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They are by far my favorite. Love, love, love them. Hubby blends the vanillas with fruit and ice, I like the chocolate ones straight up. I just wish they had more flavors!

I didn't have to do 3 weeks liquid before, but i was on liquids for 6 weeks after- much longer than what most people have to do. Something I've noticed from these boards is that every doctor has his own method he uses- from preop diet to progression of foods post-op to how he fills the band.. I wouldn't worry too much if your doctor is telling you something different. I'm sure his decisions are based on what he has found to be effective, both clinically and through his own research. I look at it like my doctor and I are a team. He wants me to lose weight, and knows what he's doing. It'll suck for a while, but it's all part of the fun (Haha!). You'll do great

There is a simple solution, believe it or not. Something I learned that surprised me- if you stretch well AFTER you work out, it almost completely eliminates the soreness.

Thanks so much. I feel a little better about things...

My gas started on Day 5 -way later than I would have thought-, and lasted about 7 or 8 days. The shoulder pain from the gas was WAY worse than any surgical pain I had, so I sympathize with you ((hug)). Like you, GasX didn't do much. Walking, walking, walking did. Plus, it gave me something spacific to do that distracted me from focusing on the pain. It WILL get better, hang in there!

My doctor gave me a 4cc fill in a 10cc band, and I could feel the difference for the first few days- I would eat a small plate of food and feel satisfied. After that, though, I felt like my old self. I could eat 3 plates if I didn't stop myself.. I'm trying to stay on track (and am doing a fair job so far) but honestly, if I could do the willpower-thing well, I don't think I would have a weight issue in the first place. I'm wondering how long I can stay on the wagon.. I'm hoping that with another fill, I can get back to where I was. I'm thinking about re-joining Weight Watchers. Maybe it can help me not go crazy with food until I can get some support from my band.. UGH! I'm really trying to stay positive... Questions: Is it common to have a restrictive feeling, then have it go away? Is the WW thing a good idea? Does anyone have experience with WW and the band?

I'm in the same boat. I got my first fill about a week ago (4cc/10cc band). I felt some restriction the first two days- I had a small meal and felt satisfied, it was great. After that, though, I feel like nothing is different than before surgery. I'm being careful not to go crazy, but I'm going on sheer willpower here, and if I was good at that, I wouldn't have had a BMI of 40. I'm kinda' scared, actually. I'm afraid of losing the little progress I've made. I'm glad this topic is brought up. I had no warning of this, so I thought it was just me.

OK, so I just got my first fill last week and was cleared to begin real food after 10 weeks- yes, ladies and gentlemen, 10 weeks!- of full liquids. Today was my first venture into the world of restaurants post-band. What I thought was hilarious is how people reacted to me declining a drink with my meal. "No, just the food, thanks" freaked everyone right out. "Are you sure?" "How about a glass of water?", "No coffee, are you sure?", "Really, there's no charge". When I finally got it across I REALLY did not need or want anything to drink, she walked away shaking her head like she was totally confused. Ten minutes later, another waitress passing by noticed I was drinkless and stopped to ask if SHE could get me a drink. I'm sure some people would find this annoying, but I thought it was really funny. It's not like this was some fancy place either; it was just a regular diner. Man, am I thirsty...LOL

I had the same question. After much taste-testing, my fave is Premier Nutrition brand. They sell them at costco, and an added bonus is that they are cheaper than most also. (I think a carton of 24 of them is like $35). They are 30g protein/160 calories/3g fat/5 carbs per shake. Muscle milk Light is my next pick- they're easier to find when you're out and about, but I don't think they taste as good.

Weeks 1-2 Clear liquids (only exception was Protein shakes) Weeks 2-6 Full liquids- specifically, "nothing thicker than pudding consistancy" (BTW, this was the longest 4 weeks of my life!) Week 6 First fill. Full liquids x48 hrs, then REGULAR FOOD!!!!! No "mushies" stage for me either..

Are you getting enough fluids? I had a bout with dehydration early on, and it was a vicious cycle- didn't drink enough-> felt nauseaus -> couldn't drink -> got sicker and sicker. A call into my doc fixed it. He recommended a small dose of antinausea med (which I happened to have around d/t kidney stones a few months before), and small almost constant sips of warm fluids, which for some reason don't trigger the nausea response as bad. I hope you feel better!

