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I'm only 7 weeks out, but my surgeon's rules are no drinking with meals forever, because then you tend to feel less full and eat more, and you can eat around the sleeve and stop losing/start gaining weight. Not drinking with meals was the thing I was most concerned about before surgery but I've found it very easy to be compliant.

How long total did it take you to get an answer? My surgeon apparently submitted Wednesday of last week, and I haven't heard anything yet. I sent an email through BCBS fep website minds to see if they even received it. Still no answer. If I wanted to call would I just call the customer service number or what? I'm so impatient and I want this surgery before the end of the year since I have paid my deductible, but I am cutting it so close!! *monday not minds

Maybe I'm just here for moral support, hopefully someone will turn a sympathetic ear my way. Here goes... I was banded in May 2007, at the time I weighed 330 lbs. By September 2007 I had lost 90 lbs and weighed 240 lbs. I never got a fill because I was losing weight so good, I figured I'd wait till I needed it. Then I got pregnant... Over the course of the pregnancy I gained a whopping 10 lbs, but when I weighed myself a week after baby I weighed 235. I had the baby in May 2008. The story is sounding good so far, right? Over the past 6 months I have not gotten a fill and some lbs have crept back on. I now weigh about 253. I know I need to schedule a fill but, I'm scared! :rolleyes2: I've never had one and I'm paranoid now that all my regular eating over pregnancy and the past six months has broken the band... you know - a flipped port that's somehow infected plus a stretched pouch and all sorts of things I have made up in my head. I just keep thinking it won't work or something is going to be wrong.. Any words of motivation so I can call and schedule my fill? My goal is to get to 200 lbs, although 180 would be really nice. Thanks for listening... Maryum

You need to find out your surgeon's specific plan. Some call for a week of clear liquids, which would be broth, SF Jello, SF popsicles. Others (mine) let you do full liquids, which consist of pureed soups that can go through a sieve, tomato soups, yogurt without chunks or seeds, Protein shakes, SF pudding. I've included the list from my blog of things I would get if I were to do it again. Also, like you said, don't buy too much stuff. I ended up buying a lot of broths but never drank them because I was allowed full liquids and I ended up freezing a majority of the yogurt I bought because I way overestimated the amount I would eat. If I were to do it again, this is what I would buy: General Meds: - sublingual B-12 - Biotin - O-purity Band Multivitamin or Centrum Chewables - Calcium + Vit D & K chews - Chewable or dissolveable Iron supplement - Liquid adult Tylenol - Probiotic Pearls - Milk of Magnesia - Scarzone to put on incision sites after they have fully closed and the steri strips have come off. Stage One: - Peewee Pillowpet to hold against stomach. - Lipton cup-a-soup Cream of chicken - Soups that can be pureed and put through a sieve. - Peppermint tea - Protein powder- Body Fortress chocolate, Vanilla - 3 Protein mix shakers - Yogurt without seeds or chunks. Only two or three cases = 8 to 12 yogurts. - SF syrups - Pillow "chair" Stage Two: - Mashed Potatoes - food processor. I bought a Ninja Kitchen Pulse so I can get rid of some of my other appliances. - Applesauce - Cottage cheese - Oatmeal - Refried Beans - Soups that can be pureed to consistency of cottage cheese.

i was just wondering if anyone can give me some ideas for what to buy for the first week...my su rgery is scheduled for Friday and i plan on doing my prep shopping soon!

I had to see a psychologist and develop other strategies for stress-related binge eating. These included joining a gym and planning 'hand busy' activities for my danger times, keeping a journal, dealing with problems when they come up and expressing my feelings to key people in my life (such as my boss and colleagues) so I do not feel quiet resentment. All these things combined took a bit of work and time. I have been through an intense period of buying food and chewing it and spitting it out because I could not let go of this behaviour. However, 4 months post-banding, I do it maybe once a week or even less and I don't go out shopping especially for it. I have confidence that I will work through this and I hope you will too. The fact that there is some will there not to hurt yourself and to make the post shows you have the potential in you to deal with this. Some people improve with binge-eating straight away and others have to work on it. I know one thing, your stomach can't take it at this stage so you absolutely can't do it. You must find another way or you could damage yourself, biologically even.

I am reaching out to anyone who can share help in getting Gastric Sleeve approved by Humana Medicare after an emergency Lap Band Removal with a low BMI 30. Are there Any Advocates that can help with a denial and now trying to Appeal? This is just not fair. I am sure there are a lot of Lapband removals Out there. Medicare guidelines are not up to the times of all these problems that are going on with failed Lapband and medical issues causing patients. Thanks for any feedback. BTW they told e to reapply when I reached 35... I have 3 of the comorbids and my band was successful too for me for 5 years.

You mentioned you ate for 45 minutes. I am told to stop after 20 minutes, so interesting how plans vary. I was not allowed eggs till 4weeks+ I loved it! They prefer people to wait till 6 weeks due to alot of people having issues with it, but they said it was fine for me to try , it was a dream. Congrats on your journey so far I had surgery 4th July, and liquids are a battle for me lol.

7 1/2 weeks post op, and I'm at the point where I'm trying different foods here & there to see what my tummy can handle, and determine what will work. This weekend, I did some research & was determined to find things that would be healthier for me. I seem to eat eggs, in some form or another, more often than I'd like. While I try to have egg whites instead of regular eggs whenever possible, it still gets old. Plus, I worry about my cholesterol getting high as a result. While grocery shopping this weekend, I noticed that Dannon Lite Greek yogurts had a few new flavors so I bought a few in hopes of giving those a whirl for breakfast on their own, or adding them to protein drinks so I can get my protein requirement up (something I still seem to struggle with). I also found a greek yogurt with strawberry preserves and chia seeds that had 17 grams of protein. I ate 1/2 of it today, but did have to add splenda because the yogurt was a bit... IDK, tart tasting I guess. I also went ahead & bought several different flavors of Quest protein bars. I think they have about 21 grams of protein. Another way to hopefully get my protein up. We also went to Trader Joe's to see what all the hoopla was about since opening their stores in CO. I have to say, it's OK, nothing really impressive overall. However, with that said, I found something called spinach & kale balls. A serving of four balls (yes, I thought that sounded funny too, LOL), has about 6 grams of protein & about 140 calories. I thought it was tasty, and made a good snack. My 3 month blood work is scheduled in the next month, and I have to admit I'm a little anxious about what the results will say. My concern is that I'm not getting enough protein, and that, while I'm at a healthier weight, and feel better than I did with my extra 100+ pounds, my health isn't as optimal as it should be. No regrets on having WLS, but I must say weight loss is a never-ending challenge. I need to work smarter, not harder.

I was sleeved on the 14th of July. I've been able to eat like cooked salmon, scrambled eggs, boiled chicken, refried beans, string cheese, greek yogurt, meatballs and really soft stuff. I have noticed that my stomach can't tolerate sharp cheddar cheese because anytime I have put that on beans or eggs to melt...i get a pain in my stomach...Also, I need to remember to slow down and take smaller bites because when I don't, I get these painful cramping things in my stomach...its like a few stabbing pains like my stomach letting me know it didnt like it and then it goes away a minute or two after. I am not drinking nearly enough liquids as I should and not getting enough protein in. I've been at a stall for a week and ahalf. I need to be better about my liquids and protein and walk more.

It sounds like you're on the right track, both nutritionally and mentally. I had to eat between 800-900 calories a day to lose and now in maintenance I'm between 1200-1400 a day. Only you are going to know how much you can eat and still lose, so log your food and pay attention. Even the doctor and nutritionist are going off of guidelines that don't consider what works for your particular body. Some folks need more and some need less. Until you heal completely, I wouldn't worry too much in any case. Just focus on pushing liquids, staying hydrated and getting as much Protein as possible. The rest will follow. I'm 19 months out and eating more than one egg scrambled with cheese in a sitting is tough. I do 2-3 ounces of protein if it's fish or chicken but if it's beef I manage even less. I don't have a lot of protein options where I live so I tend to make up the slack with protein coffee or tea in the morning. I like to see my protein levels at 90+ grams a day. Congrats on putting away the scale. It's hard to do. Once you get to the point where your realize that you won't see a loss every time, and that the scale is simply a tool to keep us accountable and NOT a measure of our success you'll be able to weigh daily without driving yourself nuts. Until then it just makes life a rollercoaster. You're doing great so far. Don't stress about the food. I didn't start really hitting my calorie/protein goals until 4-6 months out. ~Cheri

This is all new to me! Did alot of research before decision to lap band. Tuesday surgery was done in late morning, went home in afternoon and went to bed ! Spend yesterday in and out of bed walking around the house trying to drink protein drinks and resting. Feeling much better today! still sore but very manageable. Found out that I will be on protein drinks until my three week follow up appointment ! So far so good, just feeling a little bloated.

Hold on who let negAtive nancy into your world? Kick her to the corner! Find the positive! Look I'm speaking for myself and nobody else when I say hey I'm fat and I know it. That's why I had WLS. Because I made a choice to do something about it and it seems you did as well. So you slipped and boy did you pay the price! I would have been super scared of the pasta! Oh my my! I'm 7wks and as per my nut Pasta isn't on the table for many many more weeks. Heck I'm having issues with many thing. Do you have yourself refocused. There is a baked ricotta I've seen posted that would help with the cravings. Get creative with small batches off food that your program allows. If your still on liquid make flavor packed Soups and get in all the liquid and Protein you can. It will get better. Stay focused on the prize and the next time your tempted do a quick recall on this event and how you felt. I'm certain that will help

My 3 month follow up is this week had blood work done last week saw my cardiologist last week and they are reducing my blood pressure meds! Hoping to be off them all together soon. Congrats on your loss 127lbs is a whole person. Good for you!

dont worry you will be fine im on week 3 and i starting eating thing like applesauce after a week and now i sometimes eat a couple chips and i feel fine, dont worry you wont die

Hi Everyone, First of all thank you for all who send me msg on the pre-op forum before my surgery. I wanted to share with you my experience, fears and 1 day post-op experience. I was 228 pounds (128 kg) with a BMI of 42.3 pre-op. I am 33 years old male living in the Middle East. I tried everything, all types of diets, health eating, etc. yet when you have around 100 pounds to loose, nothing much helps. You lose 20 pounds but you still look fat. After much of a dilemma i decided to have gastric balloon which was good for 6 months yet when it was removed, all the lost weight came back. So I decided to try the lapband yet I was scared. After reading and orienting a lot on internet and on this forum, I was ready for it. Yet I wanted SILS, which is a bellybutton surgery. Because I am a self-pay patients and no need to go through the insurance struggle, I was free to choose my doctor and procedure. I have chosen Healthier Weight LLC in UK who worked with the best lap-band doctor in the work, Prof. Favretti. (indeed he is the best I believe). I cheated few times during my pre-op liquid and low calorie diet. First advice to all, take it serious and never ever ever cheat on that. My liver was bigger than expected so I had to have 2 smaller incisions. Yet my large scar is invisible in my belly button. Anyways, yesterday was my surgery. I was scared. I was more scared from anesthesia. I came to the hospital, and they gave me some relaxation medicine which didn't help much. Out of entire experience Healthier Weight staff and Prof are top notch. Yet I was not and I am not happy with the anesthesia staff. I had Anesthesia before and I had a pleasant experience. This time, they gave me few injections before hand which made me unstable yet not sleepy, than they put me on sleep. When I woke up, i got to see that I had 3 incision which made me almost cry, I came 7 hours flight to UK for single incision and I had 3. Yet later got to know that my liver was way too big, however contrary to normal surgery, my biggest scar is invisible. Which made me ok. Coming out of anesthesia was not very nice. Again in my previous surgeries I never had that. However I was scared that I will die:)) I know how it sounds or anesthesia awareness, nothing happened:) By the time I slept a bit, and anesthetics left my body, I was ok. I don't have much left shoulder pain, I have left lower belly pain. I have sore throat as expected. I am not feeling hungry, I sip Water and I am now today on liquid diet. As of today I have lost 11 lbs.:confused:) so a good start. I have no feeling of hunger, after few sips of water I feel fool, a bit discomfort on my left belly. Thats it. Those who are scared, try not to. Believe me its very easy. Make sure you find a right doctor. love you all and will update you.

