Toddy

The first week was hell... not due so much to pain, but just terrible weakness and light-headedness! The second week I felt wonderful just because I was so much better than the first week!! Second week I was back to work and all normal activities. I'm 6.5 weeks out now and feel like a million dollars. It's amazing what being down just 20 pounds (including pre-op diet) will do for you!!

You're working on the physical you. Now it's time to concentrate on the mental you! Therapy and antidepressants might be just the thing. Taking an antidepressant is no more a sign of weakness than taking meds for diabetes or high blood pressure, so see a doctor asap!! As for the ex-fiance?? I think you're really lucky that he's an ex!!!! Now the best revenge is to get yourself in the best physical and mental shape of your life and then he'll know just exactly what he lost!

I had lap band on 1/31/12. I had the option of plication with it. I didn't get it go for it. That is the ONLY regret I've had about my surgery. I could still go and have the plication, but I don't want to go through another surgery! Go ahead and do both. You don't have anything to lose... except the weight!!!!!

I think there is a delicate balance between consuming too few and too many calories and it varies for each individual. I've never (even as an active 20 something) been able to lose weight on a 1200 calorie diet. I feel better, and lose weight better when I keep it around 1000. I also don't subtract calories burned by working out from my daily calorie count. My body got the fuel of what I ate whether I worked out or not.

There are times I just can't stomach the thickness of a shake (it's a texture thing) and at those times I drink an Isopure protein drink. They're kind of pricey, but they have the consistency of water and a 20 ounce bottle has 40 grams of protein.

I've been using a straw since day of surgery and not had any problems or adverse effects at all!

You've had success even before starting the pre-op! That's great! I went on a 10 day cruise and started my pre-op the day after we got back, so I'm sure I gained about 5 pounds during the same period of time you lost 5 pounds! I'm addicted to the scale, too, but have found that I lose weight in spurts. I'll lose three to four pounds over a day or two, then maybe gain one, then stay the same a day or two, before coming back down. I weigh on my scale daily, but I consider the doctor's scale to be THE SCALE!

My doctor numbs the area up, and that's the worst part, tiny poke, but the medicine stings for a couple of second. After that, I feel nothing. Also, absolutely no restriction after my first 3 cc fill. Not much restriction after my second fill of 1.2 cc's. Maybe three will be the charm!

Search the words "Bandster Hell". This is what you are experiencing. On the bright side, with a couple of fills, it should get better.

I am six weeks post-op today and the weakness and dizziness was the absolute worst part of the surgery for me!! The first two days post-surgery I was fine. By the night of the third day post-op I was feeling really bad. I was so weak and dizzy on the 5th day post-op that I was convinced something was terribly wrong and I called the doctor and went to the ER!! My 7th day post-op was my first day back at work and I thought I was going to die I was so weak, dizzy and nauseated! After that 7th day, though, I have felt much, much better. I'm no longer having any problems with weakness, but I still get dizzy occasionally when I stand up. Hang in there, it gets better!

I know a lot of people have had great success on Atkins (while they stay on the diet anyway). However, I wasn't one of them. I followed the Atkins diet religiously (NO CHEATING WHATSOEVER) for two months and only lost 4 pounds, while doing the same thing my husband lost 25 pounds. Looking back, I think it was the lack of portion control that killed me. While I was only eating the foods that I was supposed to eat, and I was definitely in ketosis, I was eating a lot. In my humble opinion, I think portion control, along with decent food choices, are the most important keys to successful weight loss.

We tend to eat out a lot and I've found it's trial or error. I'm six weeks (tomorrow) post-surgery and had my first "mini-stuck" at a restaurant this past weekend. I had ordered a chicken breast and it was kind of dry, second bite and I was up and in the bathroom! It really wasn't as bad as stuck episodes I've read about online, so that's why I think it was just a "mini-stuck". Restaurants tend to serve such massive quantities of food that I usually end up bringing home 3/4 or more of my meal in a doggy bag and DH enjoys it the next day!

