Search the Community

Tomorrow will be 2 weeks post-op and a follow-up with the bariatric team. Purees are coming! Today I saw my GP about my glucose and BP. She confirmed no more diabetes meds (YAY!!!!!) but then she said something odd. She noted that my numbers are excellent on this full liquid diet, but we'd see how I do when my diet "progresses." Now, she's young and clearly still developing her bedside manner (she's awkward) but she insinuated that my diabetes would probably come back and I'd have to go back on meds once I'm on solid food. I guess I thought most docs (even GPs) would know that bariatric surgery has a high likelihood of "curing" diabetes immediately post-op, especially as our weight goes down. Mine was mild to begin with and almost controlled through diet alone. I kinda feel like she threw a bucket of cold water on me. (Getting rid of diabetes was one of my top reasons for surgery.) ANYWAY, I told her I'm consuming about 400-ish calories per day on the FL diet. And I know (I KNOW, I KNOW) we're supposed to concentrate on water and protein at this point, but I'm curious what everyone else's average per day is. Eventually I think we top out around 600-800 with 1,000-1,200 max, but anyone else willing to share where they are in the beginning stages?

hello LAP-BAND® family! i am so excited to find this website. i have browsed some of the threads and looked at some of the amazing transformations that some of you have had! and man, am i inspired! i just had my psychological evaluation and i see the surgeon this week. i am so excited to start this journey! i did want to know how long it took everyone to get the surgery from the first dr. visit. looking forward to hearing more of your amazing stories!

My one week stall broke, this morning I lost an additional 3 lbs per my scale. We are on the roll again babyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy 177 lbs. I increased my calorie intake. Just think i had an additional 15 lbs off but I got dehydrated and i needed an IV that put 15 lbs on me...I could have been 162 lbs. Surgery date: 07/08/2011.....223 lbs 1 months - 23 lbs loss 1 1/2 month - gained 15 lbs back due to IV for dehydration 2mos -23 lbs loss......177 lbs

1) I didn't have many issues at all. I did wake up a few days after my op with nausea but I started taking a pill right before bed for the first week and it never came back. Other than that I have had zero complications. Went back to work 7 days after surgery and was driving then also. 2) I have been eating a lot of meat and eggs. Like RJ I do have the occasional (SMALL) piece of pizza. I try and restrict my "carb" days to Sunday. But other than that I can eat anything you can imagine just in very small quantities. I think my favorite meal is chicken wings right now. I usually bake 6 and will eat 3 for dinner and take 3 for lunch the next day.

It is the best! Love it. I'm doing 3-4 miles per week right now as part of my training and trying to convince my wife to let me do the Escape from Alcatraz swim.

I too love to swim, our town has an adult wellness center with a pool. I go 3 or 4 days a week and swim about 2 miles each trip. I swim 120 25 yard laps in an hour straight through with only a couple of 30 second stops to rinse my swim mask.

Hi Mary, I definitely had a swollen belly after surgery. I had lost weight but it didn't feel that way in my clothes. Every day for me was better than the day before. I took dulcolax to help move things a long (if you are on prescription pain killers that can really bind things up too). It took a full week for me to really start feeling good, then another week feel pretty much normal. I tried to walk as much as possible as well to alleviate gas pains from the surgery and promote healing. If you feel very uncomfortable, swollen, etc for longer without improvement give the doc a call to check in. Good luck!

Ugh and belive me I cant wait. Need to have something other than liquids already. I mean dont get me wrong weight loss is going great, I had to have a sneak peek of my weight and I feel like im doing good. But I miss the different textures. Also my hubby had to stay home from work 2day, because Ive been feeling a bit dizzy and weak. And having an 8 and 4 yr old. Yea theres not very much rest. And to top it off the incisions are itching like crazy. Well thank you for letting me vent a little...

