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My Dr. told me that Water would stretch my pouch. Because of this, he tells his patients to drink only 2 oz. every 15 minutes. I have a really hard time sticking to that! I think I'm probably close to double that.:thumbup: However, I was banded on 4/8/10, have had 1 fill, and am not hungry between meals 90% of the time. So, I figure I must not be doing too badly--even if I drink more water than I'm supposed to.

What your typical intake for the day ? I was sleeved 10-9 and it seems to me like i am able to eat quit a bit ... Being paranoid

I had my first fill. It went great. My doctor puts in enough until you have resctriction, then pulls back .10 cc. He mad a few adjustments to get to the point where water would go down without restriction. With .10 cc more it would hesitate before running through. What a wierd feeling when he put in too much and the water just sat in my pouch! That was a horrible feeling. That must be something like what it feels like to get something stuck! Yuck. I was able to eat soft food and then a chicken breast with small mindful bites it wasn't a problem. I can't believe with just a few drops more I would be too tight!:thumbup: First Fill 2.8cc

I'm nearly 19 months out and I eat like a normal person. I consume around 1200 calories a day of whatever I feel like eating. I aim for 90+ grams of Protein and an equal amount of carbohydrates. Now, I did have my metabolism tested and for me, this range of calories is suitable as I could expect to gain on anything over 1300 calories without stepping up my exercise. I didn't get to the point where I could even dream of consuming more than 1000 calories a day until one year post op, though. For much of the first year I was hardly able to consume 800 calories a day, and it was a real chore to do that much. I don't exactly graze but I do think I eat more like six tiny meals than three regular ones. I'm happy with that. Since hitting goal I haven't needed to record my food yet as I never see more than a pound and a half +/- on the scale. I'm happy where I'm at and I feel normal. I do eat half a sandwich and feel satisfied. If I push myself, I can eat a half cup of Soup with the sandwich, too, provided the sandwich is grilled cheese or something else without meat. Cake bores me post op, so I don't even need the whole slice - just a bite or two and I'm good. There is only one food that I want to eat by the bucket and it's popcorn. And honestly, after about 2-3 cups of it I'm done eating it, anyway. It's the only food I want to eat 2-3 cups of, though! My feeling is that if you do the head work as your body is losing the weight you'll get to goal and find you have a healthy relationship with food. I started out post op really restricting carbs and calories and found that just like prior to surgery food was ruling my life. I was thinking about it all the time and making myself crazy. Once I got to the realization that the diet mentality had to end and accepted that I'd lose weight more slowly than I had imagined prior to surgery, I was able to slowly but happily drop the rest of the weight over the course of 17 months. I feel that part of the reason to choose such a drastic surgery is to drop the diet mentality forever. I wanted a diet I could live with, and I sacrificed getting to goal in nine months to have that. I still got to goal and trust me, it's just as fabulous as it would have been had I done it in half the time. For those of us that don't feel hunger and have huge restriction it's more of a challenge to eat than you think. I still rely heavily on Protein shakes or I'd never reach my protein goals. I still have a hard time eating more than 2-3 ounces of protein in one sitting, or anything more than one scrambled egg with some cheese. ~Cheri

10 years ago, in 2005, I did the same thing. I was approved for the lap band, lost weight during the liquid diet and said I can do this without surgery. Over the years, I gained and lost, but I could not get approved again until my BMI was over 40. Now I have lost weight again during my 3 month pre-op nutritional counseling, but I am going through with my surgery next week. I cannot make the same mistake twice. Good luck and just do it!

That is probably true for the first few weeks. I would say now, fully healed at 10 months post op I could probably eat 2/3 c. at one sitting. I try to stop before I feel uncomfortably full. There are times when my mouth wants a few more bites because something tastes delicious, but my stomach is saying no way. Those times are the exception rather than the rule, though. And totally worth it. :-)

I just started week 5. Lost 17 pounds in the first 28 days. I tolerated liquids well so doctor gave OK to start puree on day 10 (instead of day 15) and soft foods a week later (day 17). At first I could only eat a couple of tablespoons of food (the entire day) but now can eat a full egg with some additional egg whites added. The amount you can eat will increase with time and will vary depending on what it is. I can eat about 5 oz of yogurt but only 3 oz of meat. I still drink a protein shake almost every day in order to meet my 60 gram daily protein requirement. I tried eating meat twice in one day to get in protein, boy did I pay a price. I felt miserable the entire evening and into the night. I keep my calorie count between 500-600 per day. Give your body time to adjust. And yes, food does taste good after having had just liquids for a couple of weeks.

