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I will be four weeks out on Tuesday. I'm on a ppi and still get the feeling that I have to burp when I eat. The puréed foods are not my favorite. I found that smaller bites and waiting a full minute between each bite help with the awkward feeling. I'm eating Greek yogurt and puréed soup for most meals right now. I cannot wait for soft foods stage.

Hello all! As a recently sleeved gal (Monday 9/19) I'm still in phase 1 and will be well into next week, but will be returning back to work in my puréed food stage. As someone who has had an aversion to that texture of food since I was a kid, I'm wondering if anyone has any tricks or tips, and how you maybe made it work for being back at work? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Thanks all! I have been exercising 4 days a week, and have been planning to pick it up a notch (5-6 days a week). Karey, I'll use your advice as extra motivation to make it to the gym. That and I am only 3.5 pounds away from Onederland!!! In my entire adult life I haven't been below 200 lbs... I'm SO excited. ~Lori

Today is the my first day back to work in the office since being sleeved two weeks ago and everyone says I look great and everything, but what one of the senior managers (the CTO actually) that I work with on a daily basis just said made the day perfect. He told me that he walked by earlier while I was talking to another co-worker and then walked by again, thinking to himself, "Who is this guy? New hire?" and after a third pass he stopped and walked up and finally recognized me! Not too bad of a Monday for me.

I am a 51 year old mother, grandmother, have been married for nearly 31 years to a wonderful man. I grew up skinny, skinny skinny! When I met my soon to be husband at 16 I was so skinny he said he felt sorry for me! I stayed skinny for many years. Even after my first child was born I got down to 135 pounds, (with Weight Watchers and became a lifetime member) and at 5'7 inches that is small. It wasn't until I got pregnant with my second child in 1990 that I began to gain weight. We found out at 4 months that our baby had a genetic disorder and may or may not make it to full term. Over the course of the next 2 1/2 months I gained 60 lbs! I was so depressed and all I did was eat! I ate to dull the pain. This is when I became addicted to food. Literally! I did make it to 6 1/2 months until our precious Angel that we named "Hope" went to heaven. I went through a deep depression. Gained more weight on top of the weight that I gained during pregnancy. From that point I tried every diet but my food addiction continued to overtake me. I failed at every attempt. I joined Weight watchers approximately 20 times over the next few years. In 2005 I decided to try to get approved for the gastric bypass. I was approved and 1 week before my surgery I backed out! I was too scared and anyway my regular doctor was not wanting me to have it. I decided to work hard at weight watchers and lost about 50 pounds. I started feeling pretty good. The weight creeps back up on me plus some, because I quit attending the meetings. So in 2010 I tried to be approved for the lap band. I went through all the dr visits. I did everything that was required but after the 7 months, I was denied. Once again I went back to weight watchers. I was discouraged and I felt determined to get the weight off. I started to lose weight and walk. I was walking 3 miles 3 times a week. I dropped 52 pounds! I was feeling very good. I was proud of my accomplishment. Then my nephew died of an accidental overdose. My whole family was devastated. I began to cope by eating. Oh I started small at first. I quit walking and slowly started getting back in to my old habits. Before I knew it, I looked in the mirror and saw this huge, fat woman looking back at me. I was up to 279 lbs! All this weight, HOW COULD I LET THIS HAPPEN??? I tried very hard to lose weight. Joined Weight watchers again. I would lose about 20 lbs then quit. It was just out of control. In June of 2013 I became a grandmother. I was so excited. Every time I looked at my grandson I was more in love than ever. I became more aware of my health problem after he was born. My knees were hurting and I did not trust myself to hold him while trying to go up any stairs. I was on high cholesterol medicine, Mobic for joint pain, aspirin for heart blockage. So much going on! I decided to have the gastric sleeve. I knew a few people that has had it done so I started the dr visits and I go through everything I needed to do to be approved and low and behold it was approved. I am 6 weeks out now and I am down 38 pounds! At this point I am still having regrets that I did this but I know as more weight comes off I will be happy about this decision. I do feel better and I know that my life will be a better quality life for this surgery. I think that anyone that is reading this needs to know the emotional part of this surgery is the hardest.

