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Hi there I have an office job as well and I returned after 10 working days off. You may feel washed out for a few weeks but I had no problem returning after that amount of time. Good luck with it all!!

I defiantly understand your concern in this. If you feel this may be a problem then try to lose the 25 lbs between now and then. I know that's easier said than done but even if you just lost 10 it would only look like you had a 15 lb gain. Good luck!

Commericals about food are so much...I used to love watching food network but now I can't the food just looks too good!! Plus I am cheating on the pre-op waiting to hear from my dr on that. Surgery date 02/10/09

good morning i get a fill on 3.24.09 and i currently have 6.5 cc in a 10 cc band...I havent reached my sweet spot..I feel hungry at times so i drink alot of water or crystal light... sometimes i eat some portions of nuts..fruits...etc between my meals...they probably dont want me doing this but I have to keep something in my system otherwise i get light headed..Have a good day!

I was banded on 3/1/2011 and know exactly what you are going through. I hope my answers to your questions will help put you at ease because everything you are experiencing is perfectly normal. 1. You feel pain here because that is where the attached the access port below your skin so they can make adjustments to the band by filling or removing Fluid throught his port. The majority of the pain here will be gone 1 week after surgery if you take the hydrocodone as perscribed (every 4-6hrs). You will have soreness if you do heavy lifting for about a month however it is not bad. 2. Growling is perfectly normal. The pain you are feeling is mainly gas. When they do the surgery they have to inflate your abdominal cavity with air so they have room to manuever. The stomach will absorb the gas and pass it through your system. It takes a couple days and the pain can be uncomfortable. One thing I found very helpful is walking. Walk around for about 15-20 minutes and you will actually feel the girgling make its way out. Pushing it out is hard and painful but walking will help drastically. 3. The reason you feel good on the reclining couch is because the port is attached to your abdominal muscle on the left side. When you recline your body is not completely stretched so you do not feel pain. When you lay down on your back in bed and are flat it stretches your abdominal muscles resulting in pain. One thing I found that helps is sleeping in bed with a big pillow behind me so I am almost sitting up, your reclining couch is perfect. I would however stand up as straight as you can and walk so that you do not heal hunched over. 4. Recup time is about 1 week and you will be 90% healed. The other 10% takes about a month. I was back to work in 2 weeks and was fine, however everyone is different and your doctor will probably see you 2 weeks after surgery and let you know your progress. The main thing is taking the pain meds and resting. 5. Everyone is different and will advance at different rates. I felt ok but went throught the outlined intake process the doctor assigned to me. I found the first week I could barely eat anything. I never felt hungry and I got lots of gas no matter what I ate. The body will heal and the gas will go away. The only advice I have for you is stay strong, you can do this. It should be much better within a week. Remember gas gets better with walking. You should be back to eating all food within 4-5weeks. 6. The doctor/nutrionsit should have outlined a diet plan for you and progression timeline. I would check with them to make sure you are on schedule. 7. I did not have heatburn meds. 8. I am not sure what you are feeling. I would try drinking very slowing and never through a straw. Never drink more than a sip at a time. Its hard to get used to but you can do it. Within a month itll be second nature to you. Even if the weather is horrible, its crap here as well. Walk around the house, even if its slow. You will feel so much better. Do not over do it. Slow walking for 15 minutes and you will feel tha gas subside. Hope I helped even a little. Good luck to you.

I record everything on fitday, I started with fitday.com and switched to the PC version because I don't always have internet access. I find it works for me to record it, I eat better that way - not just calories, but in terms of health, making sure I get enough Protein, avoid saturated fat, get enough Fiber, enough Water... and all the little things. So easy to give you a few typical days! Today - 102 ounces of water in total. Breakfast: -large can of V8 juice about 30 minutes before eating. -egg creations - 1/2 cup scrambled (chive and cheese flavoured fat free egg white blend) cooled and mixed with a half tablespoon of low fat mayo and a teaspoon of nutritional yeast and sodium free potassium salt. 140 calories. Hour after eating, - large bottle of water mixed with tropical flavoured protien powder. half serving of Protein Powder. 45 calories. Mid morning snack: - 30 cherries 150 calories Hour after eating, - bottle of water. Lunch: 10 7grain kashi crackers with low fat chive and garlic cream cheese and smoked salmon. 250 calories Hour after eating, - bottle of water. afternoon snack: 3/4 cup of flax plus Cereal with 1/2 cup of Omega 3 so good soy milk and package of stevia (herbal sweetner) 165 calories Hour after eating, - bottle of water. Dinner: 1 mediterranean seasoning large chicken breast, no added fat. 1/2 cup mashed acorn squash with coconut oil (butter substitute), potassium salt substitute and nutritional yeast. 1/4 cup of corn with coconut oil and potassium salt. 4 tablespoons of salsa. 300 calories Small piece of belgian extra dark chocolate - 60 calories Hour after eating - large can V8 70 calories. Before bed, bottle of water with full serving protien powder. 90 calories 1270 calories total, 36 gram of fat, 151 grams of carbs, 98 grams of protien. Yesterday - (I won't break it down into meals and Snacks, its a similar pattern every day) egg creations with light mayo, yeast, and p-salt half an apple 1 cup of chilli with light cheddar, light sour cream small mixed organic greens salad with tomato and with garlic/chilli flax oil and balsamic vinegar small can tuna with garlic and hot peppers and light mayo half cup acorn squash 1/4 cup peas - veggies with cold pressed coconut oil and p-salt 1/2 cup blueberries 40 cherries 2 poached eggs with light mayo and a teaspoon of caviar 7 multigrain rice crackers with fat free cheese 117 ounces of water over the course of the day. Total calories - 1307, 47 grams of fat, 131 grams carbs, 94 grams protein. Other stuff I eat really regularly - salmon, canned, fresh, smoked, other fish, mackerel, crab, lobster, artificial crab. 1% cottage cheese, various low fat cheeses, dannon sillhoutte yogurt smoothies, loads of fruit and veggies, drink mostly water, but also green and white tea, both hot and iced, and lots of tabouli salad. I avoid sugar, processed foods, and simple carbs, go for multi-grain high fiber low glycemic carb choices...

Thank you for this thread. I NEED motivation big time. I am going to try and do 150 mins per week from now until Sept 13th and then kick it up a notch. Today I did only 10 mins on eliptical BUT did lots of house work and taking trash to the dumpster since I live on 2nd flr had to use stairs soooooo does that count?

In last 10 days been to 5 cardio boxing or kick boxing classes. Love it!! Trying to go every other day.

Thanks, all. I will continue to take care of myself. I have no choice about the long days but my boss knows what is going on so besides my actual teaching time (9-12 adn 6-9),I can take it easy. So far, I have lost 10 pounds as well! I know this pace won't stay but it sure is nice motivation and helps to not regret the decision during the pain!!!

I just got banded TODAY! I went thru a lot of anxiety, all the way up to them putitng me unde ron the surgery table (of "am I doing the right thing?') I know I did, but even now I'm scared. I ate some tomato soup, jello, then tried some yogurt and my chest started to hurt...so I put it away for supper later. It just scares me to not know exactly what is going to happen, how much I can eat, etc. a fear of the unknown. anyway I first saw my surgeon like 2 months ago (?) and had lost 7 pounds...so m y "start weight" was down. I was told to lose 10 pound sint he 7 days before surgery. so for about 4 weeks I was in last supper mode (bush)...fast food, pizza, all my favorites. Then i began the preop diet UP 5 pounds according to the nurse. That alone caused me more anxiety. Then for the past 3 days all I;ve wanted to do was treat myself the night before surgery to an entire order of Phad Thai noodes with beef...but I opted to treat myself to reasonable servings of chicken breast, rice, and asparagus instead. Soemday I'll have Thai again (my all time favorite food), but I know it'll be several weeks away and a very very small serving. anyway, you are so not alone. I think this is very common. If you feel the need to bond with some foods before you begin a preop diet (if you have a preop diet) I say do it...but in moderation. Just within reason.

