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I wish I knew. I take Biotin every day, and I've lost at least 2/3 of my hair volume, and I can't leave the house without a wig on now. I have 6 wigs at this point, so I do enjoy changing up my hairstyles and colors all the time. I'm getting new hair growth, and at 10 months the hair loss is slowing down, but it has left not just extremely thin hair, but bald spots and my hair is completely coarse even the new hair growth is. The promising thing is that there is new hair growth, and I know it will take time to completely grow out, but hopefully at some point I have fairly good hair again. To be fair, I already had thin hair, due to poly cystic ovarian disorder. But this is just beyond my comfort zone of being seen in public like that. I wish I had better news to report on this topic, but it is what it is. There are always consequences it seems to everything in life. It's also destroyed my once beautiful nails. They were so long, healthy, and strong, and now, they are so weak and just bend and have all broken off. I was warned about these things though, before surgery. It will be interesting to see what others are doing, and if anyone else has lost enough hair to warrant wearing a wig, now. I still wouldn't change a thing. Wigs and artificial nails are there for a reason.

So I had my 2-week post-op appt. today. Saw Dr. Schram only briefly...he had more surgeries to get to and since I'm doing well, he didn't linger with me. He did say my incisions look great (still have most of the steri strips attached), my daily food intake sounds spot-on, and since I've lost 13 lbs., I'm considered to be doing excellent. Nutritionist came in and gave me the okay to begin purees. I spoke to her about my enormous hunger right now. She said it sounds like I healed uber-fast and although she would like me to stick to purees for at least 1 week, she said my 2nd week of purees I can begin soft foods...but not too many each day. After that I'm on softs and easing back into normal life. I'm okay with that. I did ask what the difference was between pureeing food before it goes in my mouth versus eating soft foods and pureeing them by chewing them down to nothing before swallowing. She kinda didn't have anything to say about that, which leads me to believe they are just worried that people won't chew well enough. So, I'll puree when I can, but if I'm in a place where I can't, then I'll chew down to puree. I think I've got this all figured out. Today's food: BREAKFAST: 1 peach Light & Fit yogurt smoothie SNACK: 1 large decaf coffee w/ cream LUNCH: 1 cup Cream of Wheat made with 1% milk No snack DINNER: 1 burger patty chewed to puree (no bun) w/ mustard & ketchup 1 TBSP baked beans 3 pretzels chewed to puree 1/2 cup milk SNACK: 1 chocolate-coffee ice cream bar 1 cup milk w/ 1 scoop protein Eh. I gotta do a little better tomorrow I think. For some reason, today's foods don't seem quite healthy enough. Getting used to all this is gonna take some time so I'm not aiming for perfection quite yet. I'm also worried because I have not lost any weight since last Sunday. Weird. On a diet like this I should be dropping like mad. Hopefully (maybe) it's because I'm still on my period?? Could be a bit bloated, although I don't really feel it. I'm going to begin working out 30-40 minutes each day. I'll probably just start with treadmill since I have my baby and getting time away from him to go to a gym is virtually impossible right now. He'll be 6 months old in a couple weeks! My daughter just turned 10 in October, so doing this all over again is wild. It's amazing how much you forget about the baby stage after your kids are older. :eek:

So I had my 2-week post-op appt. today. Saw Dr. Schram only briefly...he had more surgeries to get to and since I'm doing well, he didn't linger with me. He did say my incisions look great (still have most of the steri strips attached), my daily food intake sounds spot-on, and since I've lost 13 lbs., I'm considered to be doing excellent. Nutritionist came in and gave me the okay to begin purees. I spoke to her about my enormous hunger right now. She said it sounds like I healed uber-fast and although she would like me to stick to purees for at least 1 week, she said my 2nd week of purees I can begin soft foods...but not too many each day. After that I'm on softs and easing back into normal life. I'm okay with that. I did ask what the difference was between pureeing food before it goes in my mouth versus eating soft foods and pureeing them by chewing them down to nothing before swallowing. She kinda didn't have anything to say about that, which leads me to believe they are just worried that people won't chew well enough. So, I'll puree when I can, but if I'm in a place where I can't, then I'll chew down to puree. I think I've got this all figured out. Today's food: BREAKFAST: 1 peach Light & Fit yogurt smoothie SNACK: 1 large decaf coffee w/ cream LUNCH: 1 cup Cream of Wheat made with 1% milk No snack DINNER: 1 burger patty chewed to puree (no bun) w/ mustard & ketchup 1 TBSP baked beans 3 pretzels chewed to puree 1/2 cup milk SNACK: 1 chocolate-coffee ice cream bar 1 cup milk w/ 1 scoop protein Eh. I gotta do a little better tomorrow I think. For some reason, today's foods don't seem quite healthy enough. Getting used to all this is gonna take some time so I'm not aiming for perfection quite yet. I'm also worried because I have not lost any weight since last Sunday. Weird. On a diet like this I should be dropping like mad. Hopefully (maybe) it's because I'm still on my period?? Could be a bit bloated, although I don't really feel it. I'm going to begin working out 30-40 minutes each day. I'll probably just start with treadmill since I have my baby and getting time away from him to go to a gym is virtually impossible right now. He'll be 6 months old in a couple weeks! My daughter just turned 10 in October, so doing this all over again is wild. It's amazing how much you forget about the baby stage after your kids are older.

