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I'm 28 weeks post-op today and have lost 103.5 lbs. And let me second what others have said - WALK. I started pre-op on my treadmill and changed to walking in a park near my home after my surgery. I started with about 15-20 minutes and worked my way up from there. I bought a pedometer and have been walking 3+ miles a day (about 45 - 55 minutes) for several months now. Absolutely no question in my mind that it has increased my total weight loss and shortened the time it would have taken to lose the same weight if I had not been walking. I walk a minimum of four days a week, more if "life" allows. My record so far is sixteen days straight. It is perhaps important to note that I walk "quickly". I don't saunter. The information they gave me pre-op said if you're not working up a sweat you're not getting the benefit you could. I do not jog or run but I do walk at a fast pace. It's a great way to help you with your Water intake (you're thirsty after your walk) and exercise of any kind is a great appetite suppresant. Could not recommend it more highly!!

it sure means that for me. Hiccups=stop! :drool: And the burping means I need to stop for a bit, assess, and then if I keep eating, proceed with caution. It's hard to learn all these "new" cues, but one cause of hiccups even in unbanded people is eating too much and/or too fast... We're configured differently internally so most of us burp more, but especially now that I'm so far out, if I burp while I'm eating it is a sign of DANGER DANGER! Anytime I've disregarded a burp and plowed on without checking my chewing etc, I've regretted it.

Down 32lbs...and I am happy. I felt like I was moving too fast from liquids to food. But I did all the steps and had no problem transitioning to the next food. So it is good. I go back in a month, and we will see what I have lost and then discuss a fill, or not. So glad I did this, No regrets not one. I feel great and am back to my normal schedule. Find I am a little tender when bending right over the port area...but I just adjust so I don't. Hope to come on and read some of your stories to catch up on ya'll. :rolleyes2:

Hi April. I too am 30. Been with my husband 14 years this September and have a 3 year old. I looked into the surgery 6 years ago, didn't like it. Thought about it a few years ago but the thought of not having a baby for over a year after put me off again. Finally last year was all I could take. My dog died last January after being by my side for 14 years. My life was him. Especially the last several years as I am a stay at home mom, an he was sick. So I took care of him as u would a child. His death sent me in a deep depression. I mean I didn't care about anything. I had to force myself to smile or laugh at my daughter. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and possible lupus. I have high blood pressure. The list goes on. I finally decided it was time for this!! My process started oct 2, 2012. I weighed 367lbs. Between then and surgery date which was Jan 14th I lost 38lbs. Since surgery I have lost another 30. I am 5.5weeks out. I regretted my decision my very first night home bc after over a 2 hr drive I was in horrible pain. I have never regretted my decision. I am smaller than I have been since my wedding. Day o surgery was my last blood pressure meds, and after taking lortab for only 3 days after surgery I haven't taken a pain pill since. I was taking 2-4 a day before surgery for horrible pains. Here is my personal key advice: when you read sip sip sip, walk walk walk. Listen!! I was up several hours after surgery and pacing the halls. I came home day after surgery. The next day I was walking a mile... Slow. Don't stop walking! And try to get back to normal as fast as u can. Like don't hide in bed. I was doing dishes and making food for the family. I wasn't lifting or straining. I went shopping and took my daughter to school. I rested for sure and was slower than normal. But force that liquid down! Force it!! Get ur Protein in right from day 2. It helps soooo much. Good luck to you!!!

My name is April. I'm 30 years old, have been married 11 1/2 years and have 5 children. About four years ago I thought about surgery. I started the process. I sat through the seminar, filled out the paperwork, got my pcp referral along with all the necessary blood work and treadmill stress test, had my first surgeon appointment and passed my psych-eval. However, I didn't go through with the surgery. Why? A couple reasons come to mind: 1) the psychiatrist asked me why I was doing this. I was only at 245 and she said I was much smaller than most who do the surgery; 2) I had at that point mainly considered it for the emotional and cosmetic part of the deal. I wanted to be THIN so I could FEEL prettier. So what's changed? Well, today I still consider the cosmetic part but only to a small extent. My primary focus is on health. Every day I have pain in my knees, ankles and back. I have began to have swelling of my legs at times. Palpitations have become daily and chest pain often. I cannot make it up nine stairs to my children's rooms without my heart pounding and being extremely short of air. I get dizzy spells and have had twice in the last nine months (since my youngest was born) that my blood pressure went around 187/114. I should've called 911 but tried to breathe and relax through it, so I am unsure of any possible damage that may have occurred. Yesterday I went from being on (0) meds to my dr putting me on 4 meds including muscle relaxer for back pain, arthritis, Vitamin d prescription, and high blood pressure diuretic meds. On top of that I have recently been told my fasting blood sugar is high though they never said "diabetes", my cholesterol is high,My sleep apnea is getting so bad at times I'm afraid I may not wake up at all, and also it's time for my third colonoscopy as I have had precancerous polyps removed at age 24. I have been obese for around 11 years, since gaining 70 lbs with my first child. My weight stayed pretty steady for about six years until several months ago when it spiked by about 20+lbs. So now I can honestly say I am taking it much more seriously for my health, My kids need me as does my husband. I am very strong in my faith, but (sorry, LORD) am not ready to leave this Earth. Aside from that I have in the past two years made my way through nursing school and have, for the past seven months, worked home health care. I have come across several obese and even just slightly overweight patients and have seen what their lives have become due to their health and limited mobility. I don't want to become that. I want to be able to enjoy life with my family. I want to be able to keep up with my little one, which is truly a taxing effort since he is now on the move all the time. I want to be able to go up the stairs to hang out and play with my older kids: girls 6yrs, 9yrs; boys 11yrs, 13yrs (actually is my nephew I've raised). I want to be able to go outside and play with my kids, I want to have the energy to do these things and more. I want to be a good role model for my children when it comes to health. And YES, I also want to feel confident enough to step in front of the camera at family functions instead of shying away.... So far I have sat through the seminar, had my pcp referral, my first surgeon appt, my sleep study, my dental exam (necessary dental work prior to surgery is already scheduled), blood work completed and other necessary appts (psych-eval, chemical stress test) scheduled. So, what brings me to this web group? I have all the support I could ever ask for in my husband, kids, church and even my boss who is also obese but urges me to consider it carefully before going through it due to the risks (she's an RN). However, none of these people have had gastric bypass. I want to follow your stories and have you follow mine. I am looking forward to being another success story. Thank you for listening and GOD BLESS ...pic to come later...maybe

Please remember, the wonderful thing about the band is that it can be forever and it can also be adjusted or removed depending on life circumstances, illness (God forbid), or problems down the road. I still have all of my insides and i have some control over the band. That is not true for either the sleeve or GB. The sleeve is still pretty new, but many doctors dont like the idea of removing half of your stomach and I dont like the thought either. The band does not work for everybody, but it is a tool and if you use your tool you can be very sucessful. I love my band and I have lost to my goal weight. Went from a 20 to an 8..(and some 6's)...I had to exercise, eat right and all of that, but the band helps you along that path. The wonderful thing I beleive about the band is, if I start gaining my weight back, I can go get a fill! yeah! Forever! Yeah...not the case with GB or the sleeve. And i know several folks who had GB, lost great fast...but now gaining it back. They have nothing to fall back on...I always do (although I hope not to have too)...Its your choice, but I love my band!

Wow.... I don't think you need to be concerned. Mine went really fast at first also (not that fast!). That's great!

Oh, yeah, Protein shmotein, lol. Of course we need it, but I think when you eat it first as a hard and fast rule, you miss out on a lot of other things you need. I'm glad we're not told that here. I used to eat everything on my plate individually, now I try to get a little bit of everything on each forkful to make sure I eat equal quantities of everything. But I often dont serve myself rice or potato these days becuase I know I wont fit it in. I cant start the day without carbs!

