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Hi! I hope you are doing well and are making progress towards your weight loss surgery goals, whether they are to get surgery, hit your goal weight, or maintain your new healthy habits. As you know, support is crucial to your success in this journey. BariatricPal is one of the places you can go for support. In-person support groups can be another important factor in your success. When you meet people every week or month, you can look for the following benefits. A greater sense of camaraderie – you’re not in this alone! Accountability – seeing other members in person can be more motivating. Personal growth – opening up in person is much harder and more rewarding than staying anonymous over the internet. Deep friendships – the people you meet in support groups may be the people you call to go walking or just hang out. Most surgeons recognize the value of support groups and many require or ask their patients to attend. Still, not all bariatric surgery patients get enough in-person support. Thousands of pre-op and post-op bariatric surgery patients use BariatricPal’s online forums every day. Now, BariatricPal is providing another way for you to build your support system. BariatricPal Local Chapters is trying to bring face-to-face support groups to your area! Members are the same members of BariatricPal who are there for each other day after day online. Now, you can extend that support into your real life. When Meetings run by your peers in a friendly and helpful atmosphere. In-person support to supplement support from other groups. Members whom you can talk to any time between meetings online at BariatricPal. The same values you get online at BariatricPal. Go to BariatricPal’s Local Chapters page to look for a group in your area. If there is not yet one that is near you and convenient, don’t worry! You can suggest one or start one in the Local Chapters Forum. BariatricPal has plenty of support for anyone who wants to become a Local Chapters Leader – no experience necessary! I hope you will consider joining or starting a BariatricPal Local Chapters group. Please post on the forums or send me a private message to get started. I can’t wait to see what this Local Chapters program can do for our members. Thank you for your support of BariatricPal.

Count me in girl - I lost 17 pounds in 2 weeks... now I have gone a week and a half without losing anything. In fact I have gained a pound or two depending on the day. I think your body freaks out from lack of food. I am just eating whatever feels good right now. I think healing is more important than weight loss until your first fill. Don't worry about it. We are in this FOREVER. I will pick up the obession on November 17th......... :0)

I can't tell you to stay off the scale because I am just as bad. Well I was up to a week ago now I have or want nothing to with weight loss, the band, the scale or anything. Just in a rut... Anyway...hang in there...I do think you aren't getting enough calories in. When I was filled too tight..I was having like 300 - 400 a day and oh my goodness I was actually gaining most of the time. You will see when you eat mushies it will get better hang in there girl. Plus look at the exercise you are doing... me I am lucky to walk everyday. Oh and my throat has been hurting me the last 2 days...I think something is going around.

I'm getting my first fill this Thursday and without knowing what to expect, I find myself wondering too much. Will I get uber gassy again? Will I be a good bandster? How long will I need liquids? How much fill will I end up getting? I'm finally on my way, My cardiologist visit today went really well. He was happy I lost weight already and wanted to know how I feel. I think I might be his first banded patient as most everyone else is older than me in the waiting room. He wanted to know how it feels and where exactly is it placed on the stomach, why is saline involved. I told him I was getting a fill and explained as much as I understand. I see him again in 4 months. He really helped me get the surgery because he did all the weight charting and wrote a heavy letter telling that the procedure was a prescription from him as all the other weight loss attempts weren't working. He said he gets weary of Insurance Co.'s telling him what he cant do unless he gets tough on them. So I bounce back between feeling good about todays visit and then feeling intrepid about my first fill. I don't know why its bothering me so much. I guess ill get over it. I have to!

After months of contemplation, I went to my primary doctor to begin my supervised weight loss visits. I attended a seminar with the bariatric surgeon back in November and scheduled my intake appointment in January. However, due to insurance rollover, I would have to pay over $800 that first visit since I hadn't met my deductibles yet. The office gave me the go ahead to begin my doctor visits while I wait to get my deductible met (one test - I can't remember the name of it just yet - was normally $30 or so dollars with my insurance but I was having to pay $400!) I had all my tests ran today and my doctor literally looked at me and said, "You are so healthy minus your weight. Your cholesterol, sugar levels, blood pressure - everything is normal. It really doesn't make sense since your BMI is so high." He put me on a diet pill of sorts because he's very anti-weight loss surgery for two weeks. I'm interested to see how it works. Like most, I have yo yo dieted my entire life, losing over 40 pounds in the last year by pure "clean" eating and exercising. Due to job changing, stress, lack of routine and motivation, I gained it all back. I just told my entire life story for one question - any tips on a pre-op diet? Are most of you just paleo/clean eating?

