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I feel your pain! Been there, u couldn't even eat a sliver if cheese without getting sick. However, I'm almost 10 wks out and although I can't tolerate ice cream or milk, I can tolerate most cheese in moderation. Good luck!

Ponchik I hope all goes smooth.... my date is aug 19 can't wait

I got a nifty polar hr watch and strap for my b-day and am having a blast with it to improve my run training. It is a high end model and I literally spent a few weeks researching the different hr watches on Amazon before going with it. It does not have gps nor does it count steps or monitor sleep patterns, but that is fine by me as I primarily wanted a hr monitor with "Swiss accuracy." Battery life is supposed to be 5 years. This one trumps my cheap 20 dollar polar watch I used previously. If you have experience with both running and use of a hr monitor for training running patterns, then I have some questions for you. Sorry- this post is going to exclude most folks. If you have the experience and knowledge, feel free to critique in any way. My goal is to improve my running vo2 efficiency through hr training. I just completed a run today of 30 minutes using the watch for the first time. I wanted to see what kind of feedback the watch would give me for a run where I challenged myself. Start hr: 65 (not quite resting) 5 minute warmup up to 6.0 mph: 125 After 5 minute dynamic stretch, hr still around 125 At 5 minutes, speed at 7.0: 135 At 10 minutes, speed at 8.0: 145 Every minute, alternate between 8.0 (149) and 10(155) Finish at 30 minutes: 155 Cool down 6.0 jog for 5 minutes: 135 Walk at 3.5-2.7 for 3 minutes: 105 Total distance is about 4 miles over 30 minutes. Felt fine afterwards and immediately did another 30 minutes of elliptical with hr at 145-150. Here is some HR info a web site calculated for me given sex=male, age=38, resting hr=55 and max hr=186. Resting Heart Rate: 55 Maximum Heart Rate: 186 Heart Rate Reserve(HRR): 131 Fat Burning: From 121 to 134 beats per minute Aerobic: From 134 to 147 beats per minute Steady State: From 147 to 160 beats per minute Anaerobic: From 160 to 173 beats per minute Maximal: From 173 to 186 beats per minute Questions: 1. According to the chart, my sprinting at 155 hr is in steady state range. Is this where it should be or should I go anaerobic? I feel somewhat pushed at 155, but not winded. I could definitely turn up intensity if I should be doing it. 2. I would like my short 1 minute rest intervals after 1 minute sprints to drop lower then 149. How can I get it lower, such as 145 or even 140. I do not feel hr at 149 is giving me enough rest before next sprint. 3. What do you think of my hr at other running speeds (e.g. 135 bpm at 7mph) is that good, ok, bad? I just do not know. 4. If target hr for cardio is about 140 for my age and sex, is this what I should be running at on average (given no sprinting)?According to my watch and running session today, hr=140 is about 7.2-7.5 mph for me. I guess I am looking for some analysis on how to improve vo2 efficiency in the HIIT segments of a running session and what I should be targeting when in various states of running.

I like extra (fairlife)protein milk... yogurt, eggs, fish, chicken thighs cooked in liquid , ...and I still use bars and occasional home made (inspire )protein drinks. Home made Refried beans are a staple Quinoa does have protein, and soy products have greatly improved ... pre baked and flavored tofu is amazingly good if you lean that way. Frozen yogurt is a treat! (Disclaimer: I'm a bander still working my program 10 years later...maintaining a 95 lb loss) And still I learn new things And wow. Just like everyone, I mess up!!

