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I'll be wishing him good luck Shiny. You guys deserve all the best. I admire your willpower to resist the scale. I can't, gotta see it go down even when I know it will come right back up. Anyone else watch "You Are What You Eat"? After a good "poo", it's straight to the scale. LMAO - I know TMI, sorry.

Hi Ladies! I am officially 4 days post-op. My surgery was Monday and they literally had me walking after I woke up from the surgery. I didn't have any gas pain, maybe due to all the walking they had me do. I have had a very sharp pain, feels like runners cramp in my left side which I am told is normal and even that has gotten better every day. My only other issue is constipation.... I know tmi, but drinking lots of milk of mag in hopes of some relief. Feeling great surprisingly, slowly but surely on the mend! We got this!!!! On our way to being healthy and sexy!!!! Jill

Congrats to everyone who have recently gotten approval and have March dates! I've been in the Feb 09 board for no particular reason outside of getting some questions answered. :tongue: I know you all must be so excited and I am so very happy for you! Your adventure has officially began! I am one of those whose insurance hasn't been approved yet and feel very anxious about it. I feel like I could finally feel like my journey has started once that happens. My insurance changes March 31 to the insurance someone mentioned above where you have to be 40bmi or greater for a min of 2 years. So this is it for me! My appt with the surgeon is this Friday - so that will be when my insurance is submitted. I still have the psych appt, nutritional appt, and support meeting to attend. I have a stress test from cardiologist, last mammogram, & copy of my cholesterol bloodwork. I will be getting copies of my dr supervised weight loss attempt and a letter of recommendation from a Dr I have been seeing for the last 7 years. I'm sure I still need an actual referral from my primary care physician. Anyway - tmi - but I hope to join this group of March success stories! I wish you all getting ready - all the luck in the world! And as for protien drinks - I've read in a couple of places that the protien drinks at costco are really good. As for a name. March melters is good. Shrinking Shamrocks? Shapely Shamrocks? Shameless Shamrocks? Lucky Lapbanders? Curvy Clovers? Classy Clovers? LOL -how fun to think up stuff....

