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Cuban chick that is EXACTLY whats going on!!!! U explained it word for word. I have gained 3 lbs but haven't posted it on here bc im so embarrassed. I can basically eat anything right now. And you called it bc for a few days right after surgery i was never ever hungry. Now im hungry all the time. I know i should be chewing my food more but i forget some bites and it still seems to go down fine. Thank you so much for posting that! U literally described what im going thru exactly thank u!!

It took me several fills before I really felt any restriction. A fill would make me feel 'tight' for a day or two and then it would disappear. Wasn't til I had about 6cc before I got my first stuck episode. I still could eat a fair amount between fills. I finally got to the green zone at 8.5cc in a 10cc band. I ate according the the band rules mostly in that I ate slowly, ate only a small serving and stopped after I finished my serving. I used to take out a small serving and then halve it and put one half in the fridge. I told myself if I was still really hungry after 30 mins I could go back for more. I only went back once in all the time I did that (coz it takes about 10 mins normally to stop feeling hungry, and longer if you have a band). That was a great tip that was told to me that worked for me, so consider this me passing it on. It has worked well for friends who aren't banded either. The good news is that for the majority of banders, the time WILL come where you get enough restriction in your band to only be able to eat a small amount and be satisfied for hours. If it works like it should, it should also stop you feeling hungry most of the time. When that will happen is different for every bander, though. Also I remember when I first got banded, my tummy made these AWFUL rumbling sounds all day. I figure it was because for 20 years it was used to being filled to the brim and it was grumbling at the huge reduction in food. But after 6 months or so, it settled and it nearly never growled. It got used to be being 'drip fed' food from the above all day, I guess!

How soon after surgery were yall driving? My dr said least 7 days. I'm having surgery in October and I'm kinda freaking bc 7 days is a long time. I have 5 kids so we are always on the go.

My first week I didn't want anything. Lol the second week I struggled bc I was so head hungry. I just started the puree diet. Bariatric advantage has a vegetable soup powder and it's great I added some seasoning to it but you mix it with water and that's how I survived the last week before puréed foods. I couldn't do yogurt and was so sick of jello and pudding. My doctor told me it's almost impossible To get down the 60 g of protein the first couple weeks. I am now doing better. Also bariatric advantage has protein shakes. The orange taste like an orange cream sickle the iced latte taste like a real coffee. I didn't find these until my 2nd week and wish I knew from the start. Also vitamin shoppe and GNC has isopure. Flavored liquid protein. I add crystal light packet to it but it's not bad at all.

I'd still go out alone for drinks bc you just never know who you'll meet! Plus, going out alone helped boost my self esteem and I loved that no one knew me. Don't give up keep living your life it'll happen when you LEAST expect it! I know bc that's what happened to me. I was single 5 yrs, met a guy out of State. We kept in touch and a month later her relocated from NY to Texas. We've been married 5 years!!!! Just go w the flo & keep moving forward!!!

