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Hi Everybody! It has been 2 months since my plication surgery and I am feeling somewhat frustrated. I am physically feeling great and have more energy but find I am not losing weight as fast as I want to. I am now eating smaller meals but more of them spread out over time so my stomach is not too full. I am still a stress eater. I have gone down a size in scrub pants and tops. I am getting compliments that I look thinner in my face and stomach. I have given up diet soda. I am drinking Water, green tea and lemonade. I am staying low carb. I am not exercising as much as I would like but I did start walking again. I will start weight training as soon as my incisions heal all the way. Unfortunately my job as an RT has me bending, stretching and pulling too much for the incisions to heal faster. I have come to realize that my plication surgery is not a magic silver bullet where weight loss just magically occurs. Plication surgery is a tool. It is still up to me to eat less, exercise more and make healthier choices. It is up to me to analyze and correct what made me heavy in the first place. I can blame genes, circumstances and the environment but in the end I need to look at me. I need to take responsibility for my weight, make corrective actions and change my thinking. (Gee...why didn't I think of this before!!! I could have saved thousands of dollars and been much happier!!! I blame global warming.) Okay...okay...I will get off my soapbox. I am essentially writing this for me so that it serves as a reminder and motivator. I am still extremely happy I got the surgery done. I just need to do my part better! Take care everyone! Steve

cool! we are on then! i didnt walk thirty minutes today . Im working late and my job is standing and staring non stop. i move my arms a little. i plan to walk tomorrow though. Can you walk tomorrow for thirty minutes too? im going in the morning, i have more energy then, and i can shower after and feel fantastic. im taking my ipod. RE: energy.. are you getting enough Protein? i do a shake in the morning thats high in protien and relatively low in calories, gets me going. heres the basic recipie, can of course be altered: (put in blender and blend) a handful of pecans or walnuts a container of probiotic yogurt (any yogurt works) (cut in half if mixture is too much) a scoop of soy Protein powder (can get this at grocery or walmart) a half of a cup of 2percent milk (can cut this in half or substite Water if mixture is too much) a dose of metimucl or any Fiber laxitive Iron supplement (tablet) vit c tablet Multivitamin acidolpholis tablets (two) vit b dot two tablespoons flax oil (great for your hair, teeth and nails) any other supplements youd rather not swallow whole, i use collegen. and last, about a fistfull of frozen fruit (important no sugar added) i sometimes use blueberries (cause i live in maine) but strawberries are easy to find and keep in freezer. Blend until its all mixed up well. It should be no more than a pint of stuff, and drink it slow, i dont even do coffee or tea anymore in the mornings because it takes me all my "oh my god im awake" time to get it down. It lasts me until around one pm, then its time for lunch anyway. I like it because if you dont get in good meals for the rest of your day, your bases are already covered when your body needs it most, in the mornings to break your fast. it also helps keep me from grazing around. it is usually really thick and feels like im being very naughty when everything in it is just what your body needs at this point. let me know if you wind up trying it, and what you think.

Thank you. I mean typically I don't think I eat too fast but maybe I'm still eating too fast for my sleeve. Especially when I've allowed myself to become ravenous. I will take that under adwisement.

re: "I am not a patient person " Who is? re: "The only problem I seem to have is when I eat too fast I get some pain. " disagree.....when we over eat, at whatever speed it is, that is the problem re: "I'm not as hungry as I was before." great!!! re: "restriction" I my case at least....the opportunity to use my brain to direct my eating behavior was a new and painfully learned event. I grew up (and OUT) actually training my ever-increasing appetite to gulp moreMoreMORE ever faster to increase my obesity by overeating nearly every meal. And still I couldn't eat enough to be "full". "Sport eating" is one thing, but uncontrolled success at that produces Morbid Obesity. Here we are. We have to learn the 'restriction' is in our minds, on our own eating behavior and what in we learn to choose to do. The pain of gulping food down will change to the pain of being stuck and slimming as PB'ing as the Os decreases. We must embrace our new selves and help in our own reemergence. Once I recognized the metaphysical aspects of my overeating behavior, the discipline became easier. And even ~not-patient *I* my Royal Self~ have become far more patient in eating better. cheers in your journey

