u4leigh

had mine done Jan 23... slightly longer recovery time due to longer surgery and some soreness, but otherwise no issues... definitely did not need more than a week off work...

That is a pretty good one! Funny how others can recognize improvements we don't see in ourselves... nice of her to honestly tell you!

It's not a plateau unless you don't lose anything for three weeks or so! At only 15 days, you're still getting accustomed to the band. You haven't been banded long enough to plateau. I just put 1.5lbs back on since my first fill last Friday. Things don't always move in a single direction or quickly. I lost more weight on the pre-op diet than I did in the first 2 weeks after surgery. Hang in there!

you can usually find frozen orange roughy... I like just olive oil on the pan and seasoned with salt, pepper, and paprika, baked until flaked, and top with a little dash of hot sauce... fortunately, I live on the coast, so the best fish recipe is to call for take-out!

I am loving all kinds of soft cheese right now, just nooooo pasta. I do fine with mozarella, brie, and all kinds of feta... like garlic herb feta and roasted red pepper feta. I can get my soft warm gooey cheesy fix by making an omelette with any of these or having warm brie or baby swiss. I think some warm ricotta with garlic sounds good too, but I haven't tried that yet!

Get back in there! You are worth it and can do it!

Maybe you really should try increasing your calories a bit? That doesn't seem like much food at all, but I also understand that a three week plateau isn't really that odd, especially since you've lost a lot already! Maybe you'd have more energy to exercise and be recharged if you went to 800-1000 calories per day? I don't think the protein shakes are that helpful unless they are low carb.

The restriction won't come until at least your second fill... I think I consumed more during the first week post-op than I did weeks 2 and 3. You're still healing, so be careful! String cheese and eggs keeps me from being hungry and both count as mushies.

@ #Losin, Keep sipping and stay hydrated! I hope you feel much better soon! Maybe your doc can give you some phenergan to help with nausea and that yuck feeling? Walking around the house still seems to help things go down more easily. @ mandyg, I have been really strict about low-carbing, even with the liquids and mushies... I just got my first fill this past Friday, but I seem to be even hungrier now and put on a pound over the weekend! I hope it all levels out for some slow steady shrinking! You'll have some ups and downs before surgery time, it's a great decision, and you'll be glad you did it! It's work, but so is being overweight! As for liquids, I had lots of sugar free popcicles and jellow and chicken broth, so it seemed more like I was getting some food, versus only protein shakes and water drinks. I actually preferred to buy Progresso soup, heat it up, and run it through a tight strainer to remove any and all bits and pieces. The broth was more flavorful than just plan chicken broth! After a few days, I tried eggs, and have been experimenting with omelettes, frittatas, and quiche with different spices and cheeses and spinach. The meats I've had have all been slow cooked in a crock pot, like roast and pork, cooked until really soft and seasoned. It's been kind of an adventure, since I used to be big on baking!

It's post-op day two, but according to convention, and I believe the lap-band makers, surgery is Day 1 for the purposes of calendars and your progression. Your doc should specify on his post-op instructions whether a plan or dietary restrictions are for post-op days 1-2, etc. If you have any question/concern, best to call the office!

Way to go! I hope you have bright painted toes, put on that sexy dress, and have a great time! You deserve it! What you are feeling totally makes sense and is encouraging for everyone to read. Bring on the NSVs!

try a snack of string cheese or maybe almonds instead of popcorn... more protein and satisfies that kind of salty craving. You need more protein to keep up with two little kids! That would be enough to make my hair thinner. :-)

@GLove, even with portion control, this is hard, admittedly way harder than I anticipated. You may see people refer to "sliders" or stuff that slides right through the band... think ice cream, frosting, and other sorts of sweet treats, even candies. You have to cut all of that out on your own. If you follow the "protein first' rule though, you may make it to veggies after having your lean meat, but there's no way you'll make it to dessert! It is all about following the rules. We all learn them for surgery, but I am a convicted diet cheater. I literally pat myself on the back for having a small omelette for dinner instead of mac-n-cheese or pie filling!

Girl you are one TALL drink of water! At 5'11", when (not if) you get to 200, you're gonna look fantastic!!! Keep in mind all those 5'2" 200lb gals wish they had 9 more inches of legs! I'm 5'4.5" and I cling to that extra 0.5 inch! I shrank after back surgery, which is another good reason for me to not carry a spare tire around the middle. The good news is, you're on your way!

Hopefully your doc's scheduler can help move you up a week or two! I would definitely ask for an earlier date!

If you're working out every day, maybe you are losing inches but not pounds due to muscle mass? Have you considered low carb? It's the only thing that worked for me before the band and I think it's really helping now!

Congrats on taking the big step towards a healthier you!!!

Way to go! You are a big time success! Keep up all of the hard work! For anyone wanting info on plication, there are some good websites from the docs who offer it if you search for gastric plication. There is also a forum on here specfically for folks who had both surgeries. I lost weight before exploring surgery, and had the surgery as a reward to myself, and it's working!

I suspect when you reach 199, you'll be happy but inclined to go further. I have relatives who hit nearly 400lbs and had no intention of getting any bigger, PARTICULARLY when I am nearly 37yrs old and have been on beta blockers for blood pressure since I was 25 and at risk for type II diabetes. We are all trying to be healthier, so it serves to anger "skinny bandsters" when their efforts are poo-poo'ed by those who started at much higher weights. It's also quite common that folks, like me, who were banded at ~200 started out higher and paid for the surgery out of pocket as a reward for getting down that low from a higher weight. For the record, I'm 5'5", try to be encouraging to everyone, and assume negativity I could have toward anyone on this journey could be better directed at someone else, like criminals or general jackarses. Saying skinny bandsters are infuriating is the same as saying bigger bandsters waited too long... it doesn't really help anyone either way. LB for folks less than 35BMI was just approved by the FDA in early 2011, so that is why there seem to be more and more skinny bandsters. I suspect some with >35BMI would've had the surgery sooner if it had been available to them in the US. I had no idea at a BMI of ~33-34 that I was eligible until I was reading something else from the FDA. I was tentative, but really happy to have the opportunity to improve my health with this tool! We could all get mad at the real skinnies who lost so much they need to re-gain some, but their struggles are just as real as everyone else's and their mental and physical health just as important, so they need to share and get encouragement as well! Happy health everyone!

mmmmmm... thanks for posting! Laughing Cow is awesome!

I just got my first fill today, and emotional me has huge expectations, while logical me knows to prepare for some slow steady weight loss. You are NOT going to fail and are on the right track! Logical you has it all under control and has taken the first huge important steps towards shrinking and being healthier!

I think you should definitely talk with a professional about this. Your brain must be horribly confused about how you should feel and what sorts of eating habits to employ. We all feel out of control when we're heavy, and once we get control and find happiness at a low weight, I suspect there is a big fear of losing that control, even if you know you've gotten too thin! Best wishes!

Thanks all! I really should be clear - I had lapband AND plication on 1/23, so the plication has been in effect. I have also been following a very strict low carb diet. I had lost prior to exploring surgery doing low carb, and my doc is adamant about it, so I've had soft meats, eggs, cheese... just saying no to pasta, pizza, pancakes, and pastries! By the way, the fill was a total cake walk... doc hit it right away, and it did not hurt. Getting my flu shot was worse!

...can't really tell if I'm restricted or not. I can sip drinks/shakes just fine. I'm kind of bummed because I just got into the groove of eating regular foods, and it's back to liquids for days, then mushies. Doc visit was good though. He also indicated it could take 5 fills before things were perfect.

EAS Advantage, low carb high protein and tasty... I think you can get vanilla, strawberry, chocolate fudge, and rich dark chocolate at Sam's. I know you can get them at GNC and Target. I take one out of the fridge in the morning, add a straw, and head to work.