So, today I had my first "meeting" with my phone coach from Tufts. I had to answer like a billion questions and listen to all of the program details and stuff. She had me make goals to try to meet in the next two weeks. Now I'm all for losing weight, I mean thats what this is really all about but I'm kind of on the edge of the weight limit anyway and I don't have any other co-morbidities. I'm not really sure if I should take the program seriously and try to do the stuff or if I should just lie to her considering she can't see me anyways. I really want to have this surgery and I think its going to be the best thing for me in the long run. I will even start doing this stuff after I hvae my initial consult but thats not until July! And every where else that I call has just as long of a wait until the initial appointment. I'm on a cancellation list and stuff but still thats a long time. On the other hand, the program might work for me. I don't know. I need something strict but I used to be a college athlete. I know I have some serious will power under there somewhere. I mean come on... I used to wake up at 4 am to go weight lift with the football team. Why can't I find that will power and just make it all go away?!? Why does weight loss have to be so hard and slow and emotional... And maybe I don't have that will power anymore. Maybe somewhere a long the way, life took it away. Well the get up and lift weights at 4 am part... maybe its in a different form now... maybe its me working full time and going to school so I can build medical devices that will change someone elses life... I don't know... What do I do? Follow the program and see if I'm strong enough to do it with it surgery and possibly miss the biggest opportunity I've had... or fake it and lose my last chance to do it on my own... Help!

I felt the same way!! I'm having surgery in a few weeks and have to go to a friend's going away party a week before the surgery. I'm not telling people, but it will look suspicious that I'm not drinking! BUT, like someone else already said, after a while you can still drink... but we won't have to drink so much to get drunk! Brilliant!

Ok...this is weird stuff....5 weeks postop, but after I always eat my stomach makes all kinds of weird noises. I'm not in pain, I haven't had any issues up to this point, knock on wood, so what could be causing all the gurgling in my stomach now? Bathroom habits are normal....not really worried...just more curious what it could be? Anyone else have this happen or know what is causing it? Just weird is all.

Renata, you know what I do when I find myself wondering if this will "work"? I reevaluate what I mean by "work." That usually means tossing out whatever anyone ELSE means by "work" and sticking to my own ideas. For example, the "goal" weight on the various charts for me is about 145-165. Well, I've NEVER weighed under 200 at my adult height (reached at 15) and have mostly been over 300. So I'm not even looking at 145-165. So toss out one public yardstick. For me, the band is working NOW because I'm on the good side of 300. And I'm going to STAY here, for EVER. That's SUCCESS. One huge negative behavior in my life has been eating so fast I'm done with two portions where everyone else is eating one. Well, I can't do that anymore. That's SUCCESS. I'm also quite concerned that I'll start sabotaging myself at some point, since I have never been thin and won't know how to be that way. That's why I want to go very slowly and work with each stage to get and stay comfortable there. When I lost 75 lbs in 12 weeks on Optifast the increased attention from the world was very hard to deal with and there was no time to adjust. So I returned to my old pal, food, and shortly found myself without all that unwanted extra attention. But now it's not about attention for me. It's about health. So that's where my focus is. 45 lbs in 7 months is not fast and many people would be frustrated with that, but hey, my yardsticks are just different. :eek: Stick with it, be persistent and get the care you need. And soon it will be working for you too.

Sassay, We are almost band-twins, being banded couple or so days apart. I see you had six!!!! follow up appointments, I had one! What is it that your doctor does at your appoiments? Is it something I'm doing wrong? Not insisting on something I should? It is all so confusing. I haven't lost any weight after the first two or so weeks after the surgery, actually it seems like I gained a couple. Without a restriction I'm not realy forced to follow any bandster rules, so of course I break them. I try to be good but I'm not getting anywhere. Well, I can't really eat sooo much anymore, but still too much to stop after three or four bites. More and more I realize that in my head I don't really believe this will work. I know it has worked for thousands of people, so why should I be someone who won't succeed, right? I just somehow don't believe that I will be thin. Ever. Lots of people get really mad at me, saying I wasn't so heavy to begin with and tell me to stop whining. Well, I know how it feels when your skin itches like crazy from stretching, I know what millions of stretch marks look like. I know how it feels to cry in front of the closet, to kick the wall, to change 10 times and still feel like a giant sausage... I know what it feels like when the zipper on your pants explodes. I know what it feels like when you cry from the pain of your tighs rubbing together. I know what it feels like spending months organizing your best friend's wedding only to spend most of it hiding outside with cigaretes and never wanting to see a single picture for fear that I might be on it....Oh, God, when you write it all down like this it looks so bad...... Anyway ladies, thanks so much for your kind words. This site has been saving me. I'm sure there are so many people that feel exactly the same way! THANK YOU! Renata 02/06/04 205/187/135

I had the exact same thing happen to me! I was sleeved May 15th. I went to my PCP she was not concerned... she said it is not uncommon to develop fluid pockets in abdominal area after surgery. She put me on Bactrim DS for 10 days ( i think to just to pacify me). The drainage from my incision never had an odor, I never ran a fever. My incision drained for about two weeks.

I just spoke with Omar!! I'm scheduled for August 30th!!!! I'm so excited!!!!! Anyone else going to dr. Kelly that week?

Thanks for your reply, weight went down very fast in the first two weeks, going slow now, as spected.

1 week for me.

I had a similar issue a few weeks back, but my parish had the wafers. I just did the arms crossed so I could at least get a blessing up until I was aloud solid foods again. Maybe you could try just holding it in your mouth until it softens up really good and swallow a little bit at a time? Have you called your doctor to ask? It may be the bread does not bother you, or it may be a bit sore for a short while after... Best wishes to you!

I was banded on Feb 13 and I had that feeling for about two weeks. I had my first fill on Apr 1 and I've had that same back pain again. It's not constant and it's not after every meal, so I'm not sure why it's happening. Maybe due to swelling after surgery and then again after a fill??? At least I know now I'm not the only one :thumbup:

Welcome to the site. I remember the last weeks before surgery. I did not find this site until after I was done, so read up as much as possible and maybe we can answer any questions that you have. Thi is a great place to learn and if you just need to vent....Dave

I hope all sept bandsters are well. I was banded Sept 21. I feel very much back to normal these days. The first 2 days after the op, when I could barely swallow liquid without reflux/pain or sit/stand without discomfort, I wondered about what I had done. I have lost 10 kgs in total since Sept 7 - 6kgs pre surgery, and 4 kgs since then. I would never have done it if I just hadn't been able to eat. :-) I can see that food and I have a very tenuous relationship - I use it when i am bored, as reward......I'll have to work on that. I'm back at work and feeling great. I am so excited to be moving onto pureed food on Monday - only 4 days to go. I don't think I will ever enjoy soup again in my life as I did before the 2 week liquid phase post surgery. I have tried every kind of soup I can think of to lessen the boredom factor. I am officially sick of soup, probably forever lol. My energy levels are great. In fact it is the best I have felt in years. To anyone reading this recently banded still in discomfort who wonders if they will feel better - I PROMISE you, you will. Walk, get up and move - the more the better. Get plenty of rest. Drink slowly and write down how much fluid you are having. (My doctor told me to aim for 1600mls-2000mls of fluid each day.) And don't forget to have plenty of plain water too. I have not had enough water this week and have a mild UTI as a result.

i just changed up my diet. instead of eating the same thing everyday i ate a little more fat and somedays i ate more calories and somedays i eat the average. to be honest i cheated last week and had 1/2 cup of ice cream 2 days in a row and a few chips and dip for the superbowl. i have been getting a little caried away on the cheating but i still keep my calories around 1200 calories, i dont recommend cheating everyday but i think once in awhile it gives the body something different. i am going to do better starting tomorrow because i didnt go through all of this to eat bad. the band has helped me so much, i eat less and i really pay attention to calories and i try to eat good. i havent really been paying attention to my protein though. my hair is getting really thinner now so i need to focus on more protein. its hard to focus on protein and calories at the same time. i guess it just takes some adjusting. andrea i wish you luck just remember that what works for me may not work for you and i think that i must be lucky so far to even lose at all

I'm on day two of the liquid diet. The first day was awful. I felt light-headed, nausious and I had a splitting headache. Today has been much better. I had a headache in the morning, but it's gone now and the hunger has subsided. I've had nothing but the three optifast shakes that I'm allowed. I think I'll be OK and make it through the next three weeks.:cursing:

Turns out the cold never truly went away and that's why it seemed it came back again.....it is now a sinus infection. On an antibiotic....had to educate the GP a bit to come up with best medicine!! Had 6 month follow up and labs done last week. Will ask nurse what I can take when she calls to go over them!

I've had that happen a few times in the last few weeks. All very positive, "wow" you look great kind of thing. My very favorite was from a friend of a friend that I ran into at a festival this weekend. I have not seen him since just after surgery 9 months ago. He came over, looked me up and down and said "wow"... Bless his heart, he worried how that sounded. ..So he followed it with " Well you know I always thought you were always beautiful" but NOW Damn"... LOL He got a BIG hug for that one. Male friends of mine always seem to have a "better" reaction, it's good to feed the ego sometimes.

Hi I'm a mother of 2 girls my youngest is almost 12 weeks old. I have been overweight all my life. I have tried every diet out there I'm doing wieght watchers for the third time. I jut can't get the weight off. I'm about to turn 34 and I want to live my life the way it should be lived. I had a friend that did the sleeve and she recommends it highly I want results and I like the idea of not having a foreign object in my body other than the staples so here is my story. I would love any feedback on things I should be asking and things maybe you where told or not told. Thanks for the help and insight.

Just found out I have to re-do my psych eval and nutritional eval. Already scheduled the psych for tomorrow and nutritional will be next week! sweet! :-)