My doctor is "aggressive" and believes in getting the band working as quickly as possible. After surgery, I did two days of liquids, then two days of mushies, then regular diet as tolerated. I had my first fill at two weeks (normally it would have been three weeks but I had a scheduling conflict and they moved it up a week) and was released to exercise, then had my second fill at five weeks. I've not had any problems or complications after getting over the initial icky feeling right after surgery. Now I feel great, I'm losing weight, and I have all the confidence in the world in my doctor and his staff!!!

I know this can be a sign of something more serious, but it can also be caused by your deodorant. My daughter had this problem in high school (she was not overweight at the time) and the doctor told her to switch to a deodorant for sensitive skin and the dark underarms went away. Couldn't hurt to give it a try while checking for other health problems.

My surgeon gave me a packet with all the different bariatric surgery choices. I then met with him and told him what I wanted. He also had an option of lap-band with gastric plication. I opted for just the band. He was very supportive of my choice and the reasons for it. I've had two fills and still feel like I could eat a horse. Now I do wish I had opted for the band with plication.

I quit losing, too, the first couple of weeks after surgery. I was having about 600 - 700 calories. I started exercising and bumped my calories up to about 900 and the scale started moving down again. There really is such a thing as consuming too few calories and stalling out your weight loss.

I was starving after my fill yesterday. I got a can of broccoli cheese soup, added some water and put it in the blender before heating it up for dinner last night.

Your pre-op sounds exactly like my pre-op diet! I don't advocate cheating, but there was one day during the second week I was particularly crazy and I did have an order of egg drop soup (without the fried noodles). It was still just broth with a little egg in it, so I didn't think it was too bad, and it did get me over the crazies. Just hang in there, it does get better!

Keep in mind what an earlier poster said about sweets and carbs. Eating sweets will only make you crave them even more. I used to have a big sweet tooth, but have actually now lost my taste for a lot of the sweet junk. Try doing the Atkins diet for a couple of weeks -- Atkins didn't really work for me for weight loss, but it was the first time I was able to say I didn't crave anything sweet at all!

I had a fill today, so I'm on liquids -- not clear liquids, just regular liquids. What kind of canned soups would be considered appropriate for the liquid stage. I should know this, but I'm so hungry right now I can't think ! I just feel like I need something a little more substantial than broth.

You need to take care of your food issues before you consider getting banded. I ended up banded because I was researching it for my daughter, but her head wasn't in the right place foodwise, so I got banded instead and it's working beautifully!! You absolutely have to be willing to give up certain things or it won't work.

I wasn't in much pain at all after surgery. I was the first patient of the day and I was home by noon. The only thing I found painful was the gas. Gas-X did not help. I used pain meds and a heating pad -- my surgery was on a Tuesday and I had 1/2 a dose of pain med on Friday, and that was the last! I was a little shocked at my incisions. None of them are very big, but there are five all around my stomach! The absolute worst problem I had was just an all over fatigue and severely light-headed!!! I went back to work one week to the day after surgery. That just happened to be my worst day of being light-headed! After that one week mark, I've been doing great. I started working out after two weeks.

My opinion is that if your "head" is in the right place and you are willing to give up certain foods forever, and you realize that the band is only a tool and that YOU will have to still work at weight loss, then yes, it is most definitely worth it!

I am four weeks post surgery today. I have had one small fill, and feel no restriction at all unless I eat too fast. I have been really good about not overeating... until last night. I ate twice as much as I should have and it showed on the scale this morning. I'm hoping it won't be too difficult to get back on track today. I have a girl's weekend this weekend, which usually involves a lot of wine and that is my biggest downfall. A couple of glasses of wine and my brain ceases to function as far as food is concerned. Has anybody got any helpful tricks for getting back in the saddle once you've fallen out?? Plus, how do you act normal around a bunch of friends, none of whom know you've had WLS??

Another fan of Dr. Morton!! I had surgery on January 31st and first fill on February 13. I get my second fill on March 7 and I can't wait!! I'm down 18 pounds. I like the fact that Dr. Morton doesn't mess around and wants to get the band working as soon as possible!