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I am at 700- 800 calories per day. So 10% of my calories going to these pills is weird. I tried Metamucil and it wasn't working as well. All of the fiber supplements have calories. What is surprising is how high in carbs the calcium chews and multi Vitamins are. I guess once you move to pills they don't have as many calories.

Welcome! I'm relatively new too, and only two people responded to my newbie post, LOL, so I wanted to make sure and say hello! I am approved for insurance-covered surgery on August 19 (can't come soon enough!) and right now am trying very hard (very, very hard) to eat better and do daily exercise so I'm in the best shape I can be before the surgery. Feel free to contact me directly if you ever want to talk or need support! Congrats on starting the process!

Anyone else? Pre-op diet starts this Thursday! I am so nervous and excited! I have three boys (7,5, 10 months) and I'm most scared of a surgical complication. I am looking to lose around 150 pounds. I'm 6'0 tall and have always carried a lot of hidden weight. In 2009-2010 I lost over 100 pounds on my own, but I have gained a little more than half back. So ready to get it off and keep it off!

So I am on Day 6 post op and will return to work on this Thursday. I am a little nervous about what I should take to make it through this second week on liquids. My first week was Clear Liquids and starting today I can progress to full liquids. That is to include my Protein Shakes, strained pureed foods, Soups,etc. I need suggestions on how others have gotten through this. Interestingly, I am not suppose to lift more than 10 lbs and am also struggling with how I am going to carry my purse, laptop case and lunch without exceeding that amount. Funny huh?! I just need help!

How long before you were able to sleep on your stomach? I'm a stomach sleeper and have been struggling to keep myself from rolling onto it at night. I'm 10 days post op.

The 10 days is for NSAIDS.

