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I am just a few days over 4 weeks post op lapband. My band has been completely empty until yesterday and although it has been empty I still managed to loose 47 pounds all together starting at my pre op diet. My doctor put 2cc in my band and I still can eat the way I did before and I'm hungry every few hours so my question is....is this normal? I'm scared maybe my band isn't right since I have absolutely no restriction. Has anyone else experienced this? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using the BariatricPal App

When we are first getting started, we tend to shoot for high Protein numbers daily. For most of us, we aim for 60-100+ grams, and there seems to be an attitude that more is better. As we reach normal weights, do our protein requirements go down? I would assume yes but I'm not sure. The reason I ask is because I am in a 5-week (so far) stall that coincides with finding a Protein shake I like and finally reaching protein numbers over 60. I've been getting 90-100, which I felt was awesome and was totally going to make my weight loss better. Instead, I have stalled. I wonder if it is because I'm getting way more protein than my body needs at this lower weight, and I would be better off aiming for 60 again and skipping the daily protein shake. Disclaimer, I am in my first real stall at 8.5 months and I'm not particularly stressed about it. I understand stalls and I'm not worried that I am stuck here forever.

Hey Chris and welcome to VST. I can only answer with some general information. Most recovery time is around 6 weeks for most patients. Meaning you would definitely want to take 6 weeks off the mower. Your staple line will be healing, your incisions will be healing internally. You do not want a hernia, or infection or pulling/tugging on the lap sites. As for the eating and drinking, once you off the post-op diet, you should not have any major issues getting in plenty of Water. You may have to eat smaller meals more frequently as your stomach will not allow for large portions. Lots of dense Protein food will help sustain you, and healthy complex carbs for energy. If you continue to tone, and keep your muscle mass built up, you should not have an issue with lifting. You will need to be careful for several weeks after surgery, and ensure that you are 100% healed before doing any manual labor. Of course, these are just generalizations, and checking with your surgeon will give you the best answers to your specific lifestyle. As for the facility/doctor you are using, I'm not familiar with either. I'm a Texas girl, originally from the Dallas area, and have long term, near and dear friends in your neck of the woods, and in Houston. Keep us posted on your progress, and if you need anything, let us know ! ! !

I am guessing, but you might have a hard time avoiding dehydration with the kind of intense work you describe, especially in the first 3-4 months post op. I am 5 months post op and I have a hard time getting down 60 ounces of fluids daily, and just getting that much in an inactive job is barely what I need optimally. Doing heavy manual labor like you describe, you surely need 5 times that much or more. I can't imagine how you can do it, unless you stop every 5 minutes and drink ...which will limit your work. So yes, get some help. It is critical that you avoid dehydration, or you'll end up in the hospital at worst, or not lose the weight at best (which is not good). The fluids are necessary to help the body process and dump the excess fat.

Has anyone done a pouch reset? I can't seem to get out of the 160's. I've been stuck here for 3 months. I'm 14 months out. I'm just curious if anyone has done this and what their experience was. Sent from my VS987 using the BariatricPal App

Its not full liquids for that long. Its a day of Clear Liquids and a day of full liquids. Basically a diet similar to the early stages of post op just not for weeks at a time. Its 10 days Sent from my VS987 using the BariatricPal App

I was sleeved on 12/22. So I'm about 3 1/2 months post op. I'm really struggling with abdominal muscle soreness. It's around my incisions and abs in general. At my 3 month post op appt my surgeon said some people experience soreness until 5-6 months. He recommended that I stop doing lunges and squats for 4-6 weeks as that engages the core and could be causing the soreness. It's so uncomfortable at night that I can hardly sleep. I get maybe 4-5 hours a night. I'm getting super frustrated. Has anyone else experienced this soreness? Any tips or advice? I was seeing great results in my legs/rear from doing the squats and lunges. I've completely stopped for 2 weeks now and I'm not noticing a difference in the soreness.

Okay people I'm STARVING!!! I have 5 days left until I can go to the mushies but I'm going to lose it if I have another shake. Does everyone wait for 2 weeks before mushies? And what were your mushies? Thanks!

OK, so I have been good at making sure I get enough Protein in. I average between 80-100g a day. I had my annual blood work done a few weeks early and the docs office left me a message yesterday telling me up my protein intake. Anyone know what could come up on a blood test to show them this or how it could be that 80-100g is not enough? I'm confused, that's how much they told me to eat in my manual and I've been trying to follow it everyday!

I started my cycle Monday of last week today is Friday, it's been 11 days and I am bleeding very have with large blood clots. I went to the ER Wen. and they just gave my birthcontrol pills to take inorder to stop the bleeding. I am concerned that I will loose too much blood to have my RNY, The birth control pills will cause my blood to clot more after sergery. I don't know why this is starting now, I was think that I could be my nerves, I want the RNY im excited about it as well as scared as *ell but, I'm going through with it. My mother told me that the woman in my family have a history of this type of bleeding at aroung the age of 40. I just made 39 in August so, I'm just in time for all the fun. Has anyone else experanced this or know anyone that has?