I went to the appointment and it was GREAT. Nancy is the best. I was 100 percent honest with her and she never did anything to make me feel bad, only encourage me. SHE understood everything and didnt judge at all. I am glad they had me go!!! I learned alot. LAmadame) Nykee Protein first means this, if you sit down to eat and your plate has lets say a piece of chicken, some veggies, some rice girl) I never eat meals like this.. well almost never. Lamadame) you should eat all of the chicken first, then the veggies, then the rice if you have room left. For example my lunch today was a small zuchini cut up into small slices, 3 slices of the tyson all ready cooked chicken strips, I sauteed them together in a pan with non stick spray and vegetable seasoning, I will eat the chicken first then the zuchini it is a high protein, low carb meal with very little fat if any. girl) I know how to do this, I could write my own diet book..lol BUt I do not cook and actually cannot cook (much) (physically challanged) BUT I am telling my family thats something thats new, time to COOK! They do everything else for me, why not this! argggh lamadame) Protein supresses hunger, the more you eat, the less hungry you are. girl) Hunger has never been an issue. Hunger doesnt make me eat, hunger has nothing to do with it. lamadam) Examples of protein are chicken, beef, fish, tuna, eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, some Beans, some nuts, girl) I been adding up my protein nd I get plenty.. like 100 grams a day.. BUT I know what your saying. The counseling meeting really opened my eyes. I am actually restricted on my protein, not allowed over 80 a day. lamadam) You can do this, from one Ortiz patient to another I know he stresses protein first, if you need a little kick in the butt call me or email me, I will help you get through it. girl) They dont talk to me... BUT I will PM you with my email.. I ALWAYS need a kick in the butt.. I am SUCH a loser! Sorry to say that.. but gosh this whole thing is making me nuts.. look how crabby I am being.. lamadame) If you do not eat food that way, then maybe try starting to do it that way if at all possible. girl) Well I KNOW its possible I just dont know whats seemed impossible for the last 20 years now to follow or do anything differently that would help my diet and health and weight. lamadame) Honestly for me carbs kill any attempt for weight loss , if I eat protein it keeps my cravings and hunger under control, carbs make me crazy and ravenous all day long for more food! Good Luck to you Nykee, you can do this! girl) I know thats true.. I HAVE started today. This is what I did so far. I gave my jelly belly jar to my son, he asked why and I said "cuz I eat like 10 every morning and every night" and he thought that was the point to have a few to feel saticfied (usually the jar would of been GONE long ago, handfulls all day) I told him the little bit is prolly just keeping the carb cravings going. I left my purse at home on purpose when I went to get my daughter from school. BECASUE I made a NO FAST FOOD RULE.. I have fast food up to three times a day, and almost every day. (little things but full of fat and carbs!) It was so hard! OMG.. I cant beleive it was so hard. And tonight I go to the YMCA for my workout, just not gonna bring any cash so I wont be tempted! I had a grilled cheese sandwitch for luch.. WITH NO DRINK!!! I was drinking with my meals. I usually drank like 32 ounces or more of milk or juice with a sandwitch or a corndog. This time, sandwithc ONLY@!!! Those are the things I have done so far. Soooooooooon, I will try to make these 'meals' ... (instead of like a snadwitch) THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT!!!

Nykee, sounds like you're doing great! It's a terrific idea to keep your cash at home (but do carry your wallet), because even though fast food places do take credit, you don't want to pay with a credit card for one hot dog or something. How embarrassing that would be! I posted this on another thread, but I'll repeat it here: Why not try substituting calorie-free liquids for your milk and juice? Breaking the kind of drinking habit that you have will be hard to do all at once. (I mean between meals--you really do want to NOT drink at all for an hour after eating.) Lots of liquid is a good thing, but not if it's loaded with calories. Try those great flavored waters! They're really delicious and you can drink three gallons of them if you want. Propel and Fruit2O are two brands, and there are loads of others. You're doing great!! So did they say you could get a fill, and if so, when? After your fill you may find that a grilled cheese sandwich isn't the best bet for lunch. The bread makes it hard to eat. Start stocking your kitchen with other options--chili, tuna, deli meats maybe. The day will come and you don't want to be unprepared!

Everyone in our doc office gets put on Ursodial if you still have your gall bladder. Losing weight fast causes your body to create stones. This med helps keep them from forming.

Welcome to the Loser Bench. :-) After my surgery, I never had another craving for any fast food. Not that I haven't eaten fast food since, but it no longer has the same satisfaction it used to provide. I used to have these overwhelming cravings for certain burgers, fries or Desserts. They all went away. When I realized that, I got the same feeling I did as a kid, when you're let out of school for the Summer. :-)

, [ATTACH][/ATTACH] I just had dh take these to kind of ease the ones who hadn't got one yet the severity of it all. It is fast, and very little pain, so I thought I would try to post a couple.

