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It went very well!!! 40 lbs gone altoghether! I was shocked!!!! I'm having a lot of trouble getting the protein and water in. I'm doing pretty good today. Got an Isopure Alpine Punch and that's going down fairly well. Dr wants me to drink room temp water, but it just won't go down! I'm keeping it cold, so that's going better too. I'm a little dehydrated, but not horrible. Can start on stage 3 purreed foods Wednesday.

Some of my go to foods at this stage was mashed potatoes from kfc and baked beans from a local bar-b-q place. It sure helped get me onto solid foods.

Yep! I have yet to get all my Water in AND the idea of gulping a full glass of water down when I'm thirsty is almost as frustrating as wanting to chew some food and not being able to! Gotta get used to this "new normal" :-) Good luck!

I'm not a doctor but it seems logical that excessive PBing would be a result of your esophagus having excessive food in it. Seems like it could dilate your esophagus if this were an every meal, every day sort of issue?

Somewhere on here there's a recipe for ricotta bake, it's ricotta, eggs, seasoning, and spaghetti sauce. Baked until bubbly. It was my first 'real' food and it was delish!! HW 312, pre-op (RNY) 255, current weight 198

Stay Safe and Hopefully Well/Healthy Everyone! Hi, I got the Loop Duodenal Switch almost a year ago, done June 2019. Please, if you post, say the surgery without abbreviating it, as I am not familiar with the initials/abbreviations of the surgeries, unless you want to post a list that would be appreciated too. I wanted to know if you ever experienced losing weight too fast. If so, did it ever slow down, or did you gain it back? I have been told that I might have to have revision surgery because I am losing at the same rate as when I first got surgery, which will be a year ago in June. I don't want another surgery, as it was pure hell the days and weeks after surgery, for multiple reasons. I was told that I could go as low as 95 lbs, but I am already at 134 now, supposedly one will slow down weight-loss once they have reached 50% of weight-loss or something to that degree for the Duodenal Switch Loop. I am just curious as to if you wouldn't mind sharing what your weight-loss journey has been like if it has been more than 1 year and especially if it has been more than 2 years. Were there any concerns over losing too fast? If so, what helped without a revision surgery? I have to say at one point weight-loss was fast, I was able to slow it down after I was told that I would need revision surgery after the 1 year mark, mostly by food journaling. This COVID-19 ridiculousness got me off track again of losing slowly even though I went back to journaling. I hate to say this but with my own journey, Although I start off by listening, I find that some of what a nurse/Dr. says sometimes is crap, so I want to make sure that the talk of me needing revision surgery is not more, crAp. What have you done, Help! I know that it may seem like a ridiculous thing to be alarmed about but I really can’t handle another surgery so I would like to know if this has happened to anyone else and what worked for you besides revision surgery. Thanks!

Your body is adjusting to the next phase of eating. Of course we see big drops between surgery and those 1st 2 weeks post-op. At my 2 week appt I had lost 24lbs and I didn't have to do a liquid pre-op diet! But now we're adding purees, some of us are adding soft foods. It's more for the body to grab and hold onto. Also most of us aren't sore so eating is easier. Between my 2nd & 6th week I only lost 6lbs. I'm not upset because it's still a loss. I recommend not becoming scale obsessed. It will make you CRAZY. Personally I don't go near a scale until I see the doctor.If you must weigh, limit it to once a week and try and make it the same time every week.

I was there too- i had to do 2 weeks preop with only protein shakes and jello and then it continued for 2.5 weeks after surgery- im now almost 3 weeks out and was cleared for soft food- there's definitely a light at the end of the tunnel! it'll be here before you know it. You just gotta give your new stomach some time to heal

I was banded last Thursday 12-19-13. I just started my phase 2a which is full liquids. I know it consists of cream Soups, puddings, yogurt and I start my Protein shakes this week. imm wondering if I should be feeling full when I eat at this stage? I know some people said on here that with their band they get a pressure feeling but I haven't felt that yet. im still in some pain from surgery and think that maybe that could be why. I also keep getting like a "gas" feeling through my stomach when im getting hungry and after I eat. I am ot sure if it is from the gas the put in me during surgery but that should be gone by now right?? Any advice would be appreciated and also if you have any other foods I could eat on this stage that would be great too!

