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Is it normal to just not be hungry? I ate a small salad with about 2 oz grilled chicken today and that is all. I've debated whether my band is too tight, but I can eat just fine when I do eat. How often should I be hungry if I am in the 'green' zone? Its not everyday I am like this- only once or twice a week.

5"5 starting wt 225 wt today 197 I have lost about 28 pounds in 2 1/2 weeks

For those of you who are losing 2+ lbs a week and doing cardio 3-4 times a week, do you know what your daily calorie intake is? What is your typical meals like? I do spin class 3-4 times a week and my weight loss is 1+ (if that some weeks) and I dont think that im getting enough food?

I am 3 1/2 weeks out of surgery and still have pretty good soreness at band sight. Not sure if it's from hernia repair and band being done at same time. But it almost feels like heartburn too. Just had primer taken out and now able to eat mushies and get all my liquids in. I was dehydrated because I was too tight and couldn't get anything in and then had swelling in my esophagus that took almost a week to go away. So now I'm back on prilosec. I get nauseous real easy too. I am so glad to be going to the support group tonight. But is this sound normal at this stage? Just looking for others thoughts.

As I've been reading the forums, I've noticed that a period without losing weight (I've always know this as a plateau) is called a stall. Why the terminology change? A plateau is a long, level piece of land - seems like a good enough analogy for when your weight levels off for a period of time. Thanks for the help.

Plateau, you level off, having no opportunity to go higher, only down when you reach the other side of the mesa.... A stall, you're climbing on and upward, untill you need to pause, stall, then eventually continue onward and upward... I believe I have plateaued, reaching that place where I have no where else to go, having lost all the weight I possibly can without injuring myself (low body fat %)....so yes, I am at the Mesa, leveled off, and I am enjoying the view!! And I am never going down the other side.

Anne, I cannot tell you how much better I feel! Yes, the arthritis doesn't really disappear....however, it is soooo much better. I walk (sometimes run) all over school, with very little pain now and wish I had gotten a band years ago. I used to think you had to lose all the weight before any benefit.....wrong! And I still have a LOT to lose, but I don't really care how long it takes. As my doctor says, it will come off exactly the way it is supposed to, as long as you follow the plan carefully. Good luck! You will be so happy in a few short weeks! Nancy

Oh very interesting question Meggs. I agree that it probably depends on the person posting and whether or not they are OK with this weight loss 'interruption' or aggravated by it. The only thing I ever post is for those who are worried, I tell them it's normal and the weight will start to come off again as long as they are doing what they are supposed to. Other than that, I don't comment as I've been very fortunate to not have gone through a prolonged stall or plateau. If my weight didn't change over a couple or three weeks, I didn't consider it a stall. I never went months as others have with no weight loss. As I said, I've been very lucky with the weight loss part of it. I hope to be just as lucky with the maintenance part.

Wow! You sound just like me! In fact, I was so worried that I called the nutritionist and made an appointment to make sure I was doing everything right. Your body is going to freak out after surgery and think it needs to retain everything. Eventually it will let go. I know it's easy to say not to weigh yourself, but don't weigh yourself. Put the scale in your car. Give it to a friend. Better yet, smash it with a hammer. LOL! Our surgeons focus on the weight and the BMI but those are NOT the only measurements of health. They're just the best ones they can use. We have so much more at our disposal! For example, how do your clothes feel? Are they looser? Can you cross your legs yet? Do you not gasp for breath when you climb up the stairs? These are what we call "NSVs" - non-scale victories. Have a friend or family member measure you - your thigh circumference, your arms, your waist, your neck, etc. Then in a week measure again. GUARANTEED you'll see those go down. When you work out your body builds muscle which uses the fat for energy. Muscle weighs more than fat. So, you may be losing 5 pounds of fat but gaining 6 pounds of muscle. That's ok as long as the fat is going away. If you don't believe that, ask your butcher to give you 2 cuts of beef that look the same (same size) - one with a lot of fat, one without. Hold one in each hand. Guaranteed the cut of beef with less fat is heavier than the one with more fat. Like Proudgrammy said, everyone is different. Keep in mind on this forum that people are not always honest (insert shocked face here). My starting weight, for example, is the weight I started out at when I started this journey with my lap band 5 years ago. So my weight lost isn't what I've lost since surgery. Although I input the information correctly on the system, that's not the way it's showing on my profile. I've hit plateaus - I'm in one right now. But, I'm keeping up with what I need to do. Eating right, exercising, etc. I feel fantastic. Am I still overweight? Sure. But I feel incredible. I'll never be 300 pounds again. Heck, I'll never be 265 pounds again. Will I stay at 258? Maybe - although I doubt it. I'm happy with what I've done. Don't know if my surgeon will be but whatever. I know that I'm more than a number on a scale. Hang in there. You're doing great. Throw that rotten scale away.

I'm about three weeks and I'm planning on starting a new batch of Sauerkraut this weekend so it's ready when I go to soft foods. I also saved old jars of kimchi so I could dip the brine in the meantime. There's a lot to suggest probiotics give a huge advantage postop. I was disappointed my surgeons office didn't pursue that. (Of course their handbook recommends margarine so....)

Yep, I too have taken measurements along the way, and they have done the same for me at Curves. I have it posted in my signature---that is the Curves total---I measure wierd areas, like Jack does, and those are not included in the loss---the 61" is from Curves totals!! I am on the 5 foot wall!! I plan on taking my measurements probably the week before my TT. I would do it the night before, but my flight does not land the night before until 7 something, and I have a 3.5 hour drive home----then have to get everything ready to head to surgery the next morning----so not thinking I will have it in my head to do it. But within the week prior without a doubt!!! I also plan on asking my Dr. if he would mind someone taking a couple of pictures of what is removed!!! Gross? Yeah maybe----but it will be headed for the landfill---I wanna see it!! Kat

I took measurements before the lapband and before the tummy tuck. When I started out on the journey I weighed 206lbs and my measurements were 47-40-46. Just before the tummytuck they were 44-37-43 (have to say though that the smallest part of my waist at that point was just under me ribs!!) and I weighed 168lb Straight after the tt I was 44-33-41 and I weighed 161lb and now 10 weeks or so on they are 42-31-39 and I weigh 148lb - and my waist measurement is now taken around my belly button not just under my ribs! Hope that this helps. Ninax

Hi BayArea12 :-) I think we met at Dr. Jossart's Monday group mtg. in SF last week. I was the girl in the back who had just had surgery 4 days before. I have been in therapy for depression and binge eating for years. I don't have the time to type up a response right now, but I do have a lot to say on the subject, so I am happy to chat if you like. I will be attending Jossarts Novato mtg. this Saturday if you want to catch up after the meeting. Also, I remember you asking about hairloss in group. costco is selling a hair and Nails supplement that has 5,000 mg of Biotin in it. Happy VSG! **all thumbs from my iPhone**

Hi everyone!! I dont know if anyone remembers me or not. I was here 2 years ago, had a lot of doubts and was scared. Backed out of surgery the night before. Here I am now banded one week and so far loving it. Thinking where would I be today if I had just went thru with it the first time. I just Pray that I have no complications because just one week out, still on full liquids and I love my band!!!

Aloha Carey I don't mean to sound mean but here goes, My dear sweet wife is having her surgery on the 29th. and I taking the week off. Does your husband know about the family leave act? I don't think he would get paid but it's only two days. I can't think of a job that is so important that I couldn't take sometime off to take care of my wife..I'm a man and I hear it all the time my husband can't take off work to care for me, well that's just bull@*$ he needs to be there for you, tell him from the "Big Wave" Dude you need to get'er done and be there for the Love of his life and the mother of his children Sorry to vent, it's just makes me mad Take care and God Bless you Aloha BWD

Well I finally got banded on 10/30/07. Was not a easy surgery the doc said. He said that the lining of my stomach was very thick which is the case in most men he said. Then also I had alot of fat around the stomach. Well after surgery for the next almost 2 days I could not keep down my spit. I would have the acid reflux and it would come back up. Finally after 2 days he did a upper GI with barium and saw the liquid going thru the stomach. He said I have the biggest band they make and it is wide open. He said he could go back in and see what he can do or I can go home and limp along for 3 days to 2 weeks till the swelling goes down. Well good news is the 1st week I lost 16 pounds when I went back to see him. I am fine and can eat now, but at night when I go to bed I still have the acid reflux. I do not lay in bed, I sit with my back to the wall in a sitting position and it still happens. I take 2 Nexium a day plus he just told me to start taking some Mallox. He said there is still swelling and to give it another week and come back and see him. He said it should clear up by then. I am just wondering has anyone else here had anything like this and how long did it take you to get over it? Thanks, Rob

I will be having surgery April 16, 2012. I have to do a liquid diet for 10 days....the first 7 days regular liquids (low fat/low sugar) and the last 3 days clear liquids. Being on a diet like this helps to "shrink" the liver in order for the doctor to have more room to work with in doing the lapband. I had to attend a nutrition class a few weeks ago and it explained my pre-op and post-op diet plans. Surely, you will attend a nutrition class or your doctor will talk to you about your diet.

