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My first fill is due in 2 weeks, but I have restriction from the surgery still. I went out to a formal dinner w/ extended family and shared a meal with my mom. I am SOOOOO thrilled that I couldn't gorge myself! Everyone else left the table totally stuffed, as did I, but they all ate about four times as much as I did -- literally! I was trying to guess at how many calories I ate; I guessed 500, my uncle guessed 300, and my dad guessed 700. My dad is probably closest to the truth, but I said to him -- if I ate 700 you all ate about 3000 each!!!!! They all agreed. Pre-band, I would have participated in the 3000. So with a 700ish calorie dinner, I probably won't see a loss on the scale tomorrow -- but I certainly won't see a gain!!! I LOVE MY BAND :-)

OK so I am new here and I have a referral from my PCM to go see talk to a surgeon about having the lap-band done. I'm scared he wont think that I am big enough for it. I am only 5'2 and I weigh 194. My BMI is 35.4. I have read many places you need to be 100lbs over weight and have a BMI of 40 or more. I am so close to that and I will be devistated if he says I cant have the surgury. I have PCOS and I have been steadly watching my weight climb for years. I eat well and go to the gym daily with no avail my weight keeps climbing. I have two young kids that I want to do more with but I am embaressed to do anything because how much weight I have put on recently. What are your thought? Do you think he will agree that I am a candidate? Anyone have a similar experience? What did you do or say during your consultation with the surgeon? Thanks! Brittney

A week after surgery, your clothes won't be tight anymore.....Since you'll be on clear liquids, you'll drop weight like crazy.

Anna, I'm 7 months out and have had 3 major knee injuries over the years. Lunges, squats and running are not for me yet, maybe never. I spend a lot of time on the exercise bike. It's low impact, but great cardio...and has the bonus of reshaping my legs and butt. I have independent verification from some male friends that it IS reshaping those areas. I also do a lot of stretching, high rep/low weight weight lifting for my arms and legs and calisthenics (like we were doing in high school). I spend lots of time on core work for my abs and back and I use the pool for things like lunges and squats to reduce the impact on my knees. Pre-surgery I was diagnosed with RA in my knees because of the previous injuries and I had a tough time even walinng. Now I don't have any symptoms of the RA and I walk without pain unless I've walked for several hours without a break. IMO, things like P90X are better for those who are closer to goal than I am and I'm not willing to hurt my knees by running until I'm closer to 200. Right now I'm 260, so I have a few pounds to go until I am ready for the really intense stuff. But, you can get a good workout without doing the intense workouts, at least until your body is in better condition.

Choopie: You might just be having a plateau. Or, is it possible that you're building muscle from your workouts? Muscle weighs more than fat, so it could be masking your weight loss. When I would hit plateaus and have the proper fill I would try to change my foods and that can usually help me get off of a plateau. It's not unusual for the weight loss to slow way down as you get closer to goal. Best wishes to you and your band. I love my band! Sue

I am sorry to hear that you have lost friends due to weight gain but now you can gain a lot of friends here :thumbup: I have tried to talk to her about her having it done but she says she doesnt want surgery maybe after I have it done she will realize that it could work for her too.

Remember you are doing this for you! You have some a phenomenol job in losing the weight. U will have more confidence and look really good! After my surgery and weight loss of 150, I am surely getting a TT and butt augmentation ...

Hi folks, so I'm 9 days out and have been sticking to the liquid diets. I live off low-fat yogurt, Protein drinks like nutridrink and cup-a-Soups. About 4-5 small meals a day, 3-4 hour intervals, as suggested. Sometimes though, I still feel hunger! Is this normal? Wasn't the whole point of this surgery the lack of hunger to sustain long-term weight loss? On the upside, have already lost (in 11 days!) about 9 kilos! Whoop whoop! So is it normal I'm feeling hungry? Thoughts? Thx

Don't compare your weight loss to others. Everyone is different. Sleeved on April 25, 2018 HW: 258 SW: 238 CW: 218 GW: 165

I just posted something a couple of mins ago referring to the blog entry I made about my lapband surgery - it's nothing new or interesting but I really felt I wanted to tell my story.. I haven't been keeping a journal or record of my weight loss at all! I've kind of just relaxed and let it happen rather than weighing in regulalry.. I used to weigh myself a lot but have eased off a bit. I don't even have scales atm! honkytonksonline is my blog where I've posted befoer/after pics and my 'story' it's a bit long

thanks I have an appt tomorrow morning. I just hope it doesn't come with a huge weight gain. The meds always made me gain and I have been doing so well in my 90 day program and don't want to lose any of that loss.

