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SOme things help but time will is the major factor with this. You do not indicate if your pain is gas, nausea, bloating or incisional. Everyone seems to experience a different proportion of each of these. For me, the incisional pains were nothing compared to the gas and bloating so the pain meds did not help me and actually made it worse. Small sips of fluids throughout the day, moving around every couple of hours for about 10 mins each, changing positions frequently, laying on my non-port side with a heating pad intermittently, Tums and Pepcid Complete got me through it. Hang in there. In a wekk you'll be responding to new banders with your advice on how you made it through. I relied on this discussion forum for a full week and am now happy to be able to share that I made it, feel good and want to help others.

I had surgery three days ago. This morning I drank warm decaf tea and wonder if i drank it too fast. It was about a cup and I drank it over maybe 5-7 minutes. I didn't feel anything unusual immediately but about 5 minutes later, I was lying down and felt a sharp tight pain under my left breast, like when you have gas around your heart. Have any of you ever experienced that or know what caused it? Thanks.

It's been a few days since I've been here to post. I havent been strong enough to lift myself to the desk nevermind type a coherent sentence. I made it thru thursday... I even drove myself home from work. Friday, I went to work. I am on the mashed tater stage so thats what I have for lunch. Now, I work for a doctors office, we get drug rep lunches weekly. I get to the break room and its Boston Market. Out of laziness I decide to eat those mashed taters instead of my own.. I figure instant is instant. Yeah, not so much. Those taters were heaven. By 12:30, I wanted to die. Now I'm already not feeling well and I go and eat catered fast food taters. Brilliant idea. NOT. I go out to my car to relax.. aka not puke. I get back to my desk at 1pm and silently wait for my boss to return at 1:30. I wussed out and went home. Now I dont know if the taters made me feel worse but something did me in. I get home and have my period 2 weeks early.. that may also play a small factor in my all-around ickiness. So it's Friday night... hubby is out again with Tony, I am up from my nap flipping thru the tv for something to watch. Wouldnt ya know it.. I get caught up watching some food network show that may have been diners, drive-ins and dives... something to that effect. The first show is all BBQ. Not a fan so I watch cuz its interesting and I'm tired of channel surfing. The next show (kill me now) is all burgers. I like burgers but I dont LOVE burgers. Watching this show made me drool so bad. I'm the girl who goes to Red Robin or Texas Roadhouse and gets a salad. I could have killed for a burger after that show. I had some water. I got up saturday, had b-fast then a cup of tea. Suprise suprise, I went back to bed. I got up had lunch and got dressed again. Went to the parental units with the husband and Spooky (he needed to get out of the house). My Mother is not the most lucid/coherent people on the planet. I told her that I'd lost 13 pounds so far and she said that my tummy was all wrinkley all ready. Okay, sure. When Mom started to cook dinner I vacated... she was making burgers. (see above). Hubby and I took a trip to the local Wal-Mart.. got our shit and got out. Went back to Moms to get the cat and then went to Big Y. I got some yogurt and hubby got some junk food for himself. I must confess. I got cheese. Anyone who knows me knows that I have been DYING for cheese. I couldnt find what I really wanted so I got one of those bricks of mozzerella. Got home and had me 1oz of that for dinner. 30 minutes later, I cracked open a diet snapple raspberry iced tea and have been wide awake since. I forgot about the caffiene involved. My diet sheet says I can have diet snapple so I did. Damn it. lol. Now, I cant sleep. Thank good tomorrow is technically Sunday. I can sleep in once I can sleep. I have decided that I truly have no support system. The support system that I thought I would have posted trash talk about me on another blog/lap band forum and I found it. Now I dont have use for that in my life but since she had the procedure done a few months ago, I have a zillion questions and would love to ask but I have no need to talk to her. The other person I know is the office manager for the physician side of work but only I know that she had it done and when she talks to me it's about her "friend". She is 2 years out and eats nothing but crap. Thats not much of an inspiration to me. When I asked if the tired icky feeling would get better she said "eventually." Yeah, no help. So I am on my own. My husband, who say his own nutritionist this week, went all day today without eating then polished off some chicken fingers and mac n cheese and something else. I think he knows better than to do that but he claims he doesnt want to eat infront of me. I think thats why he has been hanging out with tony so much. Speaking of food and the hubby... he wakes up this morning, looks at me and says, "I'm sorry but I want the buffet." So I respond, "I'm sorry but so do I." I really think this is going to be a big issue in the upcoming months. I do not blame him for my fatness but he doesnt like to eat at home. If I cant/wont go out to eat all the time, it may cause problems. Everything we have ever done together has in some way revolved around food. We'd go run errands and the first question once in the car was where are we going to eat? Food has been the center point of everything for us. I hope he understands that I'm not playing that game any longer. I cant kill myself one cheese fry at a time. Under all this pale white fatness is a petite girl dying to get out. I have shut her up with chocolate for far too long. Okay, I have rambled for far too long and I need water....