I went on a cruise in October and had just got a fill. I had a ball and with the weight loss, I was so much more active. I also hit the gym while I cruised and took the steps a lot. I always ate my protein first then my veggies and maybe fruit. I rarely ate dessert, and the night I wanted my favorite dessert, I planned accordingly for those extra calories. You will be fine if you do not make your cruise about food (shopping tends to be my focus )

My family & I have been planning our cruise since September. My surgery is Jan 4th, so hopefully by then I will have good restriction and good weight loss. My question to anyone who's been on a cruise with a band, how do you manage not to hurt yourself with over eating.... no chewing well ... taking big bites..getting stuck...all leading to PAIN etc.... I just don't want to be in pain when we are supposed to be enjoying our cruise with our family. Should I ask my doc for an "unfill" or is that a bit unethical to ask a doc to do for your own enjoyment and glutony. Tell me what you think yall.

Yes lovestodecorate, the band is just a tool, and if you have been anywhere near this site--you will have read that hundreds of times. It IS a tool. A shovel is a tool, but it makes digging a hole a helluva lot easier--and my band made losing weight a helluva lot easier!!! When you achieve some restriction without being too tight----best done with a slow steady approach--it is not a race---then the band helps to alleviate your hunger. When you are not entering the kitchen starving all the time it allows you to make wiser decisions. Yes there are surgeries where you lose weight, and you do not have to do any of the work...look at the stats for regaining weight though! You DO have to learn to eat differently! The band as a tool helped and continues to help me with those lessons! With the bands help in restriction, I have reduced my portions. I have never been one that is comfortable with serious, tight restriction. I eat well over a 1/4 or 1/2 cup of food per meal. But I have learned what to eat for healths sake--not just for weight loss! With the bands help I have weaned myself off of so many starches and sweets. I have no eliminated them and have no intention of doing so--I am learning how I want to eat for the rest of my life! The point being with 100 pounds gone I likely have a longer rest of my life to be eating! I began my band without exercising. I lost probably the first 50 pounds without exercise. Then I did not begin because I needed it to lose----it helped seriously though! I began because I was feeling GOOD! I had energy, and I no longer felt like everyone was staring if I went out walking, or into our local Curves. I do not spend hours a day exercising now-----but I try to spend enough to keep my heart healthy----and the weight loss follows. We ALL wanted to lose weight here. But you do have to seriously make a decision to get healthy! And for ones like you bearcatgirl---it might be a slower process, as you have less fat and more muscle---but the goal is to get healthy! If you are already well muscled then you are already healthier. If you are not carrying a lot of your weight in your curves--then they will likely stay. I began this process in a 48 DDD bra....and am now in a 38DD--still plenty of curves. Depends on the make up of your curves currently as to how you will lose them or not. I too was a self pay so this was not a decision I made lightly. I was on several prescriptions each day for blood pressure, and blood sugar, and cholesterol----and now I do not take a single prescription medicine! My blood pressure is normal, my blood sugar, and my triglycerides are normal, and my cholesterol has dropped so far my Dr. is in shock! It is even now normal---and he wants it yet lower (?!) Surgery was a serious step. It cost a lot of money, and it has taken me working with the band and my Dr.'s to have the success I have had. I did not sit back and it just happen. But I have gained soooooo much! I have my life back! I have control! I am not embarassed by myself anymore! I am not afraid to meet my DH's co workers! I run and play with my grandkids! I go to public swimming pools! I cross my legs! The list could go on for pages!!! It is not easy, and no one can make the decision for you----but it is NOT destined to fail! Good Luck in making a well informed, well thought out decision concerning your life, and your health. Kat

I stayed at 700 calories on average per day until i hit the 9 month post op mark. I then had a very long stall - 28 days and I was told to increase my calories by adding more veggies, fresh fruit and some Protein. I was also told to reduce excercising from 1 hour per day to 30 minutes 5 times per week. I increased to 800 -900 per day until I hit 1 year and then slowly increased to 1100 per day. I was still in weight loss phase until 18 months. Then increased to 1200 to 1300 per day. I did and my stall broke. I continued to lose weight for the next 9 months until i reached my ultimate goal.

I"m so sorry to hear what you've been going through - that's awful, and definately takes the joyful thrill out of hitting the 100s! Rats!! A guy at our weight loss surgery support group last night (now several years out) talked about that last night since he had the same thing. For what it's worth he said it worked and all was well after that. We're all different though, and your case is YOU - so you absolutely deserve to vent! Go for it!!

great job on the weight loss and esp the walking....the chili dish sounded yummy......but agree with tmf that it does slide on through.....more filling type meals seem to make me not hungry...and feel fuller longer but hey, your doing terrific...did your sister go out of her mind because you looked so great?