I found this years ago, and while it sounds crazy, I always listen to what it says lol. 1. Thou shalt consume thy Protein first, followed by thy veggies and fruits. If thou, then hast any room left thou shalt comusme thy carbs lastly! 2. Thou shalt take the tiniest of bites, placing thy fork and thy spoon upon thine table, that thou shalt have more time between bites to savor that which thou hast eaten, and allow thy stomach adequate time to inform thy brain of thine fullness. 3. Thou shalt chew and chew and when thou has done so, thou shalt chew some more, lest thy band rise up and smite thee,causing in thy chest great pain, and spewing forth. 4. Thou shalt drink of thy Water, copiously, consuming all that has been recommended to thee, that thou mayest be spared the pangs of hunger and dehydration, and thou shalt thus, also keep thy kidneys well flushed, that thou shalt not develop stones to aggrieve thee. 5. Thou shalt exercise in a manner that thou mayest choose, of thine own accord, providing that thou art faithful to thine execise regimen,that thou shalt not falter on thy journey to thine smaller self. 6. Thou shalt honor thy band and maintain it well, that it shalt be a steadfast friend to thee throughout thine entire life. Thou wilt,from time to time, as thou hast been told, obtain for it the fills that it needest that it may then help thee in thy hours of need, keeping it always in perfect adjustment for thine benefit. 7. Thou shalt not worry and gnash thy teeth, becoming aggrieved at those times when thy losses seemingly stop and thy weight remaineth constant, remembering then that thou tookest long to acquire thine pounds, and that thy pounds must then take time for loss. 8. Thou shalt maintain a log or dairy of thine measurements, that thou mayest truly perceive the effect of they band when thine scale doth pause in it's downward progress. 9. Thou shalt join into and participate within thy local support community, for without the input, experience and love of they fellow bandsters, thou shalt have a much more difficult time in thy journey, and when thou art well upon thy road, thou shalt then likewise assist those who followest in thine footsteps that they too might be successful in their own diminishment. 10. Thou shalt beware of thine " soft calories syndrome", keeping always in thy mind that thou canst thus sabotage thine efforts and thine investment and lead thee then therefore into depression and guilt. As once stated "Just because thou canst, it meaneth not that thou shouldith".

In less than 10 percent of cases the sleeve fails due to anatomical issues, poor surgical technique, or other issues that are no fault of the patient. Also, a tiny percentage of unfortunate souls have no favorable markers of chromosome 15, rendering them nonresponders to bariatric surgery. Nonetheless, 90 percent of sleeve failures are due to the person failing the sleeve (e.g. behavioral issues). http://thebodyimagecenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/why-we-hear-so-many-stories-of-failure-after-bariatric-surgery.pdf

I can't wait. I really am looking forward to it. This has been 10 years coming and I'm ready to move on and really work hard to meet my goals!

I did something similar. The difference - I did not go so far. I freaked out and moved it from 08/29 to 09/19. I can't even explain why. Probably, scared. I found thousand of other excuses ( like I want to shrink my liver more, etc,etc,etc, blah-blah-blah- I was eating like crazy after it). But the funniest thing is that in few days after this rescheduling we found out that the hurracaine is coming to NY on the 28-29th and many hospitals to be evacualed . So - it was ment to be. My hospital was among them. Hopefully, my feeling at that moment was a good sign, because now I have to do it really coming Monday. You will also find your right time!! Just give it another chance

Menu-7/11 Breakfast: Nothing Snack: Peanuts 6 carbs Lunch: Nothing Snack: Few pork rinds Dinner: Chicken (FINALLY) fixed some spicy way Exercise: Run/Walk 3 1/2 miles, strength training Be blessed!

Im paying $200 each, and driving 5 hours round trip to get this price. So far I only got one fill and it was so tiny, waste of time and money. 1.8 cc and Iv got a 10 cc band. Nothing like feeling like Im throwing money out the window.

I live in southern CA. Surgery was covered under one insurance,but since changing jobs have a different insurance. I have paid $250 for 0.2cc cash in Pasadena. Now I have to decide if I want to have my fills in San Diego for $10 and drive the distance or continue to pay the $250 and continue with my surgeon, who I think is terrific!

