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I've been down too; I swear if it wasnt for this app, I might've lost my mind already. It really helps to hear from others going through this. My husband tries to be susupportive but he really has no idea. I was sleeved the 14th and honestly was not as prepared for this life change as I thought I was. I know that my 23lb loss is great, but Ive already platoed for like 4 days and feel like I should be down another 10 by now atleast! I mean really i'm not eating like anything!!

Dan, I wasn't offered a 6-week post op fill. Mine came 10 weeks post op....second fill 5 weeks after 1st. It depends on the individual and their docs. Wish my first fill had been about 3 weeks sooner, though, but because of docs schedule I had to wait. He only does them once a month.

I am going 8-3-10 for my consult. I have back problems and have to take Lortab in pill form. Will I be able to take that after I am banded? I know they make liquid Lortab but I was just wondering if you can still take meds like that.

I had surgery on 10/12. I had a little pain the first few days that got better. So I stopped taking all pain meds. Now yesterday my main incision area is killing me when I go to move. I'm sure this is normal but frankly need someone to tell me that. Sorry to sound so needy just tired of this feeling and tired of sleeping on my back already. Thank you!!!!

I was a slower recoverer I think.. I had the surgery Monday, Aug. 18 and took a week at home. The following Monday I went to a computer training for work, and was sitting most of the day but felt AWFUL! By Tuesday I was better, but still sore. I had a difficult time until probably Thursday or Friday of that week sitting for too long, as it hurt my port site (I found out later I had a slight infection.) However, it was also one of my busiest weeks (because I had a lot to catch up on) and had 12 hour days every day that first week back. I was told 4 to 7 days and was expecting myself to be a four day person, as I am pretty young and have few health problems! Nu-uh! I would say it was at least 10 days before I felt really well. At the hospital, the nurses were calling me a "superstar" because I was walking around so much and becoming very active, but that was not at all a prediction to how long it took me to feel good again!!

I was sleeved on 10/26. I was in the hospital for 2 nights, I was not able to pee,so had to have a folly 2 times. Got out and was back in on the 29th because of fever and dehydration. Turned out I had a uti and c-diff. I have no pain or nausea Everyday is a little bit better. Tomorrow I am going back to work part time. Looking forward to it. Today has been an excellent day. Keep moving and you will feel better. Good Luck Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I have been sleeved for over 10 months. It has not been easy! The sleeve is just a tool. I have to work every day to be healthy. it's a personal choice to be sleeved. Easy is doing the same all thing and getting the same results. Doing nothing and remaining fat is easy. I personally have no regrets except for I wish I could've done it years ago. This process does not guarantee weight-loss. You can still be fat if you want to! I choose to work at being healthy! It's your choice make it and live with it.

Need advice, I got a fill on Wednesday it was just a small fill .10 cc but it took the nurse over 5 minutes to find my port and ended up jabbing me multiple times. Since then I don't know if I am swollen from stress from the fill or starting my period but I am having difficult swallowing my pills, I have only eaten mushies. Don't know how long I should wait to see if I should get an unfill or have patience???

Hey Everyone! I decided after reading my pre-op packet that i should start a good pre-op diet. All Of my surgeons lap band pts. have to lose 10 lbs before surgery....im hoping i can do it ! Im gonna try real hard! I started this morning a new somewhat liquid diet. Isopure Dutch chocolate shakes for moring and lunch , and will do chicken and veggies for dinner. Anyone else try this approach? Did it work for you? Thanks for your imput, Jennifer

I would call your doctor. I let mine go too far and had to have an un-fill, I am still taking Nexium 2 times a day, 10 months later. Make sure you don't eat too close to bedtime, I stop 2-3 hours before bed. Coffee seemed to aggravate mine in the beginning but I can have a cup or two or three. ( probably why I'm still on the Nexium) But it could be as simple a being a bit too tight, Mine seems to be aggravated by allergies too.

I was taking prilosec, my surgeon starts it 2 weeks before surgery, I was sleeved on 12/19. He said i could stop 6 weeks after, i went to 8. Yesterday was the first day i noticed it. I have never had issues with Reflux or heartburn. I will speak to him about Rolaids, i was not aware i could use them. Thanks for the input.

Hi! Tomorrow is my pre-op appointment and my surgery date is scheduled for Jan 10! I'm excited but nervous that I will be surprised by the discomfort or difficulty in eating. The thought of eating puréed foods grosses me out. I'd rather just have protein shakes. My question is, is there any advice you wish you would have prepared for mentally or physically to adjust to the surgery better??

