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I'm on pre-op day 3 and like you I had my period last week. I'm glad it will not come during the weeks right after surgery. I had my gall bladder out last year and the day I got home from the hospital I started my period. At least I had good meds. the worst part is i'm an Advil person for cramps and switching to Tylenol was not as effective. I think I mentioned that I made my own vegetable broth and that has been a god-send. I used onions, garlic, mushrooms, celery, carrots, some fresh herbs and seasoning, cooked it down for about an hour then strained it. Lots of flavor. I cheated and added a small touch of soy sauce today to give it a flavor more like wonton Soup. play with it a bit to get it to your liking but its slow to eat and fills a void of salty style foods. I'm not a sweet eater so while the shakes work I get tired of the sweet. I do think it is getting easier. I just had to order a cheese thin crust pizza for my 12 yr old and didn't even sniff it. Usually i would have had a piece. hang in there.... Hey. Bonus I've lost 5 lbs in the first 2 days. I'm hoping for 7 lbs total before surgery. Only 2 more to go in 5 days. Fingers crossed

I found this online- 4 weeks after surgery-Cold cereal with less than 5 grams of sugar per serving (examples: plain shredded wheat, original Fiber One®, Rice Krispies®, plain Cheerios®, corn flakes.) is fine.. you may want to let it soak if you have apprehensions, and of course use skim, soy or fat free milk.

I'm sure its different for everyone. For me it was almost two weeks of sleeping in a recliner before I didn't feel pressure on my incisions when laying flat

Hi everyone! I'm 11 days out of from surgery, I had the Gastric Bypass and I'm feeling a little frustrated because I haven't lost anymore weight since that first week of surgery! I'm only down 15lbs. Am I doing something wrong? I feel kind of discouraged! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hello everyone. I am having trouble finding food to eat. Since I have been on puréed this week I have been eating puréed pinto Beans and I can only get in about 40 teaspoons. I am sick of Protein shakes in the morning. Any good puréed recipes? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Yes its called Pre and Pre made meals - Sunday i do the whole week - Done in a hour and in the fridge for the week - Some i cook some i just portion out

Hi everyone! I have been lurking around for a couple weeks and decided to share my story! I am a 22 year old in my first year of law school. I have been overweight my whole life. I am 360 pounds and ready to finally change to a healthier lifestyle. I am getting sleeved on Dec 22 and am extremely nervous, but have found all of your information soo helpful! I'm especially nervous about having to do this through the holiday season/ my birthday, especially since I will probably be in the hospital while my family celebrates on christmas eve. I hope that this is the best decision I've made! I look forward to being part of this web community!

My name is Desiree and I set my surgery date for October 4th yesterday. I've been on a journey of working to lose weight for a couple of years now. It all began a few years ago when I destroyed the cartridge in my knee and had to have surgery that put me on crutches for 6 weeks and I couldn't put any kind of weight on my leg. I decided to seriously work to lose weight then and was at my heaviest which was 342. I recovered from surgery and starting working with a personal trainer and following a strict diet. I lost several inches in 3 months, but only about 20 lbs. While working with my trainer I once again tore up the same knee, only a different injury. This time it the cartilage on my femur and had a hold 2 inches in diameter torn into it. This equaled another surgery and this time 8 weeks on crutches with no weight allowed. I had considered the bypass and band off and on for several years but was always uncomfortable with rerouting nature's plumbing and having something plastic that required upkeep in my body. That all changed after learning about my stupid knee injury. While waiting for my knee surgery I went to a seminar for surgery. I found out all the requirements for my insurance company and started working on them. I found success with a non surgical doctor in the same office and put off the surgery part. Due to recovery time I had a stall in my dr visits and had to start over three months later. I had gained back most of my weight while recovering but over the next several months of starting back up I had dropped 30 lbs. I was happy and all was going well until the pain in my knee came back and I couldn't work out. I was told I have stress fractures in my knee caused by my weight and the thinner cartridge in my knee. The doctor said I need to lose weight more quickly so he recommended surgery. I consulted with my weight loss doctor and next thing I know I'm waiting on insurance approval. It was fairly easy because I'd already had the dietician visits and the psych evaluation. My surgery date is less than three weeks away and on Monday I start a two week diet of no fat, low fat, no meat. I'm starting to freak out and trying to find answers to all of these questions that are suddenly popping in my head and I do not like what I have found online so far. Then I found this site. I'm looking forward to sharing my journey with everyone and putting to rest some of my fears. :svengo:

Wecome Jarred, I am getting banded in about 3 1/2 weeks . I love this site as it has helped me answer alot of questions I had about the band. Good luck on your journey, it sounds like ur off to a great start. :scared2:

The first week, my surgeon wants me on clear liquids, but to add protein bullets....1 42g bullet/day. Then the second week (after the first post-op appt) on to full liquids and the protein shakes.