Thanks I Have Lost 12 Lbs In 1 1/2 Weeks Before Surgery I Have 8 More Lbs To Loose Before Surgery. I'm Starting Out At 340 Now Down To 328 I'm Also 6' Tall. So I Pray I Do Good

Me too! Actually just shy of 3 weeks. How are you doing on the purée diet? I had revision from lapband to bypass. Turns out there was an uncommon problem with my port. After 5 years it was causing pain and upon extraction they found some significant issues. Anyway looking to the future. Still sore with a lot of bruising but out and about doing a little Christmas shopping. Missing eating out with friends and the occasional margarita! Let me know how you’re doing!

no - the big drops you see are usually in the first 2-4 weeks. Then many of us hit our first stall. After that the weight loss resumes, but not nearly as fast. Slow but steady. Just stick to your plan and it'll come off, though... Compliance is key.

Help I am two years post op and just can't get my crap together. I don't over eat, however I haven't been making good food choices. I lost 123 lbs and have gained 30 lbs back. I am in a size 12 and honestly that is the size I wanted to be, considering I was a size 24 when i started. I got down to a 10 and now that I had a taste of it I want it so badly, but just cant seem to get back on track. I know these may seem like excuses, but life has thrown me some major punches this past year. My husband started a job that requires him to be gone most of the week and we have 13 children. I only have 11 home now but as you can imagine it is a busy job and I find very little time for myself. Any suggestions on how to get my crap together and get back on track? I have noticed since surgery, I have developed major anxiety and had many panic attacks. These are all new to me. Has anyone developed anxiety since surgery? If anyone has anything that has helped them get back on track please feel free to share>

I am almost 3 weeks post op and have hit a stall already. I've only lost 10 pounds since surgery and have been the same weight for a week! It's very discouraging this early on. Dealing with the emotions of no food, pain and weakness and what I've done to myself, on top of no weightloss is killing me. Maybe I really can't lose weight even with the sleeve?! Anybody else experience this?

You do feel like that? It's been a week and two days...and I just have like a lingering heavy feeling in my belly....went to the regular dr yesterday, not my band dr, he said it must be my band, cuz everything else seems fine? Who knows, but it hurts, so called where I got my band, and will probably end up going there this evening. Thanks for sharing, I'm ok w/ TMI, because it helps to know someone has the same thing as me! :eek:

Hubbie and I are going away this wk end and Hotel is doing supper and breakfast, I do not want to gain weight, but also don't want to be a party pooper. Any advice cheers

Obviously to lose weight you must eat less than you need, but hard exercise places extra demands. I always did it so I could eat more and still lose but I have gotten my body into a fairly risky state by not eating enough more. It's probably the reason why each of my half marathons took me two or three months to recover from. I just thought it was coz I was over 40 and marveled at the veterans out there,

sorry my thread should of read "Two week VACATION.....I tried editing it but couldn't the title.

I'm glad you started this thread, because I've been thinking about starting one for a while now! I've been filling very conservatively, and that's the way it's going to stay. I'm almost three months out and I have 1cc -- .5 at the two month mark and .5 just added today! I have decent restriction (eat about 1/2 to 2/3 of what I used to, can't eat too fast or pieces too large) but I also don't really have no no foods. If I'm careful enough, I can tolerate some breads, steak, Pasta and other typical problematic foods. I've never been stuck to the point where I've had to force it back up, but I definitely get the golf ball warning sign if I don't behave...enough to keep me in check! I'm obviously losing slower than those who really fill 'er up, but that's okay with me, because I'm still losing steadily. I'm looking for a balanced diet -- not a super restricted diet. I have no interest in stressing about what I can eat in public situations or vomiting up my food. I will not trade that for a quick weight loss. The band forces me to make better choices, choosing Protein over carbs (well, most of the time), salads over sandwiches, and stopping when I'm full. It was really the mental lift that I needed. My hope is that a lot of optimism and willpower meets a bit of physical restriction. I envision a Weight Watchers/South Beach-esque diet that I don't fall off of every time there's a birthday or a vacation. It's a permanent reminder, every day, how unhappy I was...and that keeps me in line. With all that said, I realize that this does not work for everyone, and I don't mean to imply that it does. Some certainly need more physical assistance than others. We're all different, but at the end of the day, whatever works and whatever makes you happy...and you're exactly right, Colorado, if this stops working, we can always fill up -- the beauty of the adjustable band. I would love to hear more success stories from conservative fillers who are at, or near, goal!