I never do anything on the stovetop. I buy those crock pot liners (found near the ziploc baggies and foil). With the stovetop, I feel like you have to stir, stir, stir, stir, stir to prevent sticking and uneven warming/marrying of the ingredients. Just my opinion. I'll try to look up simmer times for stovetop. Alrighty, here ya go: 2lb of beef chili meat 2lb of ground beef (I use 98% lean) or 2lb venison 2 -3 12 oz cans of Plain Tomato Sauce 2-3 small cans of Plain Tomato Paste 2 (for the sauce and paste, I would start with 2 to begin with, and then add based on what consistency you want paste will thicken, sauce will dilute) 1 large onion chopped ( prefer yellow or vidalia onions) 2 cans of Rotel Drained(diced tomatoes and green chilis) 1 12 oz can of beer (preferably dark or an ale) 1/4 cup of Worchestershire sauce 3 tbsp of Dijon mustard These are all the spices that I use. My chili never comes out the exact same every time because I do everything to taste, but I'll give you some estimated measurements, then you can add or substract to your liking. 1/4 cup of Chili powder 1 tbsp of crushed red pepper 3 tbsp of Garlic powder ( I probably use 5 tablespoons of Garlic powder ) Coarse ground Black pepper to taste 2 tsp of Ground white pepper 1/4 cup of Paprika 1 large can of Light (dark are icky in my opinion) Kidney Beans, RINSED THOROUGHLY AND DRAINED. Whew that's a lot of stuff. If using venison, brown the venison in seperate pan with 2 tbsp of butter or margarine (I only use Brummel and Brown). Because it's typically very lean, this helps get a good consistency on the venison without it getting "tough or chewy". If using all beef, heat 3-4tbsp of olive oil in skillet, then had onion reduce heat and cook onions until transparent stirring occasionally to ensure that they are not sticking. Add beef (both varieties, if you are using ground venison add it already browned once the chili meat is close to being browned). Drain dripping, and return meat mixture back to skillet, add HALF of the spices listed above to the meat mixture, reduce temperature to med-low, and add beer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes uncovered watching carefully to ensure that the mixture does not dry out. Beer evaporates if cooked too high or too long. After simmering, add meat mixture undrained, to stock pot, then add all sauces and paste, diced tomatoes and chilis, Worchestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, remaining beer, stir thoroughly and cook on medium heat for 1 hour stirring often to ensure thorough mixing of ingredients, and not sticking to bottom of stock pot. Add remaining Dry Spices reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-4 hours. Taste and stir occasionally. When tasting, add various ingredients slowly to taste, chili powder if not "chili" flavored enough, red pepper if not spicy enough (if it gets too spicy, you can actually had a small amount of Ketchup to cut the spice), garlic powder if it seems too "tomatoey", and you can add more salt and pepper to taste. Use caution on the salt because I've found that if I tasted it at hour 3 and it needed salt, I sometimes add too much, then had to dilute out the chili with sauce. It seems to get heavier on the salt flavor once everything really mixes well together. During the last hour of simmering add can of kidney beans stirring thoroughly. Now if you decide to use your crockpot, it needs to be a big one. LOL Get you a box of slow cooker liner. You prepare the meat the same way in the skillet. With the crockpot, you add the wet ingredients, and remaining spices into the crockpot, stir, and then add meat mixture to crockpot, stir, set it on low and allow it cook for 4 hour. During the last hour of cooking, add your beans. You should only have to stir the mixture once per hour in the crockpot. Some people use hot sauce for spice, like Cholula or other variations of very thin hot sauce, not salsa or picante. I am not a fan of this type of hot sauce at all that's why I use crushed red pepper. Some people also like to use Red pepper flakes. I've used them a couple of times, and it seems like the next day, the leftovers got spicier. So, I quit adding them because my husband is not a fan of super spicy food. Me, on the other hand, prefer " light your hiney on fire hot " food. For the chicken chili recipe I've used a few times, I'll actually have to go dig out the recipe card in the "catch all" drawer in my kitchen. It's almost 1am here, so I'll probably find it and post it tomorrow. You may want to give the recipe a "trial" run, you can half the ingredients to make a smaller portion, and then try it out with family/friends. Get opinions, and try out some variation. EDIT TO ADD: Using either the stovetop method once you everything in the pot, and simmering - COVER PAN, once added to crock pot, cover with lid. This will keep the top layer from getting a funky film on the top.

