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I did, I began taking 10,000 biotin a day at 3months POSTOP but it didn't make a difference. My hair loss is just slowing down I'm almost 10 months POSTOP HW: 247 VSG:6/1/17 CW:177(03/17/18) GW:185🙄

I have ZERO control when it comes to chocolate so even a little in my house will mean the whole bag gone in 10 min. I did however, just find a tea selection of chocolate teas, go to the website for The Republic of Tea and try the banana chocolate and the coconut cocoa one as well. And they are low caffeine and I also have the cinnamon vanilla flavor too, caffeine free and they seem to satisfy my sweet tooth but no sugar. I add 1 packet of stevia in the raw and viola a nice warm feeling. Oh, they have a chocolate sampler box too! Yummy non cheat treats!

I am also going to use Lent to try to get my last 10 pounds off. I plan to restrict my eating to just the three meals a day with no snacks. On fast days I will have one meal along with 2 protein shakes a day, one for breakfast and one more for lunch. That should help keep my protein levels up.

Oh boy still pain 10 days out. How was it on day 5 after your lap band? I have to go back to work on day 5. I work mostly at a desk.

Hi friends I am ALan Smith. I am totally vegetarian from last 10 years before 1 month I have got severe injury my bone is fractured. I am getting treatment from orthopedic surgeon and doctor suggested me to eat eggs as I am vegetarian could not opt for eggs so please suggest me vegetarian Protein rich food so that I could fulfill protein need........... Smith ALan

I'm currently banded, and have had significant health problems due to the nutritional side of banding. I take "Source of Life" Vitamins. You can get either liquid or chewable, I like the taste of the chewable better than the liquid. They are more expensive than the stuff from walmart or walgreens, but the quality of nutrition is unsurpassed. When I told my doctor about the Flinstones that my surgeon recommends, he basically laughed his head off and told me the high number of patients he had with my same problems. i also take fish oil (liquid)' D3, liquid calcium citrate, CO-Q-10, and pro-biotics

sorry, I put in the wrong date, 10/05 was the date.

I am sorry, I meant 10/05, I want to loose 50 more pounds. Thanks for the reply:)

Hi 9/21's. I went in for surgery at around 10:30 on Friday. I slept through recovery, the hour drive home and until 1:30 am Saturday morning. I am still very sleepy and having gas pains in my chest, but not really my shoulders. Today was the first day I felt soreness on the insie instead of just the incisions. I have been drinking Myoplex chocolate Protein shakes 3 times a day, a Jello or pudding for a snack and some broth for another snack. I have always been a huge Water drinker, but I am having difficulty because I am kind of scared to drink too much. I also haven't been able to go big potty, which I am sure is causing some of my discomfort. Someone recommended a stool softener and I didn't buy it, so I guess it's my own fault. Honestly, it hasn't hit home yet that this is my life now! I have to be on full liquids for 2 weeks and mushies for 2 weeks, then I get a fill and am on my way! I think I am going to go take a nap! Congratulations everyone!

My appoinment with my surgeon, after I had been to the informational seminar, was 11/10. My surgery was on 12/21. It helped that I was Self-Pay, as I didn't have to jump through any hoops before getting the band.

Mine took about 10-12 weeks. I had to do the nutritional, psych eval and bloodwork. My insurance originally denied me but because there were no bariatric surgeons in my plan they reapplied for me and I was accepted. Good luck.

Ok so this Vitamin supplement I found seems like it has everything but the kitchen sink. I know I have to do Calcium and probably Iron but this is looking good for a multi..what do you all think? It's a liquid so I don't have to swallow a bunch of stuff. I can post the link to it if anyone is interested. Supplement Facts Serving Size 1 Fluid Ounce (30 mL) Vitamin A (500% [5,000 IU] as retinol palmitate and 50% [5,000 IU] as beta carotene) 10,000 Vitamin C (as calcium ascorbate) 500 Vitamin D (as ergocalciferol) 400 Vitamin E (as d-alpha tocopheryl acetate) 200 IU Vitamin K (as phytonadione) 80 mcg 100% Thiamin (as thiamine mononitrate) 25 mg 1667% Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) 25 mg 1471% Niacin (as nicotinic acid/niacinamide) 20 mg 100% Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCl) 50 mg 2500% Folic Acid 400 mcg 100% Vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin) 200 mcg 3333% Biotin (as d-biotin) 300 mcg 100% Pantothenic Acid (as d-calcium pantothenate) 125 mg 1250% Calcium (as ascorbate/pantothenate) 100 mg 10% Iron 1 mg 5% Iodine (as potassium iodide) 150 mcg 100% Magnesium (as magnesium gluconate) 40 mg 10% Zinc (as zinc gluconate) 15 mg 100% Selenium (as L-selenomethione) 70 mcg 100% Copper (from sodium copper chlorophyllin) 2 mg 100% Manganese (as manganese sulfate) 4 mg 200% Chromium (as polynicotinate) 120 mcg 100% Molybdenum (as sodium molybdenate) 75 mcg 100% Sodium 15 mg <1% Potassium (as potassium gluconate) 50 Green Food/Spirulina Blend Spirulina (microalgae); Alfalfa (leaf, stem); Barley Grass (grass); Dandelion (leaf); Wheat Grass (grass); Melissa (leaf); Lemon Grass (grass); Nettle (leaf); Blessed Thistle (stem, leaf, flower); Chlorella (broken-cell microalgae); Plantain (leaf); Blue Green Algae (microalgae); Cilantro (leaf) 500 mg Amino Acids (from Spirulina, Chlorella, Blue Green Algae) Glutamine; Asparagine; Leucine: Alanine; Arginine; Lysine; Threonine; Valine; Glycine; Isoleucine: Serine; Proline; Phenylalanine; Tyrosine; Histidine; Methionine; Tryptophan; Cysteine 225 mg Garden Veggies™ juice powder Blend: Parsley; Kale; Spinach; Wheat Grass; Brussels Sprout; Asparagus; Broccoli; Cauliflower; Beet; Carrot; Cabbage; Garlic 100 mg Orchard Fruits™ Juice Powder Blend: Plum; Cranberry; Blueberry; Strawberry; Blackberry; Bilberry; Cherry; Apricot; Papaya; Orange; Grape; pineapple 100 mg Organic Mushroom Defense Blend: Contains all growth phases (mycelium, primordium, Sclerotium and fruit body) of Cordyceps; Reishi; Shiitake; Hiratake; Maitake; Yamabushitake; Himematsutake; Kawaratake; Chaga; Zhu Ling; Agarikon; Mesima 100 mg Omega 3/6/9 Fatty Acid Blend Flax Seed Powder (dry, cold-pressed); Sunflower Seed Powder (dry, cold-pressed); (providing Alpha-Linolenic Acid [ALA], Oleic Acid [OA] and Linoleic Acid [LA] 100 mg Citrus Bioflavonoid Complex (from lemon, orange and grapefruit) 60 mg Siberian Eleuthero (root) 50 mg Inositol 50 mg Choline (as choline bitartrate) 30 mg Hesperidin (from citrus bioflavonoid complex) 30 Betaine HCl 25 mg PABA (para aminobenzoic acid) 25 mg Rutin 25 mg RNA (from spirulina/chlorella) Directions: shake well. As a dietary supplement, take 2 tablespoons or 1 capful (about 30 mL or 1 ounce) daily. Best when taken with food or immediately after a meal. Can be consumed alone or mixed into beverages such as Water, orange juice or smoothies.

I really don't rely on them for protein intake but most mornings it's the only thing I can tolerate to get down since I've gotten fills and I go for another Thurs. I'm 10 wks post op tomorrow. I'm certainly no expert on this issue but I think if you find a Protein Shake that you really like, like I have done then it is not an issue. If you have a GNC near you they will let you sample. I really really like GNC's Lean Shake Swiss chocolate, don't like the vanilla or strawberry but the choc. is delish. Tastes like chocolate milk and I hate milk but do enjoy these for something quick and easy and for those mornings I'm feeling tight. Good luck.

Girl, I was told that they want me to lose 5 lbs before surgery. So what did I do? I have been food honeymooning (eating everything I can find that I will miss) instead and now I have to lose 7 lbs. At this rate, if I don't get a date, I'm gonna need to lose 10 - 15 lbs. I asked her about that and she said everyone does it. People are saying goodbye to the foods they like most. Like today, since I had a rough day at work, I want to go to my favorite place Taco Bell and chow down on an Extra Grilled Stuffed Burrito. I'm an emotional eater. I know this. This will be my challenge when I have the surgery for sure. So with that being said, do you follow your doctors rules by eating 3 meals per day and quit smoking or do you do what you do to make it to surgery? I feel that I could easily do a liquid slim fast diet and drink a lot of Water and lose the 5lb that they want but I'm not willing to do that until I get approval from insurance or meet with the doctor for a date. Am I wrong by saying this? Maybe, but I know my body best. Good Luck with your decision!

I'd been on depression meds for about 10 years. My doc stopped them as of the day of surgery and I haven't taken any since. I feel better than I've felt in many years and, yeah, a lot of it is from the weight loss itself but a lot is also in the change the weight loss brought to my self image.

Thanks pixie dust! Went from a size 22 to a 10

Long time member but i haven't posted anywhere in ages, but I used to be on the Lapband board. I was a long time very successful band patient i was orginally banded in Jan 02 (in Canada, pre FDC approval) lost weight at a great rate. My first band (Innamed) slipped a total of 3 times before it came out for six months, I also had surgeries to move my port and another because my tubing disconnect. Next we went to the J&J band and it was great until it slipped badly, I had it for about 6-7 years and it worked like a charm, restriction was great most of the time, lost to my goal size and then it self tightened and i left it there because of travel, personal stress etc and i thought it would release on its own when i went for a defill it completely slipped around my esophagus and it was horrible. With the J&J I had a port revision surgery in there too. Then we tried a 3rd band it never worked right, I couldn't get restriction because if we did more than i had instant reflux etc. I revised to the sleeve last week with a new surgeon in Philadelphia who told me the band was basically around my esophagus and i had no pouch which is why I had no restriction and why I could not be tightened any more. But I lost about 150 lbs in 12-16 months and maintained that loss for 10 years plus, with little to no effort. In the meantime because of the band with no restriction, some prescribed evil steroids that I had to take that put 30lbs on me in a matter of 8 days... (they change your brain chemistry in weird ways) hashimoto's disease (hypo thyroid) fluctuations for the last few years and a few other things I gained about 70-80 lbs that I could not lose weight I tried. I went gluten free and dairy free, nada, I tried the HCG diet lost 20 lbs gained it back and generally I don't eat more than 1500-1700 calories per day including when I am drinking wine, eating out 3 meals a day etc. I hired a trainer, almost went paleo not quite. Now in talking to my surgeon he has said there are new studies showing band patients 9-12 years out who suddenly gain weight they can't lose for love nor money. They try everything and it won't come off more restriction, calories restriction etc. So we made a joint strategic decision to go to the sleeve since I knew the risk, what type of lifestyle change I was in for, portion control etc. wouldn't be a problem since i had it already. In our conversations we talked a lot about Ghrelin which is produced in the stomach and it makes you hungry, when you are feeling that craving to overeat or binge typically it is ghrelin and obese people produce more ghrelin than non obese people typically with some exceptions. We also talked about leptin which makes you feel satiated and is produced in the brain. With the sleeve, about 70-90% of the ghrelin produced is surgically removed with the part of the stomach they remove. i am curious have you noticed a difference in how hungry you get, cravings and the satiation of cravings ie: I can eat two bites of cake vs. I want the whole cake now? Have you also noticed the full feelings getting different than before from the leptin. My surgeon has said in his conversations with his patients they noticed their cravings reduced which helps them with portion control and in making better choices which helps a number of other things. In other words the brain and stomach don't conspire to make cheetos seem like a great dinner choice or ben and jerry your best friend. Overall I eat very healthy without a ton of junk food in my life we cook at home, we make our own stocks and Soups etc. to help get me through the liquids phase. But we do eat well and drink wine, we might be foodies (we are told we are, I just like trying new things). I have never eaten out of control even with the last band and no restriction just trying to lose weight has been terrible, depressing and frustrating. Especially after my first experiences which was I lost well, ate well, exercised and it worked like it was supposed too. I am a consultant and I travel for my job excessively so hence the eat out three meals a day most of the time I don't have a choice in that, but you can make healthy choices even in eating out and I do. I look at fats and calories along with Proteins and make good choices. Any thoughts you have I would appreciate and any advice you have I would love to read. Thanks for reading and good luck

I am . Sept 10 in Mexico

@ Hi Jake, We are all here to help each other. The thing I had to learn is that everyone is different. The speed of recovery from surgery and what we can eat and when. And right after surgery is very different from where I am today at 8 weeks post-op and I'm guessing it will change again and again. The band seemed different. I was eating most things pretty soon as long as I chewed like crazy. Like the band surgery, I had no real hunger for weeks. Someone told me, the sleeve (and all WLS) allows us to hit the pause button while we figure out how to make serious life style changes. Eventually that honeymoon is over, just like the band. I say this for me, cuz this is my last chance to get it together. With the sleeve I was on mushies longer than most cuz I kept vomiting. When I could eat mushies I did measure out a small amount but it turned out to be too much. Realized too late. Also if I went too fast I'd vomit and believe me it didn't feel like I was eating fast. So to answer your question, no I didn't seem to have any clues that I had eaten too much or fast. ((but some sleevers do) I kept having a band mentality, thinking I would know immediately. So I had to learn, to eat a very small amount slowly, just a few tiny spoonfuls and then wait. It was a while before i could eat 4 oz and even now I can't eat 4 oz of chicken at one sitting. I have to be careful about introducing new foods. There are some in my January group that are eating salads and all foods. The only vegetable I can eat is steamed broccoli and steamed squash. Still no raw fruit. I also can't eat Protein and vegetables at one sitting. I have to eat the protein, then wait 30-40 minutes and eat cooked vegetables. I expect at some point that will change when the swelling from surgery is gone. Also I have been told that it can take 2, even 3 months for the sleeve to heal completely. The band healing is much faster. Today I feel real hunger. With the band I could get satiated when hungry with a small amount but it always hurt so bad. The sleeve at 8 weeks does not hurt at all. If I feel real hunger I eat 2 oz of chicken (I weighed it initially but now I know what 2oz is) and slowly eat it. Within 10 minutes I am no longer hungry for hours. At first I could only eat 1/2 cooked egg taking 30 minutes to eat the egg and then I wouldn't be hungry for hours. Now I can eat one egg. My Doc and NUT told me that eventually I will be able to eat more and then to plan on 3 meals with Snacks. But for now, they told me to eat when I have real hunger. Keep track of protein etc. And get the fluids in. Doc said I probably had more swelling than some (the vomiting didn't help) which is why my tiny little tummy couldn't hold more than a few tablespoons. Having said all this, the sleeve is much easier than the band and it doesn't hurt. What they don't tell you with the band is that after surgery, when all is healed, the band has far more complications than bypass, sleeve and RYN. Because a foreign object is in your body can erode, slip, break, etc. The sleeve once it is healed has very few complication risks. Now no one told me that when I got the band. I am SO glad my band is gone. No more tightness and pain in my stomach, no more port moving around tugging at me. Do you feel that freedom from the band too? Probably TMI, but there you have it. Best to you!

Honestly my doctor. Gave me one of those inhale breathing. Pumps you know the one where u can place the little blue marker at maybe 1500 or 2200..but it gives your lungs air it builds it back up and your suppose to do it 10 times a day and it really does give u your breath back..and lessen the fatigue..try it love

Dresses and tights! I just bought stuff off eBay. Dresses for $10 to $15. eBay has been a life saver. Nothing I used to own is in my closet anymore. I wear a dress everyday! I will wait until I am maintaining the same weight for awhile. Clothes can be expensive.

Hi. I had my sleeve surgery on 12/10/12 and every since then it's really hard for me to take protein in. Is there any way I can help keep it down? Any suggestions?

Melissa.. if you know it's what you need to do, then do it. Don't let anyone else's opinion sway what you know is right for you. I was roughly the same size as you.. I was banded 9/4 and am down 19 pounds! I'm already in some size 14's and was also a size 18/20 when I started. There will be people that act like you aren't 'big enough' to warrant needing surgery, but who is to say at what point you need it? If you struggle, and there is a tool available to help you, why not go for it? That was my philosophy anyways. I got scared and put off my surgery for a few months and tried one more time to lose the weight on my own.. didn't happen. I was approved for my surgery in May. I called my insurance to find out how long my approval lasted, and they told me six months.. so I took the summer to really think about this.. and then had the surgery on Sept 4th. It's okay to have some doubts, just search your soul and find the answer thats right for YOU-- regardless of what anyone else says.

I'm liquids only. Including broths, jello, Popsicles but I really want lean meat!! I'd kill for it! Lol and my diet is 10 days!

Hey October 2014 sleevers! I was sleeved in June 2013 and I have a whopping 60 sample packs of Protein that I never used... would anybody like to have them? I quickly realized after purchasing them that I have an intolerance to sucralose, acesulfame-k, AND stevia, so I had to switch to a different brand without any artificial sweeteners. And now I'm about to move in a week, so I'm just trying to get rid of these SOON and I want them to go to a good home. I spent around $120 on all these, but I really don't care about money. I'm just asking for $20 for the whole lot in order to cover shipping costs (that might seem like a lot, but this is a pretty hefty box, haha.) I'm attaching a really crappy picture of them already in the box because I just finished packing it all up neatly prior to thinking about taking a picture, oh well. They are all unopened individual serving packs, and all 60 of em are crammed in this box. If you'd like this box, please feel free to post in this thread but also private message me! Here is the inventory of what will be in the box: unjury: Unflavored: 10 chicken Soup: 10 chocolate Splendor: 2 strawberry Sorbet: 1 Vanilla: 1 Celebrate ENS: (these ones count as your daily Vitamins too!) vanilla Cake Batter: 7 Chocolate Milk: 7 Syntrax: nectar Sweets: Double Stuffed Cookie: 2 Vanilla Bean Torte: 2 Strawberry Mousse: 1 Chocolate Truffle: 1 Cappuccino: 1 Twisted Cherry: 1 Roadside Lemonade: 1 Lemon Tea: 1 Pink Grapefruit: 1 Strawberry Kiwi: 1 Fuzzy Navel: 1 Matrix: Perfect Chocolate: 1 Milk Chocolate: 1 Mint Cookie: 1 Cookies & Cream: 1 Simply Vanilla: 1 Strawberry Cream: 1 Orange Cream: 1 Bananas & Cream: 1 Jay Robb whey Protein Vanilla: 1