I wasn't sure if I should start with what may have been legitimate inquiries or with the ignorance being passed back and forth as though it were fact or just the nasty stuff. I think I'll stick to that order. Inquiries This should be the easy part. Stuff that is malabsorbed is malabsorbed. Our bodies don't know we ate it. We don't get the benefit of the good stuff (the nutrients) or the bad stuff (the fat or calories) in foods we malabsorb. I'm not sure why people think that foods that our bodies don't know they were fed are somehow hurting us, but in answer to the cholesterol question--thank you for asking--I'll post my lab results, reference ranges in parentheses: Cholesterol =152 (0-199) Triglyceride = 98 (0-149) HDL Chol = 74 LDL Calc = 58 (0-99) LDL Direct = 74 (0-99) VLDL Calc = 20 (0-30) Homocysteine = 9 (5-15, <12 is preferred) HS CRP = 0.16 <1.0 = Low Risk 1.0 - 2.9 = Moderate Risk >3.0 = High risk My Cardiac Risk Assessment Level (the above score) could be SIX TIMES HIGHER than it is and I'd still be "Low Risk" for cardiac problems. And I'm 61 years old and I've started each day with bacon and a cheese omelet or ham and eggs almost every day for the past two years. My PCP, Endocrinologist and Cardiologist all want to trade lab results with me. In fairness, high cholesterol was never a problem for me. Before, during and after the band, it hovered around 190. Immediately post-op with the DS it was 119. Now it's just where it needs to be. ~~~~~~ Ignorance I have IRL friends who have had the band, RnY and DS (although almost all of the banded people are now unbanded.) Let's say we all walk into a Krispy Kreme store and we each order one glazed donut. A banded person, who has the same kind of band experience I did, will plug up and start producing huge gobs of viscous slime that needs to be spit out or barfed up. The RnY person will end up on the floor having a dumping episode. The DS person will enjoy the donut right then...and then need to take a purse-sized can of Ozium to the bathroom with them several hours later. Point is...NONE of the fat people need the lousy donut and each will pay a price. But if you think I enjoyed my barfing into parking lot bushes and my sprints across restaurants because of plugs (and not just from donuts, because I only ate one the whole time I was banded) MORE than I enjoy my stinky poo on the occasions I eat something I probably should not, you are sadly mistaken. I function in public. My dentist doesn't back off. My hairdresser--who bothers to mention ANY bodily aspect she doesn't approve of--would tell me. The esthetician at my dermatologist's office has been close enough to wax my brows and keeps inviting me back for other services. If she thought I'd stink up the pricey Newport Beach office she and the dermatologist share, she would NOT solicit my business. We function every day...all around you..and most people do not have any idea they were sitting next to a DS patient on a plane or standing next to one in an elevator. Are there "exceptions?" Yup. With any surgery? Yup. (See below) The comments about "rather be fat than deal with _____ " (fill in the blank) don't show a lot of maturity or wisdom. If your mother needs colon surgery to get rid of the colon cancer that might kill her, would you tell her not to because her poo might stink? Would you tell your mother not to have ANY surgery that would save her life but maybe produce some unwanted side effect when she makes some unwise decision? Morbid Obesity kills people just as dead as colon cancer. Several of the products people here have been laughing at were made for ostomy patients. DO remember to tell your loved ones NOT to have any life saving surgery that you "have heard" might be offensive to you. I almost forgot this part..."the massive supplementation." ROFLMAO. If you are a woman, you'd BETTER be considering supplements. Don't get pregnant if you can't subject yourself to taking a few vitamins! If you have a LapBand which IS working the way its marketers say it works (somebody must have one of those), then you probably are not getting in as much protein as you need. If you are an obese female living north of the equator (and probably using sunscreen), you likely have a Vitamin D deficiency (does your doctor test for Vit D 25 OH? Probably not. But because they are LOOKING for malabsorption, our doctors do.) So my "MASSIVE supplementation" consists of: Multivitamins (BA chewable, also recommended for banded patients) Calcium (BA chewable, I just double what every woman needs) Vitamin D (two teeny capsules a day) Vitamin C (why not?) Every other day, I throw in either a folic acid or a biotin (both sublingual), because I don't know if I'm getting much of that and it won't hurt anything. I don't "need" them...I'm just adding them "in case." My labs are done more often than the labs of most people here, I'd bet. And I KNOW what my results are. That is a better situation--in my opinion--than to position myself to laugh at others for behavior I THINK they have to engage in while simultaneously guessing that my labs ore okay. ~~~~~~~ The Ugly Part You want to laugh at people you think have eating disorders? Try this: CHEW AND SPIT Gas problems entertain you? You'll enjoy this: Anyone with this problem??? Gas increase w/pants on!!!! Do belching and crapping your britches stories tickle you? Enjoy these: Burps come from no where ............. and TMI I know, but this was too funny (and gross) not to share. Finally, when someone complains about others "dissing" their surgery choice and then posts comments to "dis" someone else's surgery choice, how can that person POSSIBLY think he or she is even a little bit better than the person or people they started out complaining about? That is not just ignorant...it's delusional. Sue Banded for three (mostly miserable) years, lowest BMI was 40-ish. DS for two delightful years, current BMI is 30-ish. (Too bad about the part where I live on steak and candy...I'm WORKING on doing without so much candy or moving more...but a BMI of 30 is ten points lower than a band ever got me, so I'm a happy camper.)

I'm in the slow loser boat too! I'm 6 weeks out and have lost 24 lbs (14 of that was the FIRST WEEK!) So that makes the other 10 I lost about 1.6 lbs per week. I haven't been on here as much because there are so many opinions but everyone on this post said it right = we are all individuals! I am looking forward and not backwards. I WILL lose this weight whether it takes a few months or a few years. I could have never got as far as I have without my sleeve and that pleases me to think about it. I'm still in a size 16 and can still fit in most of my pre-surgery clothes, but I can't let that get me down! I just keep telling myself a "slow loss" is better than "no loss", and a "stall" is not a "stop"! NSV's for me: -people have noticed my weight loss, especially in my face -I can sleep on my side comfortably -I can wipe myself easily after going to the restroom (TMI but its true!!) -I can control my portions -I don't get sad when I walk in my closet - I know my size is going to go DOWN! Blessings to everyone on their journey's - especially the slow losers! Keep the faith!

Not TMI, good I... Accessibility, essential to any good maintenance man...or woman!

I am 3 weeks post op today and while I was in the shower this morning I had no problem washing my back side as I once did 3 weeks ago. I have never shared this with any other soul and I must say I feel wonderful. Even though I dnt see any loss I feel a little different. Sorry if this was to much info I needed to share

Sorry if this is TMI but did anyone else have diarrhea trying to increase calories? I am not sure if it's the general increase in fat or carbs. I thought I had a handle in trying to stay at this weight or maybe lose 5 pounds over a few months. It was working but now I am back to losing 2 pounds in 5 days. I am 5' 2.5 and now 129. I know I can still lose more and be ok however I have a lot of muscle and excess skin from prior weight gains and loses. I feel like I am getting too skinny. My face looks tired and gaunt, my wrists are so bony. Here's what I eat and I am trying to increase calories but heavy meats fill me up for hours. I have to graze all day to get this in: meals: premier shake and 5 oz of milk (1-2%) 1 egg with 1c sauté spinach using olive oil, 1-2T cheese 4oz. premade chicken salad (130 cal with 3.5f, 13g protein) 1.5 oz ground beef with 1/4 c veggies (green beans or broccoli) 1-2T cheese snacks: 1T peanut butter 1 cup of milk 1/2 c berries (divided up all day long) 1-2 servings (5 oz cups) of low sugar yogurt sometimes the one with nut butter mixed in 1/4 c pumpkin seeds or walnuts lentil crackers, nut thins crackers, or 1 sheet of graham cracker harvest snaps green pea crisps --- it all averages to 25% carbs (80g), 33% protein (97g), 40% fat (44g) for an avg. of 1100 calories I know some of the processed snacks are not the best but I am trying to increase calories and carbs without the volume. I have a hard time getting in water since I always feel like I am eating but I figure the milk and yogurt as snacks helps somewhat with fluids. Any suggestions?

* TMI ALERT: look away if you have a tendency to get barfy or cringe * I'm scared that all these measures I am taking are basically just making the "ready-to-come-out stuff" grow bigger and bigger but ultimately blocked by some immovable bit of plug out in front. Like what's gonna happen if there is a bunch of watery stuff in my intestines/bowels that insist on coming out but is physcally blocked by other matter?!?!? I visit the toilet often with hope in my heart, LOL. Though I am very windy*, (Ha, @Arabesque! I got to use the term!!) that's all that's coming out down there. I am not in pain nor am I so very uncomfortable, but I can feel my stomach bloating bigger and bigger with each passing day (though how much if this bloat is attributed to PS swelling, I don't know). Mr. is out getting some prunes and prune juice for me. He has also agreed to help me with a suppository tomorrow morning if I continue to shoot blanks in the washroom till then (he must really love me, LOL).

Okay got sleeved decided 26th and TMI for guys!!! So I have my period now and I feel I don’t get as full at all!!!! Anyone else?? I can kinda eat Normal... like I don’t have that full feeling?!? Scared!! Could it be stretched or is a period thing?? Anyone else feel like they don’t get full just on 4-5 ounces anymore? Even on protein first? Please help!!! Thanks

I actually have another name on this forum but I cant post this information there because my husband reads it. Just a quick note about myself, I have lost 100% of my excess weight and have a BMI between 21 and 22. I am very happy with my size and weight. My husband hates my new body. He calls me bony and hates the fact that my boobs are gone. He says my pelvis is sharp and hurts when we have sex. We fight all the time and I am afraid we are headed toward a divorce. Anybody else have these problems?

Sleeved on the 3/29...and I hit my stall this week....but everything else is good...other than Constipated (tmi) Sent from my SM-G920P using the BariatricPal App

Ok abdominal pains feels like I worked out to hard kinda soreness Plus the gas has kicked in. The nurse just gave me my first cup of ice. I will take it slow though. I'm able to get up on my own with no assistance to pee(maybe tmi) but I think it's the small things pre opers may want. Grateful for the advice given here about splinting with additional pillow. So far so good....

I am 9 weeks post-op . . Drink 64 oz water per day . . Eating fine . . Weight loss steady . . BUT no one told me to watch constipation. Has continually gotten worse. Had 2 very close calls with impaction in last 2 weeks. I know this may be TMI but I wish some one would have informed me. The problem is NOT peristalsis (urge to evacuate) . . So Dulcolax suppositories or pills to stimulate bowl movement will not help you. Problem is hard stools. My theory is that we are eating TBPS of food that may take longer to initiate peristalsis. During the wait, water is being removed from the stool. If you get in trouble, Fleets MINERAL OIL enema is your best friend. My sister has been a nurse for 30 years & she saved the day! I can provide a few more pearls of wisdom for anyone interested. I have started taking 50 mg colace a day for stool softener. Going to work on adding some fiber also.

Hi Everybody! I love having a group of people who are exactly where I am. I had surgery May 7th, too. It was the easiest surgery and recovery I've had, all except for one thing. I couldn't pee for anything. That kept me in the hospital until 7 pm (and my surgery was at 11:30 am). Turns out that I was so dehydrated, all my fluids (3 bags of IV Fluid and lots of drinks) were going to my tissues and not my bladder. I took a diuretic, and managed to pee a bit, so I was ready to go home at that point. The only real pain has been gas pain, and it is sometimes so painful that I take my prescription narcotic (Loertab liquid) to take the edge off. I also take Prilosec otc and GasX tabs (dissolve on your mouth type), and they keep the pain under control. Ah, and one more TMI piece of info: I was constipated, so I take Miralax and it really helped. I hated the idea of straining with these stitches in me. I woke up this morning with very little pain though. Everybody says that a full week after surgery you do notice a difference, and since we're coming up on Thursday, maybe that's why I feel better. A friend of mine had the sleeve on the same day, and she feels like a truck ran over her. It was laparoscopic, but we just all respond differently to pain. Here's a good thing to think about: if you're in pain, you're probably not hungry. If you're not hungry, you're probably losing weight!!!! I have been hungry, unfortunately. I developed a disgust for those milky Protein shakes, so I went to GNC yesterday and bought PROSlam Energy bullet thingies. They taste like concentrated syrup, so I filled a glass with ice, poured in the drink, then added Water. Stirred up, and it tasted like grape coolaid!!! It was a wonderful way to get 40 g of protein. Another cool food idea: this morning I felt starved, so I cooked some cream of wheat (3 T of Cereal to 1 c water--Tried milk first, but it scalded and was gross). I then put the cooked cereal in a bowl and added 1/2 scoop of protein powder--vanilla flavor. I added splenda, a bit of heart smart promise butter (or whatever they call that stuff) and enough skim milk to make it all liquid. It was UNBELIEVABLY GOOD! :mad2: It was so good, that I actually prefer it to the way I usually eat Cream of Wheat (thick). One more good food idea to try. My mom made me some delicious beef broth. She cooked a roast, drained off the juice, took off the fat, added some wine and seasonings and salt. Man, it tasted like liquid roast! Then I made some instant mashed potatoes. I put them in a bowl and poured some broth over them. I'd stir a little potato and broth together until they were liquid consistency. Very, very good!!! :tt1:I think I can survive 2 weeks on liquids now that I've found these foods. Btw, I have the Realize band. I've read that it doesn't have any fill in it when it's implanted. I think that's why I'm so hungry. Do any of you others have that band? One more thing: if you want some before and after pics for inspiration, go to obesityhelp.com and you can find a section of pics. They're incredible!!! Hang in there, May friends! --Lisa (aka, Venus)

Thank you for posting that and the TMI stuff. I really like how you broke down what you experienced each day. I want to do something similar when I get there in October/November

Ok people... How goes the diet and exercise today? I feel like like somedays this sleeved life is such a mind game! I've thought about food all day it seems. I blew it and ate a "protein" bar at 190 calories. I feel fat (on my period I know men tmi) but my calories say I'm at 601 ??? Oh and the weight? The same... It's weird because this is the point that I would fail.. I mean I'm just feeling discouraged and at that point I always feel in all "diets" like why bother.. HA but I have no choice! I feel that way but I can't eat that much anymore! On one hand cool? But the other bummed about the weight... OMG I'm so bi polar right now! I'm going to go rock in a corner 0_o

So okay, I tried to be patient about this but....I can't take it anymore, I have to talk about it. I was banded on 6/17/11 and have lost a good amount of weight. I'm happy about that but I have been on the plateau for like 2 weeks. I have actually gained 2 lbs. Well actually, I was sick about a week and a half ago and lost 8 lbs in 2 days because I had a really bad stomach virus and just had really bad diarrhea, so basically (I pooped out 8 lbs) sorry TMI! Which means really that was water weight, but now I can't seem to get going again. My diet hasn't changed, I still eat and do the same things I did before I got sick. Probably more exercising so I don't get it. I have had 3 fills and not at 5.8cc in a 10cc band. How long will it take for my weight loss to start again? I need help!!!

I'm 5 weeks post op and I don't have a BM too often. However, I found when I do, I get SO sick. Chills, stomach cramps, nausea... But it goes away when I'm done. Anyone else experience this? Also in the same vein, can we take a Fiber supplement since I'm not cleared for eating veggies yet? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I agree with clk, I even have had a hysterectomy and every month I gain and lose with in that one week. I am a slow loser as well. I lose about 1 lb. a week, so I know how bad that weight gain looks. I try to stay away from the salty meats around that time of the month, because I also swell ( I can tell with my ring ). As for the constipation, it's common because you're not putting as much food in as before. (tmi) I go about once a week now. If it goes longer than that I have a prune.

yea i noticed i was not lubercated during sex thought i was going through the change lol. that explains it. well it worked fine today :ph34r: i know tmi

I hope that nausated feeling was not caused by my TMI post, LOL. I have never been one to dance around grossness. For me I can tell I have possible PB troubles if I start to feel foamy and have a hard time swallowing. It feels sort of like I swallowed a meatball - whole - sort of stuck. But it is not a choking kind of stuck - I can still breathe and everything - I am just as uncomfortable as heck. I have never had a PB without warning of at least one or two minutes duration. It's too bad this board does not have a polling feature - we could see if other people get the same warning or not... I have had to excuse myself twice from lunch at work to make a dash for the bathroom. I eat lunch in the cafeteria every day with my coworkers. The first time it was just panic more than anything else - it was the second day back at work and I ate a couple more bites than I should have. The second time was just a couple weeks ago - when (like a fool) I took a couple of bites of dessert on an already overfull tummy. It just looked SO good - I figured what could a couple bites of chocolate moose hurt - it's *light* right?! Well, I could feel that second bite. I had plenty of time to excuse myself and head for the bathroom. I am still kicking myself for being so dumb - I *knew* I should not have done it before I did it... It was a case of fighting head-hunger and the inability to walk away from "food on my plate." As long as you don't make a production of heading off to the bathroom your lunch companions will just think you needed to go. If you need an excuse dribble some food (preferably that won't stain) on your clothes and give yourself an excuse. I considered getting a few of those little bags like they have on airplanes - but once I realized I always have warning I didn't bother. If you are worried you could just keep a small brown lunchbag in your purse - just in case that would give you peace of mind. I have only had troubles with the volume of what I ate and the amount of chewing. I would suggest that once you do get back onto more solid foods that you peel your fruit - apple peels for example are really hard to chew small enough. I can eat them now but in the beginning it was hard. Oranges give some folks fits because the skins on the individual wedges do not always chew down well enough. You would not think you need to chew oranges that well but trust me - chew them like they are beef and you will be fine. It is not as complicated as it sounds. If you just pay careful attention to all of the textures of what you are eating you will be able to tell how much chewing is required. Anything with skin, or that feels stringy or chunky needs more chewing. *If in doubt over-chew!* Ocassionally I feel like a cow, LOL, with all the chewing. But it does tend to draw a meal out and make it SEEM like you are eating more than you actually are. That is good for satisfying head hunger - most of the time.

So glad to read that, Terry! Thrilled for you!! I was SO sick in the night! I awoke about 1am and my stomach HURT, I was having gurgling reflux, and I felt nauseus (sp?). I was up and down several times, then thought that maybe "sleeping" (ha ha) in the chair would help, so I got all situated there... I didn't sleep, really, just kind of dozed while continuously telling myself "It's ok." and "You'll be ok." and "Don't throw up." stuff like that. Made for a LONG night. I never did throw up, but did have other digestive issues (sorry trying to not be tmi). This a.m. I still feel "off". Honestly, I was internally freaking out that all my bad food choices & overeating had harmed my band or my stomach... & I still don't know for sure that it hasn't... but at least I'm functional (so far). I think the incident scared me straight... at least so far today it has. Yikes. I had to get up & going this a.m. even tho all I wanted to do was crawl back into bed... had an eye doc app't & got to get new frames! I've had these since '05! I told the guy that if they came in by Weds (very doubtful) that I'd bake him pumpkin bread! I'd love to have them for Ala. It's always so hard to choose glasses... they're such a major part of what I look like... I was choosing between the same pair, but one was brownish & one was red... one blended in and one was a bit sassy... one was what everyone probably expects me to get and one would've been a bit out of character... which one do you think I got? Ok... I've got to try to get a little work done, & then I think the kids and I are actually going to go to the pool for the first time this year!

I won’t miss- that fear in people’s eyes when I board a plane, or the fear I have that someone as big as me will sit next to me. going to sporting events and have to wedge into the narrow seat and be uncomfortable the hole time not being to find anything in my size that looks good. TMI- the fat roll beneath my waist not being able to keep my pants up without making my belt feel like a tourniquet Hating going to the beach or a pool where I will need to take my shirt off being the fattest guy in the room not being able to go hiking with my son (or if we do, it is much slower than he wants to go) not being able to jog using a CPAP feeling like a loser when I see friends or former classmates I haven’t seen in a few years not getting the job after they see how fat I am having boobs bigger than my wife’s

@@Candygyrl Hahahahahahahaha! No, it doesn't sound bad at all. TMI, but even when I'm in the mood, I have a hard time climaxing. It really starts to piss me off lol. It sucks because I'm only 30, I'm supposed to be in my prime or whatever they say. However, my PCP said if it didn't improve, he would prescribe something for me. I was offered hormones by my OB to help with the pre-menopausal symptoms, but I refuse to take them. My body has been through enough. I want to do this as naturally as possible. The good news is my one remaining ovary (which I'm praying to God does NOT need to be removed because it would kick me into full menopause) is still functioning and working, so that's awesome. I honestly feel bad for my fiancé because he doesn't understand how you can't have a libido, and it's so hard to try and even explain it to him. Then again, his is always through the roof; he's always for whatever, whenever lol. Sent from my SM-N910P using the BariatricPal App @@WLSResources/ClothingExch My anxiety wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I cried before going back to the holding area, but once they gave me anti-anxiety meds, I was feeling great, and I barely even remember anything after being brought into the OR. I gotta admit, the first 24 hrs were pretty brutal. The vomiting/nausea was awful, and they tried 4 different meds for it. The day after, it was a lot better, and now I just have awful acid reflux which I'm on meds for, and I know it's normal to suffer from it. So, would I do the surgery all over again? ABSOLUTELY! I'm not even a week out, and I already feel a huge difference. I guess there's other things my fiancé and I can do lol. But seriously, I'm definitely not feeling up to it just yet. Sent from my SM-N910P using the BariatricPal App Don't worry........you will most likely be tapping into a whole new level of animalistic urges as the weight falls off. Your fiancé may wake up think his member was used as a scratching post by the neighborhood cats. Rest up and recover. It'll be Game On soon enough. @@Dub I sure hope so! Sent from my SM-N910P using the BariatricPal App