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So today my new tummy officially made 1 week old! ???????????? In celebration, my boyfriend and I both got a gym membership. I just went to the gym by myself and did the bicycle for 7 minutes and burned 30 calories. I also did the treadmill for almost 7 minutes and burned another 30 calories. I did the elliptical but I was passing gas so much I stopped (embarrassing)!!! I was afraid to do any strenuous workouts because I am still recovering and haven't been cleared to lift any weights so I just kept it at a minimum. I was a hard on myself that I didn't burn more calories or even do the treadmill and elliptical longer but I have to get used to exercising again. I have to ease it in. I will be back at the gym tomorrow conquering some more! ...forgot to mention, today was my first day around my family since the surgery, and the compliments were just pouring! Everyone was saying how I slimmed down and I was just smiling from ear to ear! Only a select few of my family knew about my surgery so to get these compliments really made my day!

Thank you for sharing! I'm much earlier in my journey (I still have to meet my surgeon - but next week!). However, I've been compiling a list of questions. I'll share these, even though they are for folks a little earlier in the process, as it might help someone when prepping. Some, I know the answer to, others, were just things I was contemplating, but I'll add them all, just in case it might help someone... Which surgery (sleeve or RNY?), based on current medical issues? How long will I be in the hospital? How long will I need to be off of work? What tests/prep will I need before surgery (ie. other doctors)? What Vitamins will I need to take post-op? Long-term/short-term? What can I expect in regards to hair loss? Is there a specific type of Protein product you require/prefer your patients to use? What type of pre-op diet do you require? What type of post-op diet can I expect? (by the way - I have on my list, as well, about the catheter, drainage tube, etc., lol)

Greg, I just posted in the men's room almost the exact same problem and dates you are experiencing. I'm headed in for an adjustment fill with no X-ray next week and hope to get back on the horse. I've decided to start respecting my band and all the effort I've put into it over the last 5 years and let it do what I wanted it to do. Restrict the foods to that I eat to ones that will fuel my body rather then just take up space. I've spent the last 2 years trying to find things to eat as I enjoy eating rather then eating the things I know I can and should eat. I'm back to being excited about the band and the future rather then pissed off that I can't eat what I want. Come and join me for the rest of the summer and let's see how we can do. I'm getting up 45 minutes early to do 30 minutes on the treadmill. My goal is to go .25 of a mile further every week in that same time. I'll start off walking this week and try to finish with a walk/sprint combo by the end of the summer.

After todays exercise (which will be my LBWO), and tomorrows cardio session, I will have completed 2 weeks of the Body for Life Challenge - which leave me 10 week sto go or 70 days. I will complete this challenge! I'm excited about not missing any workouts, eating pretty clean for the most part. Things I need to work on - 1) Need to plan my meals better (if you don't plan, you plan to fail) 2) Need to make sure I do my carido in the am on empty stomach - burns more calories this way. 3) Need to plan my workouts so I know what I'm going to do before I go the gym - this will save some time. 4) Going to try and add 2 extra cardio session my 3rd week. 5) Will work on getting some additional supplements (Betagen - helps build muscle)

This is my first posting… and I’m sure not my last. I was going to wait until I was banded – but that has been put on hold. My story…. I as many of you have, did a bunch or research and committed in my mind that this was what I needed. It was a very hard decision as I am really addicted to food, my diabetes is getting worst and weight going up. The first step was to find a doctor close by that was accepted by my BCBS. Found one that was the husband of my wife’s doctor who has been great for her. I went to his seminar and setup an appointment the next week. As I did my homework, I brought a bunch of stuff with me to this appointment including the requirements that BCBS insisted on and all my information on my recent 1 year on Weight Watchers. My first appointment really gave me a bad taste for this practice - I did most of the talking and tried twice to give this information to the "assistances" but told they did not need them because they worked with insurance all the time and had their own. I was never sat down and talked to - just given their requirements like make my own appointment with the nutritionist and they would setup one for the psychologist. I completed both of these, got/gave them the required letter from my doctor along with over one inch thick copy of my doctor's file that dated back to 2002. I even went as far as compiling a cover sheet as I reviewed every page from the doctor notes of my weight, BP, AIC and cholesterol reading. So at this point I thought it was a slam dunk - I am 60, weight 265 so BMI = 38 and insulin dependent diabetic. Wrong - I called BCBS and was rejected after 2 weeks. Reason - the doctors office did not follow their requirements. Since my BMI was under 40 - I had to qualify by having 2 of 6 listed "comorbid conditions". Well I had 1 - Diabetes - but no mention or suggestion of any other. They also needed more information about my 1 year on WW. When I called the doctor's office really discussed - they apologized for not doing the "required stuff" and would talk it over with the doctor and call me back. The next morning the office manager called me back and said that the doctor was dropping me and by the way - he found 3 "comorbid conditions" after reviewing my records (if he had found them before and did his job the way he should have - I would have a scheduled surgery date my now). So I am very discussed - all that work, all that hope, all the time and money spent to get to my goal. As I said, I am 60 and want to live a long time. My daughter and her 2 sons (4 & 6) live with us now and I really want the health and energy to enjoy them and them to enjoy me... I have not given up. I did a bit more research and found another doctor's office (the one that I meet with the nutritionist) and they are to call me back today. Sorry for the long post - just had to get it out there... Lou

Minor discomfort for a week after surgery, but good since then. Since I am at goal now and have lost 201 pounds in the fifteen months post op that I am, I do have a small amount of discomfort when I lay on my stomach where the port is located. This is mainly due to the fact that my waiste is now 38in. as opposed to the 56in. waist I started with. I may look into a "low profile" port down the road, but it has been well worth it. No other band related pain. Life is good!

No pain here since the afternoon of surgery. Minor soreness for a week or so, but nothing I would call pain. No pain, other than the needle stick during fills. Kat

You have to build up to the Protein and Water levels. Do the best you can. In the hospital they gave me these little medicine cups like the ones on the bottle of Nyquill. I took a bunch of those home and for the first week I'd sip from that. I think it helped me slow down. I never had the gurgling or the slimes (knock on wood)

I was banded back in January and felt great for the first 2 or 3 days after surgery. Looking back I think I tried so hard to feel ok and let my husband, kids and parents know I was ok after the surgery. After these first few days I realized I had to stop pushing myself so hard and just rest. My body needed to recover and honestly it took at least 2 weeks before I really felt 100% again. My surgery was on a Wednesday and I went back to work on Monday but could only make it until noon before crashing. So I ended up only working 1/2 days for a week. Luckily my boss was very supportive and allowed the extra time off. The first 2 weeks were the hardest for me but now 4 1/2 months since surgery I know it was totally worth it! I've lost 25 lbs and see the scale moving down every week. Good luck and get some rest!

I am going in for my first fill next week. I am a little nervous, but definitely ready. I am back to my regular appetite (pre-band), which is not such a good thing. I'm ready to feel restricted. I have heard that people have had to go back on the liquid diet for a couple of days until the body adjusts. Has this happened to anyone?

So I had my surgery 5 month ago...lost about 54 pounds. Last week I went on a cruise for 5days and I drank alcohol and over ate. .infact I even drank and ate at the same time...so I started back on my diet and my stomach began to hurt so bad..I almost went to the hospital .. I worried I did damage and stretched my stomach... is there anything I could do? Sent from my SM-G892A using BariatricPal mobile app

So I am only just under 5 weeks post op and I am loving life. This is easily the best decision I have ever made. I have lost 45 pounds since my surgery on May 23 and lost around 95 overall. I was just offered an amazing job that I truly believe I never would of gotten if not for the surgery. For any people who are skeptical about getting the surgery just know that I sure was and I am so damn glad that I decided to get it. If anyone has any questions at all please do not hesitate to private message me. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hello all. I am new and having a few problems. One is that I need a fill and still can't get one for another 3 weeks. I am eating much less than I would have before surgery altho not the best foods but still gaining. I can't wait for my first fill. But I still don't understand how I can gain by eating less!!!!!!!! Secondly, I have been having increasing problems with food getting stuck. Some have said PB but after reading about it it doesn't seem like it. I can get food stuck on the first or last bite, it doesn't matter. I do think that I should still chew better but not sure if that is the problem. My food gets stuck and the pain in my throat, not my chest. I have never brought the food back up but have tried to drink and I can feel that slowly come back up and I will spit it out and it will do it again until the fluid is gone. Many times I can feel the food finally work its way down having the feeling of someting move in from my throat to my chest area and stomach. And yes, it is quite painful. I am calling the drs. today as I have discussed this with them before. But just curious. I was prescribed Flexeril right after surgery for esophagial spasms so maybe that could be another cause. I just don't know. I was just hoping to find someone with a similar experience. thanks to you all. cindy

The soulder pain will probably be there a couple of weeks. I found the pain meds I had didn't do anymore than tylenol and heat.

