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Oh my gosh! Mine was over 15 minutes! It didn't go down at all....they waited and waited....checked again in 5 minutes, it was still sitting in my esophagus, stuck, and wouldn't release into my tummy. They checked again at 10 minutes and it was still there! I was starting to get really worried....they told me to walk around the radiology dept a bit, so we did. Checked again at 15 minutes and SOME had gone down, but not all. LIke you, I worried and worried about it for days, even tho my doc said it's okay, it's just really swollen and it will loosen up. I was worried after I got discharged, kinda afraid to drink or anything as I pictured everything stuck, but needless to say, everything turned out just fine! In fact, I'm one of the ones now that can eat anything, AND in large quantities (well, large for us, anyway!) You'll be just fine!!

Your body may be developing an intolerance to them. It's quite common actually. I'd say stop drinking Milk and OJ. You don't need either of them - they're empty calories. You can get the Calcium and Vitamin D you need from Vitamins, which you should be taking anyway, and too much Vitamin C is linked to kidney stones. Chances are, you're getting more than enough just by eating and taking your vitamins. A few things to consider about Orange juice - it's really not good for your system. And I know this could get a lot of responses but take a look at this (fully documented by Tim Ferris - The Four Hour Body): THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT: FRUCTOSE Can fruit juice really screw up fat-loss? Oh, yes. And it screws up much more. Not to speculate, I tested the effect of fructose in two tests, the first during a no-fructose diet (no juice, no fruit) and the second after one week of consuming 14 ounces-about 1.5 large glasses-of pulp-free orange juice upon waking and before bed. The orange juice was the only thing distinguishing diets A and B. The changes were incredible. Before (10/16, no fructose) and after (10/23, orange juice): Cholesterol: 203 -> 243 (out of “healthy” range) LDL: 127 -> 165 (also out of range) There were two other values that shot up unexpectedly: Albumin: 4.3 -> 4.9 (out of range) Iron: 71 -> 191 (!) (out of range aka into the stratosphere) Albumin binds to testosterone and renders it inert, much like SHBG (discussed in “Sex Machine”) but weaker. I don’t want either to be out-of-range high. Bad for the manly arts. If you said “Holy sh*t!” when you saw the Iron jump, we’re in the same boat. This result was completely out of the blue and is not good, especially in men. It might come as a surprise, but men don’t menstruate. This means that men lack a good method for clearing out excessive iron, which can be toxic. The increase in iron was far more alarming to me than the changes in cholesterol. Here is just one of several explanations from the research literature: In addition to contributing to metabolic abnormalities, the consumption of fructose has been reported to affect homeostasis of numerous trace elements. Fructose has been shown to increase iron absorption in humans and experimental animals. Fructose intake [also] decreases the activity of the copper enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduces the concentration of serum and hepatic copper. The moral of the story? Don’t drink fruit juice, and absolutely avoid a high-fructose diet. It doesn’t do the body good.

I had lost 75 pounds from 06 to 08 and was 8 pounds from goal in late 08. The first 50 came off easily, the next 25 came off with strenuous exercise. I then had bronchitis in late 08 and required a cortisone shot which caused me to gain 10 pounds. I then began to develop hypothyroidism, and had another cortisone shot in late 2009 due to a knee problem which caused me to gain more weight. My thyroid worsened in 2010 which caused me to gain 5 pounds, and made it difficult to lose weight. I got a fill last summer and lost ten pounds but still have 30 to go. I am still glad I got the band because despite the shots and thyroid my weight is constant. Preband I could gain 5 pounds in a week and be out of a clothing size in less than a month.

