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Hi, I'm new here. I was banded on 15 August 2007. I am mid way thru my 3rd week and I am very hungry. On my 2 week visit to my Dr. (Dr. Foreman, Huntsville, AL) I had lost 12 pounds. YAY~!! But, told him I was getting very hungry, and didn't feel *full* like I did the first week. My startout weight was 290 and I am 5'9". So, working on 278 now and don't know what to do. I need help with some foods to eat. My Dr. recommends solids after 6 weeks.......I'm sick of smashed black eyed peas and Lima Beans, but, I love my Protein Shakes....Using the Champion French Vanilla, s/f and decaf. mocha swiss International Coffee, w/ a teaspoon of s/f Hazelnut syrup and 3 packs of Splenda.....it's awesome...but, I can't live on that alone. All ideas will be appreciated. Thanks~!! :help:

Hi, my name is Kathy and I am 43 years young. I have been researching the lapband for a year now and have talked myself in to it a few times over and then back out of it again just as many times. I have finally decided that there is no going back this time though. I want to be banded by the end of the year one way or the other. I have attended 3 different seminars,as well as reading info and online info over and over. I live outside of Springfield, Mo. and had Dr. Edwards remove my gallbladder last summer at which time I talked to him about the procedure and indicated I might at some time be ready to go that route and he said it would not be a problem for him to do the procedure or follow up when I was ready for it. I have gotten copies of all my medical records over the past few years in which I will be dropping them off this week. I also went to my doctor today and went over what I might need from her to help in the process of trying to get insurance to pay for the procedure which is through United Healthcare. That info will be faxed tomorrow. My weight at the doctor today was 268. UGH!!! I have gained over 40 pounds in the past 2 years. Well, lets see where I go from here. If the insurance does not pay then my other option will be to seek surgery outside the states and do financing. So life begins..........:nervous [link=http://www.TickerFactory.com/] [image noborder]http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/3;10731;88;0;0/c/0/t/-118/k/a765/weight.png[/image] [/link]

I know a lot of people do eat it, some will say in moderation and some doctor's and nutritionists will say NO..never eat it. I am sure some day, I will have a little bit, but I don't imagine doing it for a while. I'm at 8 weeks and struggling with Protein. I just got pleurisy again (Lupus related) and it's hard to breath let alone eat or dink. I had my first real salad today, ate less than 1/2 of it (mostly picked out some of the meat). The lettuce was rough going down. I guess it depends on how far out you are. It is a slider food, you eat it and you can eat so much of it (pre-surgery for my "forespecial" day out I ate the Largest Jumbo bag of Popcorn at the movies...all by myself, yeah I put butter on it too. That equals 910-1220 calories and 71-97 grams of fat. I lucked out and didn't gain weight because I was careful for 2 weeks prior to this and was on a stall and it kicked me out of a stall. Good luck, popcorn is something I love, but I don't think it's a good idea just out from surgery because the kernels could be harmful to your stomach and there's not much of a nutritional value to them, if you are going to try some make sure you are healed.

Dear body, You sir, are an a*****e. If you are going to act like one, could you use yours more? I dont appreciate being woken up at 6am (after going to bed at 1am) with insistant chatter that now is your time to, ahem, "shine" and to have you get all shy when we get there. This waffling is getting annoying and embarassing. You made us late to work twice last week. I know stomach is being a whiney baby and getting all the attention but that doesnt excuse you from doing your job. And your buddy, brain... Just because colon is all like "tada!" at 6am doesnt mean you need to start with a new round of "what do you think about this". You could have quietly gone back to sleep and made everyone happy. Five hours of sleep might seem all fine and dandy now, but later today everyone is going to be cranky. By the way, could you stop asking for stuff that you know is not an option. I am tired of trying to mediate between you, stomach, bank account and doctor. I know that gourmet grilled cheese on artisan sourdough looks delicious, but bank account is not up for spending $30 fon ingredients for a recipe that stomach will take 3 bites of before whimping out and I dont want to hear another "told you so" from doctor. Bank account hates him too. Last not but not least... stomach. I know you got the raw end of this deal but think of it as taking one for the team. Everyone, well except maybe fat, will be better off in the end. You and I are not on the same page right now, but I trying to learn your new language and how you like to be treated... Give me some time! You have been unreasonably persnickity lately and not like there is a manual. To top it off, you keep changing what some of the rules/signals are and what you like/will tolerate on a day to day basis. Work with me buddy! TLDR: Brain, dont be a d**k. Colon, if you're gonna act like an a*****e, the least you can do is use yours. Stomach, make up your mind. Sincerely, The rest of us at Casa de Queenofthetamazons HW 385 SW 359 CW 335 (50lbs down!) Sleeved 10/5/16