My NUT recommended Omega Superb and Amino Complex to prevent hair loss. She said that Biotin doesn't really work for it unless you already have a biotin deficiency, which I thought was odd, because everyone I've ever known who has had weight loss surgery has sworn by biotin. Anyway, I'm taking all three, just in case. I still have a ways to go before I start losing hair, since I'm only two weeks out, so I honestly can't say if these other things help or not. But I thought I would just throw the info out there.

Hi Mita! Wow! That is a wonderful whirlwind! I am 5'4" and 266 so we are about the same. I wish I would have done this a decade ago! Just take some time and check out you tube to see some peoples jorney, if you haven't already. Welcome! Can't wait to join you in this weight loss parade! June can't get here fast enough!

An interesting summary of the 'state of research'. I normally post a link, but that does not work. So here is the full thread. Full disclosure, I drink coffee, and my program does NOT like that. I really DO follow my program in most things, but coffee is the ONLY drug I've got left... _____ Dear Ontherighttrack, You’ve asked a great question. What is the effect of caffeine on sleeve gastrectomy? To answer your question, I did a search of the medical literature on PubMed, the index for the National Medical Library. I couldn’t find any articles that address your question directly. Incidentally, there were no articles that addressed the effect of caffeine on gastric bypass either. Next I searched for both sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass and coffee. Again the medical library search engine did not return any articles. Thus, so far there have been no studies performed on sleeve gastrectomy patients or gastric bypass patients that would permit or discourage caffeine or coffee use. Most surgeons recommend that gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy patients avoid caffeine or coffee. These recommendations stem from research work that has been done on non-weight loss surgery patients. Before looking into this further let’s distinguish between caffeine and coffee. Caffeine is an alkaloid chemical that has stimulant effects on the central nervous system as well as other parts of the body. Caffeine is a moderate stimulant of gastric acid production. In some studies it has been shown to decrease lower esophageal sphincter pressure and thus potentially promote reflux. In other studies, the effect on sphincter pressure is not so clear. Coffee is brewed from the coffea plant. Coffee contains numerous biologically active chemicals including caffeine. The degree to which these compounds are present in a given cup of coffee depends on the specific species of coffee plant as well as the roasting and processing methods used to bring the coffee to market (see article by Van Deventer below). Even the type of filter used in a coffee maker will change the types of plant oils that remain in the brew. Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD or GORD) is reflux of stomach juices into the esophagus. GERD can cause heartburn. There are several full medical articles attached at the bottom of this reply. Please download these for further information. Coffee/caffeine and gastric acid stimulation There is general agreement that caffeine and coffee are two factors that stimulate stomach acid production. According to Cohen and Booth (1975) “Decaffeinated coffee gave a maximal acid response of 16.5 per hour (mean)which was similar to that of regular coffee, 20.9 mEq per hour, both values being higher than that of caffeine, 8.4, on a cup-equivalent basis.” Thus there are chemicals in coffee aside from caffeine that have potent acid stimulatory effects. In this study, decaffeination did not reduce acid stimulation. Further information about decaffeinated coffee was put forth by Feldmen et. Al (1981): “At equal concentrations, decaffeinated coffee was a more potent stimulant of acid secretion and of gastrin [an acid stimulating gut hormone] release than peptone [a Protein meal acid stimulus]. The ingredient(s) of decaffeinated coffee that accounts for its high potency in stimulating acid secretion and gastrin release has not been identified.” Coffee, caffeine, and esophageal reflux There is considerable controversy in the medical literature as to the effects of coffee and caffeine on esophageal reflux. Here are the conclusions to three articles on the subject. The full article summaries are added below. Wendl (1994) writes, “Coffee, in contrast to tea, increases gastro-oesophageal reflux, an effect that is less pronounced after decaffeination. Caffeine does not seem to be responsible for gastro-oesophageal reflux which must be attributed to other components of coffee.” Boekema (1999) and associates came to an opposite conclusion: “Coffee has no important effect on gastro-oesophageal acid reflux in GORD [GERD] patients, and no effect at all in healthy subjects.” Zheng (2007) conludes, “In conclusion, this large monozygotic co-twin study provides