My VSG Story PRE-OP: Two weeks prior to my surgery date of April 10, 2013, I had a check up with my primary care physician and tipped the scale at 343 pounds, 5-10 in height. I researched the VSG procedure and doctors in Mexico due to my insurance not covering bariatric surgery in the US for several months. All my findings led me to Dr. Fernando Garcia in Tijuana, MX. I went through the coordinating company, Ready 4 a Change. I chose that company because the response was instantaneous and I never waited more than a couple of hours for a response to my questions via email, even on weekends which is unheard of in the States. All in all, I would definitely recommend this coordinating company again. Also, I travelled alone, which went extremely well, and I guess would depend on the circumstances but I would not hesitate to do it alone again. On 3-27-2013, I started my two week pre-op diet which consisted of all liquids, protein shakes, and small salad for dinner. I did fairly well on the diet but cheated a few times very minor like one bagel bite, or a small bite of my wife's burger. Anyways, the diet sucks nonetheless but after day 2-3 it's really not that bad. The protein shakes I used were syntax nectar strawberry kiwi, and the chocolate/vanilla premier protein. I would advise to start some type of workout regimen during this phase. This pre-op diet is meant for shrinking the liver to provide a safer surgery, not necessarily weight loss. Again, all in all the two week pre-op diet went well and it went by fast after the first couple days. DAY OF SURGERY: On the day of surgery, I flew out from Dallas, TX to San Diego, California. Upon arrival to the airport, which I was 15 minutes early, I called the driver with R4AC, and he said he was just around the corner and showed up in 5 minutes flat. He even asked me on the phone if I wanted him to remove the company sign from the outside of the van, which I though was courteous. I told him no need, I'm not ashamed! So the driver picks me up and we head across the border which was uneventful and easy. We make our way to the hospital, as I elected for same day surgery so I would stay two nights in the hospital, and three nights in the hotel. Upon arrival to the hospital (Hospital was Florence Health System/Oasis) I was immediately checked in and taken to my private room with hospital bed with nurse call button, TV, an extra bed for a support person, etc. pretty much anything you would find in a hospital in the states. Now, this hospital is in the process of renovations with state of the art operating rooms as in the states, but the rooms are a bit older but nothing to gripe about for sure, and very clean. So I make it to my room and put everything up, and I am greeted by Melissa from R4AC, and she starts going over paperwork and answering any questions I had. The nurse comes in with a hospital gown and says to take everything off, including the underwear. So during the next 1-2 hrs, I have blood drawn for labs, an EKG done, chest x-ray, and an IV put in (first try,) and given a happy pill to relax. I also meet with all of the Dr's at the hospital including Dr. Velasco who is a bypass patient herself. Dr. Grafias who is a sleeve patient. Dr. Cabrera the anesthesiologist, Dr. Luna who is a bariatric surgeon as well, and Dr. Fernando Garcia, my bariatric surgeon. Pretty much all of the Dr's ask about medical history and prior and current health conditions so your basically checked 4-5 times to make sure your clear for surgery still. At about 5:30 or so, I was wheeled in to the operating room. You have to scoot over onto the operating table but no biggy. Dr. Luna took my wife's number down on his phone to call and let her know once surgery was done and everything was ok, which he did according to my wife. I remember one of the Dr's asking me if I had anymore questions as he was pulling out the left arm rest. I said just make sure I wake up and I was out like a light. I woke in what felt like was just seconds after going out. I sat up with minor pain in my abdomen from the incisions, not