I started the process back in July of '10 and needed to complete the 6 month thing but my husband lost his job and insurance. I just recently started the process over. Fortunately, with my new insurance, I had to do my psych visit and they used the other visits from this summer. Round 2 has taken just over a month and I've received my approval and am scheduled for testing on March 28th and surgery on April 11. I am so excited and really didn't think it would be this easy! I am feeling a little anxious. Ok, a lot anxious! I feel like I need to eat everything! When I read others posts and research more and more, I feel a lot of anxiety. I have not had surgery before besides my tubal. I am thinking that it's my nerves and I am an emotional. Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

​Sleeved 10 days ago. Woke up in Recovery with terrible nausea, but I haven't had it since. Throat was sore for about 3 - 4 days, and I'm able to sleep on my side now, but I had my gall bladder out, too, which causes more pain. I feel great, I have no buyer's remorse, and the surgeon already has me on mushies. You'll do well.

I had my surgery on 10-30-08 and I am going to drive for the first time today.

Not till I was put on the 2 week liquid diet did I realize what HUNGER really is! LOL.... And as many have said here, you have to make the band work for you, its a tool, its not gonna just help you lose weight on its own. Think of it like this, the lap band is like 10% of helping you lose weight, the other 90% is where you come in, Mentally. Make it work for you. Notice what you're eating, what time, and why you're eating and ask yourself, I'm I really hungry or just want to eat to satisfy myself? Trust me, I know its NOT easy. We all been here, I know I'm still learning and growing but just take it one step at a time. Best, Chris

I've just started using Stevia. Purchased a box of 200 packets at Sam's Club for about $10. I find it to be sweeter than Truvia and no after taste. Also Aspartame and Splenda play heck with my bladder giving me spasms while Stevia does not.

Hi there, I wish you all the best with your new band. I am also at 5.5 cc's in a 10 cc band and I have some restriction but not all the time. For example, in the mornings I can eat usually which is weird cause most people are tight in the morning then after that I can hardly eat. But today, it was the opposte. The band is tempermental. Anyway, I feel like if I just had maybe another cc it would do me good. Unfortunately, my doctor only gives fills every 8 weeks. I've had 3 fills to get me to 5.5 and my second one was given early because I called and asked to come in early. I was also gaining weight in the beginning and it was getting very frustrating. Hopefully, you will reach your "sweet spot" after your next fill. Regards, Alfie

OMG! I've never done anything like that. I've just done Weight Watchers a gazillion times. I actually have lost a lot of weight once, about 15kg which was my surplus at the time. It took about a year to lose it, I just decided I wasnt going to diet anymore and that I was just going to eat sensibly. It worked, although it was slow. I was pretty active back in those days walking to work and the like. I kept that weight off and maintained about 145lb at 5ft 10 for a good 6 years till I started having babies. I even maintained it aftr my first baby but my second pregnancy I gained a heap of weight and never lost it and I found the lifetstyle change with 2 babies in 2 years was enough to gradually start the gaining.

This sounds like gas pain to me. It's typically not as bad as what you're describing, but I have heard of it being this bad. Is she taking gas-x or something similar to help move the gas? Was she on a liquid diet prior to surgery? That would explain the lack of BM's. I went for about 10 days with nothing, and then I had the worst case of diarreaha - liquids in, liquids out. Also, is your girlfriend taking the Tramadol in pill form or is she crushing it first? She's not eating yet is she? That could also cause lots of pain because she should be on liquids only at this stage. Use a heating pad on the shoulder and tummy and walk as much as possible. If she doesn't have some relief after the gas-x and heating pad and walking, then you really do need to see the doctor. Preferably the doc that did the surgery, because he's going to know more about it than and ER doc. Let us know how she's doing. You'll both be in our prayers. Barbara

My sister was dead set against me getting the band. She lost weight with diet and exercise and manages to keep it off for the most part, although she could stand to lose 10-20 pounds. Anyway, once she saw that I was really loosing good she became an advocate. She even went so far as to recommend it to her overweight friends when they would confide in her about their weight problems. Do what's right for you. For me the advantage that the band gave me was that I was not always fighting that insatiable hunger. What a difference a day makes.... Best of luck to you.

I have this same problem. I'm 10 days post op and had my level rechecked I'm up to 8.2 I believe. I'm currently taking Flintstones chewable vitamins with Iron but not sure I should take additional iron. I left a message for my nutritionist. Sent from my SM-G928P using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello all- So glad I found this website--it's always less daunting to know you're 'not the only one' out there and can discuss what's going through your mind (which works overtime with big decisions like this) I meet my surgeon tomorrow morning with hubby and my sister to set a date. April 3 is being strongly considered, at my request and the surgeon's office OK, as my Easter week off will minimize the need for lots of sick time. My background is that I've always been the 'big one'. The youngest, yet largest sibling. The big, funny friend. The mom who can't jump into the mix for anything too physically demanding. The overweight bride. The airplane passenger they all dread sitting next to--and who prays that she won't have to ask for an extender. Ugh...I'm sick of all those labels. I'm ready to start fresh and get healthy. I have sleep apnea, take BP meds, have knee pain, back pain, and am on anti-depressant. I'd like to eliminate those eventually. I have finally decided that my love affair with food is not so 'lovely' and I want to see how the other half eats. I have a loving, (thin) husband who is very supportive but doens't really 'get it' the way we all do..he is very supportive of whatever I do though and I'm very thankful for that. I have to boys 7 and 10 years old who need a mom with more energy and confidence. I want to be able to set a good fitness example for them too (and maybe show up in some of their childhood photos..lol) I actually started this process, in Buffalo NY, in November 2010 with original intentions for surgery in early 2011. They'd put me on S. Beach diet as part of their pre-surgery requirements...I'd done very well on s. beach and the surgeon gave me the choice as he felt I was an excellent candidate but since I was having success did I want to try on my own? I did try on my own and eventually (again) failed at weight loss. So I"m back...but this time for the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy as I'd, over my year, heard several stories of how the lap-band required a great deal of maintenance and had some pitfalls along the way. Maybe it was meant to be that I waited as my insurance carrier, which covers the VSG now would not have last year. So, cross your finger and say your prayers for me that I get my surgery scheduled and I can join you all in the Quest for a new beginning. I'm ready. Nervous about surgery but definitely ready. Moreso than ever before. Thank you for any advice or support you can lend me. I've told a very select few people (a couple close co-workers, friends, and family) and plan to keep it to myself generally. Amy

I have tried like 10 different brands. They just smell awful and the after taste is gross! I'm continually drinking them bc I know I have to. I'm almost 5 weeks out & I can only eat little bits of food at a time. (Like 2-3 bites) and I'm totally full. I'm lactose intolerant, so all the Protein rich cheeses really irritate my stomach. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be sleeved, however at this point I'm feeling like I'm stuck in between a rock & a hard place. Thank you all for listening

I am thirteen days away from the start of change...... I am so excited, nervous, anxious all at the same time. This has been a 2.5 yr process to make the decision to completely alter my life. I am the usual suspect, tried all the diets etc and nothing has worked. I do however have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis which over the past 10 years has been extremely helpful in helping me gain almost 30kg's and then not letting me loose it. I don't think the 4 pregnancies helped or the stress of running your own business or the car crash last year.....its been a difficult 10 years. I turn 40 next year and I am no longer going to accept that my life is going to be run and ruined by my disease, so here goes, drastic measures to take control. I am scared it will not work but I have hope and sometimes just a little hope can make a difference. If anyone has Hashi or knows someone with Hashi who has done this I would love to hear of success.....

I increased my goal weight after noticing the inches falling off as fast as the pounds dropped. My initial goal weight was 140, but I realize I'd look sickly at that weight on my frame, here are my stats: June 19, 2013 Starting weight: 219.5 Height: 5'2" Tops: 18/20 Bottoms: 16 Goal Weight: 140 Goal Size: 6 First fill - July 10, 2013 9 weeks ahead of schedule on my goals. July 31, 2013 (6 weeks post-op) Current weight: 188 Tops: 14/16 (I guess...I haven't bought clothes yet) Bottoms: Junior's 13M (clothes I had from previous WL attempt) Goal Weight: 150 (increased due to massive loss of inches) Goal Size: 8

I had surgery on Dec 19, 2012 and 8 months later I'm down 80 pounds! I reached onederland about a week ago. I've lost more than 50% of my excess weight. Overall it's been a great experience. Just wanted to share this with people that would understand. Very glad I found this forum.