Rev Me Up!

Yay for lower pants sizes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am in a bit of a reverse situation - my weight has gone down OK, but my pants sizes are not moving as quickly. I think my skin is still confused about that has happened over the last couple of months. :-) You must be looking fab in your smaller pants!! Lara

I am very anti-scale. The only reason I have a scale now is to track some of my progress, but I do not weight every day. I get too focused on the numbers. In any given day, you could be retaining Water, you may have a BM backed up that adds weight, you may be ramping up for your period, etc. I don't want to get depressed because I didn't lose weight one day or that I gained a pound. I didn't even want to know about my 3-5 week stall (which everyone goes through) so I didn't weigh myself from week 3 to 5. I know it is easier said than done for most people, and I am sure people get tired of seing me write the words "walk away from the scale" in all of my posts :-) Do what is best for you. I, personally, don't think a daily weigh in will keep me on track. Bi-weekly works for now and I am hoping to go to a monthly weigh in when I am in maintenance. Besides, I know when I gain or lose weight - 5 pounds makes a difference in my bra and pants. I don't need a scale to tell me that :-) Lara

My doc told me to take the acid reducer for 6 months, even if I didn't have symptoms. I take Zegerid OTC, it has worked the best for me compared to prilosec and Nexium. Regarding the food: I eat 6 times a day - it is the only way I can get in even close to my 600-800 calorie guideline. I never could drink the Protein shakes, so I am trying my best to get protein from food. I really don't see anything wrong with the food or portions you are eating. If you are concerned about retaining Water, you may want to back off of the canned food because of the sodium. I lose 1 to 2 pounds a week at this point. A usual day: 7:00 am - Zegerid OTC 8:15 am - Trader Joe's mini-brie bite (just under 1 oz of brie cheese) with 4 multi grain flax crackers 10:00am - one packet flax oatmeal and my multi Vitamin 12:00 pm - 1/4 cup of last night's leftovers (usually chicken with some sort of sauce. Maybe ground beef with sauce) 2:00 pm - yogurt 3:30 pm - one string cheese 6:00 pm - Dinner: usually 1/4 cup plus of chicken or beef mentioned above That is just a sample - I have a lot more variation on the weekend, but it fits the same portion and timing pattern. You can't worry about a 2 pound gain - seriously, you are not eating enough food to gain weight that is going to stick around. You may be hitting the dreaded 3-5 week stall a little late. That is perfectly normal. Drink a lot of water, cut some sodium out, add a few healthy carbs (for fiber) and walk away from the scale for a week. I only weigh once every 2 weeks - it saves your sanity!!

That sucks!!! I can't imagine a worse time to be sick :-) Usually you can feed a cold, but this is a whole new ball game. You might have to switch to hot or warm tea for a few days. And sugar free popsicles. Take care--- Lara

Hi, It does sound like you are eating some slider foods, which explain the extra volume. However, your calorie count looks exactly like what most of us eat at a month or 2 out. I eat sonewhere in the vicinity of 700 cals a day. My portions are smaller, but I eat almost all really dense Protein. The one thing I can eat more than 1/4 cup of is oatmeal, because it slides right through. Sounds like you are doing just fine. 22 pounds in one month is fantastic!! Is your hunger more of a rumbling sensation in the tummy or is it that you just want to eat all the time? The rumbling is usually acid. Mine is controlled with my daily Zegerid OTC. The urge to eat? I have that sometimes too - I compare it to having a bad case of the munchies :-) Honestly, if my brain/body is really wanting food, I feed it. I do my best to feed it something good like string cheese, yogurt, or a couple bites of chicken. In fact, I carry a couple slices of string cheese in my purse at all times for that purpose. After I have a few bites, I know I can't eat any more for at least an hour and a half.

I can really hear the frustration in your post. I am also a lap-band revision and I only had 60 pounds to lose when I started. I really got the sleeve as an insurance policy - I knew without the band that my weight would sky-rocket and I needed something to prevent it. It must suck to hear about people eating a couple bites and that's it. Eating 6 oz is still not a lot of food, especially compared to pre-lapband days. Over time, that should have a good affect on your weight. Congrats on being below your 250 target! Just be patient with yourself. If you need to take a break from the board, that's understandable - but come back and see us sometime!! Best of luck to you - keep your head up!! Lara

COngrats!! It is so wonderful that you like your Protein drink - that will really help you through recovery. Lara

I was a low BMI, but also had a lap-band to be removed. I went to Dr Aceves and he was great - I highly recommend him. I do think that they may have a requirement of 30 BMI if you do not already have a lap-band. My BMI at surgery was 31. Lara

Hi- I was also banded in 10/07 - what a coincidence. I got rid of that band about 2 months ago and I couldn't be happier. The recovery is harder, but I am so happy to be free of the foreign object in my body. A side benefit - I am losing weight!! VSG is much more effective for me than the band ever was. Lara

I think most of the ladies had a period shortly after surgery, whether it was the right time or not. I started on day 4 after surgery and that was early for me. The blood in the stool is what would worry me. My first question would be: are you straining a lot when you go? That can cause damage to the anal tissue and you might see trace blood from that. Definitely call the doc to make sure there is no other blood from the stomach that is making it's way through. Lara

The dreaded 3-5 week stall strikes again! If you search for "stall" on the board, you will see that almost every single person had the same concern in the first month. Make sure you are eating according to doctors orders, maybe add a little carb to get things going, drink tons of fluids, and then walk away from the scale for several days :-) The weight will come off. Your body is adjusting to the shock of the surgery and lack of calories. Things will get moving again. Lara

