You've lost 20 pounds, you feel tired... that's not normal. Try eating more but smaller meals throughout the day. Have high protein food as meals and snacks. You should make an appointment and have a chat with your medical team, they can (or should) help address this. The doc's advice to eat ONLY 3 MEALS a day? ... that's suspect to me. Is this doctor ASMBS Center of Excellence certified? I think I got a AAS degree in Bariatric thanks to all the education I received pre and post surgery thanks to my weight loss center at Swedish Hospital.

You're a human being. A roll... if that's cheating, then you're doing pretty dang well!

I was on a high protein diet for the few weeks before surgery, not liquids only. The whole idea, my doctor explained, was to prepare the body for high proteins, and to help shrink the liver which can interfere with the procedure if it's not shrunk. I was on a 2 week liquid diet (protein drink like Syntrax nectar shakes) and then I integrated solid foods slowly. But that seems pretty harsh, 2 weeks pre op diet liquids only!

You are both doing one of the best things for your bodies you could possibly do. Do you know how many wonderful benefits you'll enjoy once the weight starts coming off? No more worries about diabetes type II - your blood pressure worries will become a thing of the past - your energy and happiness levels will fill the room - Truly, it feels like winning the lottery. Yes, there will be some difficult times: remember, this surgery is NOT a magic bullet, but it will be like receiving an unfair advantage. Failure? Forget about it. Seriously, the last thing on your minds will be eating poorly. For me, I was afraid of the coming years continuing as I had! That's what was scary to me. I didn't want to leave my wife a widow before hitting 50 years old. Also, attend your support groups through your hospital / surgery center. Communicate here. And: "To worry is to pay interest on a debt that might not even come due"

I agree with you, the pre-op preparation was not fun. Seriously, it was for me probably the worst part of the entire process, and it was capped off by the day before surgery fast, where you can only have clear liquids! Ugh! But, this was the worst part. Know that.

Hoarseness is gone, lasted about a week. My wife kinda overreacted, making me more nervous than I should have been.

This is my first day here on lapbandtalk. My surgery was on Sept 20th, 5 days ago. The only nagging problem I am having is that my voice is hoarse! I've only had it for a few days now. It wasn't present at the hospital (either right post-op afternoon/evening, or the second day before I left the hospital and went home). I've read on another posting that it's certainly a possible result of the intubation (my throat was very sore post-op, and I complained that it hurt me as much as my abdomen did then!) And this condition could take up to 30 days to clear itself. Anyone else have very hoarse voice issues, how long did it last, did you need to do anything different or take any meds? Thank you

Janice, I too hit a little plateau last week or so. My cousin who is 18 months post op says she was told that your body WILL FIGHT to maintain! :-) It's not your fault. This will be something we all will live with for the rest of our lives... take heart! Personally, if I am having very bad hunger pangs, I will simply eat a high protein item, but a small amount. And I agree with someone else... weigh yourself twice a week at most. This is gonna take a while. I bet you probably heard that lapband is NOT the fastest weight loss surgery, if you wanted that you'd have gone with Roux-en-Y or stomach stapling. Don't be hard on yourself. You're doing the best you can, and that will serve you well in the months and years ahead.

I know, right? Think of the money we'll save on food... I'm looking forward to being able to pack a lunch of a few pieces of meat and string cheese and that's it.

Mmmm... I can eat hummus by the spoonful, no problem!

Honestly, from 4 days post-op, I've been slightly hungry pretty often. I will add another protein drink, or a soft food or soup, but only a little bit. Until you get a fill, please be careful - you should be able to have a little bit more, if you're truly hungry... but be easy on yourself. This is a lifelong process we're all going through. There will be ups and downs.

I was banded Sept 20, and my overall weight loss over the past 30 days (when I began the pre-op preparation diet) is 18 pounds. My wife says she can tell a difference; my tummy feels flatter, and I have just a slightly easier time walking now. I've passed the 2 week post op point, at my 3 week point I go in for the first check up and THEN I'll be given the go ahead for soft foods... although I have snuck a few high-protein things in, MY STOMACH RUMBLES A LOT! But the good thing is, it stops after just a little bit of food - I don't need two pieces of left over fried chicken to do it and that's how I'm going to win this war finally, I think.

Agreed! Seriously... if your tummy is rumbling, at least you didn't grab for ice cream or something really bad. I've had a few pieces of Canadian Bacon and I'm cool with that. This is a lifelong marathon, not a sprint!

Sheesh! I think I need to give my nutritionist a call then, I could use a little extra now and again myself.

Wow! awesome job! And that weight will *never* come back! :-)

Oh, I am so sorry for you! That is so sad... anyway that someone else can do the food preparation? :-( Some other alternative for them? Maybe if you asked your doctor if you could 'sneak' like some nice creamy Soup, something that's a little closer to 'regular' food?

I myself haven't suffered any shoulder pain, but then I'm the type of guy who works at bringing up gas at either end :-) What kind of food are you eating at only 4 days post op? I must have a 'cruel' weight loss surgical /maintenance team, I'm not to have any soft foods for 3 weeks after surgery, and no solids for 6 weeks after surgery. I'm told to just consume protein drinks the first 3 weeks.

Hello everyone, my surgery was Tuesday morning, Sep 20th. I was on a two week high Protein, low carb diet before the surgery (it was pretty much Atkins diet) and the day before surgery I had nothing to eat at all, just low calorie juices. Every day I feel better; so far, today, the only pain med I took was Tylenol, and that was more for a little headache. Since the morning before surgery, I've currently lost 7 pounds, and I lost about 6 pounds before surgery, so I'm quite happy with my progress. I consume about 5 high protein drinks (whey protein isolate mixes with nonfat milk) and try to sip Water all day. I have a chicken broth too... I get hunger pangs now, and am dying for turkey slice and soft cheese... soon enough, though. The only negative so far is that my voice is quite hoarse. I've read that it's not uncommon, and it's due to the intubation tube. The first 24 hours after surgery, my throat hurt as much as my stomach did. I'm walking nearly every day; today I had my longest walk so far of 25 minutes. Seems that my back hurts for some reason, and that's keeping me from going longer. I'm taking it easy, and I know this is a rest of my life condition. Where I was before surgery was a road to nowhere, and I got sick of my declining health and fitness level keeping me from enjoying life like I used to!

You try to stay low carb, are you eating regular food just one week past your surgery? My diet is entirely whey protein isolate protein drinks, about 5 a day, lots of water, one broth... and a lot of liquid vitamin supplements.

Thanks mates, I'll dial back the worry then! :-)

Hi, I appreciate you posted this. My surgery was Sept 20th, and I've noticed that my voice turned quite hoarse a few days ago. When I was in the hospital and one day back home it was fine. will try the gargling and will drink more hot fluids. This has been my only nagging issue post-op, so I should be grateful. :-)