I am on day 4 too! We must have the same surgery date, August 29. I was just coming on here to look for some support. It is way harder than I expected. I wasn't thinking I would be this hungry all of the time. We can do this! 4 days down 10 to go! Melissa

I am usually the happy go lucky optimistic poster child but seriously, I am ticked off that I am even here!!! There I said it! I hate this band, I hate that it did not work, I hate that I had surgery 10 years ago and was told that it would stay in for life. I hate that I am considering sleeve, I hate that I need surgery, I hate that I have no idea where to go, who to see and who to trust. I hate the uncertainty and I hate that I have to worry if my 3 year old will have a mom and I hate that I did this to myself. There, I feel better and between my tears, I ask if anyone else felt this way too?

I had my first fill last week. It was a breeze although I thought the doctor should have filled me up a little more. He only injected 1.5cc and I go back for second fill 14 days after and 3rd fill in another 14 days. I was told to eat breakfast and lunch before my fill and then clear liquids for dinner. Then full liquids for the day after the fill and finally back to "regular" diet 2 days post fill. I don't know how I ever got through 3 weeks of liquids in the beginning. The day and a half post fill was a flash back I could have done without. Banded 10/31/2008 and have lost 28.7# to date.

I have the same problem. I had surgery June 15th and I am still on liquids. I only consume 150-200 cals per day and maybe 10-20 grams of Protein. Nothing appeals to me except yogurt. I eat the Fage yogurt because it is high in protein. I was able to drink Protein shakes preop too, however now they make me retch. I was able to add some of the Protein powder to my yogurt and it went down okay. Hope you the chicken soup works for you.

For years - I have probably been up and down 40-50 lbs three or four times in my life - Adkins or Sugarbusters seemed to work the best on me. Now I find myself one month out of sleeve surgery and not able to eat red meat or chicken yet (which for years has been my mainstay - avoid the carbs and eat the lean meats right?). Since the surgery I am not hungry at all. The only way I know to eat is I get a weird kind of pain in the middle of my back and realize it is meal time. Presurgery I did the shakes and protein pudding and lost some pounds and thought the shakes would work for me after surgery. I am not sure what happened but since the surgery the shakes make me GAG. It is so weird to have to 'make" myself eat something. After years of being able to eat everything and anything.....I find myself standing in the kitchen scratching my head ALOT. I am really not hungry. I think to myself "drink the shake" and almost immediatly think "barf". I have ordered the chicken soup with protein added. I am hoping when it gets here that will help my problem. I really can't eat enough real food right now to meet the protein 40-50 mark and I really just can't do the shakes. Will there come a time when I can eat enough meat to not have to do the protein supplements? Will it hurt for now if I only get 30 ish of protein for the next couple of weeks? I am loosing alot of weight and my energy and stamina feel fine. I have lost 37 lbs so far (10 were presurgery). Thanks for any suggestions.

I just posted this on another topic but I will pste it below cause I think you guys might be interested. Free shipping for this service too. ---- Sadly pre-op and still in a 24 myself - but there's this online ladies clothes service that might not be a bad idea to sign up for. (I'm definitely signing up after surgery) www.gwynniebee.com. Super cute clothes from size 10-32. It's like netflix for clothes. Pay a monthly fee, make a list of the clothes you want, and send back the clothes when you are done. As soon as you send something back, they send the next thing on your list. it's pretty fantastic if you need a few nice outfits, then you can supplement with goodwill etc. I mean look at this dress! or this one! and this adorable blouse! They even have free dry cleaning included. This whole thing is genius. If you love something you get and don't want to part with it, you can buy it from them for 50% off retail!! And you get a free trial month I've already started my wish list. "Sizes 10-32. Unlimited wardrobe. Unlimited exchanges. Starting at $35 a month. Try it free for 30 days."

I’ve been sleeved since 9/24/2019. To date I’ve lost about 107lbs. I never seemed to have any issues with food or anything for a while but lately for the pas few months I’ve been having bouts of severe chest pains. So bad I can hardly move. Often they are accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Can’t say that it’s what I eat because often times it comes after eating foods I’ve eaten the entire time since being sleeved like eggs avocado and I usually have no issues. This morning for example I woke up like this. I have had an endoscopy done which found no problems. Today I’ve tried taking an antacid and a gas pill and I’m finding a really no relief. I’ve been laying here in bed all morning with a heating pad trying to get it to pass. Doctors really have nothing to tell me. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Menu today Bfast coffee with 1TBSP coconut milk, 10 drops fo capella flavor drops (vanilla custard) 1/2 grapefruit with stevia and cinnamon, 1 Wheat melba toast Lunch chicken baked and stuffed with spinach and sugar free/fat free marinara sauce over it. Yum. Snack 1 apple sliced and peeled with 1/2 lemon squeezed over it Dinner Chili made with extra lean beef, 1 melba toast and extra onions over the top, 1 sliced tomatoe with salt & pepper Exercise - still too sore from working in my garden over the weekend. whew, can barely sit on the toilet without screaming out in pain. I'm getting to old for this, lol.