evidence that BMI, tobacco smoking and physical activity at work facilitate the development of GER, while physical activity at leisure time appears to be a protective factor. The association between BMI and frequent GER symptoms among men may be attenuated by genetic factors. In addition, heavy coffee intake may be a protective factor of GER in men and lower education may be a potential risk factor in women.” CONCLUSIONS Caffeine, and more so, coffee and decaf coffee stimulate gastric acid production. Caffeine and coffee may promote gastroesophageal reflux. Caffeine and coffee are just two of many factors that promote gastric acid production and gastroesophageal reflux. Clinical Implications: For sleeve patients who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux, it is best to avoid caffeine and coffee. For sleeve patients who do not have reflux, I do not see any reason not to enjoy coffee or use caffeine products in moderation. For gastric bypass patients, most surgeons recommend against caffeine and coffee because the acid stimulation that occurs may contribute to the development of anastomotic ulcers. Since there are many other factors involved in the development of these ulcers (alcohol, cigarette smoking and nicotine, and NSAID drugs), it is impossible to know how important the role of coffee and caffeine is. Most surgeons are thus saying avoid coffee and be “better safe than sorry.” REFERENCES Good Water, sports drink, and sports drink with caffeine. drinks for gastric pH and reflux during the preexercise, the cycling, and the postexercise episode, respectively. Gastric emptying, orocecal transit time, and intestinal permeability showed no significant differences between the three trials. However, glucose absorption was significantly increased in the CES + caffeine trial compared with the CES trial (P = 0.017). No significant differences in gastroesophageal reflux, gastric pH, or gastrointestinal transit could be observed between the CES, the CES + caffeine, and the water trials. However, intestinal glucose uptake was increased in the CES + caffeine trial. ___________________________________________________________________ lunch, 1 h after dinner and after an overnight fast Reflux and oesophageal motility parameters were assessed for the first hour after each coffee or water intake. RESULTS: Coffee had no effect on postprandial acid reflux time or number of reflux episodes, either in GORD patients or in healthy subjects. Coffee increased the percentage acid reflux time only when ingested in the fasting period in the GORD patients (median 2.6, range 0-19.3 versus median 0, range 0-8.3; P = 0.028), but not in the healthy subjects. No effect of coffee on postprandial lower oesophageal sphincter pressure (LOSP), patterns of LOSP associated with reflux episodes or oesophageal contractions was found. CONCLUSION: Coffee has no important effect on gastro-oesophageal acid reflux in GORD patients, and no effect at all in healthy subjects. _______________________________________________________________________ beverages and of their major component, caffeine, have not been quantified. The aim of this study was to evaluate gastro-oesophageal reflux induced by coffee and tea before and after a decaffeination process, and to compare it with water and water-containing caffeine. METHODS: Three-hour ambulatory pH-metry was performed on 16 healthy volunteers, who received 300 ml of (i) regular coffee, decaffeinated coffee or tap water (n = 16), (ii) normal tea, decaffeinated tea, tap water, or coffee adapted to normal tea in caffeine concentration (n = 6), and (iii) caffeine-free and caffeine-containing water (n = 8) together with a standardized breakfast. RESULTS: Regular coffee induced a significant (P < 0.05) gastro-oesophageal reflux compared with tap water and normal tea, which were not different from each other. Decaffeination of coffee significantly (P < 0.05) diminished gastro-oesophageal reflux, whereas decaffeination of tea or addition of caffeine to water had no effect. Coffee adapted to normal tea in caffeine concentration significantly (P < 0.05) increased gastro-oesophageal reflux. CONCLUSIONS: Coffee, in contrast to tea, increases gastro-oesophageal reflux, an effect that is less pronounced after decaffeination. Caffeine does not seem to be responsible for gastro-oesophageal reflux which must be attributed to other components of coffee. Angeles, California. Abstract This study tested the hypothesis that differences in the processing of raw coffee Beans can account for some of the variability in gastric effects of coffee drinking. Coffees were selected to represent several ways that green coffee beans are treated, ie, processing variables. These included instant and ground coffee processing, decaffeination method (ethyl acetate or methylene chloride extraction), instant coffee processing temperature (112 degrees F or 300 degrees F), and steam treatment. Lower esophageal sphincter pressure, acid secretion, and blood gastrin was measured in eight human subjects after they