Gentle Spirit

I drink a 16 oz cup of coffee with a scoop of protein powder for breakfast each morning. It's quite delicious.

I have lost 49 lbs since I started my pre-op diet on 2/1/11. 2 more pounds and I will drop below 300 for the first time in years. My weight loss has been slower than I would like, partly because I have to travel five hours to get my fills and my young children, life and work don't always permit the trip. However, I am enjoying learning new habits and not feeling like I am starving shortly after a huge meal. I used to feel like a bottomless pit--no restaurant portion seemed big enough,, so I would often order an appetizer or add an extra side to my meals. Now I feel satisfied after a small meal and I stay full for a couple of hours. I feel like I am close to the green zone right now, but going for a fill 10/6 anyway before my Dr. retires.

Wow, congratulations! I have read that weight loss increases fertility, but those are some really rapid results.

My period was about three months late after my surgery, then was the heaviest, most uncomfortable cycle I have had. Then after that, I was back to normal, just like clockwork.

I was banded 2/17 and am full with three 1/2-1 cup meals per day. Maybe it's just the swelling? IDK, but I'm trying to train myself to recognize that I'm feeling good and have enough energy on only this amount of food, so whether I continue to feel full or not, I will be just fine if I continue to eat these smaller portions.

Walk, walk, walk. Did your Dr. give you a spirometer? If so, use it several times per hour. If not, try deep breathing. I was banded 2/17 and was super-uncomfortable until yesterday. It will get better.

Hi all, i just got banded 2/17/11 by Dr. Kirshenbaum in Denver (Parker), CO. Dr. K was wonderful--very personable and very skilled. My insurance did not cover the surgery, but my husband and I decided it was wirth going into a little bit of debt. We have one child who will be three in May, and have experienced infertilty, which is likely related to my obesity. Our hope to conceive again is one of the reasons I decided to get banded. I lost 14 lbs on the preop diet, and have lost 2 lbs since surgery. I'm on soft solids now and still pretty uncomfortable around my incisions and deep inside my gut, but I'm tolerating food well. I'm hoping to lose a total of 201 lbs.

It will get better. 2 short weeks will be done before you know it and then your new life will begin. Good luck!

Congratulations on your decision to get banded. I was just banded 2/17/11, and consider this a brand new chapter in my life. No more excuses, no more wallflower, no more living vicariously. I'm going to spend most of the weekends this summer at the lake and can't wait to focus more on my family than on th. Food and my own appearance.

I was banded on 2/17 as well. My Dr. told me to progress from clear liquids to full liquids to soft solids then regular diet as soon as I was comfortable. I did clear liquids only on 2/17. This included popsicles, sorbet, iced tea, and Jell-o. On 2/18, I started full liquids, including protein shakes, pudding and applesauce. On 2/19, I started soft solids. I had some very moist grilled chicken for lunch and chicken lo mein for dinner. Today, I'm still doing soft solids--pudding for breakfast, pizza for lunch and some lunch meat for dinner. my Dr. Defines soft solids as anything that can be chewed to the consistency of applesauce.