gas pain. I looked at the clock and it said 7:30. I'm not sure how much of that 2 hours was surgery time vs waking up, etc, and I didn't really care. I immediately stood up when I woke up and started walking the halls. All of the nurses looked at me like I was crazy and asked if I was ok. I told them I was because several speak pretty good English to communicate. They said most people are not up and walking that quick after waking up from surgery. I guess I was the exception. So that first night was pretty good except the minor pain in my abdomen from the incisions which basically felt like I did too many sit-ups, not unbearable in the least. POST-OP DAY #2 So I slept off and on mainly because the nurses come in every 2 hrs or so to check on you and give meds, check BP, etc. The nurses were AMAZING! No complaints whatsoever, and if I pushed the call button, the longest I waited for a nurse was maybe 25-30 seconds. This day was pretty much the same, walk, rest, meds, repeat! I also had 2 leak tests done, which went good and no leaks detected. One of the leak tests was odd as you lie down on the x-ray table and drink some liquid while laying down. It didn't hurt to drink but was just an odd feeling. While walking the halls, I met 3-5 other people from various online forums and FB who had the surgery and became friends and exchanged info to keep up with each other and our progress. POST-OP DAY #3 I had my drain out this morning. it was WEIRD, like a snake in your tummy. it did not hurt at all, just awkward. I got copies of my lab work, x-rays, etc and was discharged. Then around 10 or so, I was picked up by the Hotel Marriott shuttle and taken to the hotel. It was extremely nice and the same as you would get in the US. I got checked in and taken to my room. You get 3 free bowls of chicken broth, 3 free Popsicles, and 2 free bottles of water daily. I would not eat the Popsicles, but there is a small shop in lobby you can buy Popsicles which were awesome. The broth was ok at times, and way to salty others, but then again it's broth...boring! The first day I relaxed mostly and went out by the pool and lounged around and didn't really do much. Still no pain really except for abdomen from incision sites. POST-OP DAY #4 Today I lounged around again and walked a bit around the hotel. I ventured out and took a can to the local Walmart as I started feeling some acid reflux, which is common with VSG, and bought some omeprazole which helped a lot and it was gone in 2 days. Dr. Luna came by and removed the staples from the incisions, which did not hurt, and cleaned all the sites and put steri strips on them and covered up the drain hole. I was given medicine before leaving the hospital which included antibiotics, disgusting liquid acid reducer, and pain meds, which I didn't take any of it. I had dinner with some new found friends and co-sleevers and got some sleep. POST-OP DAY 5 Today was the same as day 4 pretty much. Lounged, went out with some new friends, had dinner, etc. I packed up all my stuff and got ready to leave in the AM. I got a call around 8:30 by the driver who gave me the option of leaving at 6 am or 9 am. My flight left at 1:20 pm but I was ready to get back to the states so I opted for 6 am. POST-OP DAY 6 I woke up and was checked out of the hotel and in the lobby by 6, when driver promptly arrived. Myself and 2 other sleevers headed back to the US. It took us about an hour and a half to make it across the border, it was very busy but an easy process as we all had our passports. Made it to the airport, caught my flight home, end of story! All in all, I would say the level of service and care in MX was equal to and even greater in some areas than that in US. I would highly recommend Dr. Garcia and his team, R4AC, and Florence/Oasis Hospital. I would do this whole over again and look forward to taking some of my family members and/or friends to MX for this procedure. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me and I hope to help others with their journey if I possibly can. Johnathanw1988@gmail.com

I can't tolerate Protein shakes either. Even before surgery a shake would send me to the bathroom in a hurry. I did drink small amounts at a time in the first 2 weeks post surgery because There was very little I could eat. A couple tablespoons at a time. Next, I ate hardboiled eggs and tuna mixed with low fat maio mixed to the point of it being a cream. Now I eat anything protein/vegetable/fruit but chew very well and there is not a thing I can't tolerate. However, I must say it took a while for me to understand I had to take a bite the size of a chickpea and chew very well and then wait at least 30 seconds before taking the next bite. If you do that I am sure you can eat anything. Most people are not patient enough to eat such small bites and spread their meal over 20 to 25 minutes, myself included but I have to. It took a long time (3 months) for my stubborn self to get with the program. It is also key not to overeat because that's were the nausea and foamies come in. Because going slow allows enough time for your stomach to talk to your brain I get sick less and less. Now it's once every couple weeks and it is always because I ate too fast.

I had a .2cc un-fill today. I’d love to hear about your un-fill story too. Here’s my story: For 3 months (since my last fill) I had been getting stuck easily, struggling to eat most foods, except for soft foods. I was eating a lot of protein shakes, Greek yogurt, plain oatmeal, mashed potatoes, frozen yogurt, and lots of “bites” of just about anything – even very bad things – because after all, it was just a bite, right (problem, I know). Even though I wasn’t eating much at a single sitting, I guess I was eating too much because I did not loose one pound in 3 months. Most of the time I was stuck or afraid to get stuck. Thankfully, no other symptoms of being too tight (no cough, no reflux, etc). I was always 1 of 3 things: Starving, Stuck, or full on liquids/soft. I was never: Full of food (satisfied), and could not go very long without being hungry again. I thought that was normal. But I was not loosing weight and was frustrated! But, today, my doctor suggested removing .2cc from the band. NOT what I was expecting! He said I’m eating too much and not enough: Too much slippery food, with too many calories; not enough solid food. I was nervous, and still a little concerned about what this is going to be like. I’m also cautiously optimistic. I had the un-fill at 12pm, but had not eaten anything all day, so I was really hungry (I always go to the doctor on a “fast,” incase they need to draw blood, do an ultrasound, etc.). After the un-fill I headed to Chipotle and devoured 2/3 of a chicken bowl. I have not eaten like that in months! It was soooo satisfying. Bad news, I consumed ¾ of my daily calories. Good news, I have not been hungry since then (9 hours ago!!!). Wow! I ate! I really ate and loved it (though was slow and careful about chewing), I got full (not stuck) and stopped eating, then stayed full all day! Amazing. I’m not sure what to expect and I’m worried about eating too much or being too hungry. However, I’m going to track on My Fitness Pal, and hope to be back on track. Has anyone had an un-fill and started loosing weight again???