consumed each of the different coffees. Consumption of coffee was followed by a sustained decrease in lower esophageal sphincter pressure (P less than 0.05) except for three of the four coffees treated with ethyl acetate regardless of whether or not they contained caffeine. Caffeinated ground coffee stimulated more acid secretion that did decaf ground coffees (P less than 0.05), but not more than a steam-treated caffeinated coffee. Instant coffees did not differ in acid-stimulating ability. Ground caffeinated coffee resulted in higher blood gastrin levels than other ground coffees (P less than 0.05). Freeze-dried instant coffee also tended toward higher gastrin stimulation. It is concluded that some of the observed variability in gastric response to coffee consumption can be traced to differences in how green coffee beans are processed. __________________________________________________________________________________ JAMA. 1981 Jul 17;246(3):248-50. Gastric acid and gastrin response to decaffeinated coffee and a peptone meal. Feldman EJ, Isenberg JI, Grossman MI. Abstract We compared five graded doses of decaffeinated coffee and a widely used protein test meal (Bacto-peptone) as stimulants of acid secretion (intragastric titration) and gastrin release (radioimmunoassay) in eight healthy men. In each subject, for both acid and gastrin, the sums of the responses to all five doses were greater to decaffeinated coffee than to peptone. The mean +/- SE peak acid output in millimoles per hour was 18.5 +/- 2.9 to decaffeinated coffee and 14.7 +/- 2.7 to peptone, representing 70% and 55%, respectively, of the peak acid output to pentagastrin. The mean +/- SEM peak increment over basal rate in serum gastrin in picograms per milliliter was 84.8 +/- 4.4 to decaffeinated coffee and 44.8 +/- 2.1 to peptone. At equal concentrations, decaffeinated coffee was a more potent stimulant of acid secretion and of gastrin release than peptone. The ingredient(s) of decaffeinated coffee that accounts for its high potency in stimulating acid secretion and gastrin release has not been identified. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Dis Esophagus. 2006;19(3):183-8. Effect of caffeine on lower esophageal sphincter pressure in Thai healthy volunteers. Lohsiriwat S, Puengna N, Leelakusolvong S. Source Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. sislr@mahidol.ac.th Abstract Caffeine affects many aspects of body function including the gastrointestinal system. A single-blinded experimental study was performed to evaluate the effect of caffeine on lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and esophageal peristaltic contractions in healthy Thai adults. The volunteers were six men and six women aged 19-31 years. Subjects drank 100 mL of water. Five wet swallows were performed 30 min after the drink. The basal LES pressure was continuously measured using esophageal manometric technique. They then consumed another 100 mL of water containing caffeine at the dose of 3.5 mg/kg body weight. The swallows and basal LES pressure monitoring were repeated. The results showed no change in basal LES pressure after a water drink while caffeine consumption significantly lowered the pressure at 10, 15, 20 and 25 min. The mean amplitude of contractions and peristaltic velocity were decreased at the distal esophagus at 3 and 8 cm above LES. The mean duration of contraction was decreased at the distal part but increased at the more proximal esophagus. The heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were increased significantly at 10-20 min after caffeine ingestion. This study indicated that caffeine 3.5 mg/kg affected esophageal function, resulting in a decrease in basal LES pressure and distal esophageal contraction, which is known to promote the reflux of gastric contents up into the esophagus. N Engl J Med. 1975 Oct 30;293(18):897-9. Gastric acid secretion and lower-esophageal-sphincter pressure in response to coffee and caffeine. Cohen S, Booth GH Jr. Abstract Caffeine stimulates gastric acid secretion and reduces the competence of the lower esophageal sphincter in man. These effects of caffeine have been used as evidence that regular coffee should not be used by patients with peptic-ulcer disease or gastroesophageal reflux. We compared the dose-response relations of caffeine, regular coffee and decaffeinated coffee for gastric acid secretion and sphincter pressure in normal subjects. Decaffeinated coffee gave a maximal acid response of 16.5 +/- 2.6 mEq per hour (mean +/- S.E.M.), which was similar to that of regular coffee, 20.9 +/- 3.6 mEq per hour, both values being higher than that of caffeine, 8.4 +/- 1.3, on a cup-equivalent basis. Sphincter pressure showed minimal changes in response to caffeine, but was significantly increased by both regular and decaffeinated coffee (P less than 0.05). These data suggest that clinical recommendations based upon the known gastrointestinal effects of caffeine may bear little relation to the actual observed actions of coffee or decaffeinated coffee.

