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The head banding is sooo the hard part. it's natural to go to thinking about food alot since your diet has changed so much and you are learning a new way. it will settle down alot as the weeks go by and you start eating real foods. You will be amazed at how much less you worry about food when you can actually eat it and you don't really care about it! The hard part for me has been not eating, losing weight, and my body making me hungry for the calories it needs to maintain my weight. What has helped me (months down the road as I figure this out) is to be sure to EAT!! so the hunger doesn't sneak up on me and I find myself ravenous...even though just a bit will do me. It's weird, but you'll get it figured out. Your body and your brain do a little dance together. You just have to learn to monitor well to be sure the right one "leads".

I agree with Kimberb, my highest weight was 209 prior to pre op liquid diet and before surgery I was 199 and after my bypass which I did it 18 months ago I became 159 but totally stopped losing more! Last week I started another liquid diet and boom, I lost 4 pounds, presently at 155 and Still have to lose another 20 pounds in order to lose all my excess weight! Presently lost 75% of my excess weight! When I read other people's success story see that I lost what they've lost in just 2 months and get discouraged! I guess they had better results than me! But I read a lot of feedbacks and I realized I never took enough liquid on daily basis and now I Increased it to 48-64 oz, I start to lose little bit and that's good news for me! Thank you everyone for your efforts and input! It really helps and appreciated! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Two months ago today, my life changed forever....and today, I am 30 lbs closer to being thin and healthy!! This was the BEST decision I could have ever made for myself!! I am eating just about anything I desire, with the exception of salads. I cant have those until I am 4-6 mos. post-op. I choose not to eat breads and rice most of the time, but that is not to say that I dont have just a bite occassionally. My portions are tiny...but I am completely satisfied! I do find that I am somewhat of a grazer if I dont get the opportunity during the day at work to actually sit and eat the way I should. I still have some of the same old habits I did before surgery, and I am trying to be "aware" when I see myself begin to fall back into that so that I can do something different to break those habits. That is something I expect I will suffer with for a long time! I dont consume near the amount of liquids that I used to. Sometimes that worries me, so I try to stay conscious about how much intake I am getting. I dont want to get dehydrated. I am still wearing the same clothes that I was wearing pre-op, but they are all starting to get baggy on me. I have one pair of jeans that are a size smaller and I am wearing them. Some of the tops that were tight on me before are fitting nicely now. And my dress pants that I couldnt button 4 weeks ago are going on fine... I am beginning to feel really good in my skin, even though I have a LONG way to go!! I cant even imagine what I will feel like this time next year!! It is exciting to know that I am on my way, really! Its not just a dream anymore.... Thanks to all of you for all the help and support. Without this forum it would not be the same!! Karen

They should not make you wait 3 weeks. Do what another poster did and call back and say 3 wks is unacceptable and you needed a fill at your July 1st appt and want to be worked in immediately. Be proactive and stop taking it out on yourself because it is NOT your fault!!!! Mimi

I am 2 1/2 weeks down 21 looking forward to soft foods on Thursday!!!! enjoy your new diet.......Whats the first thing you are gonna eat?

I just called my Dr and left a message. They did labs last week, but haven't called me with any results yet.

Hi "Losing for me" Thank you so much for your reply. I would love to get together and chat or a coffee. I am open to both. I live in rural Onoway area. Let me know when you are available to chat. Evenings work best for me....I will be out of the country for a week and back on the 17th. Mondays and Wednesday evenings work best for me for chatting. Were you banded in Edmonton? Congradulations on your incrediable weight loss. I am so looking forward to a "new healthy me"

I'm no expert--but, are you drinking any warm liquids? I drank my liquids from a small custard cup first week in order to minimize amount of air I was getting in as I was swallowing liquids. Does your PCP allow Protein drinks yet--lo-carb slim fast has 20 grams of protein--not a bad taste. Sometimes powered protein doesn't dissolve well and can cause problems. Others swear by Isopure. Also--try standing after your "meal". Raise your arms over your head and GENTLY stretch up. Walk around as much as possible. I made quite a path around beds and couches for the first week after surgery. Couldn't get comfortable and couldn't sleep either. Be kind to your band and your body. You are in a healing phase and the weight will go if you heal properly and then "go by the rules" of the band. Our moderators have some great "info" threads that you should read and reread. Keep surfing the posts as much as possible--but never go against your own doc's guidelines. Each surgeon has a different system for healing. Combining everyone's plan could spell disaster. If in doubt, call your doc's office and ask for advice. All the best. Congratulations on being banded.