I had gastric bypass dec 16 ,2015 and surgery great but since been home really been hard water is so hard to get down and very heavy ,so if protein my taste buds have changed so much I hate any artificial auger it gags me I even hate natural sugar everything taste like pure syrup .esting at all is slow and get nausea a lot but weirdest is if I walk or do much after 10 minute sweat so bad could wring me out and I get cold clammy has anyone else felt this .this is more than I expected some days and I'm very emotional .does it get easier ? Good side is I have lost almost 30 lbs at 3 week mark

If I could lose a pound for every person who has said to me "How are you not skinny? You eat so healthy" , I'd actually be skinny!!! Yes I do eat healthy most of the time. I cook from scratch, don't use obscene amounts of fats, don't fry stuff, Don't eat white breads/pastas, Avoid any drinks with sugar, Don't eat fast foods..... blah blah blah blah blah.. But still I'm over 300 pounds. Now while my meals were quite healthy, I do have a weakness for some junk foods like Doritos and snack cakes but I resist MOST of the time. During my last push to lose weight I was logging my calories faithfully and sticking around 1600 calories and STARVING ALL THE TIME and doing over an hour at the gym four days a week and losing only ounces.. OUNCES a week. It was maddening.I even was being supervised by a nutritionist. I just gave up because I was still feeling like I was starving and not getting anywhere. Like you, I have no comorbidities. my lipid panel is awesome, my blood sugar is awesome.. Blood pressure is on the high side, but has been this way since child hood and has never increased and it's not considered actually high.. just borderline. I'm getting sleeved in March. I pray that it is the tool I need to manage my weight. I've been obese for 40 years. I NEVER remember a time in my life when I wasn't fat. I am pretty sure I'm going to be a "slow loser" but if I can lose more than mere ounces per week I will be happy! I have been on a a high protein 800 calorie a day diet since December 3rd. I'm down 20 pounds already which is shocking to me given my weight loss history, but have already stalled.. and even crept back up a few pounds without even cheating once. I am figuring maybe I'm retaining a bit of water and I'm NOT QUITTING. I'm staying on this pre-surgery diet until March. This stall has to break eventually and I want to lose 40 pounds by surgery date..... See? already the Sleeve is inspiring me to do better and I haven't even gotten it yet!!! I honestly believe we can do this. I have failed many times because I got frustrated in quit.. and because I was STARVING. I have been blessed with an efficient metabolic rate. Soon I will have a teeny appetite to match it.