My doc told me no pasta or breads for 6 months because of that very issue. I guess he wants me to get use to chewing first. He said if anything is going to get stuck it's bread and pasta. Scary. I don't have any restriction yet either. Only 2 weeks out of surgery.

My surgery is in 3 weeks, and I am also a self pay. I know EXACTLY what you are saying about barely being able to pay for the initial surgery, and what do we do about any future problems. I too am fretting. I have heard that if there is a slipage / erosion and if your PCP will admit you into the Emergency Room that you regular Insurance HAS to cover you for repairwork.... This is only what I heard, not for sure if it is true. I am just going into this with as positive of an attitude as possible, I will follow my Bandster rules. If / when a problem arises, I will face that too. One thing for sure, I have made a commitment to myself that I will loose enough weight to be healthy. If I have Band complications and must have it removed, then I will have further WLS. Best of luck to you! Kathi

Cindi - I wish some of your exercise enthusiasm would rub off. I just hate it. I do enjoy walking and have started up with the bicycle. My goal is to walk at least 4x a week. Yesterday biked for only 1.5 miles (have to work up to this) and then walked for 2 miles later in the evening. Today was my birthday and ate a small piece of cake and then went for a 1.5 mile walk. I've even managed to get 2 of my teenagers involved with the walking and bike riding, we're turning it into quite the family affair. Also, we have a Wii on order and if I can find a Wii Fit I'm going to push the whole family into it.

:drool: Hey Everyone! :teeth_smile: Let's see if we can help each other with our exercise goals! Use this thread to ask questions, post progress, list goals, log achievements...anything related to exercise in our fabulous 50's! We know it takes extra effort, different strokes, and special determination...so what are you doing to improve your health as you lose weight? I'll start us off :teeth_smile: I exercise 5X's a week (M-F), in the mornings at Lifetime Fitness. I am addicted to my gym, just love it! I do cardio 5 days a week, 3 of those days I do interval training on the treadmill or elliptical. I do strength training/core & weights 2-3 days a week. I workout 1 - 1.30 hours each time...more to come...what do y'all do???

Gas is normal even a couple weeks after surgery. I hate to tell you this but you are going to find out that gas, burping, farting, constipation, etc may be new things you experience as you get used to the band. Some foods can really mess my tummy up and it is trial and error. I loved broccoli before surgery but it is very hard for me to digest post surgery and gives me gas really bad, also brussel sprouts and beans. And as for is it worth it, I would say "Hell Yes!" I used to be a size 24 and now I am a size 4. So a little gas, belching, farting and tummy discomfort are well worth it to me.

I started at six weeks:)

I started at 6 weeks when my dr gave me tho ok to take baths and get in the pool. I use the Mederma scar cream. I am almost 4 months out and only the biggest scar (2cm) is still a little visible.

I am 3 months post op and I have lost 53 Lbs. last week I had emergency gallbladder surgery! Since the removal of my gallbladder, I cannot tolerate any food. Without too much Information, it doesn't stay in my system long at all. Carbohydrates are the safest thing at the moment. High protein/high fats are very destructive to my system at the moment. Any advice/suggestions to make it through this period? I'm hoping my body will adjust- but I struggling to make my protein goal at the moment!

Yes I am at 2 weeks, have a large bulge, I posted this question this morning. Essentially what I've learned is that its from the healing process and also may be scar tissue. There was a poster who said that they called their doctor about it because they thought it was a hernia and that was their answer.