Congratulations on your banding! These pains will fade with time, and in a couple of weeks they will be nothing but a memory. Do whatever it takes to keep yourself comfortable, and don't let yourself get too hungry as you're progressing through the healing phases. Good luck and best wishes for speedy healing!

flower, I just put anti-biotic ointment on them, still do at 8 weeks. They are starting to raise up, so I'm thinking it's time for some Mederma to help them flatten out. Next time I'm at Wal-Mart, I plan to look for the Mederma bandaids. I can feel my port if I press on it. It doesn't poke out visibly. Some poeple do have pokey ports when they lose weight, but I don't think it's abnormal looking, really. Maybe those folks will post. Here are a few threads that might interest you... http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6117 Scar Stages http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6938&highlight=poke who can feel their port? http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4268&highlight=poking wierd looking port Just a little research for ya, hope it helps.

I'm so annoyed with my doc. I was banded 4 months ago and other than the initial 13 lbs I lost doing the liquid diet, I've barely lost anything since. With my first 2 fills, I lost nothing. At my last fill, I did start to feel a little restriction and I did lose 5 lbs the first week (mainly because I did Soup for a couple days to jump start things) and then a total of 1 lb in the 3 remaining weeks. So when I went in this morning for my 4th fill, he didn't want to fill me because I'd lost 6 lbs and he thought that was good progress. I practically had to beg him just to get 1/2 CC added. I've never had a PB so I know I'm definitely not too tight and I still do get hungry so I think I'd be safe adding a little more. It's just frustrating because my co-worker got this done 2 years ago, was the same size and age as me now, and she lost 70 lbs in the first 6 months. Of course, she went to my doctor's partner who is apparently much more aggressive with fills. I know it's a marathon and not a sprint but 6 lbs in 4 months is extremely slow progress. Pre-band, I could lose 6 lbs in a week just by cutting out carbs. Anyone else experience this with their doctor?

I am on a full liquid diet this week...so mostly blenderized soup, thinned out yogurt, thinned out oatmeal.....sfpudding, sf jello. Next week I will be on pureed foods. How about you? Have you started any exercise yet?

Once I put my mind to something, I mean really put my mind to it, I'm beyond tenacious. Can you say BULL DOG?? Seeing the obstacle course before me (compliments of the evil insurance fairies), I've bitten, chewed up and am about to swallow the bullet. Yep, swung by Fort Knox and abracadabra'd the gold bars then handed them off to the Doc and will do the same with the hospital later this week. My journey has now gone from building my go-kart to a funny car extravaganza. Ladies and Gentlemen, my engine is revved, ripped and ready to roll. Can't believe how quickly those obstacles were removed once the leprechaun showed up with the pot o' gold. Good thing I am so very, very worth it. Did I mention that I'm worth it? You bet I am. All the preop hoop-dee-doo is scheduled and it looks like I may be that slinky sleevette by mid-May...... I am so blown away by how quickly this came about -- in the span of 4 hours -- unbelieveable, but so incredibly surreal. I'm sure as I get closer, my fraidycat-mind twin will start beating on me with the "Do you KNOW what you're doing?" "There's no turning back!" "What if..." But, for now I'm ready with my responses: "YES!!!", "I know", and "FMT, shut the h*ll up, I got this one..." YAY ME. Never thought I'd be doing mental gymnastics over "Hey doc, would you please cut up and throw away part one of my EXTREMELY vital parts (a vital vital part) and then charge me an arm and leg for the priviledge." Crazy? you betcha! Happy? over the moon!

