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Pre Surgical weight 260 Surgery weight 232 1 wk post op 216 Pre Surgery

That's great! I'm one week post op as well and am down another 6 lbs. I go to my surgeon on Friday so hopefully a few more pounds will fly off. I been walking like crazy since that's all I can really do. Walked 5 miles yesterday, gonna aim for 6 miles tomorrow! Keep it up!

That is where your stomach came out... They place an extra stitch there so every time I moved it pulled/ stringed but the pa told me it was totally normal. It lasted about a total of four weeks until the stich dissolved.

Music lover, I feel your frustration. My understanding is that losing slowly is a sure sign that your are losing from fat stores and not from muscle, this is a good thing. The hardest thing about this forum is that you DO compare yourself with others, it's only natural. But the BEST thing is that there is always some one in the same boat, they can make you feel better. Although I am so far a slow loser, I have never lost so consistently, in all of my previous attempts, of which there have been too numerous to even attempt to count. It is easier for me to sort of ignore how quickly or slowly other people are losing because most of you are in lbs and I work in kilos, I have to open my trusty conversion app to work it out! You are probably also having a bad day, week or month and need a little extra loving. I hope you can feel it coming from me.

I am going on week 4. Every time I sit I get this sharp stabbing in my left side. It's been going on for a week now. I can barely use the bathroom. It hurts so bad to sit. Has anyone else had or have this problem. I am having a hard time getting my protein in. I am sick of the protein shakes. Any suggestions?

congrats on breaking the stall! I just broke my first stall too. I'm 9 weeks out and hadn't lost anything since around week 5. I was in that place where I wondered if the surgery worked of me. But it's over (yay) and I have faith that this works, even for me :-) I think I'm better prepared to face the next stall.

Here's a related post that I'm borrowing from another board. The woman asked if anyone else experiences horrible heartburn. Here's a guy's response that sounded like he has a slippage based on the "mushroom" description. His doc is giving him 2-3 weeks to heal after unfilling him: hi, i had very bad reflux to the point i was barfing almost every night, i went to my band doc and swallowed barium. what happened is that my stomach overlapped my band causing a mushroom effect over the band. he released some of the Fluid from the band and said we will see if the stomach goes back in the band 2-3 weeks from now. if not he said they could re-insert the stomach laparoscopically. the problem is that i have gained 5 pounds in the last 2 weeks. have you had a barium swallow to see if this happened to you?

I had my surgery on 9/4/13 and went home 9/6/13, I am feeling great. I am on the puree stage and I ate eggs, tuna, grits mashed potato, chicken breast and green beans so far. I found that skim milk gave me bubbles... I am doing good with fat free Lactaid milk with all my protein shakes. I was having a problem with water until today. Water was causing gas but I added apple juice to it and it goes down fine. I cannot tell when I'm full, so I only eat about 2 spoons of food at a meal. The sensitive nose has went away. I am driving as of Monday 9/9/13. So guys whats the thing to look for to tell if I'm full, so that I do not under eat? (I do not want to learn from throwing up first) And when do you get on the thread mill?

I started off at 250lbs, am now down to 190 and my goal is 145. I was banded in Mexico and only have a 4cc band. Right now it's filled to 1.9cc. I walk 1.5-2 miles 4-5 days a week and get into the gym for extra cardio and weights about twice a week. I haven't been counting calories really, and maybe that's where I need to start. My surgeon sent me home with instructions for 600-800 calories a day, but that doesn't seem like enough. I may be guilty of eating some slider foods, like tomato soup and mashed potatoes on occasion, but for the most part I eat a lot of salmon, salad, chicken, and raw fruits and veggies. Thanks for your insight! I don't want to fail at this, quitting just isn't an option!

Unfortunately I don't know much about the Swedish lap band, just the Allergan band. I have heard with the Allergan band that you can take out alll of the fill, wait for a couple of weeks and then start filling again. Supposedly, this results in a feeling of starting all over again with fills. Like I said, I have heard this about the Allergan band, not sure how it is with the band you are talking about. The only other thing I can suggest is the possibility of either getting another type of band or the sleeve? I'm sorry to hear that you are having such difficulty.