10 months for me ~ I started the process in December 2014 with the 6 month pre op diet. To your point, because I have an 8-5, I tried to space my other appointments out so that I was not always going to the doctor. My pulmonologist appointment resulted in a sleep apnea diagnosis so I had to make a return visit to get my CPAP prior to release for surgery. Same with my cardiologist visit which required further evaluation. Insert a promotion to a new position to the mix, and I now have my date of September 30. So 10 months for me, but I have to admit that I have the best overall picture of my health today than I have had in years. Good luck on your journey!

You have completely got this!!! I worried and worried and researched everything under the sun for 10 months. By the time I got to surgery I didn't care I just wanted to go home after and have them stop poking me and waking me up. I feel like I am grateful for all the advice and shared experiences however be prepared for it to be different when you do it on your own. You will most likely have doubts and beat yourself up on small things. Trust in the process, you will do great!!!!!!!!

Nice. Sending positive vibes your way..I was just approved on the 22nd of April and scheduled my surgery for 8-2-19.. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J727AZ using BariatricPal mobile app

My name is Elaine I am 61 and I'm 270 lbs. I have been so ashamed of myself I haven't left my apartment accept for Dr. APPTS. I have my first consultation on April 10 about the surgery I wish I could do it on my own but I can't. Can anyone tell me what that appt will be like? Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

How blessed you are doing this surgery for yourself and your child. Now you can plan a lot of things you might not have been able to do before surgery. Take care of yourself and focus on getting to know the new you. It will be the best gift you could have given yourself. Never thought I could go a day without Diet Coke, but I swear, in this 7 month journey I do not even want one. Have not even missed them, much less the money I spent and the grocery store trips buying 10 at a time LOL!

I am very happy to be here and have enjoyed reading this site over the past few weeks. I would love to get down some of my thoughts and hear any feedback anyone has for me. I tend to write essays so I apologize for the length. I am scheduled to meet with a surgeon in two weeks. I also have the psych eval and nutritionist appointment as well as some medical tests that day. The hospital is almost two hours away so I'm packing as much as I can into each trip. I have bcbs fep so still have the 3 months supervised program which has not started. I weigh 278 and have been around this weight or higher (highest around 300) for at least 10 years. I am 35, normal weight as a young child but as soon as I hit puberty quickly became obese. I am not saying it is all genetic, but I know that is part of it. My parents and brother all suffered with obesity or morbid obesity. My brother had gastric bypass surgery several years ago, and to make a long story short he had complications, and died two years after the surgery at age 30. This was not from the surgery but was medically fragile since the surgery. My parents blame the surgery although I do not. They have made it clear that they would be very, very upset if I chose bariatric surgery. Despite this, I have considered this for years. I try to base most of my major decisions on good data. I know that long term weight loss in significant amounts (like, 100 lbs) is quite statistically improbable. I have successfully kept 20-30 lbs (back and forth in this range) off for 6 years. Despite that I am concerned about my health. I have high blood pressure and take three medications to maintain this. I am in the prediabetic range for blood sugar. I see my dad with worsening neuropathy from diabetes type 2 despite really hard work on a very low carb diet. My paternal grandpa lost 3 of his limbs from this disease before he died. Despite being fairly young my knees are starting to hurt when using stairs. I worry that I won't have very long ahead of me. I honestly have come to terms with how I look and while being thinner would be nice, that is not a major motivation for me. Sickness and early death from health consequences of morbid obesity terrifies me. I work full time as a clinical psychologist at a Veterans Affairs. The work is my passion and I would not want to do anything else. However it can be very stressful. It is also very cognitively and emotionally demanding and therefore exhausting while being super sendentary. My salary also supports my family (son and sahd husband). I have recurrent major depression. I am doing very well, taking medication and when needed connect back with therapy. I always live with the fear of depression relapse due to fear not being able to keep up at work and how hard the last one was on me and my family (4 years ago). Fears: will such low amounts of calories allow me to have sufficient cognitive energy to do my job well? Will the mood effects bring on another episode of depression? Should I hide having surgery to my parents, which feels dishonest, or tell them the truth and live with their anger and fear of losing their only remaining child? Will I be able to regularly engage in moderate exercise which honestly I haven't done since my early 20's? If you made it to the end, thank you. I don't expect answers to the above questions but feels good to tell them to people who might relate. Any thoughts welcome. Any experiences of going through this while maintaining a demanding job are appreciated.