Hi Michelle! My name is Teresa and it looks like we have a bit in common- December 27, to be exact.! I don't have any more experience at this than you do so I can't be a mentor, but I would LOVE to have someone to walk down this path with- or at this point I should say "hobble", right? My operation sounds similar to yours, with the five incisions. They found some surprises he had to fix while he was in there- a hiatal hernia and adhesions from an old surgery I'd had, so it was more complicated than we'd expected, but not terrible. I had a rough time of it on Day 3- developed a pretty bad case of dehydration and almost wound up back in the hospital. Thanks to a call to the surgeon (and his OK to take some old nausea med I had hanging around), I bounced back quickly. I'm sorry to hear you're still having issues with pain, I know you're itching to be up and around. It's got to be hard for you. I think the single thing that's helped me the most is walking. And walking. And walking. Slowly, maybe, but steadily. Grocery stores are great. You have a cart to lean on if you need it, and no one thinks twice when walk slowly and stop often. Plus, it kinda' distracts you from thinking about your stomach. I actually went to the gym on Day 4. Before you think I'm reckless (or Superwoman), all I did was walk REALLY slow on the treadmill. Like, I mean REALLY, REALLY slow. I had the TV to watch, my water next to me, and just moved along like I was 100 years old. I hit the stop button and rested once or twice. When I was tired, I stopped. I'm HATING this liquid diet!! Ugh! My doctor said no soft foods for 2 weeks. I'm jonesing for some babyfood SO bad right about now. Pitiful, huh? My post-op is Jan 7. I'm having wierd vibes from my friends too. Everyone is "supportive" (i.e., saying the right, neutral things, like "Well, I'm glad you did something to make you happy"), but I feel that few people are actually on my side on this. Maybe I'm being paranoid. I figure: I know this is a good thing, a positive step. Eventually everyone else will fall out where they will. Time will tell without us trying to influence things, right? I hope...It's still kinda' wierd, though.. Hang in there and write back if you can.

OK, I stated my preop diet and am heavily relying on protein shakes now. This leads me to the question: Which ones taste good? I've tried several, and they range from OK to revolting. There has got to be some that are a little more palatable, and I'm sure my fellow message board members know which ones they are. C'mon, guys- hook a girl up!

2 years ago I was in a similar situation. I had Tricare Prime and was just under the 100 lb/BMI 40 line. I had high cholesterol and various other issues- back pain, GERD, etc. I was told over and over by my doctor's office not to worry- that Tricare was the easiest to work with and they rarely saw denials from them. Well, you guessed it: I was denied. Not enough comorbid conditions. I appealed, but it didn't work. A couple of weeks ago I was diagnosed with mild hypertension. I literally walked out of my PCP's office and called the surgeon's office from the parking lot to make an appt to try again. Tricare approved it without a hitch- I only had to wait a couple days for the approval. I'm scheduled for surgery on Dec. 27. It's hard for someone else to guess what will happen, but here's my take: I really got the impression my case was uncommon. Everyone in the office was shocked I was denied, since they deal with Tricare all the time and said even people with lower BMIs get approved easily. The second issue is that you've already been diagnosed with HTN. I expect you'll be fine Let us know the verdict. I'm curious. Good luck!

Your post was really interesting to me. I just got approved for surgery with Dr. Ganta yesterday, and am scheduled for surgery 12/27/10. I haven't been told the details on my preop expectations yet, Did he want you on a liquid diet, or just puree? How long? I've seen varying periods of time with different doctors. Did you go to North Austin Medical Center? How were they?

Hi, Kelsey! It looks like you and I will have the same surgery date.- the 27th. My insurance just approved me yesterday, so I am still pretty over-the-moon happy. I'm sure I'll get nervous/scared like most people, but it hasn't hit me yet. I tried to get banded 2 years ago but was denied by Tricare (not enough comorbid conditions). It was a big letdown, and reattempting it this time was difficult- I didn't want to get my hopes up. Anyway, all is well. Only 18 days until our new journey! .

Wow, that's a tough one. I think I would tell him because I know HE would want to know. My first thought would be to wait until the last minute (giving him less time to get worked up), and explain why I purposely waited so he doesn't feel left out of the loop. Then again, I thought maybe time would give him time to get used to the idea. How has he reacted to medical crisis in the past? Better or worse to let him stew?