This is something I read before I decided to have surgery. It was what helped me decide that this was the right option for me and I wasn’t doing anything less than what I deserve. It still rings true for me today. “This is a huge rant topic for me, so I will spare you all the long ALL CAPPED emphatic response LOL. This is my single question back to anyone who says I took the easy way out: Why should I NOT take the 'easy' way out? Seriously -- this is not a rhetorical question: Why not? Fat is not a moral failure; I didn't do anything Bad or Wrong, and I don't 'deserve to be punished' by doing it the "hard way" over and over and over again. The end.” That being said having the vertical sleeve gastrectomy was and is the best thing I have ever done for myself. I have never felt so good and been so happy. The weight loss has slowed, but it is still coming off every month. I had a small stall again this month where I didn’t lose for two almost 3 consecutive weeks; however I knew that I was still losing because in those weeks I had lost a complete jean size even when the scale didn’t move. StartWeight: 273 lbs. **Goal Weight: 157lbs. Pre-op:--- 6 lbs. lost Surgery Weight: 267 1 month: 247 -- -- bmi 39.0 -- -- 20 lbs lost 2 month: 238 -- -- bmi 37.3 -- -- 9 lbs lost 3 month: 229 -- -- bmi 35.9 -- -- 9 lbs lost 4 month: 220 -- -- bmi 34.5 -- -- 9 lbs lost 5 month: 212 -- -- bmi 33.2 -- -- 8 lbs lost 6 month: 207 -- -- bmi 32.4 -- -- 5 lbs lost 7 month: 201 -- -- bmi 31.5 -- -- 6 lbs lost Lost since surgery: -66 Lost Total: -72 lbs. Overall Goal Weekly Break Down, lbs. lost pre-op week: 6 lbs week 1 -- 8 lbs. 2 - -5 3 - -3 4 - -2 5 - -2 6 - -3 ~2 months 7 - -3 8 - -1 9 - -2 10 --6 ~3 months 11 --0 12 --2 13 --1 14 --3 ~4 months 15 --0 16 --4 17 --2 18 --1 ~5 months 19 --1 20 --3 21 --3 22 +1 ~6 months 23 --0 24 --3 25 --2 26 –1 27 --2 ~ 7 months 28 --0 29 --0 30 --4 StartJean size: 24/22 Current Jean size: 14/12 *I have lost over ten jean sizes. This is amazing Start Shirt size: 3x/2x Current Shirt size: xl/L Inches: Neck Start: 16 Last: 14 Recent: 14 Loss: 0 Total Loss: -2 Upper Arm Start: 15 Last: 13 Recent: 13 Loss: 0 Total Loss: -2 Forearm Start: 11.5 Last: 10 Recent: 10 Loss: 0 Total Loss: -1.5 Waist Start: 49 Last: 39 Recent: 38 Loss: -1 Total Loss: -11 Abdomen (belly button) Start: 55 Last: 45.5 Recent: 44.5 Loss: -1 Total Loss: -10.5 Hips Start: 55 Last: 47 Recent: 45.5 Loss: -1.5 Total Loss: -9.5 Bust Start: 54 Last: 45 Recent: 45 Loss: 0 Total Loss: -9 Chest Start: 44 Last: 37.5 Recent: 37 Loss: -0.5 Total Loss: -7 Thigh Start: 30.5 Last: 25 Recent: 24.5 Loss: -0.5 Total Loss: -6 Calf Start: 17.5 Last: 15.5 Recent: 15.5 Loss: 0 Total Loss: -2 1st month loss: -19.5 in 2nd month loss: -9 in 3rd month loss: -13.5 in 4th month loss: -6 in 5th month loss: -2 in 6th month loss: -6 in 7th month loss: -4.5 Total Lost: -60.5 inches Christmas Goal: Start weight 207 Goal weight 193 7 ½ weeks to goal –14 pounds total = 2 lbs. Per week Right on track, halfway through time halfway through weight loss to goal

I do not have a set weight to lose but I want to lose 10% just in case

I had surgery 4/19 and love it!! Down 3 sizes and 40 lbs weight loss however I walk daily and do Zumba three times a week... It is not a magic pill but a tool and with hard work u can be sucessful. Happy Banding

How did you know you had reached your sweet spot? I've had 2 fills. I'm now at 5.5 in a 10 cc band. The last fill has been quite challenging for me. It seemed fine the first week. I noticed the restriction but coped well and lost a few pounds quickly, but then the second week was so much harder as I was sliming and threw my food back up quite often. I seem to be better now and make sure I chew, chew, chew but can only eat small amounts at one time eg: 1/2 - 1 cup of food, can't eat a full apple and depending what I eat get hungry again 2-3 hours later. I'm losing weight still which is fantastic but I feel dizzy after bending down and then standing back up and not sure if I'm getting enough calories. Maybe my body is just adjusting to the limited amount of food- I don't know?! What are your experiences and how did you know you had reached your sweet spot?

I picked a hot surgeon and THAT helped........ seriously though, if you were asking the same question 19 different ways I would get frustrated as well. Or if you were just looking for guarantees how would you expect him to give you that? But if it was more information that you wanted and hadn't gotten from the seminar or support groups, maybe you should switch surgeons? I would think if you stay within the same group it wouldn't re-start the process...... I hope it goes better for you from here on out