My best advice is to talk to them. Tell them you are having a hard time and you'd appreciate that they remove the junk food or make sure it's away from you. Then start back on the Vitamins and Protein shakes. Focus on that. Once you've been doing that, use this experience to gain some self control. Junk food will be constantly around us and you will be happier if you can go to a birthday party and refuse cake and be totally happy about it then sit around with the feeling "I shouldn't have done that" or "one piece won't hurt". The first couple months I had all junk food out of my house, now it's here but I've gain self control I can sit with my family while they eat cake, Cookies, chips, candy and I'm not even bothered by it. Good luck and I really hope you get back on track!!! HW: 331 SW: 11/26/12 319lbs CW: 229 04/23/13 GW: 157

Once you make the transition from your mushy foods to solid foods again the hunger should go away especially if you are eating properly. Your weight loss will stall for a bit. Make sure you get lots of Protein. Then after the protein make sure you eat your veggies and then after veggies and protein add in the other stuff.

I was banded 2/18/13. I am down 43lbs. I have had two fills. One fill was 3cc the other one was this past Monday and it was 2cc. I have a total of 5cc in a 10 cc band. Here's the thing with the first fill nothing and hungry in between meals. The second fill which was three weeks later Im not hungry in between meals. I'm very satisfied on 4oz of food per meal. I am scheduled for another fill in two more weeks. Is this considered the green zone? Is it possible to be there so quickly? Would u all things considered have another fill? Anxious to here your opinions. Thank you.

Congratulations on both your weight loss and your babies! It does take most people multiple people to reach the Green Zone. I was banded in January 2012 and didn't finally reach it until May 2012. But, please keep in mind that food isn't supposed to sit above your band and is supposed to pass through almost immediately (less than a minute). So, don't use that as a gauge for whether or not you need another fill. Also, if you're eating until you're "full" you're likely eating too much. With the band and the Green Zone, it's all about hunger control. Have a look at this link, I think it'll help: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html You're doing great!

My dietician suggested taking any pills that might cause nausea right before you go to bed. For other pills, space them throughout the day and take them with food/protein shake. Good luck!