I had the sleeve done at the end of November, 2013. It was a band to sleeve revision. I was what I would have called a "slow loser" but found out some things I was doing wrong. So, I changed some of what I was doing - went to 1000 calories/day, added fruits and vegetables to my diet instead of just Protein and began walking and working out some. Now, I know you're going to say, "If you're working out you're adding muscle which weighs more than fat." Ok, I'm not working out THAT hard. A couple of weeks ago I had an NSV by getting into size 20 clothes from a size 26/28. I hit the 40 pound loss mark in 4 months. I was feeling really good. But things have changed. I'm still in a 20, which I'm happy about. But I'm losing my hair. The one thing that I have ALWAYS prided myself on. Even when I was over 300 pounds, my hair always looked good. It was healthy, bouncy and in really good shape. Then, pieces of it started coming out when I showered. I'd go to soap myself up and have to remove strands of hair from the bar of soap. I thought, "Well, that's the price of bariatric surgery I suppose." I started taking Biotin after reading some messages on here. I also made sure I got at least 60 grams or more of protein a day and have been averaging over 60 grams a day for over a month now. I thought it probably wasn't as bad as I was making it out to be. Then, I went to my hair dresser for a cut yesterday. She started washing my hair and said, "Oh my, you're really getting thin." My daughter is getting married in 2 months and my hairdresser said we may have to get a hair piece to help cover up some of thinness if it doesn't get any better. What?!?!?!?!?!? Are you frickin' kidding me? Oh, and it gets worse. I stepped on the scale this morning and was 3 pounds heavier!! WHAT?!?!?!!?!?!?!? I've been following my diet strictly and haven't gone over 1000 calories. I've looked at the snack cakes in my daughter's snack drawer and walked away. ARE YOU FRICKIN' KIDDING ME?!?!?!? 3 POUNDS?!?!?!!?!?!? And this is after a 2 week plateau. I'm ready to give up. I know this weight didn't come on over night but I really expected more than 40 pounds in 4 months. And, I know that we all have weight fluctuations but mine have only been a pound here and there. 3 pounds? Higher??? That's crazy. If I was cheating, sure, I can see that. But I'm not. I'm a bit fed up. I don't want to hear about losing inches vs. pounds and changing things up. I've done that. I guess I just want to bitch and complain. Has anyone else gone through this mental torture and how did you get your HEAD back in the game? I'm beating myself and my sleeve up right now. I need a mental kick in the ass. Any advice?

just spent 45 mins typing an update and poof, when i tried to preview it and edit a word it dissapeared basically, still waiting for blood test results, really fed up of waiting, not got my hopes up to have my op in november any more. Today i have cast my cares on the Lord and will have my op when He gives me the date, He knows best. I know i still want my sleeve, and will restart the liver shrinking diet when i have a new date for my sleeve. I am not concerned if it is just before christmas, any time soon will be ok with me, i was motivated and ready for oct 9th and can do it again, but this time without the problem of my blood it will be safer. Hope everyone is doing well, sleeved or to be sleeved, God Bless, xx

Baritastic app. I set it for Vitamins only bc I'm in a rhythm w my Fluid and food. I don't need a reminder to take each Vitamin either but every once in a while i will get a notification and remember I haven't had my vitamins today. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I realize you are just repeating what you were told, so please don't be offended, but I call BS on her doc. I would love to know how he would know that the HCG specifically advanced the cancer when he didn't know she had it in the first place? I know women who had cancer while pregnant, where their docs knew they had cancer at the beginning of their pregnancy and their cancer didn't grow faster during pregnancy with 100X more HCG hormone in their bodies. It seems like another doctor talking about something they don't understand, not to mention, so nice of the doc to make the patient feel like it's all her fault. I lost my first 45 lbs on HCG and I looked fantastic, I wish that docs would just admit they don't know things instead of the know it all accusatory crap I so often hear about. I feel really bad for your friends mom, that's a terrible story, and the HCG is not the villain in it.

Hi Everyone, Well, I am still on a stall, but I have decided that if that is what my body needs to do right now then I should help it all I can to feel comfortable enough to start losing again. So I am trying to chill out, and not worry about the scale. (I have put it away for awhile) I figure my body has always been pretty good to me, and when it feels happier it will let go of more weight. I guess it is a case of 'catch up' , and by that I mean my mindset as well as my body. So, to help my mind feel better, I took some more measurements. Whoohoo! Another three inches bite the dust!!!!! Wow in the last year and a bit I have lost over 27 inches all over my body. That is amazing. Ok, with those sorts of changes I can begin to understand why my body needs some adjustment time. Besides, this isn't a race, this is the rest of my life. So slow and steady does it. I have taken other peoples advice and found some flavoured waters that agree with me, so I have a change from squashes which is great as I was getting really bored with them. The other night my husband had steak with all the trimmings, and I had a small piece of his steak (2 x 1 inch) with a fried egg. I ate all the steak (which was so lovely and juicy) and the yolk of the egg and I was full up. Hooray. I love the fact that these small amounts of food are more than enough. I am also delighted that I am able to eat everything I try. My sleeve is so well behaved, and good to me. :wub: I am still keeping up with the daily walking and the step every other day and feel quite proud of myself that I am doing it. Usually, if I am not losing I get bored or fed up and quit for a while. My step work is improving and I am thinking of moving on to the harder stuff soon. (At the moment I just repeat the easy stuff about 10 times.) I may leave it a bit longer though as I know how long it took me to feel okish about the easy stuff. I still don't like my feet leaving the floor, but I guess it is getting easier. I have a dr's appointment for my first proper check up since my op next week, so will let you all know how that goes. Hopefully I will be able to report a bit more weightloss, but if not, nevermind.(perhaps I should change my name to tortoise!) Best wishes to everyone Phoenix

