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I am a total sweet person, loveeeee sweets. Love my Dr Pepper, love anything sweet. My husband too. I have been told by multiple people that sweets taste horrifically over sweet after surgery. Even on the pre op diet (day 6), this SF jello is starting to taste über sweet. I don't drink the mio, or kool aid, but I can imagine those would taste awful. Funny thing is, as much as I love sweets, I can take them or leave them, I don't HAVE to have them. For me, I haven't mourned the loss of anything, bc I know that the majority of what I eat, I will be able to have again, just in a smaller portion. My daughter is lucky, she's 9 & bc of my surgery when we do go out to eat we will get an adult sized meal, but we will share & take the leftovers home. :-)

I am doing well. Wednesday was my 3 week mark. My clothes are already feeling better I went to my first support group meeting last night and am still learning how I feel and how this process works for me. Congrats on your loss so far!!from my pre-op start on 10-16 I am down 25 pounds so far. I hit a little stall when I was moving in to week 3 but the NUT and Bariatric Coordinator says that's natural bc your body is adjusting. Thanks for checking in!

One friend of mine, who is 3 years post op, said the girls were finally beginning to look normal! She's never breast-fed so she hasn't experienced the deflation. Yours might not get smaller...some would be very envious of you. When you reach your goal weight, and have been there for a year or two, that's when you should consult a plastic surgeon and talk about breast reduction. Me? I'm definitely looking into having the girls put back where they should be and maybe even implants! But that's YEAR'S down the road!!

I don't know how it feels to jump through all of those hoops bc I was self pay... But I'd do it all over again in a flash! I'm loving my life post sleeve .. I will be exactly 2 months out on wednesday!!!

Right now all you can do is eat your Protein and take Biotin, although the latter of the two is debatable as to how well it works. As your body recovers from being terrified that you cut out your stomach and only fed it liquids and soft food for awhile, it will eventually divert resources back to your less important areas, like the skin and follicles in your scalp. In theory, losing hair as a result of stress or nutritional changes is your body trying to save you from death- it sends the important resources to your vital organs. I suppose its rationale is that you can be bald and alive, or you can have hair and be dead, and while it's kind of an extreme analogy, that's the "thought" process of the body when it goes through major trauma and nutritional change. That being said, now that you are done traumatizing your body it will eventually realize that you are not trying to kill it and it will slowly give you back your hair. The better you feed yourself and keep up with your nutrition, the more quickly your body will relax and think "ok cool, we aren't dying, let's have pretty hair again". My body did not decide to give me back my hair again for awhile, lol. I lost hair I think around 5 months, and it stayed thin for awhile, probably almost 18 months. Then it started growing back and at 2 years, half of it fell out again, although I'm pretty sure that was more just stress hair loss than anything to do with my sleeve. It has now been about 8 months since my last "omg I'm going bald" incident and I can feel that my hair is thickening. When I brush it there is a giant poof around my ears where the new hair has grown in and the older hair is still thinner. I've also paid a lot of attention to Vitamins the last few months because my thin hair bothered me. I'm not sure if biotin works or not but I've been taking a lot of it and it's not like it's hurting me, so maybe it's working. At any rate...your hair will slowly start to grow back and the best thing you can do is eat well, be kind to your hair, and maybe invest in a hat. Jk on that last one, lol.