Thanks, something to think about. I just noticed your weight loss total - CONGRATS! That is awesome, although it was really unkind of the scale to hold back that last .10!

There are alot, you know I've had 5 years to think about what I want for my life, the pros are being healthy, knowing I won't have as much lung trouble, being happy, just overall well being if you know what I mean? I've been in and out of hospital since I was 10, I've always been the chubby one, I have never been a size 12, last October my doctor told me that within 5-10 years I may be looking at a lung transplant which is a huge deal for anyone to deal with especially me being as young as I am, he also said that having that kind of operation would increase my risk of recovery and although he didn't say it you know he really meant survival, it just made me think of everything, I don't want to die because I can't breathe and I'm that big that I won't be put on the transplant list, that scares me more than dying of how big I am and could end up being. The Cons? Band slippage and possible removal of the band, that's it, the pros definitely outweight the cons and I would rather do this for myself knowing that in 5-10 years I won't be lying in bed thinking why didn't I loose weight? It might seem kind of strange to read this but it definitely means alot to me, my medical issues have almost nothing to do with my weight but I know that once the weight is gone I would rather have a 90% of living after surgery rather than not been giving a percentage rate at all.

I too had my band removed after 6 years. I really liked my band but for past 2 years I began vomiting all the time. Food would get stuck for some reason. The sad thing is that I lost 80 pounds and gained about 40 back. I was so disgusted with myself. I am almost three weeks post surgery ( was sleeved 11/7/12) and I am doing great. I've lost 22 pounds and for once in my life I have not been hungry and sometimes forget to eat! I was back to work in 10 days. I am still on liquids and protein powder but I feel great. I'm on liquids for 5 weeks post op and then on to puréed! This was the best til give done for myself. I hope others feel the same as me! Good luck.

Some very good points Gamergirl! I am a sugar and Pasta addict for sure....now 10 months out I can have a little sugar...A bite, and it never tastes as good as I remember.... Pasta...well I can't eat much of that as I have no room for it....but I still enjoy the taste of it and will eat some if I have it that night.... Maybe moderation is not the word to use....Maybe the word is moderating ourselves as we know our weaknesses more then others.....That is why we had the surgery to learn a new and better way of eating..Healthier and less...much less! I just can't look at it like a diet.....I get a panic attack when someone says the word...So I look at it as a new way of life and I eat a little of everything when it is in a meal.......

I was sleeved 1/13 and am only down 20 lbs. I lost 10 in the first week after surgery and another 10 over the first 3 weeks. I have lost nothing in the last 4 weeks. I am beyond depressed. I don't know what I am doing wrong. I feel like I eat nothing and the scale won't budge

Hi Kelly, I haven't had my surgery yet, I'm scheduled for 8/9/11, but I plan on taking 2 weeks off to just be home and lay around recovering. My return to work date is 8/25/11 because that's when school starts. (I'm a teacher). I've seen on this forum where folks go back to work after 10 days and some wait longer than 2 weeks. I guess it depends on your job, how quickly your body recovers, and how much time you can really be off work. Hope this helps.

Why after 10 months I am still constantly belching? It has become so normal I don't even realize I am doing it. Last night in bed my husband said, " I could not stand to belch like that all the time!". So he was saying I am sick of listening to this. What am I doing to cause this? I even belch after I drink.

Sophie That is a tremendous victory. [emoji322] You must feel so much healthier and less tired than before.... not to mention how our society treats larger people ....that makes it even harder for big people to do more things.... in my view . I'm 10 years post band and a size 24 to 12. I like size 12!!! My body does too. So I basically eat protein and work out and try my best to stay that size. Best to you and congrats on hard work

Well June sleevers, it has officially begun for me, hair falling out pretty bad whenever I brush or comb and when shampooing. Can't really see the loss on my head but I am worried that will be next! Anyone else experiencing it yet? Sleeved June 19, down 53 lbs and feeling good!