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Hi Alicia, Here's my experience after my fill: ( I have a 9cc band and was filled 5 cc) - Major pain if I don't chew well and then PB - Even Water if swallowed fast and often will come back - Feel hungry about every 3-4 hours What helps: - Chew Chew Chew and then Chew some more (the 20x regimen is good) - Drink warm water before you start your meal ( at the begining when I had just gotten the fill Sept 20- I would drink warm water with my food. I know they say not to drink with the meal but that was the only way the food would go down. Now that some time has passed, I can eat my food without any water. So you have to gage your body and see what works for you. - The slower you eat the less pain - I found that I have more pain when I am hungry and eat in a hurry. So don't wait until you are starving to eat. I start to heat my food at the first feeling of hunger. Sounds like you are at your sweet spot. I understand what you mean about eating eventhough you are not hungry. That's a habit that caused my weight gain and I struggle to kick it every day. You just have to be aware of it. I trick myself and say I will have it in 2 hours. This seems to work sometimes. Good Luck. You should start to notice some good loss now. Mary;)

I found myself sabotaging myself also. But then, I was having trouble seeing a thinner me. The weight gain in part, was to be invisible , and I just was not ready for all the attention that loosing weight was creating. Crazy huh? I'm a bit of an introvert, it's sort of like learning to swim, take a big gasping breath of air, then plunge head first back in the water!

I don't know, but a lot of people say they affect them that way. My daughter was on Paxil and didn't tolerate it very well. I think at one time I myself was on it. There's been a lot of tries and mistries over the past 17+ years. I think there's something about some of these drugs that can make certain things addictive or compulsive. Like I've heard people on certain drugs could spend money out of control so it wouldn't surprise me if the drug had that same effect with food etc... I know a lot of them tend to slow down your metabolism and that in itself makes it difficult. But it's much better to be on than off even if it does slow down your wt loss in some way. Plus they put out statements saying that this drug doesn't seem to affect your weight gain or may make you lose and my docs always would put me on those types and it never made a difference in me. I don't know who those people are that lose weight on anti-depressants but it's definitely not moi!:confused2:

I was on antidepresants for over 20 years. They took mine off the market because it causes liver failure. I tried just about every other one and just couldn't handle the side effects. About the same time, I decided to try to lose weight and started exercising like crazy. I didn't lose any weight but I noticed pretty quickly how much better I felt when I exercised daily. I haven't had to take anitdepressants for about 3 years now. I never lost any weight with all this exercise, but getting off those meds was worth it. That's why I ended up getting banded. I realize now that I started gaining weight all those years ago, when I started on anti depressants. Two of my best friends are shrinks and they tell me all the time that weight gain is a side effect of almost any antidepressants. The anti anxiety med you are taking is a central nervous system depressant and a side effect can be depression. So yes, all of your medication can be related to weight gain. One of the many antidepressants I took caused huge sugar cravings. They tried to give it to me again for insomnia, in smaller doses and I notice immediately when I take the tiniest dose that the next day I crave sugar like crazy. Have you googled your meds and read all about the possible side effects? I always have every single one possible for every med I have tried. My daughter always tells me that I get the side effects after reading they are possible. It's the other way around. I get the side effect so I go online and try to find out what could be causing it. Anyway, I am really happy to be off all meds since I exercise every day. I wish you the best. This is not an easy problem to deal with, I know very well.

I do remember my daughter being on ambilfy and have a bad reaction. I may say something to my nurse practitioner about xanax because I think the clonapin maybe slowing my metab down a bit and I've reduced to once a day prior to bed. I posted about a depression program I watched and a drug to counteract the weight gain on "struggling lap bandsters" under "lap band complications" and am curious to see if anything comes up there about a drug I read about called zonegran or zonisamide. thanks brandyII

I weighed myself and the scale showed I gained 6 lbs. I don't eat much, barely 4 ounces. I eat healthy, when I can eat. I can't figure out what I am doing wrong. I can see I lost weight, I wear a size 18 - 20. I was wearing 24. I don't want to gain back the weight.

