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hey girl!congrats on the start of your journey....you must be so excited for the new lifestyle!im tracey from new york,im 21 and had the surgery 6 days ago.its been a long 6 days but im down 10 pounds since surgery and 23 pounds down in general....if you have any questions about the surgery or anything else feel free to message me:)

I work nights, and have been doing the following: - if I have a sandwich for lunch (chicken or turkey, low fat mayo, on toasted whole wheat bread) I have a salad for dinner. - if I have a salad for lunch, I have a South Beach microwave meal for dinner. My salads have been the following: 2 shredded lettuce leaves, 4 grape tomatoes (cut into quarters), some sort of meat (chicken, steak, crab, or tuna), and 2 tbsp. of a low-fat no carb vinegrette. It fills me up and is pretty tasty, and only takes about 5-10 minutes to prepare (I cook up my chicken and steak on Sunday evenings and store them in tupperware in the fridge for the week).

My surgery is scheduled for 10/28 just started my 2 week liver diet(liquid diet) today I was also just called today to set up my per-op testing by the hospital. If I was you I would be calling the surgeons off and asking some questions.

It took me between 20 & 40 minutes to really start waking up, both times. With my most recent, I remember hearing them saying things as I was being wheeled, so it must have been en route to recovery. I guess that's maybe 10 minutes after the procedure ends, but that's a guess. When I could keep my eyes open I looked at the clock, and it was another hour before I was really alert and able to do more than groggy responses or hand gestures.

Total Scale Victory and Random Observations: I now have lost more than I weigh. I have lost 190 lbs. from my highest weight of 374. The first 50 was using Victoza for Type 2 diabetes. My bariatric program has my starting weight as 343. SW=325. CW=185. My program doesn’t give goal weights. For my own satisfaction, 174 would give me a normal BMI. I’d like to end about 170 knowing that some gain/loss is possible as things settle. I’m 5’10”. I have gone from a size 30/32 to a 14. I haven’t been this size since early high school. I look forward to doing things rather than dreading them. I’ve been off all diabetes meds since surgery. I am still using my CPAP although I’ve had the pressure lowered twice. I see the sleep program in December and we will re-evaluate then. I suspect I will still have a need for it. My cholesterol medication will be re-evaluated in December as well. My doctor thinks it likely I will remain on that med due to family history. That is the only medication I take other than my vitamins and supplements. I track in LoseIt. I track every bite, every day. It keeps me accountable to myself and I foresee it as something I will need to do forever. Today is the first time I ever exported my progress to a spreadsheet. On other groups, I see so many questions that ask how much someone has lost at a given point. I honestly never knew what I did. These are my totals lost from first to current month: 16, 19, 17, 15, 15, 18, 4, 9, 17, 10. I exceed my liquid goals every day and never tracked that after the first week. I’ve never had any trouble with liquids and I know roughly what I drink each day as I know what my mug holds. I also ran my macros for the first time. Since surgery, I’ve kept protein to 40-50% of my diet with fat and carbs 25-30%. I’m still at 800-1000 calories per day. My program has said that is relatively low at this point but as long as I am losing and not feeling hungry, it was fine. My hunger has not returned. I am grateful for that. I’ve tried to build successful habits that will serve me for the long haul. I’ve been walking since coming home from the hospital. I started at 5-10 minutes per day. Now, I try to walk 45-60 per day at a moderate pace. I use 5 lb. weights and do toning exercises for 10-15 min. most days. I’ve started seeing virtually a therapist recommended by my program. I don’t have a history of trauma or eating disorders but I didn’t get to my weight by having a healthy relationship with food. Plus, I was very moody and short-tempered following surgery. I feel great and have more energy than I have in years. But This. Is. Work. I’m ok with that and try to keep my focus on progress and health. I follow what my program suggests and make my own decisions within that framework. There is no short cut to this. There’s no pouch reset, fasting, diet pills and how soon can I eat at McDonalds. I ranted on here one time about hating the word “pouch.” I still do. I hate pouch reset even more. 🙄😫 I don’t believe in it. We don’t need to reset. We need to make the best decisions and choices we can without needing to be perfect. Sure, you lose weight with it, but it’s simply because you are going back to not taking in many calories….and most of us have been down that road before. I continue to absorb the wisdom I get here from those who have gone down this road before me or are on it now. I still hate shopping even though it is not as difficult as it once was. I’m still not sure who I see in the mirror and am uncomfortable with focus on my weight loss. I could eventually benefit from plastic surgery, but I don’t know if that will be in the cards. Enough for now……thanks for reading.