this is a long article, so here is an excerpt: "If you offer your body something that tastes like a lot of calories, but it isn't there, your body is alerted to the possibility that there is something there and it will search for the calories promised but not delivered," Fowler says. _____________________________________________ Drink More Diet Soda, Gain More Weight? Overweight Risk Soars 41% With Each Daily Can of Diet Soft Drink By Daniel J. DeNoon WebMD Medical News Reviewed by Charlotte Grayson Mathis, MD June 13, 2005 -- People who drink diet soft drinks don't lose weight. In fact, they gain weight, a new study shows. The findings come from eight years of data collected by Sharon P. Fowler, MPH, and colleagues at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. Fowler reported the data at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association in San Diego. "What didn't surprise us was that total soft drink use was linked to overweight and obesity," Fowler tells WebMD. "What was surprising was when we looked at people only drinking diet soft drinks, their risk of obesity was even higher." In fact, when the researchers took a closer look at their data, they found that nearly all the obesity risk from soft drinks came from diet sodas. "There was a 41% increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day," Fowler says. More Diet Drinks, More Weight Gain Fowler's team looked at seven to eight years of data on 1,550 Mexican-American and non-Hispanic white Americans aged 25 to 64. Of the 622 study participants who were of normal weight at the beginning of the study, about a third became overweight or obese. For regular soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was: 26% for up to 1/2 can each day 30.4% for 1/2 to one can each day 32.8% for 1 to 2 cans each day 47.2% for more than 2 cans each day. For diet soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was: 36.5% for up to 1/2 can each day 37.5% for 1/2 to one can each day 54.5% for 1 to 2 cans each day 57.1% for more than 2 cans each day. For each can of diet soft drink consumed each day, a person's risk of obesity went up 41%. Diet Soda No Smoking Gun Fowler is quick to note that a study of this kind does not prove that diet soda causes obesity. More likely, she says, it shows that something linked to diet soda drinking is also linked to obesity. "One possible part of the explanation is that people who see they are beginning to gain weight may be more likely to switch from regular to diet soda," Fowler suggests. "But despite their switching, their weight may continue to grow for other reasons. So diet soft-drink use is a marker for overweight and obesity." Why? Nutrition expert Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, puts it in a nutshell. "You have to look at what's on your plate, not just what's in your glass," Bonci tells WebMD. People often mistake diet drinks for diets, says Bonci, director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and nutrition consultant to college and professional sports teams and to the Pittsburgh Ballet. "A lot of people say, 'I am drinking a diet soft drink because that is better for me. But soft drinks by themselves are not the root of America's obesity problem," she says. "You can't go into a fast-food restaurant and say, 'Oh, it's OK because I had diet soda.' If you don't do anything else but switch to a diet soft drink, you are not going to lose weight." The Mad Hatter Theory "Take some more tea," the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly. "I've had nothing yet," Alice replied in an offended tone, "so I can't take more." "You mean you can't take less," said the Hatter: "It's very easy to take more than nothing." Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland There is actually a way that diet drinks could contribute to weight gain, Fowler suggests. She remembers being struck by the scene in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in which Alice is offended because she is offered tea but is given none -- even though she hadn't asked for tea in the first place. So she helps herself to tea and bread and butter. That may be just what happens when we offer our bodies the sweet taste of diet drinks, but give them no calories. Fowler points to a recent study in which feeding artificial sweeteners to rat pups made them crave more calories than animals fed real sugar. "If you offer your body something that tastes like a lot of calories, but it isn't there, your body is alerted to the possibility that there is something there and it will search for the calories promised but not delivered," Fowler says. Perhaps, Bonci says, our bodies are smarter than we think. "People think they can just fool the body. But maybe the body isn't fooled," she says. "If you are not giving your body those calories you promised it, maybe your body will retaliate by wanting more calories. Some soft drink studies do suggest that diet drinks stimulate appetite." SOURCES: Fowler, S.P. 65th Annual Scientific Sessions, American Diabetes Association, San Diego, June 10-14, 2005; Abstract 1058-P. Sharon P. Fowler, MPH, University of Texas Health Science Center School of Medicine, San Antonio. Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, director, sports nutrition, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. WebMD News: "Artificial Sweeteners May Damage Diet Efforts.""Artificial Sweeteners May Damage Diet Efforts." Davidson, T.L. International Journal of Obesity, July 2004; vol 28: pp 933-955.

My suggestion is prepare lots of " your foods" I bought 2 dozen small plastic containers and filled them up with jello or jello and yogurt parfait, green pea soup, onion soup, and today making black bean soup and maybe some squash soup and it will be at my fingertips. Yest I took 4 of these and my milkshake on my shopping trip etc and my kids bought me a nice lunch bag- and I ate the same way I would have fed my babies 40 yrs ago, every 3/4 hours. I think preparation helps.

Someone help me!! My NUT won't allow me to eat a tablespoon of coconut oil to help me go..... I take 4 tablespoons Fiber daily, I take magnesium citrate, I drink 100-120oz Water a day, I eat two yogurts a day, I have 1oz fiber food a day with dinner (all my NUT allows at this point) and i liter had the mkst excruciating poop of my life. My pouch hurt for three days bc i couldn't poop and then I pooped a the biggest I have ever done....and now one day later I have more impacted Stool. I am trying fleet enemas and the nasty ole glove and finger but I can't take going through this again. The pain is horrific.

I was told not to take meds like gas x bc it keeps the gas from being expelled... try just letting the gas come out naturally. It has worked well for me. Best of luck!

I just spoke to the surgeon about this bc I got mine (4 days early). This is not uncommon. Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

Dee, I am so SORRY. I would talk to my HR person and ask them to show you the exclusion and thell her what BC/BS told you. there might be a way around the exclusion.:crying:

I'm 5 months out and eat sushi all the time. Started at month 3 with no problem. Eat very slow bc all if the sudden you'll feel full, rice is weird!

I suffer with bad reflux and am fed up using over the counter stuff, anti acid tabs etc anyway decided to google for natural remedies and stumbled across a website that people can put their own cures. A few people mentioned vinegar (especially apple cider vinegar), well I didnt have any so tried white wine vinegar 2 tsps and hey presto gone just like that. Someone explained that it can be caused by lack of acid rather than to much, esecially when you dont get enough food in your stomach to produce the correct amount of stomach acid, now this makes heaps of sense and the proof is in the pudding. Just thought I would share. Jo

Since your husband sounds really supportive, I think I'd consider taking him with me if at all possible to my next appointment. Or someone else who is supportive and not and not afraid to call BS on someone who's being a jerk. I think my DH would kick the Doc's butt for talking to me like you report yours speaking to you. I had something almost similar happen about 6 months ago.. I had lost some since my previous appt, but not as much as I would've liked. The NP was looking at my chart and asked "what happened" and I'm like.... uh, just didn't try hard enough I guess. She said "you gained", I said, " I did NOT". There was a few moments of confusion.. and we finally figured out she had clicked on a patients name just above or below mine on the list in the laptop!! So, there's no excuse for your doctor's bad behavior, but just maybe he had confused you with someone else for a few moments... and then was too much of a jerk to apologize and correct his mistake. I dunno. It sounds like to me you are doing really well and if your doctor can't straighten up his act and fly right.. fire him. See the nurses for your fills or find another doc. Best of luck to you.

similar situation, getting revised to the vertical sleeve, band destroyed my esophagus, mysterious manufactured 1.5cc's of fluid. Since emptying I've had constant diarrhea and have gained back 50 of the 100;bs i had lost. I cannot wait to get this voodoo piece of cr@p out my body

I stopped mine 2 weeks before surgery because it increases chances of blood clots, however the surgeon said it was not necessary to stop...my pcp just recommended it since I was concerned about blood clots. I got married 2 weeks after surgery so per my surgeon, I started bc 10 days after surg and used condoms as well since its not good to get pregnant within 18 mos of banding. I hope this helps. Good luck in surgery. I hope you will love your new life when you are done like I do!

I am still pre-op but I can sort of relate. My mother & I live in the same house & we’ve been having it out ever since I told her I wanted to take this journey. I had plans on telling her at the absolute last min but it was recommended to meet w/ your surgeon for the first time with the person who would be around w you immediately following surgery. Well she sang a diff tune during the appt when the surgeon kind of “put her in her place” abt the crazy notions she had abt other ppl who’s journey’s that have been unsuccessful & the dangers. She’s not healthy AT ALL. Breast cancer, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, constant joint pains.... so I know better than to really take in everything she says 🤷🏾‍♀️ but she’s my mother & I know, if needed, she would kill for me but in this situation, I’m looking forward to dealing w/ this on my own. She’s not going to be of any help AT ALL. I had a revelation a couple weeks ago because the first argument we had about the way she “supports” me, I cried & realized this is why they make you have psych evals. They say you may face depression & changing relationships & that sh*t is hard. It was a sadness I hadn’t felt in a long time & I thought she would be happy I’m not falling into another generational curse. I’m preparing myself as much as possible to focus on what I need bc I also know that stress has adverse reactions on health & weight loss as well so I can’t worry about the dependence of anyone else anymore. Newly in a relationship & my boyfriend even told me to come stay w/ him for 2 weeks but I don’t wanna put that on him. Anyway, be strong! You have such a community here & I know we are all rooting for each other. Months/years from now, you’ll realize how much stronger you are for having to deal w/ family the way you have. You’ll be happy that you’re healthy & don’t have to be a slave for the junk that got us in these bad spots to begin with. YOU’VE GOT THIS!

My running list of Q&A: Protein shakes week1? No protein wk1 Stool softener wk 1? Will ask Chia seeds in drinks during clear/full liquid? Why some say 50 carbs? Is that bc they count net? Review my logs- Which hospital? NSH Private room? How long stay? 2 night Home alone afterward? Intercourse? Exercise? Post op- some said oatmeal type foods ok- are they? No go Head vs real hungry? Air frier? Ok Protein isolat vs concentrate? No worries Hunger hormone? Will it disappear? Reduce not disappear bcmy stomach still there just not digesting Too much protein? 150/200 Laproscopic or open? Lap or robotic How long out of work for recovery? 1 wk? 1.5 day light work ok Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using the BariatricPal App

OK... Help Please--- I called BC/BS PPO last month and they said my surgery is covered. I assumed (and evidently this is a good example of where that gets you...) that everything would be covered whether as outpatient or inpatient surgery. Can someone who knows please straighten me out on this? Will Dr. Schmitt's office give me a breakdown of any out of pocket costs? Thanks so much!!!

