Search the Community

Hi Everyone! Happy Friday to all!!! Yay. Great on the NSVs! I love those! Michael, WELCOME!!! Raiders..BOO :thumbup: I was in stuck city this week. Drat. Got stuck 3 times! Was in a hurry at lunch the other day with all my managers. I was facilitating a meeting for them, and we were running short of time at lunch. So, I was of course, trying to unwisely cram in the last few bites. It came back to bite me in the butt! So, I did the urp into a public toilet, did not have the time to drop the a$$-gasket into the Water first, and you guessed it, splash into the EYE!! WAH!!!! At least none of the managers was a witness to the event or even aware that I was stuck for that matter, so I am thankful for that! But I did get to go to Palm Springs for the meeting for a few days, that was fun, and had some good bonding time in the evenings with them. Except now there is photo evidence of me doing Karaoke to Tequila Sunrise...OY! Ok, I can sing fairly well, but Karaoke isn't easy, and that song sucks! But it was fun. Karen can probably attest to the fact that it takes MUCHO practice to sing a song, not just stand up and read the words, even if you know the tune. Well, I hope everyone has a GREAT weekend!

Hey--been gone for a few--wow hard to catch up! Welcome to our newcomers. BTW I am 37 old principal (newly promoted:smile2:) I was banded in January--I have lost about 74lbs including pre-op and 30lbs before the pre-op on a six month supervised diet for a total of 100. I have had 2 fills and I am trying to wait patiently for the 3rd--but "Phil" is not happy! Congrats on the NSV's Denise, Karen, and Leigha--hang in there Karen with fill (you know wish I had that problem). Christie--exercise a bully--love it!! Bobbie--welcome Back and Anne! Okay I know I mised a few, but hey trying get ready for "our future":wink2:

I got stuck the other day! I hadn't had that happen before.. wasn't too bad, but I was eating a sandwich too quickly and I had eaten too much, and I think I swallowed a chunk of bread and it felt so weird and painful. After a couple minutes it passed though. I didn't throw it up or anything. (thankfully!) what a terrible feeling though bleh! Also an NSV, saw a lot of friends I hadn't seen in a while this week at the American Idol finale, and even one of my favorite Idols (that I've met a million times) noticed I lost weight! crazy! Even though I didn't meet my finale goal, still felt good

I have a lapband victory this week haha (not a NSV I guess). Random.. but I went to American Idol on Thursday. I had breakfast around 9, then i had a banana at around 12. Then I didn't eat anything till about 9pm (from waiting inline, and the taping and all that) and I wasn't hungry. it's so weird! I even said to my friend in the car, it's the strangest thing, I should be hungry! Oh yea I know mentally I think I'm eating this perfect diet. But I know I'm not. I know sometimes I go over my calories but I justify it. If the scale doesn't move I go back to journaling to see where I miss stepped.. Yea, I haven't had after care either. I could bother them.. haha but I don't feel the need. I really don't need another fill. 41 pounds is perfect! I'm at 48lbs. 1-2lbs is totally normal (if you average it out, that's 10lbs a month!). Maybe just check up on your diet and make sure you are eating 1000 calories and not you "think" you are eating 1000 calories... up the exercise.. vary your diet, eat a little more.. or a little less.. sometimes I think the body just gets stuck in a rut.

Good luck to you Dawg! I sense a great NSV in your future!

well it was a great meeting agian. and thanks tiena for saying i helped you out. i do try. everyone look great and i could see alot of drop in weight with everyone there. got to meet a few new people and see some i havent seen in along time. i told about 10 people about the forum here so maybe we will have some new people soon. on a side note i had a good nsv today. me and my wife went to kaninag and her husbands house and went out to eat. well they sat us in a vrey small booth and i was wait i dont think i can fit in it. but guess what i did. i didnt have to suck it in to sit down and i was very comfortable too. so i was like wow.

im glad everything went so well. im sure you will do great! just listen to the dr's and the people thats been where you are now and you will be fine. and dont worry i even took some of my pain meds. so please take as needed. keep us postedf and im lookng forward to seeing you at the banded support group meetings. that is great. thats a very bif nsv! im happy for you. i cant wait until the comes when im just over weight.

DISCLAIMER: This FAQ is in no way intended to replace or undermine the advice of your physician. Every person is different, every surgeon has different guidelines, and no two situations are identical. Therefore if any of the answers below are unclear or contradict your physicians’ instructions, always follow your physicians’ instructions. The responses given are a compilation from multiple sources and references. How do I embed the weight loss ticker? There are many ticker generators you can use, but the majority of us use TickerFactory.com or MyFitnessPal.com – Once you create your ticker, embed the code into your signature via your “Settings” *Adding* liquid stage? During your clear liquid stage you can have anything that you can sip through a straw that is translucent, meaning see through. For instance: Water, juice, broth, sugar free popsicles, sugar free Jello, Isopure Protein drinks, Gatorade, Powerade, decaf tea just to name a few. Once you move on to full liquids you may add liquids that are not translucent. For instance: creamed Soups, soups with the chunks strained out, milk, Protein shakes etc… NOTHING CAFFEINATED When can I have coffee/soda/tea? Decaf coffee is typically OK about 30days post-op. Decaf tea is OK starting with your clear liquid diet. Soda is typically never OK, with the reasons varying from the carbonation causing painful gas to the carbonation stretching your sleeve. Regardless of the reasoning, it's generally a good idea to avoid sodas entirely, or to consume them in extreme moderation. When do I start mushies/purees? Every surgeon has different guidelines for the progression of your post-op diet. The majority of post-op diets progress as follows: Day 1-7 Clear Liquids Day 8-14 Full liquids Day 15-21 Purees Day 22-50 Mushies What’s the difference between mushies and purees? The major difference is that purees are anything that has been blenderized/pureed to a baby food consistency and has no chunks. These should not be watery, but instead a thicker pudding like consistency. Mushies are soft foods that have not been pureed. I'm on liquids/purees and I feel no restriction, should I be concerned that my surgery didn't work? Nope! You'll feel your restriction as you start to take in denser foods. In reality, you never want to experience that over stuffed feeling again because that means you've over stuffed your sleeve. There's much debate over whether or not you can stretch your stomach by over stuffing your sleeve, I for one am not trying to prove or disprove the theory. Best to play it safe - when you start to feel full, stop eating. Should I be counting calories or carbs or both? Both. Again, every surgeon is different, but the majority of sleevers will be on a 600-1000 calorie/day diet with carbs kept at 60-80g or less. The general guideline is this: When eating, protein is always first, veggies are second, and if you have room carbs/starch last. The majority will rarely have room for the carbs. How much protein should I be getting per day? The recommended protein intake may vary from 55 to 100g per day, depending on your individual needs and the bariatric diet provided by your surgeon or dietitian. The generally accepted minimum protein requirement for women is about 50 to 60g per day and men need at least 60 to 70g of protein per day. How much liquid do i need for the day? About 60-80oz When can I eat salad? Once you reach the point where you’re on normal solids you can try salad. Start with a small amount and see how your sleeve tolerates it as it can be difficult to digest. Best protein shakes? This one depends on your particular tastes, however most seem to enjoy powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury. What else counts as a liquid? Anything that can be sipped through a straw or that will reduce back to a liquid. For example: Jello, sugar free popsicles, frozen yogurt/ice cream (these are generally no no foods) Why can't I tolerate plain water, is this normal? It’s called water nausea and it is completely normal. This is very common during the first few weeks following surgery and should eventually subside. What is sliming/slimes? Sliming or slimes occur when you eat or drink something and then regurgitate a slimy, foamy, saliva like substance, usually when belching. What is grazing? Grazing is when instead of consuming your standard 3 small meals and 2 small Snacks per day, you simply munch all day grabbing a handful here or a bite there. The rule is that your meals should take you 20-30 minutes to eat and should be about 3 hours apart with only fluids in between. What do all these acronyms mean? In no particular order: WLS – Weight Loss Surgery NSV – Non scale Victory (ie: smaller clothes, compliments, climbing a flight of stairs etc…) NUT – Nutritionist PCP – Primary Care Physician VSG – Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy TOM – Time of the Month SF – Sugar Free WFL/WFD – What’s for Lunch/Dinner How much did you lose at 1 month etc.? How much can I expect to lose in what time frame? Everyone’s body is different and so is everyone’s journey. There is no set amount you should expect lose in a set amount of time, and you should never compare your journey or your progress to someone elses. As long as you’re sticking with the program and following your surgeons guidelines, the weight will come off. What is a stall? How long does it last and how do I break it? A stall is a point at which the scale stops moving for a period of time. The length of the stall varies from a few days to a few weeks and sometimes a few months. Non VSG’ers typically call it a plateau. Stalls are perfectly normal and to be expected. As we lose weight so dramatically, our bodies need time to catch up physically - this typically happens during a stall. While the scale may not be moving, you may notice an increase in compliments. This is because while the number on the scale isn’t getting any smaller, you are physically getting smaller. There are many tips and tricks for breaking a stall (increase your fluids and protein, increase your activity, up your calories…) but the reality is it will break on its own. When can I have sex? When you’re ready. Keep it simple for the first few weeks post-op and don’t attempt any tricky positions. Be careful until you’ve been cleared by your surgeon for strenuous activity. When can I start exercising? Typically right away, though the types of exercises you can do will be