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Everyone loses tons of water weight in the first couple of weeks of dieting, then it slows down. 4 lbs a week after that is a very high rate of weight loss and it will likely slow down sooner or later. And get ready for your first stall, because that's likely coming within the next couple of weeks. Don't let it freak you out! If the scale is going to stress you out, you may want to put it away for a while and just focus on the things you can control, like meeting your protein and fluid goals.

Your numbers don't show anything to be discouraged about. Your resting metabolic rate should be around 2400 right now, so unless you were working out ridiculously hard and eating nothing, it would be impossible to run a 3500 cal daily deficit to lose 1 pound a day. You also need to realize that your body is periodically going to take some time outs to do some readjustments throughout the process. 32 pounds in 7 weeks is actually really good! I was at my 1 month post op and the nurse totally checked me for pooh-poohing that I'd only lost 16. Hang in there, you are doing the right things, the weight will come off. We really have a big tendency to be too hard on ourselves and expect too much, so be kind to yourself and take heart in the knowledge that you are doing the right things. As far as the vomiting and having a hard time getting down food and Fluid goes... if you haven't called your surgeons office yet, I would really encourage you to do that. You really want to know if there is something creating this situation, particularly this far out, and if you continue to struggle with fluids in particular, you are eventually likely to end up with dehydration that will need to be treated. I'm at 5 weeks and just found out today that my difficulty getting any kind of volume of fluid/food down without nausea and the resulting dehydration is caused by a kink in my stomach. I'm going in for an endoscopy tomorrow, doc believes passing the scope through should straighten it out and solve the problem. Also had to get a couple liters of IV fluids. Good luck! You are doing great and I hope that you are able to determine and resolve the cause of your symptoms!

from my readings on this and other forums a pound a day is a very aggresive number, the number that seemed more achievable was averaging 3 pounds per week over the first few months. And some unfortunate souls were lower than that. i personally was hoping for four pounds a week for a little while. 32 pound in 7 weeks sound very respectable and commendable. I understand that with all the work i did i ached to see the results of the effort and also to convince myself that this time it would be different. you did not mention any exercise and for me that has always been an esential part of losing weight.

I know what you mean about how it is hard to wait. I am so bad at that. It does go by quickly though. I am already 9 weeks post-op, which sounds so weird. It doesn't seem like it could be that long already. It was this time last year that I was unable to fit onto a rollercoaster at Cedar Point after waiting to ride it for four hours. If I went this weekend, I'd be able to ride everything thanks to lots of inches lost in my hip/butt area. I hope your waiting goes quickly.

My barium eval showed a mild hiatal hernia. My dr hasn't said anything about it (I actually just found out about it a few weeks ago and my eval was months before) I think it's a much more common thing than what people believe. It makes sense if the dr wanted to fix it to just do it then - one surgery versus two is better! But, it's a pretty common thing in obese people.

Hi Judy and welcome! It's kind of hard to answer your questions specifically because everyone's doctor and insurance situations are different. I can tell you what my experience was though. I had my first consultation with the surgeon Nov 8, 2006, got my surgery scheduled during the beginning of December, and finally had surgery Jan 22, 2007. So, not too bad of a wait. Because of my insurance, I did not have to have referrals to the psychologist, etc. My surgeon just wrote the scripts and off I went. My doc did require I go to a seminar, but I also live very nearby. Maybe your doc will help you with an alternative? Again, with the liquids, all docs have different rules. For me, I did four weeks of Optifast liquid and bars before surgery. After surgery, I did two weeks of full liquids, which included thin Soups, gatorade, juice, Water, milk, etc. I must say again -- these were my specific instructions from my doc. You should always follow the guidelines set by your doctor. Hope that helped! Maria

Hi all, I just got my 4th fill yesterday. I had to get an unfill last time (long story), and then I didn't feel restriction, but about a week or two into the unfill, it started getting tighter. It always seems to be about a week or 5 days before my menstral cycle, so I asked the doctor. He said the band will tighten before and during your menstral cycle. I've heard others mention this also, so I wanted to ask the Dr. and he confirmed it to be true. Maybe that is what is going on with you gals??

Yep... Right down the road. Day by day im finally getting better... I am about 80 percent now so its looking like the damage isnt going to be permanant. As of now, i havent started a blog for my lapband experience due to the fact that i still cant sit up comfortably to type but i do plan on it. Hopefully sooner than later. The nerve damage was a pretty horrible side effect from the surgery but as of now, its been my only negative experience (besides the normal gas and bloating post op). I am never hungry. I was on fluids the day before and three days post op and then graduated to full fluids.. Currently im eating puree's but cant stand mushy stuff so its been soft crab cakes and steamed tilapia for the past few days. But i never get hungry. I have to sit myself down and eat... Sometimes i forget to eat until the afternoon and i get nauseaus... So my new hunger pain is nausea. Maybe thats why i never feel hungry. Lol The shake i love the most and (actually my girlfriend has started to drink it for the Vitamins and protein) is the eas strawberry edgevantage (or some spelling like that).. I was so nervous when i took my first bite of real food.... I was scared i was going to eat to much... Or somehow shift my band... Was not as plesant of an experience as i thought it would be. Make sure to get a good food scale, it will save you some anxiety. Dont know if you found decent Calcium supplements but unjury.com has some that are pretry good for chewables... Hope all is well!!!!