So yesterday I had to leave work early because I almost blacked out. I felt weak, faint, a little dizzy, and just plain bad. I was so afraid of going back to the hospital that I left work early and just went home to lay down. This happened after lunch and I thought it was the Soup I ate (maybe it had too much fat or oil or something) anyway I go to work today and after I came back from break I started to have the same symptoms again! I was freaking out thinking this was way serious and ended up calling on of the surgeons on call. The guy I spoke with wasn't my surgeon but I gave him a run down of everything and he said since I didn't have a fever, abdominal pain, or diarrhea it was nothing to come to the ER for. He then suggested that because this has been happening after I ate at work and then resumed standing up(for the rest of my shift) he said either my blood sugar is very low or you may be dehydrated(But he ruled out dehydration because I had gotten in all my fluids). He suggested I drink a couple of ounces of apple juice which I promptly did and I felt a little better but the symptoms returned! I drank a little more and low and behold, my symptoms were gone and I felt good as new! I really hated this happening at work though, because my boss(the assistant manager, anyway) wanted to know my business(Only my manager knew I was out for surgery). She then commented on my weight loss and asked me if I had gastric bypass! Luckily someone else was there in the room and immediately shut them down. (It's none of their business, the point was I don't feel well and I wanted to call my doctor). I was thankful for the other woman thinking it would be completely ridiculous(Word at my job spreads like wildfire, they thrive on rumors). I then gave some BS VAGUE story about my esophagus and how I can only eat certain things so as not to irritate it. After about an hour and a half I was able to resume my work shift! I have never in my life had issues with my blood sugar. I wasn't even "pre-diabetic" pre-op. So just be careful fellow sleevers!

I was up walking within 4 hours of waking up and out shopping less than 24 hours Walked a couple miles that first two days. Flew on a plane, drove 5 hours, plowed my driveway, fed horses, more shopping, errands, laundry, etc all within the first 5 days. Back to work within a week.

Yes Tibbie!!!! I've already got our bikinis picked out! Do u want the pink or the purple one? JK , but I am looking forward to not tugging at my clothes self-consciously bc I'm so low on self esteem. Those days will soon be over

My all in one Bariatric Choice chewable wafer supplement has Iron in it~ and it is like sucking on a candy- yum But just in case your tiredness isn't from low iron, the nurse at my clinic always says that if we start to feel that way to start charting: 1)how much Protein we are getting in 2)how many fluids 3)how often we are taking our Vitamins and are e taking enough? She said that often we will find that we aren't doing what we are supposed to be doing and that's why we get really low energy. Also~ my sister had extremely low Bs. It affected her very badly with low energy. She ended up getting a B shot every week. She said she felt so much better right after getting it too. If it continues def go to the dr and see what's up! I hope it passes quickly, I hate that feeling

:girl_hug: Wanted to introduce myself. My name is Katt and I was "banded" on Friday, October 13, 2006. My surgeon was Dr. Leung/Surrey, BC. I am very excited as I have lost 25lbs. thus far! I am on clear liquids, and will be for 30 days (hope I can make it!). I thank God that He gave me this tool to help with my weightloss; I feel the band is going to help me achieve what I was not able to do on my own: eat from the Canada Food Guide food groups, exercise and eat "small" meals! Success will be mine! I look forward to chatting with y'all and sharing experiences. Katt.