Hi Everyone, I have been asked so many times on this board about what Protein drinks are good and some sample meals that I used during the first month and things I did after the 1st month. These are very valid questions and I know when I first started out I had all the same questions. Again this is long so please print this out if you would like. Protein Drinks. My all-time favorite is: Premier Protein Drink. It comes in 11 oz. drink boxes already mixed. There are 30 grams of protein in each box, 160 calories per box, 1 gram of sugar and 5 grams of carbs. The flavor I buy is Chocolate—that is all I can find at costco. I get mine at Costco and I understand that you can get them at Sam’s Club too. You can order these on line at Costco and Sam’s club. They are also available at this Web Site. http://www.premiernutrition.com/product.html I pay about $25.00 for a carton of 18 drink boxes at Costco in the city where I live. I drink one of these every morning for my Breakfast and nothing else and it has been almost 3 years since my “sleeve surgery.” The next Protein Drink that I have tried is called: Matrix 2.0 Mint Cookies made by Syntrax. You can check this out on this Web Site. http://www26.netrition.com/syntrax_matrix_page.html The cost for 2.16 lbs. is $22.99 plus postage. Item # 39-0963 My next Protein Drink that I have tried and like is: nectar, variety pack, you get 13 single servings in a variety pack. The cost is $22.95. This is the Web Site and they are made by Syntrax also. http://www6.netrition.com/syntrax_nectar_page.html There is one other Protein Drink that I found on Obesity Help.com that was rated really high by 188 people. I have never had it, but you might want to check it out. The name of the protein drink is: Carb Solution High Protein Power—it comes in more than one flavor. They also have cans of it already mixed. The Protein Powers cost $12.99. It has 110 calories, 1 gram of sugar, 4 carbs, and 20 grams of protein. This is the Web Site for Carb Solution at Wal-Mart. http://www.buycheapr.com/us/result.jsp?q=Carb+Solution&qs=ti&ga=us7&ts=go On www.ObesityHelp.com they have a lot of different information about Protein Drinks and they list so many different brands and people have rated the ones they really like check this site out. It has a lot of information about almost all the protein drinks that we find out there. http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/nutrition/a,prodsearch/searchtype,1/criteria,11/ I hate Isopure. It does NOT taste good to me—I know that some people like it. I call it Isopuke, and it reminds me of pond scum. I have been told if you buy it at a GNC and don’t like it and still have your receipt they will refund your money if it hasn’t been more than 30 days since you purchased it from them. I guess they will do that with protein powers too—ask before you buy what their policy is about returning something if you don’t like it. So if you want to try it remember this. There always seems to be a GNC in most Malls. This 1st month after weight loss surgery is going to be the hardest one to do. You just get tired of what they want you to do. It is for a reason—the doctors know what they are doing. You need to let your new stomach heal from a major surgery, so that is why you have to do these things the 1st month. You should try to keep your calories at 800 per day and no more than 20 carbs a day if you want to lose weight. The 1st month you really don’t eat a lot. So in the following months keep track of everything you are putting in your mouth. You can track what you eat on this site. I found it to be very helpful to write down EVERYTHING I was putting into my body. If I didn’t write it down I was going over 800 calories per day and would not know I was. It does take time to keep track of it—you are worth the effort, but once you get the hang of it you will know what 800 calories really are. When you exercise this site helps you figure out the number of calories you have burned and that allows you to eat more than 800 calories. It is an easy site to use and it if FREE. http://www.livestrong.com/ The 1st 10 days for me had to be clear liquids—you had to be able to see through them. 1. broth. I used and love “Better Than Bouillon.” It comes in a jar and it is like a paste. I like it because it tastes great and you can make single servings. It is located with bouillon cubes and Soups in the grocery store. I had chicken and beef. I also made some home chicken Soup and strained everything out of it and just had the chicken broth. I would try to have ¼ of a cup of it for part of my meal, but sometimes it was just too much for me. Remember you have a new smaller stomach and it is swollen and can only hold about as much as the size of your thumb. 2. Jello-- sugar free. I might have 2 tablespoons of Jello. That was something I had fixed and ready when I got home from the hospital. 3. I tried to drink 64 oz. of Water and sometimes I could get it in and sometimes I couldn’t. Do the best you can, and just sip it all day long. I would add Crystal Light to the water—it made water taste a whole lot better. 4. Apple juice, white grape juice, sugar free sports drinks, decaf hot tea, also decaf ice tea. 5. Veggie broth or the broth from French Onion soup. 6. Sugar Free Popsicles if my stomach was upset this really seemed to help. The 2nd 10 days. This was much easier to do. If I didn’t mention it, it was difficult for me to swallow my medication so I would crush the medication up and mix it with about 1 tablespoon of applesauce and some Equal and mix my meds in the applesauce and take my medication that way. You will have creamy foods the next 10 days 1. I loved so many of the creamy soups. I used regular Campbell’s creamy soups that they had. I was only having about ¼ cup or maybe a few tablespoons of soup. 2. Jello was still good for me. 3. Sugar Free pudding, maybe 2 tablespoons full. 4. Yogurt a few tablespoons of it. 5. Frozen yogurt. 6. Applesauce a couple tablespoons. 7. A little cream cheese. 8. Sugar Free Fudge Cycles. 9. Premier Protein chocolate Drink mixed in blender with about 4 ice cubes and 1 cap full of Miralax. When you have a lot of protein you get constipated and Miralax works for that. It is tasteless and blends really great in the blender with the protein drink. I use the Miralx daily and it is NOT habit forming. 10. Soft boiled eggs or soft scrambled eggs—eggs didn’t work that well for me. 11. Low fat Chocolate milk. 12. Cottage Cheese. 13. Sugar Free Popsicles 14. Creamy Peanut Butter. The 3rd 10 days and final part of the first month. Yeah the 1st month is almost over. I could eat mushy food. This was more of a challenge than I thought it would be. 1. Mashed sweet potato or mashed yams with a small amount of butter on it. 2. Mashed up chicken noodle soup. 3. Mashed up homemade veggie soup. 4. Eggs that were soft boiled or soft scrambled. 5. Applesauce. 6. Cottage cheese. 7. Premier Protein Drink with miralax blended in the blender with 4 ice cubes. 8. Mashed up steamed carrots 9. Mashed up and blended a little tuna with a small amount of mayo. 10. Blended chicken breast with no skin on it. 11. Ham blended with a small amount of mayo. 12. Water with Crystal Light 13. Jello with fat free cool whip. 14. Yogurt and frozen yogurt. 15. Sugar free pudding. 16. Protein Bars chewed up really well—I could never eat a whole one—just a few bites. 17. Mashed potatoes and cream cheese mixed in with them. 18. Mashed black Beans they have a lot of protein in them. I would have about 1/4 the a cup and that is about 9 grams of protein 19. Sugar Free Popsicles 20. Hard Boiled eggs made into egg salad. If I went out to eat I found that a cup of soup was about the best thing I found that I could eat. I also felt like I was on display sometimes because family and friends would watch me eat. It used to bother me, but not anymore. I watched them eat and I thought to myself. “Oh my gosh they inhale their food and they hardly chew it.” I was always the last one to finish eating. That is OK too. At first I actually mourned the loss of food. Later on I was thrilled that I had the restriction of a sleeve because I was losing weight. I found that chicken and fish were easier to chew and I liked them a lot more than red meat. I said that chicken was one of the main sources of protein for me. I found Kirkland (Costco brand) grilled Chicken breast strips. It is already cooked and I would put one bag (1 pound) in the freezer and use the other (1 pound bag later.) It is really handy to have around and a quick meal to fix if the chicken is already cooked. We also ate more fish. I would buy Halibut or Sole—a mild fish. I would marinate it in OJ or crushed strawberries or blueberries all day. I would also marinate it in law calories Italian Salad Dressing all day. I would cook it in a pan with Pam spray and put garlic or rosemary in the pan when I was cooking it. I don’t eat a lot of red meat and I used to be a real red meat lover. For me it took too much chewing and it just didn’t taste as good as it used to. I will now have a small hamburger and only eat 1/3 to ½ because it just is too much food for me. Ham was something that worked well for me too. I found I could get a large think slice of from the grocery story deli and I would have it for a protein—I would slice off about 2 oz. of the ham. I also enjoy a Taco Salad and I make mine with chicken instead of beef. I love Shrimp and lobster too, so those are my treats that I reward myself with. A typical meal I ate starting the 2nd month after WLS. Breakfast: Premier Protein Drink with Miralax and 4 ice cubes in the blender. Lunch: 2 oz. of chicken or ham with a small amount of cheese melted over it. I would have a bean salad—it has 4 different beans in it. Snack: I would have about 10 dry roasted almonds and maybe 10 dried cherries Dinner: 2 oz. of Chicken or Fish, steamed veggies of some kind. Sometimes my husband and I would split a small baked potato I put a teaspoon of butter and sour cream on it. Snack: Some type of fresh fruit or a Protein Bar. Carbs and what to eat and what NOT to eat About the 3rd month after WLS I would add a little bread in my diet—I could only eat about ½ a slice of bread or ½ of a hamburger bun and they are the “thin” buns that they have out now. They also make a thin bagel. You just have to look when you are shopping in your local grocery store for these things. Try to find Whole Grain carb products and if you can’t the do the whole wheat. Try to stay away from WHITE carbs. They are white refined carbs and that is how we got fat eating a lot of them. Rice should be brown rice and only a small amount—NO white rice. Pasta comes is Spinach or Whole Wheat and you can have only small amounts of it. banana – Medium size has 27 Grams of carbs—I stay away from the banana, and I love them, but I just don’t want to spend all my carbs for the day on a banana. I use a Mexican soft flour shell made of spinach or sun dried tomatoes for making a small sandwich too—you know they call them wraps. Beverage: They do not want you to drink something when you eat—you need the room for the food so that you can get your protein in firsts. During the day I would have water or decaf tea for my liquid after I ate or all during the day. As I said the Crystal Light Individual packs and different flavors worked well in a bottle of water. It seems like it took me forever to eat and drink all the things I was supposed to be eating and drinking. I was always sipping on the protein drink and water. supplements you should take. It is important that you take a multi-Vitamin. I had a difficult time trying to swallowing large pills. Look for an Adult Chewable multi-vitamin. I also have the Chocolate Chewable Calcium that I buy at Costco. As time goes on it will get easier to swallow larger pills. Do NOT take the multi-vitamin on an empty stomach, it may make you sick. My Primary Care doctor was very helpful and after I had been home 2 weeks from WLS, she had me come into for an office visit. She ran a full blood panel and made sure all my levels were ok. I knew my potassium was low when I left Dr. Aceves in Mexicali—they ran my blood test before I left and gave me a very detailed report about my surgery to give to my doctor here in the US. Dr. Aceves told me to have it watched when I got home. I now take a potassium tablet prescribed by my doctor and work on eating food high in potassium. Starting the 3rd month I started to eat more salads about here. I had a favorite and still eat it. It is Fresh Spinach, with slices of almonds, feta cheese, dried cherries, or fresh strawberries, a tablespoon of bacon and Paul Newman’s Light Raspberry & Walnut dressing on it. I sometimes add some of my Kirkland (Costco) Grilled Chicken breast strips to it and then it is an entire meal in one bowl. Chef’s Salad is a great one meal in a bowl thing to have and I just use any kind of dressing I want on it. This salad has lettuce, tomatoes, olives, sliced hard boiled eggs, turkey or chicken, and some ham sliced on it with some cheese. REMEMBER make this in a much smaller bowl than the normal Chef’s salad comes in. Sometimes I will add a small amount of Whole Grain dinner roll or some bread with it. Stir Fry is a great way to get meat and veggies all in one meal too. I have a pan that works great on the BBQ grill and I do a stir fry on the BBQ in the summer time. Have a sense of adventure and take some of your old recipes and see if you can convert them into a healthier recipe. Use veggies that you have never tried. Try some “rubs” on you meat located in the spice section or the grocery store and try to marinate some of your meats all day before cooking them—it really changes the taste of them. Desert I don’t want you to feel deprived. I learned that sometime just a bite or two of a desert really satisfied my need for it. Instead of the WHOLE piece of cake or pie, just a sliver of it worked for me to satisfy my need for it. When you want a cookie have just one small cookie and not the entire bag OK. Sugar free pudding with a small amount of Fat Free Cool Whip is good too. Use Splendia to make a desert that you like. So everything in moderation works. Exercise I was never a fan of exercise until I started to walk and I found out how much I benefited from it. Now I try to exercise 5 days a week. Find some form of exercise that works for you and do it. Start slow and then add more until you are comfortable with it. I am sure I have missed a few things, and I will write those down as I think of them and make a Vol. 2 if I needed too. These are just my suggestions, spice them up and make your food interesting and don’t get in a rut. This is not a diet, you will learn to adapt it and find things that work for you and that you like eating. This is a LIFESTYLE change. Make it work for you. You have the tool of restriction now use your new tool to your advantage. The fat doesn’t just melt off of you. It does require work and effort on your part. Stalls—No weight loss for a period of days. Be prepared you may have periods where you lose NO weight. We call those “Stalls.” You will panic and think for sure that you are the “one person this is NOT going to work on.” I know I was sure that was me. NOT true at all. Our bodies just do this. Mine lasted for 9 days—no weight loss at all. Just keep doing what you are doing and the weight will start coming off again I promise you. I can tell you not to panic but most of you will anyway—that is pretty normal too. Hugs, Suzanne Sleeved 10/21/2008 Lost 105 pounds.