I was banded 4 weeks ago. This past week I have gained 3 pounds! I have not cheated once! Here's what I ate yesterday (which is basically how I eat every day) and gained a pound Breakfast 1 egg 1 light laughing cow cheese Lunch 3 thin slices of ham with mustard (no bread) raw veggies Dinner 4 oz. of Salmon Afternoon Snack Pear 2 oz. cheese PLESE HELP! I am so frustrated and sad!!

Hi I am just wanting to get people's opinions on this. I had my surgery one week ago today and it has all been going pretty well. I am concerned though cause alot of what they told me really hasn't been accurate for me. I take several medicaitons for blood pressure, acid reflux, etc. and I have no problems taking one pill after another and they said that we would have to spread them out throughout the day. I don't really seem to feel full and it doesn't bother me to sip water during my meals. I have a few friends that had the surgery the same day as mine and they struggle with a lot of these things. Why so different? I am afraid that maybe something is wrong with mine?:w00t:

lol lol i'm 29...if you met me you'd think i was 22, i'm toooooo fun to be in the 30's thread, maybe i'll join them when i turn 40 lol all my friends are in their 20's i'm in college (dental school) so i got all the college drama of any other 20-something yr old... so i moved to dallas for school...i've been here 7 weeks...um yeah i'm the biggest person in the entire dental school...AWKWARD!!! like not just the program, but the entire school of nursing, dental hygiene, ect. but funny enough, all the teachers remembered my name first, probably cause i stood out like CRAZY ok so i'm 5"8, i was 5"7 until my consultation, lol lol, i'm like heck i'll take the inch sure why not, currently 288 lbs. i'm scheduled for surgery july 24th, so i'm on my pre op low carb diet now...which isn't toooooo bad cause i'm sure we've all done low carb before... i'm not telling anyone i go to school with about the surgery...um i kinda hinted to a few girls i was considering it, cause i have like pictures from my early tweenties when i was like 145-155lbs , um their comment, oh i like you like this (my current darn near 300 lbs self) um ok the biggest girl is maybe a size 8, they are all size 4-6, sharing clothes etc, so just restating i stand out in my program, BAD!!!!! ...one girl was like "don't do it" um yeah....so now that i'm on my pre op low carb diet, i'll just say i'm changing my eating habits :mad: i've been reading the threads on people losing friends and people becoming jealous after people lose weight, so i'm kinda suspicious of my new friends, but i'm like well maybe its just one of those "friends will like you no matter what you look like " so maybe it was the nice thing to say, i guess i woulda freaked if they said "oh dang girl GET THE SURGERY!!!" LOL only my sister and a close friend know...ahhh and the close friend who was also thin with me in high school and early 20's and is currently obese with me in our late twenties, is totally against the surgery...so i told her i wasn't doing it :biggrin: i used to be totally against surgery, i'm like thats cheating, diet and exercise thats the right way...um yeah ok, i'd do good for 3-6 months, lose 40 lbs, gain 50, lose 30 gain 40...just recently lost 17, gained 36, those are just the most recent attempts, i realize i need help or i'll be over the 300 lb mark...like it was better for me not to try cause if i just eat normal i maintain, when i diet then get off diet...WATCH out! so after a hundred or so failed attempts i realize i cant do it on my own, i think the band will make it a little easier to make good food choices, i'm good with exercising, its just so discouraging when you go to the gym 5 days a week for a month, lose 15 lbs, then one bad weekend of snickers and cheetos 8 lbs is already back.... LOL to the people who say you didn't gain the weight over night, i beg to differ! nic

Thanks everyone!!! You have no idea how much I appreciate the comments! Y'all have made my night. I am ready for that cruise in 2 weeks!

Im nervous too. I just want to wake up and it already be over. A friend of mine had it done two weeks ago, and he said he felt some gas pain but felt fine 3 days out. He returned to work within 2 weeks and has no pain at all. Hope this helps some. Good luck.

Don't stress about the psych evaluation, it won't be bad at all. I started this lap band process a long time ago, and only have about eight weeks left of supervised diet to go to fulfill all the insurance requirements. I started seeing a psychologist back in June and have gone a couple times a month since then. I could have gone just once, but I thought I'd try to learn something from it. It's definitely helped me resolve some issues and I still want to go forward with the surgery more than ever! Just find out from your insurance what specific questions your psychologist needs to cover with you in their report. I just had my surgeon consult on Jan. 2nd and the lady who submits everything to insurance knew exactly what questions needed to be covered in your physician visits and your psych evaluation. But don't be afraid of the process...it's a lot of work and time consuming, but it gives you lots of time to make sure this is what you want to do. I've been going through the motions since May and I am almost there! Good luck and don't worry!