I’m a runner. I’ve been a runner since I was a teenager. I’ve run five or more miles three times a week for the past four years and rarely take a day off. Many of my runs have been over ten miles. I’m the crazy guy you’ve seen running in the rain and the snow on the side of the road at 7 AM. I’ve learned a lot from running and many of those lessons I have applied to life in general. I’ve shared much of what I’ve learned about running with many of my patients because I believe that there are a number of parallels between long-distance running and the journey through weight loss. Many of my patients agree. I’d like to share some of these parallels with you to provide you with a helpful way to think about all that you’ve gone through and may still experience going forward. I should make an admission to you first. I’ve never actually run a marathon. It’s something I very much want to do someday but have yet to attempt because of some nagging injuries and such. However, I know enough about long-distance running and have spoken to enough marathon runners to understand the psyche of the marathon runner. Therefore, I feel comfortable speaking of it here. Consider the entire journey of weight loss surgery from before surgery to years afterwards as a marathon. For those of you who are unfamiliar, a marathon is a race of 26.2 miles. The modern Marathon commemorates the run of the soldier Pheidippides from a battlefield at the site of the town of Marathon, Greece, 26.2 miles to Athens in 490 B.C. It is seen by many as the ultimate test of endurance (although there are now ultra-marathons that can go for 100 miles or more!). There are many things one must do to prepare for the running of a marathon. A marathoner has to complete several practice runs and work up his stamina and endurance to get into peak physical condition for the race. A marathoner is encouraged to make dietary changes, especially in the few days before the race. A marathoner has to mentally prepare for the grueling 26.2 run and plot out the course and a strategy of how he is going to make it from start to finish. The process of weight loss surgery is quite similar. There are many steps to take before your big day. There is research to do. Perhaps you will talk to doctors or to those who have had surgery to better understand what you will be experiencing. When you decide that surgery is for you, there are pre-surgical assessments, medical tests and other things that must be done to ensure that you are prepared for what lies ahead. You are instructed to make dietary changes in anticipation of your surgery…perhaps a liquid diet for a week or more. And certainly you must mentally prepare for all of the physical, behavioral and emotional changes that lie ahead. For the most part, your surgery date is the starting line. You’re nervous. You’re excited. You’re hopeful. Similarly, the marathoner heart is pounding long before the starting gun is fired. The gun is fired and suddenly…they’re off! The first few days after surgery, you’re just trying to do as told. Listen to what the surgeon, the nurses and other professionals’ tell you and get home from the hospital as soon as you can. The marathoner is just putting one foot in front of the other and trying to find a good pace…a comfortable groove. Nothing fancy, just moving ahead. The first few weeks after surgery are like the marathoners first few miles…nice and easy. Learning to chew, learning what to eat and what not to eat…adjusting to the new pace of eating and making other changes in your life to improve your chances of success. Much of the journey lies ahead and thinking too far ahead can be daunting. Keep your head in the present. At some point, there will be bumps in the road. The runner may have a side-stitch, a cramp, pain, fatigue, a pebble in his shoes; some complications to be addressed. The marathoner understands that some of these discomforts will come and go. Sometimes, if you just let it be and shift your focus to other aspects of the running experience and away from the discomfort…the discomfort goes away. It is important that the marathoner not panic about the situation. The journey through weight loss surgery will also have its discomforts. Like the marathon, many will simply come and go. Some days may be more difficult than others. On some days eating may be more difficult than other days. On some days, cravings will seem stronger than others. In most instances, the discomfort will be temporary. Avoiding “catastrophic” thinking is the key. I am speaking of the mental demons that we all must deal with. Often while running, it seems as if a little devil appears on my shoulder whispering negative comments in my ear. “You’re never going to make it.” “You can’t do it.” “What were you thinking trying to run so far!?” “You’re not into it today…just go home and try again tomorrow.” Weight loss surgery patients also hear the voice of a little devil who attempts to derail you. “How am I going to avoid eating some of those foods that I love?” “What am I going to do at the holiday barbeque…I’m going to go nuts!” “I can buy a pint of ice cream and just have a little…what’s the big deal.” “A few cookies couldn’t hurt.” Part of your preparation for the marathon of weight loss surgery needs to include maintaining a positive attitude that can help you last the equivalent of 26.2 miles and to develop strategies for coping with these mental “cramps” and “side-stitches.” What am I going to tell myself when and if things get a bit complicated? What you tell yourself is immensely important in determining how and whether you will reach the finish line. Believing that you can cope with some of the temporary and unpleasant bumps in the road is essential for your success. Many of my patients initially get quite deflated by setbacks or slips. Most times, they are engaging in what I call “black