BariatricPal Wishes You a Happy, Healthy Holiday Season!#subject#> body,div,dl,dt,dd,ul,ol,li,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6,pre,form,fieldset,input,textarea,p,blockquote,th,td { margin:0; padding:0; } table { border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0; } fieldset,img { border:0; } address,caption,cite,code,dfn,th,var { font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; } caption,th { text-align:left; } h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { font-size:100%; font-weight:normal; } q:before,q:after { content:''; } abbr,acronym { border:0; } address{ display: inline; } html, body { background-color: #d8dde8; color: #5a5a5a; } body { font: normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif; position: relative; } h3, strong { font-weight: bold; } em { font-style: italic; } img, .input_check, .input_radio { vertical-align: middle; } legend { display: none; } table { width: 100%; } td { padding: 3px; } a { color: #225985; text-decoration: none; } a:hover { color: #328586; } div.outer { margin: 0 auto; padding: 14px; } table.wrap { max-width: 800px; margin: 0 auto; } td.logo { background-color: #0f3854; padding: 8px; } td.content { background-color: #fff; font-size: 14px !important; color: black !important; line-height: 150% !important; padding: 8px; } ul { margin-left: 25px; } Dear BariatricPal Members, Season’s Greetings! If you’re one of the 2 billion people in the world who celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas! Happy Kwanzaa if you’re about to celebrate it, and, if you celebrate Hanukah, we hope it has been a happy one. Whether or not you’re in the middle of a celebration, we hope this newsletter finds you well and enjoying the season with friends and family. Here’s what you’ll find. Healthy Tips for This Joyful Day Try a Christmas salad Recent Weight Loss Surgery? Make the Most of It Read through the newsletter, then go enjoy your family and friends. When you need a break, head on over to BariatricPal.com and join the conversations. Have a wonderful holiday, and thanks for sharing it with BariatricPal and the other members! Sincerely, Alex Healthy Tips for This Joyful Day Christmas is supposed to be a day of celebration and thankfulness, but it can be a day that leaves you feeling guilty and sick if you’re not careful. If you celebrate Christmas or if you are just enjoying a slower, quieter day, there can still be a lot of temptations. Don’t let this day end Christmas with you at a higher weight and with dumping syndrome or a needing to visit to your emergency surgeon. Here are some tips to help you get through the day feeling happy and proud. Depend on Hot drinks. Hot drinks are calming, and they take a long time to get through. They’re an ideal defense against high-calorie foods because you’re not allowed to drink while you eat after weight loss surgery. You may need to turn to a hot drink: When your children are opening presents and nibbling on Christmas Cookies in the morning, When your family curls on the couch to watch a movie and everyone else is hitting the popcorn. Before or after Christmas dinner when there are appetizers or Desserts all around. Make yourself a low-calorie cup of coffee, cinnamon or other flavor of tea, or diet hot cocoa. Use Water and, if you need it a little creamier, add some unsweetened almond milk. It has only 30 calories per cup. Add a half-cup to each of four cups of coffee or hot tea throughout the day, and you’ll be only 60 calories to the bad for the day. A packet of diet hot cocoa has 50 calories. Compare that to the hundreds of calories you’re saving by sipping instead of munching! Make a nice breakfast. You know the importance of breakfast, but how often do you really make a gourmet one and take the time to savor it? Probably not often enough! While your family’s chowing down on Christmas casserole and sticky buns, you can be enjoying a high-Protein treat like an egg white omelet with red and green bell peppers or green spinach or kale and red diced tomatoes. Top it with nonfat cheese and serve it with a strip of turkey bacon, and enjoy your 200-calorie breakfast! Just be careful – you may need to make extra if your family starts asking for some! Stay Busy What do you do after the presents are opened and you’re back from church? You’re doing well as long as you choose anything besides eating! But after the long run-up to Christmas and the excitement of the morning, it’s easy to come back home and mindlessly munch. Anything you do to stay busy and prevent the munchies can only be a good thing. Here are some ideas. Write thank-you notes. Serve meals at a soup kitchen. Act out a play or have a reading with your family. Ask your children if you can watch them play with their gifts. Get Moving What are your top excuses for not getting enough exercise? Too busy? Can’t get to the gym? Don’t want to leave your family? Today may be your lucky day – it’s possible that none of those are a problem! You’re not working, the gym’s closed, and if you feel guilty leaving your family to exercise, don’t. Include them in your workout! A simple walk with the family is a good start if the weather’s cooperative. If you don’t live in a snowy climate, you can also ask your kids if you can play basketball or whatever sport they’re currently into. (If you don’t have kids, you get to choose the sport!). If you live in a cold climate, you can make snow angels or have a snowball fight. No matter the weather, you can always stay inside and dance to Christmas carols. They’ll be gone for the year soon enough. Try a Christmas Salad Do you have a Christmas dinner planned at home or at friends’ or a family member’s house? Whether you’re a guest or the host, there’s sure to be a lot of food. The problem is, there may not be anything you’re supposed to eat. How do you make sure you can stick to your weight loss surgery diet and still enjoy the dinner? Take charge by bringing or serving a green salad with some protein. Make enough for everyone and serve it with the main course or ask your host to do so. Then, pile up your plate with salad and have only small bites of some of the other treats. These are some ingredients you might consider. Baby greens, Romaine lettuce, or spinach leaves. Grilled chicken or low-fat mozzarella. Cranberries, pomegranate seeds, or strawberry slices. Toasted pecan pieces or sliced almonds. Water chestnuts or diced pears or apples. Cranberry or raspberry vinaigrette. Recent Weight Loss Surgery? Make the Most of It The holidays are tough enough after weight loss surgery, but they can be even more challenging if your weight loss surgery was recent. You may still be following the post-surgery diet progression. You’ll go from liquids to pureed foods to semi-soft foods before you can eat regular solid foods again. Things may seem bleak since you can’t eat most of the treats and you may still be in pain or discomfort from surgery. Worse, you still have a lot of weight to lose. Why even bother trying? Because it’s worth it, that’s why! If you make it through the holidays on your weight loss surgery diet, you have a lot to gain! Healing well so you don’t have setbacks. Laying the foundation for rapid weight loss in the coming year. Proving yourself that you can do this. Keep reminding yourself why you’re doing this. You want to lose weight and be healthy. These holiday foods will all be around next year. Maybe you can have some then. This year, you’re doing what you can to start a new lifestyle. You don’t get this kind of opportunity often, so try to be excited about it. Think about how much you’ll weigh by this time next year. Remind yourself that by the time January 1 rolls around, you’ll be proud of yourself for sticking to your post-surgery diet. You’re doing a good thing for yourself! Recent weight loss surgery or not, BariatricPal wishes you a happy holiday. Be safe, and be healthy. Thanks for being part of BariatricPal.