Hey Sleevers! I am getting cold feet. On my 2 week liquid diet and I have cheated but not letting that bring me down! I literally can not believe I will be getting sleeved in 10 days. I don't know where to start, I am so ready but nervous of the new life to come. I am taking 4 weeks off from work, because my surgeon suggested it was enough to prepare me for my new life. I suffer from sleep Apnea and the worst one of all Hidradenitis Suppurativa after gaining 70lbs so quickly my thighs develop boils on a weekly basis.. I hate them. They ruin my life and people think its easy to work out..but not when you have this embarrassing disease. Well here I am guys and my faith is in God! Tell me why are you doing it? What are some of you NON scale VICTORIES?

I went to a pre TG dinner this past Thursday at my son's school and they had everything. I was able to eat a bite or two of everything on my plate. Which was about 6-7 bites, I was stuffed. TG day we will be going to relatives and bringing a dish, all I can say is Thank You Lord for this band because before I would've been eating all this week leading up to TG with all these pre TG dinners from school and work. A few bites of food and I'm good to go. I plan on eating whatever I want for that day and getting back to my proteins the very next day. With plenty of turkey left over it should be easy.:hungry:

Female Height: 5’ 6” Starting Weight: 250 Starting Clothing Size: 20 Surgery Weight: 228 Surgery Clothing Size: 18 Current Weight: 140 Current Clothing Size: 4/6 In the beginning: • I had a lot of restriction due to (I am assuming) increased swelling from the additional procedure of the hiatal hernia repair. I am comparing myself to 4 other family members who had the surgery with the same doctor and described their post-op experience as feeling sore and having the ability to drink 2-4 ounces of Fluid without difficulty. It was difficult to even consume 1 ounce. Week 1 post-op was what I called “hell week.” I was very weak due to the lack of ability to consume fluids/calories and remain properly hydrated. • The 6 week post-op diet was difficult, but I reminded myself that I ate whatever I wanted (and in copious amounts), whenever I wanted for many years. • Once I was released to a full diet, foods did not taste the same. Some of the things I use to think of as delicious, were now bland and without flavor. I read a study that links your sense of taste to your stomach lining. However, this “lack of tasting” does go away and food eventually does taste great again (uh-oh!). • I monitored my calorie intake. I did, however, have my ups and downs. I slipped and fell into crappy eating habits. Despite the food restriction, I found that I could slowly graze on things and that the “bad” foods tend to be the “sliders”. • However, I constantly caught myself falling back into consuming these bad foods and I would work on redirecting my behavior. I was constantly “checking and balancing” my eating habits; trying to change my way of living. • Exercise started with walking (1 mile, 2 miles, 3 miles, and as my endurance and ability increased, 4 miles in one hour). As the weight began to melt off, along with my increased endurance, I upgraded to intervals of jogging (I would jog the straight-a-ways and walk the curves at the local school track). I would also use my elliptical trainer at home and by the time I reached my 6 months post-op point, I could complete a one hour, high intensity cardio session on my trainer. Feeling great! 6 Months Out: • As the weight began to melt off (I was weighing 167 pounds at this point!), I did have that “fallen” face look. My skin was saggy and loose. So, I decided I wanted to fill up my loose skin with muscle. Weight lifting slowly trickled its way into my weekly workouts and—at first—it was about a twice-a-week affair. I also upped my Water intake and made hydrating my face, neck and body with creams and lotions a daily and nightly ritual (as hydration helps to increase elasticity in skin; my face doesn't look fallen anymore...it takes time, but it does retract!!!). • My ability to consume fluids and food had greatly improved by this point. I seemed to be able to consume fluid the best after a good workout. I could drink water faster and in greater quantities! I continued to monitor my calorie intake and tried by my best to refrain from eating bad foods. Even when I did succumb to eating unhealthy foods (which happened on a weekly basis), I stayed within my calorie range. • My Protein intake was still around 60-80 grams per day. I really like the Premier Protein shakes. They come in ready to drink 11oz containers, they are only 160 calories and pack 30 grams of protein. About 12 Months Out: • 153 pounds; size 10 • By this time I was lifting about 3x per week at home. I began to notice my skin firming up around the muscles I was developing. At this time I began taking pre-workout supplements (NO-Xplode), post workout supplements (Cell Mass) and I upped my protein (100-120 grams per day). My goal with the supplements was to create longer workout endurance, quicker muscle recovery repair. I knew that the more muscle I had, the more my calories my body would burn due, as well as a better a metabolism. Even though I wasn’t really dropping that much weight at this time, my waist size started to go down with the increased muscle mass. • A little after the 12 month mark, I went down another 3 pounds, but I also went down an entire size! Typically, before the weight lifting, I would see a size drop about every 20 pounds. So, this was awesome! • Still working on eating clean at this point. I probably ate clean about 80-85% of the time. Weekends were a killer for me! It was hard with the weekends off, kids at home, and being out and about. No routine! Now, 22 Months Out: • 140 pounds • Size 4-6 misses • I eat clean foods 90-95% of the time. “Dirty” foods tend to make me sick now. • I have one cheat day, and I still limit myself and stay within my calorie range • I consume 150-170 grams of protein (still drinking the Premier Protein) • 1800-2000 calories on my cardio days (twice a week) • 2200-2500 on my weight lifting days (5 days out of the week). YES…I do more weight lifting than cardio! And carbs (good carbs, not dirty carbs) are your friend!!! Key for energy retention/endurance and muscle building! I consume more on my weight lifting days. Key intake is about an hour/hour-and-a-half prior to workout. • I still have really good restriction • My skin around my face has firmed up! It doesn’t look fallen. I’m a high school teacher and I get mistaken for a student all the time! • I do have some extra skin (and very little) in my upper arm area, upper thigh/groin; however, it isn’t that much! The muscle I have built really helps! The belly area has a little “apron” and—of course—the stretch marks from weight gain and 4 pregnancies make it look like a very wrinkly old grandma; but other than that, my stomach is flat! I do plan to have a tummy tuck this summer… so bikini here you come! All in all, I LOVE my SLEEVE!!! I would do it all over again! They key thing—and most doctors tell you this from the get-go—you HAVE TO CHANGE LIFESTYLE for LONG-TERM SUCCESS! The weight will come off that first year, but once you’re in that maintenance mode you can easily put weight back on. Especially eating dirty foods that are higher in calories/sugars/fats. They slide through your restriction, they are full of empty calories (no nutritional value), and they will be your downfall. Does that mean you cannot enjoy a piece of cake, chips or some other dirty food? No, but you have to teach yourself to say “no” most of the time; and when you do say “yes,” limit yourself and eat in small quantities. Don’t make it a daily thing, make it a once-a-week kind-of-thing. EXERCISE! You don’t have to turn into a gym rat…in fact, you don’t have to go to a gym at all, but find some kind of active activity that you can engage in at least 3 days a weeks, for a MINIMUM of 30 minutes. It can be hard at first (grueling even), but before you know it—with consistency—your body will crave it! YES!!! Literally, your body will crave the activity! I wish all of your sleevers and soon-to-be sleevers the best of luck! I hope you find your success in this life changing journey!

