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My doc said the same also. It's from the stress of losing the weight so fast. Nothing is going to stop it but biotin or other things might help it grow back quicker

Every doctor has a different requirement. I was just sleeved last Thursday. My doc kept me on clear/very thin liquids for one week. This included Protein drinks, broth, Jell-O, crystal light, etc. I progressed to mushy foods Thursday evening and had mashed sweet potatoes (about 1/2 a cup and it took me 45 minutes to eat). I ate a scrambled egg with a very little amount of mozzarella cheese yesterday for Breakfast and again, it took me about 45 minutes to eat. I am able to eat about 1/2 cup of pretty much anything mushy and be fine including cottage cheese, fat-free greek yogurt, oatmeal, etc. I will stay on mushy foods until next Friday and will be able to progress to canned tuna, shredded chicken, etc. at that time IF my stomach can handle it. I haven't had any problem with nausea and foods yet but I do get "bubbly" if I eat to fast. I haven't had a problem with hunger pangs but I do get head hunger if I am watching cooking shows or my husband brings home fast food for himself. My doc doesn't recommend any carbonated beverages ever because the carbonated gas can expand the stomach. I have found that if I am not thinking about food, I just don't get the urge to eat. I have to remind myself to eat something every couple of hours. I am only able to get in around 650 calories a day but I do make sure I get in at least 90 grams of protein per day and try to keep the carbs below 40. Like I said, every doctor will have a different requirement. Your body will also tell you when it is ready to advance. Best of luck to you and I hope your surgery goes well. Dawn

Hello All.. As I'm still reading the overflowing amount of valuable information that this board provides I thought I would pose a question as it's something I'm curious about. One of my biggest food issues is that I am a volume eater, and I eat fast. I feel hunger and I eat until I'm satisfied (although usually healthy fare, it's the volume that kills me). I snack little, and often don't get in three meals a day but instead 2 large meals. My Question: How has the VSG changed your appetite (hunger) pre and post op? I know that you cannot physically fit much food in, but even so, is there a lingering hunger that exists still?

It will change - French fries are difficult for a lot of people. While I had restriction - potato products were the only thing that gave me trouble. Your tastes for foods def. change. First off, some foods just don't taste good if you chew them 1000 times. I, even being restricted, loved the food I ate, it tasted wonderful, I just got full so fast. You are swollen and healing and your stomach is rebelling. Being on liquids and such for a while will help that. I am feeling for you - I hate TDYs. I don't know how you are so strong. When Eddie would leave, I would cry for days. In Sept of 2001, he left for Egypt - we had just moved on base, I knew no one, I cried for 3 days, then 911 hit and the satelite link at the Pentagon went down, we lost all communication for weeks - and of course, we were just the wives, so no one told us anything but your hubby is accounted for. I called my mom, bawling, told her I wanted to come home - her response (Army wife of 21 years). You need to grow up, calm down and get involved in your area! My response, (threw tears) I wanna talk to my Daddy! lol. He consoled me and told me it would get better . . . they totally reversed roles for that time period. The stress of your hubby leaving also has you tighter - so remember that for a week or so. It will get better - and if you ever want to talk deployment depression - you know how to reach me!

Did you consider you may only be getting about 800 calories? Slim fasts are what 150-200? Plus dinner of maybe 400-500? Try increasing your calories a little. Have another 100-200 calorie snack during your day to get yourself going again. A couple of slices of turkey breast and a low fat cheese stick. Some tuna salad and a few crackers. Something with protein!!!!!

I dont agree with your lose slowly advice. If people want to lose weight slowly they would just do weight watchers till they get to the weight they want. With having the sleeve done is the time to lose as much weight as you possibly can as fast as you possibly can. I would think more than 85% if not more over weight people who lose the weight have to get skin removed somewhere on there body. so why not lose as much as quickly as possible and have a new start to look the way u want and feel good and be healthy and get fit and into healthier foods. I have had 2 C-sections my stomach fat hangs over my scar so much no matter how much weight if i lost it slowly or fast i will still have hanging, sagging skin like a pancake when i reached my goal weight.