Not sure where I got this from.. somewhere that I was doing research on.. but thought it might be useful for this thread. Increase Your Chances of a Good Fill The following suggestions are good rules of thumb and will greatly increase your chances of getting a good fill. 1. Be sure you are very well hydrated when you come in for your fill appointment. That means at least 6 to 8 full glasses of liquid every day for at least several days before the fill. (Remember, Water is your friend). Drink especially well the morning of the fill. If you're flying in, it can be much harder to stay hydrated, so take an empty drink bottle and fill it after you pass airport security. TSA rules state you can bring an empty water bottle past the TSA security check point. Bring some of those "to-go" packs of Crystal Light, they’re ideal! Ask the flight attendants for a refill of your water bottle, pop one in, and then you will have plenty to drink. (Hint - If you flying in for a fill, while you're on the plane, grab a couple of those white barf bags. It’s good to keep one in your purse or car, for "emergencies".) 2. Do not to have any solid foods for at least 6 hours before the fill. Don't eat a huge or late dinner the night before. If you're having any trouble (reflux, possible slip, etc) please have nothing but fluids after dinner the night before. In some cases, food can still be in the pouch for 12 or more hours. ANY food in the pouch will make it impossible to give a good fill, or get a good fluoro 3. Don't drink COLD fluids for an hour before the fill. That will shrink your stoma and give a false fluoro reading, and a poor fill. Room temp fluids are fine. Let the ice in your drink melt and hour before a fill, and then you'll have room-temp fluids to drink right up to the fill time. 4. Avoid getting a fill during a menstrual period or a few days before an expected one. During this time, girls are usually retaining water, and the fluoro will not be as accurate, and the fill will not be either. 5. If at all possible, hang around for at least a few hours after a fill. Don't run right back home or to the plane. It takes the normal swelling after a fill 1-2 hours to develop, and by that time you might be too tight and need to come right back. 6. If you fly in, If at all possible, stay overnight and catch a plane out the following late afternoon or evening. If you are too tight, this will allow time to get a small unfill before you leave. This is not very convenient, but sure beats having to possibly return to TJ in a few days, on short notice, in pain, and at high last-minute plane fares! This is "prevention!" Overfills are not common, but they DO happen, even under the best of conditions. Be prepared, and think about this overnight stay. Test your fill the next day before you leave. 7. After a fill, please have liquids only for at least 24 hrs. This allows the stoma to rest and heal. Then, a day of soft foods, then back to regular foods. Full liquids are fine, no need for clears. Remember, if you staying over night test your fill before you fly out. 8. Review the eating and food guidelines again before every fill. You’ll need to refine your eating more and more with higher fill levels, and there will be less and less room for goofs. As you reach a higher fill level, you'll no longer be able to "get away" with things you might have before! 9. Please don't get a fill if you are having ANY trouble with the current level of fill. This means ANY regular pain, PB or barfing more than maybe once a week at the VERY most, not able to get enough calories in, not able to drink enough, able to eat only soft foods or fluids. More fill will NOT help, and will make things worse. Discuss all this carefully with your doctor. You may even need an UNFILL, to keep your band and stomach safe. 10. First fills are routinely given at 6-8 weeks after surgery, but only as you need them. Many people do, some do not. Your doctor will help you decide if you need a fill, just ask. There is no rush for fills. Too much can very easily get you in trouble, and you end up further "behind" than if you had gone slower with fills. 11. Give a fill at least 2-3 weeks to test it. Some fills don't "settle in" for a week or two, and sometimes more. Your weight loss is what determines how a fill is - not any feeling of restriction, necessarily. 12. One of the most important things in determining if a fill is good is choosing proper band foods. Soft foods, liquids, junk foods, sweets, etc, will NEVER be well-restricted, and will never tell a thing about having a good fill or not. Only solid foods give useful info. A good test meal is 2-4 oz of solid meat or chicken - be sure it's soft and moist - and about 1/2 cup veggies. You should be able to eat about a cup of food (no less) and this should keep you satisfied (NOT "FULL", but simply "satisfied, not physically hungry". for about 3-4 hrs. 13. Plan regular meals. A good fill will keep you satisfied for 3-4 hrs, but no longer. If you are hungry 5 hrs after lunch, it is not because you have an inadequate fill! Regular meals at planned times are important for a number of reasons; including avoiding snacking, maximizing your calorie burn and normalizing metabolism, which is essential for weight maintenance later on. 14. Learn to recognize YOUR "soft stop" sign. Common ones are chest tightness or "fullness", a sudden runny nose, a single hiccup or burp, an eye twitch, back pain, left should pain. All mean the pouch is full enough and we should STOP eating, even spitting out the bite that may be already in our mouths. If you do not, you could progress to the "hard stop" - slimming, pb, barfing. Please remember that good fills are very elusive, even with highly- experienced docs and fill people. There are just too many individual factors involved that the docs cannot control. Even the fluoro is only a clue, and not entirely accurate - for some of the reasons above. It usually takes 3- 5 fills to slowly and safely creep up on a good level, and they can be safely given a month apart. Trying to go faster with a bigger fill is not the solution, and the stomach rebels at big sudden fills. The goal of the first few fills is NOT to achieve a good restriction, but to gradually get your stomach used to some pressure so you can tolerate a GOOD fill later. SLOW and GRADUAL is the key! Going slowly with fills can be frustrating, but is well worth the wait to avoid problems. • After a “fill” you are on a clear liquid diet for 24 hours; then, soft for 24 hours; then, regular food o Clear – juice, water, broth, miso Soup, tea - no salty or iced drinks. o Soft – V-8, yogurt, cottage cheese, smoothies, (no ice cream), pureed Soups, squash, apple sauce. • Call me if you are unable to sleep lying down due to reflux to schedule a slight “unfill”. Do not talk yourself into “working through the reflux”. • Eat Protein at every meal; eat your protein first in order to facilitate proper digestion of this complex food. • Eat three meals daily or six small meals; do not snack – ¼ to ½ cup per meal • Drink water instead of mindless munching (add lemon to water) between meals. DO NOT DRINK LIQUIDS 45 MINUTES BEFORE AND 60-90 MINUTES AFTER YOUR MEALS.• Make sure your bowels are moving daily with ease not effort • Add Fiber into your diet if you are not having complete bowel movements – 1 tablespoon ground flax seed• Have some form of movement every day for 30 minutes • Avoid white flour and white sugar products • You are not allowed to be on an ice cream diet • You may not lose weight if you’re not eating enough • Eat slowly between bites; take small bites; sip your drinks. • Chew your food slowly • Throw out all the junk food in the house • Don’t buy anymore junk food • Eat organic as much as possible to avoid increasing exposure to false hormones, antibiotics, and other toxic substances • Join a support group, Curves, or weight watchers. • Stop eating after 7:30pm during the summer; and 6:30 in the winter • Keep working on the mental emotional component to comfort food eating • Schedule another fill when your portion sizes increase to “old day” sizes or you are feeling hungrier earlier then you remember. • Journal about your feelings, keep a food diary, create a collage of what your future looks like and hang it in your room. • Create a collage of images you want to let go of and burn the collage. • Laugh every day RECIPES FOR AFTER A FILL Master Cleanse Drink (adjust lemon, ginger and cayenne to taste) 4 oz of apple juice Pinch of cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon fresh grated ginger 4-8 TBls of Lemon juice 4Tbls of Maple Syrup or Honey Pinch of salt top off the blender with filtered water Blend till mixed Strain and drink ½ - 1 Quart a day SMOOTHIE: FOR DAYS WHEN YOU ARE ON SOFT FOODS AFTER A FILL OR UNFILL - A 24 HOUR REQUIREMENT FOR POST FILLS AFTER LIQUIDS. 2-4 oz of apple juice or Rice or Soy Milk 3-5 ground almonds 1-2 teaspoons of flax oil ¼ cup of frozen fruit ? berries, bananas, mangos, papaya 1-2 Tbls (or packet) Protein powder (I use a Rice Protein which is hypoallergenic and tastes pretty good) ¼ teaspoon Bee Pollen (do not add if allergic to bees or huge environmental allergies) ½ - 1 teaspoon of chlorella or spirulina