Procedure might help my wife. We have been round and round and round with this nagging issue for about four years. She has been battling this issue for ten more! <!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/> </v:formulas> <v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/> <o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" style='width:12pt; height:12pt'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:DOCUME~1ScottLOCALS~1Tempmsohtml101clip_image001.gif" o:href="http://www.lapbandtalk.com/images/smilies/default%20smilies/frown.gif"/> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--> I have been very supportive and encouraging since the get go. To further aggravate the issue I am not a MD. And I assure you all that it’s not about the looks of it! It is much more than that. And this is a WE issue for sure. I know it bothers her to the core, makes her feel uncomfortable in her own skin and feels ashamed of the shape she is in. These are the facts of the case AFAIK: -Was an athlete in high school always height weight proportionate. Were 160 on a 5'6.5" frame -At age 19 gave birth to second child 14 years ago, had complications, and was bed ridden for a few months before giving birth. This is when the weight gain started. -Since then has been approximately 260- 280 lb till 4.5 years ago then dropped to 185 by not eating anything but lettuce and water for 6 months. (This is when I met her) -Then the climb was back on after I met her, back up to 285 ish. <!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" style='width:15pt;height:15pt'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:DOCUME~1ScottLOCALS~1Tempmsohtml101clip_image002.gif" o:href="http://www.lapbandtalk.com/images/smilies/modern/sad.gif"/> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--> -Last spring I gave her come to Jesus talk about her over all health and the weight was a part of it. And that I want her around for a long time and right now she may feel fine but it is not going to last (I know this I am older and not as bullet-proof either) <!--[endif]--> <!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1027" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" style='width:28.8pt;height:15pt'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:DOCUME~1ScottLOCALS~1Tempmsohtml101clip_image003.gif" o:href="http://www.lapbandtalk.com/images/smilies/modern/thumbup.gif"/> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--> -I am a cyclist and moved to CO for the riding. I begged her to participate more on the bike with me. We started to commute to work 13 miles one way at least a few times a week and the weight loss was back on and dropped 50 pounds! (225) -All of her blood work has come back perfect and normal, BP is fine, and the only issue is excess weight. (And nagging ankle issues related to the weight). The doctors have said that she is a specimen of health! TOTALLY FRUSTRATING! -I have been watching her eating habits for some time now and what I am seeing is this. Eating sweets is her downfall, but not addict. Not eating for 5 or more hours is normal for her or worse yet not eating till 5 in the afternoon. I am not sure if this is as bad as I think? Or is it as simple as too much in and too little out? It can’t be good? And if she is not eating enough calories she should lose? Is she over eating?? I am so confused I can’t tell you! Am I over analyzing everything? All I like to do is help her FIX this once for all. No more failing! Will the dietician really be the fix? I like to know. We are seeing are PCP (internist) for this issue and he is on board for the band. And the Dr. is saying 1400 calories is where she should be on a daily basis. I am thinking this better said that done. Just getting the ducks in a row is going to be the hard part (I think). The question is what you guys and gals think?

smacke20 - Being from the US I don't know how much a "stone" is, but any gain is a gain and I know your pain. I am now up 10 pounds. I feel FAT. I walk 3 miles everyday and work out each evening..still up. The doctor told me to relax, that this is normal and it will come back off. Just hang in there and give it time. He is watching to make sure I don't keep going up. I hope you have leveled off on your weight gain by now (sorry for answering so late) but if not, stay active. Walk, swim, workout..whatever it takes. I am eating too much, too large a portions and some wrong things. It is ALL ME and I am the only one who can get it under control, but - that is why I got the band in the 1st place - no control. I guess now, I have no choice but to figure it out..I sure don't want to gain all 124 pounds back..YUCK.. Melinda in Florida

im on the pill and its working fine. NO weight gain at all.

I had the band done in 08 and recently 10 months ago I had it emergency removed due to prolapse. I did have success in the very beginning, losing about 70lbs. I do have to admit it was not easy!! I was working out twice a day and watching every little calorie. I had 5 to 6 fills and became very sick do to restriction and had it emptied. After that it all went down hill as far as weight gain Today I weigh only 10lbs less then the day I had the band put in. I'm two weeks from my Gastric bypass surgery!!! I'm praying all goes well! Good Luck on your journey Sent from my SGH-T999L using the BariatricPal App

We are back from our 2 weeks in CT. The cold weather was a wondeful change to our 80s in Florida. I was so excited to see my sister and friends and to get their reactions to my new look. Everyone cried when they saw me. Good tears, thank goodness. They were very proud of me, which made me feel wonderful. I was very worried that 2 weeks away would cause me a weight gain. I tried to sign up at LA Fitness for the 2 weeks, but they wanted so much money, I decided against it. My aunt had a treadmill in her basement - a very old one, but it worked. And my cousin lent me some weights. So I went down into the cold cellar every other day and worked out for an hour. I also did not cheat on my food in take. I stayed on track and when I stepped on the gym scale today was thrilled to find I had a 3.1lb loss. I have just over 1 lbs to lose to hit the Onderland. I have lost 67 lbs since my journey started and feel amazing. And I have to say I got whistled at in the supermarket! We had a great Thanksgiving. Now I have Christmas and New Year's to get through. And because I am hosting Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at my home, I can control what gets served and eaten by me. All is good. I think 2011 will be a good year for us all.

