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I am in the same boat. I had my first fill last Friday (10/01/08) and I ate 2 pcs of pizza and a breadstick for lunch. Should I be able to eat that much?

I used to get a shot of freezing because I was so afraid of the pain but I am also afraid of needles. Just getting that shot would take 10 minutes of me freaking out. After a few fills my doc got tired of it and tried to convince me to try just once with no freezing. It took about 20 minutes to convince me but I tried it ( his nurses had to hold me down a bit so I would move) but it didnt hurt at all. I skipped the freezing from there on in to avoid the extra needle poking

Not sure if my diet would be considered typical, but here goes (from a non vet): Breakfast: matrix Protein shake with chia seeds and Water Pre exercise snack: 2 energy squares Post exercise snack: Amplified Wheybolic 60 shake with water Lunch: 3-4 ounces of chicken patty, 1-2 ounces of green veggie or red pepper Snack: nu go slim Protein Bar Dinner: 3-4 ounces of protein (chicken or beef), 1-2 ounces of green veggie Snack: matrix shake with water I try and eat Paleo as much as possible with supplementation to achieve higher daily protein amounts. If I exercise in the afternoon, I switch my morning Snacks with afternoon snack. Morning exercise is running and afternoon exercise is cross fit on alternating days. I try and run between 5 k and 10 k as fast as I can, ramping up the incline for more intensity and for burning of more calories (800-1000). I do not know the calories I burn in cross fit, but it is difficult, intense and about an hour long. On weekend, I usually eat out for one lunch and dinner, but still pay close attention to diet to support fitness. I found it helpful to eat as low carb as possible up to month 5 and eat high protein. I could not eat raw veggies so well so did green drinks. This kept insulin levels normalized and prevented much hunger. As my exercise ramped up at month 5, I began to eat more good carbs. I have found it a little difficult to control hunger if I eat too many grams of sugar in the protein bar. I am currently switching from a protein bar with 2 grams refined sugar to a Paleo protein bar with raw honey and more carbs. So far so good, but time will tell how this changes my hunger. I hope it reduces as I will not be eating those 2 grams of refined sugar any longer. I tracked like a fiend for first 3 months and then stopped. I keep it simple, repetitive so no need to track once it became second nature to live the daily life of post op without much random food planning. I really do not like tracking if it requires more than 10-15 minutes in the morning so made a decision to eat in a way that does not require tracking. Eating the same thing every day is not as bad as it seems. I do not need a lot of variety of I finds food that fits the form and taste I require. Hope this helps!

I can't even imagine it being that cold! It only gets down to the low forties (between 5 and 10 Celsius) here in winter but even then I have really felt the winters since I lost the excess insulation!

I have friends and co-workers who have had the gastric by-pass or sleeve. Been saving for 9 months for a self-pay procedure. Lost about 100 pounds 10 years ago but have gained it back. Ready to lose it and keep it off!!! I am definitely on a budget and could use tips on surgeons and locations. I have been researching Mexico Medical Tourism, but State Department warnings are scaring me. I have no one who can go with me at this time, and I do not speak enough Spanish to communicate easily. Thanks for reading, Birdie11

I track both calories and macros. My trainer at the gym has me on a 60% protein, 30% carb, 10% fat split. staying at 1000 calories, works great for me.

I didn’t have a C-Section but I did have my son vaginally naturally with no meds. This is nothing in comparison. I was just sleeve last Monday 4/9. The gas pain is what I would say was the worse maybe 6/10? Nothing crazy. I took pain meds day 1 & 2 and after that didn’t take anything else.

My hubby and I are bikers, Bikers for Christ members to be exact. I had surgery 3/19/12 I've list 27 lbs so far, I have no restriction yet, just cut out carbs. Anywho, my man told me today that he could tell I'm losing weight because my stomach used to be against his back and now he doesn't feel it. WooHoo, thats even more awesome being as its summertime and it feels so good to have some air between us. C:

Our Group of 5 has made it, we all will be enjoying a new lighter lifestyle soon...We were all given a clean bill of Health with none of us having any leakage into the abdominal Cavity as they do an X-ray using contrast to verify 0 leakage..... Dr. Almanza and Bettencourt are great, we were made to feel very safe and all the folks were very knowledgeable.and professional..I am down 18 lbs "living the dream"..Take Care

Not sure if you are counting pre Op loss if you were on a liquid diet. The first 10 pounds or so is Water weight now is the hard part. I would stay with egg whites no yolk. There are a lot of fat and cals in one egg yolk. Veggies should be less than 75 cals per serving. Are you doing any exercise? Most doctors say minimum of 30 minutes per day. I'm at restriction do 1.5-2.5 hours moderate cardio a day and loose let than 1 pound per week.