I'VE GOT IT!!! I looked up Ketosis and you are right. Everything sweet I eat in the last few days tastes bitter or weird and i've been wondering whats up. It is when you have a high protein/low carb diet and your body starts metabolising fats for energy instead of carbs. I had a fill a week ago and this started about 3 days ago.

I'm so very tired. I'm ill right now, so that doesn't help - but it makes the reality of actually having health again seem attainable. Just as I'll get over this cold/flu/infection, I'll recover from the health issues that my weight has caused me. Just like I'm on a daily basis recovering from the horrible poisoning that my body endured from the toxic metals. I know that I can do this. While I've been too sick to do much more than drag my butt out of bed and slump into the chair in my office all week (hey - I made it TO work, what more do they want from me? lol) I haven't gotten to that exercise I do really long for. I wanted to start slow - and I will - as soon as I can move without feeling dizzy and nauseous My doctor said it was just "the crud" - midwestern for "whatever's going around at the time". Codeine for the cough, ibuprofein for the irritation in the throat, OTC cold/sinus meds and sleep. lots of sleep. I like the codeine - makes the cough stop for the most part. I get some sleep. It makes me all fuzzy tho so hard to take during the day and be productive heh.

I am also a June 4ther... Am doing pretty well but I also have a strict Doctor so I'm on pureed food for 6 weeks, then soft food for 4 weeks and at 4 months out I will be moved into a regular diet. I'm ok with that since food doesn't always sit too well with me. I'm good at getting in my Protein with 2 shakes a day and then the chicken broth from unjury. What I have found is that I can't do the ready to drink shakes - they are just too thick. I'm good when I can make shakes out of my fat free lactose free milk with Protein powder. My Water intake is good too and I can take some good size drinks now - probably 1oz a sip and I can go through 8oz in about 40 minutes. For me, crystal light wasn't cutting it and propel was almost to sweet but because of these boards I found Mio and that's been perfect and helped to get my water intake up. Energy levels come and go but I do have to go back to work next week so we will see what happens. As of this morning I'm down 18lbs from surgery - not bad for my first month but hoping it slows down next month as i would like to keep it to no more than 2lbs a week to allow time for my body to catch up.

I am 23 years old and I am 6'2My heaviest weight was 455 lbs. I'm currently down to 330. Honestly I just followed my doctors directions to a T from around 3 months before my surgery and up until this very day. The two weeks after surgery I made sure I walked every day as much as I could and once I hit two weeks and was cleared for cardio I ran on the treadmill every day for 40-45 minutes. Now I just get my Protein and Water in. Cardio and running 6x a week for 40-45 minutes and I incorporate weight lifting in 3-4 times a week. I also am an avid basketball player and will play pickup around 3 times a week for an hour or so. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Yes, the longer you can wait to drink after you eat the longer the food will stay in your pouch and the less chance you have of it getting stuck. The only exception is during the first 2 weeks after surgery when it is good to flush the food out of your pouch during the healing process.

