jen120

Congratulations! You've lost 41 pounds in 3 months! That is great progress. Remember, everyone's journey is unique. You cannot compare yourself to others, it will just drive you crazy. I know for me, I didnt lose for a couple of weeks. Come to find out, I wasn't eating enough. I was only eating about 800 calories a day. Once I increased to 1000-1200 I started losing again and have been losing consistently. Good Luck with your second fill. I am sure the scale will start to move again.

Hang in there I know it is tough. I had a very hard time after surgery since I was only allowed broth, Jello and Protein shakes. I had to start the diet 2 weeks before the surgery so 4 weeks total. I wont lie, toward the end of my liquid phase I started having a little bit of fat free cottage cheese and I ended up having some fat free, smooth blended pea Soup. The shakes started making me sick to my stomach so I had to do something to get protein in. I dont suggest you go against your doctor orders, just sharing my experience. You are doing great!

Awesome! What a great NSV!

I take Scooby Doo Chewable Muliti-Vitamins. Its the kids version of "One a Day". For Calcium and Vitamin D I take a generic version of the Viactiv chocolate Chews. Yummy!

Your surgery will be great! It's ok to be nervous and have some doubts, but you have made the right decision. You should never feel guilty for doing something to improve your health. I'm sure you constantly put other people first...this time is for you. Good Luck! Let us know how things go.

Wow, I got tears in my eyes reading this post. This is so amazing! Bless you and your little one!

You Rock!!! What wonderful willpower! Italian is my favorite and I dont know if I could have been as strong as you. You commitment and dedication are paying off! Way to go!

Congrats on your surgery! Get a small pillow to hold against your stomach when getting up or moving around. It helps to hold things in and not move around as much. I know how you feel about the pain meds. Vicodin has no effect on me either. Luckily I wasn't in too much pain after surgery. Get plenty of rest and keep drinking. You'll start to feel better with each passing day. I wish you a smooth and speedy recovery!

Happy Anniversary! What a great accomplishment!

LOL, How funny! Congrats on having "Bones"!

Today was the first day since starting this journey that someone who didn't know I had surgery and was losing weight asked me if I had lost weight. When I went to get my car from the valet (I have to valet park my car because the parking structure at work is so crowded that they have to constantly move cars around) the valet asked me if I had lost weight. I said "yes" and he said "I can tell". He asked me how much and I told him. He was like "wow". I was thrilled! It made me feel so good and that my hard work is paying off and that other people can see it.

Agree...myfitnesspal.com is awesome. Plus there are a ton of supportive people.

I have not had a fill yet, but my doctor does 4 cc during the first fill and then 1-3 depending on the person and size of the band. Good Luck with your healing and I hope you get back to your green zone as soon as possible.

Congrats on having surgery!! Those are some pretty hard core mushies for only being one week out. My mushies were yogurt, cottage cheese, Soup, soft cheeses, purees, refried Beans, tuna and some lunch meat and I had to wait 2.5 weeks after surgery. We were not allowed to have carbs until 2.5 months after surgery. My guess is that you may have eaten a bit too fast. Dont worry about how much or how little you might eat. Take everything really slowly especially at first. What an exciting adventure. It looks like we both started with having to lose about the same amount of weight. If you want a weight loss buddy, just let me know! I wish you much success!

What a great analogy. But unlike my marriage, my band is going to work!!! Good Luck with Surgery. Let us know how things go on the "Post Surgery" forum.

Some doctors have specific weight limits in order to perform the surgery. The only thing my doctor requires is that people weigh less than 400 pounds. I have heard that some doctors require a certain BMI. It all depends on the surgeon and hospital.

For me, my nutritionist said not to start my Vitamins until 2 weeks after surgery. The Protein shakes I was drinking had all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals covered. I dont know about fish oil, but you should to switch to a chewable calcium and a chewable multi-vitamin. For the calcium I take the Viactiv chocolate chews. They taste like candy and are a treat to me. For the multi I take Scooby Doo kids chewable. I did a quick search and you can find fish oil that comes in small capsules that make it easier to take. I even found chewable, but the reviews weren't great. One day after surgery, my prescriptions were all able to be taken. There was one that was a little big and I was able to break in half (it was scored). I had no issues taking one at a time, drinking Water, waiting a few minutes and then taking another.