Restriction is just what we say when talk about being full faster than we were pre-op or how much our stomachs can hold. Restriction is different for everyone, and it changes as the months go by. I can eat 3 times as much today than I could at 3-4 months out, but I still can not consume more than 1500 calories a day, and that's with grazing, and trying to maintain my current loss. With the band, good restriction only happens once you get a decent fill level in your band and you get to what is considered the "sweet spot". Restriction with the sleeve is immediate. There is no fills, unfills, maintenance. It just happens because of how the surgery performed. Slimies/Foamies are pretty much what happens when you eat too fast, or do not chew your food well enough and then swallow. Digestion starts in the mouth with chewing. Early out, you'll want to eat slow, chew very well, and pace yourself. The best way to explain the slimes is think about a time when you got really nauseated and you knew that you were going to throw up. Your mouth overproduces saliva, and that's what I consider the slimes. Foamies kind of happen if you eat to fast and something needs to come up, again overproduction of saliva happens then you may regurgitate that bite. 5 day pouch test is commonly used to get back on track if you are having a stall due to eating too calories or carbs. Many patients use it to get the carbs out of their bodies since for some patients eating carbs causes them to crave more carbs. I've been lucky and haven't dealt with that phenom. I know a lot of RNY and band patients use the 5 day pouch test to break a stall. Essentially, it's just 5 days of pure Protein and liquids. I've never done it, and probably never will bc I do not tolerate Protein drinks. Also, we do not have a pouch like RNY/band patients. Our stomach functions normally post-op, it's just smaller. So, when you read about the 5 day pouch test, it's geared more towards RNY patients. But, it VSG patients use it as well to get back on track. Surgical Weight Loss 5 Day Pouch Test Hope this helps, and if you have any other questions, post away, we'll help as much as we can.

I've chosen not to tell my patents or in-laws bc I know they won't be supportive. It's sad, but true. It took me three years to reach this decision and its about saving my own life and living a long time to mother my three, small children. My husband is nervous, but very supportive, and my best girlfriends are my biggest cheerleaders so I'm VERY lucky to have a great team. But even if I didn't, I made this decision by myself, about myself and would do it anyway. I hope you will have some peace of mind and that you're family will come around and support you! I bet they're reacting negatively out of fear and worry. Try to educate them as best you can. Good luck to you!!

I'm just tired. I feel every bit of my age today. Yesterday was a very busy day at work which is good, and I worked out hard. This morning I kind of went through the motions at the gym and I'm kind of going through the motions at work as well. I'm tired of working hard and not getting anwhere. I try to stay upbeat, but today its not going to happen. I eat less than 1200 calories a day, every day. I work out every day at least once (elliptical, weights, water aerobics or a combination), every day. Today I put on a size 22 skirt that fit before the surgery, and it fits now. Nice. I'm just fed up with this. I must be one of those people that don't lose weight no matter what. Maybe 50 is too old to do this. I have a fill set for Monday, but seriously, what good will that do? I don't eat any carbs and my calories aren't out of whack for losing at least 2 lbs a week. I'll let the doctor decide Monday I guess. Until then I think I'm gonna lay off the working out and get some rest.

Thank you for the reply! I was so worried when I saw the scale - I am so so good abt Protein and Water on normal days I don't miss a beat but I was camping in a tent on a conservation & I did have some chicken breast to grill but only the first couple days bc it won't last in a cooler - so I was doing protein shakes and tuna and I am kicking myself right now bc I don't want to set myself back .... I just have to be patient! Sent from my Z970 using the BariatricPal App

Hello, first of all congratulations on your decision. I recently had my surgery Sept 15. It is a challenge but your body won’t let you eat as much, support is key, well at least for me, hang out with positive people, everything you eat after surgery will be a hit or miss, you will figure out what your body will tolerate. However remember that just Bc you tried something and it didn’t settle, it might be too soon so it’s ok to try it later on. Good luck [emoji4]

I dont know where to begin. This last month since my sleeve has beem so hard on me. Im still just nibbling n even when I do that I get a sense of restriction in my lower throat, upper stomach area. I generally do not 'feel good.' I keep hoping amd telling myself, give it time. When I came out of surgery I weighed 223. Now I'm at 192. That is my only joy. I wish I could be more enthusiastic like most threads I've seen but I can't yet. Again, maybe in six months. Rt now, I'm hard to live with bc #1 I don't feel good and #2 I'm a single mom of four n its been hard to work (my job is taxing to healthy individuals) so finances are getting slim. Please pray for me, those of you who are believers. I just want to feel normal again instead of feeling like I have a rock stuck somewhere. Im never 'hungry' im just empty n hurting, then after the smallest intake Im full of air n hurting. I chew so slow my jaws are tired but i still get gas n hv lost the ability to burp. Im still vomitting every day at least once, regardless of whether I've eaten or not n I'm very 'let down' by this process. If I had it to do over again, I would NOT. But again...ask me in six months. Wish I had a better post. I do enjoy reading all the wonderful posts here though.

