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I'm new here-just checking in-surgery is scheduled for 11-19.

Yay Im sorry got this late my appt is at 10:30 check in 12:30 surgery how about you?

As far as smelly gas, zinc is your friend. You can find supplements at any store. When it will go away is another question though. My mother had the RNY surgery over 10 years ago. To this day she still has horrible, horrible gas and when she does number two it is like death. I hope that your situation gets better, but she has noticed some patterns. Her gas and her 'movements' smell worse when she has dairy or certain other foods. You may try food logging and cut out certain things at the same time. This will let you know if it is a trigger food; they can easily be avoided.

@@Sexy-D If you go back to basics (not drinking before and after Eating) it will help. I've stuck to that exact plan and I'm down 40 lbs in 10 weeks. You can do it!

m1 - light swiss cheese/ coffee w/cream m2 - handfull of nuts - about 15 nuts m3 - 2 oz of chicken - I couldn't eat any more. I must be tighter today. m4 - taboli, about 1/2 cup, and a few bites of salad and 1/2 of deviled egg m5 Exercise - LBWO - 5 am Quads - Seated leg press 12 - 35 10 - 35 8 - 40 6 - 50 12 - 40 Leg extensions 10 - 30 lbs (just couldn't do 12) Hamstrings Seated leg curls 12 - 15lbs 10 - 25 8 - 35 6 - 45 12 - 40 dead lifts 12 - 5lbs dumbbells in each hand (10 lbs total) Calves horizontal calf 12 - 50 10 - 70 8 - 90 6 - 110 12 - 100 Calf raises 12 - 5 lbs dumbbells ABS- incline crunches 20, 20, 20 Hammer strength ab crunch 10 - 10lbs 10 - 10lbs - this is a killer ab workout Exercise #2 - 20 min on Elliptical machine (HIIT) oh baby, am I working it or what? I'm actually starting to become obsessed with exercise! Notes - wt 191.8 - OMG - am I really going to see 189 soon? I'm getting so excited.

Honestly, I am almost relieved to be starting my 10 day liquid diet tomorrow for that very reason. Every meal has been a fight with myself to eat healthy recently. Yes, it's like wanting to taste it all for the last time. I just keep reminding myself that the band is about portion control, not constant deprivation. At least now until the surgery I can only have liquids. I finally don't have to think about it anymore! Good luck to you- I hope your loan comes through soon.

My first appointment with my surgeon is on July 14th, so I have a good 5 weeks. I would like to use this time wisely. I don't feel the need to go on weeks of food funerals, though I am sure I will have 3 or 4 favorite meals during this time. But how else can I best use the time til mid-July? Here's what I am in the process of doing now: I have read several books and am well versed on the different surgery types, am uncertain btw. sleeve and RNY, will rely on physician input once he sees the whole health picture. I am seeing my primary care doc on this month to officially record starting weight, and let them know I am getting WLS. I will attend support group meetings. Am getting my psych eval done this week. Trying out different protein products. So I guess the big question is, do I start serious, low carb, dieting now, in the meantime? I am the type who can lose 20 pounds fairly easily, but then....I stall, and I stall HARD, and then I usually get sloppy and start slowly regaining. So I am a little worried about losing my 20 easy pounds, showing up to the surgeon mid-July and he says, hey lose 10% of your body weight before surgery please, and then I am stuck "starting over" right in the really hard part of every diet I have ever been on. Maybe I am whining here? I would like to do everything I can to get a head start before that first surgeon appt, since I'd like to do the surgery as soon as I can bc of work cycles (I work in college administration). I supposedly have no mandatory diet and exercise waiting period (we'll see on that....). I figure that starting to lose weight now will just mean it's some weight at least that I don't have to lose later, so maybe I should just jump in and diet? Try bariatric recipes? What do you recommend? Thanks for any input or advice.

Hi everyone, I am so glad I found this site. My name is Dona Cross. I am a married mother of three. My kids are 21, 19 and soon to be 18. Two oldest are sons, youngest a daughter. I am 48 years old and morbidly obese. Morbidly obese sounds horrifying....I thought I was just fat! Anyway, I have been preparing for lap band since January 2008. In September of 2007 I found out that I have diabetes. This didn't come as a surprise to me...my brother and 6 first cousins are diabetic, my grandmother was also. My sons weighed 10lb. 3oz. and 10 lb. 11 oz. at birth. We thought my daughter was tiny; she weighed 8 lbs. 14 oz.! After the diagnosis of diabetes I got serious about my health. I don't want to be one of those old ladies in the nursing home weighing 270 lbs. with no legs having to have overworked and underpaid CNA's taking care of me. So, I went to a lap band seminar, got my doctor's wholehearted approval and started meeting requirements for surgery. I have documented diet and exercise requirements almost done and received a O.K. from my insurance to have the psych. eval. After that, my bariatric clinician will set up my pre-op requirements. I am so excited about this. I have tried not to have unrealistic expectations, but I am looking forward to good health again. I am so happy to have contact with others who are experiencing the same journey. Some of my friends are not as supportive as I would have hoped they would be. They think I should just go to Weight Watchers and the gym and I will be fine. Don't they think I've tried that? I do however have a supportive family and an amazing church family to help me. Anyway, thanks in advance for your support. I'm looking forward to making new friends.

