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I was banded last Friday and am surprised by the amount of pain I am in - I decided to weigh myself today and found that I had gained 1 1/2 pounds even though I am eating at the most 3 Protein shakes a day and Water. I decided today to stop using the pain medication prescribed by my Dr. I(in case it was increasing my constipation) even though I still feel very sore, especially when I lie down or get up from a lie-down position. I haven't been able to have a bowel movement and am wondering if that is increasing the soreness I am feeling. I started to take Colase (stool softener) and today I took Correctol but still no luck. I'm sort of ranting today - feeling uncertain about what to expect and whether this is normal. All I know is that I hurt, am constipated, have no hunger, but am gaining weight. Oh yeah! The other thing is that I am on an Insulin Pump and I haven't needed to add any insulin since this started which means the pump is giving me about 70 units a day spread out over 24 hours. Prior to getting the banding, I was using about 300 units a day and still had uncontrollable blood sugar levels.

Menu Blog I do push the limits of the food budget 1300-1500 calories per day vs. the typical 800-1200 quoted by most doctors. I do this for 4 reasons: 1) I think that they (the doctors) under estimate the amount of protein people need. The higher I keep my protein the better weight comes off. 2) I lift weights and feel I need the extra protein 3) I want to keep my metabolism in as high a gear as I can 4) based on my target weight 190 lbs. I won’t have to make many changes when I get there. Key for my Menu First, one of my key tools is Vitol Egg protein powder. Second is packing all my meal in 8oz plastic containers so I don’t have to guess. Third, we make most of the items below in a big batch on Sunday and uses them during the week. Fourth, sometimes you have to eat out, when I do I stick to fish or soups/stews they are easier to digest. Fifth, I avoid directly adding carbs because they make my hungry between meals. Breakfast (5 am) Option 1: 1 whole egg and 3 egg whites, 1oz low fat cheese and sliced peppers and mushrooms Option 2: 1 Cup Oatmeal with Vitol Egg powder 2 Tablespoons (adds 24Grams of Protein) Option 3: 1Cup fat free yogurt with Vitol Egg powder 2 Tablespoons (adds 24Grams of Protein) Mid-Morning (9 am) Option 1: 1Cup fat free yogurt with Vitol Egg powder 2 Tablespoons (adds 24Grams of Protein) Option 2: 8oz Diced Chicken Salad Option 3: 2 String cheese and 1oz. Almonds Option 4: MuscleMilk Protein Shake Lunch (Noon) Option 1: 1 cup Turkey Chili with 1 oz of Cheese Option 2: 1 cup fat free fried beans with diced, onions, peppers and salsa Option 3: 8oz Diced Chicken or Tuna Salad Pre Work Out Meal Late Afternoon (4 pm) Supplements – Nitric Oxide Drink with Creatine, Gummy Vitamins, Gummy Omegas Option 1: ½ Cup fat free yogurt with Vitol Egg powder 2 Tablespoons (adds 24Grams of Protein) Option 2: 4oz Diced Chicken Salad Option 3: 1 String cheese and 1oz. Almonds Option 4: MuscleMilk Protein Shake Post Work Out Dinner Option 1: 6 oz Ahi Tuna Steak in olive oil and lemon pepper Option 2: 1 cup chipotle chicken crock pot stew with carrots, onion, mushrooms, peppers Option 3: 8oz Chicken Brest Happy Eating

Hi Lexie, For my weight loss surgery I'm having the lap band. As far as Chiari goes, I've been unable to work or drive for three years, I'm in a wheelchair when I leave the house because I'm unable to stand up for more than a minute or two without fainting, and I have the classic Chiari headaches daily (along with a huuuuge list of other symptoms). I've sent my medical records to neurosurgeons across the country but I've been rejected by all of them because of my weight. The funny thing is, I don't have any other comorbidities like diabetes, high blood pressure, or any of that - other than the Chiari and being overweight, I'm healthy. I'm 375 lbs as of my 6 week pre-op appointment. Have lost a bit in the couple of weeks I've been on the pre-op diet though! I think what I'm worried about is going through the weight loss surgery while still having my Chiari malformation. I can't lie flat - the pressure builds in my head until I have an excruciating headache. I know I'll be out for the surgery but can I ask them to prop me up before they bring me out of anasthesia to reduce the pain before I wake up? Stuff like that. Just wondering if anyone else has had to bring this up with their surgeon... Thanks for your response! Katrina