limited. Most surgeons restrict weight training/resistance training for about 3-4 weeks after surgery, but you should be walking/speed walking at least 30-45min daily starting from the day you get home. What do I do with flabby skin? What's the best exercise etc.? The severity of the flab will vary based on many different factors. While there’s no way to tell how bad it will be or whether it will even be bad, there are a couple of proactive measures you can take. Make sure you’re using a moisturizing lotion with Vitamin E and Keratin several times daily. The vitamin E will help add elasticity back to your skin and the keratin will add moisture, both of which may help your skin bounce back as the weight falls off. The best exercises to target your problem areas are resistance and strength training in order to tone and build muscle to replace the fat. Lastly, be patient. Just as your weight stalls while your waist catches up to it, your skin will sag until it gets the signal to shrink. While it probably won’t ever be as tight as you’d like, it will shrink. Will I lose hair? How much? What causes it? When does it return? Do Vitamins help? The truth is, yes, you probably will lose hair. Because of the drastic changes going on that are caused by the extreme reduction in protein and vitamins coming in as well as the hormonal fluctuations caused by the rapid weight loss, it takes our bodies a while to adjust. Don’t worry, as our hormones level out and our bodies get used to the new us, it will come back. There is no set time frame for it to do so however. I’m constipated - what is it okay to take, especially in the beginning when newly sleeved? Will it get better? Worse? In the beginning a simple stool softener like Colace should do the trick. You don’t want to take a laxative or anything that may irritate your new sleeve. While you’re in the liquid/puree stage, constipation shouldn’t be an issue, but as you reintroduce solids you may have to go back to your stool softeners. If you do find that stool softners are only offering temporary relief, try increasing your fluids and Fiber and decreasing your cheeses. I’m having very loose bowel movements, is this normal? Totally. You do need to monitor stools of this consistency to ensure they contain no blood, but very loose stools, even watery stools, are completely normal for a few weeks post-op. When in doubt – ask your surgeon. Will I feel fatigue? Will fatigue go away? Yes and yes. Your body has just undergone major surgery and it needs to heal. While it’s healing you will feel more fatigued than normal. Subsequent to having such a large portion of your stomach removed is the fact that you can no longer take in as much food (read: fuel) and therefore your body has to adjust and find a new fuel source. Your body will eventually begin to burn fat for fuel and some of the fatigue will subside. Your surgeon should also prescribe a B12 supplement which will also help with energy. When can I go back to work? How much time should I take off? That will be entirely up to your surgeon. Most return to work within 2-3 weeks. How many days in the hospital? Your hospital stay will depend on your recovery. When you are able to keep down liquids, are up and about and walking as directed, and your surgeon and nursing staff are confident there are no complications, you’ll be released. Your surgeon should be able to give you an expectation of the length of your stay. Do the staples dissolve? No. The staples used to close the stomach are titanium and do not dissolve. The stomach tissue will eventually grow over the staple line. Your staples do not make metal detectors go off or make you ineligible for an MRI. They are completely benign. Why am I always hungry? The most likely culprit is either head hunger or reflux/heartburn. Head hunger is a false sense of hunger triggered by boredom/emotions/the clock or any number of things which make you think you’re hungry when you’re really not. Heartburn is the most common culprit of constant hunger. Even though you may not feel as though you have heartburn, you may find that a simple antacid will eliminate that constant hungry feeling. What is dumping syndrome? Dumping syndrome is what happens when the contents of your stomach are rapidly dumped into your small intestine. It is characterized by cramps, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Most people that complain of dumping syndrome associate the attacks with eating a certain type of food IE sweets, carbs etc.. It generally resolves on it's own once the offending food has left the system. What is a stricture? A stricture is what happens when scar tissue builds up in your esophagus (sometimes caused by reflux) that causes your esophagus to narrow and makes swallowing difficult. What is a leak and what are the symptoms? A leak is an opening along the suture line of your sleeve that allows bile and other digestive fluids to leak into your abdominal cavity. The symptoms of a leak vary but the most common symptoms are pain radiating across the abdomen, fever, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, fatigue, and abdominal cramping. It is important to note that leaks are rare and only occur in about 1 out of every 100 cases. Can you get a leak any time after surgery? Or is it just immediate? Most leaks happen very soon after surgery, but there is still a risk for about 4-6 weeks after. Again, it is important to note that leaks are rare and only occur in about 1 out of every 100 cases. Some of my incisions are oozing - is this normal? If they’re oozing a green or yellowish Fluid, absolutely not. Green and yellow are the colors of infection and should be reported to your surgeon immediately. If your incisions are oozing a pinkish or clear watery fluid it’s your body’s way of keeping your incisions clean and isn’t usually a concern. When in doubt, ask your surgeon. I see a lot of people posting about drains - I don't have any. Should I be concerned? Drains are tubes that are temporarily placed in the abdomen that allow fluids to drain from your abdominal cavity in order to prevent infection. Not every surgeon uses them so if you don't have any, don't worry. It likely means your surgeon saw no need to place them. That being said, it doesn't mean you're immune to infection so you should still be on the lookout for fever or any areas that a red, warm to the touch, painful, swollen, or oozing any green or yellow fluids.

I no longer have to take blood pressure medicine!! YAY!!!!!!! I was diagnosed with HBP a couple of months after being banded. Now it's normal!!! I think this is my best one yet!!:clap2:

I am coming up on my 3 month post op date. I am down 30 lbs & feel great. The band had been one if the best decisions I ever made. I have beat myself up a few times during the journey due to losing 18 lbs pre-op & only 12 lbs post op. I hit bandster hell around 6 wks post op & just recently got my 2nd fill & am finally satisfied between meals. I have lost a lot of inches though. I have a scale obsession which completely owns me. (Yes, I know...stay away from the scales!) Well I tried, my husband even took the scales to my neighbors.....I sent my son to get them 3 days later. Holy smoke, I need to get a grip. Lol!!! I'm not beating myself up as much though. I have dropped 2 pant sizes so I keep reminding myself that the pounds aren't everything. One of my NSV was to be a size 12 which is only ONE size away!!!! Hallelujah!!!! Some ppl would die if they were a size 12 but that is my goal. I do want to lose 30 more lbs though. I keep telling myself that I am half way there, I've got this. I made it this far in Bandster hell surely the next 30 will be easier:) I'm posting a before & after pic. The before wad taken in Dec. (I began my liquid diet Jan 1st) the after pic was taken this past weekend.

Hi guys! I have to share my NSV with you: I no longer can shop in the women's/plus size clothing section, it's all too big! Sleeved on 2/24/14, I feel awesome. I'm 212lb as of yesterday, down from 278! Just wish my boobs would stop shrinking already!

Mr. Yoda Congrats on your NSV. That should be a good inspiration for many. You and I are only one day apart on band dates so I can feel your joy with people food instead of baby food. Now I know why babies throw it on the floor or throw it up so often.:girl_hug: All the best to you. When is your first fill?

AudricIan how are you doing? You've been quiet on this thread...is everything okay? Have you been losing or have you hit a standstill? Hey everyone let me know your latest NSV's, I need some encouragement as i'm losing so slow!! I did have a NSV moment yesterday though, I put on a pair of jeans that I wear regularly only to realize that HEY they were too big for me to continue to wear, so I pulled another (smaller size) out of my closet-still a little on the tight side, but i'm moving down the size charts ever so slowly!!!!

I had the BEST NSV today, I went wedding dress shopping and I did not need to buy a plus size gown and the dress designer was in the store and said I had a fabulous skinny waist. I have never felt more beautiful or confident. I am even more excited to get married now!

I got a cool NSV to share. first today is my birthday. I made an outfit for Easter and cut the pants by a 22 size pattern and i could not wear them. But today is my birthday and i was going through my closet lookinf for something to wear and that would fit. A friend of mine gave me some clothes and a pair of jeans that a couple of weeks ago i could not wear. today i put them on and i can wear them comfortably and they look nice and not too tight!:bananajump: the tag says they are size 20! woo hoo! I told my husband i could care less if i got anything for my birthday just fitting into a smaller pair of jeans was birthday gift enough! Everyone have a great and awesome day! :party:

@@gowalking, thank you for one of the most fun, exciting and moving messages ever in the world of surgery. You've created a new NSV: Speaking unself-consciously in an unremarkable moment that once would have stiffened the spine, ready to run for cover. "So this is what it's like to feel relaxed."

I'm still floating around. School started, I'm a school bus driver, so I've been busy. I'm on mushies untill friday and friday cant get here quick enough! I cheated though this past friday :thumbup:. I had a party at my house and ate a few chips with salsa and a 1" brownie, It could have been worst in my oppinion. Normaly I would have eaten the whole pan of brownies I've had a few NSV's! I can now walk down the bus isle with out zig-zaging between the seats! I almost did the happy dance in the bus yard! (I saved it for home instead!) and my belly no longer touches the stearing wheel.

Another NSV is finally getting my wedding ring replaced. It kept sliding off my finger. I went down from US size 12 to Size 9 and still it is a bit loose. I got a "temporary" tungsten ring and planning to get a new silver / platinum one for our 10 years anniversary next year 😀

Anybody here had knee pain that got better after surgery? When that happens for me, it'll be a HUGE nsv. It's gotten a lot better 57 lbs later but still have pain when going up the stairs. Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

Before I lost the weight, I cringed any time I saw a camera and lived in fear of photos being posted online. Now, I'm like, take all the pictures you want. I'm constantly posting selfies and pictures of myself with others online. It's so much fun. One of my favorite NSV.

I am experiencing new NSV victories every day! 🤗 Yesterday, dh and I went to the beach…he has to find a new boat slip. I walked around the cutest little town (3000 steps) and did not have to sit and get my breath because of that damned hiatal hernia. 🎉🎉🎉🎉 THEN, we went to the beach! On memorial day weekend I couldn’t take 3 steps without being short of breath. Yesterday we walked on the beach for 1 mile and I didn’t Have to stop at all. Additionally, usually on any walk prior to surgery, my heart rate would be 138 when exercising to my max, and now I only get to 116! I am beyond thrilled! My surgeon told me I would absolutely be able to run again after recovering. 🤗

Same! Rings are my favorite jewelry and I have a ton, but they're all size 10. I wear a 7 but now but almost a 6. I sure miss my wedding rings but I'm wearing a temporary one for now until I get them resized. It's so good to have smaller fingers! Great NSV for you! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm pretty sure this is the favorite NSV I've ever read on here! [emoji23] This gave me the best mental picture! So awesome! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I was in Costco the other day. I don't know if this counts as a NSV but it was interesting to me. They had protein powder on sale and I was looking at it and it was a different version of my usual brand (Orgain) but way cheaper and I said "I wonder how this one tastes" to my husband. Another lady told me they had samples and we got to talking and I said I usually use this brand but a different version and then she was asking me questions about it and I was giving her advice on where I get the other version, how I use it, etc. I just think it's funny that someone would talk to me about nutrition without batting an eye, not knowing that I ever weighed almost 400 pounds. It feels good but at the same time weird, because I actually was just as into health and nutrition then, I just never could eat small enough portions. I could have given the same advice 2 years ago, but no one would have asked me or believed I could know anything. Now, I look the part. I'm glad people aren't able to look at me and assume all the bad things they probably did before I lost weight, but it's sad too. I'm the same person. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Welcome to the forum yungshi. I am old enough to be your grandma, but started out at 235 pounds, also. You will be freaking amazed at how much better you will feel after the first thirty pounds come off - even if you don't look any different. At fifty pounds down, a pain specialist who had not seen me for several months, did not recognize me. He and his nurse did a double "time-out" before starting my procedure because he thought he had the wrong patient on the table. We call those kinds of things NSVs (non-surgical victories). Please let us know when you can cross your legs, trim your own toenails, shoes get too big, people who knew you don't know you now, you feel good three days in a row.......stuff like that. That is one way that we encourage each other to keep on keepin' on. If you take pictures and measurements now, it will give you a rference to see how you are doing. The scales can play horrible head games with you, especially as you exchange fat for muscle. You will notice that when you ask for advice, opinions and tact will vary. Please do not take anything personally....just take what you need and set the rest aside. I wish you good luck and good health.