I ultimately told UHC to go f@*& themselves and wound up self funding. They can kiss my large arse and the sting of the cost is subsiding with every pound I lose. My experience, though, came from me following up on a number of health issues over the last year. Each surgeon/doctor I met with coached me to have bariatric surgery. I took their referrals and went straight into THE bariatric program. Seemed a logical progression. The problem is that THE program, while affiliated with the area's most prestigious hospital (out of 6 hospitals) wasn't yet certified as a "center of excellence" (bariatric certificate). They had a great staff, very supportive....and each were former bariatric patients, too.......excellent surgeon...etc, etc. They told me that it'd be no problem to continue and they'd had UHC patients go through all the time. 1/2 way through the deal UHC....who'd been supportive....all the sudden balks over the lacking "center of excellence" bullcrap. I involved the HR department of my employer......and found out that we were actually dropping UHC and moving over to BCBS. The games continued. Our policy with UHC would have only covered me at 50% anyway.....and UHC was delaying. It was looking as if the surgery would be delayed to 2016....by then I'd be under new insurance and no telling how long I'd wait then. Good news was for me, that when I did contact the center of excellence program they were fast in getting me started. They also had been at this for a while longer and had special self-funding insurance safeguards....you self fund and part of your money purchases a policy that covers ANY complication that comes from your bariatric surgery for out to 8 months. This was very appealing to me and I jumped all over it. I'd already met most of my pre-op requirements for the surgeon and my patient advocate at the new center was extremely fast, aggressive and organized. She and I stayed in contact and had everything wrapped up swiftly. The end result was that I had my surgery on October 13, 2015.......when it was looking like at best it would be late December or beyond. By self funding I was able to anchor down the timeframe and it actually cost me less than it would've to use my insurance. Wild ride. The upshot of my story is this.....when working with UHC, or any of them for that matter.......stay in step with them upfront and avoid any bs later on. Involve your HR department at work if/when you are able to. It's amazing how much they can help. Best wishes.

Hi everyone! I went in for another fill today. my last fill was in February and he added 1 cc which i assume would have brought me to 2.5 since my first was 1.5 in Dec. Today i went in and he added 1.5 - so basic math tells me that i'm maxed out? Do fills evaporate? I took myself to a movie - you wouldnt believe how fast a person can run past the consession stand holding her breath to not smell the popcorn! Anyway I stopped at panera for some chicken noodle soup & brought it home. I just had maybe 3 spoons of the broth and i feel like I have a chicken leg in my chest!! I hope this passes and that i'm not really this tight, I can go in and get fixed within 2 weeks of my fill and not pay more - but the hour trip into the city, 18 for parking for a few minutes. I start a new job downtown on 7/2 so i could go in that thursday but ... guess i'll ride out the weekend but man oh man!! :omg:

I think that we all have that 'holy crap, what am I thinking' moment at some point during pre-op. We think of all the horrible things that could happen, and think, 'I will be that 1 person that this doesn't work for'. I would worry if you WEREN'T having those thoughts. It means that you're normal and are trying to know everything you can before you go through with it. Truth is, even after surgery, you will have days (mostly in the first month or so) where you think this was the biggest mistake you ever made. But, trust me, once your body heals, as long as you are doing what you're supposed to, you will love your sleeve. And, yes, the liquid diet sucks. But, it doesn't last forever, and, you'll have other things on you mind anyway. It actually goes pretty fast and when you get to soft foods, life is good. And hey, I started work with my NUT on April 1st of this year at 373 lbs (I'm 5'6"), I had surgery on June 5th, now, I'm still 5'6" but standing at 273 feels a lot better. I still have a way to go, but, i have all the tools I need to get there. And soon, so will you.

Hi There, Everybody is different in their recovery stage. I had my band placed just this week (Monday) and I am sore but ok. But, I'm a house wife and mother of a very active 4 yr old. What my doc told me about recovery is it depends on how good of shape you are in and how easily your own body heals itself (how fast do your cuts heal). It is possible to be overweight and still have good health if you are active. Being a firefighter/paramedic I'm sure you fall into this catergory because of physical activity levels that your job demands. The best thing to do is call a surgens office and ask. I don't know where you live but, I used Dr. Hadar Spivak here in Houston and his office is open to questions even if your not a patient yet. He also has a website where you can email questions.Hope this helps!

Hop a flight to MX and they'll set you right up! Seriously, you could really do it that fast, but you know I'll try to make sure you are ready, Freddy, for it. Do you know what you are getting into? Do you have a realistic picture of banded life? Are you prepared for the expenses required for good responsible band care? Do you have a fill doc in the states should you go to MX? If you have insurance coverage for this procedure, I can guarantee you you will NOT be banded this weekend. That's a promise or you know someone most of us don't and have plenty of cash. Are you really ready for this?

