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This is kind of cool...I've never had a blog spot. Surgery was Tuesday 2/2/10. Today is Saturday. It seems that my Dr takes a little different approach to the pre op diet and post op diet. It has me a little worried that I shouldn't have eaten those few bites of meat. I did a pre op low carb diet for 4 weeks and I lost 15 pounds on it. Then I had to go only liquids for 2 days before the surgery. I'm on soft foods right now, but we don't do weeks and weeks of it. He said that he's found that he doesn't like putting up diet rules that set you up to fail and if you follow his recommendations on the low carb for 4 weeks, that that is plenty to get your liver ready. And my liver was ready.

I have lurked here since my surgery, but I've made very few posts. I'm struggling, and when I read others' posts I feel guilty that I'm struggling. I read all these posts about how happy people are after their surgery and how they are doing so great and love life so much. I'm mostly glad I had the surgery. I've been at a healthier weight for about 2 years now although I've never gotten to my goal weight. When others see me or talk to me, including my surgeon, they tell me how great I look and how good I've done. What the surgery has done for me mentally has been so opposite of what everyone sees on the outside. I realized after surgery that my weight was really a symptom of much deeper problems. I guess I had this idea that if I lost the weight everything else in life would be perfect and fall into place. My experience has been much different than that. I have discovered that I have major depression and serious anxiety. I was able to cover it up for years by eating. If I was depressed, I ate. Then I would be depressed about my failure to lose weight and control my eating, instead of dealing with other issues. If I was anxious, I ate. The more anxious I was, the more I ate. When I had marital problems, I ate. Then I blamed myself for the problems, whether they were truly my fault or not (i.e. infidelity). After surgery, I had no more coping mechanism. The first year after surgery was the hardest. I got to a really great place with myself, and I was losing weight and beating the battle with eating. In the midst of my healing, my relationship with my husband changed. He didn't know where he fit in with my new found confidence and independence. He became increasingly angry and this drove a wedge between us. This summer something happened that rocked our marriage. We have been working on fixing things and healing, but I find myself personally back in the same place I was before surgery. I'm using food to cope, and as a result, I've gained 19 pounds from my lowest weight. I'm still a far cry from where I was before surgery, but I'm terrified of getting back to that place. Since surgery, I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and dependent personality disorder. This gives me knowledge of what I need to work on, but it's still a daily battle. Every day I get up and plan to do better with my eating. I plan to workout at least 3 times a week. I plan to go back to the basics that I used right after surgery. But every day, I end the day disappointed with myself for failing. The battle is mentally, and physically, exhausting. I guess I need to hear that others have had similar problems (not that I want anyone else to suffer), but sometimes I feel like I'm the only one experiencing these feelings. I'm really struggling. It gets a little harder every day to keep fighting the battle, but I'm not going to give up.

Well I'm at 179 with my weight right now...and I'm in a size 16. I just don't know if I will ever get to a size 10 or 12 with out having a tummy tuck and something done with the thighs and arms. I'm almost to the point of feeling like I will probably get another 20 or so pounds off...but just don't think it will help a smaller size fit me right without getting the excess gone first???? Its so questionable as to when to have ps done. I want to get to my smallest that I can and try to tone some...but I know ps will be the only way I won't have hanging skin and droopy boobs YUCK!!!! Maybe I should start checking into it and start saving $$$$ for it now!!!

Do it now before it's too late. I was overweight for years, and not just 10 or 20 pouns, but were talking three digits. I wish I would have done it earlier when I didn't have so much to lose. Then maybe I would have looked like a shar pei when I get done. It sucks I had to have my scrotum blow up to the size of a cantolope before I didnt something about it. Sorry for the visual, but the whole point is, don't wait and let things get worse. good luck. brian

I was told by my case manager that for people that go the self pay route that any complication from the lap band surgery will not be covered. Is that true. I h ave BCBS of Tennessee. I am being held up now because I did not have a 10% weight loss in the last 5 years. So they say I need to loose that 10%, before I qualify. However, that would put me out of the BMI range, even though I have several comorbidities. The did say that it would not be held against me. I could do it in the pre-op diet. Any thoughts?

Hi, I'm sure you have had surgery by now, but I'm in Pensacola and had my surgery by Dr Lord and his team 10 days ago..it's crazy to get scheduled with him but I'm so far beyong happy with him as my surgeon.

I feel your pain! Been there, u couldn't even eat a sliver if cheese without getting sick. However, I'm almost 10 wks out and although I can't tolerate ice cream or milk, I can tolerate most cheese in moderation. Good luck!

Hello, I have been banded since 10-06-08. I started having trouble keeping food down the last few days and was wondering if my band has slipped. I was having stomach trouble like a stomach ache so I thought maybe it was a virus or something. Any info would help.

Over rated in the pain department. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 equals lots of pain, its a 0. I felt NO restriction until about the 3rd fill. Most doctors go it slow on the fills and want you to continue to make the right choices with food. Best wishes

My date is for 10/1/18

10 pounds in 3 weeks is good. You're probably going to hit a stall in Week 4. Most people do. It's normal. Don't worry about it. Just keep doing the right things.

I had my preop appointment. It went smoothly, as I left I had to schedule my follow up and went to the desk, she asked what surgery I was having, told her and she said ok let me see what we have available on Oct 16th.. Ok but what about my 10 day appointment. Oh you do not need one. hmm are you sure. Yes. I said then why does all my paperwork say to schedule the appointment for 7-10 days out. Oh that is wrong. Can you please double check? She did and I was right.

At age 19, I would eat out of boredom. I had tried every possible weight loss program out there and nothing worked. Maybe because I didn’t stick with it long enough to see results. Having surgery to place the LapBand inside my body was a huge decision. My family stood behind me the entire way, in fact my parents paid for me to have it done. Seeing the doctor was a tragic moment. I was warned that he would try to break me down, try to make me cry… This is a way of showing how strong a person is, if they are emotionally stable to go through with this surgery, for my entire life would be different afterwards. I was prepared for the visit with the doctor, mentally and emotionally. My sister went to the appointment with me. He asked me, “Why do you want to get the LapBand?” My response, “Because I need to lose weight, I have tried everything and nothing seems to work. I’m afraid that I will die at a young age. I have already had some pre-cancer scares, from a sun mark and in my female reproductive system.” His comeback, “Well I could lose a few pounds myself.” Then my sister spoke up, “I don’t want my sister to die.” I started balling. The next stage in the process of getting the LapBand was seeing my healthcare provider for an in depth physical examination and a physiatrist. The ten days before the surgery was yet another test to see how capable I was of receiving the LapBand. Ten day liquid diet! Nothing but beef broth, protein drinks, and water for ten days. After day five, I just didn’t feel hungry anymore. I lost 12 pounds in those ten days. Sitting in the hospital bed waiting to go into surgery with my mom and best friend, I realized that my life was going to be completely different when I woke up. I was going to be sore. I was going to have to learn how to eat all over again. I have had the band for going on 5 years now. Last July, it slipped and I had to have emergency surgery to correct the band. It was horrible and painful while it was slipping (took about 3 months to fully slip, and I had no idea why I wasn’t feeling good). Once the band was fixed I felt 110% better. However, I gained nearly 3/4 of the weight back that I had lost; mind you I had been at a stable weight for 3 years! Now, the band is working correctly again and I’m starting to lose weight again. I do get sick if I eat too much or eat too fast or let myself get too hungry, and I throw up (sometimes more than once in a sitting). With all that being said, I would do the LapBand ten times over again. It has some issues, but I really feel like it is mind over matter. You know what you can and cannot eat, and the amounts of foods you area able to handle. Once I get back to a steady weight again (hopefully sooner than later!) I plan on getting extra skin removed and a breast lift.

Good for you!!! It still hurts to wear pants w all my incisions. I look like I've been in a knife fight. Lol. I've def been a slow loser. (10 pounds in 8 weeks!). But last week when I was being prepped for my gallbladder surgery, my surgeon looked me over and said, 'there is NO way you've only lost a few pounds. You are def losing inches. For some people the scale just doesn't ring true.' That comment made me feel so good!! Keep up your spirits! Don't be bummed. Come on here and we will cheer you up!!! Big hugs!

So here I am today down 18lbs since my sleeve on 3/27 but hungry as all get up! I can't hang any longer with the full liquids. I need some food! Although I liked my Protein drinks, I cannot stomach another sweet drink or creamed Soup. So far today I am sipping on some ganoderma coffee (it's non acidic but alkaline) mixed with 1/2 of a slim fast lo carb vanilla cream shake ...all of 10 g of protein. I just got a delivery of the injury cheese sauce and am contemplating a nice serving of cheese grits and maybe an egg. I will keep you posted as to how it works for me. Sent from my iPad using VST

I was diagnosed with depression when I was 11, and haven't taken any medication for it since, although I probably need it. I've been dealing with it ok by myself, but lately I think it's been getting worse. I've got NO energy (not really surprising, tbh), and absolutely no motivation. It's a herculean effort to get up and get ready in the morning, I can't pay attention in class, and forget about homework. I get headaches every day, all I ever want to do is sleep, and I've started getting leg cramps almost constantly. My suicidal thoughts have gotten worse, along with my cutting. And I haven't even lost 10 pounds! I can't go to a doctor. I'm 18 and live with my mom, who doesn't believe that mental illness is a real thing, and won't pay for any kind of treatment. I'm a college student with no job and no car. I don't know what to do.

Hi, I am 10 days post op and am now on the 'mushies' stage. Just curious if anyone has ever had trouble with mashed potatoes? It's one of the foods listed on my surgeons guide, but my mom has me totally freaked out that they will get stuck or something. So just wondering someone's experience who is banded with them, I've been kind of nervous about eatting.

:wink_smile::smile:Hi everyone hope everything is going well.i had an appointment today at 11:40, i took the bus i was late there. it takes an hour from where i live their was four clients ahead of me but i waited patiently because i wanted my fill he put in 1/2 cc i felt the gurgling water going down i lost 4 pounds so far. during the whole ten months so far i am down waist size from 32 to 26.as a reward i went to avenue plus an bought myself three pairs of blue jeans an a blouse.they had a coupon if you sign up right then you will recieve a discount those three pair of jeans &blouse would have cost me $114.00 with the discount i paid $90.00.it feels so good just to go an try on clothes.i hope everyone is doing good on your new journey in life. the fill did not hurt at all.it only took 5 seconds.i like my doctor .i can come back evert two weeks.the nurses ask do you think you need a fill.(yes).my next appointment is april 19. because his office is doing renovations. i am on liquida for today, mushies tomorrow an regular food for wednesday.well i gotta go now i love this site so much an also love you guys so hang in their everyone an god speed. sil.:thumbup:

my dr is on call. i left the info and waiting for a call back. im wondering if i havnt drank enough today. here is what ive had. 630 am 4oz blueberry juice (ok'd by dr's on 1st day) 10am 16oz Water 1230pm 4-6 oz of chicken broth and 4-6 oz of apple juice 230pm 16 oz of water 500pm 4-6 oz of chicken broth it was about 330pmish that the numbness started. Im feeling a little better after the broth at 5..i also walked for about 20 min at 1030am and 10 min walk at 230pm Am i overdoing it? am i not drinking enough?

My surgery was 10/22/14. So now I'm at almost 12 weeks. I ate 3 oz of T bone today, with no problem what so ever! I ate some tostitoe type chips yesterday with rotel, no problem...

just wondering if anyone else has had to go through this? I went from having 4 little scars to having 4 little ones and 2 rather large ones I did not expect. I would really like to talk to people who have had to undergo a little bit more healing and how they coped. Me well i think i am doing ok, ups and downs, but i am 10 days post op and feel better than i did the first day! would appreciate your stories thanks all.

Love, You were smart to be banded at 50lbs instead of waiting until 50 increased to 70 then 90 then 100lbs. I wish I had known about the lapband when I hit 50lbs of excess Me too. Hmmmmm...but then I would have been 10

I'm don't feel any pain. I do have gas in my back it has been moving but very slowly. I have been getting up every hour and walking 10 minutes. I am drinking Water isopure broth and popsicles Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I had Mu surgery on 12/19 I immediately started broth, Jello, premium Protein shakes, pop cycles sugar free, propel Water. I am nearly drinking a total of 24 onces of Fluid I find it difficult to do more