Hi, Make sure you have people who can help take care of you at least the first entire week after surgery for sure! You will be much weaker then they tell you to expect. Although they say it is not a major surgery, any surgery has a heeling process afterwards. I had NO IDEA how helpless I would be afterwards! Thank goodness my mother and Fiance' were around, because I would not have made it on my own very well. Make sure you are prepared at home with liquid or crush-able pain meds as well as LOTS of Gas-X strips and chewables. Gas is what causes the most pain, so if you can get that out of the way, you will feel way better. Since you will be spending a lot of time in bed, make sure you have books and stuff to occupy you. Make sure you rest and walk, rest and walk, rest and walk. Also, since you will be doing a LOT of Protein shakes the 6 weeks after, it is SO HELPFUL to own a magic bullet blender or somthing similar! I love using flavoring extracts like vanilla, Almond, strawberry, etc... to switch up the flavors of the shakes. I never got bored! In fact, I switched up the flavors so often, I soon went back to wanting just plain vanilla again. Vanilla whey protein tastes the best in my opinion, as well as gives you the option to really experiment with flavoring. Also, since you will only be sleeping on your back for a couple weeks after surgery, you might want to make sure you have good padding and pillows for your bed. If you share your bed with your spouse, make sure he or she understands that you will need to take up more room with pillows and do things slightly different in your nightly routine. Since sleep can also be hard to come by after due to being in one position all night, you may want a gentle sleep relaxer. Calms Forte from Whole Foods Market is a great one and all natural. It is very gentle and does not make you drowsy the next morning. By the way... please talk to your doctor first before taking any of my own personal advice. Everyone is different and you may have a different experience or health than me. Blender (Magic Bullet) Liquid and crush-able pain meds Gas X (LOTS) Pillows/cushioning Flavoring extracts for Protein Shakes Good reading material & stuff to occupy the time

i love zumba too.. i have been doing it twice a week since jan 2013.. I was sleeved in Oct 2012. I just went at my own pace.. I am doing it all pretty good now.. It is fun!!

just put in a call to the dr's office. god knows when they'll call back. last week i was on a business trip to houston (from ny) and had lunch out with business associates. after only a few bites of food--small, tiny bites, chewed well--i had to excuse myself and go to restroom--to THROW UP. that happened twice. then--this was the worst--on the way back to the office -- i KNEW that i was going to get sick--but we were in the STREET--what could i do??? i held it in and ALMOST made it to the 28th floor--but as the elevator doors were opening--i had to open up my little PURSE, and THROW UP INTO IT. god, how embarrassing. everything happened really fast--and then i RAN to the restroom (thank god it didn't require a KEY). what a mess. THEN--i vomited VIOLENTLY. much worse than any previous time, where the food just popped out. this felt MUCH MUCH WORSE. Well--i stayed on liquids thereafter--and they went down ok. but when i went back to food--it felt---different. i had NO pb's (not that i WANTED any), the food went down--but the restriction feels off. i was VERY careful after this happened. i have been extra EXTRA careful to eat small bites, chew 15-25 times, and WAIT between mouthfuls. also, what i take to eat is much MUCH smaller than i used to take. but--i'm worried about my restriction now. and the band placement. i wonder if i blew a hole in the band? or slipped it?? i don't know. so i'm waiting for a call back from the dr's office to see if i should come in for an esophogram or something. i really hope all is well--i certainly didn't WANT this to happen. :think

Flower, hope all is going well. My port has flipped too. I just found out about an hour ago!!! They want to schedule me for a revision on Tuesday, only problem is I am getting married in 2 weeks on Aug 28 and going on a cruise for my honeymoon!!! My surgeon will be back from vaca on Monday, I just want to be sure that I will be able to go swimming and stuff on the cruise. Patty

My hair started thinning a couple of weeks Try to get those vitamins in and keep your hair hydrated and water you have to take in those fluids. That was the advice I got from my doctor. I'm nine weeks out and pray it stops soon..

8 weeks post-op! The three most important elements after RNY gastric bypass surgery are to meet your daily Protein, Fluid and Vitamin requirements. food is secondary because your body is converting your stored fat into the energy that drives your body. Thus you lose weight. Weight loss is achieved after surgery through meal volume control. You begin at 2 ounces (1/4 cup) per meal and gradually over the next year and a half increase the volume to 1 cup per meal. With this minuscule amount of food, it is next to impossible to meet your protein daily requirements by food alone, so therefore you need to rely on supplements such as Protein shakes. One thing to do now at this stage is to assess your protein intake. Your protein requirement is met by a combination of the protein from your meals combined with the protein from your supplements (protein shakes, protein bars). Since your meal volume is beginning to increase, that also means that the amount of protein from meals is increasing, especially if you concentrate on consuming high protein meals. Therefore you could be able to reduce your reliance on supplements and the calories they contain. I went from 3 protein shakes a day, down to 2, then 1 and finally zero when my meal volume increased to 1 cup per meal at a year and a half. I found that softer foods such as chili and Soups went down much easier than harder food such as steak, so I relied on them. I have included some recipes at the end of the following article. http://www.breadandbutterscience.com/Surgery.pdf