With a 15 second pause during an EPS study, I am surprised that they did not opt to at least put in a pacemaker. I had EPS and was ablated for a re-entry fast rhythm. Eventually I will need an AICD but thankfully, so far, so good. What's interesting is that in my case, I only began to have heart problems AFTER I lost 230 pounds. I put back 130 of that but did keep 100 pounds off for 4 years. Now I hope the band helps me get back down to a healthy weight. I'm glad that your weight loss has helped the heart flare-ups and I certainly hope you've see the last of them.

I am so afraid that I am going to stretch out my stomach I do not think I am eating enough. So I am seeking advise on how much at once should I be worried about eating before this would happen. At this point in my journey I just this week advanced to soft foods. Fortunately, my surgery went well and I've not had any complications. Everly thing I've read said 2 to 3 oz at a time so up until today It has been work to just get in 300 calories a day. I am only drinking 1/2 Protein drink like twice a day. Yesterday I ate 1/2 hot dog ( because am so hungry and it made my stomach sing like a canary) I eat 1/2 of a potato as large as kiwi and it takes me about 15 minutes to get it down. Today I ate it a bit to fast. Today I was so hungry I managed to get a 6 oz glass of milk drank in 10 minutes but it did not make me sick, just very full. I do not want to develop a eating disorder, so any advise is greatly appreciated.

Two weeks ago I had a treadmill stress test. It was a nightmare. My heart was beating so fast that I could hardly breathe. I asked to get off and they kept telling me just a little longer. Finally, I told them I was going to pass out and they let me off. I didn't stay on long enough. I was really scared to go back to have the chemical stress test but I have to get cleared by a cardiologist. Yesterday I had a chemically induced test called stress pet scan. It was the total opposite of my first test. Just lay still for about a half hour. Machine kept taking picures. The last 10 min they injected me with something to make my heart beat faster. I had no bad reaction and could have slept through the test although I don't think they want you to. My point is to try to get the chemical test if you are morbidly obese, older and not in good shape. I had a lot of people tell me the treadmill stress test wasn't that bad and I could do it. I really tried but for some people like me we should have the chemical test.

I agree with Thomas about microwaving. Once you start solids, it's best to avoid "dry" foods like bread. They just end up getting stuck. When I first went on solids, I ate a lot of chunky Soups, canned meat, and of course my Protein shakes. If I wanted chicken, I boiled it with lots of spices - it comes out really moist. I definitely burp more than I did before the surgery. But I've found that the burping is a sign that I've overeaten or I ate too fast. Another sign for me is if I start to sneeze. Your burping might be because you ate the microwaved meal AND the bread together. Hopefully, your burping will subside soon - Brenda

I agree with the others. Once you get restriction, you really can't eat fast. I keep a Soup At Hand at work just in case there is a time when I can't eat as slowly as I need to. I know soup is not something I'm supposed to have often, and it doesn't fill me for as long, but..... Good luck to you. You are so right about this surgery being a blessing. Take care!!! Becky

I'm a sixty year old woman with Afib. Had a heart attack about four years ago and my doctor has been trying to get me to loose weight. I've tried believe me I've tried them all in the last 30+ years with no success. I just can't seem to stay on a diet longer than 4 months so cardiologist is recommending the lapband. I have heard good things and I have heard bad but no real information as to what you can eat afterwards. Do you loose weight so fast that you end up needing plastic surgery to get rid of the rolls of loose skin? I've also heard that many people gain their weight back in about 10 years. This all scares me but having another heart attack frightens me more. So if anyone has any information or advice please send it my way. I have to make this decision before Oct of next year when my husband retires and our insurance changes. As it is I'm hoping our insurance will cover at least part of this since it is for a life threatening reason. Thanks. Deb