Could be from putting tube down your throat when your under? I felt yucky and lumpy for a week or two.

I do feel restriction with slider foods. For example, when I had ice cream a few times while on vacation last week, I couldn't finish a "regular" cup from Haagen Dazs - I could eat about 1/2-2/3 of it and that's it. A lot of it is not just the volume but also the richness of this particular food, though. But 2/3 of a cup of ice cream is very unlikely to make me feel uncomfortable, whereas 2/3 cup of dry grilled chicken breast might, so I guess that's what makes it a "slider food."

We have so many fears.... all along this journey. Its weird how used to failure we all are. I was a binge eater before surgery. I would do pretty good all week but then I would eat massive amounts of food on the weekends. It was my coping... my a way to self sooth and manage my lonliness. I have had a few 2 "binges" since surgery. The first one... in hindsight... I think I was just testing the limits. I ate a good number of calories accross the day... lots of sliders etc. I consumed a fraction of the calories I did in a pre surger binge and I felt absolutly awful. For the next three days food just sounded abhorant to me (I am a food lover like you have never seen... food NEVER seemed abhorant to me in the past). Binge number 2 was a real live binge... with all the accompanying out of control feelings. I ate icecream and Cookies.... I was doubled over with what I can only attribute to be a "dumping" syndrome of sorts. Sweating nauseaus etc. I will NEVER do that again. Bottom line... even though sliders go down pretty good... binges just dont have the same reinforcing value they used to. Also... the weight loss is so motivating that it really helps you stay on track. I have looked for other ways to nurture and self sooth... hot baths... a little wine with friends...a message.... aroma therapy. Being thinner has given me alot more confidence now too.... so I'm dating someone and I spend much less time alone thinking about eating and much more time out living my life. I know its scary... but this process really is amazing... even for those of us with serious eating disturbances. good luck stacey

That is the difference between drs. Mine wanted me up and at it the day after surgery. I am almost 3 weeks out and walking 2-3 miles a day. I feel great doing it too. I hope you get to start soon. It sure helps you feel better.

I was also told wait for two weeks, and then to take it easy!

Hi Lynn, I went to NWWL and they are great. Dr. Michaelson is my doctor. When I had my procedures the nurses were wonderful. I go for my 6 month check p next week. I live in Sequim. Where are you from?

I was not given all of my meds in the hospital, only the metoprolol which was injected into my IV. I was not given my metformin in the hospital and my discharge instructions said not to take them any more. My surgeon dropped one of my heart meds a week before surgery and made my lansoprazole "take as needed".

I just had my fourth fill this morning with the good dr. He really takes into consideration what you want..... I was hollering so loudly at the time of my first fill that he gave me 1.5cc's which he said is THE MOST he would give to a patient on the first fill (even the bands) Today's fill got me to 4cc's in a band that holds 4cc's... I asked him how much my band REALLY held since I had read that they could be over filled.... he said that he doesn't have anyone with a small band that has over 5cc's. He said the big bands could hold over 120cc's before they actually bust. I'm 4 months post op #1 - 1.5cc #2 - .75cc or was it 1.25cc? #3 - 1 cc #4 - .75cc I am being a good bandster girl right now and am on liquids for 2 days! I almost felt the thing tighten inside me today...... (I'm sure this was in my head because I KNOW I'm getting close to capacity)& Also... I could of lived with NO fill but I could really tell that restriction loosened up late last week

3 weeks to wait for the seminar; 1 1/2 months to wait for first appointment (I did the psych eval and pulmonary eval in there; after the seminar, everyone and their uncle called for appointments, and I waited until 11:00 or so on the Monday following to call in.); 4 weeks to wait for insurance approval; then, I didn't want to have the surgery for another month after that (travel, medication scheduling). So for me, 4 months.

I laughed when I read you were going crazy without a scale while on vacation. I can so relate!! We spent a week at the beach this summer and I was going nuts. I finally made my husband go with me to a Walmart one evening (it was close by but I would never shop at a Walmart!) because I knew they would have some scales and I could weigh myself. I surprised myself and lost weight while we were at the beach. Hope you have a great time! Frankie VSG 3/22/10

My light bulb moment happened this week. I had my surgery on November 22 and have done pretty well. I have stayed the course and have not swayed from my list of acceptable Protein options prior to this mini vacation. This week I went to San Francisco to care for my aged father. When I arrived in SF I went to the market immediately and bought my Dannon light and fit yogurt, cottage cheese, Light Baby Bel cheese and turkey slices before I even went to my Dad's. I wanted to make sure I continue to make good choices when it came to food. Seven days later....... I am home and food wasn't an issue. For the first time in decades I took control of my eating habits when visiting the family in San Francisco. I said NO to a cannoli, NO to a Joe's hamburger, NO to a Tostada, NO to a crepe, etc.......my response was, "Can I meet you afterwards?" I always carried a Baby Bel Cheese in my purse and always felt satisfied. I came home 4 pounds lighter and the feeling........I GOT THIS!

I felt restriction along the way after almost every fill, but it was fleeting. It was when I got my last fill at about 10 months that I knew it was the "one". The other fills gave me restriction for a few weeks but then the feeling of satiety after meals started to diminish, but this time it took. It's been a little over two months now, and it feels the restriction feels the same today as it did two months ago. It's also a stronger feeling of staying satisfied between meals then I ever had prior to this past fill.

My surgeon has me scheduled for a fill every 6 weeks, but I think it should be according to the message I'm getting from my band. The time span is too general, I think it should definately be on a personal basis. A gentleman who was banded the same day as me and who has lost twice as much weight is prob way ready for a fill. Also, my wls center is new to lapband and they've got all the support and preop classes merged and I feel each is totally seperate and should have their own respective classes. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know, because I'd like my surgeon to have a copy of what you come up with. Thanks for the good thread.

Well Im back from my trip to Mexicali to see Dr. Aceves and his wonderful staff. I was told by all of you who had seen him how wondeful he was and YES he was!! What a nice man and such a dedicated surgeon. I asked him if he takes any time off, well Sundays of course. He said he loves his profession so much that he could spend every waking hr in the surgery room, now that says a whole lot about the quality of this man and the love of what he does. I was in such good hands. I was scared to death to have the spinal ( i had a bad bad expeience with my baby) but the anaethesist put my mind at ease and i put my trust in him which he thanked me for.... it was a snap, he also had a wonderful bed side manner and made me laugh which lightened the moment. Surgery was over in a blink..literally and Im now one week today and down 6 pnds. I have had the normal abdominal discomfort, but id say having a C section for me was wayyy worse. Im able to get down all of my fluids and Protein requirements so i think that makes a big difference in how I feel and heal. I am sure to take my Nexium first thing in the morning and have had no problems with acid or discomfort in that dept. I have had to deal with head hunger, its so strange your instinct to eat is still there but your new tummy is not hungry. It hard to explain until you experience it, the airport was the toughest for me...even though i would never order pizza in the morning, when we went by the pizza place i just about fell to my knees..haha, but it seems to have passed(tongue in cheek), I made grill cheese sandwhich for my daughter yesterday and tomatoe Soup...a definite head hunger challenge because i just cant take a bite! pretty simple. My stab wounds are healing well, actually all but the drain incision are close to healed. I have two kids, one 5yr old and one 6 month old, id say that has been my biggest challenge...taking it easy. How in the world do you rest when a baby needs you? so im just extra careful when i lift him and try to rest when he is napping. I have had a couple of stings bending over so it just makes me put things in check and remember i have just had major surgery. Im still anxious to make it out of the complications zone, but with a surgeon like Dr Aceves on my side I feel like I made the best best best choice! Anyone trying to decide on a surgeon and worried to death like I was, rest assured your in amazing gifted hands!! Thankyou to Dr A and all of his people! I look forward to my new journey ahead... Cheers, Nikki XX ps; not to mention I met some wondeful patients while I was in Mexicali. When you talk to people you find out that we are all in the same boat just trying to get healthy, happy with oursleves and find a different quality of life that we have lost or never had.

Hey everyone! I had the sleeve done on 4/6/16. I just started my phase one yesterday I'm drinking pretty fast but I'm kind of getting worried. I use the one ounce cup when I'm home but if I'm out I just drink slowly and take my sips. I'm not getting in all my 64oz of liquids, but I am getting all three Protein drinks in. Has anyone had trouble with getting all 64oz along with Protein Drinks in everyday? Is it bad I'm not using the 1oz cup every 5 minutes? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App