As others have stated above, loose skin happens when you lose a significant amount of weight. It will bounce back better if you are still young, have good genetics, have a lot of collagen/elasticity in your skin. Once it's been stretched out a lot by weight, it will remain mostly stretched out whether you lose weight fast or slow, so don't let speed of loss worry you either way. I carried a lot of weight on my arms and legs as well as my torso, so now at 52kg (approx 110lb?) loss and close to goal I have a fair bit of excess skin on my upper arms and inner thighs, as well as tummy. And my poor boobs have shrunk from 16G down to 12E and mostly skin (saw plastic surgeon for consult yesterday and they said once I get a breast reduction I'll be down to a full B/maybe small C!). I'll be getting a Fleur De Lis (vertical as well as horizontal incision) tummy tuck, belt lipectomy (rear tummy tuck), upper arm reducation, inner thigh reduction, breast lift and possibly breast fat transfer if I still look deflated post breast lift. Down from 121kg (BMI ~49) to 69kg (BMI 28) at 13 months post op.

Your plan sounds about like what my doc had me eating at those stages. Again, it is not how much you are eating, but what. It doesn't appear like you are getting in enough Protein. I, like you, didn't get full (and still don't at 2 months), but stopped at a certain volume. Keep your volume small and stop. I am hoping at some point my "full" signal turns back on. I can eat A LOT at 2 months out. A lot more than what most people post on this board. I had a 32 bougie, so it is not stomach size that is the issue. I guess I just healed really fast. Make good choices and keep your portions small and the weight will keep falling off.

Kathleen congratulations on your surgery date! Since both of our surgeries were a couple of days ago I hope we both have a fast recovery! Overall my surgery went excellent, the only really big issue I had was back pain, they said it was from the gas that was used during surgery & was told walking would help. I ended up walking A LOT & thank goodness I did because I woke up this morning with no more back pain. Now Im just working on getting in fluids. How did your surgery go?

Firstly I'll say that I do understand that many people really NEED that tight restriction to lose because their bodies require very very few calories to run and thus calories must be extremely low for weight loss and also because some people really do have such issues with cravings and lack of ability to control their intake. But I tend to agree with my doctor that the band is safest with less restriction and that the high levels of slippage and erosion you read about are in large part due to poor band management - over restriction, and more pbing and stuck episodes than is ideal - once in a blue moon is normal, several times a week isnt. that said, I'd be the first in for more fill if I gained even an ounce! However, my band is fairly loose and I like it that way. I seen to actually have a pretty fast metabolism in that I can eat WAY more than most bandsters both to lose and maintain but on the other hand I've been away on school camp this week and eaten with five other adults for three meals and two Snacks a day and I'm quite literally reeling in disbelief at how much food some normal to only slightly overweight people can put into their bodies!!!! Nonetheless, I was able to eat what was put in front of me - including sandwiches and hard foods like muffins, fresh fruit etc with not one single problem. I can eat enough to nourish my body properly - plenty of leafy greens, two fruit and five veg per day etc. I dont need Protein supplements and shakes. My issue in particular though is we've got a lot of bowel issues in my family, and several are starting to become apparent in me as I get older, i've had some issues over the last six months. For me a very high fibre diet containing loads of fruit and veg and wholegrains is imperative and I would never follow the lower fibre, higher protein type program, as I have a very irritable bowel!. Having my band loose, but filling up with more volume of those good foods keeps me healthy and prevents the awful cramping/constipation issues I can get if I dont eat right. And it never stopped me losing. I also notice if I eat too little and too little good carbs, I just slow down. I cant exercise as hard, I dont feel as good so I burn way less energy, so it seems to me better to eat more, burn more. So i tend to err on the side of loose. I can eat a Big Mac, yes, but I just choose not to most of the time.

My nutritionist said: Good Ole Protein shakes (lol) greek yogurt (low fat low/no sugar) I like Dannon Light & Fit Soup (strained) carnation instant Breakfast (sugar free) low carb/low sugar Slim Fast skim or 1% milk cream of wheat or oatmeal (thin and soupy) sugar free low fat pudding Plus all the Clear liquids

I have the same problem when I get too hungry and then eat too fast. I also agree that it is hard to sit for 30 min to finish a couple of ounces of food. So, I plan working around the house while taking bites. I bring my lunch to the computer or clean the kitchen and take a bite while working. I also found some metal appetizer spoons and forks that help me take smaller bites. dinner with my husband or out with other people is sometimes easier because I talk and let them eat. Before I leave for the restaurant, I find myself doing research on a current topic so I have something to talk about that might be of interest while they chew and I fill in the silence between my bites. If I forget and eat too fast; however,I am in the restaurant bathroom loosing my dinner. I must say it is a "quiet/ easy" elimination--more like it never went down. The doctor warned me that when I felt a "slimmy" sensation in my mouth, I was sure to lose what I was eating--this is when it is time to head for the bathroom. I guess we all just need to adjust to a slower mode of eating and chew, chew, chew. In the end, it is worth it--down 48 pounds since 12/27/14. Wondering if those of you who are a year or so out of surgery find that it gets easier??