I'm self pay- no endo either, just an ekg and chest xray. My surgeon said the gummy Vitamins are fine to start a week post op as I didn't like the chalky ones either. I bought chewable Calcium to replace the horse pills I take now. Big day on Monday.

Sherrie, Hubby & I were truck drivers, We both drove a total of about 18 years, about 2 of them together. One time before we met my hemmies (so much easier to spell that LOL) were bad that I went to a clinic & the Dr lanced it, then gave me pain med & antibiotic, well, antibiotics also tend to give me hemmies. (There are maybe 2 kinds I can take with no issues, that's it), well gee, guess what happened? I was back at the clinic the next day, and this was about a week before Christmas, luckily I was staying at a Comfort Suites practically across the street from the clinic because bumps & using the clutch to start & stop in a semi truck was murder LOL So next day I was back in there to have them lanced again. About 4 years ago we were in Colorado & they were REALLY bad, when they get bad hubby takes care of them (too tough with my weight), and I we were talking about taking me to the hospital. Finally the pain calmed down & I got some sleep. When it was my turn to drive I called my dispatcher & told her what was going on, I started driving, and even hubby was amazed at how loud I could yell in pain LOL Needless to say after a day or so they finally subsided. I had my family Dr refer me & the Dr that 1st did a colonoscopy, then removed my hemmies, was a good man & REALLY funny. When we went in he examined me, and when we were discussing the ectomy he said that I am going to want to punch him in the face every day for at LEAST 10 days. I had my surgery on Friday January 13th. Luckily he was having a good day LOL Needless to say, come January 17th, I was screaming so loud & crying so bad when I went to the bathroom that I surprised the police didn't show up at our door LOL I emailed him after about a week & told him that punch & face were not quite what I had in mind, kick & balls were more along what I was thinking at this point LOL Needless to say, when I told him that I needed to have an endoscopy done, he referred me to Dr Gabrielson, and when I told him about me having the sleeve done in 2011 (I didn't lose much weight) & that I get really bad heartburn & GERD that he told me that I am an excellent candidate to be fast tracked for the gastric bypass. So now I'm doing all the reading & trying to understand things. When I had the sleeve done I had it done in Mexico, so I didn't have to read or study anything, they told me to make sure I put myself into ketosis for 2 weeks prior to my surgery, then tell me what to eat post op & that was it. After that, at least in my case & the group I went with, they could have cared less, with the exception of getting the money from me. So basically that's my life story for the last 10 years LOL

So Im 4 weeks post-op today and I was doing great in the beginning numbers kept going down and down. Long story short when I was 3 weeks post-op last week I was at 206 and surgery day I was 226 so I was very happy that in 3 weeks I had lost 20 pounds BUT!! I got my period and I gained 3 pounds so Im at 209 again and I've had my period for 8 days non-stop like what is going on? Before surgery I was very regular and by day 4 PERIOD WAS GONE. ughhhhh Im sad that I gained 3 pounds and that I've had my period for 8 days and who knows when its gonna stop. anyways thanks for reading ladies hope someone can help me out and let me know if some of you when through this too.

Hello, I had my gastric sleeve surgery mid July and started weight training in September so almost 2 months now twice a week. Last night I noticed loose skin in the breast area do anyone have any advice/ideas/exercises on how to tone up the breast area? Please send me your thoughts I do not want to have breast surgery it took all my energy to have gastric sleeve surgery. Thanks for listening, Lee

@ NancyDec20... I am so happy for YOU! You are right about men losing faster... my husband has been doing a Biggest Loser challenge sponsored by our city hospital as he is also heavy... since starting on Jan. 8th, he has lost about 30 lbs just be curbing his bad food habits and working out ONCE a week with a trainer for an hour! He is looking/feeling great with about 30 lbs to go, but it seems so easy for him... he recognizes that it IS different for us and wants me to be as happy and healthy as he is getting - we will just take different paths to that goal!

Wow! That's great too.. ! Congratulations..... I have been working harder on this, cause I will be seeing my husband in 5 weeks, and he doesn't know of all the new changes I have made.... I am so excited..... I am doing my own BODY MAKEOVER<! Just wish I could do the 10 years and younger show.... lol... It would be easier... I have been tanning everyday so I have gone from LILLY white to a medium tan, and I have a chemical peel appt, as well as Laser hair removal, and a Body wrap, and a custom hair appt., totally changing that, currently bleach blonde "going honey natural" and a teeth whitning.... ... This stuff is expensive, but I haven't seen my husband in 8 months... and since my life has always been about how BIG I was I figured I would treat my self.. Good luck......... and way to go on your loss......

I was told it is essential to discontinue liquid calories at two weeks

Hey, guys! I was sleeved 3 weeks ago, and things have been fine until a few days ago! These last few days I have felt constant hunger. For example, tonight I had a homemade salmon patty. Before it would have filled me up yet here I am, and my stomach is gurgling. It feels like hunger. The kind of hunger you'd feel when you were bored and wanted to graze Is something wrong with me? Did anyone else struggle with this? Also, I've been in a stall all week. I go up and down a few pounds. I am finally able to get all my protein in and today was the first day I was able to get 64 oz of water in! I am hoping this will help with the stall, but the constant hunger is scaring me.

I couldn't be happier! It hit me today that it is EXACTLY 6 months since surgery and low and behold, I got past that 59 lb mark that I was stuck on for a week! Woo hoo!

Protein-rich Diet (Liver-Shrinking-Diet) Every patient who is preparing for surgical treatment of overweight should maintain a protein-rich diet. The diet should be started two weeks before the operation. Such a diet is characterized by a high Protein content, low fat content and reduced carbohydrate content. Reducing the glycogen stores in the liver leads to a considerable reduction in the size of this organ, which makes the surgical procedure easier for the surgeon. This makes the procedure safer and reduces the risk of complications during surgery. The protein-rich diet also leads to a reduction in body weight, mainly of fatty tissue, which improves the general conditions for a laparoscopic procedure to a great extent.

I am gonna start by saying that I am scheduled for surgery in November. I have been in the process of getting the lap band for about six months. The surgery had to be put off till November because when I got my EKG it came back abnormal and they sent me to a Cardiologist. They found out it was because I was severely anemic so I have to take care of that before surgery. So my surgeon decided instead of the liquid diet for two weeks I could join Physicians weight loss for about 2 and half to three months because it would shrink my liver to do their diet till my surgery. I have meal replacement shakes, bars, and soups 3 to 6 times a day. I take minerals and vitamins and also appetite suppressants every day and I have one meal a day which consists of one piece of either chicken or fish plain and vegetables. I wont lie..the food isn't great but after 6 days I went back up there to weigh in and i lost 23 pounds. IN 6 DAYS!! The reason I am writing this thread is to suggest it for anybody who has hit a plateau or who has to lose a certain amount of weight in a short period of time. I feel so great. Plus I am taking care of my anemia. I found out it was caused by my PCOS (Polycystic ovarian syndrome) which I already knew I had. I have started on birth control and iron. After 6 days I feel like a new woman. I am still going forward with the surgery because I believe in it and I know it will help me keep the weight off. Its not just a temporary solution. I am not saying Physicians weight loss is just temporary, however its not something I think you would want to do forever. Mostly because of the price. Well I hope this helped someone.

I started massage therapy school 5 weeks ago and I'm lovin' it! Except for anatomy! Any secrets or tips for getting through this class? I have Anatomy and Physiology I, II, and III through next April and I think I'm going to die! We have our first anatomy exam tonight and I'm a nervous wreck. At my age (49) I don't seem to retain the information as well as I did when I was younger. But, my practicals and labs are going very well. I'm retaining everything that I put my hands on, so to speak. I have the flash cards and coloring books and they help but this subject matter is just so complex. Anyone else share my pain?

Today is my 4 week anniversary for surgery and my double chin is gone. I am only down 15 pounds but I am starting to notice the loss in all the same areas you mentioned. Good luck-I am sure you will notice it going away soon.

I know how you feel. I went to an event about 2 weeks before surgery. We sat front row at a local theater play and I felt so huge. I was embarrassed and thought everyone thinks I'm too fat to sit here. I will say that frustrations change. I'm a week post op. It gets better but as your priorities change, you find that there are new frustrations. For example, today I can smell EVERYTHING which seems ok until you realize you smell putrid smells and sweet smells are cloyingly sweet (for me) Go to the show if you want to go. Maybe you can say that the chairs hurt your back and they can provide accommodations. But if not, it's all good. But know it gets better Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Cynthia, welcome!! And thank you for sharing your website with us. (Uh-oh...do I owe you royalties for all the times I've said "Welcome to Bandlandia"? I swear I didn't know about you before this!) What a wonderful boost to hear a story from a real long-term bandster. I'm 7 months out and hovering at 45 lbs down, which thrills me and depresses me by turns. But I know I can lose another 45 lbs, and then another, and be at a normal weight for the very first time in my life. I don't care if it takes another year or three, the fact is it's POSSIBLE and that's what matters. Please stick around! :D

I'm 8 weeks post op and I don't think that reality has quite caught up with me yet but I do fantasize about it for sure. Beats fantasizing about eating a piece of cake

Until surgery date! Hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!