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I'm three days out and starving. I'm on a liquid diet for 10 days then I can add some small things - my whole plan is in food and Nutrition under post plans. I've been getting 40 grams of Protein guaranteed with Isopure, Jello made with IsoPure 8 grams of protein per serving, I've had broth, some ice cream for calories and sugar since everything is sugar free and I have naturally low blood sugar. Since I can't add any actual food for another seven days I imagine I'll stay hungry. I'm down 3 lbs since surgery and it's unlikely it's Water weight as I've been drinking over 60 oz a day. Prior to surgery this was a main issue for me. I'm always hungry even just after eating. I'm hoping the band will help with some of that, though it's not known to depress hunger much despite applying pressure to the vagas nerve.

I had my Lapband surgery this morning:-) I am a huge baby when it comes to pain, so I thought I'd be miserable, but I feel good! Every hour I'm feeling better and better. I have few gas pains, sleep often, and walk every hour or so for a few minutes. The worst was that I had to be pricked 10 times for an IV, because they could not find my veins! I also woke up very sick to my stomach ( I am very sensitive and get nauseous easily) but now feel great and i have had chicken broth and an ice pop, although I was not hungry- just thirsty! My family is eating chicken and although it smells great, I am surprised I have no desire to eat it. I was definitely fearful of this diet bc I love eating and cooking ( as we all do I'm sure) ! Anyway I am new to this and just looking for some support to assist me on this journey! It's an exciting time in my life as I am graduating from grad school next month

Wheetsin, I shrank for a while to 5ft 9 and have grown again to 5ft 10. I had all these theories about my discs being compressed by the weight but the ladies at my clinic put me straight. When your fatter your big bum stops you getting close enough to the wall to be measured properly, you have to lean back to put your back and head against the measuring stick. When you're lighter your bum doesnt stick out as far and you can stand at the measuring stick properly. That's why you appear to shrink as you get fatter.

Was your fill done under fluoro? Have you had it "looked" at to make sure all is well? I understand not wanting to be overfilled, that is not safe. I have noticed, the lower I get weight wise, the slower the weight comes off, but even tho I am not losing much weight, I am still losing some inches---and my body is readjusting. I have gone down another pant size, but the measurements in my arms, and calves have gone up---likely due to exercise, and weight lifting---but I LOOK better, regardless what the scale says. I also lost very quickly the first 6 months, and slower now, but do not feel like a failure----I have lost over 80 pounds----even if the last 10 have been slower than molasses---I have lost them---and will continue to work at it! What kind of exercise are you doing? Maybe it is time to pump it up a bit? Kat

I'm 5-10 so almost, I'm shooting for around 150. I'm at about 195 now and waaaaaay too fat still, can only shop certain places (though no longer just plus stores), wanted to kill myself after trying on swimwear today kinda thing. I'd say I'll end up shedding around 90lb total too - I've lost half of that in six months, but I dont think I'll lose the other half by the end of this year, its s-l-o-w now no matter what I do and I am busting my butt running and have started doing weight training too now.

I've probably beaten this horse dead in other threads, but this is a new one and you may not have heard it: I lost only 60 pounds in my first 8 months or so. A few of those months had plateaus. I can relate to the discouragement, for sure! I was self-pay as well, and heck, why the heck did I go with this band thing if I was only going to lose 60 of the 150 I had to lose??? Long story short: I changed my attitude one day. Not sure how, but one day it just changed. I realized the amazingly primitive discovery of calories in-calories out... oh my I just wrote this long post but the less-than symbol screwed it up and half of it got deleted. I'll do my best to remember what I typed: Ahem. So I started counting calories. Made sure I had at least a 1,000 calorie/day deficit. I monitor my calorie burn by using the BodyBugg (my saving grace gadget, costs about $400 but it's well worth it). I pre-made food and then portioned them out into suck-n-seal baggies, wrote the calorie & Protein content on the bags, and stuck them in the freezer. That way I always had something on hand to just boil right in the bag when I got hungry. I also got very hooked on physical activity. I learned to love jogging and biking, and then I learned to love swimming and hiking and kayaking and skiing. The world got so much bigger! I eventually got so hooked on physical activity that I had my band loosened a tad. I can eat about 1,800 calories a day now, but I still burn about 2,300 on a fairly lazy day. So I'm typically still losing between 1-2 pounds per week. I just make SURE I get that deficit in every day. If it's 10:30 at night and I have 300 calories left to burn for the day, I get my tail out the door and go jogging! I know calorie counting can be a pain in the butt in the beginning, but it gets a lot easier over time and becomes no big deal after awhile. The beauty of this system is that it allows you to cheat when you want to. You realize pretty quick it's not worth the extra calories, but if I'm at a birthday part and want a little ice cream, I know I can simply work out a little harder that day or the next, or cut down a little on other calories. Good luck to you. This discouragement will pass. You'll lose again if you keep up the good work. I promise.