I like to read the longer, more detailed stories so I know EXACTLY what's going to happen, and so that's what I think I will write now. So... I got to the hospital at 5:15 am for my check in. They took me to a room, gave me the sexy hospital gown, took my vitals, asked me a ton of questions such as, "are you pregnant?"... Then came the shot. I told her that I heard it hurts, and she said "no way, look at the needle! it's tiny!". I admitted that yes, it WAS in fact little and thin and how could that hurt? She gave it to me in the stomach and then said, "see that wasn't bad!". I agreed! She turned to walk out and by the time she got to the door I was doubled over in pain. :biggrin: It wasn't the NEEDLE, it was the actual medicine (heprin, to prevent blood clotting) that hurts! But good news, it didn't hurt for too long. Maybe about 5-10 minutes. After a little bit they came and got me and took me down to the pre-op room, where I met the anesthegiologist. She said I have terrible veins (thanks Mom) and she had to use a baby needle to get an IV going. She said "don't worry, when you wake up you will have a second one, this is just to put you to sleep... I'll give you a better one for the meds but it would hurt too much to do it awake". (hmm, don't worry, eh) The surgeon came in and said hello, gave me some post-op instructions and then they both left to get ready. My OR nurse Jill came over and introduced herself and then complimented my little stuffed frog that I had with me. My daughter told me to take it for good luck, and it's her prized loved worn out little frog. I told Jill that, and she said, "tell you what - I'll let you take him into the OR with you then since he's so special". Awww! So, Little Froggy went to surgery with me. :crying: A few minutes later they took me down to the OR, and then that's when everything got cold and busy. There were 80 million people walking around in the freezing OR, doing 39 million things. Someone was putting a "seat belt" (what he called it) over me, someone was putting my arm on a board to tie it down or something, they were talking about getting some feet boards to tilt the bed where I'd be leaning up during surgery (!)... Someone said "I just gave you something to make you sleepy" and that's THE last thing I remember. Suddenly I was in the recovery room and WOW, the big incision (port) HURT. I felt like I couldn't even talk though... there was so much going on in that room, several other people that were coming out of surgery too, and my nurse was helping this lady who had eye surgery and it was her 69th birthday. She came over after a minute and asked me some questions, what my pain was (I think I said 8), gave me some morphine, the surgeon came over and said some stuff to me... I remember the one thing I was really flipping out over was the things on my legs that prevent blood clotting. WOW. I was hot and sweating all over, and these things on my legs that they put on during surgery were pressing all over the place and they kept tightening and loosening and they felt plastic. The very first thing I said was, "I dont want to do this any more" and someone laughed and said "too late, you are done!" and then I asked for my boyfriend and they said he couldn't come in until I was out of recovery... THEN I said "what is this on my legs?? It's so hot in here" and they took them off and said "oh wow, they are soaking wet - you're sweating!". Someone got a big box fan and turned it right on me and yay, I was so happy! Fan + morphine = YES! She gave me another shot of morphine, and I chilled there for a bit. I started to feel more human and become more aware of things, such as the old lady they were yelling at to stop bending her knees. LOL! I guess she had surgery on her knees but they said "we're going to take you back to the OR if you don't quit!" and she was yelling about how it hurt, etc. MAN that got annoying. Luckily I faded in and out, and finally it was time to go back to my room. I kept trying to make myself wake up some and feel better because I knew they'd let me leave there if I tried. Sure enough! Radiology was not ready for me yet, because they didn't think I'd recover that quickly (it wasn't even fast... my surgery was over at about 8:20ish and this was at 10am) and so I had to go back to my room I was in first thing in the morning. I was never so happy to be back in there with my mom and boyfriend! (As a side note, I remember as I was waking up in recovery someone saying, "what is this frog" and someone else said "that's her daughters, he was in the OR with her" - that made me happy) So we chilled for a bit, then they came at 10:30 to go down to radiology. I had to swallow this gross chalk stuff while they did x-rays. I asked to see, and they showed me my band, my "new stomach", the port, etc. It was cool! The only super uncool thing was having to move back and forth from the bed to the xray bed and back. THAT sucked but they said take your time, so I did just that. My stomach was so sore that it was hard to move. I also had to turn on my left and then right side for another xray, which sucked too. After a few minutes the doctor looked at the xrays and cleared me and they took me back up to my room. Then I got juice! I was soooo thirsty that I couldn't have been more excited about the juice. But then came the bad news. It made me feel SO sick. I had them get water, and that was way better. I think the juice was just too sweet. The nurse said in order to leave and go home I had to drink a certain amount and keep it down, I had to go to the bathroom a certain amount, and the bariatric coordinator for the hospital had to come in and talk to me. That was motiviation!! I could only drink a medicine cup of water every 5 minutes, which was so weird - but they said my stomach is the size of a golf ball! That kind of freaked me out. I started feeling pretty sick when I stood up to go to the bathroom and I thought I was going to throw up - I started dry-heaving, and the nurse went and got me something for that. It helped some but it was a slow fix. I just kind of chilled out for a couple of hours, drinking water, going to the bathroom, sitting in the chair... dozing off some. Then the coordinator came in and started going through this HUGE packet of information. I mean seriously?? I was EXHAUSTED and feeling sick and she was talking all about eating and chocolate flavored calcium pills and oh man, it was just way too much. They should have her come before the surgery. At one point she said, "don't get bored, I am just telling you this stuff because you need to know it all". I wasn't bored, I was tired! That kind of annoyed me, but finally she was done and she left. Whew! They said the last thing I had to do was walk with that coordinator down the hall and back to make sure I was okay and then they'd let me go. We did that, and she asked how I felt. I said still a little sick, very sore, and very tired. She said the gas is what makes you sick and the best way to get it out is to walk. I didn't know this, but when you walk around the gas gets absorbed in your body. Otherwise it just sits there until you can "pass" it. So we got done with our walk, she cleared me, and I go to go home! My surgery was at 7:15am and I left at 2:30. I felt pretty dang bad when I got home. I kept thinking, WHAT did I do this for? I took some stuff for my stomach, and that helped some. I was so sore that I couldn't walk much, and I am sure the gas was just building up inside me. I was almost regretful of what I had done but I got reassurance from another MAYO BANDITO, Bethany. She reminded me that some think the gas is the worst part of it all, and some do regret doing it for that reason. Just to know that the feelings I was feeling were normal helped me so much. So, thanks again Bethany! I guess that's it! That's my story. I want to always remember how it went and how I felt so that I can motivate myself to make this work! I will be a happy person if I never have to go into an OR again. :cool2:

I'm not hearing anything that is making me change my mind. R.E. Preeclampsia.. had it with my first pregnancy, when I became pregnant when I was 169lbs. I did make it full term, but induced when I started dropping protein in my urine. Baby and Mom were fine. My next 3 pregnancies all went fine with no complications, with starting weights at 180lbs, 225lbs, 245lbs. I gained 40lbs with each one, except #2 where I gained 65! Do you see a trend? After each pregnancy, I did drop the pregnancy weight gain each time, but some of that weight always made its way back after weaning, in time for the next pregnancy. I didn't develop gestational diabetes, but 10 years after the last pregnancy, I became prediabetic. What the surgery does is clean up old metabolic issues and gives you a clean slate. (At least, that's the hope.. works for some, but it's not guaranteed). What you do with that clean slate is up to you. After you get surgery, you really have to be on a "diet" the rest of your life. You can always gain weight back, the same as anyone. But, the surgery is a one-time opportunity.. and I'm SOOOOO glad my family was complete before considering going under the knife, so my clean slate can remain that way. Maybe you can talk with your doc about how risky they believe a pregnancy will be (before or after surgery).. a lone voice on the internet shouldn't necessarily sway you one way or the other, but I urge you to get as much information from your own network as possible. Many people here get the surgery so they CAN get pregnant. Without it, they are infertile. For those people, they only have one choice if they want to be parents, and I wholeheartedly support them. For you, it sounds like you have options. And if slow weight loss is discouraging enough to stop your diet attempts... it's a bit concerning to me, since postop it is nothing but dieting. What I would love to see you do, is try one of the diets again (and I can give you one if you like), work on your mind game and nutritional status.. drop a few pounds, and when you're ready, get pregnant, have your baby, and after a couple years get the surgery. Sure, you'll be a few years older, but you'll use those years to learn more about the surgery and practice healthful eating, so when you do get the operation, you'll be completely ready.

Thought some of you might find this interesting... 5 Ways Vitamin D Could Save Your Life 'GMA' Medical Contributor Marie Savard Explains the Best Ways to Get Vitamin D By RAQUEL HECKER Aug. 3, 2009 — Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin, and it has a lot of sunny benefits, but most Americans aren't getting them because they aren't getting enough of it. Between 50 percent and 75 percent of Americans get suboptimal levels of vitamin D, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Now a committee at the Institute of Medicine is meeting to determine whether the recommended daily intake of vitamin D should be increased. ABC medical contributor Dr. Marie Savard came on "Good Morning America" today to offer five ways vitamin D can aid your health and tell you how to get more of it. Why People Are Vitamin D Deficient Nature gave us only one good source of vitamin D, and that is the sun. We are meant to absorb vitamin D from the sun through our skin. When we lived closer to the equator and worked outdoors, we were OK. But that is not the case today. And food is not a good source of vitamin D, not even fortified food. Five Ways Vitamin D Can Save Your Life Promotes Weight Loss - You need vitamin D to effectively lose weight. Your insulin works better, and vitamin D helps you lose belly fat. Diabetes is also related to low vitamin D levels. Reduces Risk of Death - Your overall mortality is reduced. Fewer Bone Fractures - Without vitamin D, Calcium can't be absorbed. But if you get enough vitamin D, it can help you avoid osteoporosis, bone fractures and falling, which is a cause of morbidity among the elderly. Reduces Risk of Heart Disease - Vitamin D improves blood flow by relaxing the blood vessels and lowering blood pressure. Helps Fight Cancer - Vitamin D improves the functioning of your immune system, and that helps fight cancer. Five Ways to Get Vitamin D 15 Minutes of Sun 3 Times Per Week - You can get 10-15 minutes of high-noon sun exposure in warmer climates a few times a week. In the South you can do this all year long; but in the North it will work only in the summer months. But this is unrealistic for those who already wear sunscreen all day, or have been warned to stay out of the sun by their doctors. Fatty Fish and Cod Liver Oil - If you are one of those people who have been warned to stay out of the sun, another good natural source of vitamin D is fatty fish. In food, vitamin D is naturally found in fatty fish like salmon and in cod liver oil. Fortified Dairy Products - You also can get vitamin D in fortified dairy products. But you need to be careful. There are only 100 units of vitamin D per cup, so kids and most adults would need at least four cups of dairy products per day. You could drink four glasses of milk a day, but most people choose not to. Multivitamin supplements - Most Multivitamins have a substantial amount of vitamin D. Vitamin D Supplements - I recommend 1000 to 2000 international units of vitamin D supplements every day. It's cheap, there are no side effects or down sides. Although D3 is considered more potent and longer lasting, both D2 and D3 are acceptable. Copyright © 2009 ABC News Internet Ventures

I had my first fill June 24 with 2 cc placed in a 10 cc band. My fill was exactly the same, sitting up with a huge needle sticking out of my stomach. Freakin' weird! There was absolutely no pain at all (and I have a very low tolerance for pain). My doctor said to come back in a month if I haven't lost 6 pounds in that time. I'm calling tomorrow for that appointment already and see if I can get in sooner! I can still eat like a lumberjack! I felt the water restriction during my fill in the office but not so much after. I know it may take a few more fills to get it right but I've had no weight loss since surgery. Sadly I've actually gained a few. I won't give up. My time will get here....just wish it was sooner than later!

I'm right with you! Surgery date 2/19. So excited, good luck to you and I wish you tons of sucess on your new journey!

1 lb lean ground beef 1/4 cup chopped onion 1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning mix 1 egg, beaten 2 cups cooked rice 4 -6 bell peppers 1 (19 ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 (15 -16 ounce) jar salsa shredded cheddar cheese sour cream Directions: Combine beef, onion, seasoning mix and egg in a large bowl. Add rice and mix well. Cut peppers in half lengthwise; remove seeds and membrane. Spread tomatoes on the bottom of an ovenproof 12 X 9 inch baking dish. The liquid from the tomatoes will reduce during cooking so if (like me) you like lots of sauce, add about a cup of Water. This also helps make the peppers softer. Place peppers, cut side up, on top of the tomatoes. Spoon beef mixture into peppers, mounding as necessary. Top each pepper with salsa. Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 40-45 minutes or until beef is cooked thoroughly and peppers are soft. Cover each pepper with cheese and return to oven, under the broiler, until the cheese melts- less than a minute, so watch carefully! Serve with sour cream and additional salsa

I had it really bad for a couple of days, about 7-9 days post-op. And it was BAD. But it subsided, and now at 10 weeks out, I have the reverse issue

The best thing to do is go to your health insurance provider’s website and email them requesting a copy of your plan’s requirements for an approval for WLS. They should email you a copy within a couple days. But odds are good that if your doctor is telling you it’s required, it’s required. I’ve worked in medical for a LONG time. If your a specialty medical provider, you’re going to be incredibly familiar with the requirements for every health plan you accept at your office. I never trust a basic representative from a customer service line when it comes to healthcare. They usually have no idea when it comes to anything other than regular pcp and rx care. Anything with a specialization and they tend to not know. HW: 311 CW: 258 SW: We’ll see on May 10! First goal weight: 191 lbs Second goal weight: 159 lbs Goal weight: 142 lbs 5’6” 34 yo female in NC

I don't mean to scare you but you asked for honest answers about what to expect from breast augmentation... All I can say is that a C-section, nose job, tummy tuck and lab band surgery that I've all had are all a piece of cake compared to having a breast job! I had it done 10 years ago and it was the most painful thing I have ever gone through! Again, I don't want to scare you but help prepare you for the reality of what you are going to endure. The put the implant under the muscle therefore just by lifting your arms to your chin is like pulling teeth. Would I do it over again? In a heartbeat! It just was so painful and the recovery was very intense! Beauty is pain. Everyone has to determine how much of it they are willing to go through to achieve it. I wish you the best and beautiful breasts!

I have a pretty reliable cycle...10-12 days of fairly rapid weight loss, then 10-12 days of "adjustment period". I tend to lose between 6-8 pounds per cycle, and lose inches (or parts of inches) when I'm not losing weight.

Hey Congrat!!!!!! I probably was to nervous to feel anything.....I go back for a 2nd fill on August 17. I can not wait tio start droping more lbs myself...... I really wish I could lose about 10 to 15 more by my birthday October 6, I will be 30. I would love to be looking sexy around that time...lol..... Keep up the good work, and continue to encourage yourself...Its hard not to play into what you hear other people do or what they are not gettiing, but we don't know there full story....So keep the faith!!!!

Hi all.. my name is Wendy. I had the lapband surgery on 05/31/11 and had done really well until about a month ago. My highest weight was 286 and my weight as of Saturday was 141. I started throwing up blood about a month ago. My stoma was becoming eroded from acid reflux. Long story short, I ended not being able to hold anything down and got really dehydrated. I ended up having an emergency revision this past Monday. I am unfamiliar with the sleeve. Can you tell me some of your experience with it?

Water, protein shake, broth and Lortab all in those little 1oz cups which I saved up and brought home with me... very helpful in the first week! No purees till day 10

The Latest on Nutrition and hair Loss in the Bariatric Patient by Jacqueline Jacques, ND Nutrition and Hair Loss A common fear and complaint of bariatric surgery patients is postoperative hair loss. While for most of us as people, our hair is important as part of our self-image and body image, it is not very important to our bodies. For this reason, nutrition can have a great impact on hair health because when forced to make a choice, the body will shift nutritional stores to vital organs like the brain and heart and away from hair. Hair loss has many causes. The most common type of hair loss after weight loss surgery is a diffuse loss known medically as telogen effluvium, which can have both nutritional and non-nutritional causes. Whether you are aware of it or not, for most of your life you are always in the process of both growing and losing hair. Human hair follicles have two states: anagen, a growth phase, and telogen, a dormant or resting stage. All hairs begin their life in the anagen phase, grow for some period of time, and then shift into the telogen phase,which lasts for approximately 100 to 120 days. Following this, the hair will fall out. Typically, about 90 percent of hairs are anagen and 10 percent are telogen at any give time—meaning that we are usually losing a lot less hair than we are growing, so the hair loss is not noticeable. But sometimes this can change. Specific types of stress can result in a shift of a much greater percentage of hairs into the telogen phase. The stressors known to result in this shift, or telogen effluvium, include the following: high fever, severe infection, major surgery, acute physical trauma, chronic debilitating illness (such as cancer or end-stage liver disease), hormonal disruption (such as pregnancy, childbirth, or discontinuation of estrogen therapy), acute weight loss, crash dieting, anorexia, low Protein intake, Iron or zinc deficiency, heavy metal toxicity, and some medications (such as beta-blockers, anticoagulants, retinoids, and immunizations). Nutritional issues aside, bariatric surgery patients already have two major risks of major surgery and rapid weight loss. These alone are likely to account for much of the hair loss seen after surgery. In the absence of a nutritional issue, hair loss will continue until all hairs that have shifted into telogen phase have fallen out. There is no way of switching them back to the anagen phase. Hair loss will rarely last for more than six months in the absence of a dietary cause. Because hair follicles are not damaged in telogen effluvium, hair should then regrow. For this reason, most doctors can assure their weight loss surgery patients that with time and patience, and keeping up good nutritional intake, their hair will grow back. Discrete nutritional deficiencies are known to cause and contribute to telogen effluvium. One should be more suspicious of a nutritional contribution to post-bariatric surgery hair loss if any of the following occurred: 1. Hair loss continued more than one year after surgery 2. Hair loss started more than six months after surgery 3. Patient has had difficulty eating and/or has not complied with supplementation 4. Patient has demonstrated low values of ferritin, zinc, or protein 5. Patient has had more rapid than expected weight loss 6. Other symptoms of deficiency are present. Iron Iron is the single nutrient most highly correlated with hair loss. The correlation between non-anemic iron deficiency and hair loss was first described in the early 1960s, although little to no follow-up research was conducted until this decade. While new research is conflicted as to the significance of ferritin as a diagnostic tool in hair loss, it has still been found that a significant number of people with telogen effluvium respond to iron therapy. Optimal iron levels for hair health have not been established, although there is some good evidence that a ferritin level below 40mg/L is highly associated with hair loss in women.1 It is worth noting that this is well above the level that is considered to be anemic, so doctors would not be expected to see this as a deficiency. Zinc Zinc deficiency has been tied to hair loss in both animal studies and human cases. There is data linking zinc deficiency in humans to both telogen effluvium and immune-mediated hair loss. Zinc deficiency is a well-recognized problem after biliopancreatic diversion/duodenal switch, and there is some indication that it may occur with other procedures such as gastric bypass and adjustable gastric banding. In 1996, a group of researchers chose to study high-dose zinc supplementation as a therapeutic agent for related hair loss2 in patients who had undergone vertical banded gastroplasty. The study administered 200mg of zinc sulfate (45mg elemental zinc) three times daily to postoperative patients with hair loss. This was in addition to the Multivitamin and iron supplements that patients were already taking. No labs for zinc or other nutrients were conducted. Researchers found that in patients taking the zinc, 100 percent had cessation of hair loss after six months. They then stopped the zinc. In five patients, hair loss resumed after zinc was stopped, and was arrested again with renewed supplementation. It is important to note that in telogen effluvium of non-nutritional origin, hair loss would be expected to stop normally within six months. Since the researchers conducted no laboratory studies and there was no control group, the only patients of interest here are those who began to lose hair again after stopping zinc. Thus, we cannot definitively say that zinc would prevent hair loss after weight loss surgery, and further study would definitely be needed to make this connection. A further note: The tolerable upper intake level (UL) for zinc is set at 40mg in adults. This study utilized a daily dose of more than three times that level. Not only can these levels cause gastrointestinal distress, but chronic toxicity (mostly associated with copper depletion) can start at levels of 60mg/day. Information related to this study has made its way to many a support group and chat room—even to doctor’s offices—with the message that “high-dose zinc will prevent hair loss after weight loss surgery.” Patients should be advised that high-dose zinc therapy is unproven and should only be done under supervision due to the associated risks of toxicity. A lab test to check for zinc deficiency would be best before giving a high dose such as this. Protein Low protein intake is associated with hair loss. Protein malnutrition has been reported with duodenal switch, and in gastric bypass to a much lesser degree. Little is known about incidence, as only around eight percent of surgeons track labs such as total protein, albumen, or prealbumen.3 Limited studies suggest that patients with the most rapid or greatest amounts of weight loss are at greatest risk.4 With surgical reduction of the stomach, hydrochloric acid,5 pepsinogen, and normal churning are all significantly reduced or eliminated. Furthermore, pancreatic enzymes that would also aid in protein digestion are redirected to a lower part of the small intestine. It is thus likely that maldigestion rather than malabsorption is responsible for many cases. Some studies have also implicated low protein intake.6 Research also indicates that low levels of the amino acid l-lysine can contribute to hair loss and that repletion of lysine stores may both improve iron status and hair regrowth. In a study of anemic patients with hair loss who were supplemented with 1.5 to 2g of l-lysine in addition to their iron therapy, ferritin levels increased more substantially over iron therapy alone.1 Biotin Many individuals believe that supplementing with, or topically applying, the nutrient biotin will either help to prevent hair loss or will improve hair regrowth. To date, there is no science that would support either of these presumptions. While biotin deficiency can cause dermatitis, hair loss is only known to occur in experimentally induced states in animal models or in extreme cases of prolonged diets composed exclusively of egg whites.7 Other Other nutrients associated with hair health include Vitamin A, inositol, folate, B6, and essential fatty acids. Hair loss can also be caused by systemic diseases, including thyroid disease and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and is influenced by genetics. Conclusions Hair loss can be distressing to bariatric surgery patients, and many will try nutrition themselves to see if they can prevent it. Unfortunately, there is little evidence that early hair loss is preventable because it is most likely caused by surgery and rapid weight loss. Later hair loss, however, can be indicative of a nutritional problem, especially iron deficiency, and may be a clinically useful sign. Educating patients about the potential for hair loss and possible underlying causes can help them to make informed choices and avoid wasting money on gimmicks that may have little real value. References 1. Rushton DH. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2002;27(5):396–404. 2. Neve H, Bhatti W, Soulsby C, et al. Reversal of hair loss following vertical gastroplasty when treated with zinc sulphate. Obes Surg. 199;6(1):63–65. 3. Updegraff TA, Neufeld NJ. Protein, iron, and folate status of patients prior to and following surgery for morbid obesity. J Am Diet Assoc. 1981;78(2):135–140. 4. Segal A, Kinoshita Kussunoki D, Larino MA. Postsurgical refusal to eat: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or a new eating disorder? A case series. Obes Surg. 2004;14(3):353–360. 5. Behrns KE, Smith CD, Sarr MG. Prospective evaluation of gastric acid secretion and cobalamin absorption following gastric bypass for clinically severe obesity.Dig Dis Sci. 1994;39(2):315–20. 6. Moize V, Geliebter A, Gluck ME, et al. Obese patients have inadequate protein intake related to protein intolerance up to 1 year following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Obes Surg. 2003;13(1):23–28. 7. Mock DM. Biotin. In: Shils M, Olson JA, Shike M, Ross AC, eds. Nutrition in Health and Disease. 9th ed. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins; 1999:459–466.