Today is much better! I can drink my coffee and plan to have my yogurt and blueberries mixed together (my fav. morning treat!). I really do think I am either in the green zone or at least very close! I am glad I went-even stepped on the scale today to see 2 more pounds gone! I really think the gym has helped with getting my sluggish metabolism going. After a long plateau things are finally starting to kick in! Melissa-I am going to New Orleans on Thursday for 2 nights and then sailing out to Mexico for 4 nights-I can't wait!! I would have preferred to have my fill last week but the doc was on vacation. Where are you cruising too? By Feb. you will be in excellent cruise shape!! Dave- These guys were so proud and they were actaually talkingto a young girl who was filling out a form for the Lapband. I personally don't think she will qualify because she didn't look like she had much to lose. It was really good to hear 2 guys with 100+ weight lost-and you too!! I have heard so many people say it was the best decision of their life-and I really feel like I am beginning to understand why!

I started this journey back on July 5th and after completing Tufts "Can change" program and all my doctors requirements, I finally got my surgery date today! March 1st! 3 weeks from today!! I can't believe it!! I'm ecstatic!

Yes sounds like post op gas pain. If I remember correctly mine lasted around a week or so. Walk a lot, and have someone karate chop your neck and shoulders a few times a day. Good luck.

Hi Gman, welcome to the world of the banded. I also had a hernia repair and had diaphragm pain for about 4 days, it hurt in my upper chest. I also stopped taking pain medication on day four. I could not lie on my left side for several days, I would go to bed lay on the right side and half way thru the night I would go to the recliner. It was just more comfortable. Within the week I was sleeping in my bed all night. If you are still in pain maybe you could just take the pain medication when you need it the most, say at night so you can sleep. Be sure you are taking something to help you go to the bathroom, those pain meds and the lack of good Fiber make it very painful to go. My doctor suggested MOM (Milk of Magnesia) and it works great. Good luck to you and hope you feel better soon.

I just finished up all of my pre op requirements. I am on an immune system suppressing medication so I have to be off of it for 8 weeks before I can have surgery so it looks like I'll be sleeved on June 9. it's funny you mentioned nerves and hives. On my wedding day I was covered in hives from being nervous! Lol Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

So, my surgery is tomorrow....and I am super excited about it. I can't wait to see the new me later on down the road. But, I am also super nervous. I hope things go well and that I can handle it all emotionally. I am starving after being on shakes for two weeks. They make me want to vomit now.

Hi there. Hope everything will go well for you. My op date is 10 June and has been on liquid diet for nearly 2 weeks and mus stay on it for a nother 10 days!!! I feel the same way about the shakes now. Anyway take care and thumbs up for tomorrow!!!!

who knows. Most doctors say to shrink the liver. Protein shakes are supposed to be low cal, give you the needed protein and still make you lose weight. I Iost 9 pounds in my one week liquid diet, so I assume my liver lost some of it's fat too. That's what they say anyway!

I'd try typing in in the search bar I'm sure you'll find lots. Try before and after, or if there is a week or month out try 3 weeks post op something to that effect. or where the recent topics are hit view all. Hope that helps.

I had lost 80 then gained 30 back. Old habits returned, but the bigger reason was that my doc over the last year was able to document that I had a leak. I just had my band removed and replaced. See your doc, but in the interim consider giving yourself a jump start by going on a liquid diet. I was on liquids two weeks pre- and post-op which resulted in 20# of weight loss. That in itself has really motivated me plus it detoxed by body of the sugar and carbs and made me lose the cravings. I have gone to soft foods this week, but staying away from sugar and most carbs. I do feel better.

It depends on a lot of things really. One you're very young so chances are you'll have less of a problem than someone two or three times your age. But you're either born with good skin or you arent too, and some people will have stretching and some wont. I think it depends heaps on where you carry your weight too. Those apple shaped people really have a disadvantage because they develop really big tummies that are very stretched out when the weight is gone. Whereas others of us that are pear shaped never have that problem. I've got plenty of weight to lose but to be honest, my stomach looks more like an after photo than a before photo on any of those plastic surgery sites so I'm praying it'll stay that way. I can live with a bit of wrinkly skin. It also depends how much perfection you're demanding as a result. At your age its fair enough to want a really really good result. You've got bikini wearing ahead of you afterall. At nearly 40 I dont really care much about that, lol. I really dont think there's anything much you can do to influence whether or not it happens though, you're either lucky or your not.

Hi there, it's funny because my husband and I went to Mexico exactly 3 weeks before my surgery. I checked with the hospital nurse and the doctor and they said it was no problem. Please check with your doctor to as they may have different requirements. Also, watch what you eat there as my hubby and I both had quite a bit of tummy trouble once we got back. Good luck to you.

I know it wont make you feel any better but 3 weeks out I remember asking my Dr why I was still getting shoulder pain. He said it was normal and not to worry about it...Dont worry you will look back in 12 mths and it will all be a distant memory...especially when you will have probably lost stacks of weight by then.

Yes, doriana, I drank coffee after surgery, but I think I waited about a week. I just didnt want to irratate my stomache lining.

(stole this from March bandsters group!!) There are so many different opinions about what to eat and not to eat post op, I thought it would be helpful to post the LAPBAND SYSTEM guidelines. Hope it's helpful. Recovery Here are some key points for your recovery in the first few days and weeks. First Days You can expect some soreness, especially where the access port is, but it should subside (Please call your surgeon if the pain persists after a few days). To prevent infection, your surgeon may tell you not to shower for a day or so after surgery. Try to walk as much as you can comfortably, so that you'll regain strength and prevent blood clots, but take it slowly. [*]First Week(s) During the first week after surgery, allow yourself to recover and get plenty of rest. In about a week, you should be able to return to work, provided it's not physically demanding. For more physically active jobs, allow yourself two to three weeks to recover. Within four to six weeks, you should be able to resume all normal activity and start a new exercise program. Note: Before engaging in any physical activity or exercise program, first consult your surgeon. Click here to learn more about Exercise Guidelines Many surgeons see their patients weekly or biweekly during the first month after surgery, so you will be sure your recovery is going well, and have any questions answered. Dietary Guidelines After surgery, you'll need a new nutrition plan. You'll learn about the positive changes you can and need to make in your diet and lifestyle from your surgeon and/or dietitian. It's very important to follow your new eating and drinking instructions beginning immediately after the surgery. In the first few weeks after your LAP-BAND® System surgery, you will be on a liquid diet since only thin liquids will be tolerated by your stomach at that time. As you heal, you will gradually progress to pureed foods (three to four weeks post-op) and then soft foods (five weeks post-op). Finally, after about six weeks, you will be able to eat solid foods. The First Few Days Post-Surgery It's extremely important to follow the eating and drinking instructions immediately after the surgery. This allows your new stomach pouch to heal completely and the LAP-BAND® System to stay in the right position. In the early weeks, it's crucial not to stretch the small stomach pouch above the LAP-BAND® System. Vomiting will do this, while also increasing the chance of stomach tissue slipping up through the band. Right after the surgery, you can take an occasional sip of Water or suck on an ice cube. Don't take any more liquid than this, though. The day after the operation, you can take a little more Fluid but only a small amount at a time. Besides water, you should also choose Clear Liquids that have an adequate number of calories. To prevent nausea and vomiting, do not drink too much. [*]liquid diet (1-2 weeks post-surgery) Your goal during the first few weeks is to protect the small stomach pouch so that you can heal properly. It can only tolerate thin liquids at this time. It's also important to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water (small amounts at a time). Other liquids recommended during this phase include: clear broth or Soup (with no vegetables or meat, and not creamy) skim milk fruit juice no-sugar-added popsicles [*]Pureed Foods (3-4 weeks post-surgery) Now, you can start adding slightly textured foods. Think of the consistency of baby foods. This stage will help you transition to more solid foods later. Protein is very important for maintaining muscle while you lose weight. So, you should eat protein-rich foods first, and then move on to fruits and vegetables. Foods in this stage may include: pureed skinless chicken or fish mashed potatoes peas low-fat yogurt or pudding [*]Please note: In the first few weeks you may be able to eat foods that might not be allowed in your diet later, because they may contain too many calories. [*]Remember, it's more important in the first few weeks to let your stomach adjust to the LAP-BAND® System than it is to lose weight. Also, your personal timing and progression into each dietary phase depends on your progress. In general, when it comes to your nutrition, you should follow the advice of your surgeon and/or dietitian. [*]Soft Foods (5 weeks post-surgery) Your meals can now include tender, cooked foods like fish and ground turkey. Now that you can chew, make it a habit to chew foods well. If you have dentures, be sure to cut your food into small pieces and chew your food thoroughly. By not chewing properly, you may experience vomiting, stomach irritation and swelling. You could also have stoma obstruction (obstruction of the stomach opening created by the LAP-BAND® System). Some products like bread, red meat, and rice may still cause you problems, so it is better to eat softer foods that are easier to digest. These might include foods such as moist white meat (chicken or pork) and fish. If solid foods cause any nausea and vomiting, go back to the liquid diet you had earlier. Then you can slowly add soft foods and eventually transition to solid foods. Always ask your doctor or dietitian for advice that is specific to you. Again, remember that vomiting may increase the incidence of band slippage, stomach slippage, or stretching of the small stomach pouch above the LAP-BAND®.