Share.. I am having some issues in this area.. I am making some changes so here I gooo.. discuss, ask questions, feel free to say whatever, I am open. So.... If your single and you date, you can do it a number of ways. I turned into a casual dater who was never looking for a relationship cuz I dont want one. This is an exact science I have down and works well for me. Its been about 10 years and is still going strong. I like it alot. BUT I am moving to a small town, I have planned this for a while. I have decided to date while seeking a real relatioship that I think could have a future. To loook for and open my self and risk relationships that may or may not work, until one does and settle down. EEEEEK I DONT want to do that.. AT ALL. This is what I am thinking... I am 35. My kids are almost grown. The normal thing that most people do is have relationships and seek love and look for lifemates. MAYBE I should just try it and see if I will be surprised and actually like it and benifit from it. Maybe I am just scared and once I go for it, It wont be as bad as I think it is. I admit I dont know for sure. I dont think waiting until I 'want' to is ever goonna happen. My best friend cant even give me an answer. She says I shouldnt do anything that I dont want to do or doesnt feel right,or settle or lower myself.. and especially in relationships and matters of the heart.. She also says the casual way I date is superficial and I should not feel content and saticefied at never finding true love in my life. Its hard.

I’m 10 months out. I didn’t feel like myself until6 weeks.

Normally I would say "F*^% it" and go eat about 10 oreos...but I cant even do that.

I was diagnosed about 10 years ago with sleep apnea and given a CPAP machine that I don't use (I know, not good). Having had my colon removed and now having a j-pouch, I have many bowel movements a day since a pouch does not absorb water like a colon does, nor does it hold as much stool (basically I have chronic diarrhea). I read on another forum that a woman who had both procedures said her life has been hell (this post was from 9+ years ago though) since having the sleeve done and having a j-pouch. She said that food goes right through her, I guess since there is only so much room in the stomach and then the pouch being the way it is? Another woman who I am speaking to who had both procedures done said she had the same issue at first, but it got better. She now takes Lomotil twice in the evening so she doesn't have to go so much during the night, but can handle the extra bowel movements during the day. I'm going to meet with my colorectal surgeon this week (he didn't perform my surgery but is the one who I've been seeing for quite a while now) to go over everything again. It's odd how some doctors say it's fine and others say no way.

How do you know when it is time to get a tummy tuck? How do you know if what you have is a bunch of loose skin, or if you just need to lose more weight? I have lost 80 lbs. and had surgery 7 months ago. I think I may only want to lose another 10 or so, and I wouldn't be able to have surgery for at least another 6 months. Any help would be appreciated!

The best: Getting my life back!!! I feel 20 years younger and am doing things now that I haven't been able to do for decades. Rode 15 miles on my bike today and felt great! Hiking hills, riding my mule, climbing stairs, swimming (in a size 10 suit!!!), getting down and up off the floor, no more sleep apnea, no problems with asthma or reflux, no fungal infections in my skin folds this summer, no joint pain, normal BP and blood sugars (ie: no more metabolic syndrome!), wearing cute clothes, feeling "normal" in a crowd, more confidence, not having to size up the furniture in a room to decide which I will fit into, the list just goes on and on. I took a "Biological Age" test, and I am 16 years younger than my stated age! Hurray!!! The worst: Can't think of any. This is one of the best decisions I have ever made for myself. I LOVE my new active lifestyle and lifelong way of eating. Yes, there can be temptations, but they get easier and easier to deal with as you see the benefits of healthy choices. Sugar and desserts have no appeal at all any more. Neither do processed foods, coffee, soda, or alcohol. I do not even see those as sacrifices - not when I get to eat so many other healthy things. I guess one thing might be that when I go out to eat, I can only finish about 1/4 of the meal. I take the rest home, but the left overs are really not that great past a day, so I end up giving the rest to the chickens. So that's a waste of money. I am learning to order off the appetizer menu and to not let my eyes get bigger than my stomach. It's a process. Another thing might be that I feel a bit self conscious about my face, which I think looks old and wrinkly now. Others tell me differently and that I look younger, but I just don't see it that way. I am trying to be more out going and cheerful so that the wrinkles look more like smile lines than grumpy lines. That's just a matter of building confidence and learning to accept a great new body, but one that looks a little funny in places.

I have so much trouble with fills. Mine don't kick in until 6-10 later. I have learned that I can't tolerate big fills, but small ones of .3 work the best. Even this last time when my saline had leaked out and they refilled me with omnapaque, I still had problems. Why? Because I had leaked down to 1.4 and they put me back to 2.0, which was still .3 less than before the leaking began. I'm convinced its the amount they put in at any given time, not the total in the band. Take it easy after a fill. If you are sliming and PBing you are too tight and the best thing to do is get a slight unfill. You might try having hot tea or hot Water to reduce the amount of slime. You may be having nasal congestion as well. Many drink something warm before eating to remove the mucus and to open the stoma. Good luck

My doctor did not give me any specifics on grams of carbs, just to stay in the 800 calories per day range. Before the sleeve I have oatmeal almost every morning. Since after the surgery we really have to stress Protein I usually have the high protein (I think its about 10 grams of protein) instant quaker oats maybe 1 per week only (because its so high in carbs). On other mornings I have either a scrambled egg or 1/2 cup of 1% friendship cottage cheese with a few blueberries or a non fat plain greek yogurt sweetened with stevia. All of these are high protein options.

Hi laura, i have finished my 6 month diet they require, and the doc test, i need to turn one more paper in from the doc office and i have an appointment with doc on the 19 of this month. and then they summit to insurance. i don't know of anything else that needs to be done. they haven't told me anything else. hope everything goes well with you tomorrow. tammy