I'm on pureed food still so no bread or anything. It may be from eating too fast. I will try to slow down. Old habits die hard I guess. Thanks for your response!

Yay Congrats! I have BCBS of Illinois too and was approved so fast. Where are you having surgery at?

Hello all! So I weighed in this weekend to see the scale read 219.2lbs. I have not been under 220 in 15 years! This Wednesday it will be 12 weeks out from surgery and I have already lost 63lbs! This does include the 8 pounds that I lost pre-op. I just wanted to share the good news. I am really shocked and excited at how fast I am losing the weight! YAY Sleeve. It was not easy at first but it really has been worth it! Denise

The thought of that scares me. but how do you know? and can it be fixed? I have had a couple of episodes of vomiting due to eating too fast. I have a pain in my stomach now that wasnt there before.. banded 11/29/12 sw 226 cw 200 To the OP: From what I understand, a slip can have many different symptoms. The only way to find out is to see your doctor, have a barium swallow. I've had 3 stomach viruses since being banded and it didn't cause my band to slip. #3 brianb Member Joined: Mar 4, 2013 Posts: 21 posts Topics: 2 Gender: Male Patient Info:View my profile Posted Today, 5:29 AM Six days of post op and had a long night of uncontrollable dry heaves because of alcohol and over eating. Of course I'll not be doing either again. From what I read, it's pretty unlikely that a band slipped. But a quick call to your doctor might make you feel better. Like This Absolute must see videos for anyone that has or is getting the lap band... Some of the misconceptions that the series of videos covers: * The lap band should not restrict, but instead trick the brain into thinking you ate much more than you did. * food goes through the band in less than a minute and does NOT sit above the band (unless food is stuck or you eat too fast) * The band causes food to rub against nerves in the stomach as it passes through the band. This causes a feeling of fullness. * It should not be necessary to fill the pouch above the band to achieve a feeling of fullness. http://www.lapbandta...dr-paul-obrien/ Quote MultiQuote Blog This Report As far as Brian is concerned...generally alcohol isn't allowed for 3-6 months post op. The attitude that "everyone does it" is not going to get you anywhere and is an adolescent excuse. Sorry, but that's how it comes across. Line-dancer was replying to the OP, since she recently was Dx with a slip...not saying she overate and drank to excess.

I am also going to use Lent to try to get my last 10 pounds off. I plan to restrict my eating to just the three meals a day with no snacks. On fast days I will have one meal along with 2 protein shakes a day, one for breakfast and one more for lunch. That should help keep my protein levels up.

New Day, Its my first day pre-op diet and i'm up to my third slim fast today. I had a salad for lunch and thats it. My doc said i can only have pro shake, jello, etc. Now the only problem is that I would like to eat some fish. Is that possible pre-op? Well let me know what you think thanks.:tongue_smilie:

Ok so I finally got the actual numbers of my fasting blood test... 2.6 mmol after two hours. I have not experienced this before so am hoping someone can tell me what the best way to deal with this is. I did pick up sugar tablets to carry with me. I have tried googling what the best way to eat with the sleeve is but am really confused with no guidelines on what not to eat. Any suggestions on the best way to control things are.

Yeah I drink beer also BUT beeeeee careful about how fast and how much you drink it. Usually if you let in sit for a little while it becomes a little flatter and easier to get down. However, if you get the drunk munchies it can turn brutal on you reallllllly quick. Remember that beer is carbonated and if you eat something high in carbs i.e. crackers, chips, bread...that crap will expand!! That can hurt. Something I have learned over the last 2 yrs banded is....go slow and listen intently to your body. It will let you know how far you can go but its a vvveeeerrrryy quiet warning. So enjoy your beer!!! I like mine with lime, the citrus cuts the carbonation a bit and when the beer gets flatter the lime makes it more appealing.

radink, my sister had the Bypass surgery. She lost a lot of weight fast but it left her with a lot of sagging skin and unfortunately, her insurance refuses to approve the surgery to have the excess removed. Due to other complications/issues, she was nearly 450 lbs when she had the surgery and now down to about 250 but I would say a good 35 is skin. If you choose GBP, make sure your insurance company will approve the surgery for the tummy tuck and removal of the excess skin. You lose much slower with the band but I believe that gives your skin more time to shrink naturally (not to say there won't be some excess).

