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I've read up a lot about the procedure and this forum really helped make the decision to go with plication. 38 BMI 240 pounds 5'6" 38 years Dr. Ganta with Austin Institute of Bariatrics and Laparoscopy Goal weight is around 150 but was told to expect closer to 170-180. In all honesty I will be happy staying under 200 and being able to shop at most stores for clothes though I intend on trying to get my teenage body back with the 6 pack abs. My surgery is scheduled for May 23, 2012 but talking with my husband earlier tonight he suggested we move it up to mid April if possible so I will be further on the mend for summer vacation. I still need to schedule my nutrition counseling, psychological exam, ekg, barium testing etc. And I am about to start a very short timeline project at work. In a way I think all of my potential excuses for delaying things is just because I am scared. Anxiety is a well known problem for me and I am on medication for it so that is contributing. I have also not said a word to anyone at work about doing this. Not sure why since I am very open about almost everything. Looking forward to being healthier, more energetic, and looking better for myself and family Thank you everyone for sharing your concerns and experiences. It really is helpful to those of us that are starting the process.

Down to 213 now (27 pounds lost). It's hard to get enough Protein or calories. I never have had much of a sense of thirst so I still get no where near the amount of Fluid the doctor and nutritionist want me to consume. I take the anti nausea medicine once a day before my antidepressant/anxiety medicine so I do not get sick from it. I also open the capsule and mix it with yogurt. It's not powdery and I can't seem to grind it smaller. So yogurt is not smooth but at least I'm getting some of my medicine down. I can't stomach the full amount yet. I worked a full week mostly at the office though I worked from home Wednesday. Next week is a 4 day week yea! Clothes are fitting a little better though do not need anything new yet. I think bras might be what I need first. Losing cup size first :/ Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. It has felt like a long tunnel for me.

Starting to feel a little better. Stopped the nausea meds. I cannot take my anti depression anxiety meds. When I do, I actually vomit with a lot of dry heaving. I think the capsule is too big though my doc said it was probably ok. Foods all still taste funky. I really do not like anything. Much of the full liquids and smooth soft foods are really sweet. Craving more savory foods mostly for variety. I gained a bit back that I had lost but I'm pretty certain some of why I dropped so much originally was fluids I needed. I'm not dehydrated now. But I am not losing anything in the past week. I believe I need fuel and liquids and more movement to lose. My body is still in shock. I drive for the first time this morning. It makes my stomach a little sore because I must turn to look over my shoulder. Guess I need to do some easy stretches and movements. It hurts to stretch my back in the morning do I never get a good stretch. Oh the simple things you miss when they are difficult. Still working from home. I'm now able to work a full day. I was going to go in this week but my boss told me to stay home. There is a nasty stomach virus going around the office. Not something I should catch.

Alas they found nothing wrong on the barium swallow tests. Had a slight half second of slowness swallowing at my esophagus but nothing else. Told I have to live through it and it should get better. Doc gave me no restrictions at all on eating or drinking as I need to get more calories in no matter what I can stomach. Of course I stopped losing anything because you have to have fuel in order to move around enough to lose more. My body is in survival mode and holding onto everything it can. My arms have an icy feeling to them and when I manage to get some calories down, I get a flush of an icy hot feeling in them. So my body is only taking care of the core and extremities are not getting much. Right now hating my decision for the surgery. Hoping things turn around soon.

2 weeks out today. Still nauseous though less than before. Getting about 250 calories a day or less. Still not getting much Fluid down. Tomorrow I'm doing another barium test to find out why I now feel like I have a rock in my stomach when I do as much as a couple of sips of Water. Also having a bit of pain in the chest down to mid stomach area. At least with the calories I get now, I can do some walking around the house. I worked from home a couple of hours today. My brain is less mush. I gained back about a pound of what I lost but that was expected. I suspect the gain back is lost fluid. Currently down 24 pounds including preop loss.

Right there with you Pzeta. Surgery was April 24 I am still struggling to eat or drink. Anti nausea meds worked a little but now getting other issues. For a change you might try freezing the Jello to make a Popsicle out of it. You can also freeze pudding and make your own pudding pops.

Not sure who made the mistake but I was supposed to have received anti nausea prescription a week ago. I turned in a hand written prescription to the pharmacist and got 1 med. My doctor said the records show it was prescribed. Pharmacist did not have another in their system. So I've been suffering for 7 days because who knows what happened. About an hour and a half after the new med, I was able to eat a Jello pudding cup in one slow sitting. That's more calories in a half hour than I've gotten down in a full day for the last week and a half. Hoping to get some strength back over the course of the next couple of days.

Impressed you are able to play tennis this quick! I'm already sleeping on my sides and I had surgery on April 24. I think it depends on the person. Not sure about your pain when laying down. I wish you the best. -still stuck in bed personally

Called doc today. Nausea was because I annoy getting enough nutrients and calories. Hmmm guess struggling to get 50 calories in a day isn't enough. Move to phase 2 thank god. Also going for lab tests. Already jumped for some cream Soup. Though still nauseous, I got down about a 3rd cup of v8 garden broccoli cream soup. Tasted better than anything since my surgery. That 3rd cup was 30 calories. Normally took much of the day to get that many calories in. Hoping to feel better sometime tomorrow after the nutrients are absorbed. Don't hesitate to call your doctor if you are nauseous all the time and it's difficult to move around because you have zero energy. And well I was almost blacking out just standing up.

I use the free app myfitnesspal. Lots of features to add food, water, weight, exercise, notes.

My doc is VERY conservative. 2 weeks Clear liquids 4 weeks full liquids ie cream soups and Protein shakes 6 weeks puréed foods At week 12 finally get to try solid foods a little at a time Guess idea is to force you to lose almost everything in the first 12 weeks. Going to try ice chips today. I'm so thirsty but so nauseous 24/7. It is hard to get anything down. If I ever see chicken broth again it will be too soon. Jello is almost as bad.

Thank you for the reassurance.

Sure follow it if you find it helpful. I need to contact my doctor again tomorrow. I cannot drink much. I think I can force down maybe 12 ounces a day. I am also struggling to get more than 50 calories a day. This really scares me. I have no energy obviously and nearly blackout when I stand up. I'm nauseous all the time. The stomach spasms still occur if I skip the spasm medicine. Right now I am regretting the surgery though the hope is that once I'm healed and able to consume nutrition that I will be happy with the decision. Today I am 224. Thus 16 pounds lost since starting the preop diet.

He doubled the anti spasm medicine dose and gave me another prescription for anti nausea and spasm . It's doing better but not completely away. Finally able to sleep a little on my sides. Thus I get more than 45 minutes in a single stretch. Now I can sleep for 3-4 hours at a time. Still can't eat much without feeling nauseous. Maybe an ounce here and there. Starting to feel hungry but cannot eat. I'm on Clear liquids for another week and a half. The easiest to drink is chicken broth with a lite lemonade watered down.. I can also eat Popsicles and Jello both sugar free. I've got a Protein jello but I can get do little down that it takes me two days to finish a container. I should be able to get more down once the swelling is reduced in my stomach. Weight has dropped from 240 to 231 back up to 240 right after surgery from the iv liquids and now at 227.

Called my doctor about the spasms. Medicine he prescribed is not helping. I go in tomorrow. Could have been today if I had someone that could drive me to the office. Managed to force down a tiny amount of Jello and a couple of dips of broth.

Muscle / stomach spasms started about an hour ago. I'll call my doc for the muscle relaxant he mentioned that will help with that. Hopefully it also helps with the pain. Currently I am taking 15ml of hydrocodone/ apap. Also gasx, prilosec and some patch behind my ear for nausea. I've got 6 small incisions. Thought it would be 5 but I guess different laproscopic machines are different. This one was the Da Vinci. One incision is just below my breasts in the middle. 5 others run a line across my belly just above my belly button. I can barely drink Water in super small amounts. I ate less than 1 tsp of Protein Jello yesterday. sleep is difficult since I was a stomach/side sleeper and I can't do that until I heal some. Laying on my back is very uncomfortable. But it is still less than 24 hours since my surgery. I will be able to sleep more once the pain subsides.

Plication was successfully done this morning. Just waiting on being discharged from the hospital. Yea!

Wow not sure what you weighed 2 months ago but I'm impressed you are a size 6 in 2 months. I sure hope to be where you are soon! Congrats.

I'm scheduled the 24th in Austin but just plication no band. Goodluck!

Forgot to say its not a liquid diet yet. Just reduced calorie, reduced fat and reduced carb.

I am on a two week preop diet. Doc wants me to reduce the size of my liver for the operation. So I'm to try for 800-1000 calories a day with most of those from Protein. Day before surgery I switch to clear liquid only. I talked with a nutritionist and I am highly encouraged to attend monthly group meetings with other surgery patients. I am under the care of my doctor for a year. Everything is included in the one time price. Follow up care is very important to my doctor. My regular doctor is impressed so far with the preop testing and diet guidance. Ive been trying various Protein drinks so I know what I like ahead of time. No surprise it's a chocolate one. I've been on the preop diet since Tuesday. I've already lost 7.4 pounds as of this morning. Very tired and cannot think straight. Very difficult. Really hard when talking to my normally supportive mom whom asked me why I could not have dieted like this to lose it all without an upcoming surgery. She is skinny and does not understand it can come off and come right back and that I'm on fewer calories than recommended unless under doctor care. Eight more days until surgery day.

Day 2 of preop diet. Wow this is going to be a difficult 2 weeks. So hungry. Using myfitnesspal.com to track my consumption. I had about 1030 calories yesterday. About 490 of that at dinner time just because I could not eat Breakfast due to having a morning Upper GI test. Thank you everyone for the encouragement.

I did move up my surgery date. I am now scheduled for April 24, 2012. I've been through nutrition consultation and the psychological consultation. Starting the preop diet on April 10th. Went shopping yesterday for a variety of Isopure flavored drinks so I'll know which I like. Excited about week 3 post op because of the blended foods. Many are ones I like as solids. Just have to ditch the carbs I normally eat with them.