Just an FYI---this may be TMI for some. So...it finally happened. I ate to fast, filled up my stomach and a little more and....well...up it came. I found it really strange. I haven't actually thrown up since surgery and that was violent dry heaving. This wasn't like the violent getting sick...but it just literally came back up. No convulsing, lol, no gagging, it just simply came back up and I spit it out. Is that normal?? Is that what others have experienced? My sleeve is starting to take regular foods again and so I'm trying new stuff....but it still doesn't like some things. I got a little sick from Soup with to much grease in it too (I know...grease in soup?? Go figure)

well I just got my first about a hour ago I didnt eat before my appt. so I was starving when I got home so of course ate my first 2 bites to fast and wow I feel restriction again before my fill I could have ate the whole plate and felt nothing but the fill worked I am back to being careful with every bite I put my plate down because I was scared of a stick but I know I ate to big of bites and to fast so glad to feel something besides hubger, as far as the needle it was pretty painless for me on the first poke but because he had to take some out because water was uncomforble the second poke I felt but no big deal so hope this helps you be at ease somewhat and know maybe eat before you go if u have a am appt.

It is an intermittant fasting approach first studied for extending lifespan but can work to help get weight off. You eat "normal" 5 days and do a very restricted day 2 days - most consider about 500 calories during the 2 fast days. The key is having long periods of time with no eating, like you finish eating at say 7 pm and don't eat until midday the next day (for example, that next day is your fast day). It works. My opinion is that it is a useful technique for "veterans" who are trying to lose a regain or perhaps making that final push to goal.... but i would not recommend it to someone who is still losing well "in the honeymoon phase" post surgery. I did 5:2 when I was bouncing up higher than my maintenance bounce range and then it went so well, i decided to lose a bit more!

Hello! So obviously, I'm new here. I just wanted to say hello, and add my 2 cents. I'm 5'8, and my current weight is 360lb. I can't say for sure that this is my highest weight, as I'm pretty sure I've lost some weight since January, but I never weighed my self, so I can't be sure. I guess it really doesn't matter though, 360lb is high enough, don'cha think! Lol. I've been fat (said not as derogatory, but as a factual statement), almost my whole life. I had the few years pre-puberty as skinny, but once 11 or 12 hit, that was over. I am lucky enough to have gained confidence in my self in my early 20's. Loving myself, body and all. So I never tried all the questionable fad diets and gimmicks that are out there. However, I was aware that a lower weight would be healthier in the long run. Obesity runs in my family, and my Nanie (my Mom's Mom) died from complications due to being obese. I knew I didn't want to end up in the same situation as I got older, so I did try calorie counting and exercise. While it was semi successful, I just wasn't able to lose much, nor keep it off. I knew I needed something more powerful, and lasting, for me to make weight loss work. So I've always been interested in bariatric surgery. Due to many circumstances, surgery through health care (Canadian here), was just not an option, and money for pay myself surgery, was just as unlikely. However, after a few family members went through they're own surgery, seeing how helpful surgery really was for weight loss in individuals who haven't been able to do it on their own, some of my family decided that they wanted me to have this chance, and put things in motion for me to be able to do this. Fast forward to now, a few months later, I have a surgery date of September 5, going to a surgeon in Mexico, the same one that one of my family members went to. She is confident enough in her experience to have set me up with them. In fact, she'll be traveling with me, to help me out. I'm excited for this journey, and a little nervous, I've never had surgery before, but I know this will be good for me. While I've been lucky enough to have remained relatively healthy, with only sleep apnea as an issue I have, I know that won't last as I get older if I don't do something now. So that's my story so far. I'm loving being able to read everyone's story on here, and hope to add more to this great community!

My lunches usually contain a variety of the items below. I usually bring more than I will eat, so I can have what I feel like and then just repack the next day what I don't eat. I'm still adding new items to this list as I progress with trying/handling new things. it proves a challenge for me to pack lunches as I use to just eat out every day pre op. I have had a few things from fast food, but it's hard to find anything that you can eat. Jimmie Johns can makes all of their sandwiches into an Unwich, no bun - lettuce wrapped. I tried the turkey/ham and it was fabulous... it took me all day to eat 3/4 of it, but my pup was happy to get the rest at the end of the day.. also you can order a side of beans at taco bell which satisfies if you have no other option. My lunches contain an assortment of: 2 oz tuna salad (fixed as if it was going on a sandwich) deli meat or some other sort of meat hot soup in thermos olives pickles light string cheese cherry tomatoes apple orange P3 (deli isle) meat/cheese/nuts pistachios 2-4 oz lowfat cottage cheese 2-4 oz yogurt 2-4 oz protein sf jello (unjury.com has recipe) 2-4 oz vegetable, I like green beans 2-4 oz dole no sugar fruits I ordered some of the bariatric pal protein chips in a variety. I liked about half of them, but will not be attempting this again until I reach maintenance stage. I found myself eating more than one individual size bag a day or grazing through more than one portion at a time. It brought out old habits in me, and I don't need that kind of struggle with self control right now. Be careful with these my nutritionist also says they are slider foods, that dissolve fast and slide right through to the intestine, more calories for less satiety.