I had a very hard time burping after surgery and felt like I'd never burp again, oh no! But then, about 5 days after surgery I had a big ol', just-drank-a-soda, buuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrppppppp! It felt like heaven. Now I'm just burping like before surgery, only when I need to, nothing unusual or an increased frequency. Could it be you're swallowing air with your new eating method? BTW, the purpose of not drinking soda is not because BURPING is bad or dangerous for you. My understanding is that the carbonation in the soda puts pressure on your band and esophogus from below. Picture your stomach like a balloon - if you fill the balloon with carbonation it will expand rapidly. To release the pressure you open up the balloon and let air out, or, in the case of your stomach, you burp. With the band you cant get enough of the gas out fast enough to relieve the pressure which is hard on your stomach, esophogus, and your band. Not to mention painful, or so I hear. I don't like soda well enough to suffer for it! lol That's my take on it. I would think that if you drank soda before eating, the carbonation gas would cause a problem. If food is trying to get down that tiny hole and carbonation is trying to come up that tiny hole, there's bound to be trouble. Someone correct me if my understanding of the ban on soda is incorrect.

I was told it was cuz the carbonation and the stomachs inability to expel the gas fast enough due to the band

It has rained none stop for the past two day, this use to not bother me. I would just get a gallon of ice cream and all my favorite foods and cook, eat, and sleep for two days. But now, I have energy, I want to do things. First it messes up my walks, you have to walk and exercise to loss weight. You can't get a LB and set on the couch, your energy level won't let you do that. In group this week we had two groups, the groups that exercise and loses weight and the group that does not and complains that they are not losing it very fast, if at all. They are also the ones that said they cheat more often than the other group. But don't worry, I am not talking about being a gym rat. I am talking about returning to a normal life, doing things, going to the park, museums, malls, things you avoided before. You know like working in the yard cleaning the garage. Anyway back to me, on Friday I forgot to eat, I had two protein shakes and then missed dinner. Just forgot, amazing. Yesterday I had one protein shake and for dinner I cooked a tuna steak and two crab cakes for me. Remember I am treating myself well. I also cooked a steak and mashed potatoes for the other half. I did eat 3 bits of steak, the first beef I had had since LB. Wanted to know if I could eat it, and yes it was very good. I ate my two small crab cakes and a few bites of tuna and I was done. All together maybe 6 ounces. That seems to be my max. Hope this helps you as much as it helps me.

I used to drink premier protein shakes but I developed an allergy to them. I switched to Slim Fast Optima; it's the one with 25 grams of protein, almost no sugars and no carbs. I have been liking and tolerating it well.

I did a little panic eating before surgery and gained weight! My surgeon threatened not to do the surgery unless I lost the weight I gained AND the weight I was supposed to lose. Once I started the liquid diet the weight came off fast. I wouldn't recommend doing what I did.

I am 2 mos out and have been trying to weigh and measure-all the dreaded diet stuff. I went into this so happy and eager to do everything just Right. I am only down 28 pounds but most was first month only 2 in last month. I have 2 fills but still don't feel like I have a band. Yesterday I was able to eat a hotdog w/ mustard with no problems besides guilt afterwards. I can still eat anything. My willpower is fading fast. I am going to see if I can get another fill next week even though my last one was jan 17. I do feel some better reading your posts though. I don't really have anyone to talk to. I know I have to do the work and not rely on the band but I just need a little help from it. I am deciding now to go back to protien drinks for a few days and get back on track. Going to start exercising at least every other day. My weight right now is 267.4. I want to keep posting here so you all can help me. I really needed your posts to help me get going again even though u didn't know it! Thank You!!

Congrats on your decision to have surgery . Im 7 weeks post op and so happy I did this. I was so scared before the surgery and for me that was the worst part of the whole thing. Prayers for a fast recovery.

You made the right decision. It's rough for the first few days but it does get better. Take your pain meds and walk as much as possible. That helps work out the gas and prevents blood clots. By the end of week 1 I was off pain meds. You will be surprised at how fast you recover. But if you feel like the pain is too much or something is truly wrong be persistent. We are our own best advocates for our health.

Dr. Nease was my Dr. I was banded on 5/12/08. I liked him and his staff very much from the get-go. I felt he was very personable and he treated me with respect - and that means so much! My one week follow-up (post-op) was not great, but there was some confusion about my appointment date...not the fault of Dr. Nease. On the day of surgery, I actually saw him very little - just a few moments, but just knowing he was going to be there when I was under made me feel calmer...I just felt secure in his ability. I went home the same day...I actually stayed in a hotel overnight because I didn't feel up to a four hour drive. It all happened very fast, but it was ok, I have done ok, and the surgery went fine. Best of luck, and if I can help or answer any questions about the experience I had at Cabell Huntington, just let me know. This is all new to me, but I will offer any support I can.

I feel a lot better! Thanks for asking :w00t: I'm now cutting them in to 2 pieces until I can get the hang of it again. But don't be nervous! Everything happens really fast and you'll feel fine once you get home. Just remember that once you get home take it easy. Because once the anesthesia wears off you will be in some pain the next day but you'll be feeling better by the 2nd day. What I use to help me besides the pain meds is an ice pack which helps with the sorness and also I'm using neosporin on my incision. It helps me! GOOD LUCK!

Well LBT friends, Today (my birthday), I went for what was to be my final consult before surgery on July 2. I was informed that I had to have the stitches removed at the 2 week mark and I couldn't do that because I start my new job on that exact date. Therefore, I canceled and hope to reschedule in December. I have to call back in October and try to secure a date. I was told it fills really fast, so wish me luck.

Thanks to bluegudren's reply to another post, I just tried having my daughter do short, fast, hard karate chops on my collarbones and shoulder blades for trapped gas post-surgery. What relief! Wish I knew this yesterday! I felt like a baby being burped, but so what? LOL. Anything that helps!

I had my surgery in December and I’ve only lost 26 pounds. I feel like I should be losing more.

when I was where you are, I'd lost 28 lbs (16 lbs the first month,12 lbs the second). I was a slow loser the whole time, but I ended up losing over 200 lbs. Everyone's rate of weight loss is different depending on so many factors (age, gender, starting BMI, metabolic rate, etc). Your commitment to your program is going to have a MUCH greater impact on your eventual success than your rate of weight loss will, though. So just stick to your program, follow the rules, and the weight will come off, either fast or slow.

I'm glad to know others are burping...Mine is getting better now but still have a little. Went to the Dr. this week for my 1st checkup since surgery on 6/23 and he said it was because I was drinking my fluid to fast...that I needed to sip rather than gulp. That doesn't seem to help. I think, its just in the healing part of the stomach...because it is getting better. I have no fills yet so maybe I am drinking too fast also.

My doctor and his team of "experts" are strictly against straw usage. Their theory is that you drink too much, too fast and swallow too much air. In my experience, with my body, I sip smaller amounts and swallow less air. Straws help me to get my liquids in because I'm more apt to actually drink versus drinking from a cup or a bottle. (I have been forced to lie to the doctor and his nurse about my practice because they believe otherwise) I think that everyone is different and something you have to either know about yourself and your own usage techniques regarding the straw. If you know that you suck down large amounts with the aid of a straw, including large amounts of air..........I wouldn't use one. But, if your technique is different and you can or do drink small sips and swallow less air.........go for it.

I was banded on March 11th, and everything has been going great. However the last couple weeks the weight ahs sure slowed down coming off. I lost the first 50 pounds faily fast, but has slowed down alot. Going in for my first check up since the 1 week post op check up and am guess I will be getting some fill. I have been able to eat basically anything, i have yet had any bad experiences with anything. NO pb's. But I am starting to feel hungry alot and I suppose a fill will help with that. Was just wondering how everyone else has been doing and what they can eat or are having problems with.