I was required to have a 2 hr psych eval(PHD phychologist) and I filled out long questionaires. It was brutal. I was required to be followed by a psychiatrist and be on meds for depression and anxiety. I was also required to join a 12 step group of my choice , get a sponsor and have someone to call when I have future crisis. I consider myself sane and not in need of this. My surgery is March 19. I am sure I will miss food and that may trigger sadness. I know 12 step groups are free and that's a good deal. I found a CODA meeting. that's for codependents. I am always putting others before me and giving too much money to my kids. I need to learn to take care of myself first. I think food has been my best friend/enemy and my drug of choice. Body image is an entirely different thing but when I first see my shrink, if I like him, maybe he can help with the body image transition. Mostly I don't want to switch addictions as I hear that often happens.

I had this. My research revealed it can also be nerves healing. My pain was gone from my surgery then I got this burning tearing pain around week 2.5-3. It lasted 10 or so days.

Love bug, that's how I felt. I didn't know when my bladder was full. I'm a teacher and can only pee at 8:30 am, 11:10 a.m, and 2:30 .I have a camel bladder and need to in my profession, but I used to go after school. Now I notice I don't pee until 4 and that's usually atleast 24 oz after my lunch break.

My VGS surgery is scheduled for July 13. My insurance company did not require me to do complete 6 months of dieting. My doctor wants me to go on a 10 day pre-op diet that consists mainly of liquids. I've been trying to get a head start by eating healthier foods and smaller portions, and have lost 7 pounds since Sunday. (However, I was sick on Monday and could barely keep anything down, so that probably accounts for a big portion of the Water weight lost.) My highest weight was 232---I am 225, as of today. I would love to be at 215 on the day of my surgery. Is it possible to lose 10 pounds in the next 13 days?

I hope you are not going to Dr Almazna...he has had 4 deaths and many pt in ICU. Some have had a great experience and many have not. Its playing a game of chance...just never know, cause he does 8 to 10 a day. Most Dr. do a max of 5. Good luck???? Sent from my KFFOWI using the BariatricPal App

I blew up at work yesterday and yelled at a co-worker. This is the same girl, Erin, that I've complained about before because she sabotages my eating. I've had serious talks asking her not to tempt me with food or candy. No matter what I say, she still brings me food, talks about food, invites me to eat, etc. Yesterday she marched in my office to announce a platter of cookies, and I lost it and started yelling. She turned beat red and stormed away. I felt bad so I apologized. She was humiliated because I yelled loud enough for everyone to hear, "FROM NOW ON I'M FINING YOU A QUARTER FOR EVERY SINGLE REFERENCE YOU MAKE TO FOOD IN MY OFFICE!" She finally "got it" and apologized and promised never to tempt me again. But it didn't last because 10:00 this morning she asked if I wanted Panda Express (one of my favorite binge places.) The word, "yes" started to come out of my mouth as my mind instantly imagined all the yummy, greasy dishes that I love, but somehow "no" came out, and I hung up. She doesn't have a clue how furious I am. So I meditated and decided to try one last thing, which is to ignore her completely. I'm her usual lunch buddy, but for now on she can sit alone every single day, which she'll hate. Hell, I'll even close my door to really burn her. She knows everything about my surgeries, my struggles, and my addictions. What's wrong with people? Maybe I'll bring a keg of beer to an AA meeting tonight and see if anyone wants a pitcher.

I'm going to win this fight. She's getting a double-whammy. For every time she mentions food, I'm going to do 10 Jumping Jacks in front of her then drink an extra glass of water while looking her right in the eye! Don't mess with me! Bring it on!

This is so frustrating. I have been working on developing the habits neccesary after my surgery which includes no water 30 minutes before, during, and 30 minutes after a meal. I haven't been drinking 15 minutes before and during and I have been making it about 10- 15 minutes after before I have to drink something. This is a big accomplishment for me. I have also been working on chewing my food very well. I still have to not allow myself to get distracted and do better with it when I eat alone. I will work on that too. I noticed that some of my changes seem to have resulted in me gaining weight. For example, now that I am focused on being sure that I get breakfast, my metabolism is higher so I am hungrier much more often throughout the day. Also, I have noticed that when I don't drink water during a meal, I need to eat much more to get the same feeling. I don't know what to do! I am bigger than I have ever been in my life and it only seems to be getting worse when I combine these habits. Not sure how to work on this.