***In case you are wondering...no, I do not have a life. But I do have gift cards! *** Though this was a Tom Cruise film, financed by Tom Cruise, produced by Tom Cruise and staring himself, I was glad to see that he wasn't the entire focus of this film. THANK YOU Brad Bird and JJ ABRAMS!!! The other characters in the story are fleshed out (as much as you can do in standard action schlock) and we get a more rounded view of what's going on. My only real character complaint is that there was not more of Michael Nyqvist. With very few lines and most of his character information being delivered by other characters' expository dialog, as well as his eyes...those gorgeous eyes...he delivers a strong performance which surpasses that of Cruise and most of his counterparts. Simon Pegg is always a hoot and has a solid performance once again. I do worry that he will become a bit typecast, but if this is who/what he likes to play, more power to him. I'm all set for Hot Fuzz 2. As I said earlier...it's standard action schlock but with some nice visuals and it keeps you going. I do not understand why this is currently rating at 93% (if only because people expected so little based upon the previous films). Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it. It was a nice romp which definitely takes you out of your hum-drum life for a couple of hours. Not many films succeed in doing that anymore. If you are looking for a good action flick, with some great fight sequences, impressive visuals and some decent acting, then check this out. 7/10

Just waiting on cigna insurance approval and hoping to schedule mid October. Exciting and nervious. Only have to do a 10 day preop diet

Some surgeons get rid of the flap before weight loss surgery. It makes the person more comfortable and mobile. I would get rid of the flap and save for a complete tummy tuck with muscle tightening after goal is reached. The belly button is discarded with the panniculectomy that the insurance company is paying for. That would happen even if you were at goal. To save the belly button and tighten the muscles, people pay extra for abdominoplasty. Abdominoplasty is really only a good choice when you are at goal and do not ever intend to lose or gain more than 10 pounds.

I am tentatively scheduled for January 10........can't come soon enough!

I had a guy say to me "oh, well wls is the easy way out ya puss" and my response to him was "well, at least I found a way out. How's the hard way working out for you?" To fully appreciate this conversation, you gotta know that he is about 50 pounds less than I was at the beginning (one time a couple of years ago, for laughs in front of other guys, he gave me one of his winter vests that I liked, that was about 2 sizes too small for me, and told me that this would give me a goal to work towards) and he has gained about 5-10 pounds since my surgery, and I've lost 120. It was actually the first time I ever let myself get smug with someone over my weight. P.s. I put on the vest in front of him the other day, and it was loose. Ahhhh life is good

I'm 1 year out I'm a nurse in cardiac Cath lab took 10 weeks really glad I did due to lead dress and call

I never set a goal. I felt it would be too much pressure on me. In the first month, I lost 19 lbs. Compared to other DSers it's wasn't as much. I was happy, though, bc I asked myself when had I ever lost that much weight in 1 month? My suggestion is to use that 12-18 month post op period to its fullest. It's the fastest you'll lose weight (you'll still lose years later if you want to but at a slower rate) so really let the DS work its magic.

Yes! I have a pair of "goal jeans" from 2002, that are a size 15. I can't quite zip them yet. I am now buying newer pants in size 10 - 14. It's weird, I keep taking the wrong size to the dressing room.

Source: food. The trick: Eat just a little less. Scientists at Harvard and Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge found that people who lowered their calorie intake lost an average of 13 pounds in six months no matter what kind of diet they were on. "This is the best weight-loss news in a long time," says Frank Sacks, MD, nutrition professor at Harvard School of Public Health and lead author of the study. "If you don't like what you're eating, you're not going to stick with it. These findings give you flexibility to trim a bit here and there and still enjoy your favorites." In fact, by nixing just 100 calories a day, you'll lose more than 10 pounds a year. Up your cuts to 250 and you're down 26 pounds. Want to lose faster? Ditch 500 calories daily and you'll drop those pounds in half the time. We found 50 so-easy ways for you to trim a little but save a lot. Cut 100 Calories at Breakfast * Use skim milk in place of flavored Coffee-mate in your two morning mugs. * Eat a bowl of high-fiber Cereal and you'll consume fewer calories all day. * Order bacon, not sausage, with your eggs. * Choose a yeast doughnut instead of a denser cake one. Cut 100 Calories at lunch * Use 1 tablespoon of mayo and 1 tablespoon of low-fat cottage cheese to make tuna salad. * Put barbecue sauce, not honey mustard, on your chicken sandwich at Wendy's. * Top your burger with onions, lettuce, and tomato and skip the cheese. * Ask for the 12-ounce child-size soda instead of the 21-ounce medium at the drive-through. * Slim down your sandwich by using Arnold Select 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins instead of whole wheat bread. * Toss your salad with 1 tablespoon of dressing until every lettuce leaf is coated. You'll get away with using half the usual serving size. Try this trick at dinner too. * Skip the crackers and shredded cheese on your chili. Cut 100 Calories at Dinner * Trade butter for a flavorful spread made with garlic, fresh rosemary, and light, trans fat-free margarine. * Making meatballs? Mix half the amount of ground beef the recipe calls for with half as much cooked brown rice. * Instead of two slices of medium pepperoni pan pizza, choose thin-crust. * When munching on chicken wings, don't toss the bones midway through. Seeing the evidence of your feast may help you eat less, studies show. Cut 100 Calories from a Snack * Trade 1/2 cup of premium vanilla ice cream for 1/2 cup of Breyers chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream. * Ordering a cone? Make it the sugar, not the waffle, kind. * Munch on Pirate's Booty. In a study, switching to an air-puffed cheesy snack twice a day saved about 70 calories a pop. * Grab a Dannon Light & Fit yogurt, not a low-fat fruit blend. * Replace half the butter in cake, muffin, and brownie recipes with an equal amount of applesauce or mashed bananas. You'll save about 100 calories for every tablespoon you swap. * Indulge in a slice of angel food cake drizzled with chocolate syrup rather than three Cookies. ------------------- Cut 250 Calories at Breakfast * Trade a reduced-fat blueberry muffin for instant oatmeal topped with 1/4 cup of fresh blueberries. Bonus: You'll stay satisfied all morning. * Measure out your breakfast cereal; overestimating by just 1/3 cup can add 100 calories. * Enjoy it with a 16-ounce chai latte with skim milk rather than a green tea latte with 2 percent. Cut 250 Calories at Lunch * Pick turkey over tuna in your 6-inch sub. * At the salad bar, reach for shredded Parmesan instead of cheddar and skip the bread. * Nuke a Lean Cuisine chicken parm instead of having one delivered. Cut 250 Calories at Dinner * Make your own salad dressing using low-sodium, fat-free broth in place of 2 tablespoons of oil. * Having fajitas? Fill up one tortilla rather than three, then eat the rest of your fixings with a fork. * Sub black Beans for refried and hold the side of Mexican rice. * Order filet mignon instead of a New York strip steak. * Opt for broccoli chicken over sweet-and-sour, and for steamed brown rice, not fried. Cut 250 Calories from a Snack * Bite into a chocolate-covered strawberry rather than a chocolate chip cookie. * Skip the small movie-theater popcorn and bring your own 1-ounce bag of Lay's. * Switch from juice to Crystal Light twice a day. * At the mall, curb a craving for a soft pretzel with a 100-calorie pretzel pack. ------------------- Cut 500 Calories * Eat fruit before every meal. In a Pennsylvania State University study, people who munched apples 15 minutes before lunch ate about 187 fewer calories. * Order one brunch entree to share. Who can finish that giant omelet, anyway? * When making mac and cheese, resist temptation and prep just half the box. Save the rest in a zip-top bag for next time. * Use your grandmother's Joy of Cooking and you'll save an average of 506 calories over three meals, according to a recent Cornell University study. The secret: Smaller portion sizes and lower-calorie ingredients were called for back then. * Instead of a Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha for your afternoon pick-me-up, order coffee with a little milk and a dusting of chocolate. * At happy hour, drink two rum and diet colas and back away from the bowl of stale snack mix. ----------------- Turn Up the Burn The more active you are, the fewer calories you'll need to cut. Try these food-fitness combos to reach your target number. Goal: 100 calories Burn 50: Get up from your desk and take a 20-minute walk at lunch. Cut 50: Skip the oyster crackers in your Soup. Goal: 250 calories Burn 125: Shovel the driveway for 20 minutes. Cut 125: Hold the cinnamon bun. Eat two slices of cinnamon toast. Goal: 500 calories Burn 250: Spend two hours making dinner for the entire week. Cut 250: Mist a pan with cooking spray instead of pouring in oil. Sources: Sari Greaves, RD, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association; Jayne Hurley, RD, senior nutritionist for the Center for Science in the Public Interest; Barbara Rolls, PhD, author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan; Brian Wansink, PhD, FITNESS advisory board member and author of Mindless Eating; and Hope Warshaw, RD, author of Eat Out, Eat Right, third edition, and What to Eat When You're Eating Out Originally published in FITNESS magazine, February 2010.

Man alive- I HEAR YA, SISTER! I didn’t expect such pain. Luckily it has gotten markedly better now on day 3... Until they pulled my drain, which sent my entire abdomen into muscle contractions for about 10 minutes (I was a sobbing mess). This surgery isn’t for the weak! But we are tough... hang in there. :)

I have 4 cc in a 10 cc band. I feel restriction, but not overly so. I'm afraid to over fill and I'm loosing consistently and don't feel hunger much so I'm just going to sit where I am until things change.