I see a lot of newbies asking what they can have during this or that stage of the pre/post op diet. Doctors give different diets to different patients; however the foods on the different stages are often very similar. Here are the 4 stages I had during my post op diet (straight from my post op paperwork): Stage 1: Clear Liquids · Water · Broth or the clear liquid poured off of soup (strain out solids, no creamy soup) · Black coffee (may be sweetened with artificial sweetener; preferably decaf) · Clear juices (not OJ ~ it’s not clear); 100% juice (not from concentrate) · Crystal Light · Sugar-free Jello (with no solid fruit) · Sugar-free Popsicles · Gatorade/Powerade · Herbal teas (caffeine-free) Stage 2: Liquids · All clear liquids · Protein shakes (low-fat, low-carb) · Fat-free milk · Orange Juice · Low-fat instant breakfast mixes · V8 juice Stage 3: Full Liquids · All clear liquids · All liquids · Apple sauce · Oatmeal/cream of wheat (thinned) · Smoothies · Low-fat creamy soups (strained out solids) · Puréed soups/vegetables · Low-fat, low-sugar pudding · Low-fat, low-sugar yogurt · Puréed fruit · Low-fat ice cream/frozen yogurt Stage 4: Soft food (aka Mushy) · All of the items on the liquid food list · Tuna/egg/chicken salad · Well-cooked mushy vegetables (no stalk or crunchy vegetable) · Thinned scrambled eggs (if tolerated) · Baby food · Soft, over-cooked pasta · Soft canned fruit (in natural juice) · Thinned mashed potatoes · Soft sweet potatoes/yams · Thinned oatmeal · Greek yogurt · Thinned low-fat refried beans · Low-fat cottage cheese · Soft/rip bananas This is just what MY doctor had for ME. Your doctor will have different orders. I wanted to post this list to give an idea of some of the things on each list. I hope this helps.