Ok, I have surgery in two days (10-18) I'm nervous, anxious!!!! Can anyone tell me what to expect that day??? My nerves ate getting the best of me

I was banded 2/19/13. I got my 2nd fill Tuesday and i have 8cc in my size 14 band. When i eat it Hurts and get stuck after one bite. Will it get better or do i need to get some removed.

Hi all! Quick question. I attended my first group meeting through the weight management program the other week. While we were there we were told that the meeting was classified as tier 3 and we had to move through this tier, meeting with various doctors and dieticians for a year and also lose 10% of our body weight during this year before we could qualify for tier 4 which was weight loss surgery. I was wondering if this is standard process in the UK when doing this via the NHS route? I’m not sure who else to ask about it. Thanks for reading!

I was banded last Monday, so 5 days ago. I have a 4 year old and a 2 year old. My mother took two weeks off of work to be with me during the day, when hubby is not home. I am so thankful! My surgeon said no lifting over 10 lbs. for 2 weeks. 5 days post-op and I am just now starting to feel better . . . soreness wise! I still can't bend down without some real discomfort. You will definately want help! Good luck to you!

I had always been big...all through school..always size 16+....senior year 2001 i was a good size 22....2003 i was a size 24 and by 2005 i was a size 32......I was always made fun of.....i gained almost 100 pounds in 3 years from being on the depo shot(birth control)so i got off of that...... and then getting pregnant. By 2005 I was at my worst. I walked into the Dr's office thinking I was only 360 back in April of 2005. When I got on the scale it read 380...I almost died. I cried in his office because I was so ashamed. Ashamed over 20lbs!!!! I had researched the band and felt because I had a daughter it would be the safest surgery for me. I am only 24 and was 22 at the time. I thought this was going to be the FIX.....the thing to change my life. I thought that there was no way anyone or anything could stop me from losing weight after I had surgery. I went through all the tests....and got all the required medical paperwork and convinced some family members to pitch in for my surgery. I set the date and started my pre-op diet! From that point on I should have known I was going to be a mess. I was supposed to be on a liquid diet for 2 weeks because my liver needed to shrink for surgery. So i ate everything they told me to for the first 3 days and BAM....the feeling set in.....I WANTED AN ULTIMATE CHEESEBURGER FROM JACK N THE BOX AND I WANTED IT NOW! I couldn't get it off my mind....i was thinking about it allllllll day.....i went to bed thinking about it...and the next morning i went and got one. I figured...what could ONE double cheese burger with double cheese and mayo possibly do......well...it did nothing to the surgery process but it really broke the frame of mind. Before the 2 weeks was up i had eatin 2 not one but TWO ultimate cheeseburgers and a few chicken nuggets. Why? Why couldn't I just do the PRE SURGERY diet? June 8th 2005------So surgery day came....and went.....all went well no complications.....i was on soft food in the beginning and I started to eat Eggs for breakfast....but my eggs HAD to have cheese and butter in them....HELLO!!! What was I thinking.....I remember getting my first fill and at this point I had almost lost 40lbs. 20pre-op and 20 post-op. It was amazing....... About 3 months out(2 months after my 1st fill) I started to become familiar with my band and how much I could and could not eat. I realized that when i would eat too much, i drank a little bit, and it would make the food pass and then i would feel sooooo much better. I never exercised...keep in mind...(maybe got into the pool like 10 times the whole summer) and i was preparing for my wedding which was September 17th 2005. I was so stressed because my weightloss had pretty much STOPPED......I was craving foods like never before and started to eat and drink at the same time...BIG MISTAKE......i was eating at least double what I should have. So I went and had ANOTHER fill. This slowed me down...but still I was not losing ANY weight. I remember eating my first fried chicken after my fill and like trying to manipulate my band into letting me eat more by taking one bite and then drinking....it was the worst thing in the world i could have EVER done. A year after my band was put in I was only 20lbs total lost (which means i gained 20 back) and I was so angry...I promised myself I was going to try and fix things