Most of us have referrals because that is what is required for our insurance. It depends on the kind of insurance you have. If you are self pay, then you just go directly to the surgeon. If you dont have medical records because you havent gone to the doctor, then you dont have them. I don't think that is a big deal.

Congratulations on your surgery! Dont worry too much about the amounts you can get down right now. You are still swollen and it will take some time to go down. I hope you have a smooth recovery!

See this article for a full explanation... Everyone experiences hair loss on a daily basis. Normal hair loss is barely noticeable, amounting to less than 100 hairs per day. However, the stress of a major surgery can cause hair loss to accelerate up to three times as much in both men and women. It's the body's way of reacting to the trauma of the operation. The Facts During a normal hair growth cycle, hair grows, then enters into a resting or "telogen" period and eventually sheds. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, "telogen effluvium" is a term used to describe hair that has been rushed into the resting state after the body suffers a shock due to major surgery. As resources are redirected to help heal the affected surgical area, the body temporarily shuts down hair production because it is not necessary for survival. Identification Telogen effluvium related to surgery can be distinguished from other forms of hair loss in several ways. Individuals typically begin to notice the increasing hair loss two to three months after the surgery. hair loss after surgery is uniform, noticeable on the scalp but never excessive enough to cause a patchy appearance or complete baldness. In addition, the shed hairs all exhibit a specific pattern at the root, which resembles a white bulb. Time Frame Hair usually resides in the telogen phase for a period of two to four months before growth resumes. Individuals don't begin to notice the increase in hair loss when showering or brushing the hair until about three months post-surgery. Although the resting hair is being pushed out of the scalp by new hair that is already growing, it can take anywhere from about six months to a year for the hair to return to its normal fullness. Gastric Bypass Surgery Individuals who have undergone gastric bypass or other operations of the digestive tract designed to reduce obesity are more prone to hair loss post-surgery. This is due to the reduced intake of food in the weeks and months immediately following these procedures. The body needs an adequate amount of Proteins and Vitamins to maintain hair production. Protein-enhanced shakes are often recommended for these patients as a substitute until solid food can be better tolerated. Proper Diet Hair loss related to surgery typically reverses itself without any medicinal intervention or the need for over-the-counter hair loss tonics or treatments. However, maintaining a diet rich in Protein and Iron is believed to help promote and speed up healthy hair growth. Suggested foods include salmon, Beans, eggs, spinach, broccoli, nuts and whole-grain cereals. Avoid foods that can inhibit hair growth, such as those that contain high levels of caffeine and fat. Read more: Losing hair After Surgery | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/...l#ixzz1QtFeANl3

I assume your Protein shake has lots of Vitamins and minerals in it, but maybe take a multi-Vitamin as well. Good Luck!

My surgeon won't make an appointment until you attend the seminar even though I already had the referral.

Distraction is the key. I often come here and read posts and answer if I have any words of wisdom to keep myself on track. The worst thing for me is to watch TV. Call a friend, go online and plan a vacation to a dream destination (you dont have to go just plan like you have unlimited funds), read, organize a drawer or closet, meditate. Come up with several ideas and keep a list handy so that when you have times like this you can check out the list and keep yourself busy. Good Luck!

My surgery was at 10:00am and I was home by 5pm. I decided to leave at 4pm, by the time they removed my IV and found someone to wheel me out it was 4:30. I needed to do 3 things to be able to leave. Eat jello/drink broth, pee and walk around the unit a couple of times. I spoke to someone today who had her surgery at 10:00 am and she was home by 3pm. Find out what are the requirements to be discharged when you have your pre-op appt and then meet those goals. Good Luck with your surgery!!

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