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I am happy if I go once a week and that is with taking colace twice a day.

I did the 6months of dr supervised diet. I was getting Lipotropic injections which is basically B12 shots with other vitiamins in them too. It supposed to help you have more energy and burn your stored fat. I also quit the sodas but i still had a problem with bread and potatoes. I started the program at 285 lbs and finished the 6 months at 274 and it fluxated up an down each week. About 6 weeks before mine was up i got really serious about this thing and started doing the replacement shake for my lunches and eating a normal dinner at night. I also started using www.myfitnesspal.com to help me keep up with how many calories i was consuming thru out the day. I am now at 272 and i have been approved by the insurance company i am just waiting on a date. I can tell you that when i started this in April it feel like it was so far away but really it goes by pretty quickly. Good luck and be honest with the dr when you guys talk about your weaknesses during the monthly consult and weigh in.

Sorry bout that, don't be too jealous, three bites of grits and I'm done. I share a bowl of grits with my 18 month old most mornings, I get 3 bites and she eats the rest. It's kinda said that she can eat more than me now.

Hi all, I need some input here. The insurance company I am currently with requires nine months supervised diet before they will approve surgery. I am going to my third month appointment later this week. However, because our family has been blessed with a new job for my boyfriend, we will probably be losing this insurance in the near future (medicaid). He and his dad are taking over a local business, and they will probably not be able to offer us insurance any time soon. Plus with my pre-existing health conditions I am afraid that we will either be declined for a private family insurance plan, or it will be prohibitively expensive. This means that I will probably end up being self-pay. So here is my question: If it were you, would you just forget about the supervised diet and go right for the surgery ASAP, or would you continue for the remainder of the diet, or something in between? And why would you do this instead of the other options? I'm sort of torn about it. On one hand, I want to just get it done and get on with it. But on the other hand, I feel like it might be smart for me to continue with at least some of the diet to give me time to prepare physically and emotionally. I need some other opinions to help me figure this out. Thanks!

:biggrin: Okay so all of a sudden out of nowhere on Monday of this week my band has informed me that she is there!!!!!! I feel full longer from smaller portions, I know when to stop eatting, Things feel weird going down now, Hummm is this restriction, is this how it is supposed to be? :laugh: Let's go with the fact that my 2nd fill was Oct 11th. My 3rd is scheduled for Nov 15th. Is this normal?

So excited for you! It will only get better. I'm officially 1 week out and i'm feeling great but, I'm still sore. Just s few more days and you'll be up and about

Do not compare your progress to others. We're all on a unique journey. No one else has your combination of hormones/history/age/metabolism/stress/etc. Also, be prepared for stalls. They happen and it sucks. Take your measurements before surgery and regularly thereafter so that when weight loss stalls, you can still see the progress you're making. (Yes, you can lose inches even when the scale doesn't move!) Find some buddies who have surgery around the same time as you. It is great having people to talk with who are at the same stage in the process that you are.

I had my 3rd fill a couple of weeks ago, and after that adjustment things have been ideal. I've lost 8lbs in just shy of 2 weeks. I was having very slow weightloss and a lot of problems with food getting stuck. Not anymore, I'm in band heaven right now. This past weekend, I was worthless. By worthless I mean I slept constantly, sort of had the blues, laid around and did nothing. Yesterday I felt full all day, even though I didn't eat anything. I actually felt like one would feel after finishing off Thanksgiving dinner. Just full, and miserable. I had gas, it was obvious, I was burpy. I chewed on a couple of gas x and felt much less full. But I still never got hungry yesterday and eating was unimaginable. Today I woke up and I was actually hungry. I drank some Water, and at lunch I had some chicken. It was very moist and there was no problem with getting stuck or anything, but it hurt like hell when it hit my stomach. I felt like my stomach was cramping up and sore. After just a couple of bites, I started with the burping and hiccuping. Can this be because of gas? Is my tummy full of gas from not moving around this weekend? I feel so full! It's like I'm having something like hunger pangs but if I were to eat, it would make my stomach cramp. No nausea, no vomiting, no sickness, just a general crampy and full feeling. It's irritating me.

If he isn't reading because he doesn't enjoy it, then I suggest having him listen to audio books. Once he learns how he can loose himself in a story, it may be easier to get him to pick up a book so he can read at his own pace. When my mother had several strokes she had to relearn how to speak, read and write. Also, her short term memory was shot. I bought her an iPod and loaded a bunch of books on it. You would never know that three years ago she couldn't speak, read or write. And, she continually learns new words and is always looking them up. The audio books have also helped her short term memory incredibly! This may be a bit off topic, but perhaps they audio books can help. Also, I recommend the Harry Potter books as they are great for the imagination, which in turn will hopefully want to help the little boy want to read more books.

By the way... I did this for 3 week post op!

Hi all, I am 6 weeks post op and I am having a really hard time with breakfast. Per my surgeons guidelines, he recommends avoiding bacon, sausage (even chicken), ham etc. but my issue is that I hate eggs! So I am tired of having protein shakes and yogurt for breakfast. I also don’t want to eat chicken or seafood every morning. I’ve had some bacon and I’m wondering if I am “cheating” and messing myself up. I hit a stall at 3 weeks, had my menstrual, and went up! It finally broke last week and I lost what I gained but it just doesn’t feel like I’ve made any progress in weeks! I’ve lost 22 pounds since surgery on 2/24 and with my 2 months coming up I feel like I should have lost at least 30 since my starting weight was over 300 pounds! Here are my questions: 1. For those who’ve had a VSG what was your average weekly and/or monthly weight loss after the first month? 2. Do you eat bacon, sausage, or ham for breakfast? 3. Have you cheated and still lost? Thanks in advance for any advice you can give because I am going crazy!

I had dizzy spells up to 3 weeks. Take it easy. Drink water. No oj !

The 2 weeks is rough for sure, YOU WILL GET THRU IT. When I got the desperation, I had boiled eggs, and small can's of chicken. HELPED SO MUCH. But, we had a bon fire we went to during that time frame, and I actually....licked a rib HAHA and it cured this beast of an appetite. It' s hard, but so worth it. I lost 20 lbs during the 2 wks prep, and 35 total. Just keep the end goal in site. And, LICK something if ya need to ! LOL GOOD LUCK pam

There are several reasons my dr said he uses a two week liquid pre op diet... 1)To shrink the liver so he can see the stomach clearly...it's behind the liver. 2)To make me understand I can survive without eating food. I just need nutrition. 3)to measure my commitment since I would be on liquid 2 more weeks following surgery 4)to get a jump start on losing which is very motivating. Cheating defeats the purpose...and while it was a one time even hopefully...you need to consider why it happened and decide if you can not do it again... It's so important for a bandster to follow the drs orders... Your health depends on it! Best of luck to you for success!

I hit my stall around the same time. I adjusted my diet (lowered my carb intake to less than 30 grams a day) and increased my water intake dramatically to 80-96 ounces of day. That got things moving and they haven't stopped. I have been averaging about 15 pounds a month.

No fill, but not because of the blood thinner. He said I lost three pounds while sitting on my backside, doing nothing, not watching what I eat, etc. So now that I am released by the ortho to go back to work part-time, I am to get my act together, start walking again, and the lapband doc will see me in 6 weeks. If I don't lose, then he will give me a fill and just keep me at the office a little longer to make sure everything is okay. So, back on with my weight loss journey. He was right when he said I needed to get my head back on this weight loss journey. When the accident happened all my attention, concern, co-pays, etc. went to getting the use of my arm back. While I still have a way to go in that regard, I do have some use of the arm back and I just feel better in general. Off the pain meds, feeling more productive, just things looking a lot better than they have been. So, back to watching protein grams, veggies, a little fruit and whole grain and walking. The hardest part is drinking the water. Still getting in only about 1/2 what I should but will work on that. And a little extra incentive. The company I work for just hired a temp and she had gastric bypass 4 1/2 months ago and has lost 95 pounds! But she does not look healthy and I am not saying that to be negative about the bypass surgery. She is losing hair, she sleeps in her car over her lunch hour because she is so tired and her color is pale/ashen and comments about how everything she eats makes her nausceous. She is a wonderful lady and really is doing a great job temping. I asked what she normally eats in a day and she is lucky to get in 600 calories. So I am thankful for the band and just being able to eat what I am allowed to eat. I will lose slower, but for me this just confirms I made the right decision for myself.

I went through gastric bypass surgery with my daughter 3 years ago. She lost 100 lbs. the first yr. and wears a size 10 (down from a 24) and looks wonderful. She still has trouble keeping some foods down. Can't eat mashed potatoes at all. She cried for 2 weeks after her surgery....so depressed at the big change in eating. I'm convinced a lot of it was because she simply loved food (whereas I just eat to get full) and she knew it was permanent. I think with the band you always know there are choices and adjustments that can be made. I hope I'm not as depressed as my daughter was. I have no idea what to expect. Hope the seminar fills me in, but they are only going to tell me the good things. I want to know real life experiences.

Thanks for the great responses...somehow i am down 13lbs (inc about 8 i lost on pre op diet) but it sure didn't come off my belly!! My sister just brought me some of her maternity shorts because we are going the beach next week and I want something stretchy..LOL!!! It is gonna be a very low key relaxing trip and hopefully when i get back I won't feel pregnant anymore!!!

Laneyb and jenwebber sounds like 3 weeks post op is a great goal and something to look forward to. Thank you so much for sharing, it means so much. officially one week down!

I am also October 30th and am on day 4 of pre-op liquids. I am getting nervous. I am drinking broth, tea with skim milk and Splenda, Campbell's soup on the go, beef broth and pure protein shakes. I don't crave sweet as much as salty so the soups really help. I am still nervous but resolved to do this. I am hoping for an easy recovery mainly, I feel like once I get back to "normal" I will be good at maintaining, I am just nervous about the itst 8 weeks post op, especially with work and the holidays.