I second Tiffykins recommendation on flavoring Water with cucumbers or a maybe even a squeeze of lemon. I also have a hard time finding drinks I like. And artificial sweeteners? YUCK! By the same token, I find that sugary things are way too sweet for me now. I supplement my water with a little iced tea. When I was really dehydrated in the beginning I had some full-sugar gatorade and will occasionally water down gatorade as a beverage today (its still too sweet if I drink it straight). Bottom line, sugar will not kill you in small doese, but you have to be congnizant of what it is doing to your cravings, if anything at all. Maybe you can make a simple syrup and then use a little bit of that to sweeten your drinks? You can also infuse a simple syrup with mint and that my encourage you to use less sugar? Good luck-- Lara

I know in the beginning we think the sleeve is causing all of our problems, but maybe you have a little stomach flu? To be going like that at both ends with such ferocity sounds like an illness rather than something with your sleeve. But, call the doc anyway - if the vomitting continues without obvious provocation, it could point to complications. Just keep on top of it and try to stay hydrated. Take care-- Lara

Hello, I am a fellow lap-band revision and I also had my surgery with Dr Aceves. I think the answer to this question is defferent for everyone. Some people are back in fighting form after one week. I took 2 weeks off and I ended up going home early every day in the third week because I was so tired I could barely hold my head up. I also have a desk job. I would say, to be safe, take 3 weeks off. You may be one of the lucky ones, but your life will suck if you have to go back to work and you are not ready. BTW - the recovery with the sleeve is harder, but the results are SO MUCH BETTER. The restriction is consistent, no more port pain, the "full" feeling is diefferent and not as painful, and no more fills!!!! It was a great moment when I woke up after recovery and felt my stomach and didn't feel the port in there anymore. Awesome! You may want to check out the band to sleeve revision topic on the board - it's off the main page if you scroll down. Have fun in Mexicali--- Lara

Sounds perfectly normal to me! I still can barely get in more than 2 oz. One egg is my limit! I have become very comfortable with leaving food on my plate - some meals I don't get through my 2 oz portion. If my stomach says stop, I stop. Sounds like you are right on target! Lara

Awww, the first week is the worst! I can't remember exactly when drinking got easier, but it was sometime after the first week. Just do the best you can and push those liquids! Don't worry too much about the Protein in the first week if you really can't face it. Isopure has a clear Liquid Protein that you can try. I didn't really like it, but it is a good clear option. It is most important that you listen to your body - if you are clear for mushies and you have a hard time swallowing them stay in liquids and try again a couple of days later. The swelling goes down differently for eveyone. Keep in touch with the board - that is how most of us got through the tough first weeks after surgery. Hang in there! Lara

Hi Crosswind-- Divorce is hard, period. There is no easy way around that one. I agree, though, that it would be harder without your usual coping mechanism. I was lucky, my ex left the country and I didn't have to talk to him or see him. Unfortunately, it was not so good for our daughter - but time heals everything. I am a big fan of the 100% no contact rule after any break up. Stay strong--- Lara

AWESOME!!!! Congrats! You are looking like a hottie in those size 8's!!!

Yay! Love it when the inches come off!!!!!

Each insurance is different. I was self pay with a lap-band to be removed. BMI was 31. I think my insurance was wanting BMI of 40 or under 40 with co-morbidities. Self pay is an entirely different ball game. Lara

This really varies from person to person. My experience: exhausted, thirsty, emotional. The first week was the worst because I was getting very little hydration / nutrients. Lots of trial and error with what I could drink and what I wanted to drink. I contiued with exhaustion through week 6. Went back to work after week 2, but had a hard time working a full day. The up-side is that I really was not in pain and I didn;t feel hunger, although my body was quite depleted. Lara

Never been a fan of chicken salad. Ihave found mayo tastes weird to me after surgery. Also, sometimes a particular food doesn;t agree with me, I'll wait a week or so and try it again and it will be just fine. The first egg tried was a bad experience, but since then I can eat eggs no problem. I lived on cottage cheese as well as bits of chicken mixed with ricotta cheese (heated). Mayo just smells weird to me now. Lara

I am a Trader Joes fanatic - I eat Trader Joes Multi Grain Pita Bites. I can only eat about 4 of them (half a serving). Love them because they have a little Protein and Fiber in them - every little bit helps! I eat with brie, cheddar, or hummus. ALso, they are really crunchy and tasty. Half serving contains: 60 cal Fat: 1.75 Carb: 9.5 (8 carb net after fiber) Fiber: 1.5 Protein: 2 Happy hunting! Lara

Yay! I agree, the sleeve gives me that extra couple of minutes to really ask myself if I am really hungry and what should I really eat. Even if I do start eating, I can only eat a couple of bites so I can't do much damage. I found that was the weirdest part about the first month - recognizing how often my mind would go to food to entertain me or soothe me and then working through the fact that I couldn't really have it. Lara

Hi- I have been looking for a greek yourt to suplement my diet since the beginning of mushies. It's not that I hate the sour taste, but my stomach will turn at the thought of eating anything that has such a strong flavor. So I gave it one more try. Trader Joes came out with a greek blended yogurt. Note: if you are doing strict low carb or no sugar, this may not be for you. It comes in a few flavors. I tried the blueberry and I am eating the honey flavor right now. Both are delicious. The flavor seems to take the edge off the tartness of the greek yogurt - it's so much easier for me to tolerate. If you don't like greek yogurt, you might want to give this one a try. At my Trader Joe's, one serving is $.99 Cals: 120 Fat: 0 Carb: 17 Protein: 14 Since I am one who could never stomach a Protein shake, this protein amount is really going to help me get closer to my intake goal.