Im in my 10th day and Im in full liquids, I have to wait until 5th week to start soft food.. Sent from my LG-H901 using the BariatricPal App

I'm 62 and was pretty fit even though overweight all my adult life. I worked out AT A GYM 3-4 week and was able to eat moderately well into my early 50's but the excess baggage slowly gained over time and I went from 250 pounds at 52 to my max of 390 pounds, my current weight of 365 and I am 6'5". What Changed in my life from 52-62? I went from an active on my feet job to a desk job that demanded manditory overtime I stopped going to the gym as often and I continued to eat like I was still exercising like before. My life became a cycle of Eat sleep Work and I became too tired even to have fun on weekends. This was a true downard spiral. My company downsized and my job, the one that seemed so important and demanded so much time from me was gone. I was unable to find work and lived on the severance, unemployment and a small pension. At 62 a fat man even with experience and degrees will probably never find work. I was even turned down by McDonalds, guess they were afraid I would eat the product...Picture frosty day in hades for that. In that one year after being laid off till my 62'nd B'day I gained 35 pounds to reach that all time high and I was Miserable. I had to have a heart stint put in, The ol blood pressure went through the roof and deep dark depression set in. Why do I say all this because if you see yourself where I was then you realize No Job is worth what you are going through. If the band didn't work for you then you must make time to LOVE yourself and go to a fitness center or gym. Don't bother with buying equipment you will use for a clothes rack and take up space in your home. Do 1/2 to 1 hour of cardio limit weight training to 6-8 exercises for chest arms and back the legs will be ok with the cardio at the gym and ask the gym to set up a routine for you. Let them know weight loss is the goal not massive muscles. Go 3 times a week do not weight train the same muscle groups 2 days in a row except for walking thats what we were made to do. Park as far from your office as possible and get some extra walking in, Do the same at the stores you go to, walk. Never take the elevator for 1 or 2 floors, great exercise. You can stand up at your desk to work, it burns more calories. This follows in the suggestion of an under the desk leg exercisor is a good one. Your legs are 40% of the average mans muscle mass and a pedeling device with resistance also is better than sitting and doesn't keep you from typing on a computer or answering the phone. So you see and I am sure already know that theres lots of exercise opportunities you may be overlooking or avoiding. Talk to your nutritionist, find out whats going on, you are taking in more calories then you are burning the same as the rest of us. Do a follow up with your surgeon perhaps they can work with you to get you on track. Do all of this today, don't wait another day passes and another and pretty soon, if you'er lucky, you are 62 and perhaps in ill health and then the task will be that much harder. I'm not trying to be preachy, I'm just trying to show you a future that would be a lot harder than it needs to be. Let us know how it goes for you and I for one wish the very best for you. All of us here know it's not easy. Ask for help, work less play and laugh more. I finally realized that no matter how much I love food it doesn't love me back. Good Luck.

Im currently 330 lbs Age 32 Male 125 over 83 blood Pressure Height 5'11 And all the Time I sit on My Office My Free Hour only when I got home 6PM and take dinner. Im Lapband Patient Since Oct 13, 2006 I want advice a Recipe for Diet and Exercise Program My Existing Equipment are the following... Protius 3 Home Gym Cardio Master Core Sellectorize What are your Suggestion For Me To Loose Weight.... What Program Diet Recipe and Exercise Program do I have to take???? And how many minute I take for My Work-out and What Recipe Diet you may suggest???