Hi Dar, I too have fibro and another autoimmune disorder.Not too sure what it is though. I go to the rhumitologist every 3 months for check ups and refills on meds. Are you on anything for either condition? I have just begun my lap band journey. I've been for the consultation and go to pulmonologist tomorrow. The BS had me go for blood work and the guy taking my blood was surprised by all of the tests that were ordered. 21 viles of blood!!! I'm so glad to hear that someone out there has had the band with similar conditions as myself. As for all of the problems that you have encountered, I'm sorry to hear that. I know when we get the flair ups it's hard to eat healthy. It's sometimes painful to have to cook because of all the time that it takes to prep the food and to prepare it. So much easier to pick up the phone and order delivery or drive to the closest fast food place. But when it gets to that point I just keep telling myself that if I can get thru this time of pain to eat something more healthy and be able to loose weight, in the long run my overall health IS going to become better and I WILL feel better. Congratulations on the 20 lbs.:clap2: have you tried to make healthy meals that you can tolerate and freezing them in small portions to thaw and heat on those days that you just don't feel well enough to do all the work? That's what I've started doing for my family. That comes in handy on thoes days that are too hectick too! Keep your head up and just think, you're 20 lbs. lighter than you used to be!! keep in touch Theresa

Well folks I still need prayers... I have yet to get my return and the IRS can not give me a reason... This is BS... I call every other day and nothing after the initial 30 days they send a message to a different dept. and say to give it another 30 days... That was on 3/25 so I am in waiting... I have talked to Sandy and She is waiting until 4/8 to hear back from me... I just really need prayers.. This has gotten me so down that I am not wanting to get out of the bed.. I am a mother of 3 (son is 15 and twin girls 10) also 1 of my daughters has Down Syndrome and needs extra care.. I have got to get healthy so I can take care of her.. My mother in law lives with us and takes care of the things I can't.. helping her bath and stuff... But that is my job.. PLEASE KEEP ME IN YOUR PRAYERS.. Angela

Sleeved June 3rd starting weight 280 current weight 209. 71lbs:) 460 was my highest calorie intake and i was eating all day long and was not drinking enough and am dehydrated all the time and I have been quite sick since surgery in and out of the ER for kidney stones twice and once for potassium being way to low I was in the hospital for a week for c-diff(a colon disease) which I assume I picked up from the ER... And this morning I had my gallbladder removed... Hoping I'm on the mend and can start exercising!!! I'm going back to the basics liquids for a week bc of the surgery and going to do protein shakes again(if I can tolerate).

So had my meeting with the Nut, b/c I did so well on my mandatory 6 month "diet" I only have to do 7 day pre op liquid diet. I was thinking maybe I.'d do a little longer so as to kick start my loss... Or maybe not... I just got back from Chicago where I had food funeral extravaganza. pizza at Pequods, pie at Joe's seafood & steaks, donuts at Glazed & Infused & ice cream at oberweis, ribs at Smoque, cupcakes at More. Needless to say I gained 4#, but still according to my weigh-ins didn't gain. Good spacing of appointments on my part. Now waiting & counting down. Feeling like anti-climatic. Like I don't want to get worked up about it because its not real. Little annoyed bc my surgeon thinks I'll only get down to 140# & I recall 140 & remember feeling just as gross & fat as I feel now but w/much smaller boobs. I'm doing this so in the future I can have babies safely but theres like a 75% chance that wont happen for me so I guess I also am doing this to be hott for myself. Like I've always been fat, I want to be hot damn it.