First of all, thank you to anyone who listens to my story I found this wonderful site will researching questions about having the sleeve surgery. I found the most wonderful information and people here. I have read so many stories and have had questions answered about many things. I was reluctent to post anything until I found out my insurance was approved and yesterday I got the approval letter!.. It was very exciting until I called my doctor's office and they said they haven't recieved their copy. I was kind of bummed so I faxed it over still nothing heard from them. I guess I am a little anxious. My goal was going to try to have the surgury while I was on summer break from school. There have been lots of complications it took about a month for them to get back my bloodwork and needless to say I have been bugging the doctor's office, but I finally called the lab and found it it was them who didn't fax over the paperwork! My hopes for having this surgury before school started were diminishing and when they called to schedule the pre op apointment it was scheduled for July 14 th! Three days after I go back to school! I am already registered for classes and I don't want to give up on my dreams of becoming a pastry chef. I have 6 more classes to take and I graduate in March. There have been alot of ups and downs in this process in the beginning of my journey my insurance had a lapse and I had to wait a month until it started again. I am going to try and mabye do the surgery and miss a couple classes. Some things that are unique to my situation is that I take care of seven children. This is because I had a husband pass away and I remmarried. My current husband had three kids and I had three kids so we decided to have one together. I know crazy huh? He is now almost four years old. My current husband is very supportive and he watches the kids so I can go to school. He is an amazing man and i am lucky to have him. Having the one husband die I am naturely terrified of dying in this surgery, but I know probably healthwise I need this surgury. I have gout which is a condition that is very painful if I do not manage my diet very carefully to avoid all red meat. I am hoping the weight loss will help cure the gout, but most of all I just want to be healither. Also does anyone know usually when the surgury gets scheduled after the pre-op apointment? Well this is my story thanks for taking the time to read it I can't wait to join all of you on the loser's bench lol