My doctor said fat free milk... And I've used it since day one! 72 lbs down and 12weeks!!! They even say drinking milk is proven for weight lose

Ok I have two questions........Do you need to take in a certain amount of calories for continued weight loss? I am 3 weeks out today and haven't lost in about 5 days, in fact I've gained. Figured I've been getting around 400-500 calories a day. My second question is.....Is it ok to mix the protein powder with milk or does it make you take in too many carbs and calories? Thanks for your input!

Congratulations on your successful surgery and weight loss thus far. I am 61 and will be having surgery in August. Please keep me posted on your progress! Best wishes!

Hi all, I am so glad I found this site as a place for support and resource from those who have been there done that! I am currently in my nasty protien crap phase and exercising daily, gotta love the wii fit! I was discouraged a little this am when the scales said I gained a 1/2 of pound. I am completly complient with my protien diet. I know that maybe it is from exercising and was wondering has this happend to anyone else in this phase?

I had hernia surgery at the same time so it took me longer to start working out. My bypass was March 26th. I ride 10 to 12 miles on a bike every morning and walk my dog 20 minutes every night. I start light weight training in 10 days. Don’t be in a hurry. You have the rest of your life. January 1, 2018 379 lbs, September 1, 2018 266 lbs. I have 77 lbs more to obtain my goal, but I’m giving myself 12 months to get there.

I'm not quite clear on the question but if you're asking if it changed, the answer is yes. I used to have a 28 day cycle, now it's 60 days. I'm told that a change in your cycle is very normal and expected with rapid weight loss. That being said what you're going through sounds serious, I'd call my Doctor or NUT asap.

The endless waiting is the hardest part. It is urgent for us to accomplish each step, but it is not urgent for all of the recepionists, insurance coordinators and clinicians that the paperwork has to pass through. Here is the thing about co-morbidities: It does not necessarily have to be a condition that puts you speciifically at risk. If you have a family history of heart attack, strokes, or pre-mature death due to obesity related conditions, that could lean in your favor. Here is a list of common co-mobidities that the insurance companies consider. The information is from a U S Government website called the National Instititute of Health. I hope this helps. Obesity Comorbidities To follow is a list of comorbidities (additional conditions or diseases) related to obesity which may help you in qualifying for weight loss surgery. • Family history of heart disease • Family history of stroke • Family history of diabetes • Family history of heart attacks • Hyperinsulinemia • Diabetes • High blood pressure • Coronary-artery disease • Hypertension • Migraines or headaches directly related to obesity or cranial hypertension • Congestive heart failure • Neoplasia • Dyslipidemia • Anemia • Gallbladder disease • Osteoarthritis • Degenerative arthritis • Degenerative disc • Degenerative joint disease • Recommended joint replacement from specialist • Accelerated degenerative joint disease • Asthma • Repeated pneumonia • Repeated pleurisy • Repeated bronchitis • Lung restriction • Gastroesophageal reflex (GERD) • Excess facial & body hair (Hirsutism) • Rashes • Chronic skin infections • Excess sweating • Frequent yeast infections • Urinary stress incontinence • Menstrual irregularity • Hormonal abnormalities • Polycystic ovaries • Infertility • Carcinoma (breast, colon, uterine cancer) • sleep apnea • Pseudotumor cerebri • Depression • Psychological/sexual dysfunction • Social discrimination • Premature death in the immediate family

If you are a new lapband patient you are not expected to lose weight the first 30 days. It's a time for healing, not losing. Don't expect to lose significant weight until you get a fill that helps you to find restriction. The reasons are far too many to list here, but if you do lose weight, it's a bonus. tmf

Hi there, I cannot comment on Poland...I have had mine done in Germany (it is where I live now). I had the op on the 4th of August 2011 and as of today i have lost 42kg. Wow, now that I write this, I am pretty amazed. It has been hard for me as I have not had anyone to talk to about the op other than my husband (poor guy, he really is putting up with quite a lot from me). The Dr told me that it would be possible to lose up to 70% of my excess weight within 12 months...I am beginning to believe him. I have a goal to get to 11 Stone (I am currently 20 stone). Initially after surgery your stomach is quite bloated, this does go down, all you can do is have fluids, but this really isn't a problem (you do not want anything else)...now i am eating almost everything again but in small portions and eating slowly (or else you tend to be sick). Having a sleeve is something that I do recommend, especially when you have tried everything else. For me I needed this, it gives you no choice...you cannot eat at all like you used to (which is a very good thing indeed!)

Hi there Kabinkitty,I'm not a big eater either,Problet if you take what I eat all day and put it on a plate it may make some one 1 good meal,I think thats where my weight comes from,I chose this surgery 1st because where I am such a small eater it will help me to want to maybe eat a lil more,I want to use this as a tool to help me control not to cut down what I eat but to help me to eat right,I eat 2 pc of rasin toast for breakfast,I take my vitmans,calcium,and my regular meds after I eat breakfast,and the water that I drink fills me up so I really dont get hungry till dinner and try not to eat after 5 oclock because my system slowes down and I am afraid that I will keep gaining weight,....trust me it is scarry that you dont eat to keep from gaining weight and your matabilisim comes to a complete stop and you cant loost what your body has stored up.....best of luck and keep us posted as to what you deside.....sleevless4now

I got mine done at 1pm today. He gave me 2 cc's which put me to 8 cc's but it was too much where I couldnt hi old down water so he took out .75 cc's and I have a very good amt of restriction. so I have 7.25 cc's in total now. This is def going to force me to chew chew chew. I'm excited about the weight loss from this point on. Best of luck to the both of us