I went to sleep very easily last night, however I woke up at 3am to use the bathroom and could not get back to sleep. I finally got up around 3:40, checked my email and responded to one of them, then went back to bed. I think I dozed off and on and I just decided to go ahead and get up around 5:45. The first thing I did was pray, before my feet even hit the floor, because if something should happen while I'm in surgery (and I'm not thinking morbid thoughts or anything, I'm just being smart) then I know Me and God are ok, then I'm ok... Then I shook my sheets really good and made my bed (I already put fresh clean ones on) thinking about coming home and climbing back in the bed for a nice nap. (I'm being optimistic and hoping I won't be in too much pain! haha!! So anyway, I'm about to get a shower and get this show on the road. My Mom is picking me up at 7:00, I have to be at the hospital at 9:00 and my surgery is around 10:30. Thought we'd stop for a nice breakfast on the way.....LOL!!! JUST KIDDING!! It takes an hour and 15 or 20 min to get to the hospital from my house and we don't know EXACTLY where were going when we get to the hospital so... My daughter Katie (who is almost 19, is going with us also. She will be my primary caregiver for the next couple of days. SO---My journey begins... feeling ever so slightly nervous, but optimistic.

Hi all! Always looking for local connections! I live in Arlington but travel! Had VSG 1/10/11, HW 266 SW 260 CW 148 and I'm 5'. I'm 54, live w partner of 34 years (what?!?!) and two kitties. Had surgery at Sibley Hospital in DC and highly recommend them. Would love to meet up for coffee and convo!! Let's do it!!!! Ann

I think it's tough being only 4'11". At that height even just 5 pounds makes a huge difference in how one looks. I think it's best to select a weight that you think you can maintain for the long haul. If it was me, and this is strictly my opinion, I would probably shoot for at least another 10 to 15 pound loss just to give that extra bit of room when maintenance starts. Congrats on your success so far!

GGQ, I am 14.5 months out, 8 lbs from goal. I have had 9 fills, I currently have approx 9.25 cc in a 10cc band. I would certainly do this again. I just hate I could not have done this 10 yrs ago. As I got the fills on a monthly basis, due to having restriction for about 3 weeks after each fill and as I lost wt the restriction became less. So you will reach several "sweet spots" on your journey only to search for the next one. I am probably about done, pretty tight the last 5 weeks since the last fill. Warm liquids first thing in the morning, then my prtien shake, then mushy for breakfast about 3 hrs later. then lunch and then eat 5 hrs later. The last fill has caused a full feeling not the same as before. You can bet if I do not chew, and then chew some more before swallowing that tiny morsel, it will aggrevate until i do it right. My eyes water, pain in chest, and then the slime begins. This will happen with every morsel if I DO NOT CHEW WELL. I have learned this same lesson over and over for each fill I have had since surgery. We just have to be reminded. I eat about 1/2 -3/4(pushing it) for lunch. maybe 3/4 and some ww bread. sometimes I can get a yogurt and fruit snack in in the morning, mainly just for the dairy though. I track my minutes in exercise daily. yesterday was 190, so that will happen 4 x week the other 3 days is about 100 minutes. It is work but in the long run it is worth it. The old saying "NOTHING TASTE AS GOOD AS THIN FEELS" is so very true. i have gone from a 16/18 to a 6/8 BMIis 24 I beleive. So Hang in there, be patient and make your band work for you, don't try to work around your band.. Good luck to you all new bandsters..

I don't weigh myself at all. I wait until I go to my visits to see my doctor. I can't say I don't worry about if I am loosing weight but the scale scars me. I had my surgery 12/10/12.