Ready, I haven't called yet. If it doesn't seem better tomorrow then I'm calling them tomorrow. I haven't ever vomited and don't always feel this bad so I don't want to overreact calling the doc. I shouldn't feel that way but I do. I'm beginning to think the chili doesn't agree with my sleeve either. Also, a sleeve buddy of mine has gotten sick and is now in the hospital. I don't think I Abe the bacteria in the colon like her but it does concern me. She couldn't keep anything down, not even water. I definitely don't have that problem. And I think I may be eating too fast or too much.

I was banded March 24th and have had 2 fills and have never PBd (productive burp) or slimed etc.. Not everyone does this. I do think it depends on how tight your band is, how fast you eat, not chewing your food well, etc..

I found this when I was a "newbie" and used it as a general guide….although 1,000 calories are HARD to get post-op (and was so absolutely easy pre-op) LOL! My doctor's time frame was also different from the below and I've seen several different versions so apparently there's not a hard and fast rule as to how many days/weeks each phase last. I also liked how this emphasized "fluids" instead of just "water" because all fluids count as your liquids. Gastric Sleeve Diet Rules: Phase 1 – Clear Liquids Day 1 and day 2 after surgery. Calories to consume: under 1,000 per day. Fluid ounces to drink: 32 or more per day. Phase 2 – Full Liquids Day 3 through day 14 post surgery. Calories to consume: 500 - 1,000 per day. Fluid ounces to drink: 32 or more per day. Grams of Protein per day, minimum: 40 for women, 60 for men. Phase 3 – Soft/Moist Foods Day 15 to the end of month 2 after surgery. Calories to consume: 1,000 - 1,400 per day. Calorie distribution: 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat. Choose soft/moist foods which can be pureed in your mouth. Avoid raw fruits and vegetables. No crunchy foods: seeds, nuts, popcorn, etc. Phase 4 – Regular Diet Starts on the first day of month 3 post surgery. Calories to consume: 1,000 and 1,600 per day. Calorie distribution: 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat. 300 – 400 calories maximum per meal. Fiber per day, minimum: 25 grams High in omega-3 and low in omega-6 and fatty acids.

Back in my 20's and after I was done having kids, I was an exercise junkie and very focused on every lump,bump and bulge. I had lipo on my tummy in 97, I didn't feel like the Dr got out enough fat so I had to go in for a touch up. Fast forward to 2010 and while my gut is not huge, it did get bigger and as a whole I have gained weight, lost weight and gained more weight. Back in 99' (wow its been a long time) I was very close to my goal weight and my stomach had gone down well, my boobs went down and sagged but I worked out and was pretty toned. Now as I approach surgery in June, I know I am going to look different but I really don't want to go under again. I've had a few surgeries and plastics just don't appeal to me. I have seen people whose arms are not that bad on youtube, the boobs-I can always get padded push-up bras. If I lose my butt though --hubby is going to have an issue with that so HE will be paying for some enhancement. I just want to give my body time to contract and fall into place, and maybe I can learn to love my body for a change.

Hi Darlene, I was banded on 6/27/11 (I think the same day as you?). I have not taken any pain meds in about 3 days..not having trouble except that I get full fast -- it is hard to get 60-80 grams of protein shakes..I usually can only manage 50 grams per day. Keep in touch, it will be interesting to compare how we do! --Pam