and make it better....So much had happened that year....2006....we bought a house, my husbands dad died of cancer, my husband was leaving for weeks at a time for work...and i was home ALONE with my daughter. I had no energy to keep the house clean(and i still dont) but i would sit and mope.....and EAT.....I would make excuses to people who asked me WHY i hadn't lost any weight. I told them all that it was a slow process and that i had lost 40 pounds(lied to them). This year, Jan 2007...I was just sitting at dinner with my husband and looked down and noticed i had a 12oz strip steak, baked potato loaded....and mashed potatos loaded on my plate. I ate all of it. my band was NOT going to stop me. I also ate bread before that.......and drank sweat tea.... in Feb07 I was online playing around and saw an ad for a weightloss show. Primetime...suppose to be JUST like the Biggest Loser....I thought...hmmmm I'll just fill out the app for shits and giggles.....well they responded and wanted me to send them a tape....so i did. Then in march they had me get my band completely UNFILLED and then flew me out to LA and put me through med tests and interviews,THEY BOUGHT ME 2 PLANE SEATS because i was too big to fit in the plane chairs on my own....pretty sad huh,(cant say much more because they made me sign all kinds of disclosures) They told me it was a show that will be on ABC and told me i would be away from my family for 10 weeks. I thought....this is the chance i have been waiting for. They made me think i was going....for weeks after the interview I was getting called and asked follow up questions and told i was in the top 4....then on March 31 i was called and told the network did not choose me. I was DEVISTATED.............like someone should have just shot me right there. I was so upset...i cried the whole way home(we were out to eat of course) and my husband looked at me and said...why dont you just do it on your own? Ummmmm DUH right...? So about a week went by and I had done a real examination of what i have done wrong and how i have basically cheated myself out of my life! On Easter i saw my family and noticed how no one said i looked good anymore...that's because i didnt.....i looked worse...heavy as can be....and that night i sent an email to my family and decide that enough is enough. Im exercising daily...NO EXCUSES...i posted before/after pictures on my walls in my house of other people who have had the band. I put sayings all over the house saying "whats ur excuse now" and i told my husband that enough is enough. So we decided to start our weightloss exercise on the 9th.....on the 10th I went and had my band RE-filled and since the 10th I have lost 10lbs......unbelievable huh!!! So hopefully all this will inspire SOMEONE before it happens to them. Let my "GAIN" be your "LOSS". Good luck everyone! Krystal

well, it is done. I have the band and was not expecting as much pain as I ended up having, but it was not too bad. I found Dilaudid does nothing for me, and the Morphine just took the edge off. I went in to the hospital at 6:30am and was taken back to surgery at 8:30am. The nurse who prepped me and started my IV kept telling me how she had a friend who hated her band and wished she would have never gotten it. How she had had it for 4 months now and only lost 20 pounds. Then she emphasized how I may never be able to eat certain foods again. What a downer attitude to have to put up with right before surgery!!! She did not know I was a nurse and had researched the surgery and weighed all of the possible outcomes for over a year now. I looked over at my husband and he rolled his eyes at what she was saying. She should definatley not be the nusre prepping lap band patients. Anyways.... I was out of surgery by 12:30 and doing by swallow test by 1:30. Boy was that stuff nasty!! Worse than barium!! Everything looked a-okay and I had my pain somewhat controlled and was up and walking by 3:30pm. We left the hospital by 4:30pm and I just kind of camped out on the couch with lots of pillows that night. Going up the stairs to get the the bathroom was a challenge the first 2 trips, but now is fine. I am a nurse, so the hardest thing for me to do is ask for my husbands help. It is hard to be the receiver of care when you are used to being the caregiver. I have only had to take my liquid lorotab once so far today, at 9am...I am going to take a dose here in a minute though. I was taking it about every 4-6 hours around the clock the first day after surgery and the day of surgery. I will update more later. I took a shower today and that felt really good!! Hope everyone else is doing well!!

You would think they would encourage it, knowing it is money in the doctors hand. I would had to say. I may not be as other pat9 you might see but my health is at stake and I am excited that I lost 10 and if I could lose weight on my own I would have already accomplished that. I think if the Surgeon knew she would be fired. Sent from my LM-Q710(FGN) using BariatricPal mobile app

Cross fit definitely has cardio, but they call it metabolic conditioning. It is a bit like HIIT in that it really trains and pushes your cardio response in terms of stamina and endurance. The metabolic conditioning (or met cons) workouts tend to be short. Most workouts are between 10-20 minutes, but some are even shorter (a good Fran workout time may be 4 minutes or a Tabata style workout might be 8 minutes) and some are longer ( average filthy 50 time would be about 30 minutes, I do it in about 23 minutes). The length of a met con workout, if the workout is for time, depends on how fast you are which translates into how fit you are while paying close attention to good form and movement for a set of core competences. Each workout tests the following list of core competences: Metabolic Conditioning - builds capacity in each of three metabolic pathways, beginning with aerobic, then lactic acid, and then phosphocreatine pathways. Gymnastics - establishes functional capacity for body control and range of motion. Weightlifting and throwing - develop ability to control external objects and produce power. Sport - applies fitness in competitive atmosphere with more randomized movements and skill mastery. There is always room to improve any one of these areas no matter where you are at in your fitness journey.

Second day post op and I am not feeling as well as I thought . I slept ok last night but I have shoulder pain felt a little crampy, I am sure it's gas, the nurse said before I left the hospital to keep moving but how much? I walked 10 mins for every hour should I walk more? Any advice is helpful!!!!

I'm 6 days post op and surprisingly getting my fluids in without a problem. The issue I'm having is trying to get in my Protein since I'm since in full liquid diet phase. I've never gotten more than 40 grams protein in one day which is frustrating because I know the more protein I get in - the better I'll feel. My NUT suggested protein pudding and ohmergawd it's amazing! 1 packet of sugar free vanilla instant pudding (or any flavor your little heart desires) 2 scoops of Isopure Creamy Vanilla (or which ever flavor your have) 2 cups of Skim milk Whisk for 3 minutes or until it sets. Separate into 5 small containers. Servings 5 Calories: 122 Protein: 10 g

I started This Journey a year ago yesterday and it has been far from easy. I had all my testing done over the last year and got my weight down Which wasnt a requirement but i did it to make the surgery safer. I started at 430lbs got down to 365 im now 379 and plan on losing at least 5lbs before Surgery which is in 10 days. I started my 2 week diet and Im excited my original date was January 16th got rescheduled to January 28th and Now my new date is February 26th. Im so anxious and I Ready for this to be over with. I have spent so much money one this surgery and im just ready

Heh!!! I love it. Reminds me of when Mr. Wonderful dried about 10 King size sheets in our old dryer. Needless to say after I pried them out by bracing my foot against the dryer and pulling...it did eventually die.

HI,Im kinda in that position too. I was banded 7/10 and my first fill they put in 4cc . The last fill I got they put 1cc in. I still dont feel restriction. The closest I have come is when I didnt eat slow enough and chew enough. I got it stuck and it wouldnt come up or down. You cant drink so you just have to wait and that does hurt.

Banded about the same time as you. 2/19/13 and down 90, but have slowed to 7 pounds in 3 months. Not letting it get me down though. If you have support groups in your area, attend, attend, attend as if you life depended on it! Overeaters Anonymous and other programs have helped many surgery patients. Maybe if you have a support group through your hospital you can volunteer to be a speaker for groups of new people seeking bariatric surgery. I did that last week and feel like a new person. Will speak again next month at the Seattle hospital. Good luck and keep on going.

I'm glad I found this too! I feel like I've been living on Immodium since my surgery on 4/8/10. I didn't have any when I was on liquids, but I did on mushy foods and now on soft solids I have had it a couple of times too. I'm glad to know that I'm not alone in having this problem. :biggrin: