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Hey Kaybug, I agree, it matters not what you're losing at this point. Try to get away from the old diet mentalities. The fact is, you have your band in and the weight loss will happen and it will continue past the first 10 pounds. Isn't that great?! No more stressing over every pound. Just relax and let the time go by. Now, be prepared.. it is possible that you will gain a few pounds prior to your first fill. As the swelling goes down in your tummy, there is less restriction and hunger will return, so you'll gradually eat more. This is very common but doesnt always have to be true. If you watch your calories and stick to your post-op diet, no cheating with ice cream and stuff, then you won't gain. If you do though, it's no great loss because once you start getting fills you will lose that weight. This is definitely the time to be thinking about healing, not losing weight. They won't tighten you down yet because you aren't even eating solid foods yet, and youre still swollen. How would they be able to tell what you can truly eat? Some people find they don't even need a fill once they are on solid foods. *hugs* I was scared to death to put anything new into my mouth. I'm gradually getting over that but there are some things I choose to keep a healthy fear of - breads and pastas of any kind being at the top of my fear list. If you take small bites, and really concentrate on chewing until the food is almost nothing before you swallow, then you'll be ok. If you start to chew something and find it stringy or worrisome, spit it out. One more thing, I was so scared to get that first fill that I almost got upset in the Dr's office. But once it was done I felt silly. It was completely painless. Not even a sting. Hope I've helped some. I sure do remember being where you are now. Try to relax, you're doing fine.

The same thing happened to me. I was so sure before I got a date (12/10) then all of a sudden I started doubting myself. I prayed a lot and I'm back to feeling confident that this is what I want to do. I do always lay out my insurance folder whenever I go into a hospital just in case. (Never know what you can catch there). I'm anxious now because surgery is just days away and I'm trying to fight a cold, if I still have it on Monday they won't do it, and it will be another month before I get a date.

I was banded 12/11/08. Up until last week, I have been that extremely LUCKY one that had never felt hunger since banded. On 1/19/09 I had my 1st fill 2.5 cc in a max 4.0 cc band. I know my eyes want more than I need so measuring is a must 1/2 cup per meal is what I eat. Since 1/22/09 I caught a case of whooping cough...turned into bronchial inflamation... 4 trips to GP 2 antibiotics, then Prednisone(10 days) and steroid inhalers... This past week I have been STARVING. My meals aren't doing a thing for me ... thank heaven for work ... I can't get to food and my DH is trying to help by distracting me... when I can't take it anymore I get a prepackaged piece of string cheese or some type of protein. It hasn't helped my mental state that the scale keeps going up ...6 lbs this week. I'm trying hard to stay on the program and I feel I'm not that far off. I did call and talked to my support bariatric nurse today. She said it is the result of the Prednisone and I still have as many days as I was ON Prednisone that I will be feeling the side effects that many days OFF and could continue to gain. Encouraging ...yuck. She encouraged me to keep doing what I'm doing...if I have to stick with the solid protein...Once the Prednisone is out of my system my body will turn lose of everything it was hanging on to. All this said I still have the urge to eat everything and the kitchen sink! I want to scream, rant and rave. So thanks for keeping me at the keyboard right now...It is so nice to have all of you that understand and help me out. I keep telling myself this is only a short term situation and it will get better... I guess I kind of got spoiled with the no hunger thing! Anyway thanks for letting me spout off. Deb Highest lifetime wt. 386 1st visit to dr. 376 Surgery 343 Today 315

I'd like to know this too. I didn't take ibuprofen for a month before or a month after surgery, because of the bleeding risks. I didn't get instructions to keep off them any longer than that, but also nothing about it being okay. I've taken ibuprofen maybe 10 times in the last 6 months. I don't think it's hurt me..

Hang in there you can do it. I don't know what your doctor told you but this is basically what I lived on, chicken boullion or beef, apple juice, hot apple cider, hot tea (green tea for me)I even made Jello and drank it warm and then when it was set I could eat tiny bites. We are with you, it won't be long now till you can have creamed Soup. It is worth it and you can do it.:huh2: Banded 10-9-2007 Weight Loss Surgical Center Dr. Lee Nigro 49lbs lost

I had the exact same thing happen to me! I was sleeved May 15th. I went to my PCP she was not concerned... she said it is not uncommon to develop fluid pockets in abdominal area after surgery. She put me on Bactrim DS for 10 days ( i think to just to pacify me). The drainage from my incision never had an odor, I never ran a fever. My incision drained for about two weeks.

I noticed that too. One of the first things I noticed, was that I started sleeping less. Went from about 10 hours of sleep at night to about 5 or 6 hours. Yet, I feel like I have slept when I wake up now. Sleep Apnea was the first thing to go for me. Wife told me I stopped snoring midway through week 2. Anyway, I started trying to run around month 2. Once you get started, it gets easier each time. I am not an expert, but I think with the less weight, the blood can travel faster, as it has less area to go, and thus the oxygen is made available more. I might be totally off about that, but makes sense to me.

Here is what i think. Statistically, people experience some weight regain 2-3 plus years post WLS. We have lots of anecdotal stories to go with that and i believe it happens with all the surgery types. Those of us that keep a positive mental attitude (ie don't just give up, all or nothing thinking, or beat themselves up too bad) generally find a way to whittle those pounds back off, or stop the regain at some sort of "reasonable" amount. It is the story of nearly woman over about 40 that i know... they battle with at least some weight (maybe it is only 10#, maybe more). It is part of life, we must accept it and have a plan for tackling it. I was happy at my goal of 158. I was estatic when I got to 150. I didn't plan to get to 140, but once I was feeling better I started liking it. I have regained up to 145# and while i am okay with it, i liked it better 5# lighter. If that little feeling of disappointment creeps up - I pull out my collage of before, during and after. I realize that even if I wind up back at 158 somehow, I still look and feel damn good! So, I think this battle of the 12# or 20# or whatever is really really normal and we can all support each other in ways to work it back off... and more importantly support each other in learning to not let it be too distressing either. If I keep gaining I will likely be one of those posting this type of topic... you have my permission to throw my own words back at me.

I used to eat 10 double cheese burgers with no problems. I'm lucky now to even eat half of one. I used to eat two extra large pizzas from Papa Johns with no issues. Now, 1 slice does me in. I do miss the taste. LOL

I only have to do the liquid diet for 8 days ahead of time. So i willl start on 7/10. I have a last pre-op appt. with my dietician on 7/9 to get specifics ofthe liquid diet. What is your liquid diet like?

I do two of the things mentioned above @GreenTealael mentioned, I try to stave off hunger by drinking fluids. Similar to @FluffyChix mentioned, I focus on my commitment to weight loss, and making one good choice at a time (choosing jerky over a brownie for instance) I also focus on my NSV, and how great those make me feel, crossing my legs without even thinking about it, wearing size 10 jeans, wearing size M shirts, easily fitting in an airplane seat, feeling sexy af, lol. This is vain, but I also think about the compliments I have received. It's one thing to think I look great, but it is affirming to hear others say it.

My sugery is also February 23rd and I get to do the pre-op diet for 14 days prior to surgery. About the 3rd day into my protien shake diet I had a complete break down and was sobbing like a child. All I wanted was real food. And then I thought about it all. I told myself that I hadn't come 6 months through the pre-op work up to loose it all now. We are doing the shakes to shrink our liver to make the surgery easier and safer. I get to have 4 unjury shakes a day or the unjury broth for one of them and then I can have one unsweetened applesauce, 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese, 1 sugar free pudding per day and sugar free Jello. (The cottage cheese was a life saver.) The unjury gives you 20 gm protien per shake. After that rough day, things just got easier. The weight is coming off on the pre-op diet. 8 lbs in 10 days...so that helps too. I do agree with the previous two posts, if you can't do the liquids now....how are you going to do/cope post surgery? Best of luck to you!!