and white thinking.” In this way of thinking, eating one serving of ice cream immediately becomes “I’m sabotaging my surgery!!” One day of feeling deprived or hungry becomes “My band isn’t working!” or “I’m never going to be able to live this way!” It is dramatic, exaggerated and self-defeating thinking. The marathoner’s mindset needs to be focused on “how I can” not “why I can’t.” There is nothing propelling the marathoner forward other than his or her own desire to persevere. He can stop with one step, but CHOOSES not to. He tolerates the discomfort. You also can stop. You can “cheat.” You can avoid getting your band adjusted. You can eat around the bypass. You can drink your calories. You can eat sweets. But you won’t finish the race and you’ll feel terrible for it. Several miles further down the road, the marathon becomes a strange combination of harder and easier. The marathoner has plenty of discomfort. Discomfort is probably an understatement. His body aches, his feet burn and his mind is often numb…but at the same time, he is beginning to almost taste the finish line. There are fewer miles ahead than behind. There is a mild euphoria as he considers that he might actually make it!! The surgery patient has lost a lot of weight several “miles” into her race. Perhaps most of the weight has already been lost…or maybe it’s already all off and now she’s focused on keeping it that way. But perhaps there are still some discomforts. Maybe some people continue to make annoying comments, or you have some body image concerns, or are experiencing other sources of anxiety and insecurity. It will be ok. Keep the focus on the here and now, avoid catastrophic thinking, and address what needs to be addressed. Try to taste the finish line. It’s not much farther now. This is where the analogy ends. The marathoner raises his arms as he crosses the finishing line and gasps in a combination of exhaustion and euphoria….I did it!! It is an incredible accomplishment. He is finished. But as a person who has had weight loss surgery, you will always be running your race. Through time, your pace will hopefully become more predictable and steady, but the journey of weight loss surgery never truly ends. There are always “side-stitches” and “cramps” and little “pebbles in your shoes.” Rub out the cramps. Take a few breaths to relieve the side-stitches. Step off the track for a moment and shake out the pebbles in your shoe. Focus away from whatever the source of discomfort. There’s no timer anymore so there’s no rush to the finish line. Take each day as it comes, some better than others. Just keep a steady pace, a clear focus, and a positive attitude and you will successfully cross a thousand finish lines. Important lessons to remember: · Stay focused in the present. Avoid thinking of how far you still have to go. Instead, focus on how far you’ve come. You cannot effect change in any moment other than the present one, so thinking about and certainly worrying about the future is in many ways both pointless and counterproductive. It only creates anxiety and ruins the present moment. By focusing in the present, you will get to the future faster than you think. When I run, if I focus on the fact that 90% of the distance lies ahead, I immediately feel tired and overwhelmed. When I simply take it one step at a time and enjoy the run, by the time I next think about my distance I’m that much further along and confident that I’ll get through it. · Keep your “qi” (pronounced “chee”) about you. Qi is the circulating life energy that in Chinese philosophy is thought to be inherent and flowing in all things (it’s like “the force” in Star Wars). I think of qi as being a peacefulness, and being at one with the world around me. When I run, I feel more alive than at any other time. I am at one with the world around me. I am moving through the world and feel the world moving through me. Live in the current moment and allow yourself to experience all that you are experiencing. Be present in the present. Avoid thinking of what is wrong or what could go wrong. Instead focus on what is wonderful right now. · Most of the physical and emotional discomforts that you will experience on your journey will come and go. Maybe not right away or even today. But most discomforts do not last forever. Just as many of the runner’s side-stitches and cramps work themselves through, so will yours. · Avoid focusing on small and meaningless detail. Don’t weigh yourself incessantly and get down on yourself for every calorie. Do not become overly disappointed if you do not achieve these silly and arbitrary goals. The marathoner can choose to obsess about his slightly slow pace and tragically turn a remarkable event into an unbearable trek. · Believe that you can “stand” some discomfort. Telling yourself “I can’t stand it” will lead you to not stand it. The marathoner perseveres through extraordinary physical and psychological challenges to reach the finish line. It is not an easy path. Your path too will be littered with obstacles. Trust in yourself and believe that you “can stand it” as well. · Focus on the journey and the big picture. The transformation. The accomplishment of weight loss surgery is not in losing a certain amount of weight. It is about being able to make positive, meaningful change in your life that is now possible at this lower weight. Success isn’t achieved through a number on a scale; it’s by being able to live the life you’ve always dreamed of. · Enjoy the run, not just crossing the finish line. In every moment of the race and in every moment of your journey…take a look around. Breathe in what is beautiful and enjoy each moment. Don’t live your life only in anticipation of crossing the finish line. When you have reached the finish line, I promise you that you will look back and think very fondly of the race you’ve run. :thumbup:

I was never really told to measure my food and generally have always eaten a bit more than a cup per meal. I just take a small bread plate and put small portion of meat, veggie and starch and eat in that order until I am satisfied. In the beginning it took a little trial and error but eventually I got to the point where I knew how much I can handle today. In my program, we gauged portions by the scale and being satisfied. You make sure you get all your nutrition, serve it up in small portions, chew well/eat slowly and stop when you are full. If the scale does not show results then you get an adjustment. 3 oz of meat is the size of a deck of cards or a bar of soap. I may have eaten that much meat some days during my weight loss but usually not quite. I probably eat about 1/2 cup of fruit and/or veggies and 1/4-1/2 cup of starch.

I had to give up, or tune down, my use of hot sauce and also spicey foods altogether......after surgery, it is much easier to get acid reflux and this seemed to be one of the reasons.... I suppose if I was able to eat as much as before surgery, it would not matter. But now that I eat so little, a little hot sauce has more effect.

also for the newbies - I am 13 months post-op. I want to echo the first 8-10 weeks are the hardest - stay with it - hope for smooth sailing but expect setbacks large (complications) and small (food upsets and problems) Find a few things to eat that go down easily and stick with those for a while. I ate cottage cheese for lunch and sometimes dinner for months! It tasted good and went down easily, find what works for you. Take it one day at a time and don't obsess about the scale! Best of luck - there is light at the end of the difficult beginning times!

Did your nutritionist give you a time to not eat past? Just curious to see how everyone's rules compare. Has anyone found that eating before bed slows your weight loss or doesn't effect it at all?

I asked at my NUT mtg on Monday & she said I should be getting 800-1200 calories. Lol I laughed & asked her if she meant @ 1 yr post-op. She said by summer. I laughed again & just said ok. I'm on purees now & lucky to hit 400.

Same as others - clear liquid (broths/juices) for a few days, then liquids (soups/soft foods with no lumps), followed by puréed food. I think it was something like 20 days before I could eat regular food. But as you said, all surgeon requirements are different, though similar.

as dawg said, the TOM, sodium or heavy diamond earrings can make the scale go up...def nothing to worry about unless you are eating alot of junk/fast foods or eating more then 3500 cals all the time (3500 cal is a pound whether its ate or drank)..and taking in more cals than you burn off.--that makes you gain. ....as for going back on Protein shakes, i drink one every morning as i am too tight to eat but just being on liquids helps you lose liquids .....best to eat good foods in your small amounts allotted, drink alot and stay positive.. are you losing inches? if so, then you are losing weight.....and FAB that you are under 200...i am aiming for that myself sweetie

Did you have foods with a lot of sodium? Our weight can flucuate greatly day to day. I suggest you stay off the scale on a daily bases. Don't worry, if you're doing everything right, it will all work out. Congratulations on your weight loss so far.

Warm fluids. And drink drink drink if you can. Dehydration tightens my band right up. Also alcohol does it since it is dehydrating. I went out friday night and had a little too much to drink and I've been tight ever since. Travel does make me tighter so the idea of traveling wouldn't appeal to me either. Any way you can call your physician's office and see if they can get you a referral in China? Just a thought. They maybe able to check credentials of doctors better than you can as a "layperson". Keep to softer foods if possible to avoid the possibility of getting stuck. If you have access to ibuprofen (chewables preferably) you may want to take some with plenty of water of course to see if there is any swelling issues. I don't know if that's okay with breastfeeding, you probably do better than I. Tough to be in your situation, I wish you luck!

Fat free refried beans with some cheese melted on top, hummus (with some unflavored protein powder mixed in), pimiento cheese (with unflavored protein powder mixed in), Greek yogurt (with vanilla protein powder mixed in), sugar free chocolate pudding snack (with chocolate protein powder mixed in). I also had some soups and tried to mix in protein powder or pureed chicken and that was a total fail. (Ugh. Still makes me shudder to think about it. ). I didn't do so well with the eggs. They got cold too quick. I finally solved that with a coffee cup / candle warmer and put my dish on it. That helped. Good luck!