Okay so I am usually very upbeat. But today I am feeling blue. It's pouring rain here, there hasn't been any sunshine for days, I haven't walked this whole week, outside of going to my classes. I want to be in a size 14 sooo bad!! I can get them on up over my butt and but there is like two inches between the button and the hole. I keep having to put it in perspective, it has only been 8 weeks. I mean really! My double chin won't go away, and it is all that I see when I look in the mirror. My stomach fat is starting to really hang now, and my inner thighs, and instead of feeling prettier, I am feeling uglier. Everything looks bad in the mirror right now. People have said that the double chin won't go away, that the skin will just hang there. I am 40 and realize that my skin has lost is elasticity but I was really, really hoping that the double chin would disappear. AND I HATE TO EXERCISE. I am walking, weather permitting, and doing crunches a couple times a week, but I know I need to be hard at it EVERY day. So the bad habits are still there, although I haven't blown it with food. That has been the one constant for me, thank god. I am losing, no stall, I have been down 1.5 - 2 lbs every week and that is all i ever wanted was to have consistent weight loss. Today I weighed in at 236, that is down from 272, that is 36 lbs in 8 weeks, I should be so amazed by that. But today, I am not. I am feeling like a big fat cow, still. The voice in my head that tells me I am fat and ugly and not worth a shit, it is back and I am sad. I have the tools, I know what to do. I just feel frozen in this muck right now. Anyhow, I am so glad I have a place to ramble. Maybe someone has made it all the way through my pity party here, or maybe not. Thank you who ever you are for taking the time to read my feelings. Somethings I can say here that I can't say out loud to anyone else. My husband get's so nervous if I even hint that I am not GREAT all the time, he remembers all the depression and how bad it had a hold of me. So I don't want to burden him with these feelings. It is the middle of the semester as well, and it is the end of my junior year in college, I am tired on so many levels. I quit smoking when I had the surgery and I have not started since and right now I would really like some chocolate and a cigarette. Haha, well enough for now. Bye.