I have read your post a few times and I am not sure where to begin. I am the same height as you, 10 years older, 40DD, and started about 30 lbs heavier. My experience is going to be different from others and likely from yours but I thought I would tell you some of my observations. What I have observed from reading publications and postings is that women around my size, height, 30s ad 40s, over a year's time seem to lose about 10 lbs per month on average. Looks like the average first month is about 30 lbs including the liver reduction diet. My example - 53 lbs in 7 weeks. hair loss: Seems to be a crap shoot. If you do not keep your Protein up, it will be very difficult to avoid. It does seem like those with thicker hair do have an advantage if they lose their hair or have breakage. I have seen many posters remark that the hair had issues around months 2 to 3 and filled back around Months 9 and 10. My example - no hair loss...yet. Breast size - At the outset, I lost weight off my top before my bottom. Still the same cup size but hooking the bra at the last hook and its pretty loose. I was always busty. I am not noticing sag. Saying that, I have seen some women who have experienced a great deal of sag. I do work out with a personal trainer and I am hoping that will reduce sag but keeping me tone. Probably works more with my arms than my bust though! A wise, wise friend of mine once said "Worry about no problem before its time". I used that to get me through to where I am. There are so many positives to this surgery especially if you are concerned about your weight and its current or potential effect on your health, lifestyle, etc. At your age, I think that you would have a very good chance of avoiding plastics. I should mention that the weight does not fall off like it was put on. I was expecting where my weight went on most recently would be where it came off first. It does not work that way with me. Everyone is different. While there are certainly no guarantees, and there is a bit of a leap of faith with respect to the possibility of plastic surgery, this surgery has been a complete game changer for me. Best of luck where your journey leads you...

Hi Guys , post op 1 week ( 2 weeks from first band which had complications and fixed a week later ) . I seem to be having problems I think with dehydration , skin on face dry , my eyes sore , headaches last couple of days , Ive stuck to my liquid diet to the letter and in my opinion I am constantly drinking plenty Water , I walk around with a bottle of mineral water all day constantly sipping throughout the day. Anyway last couple of days Ive been run down , and all the symptoms of dehydration , yesterday I drank a rehydration drink mix I got from Pharmacy and it helped last night , today though as the day progresses I feel headache and a little nauseau setting in again. Where am I going wrong , any advice ? Should I just get more of these rehydration mix packs and take them daily for now ? Do you think its perhaps lack of food .. I know my Protein levels have been very low since op , but today to try combat that I when to store and purchased a load of Low Carb, High Protein shake Mix .. 96 calories per glass which yields 18g protein . Ive only been averaging 28g protein per day last two weeks, so think 2 Protein shakes a day will supplement this up to about 60 -70g daily , I believe I should be trying to achieve 80 grams , but as Im sure you will be aware , on liquids only , getting protein levels up is very difficult. Some help and advice would be very much appreciated. Regards Nick

No problem bignik! My doctor recommended the following during the liquid diet after my surgery: At least 60g Protein per day At least 60-70 ozs of Water per day Try to stay under 1000 cals I made sure to get almost all of my protein by lunchtime and it really seemed to help curb my hunger and made it easier to get through the rest of the day. I had one morning shake with skim fat free milk (180 cals, 29g protein), one shake for lunch and that left about 600 calories for dinner and Snacks and I had already gotten all of my protein for the day. Hope this helps and Good luck!!! :sad:

Well, I would consider the surgery the starting point, not the finish line. But that's me. I had very little pain. It just felt like I was punched in the stomach. Having the drain removed 2 days later was the most painful part of the entire thing. I tried the expensive Protein shakes and Vitamins but then settled on what I could easily obtain in my area, which is Body Fortress and Centrum chewables, both from Walmart. Both do the job.

Hi, I am happy to stumble on this group. I am getting ready for my January 12 bypass surgery RNY. I am doing all the research on Vitamin and which kind is best. Did/do you all find this overwhelming? I spend most of the year in a 3rd world country working and would need to bring these things with me after surgery. The mail system is not reliable but I can also have friends bring with them when they visit is possible. The first two weeks clear Protein, which is good? And a good sight to get vitamin? Also if you hade this type surgery what did you wish you knew before you did it? Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Sometime before surgery I made two lists on my phone. List 1 was all the reasons I was having the surgery. List 2 is a list of all the things i'm looking forward to being able to do as I get healthier. In the tough times/weak moments (even still) I pull out those lists and remind myself why I'm doing this. Helps get my head back in the right place. At parties and so forth - since you're on liquids make sure you always have a Protein shake or Water in your hand and whenever you feel tempted to snack, drink. Also focus on being the social butterfly in the room and talking to people, mill about so you aren't standing next to the same cookie tray/yummy appetizer tray etc letting it tempt you for any extended period of time. And to encourage quality time with family rather than being a hermit, suggest going out and doing an activity - even just taking a walk through the neighborhood, going to see christmas lights etc - anything that isn't focused on food.