I’m exactly 6 weeks post-op today and headed back to work tonight. I’m a night shift CNA working 12 hour shifts at a hospital! Does anyone have any advice for me on going back to work after surgery? I’m super nervous when it comes to my lunch break and such because my biggest fear is getting sick at work, especially because I’m rarely sitting down and always moving. Also nervous to go back to nights because I’ve been extra sleepy since surgery! Any advice would be appreciated 😊

Bathroom habits are NOT happening. I saw Dr last week and explained the Protein shakes were coming right back up (tried several brands ). He suggested I move up to pureed and eat slowly.... Spoke to nutritionist today. She said I am def not getting enough nourishment or Fluid so im going back to Dr tomorrow. Just wondered if anyone else had a similar situation. Hubby had the surgery 2 years ago and it all went so smoothly for him.... Sent from my SM-N915V using the BariatricPal App

Hi everyone! Ok.. here wondering if anyone has had a problem with low Iron. To my knowledge I have not had any problems but my Aunt who has has surgery about 6mths prior to me has warned me to watch out for low iron. Is this common with VSG and besides taking 2 multi-vitamins daily and trying to eat red meat a couple of times a week I do nothing for iron.. any advice out there?

I was taking benefiber in my water 3 days post-op as per my Nut advise.

I have one week to go. I am very excited and also nervous. I work in the operating room so I know what to expect, but am still nervous. I have chosen my team (an advantage to working in the department) and I fill I am prepared. I have been trying various protein drinks. I have tried a few that I got at GNC and some from the doctor's office. I would love to take a month off so I can go back to work on solid foods, but will probablly go back in 2 weeks. Debbie

couch to 5k, you can find the program online and do it in your neighborhood. I started it last week to help give me some focus.

What can expect before and after up to the 1st week (now moving into post op?)

I need a space to be real and accountable so here goes. Started 6month SD on 6/10/17 and really struggled for the first 10 days. The struggle was due to these factors: 1. failure to plan 2. wanting to eat crap more than wanting to lose this weight and get healthy 3. too many "last meals". So I had a come to Jesus moment and watched many more videos of others who have gone before me. I researched and planned a true low carb high protein meal plan and I went shopping to get food that is compliant and I made a video blog for my own personal use to hash it all out with myself. One thing that quitting smoking many years ago taught me is that this game is not in my stomach, it is in my head. Not to discount the very real fact that my stomach and other factors are heavies in this battle, but the real bad guy here is this voice in hy head that really thinks one more McDouble is a necessary thing because I may never eat one again. REALLY, that crap is so nasty but yet here I am like a ball and chain. So Ten days ago , I got on track. The last ten days have not been without hic-cups, for example, I now realize that carbs are not the enemy, but children's birthday parties and specifically PIZZA are the enemies. I went in with a plan and still ate pizza.. ugh. I have to realize that little things like this will still happen and while they are not to be blown off, I am not going to beat myself up over it. I WILL however look at all those caalories and assess, was bowling alley pizza really WORTH it. No. So I started 10 days ago at 268 and this morning I weighed in at 259.6. A baby loss and like any baby I need to takecare of it and help it grow, hence this thread. Thanks for reading.

I had my sleeve surgery 1/20/16 and I took a 3 day trip to Las Vegas on 2/11/16 (3 weeks post op). Now, I know everyone recovers differently but I was completely useless for the first 2.5weeks. I was worried about taking my trip but started to get some energy back a couple days before I left. I completely understand what you're going through. I apologize in advance, this may be lengthy, especially since it's fresh in my mind. I think the most difficult thing is going to be food. At three weeks I was supposed to be on a puréed diet. That was incredibly difficult while traveling!!! I am having trouble with Protein shakes post op, no matter what I try I just can't stomach them. That would have been my go to, but I just couldn't do it. I ate mostly yogurt and eggs and those 1 oz packages of peanut or almond butter (I can't remember the brand. It's all natural, no sugars or anything). But, I also ate things that weren't puréed. I didn't have a choice in some places. There just aren't many options on a puréed diet. I did get sick once from eating 2 French fries. I just didn't want to spend so much money on an entire meal when I really shouldn't have been eating any of the foods they had to offer and would only be able to eat a couple bites anyway, and I figured French fries were soft so I just took a couple from someone else's plate. Not a good idea! No more fried things for me!! It didn't help that our hotel room didn't have a fridge or anything, so I couldn't buy yogurts or anything to keep in the room. I did, however, make sure I had a Water bottle on me at all times. I'm not sure what stage of the diet you will be on during your trip, but I would definitely consider what your options would be. As far as rescheduling your trip, and I'm assuming that this is just for pleasure since you're wondering about postponing, I would do some research online or by phone. Look at where you will be staying and local restaurants and any outings you have planned. Most places offer menus online, try to find things that will work for your diet. Even call them and see if they will be accommodating. Also, look at who you will be traveling with. Do they know about your surgery and diet restrictions? Are they going to be supportive and understanding? I think if you will be able to find foods that will fit your diet you will be fine. I had energy back by that point and besides having trouble with food, I had a phenomenal trip. Good luck with your surgery and have fun in Hawaii!