Hi! I was banded in Everett on Aug. 9th. and just had my first fill and now am at 5 cc's and don't feel much restriction. I'm starting to feel like this isn't going to work. I started at 223lbs and have lost 10 lbs but haven't lost anything ina couple of weeks. How did your weight loss go? How fast did you lose?

OK i am stuck at 6 lbs, I was loosing daily but last 2 days nada. I tried to excersise a bit and got sort of dizzy, HMM 6 lbs not good enough need 10. I guess by Monday- preop day? How you guys doing?

I just got back home from surgery last night. We flew into San Diego and the driver picked us up there and brought us back there when it was time to fly back out. We did need spending money for our last meal which is about $25-$30 a person depending on what you eat and I also bought my meds there because I wasn't sure if I could get the specific medication here in the states that I needed and for 5 boxes of Nexium Mumps and 2 boxes of Supra doll pain meds it was about $150.00. Other than tiping dirver and buying a drink at the airport for traveling home thats all that I needed other than meds. Now if someone comes along with you they will have to buy their meals. My husband ate his meals at the hospital cafeteria and loved the food, plus it was very affordable. Nothing he ate was over $10 bucks and they were very large portions as well. He made 2 meals out of some of the meals. So it all depends on how much you want to take. They do take credit cards so that is helpful too. I hope this helps.

I was banded on 10/25. My doctor highly recommended ordering a medical bracelet. Just wondering if most people were getting these?

Yesterday I saw had a series of appointments that left me mentally exhausted, mildly depressed and angry to the point I have decided to take the rest of the week off from work because I just do not have the energy to deal with anyone right now. My morning started off with a visit to the counselor. As usual she was a delight to talk to and after we played catch up (I hadnt seen her in a year+) she told me she would contact the psych so I could get cleared and we planned to touch base next month. I then headed to the surgeon's office which had been moved due to flooding. The small cramped temporary office was uncomfortable and the staff seemed as cranky as the patients who now had a longer wait time because there was only 2 exam rooms. My appointment with the vascular surgeon to discuss the placing of the filter to prevent clots was cancelled without explanation. I saw the nutrionist who always gives me the impression she wishes she was fishing or something. She weighed me (i lost 1 whole pound) and then began to tell me what was good and bad about my food diary. Although she is encouraging, I always feel like she is talking to me like I am a food idiot. Next was this nurses practioner who I had seen at support meetings. I had never seen her before and if I never see her again I would be fine. She had the skinny girl snobby attitude thing about her and after a while I completely shut down because she was such a b*tch. I also checked with the office manager about my sleep study follow up explaining I had left because I was told via phone I had mild sleep apnea and I would probably be treated after surgery. Well that was not in the report sent to the doctor and according to them I would need to be treated at least 2 weeks prior to surgery. My next appt date with the sleep study people..11/24. Yeah November. At that point, the wind was fully let out of my sails, and I was too angry to think, let alone reschedule my appointment with the surgeon who said he wanted me to return in 6 more weeks. I told the secretary I would call her back since its really no point in returning until after I see the sleep people since I do not have the time to take off from work and I have grown very tired of paying all of these co-pays and spending all this time running around to be no closer than I was a month ago. As I walked over to the hospital to get the thyroid ultrasound also suggested by the surgeon, I thought about throwing my hands up and trying to either lose weight on my own or just accept who I am as I am. Because my self esteem has been taking more of a beating going through this process than it had ever before. But I went anyway and 10 minutes later was told my the xray tech that I DID have an enlarged thyroid and nodes on each side. WHAT!!!! I have been hearing for years that I should have my thryoid checked by different doctors only to have my PCP dismiss it as me just having "a fat neck". My level of discouragement instantly shot up another 100 points and I left the hospital with my head hung low, my disappointment level even higher and the realization this will definitely delay my surgery even more because now I will have to be treated for the thyroid. When I got home later, I read my horoscope and it was weird. It suggested I finish painting. It went into detail saying..you picked the color, you got the paint, you prepared the house, now get to painting and finish. I saw the message between the lines and realized despite the delays this will cause, I can not quit at this point but instead use this additional time to really get my mind right and to change the habits I continue to struggle with. While having the date now pushed out probably until Dec at this point (which actually coincides with my original desires to do it around Christmas) is disappointing, I will keep doing God is directing me to do since I always believed this is His will and not mine and things will work out based on that.

I am 3 weeks Post-Op, and am excited to eat some soft foods.. but am feeling sluggish, and tired... Do I need more portein? I getting about 50-60 g a day.. but, maybe not as early as I need it. It seems like about 10 am I cannot stay awake. I have not had any Protein yet, I usually get some about this time... Or could my blood sugar be too low?