NO, NO, NO!!! You are not alone. I, like you, believe that you should be able to live a fairly normal life with the band. And a healthy life with the band. Isn't that what the band is all about? Those who suffer with daily PBing, vomiting, reflux, heartburn and pain in order to reach some number on the scale do so at their own peril. Having a too tight band and daily reflux could result in band erosion and/or esophageal cancer. Not to mention the quality of life is compromised. I was banded in September 2008 and have only lost about 25 pounds from the day of surgery (10 of those were from that 2 week post-op liquid diet). I might be losing about a pound a month now. My total weight loss from all the dieting I have done on my own and with the lapband journey is about 75 pounds. I am fine with that. What I was not fine with was when I was overfilled and developed reflux, heartburn and pain. When I had a slight unfill, those symptoms resolved. NEVER AGAIN - even if I don't lose another ounce. I count calories, eat healthy, low fat foods, exercise every day, keep a food journal, don't drink with meals and basically follow the lapband rules. I so agree with everything you said. And I'm glad you said it. Take care and good luck.

I went to my first post op appointment and they were very pleased with my progress. I'm down 15 pounds since surgery. It was decided that I did not need a fill today because the doctor put on a band that fits snugly, so I actually have restriction right now, just with the band itself. :thumbup: I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. I have an appt scheduled in 2 weeks in case I need a fill, but the NP said that if I am still doing the same progress, I can cancel and schedule it for another 2 weeks out (or whenever I need it). They seem like they are very open to the patient's opinion on whether or not they need a fill. She also said that you have to wait 2 weeks between fills, so if I wasn't filled enough, I don't have to wait a whole month. So far, I'm very happy with my band.

I was told four weeks. Wow there is no absolute rules hehe. Better check with ur dr

My reasons for the VSG: I was on the upper, warning side of becoming diabetic. Last time I had my levels checked, I'm on the lower end of being SAFE! I'm no longer in the warning zone. Knee and back pain has been very constant. Having to keep buying larger and larger clothing. It get so expensive. I just couldn't afford that, anymore. Not liking how I looked at all. I gained enough weight that I developed a double chin. I would cry while looking at the mirror. I've now lost pretty much ALL of my double chin. My HANDS even gained weight. Now, my hands feel thinner than what they used to. Of course, my physical health was important to me. But, thing is, physical isn't the ONLY type of health we have. We also have mental and emotional. I wanted all three to improve, and I firmly believed having the surgery would help all three. && So far, it has helped.I'm more: Happy. Healthy. Active. I feel like I'm "blossoming" because I'm now wearing pretty, feminine clothing. Before, I'd pretty much only wear men clothing, because women clothing looked wrong / couldn't fit. I'm now trying to shop at nice clothing stores, and I feel confident about it.

I'm not losing, but it is my own fault. I need to make better choices, I know I've been saying that for months. I know what I need to do, but I just don't make the correct choices. I start everyday thinking today will be the day that I will make the great change that I need to make. Then about half way through the day I make the choice to eat something I shouldn't or I choose to eat to much. I'm still really disappointed that I can eat to much. I still eating about 2 cups at a time or more. My pouch is not stretched out they checked it last month when I was in for a fill. I guess I will have them remove all the liquid from my band and see if it really has 3.9 cc of liquid in it. It seem like I have some restrcition for a few days, then I'm back to where I was. If it has a leak I wonder what they will do. I wonder if you have to have it replaced. Right now I'm so discourged that I don't know if I would have it removed and a new on placed. I know I have lost 30 lbs and I have kept it off for the most part. I think the largest amount I have lost is 35 lbs, but I did gain some it back. Oh well, guess I will get up and go do my shopping and do some extra rounds around the walmart so I will have some excersise today. Its so cold outside that I haven't been doing anything. Again thats a excuse, and I need to just do it. I just have to fight all my negative thoughts. My primary doctor was pleased with my labs yesterday. Ha1c was 5.9 which is really good. My cholesterol was really good 122. So there is some medical good news. I really wanted to lose some more before we leave for vacation. We leave in 2 weeks, so I guess I will not be any smaller than I was 6 or 7 months ago. I haven't lost since last June. I'm just so disappointed. I really thought I would not be hungry and I would not be able to eat very much, so far wrong on both accounts. I think I though if I wasn't hungry and couldn't eat very much I would lose and the rest of what I had to do would just fall in place. It was just a dream that I could do this.