Yesterday I saw had a series of appointments that left me mentally exhausted, mildly depressed and angry to the point I have decided to take the rest of the week off from work because I just do not have the energy to deal with anyone right now. My morning started off with a visit to the counselor. As usual she was a delight to talk to and after we played catch up (I hadnt seen her in a year+) she told me she would contact the psych so I could get cleared and we planned to touch base next month. I then headed to the surgeon's office which had been moved due to flooding. The small cramped temporary office was uncomfortable and the staff seemed as cranky as the patients who now had a longer wait time because there was only 2 exam rooms. My appointment with the vascular surgeon to discuss the placing of the filter to prevent clots was cancelled without explanation. I saw the nutrionist who always gives me the impression she wishes she was fishing or something. She weighed me (i lost 1 whole pound) and then began to tell me what was good and bad about my food diary. Although she is encouraging, I always feel like she is talking to me like I am a food idiot. Next was this nurses practioner who I had seen at support meetings. I had never seen her before and if I never see her again I would be fine. She had the skinny girl snobby attitude thing about her and after a while I completely shut down because she was such a b*tch. I also checked with the office manager about my sleep study follow up explaining I had left because I was told via phone I had mild sleep apnea and I would probably be treated after surgery. Well that was not in the report sent to the doctor and according to them I would need to be treated at least 2 weeks prior to surgery. My next appt date with the sleep study people..11/24. Yeah November. At that point, the wind was fully let out of my sails, and I was too angry to think, let alone reschedule my appointment with the surgeon who said he wanted me to return in 6 more weeks. I told the secretary I would call her back since its really no point in returning until after I see the sleep people since I do not have the time to take off from work and I have grown very tired of paying all of these co-pays and spending all this time running around to be no closer than I was a month ago. As I walked over to the hospital to get the thyroid ultrasound also suggested by the surgeon, I thought about throwing my hands up and trying to either lose weight on my own or just accept who I am as I am. Because my self esteem has been taking more of a beating going through this process than it had ever before. But I went anyway and 10 minutes later was told my the xray tech that I DID have an enlarged thyroid and nodes on each side. WHAT!!!! I have been hearing for years that I should have my thryoid checked by different doctors only to have my PCP dismiss it as me just having "a fat neck". My level of discouragement instantly shot up another 100 points and I left the hospital with my head hung low, my disappointment level even higher and the realization this will definitely delay my surgery even more because now I will have to be treated for the thyroid. When I got home later, I read my horoscope and it was weird. It suggested I finish painting. It went into detail saying..you picked the color, you got the paint, you prepared the house, now get to painting and finish. I saw the message between the lines and realized despite the delays this will cause, I can not quit at this point but instead use this additional time to really get my mind right and to change the habits I continue to struggle with. While having the date now pushed out probably until Dec at this point (which actually coincides with my original desires to do it around Christmas) is disappointing, I will keep doing God is directing me to do since I always believed this is His will and not mine and things will work out based on that.

