Search the Community

I hear ya foofy... Just this afternoon, I was working on my privacy fence in the back yard. (not something I would have done 4 months ago!!!) I was carrying a bag of quik-crete to the back yard. I was thinking, "jeez, this is awfully heavy to be carrying all the way to the back yard from the front. Maybe I ought to back the truck further up the driveway so I don't have to go so far." That is when it happened! I put the bag on the ground next to the post hole and out of the corner of my eye I saw 80 lbs.!!! I have lost just under 80 pounds, if I haven't already this week. I used to carry that much excess weight every step I took! I can't believe how much better I feel and how I can do so many more things I would have never dreamed of just 4 months ago! I had not idea the weight would come off this fast. I LOVE/hate this band on my stomach. The only time I have negative feelings on this band is when I get something hung up! I sure do hurt when I get stuck, but... knock on wood... I have not had the PB thing happen yet!

I had the band to bypass revision 5 weeks ago and so far it has been great! My band had slipped and I was having bad reflux and gained back a bunch of weight. The surgeon removed ALOT of scar tissue from the band and had to remove part of my stomach but I healing well and losing weight on track. I was just told at my last appointment that I am loosing faster than most revision patients. I should have done the bypass in the beginning. Good Luck!

Docs are different but mine cleared me for full workouts at 2 weeks.

I'M APPROVED!!! After 2 denials from Aetna, I finally got approved. I guess they had to work out with my surgeon's office which paperwork they were missing or when it was sent or whatever. Who cares?? I'm approved. BUT...unfortunately because of some personal family issues, I can no longer do the 12/20 date I previously hoped for (and the surgeon's office graciously reserved for me). I will have to wait until Feb 2011. BUT...I'm not mad at all. I am still losing on my self imposed pre-op diet and I have started working out 4x a week. So I am going to make sure that this time between now and Feb will be as productive as possible for my weight loss goals. I'm just so happy I got approved I wanted to share it with you all!!!

my surgery is 10/8 and aetna approved me in 1 week. Had carefirst during my 6 month documentation and then my job switched insurance companies but Aetna again in 1 week approved me.

I was banded 5/6/2010 and had lost only 35 lbs by Febrauray of this year. Well, I got on tract on Feb. 1st eating less than 25 Carbs and at least 60 grams of Protein a day. By February 10th I had lost an additiona 8 lbs. I decided I could cheat on the 10th because it was my 5 yr wedding anniversary. I didn't do too bad - had a little popcorn at the movies and maybe 10 chips and queso - ate 1/3 of my grilled chicken and shrimp and a small portion of dessert. The question I have is if you eat 25 grams or less of carbs a day and then eat a bunch in one day - have you seen your weight increase on the scale a few days later? I was at 237.5 lbs on the 1st and then at 229.5 on the 10th. Since cheating on the 10th, I have gone back to 25 grams of carbs or less a day; but, I weighed this morning (4 days later) and scale showed 231. Anyone had this experience? I thought if I did really well all week I could "cheat" once a week; but, not if the scale is going to do this each time.

Hey girls! My surgery was yesterday and so far so good. I am takingmy pain medicine around the clock. I am sore but have not had the left shoulder pain yet. I am 26, a 2nd grade teacher, and a single mom to my sweet and sassy little girl who will be 4 in September. I am nervous about getting sick so I am taking it VERY slow. I do not ever want to push it and get something stuck. I will be on a full liquid diet for 2 weeks and then a soft diet for 4 weeks. Do you have pills you have to crush? It is so gross.

I was banded March 30, 2011. I lost 10 lbs on the medifast diet two weeks before surgery. Checked out of the hospital the next day up 7 lbs! I have now lost those 7 lbs and another 11. I did have a really bad weekend and ate too many carbs over Easter and went up 3 lbs. Now back on track trying to follow the diet and had my first fill of 1cc yesterday. I was so excited to get my fill!

I all I'm finding some comfort reading your stories. I am due for bypass surgery next week and am a little bit afraid. X

I have the same question. I am almost 5 weeks out. Having issues getting all my liquid in.

HI! I'm almost 4 weeks out and starting to feel better.. When did you start working out and what did you do?

I have told everyone what I am doing up front. I am not keeping this decision a secret. Of course everyone is concerned that it is in Mexico. I have purchased everything I need for after teh surgery and started on my pre-op diet today. So things are going well. But I am scared and excited all at once!! Sure hope this turns out like I have it envisioned in my head!!

Sounds like a nightmare!! I'm glad you made it back home and that you have another week. I'm 13 days postop and I've been getting that dizzy feeling and sometimes nausea which just started in the last couple days. I think you should get some extra rest now and push those fluids!! Hang in there.

Hi HSJ, Wow, 4 weeks is that the normal amount of time to wait? I guess i'm starting to feel a little anxious. I had originally scheduled my appt many months ago and i cancelled. I unfortunately let someone discourage me and now i wish i hadn't. I quit my job in December because i was so unhappy and always felt stressed out and now i don't even want to consider a new job until i've lost some weight. I guess that's why i feel a little anxious.

I have not lost anything in the past week since I had my 1st fill. I don't understand, I know I'm not eating nearly has much I use to eat, but not under 1000 cal either. I getting around 1500 a day, that alone should make me lose something. I have started to pedal every time I get a chance. I have been trying to get my water. I have protien shake for breakfast. Guess I have to eat even less. I know it is harder the older we get to lose weight. I lost more when I was on weight watchers, but I alway gave up that diet after 4 to 6 weeks. The longest I was on weight watcher was 4 to 5 months and lost about 30 lbs. I did opifast back in the late 80's and lost lots of wieght, but of course I didn't keep it off. Why can't I get a handle on this. I'M NOT DUMB, I KNOW WHAT I NEED TO DO TO LOSE WEIGHT. I just want the weight to come off. Guess I thought with the band it would just happen with out all the work. Maybe I'm just lazy.

Here's wishing you strength and luck! I had some of the same things going on when I originally decided to do this. Mostly family and friends as I don't have a husband. The many diets and programs that were suggested were unreal! I took seven months between the seminar and the actual surgery so that I knew it was my decision and mine alone because it was my body and I would be the person living with the results for good or bad. I have to say six weeks out that it all looks good to me. Whatever your decision I wish you well.

I'm so glad you posted this, as I too, felt like I "fell off the wagon" over the weekend. I'm 3 weeks post op and am transitioning into solids. On Friday I had some lean ground beef with lowfat cheese and salsa...deelish. On Saturday, I found myself "picking" at stuff mainly out of curiosity to see how it would go down. DH had some lasagna and a dinner role. I had a bite of each with no problems. THEN...yesterday we had an Oscar party and I was nibbling at everything!! My neighbor brought over some of my favorite wine and one glass turned into 3!! Granted, my doc said it was ok to have wine in moderation, but 3 glasses (didn't feel to buzzed-just relaxed) along with munching on apps and more ground beef was probably overkill. Yes, it was still significantly less than what I would have indulged in pre-band, but it's more of the principle of the matter. Just because I CAN eat/drink these things doesn't mean I SHOULD!!! I woke up today with a guilt hangover. BUT...I started the day with my Protein Shake and have meal plans for the rest of the week. We shouldn't beat ourselves up, just stay on the "band-wagon"!! There's still room for indulgances, I just think they need to wait until we get proper restriction (which for me isn't until March 13th, my first fill). Glad I'm not alone and thanks for letting me vent my confessions. Amy

I thought after four days I would be at least 75% and slowly crawling back to 100% but that seems to be too far gone from the truth. Yesterday was feeling well, I wasn't sweating a lot, I barely felt any pain besides that damn acid reflux. So I wake up this morning and oh boy the drama begins. First I wake up with acid reflux that won't go away for nothing, then when it finally goes away and I hop into the shower I became very dizzy and discombobulated. Taking a shower actually took me so time because I began to feel Ly incisions stretching with every movement and pain just happened to tag along, no surprise there. I finally get dressed up suit and tie, you know the whole 3 piece. As soon as I put on my tie I start sweating like crazy and became disoriented again, Smh. After sitting down for a while and making some protein shake I bean to sip on it. Everything was getting better, so I thought. I looked up at the time an I'm already an hour late for work, mind you this is a fresh new job that I got before surgery. Now I'm in a rush to ER to the train station because I realize that I am in no condition to drive ANYWHERE with these dizzy spells pop in on me like an unannounced relative. I start walk to the train station and I begin to have stomach pain from the vigorous walking. When I finally get on the train I find a seat and sit down. I reached into my suitcase to grab a bottle of water and it slips out my hand and rolls across the train. I Lear my bag in my seat and make my way towards the elusive water bottle that refuses to roll back. When I finally grab the bottle I returned to my seat only to find my suitcase has been replaced by an elderly woman. So now I'm in pain, pissed, sweating and becoming extremely aggravated because my stop is literally 12 stops away then I have another 9min walk to catch my connecting train to my final destination. The train decides to be an a*****e and goes local which made it a 19 stop train ride. Mind you I'm standing up in this train that practically enjoys rocking from side to side like an isolated baby carriage. This motion starts to stir up this discomforting feeling within my guys that slowly begins to aggravate me with each repeated motion. Now I'm jus mean grilling the elderly lady who took what was rightfully mine. When I finally get to my stop my legs and calves are burning and my stomach is knotted up like Christmas lights. I have no choice but to walk slowly in hopes of unknotting this irritating condition that is desperately trying to fight me at the moment. With all this going on I come to find out that my connecting train has already left and another one would not be appear till 30 mins from now due to a technical difficulty along the tracks going northbound. Now I'm over 2 hrs and 30mins late feeling the, pardon my mouth, weathered down **** in the middle of road. When the train finally decides to come it is PACKED UP, practically overflowing, like shaken soda bottle, with people. I mean getting a foot in a door was like trying to fit a a mans size 14 foot into a woman's 6. I mean it was totally ridiculous. If there was ever a fire hazardous this would be the ultimate definition, period. I decide to wait for the next train, since I'm already late I doubt it could be any worse. So I wait and the next train is jus as bad as the last one who passed. I jumped on it and I couldn't have been more uncomfortable... People were pressed on me like starch. My stomach starts to hurt again... Acid reflux l, so I popped a Tums and drank some water. I finally get off the train at my destination walk into my new work site which I find to be gorgeous only to find out that I will be starting working officially in a week because they are still going through an organizational reconstruction... Just my damn luck

Hi gottaluvme, Dr. Ehrlich is awesome. He is very patient and explains everything. His staff is great also. I think there are four of his employees that had the band done. I know one of them is Kevin. He's lost 100lbs. since I last spoke with him. The time will go by quickly because there are so many tests that have to be done. Like anyone on the board would probably agree, the time that "kills" you is when you get the actual date. Then it takes forever. But it really isn't so bad. He does have you do a 2 week Optifast, followed by 2 days right before the surgery of Clear liquids. It really isn't that bad. The first couple of days are because your body isn't used to not having all the food. But they are there 24/7 if you need anything. If you'd like you can email directly, gubby214@gmail.com and I will be happy to answer questions you have. I just took a shower, wiped me out a little, and my husband & I are going grocery shopping. I think that will be it for the day. Looking forward to hearing from you. Hang in there!

My surgery is Dec 3rd. I have been on preop diet for 1 week. I was having a Protein shake for breakfast, a piece of fruit between, then another drink for lunch or some plain tuna, then another piece of fruit between lunch and dinner. For dinner I usually had a small meal with either a piece of chicken,fish or very lean meat. With it I had 2 veggies and of course alot of fluids. I will tell you that after the first morning I wanted to kill and would have eaten my left arm if it wouldnt hurt. It was hard until the 3rd day and then I just got used to it I guess. I am hungry but not crazy hungry. I was going to call my doctor and beg him to let me eat more food but I held out. I wanted to be strong about it because I know its the start of my new life and its a change we have to make. We are all doing this for the same reasons. We all have the same problem with food and have to learn to live a different life for our prolonged life. I start my all liquid diet tomorrow for the last wek before my date and I am sure it will be rocky but I will do this!!! Thank god I found this site or I dont know if I could handle this alone. I have great support with my wife and kids but reading these stories and talking to people who are experiencing all the same things is beneficial. It takes the edge off. I wish everyone good luck and just keep believing you can do this!!

My per-op starts Dec 3rd. 1st week i get 2 protein drinks a day and a lean cusine (300 cal. or less). then the 2nd week I go to 4 drinks a day. All the SF popsicles, jello and broth I want for the 2 week period. Its very interesting how the diets vary! I'm not looking forward to it at all.

Thanks Pete! I'm booked for the 30th of this month (yes, a quiet New Year!) in Durban South Africa and I've been searching the net for EXACTLY this diet for literally weeks. Thank you so much for sharing it!

I am on low carb (at my own discretion) for about three weeks right now, and then ten days before surgery all clear liquids only, no sugar but I can have 3 protein shakes a day that aren't clear during that time, but they have to be thick. :smile2:

My mother is flying in to help me this week and will be here tomorrow evening to help keep an eye on the kids this week. My hubby is an offshore diver and will most likely be gone the whole week on a job. So, my mom is one of those unique mix of over enthusiastic and indulgant grandmas that let my kids do ANYTHING they want. It is my only hope that no one needs emergency care while she is in charge! It shocks me that someone who was so strict when I was a kid is so laid back now. Gotta love her but the women will drive me to hide in the corner of a dark closet while I quietly go insane.

Yes - stay off the scale! Especially when you find that your moods fluctuate with what the number says. I weigh every other week, because I cannot afford to take the scale driven roller coaster ride. If you are doing everything right, the weight is coming off....whether you see it on the scale immediately, or not.