I just came back from seeing the "exercise specialist". I am so frustrated and confused and I have to admit discouraged too! He tells me in order to get to my goal weight I need to change my eating habits (I GET THAT) and that I need to exercise (I GET THAT). He is telling me that if I follow his instructions my BMI will reduce and I will be down to my goal weight and I won't need the lapband and the insurance will not approve me. Since I started this adventure in May, I have attended seminars, support groups, seen the surgeon, the Weight Loss Specialist, the Dietician, the Psych, and now the Exercise specialist. All of which have a $40.00 copay with my insurance each time I walk in the door. Now my gripe is not the money. But what burns my A** is some skinny dude sitting across the desk from me telling me I need to make changes. I know that, I got it. I've tried. I've had a weight issue since I was 12 years old. Does he think I just now decided to try to do something about it? I've done all the "diets" and I lose, no problem. Keeping it off is another story, I yo-yo and gain it back and more! Does he think if I could do it on my own I would be wanting the lapband to begin with? I lost 10 pound since June 11th. I am trying. He wants me to lose another 10 in the 8 weeks I'm due to go back. I can do that. But 36 years of weight issues have taught me that my weight loss is temporary. I fear this guy is not on my side where the lapband is concerned. I'm really discouraged!

Tonite..I had some rice..I figure I went this long with the diet I thoought I could have some rice..But since I ate that now my tummy hurts(shame on me) But I got my protein drinks(powder) at GNC..Its really good I can mix it with either skim milk or water, The water seems to help better with my hunger. I have lost 11pounds being on that diet..And, I can only imagine after tomorrow since its only liquids for another 2 weeks I may lose 10 more wooohoooo me..I never said but my weight was 204...I am down to 198 now...I am glad about that...But we are gonna be looking good..YEAHHHH I cant wait...Hoope everything goes well tomorrow for you..I am gonna be on lapband awhile tonite It helps me calm down talkin to other banders...

Hi all. I usually lurk and read a lot of the posts, but today I'm ready to start putting in comments. I got banded on 03/30/2010. I lost 10 lbs in the first 2 weeks (344lbs-334lbs) after being banded then after that my appetite shot up and that lovely feeling of being full and satisfied went down. I maintened my weight loss surprisingly cause I thought for sure I would gain. I know for sure I would have if I did not have the band since I ate a lot. I also walked 1 mile a day too. So I read in the forum this happens to everyone and I felt better, plus my doctor assured me that my stomach went down from the surgery swelling and that soon as I was adjusted I would see a major difference. So I had my first adjustment two days ago on 05/4/2010 and right away I noticed the difference in not being hungry. I have lost 2 lbs in 2 days already. Finally moving ! I get full from a small cup of jello, can you believe it ? Before my adjustment I could have a protein shake and jello. I can only drink half a protein shake now. I'm so excited. My doctor gives adjustments every 4 weeks and I'm glad about that because I have read some people only get every 5 months WOW ! I'm very glad I made this decision for the surgery. The easy part has always been losing the weight, but keeping it off was my biggest trouble. I lose 60 and gain back 65 in a year. Now I no longer have that worry thanks to the lapband. Good luck everyone and I look forward to reading more stories on here. This site is wonderful because I can relate so well. Take care.

My husband, before we got married, last October did confide that he was a recovering alcoholic. I guess I did not understand exactly what that meant until recently. We got married on 10/31/2011. In January, I thought he was having a stroke, but right as I was about to call 911 he confessed he had just guzzled a bottle of vodka, thus the slurring and stumbling. There have been many more incidents since then like this one. He has even been to some AA meetings to try to appease me. Last Saturday he was drunk before 1030 in the morning. He had went out to buy donuts, and guzzled a bottle of tequilla on the way home. He tried to lie and tell me some melatonin made him do all that. Then he went to drive himself to get something to eat. Later during the week, sober this time, he got mad at MY 5 year old and slap him on the leg pretty hard. This weekend was the straw that broke the camel's back. Me and my mother went out of town together, and he promised me he would not drink, since the previous week had been pretty bad. When I got home he was trying to change a spare tire, and when he spoke his speech was slurred. He said he had taken his Xanax and that it made him do it. When I went into our room to unpack, I noticed glitter all over our floor, then I saw all the knick knacks on my bookshelf were broke, and everything was askew. I also noticed our dresser was all crazy and pushed into the wall, and the aquarium was on the edge of the dresser. I asked him about this and he denied knowing anything about it. Well I told him that he needed to come look, because if he did it, then one of his teenage daughters had been in our room. Well finally he fessed up he had been drinking and he woke up and there was a mess, and he doesnt remember anything. He stated his nose was broke, he had bumps on the back of his head, and his face was all scratched up and he didn't remember anything. I went and spoke with his 16 year old, who has Aspbergers, and she states that he was out of his mind, he fell face first on hearth of fireplace, he fell off of the couch several times, he tried to put on a tank top in the dryer like it was pants, he kept walking into walls and he left the house in his car twice. Folks, this was enough for me. I know its supposed to be through thick and thin but I cannot raise my 5 year old like this. He has made several promises to me about getting help, and only does it for a day or so. Don't get me wrong, he is not verbally abusive, or physically abusive, and he's been a good husband except for this. My sanity is shot. My son and I moved to my parents last night, and I am looking for a place for us. I just had to vent.