On my list from the Dr. on medications to aviod is mainly aspirin and ibuprofen. Ex: Advil, BC powder, Pepto Bismol, Excedrin, Mortrin, Alieve Safe for joint pain: Vioxx, Celebrex, and Mobic Erythromycin should only be taken with caution and your physician's approval, becuase of stomach irritation.

Hi delphine: Forgive you for what? welcome to bandster land. Loss of 51 lbs is great news. Know how you feel. Being out in Vanc. BC it is hard to tap into bandster from here. We don't have the support meetings that bandsters have in Toronto so I get my support from the web. Doddie

I'm going on six fills next Monday..... I'm super close to green .... They are stirring to fill with .2cc's now, bc they are tweaking or fine-tuning the amount. Good luck..... Remember, it's a JOURNEY!

A few months back I would have went to the grocery store and had atleast 30% junk. A few months ago I would have went through about 24 sticks of butter cooking and eating with a family of five. I would never look at nutrition facts ever!!! I didn't care what I cooked or how I cooked it. I realized last night when I went grocery shopping that I only bought three things that were snack unhealthy foods and they were for our kids it used to be way more then that and for me as well. Last night it was more shrimp and meats ,turkey bites, tuna ,cauliflower ,broccoli, cucumbers, all healthy foods. And for the first time today I realized I don't even miss the sweets anymore. I made it through the entire holiday season not one cookie or cake or pie and I'm proud bc while everyone else gained the weight through the holidays, I shedded the pounds!!! I went through a couple weeks of regret bc everything would make me so sick when I went to regular foods but I went back to shakes for awhile then tried again and then I was fine. I watched my family eat and it really sucked I'm not going to lie but I also know I did this for a reason and wasn't giving in. It just took me realizing last night how much in just a couple months my life has changed drastically, and the healthier choices I make now and how much I focus on nutrition facts before I purchase anything. Shopping last night opened my eyes to my poor choices in life!! HW 289 CW 230 bypass 11/22/16

Let me see what I can remember......I did a 3 day pre-op diet. Day 1 of pre-op, I cheated. Day 2 we had to take a lax, day 3 I was on the plane to Mexico. I slept most of that day bc I was nervous. The next day I had surgery, I woke from Surgery with the worst gas pain in my back and chest, I thought I was going to die. At the Clinic I felt best when I slept sitting up in the recliner I puked from the anesthesia, I always do that, I had a pounding headache, but they give you meds to put you right back to sleep =), As soon as I woke up from surgery I started walking the halls, I didn't sleep for long periods of time bc of the gas pain, so I was up walking about every hour. The next day i went to the guest house. Then the blues set in, I would cry for no reason at all, I would find myself just stairing at the wall sad. I had no pain. Except for gas. Later I found out this was Post Surgery depression. It is a side effect some people get from the anesthesia. It lasted about 1 week. Day 3 was the worst of it all! The leak test! They have you drink this stuff that taste like posion!!!!!!!!!! I cried and puked and cried and puked! The first two weeks are tuff. I slept sitting up on my couch bc of acid reflux for about 11/2 weeks, then it was gone. I haven't had it again. By a month you are feeling much better. At almost 9 weeks out I eat almost anything. Very small amounts. But for a good part of this nine weeks it has been trial and error finding out what is to much and what my body likes. My body hates Protein shakes. I haven't tried them for a few weeks, time to see if I can handle them now. Hope this helps! You might find info you are looking for by going to members profiles, then go to the post tab, then find their older post. Good luck!

In my case, my employer put a WLS exclusion on the plan (I have Aetna) and my husband's employer put a WLS exclusion on their plan (he has BC/BS). So it's not necessary the insurance carrier but the employer who determines what they will/will not cover. I'm sure by having a WLS exclusion, they saved a wopping $1K annually or something stupid like that. Anyway, I had to self pay because if you have a WLS exclusion, appeals are fruitless even if you will die without the surgery. I paid $12,900 which covers all post op care, including unlimited fills for the 1st year post-surgery.