Hi I have complete sympathy. The two weeks post op were the hardest for me but I am very glad I stayed with the clear liquids. It seems there are lots of differing opinions from doctors about what types of foods you can have and when you can have them. My doctor said clear liquids only -- for two weeks post op. (the nutritionist, however, said clear liquids for 2 days, full liquids the rest of the week, then move on to mushies, etc). I did what the doctor said and was extremely hungry. Scary hungry. The hunger pangs seemed to course thru my whole body at times. I drank a lot of water. I thought of the time as a kind of purifying and cleaning out period. It was the worst time for me and luckily I was off work (I took 3 weeks). When I got to the full liquid stage, it was heavenly. Mixing unflavored protein powder into different foods was very helpful. I have heard some people mix a little bit of sugar free pudding mix into their protein drink to make it thicker -- though I have not tried that yet. The best I can say is hang in there. It is wise to stay with what your doctor ordered and anything else that gives you the best foundation to be successful with the band. Do everything you can to help your body to heal before adding or experimenting with different foods. I was miserable for two weeks after being banded, but have never regretted sticking to clear liquids during that time. I believe the new drink muscle milk makes, Protein H2O, would be considered a clear liquid. It has 10 grams of protein. It helps with hydration as well. Hang in there!!!! This too shall pass. ~hiddn

I had the same feelings of hunger all the time! I was taking protonix and my stomach would still grumble. I would eat every few hours, all Protein to try to fill me up and last longer. I have to say now at 10 weeks out the hunger pains have lessened quite a bit. In the last few weeks I eat and I'm not even hungry. I know lots of ppl didnt feel hunger for the first few months, but I was the opposite. I know they make other proton inhibitors, maybe trying a different one would help? I'm not sure but for me it was just a waiting thing and it got better over time.

I had no problem with Protein shakes preop. I did three weeks of Optifast. I was banded feb. 19 and every time I drink a Protein shake - optifast or something else, I get an upset stomach and sometimes diarrhea. Any suggestions? I would really like to drink the as I have a hard time eating my protein. Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks! Cindy

I had my surgery done a little over a month ago and the first 10 days were hell. It gets better. Focus on water over everything else right now.

My doctor had me on 10 days clear following surgery. He said your mostly likely to have a leak in the first 72 hours. After 10 days, that reduces to less than 1 percent. After 2 weeks ...0 percent. I appreciate that my doctor is very cautious with his approach. He has a very high success rate with this patients. I am now on day 11 and feel great. He has added Protein shakes, eggs, and yogurt until day 14. After day 14, I can start puree for a week, then mushies, then intro one food at a time. I would rather sacrifice now then have a problem....

Well tomorrow is the BIG day!! I have lost around 10 lb from my liquid diet..i cheated a couple times...I am guilty of it...its bound to happen. We just got to pick right back up and keep going! I took my before surgery photos!! last night at around midnight..i though to myself...OMG surgery is tomorrow...already!! I'm so scared to be put under, still! Until we Type again my fellow bandsters!!! Please send your prayers this way as I proceed in my journey to a NEW life

Dr, Aceves does 10 days of clear, 10 days of full, then 10 of mushies

You are doing fantastic!!! 10 pounds in three weeks?? over 3 lbs. a week!! You can't hope to do better. I understand what you are thinking. For the most part we've all been there. It will come off if you do the right things. And 10 lbs. in three weeks certainly seems like you are already doing the right things. Best of luck!!!! Keep your head up.