Hey, good luck on your journey. I am getting my lap band surgery tomorrow and am a little nervous and very hungry. I am also looking for lap band buddies. My daughter had the surgery last year and has lost 70 pounds and I'm hoping I have the same success. She has had a few problems with overfills and then having to get Fluid let out but one step at a time. I don't plan on getting any fills for quite a while. Im glad you are doing it for your health. Im almost 50 and my body is killing me. Back pains, knee pains, shortness of breath, I want to live longer so I'm excited. This last 10 days of a liquid diet was kind of hard but I did cheat twice. Opps. Well have fun in vegas and drink a beer or two for me. Keep in touch. Ms. Serenity. :biggrin::smile2:

Just went through my first stall. Yes it is normal. It's still upsetting. You need to look at the whole picture in two weeks you lost 18#'s. Heck I'm 5 weeks out and I've lost 19 total. Keep doing everything required for your plan. If your following that then you are doing all you can do. The rest is up to your body. Maybe try staying off scale will help.

So, here is the deal and I have read a lot of posts about strictures and I don't think this is the issue, but would love to hear from others. My surgeon used a 54 French bogie. So, that being the case, you would think I would have no issues getting food or Water down. I was sleeved on April 16. I am still struggling with eating and drinking. So far since 7:00 a.m. I have had one 12oz. Syntrax Protein drink made with water and ice. I did not blend the ice, just added ice to keep it cold as it takes me so long to drink it. At 10:00 I was hungry, so I got my tuna with mayo mashed to death out and started to eat it. I have had 3 very small forkfuls, chewed to dust before swallowing and I feel like it is stuck between my throat and my stomach. If I wait 15 to 20 mins, the feeling starts to subside until I decide to take another small forkful and then it starts all over again. I am not vomiting, but I feel like things don't want to pass, or they don't want to pass easily. Has anyone had a stricture or narrowing without vomiting? Do any of my fellow April sleevers feel this way still and maybe my stomach is just not healed yet and is still really swollen? Thanks much. I appreciate it. Karen