i have had cysts, the doctor found out because i am now 18 well be 19 in 15 days, and i have yet to have a period... but my diabetes doctor said that it was also the inslin i am takeing that stoped my periods

The pain meds make me sleepy.:notagree So if I take the pain meds then I don't even feel like getting out of my chair. I just took 2 Gas-X's, prior to today I could only manage 1, as I had such a full feeling. I wasn't able to eat or should I say drink much. I just sipped all day and did the best that I could. Today, my tinkle was really yellow, so I know I need to get the Water into me and soon. Good thing I can drink better today. So the goal is to get the water down and see if I can get my Protein drink in too. I have managed to eat 10 oz of cream of chicken soup and about 8oz of water. Just opened up a new water. Cheers!:mad: How are you coping/doing with your band?

Hey you guys. Got a question. I have only had 2 small fills in the last 10 months. I have since gained about 7 lbs.:wub: I was told by a fellow bandster that I would not be able to get a fill since I have gained a couple of pounds. Has this happened to anyone else and was you denied a fill because of this? Dont want to go through the bother of taking off work for a day only to find out that I wont be able to get a fill.

Hang in there! There are many different flavors/types of protein powder and protein shots and protein drinks. Have you tried liquid nutritional supplements like boost? ensure? Those both have some protein in them. How about making some broth and adding one of the unjury chicken or beef flavored powders while it's warm (not hot)? Protein is super important, as I'm sure you know. Maybe ask your doctor to prescribe some medicine for nausea? My doctor gave me 600ml of phenergan liquid. I take 10-15ml once every couple days when I feel nauseous and it helps worlds (Although beware, it does make you tired!)

I wanted to update this, incase anyone looking at having this process reads it and is curious to know my outcome. This was a scary decision for me, but I did it and I am still alive. Soon I will be 5 months and my life is completely normal. I am happy, eating, drinking, and losing weight. I have lost about 80lbs since 10/18/2013, today is 3/3/2014 (4.5 months). WOW!!!! THAT IS CRAZY. I am happy I did this and would not go back to my old life. I still want to make changes to my new life, but at least weight is not one of them. Thank you Forum friends for coaching me through this.

I've always said, I will not listen to anyone giving me advice who hasn't been through the same journey. I hope that my story will add some credibility to my posts and inspire someone considered WLS. I'm on a quest to find the woman I lost years ago. She's somewhere in this body, I know that, I just haven't seen here in almost a decade. I'm almost 300 pounds on a 5 foot 7 frame. My family medical history is like Wal-Mart, you name it someone has it. I want to break the cycle of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc. . I can't get back the years I've already lost, but I can make the years I have left that much better. I have a carb addiction, disillusion about the amount of food I should be eating, and an emotional eating habit. I was taught as a child to clean my plate, I remember at 8 years old looking forward to going to my grandma's because she always had pound cake made, and dinner consisted of meat, a few veggies, heaping mounds of carbs (rice/potatos) and rolls. 20 Years I've been addicted to carbs. My mom and I could go to a restaurant and finish an entire basket of rolls before our food came and still eat everything on our plate, plus another basket of rolls. Needless to say, I've never had a good example when it came to eating. Fast forward through middle school, when at 5"7 and 130 lbs I was the tallest girl in my entire school. Talk about a complex. At 9 I thought I was fat. Junior high, I'm still tall and muscular but everyone else is catching up. Rumors start that I'm taking steroids. Hence another complex about being "thick" and muscular. High School, the Revolution Years. I rebelled against EVERYTHING! Stress at home= emotional eating. I remember coming home from school and eating half a loaf of bread, toasted with butter and jelly because it made me feel better. Nutrition? What's that? It wasn't taught at our school. Lunch for 4 years, FOUR YEARS, consisted of chili cheese fries with extra cheese and sweet and sour dipping sauce, juice or soda, and some other high carb or fried food. FOUR. YEARS. I do remember a salad but it was far and few in-between. I think back on this and I cringe. What the heck are we doing to our kids??? My saving grace was band. The amount of practice we did counteracted some of the weight gain. I stayed around 180-200 lbs. College, the fittest years of my life. I decided to major in Nutrition, the one thing I had no knowledge of. Freedom to come and go as I pleased means more time in the gym. HBCU band practice consisted of intense PT at 5 am and intense practice from 3-7. I was at my fittest ever. I wouldn't believe it myself if I didn't have pics to prove it. Grad school I continued my good gym habits, but even a nutrition degree can't combat the psychological condition of emotional eating. I started gaining weight. Then I got pregnant. My weight shot up to 230 with the first pregnancy and miscarriage and I gained 20 more from the stress. Pregnant again at 260 with the help of pills. I went up to 285. Lost 20 and have been stuck at 270 for 3 years. This brings us to today. 10 days from VSG surgery and positive about where my life is heading. I'm not one for sharing a lot of personal information, but I will try to keep this "blog" updated as I progress through. I need to learn how to let people in and break down this brick wall that I've built.