My insurance approved in 3 days. Some take 2 weeks or longer. Good luck!

"It ain't over till the fat lady sings" So, I think I'll write a song about this struggle and drama and love/hate relationship with food and my experiences with being obese....errr, I'm FAT...then I'll sing it and it'll be OVER. Ha ha ha... well, maybe not. Maybe I'll change the saying to "It ain't over till the fat lady sleeves!" There are so many things I can't do, or choose not to do because of my weight. It's like a prison in ways (weighs)..and self-imposed sometimes, other times because of things I can't control. Some things are just literally impossible to do. Like running, fitting into a roller coaster seat, etc. Other things I won't do because it embarrasses me to do it or I'm afraid of being judged (wearing shorts, having my picture taken) Silly and sad and vain at times, but true. Singing is one of those things in my life that people say I should do more of. Why don't I? It's because of my weight. I absolutely LOVE to sing, and I believe I'm pretty good at it. My husband even bought me a guitar last Christmas and I attempted to learn to play it three or four times till it made me cry trying to hold it and play it with nearly no lap and a belly that looks like I'm about 7 months pregnant. Then, of course, I feel guilty because it looks like I didn't totally adore him for buying it for me - he loves me to sing. Of course, being overweight doesn't prevent me from singing, physically speaking, other than I seem to have more limits on my lung capacity. There is, however, the lack of energy, and being depressed about being unable to lose weight without WLS and be healthy and realizing how it affects my family and my goals and our future... all add up to mean I don't feel much like singing these days. I admit the way I look affects my self acceptance and esteem. What's there to sing about? Yeah, and the occasional pity party. So, WLS is my "swan song"...lol. I'm gonna be the fat lady singing that my losing battle with FAT is OVER. I'm gonna use this WLS tool to kick the BUTT of obesity in my life! And, this got me to thinking about all those "little things" and "big things" I will be so very happy to do again, or things that will be different (in a good way), whether it's because of the physical limits, or because I choose not to because of my weight and size and my feelings of guilt and frustration for not keeping myself healthy and fit. So, the parts of my life or things that will change or improve when I am at my healthy goal weight --- (from 295 to 150-ish) Energy - Hugs - Clothing - Shoes - Less pain - Marriage - Travel - Sleep - Pictures - Singing - Swelling - Exercise - Activities - Social life - Family get-togethers - Summertime - well, here's some detail...in no particular order and by no means complete: 1. I can walk into a "normal people" department store and find a cute dress that fits me. How happy I will feel... because I will always remember what it was like before, at 300 lbs.... (No more crying in the dressing room, I have to get a bigger size? good grief, how hard it is to move around just to change clothes because I'm sweating and it's a small space and the mirror is mean to me.) 2. I can wear cute shoes. I can wear strappy sandals. I can wear heels. I can put shoes on without holding my breath. (No more "supportive" shoes for plantar faciitis-hopefully, so no more heel pain and knee pain, hip pain that presently prevent the heels and cute shoes I want to wear) 3. I can sleep.. fall asleep for a nap anywhere... spend the night anywhere. Sleep will be good. (No more CPAP needed. Sleep Apnea cured.) 4. Climb stairs, walk fast, walk all day shopping (No more getting totally out of breath to the point I black out or wheezing like I am dying) 5. Fit in things/seats.... - be it plane, train, roller coaster... or restaurant booth, movie theater, desk chair, swing, stadium seat. (No more fear of breaking a chair, not fitting and being told I'm too heavy, no more pain in chairs that are not big enough for me, no fear of the terribly judgmental looks from passengers on a plane or train as they see me get on - hoping I'm not sitting next to them...uugghh) 6. ENERGY ... Oh my, that one applies to so many areas - or every area of life. 7. Sex ... I'll leave the details unsaid - but this is a priority. It's gonna be better than my present weight allows it to be. 8. Mom & Grandmother things - My grown children are close to marrying age and in serious relationships which means upcoming weddings and not too many years till they'll be having kids, too. The thought of being healthy, energetic and active for the future is great motivation here too. 9. Long life - My husband and I have been married three years this July. It's not our first go-around, and we have a LOT of things to enjoy as we grow together and we want a long, enjoyable future - not one filled with pain, health problems and limitations. 10. I'll SING - I have committed to pursue this talent in a way that will be personally fulfilling and hopefully inspirational. It's not that I can't sing now, while I'm overweight... but I feel as though losing my excess weight will be like a curtain lifting to reveal the "me" I've been all along, but finally I admitted needing help to find again. So many more... but for now, that's what I'll remind myself of today. This is why the surgery will be worth it. The pain, the challenge, the new habits, the struggles, the day to day choices, the realization and commitment to the lifestyle changes, and the milestones that may come slowly. Flutterby (it's gotta be what butterflies were really called first... there it goes, fluttering by) and I'm coming out of this cocoon too... soon!

Yep, I can vouch for that! Just last week I was on here moaning about the disappearance of my restriction - yet woke up yesterday morning - and bam! It was back! Bizarre!