Hi Kami, I have PCOS as well. In my pre op diet I lost 29 lbs. since surgery (6/27/13) I have lost 20lbs. I was feeling a little down...even after I spoke to my surgeon because he didn't seem too thrilled with my weight loss either. He told me I was at the "low end." Anyway, I have since changed my attitude and I Celebrate EVERY success...even my non scale victories! You will be successful, even if it goes a little slower than other people. The point is...you are losing!!!! Celebrate that!! Since you know that you stall often just make sure you stay on track during those times. Also, find some fun things to do during those times in order to take your mind off of it....bowling, movies, long walks, etc. that stall will not last forever! So...about what I eat. I eat 5 small meals a day, all focused around Protein of course! Each meal is about 10-15 grams of protein. So, one day might be 1. Greek yogurt 2. Drumstick 3. Small Protein shake 4. Another piece of baked chicken 5. About 3/4 cup of chilli. The amounts are pretty small, even though it may seem like a lot of food. I can only take 3-5 bites of anything before I'm full. So, I only count each meal as 10-15 grams of protein. I also drink Water in between these meals. Sol, I hope this helps a little. I just want to encourage you...slow and steady WINS THE RACE!!! We can do this! :-)

pre-op and the surgery itself was a piece of cake (yummy lol)... for me it's the post-op that has been hard. you don't realize how addicted you are to food until it's taken away. now don't get me wrong... i would SO do this all over again but it's been the most difficult thing i've ever done. i can have carbonated sodas although i think that's part of the reason i've stopped losing recently. i can't have any bread or ground meat... no more pizza, no more burgers. my stomach just won't tolerate them anymore no matter how many times i've tried. the hardest part for me is deciding whether to listen to my stomach or my head. if i listen to my head that's telling me to eat, eat and eat... well, i end up throwing up but if i listen to my stomach i end up depressed. i still try to binge occasionally when i'm upset. the most recent was last week and i ordered a small double cheese and pepperoni pizza. i figured i'd eat 2 or 3 pieces and go throw up. i couldn't even finish one piece and i swear i threw up more than i ate. anyway, my point is that you have to be 110% sure you can do this. this is literally a lifestyle change. yes, i can still eat real food but i'm limited as to what i can eat. yes, it's strange only being able to eat 1/2 cup of food... not even an entire kid's meal. yes, it's hard to remember not to drink right before, during or after eating. BUT... i went from a size 16 to a size 10 (i'm still aiming for the size 6!). i get compliments DAILY. i feel so much healthier that i can't even describe. i'm even training for a 5k race. i made a lifetime committment to myself and there will always be the negatives along with the positives.

I plateaud at 55 lbs as well. That was before the holidays. I was really bumbed, because that's where I ALWAYS plateau, even before the band. In the past, I would finally get discouraged and start eating again. But I've lost another 10 lbs over the last few weeks, so I'm feeling good again. I am still going for a very small fill next week to perhaps get a bit more consitency of restriction. I am aware of the fact, however, that perfection can be the enemy of the very good, so I don't want to overdo it. Sounds like you are doing awesome! Keep in mind, too, that the exercise could be building muscle, leading to no weight loss, but lost inches, as you pointed out. Best of luck!

Hi, I have the occasional hiccup as well. There is either one or two of them.....and then they stop. It is so odd. I am only 10 days out from surgery.....so I have not really been able to attribute them to anything in particular yet. Looking forward to hearing if others here have that same experience. Kathy

I would think so because of the stitches. Isn't it typically something like a 10 pound limit?

I'm with ya! 10/26/2016 here! Good job!

Yes m doc said don't pcik up anything over 10 pounds for 6 weeks