I too understand what it's like. I have my first appointment coming up with the surgeon on July 25 and all going well, I should have a surgery date early in September (it seems to move more quickly here in Australia). Realistically, it's only 6 weeks away which sounds like a long time but I am sure it will go very fast!! Good luck with your surgery! I look forward to hearing of your many successes!

A lot of factors go into how much weight you will lose and how fast. Not the least of which is how you body adjusts to the band. Some bandsters start off quick and never slow down until they reach goal (those are usually the ones who feel restriction right away and don't require too many adjustments). Others lose a lot at first then settle to a slower pace (these are probably people who follow the post surgery rules very well but when the swelling goes down they experience bandsters hell and get real hungry, they test the boundaries of what they can eat, they feel no real restriction until after a few adjustments). Then there are the few who see no or little loss of weight, even after several adjustments (these are those who feel no restriction, it really is difficult for them to lose weight). Then there are all the other people who don't fall into any mold at all -- those are probably the majority of us. I have a graphic by my desk depicting the story about the tortoise and the hare. I've always considered myself the tortoise. It will take me longer to lose the weight but I will get there and enjoy my journey. My sister was always the hare. She could lose weight so fast it made my head spin. Well, the hare is now over 400 lbs and will finally be getting the lap-band. She'll still probably lose weight faster than me but hopefully this time it will stay off. Your personal lap-band journey will be your own story. How fast or slow you lose weight is up to you and your band. Never compare yourself to anyone else because your body is different and your mind is different. Where you are in your life journey is also different than anyone here. The important thing is that you've chosen to take this journey. Your bags are packed and you are about ready to fire up the car. What you'll see and experience and how long it takes is a mystery, but your destination is not. You will get to where you are going.

My mantra has always been if you want different results, you've got to do something different. This is exactly why I chose to get the band in the first place. So when the scale gets stuck, I tend to decrease consumption and or increase exercise. There is only so much of that you can do before you just have to accept that you just have to wait 'till it gets unstuck. I definitely have trouble not accepting the fact that there is nothing more I can do. Next month I will ask him about the possibility of leaks. He does back out what's in there before adding more, and he did confirm that I'm up to 5.5cc. I have no idea how much tubing there is that leads to the band, so I don't know how much is in the tubes vs how much is in the band - I just know that I don't have enough! I had done some research last month, and found some documentation from Allergan that they recommend 4cc for the first fill, and another 3cc for the second fill. I showed it to him, and told him that leads me to believe that the majority of people will need 7cc to feel anything. He said I was wrong, and that I could do a lot of harm by filling to fast. I do trust him and his practice very much, and would absolutely recommend him to others, though I do have to admit, that I sometimes wonder if he's not padding his income by doing a dozen small fills instead of two or three larger fills. And Holly you look FABULOUS! I won't allow a picture to be taken of me let alone post it because I hate the way I look. I long for the day I can look like you so I can post a picture!

I am new to all of this and have only had one fill. Lately I have been on the go and very busy. I have not been paying attention so much to what I am eating or how fast. I have gotten stuck twice this week. The second time was this morning after eating some ham and scrambled eggs. I got stuck, it hurt like a sob, and it came back up. I really want something to drink, should I wait? If so, how long?

Hi Interlish, So far your doing well. If your eating up to 1400 cal a day, cut that back a bit, and perhaps boost up the intensity of the work out your doing. Rather then walking 2x a day try to throw in some strength training or a different more dynamic aerobic work out like Zumba, or biking on a stationary or recumbent bike. Our bodies are great at adaptation so sometimes we need to shake things up and break it out of it's comfort zone. For me personally 1400 calories is way too much for the day. Dr. tells me to not go over 1200 even though I have a fast metabolism I'm too sedentary for it to apply. Let me know how it goes!!