How far out are you? How many calories are you taking in per day? Carbs? Protein? How much water do you drink per day? Do you track everything you eat and drink? What do you do for exercise? Sorry for all the questions, but it is hard to give advice without knowing more about what is going on with you and where you are in your journey.

Are you still eating your protein first and making your protein goals? Are you drinking enough fluids? Are you eating enough? Give us some more info.

I stay away from carbs - occasional wine excepted. High protein yoghurt (Chobani) or a small handful of nuts (pref almonds but I take what I can find) are what I use. Carbs of any type make me hungry more quickly and will also trigger an insulin response, and insulin builds fat reserves rather than burns them. My understanding is that these surgeries all perform better for us on a low carb diet.

I try to keep it low carb, atkins southbeach etc. this really works for me. I am a junk food junkie too. I try to give myself treats to reward myself. If you continue eating it your weight loss will be slowed. Its so hard to give up these things, but I had to tell my self that i didnt go through surgery to keep eating those things. for breakfast i usually eat a scrambled egg and 2 turkey link sausages, lunch 2 pieces of turkey breast lunch meat and a 1/2 slice of cheese, and dineer a piece of protein and some veggies.

I am 11 days post op and on full liquids....just yesterday i woke up feeling fairly well. I drank my morning Water and Protein shake with absolutely no discomfort or pain which I had been having prior to yesterday...Before I could literally feel the liquids squeeze through my stomach. Now I drink with no feeling at all...not even fullness. It was so hot out yesterday that I even guzzled my water and crystal light down a couple times...still no discomfort. When I got home I made cream of mushroom Soup. I poured it into small china bowl and sipped on it until it was empty. Just today, when fixing another bowl of soup i realized that the bowl is 7oz!!!!!!!!! oh boy. how did I get down 7oz without getting sick or even feeling it?? after I noticed that I just drank half of it, even though i didnt feel full. At this point, how much should we be taking in per meal?

I am going to start adding protein powder to my food to get away from drinking protein shakes (which I am beginning to loathe) so my question is, when you are making hot food like oatmeal or soup, do you add the protein powder at the beginning and cook it with the food, or at the end when the food is already hot? I added protein powder to yogurt yesterday without a problem, but that was cold. I haven't tried any in hot food yet.

I just started the options classes last week and was wondering if anyone else is taking the classes right now. I will probably be having surgery in march. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using the BariatricPal App

been a while since I've posted.... last I was around, I was preparing to have gall bladder removed...turns out that wasn't the problem... no gastro problems of recent... I am 16 months post op... got to normal BMI at 10 months... am now actually under my goal... wear size 4...21 BMI...25% BF was APPROVED for panniculectomy on first submission to AETNA and was supposed to have that surgery 2 weeks ago however, GYN issue became emergent and I ended up with hysterectomy that day instead... approval good for 6 months so hopefully I will get it in the Spring... Dr says I can get it as soon as 6 weeks post-hysterectomy however I am only 2 weeks out and in a LOT of pain still so that's definitely not happening...besides I need to go back to work for about 2 or 3 months to build up some FMLA time. I have always followed my own eating/exercise path post-VSG...glad to say its still working... I eat plenty of carbs, always start with Protein...plenty of Water.... take my vits & Probiotics.... I haven't really exercised in nearly 2 months and I maintained weight during that time, even managed to get down another 3 or 4 pounds....Plastic Surgeon says for me to expect another 5 pound loss once my extra skin is removed.... I cannot believe at that point I will be struggling NOT to lose weight... MIND BLOWING!!

I am 3 1/2 months out & still have a hard time with fruits & veggies. I have very minimal restrictions, but cant seem to eat much after I eat my protein! Now I take a supplement instead & know I am getting my servings in.

Ok so I had surgery on Monday and I know it's only clear fluids however I don't feel like I am getting enough protein in. Any suggestions? I am currently taking chicken broth, isopure clear liquid, sugar free Popsicles.

What kind of broth are you drinking? Read labels. Bone broth generally has more protein than regular broth. How much Isopure are you able to get down? I like the ProtiDiet liquid beverage concentrates during my clear phase. They helped me get my protein in. Keep sipping!