...but I was banded on 9/28 and I haven't been sticking to the fluids. I am so ashamed that I am so weak, but it's been really difficult for me for some reason. I was on medifast before the surgery to drop some weight, and I think that doing that on/off for a month before and now having to go back to fluids again is driving me bananas. I just want to feel some texture in my mouth, to have that full feeling in my stomach again. Instead, I always feel sick afterward. You'd think I'd learn but I've already cheated about 3 times since my surgery on Friday. The first time was Sunday night, I had probably the worst thing I could have - a spoonful of peanut butter!! Then yesterday, I had a cracker and cheese in my Soup, and today I ate a small package of crackers! What is wrong with me? Why am I such a failure? I'm really embarrassed to admit this and it really makes me question what my long-term success will be with the band. It is very unlike me to be so weak! I went on a liquid fasting diet twice for more than two months in the past, not to mention all the other restrictive diets we have put ourselves in the past. Has anybody gone through this? Does anybody have any advice for getting back on track? I seem to have the mentality now that I've already screwed up so what's the point on being diligent? Thanks in advance for your help and sorry for my ranting... Thanks for listening.

I had my surgery on jan 23rd and joined the gym 1 week post op. I did it to walk on the treadmill to get my steps in because it was to fans cold outside and every time I tried walking at the mall I ended up shopping. Lol. The beginning was very easy going but now I've up the game so I fast walk on an incline. I do it for an hour about 6 days a week. I'm not allowed anything more until the two month mark when I can start crunches.

There is this place called My Fit Foods that offers healthy meals with all the convenience of fast food. And I don't mean the Wendy's version of healthy or the McDonald's version of healthy. I'm talking well balanced healthy meals with things like fresh fruit, fish, chicken, and fresh veggies. No additional sugar or preservatives. My husband heard about this from a friend of his that is a personal trainer and loves the concept of it. He actually goes there when he is in a rush and needs something as fast as a drive through. Anyway, my husband decides that he really wants to do this 21 day challenge thing they have. I am doing it with him because well, I don't want to live off protein shakes for 21 days and cooking for half of one is not something I can easily do. The challenge gives you 3 meals and 2 snacks a day and can come in small, medium, or large sizes. The menu is pretty much all gluten free and has more variety then I thought there would be. It is all prepared fresh and delivered multiple times a day to each location. We have to drink this liver cleanse thing (more on that later), every morning and eat every 2.5 to 3 hours. My favorite part, we have to drink 80 oz of water. Hmm 80 oz.........yeah, I'll work up to that. So last Thursday we went and set it all up. Got the info on the program, got our meal plans, and got our supplements (him not me). We picked up our food yesterday (pick up twice a week) and started today. He will be eating a medium size for all of his food and I get half of a small for mine. The liver cleanse things is cranberry juice, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and b12. I don't know that I'll be doing the full amount every day, acidic stuff makes me sick. So I didn't start off this morning too greatly. I didn't think it tasted too bad, but my husband thought it was disgusting lol. For the next 21 days I don't have to cook or plan a meal or worry about grocery shopping. (my silver lining lol). I'll post blogs on the food I'm eating and what I think about it and my progress each day. So far today I dealt with the liver cleanse thing, had an awesome breakfast, and have downed 20 oz of water. I had to stop so I can eat my first snack.

It took me a good month before I wasn't constantly tired. And it gets better, and fast. I have so much energy now it's hard to believe (though I do crash around 8:30 p.m.... but I get up at 5 a.m.).

I think most of the questions you asked have been answered, but I just wanted to say that I know how you feel with all of your concerns!! 4 days after my surgery I drank some broth a little too fast and I had a feeling like the broth was sitting above my band (although I don't think it was...I was just overly nervous because everything was new) and I called my doctor because I was sure I had stretched my pouch and my band had slipped. Anyways, I didn't stretch my pouch or damage my band, of course. But I definitely know what you're going through. Everything is so nice, so it will take a little bit of adjusting to get to know your band and to relearn how your body works with the new tool. Stick around LBT! Its a great resource!