btrieger

Your weight will fluctuate. As long as you are doing what you know is right; do NOT let it get you down. You can lose 5 pounds in a day just as easily. Just keep your chin up and it will happen.

Optifast isn't prescription but you need to get it from a wholesaler. If your doctor doesn't require a pre-op diet, just keep the carbs and sugars low. That will shrink your liver.

Stacie - I am back but maybe for bad Denise - I've been told that smoking is what makes my blood pressure spike. I don't think your doctor would prescribe it though. Leigha - congrats on the scale movement. I just broke one myself. Christie - congrats on the 220's! That is the point where I seriously start looking for a plastic surgeon. I'm about 16 pounds out from 225. Not a whole lot new here. 3 day weekends suck because they fly by. I spent the weekend sucking down Guinness and was afraid to step on the scale. I did this morning only to find out I lost another 2 pounds. I need to get this Guinness diet published. There would be no shortage of guy to try it out.

How dare you speak bad of Optifast? I love the stuff. If the consistency is what bothers you. Try it with crushed ice. Some people don't have a pre-op diet at all. They are just told to fast the night before surgery.

I do just as well at 1,500 calories a day as I do at 800. The cutting down on the carbs may be your best bet. It's not just how many calories you're eating but what they are comprised of. Also, what does your sodium intake look like and are you drinking caffeinated drinks? Both cause Fluid retention.

I was just throwing everything in the food processor and blender. It was an interesting week. Be careful with flaky fish. It's not as soft as you'd think. OUCH.

I second the "call your doctor" idea. Mine told me to call immediately if I have any issues eating; drinking or keeping food down.

Are you anemic or on blood thinners for a heart problem? Congrats on the weight you have lost!!

Jen, Please call your doctor and get his/her opinion. This doesn't sound like a simple case of constipation. The call is free and in this case, I wouldn't mind being told that I am wrong.

I am usually on the fence when it comes to teens. In this case, the validity of his post went right out the window when he said that lapbands have to be replaced every 5 years. As for the original poster, questioning and seeking reassurance is great thing. You are still very young and there is plenty of time to make sure you are doing the right thing before you get the lapband or another form of surgery. Just keep reading. Some people have great experiences but there are many horror stories, some fabricated and some real. I think I read every post on this site prior to getting banded myself and so far, I am happy with my decision.

Dude, you have to put a picture up a tag line that says, "I am a guy"

I am 3 months out with 2 fills and notice absolutely no difference in my ability to guzzle water.

Please see your doctor!

McDonalds in moderation is still poison :thumbup: And my dog beats me with a stick.

You've lost a lot of fat and your organs have a lot more room to bounce around now. You may have bruised something.

Some people even use smaller flatware but I don't think it would matter that mush to me. Let me reiterate, your life is not going to change drastically following surgery. It will change even less if you start practicing the rules now. You are not going on a life long diet. Diets are bad. They leave you hungry and craving sweets. You're altering your lifestyle and if you take it slow and easy, the change won't leave you wanting for much more. Good luck!!

That's twice today that somebody said they got stuck 90 minutes after eating. I get stuck fairly often lately and feel it immediately. So, I thought everyone did. How many others get stuck more than an hour after eating?

Nice is no fun. You can never tell is someone really is being nice or just acting it. When you speak frankly, it leaves no doubt. Not only have I been there, I am still and always will be there. I am not preaching from a pedestal, I break rules and make mistakes as well. I just don't think it should be taken as lightly as it is. How can we take this long journey if we don't give it all we have from the start? And I am very supportive. Sometimes a bit opinionated but very supportive of anyone that is giving it all they have.

You have 2 and a half months. That is anything but "instant." Start modifying to lifestyle today. Take small steps and you'll barely notice the changes. Don't make drastic changes. Eat all of the same things you are now, just less of them. Using smaller plates; taking smaller bites and chewing longer make this much easier.

I agree with Missy. It is wrong in many ways: Fast food joints serve poison! There probably wasn't an ounce of ice or cream in whatever the crap they served you was. Even if it were a healthy frozen yogurt, it is still not a balanced diet. If it was all you had to eat all day then you apparently skipped Breakfast and that is bad. If you are in a hurry, find a Subway or deli and get a small sandwich, a salad, a cup of Soup, etc... Steer clear of fast food joints no matter the cost!

You're going to get a lot of suggestions but let me say first that it's probably best to not overthink things. I went about life as usual right after surgery with the exception of the liquid diet for a week and pureed foods the following week. I had nothing but Optifast Protein Shakes and yogurt the first week. The second week I was dropping anything I wanted into the blender or food processor. Everything was fair game from pork chops to salad. Mashed potatoes; cottage cheese and scrambled eggs didn't need blending. I had barely any pain at all following surgery. The gas was extremely uncomfortable for 3 days though.

Total BS! The lapband is meant to last forever and the complications are far less threatening that those of the other surgeries you mentioned.

Here the link for ticker help: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/ticker-tutorial-pictures-41782/ As for cheating on the pre-op or post-op diet: If you can't go without cheating for a relatively short time, how the hell do you expect to follow the rules for the rest of your life? Don't get me wrong; I AM judging you.

I am positive that you can lose the weight with by changing your eating habits and doing a little more exercise. It is very easy to lose weight if you want to. However, it is even easier to put it back on. I lost 95 pound in the 5 months prior to banding by just changing my eating habits. (Note: I did not use the "D" word!) I got the band as an insurance policy that I don't put the weight that I fought so hard to lose back on. Do NOT wait until you are banded to start changing things and do NOT get banded until you are positive it is what you want and need.

There's another factor too. Did your skin just expand or did you rip it? Stretch marks do not just go away. I've started putting a little aside for the plastic surgery that I will inevitably need.