I just had Chinese food with my sister today we were sleeved on feb 4. We shared broc and beef with fried rice. We had both been craving Chinese food. We maybe each had a fourth of a cup and were completely done. In the past we would have each had our own order, eaten all of it and still would have Wanted dessert. Some how for us the mental part is fixed. When you are full in your stomach you will be done. we have both lost a total of 50 pounds and feel wonderful! Good luck on your surgery you will never regret it. My daughter is getting sleeved on June 10.

Hah, loved Insanity workout and actually taught it at a gym for a bit before my injury which led to depression and weight gain. I haven't been cleared for workout yet (10 days post op) but I can't wait. When I get cleared I'll let ya know Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I am 6 mths out on 10/04 and have lost 111 with 30 to go. I also have followed my Dr rules. I do eat 6 small meals a day and it works for me. I also do not drink protein shakes because I was told they were like slider foods and I would rather eat something anyway. I go to curves 5 days a week and walk 6 to 7 times a week. I think I am going to have to go to a regular gym before long, I feel like this last 30 pounds is going to take even harder work! As for what I eat let's start with what I do not eat. Rice, pasta, bread, soda and sugary deserts. I love yogurt mixed with fruit and kashi in the morning.( I do also drink a home made latte when I first get up) during the day I eat chili (homemade low cal) salad with meat and eggs and veggie, whatever meat I cook for dinner and veggies, snacks are laughing cow cheese on a wasu cracker, 100 cal snack, fruit, protein bar (I only eat half) I do watch my protein and drink lots of water.

This is my first post but I have been reading post since the end of June. I am learning quite a bit through others experiences. I am in the process of having lap band surgery. My phyc appt. is tomorrow. All other appts. have been made, just waiting for my final Dr. appt to schedule surgery. A little bit about myself, I have been diabetic for 10 years and as my meds increase so does my weight. At this point I am about 65 lbs. overweight. I have never had a weight problem before becoming diabetic, went back to pre pregancy weight with all 3 children. I hope having surgery helps my sugar levels and I am able to cut back on meds. and get my weight back in control. Are there any diabetics who found improvement with their diabeties after surgery?? Wish me luck tomorrow.

Hi, I'm Desperate Midwife, I'm 30 yrs old live in Manchester, England (U.K) with my husband and 3 children. I'm paying privately for my band and I'm having it on 16/10/10 (5 days to go!) I have been waiting for this for a long time and I'm soooo excited! I'm currently clawing my way through the pre op diet, I'm struggling a bit with this but it's not for much longer now! :laugh:

I fear sounding like a broken record but here goes... I was banded exactly 1 month ago and have only lost 10 lbs. I am real happy with that but... I thought I'd lose a lot this first month (like a bunch of you lucky folks). Here's my question. Has anyone had a slow start (like myself) but once they had their first fill have the wl kick in to a good pace (1-2 lbs per week?). If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Hi guys I am also losing really slow (3 months, 16 days and counting) and as of yesterday I was back to only losing 7 kilos ( from 10 kg - I blame the heat wave in melbourne). I have to admit, I feel a twinge of pain in my new stomach every time I read how many pounds other people are losing ( specially since you all write in pounds which is like .5 kilo so for a second before i convert is like WOW!!!! what am i doing wrong!!???? that is, besides eating pretty much all I want in portions larger than I would like to and enjoying every morsel.....)) Ok, I am off track, what I came to say is that of course we shouldnt be tempted into comparing our progress to others', we are all in the race to get to the finish line, nobody is timing it tho, so we are not competing with each other. Now, my mantra if you like, this time around ( after hundreds of diets) has changed to quality not quantity, in every sense. I want to lose weight while enjoying every day, every meal, and with NO concern of how much faster i could do it if I applied myself to the task at hand. After all, this time around, it is NOT a diet. I am finally making changes that have to last for the rest of my life. Every diet before: pills, shots, starvation, protein, carb, no carb, low carb, grapefruit, rice and melon, cabagge soup, etc, etc, were about how fast i could lose as much as possible before I lost the ability to keep up the madness and go back to .... well, eating like fat me. Now, my will power (so to speak) is not going away after 6 weeks of hunger! So I am enjoying every day that the scales go down a little bit ( hopefully the heat wave will be over soon Sorry I tend to go on and on and on.... tellie ps, I am soooo looking forward to my next fill on thursday I only have .5 ml in at the moment which means, well... lots of food!

I couldn't remember how much I had lost the first month until I looked at the back of a picture I took, I only lost 12 pounds the first month so, really you are doing very well, especially since you haven't had your first fill yet. Most liquidy foods you have to have in the first month have a lot of calories/carbs/sugars anyway so it is hard to lose that way. Just think, you weighed 10 pounds more a month ago. You are right on track........keep up the good work.