My name is BinkieGirl, but you can call me Bink. I was banded on July 10 2003 by Dr. Bradley Needleman in Columbus Ohio. So far I've lost somewhere around 20 pounds thanks to several complications including having my stomach swell shut for several days. All in all, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I look forward to meeting all of you and getting to know you!

I am in League City. 10 months out with Realize band. Down 65 lbs. but leveling off still have 100 more to go. I am looking for support group in Clear Lake area?:blushing:

Even if you don't like it hang onto it until post op and try it again at that point. The shakes I loved pre-op tasted awful to me afterwards! I would get samples of a bunch of different flavors and keep them around so you can see what you really like. And even once you find something you love don't stock up on it too much because you might get tired of it, anyway! I still have a Protein shake each day to push up my protein levels and I've gone through three or four different favorites in the past 19 months. From the start I've liked several of the nectar flavors. My favorite unflavored protein is Integrated supplements because I can't even taste it in my morning coffee or chai latte. If I had more than a Tbs. of unjury in my Soup or drink I could taste it and smell it - I hated that stuff! Keep trying and don't feel obligated to go with a particular brand or force yourself to drink something you hate because other people do it or it has a good nutritional profile. Protein Shakes help A LOT in the first months post op, so you want to find something you like. A lot of sites offer sample packs and variety packs so you can try a lot of flavors, and Vitalady also sells samples - there's a thread somewhere on VST about protein samples that should give you a few places to try. ~Cheri