I just had mine done and from the day I talked to my doctor I 100% knew this is what I had to do! I could lose weight on my own but never could maintain it for any large amount of time, me and my body were so sick of the yoyo weight gain and loss that I knew this would be the only way for me to maintain a healthy weight! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My name is Carlie. I am 27 years old and I have struggled with weight my entire life. I live in Tucson, Arizona. I love to travel, volunteer, dance, workout, run, exercise, hike, rock climb, play the violin, go to movies, listen to music and spend time with my family. I was banded two weeks ago. I am trying to change old patterns. I love eating anything unhealthy (donuts, Cookies, candy, ice cream etc.), but up until now have maintained a decent weight. Recently, since December I have gained 70 pounds, which is the most I have ever weighed equalling 192. My weight gain was extremely rapid. I have a scary family medical family history. I am excited to have the band, but I feel I am not following all the rules. I don't think I am doing everything I am supposed to. Please help. Sincerely, Carlie:eek:

I agree, we are all different, and we all gain or lose weight different. I don't have the chatter in my head, I don't wake up in the middle of the night to get something to eat. And I don't agree that I am sick because of my weight. When I was five years old, we were on our way to a Sunday outing, my Dad, Mom, and my three brothers. A car crossed the line and came over and hit us head on. My father broke one leg into 50 pieces. He was in a cast from his chest to his toes for over a year. My mother broke her kneecap and hit her mouth and lost all her teeth. One of my brothers hit his mouth, knocked out his teeth, and two of his teeth went down in his lungs. He also hurt his knee and broke his jaw, and had pins in it. One of the other brothers lost his front teeth, and my other brother and I was just bruised up. We had no money coming in our house at all for a very long time. My Mother was a great cook, but everything she cooks was southern and very fattening. We lived on pots of Beans, stews, and every Sunday we had fried chicken. Most of all, almost every meal we had was based around what kind of potatoes we were having. Potatoes was the base of all our meals, and most were fried or mashed with gravy. food was hard to come by since money was so scarce, so we had to finish our plates of food, and couldn't waste any. I learned to cook exactly like my Mother, and once I got married and had children, I started gaining weight. I didn't lose the weight between my children, which started me off on a huge weight gain. I didn't exercise like I should have, or eat the right foods. The only way I knew to cook was how my Mother taught me. Just like the old saying "You can't teach old dogs new tricks" I just didn't realize the way I was cooking was causing me to gain so much weight. Losing weight has been extremely hard for me because of the way I cook, and because of lack of exercise. I am learning I can fix meals without the potatoes or the other starches. I am learning just because I fix my DH those things, that I don't have to eat them. I am learning I can fix some veggies and fill up just as good on them as the starches. I am learning I have to exercise to get this weight off. I am learning that no one except me can do this, and I am also learning that I have to want it bad enough to do all of that. Do I think I am sick because I have gained this weight and have problems getting it off? NO! I just think I have to learn the right foods to eat and the right way to cook without all the grease/oils. My dear Mother, bless her heart, didn't even realize that cooking with lard was bad for her. She cooked with it right up until a couple of years before she died at the age of 83, and she was in such bad health I finally told her it would be best if she didn't use it anymore. She grew up eating lard sandwiches because of the depression, so using lard to cook with was a natural thing for her. I followed her footsteps using lard and cooking just like she had, so now I have habits to break too. I think almost everyone on these boards has a reason why they gained weight if they go back and really think about it. And yes, I do believe it can be a sickness for some people, but not everyone. It took me a long time to realize it's my problem, and I am the one that has to work at getting the weight off. If I sit on my lazy butt and don't do anything about it, then it's my fault. I have chosen to get this band to use as a tool, to move my butt and to eat the right foods, and guess what? It's working, and I feel great! I am lovin life again for the first time in a long time.

