DELETE THIS ACCOUNT!

Do you track your calories? That is the easiest way to make sure you're not eating too much (or too little) without realizing it. Weight loss is basic math: When you consume less calories than you burn, you lose. Tracking calories makes it easier to do that.

It can take a couple days, but if you're still having problems with liquids you should call your surgeon. You might need a tiny unfill.

I always have a Protein Shake for Breakfast but I'm fine within an hour or two of waking to eat if I wanted to. You can't eat real food until dinner? How do you get in enough healthy food daily? It sounds like you might actually be a tiny bit too tight.

They make OTC anti-nausea medication that you could try. It's really bad and you fear you're going to vomit, I'd call your doctor and ask him to call in a script for you. I keep Zofran (prescription anti-nausea med) on me at all times because I'm so afraid of vomiting with the band.

Age can help, but the amount of weight you have to lose plays a big part of it as well. So does genetics and skin elasticity. Unfortunately there's no way to know if you'll have excess skin or not until you lose the weight. I have lost over 200 pounds and have a lot of excess skin- but I can hide it easily under my clothes. I couldn't hide 200 pounds of fat. I'll take the extra skin over the extra fat any day.

Thanks for sharing! You look AMAZING!! Seeing your pics is the inspiration I need right now. I'm having a tummy tuck and (big) hernia repair on Wednesday and I gotta tell you, I'm scared to freak'n death lol. I know the recovery from this surgery is going to make past surgeries look like a cake walk. The part I'm dreading most is those drains. I've had them before and they are so uncomfortable! Do you still have yours in?

You can lose as much as you're committed to lose. It's all up to you how much weight you lose.

Warm liquids may soothe it, but in the meantime I'd go on liquids for a day or two. Your stomach is likely swollen from the stuck episodes and it needs time to calm.

I'm so glad your sugars have leveled off. That has to be a huge relief. Being nervous is normal. I was pretty nervous before my Lap Band surgery, too. But, I'm so incredibly glad I did it. It's both changed and saved my life. Best wishes.

Whether or not you can ever take it again is up to your doctor. They say not to take NSAIDS with the band because it can cause ulcers which then lead to band erosion. However, I take NSAIDS almost daily with my surgeon's blessing to do so. He said since I've never had ulcer problems or reflux in before the band there's no reason to think I would after the band. Talk to your surgeon. He can make that decision for you based on your own personal health history.

Not all doctors require them. My BMI was a whopping 72 and I didn't have a pre op diet.

Welcome! It all depends on whether you're self pay or insurance paid. If you're insurance paid, it depends on their requirements. Some require doctor supervised diets up to 6 months before and some do not. It also depends on your surgeon. I was lucky, it was less than a month from my first doctor's visit to my surgery date.

Remember, you're not a failure. You're only a failure if you give up and you haven't given up. That means you're still on your journey towards success. You've been through an awful lot. Is your surgeon at all supportive of you? Do you get good guidance from him? Do you feel like you have adequate Fluid in your band?

I'm not sure why you'd see this surgery as a nightmare because throwing up isn't normal with the band, in fact it should be avoided at all costs. It's not at all a side effect of the band.

I love sunflower seed hearts (shelled seeds) on my salads. They give it a nice crunch and flavor.

I'm not sure why you're down or feeling bad. 20 pounds is a lot of weight. The average weight loss rate is 1-2 pounds a week. You're above that considerably. I think maybe you need more realistic expectations of yourself and the band. The weight didn't come on overnight and it's going to take time to lose, too. Be patient, stick to your doctor's rules, and the weight will come off.

You're doing great! 25 pounds since March 1st is very very good! And yes, once you have adequate Fluid in your band you won't be hungry for long periods of time. Heck, sometimes I actually miss meals because I forget to eat because I'm not hungry.

You have to remember that weight loss boils down to simple math. When you consume less calories than you burn you lose. The only way to be certain you're not consuming too many (or too little) calories is to track them. Do you count your calories? Also, have a look at this link. It's a really good article about the band that I think will help you to have realistic expectations: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html Best wishes

I was originally told not to drink for a half hour after eating and not all during meals. However, since I was banded research has come out showing that food passes through the band in less than minute. That means the old way of thinking that drinking would wash the food through too fast is no longer valid. Granted I'm no doctor, but in light of more current research and facts, I personally agree with Dr. O'brien's rule about just waiting a minute before drinking. It makes sense and his logic is supported by facts.

It takes most people multiple fills before they have adequate Fluid in their band. I know it's frustrating but be patient, it will come. But keep in mind the band isn't meant to stop you from physically eating anything. It will allow you to go much longer periods of time without hunger (4 or more hours) but it's not the band's job to make you stop eating. So, don't expect the band to stop you from "eating whatever you want". Have a look at this link, I think it'll help considerably: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html Best wishes.

There's tons of chewable and gummi vitamins on the market. Just find one with comparable ingredients that you actually like.

I'm not even gonna try to blow rainbows and sunshine at you- that pre op diet positively sucks. I'd be light headed and dizzy too! I know you're probably already on protein over load, but do eat as much protein as you possibly can. Also, are you taking a good Vitamin? If not get one. You may want to consider a B12 supplement too to help with your energy. Hang in there, you're almost through this