I went through this same thing and still have some pain.. I am 10 days post op- each day gets better-

Going to be a slow go - I would say at most 10 days. Make sure you move and move around a ton right after surgery, It gets better every day! Its the law for medical leave so try and shorten your shifts down a little to 5 hours may be a lot easier, but wait to you see how easy 8 will be when you drop a 100 pounds

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Hello, I was hyperthyroid but had all symptoms of hypo. My blood level is normal and has been for 10 years but my hypo symptoms have not gone away. I am getting sleeved on March 28, 2013 so I hope this doesnt prevent my weight loss. I dont think it will. I am on the preop diet and have lost 15 pounds since March 14 which is 10 days.

Hey everyone, I have been on a liquid diet for since Oct-15, was recently banded on 10-29:thumbup:, and have the worst breath... OMG!:thumbup: I understand the ketosis process and all that... but still it's horrible to walk around with your mouthwash everywhere, and not even wanting to speak. My problem now is I got a white tongue, forget about dead taste buds. I am freaking out a little, is it dangerous, should I contact my Dr. Anyone out there who's been through this situation? Thanks, Christina

I used the one that dissolves on the tongue. I started right away because that gas was really, really, bad. It woke me during the night. I would get up walk around the house for 5 or 10 min. and go back to bed. 3 nights like that, no other pain or I wouldn't have made it.

I have the benefit of having two pre-op diets to reflect upon. The first time around I toughed it out on sheer determination. I thought that I was doing well, but about halfway through I started dreaming of mashed potatoes and spaghetti! The 2nd time was more than 10 years later and really, for the most part, I was back to square one. The difference was that my new surgeon didn't have me on liquids only. I had a protein shake for breakfast and lunch with a "sensible" meal in the evening. Enduring this was MUCH easier, but I had a bad case of carb withdrawal after about 3 days. I had the worst headache that was constant for about 3 or 4 days and NOTHING helped it. I had brain fog, fatigue, irritability. I'll take the dreaming of mashed potatoes and spaghetti any day after that! Hang in there! It's a temporary situation and this will pass. For me, I just kept my eye on the prize. That was inspiration enough to help me stay on track and push forward.

02/10 the first day of Mardi Gras season lol no moon pies for me this year Sent from my SM-N910P using the BariatricPal App

That’s awesome! I’m in Concord now. HW: 311 CW: 262 SW: We’ll see on May 10!

How long after sleeve does the weight completely stop? I have pass my goal weight and I just want to maintain it's hard I am still loosing I am at size 10/12 which I am very happy with from size 22 this month u will be 11 months post op I still work out 3 days a week I am happy just don't want to get too skinny any advice anyone

Hello! My name is Connie. I was banded on 12/12/07 in Dallas, TX by Dr. Benavides w/ Lap Band Solutions. I am from (and live) in MAINE- but made the choice to travel to Dr. B for my surgery because of his stellar reputation etc. My pre-diet (and highest ever!) weight was 296 lbs. At 4 months post op I was at 244 lbs. It's SO amazing to me!! I had my last fill on 01/29/08 and my next one is scheduled for 05/06/08. I stretched it out a little longer the I should have, as I'm feeling as though I would benefit from a fill N-O-W, now! I have an AP-S band. If someone could tell me how to 1)post pictures and 2) get those cute ticker things...that would be really cool! Connie:teeth_smile:

That's a lot of weight to lose in your first 10 days! Sounds like things are off to a really good start. Nah, you don't really want that cheesesteak, you just think you do. It's also good that you're working to establish a routine. That will be helpful later on.

Fill # 4 - 4 Fills in 4 months! Let this be the one! Posted by AngieB, Today, 10:31 AM Admin/Owner Options Make This Entry A Draft

Hi everyone, Happy to meet all of you. I was just banded on 10-12-06 by Dr. Spiegel in Houston. My starting weight was 394 and my goal is 250. I am male, 47 years old and ready to lose. I hope later on I will also be able to provide help and support like all of you do. Mark:)

Hello everyone......I am new just posting today!!! I think this website is great....I have been researching lapband for awhile and there is so much information on here its fabulous.... Well a little about me I am 27 years old, have strugled with my weight my entire life, have a BMI of 37 with existing comorbidities and I am here because I feel this is my last resort to live a happy fufilling life and accomplish what i want too....I have not been approved for surgery yet I am going to my PCP next Monday for a referral letter and have my actual consultation on 10/24...I am very excited and nervous at the same time...I have in the back of my hea what if I dont get approved but then I think its silly because if they dont approve me what is the sense of them even having this surgery around, I am a prime candidate....That is me being the worry wart that I am....I am here to find advice, suport, and friends....Who for once know what I am going through....I get along with everyone and welcome any opions, advice, help, and/or friendships.....God Bless Angie

I was banded Nov. 19. I am feeling so much better this week. I was able to start soft foods and it's so nice to be off of the liquid diet. My port site really doesn't hurt anymore, and my incisions have almost healed. I can't believe the difference a week makes. I was walking for the first 2 weeks post-op, but I have now been able to start exercising on my "gazelle", which is nice since it's very cold outside here! I haven't lost any weight since my first week post-op, but I can tell a real difference in the way my clothes feel. I am a little worried about the lack of weight loss since I eat less than 800 calories a day, but I guess that will come with time and the first fill.....