Hello Guys, I just hit the 1 year anniversary of my gastric sleeve surgery. I thought I would drop in and say "hi", as well as post a few comments on my experience. I do not post often, almost not at all, but I have really enjoyed reading others comments and posts and have found them to be helpful. If anything, it has been nice to read about other similar experiences and concerns. First, I would like to say that I am very happy that I made the choice to have weight loss surgery. I don't think I could have lost weight without it. I did not have any serious health issues before having the surgery, but I was over 400lbs, so issues like diabetes were probably just around the corner. Things have not always been easy, but I am very pleased with where I am at this point. 1 year from my surgery and I am down to 241lbs from my pre-surgery weight of 411lbs. That's 170lbs lost. What has that meant to me: Blood sugar, cholesterol all in great ranges. I am very active now (no more couch potato)I've become a gym rat and am going twice a day most days, in the morning and after work. I bought a bike and go trail riding often, on weekends I will tally around 20-25 miles of riding in one day. Ran my first 5K ever on Halloween weekend. Plan to do more as I want to improve on my time. Resting heart rate is in the low 50s from all the cardio. (Down from the high 70s before surgery). Love Tabata and HIIT training. Great for short intense workouts that really work up a sweat. Look it up on the internet. Started doing Muay Thai kickboxing again. Loved this 20 years ago when I was younger and lighter and am now getting back into it as the old guy. Much more sex with my wife Can now buy clothes at normal stores and don't have to go to the Big Mens store or sections anymore. People look at me differently and first impressions are much better. Not that I really cared about this before. Just generally feel better and less tired. What have I had issues with over the last year: Vitamin D keeps coming up just a little low, so upping supplementation. Still eat too fast at times (about once a month or so). This causes a very full feeling, sometimes causing me to throw up (or throwing up on purpose to give relief). Some joint issues in shoulders and knees from fitness activities. This has caused me to scale back on weight lifting and adapt some of my cardio routine. No more heavy lifting and have moved from treadmill to rowing machine. Still miss being able to chow down on a big sub sandwich. Going out to dinner isn't as fun. Extra skin. Gonna have to get a lower body lift at some point to take care of this. All this being said, the positives far outweigh the negatives. I got through my down times where I get sick of logging food in MyFitnessPal, or just don't feel like going to the gym. I've had to discover new ways of relaxing as most of my previous activities involved food. Now I bike ride, go to the gym, I even like to just go to a mall and window shop. I'm still trying to figure these things out. I feel great though and love the fact that I don't get out of breath going up stairs. I take a little pleasure when I see people who are thinner than me struggle with activities that I can do, like the 5K I ran recently. I also like that fact that while my kids have always loved me, I know they are proud of what I have done so far. I fit in better with me wife and kids because thankfully non of them have weight issues. Well, that's my one year story. I appreciate you getting this far in my long post and hope this helps some of you as your posts have helped me. I am still a work in progress and have about 30lbs to get to my goal weight. The weight comes off much slower now, how I miss the 5-10lb drops from early on after surgery. Now there are long plateaus and 1-2lb drops. But for the last 5 months I have averaged about 1-2lbs a week. Take care and I will post again when I hit my goal weight. Best advise I can give is not to dwell on the food you can't eat anymore (or the amounts), cheating every now and then is okay, just pick yourself up and keep moving. Be active, Techynerd

I finished it recently. I was scared of advancing each week. And a couple of weeks I just repeated the week. But I always surprised myself. The people that designed that program really knew what they were doing because I never thought I'd be able to do it. Now I'm training for a half marathon.