How did you do yours? I did mine expedite and I got mine in a week or so. Really fast. I believe you will have yours well in advance, not to worry.

Incidentally, eating gets better with time. It took several months before I felt like I could eat normal. Every once in a while when I eat too fast, I have a problem as well and it causes me not to be able to eat my meal. That being said, it does get better. Promise. For now Water and clear fluids are critical to ensure that you are hydrated. food is secondary. My nut did not even have me start on Protein shakes until week 2.

Finally, I have been approved through my insurance! It has been a long journey but I have wanted it so bad it feels good to finally be on my way to a new and better me! I should have my day long tests done next week, also the fasting must begin - yuck! yeah!

Finally, I have been approved through my insurance! It has been a long journey but I have wanted it so bad it feels good to finally be on my way to a new and better me! I should have my day long tests done next week, also the fasting must begin - yuck! yeah!

I'm having a problem with drinking the amount of Water that my doctor wants me to drink a day. I'm not drinking with meals or for 1 hour after a meal (as he directed). But 1 hr after the meal, as soon as I start sipping on water, I start to feel hungry. I know that it's probably because I'm washing all of my food through the band, but I don't know how else to get my liquids in! Does anyone else have this problem? Right now, I am getting around it by starting a bottle of water 1 hr before a meal, and telling myself that I have to drink the water and then wait about 10 more minutes before eating. I don't know if this is a good way or not, but it seems like the only way I can get in the fluids without being hungry. I am worried, though, about stretching my pouch by drinking the water so fast. BTW, I am 3 weeks post-op, and just starting on solids.

You will totally find highs and lows during the band weightloss journey. I have had those exact feelings you just described. Look in the mirror and see no progress. In fact, I still do. My only advice is to set little goals and totally celebrate them! For me I celebrate each ten pound loss. I finally ran a complete lap at the gym - not a fast lap by any means but I didn't stop to walk.... another celebration. If you approach it as one little accomplishment at a time you'll see the rewards and keep going. If you are only focused on the final weight - the journey will be so long and tiring. Hang in there 27 lbs is great!

Well, maybe my point was lost. Or maybe you really have tried it all. But I really wasn't talking about diet. Or losing weight. Or whether you eat a cookie instead of an apple. I was talking about how you think about it all. Breaking the habit of eating immediately. Breaking the habit of eating things you really don't like but it's in front of you. Breaking the habit of taking food because someone else is eating. I know I am different. I've said here before that in 2001-2002 I lost 165 pounds "on my own". Over 2005-2006ish I started gaining it back. I honestly will never know if I had had the insights I've learned over these past 18 months in this program and 2 weeks on this fast if I would have. If I had occasionally taken a window of a week to fast and remind myself of how/why/what I am doing with food, I don't know. I do know that I have gained less than half of my loss back so I do think I did one heck of a job, especially compared to some folks I know who have even had surgery. But I was in a very bad car accident years ago and will now be needing knee replacement so surgery is now important for me. I can't have knee replacement and be almost 80 pounds overweight. If you have honestly worked on the habits surrounding food, NOT THE FOOD ITSELF, if you have honestly faced why you eat, then you've done it all and should self pay. But I will also say this and I think it's the most important thing I can tell you and please understand that this speaks only to a portion of the people have WLS. Nothing is a universal rule...at least I don't think so. Not doing these things, not having these experiences, may very well be why people who have weight loss surgery end up gaining the weight back. Because it's really not about the food specifically. People who have had all of the WLS's can gain weight back and many do. Heck, there's even a term for it. I'm only suggesting that everyone needs to think of this as a bigger issue than being restricted from eating because, from what I understand, if you don't consider the other factors, you will find a way to work around the restriction and be right back in the same boat in 4 or 5 years. You are very wise to consider the complications but with a good surgeon and a good patient who follows the rules, it is pretty safe for someone who is not morbidly obese. (Actually pretty safe for all, but safer for you.) I'm guessing you will be able to get up and walk easily (my knee is the issue) and that in itself reduces risk. I'm not saying surgery isn't the right choice for you. In fact, in time they may learn doing it earlier is the smarter way to do. But I think everyone needs to be ready to think deeply about how they will need to change in their way of dealing with food. And from here on out, I will always eat only quality and send those bad foods back!

Yea! It's amazing how fast it comes up.