Hi all, I spoke with the infectuous disease doc today and the surgeon, and after being on Levaquin for 4 days my fevers still go up to 99.+ so....since the infection from my port has traveled up the tubing to the band, the band has to come out in order for all to heal properly. I have had a love/hate relationship with my band since Aug. 6th 2003 when I entered bandland. Despite the ups and downs, the pb'ings, too tight fills, too loose fills, things getting stuck, etc. I was glad to have lost almost 90lbs and had this experience and gained health and self confidence back. I am not sure if I will get rebanded, or opt to have the gastric sleeve done at a later time (at this point I don't qualify), but I thought my band would last forever and I am kind of sad. I am convinced that an improper fill proceedure in March '10 cause this entire fiasco, so please make sure that whoever does your fills does them properly, and INSIST on that they wear gloves, and use more than one needle if they can't get access to your port the first time!!!!!! I have an open wound that is healing, and now I have to lose my band. I am so upset, but make sure you are proactive when your fills are being done!!!!!:ohmy:

What a complete and total waste of my time and sanity. I was banded in October two years ago, and in that time, the only thing I lost was my mind. I feel lied to and cheated, and wish I'd never had this horrible band put in me. I lost 30 pounds the month of my surgery, and then every single time I went in to the Dr, they would take my "weight loss", divide it by the number of months that passed, and tell me how wonderful I was doing. These "doctors" ignored me when I told them the band wasn't doing anything for me. Eventually I lost a total of 50 pounds, but let me be perfectly clear on this. The weight loss was from pure strength of will, the band did NOTHING! I went from yellow to red zone, from eating too much to throwing up every single bite that went in me, with no green zone in between. My body went into utter starvation mode while I was in the red zone, and rather than loose weight, i stayed completely the same, and eventually started gaining it. I exercised, I DIETED harder than I have ever dieted in my entire life, and I got to the point where I was having a psychotic episode over the stress and failure I was faced with every single day that passed. They told me I wouldn't need to diet. They told me the band would regulate my appetite, therefore "dieting" wouldn't be unnecessary. They promised me, no more fad diets, no more stress, just nice, easy, appetite control. What a load of bull. I kept going back to that sham of an office, and every person I talked to would give me a totally new hard-core diet to take. Protein shakes, low fat, low carb, low calorie, point systems, counting calories, eat more cheese, don't eat cheese, eat nuts, stay away from nuts, you name it, someone there told me to do it. Every single time I walked in there, I was given different instructions. Not one single bit of continuity between all the dr's and nurses. All smiles, all "you're doing fine! I know you haven't lost any weight in 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, etc months. I know you can't eat. I know you're stressed out and angry. Don't worry, here, try another diet. Go home now, must get more patients." My hair became thin, and eventually started falling out in clumps, and that's where the psychotic episodes came in. Every night sitting up stressing, pulling out wads of hair, crying in fear and anger. And they said, "Don't worry, you're doing fine. Try another diet." And so they took Fluid out and i went from red zone to yellow - no restriction again. And I gained back 20 pounds. On top of the failure of regaining that weight, it didn't go back to the spots where I lost it. Nope! It focused around my chin and my stomach, so I look like a demented weeble wobble toy now. I wish I'd never had this surgery. I wish I'd had more self esteem and been happy with my extra weight. I wish my life wasn't ruined with the knowledge that I've stressed myself and my family with two years of overwhelming obsession with my weight. And where do I go from here? There is no where to go from here. I'm stuck with a piece of equipment in me that failed - IT FAILED NOT ME - my so-called DOCTORS failed, not me! I've never worked so hard before in my life, exercise, diet after diet, and nothing! What a great life I have to look forward to now. Thanks for nothing lapband.

Hi everyone!! I am very new to this, I just created my account this morning. Im not sure if this is the correct place to be posting this so if its not please let me know. Let me first start off by congratulating everyone on your weight loss!!! ( green with envy over here) I am 39 years old, 5ft. 6 and 216 pounds. I am wanting to lose approx. 80 pounds. I started researching WLS options about 2 months ago. I am still trying to decide between the plication and the sleeve. My story is no different than so many people I see in the different forums. I have tried just about every diet out there even the lovely cabbage Soup diet (gag). My weight has been up and down for the last 10 years. Im so tired of the yoyo and the emotional scars that come with it. Ok so enough of the pity party. What I would like to know is this: What made you decide on plication verses the sleeve? Or any other one How did you decide on what doctor to go to? Have you been happy with your choice? What about emotional eating? Stress eating? If there is a problem after surgery where do you go? ( assuming it was done abroad and you live in the states) Thank you in advance for any insight you may have.

Not much, causes havoc with the new stomach. Sent from my HTC 10 using the BariatricPal App