That is great! I have surgery one month from tomorrow! I am really excited but have to lose 25 lbs before then. I have lost about 13 in 3 weeks, just have to stay on the train. Down 30 lbs and 14 inches from day of surgery and I'm happy with no regrets whatsoever! I have just over 100 lbs to lose now and I'm wondering if July 19th (birthday) is a realistic goal? That would be so unbelievably awesome even though I think I'll have an amazing b-day and be happy with my progress even without reaching goal.

I felt the same way just out and by the second week I was burping 'full' burps. I'm not sure but that stuck burp feeling might also have something to do with tummy swelling from the surgery. Regardless, it is really annoying, I know. I went for my first fill Friday and now I have the opposite problem and I'm burping like crazy. I'm hoping this is not permanent.

Are you excited?! I'm a week from today!

Well done Karen, I am a week behind you and it looks like our pattern is really similar... glad to hear you are doing well and it is going the way you want it... Keep upi the good work!

I'm allergic to whey and since it seems to be in everything I don't handle shakes so well. I do make a shake with blended cottage cheese and yogurt tho and it's quite good. I can eat great or like a trashcan and it doesn't seem to matter. I fluctuate up and down two or three pounds. I need to gain back quite a bit of fat as I'm having the fat sucked out and put into my bum. I don't want bum implants so I gotta get some fat on the go.

Your doctor may recommend a nuclear stress test to diagnose coronary artery disease. Your coronary arteries are the major blood vessels that supply your heart with blood, oxygen and nutrients. Coronary artery disease develops when these arteries become damaged or diseased — usually due to a buildup of deposits called plaques. If you have symptoms that might indicate coronary artery disease, such as shortness of breath or chest pains, a nuclear stress test can help determine if you have coronary artery disease. Before gastric bypass surgery, I underwent almost a day of pre-op testing. Since I had issues, I was scheduled with 3 follow on tests done by specialist in their respective fields. We had one individual in our support group meetings who was scheduled for bariatric surgery the next week, but he got a call from the surgeon. They told him to report immediately to the hospital for open heart surgery. He had the surgery and then about a couple months later after he recovered from that he underwent bariatric surgery.

:mad2: Hello to all, Hopefully soon I will get the hang of this. My surgery date is Nov 4 and I am so stressed out! Im on a liquid shake diet for 2 weeks and have had nothing but problems. Since the second day, Ive had migranes and cannot hold any of them down. Ive tried slim-fast, Akins and advantage. I'm having bad reactions or maybe allergic to something in these. I cannot figure out. Has anyone out there had problems?? What should I do...Ive worked this hard to get here and now I feel like throwing in the towel!!

I am down to the last 20 myself . . . and I am still consistently losing. It is getting harder however and I find I have to "tweak" things regularly. I will stay on a particular "plan" for a week and if I see that my weight is moving in the right direction, I stay the course. When I start to stall out or don't see movement, I make changes to exercise, calorie intake, Protein intake, food choices, etc to change things up and hopefully make them move again. It seems like keeping my body "guessing" seems to be the best way to peel off the pounds at this point. I also do not keep my calorie intake the same every day to avoid a rut. I have very low calorie days (800-950) mixed with higher calorie days (but never above 1250 calories). I usually do two low, then one high but it is not always the same. At six months out, I have found that I stall at any calorie level if it is always the same. I also can stall if I eat the same foods every day (which is in my nature to do). This works for me, but of course our bodies are all different. I suffered through many plateaus in the beginning, and once I learned how to break them, I turned plateau busting into part of my regular routine . . . and it is working beautifully for now . . . who knows if it will still work the last 5-10 pounds to goal . . . or if it will work when I bypass my original goal and go for the smoking hot goal of 125???