I had a banquet to attend 4 weeks post op. I scraped the sauce off the chicken breast, cut everything on the plate really small and just ate some of the chicken. With everything cut small, you couldn't tell if I ate anything at all. I also skipped the cheesecake for dessert. Even my sister thought I ate way more than I did. Sorry, should have mentioned I am post RNY 9/8/16 Mary Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Well, I've made it to one month and I'm 30 pounds down! woohoo! I've had one fill already, which was 2 days ago..I've noticed some restriction, I've had a few encounters where I felt like I was going to vomit, I think only cause I was rushing myself and didn't chew carefully. But I'm so excited to lose some more weight..I have a lot more to go, but at least I have a great start. The first two weeks of liquids was really hard, and I ended up losing 25 pounds in those 2 weeks! These following 2 weeks have slowed down big time! 5 pounds in 2 weeks? Just doesn't seem like much, but I have to keep telling myself that I lost 30 pounds in 1 month..that's pretty freakin good! Talk soon with more updates!

Maybe I'm weird but I don't feel guilty when I eat! I feel happy because I eat *less* even if it's not down to a half cup of food per meal yet. Pre-band me would eat this in a day: yogurt and banana for Breakfast, cheeseburger, fries, Cookies, and a coke for lunch, potato chips and French onion dip as a snack, chicken nuggets with macaroni and cheese and green Beans for dinner, and then ice cream or cookies for dessert. Plus I'd drink coffee with cream, sodas, juice, and milk all day. Now I eat a yogurt and banana for breakfast, a sandwich with fruit for lunch, nuts and a slice of cheese for a snack, and dinner will be a salad plate with a Protein, veggie, and carb divided in three portions. Sometimes I'll have a small dessert like a couple pieces of chocolate or an ice cream sandwich, or I'll have a glass of wine. Unsweetened tea, coffee, and Water to drink all day. That's maybe a total of 1/3 to 1/2 the calories I used to eat. I feel good and I feel like I'm getting enough so I'm satisfied even if I'm not 100% green yet. My doctor said I should feel satisfied on a half cup to one cup of food per meal and not need Snacks. I'm definitely not there yet so I'll keep getting fills but for now I'm just happy I'm satisfied eating so much less food than I used to. My appetite was a roaring dragon before my lap band. Now it's a whining puppy I can push aside if necessary. Point is, try not to feel guilty because you still need food to survive! As long as you're losing, it's working

Had lunch a few days ago with some friends/former co-workers. One of the five of us is underweight, one is pretty much on target, two of us are wls patients (both still overweight, but nothing like pre-op) and then there's the other one. She is the nicest, smartest woman. But she is SO deep in denial. She actually said that her weight problems are not the result of overeating, because she doesn't eat very much. I used to have lunch with this woman on a daily basis. She eats much. Really much. And, as she was explaining that she doesn't eat much, she was finishing a HUGE beef-dip sandwich and fries. This is NOT a woman of limited intelligence. She is a bright woman, a professional, has multiple degrees, and has professional siblings. (She also has a husband with food-related medical problems and some kids at normal weight and other who are obese.) But, her BMI has got to be well, well over 50. She is really big, but says she's healthy and athletic. Question: Now that YOU have had surgery or are considering it, how do you handle conversations with friends like mine? She's still in her 40's and I'd love to see her get healthy while she's relatively young. (I'll be 57 in a couple of weeks...she looks VERY young to me.) Do I pretend that she's right? Do I assume that because portion sizes are so big, she really thinks that she eats reasonable amounts of food? Do I let her think she's convincing me, when I don't believe a word of it? Right now, I just respond with, "Well, you know better than anyone else how you feel." What do y'all do? Sue

Mine was six weeks post op.