I had my psych eval with a Dr. Warren Huberman - I thought he was great. You can get his number on this website. Not sure if he's psychiatrist or psychologist but he's pretty good, very knowledgeable about the band. I really liked him.NYU Surgical Weight Loss - Welcome

I did post-surgery. It went away I have a theory about my weight loss, though. 6+ months down the road, I hit plateaus regularly. I find that after a few days of eating really "well', meaning, "less", I get starvin marvin, and since I am actually able to get more down at this point, I eat a bit more, and maintain that plateau. I get hungry! My body wants to maintain it's weight. And I promise there are not-so-good foods that go down just fine. I surely eat less than I used to, and I really do get fuller faster, but I still get the hungries every once in a while and will eat what I shouldn't. This is where the head-work comes in for me. Getting past that starvin marvin mode and allowing more weight loss to happen, rather than just maintaining my loss, is the hard part. It's slow, but it's steady down, so I can't really complain. Good luck!

thanks for all the good advice I think I will try it and see how it goes I can't seem to get rid of the awful taste after I take the powder I'll try anything once. I just want to feel better so I can concentrate on my weight loss. Thanks again all.

I use the weight scale as a positive motivator. When I see no loss or very little, I just accelerate myself more. I know I will win if I keep my positive attitude. Best wishes

Oh my word! We have be sailing in the same boat! Im 3 weeks away from surgery. Everyday seems like the Last Supper. Not copious amounts of food, but whatever snack that I think I want to eat. I started to doubt that I wanted the surgery! Honestly, I think that I had to mourn the loss of my old eating habits. I have given up soda and do not drink with meals to trying to prepare and trying not to eat candy, etc. I was just struggling from knowing I won't be able to snack incessantly. Thankfully this week, I am getting excited once again. I don't want to eat mindlessly anymore. I feel ready! I think that I had to go through the emotions of giving up a part of me. I'm ready to change! I want this. I know it is a tool and not a magic wand. Maybe you, too, are going through emotions of the huge changes that lie ahead. The decision is still yours to make! Linda

Well, someone suggested it and it sounds like a great idea, so here it is. The check-in site for older bandsters. I'll get this started. I'm 63 and in the process of getting a loan to pay for my surgery if needed (can't cound on Medicare). I've had the Thallium scan. I had 5-way-bypass in 2001 and am doing fine in that department, but the weight has to go. I devoted myself literally to eating when they took my cigarettes away...but then that is what ended me up in surgery to start with. Now, the culprit is almost as bad. The weight has to go to help my heart and my arthritis. I have taken the sleep study and have sleep apnea. I'll be in the hospital for a night next week to see what amount of C-pap I need. I have taken a thallium stress test to make sure the arteries are still open. I'm scheduled for an echocardiogram on Monday (just because my cardiologist is overly careful and hears a slight murmur he thinks is mitral valve prolapse), which is liveable, but he wants to make sure there are no leaks from the bypass surgery. I am going to have all my blood work done on the 17th of Nov. and then I have the psych appt. and the appt. with the surgeon, at which point all the testing will be done, and I'll only have to wait for the surgery and to make sure I have money in hand. OK, now the rest of you older bandsters (who are banded or waiting) please check in and lets give each other lots of encouragement and talk about our experiences. To date I don't have much to share, but am looking forward to hearing from all of you that have been banded and the weight loss you have achieved. Check-in site officially open.

11 days until the rest of my life begins and I am overcome with excitement and fear at the same time...so I'm like a scary/excited looney person. Hehe. I have been through this once before (with my botched lapband surgery) but this is FOR-EV-ERRR (and yes, I do say that like Squints from the Sandlot). I have faith and have 100% confidence in my Dr. He is absolutely great. He has taken such good care of me through the removal of my eroded band and has continued through the process of getting sleeved. I am hoping to be another success story for this procedure. Although I am uber excited, I still have a looming sense of fear in the back of my mind because I recall being this excited for my lapband surgery. I really don't want to let myself down again...yes, I do feel like I let myself down with my band. The reason as to why I feel I let myself down is because I gained all of my weight back with some extra bonus pounds. My poor 27yr old body has taken a severe hit by all my weight loss/gain. I will be starting my liquid pre-op diet on Sunday and am slowly trying to rid myself of all the stuff I like, especially coffee. Nothing in the world makes me happier than an iced coffee with half n' half ... *sigh. If anyone has any tips on how to motivate myself during my pre-op diet please share THANKS!!!

Let's see, 30 lbs in 5 months is 6lbs/month which is about 1.5 lbs a week. Average expected weight loss with the band is 1 to 2 lbs a week, so it sounds like you are just about right. If you're comparing yourself to others who are losing, don't. Everyone is different. I don't know your starting weight, but keep in mind that those who start with higher weights often lose faster in the beginning. It's also not unusual to lose a bit and then stop and then lose a bit again. Our bodies seem to need a little time to adjust. If you're still getting hungry, not having good appetite control for 3 or more hours after a meal (and your meal is low carb, with good solid, dense protein) you may need another fill. Keep on keeping on. It may seem slow, but you're making progress.

I started out comparing myself with all the fast losers and then I realized this is not a race and now I am happy with my slow weight loss. I avg 5.5 a month if I divide all of my loss from my surgery date and that is great! I am very satisfied because it's a loss and not a gain! You should feel the same way. Just keep moving and don't give up! Eventually those 5lbs a month will add up!:thumbup:

Well tomorrow is my four year Bandiversary; the best decision I’ve ever made for myself. This truly has been life changing journey. I’m sure you hear a lot people say this; I have to tell you it’s not just some cliché. As a result of my surgery I found my calling and what my life purpose is. In my book “Transformation Caravan” I discuss my journey openly and honestly. My journey turned into something bigger than the Weight Loss itself. My journey unfolded in a manner of discovery. Discovering who I wanted to be; as a woman, girlfriend, and member of society. I had allowed so many failed relationships hold me prisoner. My self esteem was shot, I felt unworthy of a healthy relationship. After my LAP-BAND surgery this all changed. I had an awakening and realized I was worthy of a healthy relationship. I also realized what I contributed to each of my failed relationships. Trust me this is hard; allowing yourself to be so raw and open with yourself and seeing your short comings (scary scary stuff). I went there; I took myself to the dark place to really examine “ME”. It’s so easy to blame everyone else for the crap that is in our lives. I didn’t want to do that; this journey was for me, about me and damn-it I was going to find “ME”. Now understand this isn’t something I set out to do; not even close. When I signed up for this LAP-BAND journey I only had visions of losing weight not losing the old me (I’m glad I did lose her). The first thirty seven years of my life had not turned out like I wanted them to; I wasn’t going to continue down the same road. It was time to take a hard sharp left turn off “Regret Blvd” and find new roads to travel Excerpt from “Transformation Caravan” My first year post-op was really a growing, learning, accepting of myself journey. I really didn’t expect the changes taking place in body, mind and soul. As my body was changing; so was my opinion of myself. I was on the emotional “Roller Coaster” ride of my life. I still experienced self doubt; my self-destructive mentality still showed up here and there. Unfortunately we don't lose those feelings immediately as we lose the weight. Try to be kind to yourself during this phase; because that's exactly what it is- it's a phase. Your emotions are going to be all over the place; take advantage of this time to really feel your emotions and to get to know the authentic you. It was during this emotional roller coaster ride; I learned the most about myself. I relished all of these changes. I really looked at my life from a different view point. I allowed myself to see and feel things differently. I had been given a gift; a new lease on life and I wanted to make the most of it Trust me it was the best left turn I’ve ever made. As with any major decision in our lives there will always be the would-of could-of and should-of’s, believe me my journey is no different. I was not as committed as I thought I would be. I remember visiting my surgeon for the first time and he explained the procedure to me; I only heard half of what he said. My focus was on how much weight I was going to lose not what the aftercare was going to be like. I had visions of a size 4 and 6 dancing in my head *LOL*. Seriously listening to my surgeon was like listening to Charlie Browns teacher "Blah Blah Blah". It's not that I didn't take what he was saying to me seriously; I just wanted the procedure to be done and let the weight loss begin. Umm that happened for the first year with little effort on my part then it all came to screeching halt when I got comfortable with the new me. This was a sub-conscience decision; I didn't even know I was doing it. I can honestly say, “I was failing my band”. I became comfortable with the new me, I lost focus on my goal, and I just became downright lazy in my weight loss efforts Excerpt from “Transformation Caravan” I believe this journey takes each one of us in different directions; yet our destination is the same. Some of you will reach your destination on time; and others will take a detour then end up at your destination. Bottom line it doesn’t matter when or how you reach your destination as long as you reach it. For those of you who take a detour; enjoy the scenic route because there is a lot to be learned on the roads less traveled. Those of you who have reached your destination on time; you obviously mapped out your route and didn’t need to stop and ask for directions along the way. You may have had one mind set starting out and then something inside you flipped and now you have new goals, hopes and dreams. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. The point here is; are you happy, has your quality of life improved, are you living your dreams? If so: then you have reached your “Victory Volcano”. It was a long road trip reaching my final destination. I wouldn’t have skipped any of the stops I made along the way. I took this journey without a road map and I did get lost along the way. When my “Transformation Caravan” rolled out on the road I had no idea I would discover so many “Wonders of the WLS World”. You have been given a new “Lease on Life” make the most of it; embracing every change you go through. If you feel overwhelmed at times (which you will) get the support/help you need and work through it; don’t think you are in this alone because you’re not This is the time to take risk you have never taken before, try new adventures, and really start living your life like you have always wanted to. Don’t let anyone or anything stand in the way of your dreams. If you are hitting roadblock after roadblock; re-access what you are doing and make the adjustments Weight Loss Surgery is so much more than losing weight, crossing your legs or even wearing a belt. This journey is completely life changing from the inside out. Reaching your destination shouldn’t be overwhelming, intimidating, or even fearful. Instead it should be embraced, appreciated and welcomed. I found my calling as a Life and Wellness Coach. I am trained to listen, observe and to customize my approach to your needs. My coaching approach helps you deal with obstacles and stay on course, so you effectively reach your goals. I want to "Empower" you during your transformation to health and wellness. It’s an honor and a joy to provide Coaching as you discover your path to living a joyful and rewarding life after your Weight Loss Surgery

I had been treated for asthma for like 10 years prior to surgery. When they did my EGD and found evidence of GERD along with a hernia they sent me to a pulmonologist who confirmed it. Not asthma, chronic coughing from GERD. Put me on a ppi and it cleared up immediately. The first month after surgery it was way worse. I raised the head of my bed which helped and they doubled the PPI. Much better! Then with healing and weight loss much MUCH better! I still take the ppi but no symptoms anymore.

Heidi, best of luck to you! I'm so sorry to hear about this. 70 pounds - that is a wonderful loss! Have you tried the "search" feature at the top of the page? There are several posts here about erosions (not all of them are Dr. Lopez' patients). There are also several posts about Dr. Lopez. Where will you be having your band removed at?