Because every doctor has a different protocol for the surgery, you will get MANY varied responses. Mine goes like this..... Pre-op diet was a low fat, 1200 calories a day for two weeks. The last two days prior to surgery was full liquids. After surgery, I was on full liquids for two weeks, then transitioned to mushy/soft/smooth foods. Now, 10 days after mushy, I'm adding ground turkey, ground beef, chicken and thinly sliced deli meats. In 10 more days I'll add another layer of food & so on. Too much to type, but it's a progression of adding things back slowly. As far as exercise, before I actually had my surgery, my doctor recommended (recommends to all patients) to start walking 20 minutes per day. He says.....walk 10 minutes out, then 10 minutes back. For him, that is a realistic starting point, given that most of us haven't been doing much of anything. Right now, I'm walking between 30-40 minutes, which is fine.......for today. I'm with you on the pictures. I don't post my photos here because I like the anonymity of this site. This surgery was a very personal/private choice, and the internet is a very open & vast venue. But my pictures on Facebook, and my business website, are old; about 7 years old......before I'd gained ALL of my weight back. I cannot bring myself to post who I allowed myself to become...AGAIN, but have every intention of posting new pictures once some of the weight comes off. So I totally get you on this! Good luck! PS: 2muchfun above is right about the best place to post. You will get more responses that address your questions, if it's in a forum that you either start, or is the same subject matter as your concerns. When I first came on here, I had no idea where, what, how.... But you'll figure it out soon enough

I found that if I take too many sips at one time, or big gulps, I get a tinge of pressure. I take about 4 small sips in a row, the stop & start again. I don't time it; just wait until I feel ready to kick in again. Usually about 10 seconds. With food, I don't remember hearing the "put your fork down & wait one minute between bites". They did tell us to take small bites, chew it beyond thorough, and put the fork down while you're doing that. But if I waited one full minute between bites, my one egg in the morning would be completely cold and disgusting before I get a chance to finish. The key is to go slowly, and eat mindfully. Triple underline the mindfully part! If you eat too fast, you won't give your brain a chance to figure out what's happening in your body with each and every bite. It takes a little practice, but at three weeks out, I'm getting pretty good at it. But sometimes I find myself eating without thinking, and I have to back off, slow down and slip back into "mindful mode".

Great advice. You lost 19 pounds in three days on liquid diet???? Are you getting the sleeve?

Hello Betty, Glad to hear you have succeeded in the Options Program with Kaiser. I was told 10-11 mo. by the Options gal at the Downey facility. I believed her & paid for it out-of-pocket in order to have it done before Aug. of 2012. But you know, it's doing what you are supposed to do that makes for success. I wish you the very best! Mary

1 day of nothing by mouth, 2 days clears and then 10 days full liquids. Mushies after that for me. Couldent you make some thin oatmeal and put it in a blender? Or maybe cream of wheat? I made some lentil Soup yesterday and stuck it in the blender. It was awesome after so long on bland foods.

Goodbye to: 1. not looking on the outside how I feel on the inside 2. rolls, rolls, and rolls of blubbery flab 3. my little boy calling me a "circle" (fat people are "circles" and thin people are "straight"--up and down like a line) 4. any clothing size starting with the number "2" or the letter "X" 5. Lane Bryant, The Avenue, etc. 6. being branded "Morbidly Obese" 7. any weight in pounds starting with the number "2" 8. ugly, ugly clothing 9. obsession with food 10. not feeling my best--the best I know I can be Saying hello to: 1. life 2. health 3. energy 4. looking cute in my clothing 5. normal size clothing stores 6. being proud of myself 7. a better sex life 8. a better self-esteem 9. more years with my family 10. the best me