Quick question folks: a couple days this past week i was having the most intense pains in the center of my chest. Now when I was banded 3 weeks ago, an EGD was done and apparently I had a hiatal hernia which was repaired at the same time. I had never had symptoms of a hiatal hernia such as acid reflux but it was suggested when i called my surgeon's office that acid reflux was the cause of my pain. I am still on mushy foods and will be able to eat normally as of wednesday. On another note, I don't have my first fill until August 24th, but I've been eating a lot less/been a lot less hungry the last few days or even close to a week...the combination of the two just makes me nervous like something's going on in there that i don't know about. The doctor prescribed something for the chest pain which has helped a lot but annoying b/c i have to take it 4 times a day for a month. On a much happier note, finally seeing the numbers drop on the scale! 11lbs as of today.

I just made up some pretty tasty Chili in my crockpot. This batch was enough to feed my wife, my 2 year old and me with enough left over for me to have quite a few lunches throughout the week. You will need: 1 lb lean, ground turkey 2 cans of kidney beans (I did the no salt added kind. I drained and rinsed the beans while still in the can) 1 can of black beans (same) 1/2 medium white onion (diced) 1 bell pepper (chopped) 1 can diced tomatos 1 can of tomato sauce (mine was a specific mix for chili, but normal tomato sauce should be fine too. You'll just want to add more spices) 2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce 1 small can of green chilies Seasonings (Chili powder, garlic powder, and black pepper) 2 tbsp of olive oil 1/2 cup shredded cheddar First I put a couple of glorps of olive oil in a frying pan. I'd say roughly 2 tbsp. Then I browned some lean, ground turkey in the oil while seasoning the meat. Then I just added all of the ingredients except for the cheese into my crockpot and cooked on high for 4 hours. You'll probably want to add some more seasonings to the mix. I think you could do it on low for 8 hours as well. Then 15 minutes before it was done I mixed half of my cheese in with the mix and added the second half on top. I just let it finish cooking at that point and served it up. I didn't add salt because my wife has kidney disease. You may want some. I'm kind of used to eating food without it. It's still a fairly bland chili, but I'm in phase 3 right now. So, it works nicely for what I'm looking for. In the future I'd like to work in more veggies, but it is a ton of protein right now.

So, I am almost 4 weeks out and on a soft diet. I put my meals and snacks in MFP for the day and it looks like I may be able to get in over 60 grams without the protein shake. Does it matter what source the protein is from? Is whey protein better than protein from food? All of my meals and snacks equal about 575 calories. I might throw a Special K2O packet in my water for 30 cals, 5 g fiber and 5 g protein. I am choosing low calorie foods with lots of protein. Also, I am working a 12 hour shift tonight so I will be snacking through the night, but I included those snacks in my total. Thoughts?

I am only three weeks post-op and I am already being treated like I have the plague by my heavy friends. Most of them won't even look at me for fear of....I don't know what. I even have a friend who lost a whole bunch of weight and has kept most of it off who is now treating me the same way. She began to diet again when I had my surgery and, everytime I see her now, flaunts the fact that she has lost ten more pounds. Great for her but why not great for me too? There are a few who are wanting info on the band and a few who just want to know what is going on and are being supportive. I am not friendless by any means. I just wish that my heavy friends would not feel threatened, or whatever it is, by my success so far. These are the people who also, when actually speaking to me, feel the need to tell me about all the bad things they have heard about the band and how they would never get it or have WLS because of it. One good thing out of all of this is that my husband, who is only minimally overweight, has hit the pavement jogging again. He still looks good at his current weight but he is a total HOTTIE when he drops about thirty pounds!:thumbup: