RachelMcD

Discriminating against body type and etc. is already happening. Just a few months ago I had someone tell me they were told they could not even enter a shoe store because her feet were too fat and other customers would be uncomfortable. It happens.

Putting the coffee flavors into the protein shakes sounds like a great idea. I am also two weeks out from my surgery and just beginning to eat the mushees!

Didn't you say you had yours with an open surgery? I would imagine you have a lot more healing to do than those of us that had it laparascopically. And they didn't say I could do a soak for a couple of weeks. - still showering.

I had my surgery on February 6th and have only lost 5 pounds since. I choose not to be discouraged as I did lose 30 pounds in the 7 months prior to my surgery. As for post-op pain, I'm having stomach cramps -- and I think it is my stomach and not coming from the port. I can feel the port, and I did do some strenuous coughing after my surgery and thought I tore some of the port stitches (who knows!) but that feels pretty good now. I'm having my first post-op check in a couple of days and I'll be sure to ask what is what.

My insurance required a 6 month waiting period combined with all sorts of pre-op testing and once a month dietary meetings. I lost over 20 pounds but they said that didn't matter because they keep your starting weight as their figure for the requirement for the surgery. I don't think that all of us lost weight, but the ones who were in trouble were the ones who gained weight during that 6 months. Their surgeries were post-poned. I, too, was disappointed when I learned there was so much preliminary work. I had no idea. I thought once I made up my mind -- and my PCP agreed to support my decision -- that was it. I've looked online since at several insurance plans and the ones that will pay for the surgery require the 6 months. It really is a good idea, believe it or not. I learned an awful lot in the 6 months. And I'm learning even more on this website! Thanks everyone.

I'll begin eating pureed foods this Wednesday, so I'm not ready for solid foods yet. But I find I have a question about why we can't have bread, or nuts, or pasta, or steak (in some cases). Is it because digestion doesn't actually begin until the food reaches our "second" stomach and these things are harder to digest and might get stuck above the band?

I was banded on February 6th. I can't drink either because they give me terrible acid problems.