Hello, I am new to this site. I am 40 years old with a BMI of 39.6. I have been overweight for most of my life, with the exception of high school and a couple of years after I was married. Right before my wedding, I had dieted down to 130 pounds with the help of Phen Fen. I had my daughter when I was 30 and gained over 60 pounds that I was never able to lose. In fact, the weight kept creeping up after that, and I now weigh about 10 pounds more than I did when I was full-term pregnant. I have been trying for the past 10 years to lose the weight, but I can only lose a little bit at a time, then I gain it all back plus more. You all know how it goes. I have lost and gained the same six pounds for the past year or so. I can never make any long term progress. I got fed up and started considering a lap band, because I thought that was the only option besides a gastric by-pass, which I am not willing to do. When I called Bluegrass Bariatrics, they suggested that I consider the gastric plication. They said they had had a lot of success with it, and it was the cheapest option, which makes a difference for me because my health insurance won't cover a dime. I've read all the posts here, and I am both excited about the prospect of having the surgery, and terrified all at the same time. I want my life back, I want to be able to do all the things that I can't or won't due because of my weight. Part of me still thinks this is ridiculous, that I should just be able to knuckle down and diet and exercise and lose the weight without any surgical intervention. But I've read the statistics, that only about 3-5% will actually succeed with this approach. I went to a seminar this past weekend and met Dr. Oldham. I really liked him, and he's gotten good reviews on this site. I have my intake appointment on 2/15, and when all those results are back, I will have my surgeon consult. I am going through the process, with the knowledge that I can still back out if the fear gets to be too much for me to go through with it. I am terrified of severe pain and complications, although I have been through a c-section with a vertical incision. My husband is also very scared for me to do this, and people keep telling me that I'm not big enough that I should be considering surgery. Is what I'm feeling pretty normal? I would love to hear from some others who have been through this, and also folks who have had their surgeries wiht Bluegrass Bariatrics. I am looking forward to talking with you all, and I thank you in advance for sharing your experiences with me.

Green - I'm was really interested in your post regarding a history of chronic depression. I've been on every anti-depressant at one time or another and know the utter exhaustion that can come with depression. I don't expect surgery to fix everything - just hoping to lose 60 to 75 lbs so that I have more energy for my 10 year old and to eliminate weight as a reason for various aches and pains as I age. I don't go to the dr much because they just tell me to lose some weight and try to keep my stree levels down. Sure, I'll get right on that after I mow the lawn, get the pets to the vet, have my child evaluated for ADHD while working my exhausting but low paying job!:rolleyes Growing up my sister was the fat one. She's probably 350 or more now. When I zoomed by 200lbs a few weeks ago - something I would have thought impossible when I was in my 30s - I knew I didn't have the resolve to do this on my own. Now I just have to get someone to go along with me for the surgery! thanks for listening.

My goal is 110-114 (BMI 19-20) because I have a really bad back (I have big boobs). But I know that I will have loose skin at that weight. Or my other goal is 123 and a breast reduction. Haven't decided yet.

I had the test with the InBody 720 done over a month ago at the Denver Center for Health & Sport Science, www.denverchss.com. I know Dr. Wolkodoff works closely with Dr. Snyder, yet he tries to work with the other surgeons as well. In fact, I got a discount because my surgeon recommends to him, although after the experience I would have paid the full $95 to find out all the information. By the way, I called Sally Jobe to see what a body comp with DEXA scanning would be, and the price was $279!!! First off, this test got rid of all the bad information from BMI, as I found out that doesn't work accurately with people who have been heavy or athletes, as we have denser bones and muscles. Based upon 23% body fat, my ideal weight is 148-153 where the BMI had me at where I would have been in 6th grade! Another interesting thing is you learn how much muscle you have in each area. I found out my legs were about 10-12% deficit for my ideal weight, so I was not getting as much out of cardio training as I thought, so I added in two sessions of weight training. As a result of the ideas and recommendation, my weight loss over the last 30 days was double what I had achieved the previous 30 days, so I am very happy. I think the comment about the Tanita scale is not applicable to this machine. I think the Tanita is like $500 and this machine was over $18,000. You would expect it to do a lot more with more accuracy, and apparently it does. Dr. W also explained that all these composition measurements are really very good estimations and all have a certain amount of inaccuracy. So my thought was why lay in a DEXA tube for 15 minutes if I could get the same result by standing for 90 seconds? I know someone who was measured in both, and the difference was 1/10th of a percent between the two. So, my vote was this was well worth the time and expense, and definitely changed how I thought about my ideal weight and exercise. Part of this was the machine, and part of it was the expertise Dr. W has at explaining all this and making good suggestions about exercise They do some other cool things, and soon I am going in to get my feet and gait measured at DCHSS and will report back.

Thank you for your posts. I am having surgery with him on June 12th And its good to hear of others experiences. He did my band 10 years ago and is now doing my revision. I am also an RN so I loved hearing your point of view. I do speak Spanish though so I will be asking for those guantes!! LoL please keep us posted on your progress.