I tried so many protien drink mixes and could not stand the taste or smell. I have since found two brands that are so good they are like a treat. Special K Protien shake 10 prot. 160 cal. 25 carb Love the dark chocolate, milk chocolate caramel. EAS AdvantEdge carb control 17 prot. 110 cal 10 carb my favorites are mocha something, dark chocolate and cafe caramel. They are really good, at least to me. Hope this helps. It will get better.

I worried about this so much before my surgery, because we are very social. ,I didn't eat out much at first because it just wasn't much fun. But by the 3 month point we were eating out all the time again. I usually get what I want and have lots of leftovers, which I feel no guilt about throwing out if I don't get to it all. Often if we go to a place that has add-ons (e,g,, crab legs for $10 with an entree, or grilled shrimp). I'll get that with a side of veggies or baked potato. That usually works out well for me, although I still only eat about 2 bites of potato. Avoid bread, rice and pasta. They will swell in your stomach and hurt. Honestly, I don't left out at all. If people get an appetizer, I eat one or two tiny bites. Never dessert anymore. No room! The only thing I really miss is a big salad.

I ride an 01 Road King with the crazy 88.....sweet ride! Will be getting smaller gear in the spring!! Yahoooo!

I had surgery on 10/25. Everything went great. Went home the same day. First day I was only able to take a few sips and I was full. Second day...I was able to drink more. On the 3 rd day I am starving and I can drink as much as I want . I am scared that I am stretching my pouch out. Any advice how much is the ideal amount of fluids I shwould be drinking at a time..I am on all clears until Friday

Thanks Kala And well done you for taking control of your life at such a young age. I wish I'd done this 10-15 years ago - things could have worked out a lot different!

Finally made it. Sore, sick, but excited... HW 302 STW 291 (01/08/18) SGW 274.9. (07/25/18) CW 274.9 GW 151

Hi there, I was banded Dec 13, 2011 at 225 lbs, I quickly hit 175 on August 1, 2012. I then slowed down weight loss wise, it took me another year to get to 160. It was a very easy surgery and recovery. I just followed my Drs rules about protein, water and exercise, and so far I have'nt had any problems. I love my band !!! As far as my average daily diet ? I can eat 90 % of what I ate before, I eat fairly healthy, mostly home cooking. We eat out maybe 1-2 x a month. So, here goes.........6:30 am - hot tea, 8am Belvita breakfast biscuts (4 in a pkg) and a piece or 2 of turkey jerky. 10 am Swiss Miss ( made with water), & 4 wheat thins w/ PB. Lunch- usually fish, chicken, or small piece of meat, with fruit or raw veggies, Or today spinach salad with chicken , strawberries, tiny amt of cheese and almonds. 4pm -snack , small fruit or cookie (sigh.....my sweet tooth attack), 6 pm same as dinner. Very easy, no weird foods etc. Hope this helps !! Im very glad I was banded, im healthy and happy again !! Good luck !!