I HATE THE WAY I'M WIRED. I HATE THE WAY I'M WIRED. I HATE THE WAY I'M WIRED. Sometimes I just want to bang my head against the wall and end what's going on in my head. I hate the voices. The fear of change. The self destruction. The weight gain. I want it all to end. I create my own problems. I hate that I have to relive this over and over again. I have no control over all of this. I hate that I put Paul through this all of the time. He doesn't deserve to be around this. I don't know what he sees in me. I'm such a horrible person to be around. These are the things the voices tell me. I feel so depressed. I've gained 3 more pounds. I try and try to control the binging, but I get such anxiety over it. So what's the solution? Medication. I've tried that, it doesn't help. There seems to be no solution. I want to end all of the suffering. But I can't. I just want to crawl under a rock and disappear...:think

Wednesday evening I wound up in the Chiro's office with a compacted C4 vertebrae and pinched nerve in my neck and have NO idea how the hell I managed all that. Guess it was the sumo wrestling and bungee jumping from the week before? :biggrin1: NOT. Anyway, fast forward to Friday, I've been through 4 Chiro visits and been flat on my back for the past day and a half... I feel better and finally returned to work this morning, but dang it's been a rough week. On top of that, yesterday I started new diabetes meds. I've been taken off Avandaryl, which apparently has contributed to some of my weight gain in the past few months. I'm now on a new medication called Byetta, which you have to inject, but the good news is there are very few lows or crashes with this medication, and in the clinical trials, most people lost weight! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: It would be nice if this were finally the answer to me losing weight and I wound up not having to have the surgery. Who knows. At least I know I still have the option.

If You Want to Lose Weight, Keep an Eye on Your Social Network One of the first things you learn about weight loss surgery is that you need a support system. The more friends and family you have around, the more likely you are to lose weight. At least, that’s what you’re told. It’s mostly true but it’s not completely right. The truth is that your friends and family don’t always help you lose weight. If you have anyone sabotaging your efforts, you already know that. But your friends and family may be dragging you down without trying to. You may not even realize it’s happening. Once you do, though, you can resist the bad influence. Effect of Friends and Family on Weight Take a look at your friends and family. Are they overweight? If they are, they may be getting in the way of your own weight loss. Part of it may be genetic. If one sibling gains weight, the other is 40 percent more likely to also gain weight, according to research described in the December 2011 edition of the Harvard Men’s Health Watch. You might point to genes to explain why you can predict people’s weight gain based on their siblings’ weight gain. That may be partly true, but consider this. Spouses are 37 percent more likely to become obese if their spouse does. Okay, live together, eat together, gain or lose weight together. That makes sense, right? But do you know whose weight is most closely related to yours? It’s not the weight of your siblings or spouse. It’s your friends’ weights! If you have a close friend who becomes obese, your risk of becoming obese increases by a scary 57 percent! And, if your friends want to lose weight, you’re more likely to want to lose weight. How Your Friends Affect Your Weight You don’t live with your friends, and you don’t share their genes. So why should their weight affect yours? Part of it is just from trying to be a good friend. Your friend’s job is to cheer you up and accept you for who you are. That’s great in most cases because we all need someone on our side. Unfortunately, it works against you when you tell your friend that you just ate a half a pizza because you had a bad day at work, your friend may just tell you that you deserved that pizza. Worse, she might invite you out so that the two of you can split another pizza. Also, your perception of what is normal and acceptable might shift towards what your friends do and think. If they are overweight or obese, you may not see yourself as unhealthily overweight even if you are. If they share a few boxes of doughnuts every Sunday, you might not see any problem with those extra hundreds of calories. But continuing to do what they do can get in the way of hitting your weight loss goals. Make New Friends… When you’re getting started on your weight loss journey, think about making a few new friends who are going to support your new commitment to health. Other weight loss surgery patients: they’re going through exactly the same things that you are. Exercise buddies: find them at the gym, in the park, or through craiglist.com or meetup.com. Don’t be shy about asking if you can join them for a workout or two. If they say no, ask someone else. You might end up making a few new friends that you can hang out at other times during the day. …And Keep the Old You don’t have to ditch your old friends and stay away from your siblings and parents if they’re overweight. Ideally, you can be open with them. Explain how hard you are working to get healthy, and let them know how they can help. If you’re lucky, they’ll be willing to change some of their behaviors to support your goals and get healthier themselves. Meet to go shopping or take a walk in the park instead of to eat at a restaurant. Order an egg white omelet instead of pancakes with butter, syrup, and sausage when you go out for breakfast. Meet your friends to do crafts or pack lunches for a homeless shelter instead of baking and eating cookies. If your old friends and your family are unwilling to change, you don’t need to avoid them. Even being aware of how friends and family can affect you can protect you from following their leadwhile you’re hanging out with them. Be on the lookout for unhealthy behaviors, and make your own healthy decisions. Skip the table’s appetizers and enjoy your glass of ice water. Order what you know is right, like chicken breast or fish and vegetables, while everyone else is ordering pasta or steak, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Savor coffee while everyone else is digging into dessert. Lean on them for sympathy when you’re struggling, but don’t use them as eating buddies anymore. Eventually, they may see how happy and successful you are, and they may be ready to ask you for help losing weight. Your friends and family are there to support you, but sometimes their love for you isn’t good for your weight loss journey. Ask them to help you out by setting a good example, and keep yourself from following their lead if you know they’re eating badly.

