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When people fall in love they are head over heels with each other. They can't get enough of each other and decide we are in this for the long haul. As time goes on life changes and that in love feeling changes to a new love. People have to work at it because if it goes stale then the only thing that happens is either divorce or break up. People don't stay married for 50 or 60 years because it was always easy. Work, children, stress and everything in between come in to play and if you give up then you are giving in. When you choose to have weight loss surgery you are entering in a new relationship. In the beginning you are all gung ho over the band, bypass, or sleeve because you are getting results. Then your weight loss starts to deminish, it goes slow and that feeling of giving up plagues many. That in love feeling with your band becomes stale and sometimes obsolete. To keep your love alive with your band you must make an effort to have a healthy relationship with it, not give in because the going gets rough or you're not losing as fast as you want too. You have to change up your diet and not give in to eating the same old boring foods day in and day out. If you don't work with it or for it, it won't work for you. We had a good relationship with food before the surgery so you now have to have a good relationship with food now that you have the band. The only way that you are going to let this make you or break you, is your determination that your relationship with the band is going to be ever lasting. We don't give up on our children because they don't behave well, we don't give up on our jobs because they stress us, we don't give up on our loved ones because they are ill and we can't give up on our bands just because at the moment the scale won't move or we are having a hard time in life, stressed, dealing with things that we don't want too that would make us eat before. Our relationship now is different. It will in time give you life, health and happiness if you are willing to stay married to it for the long haul. If you want the band to work, then develop a loving healthy relationship with it. Don't let it get stale. Keep your momentum alive and think about why you did this. It is only up to you and you alone to make this relationship work. If you don't then you will be right back where you started. It's not always easy to have a new relationship but it's not impossible to have a healthy relationship with food. Love yourself enough to make this work because the benefits are priceless. If you ever doubt that you can't or won't succeed then its up to you to know that you are worth more then that.

Today was my 3 week post op appointment. I am doing incredibily well, all incisions are healing nicely, no side effects, no problems. I can drink all the liquid I need to, and am getting all my protein. I have been cleared to slowly and carefully start adding in other foods. And best of all I have lost 19 lbs since surgery and 43 total since I started the pre-op diet. 43!!! That is only 7 lbs less than I lost the entire 2 years I had the lap band. For anyone who is trying to decide between the lap band and the sleeve, or anyone considering converting from the lap band to the sleeve. I cannot say strongly enough...Go For The Sleeve!!! The difference is night and day. With the band I could eat very little, but I was always hungry (still had my whole stomach) with the sleeve, I can eat very little and I can honestly say I am full. For example at lunch today I had 4 oz of cottage cheese and 2 oz of imitation crab, and I couldn't finish it. Not only oould I physically not finish it, but I was honestly full! Whoot Whoot!!! Before the sleeve, I told my husband I never felt full until I was stuffed (which might explain my obesity I am so glad I did this!!! My husband says I'm melting before his eyes! Heaviest Weight: 281 3/6/13 Surgery: 257 (-24) 3/13/13: 251 (-6) 3/20/13: 245 (-6) 3/28/13: 238 (-7)

66 and training for a 5k. If I can't run it, I'll walk it. Off all my anti-inflamatory meds, too and had knee replacement 2 years ago in April. 20 minute mile today and I had a hard time walking a mile before surgery!!! Yeah!!

mine lasted till day 3 thats when the gas went away.

Great blog Cheryl! A good perspective.

Hi, I had surgery 8 days ago. My gas pains went away day 4. I took a stool softner and that seemed to move the gas. The hunger eventually subsided. I was actually able to eat today and feel full. Best of luck.

You can do this. One question though - what area Kaiser are you a member of? California, Ohio, Mid-Atlantic? I ask because I am in the Mid-Atlantic and there is definitely a weight list for the surgery. So, once I got my approval from the board, there was about a 6 month wait before being scheduled for surgery. I just realized I spelled it the first time "weight", which I guess is also true. I am a Kaiser patient...I had my surgery October 2012 and at almost 6 mos out, am down 75lbs. It really does work - BUT - it is also a lot of work. I work out EVERY day, which I never did before...And, I still track everything I eat. Good luck!

Try a liquid diet for a week, similar to the Preop diet.. That is how I did it..

I am sorry you haven't been feeling well but I have to laugh at the emotional issues you're having. My hormones are going CRAZY!!!! I am seven months out and every month before my period, I become a raging hormonal crazy lady that can't control anything I say or do. Last nigth my husband and i were in an arguament...and I was actually happy to be fighting!!!! That's not like me. Anyway, I went for the jugular with him....hit him right were I knew it would hurt the most. Once I did it, i felt horrible. That' s not me at all. So, I am not sure why, but after my surgery, my PMS har become supercharged. I can eat anything in site (and today I have)....only went over my goal (calorie wise but ly like 300....but still...that's a lot). I have never had hormal issues before so i am not sure why I have them now. Monday morning, I am makeng a an pat with a girl doc to see if something is wrong. I am thinking my hormaone levels are off wack. I am tellng you this so that yo can see you're not the only one. I would call your doc and have them do some blood work. The only good thing for me is that my husband hasn't killed me yet.....I am sure he's wanted to, but apparently my life insurance isn'tnt that good. LOL So, best of luck to you...pray I don't kill my husband and hopefully we can both get through this together. LOL