The Potential Dangers of Sucralose (Splenda) Posted By Dr. Mercola | December 03 2000 | 244,463 views Is Splenda Really As Safe As They Claim It to Be? As of 2006, only six human trials have been published on Splenda (sucralose). Of these six trials, only two of the trials were completed and published before the FDA approved sucralose for human consumption. The two published trials had a grand total of 36 total human subjects. 36 people sure doesn't sound like many, but wait, it gets worse, only 23 total were actually given sucralose for testing and here is the real killer: The longest trial at this time had lasted only four days and looked at sucralose in relation to tooth decay, not human tolerance. Why Do You Need to Know About Splenda? Splenda, best known for its marketing ploy, "made from sugar so it tastes like sugar," has taken the sweetener industry by storm. Splenda has become the nation's number one selling artificial sweetener in a very short period of time. Between 2000 and 2004, the percentage of US households using Splenda products jumped from 3 to 20 percent. In a one year period, Splenda sales topped $177 million compared with $62 million spent on aspartame-based Equal and $52 million on saccharin-based Sweet 'N Low. McNeil Nutritionals, in their marketing pitch for Splenda emphasizes that Splenda has endured some of the most rigorous testing to date for any food additive. Enough so to convince the average consumer that it is in fact safe. They claim that over 100 studies have been conducted on Splenda. What they don't tell you is that most of the studies are on animals. Additional Concerns About Splenda Studies There have been no long-term human toxicity studies published until after the FDA approved sucralose for human consumption. Following FDA approval a human toxicity trial was conducted, but lasted only three months, hardly the length of time most Splenda users plan to consume sucralose. No studies have ever been done on children or pregnant women. Much of the controversy surrounding Splenda does not focus just on its safety, but rather on its false advertising claims. The competition among sweeteners is anything but sweet. The sugar industry is currently suing McNeil Nutritionals for implying that Splenda is a natural form of sugar with no calories. Is It REALLY Sugar? There is no question that sucralose starts off as a sugar molecule, it is what goes on in the factory that is concerning. Sucralose is a synthetic chemical that was originally cooked up in a laboratory. In the five step patented process of making sucralose, three chlorine molecules are added to a sucrose or sugar molecule. A sucrose molecule is a disaccharide that contains two single sugars bound together; glucose and fructose. The chemical process to make sucralose alters the chemical composition of the sugar so much that it is somehow converted to a fructo-galactose molecule. This type of sugar molecule does not occur in nature and therefore your body does not possess the ability to properly metabolize it. As a result of this "unique" biochemical make-up, McNeil Nutritionals makes its claim that Splenda is not digested or metabolized by the body, making it have zero calories. It is not that Splenda is naturally zero calories. If your body had the capacity to metabolize it then it would no longer have zero calories. How Much Splenda is Left In Your Body After You Eat It? If you look at the research (which is primarily extrapolated form animal studies) you will see that in fact 15% of sucralose is absorbed into your digestive system and ultimately is stored in your body. To reach a number such as 15% means some people absorb more and some people absorb less. In one human study, one of the eight participants did not excrete any sucralose even after 3 days. Clearly his body was absorbing and metabolizing this chemical. That is what our bodies are supposed to do. The bottom line is that we all have our own unique biochemical make-up. Some of you will absorb and metabolize more than others. If you are healthy and your digestive system works well, you may be at higher risk for breaking down this product in your stomach and intestines. Please understand that it is impossible for the manufacturers of Splenda to make any guarantees based on their limited animal data. If you feel that Splenda affects you adversely, it is valid. Don"t let someone convince you that it is all in your head. You know your body better than anyone else. How to Determine if Splenda is Harming You The best way to determine if Splenda or sucralose is affecting you is to perform an elimination/challenge with it. First eliminate it and other artificial sweeteners from your diet completely for a period of one to two weeks. After this period reintroduce it in sufficient quantity. For example, use it in your beverage in the morning, and eat at least two sucralose containing products the remainder of the day. On this day, avoid other artificial sweeteners so that you are able to differentiate which one may be causing a problem for you. Do this for a period of one to three days. Take notice of how your body is feeling, particularly if it feels different than when you were artificial sweetener free. Splenda May Still Be Harming You If you complete the elimination/challenge trial described above and do not notice any changes then it appears you are able to tolerate Splenda acutely. However, please understand that you are not out of the woods yet. The entire issue of long-term safety has never been established. Let's look at the facts again: There have only been six human trials to date The longest trial lasted three months At LEAST 15% of Splenda is not excreted from your body in a timely manner Considering that Splenda bears more chemical similarity to DDT than it does to sugar, are you willing to bet your health on this data? Remember that fat soluble substances, such as DDT, can remain in your fat for decades and devastate your health. If the above facts don't concern because you believe the FDA would not ever allow a toxic substance into the market then read on. Do You Really Believe These People Are Going to Protect You? Please consider that the only organizations between you and potentially toxic side effects are the FDA and the manufacturers of sucralose (Tate & Lyle) and of Splenda (McNeil Nutritionals). The FDA has a long standing history of ineffective screening and rampant conflict of interests as demonstrated in their inability to identify Vioxx as too dangerous to be on the market. This mistake cost 55,000 people their lives. Now the point I want you to understand here, because it is really important, is that Splenda is not a drug and is only a food additive. As such the number of studies required to receive FDA approval is substantially less than drug. Vioxx had an order of magnitude of more comprehensive clinical trials than Splenda ever did, and despite this rigorous approval process it still killed 55,000 people. So, now you have the primary concerns I have about Splenda and the choices is yours. Read Splenda Horror Stories We have more people on our site that have reported adverse reaction to Splenda than were formally studied in the research submitted for FDA approval. It would seem this collection of data is in some ways superior to the data submitted to the FDA for Splenda approval. You can help us continue our Splenda research by supplying us with your own experience. If you or anyone you know have had an adverse reaction to Splenda or sucralose containing products please tell us your story. <A href="/sites/articles/archive/2000/12/03/sucralose-testimonials.aspx" s_oc="null"> Dr. Mercola's Comments: [/url] Don't let these large companies fool you. There is no magic alternative to sugar when it comes to sweeteners. You simply can not have your cake and eat it too when it comes to this area. It is far too early to tell, as not enough people have consumed this product to observe large numbers of adverse effects. However, I have had a number of patients in our Wellness Center who have had some severe migraines and even seizures possibly from consuming this product. My advice? AVOID Sucralose. I am fond of telling people that if something tastes sweet you probably should spit it out as it is not likely to be to good for you. This of course, is a humorous exaggeration, but for most people who struggle with chronic illness, it is likely to be a helpful guide. PLEASE note this article is being written in 2000. This is one of the first comprehensive clear investigative reports and warnings on sucralose on the Internet. Related Articles: Sucralose (Splenda®) U.S. Product List The Potential Dangers of Sucralose: Reader Testimonials The Dangers of Chlorine and Issues With Sucralose 12 Questions You Need to Have Answered Before You Eat Splenda Sources: Food and Drug Administration "Final Rule " for Sucralose, 21 CFR Part 172, Docket No. 87F-0086. Lord GH, Newberne PM. Renal mineralization -- a ubiquitous lesion in chronic rat studies. Food Chem Toxicol 1990 Jun;28:449-55. Labare MP, Alexander M. Microbial cometabolism of sucralose, a chlorinated disaccharide, in environmental samples. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 1994 Oct;42:173-8. Hunter BT. Sucralose. Consumers' Research Magazine, Oct90, Vol. 73 Issue 10, p8, 2p. Maudlin RK. FDA approves sucralose for expanded use. Modern Medicine, Oct99, Vol. 67 Issue 10, p57, 1/9p Sucralose -- a new artificial sweetener. Medical Letter on Drugs & Therapeutics, 07/03/98, Vol. 40, Issue 1030, p67, 2p. Q&A: Is newly FDA approved sweetener sucralose good for you? Executive Health's Good Health Report, Nov98, Vol. 35 Issue 2, p6, 1p, 1c. Gain B. FDA approves J&J Sweetener. Chemical Week, 04/15/98, Vol. 160 Issue 14, p27, 1/4p. Sucralose Toxicity Information Center Splenda Product Web Site Official Tate & Lyle Sucralose Web Site Endurance News, Issue 26.

Had my gall bladder removed at the bottom of one of my yo-yo dieting periods. Think I was around 140lbs...back 10 years ago or so. Yep, significant weightloss can cause your gallbladder to go wack. I don't remember any issues after it was removed.

1. get referral --> surgery consult I didn't have to get a referral as such, but I did have to attend a seminar that the Dr gave where he described the various bariatric surgeries he performs. They figure it will answer your questions about which surgery is best for you. Then a huge packet of paperwork and an application fee to get an appt. about a month later. 2. surgery consult --> surgery scheduled 6 months! I was required to go on a 6 month diet and exercise program to "prove" I couldn't lose weight by normal means before my insurance would pay. 3. surgery scheduled --> the actual operation From the day my approval hit the Dr's desk to surgery - 10 days 4. operation --> leaving the hospital I checked in at 6 AM, the operation was scheduled for 7AM; I was in the car on the way home by 10 AM. 5. left hospital --> first fill 6 weeks. I have heard that is the standard to allow for healing. I had my second fill at 8 weeks out and my third at 10. I have already scheduled my next fill for the end of January when I will be 15 weeks out.

I had my surgery over 10 years ago at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.. I have/had a lot of complications which I don't want to scare away anyone pre-op. I too am looking for any support groups other than in the city.

Oh my gosh, isn't it just horrible? I have locked myself in my room and not allowed my husband near me because of this horrible gas. Today I let one slip and my best friend told me that I could knock a buzzard off of a crap wagon. We laughed but it's so embarrassing. I have also opened my mouth to talk and a 10 second burp came out. I'm so close to burping Jingle Bells at this point it's not even funny. I didn't have any gas pain after the surgery. But last week, I had PMS and I felt like a big parade balloon. Everytime I moved something came out somewhere. It's just so wrong on so many levels, in so many ways. It's those Protein supplements. You can't put something that nasty in your body without it coming out 10x worse. Think about it.

So I am about 10 days post-surgery and I have not regained my hunger back. I understand it depends on the person on when or if it will return. However, without the feeling of hunger I do not have the need to eat. I have to keep track my the clock or eat when other people are around and schedule with there meals. But I am having some troubles knowing the right about to eat. It kind of depends on what the item is but if I always have the feeling of fullness, when do you know to eat or how much to eat at a time?

Hi my fellow sleevers. I don't post here often enough anymore but I get so much support and motivation here. I'm hoping this will give encouragement to someone who needs it. I was sleeved in May 2013. I have spent the last almost three months in a stall and bouncing up and down. Although I felt like giving up I didn't. I stuck with the program. Suddenly in the last ten days, eight pounds fell off putting me at a normal bmi. I have to admit I had started to believe this wouldn't happen. My doc set my goal at 170-177 (still overweight) so when I stalled for so long at about 166 I thought, well I guess that's it. I wasn't done and I'm still not done. I'm now 158 and sky's the limit! My weight loss has gone mostly like this. Long stalls with chunks of loss here and there. I was 240 the day I was sleeved and my highest weight was 268. Good luck to everyone.

Wow - I agree with the others. You look at least 10 years younger now! Congrats on the 80 lbs weight loss!!!!