I’m just starting out but I have read that it helps to do a pouch reset. Having hormone, metabolic and other medical issues I can relate. Try to pinpoint what medication might be affecting your weight and why. For example I needed beta blockers and the generic caused more side effects that included slowing my metabolism. Once I got on the name brand and also adjusted my calories it helped. If you can pinpoint the medication ask the doctor about switching to something with less side effects of weight gain. Also see an endocrinologist to have hormones checked and anything that could be throwing off your weight there. You might try some natural hormone supplements ie. Wild yam, black cohosh, (my head isn’t working to think of them all) 15 years a lot can change and it takes time to re-evaluate and adjust. 2-Week Pouch Reset Diet The 2-Week Pouch Reset Diet can help you if your weight loss stalls after getting gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, lap-band, or another type of weight loss surgery. There may be a time after weight loss surgery when you wonder whether your pouch has stretched, or when you get off track with your eating. The 2-Week Pouch Reset Diet mimics your original post-op diet, but it moves through the stages more quickly. You start with clear liquids, move to full liquids, then progress to pureed foods, semi-soft foods, and solid foods. The 2-Week Pouch Reset Diet can help you: Break the pattern of off-track eating. Remember what it feels like when you feel restriction from your pouch. Practice stopping eating before you feel overly full. Diet Guidelines: When you get to the solid foods diet, this is the time when you will feel that your pouch is working again. Eat slowly and mindfully, and focus on the feeling you have when you stop eating just before you are full. You can continue on the solid foods plan (repeat Days 10-14) for as long as your doctor agrees. Drink plenty of water and other calorie-free or low-calorie liquids to stay hydrated. Only use under the supervision of your doctor. Day 1: Clear Liquids Breakfast ½ cup apple juice, ½ cup decaf green tea Snack 1 1 sugar-free ice pop, ½ cup sugar-free gelatin Lunch Tomato Basil Sipping Broth, ½ cup sugar-free gelatin Snack 2 ½ cup decaf coffee, Lemon Iced Tea Fiber Drink Dinner Delight Pho Sipping Broth, ½ cup sugar free gelatin Dessert 1 ice pop Day 2: Full Liquids Breakfast Strawberry Meal Replacement Shake (240 calories, 35 grams protein) Snack 1 Decaf Protein Cappuccino (90 calories, 15 grams protein) Lunch Broccoli and Cheese Protein Soup (100 calories, 15 grams protein) Snack 2 Vanilla Meal Replacement Shake (240 calories, 35 grams protein) Dinner Meal Replacement Chicken Protein Soup (160 calories, 27 grams protein) Dessert Banana Protein Shake (80 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 910 calories, 142 grams protein Day 3: Full Liquids Breakfast Chocolate Meal Replacement Shake (240 calories, 35 grams protein) Snack 1 Vanilla Cappuccino Hot Protein Drink (90 calories, 15 grams protein) Lunch Cream of Tomato Meal Replacement Soup (160 calories, 15 grams protein) Snack 2 Strawberry Meal Replacement Shake (240 calories, 35 grams protein) Dinner Corn Chowder Protein Soup (110 calories, 15 grams protein) Dessert Cheesecake Protein Pudding or Shake (90 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 930 calories, 130 grams protein Day 4: Pureed Foods (Mushies) Breakfast Peaches and Cream Protein Oatmeal, ¾ cup pureed canned or frozen peaches (150 calories, 16 grams protein) Snack 1 1 container plain non-fat Greek yogurt, ½ pureed banana (150 calories, 15 grams protein) Lunch Pureed tuna salad with 3 ounces tuna, ½ cup cooked or canned green beans, ¼ cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons black olives, pepper (180 calories, 25 grams protein) Snack 2 Vanilla Meal Replacement (240 calories, 35 grams protein) Dinner 4 ounces pureed canned chicken breast, ½ cup pureed cooked carrots (130 calories, 19 grams protein) Dessert Protein Cheesecake Pudding with ½ cup strawberries, pureed (120 calories, 16 grams protein) Totals: 970 calories, 126 grams protein Day 5: Pureed Foods (Mushies) Breakfast Shake with Peanut Butter Protein Powder, ½ banana, 1 5-oz. cup vanilla Greek yogurt (200 calories, 20 grams protein) Snack 1 Pureed egg salad with 2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, pepper (180 calories, 15 grams protein) Lunch ½ cup non-fat pureed cottage cheese, ½ cup unsweetened applesauce (140 calories, 14 grams protein) Snack 2 ¼ cup hummus with 1 scoop, (220 calories, 32 grams protein) Dinner Chicken with Pasta Protein Soup, pureed with ½ cup cooked frozen cauliflower and ½ cup cooked brown rice (220 calories, 18 grams protein) Dessert Mocha Cream Protein Pudding (100 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1060 calories, 114 grams protein Day 6: Pureed Foods (Mushies) Breakfast Vegetable Protein Omelet, 1 ounce cheddar cheese, melted, ½ mashed banana (260 calories, 23 grams protein) Snack 1 Pureed Protein Chili with Beans, 1 cheese stick (string cheese) (180 calories, 22 grams protein) Lunch Cream of Mushroom Protein Soup, ½ cup mashed potatoes with 1 teaspoon olive oil (200 calories, 16 grams protein) Snack 2 Maple Brown Sugar Protein Oatmeal, ½ cup low-fat ricotta cheese (250 calories, 28 grams protein) Dinner Chicken with Pasta Protein Soup, 3 ounces pureed cooked ground turkey meatballs blended with ½ cup tomato sauce, ½ cup cooked pureed fresh or frozen winter squash with 1 teaspoon olive oil (220 calories, 23 grams protein) Dessert Strawberry Banana Protein Gelatin (70 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1180 calories, 117 grams protein Day 7: Semi-Soft Foods Breakfast Buttermilk Protein Pancakes, ½ cup blueberries (240 calories, 21 grams protein) Snack 1 Protein Hot Cocoa (80 calories, 15 grams protein) Lunch Beef with Pasta Protein Soup, with ½ cup cooked or canned beans and ½ cup cooked vegetables (240 calories, 24 grams protein) Snack 2 ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese, 1 cup cantaloupe (160 calories, 14 grams protein) Dinner 1 veggie burger, 1 cup cooked green beans, 1 medium cooked sweet potato (250 calories, 14 grams protein) Dessert Soft-Baked Protein Brownie, ½ cup vanilla yogurt (180 calories, 20 grams protein) Totals: 1150 calories, 108 grams protein Day 8: Semi-Soft Foods Breakfast Southwestern Protein Omelet, with 1 ounce cheddar cheese, ½ cup cooked spinach, ¼ cup salsa (270 calories, 22 grams protein) Snack 1 Hazelnut Cocoa Cream Protein Pudding (100 calories, 15 grams protein) Lunch Spaghetti and Meatballs Protein Entree, 1 cup cooked frozen broccoli florets (260 calories, 18 grams protein) Snack 2 Berry Delicious Protein Smoothie (100 calories, 15 grams protein) Dinner 3 ounces broiled salmon with teriyaki sauce, ½ cup cooked brown rice, 1 cup cooked cauliflower florets (350 calories, 23 grams protein) Dessert Double Chocolate Cake (120 calories, 12 grams protein) Totals: 1200 calories, 105 grams protein Day 9: Semi-Soft Foods Breakfast Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes, 2 tablespoons peanut butter (300 calories, 22 grams protein) Snack 1 (70 calories, 15 grams protein) Lunch Creamy Chicken Pasta Protein Entrée, ½ cup cooked zucchini (240 calories, 16 grams protein) Snack 2 1 cup cut watermelon, 1 ounce feta cheese (120 calories, 4 grams protein) Dinner 1 cooked bell pepper stuffed with 3 ounces ground turkey, ½ cup stewed tomatoes, 1/3 cup cooked quinoa or barley, and Italian seasoning (280 calories, 27 grams protein) Dessert Creamy Cheesecake Protein Dessert (120 calories, 12 grams protein) Totals: 1090 calories, 96 grams protein Day 10: Solid Foods Breakfast Berries ‘n Chocolate Crunch Protein Cereal with 1 container Greek yogurt (230 calories, 25 grams protein) Snack 1 Chunky Crisp Peanut Butter Protein Bar (160 calories, 12 grams protein) Lunch Tuna salad on lettuce leaves, made with 3 ounces tuna, diced celery and onion, ¼ cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons black olives, pepper (180 calories, 25 grams protein) Snack 2 Caprese salad with 1 ounce mozzarella balls, 1 large tomato, sliced, 2 teaspoons olive oil, basil leaves, black pepper (210 calories, 8 grams protein) Dinner 3 ounces Mexican seasoned shredded chicken mixed with ½ cup pinto beans and 1 cup cooked bell pepper strips, topped with ¼ cup avocado (350 calories, 30 grams protein) Dessert Tropical Banana Protein Pudding (100 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1230 calories, 105 grams protein Day 11: Solid Foods Breakfast Breakfast sandwich with 1 whole-grain English muffin, 1 slice fat-free cheese, 1 cooked egg (230 calories, 17 grams protein) Snack 1 Fruit salad with 1 cup cut fresh fruit and 1 ounce sliced almonds (240 calories, 8 grams protein) Lunch Five Bean Casserole Protein Entree (240 calories, 11 grams protein) Snack 2 1 large whole-grain high-fiber wrap spread with 2 ounces fat-free cream cheese plus shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes (170 calories, 18 grams protein) Dinner Protein Pasta with 3 ounces lean ground turkey, Tomato Parmesan Flavor Pack , and 1 cup cooked broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot mix (300 calories, 41 grams protein) Dessert Chocolate Chip Protein Cookie (150 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1330 calories, 110 grams protein Day 12: Solid Foods Breakfast Crispy Lemon Meringue Bar (160 calories, 14 grams protein) Snack 1 Pineapple Orange Fruit Drink (70 calories, 15 grams protein) Lunch Roll-ups with 2 ounces all-natural sliced turkey breast, 1 ounce swiss or cheddar slices, and ¼ cup avocado slices (260 calories, 24 grams protein) Snack 2 1 cup baby carrots, 1 tablespoon peanut butter (140 calories, 8 grams protein) Dinner High-fiber wrap with 3 ounces tilapia or other white fish, grilled eggplant, and Honey Dijon dressing (250 calories, 30 grams protein) Dessert Chocolate Protein Cereal, 1 apple (210 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1090 calories, 106 grams protein Day 13: Solid Foods Breakfast Strawberry Meal Replacement Shake (250 calories, 35 grams protein) Snack 1 Caramel Brownie Protein Bar (180 calories, 14 grams protein) Lunch Greek chicken salad with romaine lettuce, cucumber slices, grape tomatoes, 3 ounces cooked chicken breast, 1 ounce feta cheese, 2 tablespoons vinaigrette (250 calories, 26 grams protein) Snack 2 1 cup bell pepper strips Meat Snack (120 calories, 15 grams protein) Dinner Pasta Fagioli (210 calories, 14 grams protein) Dessert Mint Hot Chocolate, 1 apple (80 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1090 calories, 119 grams protein Day 14: Solid Foods Breakfast Golden Protein Pancakes ½ banana, ½ ounce pecans (240 calories, 17 grams protein) Snack 1 2 hard-boiled eggs (140 calories, 12 grams protein) Lunch Salad with spinach leaves, 1 cup sliced strawberries, 1 ounce shaved parmesan, 2 tablespoons light dressing (230 calories, 10 grams protein) Snack 2 Protein Chips (130 calories, 10 grams protein) Dinner Protein Chili with 1 ounce cheddar cheese, 1 cup cooked carro (280 calories, 24 grams protein) Dessert 1 small pear, 1 ounce blue cheese (170 calories, 7 grams protein) Totals: 1190 calories, 80 grams protein

Haha! I guess you should not worry so much about the scale weight duing TOM. And just realize it is TOm causing weight gain. Good luck.Karen

Checking labels for sodium content may be a good idea. Some broths are loaded with salt. You may also want to make sure your scale is accurate. If none of those, I would recommend calling the doctor's office. It sounds like you may be retaining Fluid as a large weight gain in a very short period of time is indicative of that. Also, may want to clarify if you are actually to have Clear liquids for 10 days; most pre-op diets are full liquids. Clear liquids are common the day or 2 before surgery.

I'm having left leg outer thigh numbness,its been coming on for a year .then it started like pins poking pain and burning. I had a EMG at neroligist. Its called MERALGIA PARESTHETICA. Google it. It's a pinched or trapped nerve. Femerol nerve. The nerve that let's you feel on the side of thigh. Its caused from tight clothing, or belt .Also from weight gain. It usually is only on one leg. My dr said after I loose weight it will start to heal. It itches also. And I get burning pain. The pain came on after 6 months of numbness. My surgery gastrectomy was March 4th. I'm down 13 lbs. Started at 210 now 197 5ft and 1/2 inch. I hope this pain stops soon. I'm on gabapentin and norco pain meds it hurts bad. Google it.

The last two days both my knees have been aching. I had a one day episode of this about a week ago. Previously I had sore knees from the weight but that got much better after I lost only 20 pounds. I've had a bulging disc in my back since 1993 which has caused me a ton of pain over the years and prevented me from doing things....contributed to some of my weight gain. Now my back is great! No pain at all! No more pain meds, yay! I'm suspecting that my knees ache because I stand on them differently since my belly and my bum are so much smaller. Like my center of gravity has changed so the pressure points in my knees are in a different place. What do you guys think? Feasible? Or am I nuts?......maybe I don't want you to answer that one? LOL!

Wow! I've never lost weight like this in my entire life. I stepped into my spinal specialists office March 1 and he put me on steroids for my excruiating back and hip pain and told me to stop working out. So paranoid me starts drinking lemon water because I knew it would flush out excess fluids and in my mind counteract the weight gain affects of steroids. I went back to my Dr. yesterday to get a steroid shot in my back. He said my face looked alot more relaxed, but I still had pain. Nothing like it was the week before but still a problem. Not sure I will ever be back to normal but I am feeling alot better. I've been trying not to jump on the scale every day but that hasn't happened because I am steadily losing a pound a day now! It's like it is just melting off my body. My doctor told me it is because of the pain I was in that held on to the weight, now that I am feeling better, my body is letting it go. I believe maybe part of that is true, but not to the extent of losing 7 lbs in 10 days! So as long as I'm on the these steroids and still losing weight, and even when I get off the steroids, I am still drinking lemon water. I've read about it online and it states that it cleanses the body of toxins and flushes them out. I believe it, I am feeling soooooo much better too. And I am only 3.5 lbs away from passing the dreaded 200 lbs mark! That day will be a celebration and you will hear from me on that day for sure!!!!!

I feel your pain. I was banded in March of '06 and have recently put on 10lbs and am exercising like CRAZY!!! My band was deflated entirely for three months and I recently got 2ccs added back into it but am still gaining weight. I work out 6 X a week and don't feel like I look any heavier but am going nuts mentally from the weight gain. I am completely and utterly lost on why I am gaining weight because I am not eating very much and exercise constantly. Any advice on how to get back on track? ~Liz~ 03/10/06 241/165/160 :help: 5'8''

I was stalled forever and then suddenly, after kicking artificial sweeteners to the curb and drinking plain water (advice from my nutritionist), my stall ended and I have lost 4 pounds! A call with my nutritionist today was even more eye opening... she said, "don't be afraid of a little sugar!" Here's what that means.. Artificial sweeteners can be, for some, tougher to break down than regular sugar. Sure, regular sugar isn't good for you in large doses and may cause dumping, but don't shy away from it completely, especially when you need to up your caloric intake to lose weight. Some of us strain to get 600 calories a day, or when we stall, we need to push additional calories to shake up our metabolism. I drink coffee and before surgery, I used to drink a caramel latte daily (I love caramel). But that's way too sweet for me and causes dumping big time. However, after her advice, I began adding 1 pump of caramel to my regular Dunkin Donuts coffee along with skim milk and Splenda. It's the only sugar and artificial sweetener I consume every day (now). I began drinking more water and the weight loss has resumed. It's my one "sweet" treat a day, and I look forward to it every morning. It hasn't interrupted my weight loss and I no longer feel cheated when I get coffee. I'm not promoting ice cream or candy, resuming the crazy binge sugar feasts we may have once had (our bodies can't handle that anyway). But for some of us, artificial sweetener can cause us to stall or cause water weight gain. Natural sugar is, in small small doses, sometimes better for us than the artificial kind. If you can handle it, add a little sugar to your coffee (be realistic) or some sweetened flavoring like the International Delights flavors with Splenda or Stevia. Just once a day, it won't kill you. (Now, if you think it is a "gateway" to eating more sugar a day... then don't. You know yourself better than my nutritionist. For me, once a day sweet treat is plenty. I can no longer tolerate anything super sweet.) I'm so happy to be losing again after a long stall, and I won't jeopardize that by overindulging in anything, but I enjoy my coffee every morning and this makes it so much more pleasurable. I feel like I get something sweet and yummy without going nuts.