ebar822

My doctor said that you need to wait 4-6 weeks post op. You have a lot of internal stitches and you can pull them or even worse if you lift anything more than 5-10 pounds. Just keep doing the walking/cardio until a few more weeks passes.

I am on the second day of my pureed phase and I don't know, I am just not feeling this "full" feeling that I am reading about all over this forum. I know I'm not overdoing because I'm being careful to not give myself more than 1/2 a cup of anything...and it's not like i WANT to PB or anything, but I don't know I just don't feel like I'm getting that much restriction. I was told I could have fork-mashed fish (any soft, flaky fish) so I had that last night for dinner and I had a piece of that with 2 spoons of mashed potatoes and really I was no longer hungry but I wasn't full either... Anyone else feeling this? Or are you having more restriction than I am? I just hope it's working okay.

Okay, honestly, how many of us ever worried about spoiling our appetites before the surgery? We'd eat when we got home from work, snacked while making dinner, and then stuffed dinner in on top of it, right? Well it's hitting me now (and I don't know why it's now, but it is) that I don't want to spoil my appetite for "dinner." I planned out some refried Beans with ff sour cream and salsa for my pureed dinner. I am a little hungry now so I wanted to have some yogurt but I realized if I did that I wouldn't want to eat my dinner. I don't think I've ever had that thought before!!!

If you're willing to travel to NYU, Dr. Fielding is a pioneer and after having surgery with him two weeks ago I can tell you that I am most satisfied with the service there. Their staff is so helpful and informative and they cover EVERY step for you to make the process easy. He has an excellent success rate and an excellent rate of people NOT having slipped bands. You should check him out. Google NYU program for surgical weight loss. Good luck!!

My surgeon's office says that when you begin the pureed/mushie stage that you should also stop drinking with your meals. My office says to stop 5 minutes before until 20 minutes after; however, I've seen a lot of other people say that they have to wait 45-60 minutes so I'm trying to do something in the middle. Really, it just helps to NOT wash it down so that you stay full longer. If you drink with the pureed food then it will liquify it and wash it down, making room for more food and more hunger. It also helps to get you into the habit of this lifelong thing we have to do.

Good luck starting this process! Firstly, even if you're going to do WW, make sure that you have a doctor supervising it monthly (I was told to go every 4 weeks). Secondly, I lost and gained 1-2 pounds every month. It was up two, down two, up one, down three, up three, down two. I basically stayed the same and when I told my surgeon's office about that they said that's EXACTLY what they wanted to see. It kind of depends on how close you are to that BMI of 40 also....if you lose 50 pounds and drop below that BMI, they may not cover you so be careful. Otherwise, losing a few pounds isn't the worst thing that could happen either. Anyway I would definitely get started soon and I wish you all the best!

congrats!! how are you feeling on day 2? it gets easier every day!!!

Hey all! I'm Elisa...27 years old from NYC, more specifically the Bronx (the nice part!!! lol). I was banded on 12-20 by Dr. Fielding and am so happy to have chosen NYU! I am still new to this and I would love to have some sort of local support group as Leona suggested in an earlier post! Maybe we could meet up in Manhattan somewhere...What does everyone think?

I have been feeling kind of discouraged lately. I have been putting next to nothing into my body because of this liquid diet phase and the scale had been stuck for almost two weeks. I don't know if anyone else has had a similar experience but it is SO trying on your emotions and your motivation and your expectations for the band! I started questioning what I had done to myself and if this would really work for me or if it would just be another noch on my belt of failed attempts to lose weight... But in the past three days this scale has dropped 9 pounds! NINE pounds! I know, I know, my body was in starvation mode, I was retaining Water, and all of the rest of the reasons but you can't understand that or accept that when you want to see the numbers drop...but when they finally do...it's such a great feeling! I am again excited about this band and what it's going to help me do for myself!!!

I'm 27 years old and single, living in NYC. I am a middle school English teacher (lots of teachers on here!!). I've been overweight my whole life, obese in high school and rocketed into morbid obesity once beginning college. I have lost 29 pounds to date and I am so excited about this journey. I can't wait to begin a workout regimen, although I was told I can only walk for exercise for the next few weeks. I am a little over a week out of surgery and I'm about to dust off my treadmill and start that walking! And I'm very much looking forward to the pureed food stage....can't wait until Thursday!!! hahaha...

It is ultimately your decision. I just had the band put in, and so I can't really tell you what I've been eating because I am still on the liquid phase. But I can tell you something that the psychologist (when I had to get evaluated for the surgery) told me. He said, "Look, if you're going to go to KFC, go...you will still lose weight. You'll only be able to eat one piece of chicken with a few bites of the side, but you'll drop weight because I'm sure you were eating more than that prior to the band." It limits how much you can eat. There are a few things that don't work with the band, but ultimately you will be fine. My aunt had the procedure done and she eats everything that every one else eats, except she eats MUCH LESS. When everyone else has heaping portions of food for Christmas dinner, you can still see the bottom of her plate. She makes small little servings of everything and has all of it...and dessert. Should we be aiming to eat what the doctor says? YES. Protein, then veggies...it will help us...but you have to make it work for you. If you order chinese all the time, get it steamed with sauce on the side. Once in a while you can get the fried stuff, but it has to be a lifestyle change that you're willing to make as well. You can have it, but when you get close to your goal weight and those last few pounds won't come off, you might decide you don't want it....or maybe you do... The band is a tool that can help you reach your goal. Well at least that's my understanding....talk to me in a year or so P.S. I agree with you on that dancing thing....he looks miserable lol.

I went for my esophogram one week post-op as scheduled and when I was reviewing the films with the nurse practitioner at the office, she showed me where the band was and I was a little bit surpised... I asked her where my "pouch" was because as far as I could see in the x-ray, it was like on top of my stomach and at the bottom of my esophogous. She said that I sort of don't have a pouch right now, because as I eat it will stretch and form a pouch. I was so under a different impression prior to the surgery! I thought that they were forming a pouch with the top of my stomach. I guess I have a few questions... 1. Is this common practice? Have others had this done to them as well? 2. Is it difficult to form a pouch? I can imagine it being extremely difficult to keep food down if it's sitting on TOP of your stomach and basically IN your esophogous! What do you guys think/know about the situation?

Nice to meet you guys! I didn't know about the White Plains office. I heard about the one in New City (one sunday every month) so I made an appointment there for February 10. It's hard to make all of these appointments in the city with work! lol.

I am scheduled to have my surgery on Thursday (eeeeek!!!) and I was curious about this thin liquid stage that follows for two weeks after the surgery. Can I have things like creamy Soup or pudding after surgery? Or is it still like Clear liquids? The reason I ask is because I am allowed to have my shakes, but it doesn't mention these things. What kinds of things did you guys eat to make the 2 weeks go by? After two weeks of liquids already, I just almost can't wait for the mushie stage!!!

Thanks for all of the advice guys...I'm on day 6 now and still doing thin liquids and protein shakes...looking forward to the mushies! lol

Hey guys! My name is Elisa and I'm a 27 year old 8th grade English teacher from NYC. I've been overweight my entire life and finally got banded on 12-20 by Dr. George Fielding at NYU. I thought the entire staff at NYU was amazing and supportive and I would totally recommend going through them if you are just starting on this journey. I'm five days out of surgery and really optimistic about my new life. I know I have a lot of struggle ahead of me but it's all for the greater good and I can't wait to start seeing the results. I've enjoyed reading about all of your experiences on this site and look forward to continue doing so.

Well I am showered and dressed and on my way to the hospital... I had about 15 minutes before I had to leave and I just can't believe how nervous I am. I've never had surgery before, and I feel like beyond scared. I just keep trying to reassure myself that everything will be okay and that this is the start of a new life....of my life in general because I feel like I wasn't living before. But I'm still just so scared. I hope it goes quickly and that I don't have any complications...anyway I just wanted to reach out there I guess. I know so many of you have had wonderful experiences and I hope my experience will be the same.