Mine changed. I'm still pre op, but had to do a trial 2 week liquid diet to "work any kinks out" before meeting my surgeon to see what I liked and if I could handle it. I was in the same boat as you with issues going, and I was worried. I just made sure to drink more and more Water. At about day 12/13 everything changed and I had no issues anymore, and everything was soft. sorry for the TMI, but I hope it gets easier for you as well.

Hi All- I went in for my 2nd fill today. I've lost 60pounds, I exercise 5 days a week. So my dr pokes me, and hits the side of my port. My port has flipped. I have to go in August 20th and have surgery to correct it. It's not a big surgery obviously, but it's a small set back. AFter surgery I will have to wait to be fully healed again before exercising. Second- I was on vacation all last week, living it up in Keywest & South Beach. I get to work today to have the District VP tell me that my position has been eliminated & that I have 30-60 days. There is really no place for me to transfer to inside the company b/c we are on a hiring phase. soooooooooooo it appears my day just can't get any better! Thanks for all who reads this, I just needed to vent. I'm past the point of crying.

Actually OHjuli and I have already tried that one lol. A smore eating contest when a bunch of us met up to take a bike tour. I think we tied at about 3 marshmallows and 1/2 a Hershey bar each.

Don't be frightened, Lala. We all get the jitters as the date approaches. I had a lot going on in my life approaching my surgery date - so I pushed it back by three weeks and went on holiday to get some sunshine and reflect. The time gave me the space I needed to weigh up all the pros and cons. On reflection, the pros dwarfed any cons I could identify. Nearly 6 months out and apart from the stall frustration - I am a very happy camper. I suggest you write yourself your own list of pros and cons and see where that takes you. You might be in for a surprise. The best of luck with whatever you decide

There is no way I can only eat 3 meals and get all the Protein in. My doc said - protein is the most important...work on all other stuff around that. He never told me no Snacks. Just make them protein. Right now my go to snacks are string cheese, Peanut Butter Protein Bars, nuts and sugar free fudgesickles.

I am starting month 5 and have been stable at 190 lbs for a month, only 10 pounds from goal but quite frankly comfortable at 190. I can eat full meals and have some desert (ice cream etc) and I snack on small candy bars, MMs, etc and I neither gain nor lose weight. Nothing wrong with having a cookie, with or without sugar or ice cream, etc. It is normal. I am also with Kaiser and they want only 3 meals a day, maybe a Protein bar or shake in between but they do want only 3 normal meals per day. I didn't have the surgery just to give up eating everything else I would have done the bypass. Enjoy a snack just don't overdo.

You are likely in a stall due to not getting enough calories to sustain your level of activity. If you can't increase your calorie intake, because you still just physically can't eat enough, then try reducing your activity some. I wouldn't advocate that as a long-term solution though, since decreasing activity can lead to muscle loss. You need to find the right balance of calorie intake and activity to where you are in that sweet spot of losing steadily, but not sending your body into "starvation mode".

I'm 5 weeks out and have a severe burning sensation in my esophagus/ throat is this normal?...and remedies?

I am 7 weeks post op and i have been eating just about what ever I want to since week 4. That is healty stuff. But it seems that I am hungry like every 2 to 3 hours. I feel like im eating all the time now. I cant eat large amounts like before my surgery. And suggestions on what I may need to do.

Even 11 months out of surgery I still can't eat but a few bitesof potatoes, bread or Pasta, it just fills my stomach to much. Crispier breads are easier but I like to stay away from the extra carbs. I have been eating thin crust pizza since I was 3 months out. I never had a problem with sauce. I like these magic pop crackers their 15 calories and 4 grams of carbs each and you only need one, there perfect for humas, salsa, pb and j. I love them and their easy to digest. You should get over missing the breads soon as your able to start having regular foods. Good luck with your recovery.

Hi everyone! I had yet another question for you all! When you cut out sugar and caffeine, for pre-op diet or post-op, did you have any withdrawals? If so, how long did they last? My pre-op diet begins the week before finals and continues through finals. I would really to get rid of sugar and caffeine now so I don't have to deal with any withdrawals during my studying. But if they weren't that bad, they may be manageable. Any info would be great!

Hi, I have been band for over 2 years now and for the last week or so I have this funny taste in my mouth it taste like metal or tin? Sometimes I have a funny feeling in the back of my mouth. Hard to explain. I have not had anything coming up like acid or anything no problem laying down or anything like that. Has anyone had anything like that before?? IS IT ACID REFLUX?? I have a flipped port and Im in the process of getting that fixed my insurance has agreed to pay for part of the surgery but not all. I was a self pay in MX. Thank you Tracey

I was banded on 3/15/12. Once you move to full liquids, I highly recommend french onion soup and hot and sour broth. Great taste and very filling!!

I would have liked a "couple of times a month" option as "once a week" is a bit too much, but "once a month" too little.